High Five for Friday!

1. Can I tell you that my friends are amazing? A dear friend sent me this gorgeous owl cup for my birthday. A few weeks ago as I was rushing out the door it fell off the coffee maker and broke. I was seriously bummed. I swear my coffee tasted better out of it ;) Well I guess Josh asked her to grab me another (and he'd pay her when we see them again) and guess what showed up a few days later? She wouldn't accept payment- typical.

2. The kids are growing. I can't believe I have a "toddler" and not a baby. Of course since Emberly still isn't walking she can still be my baby... for now. Since the doctor isn't worried (she she cruises and walks when "she feels like it") I'm not worried either. I'll soak up this baby-ness a little while longer.
{this pretty much sums him up in a photo}

{can you even handle those legs?}

3. We are in the middle of choosing a school for Luke next year. I didn't think I'd be thinking about it this soon, but I am actually glad that we are having these conversations now so we don't have to worry about it. We are leaning toward a private school/homeschool combo. He'd go to Kindergarten 3 days a week and have assignments to do at home the other 2 days. It's an awesome model and it incorporates everything we are looking for in a school. Also the private school chooses curriculum so that burden is off us, but we still have a huge part of "teaching" him. We are filling out the application and gathering necessary documents and leaving the rest up to the Lord.

4.  Fall is in full swing at Create Pretty! I am LOVING these pumpkin designs! I have even pumped out a few Christmas items already and that makes me super giddy!

5. We are in the market for a new mattress. We rushed through this decision last time, so we are taking our time to really figure out what we want. Josh has a terrible back with every lumbar disk bulging so it's really up to him. I can sleep anywhere. BTW he had his MRI and got his results last Tuesday. Thankful that the doctor doesn't want to operate but not really sure where else to turn (epidural injections, chiropractor, physical therapy, medicine, etc.). I've been through all this when I was younger, so we're praying for at least a reprieve from pain.

5 minutes and $3 later

So I don't think it's any secret how much I love the Dollar Tree. Holla at a Dolla... right?!

Ok ghetto aside. Underneath my sink was causing me great anxiety. I am pretty tolerant for messes and there are seasons in my life that I actually thrive in disorganization. Gasp.

Not sure if it's my "creative" side or what, but it's true that when I clean up it's difficult for me to find stuff. It's weird.

Anyways. Under my sink was simply out of control. It got to the point that I was literally throwing stuff in there. "Hmmm random bag of cotton balls?" *cram*. "Random hair clip?" *throw in the VERY back*
Here's the before. Taking before photos are a must. It is SO REWARDING to go back and see how it was when you finish. As for this stuff? I use that bottle of lotion every day. And see the contact solution on the floor? Yea it fell out one morning. The pink bag is my "medicine chest". I find it's easier to keep it in a bag like this so I can just grab it when we travel. We HARDLY take medicine but you can bet that whenever we're gone from home my children will come down with whatever illness I don't have meds for. So I bring everything. Besides that everything else is stuff I use randomly, not everyday. Extra contacts, makeup, my other travel bag, etc.

Everything came out. Everything. And I couldn't get a picture because I was surrounded in it. But it was such a relief. I thew away a lot.

And I put everything back, organized in these $1 bins from Dollar Tree.
Ahhhhh can  you hear relief?! Everything on the right side was in there before... my extras bin, those birchboxes, and the blue nail polish container I made in middle school along with all the contents in the green bins. They were all hidden under the mess. By the way I save my birchboxes every month, so I've collected quite a few. I organized the kids bathroom with the rest and I'll share that another day.

But the new containers are PERFECT! I HATE having to pull out bins just to open them. So I love that these are open but still corral everything. Bottom is all my extra contacts and solution, the middle is jewelry cleaners and wax products, and the top is tub stuff (kids shampoo, coconut oil (extra- I keep one on the counter, etc). The lotion stayed front and center because I use that everyday. I love the little nail polish container that I made so it had to stay. It holds my remover, cotton balls, foot scrubs, etc. And behind all that is my medicine bag and travel items. We don't travel a lot so I love that it's there if I need to grab something, but it's out of the way for now!

And this was everything that came out and didn't come back in! What a great feeling! If you haven't done a 5 minute purge, you should. It's really stress relieving! I actually already tackled our fridge and the kids toys are next!

The Current List...

I get like this about three times a year... where projects are just swirling around in my head. And it's such a storm of thinking and mulling over ideas and doing the daily stuff and thinking some more that I finally decide I just need to start SOMETHING. Anything.

Making a list usually helps. I'm not going to set a time limit (although the end of the month would be convenient). But we all know that things come up like stomach viruses (check), rainy weather (check), and everything else that tends to come up and get in the way. So here goes...

1. I want to start couponing again. I got so frustrated with it. Overwhelmed actually. Now that we are near EVERYTHING, I felt like I was running around like a crazy person every week. And with kids being a crazy person isn't an option. I've done a little "inspirational reading" about couponing methods and I think I'm ready to just shop at select stores. So instead of running around to store after store, I am just going to focus on a few. CVS for the drugstore deals, Target for all their goodies ($3 shirts anyone?!), Publix for my meat (& the penny item every Thursday), and Aldi for everything else. I got so worn out by going from drugstore to drugstore that I honestly don't think I was saving money. So my head is back in the game. And now I have a pile of newspapers with inserts waiting for me to rescue them.

2. I've officially started the kid's bathroom. And the night I decided I couldn't finish and I'd "just leave the ladder up tonight" my kid threw up all night. Mommy win of the year... "Don't MOVE and sit there under the ladder while you puke." #yesthathappened I probably have another hour of painting left and it will be painted. Then the accessories. Fun.

3. I want to read a book. All I want is a few hours a night to read. Oh how I miss it. I miss my kindle and I think I've finally come to terms with the fact that it's gone and to save a few bucks I am going to use the app on the iPad. Not quite the same (hello 8 week charge) but it'll do. I have a Jen Hatmaker book at the top of my "read" list.

4. Organize my sewing space. This space has evolved SO QUICKLY since my shop opened in June. And my lack of organization is really kicking my butt. My fabric/shirts/tools all pretty much have a place but my paperwork is OUT OF CONTROL. Like my tax lady is going to f.r.e.a.k. if I don't get a handle on it. I guess that's a trait of creative people? Being able to make beautiful things in less than stellar spaces.

5. I have 3 super simple projects I'd love to knock out. One involves a screen and some chicken wire. Another is a hook system for Luke's closet. And another is a lovely saying I want to put over our front door. Our neighborhood is currently building out the rest of the subdivision and they have tons of wood scraps/junk that get thrown in these "trash" bins (they aren't messy trash- but wood scrap trash). One day on a walk Josh actually talked to the builder who was overseeing the work and he checked to see what was actually trash. The guy gave us permission to take whatever we wanted from the "trash" bins and any other scrap lumber less than 4feet long. You realize this makes my creative brain go WILD. So I have been slowly adding to my collection and I think Josh is ready to roll his eyes. So this stuff needs to get DONE before he kicks it to the curb ;)