Spice jars.

I've been busy pinteresting! And organizing! So much so that my husband is having flashbacks of when I was pregnant and in major nesting mode. He asked, "you're not pregnant are you??" Please. But here's my latest Pinterest project. I bought small mason jars at HEB and spray painted the inside lid with chalkboard paint and the outer rim with green paint (cause I love green). Then I labeled each with a chalk marker which wipes off with a damp cloth should I ever want to change it. For something like this it's better than normal old chalk bc it is a bit more durable.
I still need a few more jars so headed back to the store to grab another box of jars.

Forever 21 déjà vu.

After today's episode in the store forever 21, I'm beginning to think that maybe God doesn't want me to shop there...

I took my two littles to the mall after my workout so I could buy some bubble bath for my husband (yes, he takes more bubble baths than I do) at Bath and Body Works. We accomplished this task, so I figured I'd check out some stores and on the way out, I decided to try my luck again at going inside Forever 21. Again. Now, you must read my previous post on my one and only other experience at this store if you have not already. It will provide some important background information and history. So, back today's trip: I tell myself I will just look around on the lower level of the store. I do, until Sloan walks up the four steps to the upper level. I can see some cute shirts up there, so I figured that since I had Abby in the umbrella stroller this time and not the ginormous double stroller, I could carry the stroller and Abby up the four steps. I was just about ready to grab onto the stroller when a man offered to show me the lift. I don't think this man actually worked at the store, but was more of a janitorial worker. Unless janitorial uniforms are in style now, which would add to the reasons why I am too old to be shopping in Forever 21.

Anyway, I tell this nice man that I couldn't figure the lift out last time so I would just haul the little umbrella stroller with my baby in it up the stairs. He insisted ever so politely that he would help me and that someone always has to help you because they made it so the someone on the upstairs part has to turn a key to help you go up. Oh. Now I see why I had issues last time...

So, I roll the stroller in the lift, get Sloan to squeeze in and I squeeze myself in to this 3 ft by 4 ft space. The man turns the key, we go up! But we stop one inch from being level with the upper floor. One inch! The lift won't open the door because it's not even. The man tries to make it work again, but it is frozen. It won't move. We are stuck. At this point, I guess Abby senses my growing panic because she starts to cry. So now I am stuck in this 3x4 cube with a crying baby in a stroller with my 3 year old. Awesome. At this point, sAles lady comes over (she probably heard the screaming baby and thought that it was not a cool, hip sound for her store) and tries to help. She tells me that the lift is "off balance" and asks me to walk around. Y'all- WALK AROUND. In a space that barely fits me, my stroller with my baby in it, and my little 3 year old child. But, I do as I'm told and shuffle around and squeeze around the cube. To no avail. At this point, I am aware that I now have negative cool points and can never be seen in this store again, but first I have to get out of the cube before I can never be seen in the store again!

Moving on...now, the man who so thoughtfully tried to help me in the first place, says lets just lower it back down, which sounds like a great idea to me. I am so over looking at the clothes on the upper level by this point. But the sales lady says that it won't go down. It won't move until it is back in balance. What?? After a few more attempts at getting me ton"walk around" the cube, she comes up with the idea to lift Sloan out of the cube so it will be on balance. However, Sloan decides that he wants no part of this, so then HE start freaking out, along with his sister, who is still crying. I am desperate now. I lift him over kicking and screaming and HALLELUJAH the lift moves up the last inch! The lady opens the door, but Sloan is trying to reach in at me and won't move out of the way, so we can't open the door. It takes another minute to get him to understand through his tears and yelling that he needs to back up so mommy can get out.

Lord, we made it out! And left. Immediately.

Green smoothies

So I've jumped on the green smoothie band wagon. And I have to say, it's a delicious band wagon at that! I found a few variations on Pinterest (God, thank you for Pinterest and the recipes it provides). I went with one that called for stuff that I usually have on hand.

-a handful of baby spinach
-a handful of frozen fruits (not berries-they turn the smoothie brown)
-a splash of OJ or apple juice (and just a splash)
-a splash of water
-and half a banana

Y'all, it is SO good. Sloan, my 3 year old, watched me make it the first day and tried it and loved it. Jackson, my 6 year old, even liked it. He is a little pickier with his veggies, and by picky, I mean he doesn't eat them, but he loved it too! He's had one every time I make them! Thankfully, he tried it and drank more than half of his cup before Sloan opened his big mouth and said there was "salad" in it. I tried to ignore him and encourage jackson to just drink it, but if you ignore Sloan, he just gets louder and more insistent until someone responds. So, I had to let the cat out of the bag and tell Jackson the spinach was in the smoothie. It bothered him a little, but he got over it and even helped make one this morning and put the spinach in it himself!!

Y'all, it tastes so good, that Jackson had to ask if it was an every day food (I.e. not a treat or dessert). Try it. And don't tell your kids what's in it before they try it!

I never...

I think this season of my life should be called "Never say never" or "see, I told you so" or "hypocrisy" because it seems almost daily that I find myself doing or saying something that I swore I'd never do or something that I saw others do and judged them and their choices.

Yesterday was a prime example. But let me start with a story a long while ago when Jesse and I were dating. He had an old Bronco that he took off roading and rock crawling. I went with him a few times and once there was this couple with their baby in their truck joining them on their off roading adventures. I ain't gonna lie. I judged them. Dumb rednecks, I thought. Who brings a baby to this stuff?

Well, fast forward to yesterday and I find myself bringing all my children to a friend's farm to shoot guns. Yes, even my 9 month old daughter. Awesome. Redneck baby.  But I did bring her proper ear protection so that she won't damage her ears until she's old enough to go to concerts and damage them on her own. I know some of you are judging me.  But I'm ok with it. C'est la vie.
(Notice how I just used a French saying to class myself up??? I'm sure I fall into the classy redneck category if there is any. You know, I do shop at Target more than Walmart...).

Chalkboard project

Chalkboards and chalkboard art are uber chic right now. I've been wanting a framed chalkboard for my entryway for, like, ever! ;) but I could never find what I wanted for cheap, so I've been formulating how to make one myself. Translation: make a chalkboard for cheap and easy. Cheap and easy. That's me...ha! ;)

Seriously, though, I think I figured it out. I bought an ornate frame from hobby lobby for half price (although I would have preferred one from goodwill) and found a thin painting canvas that fit in it. I painted the canvas with chalkboard paint and painted the frame with green "olive" paint and superglued that bad boy together. After it all dried, I pinterested (verb; synonymous to googling, but done on Pinterest) chalkboard art and voila! Entryway chalkboard.
I did consider spray painting the frame for a more modern, consistent coverage because the gold ended up showing through the brushed on paint, but I think I like the muted look.

Attitude adjustment

My kindergartner got in trouble at school today. He had a difficult time during rest time. Sadly, this was due to his new Baylor cuddle-up-it (which is a blanket/pet like a pillow pet) that he got for Christmas. He can't control himself, apparently when it's rest time, and he has to play as disrupt others instead of rest. So...log story short, he is my child who thinks that all is lost when he gets in trouble. Thus, he went up to his room when he came home and wrote the note below, saying that Sloan could have all his stuff. And he piled all te stuff he likes onto Sloan's dresser. He even put his clothes on the floor next to Sloan's dresser. It's hard being six years old.

OSHA

Being a mother is hazardous to my health. I'm sure OSHA would shut down this operation I've got going in my house. I don't wear safety goggles or hard hats or have the proper medical emergency kit ready. Why, just a few minutes ago, my daughter basically gouged out my right eye (dramatic much?). Seriously, though, I'm having a hard time typing bc I can't see due to the swelling and watery right eye. I was just laying her down for nap when she poked her little fingers RIGHT into my cornea.
But in a bigger picture, this all makes me want to say, have some sympathy and grace for us moms that you see out in public who look a little worse for the wear. We might just have been attacked by our own children... ;)