. 59/365 .

who says you can't play soccer in a dress?

. LV stockshow .

when i was in jr. high and high school, going to the local stockshow was THE thing to do when the time came.  we stayed from morning to night all 3 days and had a blast.  i'm not real sure what we did in all that time b/c it's not a big place and there's really not a whole lot to do, unless you watch the shows and the sale.  we probably chased boys and did typical jr. high and high school things.  who knows. 

having my own children now, i really enjoy taking them back to see things that we used to do or take them to places we used to go, but we've never really been able to DO the stockshow thing.  people have jobs, ya know?!  we do take them on saturday though, before the sale, to see what animals are left.  this time, we were actually able to see quite a few and i dodged seeing people i know/knew.  the girls had fun though and talked about the bunnies all day long.

 

. 58/365 .

that's my girl!

 

. 57/365 .

 
a beautiful new bloom in my grandparents yard.  i love looking at the flowers when we go there.

. 56/365 .

love this picture of my sweet girl who, thankfull, still has her baby blues.

 

. 55/365 .

 
tonight i pulled out a tub of the girls baby stuff to look through and thought it would be fun to show them things they wore coming home from the hospital, pacis, etc.  big mistake.  sweet baby decided she needed her paci (which she took for like 2 days then decided she liked her thumb more) and her blanket that has her name embroidered on it.  it took me all night to sneak it away from her to get it put up again. 

. these days i love .

i had a long conversation on the phone (shocked? i NEVER talk on the phone) with a sweet friend yesterday about ways to handle/communicate with my first strong-willed child.  not only is she strong-willed, she's stubborn, impatient, demanding, emotional, A GIRL, all in one little person.  there is no laid-back bone in her body.  she likes things her way, she likes to do things on her time, she likes to be queen. 

funny thing.  so do i.  so we clash, big time, quite often.  i was very excited after my conversation with my friend to get started on the techniques she shared and, although i have not yet bought the book she recommended, i did implement a lot of her techniques today. 

and, can i tell ya, we had an AMAZING day.  she was more calm.  i wasn't grouchy.  and it allowed us time to get along, play, tickle, and all those things a mother and young daughter should do daily.

ain't she sweet?  now, tomorrow may be a whole 'nother story, but tonight i can go to be with peace knowing that i do actually like my child.  

a BIG thing i have learned about her is that she has a true servant's heart.  she lives to help others in any way possible.  as stubborn and selfish as she can be, she finds the deepest pleasure in doing for everyone else.  as i realized this, today i started creating moments for her to help others.  she now passes out forks and napkins before we eat.  she makes sure everyone has their drinks and i may even let her pass out plates if they are safe to be handled without spilling. 

this is a HUGE step in making her a happier person.  next up ... making myself let go of the little things that i think i must have control over.  her wardrobe will be first in line.  i typically control what she wears, when she wears it.  for her personality, however, my friend explained that it is ok for her to be in control of that.  thank goodness she has decent taste and now knows what matches!!  i think we'll be good, but i'm trying my hardest to just let it go.  and something i will never forget ...

my friend said (these may not be exact, but it's close) "i always see litle girls who are dressed perfectly.  who match from head to toe and their hair is so dang cute.  they look perfect and so pretty.  but when they open their mouths to yell at their mother or talk ugly to a friend, they instantly become the ugliest little girl i've ever seen.  so i decided that it was okay for my daughter to look like a rag-a-muffin as long as her words were kind and she was being the person God created her to be." 

i will never forget that statement.  it's so true.  so my goal for karsyn is to simply be herself.  for me to relax and not control every little thing about her.  for her to be the person God created her to be every single day of her life and for me to show her those things in my own life for her to immitate and know how God created us to be.

tonight, i go to bed with a happy heart.

. 54/365 .

i love laminating.  i especially love laminating activities that i have printed for the kids to do so i am able to save them for future use.

 

. organization / playroom .

our house is 3 bedroom, so the girls share one room and the other room is strickly a playroom.  having other kids here everyday, this works perfect for us and the organization of this has been a long time coming.  our new system has been amazing as even the littlest ones know where the toys go.  this makes pick-up time a breeze.

this is our main storage unit for toys.  i'm not a big fan of tons of toys, so i try to limit what we have.  all of these bins came from ikea and i LOVE them.

for the big bins, i made labels with pictures so each kid would know what is supposed to be in them.  they picked up on this rather quickly, which accomplished my goal.  i only put pictures on the big bins because those are the toys they play with most often.  all of the small ones have specific things that i only pull down to play with one at a time.

now, the whole shelf was all white when we bought it.  i wanted more color and design, so i used spray adhesive to glue some super cute wrapping paper to the back.  it was VERY easy to do.

here's a close up of the smaller bins.

i do have 2 little boys that i keep and several of our bins are pink.  i know that.  i want it to be a unisex playroom i guess, but i had all of these things before i started taking care of other kiddos.  i do have a white bin full of cars and trucks just for them!

here is the closet ...

 
there is a shelf on the very top that i couldn't get a good picture of, but there are more tubs up there with things that i specifically use for daycare.  one bucket is for things that i use for our sensory bins.  there's a stack of carpet squares that we use for stories.  and several other things.

in the picture are 6 tubs for more toys that either have little parts or there's just lots of ... legos, color matching activities, stacking cubes, cans that we use as blocks, etc.

the rest of the closet is full of dress up stuff and baby dolls, which is a big hit all the way around.

and, lastly, is a view from the other part of the room.  there is one more wall that i didn't take a picture of, but it's just a play yard and the little kitchen.  now, excuse the lack of curtains.  i just can't decide what i want and refuse to settle for anything else. 

. 53/365 .

this is how sweet baby plays soccer ..

kinda works out perfect for her since you can't use your hands to play.  the socks are her shin guards and apparently she didn't need shorts.  she's a hoot!

. words to remember .

just this morning, karsyn was eating a waffle, but so badly wanted the bagel i made for myself.  i told her if she ate her waffle all gone, she could have a bagel.  i looked over to see her putting her waffle in the trash can and said "now, why'd you do that?"

she replied, "because you weren't looking." 

at least she's honest.

. 52/365 .

jessie is now part of the family.  she does everything with us, including dancing to the songs at the very end of the toy story 3 movie while sweet baby sings "we belong together".  so sweet. 

. 51/365 .

. 50/365 .

this was in the bathroom at a friend's house that we went to today and i thought it was the cutest thing ever.  in the bathroom?!  what a way to start the day. 

oh, C .. i took a picture in your bathroom.  :) 
 

. 49/365 .

need i say more? 
 

. high five, it's friday .

here are five things about me ...

1. i cannot stand repetitive noises.  last night, it was mr. hill snoring, over and over and over, without missing a beat.  so i slept in a different room. 

2. move over sonic diet coke, sonic water with lime is now in the lead, which is a good thing.

3. i want so badly to be able to use coupons to save big and to have a stockpile.  i want a serious stockpile.  you know, like on the show "extreme couponing".  ok, maybe not that serious, but i want it to work and i haven't quite figured it out.

4. for some reason, i keep replaying in my mind the summer i was a lifeguard at schlitterbahn.  why on earth do i want to remember that year?!?!?  maybe because i was skinny.  eh, who knows.  but yes, i was a lifeguard at schlitterbahn.  i actually saved my little blue swimsuit for years, but i don't have it anymore.

5. another sleep fact ... i fall asleep on my side, with my full body, except my head, covered.  i cannot stand feeling my breath on my arms, so they are covered.  i cannot stand my feet to be out in the open, so they are covered.  and i have a pillow between my knees, because i cannot stand them to touch when i sleep.

. 48/365 .

a new favorite gift from one of my sweetest friends ...

i've wanted a set of scrabble letters and stands for a while now and i'm so excited to have them to display on my mantel.  thanks S!! 

. words to remember .

one of my favorite things right now is when i ask mykah a question, she shrugs her shoulders, turns out her hands, and says "a-cause". 

karsyn has been under the weather for a few days now and with all the medicine she's been on, she's been very grouchy.  we got out one day and went to target for a little while and when we got home she said "i do not want to go to dance.  i do not want to play soccer.  i do not want to go to school."  and i quickly responded like any mother would do, "ok, that's fine.  we'll just stay home all the time and do nothing.  i'm ok with that."  and she fired back "I MEANT THAT I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO ANY STORES!!!!!"   oh how i owe my mother some HUGE apologize.  i forgot "mind-reader" is in a mother's job description.

. a story i needed to hear .

i love how God sends people to you at the exact time you need them or their story.  i also love selling stuff on craigslist.  and, for me, the two went hand in hand this week.  i sold something to this very sweet lady and when she called to set up a meeting time, she told me that she had a doctors appointment at The Med, which is super close to my house, and that she was getting a hearing aid placed and could come to my house as soon as she was done. 

little did i know, the rest of her story would bless me beyond belief.  when she arrived, she looked so happy and although i have never met this lady before in my life, i could tell that she was excited about something.  she proceeded to tell me that she has been deaf in one ear for 7 years and that she got a hearing aid today.  she could hear out of one ear, but she explained that when you can only hear out of one ear that you can only hear one conversation at a time.  if someone is talking to you, you can't really hear other noises.  you can't really hear how people's voices truly sound or your own voice, for that matter. 

and, as i piped to my own children as she stood there and told me her story .. "could you please be quiet for one moment while i talk to this nice lady?!"  she said "i cannot wait to get home to hear the voices of my children.  i can't wait to hear what they sound like."  that was one of those, slap me in the face, stick my foot in my mouth moments for sure.  how many times do i ask my kids to be quiet and all this sweet mama wanted to do was get home so she could hear the little voices of her babies. 

when she left, i hugged my girls and thanked God for allowing me to be healthy and to be a mama.  to be able to hear and see my children, myself, and my surroundings.  He sent her to me at just the right time.  thank you, Jesus.

. this is what i'm workin' with .

it's "just a stage" right?!?!  good night nurse, i hope so.  not-so-sweet baby (as she is now referred to occasionally) is going through this phase where she takes off her pants and her diaper soon follows.  this is now one of my buttons that she pushes quite often.  oh wait ... mama flies in with a roll of packing tape.  yes, you guessed it.  i tape that bad boy to her bottom and save the day. 

it started first thing in the morning several days in a row.  i went to get her out of bed and she streaked across the room.  sometime during the night she would take off her pajamas and then her diaper.  so, of course, she would pee all over her bed and blankets creating more work those days for me.  she then proceeded to perform the same tricks throughout the day. 

i took her actions as maybe she was ready for potty training, but after one day of trying that i realized she definitely was not ready.  that's another post for another day.  several people mentioned using duck tape to keep the diapers on, but all i had was packing tape.  so that's what we use.  and she knows.  so when we're getting ready for bed, she says "TAPE!" and stands up so i can wrap it around.  twice.  and she can't get that diaper off. 

score one for mama. 
 

. 47/365 .

mmm, pancakes with sprinkles ...

 

. 46/365 .

this is how i clean (especially now that we're going on flu week #2)

 

. flu week #2 .

my sweet girl has the flu again.  for the 2nd time in 2 weeks.  the first time was type a, this time type b, which means she's throwing up.  all over the place.  i hate seeing my babies sick.  luckily though, with one dose of tamiflu, she's up and kicking again.  i was really worried about her for a while b/c she was getting dehydrated.  i just knew we'd be in the hospital getting fluids.  thankfully that didn't happen and thankfully she recovers quickly. 

this is her just moments before she threw up, but about 30 minutes before we left for the doctor.  she was pale, shaking, throwing up water, and her lips were dry beyond belief. 

praise the Lord, no one else has gotten the flu either time she has, but i'm praying now that we stay healthy for a while.
 

. 45/365 .

happy {heart} day

 

. 44/365 .

mommy and daddy had to get measured too, but daddy (aka almost 30 years old) made sure we added our age at the time of measurement.  we did this a few months ago, but i took a picture today because every time i look at it i smile.  i remember his words, "make sure you put that i'm only 29 on there." 

. organizing / command station .

since the first time i saw a command station on someone's blog, i KNEW i had to make one for myself.  it would be perfect to have everything i needed during the day in one place, neat and organized, and where i could find it. 

here's my command station ...

now, let me explain what i have.  obviously there is my computer and my phone.  those are two things that i keep on and at hand daily.  i do keep facebook up usually on my computer, but since i am home all day, every day, that is my life line.  that is what keeps me feeling connected to humans over 41 inches tall. 

then, there's this ...

 
that's my diaper tub.  5 days a week, i have 4 kids wearing diapers.  when it's time for a regularly scheduled diaper change, i just grab this tub.  it holds 4 different kinds/sizes of diapers for each kid, wipes, diaper cream, and plastic bags to readily throw out those less than appealing diapers that need to be tossed out immediately.  right next to that tub, sits our Bibles and a box of kleenex.

 
on the counter i have a cute little tray that holds my chapstick, my wedding ring when i'm not wearing it, and a cd that i'm mailing today, plus my container of cough drops. 

obviously all of my pens and markers.

then, it's my favorite thing ...

this little guy is a file folder basket, with file folders that i labeled for things i need at hand.  clipped to the front is a calendar for each month of the year.  dates are color coded for each person and the bottom of each calendar has another label so i can quickly switch to a different month.  the labels for the file folders are incoming mail, to be filed, shred, coupons, menu/groceries, david, erin, karsyn, mykah.

 
lastly, there's my receipt holder.  i got this guy from target in the dollar section.  i labeled each section 1-12 for each month of the year, and we save every receipt we get. 

there you have it.  now, honestly, i would like LESS in my command station.  to me, less is more and i love having very little THINGS to clutter up my space.  if i didn't need the diapers handy, that wouldn't be there for sure, but i need them 5 days a week, so they stay.   now, we won't talk about what the rest of my kitchen looks like.

. 43/365 .

my newest collection ...

 

. 42/365 .

 

. organizing / entry .

looky looky what i finally finished.

 
my entry cabinet / lockers / way-to-get-bags-and-coats-off-my-counters.  this is the cabinet that i found the plans for and gave them to one of mr. hill's friends to build for me.  he did an amazing job.  all i did was prime, paint, and apply a clear coat for protection.  we added hooks tonight and voila.  it's perfect, but in a very awkward spot to get pictures of. 

 
i am in the process of finding baskets for the top and bottom cubbies.  it's proving to be a hard task as most baskets are either too small or too big for what i want.  i need them to be just right.  if you know me, you know that this process will take quite a while.  i have in my head what i want, and i must find them.

. 41/365 .

 
i {love} that my sweet girl still has her baby blue eyes (knocking on some wood here).  i hope she keeps them forever and ever.

. words to remember .

karsyn will not lay down for rest time today.  she just came in and said "my tummy is growling and it said that it's not full.  it's saying it wants some pizza."

her new phrase ... "are you thinking what i'm thinking?"

. organizing / hall closet 1 .

this post isn't that great, but i wanted to show you where i put the rest of our medicine that i don't need access to daily.  i don't even think i have a before picture.

here i have a tub for "cold/allergy", which we try to keep stocked with our regular stuff because we have allergy issues all year.  "first aid" keeps even more bandaids and neosporin than what i have in the kitchen.  it also has gause and insect spray.  "pain" is an obvious one.  there are several kinds of pain relief, ear drops, etc.   and the last one is "breathing treatments" where i keep all of our albuterol and inhalers.  the white tub on the side is for alcohol, peroxide, sunscreen, and cough drops. 

 the shelves under the medicine is where i have blankets, sheets, and napmats.  i'm not real sure what that tub is on top of the blankets.  guess i'll have to go check it out.

now, i didn't take pictures of the top and bottom of the closet because there isn't anything special or anything that would make you want to go organize something.  the top is for board games and some other office supplies, software, etc.  the bottom has a 3 drawer plastic rolling cart that has construction paper, scrapbook paper, and more items that i use for daycare. 

that's all.  next up ... the playroom!  yikes!

. organizing / craft space / office .

so, this is my favorite part of our house.  it's a big nook in the hallway with a built in desk and shelf for an office.  we have used this as another catch-all space, even though it houses our printer and filing cabinet.  the shelf was stockpiled with books that we never opened and my craft stuff was taking over my hall closet. 

here was my solution ...

office before {note: i ALWAYS forget to take an actual before picture, so this is just after i got started on the project}

 and the after :

i didn't add much cute stuff here just yet.  and i had to keep it functional still since mr. hill is doing grad school work.  in the tubs on the shelf, i went a little label crazy, but i need to know exactly what is in each tub.  and i love them.

i already had some supplies in these glass containers, so i just kept them in there. 

i already had these little red buckets, but they weren't being used.  so i screwed in some little hooks under the shelf and there they hang.  they provide easy access to little things i need such as extra phone cords and the girls leapster games. 

i found this cute little antique bike basket at my favorite antique store a while back and i've always had it hanging to hold our notebooks and clipboards that we use frequently.  we keep our checkbook register in a notebook and this is where we keep it.

and, last, but not least ... an old cooling rack.  i hung it and use magnets to hang stuff on.  lucky for you, right now it is karsyn's favorite picture of me.  she calls it my "princess picture".  it's me when i was a junior in high school!  yikes.