30 Weeks Bigger

I am feeling soooo pregnant lately.  I guess I am pretty pregnant (30 weeks), so that should justify and explain things.  However, it is crazy to feel so immobile, puffy, tired, and just plain big.  I made the mistake of looking at some older pictures, so now I can really see how much my face seems to have puffed, especially. 

It's no secret to those around me that I love my baby already.  I love feeling her move and hearing her heartbeat.  It's also no secret, that despite that I love her and am ecstatic that she's joining this world, I do not love being pregnant.  That's one reason I haven't shared a lot of side-view pregnancy shots.  I don't feel like myself, like it's me in the picture. 

Everyday, Miles is surprised that I am bigger.  Everyday, I am surprised that I am bigger.  That baby and I keep growing!  So, I thought I would start to share a few more pictures of this recent growth. 

I'm getting to that point where everyone asks when you're due and strangers do not hestitate to assume pregnancy.  My students love it.  I teach 8th grade students who are oh so good at calling you out about things and observing your looks.  Well, this week two embarassing pregnancy moments occurred.  One was that I caused in uproar in one of my least sympathetic classes, when I dropped a flashcard and struggled to pick it up.  Another was on a day the staff all wore our tie-dye shirts to promote a school-wide read, one of my students said, "Mrs. Schneider, it's like yours is 3D tie-dye!" 

This picture was last Saturday evening, at a wedding. 

This one was taken at work this week.



Progress

Since Craftastrophy 2012, we have made quite a bit of progress in the nursery! 

The nursery now has both painted pegboards on the wall, and the changing table/dresser is set up, too. 

It's in the plans to stain wooden knobs for the dresser, so it will look like it's an actual set with the crib.  Looking forward to that and knocking more stuff of the to do list over the next couple of months!

A Bouquet and a Boyquet for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Miles is always so wonderful about getting me flowers for Valentine's Day.  This year was no exception; some beautiful roses beat me home today. 

I usually just cook dinner, but don't really buy a gift.  So, this year, I decided to make the male version of a bouquet, what I like to call the boyquet.  Here it is in all its glory.

Hope everyone had a sweet Valentine's Day!!

This Last and This Past Weekend

Last weekend we celebrated my mom's birthday early, so the whole family could be together.  It was an awesome day at the rodeo and stockshow.  I know she loved being surrounded by all of her grandkids and children.  We really enjoyed being with her to celebrate!  Her true birthday is at the end of the month, and I'm hoping there will be more cake family fun at that time.

I'll have to celebrate my 60th birthday years early to look that great!

This past weekend Miles and I escaped the responsiblities, obligations, and anxieties of our real lives and went to the lake.  It was just us and just what we needed - a bit of rejuvination, a bit of fishing, a bit of rest.

Jacks was intently watching Miles fly fish. 

A quick self-timer pic before going out for an early Valentine's dinner date at the Harbor.

Jaclyn's Baby Shower

It's been two weeks, since one of my most fun January events...Jaclyn's baby shower!  We kept it casual by making it a small couple's shower, per Jaclyn's request.  She's due in March with a baby girl, Paisley Jane McKay.  

The best part about this shower was getting to see Jaclyn, since she lives in Lubbock.  It also brought some other close friends into town, and we all had so much fun hanging out.  

Top Left:  The girls
Bottom Left: Jaclyn with Michelle M.
Right: Jaclyn and her hubby, Coy

 

Top Left: Jaclyn and Paisley with the cake

Top Right: The hostesses and Jaclyn (Emily, me, Jaclyn, Michelle, and Britney)

Bottom Pics: Opening gifts

Top Left: Adorable party favors made by Michelle
Top Right: Party banner with goodies for Paisley
Bottom Left: Jaclyn having a ball
Bottom Right: The wonderful cake made by Michelle's mom

Some of my favorite pictures, besides the ones of Jaclyn, from the shower.
Top Left:  Kristin and Michelle
Bottom Left: Kelly and Britney
Right: Emily and Miles

I loved getting together with everyone and can't wait to meet sweet Paisley Jane!!

Craft-tastrophy.

Oh my goodness.  Why do Do-It-Yourself projects do this to us?  Why do they suck you in, make you believe you can, and then crush your self-confidence one mistake at a time?  I am sitting here still recovering from what was flop of a DIY day. 

I want to preface my recounting of events to say that we are down, but not out.  We are crushed, but not conquered... 

For some time, I've been trying to convince Miles that covering much of the wall space in the nursery with peg board is a great idea. 



I know, his thoughts exactly.  However, it's going to be awesome.

It is not going to just add color but also texture!  It's also going to add a unique and easy way to hang and store stuff in her room! 

Obviously, I'm pretty into the idea.  

I also fell in love with some DIY pom pom decorative lanterns, which, of course, I found on Pinterest. 

The biggest hold up in all nursery decor decisions has been that I hadn't found the bedding I wanted to use, therefore, I hadn't found what colors I was going with.  Sarina hooked me up by finding one through the Land of Nod that was just what I was looking for - color and pattern.  Here's the valance, for you to see.

So, now I knew - blue peg boards on the wall, red accents everywhere.  Naturally, I wanted to do two of the pom lanterns in red and one in orange (to go with her bedding) and hang them above the changing table/dresser for her to look at.

That tutorial is perfectly detailed!  I know exactly how to do this, and I can't wait to be able to say I did them!   Oh, here is the right fabric - light and cheap!  This is going to be fun!

And, Miles has finally started to see my vision.  He's thrown in some great ideas for the room decor, too, and suddenly we are all into it. 
 
Yesterday really solidified our excitement, when we bought the peg board and discovered a spray paint that was the exact color of the existing wall.  We then moved the guest bed into the study to really start making that room into the nursery.  We are on roll that can't be stopped. 

Spray paint - that will be perfect!  We will be able to quickly and easily cover the peg board, and we don't have to have to try to find a paint that matches, now!  I love Lowe's!  That store is great!  See how well we work together, taking the bed apart, moving it bit by bit into the study.  Oh yeah, look how nicely that bed fits in that room - desk and all!  

That's what happens.  Do-It-Yourself starts off so positive, motivating, and inspiring.  And, then today went down. Cruel, cruel crafts....

Miles has cardboard spread out in the garage, peg board laid on top, and spray paint ready to go.  He joyously goes to our new favorite store, Lowe's, to buy more spray paint (we only bought one can to test color).  He puts on his special, I don't care if I get spray paint on you, clothes. 
The wind sure is strong today, almost as strong as these fumes...and are those streaks going to stay there...is that blue paint all over my garage floor?

I set out my fabric, put on HGTV, printed an exact template for a 3" circle, and started tracing circles.
And, continued to trace circles, and began cutting circles...and never finished cutting circles.

The breakdown goes like this, though.

Miles finished the first peg board, and we intelligently decided to let it dry, check it out, and give his brain a rest from the high.  I spent about 30 minutes tracing only fifty circles, about 90 minutes cutting the only fifty circles, and about 60 minutes beginning to glue the fabric to the lantern. 

So, Miles was pretty devastated, when the color and coverage was perfect on the pegboard but it was streaky.   He can't stand things like that, and even though I really am okay with it, there is no way he is hanging it in his baby girl's room.  The floor of the garage was covered in paint, and that meant we were walking through it and into our house with it.

So, I was pretty devastated, when the collective three hours I spent on the pom pom lanterns got me about one-sixteenth of the way finished with one lantern. 

I wish I could tell Miles that craft-tastrophy gets easier to deal with the more it occurs to you, the more you have to deal with it.  But, it doesn't.  It really is so defeating every time. 

However, I really do refuse to truly be defeated.  We won't give up on the peg board project.  We are going to prime the one he did today out.  We are going to find a paint that matches and get a can.  We are going to roll it on the peg board. 

It's going to work and be fantastic!  See, not conquered.

The pom pom lanterns will probably be modified.  I'm thinking one lantern.  I don't know what I'll do with it.  I'm not joking that it's going to take me about 24 total hours to complete the one.  It's looking wonderful, and I really do wish they weren't so time consuming.  I love the look. 

My one lantern won't look awkward and alone!  See, not out. 

I'll keep you updated.  Hope you can sleep in the meantime.  I will be sleeping, because craft-tastrophies are exhausting. 

Pinterest Plans

Pinterest offers a lot of inspiration and ideas.  Most of which, as Miles loves to say, never come into fruition.

That said, I must take a moment to point out that the following things have been completed or are in the process of being completed from Pinterest.  Pinterest deserves credit, after all.  And, so do I!

One day, I made broccoli and cheese soup from scratch.  I had to make a rue.  What do you think about that!? 

Here was my soup inspiration.

Here was my soup.  It was yummy...

Britney and I collaborated on a banner project for Jaclyn's baby shower.  We are so amazing that we didn't use a tutorial or anything - just winged it!

Here was a burlap banner that inspired us.

Here is our banner creation.  What do you think?

Holiday cards make me truly happy.  I love seeing everyone's picture or sweet card.  I sometimes struggle with the display.

Here was a "why didn't I think of that before" Pinterest inspiration.

Here is a bad picture of this year's holiday card display.

 

I saw these awesome, fun, and cute magnets on Pinterest.  Then, I bought them for myself and everyone in my family!

Here was the pin from modcloth.

Here is the magnet in action.

One of my very first pins was of crackle nail polish.  And, after seeing it online, I bought it in two colors.  It is cool.  I love nail polish.

Here was the pin.

You'll have to trust me that I have this nail polish and have used it.  I have no photographic support.

I saw a pin about puppy chow, repinned the recipe, made it, and ate it all before there could be any pictures or sharing.

Here is the puppy chow from Pinterest.

Salty and sweet is divine.  These chocolate covered peanut-butter pretzel balls have a horrible name, but were introduced to me on Pinterest and eaten at home.  I did share this time, though, I promise.

Here is the pin of finished product.

Here is a picture of the ball making process.  That's the only picture I have. 

We are using fruit kabobs at Jaclyn's baby shower, too.  But, I have to admit, that this is one I'd done before seeing it here.  It wasn't inspired by Pinterest, but it is a good picture of them in a rainbow shape.  And, that is fancy!

Here is the rainbow kabob pin.

Here are just a few of the other things that I WILL be doing, inspired by Pinterest pins. 

Traveling without having my jewelry tied in knots.

Putting pegborad up in baby girl's room.

Having a unique and fun baby boy shower for Sarina.

Spray painting mess free.

Making an adorable birth announcement.

Wrapping my headphones with a friendship bracelet, so they'll stop being tangled.

Learning to make bows and headbands.

I could go on and on because I DO pin a lot more than I have yet to create.  However, when I have the time or inclination, I'll know where to find my inspiration!