Momma Maven

Fashion Friday -Make your own Accessories-

Disney made this DARLING hat from a cardigan for her daughter but it could just as easily be made for you.

and another from Disney

That's Not Playdough

Part of me wishes I'd taken a picture of this before cleaning her up but I walked into a cute little scene of my daughter making snakes with playdough only to realize that it wasn't playdough that she was using but her own poop. YUCK!!!!!!!! Big brother even piped in and said "Look Mommy, it has seeds in it."

Menu Monday - Sprucing Up Old Standbys

My kids and I love many of the simplest meals but they can seem a bit boring sometimes and so there are lots of little things I do to give them a simple twist with only a few new things thrown in. Here are a few ideas of things I've done, what are some of your favorite ways to easily turn a boring basic into something a little more exciting?

I decided that this long road trip for our move back west needed an activity book and as usual I couldn't just do it the easy way, I had to make one myself and now after all my hard work I've decided to share it with you, I'll give one personalized book away.

Friday Fashion -Refashion-

I haven't posted anything in a while but I thought I'd post some of my favorite "refashions" I've found recently. One of my favorite things about fashion is that you can always take something old and make it new again or something from blah to beautiful by just thinking outside the box and giving it a good solid Juj. (how do you spell that?)

So here are a few to inspire you to go into your closets, and everyone else's, and rev up those old pieces that you meant to get rid of but never did.

This is my DH and I just before we got hitched, my hair hasn't been that short since.

We met in LV and only dated for 4 weeks before we got engaged and 6 more weeks until we were married, I never thought I'd get married in such a whirlwind fashion but when you find your soul mate fast isn't fast enough, from the moment I met him it was like finally coming home, I could be 100% myself even the parts of me I didn't know were there. He still has that effect on me, when nothing else can bring me back to center he always can.

He drives me crazy sometimes but then I'm sure I drive him crazy at least as much and I wouldn't have it any other way. He challenges me, makes me face things I don't always want to and will talk with me until sunrise if I need to. He has more patience with my quirks then I thought was possible and he pitches in to help me out even when it's all my own mess and he's had a long hard day.

He may not be perfect but he's perfect for me and it's because of all his hard work and ambition that I get to be the SAHM that I always wanted to be.

I LOVE YOU!

I'm JINXED!!!

So I just found out that my little, growing family will be moving BACK to Utah before this baby is born, this is 3 for 3 for me in moving while in my third trimester. I'm really going to miss Virginia and esp. my midwives and their huge jacuzzi birthing tubs.

I've really enjoyed being here in this beautiful state with all the wonderful people I've met but DH got an offer for a promotion that we just couldn't pass up so off we go again. I'll be busy as a bee organizing, packing and trying not to lose it until we make the move sometime before Christmas. DH has already jumped head first into the hiring process for his team and EG has already made an offer to his replacement so we're on the fast train and I didn't even think know we'd bought the tickets yet.

To my Darling DD

Today my 2nd baby turns two years old, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes, two years ago today I was blessed not only with a beautiful baby girl but a very short and wonderful labor as well, she was born just 30 mins after getting into the room in the Midwifery Center.

I can still remember looking into her eyes for the first time the moment she was born, I caught her, and she was so completely content and wide awake, she didn't cry at all until they started messing with her and then she stopped the second they did. She's been that way ever since.

She does have her own funny quirks though, she will eat just about anything but her favorite thing is usually whatever you are eating right now, she is a natural at puzzles and she really goes out of her way to be understood when she has something to say. She loves "The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree" and has me read it to her several times every day, her favorite part is the shivers and she shiver right along with them. She loves hats, purses, pretty shoes, make-up, having her nails painted, she even sat still so I could put flowers on her big toes Saturday, she adores Dylan and will wear his clothes just so she can look like him.

Big Brother loves her just as much today as he did when he first saw her and didn't want anyone but him to hold her and he couldn't stop beaming and saying how much he loved her and how wonderful he thought she was.

Yesterday DH played tea party and play dough with the kids and I after she opened her presents and my heart melted all over again for every single one of them.

I don't know what the future holds for her but I can guarantee that she will march to the beat of her own drum and won't let anything get in her way when she sets her sights on something. I love watching her grow and feel so blessed to have this amazing person as such an integral part of my family.

I lova you Bug-A-Boo.

It's A GIRL!!!

She was very cooperative, in a perfect position with her arms up and a little over her face, and her legs up and ankles crossed, so sweet. We even got to watch her swallow. It looks like she'll be born with only one kidney because she has two very large cysts in one of them but then she has an aunt who was born with only one also so it's most likely genetic; her heart looked so perfect that I couldn't stop staring at it.

Big brother totally lost it when he heard she was a girl, he had his heart set on a brother and Daddy had to take him out of the office because he was so loud, that's my sensitive little guy, so dramatic and emotional.

I'm actually really relieved to find out that the only complication is the kidney cysts, we'll have another ultrasound and a meeting w/ a Pediatric Nephrologist, I was actually more concerned about the possibility of a low placenta and having to have a c-section or that the baby would be really small, since I'm not showing much. All in all it was a good morning.

Half Way Mark!!!

Yesterday was my halfway mark in the pregnancy, I'm still really not showing that much, I look more like I just have a "mommy pouch" from my first two kids but I'm measuring correctly and this little one is moving around and kicking plenty. I actually wish I showed more but then it's not like it'll stay like this much longer anyway. I need to take pics so you can see.

It's all downhill from here, I haven't had a really bad day in several weeks and the ultrasound is on Monday, I can't wait to see this little one. : D

Girls Night at My House

I was given the opportunity to host a Durex Girl Talk Party in October and I can't wait to get my stuff and start sending out the packages with free gifts to all my attendees. I'm hosting it as an in person and online party since so many of my friends and family are on the other side of the country so if anyone wants an invite just leave me your email and I'll send one your way.

Favorite Children's Books

One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE books from my childhood is "The Monster at the End of This Book", I love the story and all the great expressions that grover has throughout it, now I read it to my little ones and we do the expressions together and talk about eh feelings that Grover is having, like scared, exasperated, relieved, happy, embarrassed. It's their favorite book right now too, so we read it almost every day.

So what are some of your favorite children's books?