Sports Crafting

now that bodie is getting a bit older...he is also getting opinions...and man do 2 year olds have opinions! but what is fun is that he is getting excited about certain things and i love it when i can make something that any of them get excited about!

i found these striped shirts at target for $4.50...i asked bodie if he wanted mommy to make him a shirt...da! (that is his "yes"). i asked him if he wanted a baseball shirt...DAAAA! score.

it is so sweet to watch him watch bryson. he always asks for a river cat (bryson's t-ball team) shirt and river cat hat. so i made him this little shirt - right before practice tonight...took me all of 15 minutes (if you can tell...surely) but he was so excited he wanted to sleep in it tonight. which cracked me up because he has never asked for any clothes up to this point (i realize this will change!)

i also needed to personalize bryson's baseball bag since a lot of the players have the same one. i tried to embroider directly on it, but my hoop was not having it, so i did it on fabric and sewed it on instead. looking back...white was NOT the best option...ooops...live and learn.

i have started labeling things B. Barnes...because it will easily transition :) and i am glad to have had the brain power to do this to his bag. #22 is a family number...its bryson's # now in t-ball...bryan's dad had it in football and bryan sported it, and his cousin matt also sported it on a number of teams he played on. anyway...its a thing...so i figured it may be around a while :)

it has been a little funny to me sewing sport-y things. i think i always envisioned myself sewing appliques on dance uniforms or little girl dresses, and yet - here i am a mom of 3 boys sewing baseballs on shirts and patches on t-ball outfits. it gives me such satisfaction that my boys ask me to make stuff - that just because you have boys it doesn't mean they don't appreciate home-made.

i have a feeling this isn't the last baseball shirt i make and that is just fine with this mama!

who do my kids think they are?

that title probably doesn't come across in the tone i was intending...i was more thinking of a spin-off title from this show: Who Do You Think You Are on NBC.

i love this show. i have watched every episode so far. my favorite ones are Sarah Jessica Parkers (and her hubby's was amazing too) and Everett Smith's.

so...here is the point...to get my kids to try more tasty (read: garlic laden dinners) my husband would tell bryson (our oldest who is 5) that he should like it because he is Italian. he says it often enough that the other day when we were eating pasta bryson says, "I love this because I am Italian...what are you mom?" I explained that I am Swedish...almost 100% swedish...which makes him more Swedish than Italian..thank you very much. Bryan then launched into an explanation of how Daddy is Black and Italian and Mommy is Swedish, so Bryson is all of those things. He said, "That is why you aren't as dark as Daddy and you aren't as white as Mommy" (well...to be fair...90% of humans are darker than Mommy...but whatever). Anyway - we both realized in that small moment that maybe since he is getting older he might need to know a little about heritage.

I am realizing that a lot of my family traditions of celebrating St. Lucia Day and Name Day are special, but we also need to honor Bryan's heritage as well. I think the show has given me a desire to look more into my family and his to teach stories of our ancestors to our kids.

Usually in the show the celebrity starts with a family rumor then goes on a journey to confirm or deny that rumor...there is one particular story in my mother's family I would love to find out...

I was always told the story that my Great Great (?) Grandfather was the bastard son of the King of Sweden, and because the King wouldn't grant any parental rights, my GGG Grandmother emigrated to the States to start over since her son was ridiculed for being fatherless. Apparently the King would travel around if he had to stay the night at a home it was customary for the Father to offer his Daughter to keep the King company...if you know what I mean...which is how my GG Grandfather was allegedly produced.

Bryan calls me his bastard princess...i love it :)

I also am super curious about Bryan's heritage - both the African American side and the Sicilian side. he has some interesting stories too about his Italian side, involving Al Capone...and his African American side is somewhat of a mystery since his dad's mother is somewhat estranged from the family.

But it is all prepping me for a journey to look into all the pieces that make up our genetic puzzle of a family and the show is really encouraging me to delve further!

Where would YOU start?

Living Room Make-UNDER

Living Room BEFORE

After visiting good friends of ours (and eating at their AMAZING restaurant - please do yourself a favor if you ever find yourself in the Portland area and check out St. Jacks in East Portland) i left so inspired by their house. my girlfriend has done such an amazing job decorating her house - so peaceful and filled with art and soft light and i came back to my den of a living room and knew that i needed a change!

Living Room AFTER

These flowered curtains came with our house and i never changed them because...well...moving in always takes extra cash and changing out curtains was not in the budget...also i felt like i would need to spend a lot of money and so i put it out of my mind.

I dont know how you are with changing up your decorating - or making rooms "new" but i always think i have to go and redo everything...so i go big or dont do it basically. i am trying to re-train my brain into thinking about corners at a time and especially tackling things that i look at and hate or rub me the wrong way - whatever...these curtains were definitely that. i went to IKEA and found their cheapest canvas white curtains - and changed out all 8 panels for $80. I find that a bargain! i also found this fuzzy white throw pillow at Target for $20 - i normally dont buy throw pillows, but i loved the furry little thing. and that is all i spent - everything else i made or repurposed form elsewhere in my house - so i got a total room makeover for $100.

Reading Corner BEFORE

they made the room so dark - they were a pain to open and close, plus the room was so cluttered that i didnt want a lot of light exposing it all...so i de-cluttered...i took away a lot of useless furniture and all those silly throw pillows and the result is understated in these pictures, but has been so amazing. i love this room now. i am at peace in this room now. sometimes the best way to tackle a room is to remove the unnecessary parts.

now i want to sit in that supremely uncomfortable knock-off Eames. I also want to keep the room clean...so i have vetoed all noise making toys and send them off to their own room if they so wish to pollute their ears.

I plan on changing up the mantle every so often. i already have an idea involving some antlers i found at a flea market...if my husband lets me...we'll see!

What do you think? Did you like it better with the tropical curtains?

Reading Nook AFTER

Living Room AFTER

Mantle AFTER

Mantle

Sweet Camping Print - thanks Jena!

Garden Update - Peeks at Spring

So we have not officially done our garden yet...it doesn't even feel like time yet, but ummm its almost April! i think because we have had so much rain (for us) here in SoCal that it hasn't been convenient...I think that may change this weekend.

my husband planted broccoli earlier this year...I have never had success with Broccoli and was so so excited when i saw little broccolis shooting up...but i kept waiting for them to get bigger or more full...it seemed silly to pick this tiny little bunch of broccoli...and then this happened...uh oh...i think once it does this its no good to pick - am i right? please someone tell me if i am wrong - i am way too lazy to go and research this right now.

plus as you can maybe see...there is a little sister plant ready to pick...tomorrow guess what the boys will be eating? they will totally eat it all too since they will pick it - love that about the garden!

we also have some amazing bulb flowers popping up that my husband planted in the winter. what a fun surprise! i am way too instant gratification/impatient to plant a bulb that takes months to turn into anything, but so happy to be married to that man who gets the biggest kick out of watching things grow!









Here is another neglected plant that flowered...or bolted...i guess these are no bueno also since they have had a flowering head for like 2 weeks now! poor onions...i think i neglected these because when i was pregnant with my last baby i couldnt tolerate them...i left them out of everything and got sorta used to cooking with leeks instead and sometimes shallots...but i need to get to know the onion again...we used to be tight!











and finally...yay! some delicious (there really is no better tasting strawberry than one you grow yourself...truly) little strawberries almost ready...we have to hide them from Bodie...he still is the worst pest in our garden...

hopefully there will be an even more exciting garden update soon...

and honestly - if any of you know anything about broccoli or onions flowering and if they are salvageable - let me know in the comments!

Bunny Zoodie

Spring is here! Can you feel it? We just spent the evening at our lovely farmers market on a blanket eating yummy food...I am feeling a nice tradition of picnic dinners ahead!

So here is the bunny zoodie *sorta* in time for Easter - order now to ensure Easter delivery! you can do this in white...if you are brave...or your kid is neat...mine are not...i have already washed this zoodie twice and my son is only 7 months old! Or gray...or any color really - want a red bunny? sure! why not!

the best part about this is that not only is this Bobby's first zoodie - its also his first time as a model in my store!






I had a rough go at trying to figure out how to get these ears to stick up...i tried about 4 different ways i think...lots of seam ripping. What i found worked the best was actually the easiest and washing machine safe...so win win! i just hand sew a little piece of fleece connecting the back of the ear to the hood...so there is a little fleece bridge - not too noticeable and makes them poke up so cute!

and that little tail in  the back when he is crawling away! ahhhh...so darling!

The bunny zoodie is now available in the shop - Happy Spring Everyone!

p90x with Kids

we are almost done with p90x...although i am sure i will continue to do a lot of the workouts since we have it all set up - and we havent done it completely right either...in that we have only done the 6 out of 7 day workouts like 3 weeks out of the 13...BUT the least we have done is 4x week...so i think that is pretty amazing! 

when we started it we weren't really sure how we were going to make it work, only that we would make it work somehow. we take turns taking care of the boys and sometimes it is too much and we turn it off and change our focus...but it is pretty amazing how used to it they get and just accept it. it is extremely hard to try to do it by yourself with 3 kids...which i attempt at least once a week and seldom get to finish the video. 

yoga is by far the hardest to do with kids...i dont think the practice of yoga included babysitting because you need a lot of focus...a lot of people have asked us how we do it...i hope it is some encouragement to others because kids dont have to be an excuse for not working out...although its a good one! i know i use it all the time! 

also...if you are crazy enough to attempt this solo...i would highly suggest in investing in an iPAD...angry birds and entertained kids are priceless! 

The Mommy App

i have had a coupla conversations with other mommies lately about how thankless our jobs are...not really about that...more like the conversation would go like this:

Me: I feel like if I work out 4 times in a week I should be given an award or something...
Other Mommy: You should! That is amazing! I did a load of laundry today AND put it away!
Me: Holy crow! you are fantastic! how did you find the time?
Other Mommy: wow! that feels really good for someone to congratulate me on something that should happen.
Me: I know! No one ever tells us how amazing we are for making it through the day without yelling at our kids.
Other Mommy: There should be a Mommy App that congratulates you and tells you how amazing you are if you make dinner that isnt popcorn and apples.
Me: you think to give them apples with popcorn? You are Amazing!!

so...i didnt find a mommy app...and i dont have the skill/time/motivation to make one...BUT i did find this app that is a round of applause whenever you press the button. it is so addicting and a total mood lifter. i tried it after i emptied the dishwasher....wuuuuu! i was so encouraged that i also wiped down the kitchen counter and pressed it again...wuuuu!

anyway...i highly recommend it...on my droid its called "guiltify"...i am sure there is something similar for the iphone.

so...i think you are all amazing for putting your kids to bed AND reading them a story (for the gillionth time) and for managing to get dressed today....wuuuuuu!!!! way to go SUPERMOM!

Springtime Daffodil Garden

all you serious weather people are gunna laugh at this...but hey! we have had some weather out here in SoCal! it has been cooooold...for here...like i saw it in the 40s...what? okay, seriously though...my husband planted these bulbs for me a while ago and they are shooting up like crazy and made him capture them before they pooped out...i plan on framing this picture...i love that "B"...i got it at a flea market for $35 probably 6 years ago and it finally has a good home (it lived under our bed for a good 4 years)

so this is my little "springtime" garden...his accompaniment to my "winter" garden (see you people who actually see seasons...i quoted them for you...happy now?) it makes me so happy that i happened to marry someone who takes on a hobby we all can enjoy...how could newly sprouted daffodils not bring someone joy? impossible i tell you...

Goodbyn on Gilt

earlier i had posted on how much i love the Goodbyn lunchboxes...good news you Gilt members! They are only $15 on Gilt.com - i just ordered 2 more...because i know they will get use...and i can just put B. Barnes on them and they will work for all my kiddos...that was super smart of me i know...

Imagination Movers Live - Cool Kid Places

sooo...let me just start off by saying before i became a mom...or really a mom to a pre-schooler who started stating their preference of things like TV shows and so forth...i would see commercials for "disney on ice" or "barney sings" or something like that designed for toddlers and i would be like, shoot me now...i would rather poke my temples with sunglass stems than go to that...

(which is why i wish i would have thought of this title...genius BTW) so anyway - yeah...now we are those parents...i guess to be fair i still would not go to disney on ice...or anything dora/diego/repeat stuff a jillion times...or something i would absolutely loathe...but we do make sacrifices of our own pleasurable experiences because we know our kids would fuh-reak out over it...

enter Imagination Movers. i had stated earlier that my uncle is warehouse mouse...he (thank you Uncle Kevin!) was able to get us free tickets to the show at the Nokia Theater. all 5 of us went and it was so so fun guys! truly! the kids were able to have a real rock n' roll concert experience - complete with an encore! bryson danced the whole time and even bodie was rocking out (he likes to dance fight with his arms...which is amazing) and bobby fell asleep toward the end, which i thought equally amazing.

after the show we got to go to the after-party and bryson got to meet the movers and Nina...he gave her a hug but was super shy about it...so funny...who would ever think that boy shy? the mama in me hopes this trend continues with girls ;)

but we truly had so much fun - part of the fun...okay really most of the fun was watching bryson have this experience. i always thought my Uncle Kevin was pretty cool growing up because when i was a kid he was in Pee-Wee's Playhouse...now my kids are thinking he is pretty cool too...funny how that works!

so bodie kept talking about the "house mouse" and "funny"...today i asked him - do you want mommy to make you a warehouse mouse sweatshirt? "da!" so...here he goes...pretty darling if you ask a very biased me!