Daylight Savings Time, Losing My Mind

I dunno what it is, maybe getting older and not being able to adjust to change as easily, but ever since this past Sunday when we "sprung" forward an hour, I have been all out of sorts. I have had quite a bit of insomnia this week, especially Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday, I had dizzy spells all day and can only think to attribute them to the Nyquil I took the night before, Today, I'm feeling much better. Yesterday was our first spring-like day and Max and I got outside to enjoy it. Today is yet another gorgeous [almost!] Spring day with a high of 59 degrees Farenheit. I have quite a bit of straightening to do this evening, Maddie's room in particular. That sweet girl has so many stuffed animals that before long, her entire bed will be completely covered! I have been looking for a stuffed animal storage solution lately and have been thinking of something along the lines of a hamper. While that is definitely a solution, it's not as fun as she can't lay out and display all of her furry friends that way. Hubby and I have been looking at houses for the past week (okay, 2 houses hehe) and will hear tomorrow a final decision on the lending side and if we get a green light, will be putting a starting bid in immediately for the house of my dreams! Fingers and toes crossed and a flurry of prayers that it is meant to be! And, if so, we can put up shelving in Maddie's new bedroom to display all of her cute Beanie Boos. Her little brother has taken quite the liking to her stuffed animals. First, it was her stuffed Alaskan Eskimo dog, Skeleton, that he loved to snuggle. Then it was my stuffed bunny I created at Build a Bear with Maddie so that when we're apart we still have a piece of each other to hold on to. Now, it is her black bear that Hubs and I got her on our honeymoon last year in Gatlinburg. We got Max one too but not the exact same and somehow he has not grown attached or fond of snuggling any of his stuffed friends but he's loving Sissy's! I'm hoping she thinks it's equally as endearing as I do because he is just too cute snuggling and kissing on them!

Happy Second Birthday, Little Man!

Two years ago today, at 4:55 am, I welcomed my second child into the world. As much as I thought I wanted another little girl all those months leading up to today, the second they placed him in my arms, all of that faded away and it was instant love for this little boy. Except for the fact that little girl clothes are soooo much cuter, I have not for a second wished again that I had had another girl. I love that his big sister still gets to keep her spot as Mommy's princess and I love watching the dynamics of the relationship between my children as brother and sister. She gets frustrated that he is so young and can't do much for himself and therefore Mommy has to pay a lot of attention to him, but I know she wouldn't trade him for the world. In the blink of an eye, my baby has gone from a fresh little 8 lbs, 10 oz. bundle of yummy, snugly baby to 22 lbs. of attitude mixed with sugar. This day is bittersweet because he is growing up so fast and it feels like just yesterday he was making his arrival and I had a brand-new baby to enjoy. I love love love watching him grow, learn, and explore but it makes me sad he will never be a baby again. I know all children grow up entirely too fast. He has always been such a mild-tempered, sweet-natured, happy baby who is now grown into a quick-tempered, sweet-natured cleaning machine. I swear that boy is never as happy as he is when he has a mop or vacuum in his hand. I look at it as a good thing because he already does so much more than his older step-brother and dad combined, but perhaps it also means he sees me clean way to much. Someone's got to do it though! My heart is whole when I have my children together and I now know he is the only boy I'll ever need in my life! At 2 years old, he is 22 lbs and wears size 18-24 months and a size 6 shoe. Happy happy birthday, Mr. Max! Mommy loves you more than I can express! Here's a round up of your favorites at age 2:

Max loves:
- Sesame Street (specifically Elmo!)
- vacuums
- cleaning (he does it all! laundry, taking out trash, loads dishwasher, sweeps, mops, cleans glass, vaccums, puts away laundry)
- reading, especially board books with flaps
- hamburger, sausage, meatballs, meat!....and he'll eat the occasional veggie if it's in meat-flavored gravy lol
- Hershey's kisses
- sleeping....he could sleep every day until 9:30 am if I let him
- his big sister
- doggies

Snow Day!

Today didn't started out as a Snow Day, but it will be one here in a few hours. It was snowing this morning when my baby boy and I headed out for our daily morning commute to school and work. The forecast called for the worst of it to come later this afternoon. Of course, the exact accumulation numbers are all over the place but the threat itself is enough for his school to call me and say they're closing today at 1 PM. So, I will be hauling my laptop home and "working" from home this afternoon. Realistically, I have plans to bundle us up in warm comfy clothes and blankets and enjoy each other's company! And I'm excited to attempt his first real foray out in the fluffy white stuff! I bought him a kid-sized snow shovel last fall and I am excited to see him attempt to copy Mommy and be my big helper outside as well. We just stocked up on groceries Saturday night because we hadn't grocery shopped in awhile and I am excited for the extra free time with my little man! Maybe we'll even attempt some sort of festive Snow Day craft? (Pinterest, anyone? hehe) So, here I sit, counting down the minutes until I can go and gather my baby and head home! Praying for safe travel! Stay warm!

I've Got the (Winter) Blues

I've been having a rough day (afternoon). I text my husband to tell him how 'blah' I'm feeling, like a mouse stuck on its wheel and he helped turn my mood around by sending people over to tell me how appreciated I am. The fact that he cares so much and took the time to think of a way to let me know that I am appreciated, by someone other than him, put a big smile on my face. I am hoping that I can get motivated to exercise after putting the baby almost two-year-old to bed tonight and that that will help as well. I just feel like it's the same thing day in and day out. Wake up, get son to school, go to work, sit at a desk all day, pick up son from school, commute home, dinner, clean/chores/kill time then bed to only wake up and do the exact same thing again. I need to remember among all the hubbub of every day, even in its monotony and when I'm feeling grey (thanks, Winter!),  I need to have a heart of gratitude for what I do have: a steady job, a loving family, adorable, healthy children, food on my table, a safe home, and a warm bed to crawl into at night. It's so so easy to take life for granted when it's the same thing every day and it all seems to fly by in a blur. Valentine's Day will be in two weeks. There is that to prepare for. And I need to start giving serious thought to little man's 2nd birthday party........Maybe exercise can give me something else to look forward to and strive for right now. Because I am feeling like it's all the same. Come on, Spring!!!!!!!!

Colorful Playrooms and the Common Cold

Last week, I started planning my children's playroom....a corner of the basement I am hoping to make bright and cheery to keep them occupied while I do laundry or work out down there. It would also be great to have a little space that is all their own and where most of the toys can go to find a home. While being very excited to start decorating the space, I was hit with a cold the latter part of Sunday and was really hurting from it yesterday. I am super congested, achy, sneezy, foggy, etc. But thanking my lucky stars it isn't the flu and really hoping my kiddos don't catch it! I could really go for some hot chicken noodle soup, orange juice, and perhaps some Vick's Vapor Rub right now! And a cozy spot on the couch or propped up in my bed with a warm comfy blanket and the TV remote or a good book, hehe. I am trying to get back in the spirit of playroom planning but this sinus pressure and 'blah' feeling has sort of taken precedence in the forefront of my mind. Here's healthy, happy thoughts to you all!

Come in From the Cold!

It is no secret that it has been beyond bitterly cold in the Midwest this week. But I really think, we're just getting our first real taste of winter. And more so this year than any other, I am suffering from the Winter Blues and daydreaming of that first feel of Spring in the air again. I long for warm, pleasant days filled with sunshine and birds chirping. I am ready for renewal and growth and opening up the windows to air out the drawn-up house. I have been trying to paint my nails bright, fun colors and think warm happy thoughts but the temperature gauge quickly sinks the spirit again. I have searched one of my most favorite sites for some sunny inspiration as a momentary escape from the cold. Here you go!:

(From top to bottom: "The Complete Hundreds and Thousands Tray Collection" by jonnasaarinen, "Fused glass coasters-set of four" by SassyGlassStudio, "1950s swimwear original 11x14 art print" by LeighsArt, "From the Garden lumbar pillow cover" by pineapplebaystudio, "Flip Flops, Lemonade, Summer Time Word Stacker" by PunkinSeedProduction) All for sale on etsy.com.

Unorganized Chaos

Not much to comment on today. It's been a quiet, uneventful week which I will happily take. Today is Wednesday and time is absolutely dragging right now. I keep telling myself I am going to run up the street to DD for a treat but it is sooo cold and I just can't motivate myself to go. I don't need the calories anyway. I have been working a lot on my Pinterest account lately, adding pins in hopes of sparking some followers, especially to my "OOAK Obsession" board. I actually saved a lot of pics of OOAK babies to my photobucket 6-7 years ago, way before Pinterest, and I rediscovered my photobucket last week so I am transferring a bunch of them to Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/dreamcandy9). Check it out! As you can tell, I also made quite a few changes to the appearance of this blog. It is a small attempt at HTML and templates but I hope to get better at it, like improving my banner. In 2009, I had another blog which is really the only other attempt I've made at blogging, but there wasn't many words involved. It was a 'treasury' of sorts of themed goodies on Etsy. I'd pick a different theme every post and showcase my most fave items that went along with it. My interests are so vast, as one could see from my Pinterest, that really, I'm an amalgam of things and I'm hoping that one day soon, this blog will find direction. Suggestions welcome!