Domestic Bliss

So things are going great at our house...

My ankles resemble these:


Baby in-utero is aspiring to be one of these:

I basically feel like, and have the energy level of, one of these:

Resulting in an "under-the-bed-and-in-all-the-corners conspiring infestation" of these:

I'm not feeling any motivation to do much of anything except eat delicious things and hang out in a reclining position (not that I get to DO those things, but they sound good, right?). But I have some good posts up my sleeves.

Anyone know a recipe for homemade marshmallows? ...

Finnhouette

Wes took some video of Finn last night while feeding the ducks. It is so adorable! Visit HERE to view the final product.

Warning: You might get teary-eyed if you are a.) pregnant, b.)Finn's Mom, c.) overly sensitive to precious and seriously sweet videos of darling little boys at play.

(I think I used all the "cute" adjectives for Finn that I could think of...)

*****

And as if he couldn't help himself, Wes has already posted another video tonight. I like to reserve the word lovely for special occasions. It's a popular adjective, and I don't want to overuse it. But this is truly one of the loveliest sights I have seen. Be sure to watch until the end for exquisite detail. See HERE.

Lion Heart

Thanks to my Aunt Carole and Uncle Dan in Bisbee, AZ, Finn has the cutest lion hat ever. The trick is keeping him still long enough to get a photo!



Want to learn how to post larger photos like these? Visit HERE.

Can't believe it.

The other day I was working in the laundry room, and Finn was watching Milo and Otis and running around the house being 2. It got kind of quiet, so I peeked into the living room to make sure he was alright. This is what I found:

This is unbeliveable for 3 reasons:
1. Libby NEVER lets Finn do this. Put his arm around her? Yeah right. (Must be Milo and Otis bringing out the love.)
2. Finn never sits in this chair, much less decides to climb into it by himself to watch a flick with one of the puppies.
3. He didn't even look up when I came in and started photographing him. (We might have found a replacement for Babe...)

The Supers

It was such a gorgeous day yesterday in Mesa, that Wes proposed that we get Finn out of the house. Where to? We can't take him around people...the Superstition Mountains just down the road, of course! Finn loved it, and took a big fat nap after. He was tuckered out! I got to break in my new camera. And I am posting loads of photos, because it's been so long since we've had such smiles out of an energetic Finn! A day full of Supers.

Me: "Don't get too close to the cacti, Finn!!!"

Finn: SCOWL

Apartment Therapy

For tonight's late-night post, I would like to leave you with a little therapy. Visit HERE to see how they're saving the world...one room at a time. Fantastic!

New Design is in the air!

Have you checked out Glitz Design lately? They have a new season out! I design for, and you can design with:


I updated parts of my personal design website here:


And nothing has really changed over at my banner design site (wait a few weeks and I'll be adding a hot-out-of-the-oven batch of new banners). But it's always fun to see what your blog could become:

And guess who's Etsy site is back in biz, with the best Valentine's card I've seen yet:

Visit the Dandee Etsy shop HERE.

Maternity Empire

Want to see me all "Anthropolgied" out? My good friend Reachel dressed me up for her maternity feature on her fun blog, Cardigan Empire. She's doing a maternity feature, and guess who just happens to be pregnant enough to qualify? Little ole me (little?). And oh man, the dress Reachel is wearing in the video makes me long for a slender silhouette again! She's such a fashionista!

Click on the button below to visit her blog
(and starting looking your best!):

General cuteness

Well, it's me again—Late Night Lyndsay. Tonight I am bringing you tidings of general baby cuteness. (What the heck else am I going to think about at 1 am? I already nailed down the sling issue...more on that later). OK, so the cutest baby shoes ever are on one of my favorite blogs. Sure it makes me die inside just a skosh every time I visit her immensely creative blog ("I want to design fabric, waaaaa"). But I can't deny how fantastic How About Orange is. I am going to attempt these Baby Shoes:

Won't they go perfectly with this?! (Yes those are burnt-orange corduroys with teensy felt flowers...melt):

Supermom Series: THE STAY-AT-HOME MOM

Today's Supermom is Stephanie. You can find her delightful blog HERE. Isn't she cute as a button?! And those kiddos! (Oh, and I might slightly be coveting that green bike...) Stephanie is really dedicated to her family, and I thought she would be a perfect Supermom to write about her experience as a stay-at-home momma.

*****

I have wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for as long as I can remember. I even majored in "Home and Family" for crying in the night! And let me tell you something, this life is better than I ever imagined it could be.

I take my title of "stay-at-home mom" quite literally. I try to stay at home with my kids as much as possible.

I am the lucky mother of 3 adorably perfect children. (I can say that because I am their mother.) Mabel, my oldest, is only 6, so my experience as a mother is somewhat limited. But as my children have grown, I have begun to realize that it is my job as a stay-at-home mom to create an environment that allows them to thrive. For me and my family, that means a slow-paced, home-centered existence. My goal is to create a life for my kids that is peaceful and calm. There is a lot of noise out there in the world. I want my home to be a refuge, a haven, and a place where that near deafening sound can be ignored for another day. As a stay-at-home mother, the home is my only domain, it is my favorite place to be, and I want it to be my children's, too.

Some things we do (and you can do, too!) to make life at home more peaceful:

On the days that errands simply can't be ignored, get them done quickly and early in the day. This allows for an afternoon of relaxation spent at home, not fighting traffic and the hustle and bustle of shops.

Limit outside activities. I think we all know how important family time is. Call me crazy, but I really believe that quantity is more important than quality. My kids are not currently enrolled in any extra-curricular activities. But they are still young, so I know this won't last forever. When they are older, and show an interest in things, I will try to limit their involvement a bit so that it doesn't interfere with family time.

Eat dinner together as a family every night. It doesn't always have to be a spectacular meal, but this is a good habit to start. A couple years ago, I read an article in Time Magazine called The Magic of the Family Meal. In it, I learned a few things, like the fact that young children pick up vocabulary and a sense of how conversation is structured during family dinners. They hear how a problem is solved, learn to listen to other people's concerns, and respect their tastes. They learn to share. Family dinners give kids a sense of belonging to their family. This is where a family builds its identity and culture. Legends are passed down, jokes rendered, eventually the wider world examined through the lens of a family's values. Not to mention that families who eat dinner together tend to eat much healthier.

Make a conscious effort to slow down. Getting the kids ready to leave the house is always something of a process, and I can likely be found hurrying my children along. But I'm rarely in an actual rush, so I remind myself that it's ok to slow down. It's ok if it takes Oliver 5 minutes to put on his shoes. A trip to the grocery store, or Nana's house, or wherever can wait 5 minutes.

Become a firm believer in doing nothing. I think kids need their own space and time to do what they want to do. At our house, "doing nothing" includes, but is not limited to: playing, coloring, reading, writing stories, building forts, having "quiet time" (code word for naps), or running around the backyard. Doing nothing is unstructured time where my kids get to choose want they do, and I don't bug them. I am lucky that my two oldest are the best of friends. They are more than capable of keeping themselves entertained, which is a great skill for all kids to learn, even babies like my Stella.

Keep things clean. In order to maintain a peaceful home, I really believe you have to have a clean home. Some days I feel like I spend my life cleaning. Other days I feel like my house is a major disaster area and there's no hope. But for the most part, I try to stick to a cleaning schedule (Mondays I do bathrooms, Tuesdays I dust, etc.). This keeps my neat-freak tendencies in check, and it means that I always have a relatively clean house. One of my favorite cleaning activities is to putter. This can be done any day, for any amount of time. While my kids are busy "doing nothing", I am busy "puttering", which means walking from room to room picking up, throwing away, and putting things back where they belong. Most of the time I count this as my exercise for the day, and I get the added benefit of having an organized home.

Speak softly, turn off the tv, and listen to pretty music. I was raised by wonderful parents who never yelled. Not once. Their example has inspired me, and I try not to raise my voice at my children. Again, there is enough of that out in the world. I believe that being a mother is a great privilege and blessing. It is my duty to be the best I can be. Somehow, I don't think raising my voice at these tender little people is fulfilling that sacred calling of motherhood. When my children watch tv, I try to limit it to one or two 1/2 hour shows a day. It's just more noise. And I love to have music playing in our home. It is usually something mellow, but every once in a while something with a good beat comes on and we let loose. Editing the noise you allow into your home from the outside world is so important.

If perchance you, my dear reader, are a high-energy person, or you are a true supermom and juggle work and home life, don't fret. It is possible to create a peaceful environment even if you like running errands in the afternoon, or listening to rock music, or you have a 9-5. The trick is to find a routine that works for you and your kids and to stick to it. Kids crave stability and attention. If you are giving them the routine and the constant, unconditional love that they need, things are going to be pretty all right most of the time.

This much I know, babies don't keep and children grow too quickly, so try to enjoy being home with them now. They will only be content to stay at home for so long, so I, for one, am drinking it up and soaking it in.

Ugh.

Can't sleep. I remember Ali (Working Supermom) saying on her blog that when she was prego she couldn't sleep either.

I chalk it up to:
1. Heartburn.
2. Tiny toes in ribs.
3. A bladder that will wake me up in 30 minutes anyway (so why bother).
4. That strange pain I had with Finn under my ribs they thought was my gall bladder, but isn't my gall bladder (resulting in a nurse thinking I was making stuff up).

So what do I do when I can't sleep?
1. Research baby slings obsessively (is the Moby Wrap too hot for AZ? I like the Gypsy Mom stretch sling, but I hate the fabrics. What about the Balboa sling? Sure I already have a Baby Bjorn, but I need a snuggly newborn sling so she can have instant access to Mom smells and replicated womb conditions, all while I am picking dinosaurs up from underfoot and washing the dishes).
2. Check my PayPal account every 5 minutes too see if any payments came through so I can buy said sling(s), even though my e-mail will alert me to this as soon as funds are available.
3. Possibly eat the rest of the icing from Finn's cake-making earlier today. It only has 5g's of fat per 2 TBS. (I won't tell you how many TBSs I ate...)
4.Guess at odd noises that sounds suspicious... (eat another spoonful for comfort)
5. Apparently blog with no real train of thought, randomly with no end in sight.

So I should probably end it before it gets any worse. Does this post need a photo? What could I possibly post with this that would do it justice? Let's see...combing photo archives...

Ah! Yes. Wes took this fantastical photo this morning in the wee hours. Talented fellow, eh? I love how soft it feels. He called it "SuperCholla." Click on the photo to fully appreciate the SuperSubtleties (look at all that depth of field!).

Going to bed. Promise.

To my big boy on his big day!

This is Finn 2 years ago. So precious!!
Last year I made a special video for him on his first birthday.
Why not continue the tradition? Happy Birthday, Finn! I love you dearly.

Visit HERE to view Finn's video.

Supermom Series: THE MOM-PRENEUR

This is Crystal. She is a Supermom and an entrepreneur! I asked Crystal to share her thoughts on being a creative mom and finding time to start her own business. She's a wonderful example of how it's possible to achieve your creative endeavors AND manage to be a highly involved mom.

*****

Can I just say how honored I am to do a little piece for Lyndsay's Super Mom series. I've never considered myself a Super Mom in any way, shape or form. I look at everyone else and think: “How do they do all that??” But, after I thought about it, I guess I am a Super Mom. I'm super busy – all the time, super tired – all the time, and super fortunate – because I’m the mother of two super kids. There you have it. I accept the title, and your assignment to write.

I guess if there's one thing I've learned in life it's that we are always going to be busy, and there is never going to be enough time to do all the things we dream of doing. Me, I dream of creating. It doesn’t matter what – I just need to create. It’s the thing that keeps me going when I’m looking at piles of laundry, and a house scattered with toys. Personally, I think EVERYONE should make time to create, even if what you are creating is a beautiful clean house. It feeds the soul. So here is a little blurb about how I’ve made time for the things I love as I’ve gone through different phases of motherhood.

When my children were really little, it was hard to find time to be creative. They hit the ground running when they woke up (at 5:30 a.m) and didn't stop until they fell asleep at 8:00. That meant I had a small amount of time to spend with my husband, and an even smaller time to spend on myself. It was hard. But, I made a plan. Once a month I set aside a Saturday just for me, and sometimes I would include a weeknight. I used the time to take creative classes like sewing, cooking, art, ceramics, print making …. Taking a class forced me out of the house and into a world where I could focus -- where I could make a mess. It also gave me the opportunity to meet other people who inspired me. Most of the women I met were in their 60's and still creating. In fact, they were really good at what they were doing. I remember thinking ... “If I stick with this, some day I'm going to be amazing!” I loved those women and I loved those classes. It filled my cup so that I had the energy to deal with the routines in life. And you know something …. I never got AMAZING at any of those classes, but it didn’t matter. I learned that the joy is in the process!!!!!

When my kids entered elementary school, I thought: "Boy I'm going to have all sorts of time to do stuff for myself." Little did I know that I would spend half of that time at school helping out in the class. Then another problem cropped up. My kids got involved in all sorts of after school activities like dance and soccer. I had huge amounts of time where I was just sitting and waiting. So, I used that time to create. I sat at dance lessons with my big pile of craft supplies, and worked away at whatever I was interested in doing at the moment. I quilted, made books, jewelry, cards, blankets, hats, and get this -- pretty soon it sparked all kinds of conversation. I met tons of women, who said “Oh, I can’t do that … I’m not creative.” Guess what – they were creative, and they just didn’t know it. I taught them how to sew, how to quilt, how to knit. It was so much fun. In fact, the owner of the dance studio asked me if I had ever sewn costumes. I said "If you count Halloween, then.... yes!" And that answer lead to a job. I became costume designer/fabricator for the dance competition teams. (Visualize, the costumes you see on "So You Think You Can Dance times 150.) It was the hardest, most stressful thing I've ever done. I had NO IDEA what I was doing, but I figured it out. Boy, did I learn a lot. I took my sewing machine to dance and worked while my kids were in class. I also had to work at night after they had gone to sleep. I was SO TIRED, but it was fun. That job gave me a creative outlet that lasted 5 years. I loved seeing all my creations on stage, and I made enough money to pay for all those dance lessons. I learned that sometimes you have to brave enough to take a chance. You never know where your creative energy will lead you. I learned that sometimes you have to overcome the f ear of failure. Look at all those women who learned to be creative!! And … I learned that you can make money doing what you love.

Now, my children are in middle school. I'm no longer sewing, or working in the class, and my kids don't require quite as much attention. I actually have time to do what I love!! So, last year, I was a little stumped. I had no idea what I wanted to do. My niece suggested checking out Etsy. "What is Etsy" I asked. When she explained it was a cyber store dedicated to "handmade" goods, I got excited. I took a look around Etsy and knew I had found just what I was looking for. I created my own cyber shop -- Crystal B (with nothing in it.) I got out all the "stuff" I had been making, took photos, and listed it in my store. Once that got going, I got all sorts of calls from friends who suggested that I hold semi-monthly open houses so that they could come and buy directly from me. I also had another creative friend say: “Hey, we should have a holiday boutique.” And we did! That is where I'm currently having the most success – open houses. I learned that if you have friends who are willing to open their homes in exchange for merchandise, you may be able to make some great money to support your creative habits. Now, I dedicate two afternoons a week to making inventory to sell. I treat it like I would treat a job so that I don't give up my creative time in lieu of dentist appointments and other things that seem to creep up on a regular basis.

One last thing, and then I will sign off. I can't say enough about blogging. I have visited many sites of creative women who have inspired me in ways that they will never know. I read their words and think: "That is one amazing woman!! If she can do it, so can I." Thank you all you crafting women who blog. It's nice having a world of kindred spirits out there to keep me motivated as I press forward into the unknown.

*****

Visit Crystal's Etsy shop here: (click on button)

Here is a sampling of some of her creations:

29 and feelin' fine

TO ME!

Bellies, Bugs, and Buzzez

Me in all my 32 week glory:
(Reachel, I was totally just exercising, hence the overload of stretchy lounge-wear)

Finn's really into the bug that lives on the Fencepost cactus in our front yard. He visits everyday:
The Boys have a new haircut:

Supermom Series: THE WORKING MOM

This is my good friend Ali. We went to graduate school together. We are fellow graphic designers. I was in her wedding, she was in my wedding. You get the picture. On her blog, Surviving Motherhood, she talks about how she survives the day-to-day of being a mom. Ali has 2 darling boys, and just recently decided to go back to work outside of the home part-time (which I think still totally counts as a "working mom"). So how does a working mom do it? Especially when she has a hubby who travels lots for his job... Here's what she had to say:

*****

AROUND THE HOUSE
The biggest helper to keeping my house clean, shopping done, kids cared for, is a daily and weekly schedule: Meals, naps, shopping, cleaning, trips to the dump, play dates, and when I am at work, are all on a schedule. Everyday is planned and I have certain things that I do on certain days of the week (i.e. grocery shopping on Monday morning, Dump run on Tuesday, Luke's playgroup Thursday Morning etc.).

I also enlist the help of some great tools to help me get the cleaning done. My favorites are the Swiffer sweep mop, the Shark steam mop, and the Dyson Hand Vac:


IN THE KITCHEN
I put everything in the dishwasher, EVERYTHING. Even all my things to be recycled. Instead of washing/rinsing these items I pop them right into the dishwasher. Baby food jars, yogurt containers, soup cans, butter container and even an empty jar of peanut butter go right into the dishwasher. Not only do I save water and energy by NOT doing these items by hand, but it is a time saver too. Plus it gives me NO excuses for not recycling. We all have done. "I don't have time/feel like washing this, into the trash it goes." (be sure to remove paper labels before putting into dishwasher otherwise you will end up with paper all over your clean dishes) Yes. I have made this mistake already.

For cooking/meal planning, consider starting a casserole club with some other moms/neighbors. How it works: Once a month you each cook one meal in bulk (enough to divide evenly among the members of your group to feed their families). Meals that freeze well work best. Place meals in containers and label them. Arrange a time for members to meet and swap meals. If you have 4 members in your group, you each go home with 3 different meals ready to freeze then heat when needed in a pinch. Cooking in bulk can save time as well as money.

My favorite cooking helper is the Crockpot. I can prep a whole meal (like beef stew) in the morning, turn it on, have it cook all day and it is ready when I get home from work. It also holds 8 servings, so I can freeze half for another time or get a few meals out of it.

*****

For a great selection of Crockpot recipe books, visit HERE.

For a girl and a boy and a girl

Today I got my new diaper bag in the mail. I have been using Wes's army green Skip Hop diaper bag for the past 5 months. It is so durable, has a gajillion pockets to keep me organized (oh goodness, there she goes again), and it's very 100% washable! Which I learned with my last diaper bag that I desperately need. My gorgeous Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag is on its last leg. So I decided to get my own Skip Hop. And it's a little girly...I am fully embracing the girliness. Mod Girly, though! You can find them at an incredibly affordable price at SKIPHOP.COM. Plus they have a great feature where you can clip the bag to a stroller so that it doesn't hang down low and hit your knee caps as you are trying to have a leisurely stroll, or brisk jaunt.


Tonight Finn's Grandma Johnson brought over 2 pairs of uber-cute PJ pants. Finn is OBSESSED with Cars (tied with Babe...still). I loved the Cars fabric she found so much that I ordered 5 yards of it to make a little duvet cover for his toddler bed (maybe it will entice him to actually SLEEP in it). When I was 9 months pregnant with Finn I decided to recover the hand-me-down glider. My mom humored me amidst glances that clearly (now that I think about it) said, "Really? You're doing this the day after your due date?!?!" Why oh why do I take on these extensive creative projects in my third trimester? But look at the stylized, retro illustration style on that flannel! You wouldn't be able to resist, either, especially if you saw Finn's face when he saw the PJ pants! You can find the fabric HERE, and a 50% off coupon HERE. That's right—$26 for 5 yards delivered to my door.

And finally, Baby Girl is getting a new car seat cover compliments of Natitys Design Boutique. I did some blog banner work for her a while ago, so I revisited to take advantage of her darling designs. I love the gray one below. But Wes said, "Too...paisley." (Meaning too much flourishy pattern all over the place for his taste.) And since he has to carry that car seat around (possibly more than me), we decided on the beautiful butterfly fabric at the bottom. I am super excited to see how it turns out. You can find these designs HERE (along with loads of other handmade baby/children goodies). I know I am probably overindulging in all of this new baby gear, but after this girl, the next bambino will already have everything they could possibly need, boy or girl. So I am living it up while I can, by golly!