Me Lately: Bran in Real Life

Life has been so fast and slow and crazy all at once here lately. With our new, fairly consistent schedule, the mundane routine sometimes wears me plum out. Our weeks are work three days a week for mommy, school two days a week for Charley, Meemaw three days a week for Liza, work five days a week for daddy, a house "cleaning" day (and I say "cleaning" because these days that consists of the continuous, never ending task of picking up toys that will just end up disheveled and unorganized, laundry that never finds it's way all the way home, and a sweep-vacuum-quick mop job "clean".), several laundry days, and two weekend days. Something is missig from this equation: a mommy day! Haha! 

In all honesty though, I'm beat. With Liza running around the house on all fours, pulling up, and in dire need of a thick, ultra heavy duty helmet and face mask, the day to day of being mom to these kids is wearing me down. Is that bad to say out loud? Or in a very public place? 

Don't get me wrong. I adore my girls. Love them to death! And wouldn't trade this crazy life for anything, but friends, do you get bogged down and tired too? Please tell me I'm not alone here. 

As I type this I'm having the first real "break" in several days: I'm rocking a sick baby who has refused to sleep at all today. At. All. As in, no naps. None! Aye, aye, aye! I'm so sorry Meemaw! I'm pretty sure she is exhausted too! (Really thinking baby Liza has another ear infection :( But this is actually a nice treat. Just sitting with nothing to do or no task on my mind. I've been very OCD lately with my tasks, wanting to pick up this, organize that, finish this project, start another one...and so on. I think that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed by the kids too; I just can't seem to get it all done. 

But as I sit here I've had the great pleasure to catch up on some super mommy blogs I frequent. From ladies I call friends, which is even better :). I really learn so much from these moms and their gifts of compassion, kindness, and Grace. When I feel like my life is a total mess with a toddler and a baby, it's reassuring to know that 1) I'm not the only mom feeling this way, and 2) that I have great friends and family that support us. Not to mention my sister who always calls when the crazy breaks out. Sorry, Step Step. 

I realize this post has been all over the place, but that's just me :) 

I hope you find something that encourages you and that you can plan a date night. They are oh so important! 

Sleeping beauty!

A park day! 

These girls are lots of work, but worth it all!!!!!! 

I need a beach getaway. Or any getaway! Ha! 

How to Make a FABULOUS, NO Sew Tooter, aka...Tutu!

Our house these days is Frozen EVERYTHING! Each new day Charley requests, nay, demands..., that she wear her Elsa dress. Typically for school or other public outings I can talk her into regular child clothes, but when we are at home, I don't see why she can't be Elsa everyday :)

The only problem is we only have a handful (like two) "Elsa" dresses, and only have two "Elsa" nightgowns as well. So we trade them out. Also, for Halloween this year, Char requested that she "turn into Elsa"...so naturally I had to make Liza be Anna!

Meemaw ordered Charley a fancy Elsa costume for Christmas, but I was having a hard time finding an Anna for Liza. I checked on Etsy and found a few ideas to run with, and decided to make my own. The main part? A royal blue tutu for a little baby girl. Then I found this link that showed me exactly how to make a no-sew tutu.

I did not reinvent the wheel, my friends. I straight up stole this idea and am republishing it here, but don't forget to click the link above so that this nice lady gets some hits too!

First, gather all your supplies. Just a quick trip to Hobbly Lobbly (as Charley calls it) will do the trick. You need:

Wrap your tulle around a piece of cardboard (or as I did, a kitchen cutting board) to your desired length. I wrapped mine the same way for both girls, but for Charley's since I wanted it longer, I only cut on one end. The link above suggests cutting your tulle to about 15 inches for toddlers per piece.

Make necessary cuts.

Cut a LONG piece of ribbon. ( I opted for ribbon here rather than elastic so that the tutus can grow with the child, not get super tight when their little waists grow :) Cut your ribbon longer than you will really need...rather cut more off later than be stuck with too little!

Next, tie your pieces of tulle to the ribbon. You can do a standard knot, or as I opted, make a simple slip knot. I personally think the slip knot is prettier. Do this until you have the desired length and pattern you would like.

Then just tie a pretty bow at the back and...

TA....DAAAA!!!!

You have now successfully made a simple, no-sew, "tooter", (as Charley says) or tutu!!!! And now you have successfully added to your "Elsa" dress up collection, just like us! 

Happy crafting, friends! 

Just Words

I haven't posted in a while and just need to clear my head. That's what this space is for. For me. And my head :)

How are things with you, dear readers? I really treasure that a few people I love so much take time out of their days to see what's new with this space. It makes me feel loved and important and even if it's only like four people, who cares! Four people is the world to me!

A Million Bucks: 
That's what I feel like lately. I've posted here before about mental health stuff and that I see a psychiatrist, but I want to share my joyful praise here too. With a combination of medication and therapy, I feel like a million bucks. I want to be a better mom. I want to be a better wife. I want to be a more active citizen. I want to do better at work. I actually want to work. It's a wonderful feeling. :) I truly encourage you to reach out to someone in your health community if you're feeling down in the dumps. It's a terrible place to be, I know, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Bubbly Brandi is back...and it's a great feeling!

Family vs Work:
I'm super blessed that I'm able to have the best of both worlds. I work part-time, I'm a mom full-time. My work is work that I leave in the office when I walk out the door. Do I worry about something I left undone? Of course. That's just me. But the fact that I'm not bringing home grading or lesson plans is a great place for me in this season of life. Right now...

All that being said, I miss the classroom. I find myself thinking about old students and missing the silly things like the smartboard or just walking in the halls. I still think alllll the time, "Oh, I need to tell my students about this," and it's a place I definitely want to go again in the future.

For now though, I'm in the place I need to be. Which is perfect. {Thanks, God!}

A Homebody and Weekending:
The four readers I have all are my close girlfriends, so there really isn't any point in clarifying this, but I am the homebody of all homebodies :)

Joseph and I LOVE a cozy night in and this weekend was the perfect weekend for staying in while the drizzly rain fell. We did embark out one time, to Memaw and Papaws house on Sunday, but Saturday was spent just relaxing at home after me and Charley went for a quick girls shopping trip. While we were out shopping I entered in a free raffle for this amazing "Elsa" necklace. And guess what?! We actually won it! Haha! I never win anything! One of my gal pals was nice enough to claim my prize for me and dropped it off at our house yesterday (thanks, Cara!) and Charley keeps asking who gave her this necklace. We just told her Santa! Haha! I guess Christmas came a little early this year at our house...

Christmas:
Which reminds me........ I CANNOT EVEN WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR! The excitement is too big! Liza is crawling and into everything and Char and Lizabear are playing together finally. It's the cutest thing and Charley is an exceptional big sister. She loves on Liza like only a big sister can. I love to watch it and that's why I'm so thrilled for Christmas this year. I can't wait to have TWO happy and excited munchkins this year.

Dear Ellen, 
Dearest Ellen,

The new season has brought a great joy in me that I soooo needed! I'm trying to "get in shape" and lose weight, so I'm walking in the AM and when I do I watch DVR'd episodes of ELLEN! Holllllllla, it keeps me laughing and smiling and I love to dance on the treadmill [dangerous, I know]. This is my favorite thing I've seen so far this season...the Lincoln commercial, the way it should have been! {Please readers, click the link....this is hilarious!}

Also, I've entered to win tickets to the 12 days of givaways, and I'm encouraging all four of my readers to also! {go do it, here}. I'm so excited for this season and, just to let you know, I also saw Jason Segel about two summers ago at a restaurant. I wonder if we were at the same restaurant? EEEEEEEK! Also, this almost had me on the floor...treadmills + Ellen + freaked out Jason = danger, danger, danger!

Gotsa poop. I'm out. Keep on dancing!

Love,

Me

Self Image, Weekending, & Loving Others

I have a lot on my heart and mind today, so I'm just lump summing it all together in this space as it comes to mind.

Self Image: 

Ahhhh, to be a man and not have self image issues. Can I get an amen? I'm sure guys have issues too, but I've been dealing with this since I delivered Liza and it's something that crosses every woman's mind at some point in time. 

I wore a swimsuit for the first time in public over the weekend in a looooooong time. And you know what? I didn't die. Yup. It wasn't near as hard as I anticipated. I wasn't super thrilled with my pooched out tummy or my slightly dimply legs, but I was proud to be a mom taking her kid swimming rather than sitting out because of my body image. Go do something that makes you feel beautiful...swimming wasn't necessarily that but it was an obstacle I overcame and that in itself makes me feel pretty darn special :)

Weekending: 

The weekend was aweeeesome, stressful, tedious, and fun. We have been searching for a new car online for a few weeks and we finally found one I [thought] I wanted. So Jojo, being the doll he is, said let's go get it! 

We prepared a last minute trip to Austin and headed out Friday. When we arrived, my mom watched the girlies while we shopped for cars. We originally test drove the "one" [i thought it was the one] and I didn't like it. It was black and just underwhelming. So the salesman showed me like the luxury edition and of course I fell in love! But I was not in love with the price. We decided to sleep on it and were feeling super frustrated that car shopping is soooo expensive and also so time consuming. Four hours at the dealership with no new car felt like a waste. 

The next day we headed to Carmax to test drive a used edition of the overpriced sucker and I ultimately decided that used is better for us right now. We were able to get the exact same car, two years older, without the King Ranch interior, which was fine by me, because it was way more affordable. It's awesome! Bigger than my old 4Runner, has fun upgrades (butt coolers and warmers!), and has DVD players in the headrests for the girls! I'm so happy with our choice and now can't wait for Jojo to get a new car too (like in a year...we aren't millionaires ;)

See...

My mom got a new car tooooo! 

And Charley wanted this one: ;)

Shopping at Carmax was a great experience. They gave us $1500 more for our trade in than the dealership and gave us a better interest rate too! It was still a time consuming process, but it was worth it in the end. 

The weekend wasn't a total car shopping trip though. Jojo went to the Texas game with Wes (sorry they lost babe), and is girls had time in at the hotel with my mom. We also got to see Stephanie twice!!!!! It wasn't near enough, but she was working and we haaaad to understand :) I am majorly bummed that this was a "business" trip though, as we have so many Austin friends we would have loved to have seen. 

Can't make a trip to Austin without a trip to Cabelas!

Loving Others: 

To me, God is love and it's what Jesus did best. He loved people. So it's one of my favorite things to do. I love to make people feel special. These are old but some photos of when we decorated moms office for her bday. 

I went on a "date night" with one of my close older gal pals, Crecia, and she really inspired me to delve into relationships with people that I do life with. She has a ministry, as she calls it, where she just ask questions and loves on servers. Like waitstaff. How brilliant. I worked in restaurants for most of my adult life and people can genuinely be so dang rude. This can get sooo exhausting and I'm so happy that Crecia is standing up for the little people and saying, you know what, your not just a server, you are loved. She exudes this love tremendously when she goes out and has family friends just about everywhere she goes. It's awesomeness!! 

We have two servers at two local restaurants that are sisters, and tonight we got to see both of them. It's such a treat to bless them and learn about their lives, their children, their trials and tribulations, and experience their joys too. One is going to be a new grandma soon and she shared tonight how she has always dreamt of making tortillas for her grand kids! How sweet! I love these moments and encourage you to reach beyond your comfort zone and ask some questions to make someone feel loved. It's what makes the world go round :)

Love on, dear readers, love on! 

How to Hang Pictures Straight and Tidy (The Easy Way)!

Few things in life make me happier than an easy "half-assed" way to make things pretty. According to my husband, its one of my best qualities. ;)

Frames or home decor with one hinge are a piece of cake to hang; just nail, level and you're done. However, every now and again the universe will throw out there the type of wall decor that has two, yes TWO, hanging hinges. 

Here you will learn how to hang picture straight and tidy (the easy way)!!!

Step 1: Gather your supplies. 

For this simple project you will need frames, washi tape, a sharpie, a level, and hanging materials (hammer and nail, duh). 

Step 2: "Measure" & Mark. 

This might sound a little off, but this is the most important step to making sure you put your nail holes exactly where they need to go. Lay your washi tape over the back of the frame across the hinges, sticky side down, as shown below. 

Using the sharpie, mark the center of your hinges. This will be where you place your nail hole and will determine the distance between the two nails. (As shown above). 

Step 3: Position the Washi Tape. 

Remove the washi tape from the frame and place on the wall in the desired location of your wall decor, as shown below. 

Step 4: Center & Hang

By holding one end in place, pivot the other end to the level height using the level. Hammer your nails into the washi tape in the previously drawn marks. Remove washi tape and hang your beautiful photographs or wall decor! 

And voila! 

Happy hanging! 

Weekending & Randoms.

The weekend was absolutely spectacular! Living in different towns, my sister and I get to see each other roughly five times a year. Maybe more if I've had a baby that year ;) This weekend Steph, Wes, and their dog Zoey came to visit and we did a whole lot of family hanging out time...something my soul seriously needed!

Friday I cleaned house and "organized" my Harry Potter words on the fridge! Nerd alert! Haha...but seriously it made me so happy! 

My friend Nicole told me how she gets up with her hubby early early early in the am, does her quiet time, has tea by herself, works out, and just plain has time to herself! I'm NOT a morning person (or a night owl either, for that matter :) but Friday morning Liza had a late/early feed (4:30am), and by the time I got her back to sleep, I figured I'd just stay up. 

It made me feel so awesome! I had coffee, read some of my favorite blogs, did some soul solitude time, and cleaned without little pattering feet behind me dragging out the toys I'd just organized. It was bliss and definitely something I would love to get in the habit of. :)

We had a nice family dinner with Jojos parents Friday night at our favorite Mexican food restaurant, and an answered prayer as well! I've been fretting over what to do with all my leftover baby stuff, and now we will be able to gift it to our favorite waitress' daughter who is about to be a very new  mom. Basically everything we have for the kids was gifted to us, so it makes sense to pay it forward. This makes me a happy mommy!  

After dinner we came home and put the babes to bed. Then Steph and I worked on bringing our dreams to life by "planning" a future business. Haha. It was great fun and just being with Steph, just me and her, totally reminds me of when we were little girls playing school. 

Saturday was an awesome lazy day around the house. Momma came over and we spend the day "building neckwaces", playing outside, dance parties, being goofy, and then Jojo cooked us dinner. Sometimes the best medicine is just being around all the people you love. 

Sunday we decided to take an outdoors outing to the duck pond where we melted and walked. It's so sad they don't let you feed the ducks anymore, but I suppose their health is rather important ;)

Steph and Wes had to leave Sunday afternoon and after we just lounged around. It was just what I needed after a long weekend away and being busy with chores. 

This week is the beginning of new goals. New motivation. New choices. And a healthier lifestyle. Bla. Bla. Bla. 

Joseph bought me an awesome treadmill and spent the entire evening putting it together last night. In addition, I'm committed to eating healthier and doing a ten day cleanse to jump start this change. Let's get that baby belly flab gone! I'm excited for the change! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Paint Project

I get super bored easily. And I love to change things up. Rearrange furniture? You bet! I love it! The only problem is that with our current house there aren't many ways to rearrange the furniture in either living area. So my solution?

Paint. 

Paint...crap! I really don't mind painting. I enjoy the trim and am good enough to do it without tape with the right kind of fancy (or just angled) brush. My problem with painting is picking a color I want to live with for several months/years. 

Last summer I painted Liza's nursery a beautiful white. It's perfect. Not bathtub white, but not cream either. (Blah, I for one, do NOT enjoy cream/tans.). Just a great non-starchy yet warm color. So I decided that after the girls got their photos done I naturally needed to change up the living room (our main space) and wanted the same white for in there. 

Jojo hated the idea. He hates anything paint related and I have learned since we've been married to just not even ask for his help. He wasn't a fan of the white idea either, but let me go ahead and paint it white anyways because he loves me. 

So off I go to the paint store and get my supplies and perfect white. On one coat goes, and true to my fashion, I immediately hate it! It was like apartment stale and super bland. Gross. 

I pondered over a color I would like, and stuck to what I know (the blue grey family) and ended up choosing a color called winter storm. It reminded me of "winter is coming" or whatever that saying is from Game of Thrones so I knew Joseph would be on board. But when I got it home and on the walls it looked more lilac grey. Just a hint of purple. Ha! 

Oh well! It's a great change and makes the space seem bigger and brighter, which is what I was going for anyway. 

^^^an empty bookcase with our original wall color. Drabulous for sure. 

^^^the gross entry way color, before

^^^a LOT of stinking, glorious books! 

^^^my helper, "we have to clean up this mess!"  

^^^the bright and airy after! I love it :) 

I'm still waiting on some photos to come in to redesign the wall space on either side of the tv, but when I do, I'll be sure to share it here. :)

In the meantime, here is what I've named each color in my house: 

Main living area: lilac grey (oooops!) 

Jojo's living area: smoker teeth yellow 

Kitchen: rainy day blue-grey

Charley's room: Tiffany blue

Liza's room: perfect white

Girls bathroom: Tiffany blue with old people white tile  

Our bedroom: old woolen blue 

Our bathroom: Apartment white  

I hope you enjoy painting and if you do, get the same satisfaction out of a new change as I do! 

Have a great week!