Spider Crackers

We've been under the weather at this house.  And by "we", I mean "ME".  It just feels like when the mom is sick everyone is sick because life sorta stays on hold.  Actually, my husband (who has earned the title of All-time Superdad after the last week) did a great job holding our crazy schedule together, keeping the kids clean and fed, and giving me ample time to rest (like serious sleep: 15+hrs on Saturday night for this mama).


Amidst the sickness, I did manage to do a couple fun thing with the kids.  We made Spider Crackers one day for our morning snack!  It was a fun activity that the kids enjoyed doing...and eating!

Here's our supplies:

round crackers 

peanut butter (you could use cream cheese or other spread)

pretzel sticks

chocolate chips (or raisins)

frosting or more spread or whatever

knives for spreading

oh...and...a couple cuties.  :)

 This is the goal: a cute little cracker sandwich that looks like a spider!!

 Both my boys love spreading and getting to use a knife, so I got out the dull kiddie knives and let them spread-away.  It was messy!

 There was lots of eating...especially out of the chocolate chip bowl!

Just spread peanut butter (or chosen spread) between two crackers and add pretzel sticks for legs.  Then we used a little frosting to hold the chocolate chips on for eyes.  That's it!

 And yes, it was almost 11am, but we're still in pajamas.  I was sick, ok?

Proud of his yummy spider!

Did I do enough?

As I take my oldest son to preschool today (one of three mornings per week), I reflect on this post, "Did I do enough", written by Emily at her blog, The Anderson Family Crew.

As a mom (stay-at-home or not) we all have these feelings about whether we're doing enough for our children.

It makes me question all the times I am/was too tired to play along,

too busy to read the book right then,

too preoccupied to really listen to my small child.

Have I missed too much?  Have I been too selfish?  Given all the change (and some of the pain) we've experienced in the past year, I know I have not been the mom I wanted to be.  Feeling too sad, too tired, too emotionally drained to have the energy my kids need me to have.

But I don't think its irreversible.  I think every moment is a chance to recoup by living in the moment with our kids.  We are so lucky that kids have hearts so big, so forgiving, so resilient.  We can learn from that.  So, rather than thinking of the times I have missed, I will think of the times ahead and how to make them the very best.

Barely There Summer Decor

Summer was such a whirlwind that I didn't do as much summer decor as I would have liked.  Pretty much the only existence of anything summery was on the mantle downstairs.  I had hoped to make an easy little pennant to hang from the mantle, too, but with house showings - all projects came to a stop.

My sister gave me these little apothecary jars that she found somewhere online.  

They are perfect for this space because they are short and don't block the viewing.

The trick is finding something small enough to fit in the jars.  My mom traveled to Bali with my dad for work and brought back the white coral she found on the beach so I took some small pieces of that and filled one jar.  The beach glass I found at the Dollar Tree (yes, for $1!) in the decor section.  It added just a little color and was easy to fit in the smallest jar.

I also had some sand that I got with a merchandise credit at Pier 1 and filled the third jar with that.  The little vase is from IKEA but was not bought for this, just thought it looked "beachy" enough to join the ensemble.  I also added the little mercury glass votive holders because I liked the shiny addition to the mantle.

So there it is: the compilation of my barely there summer decor...exciting right?  Maybe not.  Oh well.  I'm actually more excited to use those jars this fall and see what we can fill them with...

Changes in the Nursery

Our two year old is still sleeping in the crib in the nursery at our house.  After a short stint in a "big boy bed" we reverted back to the crib and its been best for his sleep (and ours!).  The room is pretty gender neutral and babyish, but with the move coming up so soon, there won't be any changes until we are well-settled in the "yellow house".  

Here is the room BEFORE, as you may remember from this little house tour:

Most of the room stayed the same, I just changed some wall decor...

 This wall above the crib used to have the wooden sign above it, but nothing else and for years, 

it has been begging for more attention.

 I moved the wooden sign and the letters over to the wall with the canvases.  

I like the look of these three elements together over the bookshelf.

 Then I gathered up frames and other decor from the house to create a gallery wall above the crib.  The embroidery hoops are so fun and easy!  I got the hoops (a set of 5) at a thrift store for only $0.80!  Then I just traced the hoop on fabric I had left over from other projects and inserted into the hoop!  So easy to make, change, and so cheap.  The hoops has been living downstairs in the hall by our laundry room, but I realized the colors would work in the nursery, so the moved.

The wall also included some newborn photos, some other special art, and a card I framed from his baptism.

I laid the objects out on the floor how I wanted to hang them and then just went for it!

Here is the finished product.  Much better!

My other project cost me $3 in this room.  I found a shower curtain I liked at a garage sale down the street but mostly just liked the pattern, so I cut it and recovered the lamp in the nursery.  I also have plans to make a little pillow for the rocking chair out of the same shower curtain.

BEFORE

AFTER