You Know You're A Mom When...

... you're more excited than your kids that there's an all-new Yo Gabba Gabba and Fresh Beat Band crossover episode.

It was truly riveting.

Xo!

 

My Guys

I'm truly one lucky lady...

Thanks for the lunch-date, gentlemen.

XO!

 

You Know You're A Mom When...

...vacuuming the entire house with a baby on your hip is totally normal.

Sorry for the week-long hiatus, ya'all. Work is crazy busy right now with the holidays being right around the corner, but I'm back on track this week, promise.

XO!

 

Pinterest - Friend or Foe?

This picture makes my heart race with excitement. - Photo found on evernote.com

I swear, Pinterest is going to get me arrested - yes, arrested. Does anyone else see shipping pallets laying around local businesses and think, how can I steal that pallet without anyone noticing? I see them and my mind instantly starts scheming, and visions of me dressed in black in the dead of night collecting shipping pallets around town goes through my head.

Once, I was driving on the interstate and a semi passed me, and on it's flatbed were thousands of shipping pallets just strapped to it like no big deal. I literally squealed, ya'all - and then for a split second I seriously considered following it, and if my kids hadn't been in my car with me, I very well may have.

Pinterest gets me into trouble a lot. I always tell those who have yet to join that it has changed my life, but when I really think about it, has it been for the better? My husband, who now has to deal with my craft-shit all over the house, would probably say no. He also probably hates the astronomical amounts I spend at Micheals and JoAnn's every week when I see a pin that I just have to try. Poor guy. Since discovering Pinterest, I'm constantly working on some 'project', and 'bettering' the house.

BUT, in my defense, the guy gets fed delicious new recipes that I find on Pinterest almost every night, the house is now extremely organized, I'm dressing cuter, my hair is cuter, my nails are always painted, I've found my inner craft-goddess, and even discovered that I may have a 'green-thumb' in me after all.

Right now, my craft-focus seems to be on what lush thing I can create with a shipping pallet. A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the new art piece that I made out of an old shipping pallet, and now I just want to make all sorts of stuff...

Continue reading to see some amazing examples of what you can do with a simple shipping pallet...

7 Glorious Inches

I'm sorry, did my tittle offend you? I have a sick sense of humor, what can I say. And hey, if you were thinking it, then your mind is right in the gutter with mine. The seven inches I'm referring to is the amount of hair I chopped off my head over the weekend...

Last week I realized that I was holding on to my long locks simply because of how long it took for me to grow it out, but I really didn't like it. It was starting to weigh me down. Pre-kids my hair was straight and silky and now post-kids the texture has changed and I have these icky waves in the back - my hair just wasn't how I had envisioned it to look once I had grown it really long.

So, last week I called Ms. Jordan up and said if she had an appointment cancel and something opened up, that it would be my sign that I was suppose to choppity chop. The next day she called and my fate was sealed.

At first I thought I would just take a couple of inches off, but after contemplating it for a couple of days, I decided to just go for it. I didn't tell anyone how short I was really planning to go, so it was a shock for my hubby and friends when I came home from the salon.

Here's the look I was going for:

I have been obsessed with Olivia Palermo's shorter hair for months...

Before

 

What 7 inches of chopped hair looks like.

 Anddddddddd

After

No more messy mom-bun for me!

 

NEED TO VENT!

Can I b*#ch for a few minutes, please!?! I love my kids and my life, but today, I had a complete and utter breakdown, ya'all and all I want is to crawl in bed and watch trashy reality shows by myself.

It started this morning with wanting to take a quick shower by myself before Brendon left for work. Instead of a moment to myself to shave my legs and get my head together for the day, I had to listen to Joleen have an epic meltdown outside the bathroom door all because I wouldn't let her take a shower with me. With the exception of this morning, I can not remember taking a shower in the past year without Joleen. It's like I'm not allowed to be in the bathroom by myself and when I've tried, the epic meltdowns she has are just not worth it. Add this behavior to the fact that I can't leave a room for two minutes before Joleen is searching for me, her not going to bed until 11pm and the fact that she sneaks in bed with us in the middle of the night, and I'm seriously about to loose my ever living mind... and I miss my husband.

I LOVE Joleen so much, so please don't take this rant the wrong way, but the girl is so far lodged up my a$$ that I literally don't have a single moment alone anymore. I know this is my lot in life and most days it doesn't get to me, but today during one of my conference calls, she was just terrible and I ended up not being able to present a project I have been working on for weeks properly to my clients. It was a huge meeting and I felt like I blew it b/c Joleen was trying to crawl in my lap the entire call and I had worked so hard on this project/presentation only to feel like a failure.

Of course, this led to me being in complete tears and calling my husband in hysterics after my call and having him talk me off the ledge, which led to me feeling even worse because I know he has a stressful job and the last thing he needs is to have to worry about me.

I need a vacation, that and/or a prescription to xanax... I kid. I kid...sort of.

On a positive note, experiencing a day like today made me realize we need a reliable nanny for a few hours twice a week, so I got my butt on care.com and have a few interviews scheduled for this week, so yippee! Hopefully I'll get some support in here soon and I won't have to write anymore of these vent-type posts.

To all you moms out there - Have you ever had a day (or several) where you just want to run away?

What a typical conference call looks like for me.

Determined to get in my lap as if that's her job.

As annoying as this can be, she's only 3 and doesn't understand. She really is a GREAT girl and is actually really well-behaved - and when she gives me kisses like that, all is forgiven.

THEN...

...there's Johnny Lee. He's actually pretty good during my conference calls... for the most part.

Thank you for letting me vent. I feel much better. Tomorrow is a new day...

♥One more thing - THANK YOU, mommy for coming over this afternoon to do my grocery shopping and for taking Joleen with you! I seriously don't know what I would do without you.♥

XO!

 

Esty Gems - Southwestern Edition

I'm currently really into all things Southwestern - Here are some Etsy finds that have me {{swooning}}...

Continue reading for an up-close look at these Etsy Gems and to find out where you can snag them...

Potty Training Misery To Victory

We've been in the throes of potty training here at Casa de Curtis. To put it simply, it's been freakin' hard. I feel like we've been working with Joleen on being potty trained for months, but last week I finally put my big girl panties on and said enough is enough and I cut out the pull-ups completely.

The first couple of days were rough and messy, but last night we turned a corner when Joleen ran to the bathroom and made a poopoo all by herself! So it seems she's FINALLY able to sense when she has the urge to pee or poo - thank the good-lord.

Feeling optimistic, I sent Joleen to school this morning in 'big girl' undies along with a couple of changes of clothes in her backpack and hoped for the best. When I dropped her off, I promised her if she was able to be a big girl and use the potty by herself all day that she would get a BIG prize when she got home. Honestly, I didn't hold out much hope, but I was more than pleasantly surprised and proud when I went to pick her up and she was in the same outfit that I dropped her off in! VICTORY!

While she was at school, I went to Target with Johnny Lee, and we picked out this giant congratulatory bear-pillow for Jojo...

I'm hoping she will now stop throwing my couch cushions on the ground to lay on them...

She's in love and dragging Mr. Bear all over the house - even into the bathroom...

Maybe I should have bought two? Johnny seems smitten too...

Wish us continued luck on the potty training front! Although we seem to be out of the trenches for now, I'm sure the battle has only just begun!

XO!

 

You Know You're A Mom When...

...watching your kid take a tumble doesn't send you into a panic, but upon realizing you've lost your coupon pouch does. 

But seriously, who could find anything in my purse?

I turned the house inside out looking for it and you'll never guess where Brendon eventually found it...

Feeling Lucky

A couple of days ago I loaded up the kids and took them out to Franklin, TN to spend the afternoon with my mom and dad. Usually, I drop them off and go run errands because that's the only way I can get things accomplished during the week, but with no errands needing to be done, I just got to spend the afternoon with them.

Having ripe bananas that needed to be used, we decided to get baking. While in the kitchen with my mom and Jojo, I started having these overwhelming feelings of just feeling really lucky - I have such a beautiful family. I can honestly say that my mom and I are best-friends. She is the most amazing woman and one of the most important people in my life. I love her more than words can describe and I can't imagine her not being in my life or my children's lives.

Ok tearing up here... tired of banana bread, we opted to make a banana cake with cream cheese frosting. Oh man, it was soooooo good. I almost wish we hadn't made it because I have been walking by it the last couple days and taking forks full here and there. I almost want to pull and Miranda and pour soap all over it and toss it in the trash can...

 Click HERE for this banana cake recipe.

This is totally me, ya'all:


 

Have a fantabulous weekend!

xo!

 

The Man In Black - Art Inspiration

{{swoon}}

If you haven't gathered simply by the names of my children, I love music and have quite the obsession with Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton.

Even before the acclaimed movie, I had a special place in my heart for The Man In Black - I thank my father for that and for my love and appreciation for music in general. He instilled that love in me from the minute I was born by naming me Stevee - after Stevie Nicks. Anyways, this is going somewhere, I swear...

...In my quest to organize and spruce up our house (and after two years of bare walls in our master-bedroom), I decided to make a special piece to go above our bed...

Before {BORING}...

You Know You're A Work-From-Home Mom When...

...in the morning - your kid finds you in the bathroom doing your hair and make-up and yells, "Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyy, we leave the house today!"

It's a very rare occasion to be dressed, have make-up applied, and to have round-brushed my hair all before 10am.

'Love Is Sweet' - A Dessert-Themed Baby Shower

I'm sorry for not posting over the last couple of days. I've been crazy busy building my site - mom2jsquared.com (stay tuned for the new and improved site!) and hosting a baby shower for my bestie, Kasey, and her baby, Delta Faye {don't you LOVE her name!?!}.

Delta Faye is due to make her grand entrance at the beginning of October, so this Sunday we celebrated at my house with a 'Love Is Sweet' dessert-themed baby shower. You know me - I love to throw a girly party, so this one was extra special and extra girly. I can't wait to hold that baby girl in my arms!

Here are some pictures from the shower - enjoy!

MOM vs. DAD

Who do you think Johnny looks like - me or Brendon?

I personally don't think either one of our children really look like us. I do think they look like each other, though...

Joleen at 16 months

Johnny at 16 months

 

You Know You're A Mom When...

Chompy. Chomp.

... you're utterly fascinated when your kid finally learns how to chew gum without swallowing it. 

I hope ya'all had a relaxing Labor Day weekend! I zoned out a bit from technology and focused on getting some projects done for the baby shower I'm throwing this coming weekend. It was super nice to sit around the house with the hubs and babes and craft all weekend. 

xo!

Kitchen Reveal

Ok - so I know I promised this reveal last week, but better late than never, right? Are you ready to see what I've done to my kitchen???

See my kitchen organization/mini make-over after the jump...

Before...

Buzzzzy Bee

Mama, you play with me?

My daughter is one busy bee. It seems as though the girl is in constant motion- buzzing from one activity to the next. She's at that age where her sponge-like brain requires a lot of stimulation, but I have found that's true with any three-year-old, right? It's such a magical age, but for me - it can be exhausting to come up with all the activities and games to keep her learning and entertained and not glued to the TV.

So - just on the off-chance that I'm not alone in my perils, I thought I'd share a few of Joleen's favorite toys/games/books/apps and I hope to add to my list with some of your three-year-old's favorites.

Continue reading to check out a few of Joleen's favorite goodies...

You Know You're A Mom When...

...this happens.

Auburn

I finally got my hair did today. Jordan Byers over at Salon N Fuse is seriously THE BEST. I trust no one else with my locks and she is just a doll - love her to pieces.

Today, she took me from strawberry/ombre-ish to a dark auburn for fall. I almost had her chop it off (I'm itching for a sassy bob), but I chickened out and got a teeny-tiny trim instead. Maybe next time?

DISCLAIMER - Please excuse the following photos... Brendon and I are having our MAJOR yard-sale tomorrow, so I am a hot-no makeup-mess today. At least my hair looks fabulous now - if I do say so myself. 

Oh. Yeah.

Gorgeous Jordan

Working her magic.

Like the color? I'm in love.