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.

 

Garden of Curtis

I planted my very first garden this past spring and we have been enjoying the bounty all summer long. I haven't had as much time to devote to it as I would like, but it has been oh-so-rewarding to see my baby plants grow and bloom - I feel like a proud plant-mama!

My cherry tomatoes have been so plentiful and I've had so many jalapenos and yellow peppers that I've had to tell my neighbors to help themselves because I can't use them fast enough. I also planted strawberries, green belle peppers, sweet potatoes, personal-sized watermelons and about 20 different herbs. Unfortunately, in the extreme heat we've had this summer, my herbs didn't fare so well, but tonight I went out and noticed little tiny belle peppers and watermelons starting to grow and I gushed with excitement...

What do you like to make with yellow peppers?

Baby Belle Pepper! Is it weird I think it's extremely adorable?

Watermelons!! EEEKK!!

Jalapenos galore!

I love having cherry tomatoes on hand anytime I want them!

If I can maintain a bountiful garden, you can too!

 

Shinanigans

Sometimes I take my conference calls from Johnny's room - I shut the door and sit in his rocking chair with my computer and phone while the kids play.

Today, I did just that and this is what unfolded as I was sitting there...

Johnny's room - BEFORE...

...and AFTER...

Mama, you done yet?

This post may come across like I'm complaining about these mini tasmanian devils, but really I found it quite entertaining. I mean really, what can you do besides laugh?

 

You Know You're A Mom When...

...using a plastic spoon - you scoop your sick kid's runny poo out of their diaper, put it in a snack-baggie and take it to their pediatrician to be tested for god knows what bacterias they'll find.

Yes, this really did happen to me today - just keepin' it real, my friends. If you can't laugh with me, you can at least laugh at me.

To be kind, I put the snack-baggie o' poo in a brown paper sack - it seemed appropriate, right?

Gee, thanks for the 'mad-dog', Joleen. I'm pretty sure we're both having a less than stellar day. [on our way to her pediatrician]

 

Argh!

I know I promised to reveal my kitchen make-over today, but I'm sad to say that I have not quite finished the project. It's not that it was too ambitious to get it done in a week, it's that Joleen has been sick since last Wednesday [can't a mom catch a break!] and I've not been able to dedicate my time to wrapping up the little details, nor have I really been able to leave the house to pick up a few knick-knacks. I'm also still waiting on a few things to arrive via Amazon that I thought would show up on Saturday.

I promise to post the reveal this week. Joleen still has the EXTREME runs [TMI?] today (five days and counting now), but she seems to have pepped up a bit - meaning she's no longer in fetal position on the couch and seems to be ok with letting me out of her sight for a few minutes at a time now.

So - I'm finally able to focus on my kitchen again today, but in place of the 'reveal' pics, here are a few pics from over the weekend...

Sick babies are so bittersweet.

Some Piper camera love - look at those turkey legs! {melt}

 PJ party 24/7!

During the one hour I was able to sneak out this weekend, I snagged these gems at TJMaxx on clearance for $10!

Starting to pep up and get her sillies back little-by-little.

Don't mind us - we're just getting a little work done [a bit of sneak peek of my kitchen!].

I know my hubby loves me b/c he's always helping me with one of 'my projects' [another sneak peek!].

  
 

Toot Toot...

... goes my horn. Don't mind if I do. Am I spending my Friday night out on the town? Nope, I'm spending it at home building myself a desk [part of the reveal on Monday] while my hubby is out on the town with the guys. 

 

 I'm whipping out my mad Macgyver skills, ya'all!

Happy Friday!

 

Glued to the Couch

My sweet Jojo is beyond sick tonight. Poor girl has some stomach bug and she's been miserable since yesterday. All she wants is to lay on the couch, drink lemon water, watch Peppa Pig and have me sit right next to her. I'm not allowed to move, but just look at this sick baby... I'm happy to sit by her if it makes her feel even the tiniest bit better...

So - while I'm glued to the couch, I've been scouring the internet to pass the time. I've spent entirely way too much money on Etsy and on Amazon, but I've also come across some other gems...

#1. Adore this look for fall.

#2. This looks like a great weekend DIY project. All I'll need is some round cork-board and some sale fabric. I also think this idea would be cute with an embroidery ring and then pinning knick-knacks to them with safety pins.

#3. I have to have this "PACKED WITH LOVE" packing tape.That's all.

#4. I love the simple elegance of this gift-bag and I already have everything I need to put them together for the baby shower I'm hosting next month. Perfect.

#5. I'm not a baker. I can cook, but my baking skills leave much to be desired. However, I still want to take a stab at baking this ombre cake. Practice makes perfect and I still have a few weeks to give it a go before the baby shower. If all else fails, I'll enlist my mom to help out.

#6. How cute are these?? They are cards you hand out to your baby shower guests to have them write down their "wishes for baby". Etsy- you kill me.

#7. I love me a chunky cable-knit sweater, so you turn one into a giant blanket and that's pretty much a dream come true for me.

#8. I've recently become extremely lactose- intolerant. I've had to pretty much cut dairy completely out of my diet or I end up spending the whole day nauseated. Luckily, I don't miss dairy that much and I have found some great alternatives - like this recipe for 'strawberry ice cream' - AKA blended frozen strawberries, coconut milk, vanilla and bananas.

Alright, I'm off to put my sick mini in bed. Please send healthy vibes her way! Nighty night.

 

The GREAT Purge of 2012

Our house is small, but it's the perfect size for us. However, with the amount of crap we have shoved into what limited storage space we actually do have, we're clearly not utilizing it correctly and it's causing me to feel claustrophobic. I don't want a bigger house (that just means more house for me to keep clean), it's just time to purge and organize. So, I'm going room-by-room and even including the attic [major yard-sale soon!]. I figure if I go one room per week that the task won't seem too overwhelming.

Yesterday, I began to tackle my kitchen. I'm not fully finished, but I'll reveal its makeover this coming Monday. However, in order for you to truly grasp the glorious transformation, I have to show you its current state, and that's mortifying, but necessary.

Come on into my kitchen...

At this point you may be saying, "looks pretty clean to me." and you're right - on the surface it's clean, but here's what's lurking underneath - my truly embarrassing, hoard-ish, dirty little secret...

*CAUTION*  To see pictures, continue reading at your own risk...

Shabby Chic Farm Party

Photo by Nicole Staggs

This past Saturday we celebrated my little missy's 3rd birthday with friends and family down on Lucky Ladd Farms. If you live in the Middle Tennessee area, you must take your kids to visit this farm! It's truly a magical place full of farm animals, pony rides, tractor rides, and activities that seem to have come right out of a child's dream. I now want to take my kids there every weekend.

Since Joleen insisted upon a 'cowgirl' themed birthday party, I went with a shabby chic farm party. I think it was a success and I had oh-so-much fun planning such a girly party. For more pictures and inspiration for your next party, continue reading...

Pardon Me, Please.

My posts have been a bit sporadic this week and for that, I'm sorry. On top of work and prepping for Joleen's 'farm' birthday party this coming Saturday, Johnny has been SUPER sick. Poor guy has been running a 105° fever off-and-on since Monday. He's miserable and we are all consequently running on little-to-no sleep. So, along with finishing a million last minute details for Jojo's party tomorrow, I'll be taking Johnny to the doctor... for the second time this week.

The silver lining to caring for a sick baby?? The bittersweet sick-snuggles...

 

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

...your daughter is on the other side of the house hollering for you and you yell, "I'm in the dining room!"- she shows up and says, "mom, dis is not da dining room, dis da office."

Touché, Joleen, touché.

 

How Is It Possible...

...that I'm mom to a three-year-old?

It seems like only yesterday that Joleen came into our lives...

Joleen Rose - Born Aug. 4th, 2009

...then before we knew it, we were celebrating her 1st birthday...

Joleen woke up on her 1st birthday to a new play-kitchen.

...and then her 2nd...

Jojo's 2nd birthday was all about Yo Gabba Gabba and a princess tent.

...and then this past weekend, we celebrated Joleen's 3rd birthday. HER 3RD BIRTHDAY, ya'all! I'm trippin'. What happened to my baby? She's a full-on vivacious little girl who's extremely smart, beautiful, sassy, and loves to play hide-and-seek.

Next weekend we are officially celebrating her birthday with friends and family down on Lucky Ladd Farms, but this weekend we made sure to make it a special birthday by celebrating it with Grandma and Grandpa. Here are some pics..

A special pancake breakfast for Joleen.

Her first ♫ happy birthday ♫ song of the day.

More French-braid piggies for my girly.

Brendon said she looked like a UFC fighter?

Attempting a rear-nekkid choke on Johnny. As you can see, he's not feelin' it.

Princess Jojo.

Presents from Grandma and Grandpa!

Playing with new toys.

Attempting to keep Johnny from opening Joleen's gifts.

Paging Dr. Joleen Curtis. You're needed STAT.

Oh, my Johnny. You're too cute.

New books!

Dr. Joleen Curtis attending to Grandpa.

Dr. Joleen Curtis curing dada with a kiss.

I want a present!!!

Might have been her favorite present of the day - a super hero cape.

Joleen picked the cowgirl boots out for her farm-party next weekend.

The last ♫ happy birthday ♫ of the day. I made her a little butterfly-shaped cake.