Where Did Summer Go?

Summer has flown right on by! It seems like we are always busy. We have been enjoying the weather. I have been experimenting in the kitchen (trying my hand at egg-free cooking, successful recipes coming soon). Hubby finished the tree house. The boys are very efficient at walking, in fact they are almost running. And, I have been (slowly) plugging away at my to-dos.

Here's a little update on last month's goals:

1. Work on purging computer room. I had a very successful week with this last month. Plan to finish it this month.
2. Focus on daily cleaning habits. We started a chore chart for the kids, so some cleaning habits of mine were worked on too. Need much work in this area. Ongoing.
3. Make a 30 meal list. I wrote down some of our favorite meals. Tried some new ones. Now I need to compile them all in a binder to make meal planning a little easier.
4. Start journals. Nope, not yet.
5. Read to boys everyday. Overall I was pretty good at this.Ongoing.
6. Continue to get up early. Was good for a while, then started slacking. Needs work. Ongoing.
7. Sew, and crochet. I was very good at this last month. Ongoing.
8. Start etsy shop. Just need to take that leap, and list.
9. Make two Christmas presents. Nope, not yet.
10. Look for dress to make, start making. Did it (nap time dress). Would like to make another dress if time allows.

This month's goals:

1. Finish computer room.
2. Establish cleaning routines.
3. Complete meal binder.
4. Complete and write in journals.
5. Continue reading to boys everyday.
6. Establish regular wake time.
7. Continue to use up craft stash.
8. Make two Christmas presents. Find stocking pattern.
9. Start on boy's Halloween costumes.
10. List in etsy shop.

Does goal setting work for you? How do you manage those massive to-do lists?

Nap time Dress

Most of you mamas know. Once you have littles, you rarely sew, or craft, for yourself.

One of my 30 by 30 goals (#29) is to make a dress and wear it.

Well, I made a dress. I made a dress using what I had in my stash. (I may be a craft hoarder...)

I sorta followed this tutorial by Maggie of Smashed Peas and Carrots. If you looked at Maggie's and are wondering, no I'm not preggers (she made it as a maternity dress). I had this dress hanging out in my favorites since before my pregnancy with the boys. There are many dresses in Pinterest world similar to this one, but I figured 'I liked it two years ago- lets make this my first.'

Sorry, I don't have any in process pictures, or before pictures for that matter. Just follow the tute. Its pretty good.

The few things I did different:

• I skipped hemming the bottom of the top, and top of the bottom (confused yet?) before sewing to the elastic. I was trying to accomplish this during nap time, and since it was for me- I figured it would be okay.
• I used Marissa's tutorial for easy gathering. I AM SOLD! Every time I try to gather, I get so frustrated because my threads break. This girl is a genius!
• I made a sash, and tacked it on. I didn't care for the look of the white elastic (next time I'll dye it). I think it made me look fluffy. After I hemmed the bottom to the length I wanted, I used that strip to make a sash, and tacked it down in a couple of places. This seemed to tame down the midsection fluff.

Are you ready? Here it is:

What do you think? I'm hooked, I want to make more dresses. If you have any favorite 'nap time' dress tutorials, please share.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Remember my 30 by 30 list? Well, I decided to do something about #24. (Style hair more, less ponytails.)

My hair has been on the shorter side for most of my life. For some reason or another (laziness, maybe), I had been growing it out. It is pretty, and long. This means that I put it in a ponytail every single day.

I am sick of the pony. It makes me feel sloppy and undone, but I don't have the time to blow dry and style this long mess everyday. Hubby was ready for short hair (he loves my hair short).

But will I have the time to style it? Who cares, lets go for it...

Before:

After:

I actually got the cut last Friday. I waited to post, because I wanted to see if I could (would) consistently style it. Guess what? I have done my hair everyday since Friday, and wore makeup most days (something I rarely do).

The verdict: I love it! It takes about 10 minutes to style it straight. It takes about 20 minutes to wear it curly.

Hubby had a surprise when he came home. He loves it!

p.s. the pony was donated



Monthly Goals

Yes, I know, its almost the middle of the month. These goals are geared for my 30 by 30 list. Which starts the 11th of the month.

Anyways, here's what I plan on working on this month:

1. Work on purging computer room.
2. Focus on daily cleaning habits.
3. Make a 30 meal list.
4. Start journals.
5. Read to boys everyday.
6. Continue to get up early.
7. Sew, and crochet.
8. Start Etsy shop.
9. Make two Christmas presents.
10. Look for dress to make, start making.

It doesn't look so difficult when its broken down into smaller chunks. Lets see how I do this month.

30 by 30, How am I doing?

Two months down, ten until I turn 30. I made a list of 30 things I would like to accomplish by my thirtieth birthday. I have been feeling directionless lately, so I want to review my list so I can make a few goals for myself this month. Lets see how I've been doing. (Don't get too excited, I haven't been doing much.)

1. Purge home, clear clutter- we did have two garage sales this summer, but this home has a long way to go.
2. Make cleaning a habit- I'm getting a little better at this. I did make a chore chart for the older kids, and their help helps me immensely.
3. Make recycling a habit- we were notified that we are getting curbside recycling in August, so this one is going great!
4. Scan pictures, organize pictures- have not done a thing.
5. Organize recipes- in May or June I did start writing some of my loose recipes on index cards, but I still have a ways to go. I want to add to this goal become effective at meal planning.
6. Paint bedroom, decorate- nope, nothing done.
7. Paint living room, decorate- nope, nothing done
8. Learn how to effectively manage household and time- this is a constant wip (work in progress for you non-knitters). I don't feel that I am making much headway, but I am learning.
9. Make wedding album- nope, nothing done
10. Journal for the boys- nope, nothing done
11. Journal for my husband- nope, nothing done
12. Learn how to use my camera, take more pictures- I haven't learned how to use the camera any differently than I have been. I have been trying to take more pictures, but I lack consistency.
13. Have monthly date nights with my husband- I don't think we have done this yet, we do have a sitter for the night this month.
14. Go on mini-vacation with hubby- we have talked a little, but not made any plans yet.
15. Go on vacation with the family- have not made plans yet.
16. Read to the boys everyday- I have started reading to them a lot more, but not quite everyday.
17. Learn to/teach the kids to pray (and Lord's prayer and Ten Commandments)- nope, not yet.
18. Teach my step-daughter to sew and/or encourage her creative interests- she just finished softball, so this goal has been untouched.
19. Implement a budget- nope, not yet.
20. Start nursing clinicals- did not get in for the fall semester, hopefully this winter.
21. Manage time better- (this is on 8, oh well), I am a tortoise right now.
22. Get up early (like to start day by 6:00)- I am getting better at this, usually about 6:30.
23. Dress for my hubby more often (less jeans and t-shirts)- This is going great. I have been wearing so many more dresses and skirts. It could be because it is summer, hopefully I can keep up.
24. Style hair more, less ponytails- Sometimes I am good at this, sometimes not. I have too much hair and am debating a big cut.
25. Blog regularly- well..haven't really been consistent at this one.
26. Exercise regularly- nope.
27. Craft through craft books, get rid of craft books not needed- I started, stupid me I started with Generation T. I knew I wasn't getting rid of these books, so I should have left them on the shelf.
28. Craft through stash- see 27. (T-shirts are not stash)
29. Make a dress, and wear it- nope.
30. Start selling on etsy- I have thought about it, but not taken a step.
31. Do a 365 project- nope.
32. Have a (semi) handmade Christmas- pinned some ideas, but nothing completed.

Wow! I have a lot of work.

A New Skirt For Mommy

I have a bad case of (self-diagnosed) ADD. I also have a finishing problem- an aversion to finishing projects I start. This is why our dining room table is stacked with sewing stuff, the vacuum is sitting in the corner, the laundry is piled in baskets (folded though), and the list goes on. I look around and see so many unfinished projects I get overwhelmed, and want to hide.

Lately I have been trying to finish projects. (Part of my 30 by 30; craft through stash) One nearly finished project in my stash is a skirt. I made it last summer, shortly after having the boys. Needless to say it is a bit too big now. Instead of finishing it, into a (rather big) pile in the closet it went.

Today I finished it! The sad thing is, it took me longer to load my bobbin into the machine than it did to finish it.

This skirt was super simple, the hardest part was pinning a straight line (something I sorta have a problem with). Unfortunately, I do not know where I found the tutorial, so maybe I'll post my version of instructions next time I make one.

I am extremely happy with this skirt. It is very comfy, light, airy, summery and cute. One more to-do done!

30 by 30

Wow, May flew by and June is on it's way! I had a birthday in May and my first official Mother's Day.

I'm not good at New Years Resolutions. I fail forget about them before the first week is over. I'm horrible at any type of habit changing activity. See, I like to track progress, mark things off, see my accomplishments. That's all good, except I have this need to start at the beginning- the beginning of the week, the beginning of the month, the beginning of a challenge... you get it? (Please tell me I'm not alone!) Then when I slip up for a day, week, whatever- I think what's the use?

Well, I made a 30 by 30 list. Kinda a bucket list of things to do before I turn thirty (next May). I guess you can't even call it a bucket list, because it's nothing exciting, just things I have wanted to work on in my life. So, here's my 30 by 30 list (with a couple added in for safe measure):

1. purge home, clear clutter
2. make cleaning a habit
3. make recycling a habit
4. scan pictures, organize pictures
5. organize recipes
6. paint bedroom; decorate
7. paint living room; decorate
8. learn how to effective manage household, and time
9. make wedding album
10. journal for the boys
11. journal for my husband
12. learn how to use my camera, and take more pictures
13. have monthly date nights with my husband
14. go on mini-vacation with hubby
15. go on vacation with the family
16. read to the boys every day
17. learn to/teach the kids to pray (and Lord's prayer, and Ten Commandments)
18. teach my step-daughter to sew and/or encourage her creative interests
19. implement a budget
20. start nursing clinicals
21. manage time better
22. get up early (like to start day by 6:00)
23. dress for my hubby more often (less jeans and t-shirts)
24. style hair more, less ponytails
25. blog regularly
26. exercise regularly
27. craft through books; get rid of books not needed
28. craft through stash
29. make a dress, and wear it
30. start selling on etsy
31. do a 365 project
32. have a (semi) handmade Christmas

There it is, my 30 by 30. Here's to hoping I can check it all off!