A New Adventure??

So everyone in our house is finally getting over being sick.  I'm sure there is something going around...weird thing is that we usually never get sick.  I was puking all Wednesday evening...not that fun since my dad was visiting and having dinner with us.  Zander was running a fever since Wednesday morning and then Friday Jerry stayed home from work because he was up all night Thursday getting sick.  But good news...we are all better now!

So Friday...IT CAME!!!  My MacBook came, so I've been playing with it non stop...now if only I could figure out how to use everything on it.  So if you have any tips on using a MacBook Pro I could surly use them.

I love helping others.  I believe that we are doing God's work when we help others and work together.  I have a friend, Kristen, who was selling a wet bag (it's a bag for dirty cloth diapers) and I had talked to her before about my Cricut and all the amazing things that I can cut out with it.  We decided that I would cut her a boat design with her son's name on it to put in his room in exchange for the wet bag.  Now, I could have gone to the store (well online) and bought a wet bag...Kristen could have gone online and ordered an adhesive vinyl boat design and we both would have been happy and gotten what we want but by trading what we each have we are helping each other out (and saving each other a ton of money).  Seriously it's God's work and it happens everyday.  I'm also going to be designing a quote with some birds for my friend Sarah's daughter's room which I am VERY excited about doing.

All of this designing of these vinyl wall decals kind of got me thinking...oh know!  I truly believe that if you can buy something local..or at least from the US you are doing yourself a favor because you are supporting our economy (which needs all the help it can get).  So here's my idea......

 I'm thinking about starting a small business where I would design custom made vinyl wall decals for anywhere in your home.  They would be like the ones that you can buy at the store but these could be any design that you want...personalized.  I have a few that I have done as you have seen already for my own house as examples and then I have some that I'm in the process of doing.  Would love anyones thoughts on it...or if you would be interested in purchasing one I would love to help you.

I've been doing a lot of thinking and more importantly praying about this and I believe this is something God is calling me to do.  Might be something little in His big world but we are all put on this earth for a reason and I believe my purpose is to be a Child of God and a Mother.  I also believe that God gave me special talents to share with others.

I'm excited to see where God leads me in this week...month...year...and lifetime.

Family Day

I love Sundays.  They might just be my favorite day of the week.  At our house we consider Sunday's our "family day".  We get up and go to church as a "family" and then we usually stay home most of the day and just spend time together.  I love it!

So this weekend was a slightly busy one.  Saturday morning we had our tax appointment.  We also found out the MacBook wasn't sold yet so we should be getting it.  This Saturday I also got to spend the afternoon and evening with one of my best friends, Kristi.  We went to Ikea in Philly which was awesome.  I'm pretty sure you can never have a bad time at Ikea.  I also had Chick-fil-a for the FIRST TIME!  It was so delicious and I for sure recommend getting a milkshake!!  Well I saw a project earlier in the day on Pinterest where they had a quote "the best of times" and pictures of each of their kids with a clock below the picture.  The clock didn't move...it was set at the time of each child's birth. 

AMAZING!!!

 So while I was at Ikea I found a plain plastic clock for $1.99! LOVE IT!

So after church (which was AMAZING as usual) we came home and did some housework.  Also started working on this project.  The clock that I got was just a plain white clock and decided I would spray paint it, well I thought we had black but turns out tan was all we had so that's what I used (didn't feel like buying more spray paint).

STEP 1: disassemble the clock

STEP 2: spray paint the "frame" of the clock

I do have a confession...I love spray painting stuff...maybe more than Jerry likes

STEP 3: speckle paint the clock

The clock in my inspiration picture already had this done (plus they spent like $12 on the clock) so all I did was took some black craft paint and used one of those crappy toothbrushes places give out for free and "flicked" paint on it.  Then I let it all dry.

STEP 4: put clock back together and set time.

Got it all put back together...was a little tricky since I didn't pay attention to what I was doing when I took it apart.  Set the clock to 1:27pm, the time that changed my life forever.  Then decided to break out the trusty Cricut.

STEP 4: add title

I did erase the pencil line that is in the picture.  Now all I need to do is hang up the picture I have of Zander and the clock and it will be all done.  So now just waiting on Jerry to have time to hang it up.  Another confession...I tried to hang it up but when I bent like 4 nails trying to put them in the wall I decided I better wait. I'll post a picture when it's all done.

Jerry and I are going to have more kids so I know I will be adding to this so the OCD in me almost wanted to buy 4 (yes we plan on having 4 kids...and homeschool all of them but that's another blog for another time) clocks and picture frames because I will NEED to have them all match.  But I didn't and decided I would cross that bridge when it came there.  Plus I did think it might look fun if they don't match...but who am I kidding my OCDness will kick in and I'll buy all matching ones.

I love deals...and finished projects

Sitting here drinking my first cup of coffee for the day (not Nantucket..not sure why I didn't open that lovely new box) and thinking about what I should be doing but enjoying the quiet time before Zander awakens for the day.

This weekend we finished our wall project...yes that's right it's all done.  Thanks to my wonderful dad (whom without his help many projects at my house would still be unfinished...like my AMAZING bathroom) for coming down and helping us complete it.  So here's a look at the finished project.

The white erase board

YAY!! The finished product!

So glad that's finished.  Now onto the next projects.  Began working on stuff for Zander's birthday party.  We are doing an "Old MacDonald" theme.  I so didn't want to be the mom that does a "theme" but it's so darn cute and after inviting family we already have a TON of people to come so I think it will make it more fun.  I was planning on making puppets for favors for the kids...but yeah I went online and found something equally as cute and WAY easier so we are doing that...sorry not spoiling the surprise for anyone that is coming.  But I am working on a banner for the party.  I saw on Pinterst (of course..I can see you all rolling your eyes..haha) and it linked to none other than Etsy.  Well I love Etsy but I'm not paying $30 for a homemade paper banner when I can figure out how to make one.

So for a while now Jerry wanted to get me a new Cricut machine.  I have a smaller one that I've had for years and used it every so often but I can't cut anything on it bigger than like 4 inches.  Now if you don't know what a Cricut is (I use it a lot for scrapbooking) basically it's a machine with a blade and you can purchase cartridges and then cut those things out of paper or anything.  It's how I made the letters for on the wall project.

Long story short for 2 days we stalked eBay for the best prices...I love eBay and another addiction is Craig's List (but I'll get more into that later).  Found a person (or so we thought a person) selling TONS of them for cheap.  Brand new the Expression machine runs like $150-$200.  Well after much eBay stalking and swiping a bid at the last second I got a brand new Expression machine along with 8 brand new cartridges for $160!!  Now doofis me didn't pay any attention to what cartridges were included because I thought every auction had the same...well I was wrong.  When the package came Zander and I ripped open the box and checked everything out.  Well turns out there were 4 cartridges that were "fancy Christmas" as I called them and a few others...the only one I was super excited about was this Home Decore one...which I plan on using to make stuff for lettering and things on the walls.  So yesterday I decided to list 6 of the cartridges on Craig's List to see if I could sell them and make some of the money back.  Well within a few hours I had a text from someone in Lebanon that wanted them...ALL of them!  So we set up a time to meet.  I then decided that I should just list my old machine and 1 cartridge.  Same thing within a few hours I had someone interested in the machine for their sister and the cartridge for them self.  So here's how the numbers worked out.....

New Machine & 8 Cartridges $160

Sold 6 Cartridges $75
Sold old machine and 1 cartridge $65
Made a total of $140

Total Paid for New Machine & 1 Cartridge......$20!!!!

I love a good deal!!  Even better since I love stalking Craig's List I wanted to look for a Moby wrap to use with Zander and any future children.  Well found one right near my mom's house and she offered to go check it out.  Guess what!?!?!?  I got a brand new Moby wrap (she used it once but her 1 month old didn't like it) for $10...normally they cost about $45!!!!

So last night Jerry was complaining about an email from AT&T about how he's a high data user...seriously this guy uses his iPhone for EVERYTHING!!  I said to him you know it stinks...I never wanted an iPhone (I thought that they were a waste)...I'm now on my second one...I could never not have an iPhone.  I used to think those people that ONLY used Apple products were snobs...or Apple snobs as we call them...oops I'm afraid I think I've turned into an Apple snob.  I've wanted a MacBook for a VERY long time and have been saving for it (because I don't want to go into debt putting it on a credit card...don't get me started on that).  We got a call earlier in the week from one of my best friends saying she knew someone selling a less than year old one...so crossing my fingers that our tax appointment on Saturday goes well and Jerry will buy it for me.  So yes in our house we own 2 iPhones...an iPad...and hopefully soon a MacBook...we are Apple snobs and proud of it!!!

Thanks for listening to my random thoughts and as I proofread this blog before posting it I do see that this one is very much my random thoughts :)