Fourth of July DIY

I should be packing right now - we are moving exactly 1 week from today. But why pack when you can blog?! I was so excited about my mom's birthday present this year. Her birthday falls a few days before the Fourth, but I wanted to give her her present a little early so she could put it out as a decoration. There is the CUTEST store here in Utah called the Wood Connection. I am in love. They have lot of wood projects, from wooden letters to the flag set that I made for my mom. The idea is to go and pick out a wooden set that you like, then decorate it with scrapbook paper or paint (which they also have available at the store). I think they are pretty reasonably priced as well. I have made a few several projects from this store to decorate our apartment. I love it. I am so sad to not be able to go there any more once we move. I think Scott is elated for the sake of our bank account, haha. Luckily they also have an online store!! You all should go and check it out. So fun!! Here are the materials I bought for my mom's birthday project:

Paper and string I bought.

The wood set sold at the Wood Connection. Stackable pieces for an American flag.

This is how it looks when the blocks are stacked. The pictures definitely make it look tiny, but I would guess it's about 4"x5" when stacked.

My favorite part of this project is that it was so simple!! First I painted each of the blocks. I used modge podge that I already had to glue the wooden blocks onto the paper, then cut around the edges, and sanded off the remaining paper. I only put paper on one side of each block, so the backs and sides of each were still visible, which is why I painted first.

After I had cut around the edges but before excess paper had been sanded off.

All paper glued, sanded, and blocks stacked again.

 All that was left to do was add the star. I painted it white, then sanded the edges of the star so it had some of the wood showing through. I wrapped the twine around a couple of times, then hot glued it to the blue square (actually mom did this when she got the present - I didn't have a glue gun). That's it! I LOVE how it turned out. Might have to do one for myself next year :) Simple, easy, and SO cute!!

I'm always looking for fun projects to do for around my home. What are some of your favorites?

Hello There Blog...

Has it really been a year since I've posted? I told myself I wouldn't let that happen to this blog! Hopefully I can be better now... SO MUCH has happened since I last wrote. Scott and I moved out of Provo (a day I thought would never come, but at the same time I am sad that my college experience has officially passed), Scott got a temporary job and also got accepted into the PhD Aerospace Engineering program at CU Boulder, and we had our first baby - the cutest little boy I've ever seen!

Selfie with my cute boy.

One word to describe my life lately: BLOWOUTS. One week ago, if you would have asked me about my experiences with blowouts, I would have laughed and said I am one lucky mama and my little angel baby doesn't do blowouts. I have since been smacked in the face with parenthood reality and all it's slimy, orange colored glory. As recent college graduates and soon to be PhD students we are trying to be very money conscious since things will be tight for a few years. Great Value brand has become a good friend. Diapers are EXPENSIVE, so we thought we would try Kirkland brand. From Costco. As in 192 diapers a box. My best advice to future parents? Don't skimp on diapers!! Ever. If you have found a value brand that works for you and your babies, feel free to let me know in the comments, but Kirkland brand is basically a paper towel with straps.

First incident: we were at my great-grandma's viewing and my mom was holding baby E when she said she thought he had filled his pants. I grabbed the diaper bag and was on my way to the bathroom to change him when I felt a splat on my foot. In an attempt to not make this post super disgusting and graphic, I will just let you go ahead and guess what it was. That was when I realized his pants were literally soaked with poo, and it was dripping down his socks and onto the floor. It also went about half way up his back. This was my first blowout as a mom, and I didn't even know where to start! Luckily, little man had left a poop trail from the viewing room all the way to the bathroom, and one of the guests spotted it and let my mom know so she was able to follow me. I seriously could not have been more happy/relieved to see her. Then my dad came and we took Everett out to the car while mom cleaned up the carpet (the ladies at the funeral home were SO nice and understanding, they deserve a shout-out). I realized I forgot the changing pad at home, so we had to lay paper towels down instead. Dad worked on the baby while I worked on myself (it was everywhere - my feet, my skirt, my hands, my hair (I don't know how that happened) - everywhere).

Second incident: pretty similar to the first, only change the scene to a Chinese restaurant. My parents were still in town (phew!), and we had gone out to eat with my grandma. Everett had been so good and cute, just sucking away on his paci in the carseat while we ate, when all of a sudden he started crying. Scott and I have learned to check his diaper first thing when he fusses - he does not like sitting in dirty diapers at all (not that I would let him sit in them for a long time - I'm not an awful mom - but literally as soon as he goes he wants it off). I got him out of his carseat and was handing him over to my mom when Dad said to look at his pants. Again, soaked. We went through the same process of getting him cleaned up. This was only his second real blowout, but several other of his clothes had gotten poo on them because the diapers kept leaking, so we knew for sure that this was the result of crappy diapers (pun intended). Since we were in town we went and got a box of nice, absorbent Pampers. And now we have a box of about 179 Kirkland diapers left. They will either be refunded or sent to the dumpster.

Third incident: Today. Since we switched to Pampers I was certain that I would be able to avoid blowouts from now on. No such luck. This one wasn't as bad as the others ( I seriously give credit to the diaper for that), and at least I was at home this time, which definitely made it easier to clean. I think it was the way I was holding him - the mess had nowhere to go but all the way up his back!

I understand that blowouts come with babies, but I think three in less than a week is my limit (and Scott was at work for every single one of them!). Here's to hoping Pampers changes this pattern we have going. At least my baby is still cute! He seemed to be secretly laughing each time we were cleaning up after him. He has been so much fun, and I wouldn't trade being his mom for anything, including going back to my days of wearing shirts without spit-up stains, being able to do my hair every day, and yes, even the blowouts.

This was literally right after the blowout today. Smug little guy :)