Avery's Room...Finally

After about a year and a half, I am finally posting pictures of Avery's Room. I tried to spend as little money as possible...seeing as I didn't have a whole lot of money to work with. I started with the fabric I got for her crib skirt, which I found at Old Time Pottery, and went from there.




This dresser I got off of Craigslist. It came with a mirror that is now in our dining room and it cost me $40 including the guy delivering it. I blogged about it before. It was a yellow color with a white laminate top. My dad was a huge blessing and sanded, primed, and painted the whole thing. He even cut the paper to line the drawers, which I forgot to take a picture of, but its a grey and white damask pattern.



Cohen's crib was recalled so we returned it and bought this one and also got the curtains and curtain rod. So that cost was nothing since the crib was less (which was a gift initially) and we didn't have to use any of our own money. I think the fabric for the crib skirt was maybe $10-$15 and I have a lot of it left over. I have other plans for some of it.



The birdhouses I got from Michaels for less than $10. And the art I bought off of Etsy and were about $8. They were just postcards that I matted and put in thrift store frames that weren't more than $5.



The bookshelf and pretty much everything besides the piggy bank we already had. Except the birdhouse and Avery's name which was a gift from a dear friend.



I had Cohen color a picture for Avery when he was around 2 and I framed it with a picture frame I got from the Habitat for Humanity Restore. I bought the "I am a child of God" Print off of Etsy and framed it as well.



The fabric birds were meant for a mobile to go above the crib. But I never got around to it. Story of my life...



That is pretty much Avery's room. Or how Avery's room use to look. The bookshelf is arranged differently and I actually want to sell it and get baskets. The chair is gone and in it's place is a large stuffed dog Avery got for Christmas from her Uncle Mikey. There isn't anything on her dresser anymore but the changing pad. And her crib skirt isn't on her crib anymore either.  But it's okay. She plays in there and loves it in there and that is all that matters.

Plus if we have another baby in this house...I have others plans for this room.

Little Moments from my Camera Phone

i made a black apple doll for Avery - enjoyed 30* weather, then 70* weather - Chuck E Cheese - finally got the compost bin completed - family time with Candyland, which Cohen won the first time and since the name was candyland insisted he earned himself some candy

**we've also been purging so much stuff and reorganizing, including adding 3 new shelves and relocating another to our master closet. and now it looks like a grown up closet!

Jesus Painter

Over New Year's weekend, some members of our church, including me (!), got to participate in a painting activity with the Jesus Painter. This is a newer activity he does with churches when they book him for their church. It consists of 30 24 x 24 canvases. Each person or group of persons is given black and white paint and a section of one of his drawings. In the end they all come together to form one large canvas. A mosaic. It was so neat to be apart of it all and then see it all come together on Sunday morning during service. It definitely got me wanting to paint again!

Lightning McQueen, Rock'n'roll, and Falling Elevators

The week after Christmas we headed out to Disney with my family, like we've done the past three years. This year we decided on Hollywood Studios. We hadn't been there since before kids and the bonus was Lightning McQueen would be there. And Cohen is quite obsessed with Lightning McQueen. Here are just a few pics. My phone died halfway through our day and I didn't bring my camera because I really wanted to enjoy my time with my family.



Though we had a good time and made the most of it, I think we decided we will not go to Disney again the week after Christmas. It was jam packed. They ran out of fast passes half way through the day and most lines were 1.5 hours long or longer. So, we didn't go on many rides. The last ride we went on was Toy Story where we waited 2 hours. And though it was worth it to see the excitement on Cohen's face. I don't know that we will ever wait that long again. We ended the evening enjoying the Christmas Lights, fake snow, and eating Mickey Mouse...ice cream :).

Couch to 5K

One of my goals this year is to become a runner. I mean, I guess I already am a runner. But running during a 90 minute soccer game is totally different than just running. I started running right before I got pregnant with Cohen but that's also where it ended. This year I'm determined to really become a runner. I have goals to run a 5K and even a 10K. And we'll see if I get beyond that. I have a lot of fitness goals this year and running is where I'm starting.



I decided to do the Couch to 5K. I've heard of other friends doing it and I read over the schedule and it really feels doable.

Today was my first day of training. I did it after my Body Pump Class, which at first I didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, but it ended up working out really well. Although my legs were shaking during class I felt really good running afterwards. Or jogging. I wasn't tired and I felt energized, which is really good when you will be chasing after 2 kids for the rest of the day.

I also weighed myself today. Which I was a little nervous about seeing as how it was just the holidays. But I am down another 1.5 pounds. Just 3.5 pounds till I reach my goal weight! I am super excited. I'm sure the stomach flu helped out some there too. :)

Other fitness health goals I have are to drink more water. I use to be really good about that, but lately I haven't been as much. As mentioned before I want to reach my goal weight, which is also my pre-pregnancy weight. And I want to tone up more. I find it's been hard after having two kids, but I think running is going to help and the drinking of more water and to just continue watching what I eat.

I'm really excited for this year and these goals! The past year or so I've really been finding myself and what things I want to do with my time. And I think there is just going to be a lot to look forward to this year!

Welcome 2012!

Happy New Year!!



While my bro was in town over the holiday we decided (and finally got around to) taking pictures with my side of the family. It was so great to get updated pictures of all of us. Especially my parents and brother. There are so many more to edit and I'll be sharing them...when I get to them.

But here is to 2012 and the memories that we will be making!