You did what???

Yep, that's me!! Wow, do I ever look pregnant! SO here's the story behind this beautiful picture in case no-one has talked to my friend Tammy, who apparently thinks it needs to be known to every person in the state ;) I received an email about a week ago from a friend saying that the new local fabric store was having this AWESOME deal on fabric for St. Patty's Day. I'm ALL about a good deal so I said bring it on! I continued to read the flyer and it said that if you dressed up like a leprechaun from head to toe you would get 50% off all you fabric purchases!!! YESSSS 50% OFF!!!! What a deal! Then it hit me, do I really want to dress this fat, REALLY pregnant body up like a leprechaun? I went back and forth about whether I was going to do it or not and decided why wouldn't I do this, am I crazy to even hesitate to get ten dollar a yard fabric for five?! Unheard of! AND it was the perfect opportunity to get the fabric for those skirts I wanted to make my girls. As I was telling my oh so supportive husband what I was planning to do he just laughed and said, "You will NEVER follow through with this." So the big day came, I got dressed in my borrowed hat and skirt and wore Alex's baby legs and my green shoes. Cam couldn't even take a picture of me without laughing, as I was leaving I said goodbye and he turned his head and said that he couldn't even look at me and that he prayed for my sake that I wouldn't see anyone that I knew. What a putz, didn't he know how much money I was saving!? As I got closer and closer to the store I started to get a little nervous about if I was going to be the only one dressed up. Sure enough I parked right in front of the store and couldn't see a single person in green, not even the employees. I thought maybe they didn't want to promote the deal too much because it was such a BIG deal. I couldn't get out of my car. I had to call my sister Cris and have her walk me through getting out and realize how much of a steal I would be getting. I did it, I finally got out saying what the heck who cares right? As I was walking up to the door the manager was walking out to go next door and he took one look at me and said, "Oh dear! It's tomorrow!!" Wow did I ever feel dumb and that's what I get for not knowing the date half of the time. I told him that I would just put my lovely hat in the car and come in anyways and look around. By that time ALL of the sweet old ladies that work at the store had seen me in all my glory and were chuckling as I walked through the door. The manager came and found me and asked me what I was needing fabric for and I told him that I was getting a bunch for my girls to make some skirts and do a project in my oldest daughters room. He said that he would honor the deal if I would do one thing for him. I thought what in the world would he have me do? He asked that I put all my outfit back on and take a picture to put in the weekly newsletter they send out via email. WHAT?! Oh great, so not only did my husband get to laugh and mock me but all the people in Surprise get to too. I had already been humiliated twice so I agreed. I got 16 1/2 yards of fabric for $80! SO worth it! It would have costed me about $200 full price. So all of you out there that think I'm nuts and are having a good laugh at me I will have two cute girls and one awesome room when I'm done :)

All the pretty fabric....aaahhhhhh
I thought I would throw in a cute picture of the kiddos in their green.

A child's addiction......

My child as an addiction. He LOVES his crocs and mommy loves them because he can put them on himself. His old brown ones lost the back straps about a month ago and everytime he would wear them, which was every day, they would fall off in random places in the grocery store or as we were crossing the street. He as been begging me to get new ones and you know who has the time to remember to get your kids shoes :) So today was the day, we dropped Alex off at school and me and my buddy headed to the mall and got him some new stylin red crocs. He picked them out himself and since it's St. Patricks day next week they gave him some free clover Ji-Bits that he thinks are pretty cool. While the man was putting the Ji-Bits on Jake saw that there were a variety of different Ji-Bits and just HAD to have the ball one. I figured what the heck $2.50 for a little piece of plastic was a steal ;)

Finally!

I made a bag!! It took me F-O-R-E-V-E-R! I saw this pattern a long time ago and decided that I would some day get ambitious enough to get around to it. I thought what better time to make it than now for a diaper bag for the new little chica coming soon. Me and my friend got together and I won't tell you how many times or how long it took us because yes it is depressing but it is done!! I know those are some pretty crazy prints, it must have been one of those "crazy" days when I was picking out fabric, but I couldn't be more happy with it and I'm glad it's done.

INSIDE

I saw some really cute appliqued onesies and decided I would experiment and make my own. Let's just say it will probabaly be my last. Wonder Under is NOT my thing. I know there are some of you out there that think I'm crazy because I've been told so, but it just plain SUCKS to work with. So here's to never doing that again and here's to probably never putting the baby in them because of the cringe I get every time I look at them.

Alex wanted in on the picture fun....

Life Lesson...

Alex has been wanting a certain new game for her leapster and has continuously asked over and over for it. I am not one to just up and buy my child a $25 game for no reason so we had the money doesn't grow on trees discussion and you don't get anything for nothing. We decided that I would make a chart for her to earn some money by doing chores around the house. Of course life gets busy and a couple of months have gone by since she first asked and yesterday she asked again while I was making dinner and I told her again I would make her a chore chart, she looked at me and with her new sassy voice said, "I will make my own chart because you told me that one hundred times!" And she did. She made all of the little squares and I told her to write amounts of money in them and I would find chores for her that would earn her the amount and she would be able to put a sticker on after the chore was finished. I totally should have done this earlier because she has been asking all day what she can do to help around the house. It's been great, I get a break from doing the little things around the house and Alex gets taught the life lesson of you get what earn.

One day......

I WILL learn how to make this outfit....... and find the TIME to make this unbelieveably cute outfit for my two girls. It's good to set goals right? :)

Valentines......

We had a great Valentines weekend! I love Valentines Day with kids! It is one of Alex's favorite holidays, her and Jake love any reason to decorate cookies and have pink pancakes! Friday we made our traditional sugar cookies, the kids and I decorated them for daddy and some friends. Jake has come a long way since the last decorating party. Saturday morning brought the kids some fun treats and a playdough kit that their cousin Taylor has and had been begging to get since we were there for Thanksgiving, they have non-stopped played with it since. My mom sent the coolest book she made which I will post later and some fun socks for the kids that I couldn't get them out of for 3 days. Me and Cam got a kidless night out and went and saw the movie Taken, it was pretty good I would recommend seeing it. I'm still not sure how he talked me into going to see a action movie instead of the many romantic/comedies that are out but he won and it was a great night out with my valentine.

Funny story: Alex had her preschool Valentines party on Thursday and got some treats and one of the many was the famous, old school Fun Dip. She shared candy with Jake but the Fun Dip was hers and while she was eating it Jake saw how fun it looked to eat and got really sad and asked why he couldn't have one. We explained how it was Alex's and that she had shared all the rest of her candy. He pouted for a little while and climbed up on Cam's lap and said, "Dad, I want the perfect candy like Alex. Will the Love Bug bring me the perfect candy in morning?" (The Love Bug is a family tradition who brings candy on Valentines) It was pretty funny and sweet to see that he thought this was the "perfect" candy. SO, being the cool parents we think we are :), we went to EVERY store in a 5 mile radius to find the "perfect" candy. It took us 1 Walmart, 1 Target and 6 Walgreens later to find the Fun Dip. Needless to say Jake was pretty excited about his surprise Saturday morning.

Our cute Valentines!

My babies......

I was reading about a couple the other day who had lost their 10 month old to cancer in finding out within two weeks. TWO WEEKS! It is unbelieveable how you plan for the future and you think you have all this time with your loved ones but in reality it could be taken away in seconds. As a read their story it made me want to hold my kids a little tighter and cherish EVERY second we have together. I just wanted to write a little bit about what is going on with these two fun, crazy, hilarious, loveable, sweet kids of mine.

Alex has always been a cautious girl and really thinks twice about doing anything wrong. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments of being naughty, but it very seldom happens. She has recently found her love to start learning to read. Ever waking moment is either spent coloring, drawing, or make believeing. She told me the other day she wanted to be an artist when she grows up, exactly what I said when I was little. She is very special in our home. I used to say it was silly when parents would say they didn't want their kids to go to school and they just wanted to keep them home. I would think, yeah right they are just saying that, but I REALLY am having a hard time thinking her and I will be seperated each day for a significant amount of time real soon. She is my buddy and my helper.

Jake, oh Jake, what can I say he is the all time silliest kid I have ever met. He makes us laugh 24/7. He is very animated and loves to tell me that "actually mom" or "this just can't be possible" just about in every sentence. Unlike Alex he gets into trouble quite a bit each day but is really trying harder to be a "good guy." He loves his sleep lately, which we are hoping he is growing :) and comes rolling out of bed at 8:45 some mornings. He is our never ending story teller and is aspiring to be the next Emeril. He will do just about anything to help mommy in the kitchen. We love love this little guy not just because he keeps us on our toes but because he is just a world of pure fun.

I tell my kids all the time that they are always going to be mommy's babies even as they grow older. I still think of them as the two precious babies we brought home from the hospital just a little taller and alot smarter. I love these two with everything I have and even though I would like to give them away at times I wouldn't last a second without them.

Sewing Mania.....

I recently took a trip to my mom's and anyone that knows my mom knows that she is a AWESOME sewer. SO, I used and abused her skills and used some of my own not too shabby sewing skills and put us to work for 4 whole days of non-stop sewing projects! I was in heaven and could have stayed for another week! We accomplished so much! I knew I didn't want to do the traditional pink and purple nursery bedding for the baby and had been looking into fabric for months and finally settled on the cutest navy Amy Butler fabric (whom my whole fam is obsessed with.) The picture doesn't do it justice but with my mom's creativity with the ric rac edges and my obesession with minky it turned out just like I hoped! I also have been blog stalking crafty blogs alot lately and came upon the CUTEST blanket ever and decided even with the not so Arizona friendly minky back I had to make it! The balls trimming is just to die for and I love loved the pink fabric version of the baby's quilt.

With Alex also loving anything crafty, she got a little jealous watching me and mom make so much for the baby that she kindly asked why she wasn't getting a new blankie. Needless to say we had been to the fabric store at least 10 times already so decided what the heck one more time wouldn't hurt! Alex picked out her own fabric and we whipped her up a blanket and with the left over minky and one of grandma's old pillows we made her a pillow to match! It was SO SO much fun and thanks to my mom for her mad skills and her determination to help me accomplish some projects! Love you mom!

I have more to post with this crafting adventure but need to finish up some things and will be sure to post my next project.

If you look closely you can see the minky is imprinted with paisley's. SO CUTE!!

Latest projects....

I have been nesting in a different sort of way this time and it seems to come with stress about not accomplishing things that I've always wanted to do. Instead of cleaning out cupboards or closets, I'm finding that I want to get projects done or do something new. I have really been wanting to get back into sewing and what a GREAT time to be having 10 sewing projects right? I'm overwhelmed with the lack of sleep I am getting by just laying awake in bed thinking of something else I want to accomplish. I wish I wasn't feeling this way but I did get some things done the last couple of weeks.

I had a friend help me make this REALLY cute baby sling for the new babe and it turned out great! I can't wait to see her in it and I'm also anticipating the next sewing adventure for the newbie of the fam.

I LOVE bread!!! I have always wanted to learn to make french bread so I looked up a recipe and tried it! It turned out just okay but hey it was a first time and I'm looking forward to messing with more recipes.

On to something new!!

No diapers for 14 weeks!!

We have made a major accomplishment at the Balls home! Jake is officially potty trained!! I NEVER thought I would say those words. I decided when we got home from Christmas vacation that we were going to go cold turkey. The first few days consisted of alot of following around and asking and pleading but it really only took about a week and he has it mostly down. I think I had it in my head that it was going to take forever, but the kid has not wet the bed yet and is even telling me when he has to go! It's going to be the greatest 14 weeks not having to change any diapers, then it starts all over but hey I will take what I can get! Sorry for the boring post to most folks, but I am just elated that this step in Jake's life is CHECKED off my list!

Gotta love the no diaper saggy pants :)