Happy 500th Post to ME!!!

This post marks the 500th post and to celebrate this momentous occasion I decided its time to stop posting here and start posting on the new blog.  I will no longer be updating this blog so be sure to save the link to the new one or bookmark it.


CLICK HERE AND COME TO THE NEW BLOG  All the cool kids are doing it!!

Not gonna lie, I am kinda sad to be done with this blog.  It has been a fun 2+ years sharing every part of ours lives here.  I originally started this blog so as to avoid having to send out pictures through email, very lazy I know.  I quickly realized it was the best version of a memory book/baby book since I have THE world's worst memory.  I can't tell you how many times I have wondered when we went somewhere or how old Brady was when ____ happened and I immediately check the blog.  I am happy to share my ideas, pictures, and stories but mostly I blog for me.  My new blog will essentially be the same thing, just a new web address.  A web address that doesn't mean a whole lot, its the name of a song that Jim and I really like.  We are huge Jack Johnson fans and Banana Pancakes is fun.  And as for the name of the new blog, I couldn't come up with anything better than Adventures of Bradysitting so I just made it the sequel, original I know.  So head on over for the next chapter of my life, including lots of changes------- a BABY in less than 3 weeks.

From trash to treasure

A few months ago I was driving on the other side of town and saw a group of men replacing the windows on a house.  There were a few windows sitting at the curb but no sign so I kept on driving.  When I passed the house on my way home I got brave and asked them what they were doing with the windows.  They said they were trashing them and I was more than welcome to take as many as I would like.  Jackpot.  I am still kicking myself for only taking 2 since there were like 20 and all different shapes and sizes.  Once home they got moved around a few times in the garage and then put away up in the rafters (which means you will never see them again).  I got this idea to make them into picture frames and am thrilled with the way they turned out.  We are slowly turning our house into a home, just shy of 3 and a half years later.  I had to pay to print the pictures out and I had to buy heavy duty wall hanging systems so the total cost was about $15.  I would say they were totally worth that price!  These are in the hallway going into the basement so it was next to impossible to take these pictures, that's why they look so awkward.  Also, there are 3 empty spots so when baby sister comes along there will be a few spaces for her to go into without having to pick a picture to get rid of.  I mounted the pictures behind the glass and love the way it turned out.  And I am so pissed, since starting this post I was in the garage and noticed on the top shelf there was another window up there.  Bummer.  I guess Jim's eyes weren't working when I told him to go get all the windows done.  Looks like I now have to find another spot in the house for that one.

Brady has something to say.....

I am in love with these speech bubbles. I made them during naptime the other day. I have lots of ideas for fun picture taking using them.

My greatest idea yet!

I was in Home Depot 2 weeks ago and spotted these paint chips in the shape of Mickey. 

I grabbed one of each, knowing I would come up with a great idea and knew Brady would like them considering his obsession with Mickey Mouse.  My great idea finally came to me but required sending Jim back to snag a pair of each color.  And Mickey Memory was born!  I keep it in my diaper bag because we have a game at home and it takes up next to no space in my bag.  I carried it around for a week waiting for the right time to use it and when I forgot all my pencil pouches the other night I was so happy to have this on reserve.  I am pretty sure the people in T.G.I.Fridays were wondering what the hell was so exciting with all the cheering Brady did and squealing when he got it right.  But it kept him happy while waiting and didn't involve him watching a show on our phones (which seems to be my main goal in life at this point).

Friday Funnies

So I have had a few funny Brady stories floating around up in my currently mushy brain and wanted to share them.......

Last weekend we were in Home Depot getting paint and primer and Brady announced, very loudly, "Daddy, I farted!!"  and it sure smelled like it.

Today we went to Jim's work to say hi and sign some paperwork.  When we got there a few girls from the office stopped to say hi.  One of the girls says to Brady "You have some cool shoes."  We then went into the office and sat down.  I heard him saying to himself "Brady has cool shoes" and admiring his feet.

Brady loves to announce his comings and goings.  Today I was in the shower and I could hear him yelling "Brady is coming upstairs."  He ended up going up and down the steps a few times while I was getting ready and each time felt the need to announce that he was on his way up. 

I try my best to not curse and I do pretty good, but crap is a word I still do use and apparently I use it often.  Most often when I get into the car to leave I must say it a lot and its usually because I forgot something.  Well today I say "oh crap" at the end of the street because I realized I was on E and didn't feel like stopping for gas.  He says to me "what did Mommy forget?"

On a nicer language note, I make it a point to never say "oh my god" so instead I say "oh my goodness/gosh".  He has started saying it correctly in context and he sounds like such an old lady saying it.  Its so funny.

We were on our way to Target the other day, surprising I know, and I asked him if he wanted to share an ICEE.  I don't get them often, no seriously I don't, so its a fun treat.  He then proceeds to tell me that he likes the blue ones and I like the red ones, which is in fact the truth, but we usually just get red to share since well I am the boss.  He then tells me "Brady gets a blue one and Mommy gets a red one."  Smart kid, I was happy to not have to share mine with a notorious straw biter and I can't believe my 2 year old was smarter than me to come up with the idea to get our own.

So we are at the park yesterday....

and he has some serious attitude with me, still not sure why.  So I am taking pictures, from afar mind you, and he starts yelling at me "Mommy NO!!!" and runs towards me....

He comes over to me and says "Mommy, no cheese face and no more camera!"  Yes I take lots of pictures, but most of the time I am just taking them, not making him look or smile.  This is him with his hand up blocking me, the paparazzi, from taking anymore pictures.

Of course I said ok sure and put the camera away..... until he wasn't looking.  He caught me and was so pissed and yelling at me to stop.  Good thing we were alone at the park, otherwise people might really have wondered why my kid was yelling at me for taking his picture.

The Big Boy room reveal

FINALLY!!!!  We finished the big boy room.  We worked last weekend on the last of our crafty projects and got everything hung up last night.  But we pushed bedtime a few minutes too late and someone melted down fast, so I had to take pictures today.  I am pretty happy with the way it all turned out and Brady seems to like it.  The only downside is now that I am finished his room it means I have to move onto her room and I am still not sure what to do in there.  Oh well, here are the pictures of his room.........  and sorry there are so many, it was hard to get a wide enough angle to get a lot of the room in the shot.



Project #1 from the weekend.  Total cost: about $12.  It turned out great but weighs 8 million pounds so we are kinda just expecting it to fall, hence we didn't put it over the bed which is what I originally wanted to do.




Close up of project #2.  I love how they turned out.  Total cost about $10.  We already had the frames and heat n bond paper.  I have a whole step by step of how I made them that I will post. 








So..... what do you think???

The boat project step by step

I made these boats very similar to the dinosaur mat from last week.

Step 1:  draw and then outline whatever you want to make.  I used his quilt and made 3 of the boats from it, a speed boat, a sailboat, and a tugboat.

Step 2:  trace the individual pieces onto heat n bond paper. I freaking love this stuff.  Cut them out but not on the lines.  Its easier to cut out the fabric pieces once ironed if you can then cut on the shape's lines.

Step 3:  Iron shapes onto fabric of your choice.  I tried my best to mix it up, but as everyone knows I am super anal and like things to match perfect.  I think I did pretty good living life on the edge.

Step 4:  Cut out your shapes and assemble.

Step 5:  Iron on your pieces.  Think it through so you start with anything that will be under or hidden otherwise you are screwed.

I then used my embroidery hoop, yes I own one of those (super lame-o), and went around the edges with embroidery floss and added detail.  Not sure why I didn't take a picture of that.  I cut out the fabric into my 8 X 10 size for my frames, I used a cotton oxford shirt material.

And again, here is the finished project all hung up.  My favorite is obviously the sail with Brady's name on it.  I have a serious crush on personalizing things.  If you click on the picture you can see it larger and possibly see the details more.

The Milford Labor Day parade

I can't believe its possible but this was Brady's 3rd Milford Labor Day parade.  We worked our butts off all morning doing more crappy tasks around the house and then hauled booty over to the parade.  I even remembered to bring flags for him to wave around.

And this is him last year.  So cute and small, and I am sure at the time I thought he was such a big boy. 

Watching the crazy old motorcycles guys.  I have to look away when these guys come by.  They are dangerous.

The crazy old car driving guys.  These guys are my favorites for sure!!

Waiting to get his high five from the old guys.

Letter of the Week- W

We are moving right along, in reverse of course.  I originally started this for two reasons, to teach him the ABCs and to give our day some structure.  It has worked out very well except he is learning the letters faster than I am teaching them.  But that's totally OK, he is part genius you know.  We will still continue on because he loves the activities and I love having to use my brain.

So onto this week....  We made our obligatory W, for watermelon.  Those "seeds" are actually colored foam circle stickers that I colored with a Sharpie to make them black, ha.  I needed him to make dots and knew that if I gave him any type of writing utensil he would scribble and not dot.  So this was the perfect solution and he got to do stickers, which he loves.

We actually started the week with my favorite activity yet.  I used painters tape and made a W.  As you saw in a previous post he LOVES, LOVES, LOVES lining up his cars.  So I told him to line up his cars on the W and he went right to town.  Instead of doing it the way I imagined(boring...just putting them on the line in order), he made up his own way which was starting at one end and "driving" them to the other end of the W.  He was so anal about getting those cars on the line, which wasn't at all surprising, but loved this activity.  We actually kept the W on the floor until the next day (when he got stuck to our feet and pulled up) and he used it to drive his cars along.  We will be doing this again, for sure!!

I have been looking for a cute lacing kit to buy as a pencil pouch activity to use while we are somewhere waiting (like the beads).  I couldn't find anything that was cheap enough or enough of a variety so decided to make my own.  I bought foam rectangles in a jumbo pack from Wal-mart (which we have lots left over for some other crafty fun), used a letter template, and an Exacto knife.  I can't believe I have lived this long without owning an exacto knife, it is so much fun!  How sad that a super sharp knife makes me giddy these days, but whatev.  I then punch holes in the letter, obviously I made a W first, and he laced them up.  It took him a while and some guidance because I was a little overzealous with the hole distribution (read: I punched WAY too many).  When he was done he asked for another letter and he picked X so I quick cut that one out.  I have them all done so we have them for each week now, and for pencil pouch activities.  And now I am left with a stencil for each letter so its a win win for this crafty loser.

Another day we made jello watermelons.  So cute, fun, and yummy.  Notice I didn't say easy, that's because peeling the life out of the limes was serious work which involved standing at the sink for a long ass time for, which is hard for this large pregnant lady.  But worth it I would say.  This is the first time I made jigglers and I remember my mom hated making them, not exactly sure why, but I think she said they took too long to make.  Mom, you are a liar, they took me like 6 seconds to make not counting waiting for the water to boil or for them to solidify in the fridge.  Do you even remember saying that?  They turned out awesome and were a huge hit.  He was a bit skeptical, but like most things if I tell him its candy he will try it.  He ate quite a few pieces.  Note of advice, don't forget to set a timer and get right up after 30 minutes to drop in the chocolate chips, I forgot to get up even after remembering to set a timer and instead of sinking into the jello like seeds, my chocolate chips floated on the surface because the jello was already too firm.  Oh well, he liked picking the mini chips off each one and eating them. 
This is what they looked like coming out of the fridge, I then cute them into quarters so they were easier to eat.  I am not going to lie, they were weird because you could taste the lime on your lips when they touched the shells and it was just hard to avoid licking your lips.  And watermelon jello doesn't come in red, only green, so this in fact strawberry jello. 

Contemplating whether or not he could fit just one more.

We used the leftover jello jigglers to make Ws.  They were really really yummy and Brady and I went to town.

Lastly we made a wave bottle.  We had originally planned on going to the beach on Friday for the waves but since stupid old Earl messed with the forcast I was nervous and we bagged at the last minute.  This was one of those blue water and oil things.  Very easy and we put sparkles in there so it was even more of a hit.