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.

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.

Sand jars- 1 year in the making

We started collecting sand wherever we went last summer.  Since then they have been sitting on the work bench in the garage (which obviously gets tons of "work" usage) in plastic water bottles.  I finally got around to coming up with an idea and doing it.  I think they turned out great.  I am not exactly sure where they are going yet, but until then they are on a shelf on the way down to the basement, right next to the light fixture Jimbo plans on changing.  Yes ladies and gentlemen, my husband changed one light fixture and now thinks he is Bob Villa.  Anyway here are the jars....

I made those tags with cardstock, a Martha paper puncher, and a glue stick.  I did manage to score a tiny hole puncher on clearance for 49 cents, woohoo!!  On the back is the place and date.

And each jar has shells, rocks, etc. from the beach it came from.  So far Chatham has the best shells and Provincetown has the neatest sand, very grainy and cool colors.

We have Manasquan NJ, Rye NH, Orleans MA, Chatham MA, Provincetown MA, and Old Orchard Beach ME.

The physical proof

Well my mere mention of my marble competing days caused quite the interest in my loserdom.  I went digging to find some physical proof that I did indeed compete/play marbles.  I was that cool.  I am totally ok with admitting this little known fact.  So ok with it, that I am happy to provide this entertainment in the form of pictures.

So lets look close:

I have a sweet ass hat that goes well with my acid washed jean shorts.  My mom wants it noted that they were Espirit shorts.  I am wearing knee pads which was a very important part of the mibsters uniform.  My husband did some google searching to see what info he could come up with to use in the fight to make me feel stupid.  And in this searching he learned that we were referred to as Mibsters.  Not sure exactly why we were called that, but Jim finds it hysterical.  Jim even tried contacting someone to get more pictures/ info but the link didn't work.  He totally thought this would embarrass me by posting it on facebook, but not so much.  I am wondering if google is going to contact me to find out why for the first time in who knows how long there has been a ton of googling to find out info on this little known sport, marbles.  I spent about an hour this morning reading articles and reminiscing on the good old days traveling around and competing.  All the "cool" places we went and things we did.  I even found a bag of my marbles.  I also found out that sadly Mr. Ridpath, my coach passed away in 2005.  He was such a nice man, I teared up reading his obituary.  Anyway, back to making fun of me....

And here is me standing out front of our hotel.  This picture informed us that I was indeed the 3rd place finisher in 1992.  Again, anyone needing an autograph is free to contact me.  I will send off glossy 8X10s right away.   Maybe I will even use one of these pictures.

I am Lauren and I am proud to be a former Mibster!!!!!  Eat that Jimbo.

30 Weeks

30 weeks..... that's how pregnant I am.  I am a pretty good counter and should have expected that after being 29 weeks pregnant would come 30, but I must have been on crack because its just hitting me.... I will be having a baby in less than 9 weeks.

HOLYFUCKINGSHITBALLS!!!

And not only am I going to have a baby in 9 weeks..... its a girl.  Again, I knew this, but its really now hitting me.  And its also just now hitting Jim.  On Sunday as we were coming off the beach there was a minivan parked right there.  The back door was open and there was a n.aked little girl.  I looked at her and her dad who was trying to get her to get dressed and just smiled at them.  Well Jim noticed something.  He noticed she didn't have a p.enis.  Which then made him realize the baby we are having won't have a p.enis either.  From this point forward we shall call him Captain Obvious.  Maybe he slept through high school biology and didn't realize this fact, but yes Jim, girls have different parts than boys do.  This is giving my husband extreme anxiety.  Hopefully he pulls his shit together in the next 9 weeks, because I will not be on diaper duty alone.

But seriously, I will say again, I am having a baby in less than 9 weeks.  We will be scheduling the exact eviction someday this week so then I can really start crapping myself.  Surgery, a baby, recovery, nearing winter in New England.....ahhhhhh.  Is it too late to change my mind?  What if I save my receipt?  OK, just kidding (sort of).  But a baby will arrive here in this household and we haven't done a blessed thing to help make this a smooth transition.  Brady's big boy room is not ready, or even close for that matter, which means her room hasn't been painted yet.  I have bought girl clothing and 1 box of teeny tiny diapers but that's the extent of my preparation.  When I was pregnant with Brady I am pretty sure by this point the nursery was completely done and I am sure my neurotic self had other shit done too.

As scared as I am, I can't wait to not be pregnant anymore.  I HATE being pregnant, this is no secret.  There is an alien in there pushing on my hipbones, wedging herself in my ribs, and causing me to feel like I have to pee constantly.  I shouldn't complain though, because besides from back pain (which I always have) I haven't had any issues.  I sleep fine, I can eat whatever, I can keep up with Brady, I still fit in most of my maternity clothes, and I have an excuse to eat multiple ice cream sandwiches each day.  I haven't gained too much yet, which is great.  I miss beer, like I miss it a lot.  I have no swelling, no headaches like I did with Brady, pretty much the picture perfect pregnancy.  But still..... I am over it.  I spent 3 months in 2009 pregnant and now 7 months in 2010, that's enough for a full pregnancy, where can I go to pick up my baby?

And the best news, Jim has already decided when we should do this all again..... and its not that far away.  Ahhhhhhh!!!!!  I think I am going to go hide under the bed with a box of ice cream sandwiches and cry myself to sleep.  At least until I hear certain someone says "Mommy wake up, I pooped!"

So, let the countdown to a non-p.enis baby begin.   And oh yeah, we still haven't picked a name.  We are so not ready.