DIY Pillow Covers

We got new living room furniture and it was just calling out to me to make some cute pillows. I was originally going to make pillows with a zipper and all (I HATE putting in zippers), but then I found this wonderful tutorial on making pillow cover WITHOUT a zipper. I plan on making lots more pillows for my house using this method. So, if you need to sew up some pillows go HERE. It's super easy to follow and it doesn't take a whole lot of time. You definitely don't have to be an expert seamstress. 

My pretty fabric! I got really nice home decor fabric at JoAnn's on sale 50% off! Bargains always make me happy!

Cutting into my fabric. 

Love how they make my couch pop!

Close-up

The Chicken Glamper

That's right, it's a glammed up chicken camper. We plan on getting chicks soon and so we got a little camper for their coop.

I thought it needed some pizzazz. It was just a little too boring. So I took it upon myself to spiff it up for the chicks. Here are all the before pictures.

I'm all ready and excited to overhaul this baby. That's totally before I realized how much work it would be.

Time for a make-over!

And now for the BIG REVEAL!!!

I only spent $17 on the paint/supplies to redo this camper. Most of the paint came from left over paint we had in the garage from previous projects. 

This side took me forever. NEVER EVER paint little tiny flowers all over a large surface even if it seems like a great idea. After about halfway through I started really wishing I had stuck to very large flowers. I don't think I'll be painting flowers on anything for a long time. 

My chickens will love you if you bring them chicken feed. You might even get a few eggs out of the deal...just sayin' :)

I got smart on this side. Teeny-tiny flowers are overrated.

This chicken glamper is far from perfect and there are many little imperfections, but I'm super happy with how it turned out. It was a LOT of work, but I had a lot of fun doing it. Thank goodness we had a stretch of gorgeous days so I could get this finished. It's so fun looking out my kitchen window and seeing the chicken coop off in the distance. I think the chicks are going to love their new home too! And who knows, maybe they will lay extra eggs? A girl can dream, right?

Better Life

Now that the boys are getting "older" (crawling age) I have to start thinking about the wonderful word: Baby-proofing. As I got to thinking about it, I decided I really wanted to find some cleaning products that would not kill my children if they somehow got ahold of them. In general, I would like some cleaning products that are better for all of us overall. And guess what? I found some.

I was watching the show Shark Tank. It was a re-run and it just so happened to be one promoting Better Life, a cleaner, greener, healthier cleaning product. I was so excited that I went ahead and ordered four different cleaning products. And, I love them.

These are the four products I ordered. 

Let's break it down:

The what-EVER cleaner: It literally cleans everything. I use this on my toilet, on the counters, in the microwave, on the table, on furniture, on toys, and on pretty much any surface that needs cleaned. It smells great too! The cleaners are scented with essential oils (there are also non-scented products if you don't like smelly stuff, but it's really not an overpowering scent). When I was watching Shark Tank the chemist that created these products actually sprayed it in his mouth to prove how non-toxic it is. They also compared cleaning raw chicken off countertops with the what-Ever cleaner versus and national leading brand. The what-EVER cleaner got the surface way cleaner, while the national leading brand didn't even fully eliminate the raw chicken off the surface (that's when I was convinced I needed new cleaning products). 

Simply Floored: I was absolutely floored (hehe) with the results from using this product on my floors. I used it on wood, tile, and laminate, and it worked wonders on all three floor types. I just squirted it on the floor and went over it with a steam mop. It made my floors look so nice and polished. On my wood floor I've had a few places that I have tried and tried to scrub clean and could not get the whatever sticky stuff that got on there off. When I used this cleaner it came right off! 

Even the Kitchen Sink: This is a powerful cleansing scrubber. You can used it on tons of different things. So far I have used it to clean the tub and my tile floor. I was so impressed with the magic it did on my tile floor. I have had scuff marks that I have scrubbed and scrubbed and have had zero success in removing. I put this stuff on my scuff marks, scrubbed a little, and it came right off. 

Natural Stain and Odor Eliminator: This can be used to take away bad odors from clothes or sports apparel or really anything. It is great for fitness equipment. If you have a pet you can clean up any stains or odors they might leave behind. You can use it to get stains out of clothing before you launder them. It can also be used to get stains out of furniture! I have yet to try this one out. I haven't had any stains to eliminate yet. However, I'm sure with twin boys I will be using this a whole bunch in the future.

The thing that I really love about these products is that they are SAFE. I don't have to wear gloves when I'm cleaning. I'm not smelling any strong harsh chemicals and feeling like I'm killing tons of brain cells just to clean my bathroom. They come directly from plants. There are no harsh fumes, and they are free of common skin and respiratory irritants. And they WORK, better than leading brands of cleaning supplies. The best part is that they are not going to cost you an arm or a leg to buy. Most everything for sale is just $6.99 a bottle, and the bottles are all a good size and should last for awhile. If you want to try out these amazing cleaning products you can buy them HERE. They have a ton of other products that they offer as well. 

I'm not being paid to promote Better Life Cleaning Products. I'm not getting any special benefits. I simply want to share a better, healthier way to clean. 

The Life of a 9 Month Old

The more they grow the more fun they are becoming! While I miss holding my tiny little babies, I'm having a great time seeing there little personalities develop. They are twins, but they definitely have differences :)

Lane: 16 lbs 3 oz. He is growing so fast. He loves to scream (when he is happy). Anytime he has a toy or object he hits everything in his path with it. He loves to roll and roll and roll. He can sit up. He can say Hi and will usually say hi to me when I get him out of his crib or when he sees his brother. He is so strong. I have to be careful when I let the boys sit next to each other because he will go straight for pulling Eli's hair or grabbing his face. Eli is not a fan of that. He loves to bounce and will jump for long periods of time in his johnny jumper. He loves playing with stuffed animals. He is very happy all the time and loves to laugh.

Lane getting his first hair cut. 

Eli: 13 lbs 4 oz. He is my little momma's boy. He loves to be with me. He can say Mama and says it all day long. He would be most happy if I held him constantly. He loves sitting in the bumbo and watching me clean or cook. He loves to study things and especially toys. He really focuses on them trying to figure out how they work. He is going to be a smart one. :) He is very quiet and sweet. He loves to cuddle. He loves to jump. He loves being tossed in the air. I can definitely see him being my roller coaster buddy in the future. He can sit up. He is starting to get up on his knees, so crawling could be in near future. 

Eli's first hair cut

                                                     

                                                  Cannot believe they went from this: 

To this:

I cannot express enough how truly blessed I am so have these two in my life. They bring me so much joy each and every day. Motherhood is a lot different than I expected. It is a lot more challenging, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. I feel so privileged that I get the opportunity to raise these little boys. I am so excited for all that is to come.  

A Year Ago Today

A year ago today I found out I was pregnant with identical twin boys.

A year ago today I was sitting in the Doctor's office picking out names.

A year ago today the doctor sat beside me and told me my babies had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome and had a small chance for survival.

A year ago today I was in a state of shock as I packed my bags and traveled to the children's hospital in Colorado.

Today I have two little miracles

Today I have two healthy 9 month old twin boys.

Today they are growing and learning

Today they are my greatest joy and blessing

Today and everyday I am so thankful for all the Lord did for us.

Wow, what a year this has been. All I can say is that we have been overabundantly blessed by the Lord. My two little boys who aren't supposed to be here TODAY, ARE. AND THEY ARE THRIVING.

From Stressed to Blessed

The past month has been stressful to say the least. I never realized how much effort and energy it takes to be a mother. To tell you the truth the past 7 months with the boys has been a breeze compared to now. They are getting older and their schedules are changing. They have different personalities, which means they need different things at different times, and I can't quite figure out the best way to juggle their schedule with the other long list of things I need to get done in a day. They are now waking up at least once a night to eat (they have slept through the night since 2 months, so this is a tough one for me). It's just not easy like it used to be. I'm tired and I'm stressed. The housework is piling up. I have meals to think about making. Piles of laundry are calling my name. The boys aren't napping like normal.
Before this I had the boys on a very strict schedule and for the most part I knew exactly what to expect. It was like clockwork. Things are changing and sometimes change is hard. I like when things work the way I've planned. I like things to be on MY schedule and MY time.

Any moms out there have a similar feeling?? I know I can't be the only one.

So while this chaos that I'm feeling is driving me a little crazy, I've decided to stop giving into my feelings and start putting my focus and perspective elsewhere. Instead of throwing myself a pity party, my goal is to throw a celebration of thankfulness for all that God has blessed me with.

Here is a list (of simple things) of how I plan to start de-stressing my days and changing my focus (in case there is anyone else out there who is struggling too :)):

1. Make the bed everyday. I have never been into making the bed. Even as a teenager my mom was constantly asking me to make my bed. My thought on it was that there was no point to making a bed that you will just ruin later on that day. Even as an adult I've not been good at making a point to make the bed, but recently I've started doing better. I don't know why this is, but something about making the bed makes me feel good. Maybe it's because it makes the bedroom look nicer and neater, but it really puts me in a better mood to see the bed made. And then when you go to bed you don't have to lay down in the wrinkly sheets from the night before. :)

2. If you have windows let some light in! I have lots of windows in my house, but for awhile I mostly just kept the curtains closed. Well, I've started opening them and when all that light pours in it wakes me up. I get extra energy to accomplish tasks. It makes me feel alive.

3. When frustration sets in...BREATH and just let it go. I have a hard time breathing when my plans or schedule doesn't work, especially with the boys, because once they are off the normal schedule I know I'm in for a rough day. I'm learning that I have to just let it go. Let go of the control and remain calm through the changes.

4. Take the time to read the Bible or a devotional each day. I know this is hard when you are a busy mom and I often fail at making time for this, but when I do my day is so much better. My favorite thing to do right now is read a devotion. The best devotional that I can recommend is any of Sarah Young's books. She has several and I own most of them. They are short enough so you can't have the excuse of having no time. They really help set the tone for my day. I'm always encouraged and seem to read the exact thing that I need to hear. For example todays devotional started out with "Learn to live from a place of resting in Me [God] Since I -the Prince of Peace- am both with and within you, you can choose to live from this peaceful place of union with Me..." (this excerpt is from "Jesus Today" by Sarah Young) "
"Ummm...Okay God are you trying to tell me something here?"
"Resting in You...why wasn't that the first thing on my mind?"

5. Thank God for everything. When the boys are cranky and I don't know what to do for them, or I really just don't feel like I have it in me to wash one more bottle or change one more diaper, I realize I start thinking thoughts I don't like. For example, "I don't like being a mother" "This isn't what I signed up for" "I'm not enjoying them" "I just wish they could go somewhere for a few hours so I can get a break" I don't like these thoughts, not one bit. I want to love being a mom. I want to enjoy every moment I get to spend with my little boys. Frustration sets in and steals my joy. Lately when I notice this happening I start thanking God. Thanking him for my little miracles. Thanking Him that I get the privilege to be their mom.
When the dishes are piling up and my back hurts from bending over the sink, I start thanking God. Thanking him that I have two hands to wash dishes with. Thanking Him that we have plenty of food to go on these dishes.
A thankful heart goes a long way to making your day joyful. It renews you. It gives you a new way of looking at life. A book that I have been reading, but have not finished (because what mom has time to sit and read) is called "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. It's all about how she changed her perspective to a thankful mindset. Thanking God for literally EVERYTHING. It has definitely helped me see how much more I need to thankful.

6. Get out the Crockpot. If you don't have one, you need one. When it comes to making meals for my husband the crockpot is my best friend. I usually don't have much time to prepare a dinner around dinner time, so at about 12 or 1 I just throw some food in the crockpot let it cook until it's done and serve it on a plate. It makes life so much easier. There are a ton of tasty but easy meals to make in the crockpot. Another thing that I love to do is buy rotisserie chickens. I cut all the meat off the bones and section it into dishes to store in the freezer. Then if I have a meal that needs cooked chicken I already have some on hand. This saves a lot of time. Also make a weekly meal plan. This is great because you don't have to think about what you are going to make for dinner, you already know. I don't always follow mine though. Some days I just don't feel like making what I have written down for that day so I choose something else for the week.

7. Make a list. I like lists. I really like to cross things off the list. I find that making a to do list and crossing off the items as I get them done helps me stay focused on what I need to do for the day. Even better, crossing something off the list feels like such an accomplishment. Now, you just can't let the list overwhelm you. If you don't get everything done, no big deal. That's what tomorrow is for.

8. Come up with a cleaning schedule. Cleaning my house is very overwhelming to me. With twins and constantly feeling like I am taking care of them, cleaning becomes a low priority on the totem pole. However, a clean house just makes you feel better and less stressed. Clutter drives me crazy and my house is pretty much cluttered 100% of the time. I've decided to help with this I'm going to try to stick to a cleaning schedule. For example, Mon- clean bedrooms Tues- clean bathrooms Wed- clean floors Thurs- clean kitchen Fri- clean Living room Sat- Laundry day. Pick whatever works for you. I think having a cleaning schedule helps take away the overwhelming feeling of trying to get everything done in one day. If you miss a cleaning day, breath, don't sweat it.

9. Take moments to enjoy the moments. Sit down and play with your children. Hold them and hug them and love on them. Give them a little extra attention. Enjoy your time with them. Instead of waiting to "deal" with them when they are cranky or fussy, spend some time with them while they are happy. It will help you remember how much fun it really is to be a stay at home mom. Someday they will be all grown up and you will wish you could go back to those days that seemed so hard at the time.

I feel like I should have a number 10, but I don't. That's all I got.

Anyway, more than anything this list is my new motto for each day, my new perspective, my new focus. I tired of being frustrated and overwhelmed, so I'm choosing to to change my attitude. It's not going to be easy and I'm sure I'll fail at times and forget all about this list, but it's not about perfection. It's about changing. It's about my heart. It's about being thankful.

Oh Christmas Tree DIY

I love Christmas time! I love decorating the tree. I love listening to Christmas music. I love wrapping presents. I love nativities. I love cozy fires and spending time with family. I love making Christmas crafts.
If you are feeling crafty this is the perfect Christmas decoration to make.

My husband made the tree for me and I painted. So thankful I have a husband who can and actually enjoys making things for my "little" projects. 

Step One: Convince your husband to make you a wooden tree like this. Or if you have some carpentry skills up your sleeve you can tackle this all by yourself. 

Step 2: Choose a Christmasy phrase and trace letter stencils on the tree so you have a guide when you paint, or if you are super talented and can free hand skip the stencils because it takes a little time to trace everything. As far as choosing a phrase I used "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him", but there are many other options you could pick. I'll include extra suggestions at the end. I bought Martha Stewart letter stencils at a craft store. There are different fonts you can choose from so you can get the exact look you are going for. 

Step 3: Use white paint to cover the words you traced. I suggest using the smallest paint brush possible, otherwise it can be a little hard to get the lettering just right. 

And Whaaa Laaa! You are done and have a beautiful new Christmas decoration. 

Alternate suggestions for phrases to use for this DIY:

"Have a Merry Little Christmas"

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"

"For Unto Us a Child is Born"

"Joy to the World, The Lord has Come"

"May Your Days Be Merry and Bright"

"Let it Snow"

"Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly"

If you want another idea for Christmas crafting, here is a great option:

I made this sign using the same concept. Once again my wonderful husband made the arrows for me and I painted them. I used the same Martha Stewart stencils just different fonts. 

Hope you enjoy this two in one Christmas DIY and I hope you enjoy this picture I'm going to leave you with. 

Couldn't help sharing these little cuties. :)