A Sneak Peak!

I just have a few min. this morning, Aiden is not feeling good so I didn't want to put him in the nursery, so I'm in Daddy's office! so why waist a few min? I'll blog!
We are just about all moved in up stairs, the Kids are in, but we are waiting to see if our bed will fit up there, it just might be too tall for the slanted barn style ceilings.
The kids love their new rooms, Lanna had a hard time the first night cause of being all alone for the first time. But she's done fine from there on out!
and the boys are having a blast being together. the other morning I woke up to them laughing together! I loved it. But I'm not so sure I like the idea of my baby thinking he's a Big boy now!
We don't have everything all in place yet, were still missing some pictures and things for the walls, but with Garage sale season soon to be here I'm having a hard time spend $20 on something that I can get for $1 here soon! so I'll just wait!
So with all that said, here is just a sneak peak of the kids move upstairs!


Oh! Aiden is fist with his new CRAZY hair!!!

Putting Lanna's bed together!
It was given to us by friends from Church! Thanks Alex and Amy!

The kids loved helping!

Moving Liam's Bed in!

Sorry It's just a peak, I'll try and get it around this week for a full tour. but there is a chance that the kiddo's and I may be going to IN. for the week. if their snow clears up. so if that happens I'll try to get them up as soon as we get back!

Have a blessed day!

Sweater dresses!

I've been asked to do so step by step Instructions for my "Sweater dress" so I'll do my best to walk you through it! I'm not a sewing pro. just a Mama who thought this would be cute!!
and you May want to try on a "not so cute one" first. and learn from your first one too!



So here's what I did!



Start out with a Lady's sweater. and a little girls jumper about the size you want your dress to be!
It was all trial for me... but here we go!
Turn the sweater inside out.
I cut off the arms at the seams, trying to not cut off more them I needed too!( cause I wanted to have sm. arm holes)
Lay the jumper on the sweater and trace with a marker, allowing for the seams.
Depending on the sweater you'll need to work on the neck line. and see what works best for you.
Because mine was a V~neck it was really easy to just pull it over to where it looked good.

I used a Lg stitch to sew!

After Tracing the pattern Pin together at your tracing marks and sew up the sides. but allowing for the arm holes.

Turn and see what it looks like. I had to sew several times to get it to lay right. and look right!

I kept trying it on Lanna too see how it looked also!

Because if the way that the sweater was knit I didn't need to sew around the arm holes. it won't fray. but give it that Vintage look that I was going for. but you'll be able to see if yours needs to be as your working.

if so just use a sm stitch and start at the bottom seam and sew around.

I'm not sure how a reg. sweater would be different, but I have one to try here in the next few days. so I'll try and let you know how it goes!



So that's what I did. and if there is someone who's done this to and has more insight and input to add. I'd love it!

Good Morning!!!

We just wanted to say Good morning!
Daddy accidentally left his computer at home this morning, so I'm taking the opportunity to use it!!!:)
Here is our verse for the day!

"Every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord" James 1:17

What good gifts can you praise the Lord for? we'd love to hear from you.
One reason we're praising the Lord this morning because we found out last night that Friday
" Lord willing" we get to move upstairs!!!!
They have a few things to finish up today and the carpet is being lade tomorrow!!!!!
We are so excited and thrilled to have more space.
So very soon I'll try and get some pic. up so y'all can see just what we've been blessed with!!!! :)
Have a blessed day!

Come check this out!

Hurry!!! I jsut saw it on FB for tonight!
Cj's sewing room is up to something and you don't want to miss it!
Come check it out!
Here's a link!
http://www.facebook.com/cjsewingroom

Blessings

Tooo Much Stuff !!!

I've been thinking and praying over the past few weeks about " Stuff " and how it keeps me soooooo busy. Just trying keep up with the everyday life stuff that I get so over whelmed with.
So I've come to a point that I'm realizing that I'm missing sweet moments with my Savior, my Hubby and out 3 Little Treasures all because I'm trying to keep up with Stuff.
and all too soon my Babies will be all grown up and won't want Mama to love on them, and it breaks my heart.
So I've started to clear away some of that " Stuff " clutter, toys, clothes, books, decorations, all things that keep me busy with try to keep up!
And at times I have to admit that I'm ashamed to have people see how much we have, not that we have everything, but for only having 3 little ones we have Way tooo much.
So with that said...
I'm sooooo excited about the pile that's growing in our basement that's going into the Garage Sale this spring. It's all "Stuff" that's been keeping me busy and distracted from where I need to be right now.
I've decided that to help with keeping up with the kids clothes and " Mt. Washmore". That we don't need 10 shirts and 15 pants. We really just need 10 outfits that all match. And a jacket for spring and winter. Not all the clothes the we have now.
I've set aside a little chunk of each day to sort through some things. weather it be a closet or a toy ben, so when I get to start spring cleaning I'll be just a bit ahead of the game and have all the sorting done! It's ben fun and kinda freeing to see how much we can do without.
Like today I decided that we don't NEED 6 sets of sheets when we really only use one at a time. so why have 6? so I sorted through the sheets and now we have 2 spring- summer and 2 winter sets. and Oh how fun it is to have a closet thats all organized!!! to open it up and not have everything fall out on me, I'm sooooooooo thrilled.
And please don't think that I'm being judgemental if your home is not this way. This is just where the Lord has me . He has started a new work in my heart, and I'm not sure where He's taking me with this but I'm thrilled and excited to see where He leads and the next season for our family!
I'm excited too cause when we move upstairs here in a few weeks, we'll have some much less to move up there to clutter up things!
So simplicity here we come! it may take us all spring to get there, but I'm so excited to see where the Lord takes us from here. and my prayer is that He is glorified by our home.
I'll try and post a pix or two here soon so you can see how were doing!
I encourage you to think through what you have and what you really NEED, and what could either be given away or sold at a garage sale?
Then come back and post and let me know what your game plan is for your home!
Blessings!

Recipe for Steel Cut Oatmeal!!!!

Hey Ladies!
Here is the recipe that I used this morning to make the oatmeal.
It was so easy and yummy!!! the Kids loved it so much that they both asked for 2nds and Liam had 3rds!!! Jon and I liked the fun Texture and the Nutty flavor.


Steel Cut Oatmeal

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Opp. 1 tea. Vanilla (we love it so I add it to everything!)

Directions
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast your oats.(you should see a little change in the color of the oats, and your house should smell like Popcorn!) Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.


Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.



I was out of Milk so I cheated and added some liquid coffee creamer, so it wasn't as healthy this time as it could of been but it was great!!!

Thats it!!! it was easy and sooo yummy.
I picked up out Oats at the Amish bulk store on 219. if your from my area!
Have a blessed day!

Dry Laundry Detergent

I'm at it again, I'm was in scarch of a new laundry soap that was in dry form and here it is.
I can say that I would rather use this recipe rather then my liquid. only because it really gets the light stains out of Aiden's clothes from his baby food without needing a pretreater! and I like the smell of the Fels. so clean and fresh!
Also it makes a much smaller recipe then my other kind, so that helps out there too!
So next time your wash room looks a bit like " Mt. Washmore" give this new recipe a try, you just might like it!

Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
2 bars Fels-Naptha laundry soap
4 cups Arm and Hammer washing soda
4 cups Borax
2 cups Oxyclean

In a large bowl mix together the washing soda, Borax, and the Oxyclean. Grate the Fels-Naptha (a food processor makes this part much easier). Combine the grated soap into the dry mixture and combine thoroughly. Place in container with a small scoop. I just used the oxyclean scoop!
and 1 scoop to warm water!