Gimme

I have been accused of asking for things a lot on this blog (ahem), but I really just love window shopping, and making wish lists! Probably one of my most favorite things to do, and with the lovely wonders of the Internet it is so much easier! Here are a few of the things I will for sure, maybe be begging for this Christmas.

Acorn cakelet pan. For the acorn and squirrel lovers in this house. I kinda think I might die if I don't get this pan!

Envirosax collection in Planet Green. My WalMart shoppers are getting tired and floppy, and since I don't shop at WalMart anymore it makes me feel silly to go into Target with them! Plus they are bulky and these come in a set with a small pouch to keep them in. No more giant black bulk of bag!

Handmade Home by Amanda Soule. I want this book so badly I have already started collecting materials to make some of the projects included in there! I am loving the idea of reusing old things and I am really trying to teach my kids the beauty of it too! Can't wait to get sewing with this one. (that's my positive wishful thinking right there)

This print just jumped out at me when I was art surfing ETSY. I love that it's just a woman and her husband selling prints to make a little extra money. And of course now I read her blog to get to know a little more about her. I am pretty sure one of these will end up in our bedroom. I am trying to put together an art wall with little sweet things (more about that AFTER Christmas), and I think this would go quite nicely!

This yellow dresser from IKEA. Obviously WAY to pricey for us right now, but oh DEAR how I love it! I am on the hunt for an old fixer upper than I can just paint this lovely shade of yellow. My craft room is begging for it, to store all my fabric and things. Plus, it's just lovely!

Some new guilty pleasures

1. Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. What can I say, it's catchy!

2. Pepperidge Farms 5 cheese garlic bread. di-VINE. It's in the freezer section at Target, by the frozen fruit, try some. You will NOT be sorry. I want to marry this bread, it's that good.

3. New fall prime time shows. Eastwick, Glee, Vampire Diaries, Melrose Place. How do I get sucked into these trashy shows? I don't know, but I love them!

4. Fabric, fabric and more fabric. It's a sickness really, but what am I to do? It's all so dang cute!

5. Napping, even when I don't need to! I just looooove sleep!

WIPs

or works in progress. Currently I have waiting to be finished:

1 baby girl quilt that needs to be tied and bound,

1 blankie for Natalie that needs to be tied and bound,

1 blankie for Brady that needs to be tied and bound,

1 quilt laid out needing to be pieced together (then tied and bound...),

1 stack of material waiting to be cut and sewn into another baby girl quilt

and

1 stack of material waiting to be cut and sewn into a playtime mat (hoping to actually finish that one tomorrow).

At least I do have some completed projects. I just finished some super cute little gifts for a few birthdays coming up, I will post pictures once they have been given to the receivers. I am just loving this sewing thing!

Bliss

My idea of a good time is getting to bed before the clock hour strikes double digits. When I was working, my off weeks were a frantic rushing around trying to get as much done as possible before the next week of work picked up again. I would rarely get to bed before 11 much less before 10!

Now that life has slowed down significantly and the kids are in bed by 7 every night (thank you long school days!!) Keith and I are able to not only have more time together, but to crash into our bed like a couple of old geezers. The only reason I am not in bed right now is because I am forcing myself to blog. I LOVE being in bed early. Yes, there are many things I should be doing, but sleeping is so much more enjoyable, right? Right!

Now if only I can get my body to realize that 9 hours of sleep is good thing, and that waking up at 5 is not acceptable, and that it is not necessary to wake up to go to the bathroom every 4 hours. For goodness sakes, what does it take to get a solid 8 hours around here?

What's your guilty pleasure? Mine is obviously sleep!

Garaging

My new favorite thing to do is "garaging" as the kids call it, or shopping the garage sales. It started a few months back and we have great weeks and OK weeks. I have a weekend allowance of 10 bucks, and then I get to add to that if I win our weekly Bowers Bowl pot of $10 (and since I am pretty good, the last few weekends have left me with $20 to spend on good finds). Just this week I found probably the best deal so far, this little dresser for Natalie's room for only 5 bucks. I don't even need to paint it or change the nobs. All it needed was a little wipe down and it was ready to go.

So far I have collected a lovely plethora of vintage sheets (for quilt backs) and most of them came from one sale where I picked them up for 10 cents a piece, I have gotten multiple pieces of vintage Pyrex bake ware that sells for 10-15 dollars a piece on ETSY, and haven't spent more than $2 a piece. The kids have significantly increased their collection of small stuffies, never more than 50 cents a piece, and the best haul was a HUGE lot of mini Lego's (with Star Wars pieces!!) worth at least 60 dollars at Target for only $10. I actually got the Lego's this weekend, and I was both happy and sad. Happy I got such a steal, but sad because my hunting came to a close and it was only 8:30 in the morning! Haha.

Needless to say I am VERY addicted. Keith wonders how long it will take for this phase to pass, but I am having too much fun! It's all about the thrill of the hunt. I get literally giddy when I find a "treasure" that I have been searching for or hoping for. Like a vintage nut grinder for only 50 cents (woot!) or a "Texas Trike" for Brady that actually fits his long legs for less that 25% what it would have cost new.

Do any of you go garaging? Found any good deals lately? If not, I encourage you to try it out, one good find and you will be hooked!

Facebook Friday (on Saturday...aka Sunday morning)

I saw this on another blog and thought it was cute (plus it counts as a post). For those of you that don't know facebook allows you to update your "status" as many times as you want. It's just a small little blurb about what is going on in your life right then. Here are some of my memorable moments from the past week.

Shannon Deveny Bowers....

...Operation Straighten Up has just commenced at the Bowers household. This place is a disaster area! (Which is funny b/c it never actually happened...we got sidetracked with a million other things!)

...wants sushi, really bad. (and I got some!)

...LOVED the Arlington Farmer's Market. There is just something so great about meeting the people that grew (or baked) the food you bought. (Took Brady to something that will become our new Friday norm. We bought too many sweets and some beautiful produce. Very fun)

...Happy 32nd Birthday to my sister, Sarah! (miss her)

...it's the beginning of the end. (speaking of my last shift at work. Yes!)

...loves that Natalie prays for her Grandpa Wayne every time she says one.

...resisting the urge to curl up and nap till next week.

Going's on

A few weeks back I convinced Keith to come with me and the kids to the Plano Balloon Fest. It was really fun, we were a bit under prepared so we didn't make it all the way to the fireworks, but what we did see was fun, and it was worth it really to just GET OUT, and be together as a family. We will for sure go next year, and we will come bearing many more supplies (and cash) for a long afternoon and evening at the park.


Brady and I have been having lots of fun on our days together. We love when it rains. Brady has an excuse to wear his boots (not that he needs one) and I can break out my 8 dollar Doc Martens (and some argyle). He is my little buddy, and I cherish (almost) every minute of it!
I am sorry, but look at my little cutie pie all dressed for church, he looks so incredibly geeky here that I can't stand it!

Fresh Start

I have made it my personal goal to kick start my blog again. October is a time for a fresh start, it's the beginning of a long and lovely holiday season, and it's also the beginning of a new phase in my life (no, I am not pregnant). I did quit my job though! And I am not going to lie, it took a LOT of thinking and praying, but we have decided this is the best for our family. I can't wait to be a Mom full time.

And that means, I will have time to blog again! My goal is to post every single day this month, thinking that if I force myself too, it will help me fall in love again. I hope I haven't lost all of my readers, I know my family has been (im)patiently waiting for me to start blogging again. Well, here you have it! Let's hope my future posts are a bit more inspiring than this one.

Let's also hope that I can get some pictures to load so this blog isn't so nekkid.

Can't wait for...

...long sleeve shirts.

...hot cocoa for after school snack.

...shoes with socks.

...being able to throw open all the windows and doors.

...walking Natalie to and from school.

...pumpkin pie cheesecake!

...more thunderstorms.

Hurry up and get here Autumn!!!

Grr

Can't seem to upload any pictures on to blogger. It's driving me nuts since I truly hate to post without them. Thought I would try one last time, but no dice. So here's what's been going on.

Natalie started Kindergarten last Monday! (I have some dang cute pics too! stupid blogger) and she is loving it. The first day was really hard for me, I had a good cry, but by now we are in a great routine and everyone is happy. It's been very nice having Brady to myself all day, he really is my little buddy. And I know Nat is learning a lot and loving her school.

Keith got to go to a preseason game at the new Cowboys Stadium 2 Fridays ago. He had a blast, he went with his brother Jason, and the kids and I stayed home. They camped out on the floor while I started work on my second quilt. This one I made (it's done now, I also have pictures...GRRR!) for a friend, and I can't wait to give it to her. She had her baby already, so I am glad I finished fast. I am gonna get started on another one soon, lots of pregnant friends!

Brady and I had a very lovely picnic on the front lawn yesterday, the weather was out of this world fantastic and so we loaded up a little tray with all sorts of goodies and headed outside. We will have to do this more often. We both enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine. I got some very precious pictures, of course, but can't load them. Oh, and he has also taken to wearing his new rainboots everywhere, with everything, it's very endearing. I love that little monkey so much!

Last weekend Natalie and I had some crazy awesome luck with garage sales. I got a TON of treasures, and spent very little money. I think the best find was a few pieces of vintage bakeware for the kitchen, and a whole load of handkerchiefs. I am really getting into "garaging" as we call it, and I think it will become a weekend tradition.

Life is really settling down now that school has started, lots more is getting done, I have taken major steps away from the computer (and the facebook games) and I am really trying to spend some quality time with Brady.