In Search Of...

This is my spot. When people come over, when I drink my coffee in the morning, when I want to read my favorite magazine, this is where I go. I'm going to miss this little corner, but I hope to find one just as cozy in Knoxville. I am headed there in the morning and out with a Realtor on Thursday to find a new "nest". This house has been good to us. It is a happy little sunshiny place and I want to find a house with just as much light. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers this weekend. If you know my husband's and my history with house shopping I should probably be asking my nearest catholic friend to put us on a prayer chain! This should be interesting, and hopefully surprisingly good. I'll be back soon with all the details. Have a great week my friends.

Our Fun Is Here This Weekend

Todd is here this weekend and thank goodness we are able to celebrate the house sale because we were at the end of our rope being apart. Sloan is having a great time with his Daddy, Asher is talking both his ears off and unfortunately Holden is trying to recover from Strep Throat. We have our DJ and dance partner back. Life is good.

Yes, Todd does throw my precious baby up to the ceiling and just about gives me a heart attack. The squeals were huge after that trick.

some sisterly advise

This past week was rough. I just have not been feeling like my usual positive self and struggling to find joy in my current situation. I was on the phone with my sister Kit telling her that between the home inspection, a botched radon test and daily drive-by's from the buyers, a horrible highlight job that needs repair, a baby that wouldn't sleep for two days and on and on, I was generally feeling that the world was out to get to me. I told her my undies were in a major twisty bunch. Her advise to me. "Sarah, you should stop wearing undies."

Thank you Lord for this great day

This is a bitter sweet picture. SOLD gets us closer to where we are going, a cause for celebration indeed, but it is also the beginning to the end of what I have loved for three years. It has taken me a couple days to come down off the emotional roller coaster and here is where I find myself right now.

-I am so thankful that my family is healthy and safe.

- I haven't made my bed today and it feels great.

-I am happy to be crabby at my kids because they are driving me crazy, not because I'm stressed out and crazy.

-Pretty soon we will be back together with Todd which is where all of us want to be no matter what state it happens to be in.

-I found someone who appreciates my clutter free house and although it was the grungy guy giving me a moving estimate, I've decided to feel pretty good about it.

-this morning I cried at this (Michael, Asher, and Star Wars Guys)
-And at the above picture

-I thought the hard work was clean house/sell house, but I'm afraid I was wrong.

-How long will it take to pick up a country accent? I'm thinking about 10 seconds.

(Shelly, me and Kerry Saturday night)

-I think I would have really liked being friends with my neighbors for a very long time.

I love finished projects

Shudder before

We had very little going on this weekend. A few showings, some nice weather, and lots of free time. You would think that was a good thing, but that is my worst kind of weekend when I am alone with the kids. I'm stressed trying to get the house clean with everyone at home from school, the kids are running the neighborhood all day and night, and I am missing my husband like crazy. My only salvation is to do something creative.

I primed and painted it the same blue as my table in the family room. My trick to a speedy antique shudder is storing my premixed colored glaze in a plastic container. It seems to keep well and it saves lots of time and energy.

I think I like it.

Martha, Martha, Martha

I used to be a Martha fanatic, then I had kids and reality stopped me from aspiring to be just like her. I have lost touch with her latest projects and her magazine frankly bores me to death, but when it's time to plan a kiddie party she is me go to gal. I can't believe I am planning Sloan's 1st birthday party, but sticking my head in the sand isn't going to keep him from growing up. So I have gathered my Martha archives and I'm getting to work.

Yes, it is an ode to Iowa theme. Any reason for me to incorporate a red barn :) The above invitation is my "prototype" hardly Martha perfect.

If you ever come across Martha's old Kids magazines(she doesn't publish them anymore) at a second hand book store grab them. They are full of fabulous ideas that I have used over and over again and not just for kiddies.

And while I am on the Martha subject, she has a great line of scrappy things at Michael's Craft Store. Just your classic special touch kind of stuff. I walked by these stickers and had to have them. I really wish she still had her line of home items at Kmart. Now that stuff rocked. It was like shag green(one of her signature colors) heaven. Everything was so...well....Martha. Loved it.

Lovin' me some Levi's booty

One thing I love about having three boys is the chance to see all three in some of the same clothes. Aside from the fact that hand-me-downs rock, it brings back memories of Holden and Asher when Sloan puts clothes on they wore when they were 10 months old.

I see all three boy's faces when I look at this smile and all their little tushies in these jeans. Sloan is such a wonderful mix of Holden and Asher that I feel like I have more time with all my babies when I enjoy his little moments.

I'm no expert

I am seriously the last person who should be giving out beauty tips, but in a quest to make my blog more useful to my readers(I do have readers don't I?), I am sharing with you what I use to make myself presentable to the world.

With that said, I am a loyal consumer. I try new things, but when I find something that works I stick with it. I have determined that is why I am such a poor coupon user, I can't change products on a weekly basis. When I love it, I use it and that makes me happy. So these are tried and true products that I can say with confidence would make you happy too.

Now with ALL that said. Let's get the proper perspective on my makeup bag. I'm a stay at home mom. I feel confident sharing makeup tips with you because possibly my readers are too(I do have readers don't I?-I mean Jenny can't be my only follower, although she IS my only commenter...hmmm...)If my job was taking me out of my house, this look may not fly, but it's not. So if your a Paris runway model(or my sister Kit)stop laughing.


1. Face. I love Bare Essentials Mineral Makeup. It is true I ordered my original kit off an infomercial, but also at the recommendation of my friend Kristi. It is great for sensitive skin, which I have. It is great for people who detest heavy liquid foundation, which I do. It is great for moms who want to get kissably close to their babies without leaving a mark, which I appreciate. I swear this makeup looks better later in the day, even after I sweat in the tropical summers of Iowa-can your liquid foundation say that?-I think not.

2. Eyes. First step is Mr Frosty. I use it in the corner of my eyes as a highlighter to hide all the hours of sleep I haven't had. Something about the white color in the corner diminishes the bloodshot look of my tired eyeballs. If it has been a particularly bad night I use it on my top lid as well like eye liner. Step 2 of eyes is shadow. I like to use a shiny neutral base all over my lid and a matte powder just in the corner. My sister says I can do shiny in my 30s, not sure why at 40 it's not a good idea, but I don't question my elders(tee hee). Ok, step 3 is crucial and maybe the one you don't do. CURL YOUR LASHES. I dream of Latisse, but for now I will settle for curling. Last step is mascara. I personally like dark black. I'm sure there are some people who should use brown, and if that's me I don't care. I like the above brand(all above products were purchased at Sephora, click on picture to enlarge brand names), it was a gift from my sister-she's so nice.

3. Hair. I color, blow dry and flat iron my hair. I have also inherited frizzy ends. I pretty much can't over moisturize, but who has time to stand in the shower all day for that. I use Lanza leave in conditioner on the ends. Then the MoroccanOil all over. I was watching the Today show the other morning and Hoda featured it as one of her favorite products. I'm with her on that! The oil smells wonderful and leaves a beautiful shine, especially if you use a lot of heat like me.

Not pictured, but oh so important, is the last step. Lipstick. It's like the icing people!

For daddy and a couple of grandparents too

As you can tell we need a camera/skype, but for now this will have to do :) Enjoy these thighs, they won't be around for long. hugs.

*take note of Trucker totally stalking that baby. He can't wait for his booty to move so he can attack the crumbs in his seat. stinker.

obsessed much

Clearly I have a problem...

Sometimes I just can't rest until things are "right" in my house and well this wasn't right. I thought I could live with leopard print, I thought I could get over not using the fabric I loved. Well I was wrong...oh...and bored...so I was off to Target for a shade. I can rest better now. My house seems to be in balance, something about the print was just throwing off it's mojo and I don't have time for that!

I am never recovering another shade so you can come back to my blog tomorrow. It's safe. I promise.

For Aunt Meri

Easter at Grammy and PaPa's house

Try, Try again

So my first burlap/shade project went ok, kind of a success but I wanted to try again. I have real issues with lamps and shades. It is hard enough finding a lamp I like and it usually never fails that the shade it comes with drives me crazy. I have had my best luck finding lamps at Pier 1. They are inexpensive, the shades come with them(unlike PB where you have to purchase the costly shade in addition to the expensive lamp), and they are versatile.
This lamp happens to be a Target purchase a couple of years ago. It has been in every room of my house at one time or another. It's most recent spot was the living room, but after the boys shattered(via a pillow) my glass lamp in the family room, I have been unsuccessfully trying to find a lamp for my blue table. Yes, I realize this lamp is glass as well, but it is thick and more durable than the last-I think(?) it may work in this space. My issue is the shade. It was a little dressy for my family room.

I love the brown burlap against the blue. the ribbon is just a shade darker.

I used my trusty spay adhesive on the shade. A glue gun for the ribbon.

Ta Da! A whole new look.