Life is better...

with a new computer! I have been saving up for a new computer because the one I was using was Tyler's old laptop. In computer years it was ancient, well, maybe not ancient but definately outdated. It was slow, really slow. I especially had a lot of problems with photoshop on it and with my scrapbooking program (which in all honesty was the biggest problem). I found myself rarely checking e-mail and I had to stop scrapbooking all together, one 15-20 minute page wound up costing me 5 or 6 hours of fragmented work. I would often lose all of my work too because it would say there wasn't enough virtual memory to save my work. Anyway, Tyler has been entertaining the idea of riding a bike to work to save on gas. He's been saving for a decent bike. My sister babysat for us Friday night and we needed to do a free date night so he said he wanted to go look at bikes and get an idea of what was out there and how much it cost. He suggested we go look at laptops at Costco first so I could also see how much I needed to save. We had figured I'd probably be able to afford one by the end of summer. I was very excited. The end of summer isn't that far away. Well, at Costco we found a decent laptop for a decent price, $150 off too. Tyler asked me how I'd feel about an early birthday gift. I tried really hard not to get too excited. I said that I'd love it but we didn't have the money to do that. Long story less long, he paid for the rest of my laptop with the money he's been saving! Don't I have a nice husband?

So, this is a little sample of what I've been doing for the last few days...

The laptop came with Windows 7 and has an awesome movie making program that I've been using to work on the home videos from my camera. I made one from Peyton's birth and put music on it and did some cool stuff. Anyway, I love it, I'm having fun and getting stuff done that has been on my list for a long while.

Oh BOY!

One morning before school I caught Jacob rocking in the chair purposely knocking it into Peyt's dollhouse knocking all the furniture and dolls around. I asked him to please fix it. He said, "Seriously?" "Yes, Jacob, Seriously." I replied. After the boys had left for school this is what I found...

Out of the Bag

So, the last time I changed our vacuum bag I cut the old one open and found tons of legos and a pair of Polly Pocket shoes. I vowed I would not cut the vacuum bag open again. The boys would be more thorough when cleaning up their legos and I would be more careful with the vacuum. Well, I just couldn't help it and I did the unthinkable again, I cut the bag open. There were many more legos in there than I thought I had sucked up, and the missing green Barbie shoe was in there, sadly, my nephew Essien's dog found one last week and chewed it up really good. I also found a bunch of my scrapbooking brads and eyelets that my nephew Dustin dumps out daily.
The boys were happy about their lego knifes.

Do you empty and sift through your vacuumings?

Painted Furniture, Repurposed Sweater, Dust Art

Last week when I went to put some laundry away I found this on my dresser. I found out this morning the artist was Benjamin and that it is me holding and ice cream cone and wearing a ring pop. My room gets dusty really fast and needs a good dusting every week, I give it a good dusting every TWO weeks. How's that for some honesty?
Sadly, I am so excited to get a new project started that I always forget before pictures, so, here is a door in it's before state. It is from a buffet that I inherited when my grandparents passed away. They had some amazing furniture from the 60's that was in very good condition, just out dated, I also refinished some bedroom furniture for Peyton the same way, using the same paint. I was 8 months pregnant or so when I did her furniture and apparently I wasn't blogging yet, so I don't have a post to direct you to, but you can see my sewing desk that is in the same room as this buffet and was done the same way. HERE is that post. These are just the doors after sanding and wiping them. As you can see, I didn't sand them very thoroughly where thay aren't flat, I'm a little lazy when it comes to sanding, that's why distressing is so appealing to me. Distressing is also nice when you have young kids in the home!

Here is my finished buffet that resides in my MULTI-PURPOSE room, (would be dining room) it holds some of my paper crafting supplies, stamping things, stuff like that. I love it, I think the original hardware looks great on it too.

A big thanks to my friend Yolawnda for helping me to get going on this project! Next up, staining my bathroom cabinets...

Once again, forgot a before picture! This was my favorite sweater at one time, I shrunk it a little and a moth had a small meal right in the front center. Never fear, save that sweater, it can be REPURPOSED (a word I am loving and becoming very familiar with)! I found this a few weeks ago and couldn't get it out of my mind. It directs you to square up your sweater pieces if they are contoured but I didn't, I liked the contoured shape. I was able to make 2 of them, I had to cut the sweater in half up the front because of the moth hole. I gave one to my sis-in-law for her birthday and one to myself! I love it.

Flowers make me happy and I'm trying to learn how to make as many different flowers as I can, so I can be like Caleen Beatty! I think that button is from her shared collection too, thanks Caleen.

I also added a little pocket inside for my cell phone, I made a few tucks in it too, so it isn't flat. I didn't add a magnet clasp like the tutorial says, I would have, but I didn't have one and this was a FREE project.

Hope you all aren't sick of my project posts!

My sister got married!

Saturday was a very special day for my family. My little sister Lindsay finally got married after a YEAR long engagement! It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect. Lindsay and Steve Rowe were married out at the Sportsman's Club at 5pm in a wonderfully brief but sweet ceremony.
I was asked just a few days before the wedding to fill in for one of the bridesmaids. I was honored to do it and happy to find that the dress fit perfectly. It was strapless but I was allowed to wear a little white sweater that fixed that problem. The wedding party was to be there at 3pm for pictures so naturally Peyton and Dustin, mine and Morgan's sidekicks, came too. The kids were angels.

Peyton was not in the wedding party but I put her in her little dress that I made her over a year ago and she was adorable in Lindsay's wedding lavender.

Lindsay was beautiful and happy!

Now my mom's stress can come to an end, until she finds something else to fret over!

My sister Ami was here from Texas, along with her daughter Aubri (6) who is taller than Jacob (8)! The kids LOVED her, and she LOVED Micah! She plans on marrying him, don't worry, Ami is my step sister and therefore not blood related.

The kids toasted with their lemonade about 10 times. They were so cute and had so much fun. They all danced until it was time to go. When Peyton woke up early the next morning the first thing out of her mouth was..."When can we dance at Aunt Lindsay's wedding again?"

My cousins and Aunt and Uncle and my cousin's daughter Cassie (below) were all here from Southern Cal.

Morgan was another of the bridesmaids (she had 6 bridesmaids total!).

I got the honor of decorating their escape vehicle! Giana, her maid of honor completed it by tying on a few cans.

CONGRATULATIONS STEVE AND LINDSAY, I LOVE YOU BOTH!