DIY Pen & Pencil Holder

I'm excited because next week is spring break for my son, therefore life will be a bit less hectic, hopefully. I will have more time to do some of my projects, which I'm sure my son will love to help out with. I'm on a mission to get my little craft station organized. Right now I have things all over the place and it bugs me.

I needed something to keep my pens, pencils, markers, scissors and brushes sorted out. I also wanted to make some sort of container(s) to my liking, like I did here for my Scrapbooking paper. I came up with a super cheap idea that was incredibly easy to make. All I used were a few cans of Pringles chips, which I had already collected for another project, Modge Podge, Scrapbooking Paper, and scissors.



I first cut the Pringles cans to the size that I wanted (You can make them as tall or as short as you want).



Select the color of scrapbook paper that you want and measure according to your can size. Paste around your can with your modge podge using a brush or sponge brush.



I left a little extra paper at the top, so that I could cover the rough edges where I cut the can. I then added modge podge to the extra little bit of paper and I folded the edge towards the inside of the can. It gives it a better look. Once you do this you're pretty much done.




Now my son has requested some for his desk, so it's a project I plan on doing with him during spring break. You can also use these as make-up brush holders or add a magnet to your can an pin it on your refrigerator to hold pens for quick notes. It was a cheap project that gives my craft station some much needed organization and great personal touch. My station is looking up if I do say so myself.

Co-Sleeping Babies

Yesterday night I put my daughter's crib together. It was bitter sweet because I'm used to her sleeping with me, but I know she needs her own bed. The Hubbs has never been ok with either of our kids sleeping with us. With my son he never let it happen, but with my daughter he was a bit more accepting due to the fact that I breastfeed her, which makes it more convenient for me.
When I had my son I agreed on not wanting him to sleep with us because I was afraid of crushing or suffocating him at night. You hear so many horror stories about parents co-sleeping with their children that as a new parent it terrifies you, but I was also the judgmental parent that looked down on parents who co-slept with their kids. I couldn't believe how these parents could be so selfish as to put their children in danger that way, it was beyond me. Then you hear a bunch of opinions from parents who don't think the practice is right and it heats up your head even more. However, once I began co-sleeping with my baby girl I realized why a lot of parents do it. It is definitely a different bond that you get with your child, it is almost a need to have them there next to you to protect them at night. Do I regret not doing it with my son, not necessarily, but I do wish I hadn't been so quick to judge other parents who did it.
More than anything, this has thought me to not be so judgmental on things I haven't tried myself or understand. Everyone has a right to their opinion and more so to do whatever they feel is better for their child. For now my daughter will alternate during the night between her bed and crib, I'm not ready to completely wean her from my bed. She does however seem to like her crib more than I thought she would and much to my dismay, but alas they have to grow up some time.

Happy Birthdays

Yesterday was the Hubbs birthday. We didn't really celebrate it yesterday, but we had a mini celebration over the weekend and we will have another one with friends next weekend. I got him a gas grill, which is something he had been wanting for a while now, and my son gave him a cap. Then on Sunday we went to a restaurant for a little dinner celebration to his favorite BBQ joint. Overall I think he had a great birthday or at least I hope he did.
To me birthdays are extremely important celebrations. I try to make everyone's birthday special, let it be by doing a small dinner with the family or a big birthday party with friends. My son is going to be 7 in May and we have celebrated every one of his birthdays with a party. To me and the Hubbs this is important in a child's life because we didn't have that growing up. I had two birthday parties that I can remember and one was more for my mother than me (Quincianera 15th bday). Some of my friends would have birthday parties every year and I remember I would beg my parents to make me one too, but it never happened. Maybe because my birthday was right after the Holidays, but for whatever reason I never had one. I do remember that on my twelve birthday I begged my mom to throw me a party and she went as far as to invite a couple of my friends after Sunday church and that was it. It wasn't an actual party, but to this day I remember it as if it had been. To this day I still remember how disappointed and sad I would get.
There were years when I didn't even get a birthday present much less a party and as a parent I don't ever want my children to feel that way. As their mother I want them to know how grateful we are that they are able to be with us another year and that deserves a celebration. I don't think it's so much about how big a party or present you give someone on their birthday. It's more about letting them know that you care enough about them and you remember.

Insecure

Have you ever heard the expression "walking a tight rope". That's how I feel right now, the Hubbs is growing increasingly irritated with his job and it is making my anxiety kick into high gear. I feel as though he is going to quit at any time and we're going to be in a free fall with our finances. He says he is not going to do that to us, but it has happened in the past and I can't help but feel apprehensive.
We had a conversation about a week ago and when I asked him what it is he wanted to do with his life he said he had no idea. I kept calm and collected on the outside, but inside I was screaming. That was not what I wanted to hear at all, especially right now that I don't have a job and he's frustrated with his. It is scary and it makes me a bit sad that with two kids and so much responsibility he doesn't know what he wants in life. This is precisely why I wish I hadn't had to quit my job. At least with me working I would feel somewhat in control, but right now I feel absolutely helpless.
I'm not saying I know for sure he's going to quit, but I just wish I could get rid of this nagging feeling. I have struggle before and I'm not afraid of struggling again, but it wouldn't be fun to do it with two kids.

Perris Lake, California

Summer is right around the corner and I'm already planning activities to do with my babies. I don't know for sure that I won't be working by then, but if I'm not I plan on taking full advantage of being home with them for the summer. I have wonderful memories of places my parents took my siblings and I to. I remember being excited for summer because that meant we would spend some Saturdays at Perris Lake. I have many beautiful memories of that place and although it is not what it used to be, as far as the scenery is concern, it is still a great place to spend a relaxing Saturday with the family.





The water has gone down quite a bit from when I barely began going, mostly because it is a man made lake. A lot of people say it is not a great place to for the family anymore because it has turn into more of a boating lake, but to me it still has its charm.

A Mother's Love

A couple of days ago I was watching the movie Forrest Gump, which happens to be one of my favorites. I get teary eye every time I see how hard his mother fought to keep him in school. It is a true testament of the love of a mother for their child. I know I would do anything for my babies and my mother my has definitely shown me she would do it for me as well.
I often hear people say they would die without their mother's, but I would truly be lost without mine. My mom has always helped me out of tough situations more than I can count. I haven't always been an easy child to deal with, especially when I was younger. A few years ago I went through a rebellious streak and I made my mom's life a living hell, staying out late, drinking and doing the exact opposite of what my parents wanted me to do. It is not something I'm proud of, but it made me learn and grow. I just wish I hadn't hurt my mom in the process. Even with all my mistakes and the headaches I know I gave her, my mom's love has never waiver. To the contrary she showed me more love when she should have been hating me, but a mother's love for their child is not something easy to brake.
As I mentioned before we are going through a rough financial situation right now and once again my mother is there to help us through it. If it wasn't for her we would be truly screwed. I just hope that one day I can repay her somewhat for all she's done for me.

Cheap Family Fun

It's unbelievable how small simple outings with the family can be so fulfilling. The Hubbs didn't work this weekend and being that we we're financially limited we decided to take the kids to the park. As a parent this can be extremely exhausting and at times boring, but to a kid an outing to a park can be the most exciting thing in the world. Our condominiums are right next to a park and my son is constantly begging us to take him, but for some stupid reason we don't. Granted it can get a bit overwhelming with all the little ankle-bitters running around, but that is what kids enjoy.
It's very rare that the Hubbs gets a Saturday off, so we didn't want to waste the day.




My son went from play area to play area trying to get his money's worth.





While my baby girl did mostly this, with me running behind her making sure she didn't run over any of her peers.





I came to the conclusion that we better enjoy these years where the kids don't demand expensive outings, like to theme parks and malls. Overall we had a great day, the weather was awesome here in Cali and it didn't cost a penny.

More Money, More Problems

I haven't posted in the last few days because I haven't been feeling all that well. I have been under some stress here at home due to our bad money decisions. The Hubbs makes more than enough money for us to live comfortably, but some times we go overboard on our spending. I can't help but feel like a failure during these times. Having money issues can bring a lot of stress on a marriage and unfortunately for me I'm the only one in the relationship who knows what and how the bills are paid. The Hubbs feels that since he works hard to make the money he shouldn't have to worry about bills. I agree with him to a certain degree, but he still needs to know what bills need to be paid so that he can control his spending, something he doesn't do now. Of course he has his point of view, I have mine and it's not always easy to meet in the middle. It's a frustrating situation, but one we have no one to blame for but us. Hopefully our situation will get better soon and that we learn from this mistake. I promise to keep up next week. Have a great and productive weekend.

Chalkboard DIY Project

I had a very productive weekend. For a while now I had wanted to make a chalkboard for my son. I saw the procedure on Pinterest (my current addiction) and went on Friday to get the materials. I went to my local Home Depot and found exactly what I needed.

The materials needed:
-Non-Sanded Grout
-Acrylic Paint Big bottle, not the two little ones I have on the picture(any color you wish)
-Piece of Wood (any size)
-Sand Paper
-Paint Brushes or Foam Brushes
-Whisk or piece of wood to mix the paint and grout

The first step is to mix a cup of paint and 2 teaspoons of Grout. Mix until the lumps are all out. (Tip: I couldn't get the lumps out and when I did it was a real thick mush ball, therefore I added a little bit of water to make it runny)

I got a large piece of cork board from Home Depot for 51 cents. (Tip: Home Depot has scraps of wood that they sale for 51 cents. It's great to use for DIY Projects and of course super cheap). I sanded the wood a bit began putting the paint with a foam brush.

Awesome project to have your kids help you with

I put 2 coats of paint on it and let it dry overnight. The next day I added a coat of chalk. Yes, chalk not sure why they suggest to do this, but I read it everywhere. Once you have done this clean it with a damp cloth.

Once you clean off the chalk your new board is ready to be used. My son loved it, he won't stop playing with it and now he's talking about doing a white board. He says he is now ready to teach his class.

Scrap Paper Bin Craft

I love arts and crafts! It is a hobby I got into at a very early age, but not until now did I really began to develop it. I began my son's scrapbook almost 7 years ago and I have yet to finish it. It's unfortunate because I now have to began my daughter's and I feel a bit overwhelmed. Nonetheless, that is a project I hope to catch up on this year and of course continue.
My latest craft was a much needed bin. I have a lot of scrapbooking paper and for some time it was all over the place. I never found a bin that I liked at the store, something that would allow me to keep it in one place, but access it easily. I decided to make a bin to my liking and the best part is that the project cost less than $5 to make.

The materials I needed were:
A shoe box (the bigger the better)
A roll of brown PaperBag Paper (you can get these at a Dollar Store or 99Cents Store)
A couple of scrapbook pages (colors or design to your liking)
Tape and scissors

Process:
Tape the entire shoe box shut as if you're never going to open it again.
Cut off a horizontal side of the shoe box so that your scrap paper fits in there right
Wrap the shoe box with the Paper Bag Paper (like you're wrapping a Christmas gift)
Then decorate to your liking with the scrapbook pages

As you can see I used the scrapbook paper to decorate the front of my box only

My bin makes it easy for me to see the different type of papers I have without having to dig through it. If you have any questions on the project email me or write a comment at the bottom. Have a great weekend everyone!

My Loss

Before I got pregnant with my son and daughter I suffered a miscarriage. The Hubbs and I had just gotten married when I found out I was with child. It wasn't as exciting as I always imagined it would be. At the time we didn't feel like we were ready for a baby, therefore the news wasn't met with great joy on our part.
My parents on the other hand were delighted and overjoyed. They went and bought the baby toys that week and my mom started making plans about the nursery and what not. I wanted to feel somewhat joyous, but the pregnancy was draining me. I felt incredibly tired and exhausted, more than I had ever felt my entire life. It was not a great feeling and I guess it didn't help that in the back of our minds we really weren't ready for a baby.
About a month after I found out about our pregnancy I lost the baby. I began spotting on a Sunday and by Tuesday I had miscarried. I felt guilty afterwards because in my mind I felt like I had rejected the baby. At  times I see my son and daughter and wonder about that first one. I don't allow myself to dwell on the "what ifs" too much because the guilt and the emotions overwhelm me. I never truly grieved my loss, I broke down in the car after I was told I was having a miscarriage, but at that moment I still held hope that something could be done to save the pregnancy. Thinking back at that time however, I feel like my emotions were a bit stiff. Not so much because I didn't care at all, but because I truly didn't have that maternal instinct yet. Ironically after I had my son I longed for that baby and even though I didn't get to meet her/him I will always love that little angel. Her/His loss made me appreciate and love my other two so much more.

Lytle Creek, California

During the summer of 2011 I found out I was pregnant with my baby girl and I was, as they say, on cloud nine. Everything all of a sudden was beautiful and exciting. I mention this because that summer I went to a river with my parents and I absolutely fell in love with it. I went later with the Hubbs and some friends and they swore it was ugly. The scenery is awesome and the sound of the river is super calming. Every time I go I can't stop snapping pictures, it has definitely turned into a favorite summer spot. I know for a fact that this summer I will be spending many a days there with my babies.
I don't know if it was because I was in a great place with my pregnancy, but I fell in love with this place.

My wild Baby Girl

Anyone who has ever said that little girls are better behaved than little boys must not have one of their own. My baby girl is 1 and from the moment she was born she has been our feisty little troublemaker. When I heard her cry for the first time she had an angry cry and immediately began throwing her hands around as if trying to fight the nurses. Even at a few months old I could tell she had a shorter fuse than her older brother, her temper would go from 0-10 in a second. I know they say that each child is different, but I didn't think their characters and personalities were going to be so opposite from each other. She's a little dare devil and our son has always been extremely cautious. She loves to fight and will not hesitate to defend herself if need be, to were her brother was more relax. The Hubbs always said that we had it too good with the first one, therefore we were going to struggle more with this one. Although, I don't quite see it that way, I do have to admit it has been a bumpier road this time around, but I love her strong personality and the fact that she will definitely always stand up for herself.
Even with as wild as my baby girl is I wouldn't change anything about her, regardless she will always be my sweet baby girl.

Photography Love

I had a lovely weekend. I didn't do anything spectacular, but it was a calm weekend where I got to do some simple stuff that I like to do. I was able to go to yard sales, which has become something my son and I love to do. We get awesome deals for extremely low prices (more on this on another post). I got to do a craft with my family pictures, which I will be sharing with you in a couple of weeks. My favorite thing that I got to do was to snap some pictures of my kids and nieces.
I love photography, it is one of my passions. I love taking pictures of the scenery and recently I got into taking pictures of people, specifically children. I'm not a professional, but I have taken pointers here and there from people and websites. A few people that have seen the pictures I've taken of friend's kids and my kids think I must have and expensive camera, but I don't. I in fact have an old Cannon that is quite outdated, by today's standards in cameras. I have a few techniques that help me make the most of my camera and shots. I try to take most of my pictures in natural light. I'll take several shots of the same pose or thing, which allows me to later choose the best shot. I then use a an online photo editor (if needed) to fix or change my pictures. My favorite is www.picmonkey.com, it's an awesome option and the best thing is that it's completely FREE!
I have a few hobbies that I love, but I have to say photography is extremely satisfactory to me. I leave you with some examples of my humble work, Enjoy!

So called Parents?

What the hell is wrong with parents these days? I was at a department store yesterday and I heard a kid about 10-12 years old cuss out his mom. Hearing him say the words he was saying was unbelievable, but when I saw that his rant was directed at his mom just made it sad.
I began to wonder what happened to the respect and morals that were thought to children when I was growing up. I wouldn't dare raise my voice at my parents because I knew that if I did I would be in a lot of trouble. My parents were definitely not afraid to discipline my siblings and I if need be. I was thought to respect my elders even if they were complete strangers and mind my manners where ever I went. Now a days you see kids running a mock, while the parents bitch and moan that they can't control them and they don't know why.
In my opinion a lot of parents have forgotten to teach their children simple manners and most of all respect. This is why we have so many young kids being bullied and disrespected by their own peers. Some of these kids can't respect their own parents, what makes us think they are going to respect complete strangers. If parents actually cared to parent we wouldn't have these out of control teenagers. The sad part is that it's a never ending cycle and history repeats itself with future generations. I'm a true believer that there are no bad children, just bad parents. This makes me wonder, if these young people are our future, I shudder to think where our society will end up.