Medicine Cabinet Update

Super easy update that I made to my bathroom medicine cabinet.

First the before pics. Yup, Drab, plain, kinda dirty. Uninspired. Since I was working on updating my entire master bathroom, refreshing it with a more modern, clearer and more stylish look, I decided to start with the cabinet. Note, I have been in my house only 4.5 years so this was the condition it was in at purchase:

So this was so simple. I went to Michael's and in their paper stock or scrapbooking section and chose a design that would make me happy to look at every day. I decided on this particular pattern because I originally wanted wallpaper like this. Like I've seen in upscale hotels. But with my high, angled ceiling, decided it would be too ambitious a project and opted with a small piece of pattern instead.

Using some leftover wood glue, I matched up the 3 cards I bought, glued together and then glued to the inside of the cabinet.

Missing accomplished. Every time I open this cabinet, it makes me smile!

DIY: Spring Wreath

I had made a fall wreath for our front door and it was early May when the hubs mentioned that it was still up. In the spring, hinting that I guess I was to take it down. After checking online a few places and checking out wreaths at Michael's and Home Goods, I couldn't find anything I liked for less than $60 so on a whim, I decided to make my own. *sigh* another DIY project, when I was actually avoiding it.

But for only $29 bucks I got the wreath base, 

picked out the exact flowers and colors I wanted and some wreath wire

And 15 mins, later done! Easy peasy, fo' sheezy!!

A Day in the Life of a Working Mom

5:00am: 1st alarm goes off. This is suppose to give myself a gradual wake-up period.

5:30am: 2nd and real alarm goes off. Time to get up.

5:45am: Actual wake up time. I now have about 35 mins to shower, get dressed, do hair, makeup and make bed (a must!)

6:20am: Time to wake the baby. Also, dress him and give him breakfast of cereal, toast and jam or fruit. Put on shoes. (A must!)

6:45 - 6:50am: Leave for work

7:30am - 4:30pm - Working.

4:30pm - Leave for work and head to daycare.

5:15pm - Pick up child. Head home

5:45pm - Arrive home. Change into comfy clothes, make a snack while child is usually playing.
This is when the 2nd shift starts and its more rigorous.

5:45pm - 7:45pm - This time is a flurry of several things. Its making dinner, for myself and for the child. Hubby usually gets in a bit later so I don't wait for him. Since I am usually starving the moment I walk in the door, I tend to fix myself a plate and eat it quickly while standing at the kitchen island.

My son is usually running back and forth throughout the living room, dining room and kitchen, sometimes happily. I may then sit with him with some flash cards or a book or let him watch some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Star Wars Rebels while I try to multi-task and empty or load the dishwasher, get a jump on packing my lunch for the next day, wipe down some kitchen counters or if I am tired (which is many nights) try to relax a few with my tablet and some Facebooking/YouTubing or other social media.

But its short lived when you have an active, mobile toddler jumping on the couch, throwing pillows, balls, or toy cars at everything including the windows, TV, or straight in your face or trying to play on top of the icky trashcan, opening and slamming kitchen cabinets, hitting or playing in the window blinds, making a grab for remote controls (which are forbidden), tablets or any gadgets nearby, climbing stairs or storage bins or, making a dash for the bathroom to hide behind the door to play hide - n- seek, unravel toilet paper or serve as company for anyone who thought they could pee in private. Jokes on them!

This time is also precious because its really the only time I have to spend with my 22- month old and in that short span of time, I am 1) tired after working all day and being up since 5-ish am (in fact, it really hits me soon as I get in the door. I seem to lose about 50% of my energy level the moment I walk in the door and remove my work heels), 2) have a good list of things I need to accomplish before bed and 3) it feels like a race against time to get things done so I can have some me time. The more I have to do, the less time I have to myself before bed. Some nights that means NO time for just me.

After dinner, he either gets a bath or its time for bed. I have a routine of preparing him for bed which includes getting his sippy cup of milk ready and waiting upstairs (warmed in the colder months), pulling out his PJs, night diaper, wipe and putting his toothbrush out with toothpaste, his wash cloth damped and ready and the baby monitor turned on. I do these things with him downstairs with his father as its more work to try and do it with him in the room. Its key that he does not see the sippy until he gets it otherwise he'll whine and cry 'til he gets it.

The bed routine is the most physical as I have to wrestle him out of his diaper and into his PJs, block him from grabbing things on the changing table and throwing them and sometimes hold him still to keep from kicking everywhere. Teeth brushed and all settled, lights go off (he gets to hit the switch) and its time for "night night". I sit him in the rocking chair while he drinks his last milk and rock a bit to calm him. Truth be told, sitting in that dark room rocking for so long, I usually end up nodding off myself.

After he finishes and after some time (some short as 10 mins some long as 20 -30 mins) he settles down and I put him in his crib and tuck him in.

FREEDOM!!! - Well, no not yet.

Now I gotta get to that list of stuff I need to do that I couldn't do when he was awake. But now I have lost another 15% of energy in the bedtime routine. *sigh*

8:30pm - 9pm - This is typically when I handle the nightly 'chores of life', which include:

• packing his daycare bag (his lunch, 2 snacks and 3 sippy cups of milk and water + spoon)
• packing my own lunch
• washing sippys for the next day
• straightening up the kitchen
• putting toys away in the living room
• cleaning the cat's litterbox; refilling the automatic food bowl
• tidying up the living room, dining room and putting away clothes and shoes I wore that day
• if need be, cooking or preparing meals for the next day

9:15pm to 10:15ish p, FREEDOM, no for reals this time!!

After all my regular nightly chores are completed, I finally get some free time to myself for A WHOLE HOUR!!!!

This is finally the time to pursue whatever other interests I may have including workout out researching recipes, reading, browsing the internet, doing my hair, blogging (like right now!), other writing, gaming, doing nails/toes, spending time with the hubby, etc. Yeah no, can't fit all that into one hour. So I may choose one or two things per night (such as 30 mins to workout and the rest to write or read before bed). And then there are many night where I am just too tired to do anything but pour a glass of wine and take my butt to bed early with a book in tow. I am usually passed out and snoring loudly around 10:30pm and often times after having only read about 2 pages of whatever I am trying to read.

And that is my Monday through Friday. Because of this new mommy schedule, its been impossible to keep up on the latest TV shows and movies. I can't really watch anything without distractions until after 9pm and 9 out of 10, I am nodding off through it. Where I use to be a pretty prolific and regular blogging, it now takes me sometimes weeks to complete just one because that one hour a day goes by soooo fast and I have so much I am trying to cram into it. The energy levels quickly drain.

Weekends are calmer but it also means running after my toddler for 10-12 hours a day so the actual free time is still limited and again, usually hindered with the same lack of energy as during the week.

But that is not to say I am complaining. While the day-to-day dealings with a toddler comes with MANY challenges, some I never saw coming, my reward comes in spontaneous, little packages throughout the evening, such as watching my son's face light up when he realizes Mommy is there to pick him up from daycare and comes running,  both arms outstretched shouting "Mama!!" and slams me me with a big hug; when he holds up his cute little arm to offer me a piece of his cheese, anytime he bumps his little applehead and its me that he comes running to for comfort and love but the best part of my day, the moment that keeps me going, is tucking him into bed at night, getting that big hug and a sweet, slobbery, droll-juicy kiss and that final "I yuv yoo" to end the day.

Its the perfect end and reward for a long day. And totally and completely worth all the craziness it contains.

Thanks for reading!

DIY Purse & Shoe Stand

I am probably the only person in the world who felt she just had to have something like this. Since as far as I could remember, I have picked out all clothes for work, shoes, bags and sometimes accessories the night before. I get it from my mom who picked out my clothes for the week and every morning my father only had to pull out the selected outfit in the mornings to get me dressed.

The habit stuck and its one routine I need and has helped save me so much time. Since I began working, I've preferred to also pack my purse and select my shoes to wear for the following day. I usually laid them on the floor near my bed.

Over time, I began to loathe the look of anything just sitting on the floor, especially in the bedroom (which I like super neat) so I began looking for stands to sit my purses and shoes on. Several internet and Amazon searches later, I decided to just make my own and use fabric from Joann's.

I ordered this kitchen stand from Amazon:

Then picked out a home design fabric from Joann fabrics and applied to the stand using heavy glue (didn't do a perfect job cutting but oh well:

Let it dry overnight and done! No more purse and shoes on the floor!

Does anyone else lay their shoes and bag out the night before or is that just me?

Toddler Life: Signs You Have a Toddler

One day your sweet, cherubic-faced angel is cuddled up in your arms, content to sleep and eat the day away. Then the next (or seems like it), that same adorable ball of cuddles is suddenly a walking, babbling, tyrannical ball of energy, thrashing through your house, leaving a trail of toys and sometimes food in his wake. You're not going crazy. That tiny time frame of babyhood has gone by and your lil boo boo now has a new attitude complete with his/her own wants, likes, desires, and dislikes and the ability to start expressing this. Here's some signs you may have a full-blown toddler:


Bedtime on a weekend is still 10pm. Cause toddlers still keep crackhead hours and the minute they are awake, its time to play! Pretty much instantly.

And eventually, they won't wait for you to get them up.

Sleeping in is sleeping til 8am...if you're lucky.

Solo bathroom trips? Don't plan on it. Peeing apprently is a group sport.

Thought you could eat a whole cookie by yourself? Yeah, unthink that. They will let you know whatever you eat, is also theres!

Living rooms are now playrooms and the toys just grow and grow.

There is always some sort of smashed food on the floor. Note: banana gets concrete hard if left awhile. Keep a scraper handy.

Socks? Shoes? Yeah, no! The toddler will decide how long to wear these things.

Toys on the floor is life. Watch your step!

No more TV-14 entertainment til after 9pm. You can chance it...until they begin watching and repeating things.

Naptimes are hit or miss. Some days are good but on others, you wonder if the ball of energy will ever go down and for how long. Some days you'll be lucky to get in one full hour.

Running errands revolves around naptimes and whether you can get a stroller in that store or if they have carts. You may forgo going to a store at all if none of these options are available.


Shopping trips also mean constantly picking up things they grab off shelves and throw on the floor, reminding them they can't touch things and then rushing to the checkout before they have a meltdown. Because they can't touch anything.

Diaper changes become wrestling matches. Apparently some tots have no issue sitting on a poop patty.

You cross your fingers while preparing meals in the hopes that your efforts aren't rejected. And some foods that love one day, they despise the next.

Your Netflix suggestions are suddenly flooded with kids programs. All cause you watched Handy Manny that one time!

You know all the words to all the songs your kids toys plays whether you like it or not and you've gotten this theme song stuck in your head more than once:



Your kid has made a habit out of throwing things, then immediately having a fit...because its no longer in their hands. So you retrieve it, only for them to throw it again. Meltdown again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Letting them fall asleep in the car, big mistake!

You've been slapped in the head at least 3 times by a tiny hand or a flying toy. Your bob -n-weave is improving.

Tantrums. Tantrums. Tantrums. Mood swings vary by the minute and the same cuddly, adorable tot can instantly transform into a tiny, screaming, monster on a whim!




If this sounds like you, take heart. The toddler stage is just another phase among many.They will eventually grow out of it and move on to bigger things.

Or so I hope!

Hardwood Floor Upgrade

If anyone has had old, dingy carpet, you know how gross it can become, especially in high-traffic areas. Ours were the original carpets that came with our house which which was at least 18 years old and after 2 cats, a dog and a growing toddler boy running around, I'd begin to cringe everytime I looked down. Cause no matter how much you vacuum, spot clean and even deep clean, that awful bone color would never look truly clean or nice. Plus know how much cat and dog urine, poop and vomit its been through, its hard to believe its ever truly clean again.

So after much whining, pleading and pouting, I finally convince the hubs to get hardwood floors in the living and dining room. And we LOVE them!!!

We decided on the click-lock, engineered wood by the Home Island brand in Hickory Tuscany found at Home Depot and since HD did such a great job with our roof, we also let them install it. It took about 6 hours but we have been more than pleased with the end result.

3 weeks later, I can say that the maintenance so far has been minimal. I sweep once a week and while I have cleaned it once, it barely needed it.

 I'd read a lot about cleaning dark wood floors and how they show everything and can be high maintenance but I can honestly say that after our old carpet, I'd take a wood floor with some lint and prints on it over that nasty, odor and stain-absorbed thing any day. And the whole room feels bigger and cleaner!

Kitchen Reorganization with IKEA

About a year or so ago, my husband and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house and put up a folding table in the kitchen to add for space for the food. Days after the holiday, the table proved to be so useful in holding things we needed that we decided to leave it up longer.

Longer ended up extending to weeks, then months. And I began to hate it!

Cause a folding table with a tablecloth thrown over it and nothing else on the wall or in the area just looked crappy.

I hate the table and I began to hate the whole wall. It just looked sad and junky and just needed to be better. So I began searching for pantries and other food storage options. I found some I liked but hubby and I could not agree. 

Then I saw a Buzzfeed article on how to use Ikea furniture for different purposes and liked the idea of using a bookcase for kitchen storage. Hubs was on board but went a step further and suggested hanging all our pots and pans on rods on the walls an getting metal shelving. I also wanted to add a calendar and corkboard for to hang things we need like date sensitive mail, cards, coupons, etc.

So we set off to IKEA and we're both pleased with the results. We picked up the KALLAX bookshelf (which replaced the beloved EXPEDIT) and the GRUNDTAL rails and wall shelves with accessories.

For the corkboard, I actually found these great 12 x 12 corkboards at Michael's that you can mix and match with chalkboard and a magnetic calendar. 

I chose 2 patterns from Joann fabrics and covered the cork and added the family initial and little flower. Michael's even had cute decorative pushpins.

And voila! Gone was the rundown looking folding table and bare wall. In its place, lots more storage, not to mention all the extra cabinet space from moving the pots and pans.

Hubby feels like a professional chef with all his cooking toys out on display and I get to have a nicer, less craptastic-looking kitchen! 

Double win!!

DIY: Homemade Baby Food

So soon as my son began chewing at around 11 - 12 months, we started experimenting with different foods and were buying Gerber and Earth's Best baby food for his age range. I was happy with that for a bit but after awhile decided to try and make his food at home.

Looking at the ingredients on the baby food jars. It seemed really simple. Most were just "peas, water", "carrots, water", "apples", etc. So I figured this was doable and maybe a bit cheaper than spending $.72 to $1.50 per jar, where baby boy was quickly eating 2-3 jars a day.

I started off simple with fresh fruits and veggies: sweet potatoes, apples, peas and corn, green beans and peaches. Many of the very things I was buying in a jar.

The process went like this:

• skin veggies
• chop
• boil (to soften and kill off germs)
• puree in food processor
• portion out
• store in fridge or freezer

The first try was a bit daunting but I quickly got the hang of it. To create the portions, I used the same 6 oz jars of baby food that were saved and used then to measure. Once portioned, my hubby had the great idea of storing them in freezer bags for space-saving. That way they could be flattened and stacked, like pancakes, saving room in our already packed freezer. Once they were frozen hard, they can be set oupright for even more room.

I like to flip through them like a book!

I do have to note that while this may be healthier for the baby, it definitely takes up more time! In fact, I have easily spent 2+ hours just preparing baby food. But I would do it on a weekend and make enough for the entire week. As some time went on, I did found ways to cut some corners, like buying frozen veggies to eliminate the skinning and boiling time and buy already peeled and cut fruit. 

Since my son attends daycare, I pack his meals for the next day, the night before. So I thaw and spoon the food in baby food jars but had added chalkboard stickers to them and label them with a chalkboard marker (available at any craft store like Michael's or Target). It's probably not necessary, but its kinda fun to label your own jar of homemade food. 

For his home meals, I simple pull the frozen portions out the night before and leave them in the fridge and they go right in the bowl to microwave for eating.

Things I Learned

While I originally thought it would save some money, in the end, it didn't really. Fresh foods do cost more and I found what I was spending on them was coming to about the same as the jarred food. But prep and cooking time was obviously a lot longer. Also a lot messier. But there is still a lot of satisfaction in knowing your baby is eating something you created and even better, loving it!

Tips

• To keep food moist, I'd added purified water.
• Make sure to buy freezer bags as they are meant for this. Others have had success with ice cube trays and other freezer containers.
• If using a chalkboard marker, make sure its really dry before you write on it and let it dry after. Otherwise, it can smudge right off. It smudges easily in general.
• Ditalini is a great pasta for babies who are able to chew. Its just their size. 
• One cup of brown rice (not the instant but real brown rice) can create a lot of food. I've made 4-5 servings of food with it mixed with veggies.

Some of the meals I've created include:

• brown rice & peas
• brown rice & zucchini
• apples
• peaches
• spinach
• creamy spinach from Birds Eye (sooo good)
• peas & carrots
• carrots
• green beans
• peas & potatoes
• brown rice & squash
• artichokes and asparagus (Wegman's)
• Ditalini pasta & cherry tomatoes

So that's it. Now if only I could put as much effort into my own meal planning! 

Got any other great recipes or meals for toddlers. Leave me a comment!