Being a proud mom :-)

In this post, I'm just going to flat out be a proud mommy! I have many reasons to be proud of my little girl. Today, I attended her school assembly where she was being awarded Student of the Month! She got to high five all of the teachers in a big rally. I tried to insert the video I took, but it didn't work :-p . 

My daughter is a fabulous helper.....

she helped me make these cakepops for a beloved co-worker's goodbye potluck.

She did an awesome job in her school play, as a dragonfly.....

She knows how to love others and get joy out of life!

So for tonight's post.....I'm just going to be a proud mommy ♥

Confessions of an imperfect mom.....and my baby girl is 6!!!! ♥

It has been a bit busy in our world....with daughter Violet's birthday, her musical production at school, etc!  I have slacked in the blog department this week!!  On Thursday, I did manage to put together some cute birthday favors for Violet to take to school, and am proud of how they turned out!

I found glossy sticker paper at Office Depot, which made the sticker labels I made on the computer look "real!"  Cute, fun, and easy for her teacher to send home and not worry about :-) .  Leave it to a teacher mom to know!  We also donated a book to her class in honor of her birthday; her teacher has a special Birthday Bin and she puts a photo and dated label to help them feel special. 

Here's where my totally imperfect moment comes in:  Well I have always been one to make my own cakes or other sweets for events, and would pride myself in that......BUT.....this cake is from Cold Stone Creamery! 

There is a reason for this madness.  Who would have ever thought, the dry climate of Southern California would turn extremely HUMID, for the first time in hmmm 4 years.....on daughter's birthday, and wreak havoc on my little cake, before I even finished.  :-(  And this is my secret confession for Dirty Secret Saturday ;-) !

This became quite the unpleasant moment......ugh.  So off to Cold Stone for a ready-made. 

Daughter did have a nice birthday though, with Grandma and Grandpa visiting as an added bonus.  It was a simple family birthday, as we had offered her a tablet in exchange for a birthday party, which she had accepted!  (Another imperfect mom confession!)

There's always room for another Barbie...

or Loopsey in Wonderland....

And family time, well that is always priceless!

Happy 6th Birthday to my baby girl!!!

Metamorphosis!

Just a super-quick update....our tiny, little caterpillar emerged from her chrysalis on Saturday, so she was set free for Earth Day :-)  Violet named her Flora and she gladly flew to the lemon tree!

Violet was over the moon with seeing the whole process!  In the hustle and bustle of life, it's hard to stop and watch Mother Nature and remember to appreciate her wonders!

Have a beautiful week!!!!

Spring Spruce-Up

Like many people, spring has brought about an inspiration in me to clear-out, organize, and also try to brighten things up around here.  Here are some things helping me with this goal:

        Large cubes providing a good catch all for storage fitting into a small space.

 Jars for the frequently used dry goods:  sea salt, red pepper flakes, rainbow sugar sprinkles, and cinnamon/sugar blend, I know, an eclectic combination, but we're funny that way!

 OxO stackable canisters for keeping the pantry/cupboard better organized.

 A fun, new shower curtain ;-)

 A flower light with soft glow for the top bunk, so Violet can stop reading by flashlight.

 Various frames....

 ...To proudly display artwork in addition to photos ;-)

 This pillow and a few others to add color, as my living room feels "dark" to me.

These frames, I didn't get.....yet, but am eyeing them on Etsy, with the same goal as the pillow....Let there be COLOR!

*A quick change of subject, but I entered a little give-a-way and could use extra points:

Help me win the "Child Pretties" l&b set!!! Like @laynie and belle and tell them I sent you!  Here is the blog link, she makes lovely things:
http://laynieandbelle.blogspot.com/

Oh and I'd love to hear about and be inspired by your home improvement, design, or organizing ideas!  Let me know where to find your posts or link me in a comment ;-)  Have a great week.....weekends sure go by too quickly!!!!

Not your granny's panties!

Underwear?  Really?  For Fashion Friday....well, yes!  You know how it is, folding the laundry, you're telling yourself the unmentionables are looking a bit shabby....stretched, faded...so the other day, I finally made the commitment to just go panty shopping.  I went to Nordstroms, my favorite, they just make everything beyond pleasant. 

Here are what I got, followed by a few more for possible future splurges:

Kensie

Betsey Johnson

Kensie

Hanky Panky....I just had to!

This Hanky Panky pair also looks nice, from Norstroms.com

On the wish list, a nice set by Freya

It's nice to have treasures underneath, too!

Pinterest Playtime

Nothing like pinning as you browse the web after a long day.....;-)  Here are odds and ends from my boards:

Cute, quirky home ideas:

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939969293/

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939964105/http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939964105/

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939837768/


And ahhhh fashions as I dream of upcoming summer...

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134940152025/


http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134940114332/

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939982955/

Then there's drool fest of things I want to make....and EAT!


http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134940021179/

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134940052204/

http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939849297/



http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134939814867/

Keep on pinning!  ;-)

Happy TuTu....Tuesday!

I am trying to do DIY and be crafty, I see the most beautiful things on Etsy and Pinterest and never cease to be amazed at the creativity of others!  When I was a kid, I was always making things....of course that was before work, motherhood, and all those other grown-up responsibilities!  But my urge to be creative is making me want to try.  So I decided to download a tutorial, and go for it, and made a handmade tutu!  It all starts with loads of tulle.....and maybe I used more than needed.....but the overachiever side of me peeks out from time to time ;-)

First was measuring and cutting....cutting, and cutting!!

Once the cutting part was finished, I had huge piles....over 120 strips!  Once that ws done, there's a special way ot tying them on in different directions, which was something I could just do in front of the TV ;-) .

Here are some progress shots along the way...

And in the end, it was worth every hour and minute, as I had one very happy fairy ballerina, ready to skip, run and dance!!

It was a great experience, and now I am ready to try another DIY project!

I got my instructions from AngelBabes Tutus.