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Just a few photos of things in my house.
They inspire me to be clean and keep things simple.
You'll notice the shell balls are missing a few shells. My little sweet Davis has been picking the shells off. I found them on the floor. I'm hoping I can glue them back in :)
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Well, the January thaw has passed. We finally have winter weather here on the East Coast. Today it's around 30 degrees. brrrr.
We have our wood burning stove making out house toasty warm... but I think the kids should still have something on their feet. Last night I realized that the reason they won't wear their slippers, is because they are too small for them. So, I need to buy new ones. And these Robeez are great. They wear well + stay on.
So I checked out the Robeez site. They have so many different designs, I'm not sure which ones I like best. What do you all think of these ones?
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N I C O L E, Y O U W O N !
Thanks to everyone who left me a comment this last week!
W e h a v e a w i n n e r !
My 100th post was the "desk vignette" featuring my elephant tape dispenser, lucky bamboo + photo of Davis. Nicole was the first person to leave me a comment on that post. Though, I do know that Nana was in the process of leaving me a comment on that post, but I interrupted her when I was dropping off the kids. So I might just need to give Nana a book too :)
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Here's a photo of Davis before she left for school. Her hair is displaying the much desired, fabulous flyaway look. Makes it look like I did not brush her hair, but I did :) Her beautiful outfit, courtesy of Aunt Michelle! William would not cooperate this morning. So no photo of him. I'll try to snap one later today.
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I look at this vignette on my desk daily. I love the elephant tape dispenser. The lucky bambo is for good luck. {good feng shui - encourages financial/monetary growth} and of course, I adore the little photo of Davis. It's an outtake from a photoshoot I had. Makes me smile everytime.
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How sweet does Davis look? Very :)
Today it actually feels like January. For the past week or so the temperature in our area, {Boston} has been in the 50s-60s. As much as I like the warmer weather, it just doesn't feel right!
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Remember these boots? How I wanted them for Davis? Well Nicole gave them to her for Christmas. Davis wanted to wear them this morning to school. I had to talk her out of it. (she wore them the other day when it was raining, and now wants to wear them all the time} The pillow is also from Nicole + Michelle. They gave it to me for my last birthday knowing how much I would love it! And I do :)
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The other day William wanted me to buy a beanbag chair that was designed as a basketball. I felt like an ogre, but there was no way that was going to end up in my house :) But these, they are sweet looking, no?
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I have two labs + when anyone approaches the door, they bark and basically go ballistic.
Seriously, if you did not know any better, you'd think they'd tear your head off.
Which is why this doormat is kinda appropriate :)
But their bark is really worse than their bite... they just want to lick and have you pet them.
Available at uncommongoods.com
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It's been a crazy day. We went and "observed" a new montessori school this morning for William + Davis. We need to get the application in by the end of the week. I swear, it's good prep for college applications. {which is only 14 years away for will!} We are still applying to The Charter School, but since it's a lottery, with no guarantee of getting in, I need a plan B for Will.
We had a nice conversation with the head of the school. She asked me what I did. I told her I was a designer. Which then lead to a bunch of branding + marketing questions. She basically said " oh, no need to fill out the application, you're in." :)
It's been my experience, that being a designer makes me a popular person to know. A good + bad thing. It seems that I am always donating my time. I recently designed a logo for a NYC school who have a group of kids competing in a local robotics competition. It was fun to do + I'm glad to help out kids no matter what.
After our observation + mini interview we stopped by Starbucks to get our second cup of coffee. Yum. Oh, they have these beautiful pink valentine coffee cups. I so wanted to buy one to use in my studio...but I'm trying to put a curb on buying stuff I really don't need. Simplify. Streamline. That's my motto this year. Neal was pretty impressed that we got out of there for only $7.85. {which when you think about it, is still a lot of money for two lattes!} Then we headed over to Crate + Barrel. One of my favorite stores. We just browsed. They had wrapping paper on sale. But it was still $4.00 which is not really a "sale" for me. I'm looking for a buck or less for paper!
I bought a new book from Barnes + Noble – Wideacre by Philippa Gregory. {I finished her other book, "The other Boleyn Girl" during the holidays}. I can't wait to start reading tonight.
Oh, I've also decided to set up an Etsy Store. Hoping to finish that up tonight. I'll let you know when it's open. Thanks for reading :)
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Just wanted you all to know, I'm going to hit the 100 mark soon. So if you'd like to win a mini taylor book, keep checking back in + leave me a comment. If you happen to be the first person to leave me a comment on my 100th post, well, you're a winner! Good Luck + thanks for visiting! I love to hear from you. Even if it's just to say hi!
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After spending my Sunday + really, my entire weekend cleaning, I decided that I really need to become more of a "hardass". I think my kids think I'm a push over. {i am} They think they can whine or cry and get what they want {they do} Well, change is a coming!
Seriously, I do not want to spend another weekend like this past one. I know part of it was the holiday, the decorations + the overall "relax" attitude the holidays bring, but it's time to kick it into high gear.
I'm a pretty organized person + I like things neat, but I'm realistic enough to know that with two kids, two labs, and a messy husband, to temper certain expectations. My house will never be "perfect" But I need, for my kids sake + my sake, to be a bit more strict with them. To expect more from them. They need to pick up their toys, and do things without me asking twenty times. So I've unearthed a "chores" chart I created for William a while back. Davis's chart is next.
Her chart will include "peeing/pooping on the potty". I've learned to be precise with my words.
This weekend after our trip to Target, William announced, after I asked him five times while in the store, that he needed to pee. Terrific. I told him he'd have to wait till we got home. He said, "mum, I REALLY have to go, now. Are we almost home?" Now, I've learned the difference between, "I have to pee and I can probably hold it + oh gosh, I'm going to pee in my pants if I don't get to a bathroom now" tone. And this was the latter.
We drove a bit further, the whole time William squirming in his chair. My husband + I exchanged looks. We were both thinking the same thing. "please lord, don't let him pee in the car...what a stinking mess that would be." Of course we were concerned for Will. The poor kid has never had an accident, and I honestly did not want him to have it in the car. But really, it was all about me + my pure desire not to have to clean, yet another thing!
So we pulled into Burger King. I turned around and said, "Heads up... We are not buying anything. We are not eating here. We are here so Will can pee. Am I understood? {I got nods + a plead from Will to let him go and pee.} Davis + I will wait in the car." They quickly exited the car. Davis looked at me and said, "Where's Will?" and I responded, "he's gone to the potty Davis." "oh". Silence. "mama, me pee, pee." I swear my head turned so fast I could have gotten whiplash. "you need to sit on the potty?" Oh blessed father, my prayers were being answered! "yea, mama. me pee, pee."
Now, you have to understand, for the last month, when I asked Davis if she wanted to use the potty...she would scream "noooooooo" and then run from me. Clearly indicating, she was not ready. I don't want to push the issue. I didn't with William, so I promised myself, I'd give her the same courtesy.
Well, I looked at Davis. I mean, I really looked at her tiny little face and I could see it. I knew, if I brought her into the bathroom, she would sit on the potty. So, I said, "Davis, if I bring you into the bathroom, are you going to sit on the potty?" "yes mama. me pee pee." So faster than wiping a kid's butt, we were off.
We got into the bathroom. Davis immediately started to undress. {tell me, why do kids need to strip to just pee?} She pulled off her coat, then pulled down her pants. I was amused, elated, and just plain happy as I undid her diaper. I was a bit, bothered, that my little girl's first time peeing would be at a Burger King restroom. But I'd get over it. I tried to put toilet paper on the seat, but the paper was so flimsy that I couldn't get it to stay. So I did the best I could + I lifted her onto the toilet.
And there, she SAT on the potty.
You heard me. She sat on the potty... because that's what I asked her to do, and that's what she agreed to.
Lesson learned.
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Just thought this was a pretty photo of a bowl with some glass balls I bought last fall.
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