The Missing Element

When we first moved into our home a year and a half ago we painted this bathroom blue. That was about the extent of decorating this pregnant mom could handle. But I had big plans. This is the guest bathroom that happens to be next to the kids' rooms. I was determined to not have it look like a 'kids' bathroom.' No ducks here thank you very much! I had dreams of a nice sophisticated blue and brown theme.
So we bought a brown shower curtain.... and it was all wrong. It closed off the room with a big wall of brown. And I failed to consider that when you have two children in diapers there is only so much brown you can take in a day. (This almost ruined me for chocolate, but I was able to persevere and actually come out as a more established chocoholic in the end... but that is a different story)
I spent about a year looking and looking for a shower curtain that would work. After countless online searches and checking here and there when I did happen to leave the house... I found it! This is the shower curtain that finally tied the room together. It was a totally different look than I was going for. And it does have a youthful appeal.
Once I got the curtain home, I was able to gather up all the decor from things that I already had that didn't have a place yet! I am happy with the vibrant room, and I feel like it is both welcoming to guests and the girl's things don't look out of place in it either!

Piece of Cake!

When I started planning CJ's 2nd Birthday Party. I had visions of a cute little cake. In fact my exact vision looked just like this cake. It's small, I thought to my self! Surely I can handle making a cake like this! How hard could it be! Deep inside, the voice of reason was whispering to me....'remember your track record.' 

Truth be told... I do not have a good track record with my baking. In high school while baking with friends, my one job was to add the salt. I got a little confused between teaspoon and tablespoon and ruined the whole batch. I was even blamed once for making someone throw up after eating brownies that I had made. (But for the record, I ate them and I didn't throw up! I think he just had the stomach flu....but not a good omen for my baking reputation)

But now I am a mom! Somehow in all the breastfeeding and diaper changing I must have acquired some baking skills. And really, I am following a recipe....I graduated from college I should be able to follow directions! Well, I followed all the directions to the best of my ability. I consulted the internet. I called my mom. And in the end, I hid this cake from view! Then I gave the kids delicious nutritious cupcakes that I made from scratch AND tasted great! So I called the day a success!

Like Mother Like Daughter Like Coffee

I am proud to say that my oldest girl is well trained. Whenever she and daddy are in town she often says, "Daddy don't forget to bring mommy home a coffee! You know she likes it!"
One of the first things I learned after Rosemary was born and I was juggling the -newborn-toddler- combo, all tea and beverages for Mommy need to have a lid too. So I switched from a regular mug for my morning tea to a tumbler. A valuable safety lesson! When juggling children it is best not to add a mug of hot anything to the routine. However, a mug of hot something is just what you may need to get through the day!
At any rate, Cecily loves to drink her milk out of a tumbler too... I love these cute sippy-cup tumblers. Cecily loves to be a big girl like mommy. And I have done my part as a Seattle-area citizen to raise coffee awareness. (The ironic part of it all... is I pretty much drink tea....and Chai is my special treat!) But my musing on tea I will save for another day!

Mommy's Little Helper

I'm really not sure how I lived without this little devil before. I think it should be added to the Mother of Toddler Must Haves.
I think my Dirt Devil is filled entirely with Cheerios.

And what is even better... the little mess-makers like to use it too!

Orchids

It all started on Secretary Appreciation Day back when I worked at Prudential... Wait it actually started farther back then that...
It all started when I worked for a landscape designer, Plantswoman Design, and Susan had a beautiful orchid in her home. Of course this woman's business totally centered around being a genius with plants. (At this point I had an assortment of houseplants, but never anything this exotic.) While doing a ride-along with her I got to peek into a greenhouse of a professional orchid grower. Amazing!

This started me out loving orchids.Then I got one of my own! And to my amazement when I followed Susan's advice, my orchid not only bloomed, but re-bloomed! It absolutely loved its spot on the windowsill of our apartment. Then two things happened to disrupt the Orchid Blooming Bliss. I had babies and we moved. That little orchid plant hasn't bloomed since. And then in an attempt to re-pot it I nearly killed it completely!

Then, my loving husband got me an orchid for Valentine's day (a couple of years later). So far I have kept it alive, but I have not been able to coax a bloom.

And the moral of the story is... Mothers of small children do not  have time to coax temperamental houseplants to bloom. But they can still enjoy the idea of orchids blooming again in the future. (Small price to pay to be a mommy!)

Blast from the Past

Much to my sister's amusement, I started toting around my old caboodle. This is what happens when you save things... just in case you might need them.
After my little one accidentally dropped and broke ALL of my makeup. I resurrected what my dad used to refer to as our 'girlie tackle boxes'! Now my makeup is safe and sound.