Let's Make Stuff, Shall We?

Doesn't this look delicious?

I need to stay away from Pinterest.  It is killing me.  I only thought Facebook was the greatest sucker of one's time...Pinterest is far worse.  I will put Colin to bed with the full intention of quickly checking my email and then heading into the living room to watch shows on the DVR and relax with Jer.  Then I look up and it is 11pm and I am knee deep in chocolate cakes, soap scum removal and debating the merits of making my own headboard out of old doors and a glue gun.  Or something.  I am clearly out of control.  As I type this, I am eating a corndog mini muffin.  That's right, CORNDOG MINI MUFFINS.  I saw the recipe and made them for Colin.  And he loves them.  He ate 3.  I have had 47.  I am going to have to run for an extra hour tonight after this debacle.  And then there was the great Nutella dip disaster of yesterday - I saw Nutella fruit dip front and center when I logged into Pinterest and since Colin lives for Nutella, I decided it must be made.  While he was at school, I whipped up a batch (which is just Nutella and Greek yogurt - so simple!  so easy! why didn't I think of that?) and presented it with a flourish when the little man got home.  He was super excited for chocolate fruit dip and even posed happily for the above photo.  Then he tasted it and spit it out all down the front of his shirt.  That was awesome.  As it turns out, my child does not appreciate the quality tang that accompanies Greek yogurt, despite the cup of Nutella added to it.  I then proceeded to eat a pint of strawberries dipped in it because, oddly enough, I happen to think it was fan-freaking-tastic.  I had to pour out the rest of the batch because there is only so much that my skinny jeans can handle.  I hate Pinterest.

I was a busy bee while Colin was at school yesterday!  On top of eating my weight in chocolate fruit dip, I finished up a couple of projects for the kiddo.  I extended his bulletin board around the corner in his room so that he would have more room to hang his awesome school work and he LOVES it!  After seeing the way it turned out, I plan to extend it to the floor.  Bulletin boards are so cheap and Colin adores hanging up his art.  I added the string of lights on a whim and Colin thinks it is just about the coolest thing ever.  It's rather rigged at this point, but it's pretty cute regardless.

How did I know that Star Wars would be the first poster taped to his closet door?  ;-)

I really love Colin's room.  When I found out that I was having a boy, I wandered into a little shop in Southlake Town Center that was full of custom baby rooms.  Everything was ornate and beautiful and thousands of dollars.  I was just piddling around and thinking about buying a frame (about all I could afford in this shop) when I stumbled onto a cabin/lodge themed boys room.  I knew instantly that it would be the room for Colin.  I wanted something different and special and this was so perfect.  I spent months collecting things from all over the place to make the room come to life.  My mom even made a "fishing" chandelier to hang from the ceiling!  Anyway, it has morphed over the last few years into a little boys room rather than a nursery, but I still love it so much.  Everything about his room is cozy and warm and I hope he remembers it always as being a place to feel happy and safe and loved.  It's a great room. 

A shot from New Year's Eve - we rarely get this side of his room in pictures

The view of his new bulletin board from the door

And now for the most important news - I have Colin's space/Star Wars/science themed playroom well underway!  We painted it an awesome grey color before we had new carpeting installed in December.  I got his name on the wall using cool iron signs from Hobby Lobby and yesterday, I found the Star Wars posters!!  I bought 3 and framed them with cheap poster frames from Hobby Lobby.  Colin LOVES it.  I should really get a trophy for this one - that child almost cried from joy when he saw it!  While my dreams of a shabby pink room full of ballet slippers has indeed been forever crushed, this is still pretty awesome.  ;-)  I was struck by how much this looks like a boy's room, a BIG boy, rather than a baby or toddler.  His playroom doubles as our office space, but it is clearly decorated entirely for a space loving little man.  I have a lot more to go; I want to get rid of the plastic bins for toys and put in shelves, etc - but we are well on our way! 

Long ago, in a galaxy far far away

there lived a woman without any girl stuff...  ;-)

On the other wall, I hung a GIANT map of the world.  We decided that with a pilot for a daddy, Colin should get to track where he goes.  We have started pinning all the locations that Jer flies to and it has been so much fun for Colin and a fabulous learning tool.  We look at his flight route and then check out details about whatever country he has gone to.  Jer is going to China next month, so that will be a fun one to mark down!

cutest baby EVER

In closing, Colin actually fell asleep on the couch this week - which is totally unheard of in this house.  It was so stinking adorable that I had no choice but to take a picture.  Look at those precious little feet!!  Sometimes I think that I love him so much that it's going to break me in two.  :-)  However, I quickly realized why naps aren't a good thing - it took about 4 years to get him to bed that night.  I sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star about 350 times.  But that wasn't so bad, either. 

This Week

Evidence that Colin is brilliant.

The above picture is disgusting not exactly attractive, I know.  Yes, that is a bath rug and yes, that is playdough stuck to it in various locations.  But that is beside the point (if you are able to pretend you don't see the playdough).  We usually eat dinner while sitting at the kitchen counter, where I have bar stools arranged for seating.  Colin has never been comfortable sitting in the stools and recently he began pulling up toy bins and ottomans in order to reach the counter and stand up to eat.  He actually eats much better if he can stand, so I haven't minded the switch...with the small exception of how easily he can slip off his makeshift step stools.  None of them are designed to hold his weight and our ottoman even has wheels!  I told him that I would be on the lookout for a more acceptable solution and saw this little cheapo stool at Hobby Lobby yesterday for the lofty price of $4.99.  I gave it a shot and Colin quickly pointed out to me that he didn't feel safe and that it was "too slippery".  We stuck the stool in his playroom and went about our business.  When I called Colin to the table tonight, he headed for his bathroom.  I wasn't paying much attention as I was plating food and when I went to serve Colin, he was standing there with a huge grin on his face.  I looked down to see the giant bathmat with his stool on top.  He said, "Look, Mom!  It won't slip at all anymore!  We can just use it this way."  I do not have a CLUE how he thought of this on his own.  He must have noticed that the stool was more stable on the carpet in his playroom and then decided to try out the bath rug variation.  All I know is that we never said a word about it and he figured it out on his own.  Hence the ultra classy picture.  I love Colin.   Here are more lovely shots from our week:

Colin and his kitties

Colin on top of his "mountain".  The view from the top is always best.

DJ Jazzy Colin

This week has been all about Pinterest - I am on one of my kicks again.  I have so many projects that I want to take on and I knocked out this easy one first.  I made custom dry erase boards for the kitchen using two cheap frames and some scrapbook paper.  It's awesome!  I have to write myself big visual notes constantly and I usually use a sheet of note paper and stick it on the counter where I can see it.  I have come close to hanging dry erase boards in the past, but they are so ugly and my kitchen is right in the middle of things.  This is already working perfectly!  The frames just happened to fit nicely under our family picture and I think they look super cute.  It will be fun to switch the paper our for holidays!  I think they are a bit plain as of yet, but now that I see them hanging, I am planning to add some cute lettering inside the frame.  Stay tuned!  It's an easy start - I have a bunch of cool projects planned for the playroom that are going to be much more work, but I am excited to hone some new skills.  I am even planning to tackle some sewing - like with a machine - but I am nervous about it.  I have never considered myself crafty in the least bit.  The only exception would be my odd ability to write pretty letters, but I don't think that counts.  I have talked myself into giving this crafty thing a try because 1) my mom is excellent at making her own awesome decorations and 2) I never thought I would be a good cook and now it is my passion.  So I suppose even an old dog can learn some new tricks.  :-)

Chalna actually crafts.