'An All Things Lovely Blog'
$10. That’s all it took these last few particular days to make an epic day for my little girl. A $10 baby swimming pool filled with water on a warm summer day.
She loved it! But more than anything having her mommy step away from the computer, the cell phone, the other things that tend to fill up our days…. THAT is what made it epic.
Take a couple of hours today, and maybe $10 ;), and spend some time just enjoying your children. I swear to you their smiles make it SO SO worth it!
I’ve been thinking for awhile that my daughter needed a Quiet Book to use for things like Church or waiting in the dr’s office. In case you’re unversed, like my husband who said upon hearing I planned to make a quiet book, “Cool. What’s that?”, a quiet book is a book of “games” and activities for little ones that don’t make any sound. Again, perfect for those quiet places like church or riding in the car for vacation!
So, I did some research, enter Pinterest, and found there are several kinds of quiet books. Fabric, felt, combination, etc. I decided to make mine entirely out of felt. I’m using a sheet of felt for each page thus cutting down on the need to cut and sew fabric. And I’m using felt for most of the activity pieces. I pinned several fun page ideas, asked friends for ideas and decided on the pages I wanted to make and what I would need.
Today I finished the first page for her book and thought I’d share each page with you all as I go along, culminating with the book as a whole as well as some fun ideas I found along the way when all is finished. So, here’s the first one, a Felt Purse Quiet Book page.
The only materials you need for this page are felt for the page, the purse, the flap and the goodies for inside the purse. You’ll also need Velcro dots for the flap fastener and yarn to attach the goodies going into the purse.
I just hand drew the purse onto the felt and cut it out. Then you’ll sew the flap down onto the felt. You could just hot glue it too if sewing isn’t your thing. It gets attached first so you can fold it over the purse body to make the flap.
Then you’ll sew the purse body to the page, fold the flap over and attach your Velcro dots to the purse and flap to make your closure.
I also sewed on a cute felt “button” for the front of the purse flap.
I cut out some green felt for “paper” money, orange felt for quarters, pink felt for a hand mirror and purple felt for Chapstick. You know, the necessities every girl needs. 😉 I just drew on each piece with a permanent marker, then cut a small hole to attach a piece of white yarn. The other end of each piece of yarn was sewn inside the purse so that when she’s playing with the pieces they won’t get lost!
And that’s it! I think it took me about thirty minutes to make the entire page. At that rate surely I’ll get the entire book finished before we go on vacation in a month… Hopefully. 😉
Did you make/buy/receive a quiet book for your children or when you were a kid? What was your favorite page?
FYI, we’re linking this to these fun parties.
We’ve been really lucky… Klara made it all the way past nine months before catching any yucky sicknesses. In all reality she’s not exposed to very many people on a day to day basis, so there haven’t been many opportunities for her to get any germs. But even still, it finally happened. Last Friday morning my girl woke up with a cough.
It’s been 4+ days of coughing, sniffles, sneezes, wiping her poor little red nose… It’s also been 4+ days of this mama’s heart breaking for my sick little girl.
The other morning she wanted so bad to be happy and play with her toys like normal… She really tried. Finally she just climbed up into my lap and fell asleep! That never happens. Klara fights sleep until the very end!!! Her daddy says she’s like me in that she never wants to miss anything. 😉 I can’t blame her for that! But you know she’s sick when sleep comes so easily.
I know this won’t be the last time that she’s sick… Kids are magnets for sick germs, but I pray every day for a healthy, happy baby girl. Not only for her benefit but man it’s hard on a mama to see your kiddo feeling so bad. Especially when they’re this little and there’s not a whole lot you can do for them but offer comfort.
Today finally she woke up acting more like her spunky, funny little self. So glad to have my girl back… Even with a cough or two still plaguing our day it’s better than nothing until she’s completely well.
What’s your favorite method for comforting baby while they’re sick??
Klara loves baths and rocking in our recliner. 😉
Linking this here.
It’s been a long while since I’ve shared a DIY or tutorial here on le blog… So it’s about time for one don’t you think?? That’s what happens when you become a first time mommy and the rest of life completely takes over. 😉
Way back in August, a month after my girl was born, she had a ton of cute bows, flowers, barrettes, etc. and no real place to put them. Especially a place where I could easily see them and pick one to match her outfit. So, I decided to make her very own bow holders. Plural because one just wouldn’t be big enough for all the pretty hair accessories this girl had already collected!
The materials needed include:
Step 1: Paint your wood craft plaques. I painted mine pink and purple with brown accents to match the other colors of Klara’s bedroom.
Step 2: If you’re like I was at the time, take a moment while your plaques dry to enjoy your sleeping baby and a cup of tea… oh… and the drying laundry hung over the dining table chairs. You do what you gotta do as a new mommy, right?! 😉
On a side note can we just take a minute and sigh over how tiny my girl was at one month old!!! She’s nine months old now and there’s no way she’d fit in that cute little bed anymore, much less stay in it… haha
Step 3: Once your plaques are completely dry, add the vinyl lettering for the names. I chose to use Klara’s first and middle name. Again, like I mentioned above, I cut out the names in white vinyl using my Silhouette machine and then applied them using transfer paper.
Step 4: Hot glue a strip of ribbon to make a loop on the top of each plaque for hanging. Then hot glue three strips of ribbon to the bottom of each plaque for the hair accessories. After I hot glued the ribbons I added the flat head tacks for added support. I just really wanted it to hold up well. {Side note, so far it has! 8 months + later and there are WAY more hair accessories on them now!} The ribbon I used was a cute set of cowgirl ribbon, to match Klara’s bedroom theme, also purchased from Hobby Lobby.
Step 5: After hanging them up as they were at this point I decided they lacked sparkle and hot glued three rhinestones to each plaque to fancy them up a bit… Much better! Then just hang on the wall and had your hair pretties!
Your turn: Do your girl(s) have tons of hair accessories? How do you store or display them?
Check out where we link up on our Party With Us Page!
Ugh, Mondays. Right?? Thought I’d share a little funny with you. Hope this makes you smile and sets you up for a happy week! 😉
Whenever I laugh here lately, whether it’s at the TV, something someone said, etc, and Klara hears me she starts laughing. So now it’s a game. I fake laugh, she fake laughs, which causes me to really laugh. Hours of entertainment! 😉
I was one of those women. I’ve been around children my entire life. I have a ‘kid’ sister. I became an auntie at a young age. I felt like I was born to be a mommy. I also knew things always happen that you don’t expect so in that aspect I felt like I was even prepared for the unexpected.
What I wasn’t prepared for was that I would love a little girl I had just met with such an incredible intensity. That I would hold her in my arms and already know that I would do anything for her.
I wasn’t prepared to miss one little person even just while she took an hour long nap. I didn’t know that a toothy little grin especially for me would be able to change the outlook of my entire day.
I had no idea I would hate to leave her even just to go out for a couple of hours. That I would be so thrilled to teach my girl to clap her hands, wave bye bye and give a kiss.
I didn’t know that I would appreciate and love those special people in my life even more because of this one little person. That I would love my husband even more after seeing him become a daddy. That I would be so grateful for my own mom and dad, my siblings, grandparents, etc.
Each and every one of these things that I wasn’t prepared for are some of the things I love most about being miss Klara’s mommy. So mommies that told me, just wait, it’s more amazing than you could ever imagine… Now I get it.
Friends and family members that are about to become mothers soon or will sometime in your future, you have no idea what an amazing experience you’re in for!!! Just you wait.
If you are unfamiliar with our Twenty Wishes Project here on Truly Lovely we want to invite you to peruse the prior link for the what and the why and then join us by writing up your 20 wishes list and coming back here on Wednesday, February 26th to link it up with us! For those of you already in on the fun, it’s time to share your progress for January and February!! Here’s mine for the first little bit of 2014!
Updates for January and February are written in red.
1. Visit Disneyland with my little family.
2. Paint my master bedroom.
3. Plant an upside down Mulberry tree somewhere at my house.
4. Visit Build a Bear and build a bear for Klara.
In January we made a visit to Build a Bear at the Chandler Mall. We had the best time picking out a little cowgirl bear for my Klara. You can read all about our visit here.
5. Send a handwritten letter, note or card to someone via snail mail once a month.
So far I sent two handwritten birthday cards in January and a handwritten Valentine card in February.
6. Save for and buy myself a tablet of some kind. Maybe an iPad or a Surface. I’ve always wanted one… 😉 I happened to mention to my husband that I wanted to save up for a tablet. I decided I wanted a Surface because they’re more like a little laptop and I thought that would be better for blogging. The morning of Valentine’s Day when I went in to turn on my work computer, I found a brand new Surface and a Valentine note from Nate sitting in my desk chair. Yep, I married a keeper!!! Any Surface users out there? What are your favorite apps, etc?
7. Complete my reading goal of 55 books in 2014.
8. Host and/or participate in a Google + Hangout with some bloggie friends.
9. Have the carpet in my house professionally cleaned. I know this sounds like an ought to do versus a want, but I ought to clean the carpets myself… I WANT to have someone else do it!! haha
10. Make over my guest bathroom.
11. Take Klara to The Color Run for her “second” time. Technically last year she was just riding in mommy’s tummy. This year I plan to take her in her stroller! We did our second color run in Tempe, AZ back in January!! It was a blast just like last year and Klara did so well! You can read all about it here.
12. Get a front screen door for my house.
13. Get together monthly with at least one friend. Dinner, shopping trip, lunch, etc.
In January my sister, sisters in law and I went to Tempe for The Color Run, we went out to the mall the night before, had dinner and did some shopping, so I’m counting that. 😉 February we went with the entire family to the steakhouse in town for my sister in law’s birthday. We took Klara with us and she got to have her first apple sauce and ‘meal’ in a restaurant. 😉
14. Visit here in Safford. I’ve wanted to go since they opened, but haven’t ever made it since it’s across town!
15. Figure out a system for organizing and saving the baby clothes and items that Klara has outgrown.
16. Get tickets for and attend the 2014 National Finals Rodeo.
17. Build a container garden of some sort for my backyard.
18. Pay off my credit card. I’m SO close!!! I’m sure I can have it all paid off by the end of this year.
19. Take a photography class or workshop.
20. Throw a surprise party for someone.
So not too bad for the first two months of 2014 right!?! Here’s to more progress in March!!! 
Again, don’t forget to get your list written and come back here on Wednesday (February 26th) to link it up with us!!! Past… There’s a giveaway if you share your 20 wishes list and/or progress so far!!! 😉
Before I became a mother, I was like most naive young women… I’d see a stressed mom having a hard time wrangling her kids and think, that won’t be me. I’ll just be more organized. I’ll be prepared for anything… And then reality struck in the form of an 8lb brand new baby girl. 😉 Here’s one of those moments that I was NOT prepared for, but crack up every time I think back on it!
The middle of September was considered #weddingbonanza2013 in our house. I had two weddings on two consecutive weekends not only to attend, but to be honored as a bridesmaid for two of my good friends. The first wedding, went off without a hitch. My sweet girl slept the entire 3 hour drive, was an angel for my sister, our official wedding nanny, during the wedding and we even got an adorable family photo. 😉
The second wedding was on the beautiful island of South Padre, Texas. The trip required a three hour drive to the airport in El Paso, Tx. A flight from El Paso to Dallas. Then a three hour layover and a flight from Dallas to Brownsville followed by a thirty minute drive to the island. You guys, my husband was out of control nervous. He’s one of those types that almost has a nervous breakdown at the thought of having to speak in public. {He had to give a toast as the best man, but that’s a story for another time… ;)} He was so worried that Klara would cry and be upset on the flights and we wouldn’t be able to comfort her. You can imagine where this is going, but let me stop you right there. She was AMAZING on every single flight we took both there and on the way home. She slept or nursed the entire time and we had several people tell us they didn’t even realize there was a baby on the plane! Don’t let her daddy’s face fool you… he just didn’t want to take a photo… haha.
The real interesting part of my story happened right as we were about to board the first flight out of El Paso. We had gotten to the airport with plenty of time to spare, made it through security without a problem, had lunch, changed Klara and were standing in line ready to board the plane. We are literally being called to hand over our boarding passes and I, standing beside my sister and husband, holding Klara, start to feel a blow out coming on… Seriously. I handed over my boarding pass and started down the tunnel to the airplane thinking if I could just hurry into the bathroom I could get her changed before take off. As I’m walking down the tunnel I felt a drip. Right on the top of my foot. {I had flip flops on.} Miss Klara’s blow out was running down her pant leg!!! I had my sister hand me a wipe from the diaper bag so I could keep the rest from leaking out, ran onto the plane and asked the first flight attendant I saw for the restroom.
As quickly as I could I had to change her diaper, her entire outfit, wipe off my foot and get into my seat before we backed out of the terminal. Now if that’s not a winning mommy moment, although completely hilarious afterward, I don’t know what is… Needless to say I’m sure the first class passengers weren’t all that thrilled with the air in the restroom for that flight… hahaha
Your turn: What’s your favorite embarrassing mommy moment? Yours or a friend, relative, etc??
Our sweet little lady will be five months old on Friday. In these five months of her life so far we have celebrated a lot of firsts….
From the top left corner, clockwise – Klara’s first Thanksgiving, her first trip to Hannigan Meadows, her first horseback ride with Daddy, her first Halloween. That’s not to mention the everyday firsts, things like her first smile, her first laugh, rolling over for the first time.
We just recently had one of my favorite firsts… Klara had her first taste of rice cereal. It was the very first time for her to eat from a spoon. We waited until her daddy got home from work so he could join us. We are both big food lovers so it was really exciting to be able to start Klara on solid foods. It will eventually lead to us sharing our love of food with our daughter. I can just picture fun restaurant outings, trying new recipes at home, etc!
As our girl grows it’s exciting to experience each new first. I am thrilled that as Klara keeps experiencing fun things for the first time she can continue to wear our favorite diaper brand, Pampers Swaddlers!
Pampers Swaddlers are now available all the way through size 5!! To celebrate Swaddlers sizes 4 & 5, Pampers has 30 days of incredible giveaways and a grand prize of FREE Swaddlers diapers & wipes for a year going on right now!!! Visit and enter to win daily prize bundles, plus the grand prize.
Pampers is also hosting a live Twitter party on December 5th at 9PM EST. To join click this link, Pampers Swaddlers Twitter Party, and follow the hosts, @DoubleDutyDivas, @BridgetteLA, @CeceliaMecca @AngieKcom @WhatMommiesNeed @RamblingChick, and our sponsor @Pampers.
Prizes will be given away to participants of the twitter party and will include:
3- Celebrating Firsts Gift Packs, ARV ($250), which include:
Grand Prize: Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR camera worth $450!
Right now, I have a giveaway for ONE lucky Truly Lovely reader!!! The winner will receive a Celebrating Firsts prize pack from Pampers which includes:
Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway will close one week from today at midnight on December 10th. Winner will be announced the following day. Thanks for playing and good luck!!!
It’s a known fact. Every little cowgirl needs a pony of her very own. Our little cowgirl is still a bit too tiny to have her very own real horse… Even though she’s already made her first ride with her daddy on his…
BUT I found a fun way for her to have her very own horse to enjoy until she’s old enough to have the real thing. Or at least old enough to ride her bouncy horse… 😉
A horse wall sticker from Icon Wall Stickers.
They have all kinds of fun wall stickers to choose from including several different horse stickers. I was able to choose the sticker I wanted for Klara’s wall, the size I wanted and then the color. I chose this Galloping Horse Sticker in the small size and nut brown color.
When it arrived it was on one large sheet… I was nervous about applying such a large sticker to the wall, but the instructions included made the process quite easy.
Step 1: Tape the four corners of the sticker with masking tape to the wall. You want the see through side facing out and the more opaque side against the wall. Tape a strip of masking tape through the middle of the sticker to serve as your anchor point.
Step 2: Remove the tape from one side of the vinyl. Peel the back off the sticker to the middle (to the anchor tape). Cut the backing off as close the anchor tape as possible.
Step 3: Smooth the sticker onto the wall using a credit card to remove any bubbles. It’s best to work from the middle out.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the other side of the sticker.
Step 5: Carefully peel away the top clear paper leaving your fun new wall sticker in place.
Now Miss Klara has her very own horsey on the wall of her bedroom/nursery. I hope to share more of the room with you sometime soon. Including those hair ribbon holders you can just get a peek of in some of these photos. It’s a little cowgirl theme and the horse was a perfect addition.
The sticker itself was easy to apply, especially with the instructions that came with it. A word of caution though, our walls are textured so it took some time to really get everything smoothed out so that it would adhere to the wall. But once it was finished it turned out really nice.
Your turn: Do you have a theme for your child’s nursery or bedroom? What is it?
