If you don't care about crafts...

...read no further.
So I've made an early New Year's resolution this year. And that is to re-use and up-cycle anything and everything I can. I'm always wanting to start all these crafts but need to remember to watch the budget, so I'm trying to use just whatever I have around the house.
Take this wreath for example. I know it's not spectacular...but it was FREE! Yay! I just used the wire from an old laundry hamper and stuff from my Christmas stash and then and old sweater (which I also re-did for Tina's wedding and I'll post pictures of that later)


I had all these ugly dollar store frames just sitting around that I decided to paint. It wasn't enough. So I found some beads and painted them black so I could hang the picture by that...still not enough. SO...I took that same old laundry hamper from above and cut out little circles, burned the edges, and made little flowers! I really like how they turned out and hung them up in the bathroom so that Jim could see his boys every morning before work. Oh. These were free too.



Ok. Last. Our dining room walls (actually all the walls in the house) are still quite bare. I'm slowly getting things up, but again, it takes money. So we were at this second hand shop the other day and I found these really ugly mirrors for 10 dollars. I had to have them.
So I painted these ugly plastic mirrors, and then glazed them...



As you can see...the other walls are still bare. But, I'm getting there! :)

Ok. Enough of that. Here is a video of the boys. They have become the best of friends in the last couple months and I LOVE watching them. They have so much fun together.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Preparations

A funny thing happened this week that made me realize that Sawyer REALLY is not a little boy anymore...as much as I hate to admit...
It was during quiet time. Wyatt was taking a nap, Sawyer was watching a movie and I was trying desperately to finish a book. As I'm sitting there reading I hear Sawyer get up and go get something out of the fridge. He then proceeded to put it in the microwave, turn on the 30 second button, wait for it to beep, then take it out and go back and sit down to watch his movie....all without coming to me. He had a plate of leftover food in the fridge. That's what he warmed up. I was laughing so hard and he just looked at me like I was crazy and then shushed me so he could hear his movie. Oh Sawyer. I love you.


So we went to Jane and Ed's for Thanksgiving and had tons of fun! Tina is getting married next month and her fiance has the CUTEST little 5 year old girl! She and Sawyer were so cute together! So here are some pictures from the visit...
Grandpa Ed was holding Wyatt up away from the dogs because we had just washed his hands and all he wanted to do was grab those poor animals. This started a game for the kids. They all had to take turns being on the wall. I think Ed got a VERY good work out.

Sawyer is giving the dogs, who are on the other side of the glass, doggy kisses. Thankfully they ARE on the other side of the glass. And he's not REALLY giving them doggy kisses.

This picture makes me smile because I had asked Wyatt to say cheese for the camera and he said "no" in a very sing-song voice...like how you would say cheese to the camera...make sense?

I thought this was kinda fun. Sawyer wore the EXACT same outfit last year for Thanksgiving. Now Wyatt is wearing it...how is that possible?

I had to really control myself this year. I was wanting to decorate for Christmas right after Halloween...but I waited till the day after Thanksgiving. It was not easy.
Sawyer LOVES Christmas trees. Well, really anything Christmas, so he was SO excited to help. He runs downstairs every morning and turns on the tree lights.



Oh Wyatt. He was SO MAD! He didn't want to put the candy canes ON the tree. He wanted to take them OFF the tree and eat them! So here he is, angrily putting them on the tree.

Though he did sneak away with one, got it open with those sharp little baby teeth and ate most of it. Now all the candy canes are at the top of the tree. Not very pretty, but, what can you do about it when you have a toddler.





Well, Sawyer starts pre-school tomorrow. We had to get him a backpack. He wears it all day. I'm really excited to see how he does. He LOVES nursery and they promise me that he does well in there, so we'll see! I'm sure I'll have all sorts of exciting arts/crafts that he did to show off! Ha!

Hope everyone had a GREAT Thanksgiving!!



Wow. My boys are nuts. Is this how normal boys act?!

Sawyer is 3!

WHAT?! Where have the last 3 years gone?! I know all parents say it, but really. How does time just fly by like this?! He's changing and growing just SO FAST!!
My favorite Sawyer moments:
When he wants something, like a movie, or a treat...something we wouldn't normally give him...he walks up to me and says; "kiss mommy! kiss mommy!" So I'll bend down and he'll give me a big kiss then say; "ok. movie?" Or my favorite: "Go to beach now, mommy?" I don't know what it is but the kid is DYING to go to the beach! Jamie and Lisa might be getting a little visit soon. :)
The other day Wyatt was crying and whining, ALL DAY. Finally I told him (Wyatt) I was going to throw him in the garbage if he didn't stop! Instead I just set him in the other room so that Sawyer and I could finish a project in peace. A minute later Wyatt peeks around the corner and Sawyer sees him and starts yelling "Wyatt out of the garbage can mommy!! No no Wyatt! Back in garbage!" So now anytime Wyatt is naughty, "Wyatt go to garbage can!". Oh boy.
Sawyer is my sweet one. He is so loving and gentle and ALWAYS giving hugs and kisses and saying please and thank you. He ran into someone at the store and turned around and looked at them and said, "I sorry!". Whenever I say thank-you to him, or anyone for that matter, he says "you welcome!". Love this kid.
I may have been lazy on the whole party thing. But really. He's 3. He doesn't care. So, death by chocolate cake, ice cream, and some presents. He was a very happy boy.
And yes. He did lick the cake. That is powdered sugar on his chin.


Saying thanks to grandma Jane who got him the coolest musical instrument set!


Wyatt staking claim to the other gifts. Ok. Really he just likes to climb. EVERYTHING.

Just pure little boy happiness. I can't get enough of my kids. I never feel like there are enough hours in the day to do everything I want to with them.


Even when there are moments like this...


My boys love each other. It makes for some VERY entertaining moments. Like this...
Sawyer is a dog. Wyatt, the master. They were doing this for like half hour.



I'm not sure which he liked better. The train, or the fire...


This is my favorite. I didn't realize he even knew what a xylophone was let alone being able to say it. But, he just pulls it out and starts saying "xylophone! Sawyer's xylophone!" And as you can see, he doesn't want to share said xylophone.



Thanks to all who made it such a wonderful birthday for our little man!! As you can see, he had TONS of fun!

Oh My Boys

When we got home from church the other day it was too nice to go right inside...
So, we raked a big pile of leaves that Sawyer was obsessed with and Wyatt grabbed his favorite ball and club...I have high hopes for that one...he needs his grandpa Palmer to teach him some skills!

This picture does it no justice...he has a black, swollen eye. And a scratched up nose. The funny thing is they are two seperate incidents. The nose he just tripped and fell in the dirt and got up with a bloody nose and a mouth full of mud. The eye; he was climbing up a slide and slipped...poor kid. People at the park were impressed though. He cried for about 3 seconds then wanted down to go play some more.

We Love the Zoo...

...Especially when it's free! The zoo in Great Bend is. And It's a really great one too. Ok. The pictures are out of order.
First. Here are some shoes I re-made. As you can see, the one on the left was starting to lose some of the beads and what not...so, I took an old racy, I mean lacy, lingerie and covered that bad boy up. (after removing the beading) The bra part of the lingerie was red...so I cut it up in little circles, burned the edges so they curled and made little flowers! Cute, huh? Then to add my own personal touch I added a fun button. I love Mod Podge.





Now. On to the zoo. I believe Wyatt was watching Sawyer do something... I just can't remember what. He looks a bit worried though.

I cut my own bangs the other night. I got bored. So I just did it. The wind is blowing them, but you can kinda see. I like them. I made them thick and spunky...kinda like this actress that I love.

I think the boys enjoyed running and jumping off the tables the most.



Though they did like the black bears.

And the lion. When we saw the real lions they both started roaring at them. Should have taken a video...

I'm not sure what this is. But Sawyer LOVED it. Probably because it looks like a dinosaur.



And I'm sorry. But how cute are my boys?!

So does this mean he's going to be like 8 feet tall when he's full grown?!

You can kind of hear Wyatt over Sawyer. They often try to out-do the other. It gets REALLY loud in our home.



I told you. They had more fun on the tables. We're still taking bets on who will end up in the E.R. first...awful, I know.

Well. We had lots of fun. Not many more nice days left. I'm going to need to get REALLY creative this winter. If anyone has some great ideas I'd really appreciate it!!