Loving our backyard!

It has been a little over half a year since we have become official home owners! I am so glad to write that we have no regrets in the house that we bought! One thing that we love most is our backyard! We love all of our trees,that provide shade and privacy, we love our grass that the kids run & play on everyday, and most of all we love that our family and friends can enjoy it too! Last month we threw our 1st Barbecue on Memorial Day!

We invited all my family since Mr. Wonderful's family was out of town. Only two of my siblings and their mates could make it.

The weather was great, smiles were on everyone's faces, we relaxed on the deck, and just enjoyed each other.

My kids always love when family is over & yummy food is in hands reach!

My Sister's boyfriend has a lot of experience on the grill & we could sure taste it!

I brought out some summer salads early. I made a tortellini pasta salad for the 1st time!

I also whipped up a broccoli salad!

And what is a Barbecue without watermelon!?

I write this blog post to not flaunt but to boast in what God has given our family. I prayed many years for this house. I know that this specific house was given directly from him. We both heard God say that he would give us a house to serve and show his love to everyone who walked through our doors. I truly believe that he put the specific desires in our heart of what we wanted in a house & what he gave us. He had a plan for us to use it for his glory. We pray and look to him for grace to always remember that this is just not a structure but a place for his love to reign .

I miss DIYing:Changing table turned small pantry

At first  I was very upset with this piece of furniture a.k.a  used to be my son's changing table. The color use to be a natural wood. It came with 3 drawers and the one cabinet space that is still in place.We purchased it from BabiesRus 4 years ago and it only gave us a good couple of months. The drawers would always get off track and after 3 years the drawers started to breakapart. I know furniture is not suppose to last forever but I thought that this piece should of lasted a little bit longer.

My husband had it in the garage trying to think of how we could get rid of it and then an idea popped in my head.

I was already looking for a small storage unit to keep items that were bulky from Costco. I realized that with some paint and material(stapled over where the horrible drawers onced lived) I could revive this wood structure to live in our kitchen!!!

This changing table turned into a small pantry was the last project I completed before my injury from a car accident. The car accident has left me with arm and hand pain that disables me to do things like this...for now. When I look at this in my kitchen I get mixed emotions. I love it & loved making it, but I terribly miss DIYing and transforming things with my hands. In this season of life I have to listen to my body and lay projects like this down. I am believing God to heal my neck injury completely, so that I will no longer have pain in my hands and arms. He can do it! I know he can!



Diaper Bath

This last weekend we showered my Brother In-law & his Wife with love & gifts! They are expecting their 1st baby next month! We are so excited to meet our new niece and my kids new cousin!!!

While looking through their registry I realized that no one had purchased any bath time items. The wheels in my head started to go and then came the idea of a Diaper Bath!

Items Used:

Baby Bath

1 pack of diapers

Ribbon

Cushion from an old throw pillow

Tape and rubber bands

Bath towels

Wash clothes

Bath MIT

Rubber Ducky

Teddy Bear with shower cap

Bubble Bath, water thermometer, diaper rash ointment(all not pictured)

It was so easy and fun putting it together. My Brother & Sister InLaw loved and appreciated it!

This is the first time I am writing about a Baby Bell that is not my own child. It feels so weird. I can't wait to make more things for the newest Baby Bell. A new baby is such a blessing not only to the parents but the whole family!!!

Potty Training or Demanding!?

My 2 year old has been asking to go potty for the longest. She loves to try to do whatever her 3 year old brother can do!
 I finally brought the Turtle Potty out of the garage when we had another episode of her declaring that she needed to potty like a big girl . She sat down on Mr.Turtle and then got up after a minute. There was nothing in the potty. I told her that it was fine that she did not go this time but when she eventually goes she would be rewarded with a special treat! She immediately sat down again after  hearing the word treat & went #1!!

The Boy and I clapped & screamed for the Girl!

I then realized that I didn't have any special treats on hand a.k.a M &M's!

I had to pull out the big guns and bake cookies!!! The Girl & Boy were so excited and could hardly wait!

I then put the cookies outside on the deck to cool off & the kids stared the cookies down as they waited!

It was then time for the Girl to take her 1st bite of a cookie as a Tot who had her 1st success on the Potty!

The Boy then had to show the Girl how to eat a cookie as fully trained Pottier!!!

Mr. Wonderful and I are not rushing this Want- To- Be Potty Trainer, but we will have M&M's on hand for future successes!!!

Looking in my closet 1st!

Lately I have been feeling like I really need more clothes. Does this feeling ever go away!? The problem is that in this season Mr. Wonderful and I are trying to save money. I have decided before I go summer shopping to look deep into my closet. I have used Pinterest to help me look.

I thought about this black skirt after spotting a black skirt roaming on Pinterest.

Black Skirt: Target

Top: NewYork &Company

Necklace: jcpenney

Here is the skirt I spotted on the lovely Pinterest:

Dear Kate helped me remember my purple pumps!!! I love hers & my own!!!

Purple Pumps: Burlington

Black Dress:Express

Black Cardigan: JcPenney

Necklace: Macy

Earrings: Old Navy

We had our 1st Barbecue in our backyard on Memorial Day and I wanted to wear shorts. The picture above reminded me of my denim jeans.

Denim Shorts & Top: Target

Necklace & Earrings: Target

Wedges: Burlington

I will keep on pinning in hopes to stop spending!!! My husband loves to hear that! Thank you Pinterest! I love Fashionistas Follow me & I'll follow you back!!! 

My Husband The Graduate

Last month was a big month for the Bell family!!!

My husband received his Masters in Psychology!!!!!!

Words really can't express how proud I am of him.

He not only did it but he did it well.

He had a busy and very stressful last 2 years.

He had a 2 hour commute to school, a 1.5 hour commute to his internship, and long hours of school work.

One thing that he never forgot in the midst of it was his family.

I never felt second towards his school work and I am pretty sure the kids did not either.

He would leave the house sometimes at 7 am and return close to 11pm.

He would always call the kids and I throughout the day with sweet messages and to check on us.

On his days off or when he would get off early he made sure to make us all feel important with his acts, words, love. We are so glad that we will have him more physically present .

The day before the graduation we took a 3 hour drive to the campus in Redding, Ca( my husband studied at the extension).

There was a reception for my husband and his Cohort the Eve of their graduation. Yes, he was one of only two guys in his class(the other guy was not able to make the reception).

It was nice to see him get personally recognized.

The kids wanted to show him some attention too!

My family and the In-laws enjoyed meeting his professors and classmates in the sun.

It was hot!

Afterwards we went to a local pizza spot.

Let's just say the place and the people were pretty interesting.
One of the songs that was song on the open mic went like this: "My life sucks, my life sucks,my life sucks....".

I researched it before we went and the place got 5 stars on yelp!?

The kids loved it and the pizza was great !!!

The next day after the graduation we went to a Steakhouse and it was really nice!!!

Everyone loved this place and the food.

We took time to honor the graduate with gifts.

He in return gave a great speech of gratitude.

It was a nice traveling event for my husband 's graduation.

 We were so amazed that our family took time out of their schedules to make a weekend trip.

The next day was our 6 th Anniversary so we were able to leave the kids with their grandparents.

 Mr. Wonderful and I drove to San Francisco for a 2 night stay in celebration of 6 amazing years!!!!