Chicken feeder...

I came up with this great idea, just wanted to share.  I used a chicken feeder, that I found in the garage, and I put my dish soap, hand soap and hand sani in. This prevents my window ledge from getting wet.  Amazing, right?

Red sky at night, sailor's delight...

So, as I was leaving my beautiful baby girl and dashing husband to go to work, we had the most stunning skyline.  So we took pictures.  Hope you enjoy, as much as we did. 

Pickers....

Just wanted to share this awesome pick we found.  One beautiful day we went for a family walk and saw this old milk jug laying in the dirt in some one's yard.  I told Jake I loved it so much and wanted to go back and ask the owner if I could have it.  To my surprise Jake came home one day with the milk jug.  He picked it for $10.  And I love it, I put fake flowers in it and it sits in front of our garage. 

Vault Denim Jean Party

I had a great turn out at the jeans party.  It was great to see all my friends and I scored three awesome pairs of jeans.  If you are interested just let me know.  They get new inventory all the time.  A girl can never have too many jeans.

A big thanks to Jamie!!!

Wow, Sawyer has received some beautiful handmade items and we received this one this weekend and just wanted to share it with the world.  So beautiful we love it and can't wait to cuddle with it.  Thanks Jamie!

So we decided to take some pictures, this was my mom's rocking chair she had for me.   I stole this chair as soon as I found out I was pregnant.  I decorated Sawyer's nursery around the chair, even bought a crib and changing table to match.  Notice the lovely afghan hanging on the back? 

What a cutie, she loved rocking back and forth it the big rocking chair.  Baby toes are the best.

Check out those big molars she has!  If you ask her to show you her molars, she will.  It's the cutest thing.

How could I post just one picture, when there are so many cute ones? This is her serious face, it makes Jake and I laugh.  I never want to forget it!

What a beautiful little girl we have.  Thanks so much Jamie, we love our new blanket, it matches her nursery perfect.  What a photo shoot too!

THE END!

Apple of God's Eye

This is a cute funky antique store in Bremerton, right next door to Ralph's Red Apple.  Sawyer's grandpa and grandma scored this awesome chair for her, for only $5.00.

Cute right?  We thought so, it will stay at their house.  It goes quite nicely in their living room.

6722 Kitsap Way, Bremerton, WA 98312

(360) 479-1093

New year, new door decor...

Since my paper wreath turned out too nice to put outside, I researched and got a great idea from take heart blog and made a yarn wreath.  It is also a new year and I need new decor for the front door.  I also went to costco yesterday and to my surprise found my favorite flower, yellow chinese mums...so I had to buy them.  I am also hosting a Vault Denim Jean Party this Saturday and wanted a sweet welcoming front door.  Last weekend we also pressured washed the house.  It took a beating during that wind storm and I wanted to start fresh with a new wreath.

Parenting 101

1.)  Everything is a phase.  Just when you think you can't take any more fits or sleepless nights....it gets better and you will miss doing the things you once prayed would end.
2.)  Tend to your child when they cry, even though everyone will tell you to let them cry.
3.)  Cuddle, as much as you can.
4.)  Say something good to your child ten times as much as you correct or scold them.  Complimenting them in front of people only multiples it.
5.)  Be patient. Be kind. (They will see this and copy you.)
6.)  Take naps with them.  You will always have chores, you won't always have a baby.
7.)  Read parenting books, but do it your way.
8.)  Listen to people's advice, you don't have to take it.  Don't let other people get to you, if you have to shut out the world for a while, do it.
9.)  Breathe.  Expect the worst,  then when it's not too bad, you will be surprised.
10.) Brush their teeth, even if they hate it.
11.) Kiss them, on the lips.
12.) Hug them, tightly.
13.) Protect them, follow your instinct.
14.) Take pictures, often.
15.) Get their vaccines.
16.) Breastfeed, as long as you can.
17.) Read to them at least once a day.
18.) Let them play outside, let them get dirty.
19.) Don't hit, slap or spank....ever.
20.) Enjoy them and treasure the company.
21.) Let them help.
22.) Pick your battles, life really is too short.
23.) Redirect them, instead of saying NO over and over again. (This actually works!)
24.) Love them unconditionally.
25.) Thank God everyday, for his beautiful gift to you.

Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done.  My beautiful Sawyer Jean is already over one year old and I can't believe it.  It was quite an adjustment but we are getting better and I am learning how to be a better mommy everyday.  These are some guide lines I have found helpful.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Sawyer.

I never want to forget how she uses, "more" in sign language.

I never want to forget her Mmmmh....kisses, from across the room.

I love how she rubs my mole on my face and turns my head from side to side with her tiny little hands.

I never want to forget her tiny little hands, when she falls asleep in the car seat and makes two chubby little fists.  I like how she says..."oooohhh". and always points at my nose ring and earrings.

If she bonks her head, she grabs her head and say "aawwhhoo" (then rubs it and sticks out her lips).

I like how she makes car sounds then grabs her purse and keys and says "ba-eye".



Our first Auction...

Some of our favorite shows are Pawn Stars, Auction Kings, American Pickers, Antiques Roadshow and recently Storage Wars.  So the other day we googled and found two auctions in our area.  One was Stokes Auction off Highway 16 in Port Orchard, which we kind of knew about but neither of us had been to.  The other one that we found is West Sound Auction, right in Belfair off the main highway.  And they just so happened to have their monthly auctions this weekend.  All the items are online to view before going to the auction, which is pretty cool.  West Sound Auction actually has an auction every Friday but they have one big auction per month with antiques and firearms, this one you can even bid online.  We had fun but after an hour and a half Sawyer was ready to go.  She actually did pretty good.  She played with another kids toys, we shared a hot dog, I actually almost had her asleep in my wrap.  Between the auctioneers voice, and me rocking her back and forth, I thought I had it, but no she's too smart to fall asleep and miss a minute with us.  So we left early, none of the items we wanted to bid on were even close to bidding.  We just wanted to get our feet wet anyways.  But this table caught us off guard and sold for a steal at $35.  We kicked our selves all the way home because we would have taken it home for $40.

It had some scratches but with some sanding and some stain it would have been beautiful.

There was a box of old napkins, crocheted table runner, handkerchiefs, and some miscelaneous cotton items, I originally saw online but when I saw at in person I changed my mind.  There was also a box of antique shakers, one set were a pair of owls (which are making a comeback) but ended up going for over $50. 

My mom collects salt and pepper shakers and I would have gotten them for her if they went for a reasonable price.  Now that I think about it, my mom doesn't collect s and p shakers, I just buy them for her.  She probably has over 20 pairs, all from random places I have been.  She almosts need another shelving unit for them.  This kind of reminds me of how my grandma, Nancy would make me lemon bars, and I don't know how she got it in her head that I liked them?  I would eat one, but there are other sweets I would eat over a lemon bar.  My poor mom, what is she going to do with all these shakers? 

There were two items I really wanted.  One was this antique thermos, in awesome condition.  We missed the bidding on this one, but went for only $12.  Makes me want to cry.  It's that beautiful Martha Stewart green.  All I have to say is bummer.

The other piece I really liked was this antique coffee bean grinder.  Which sold for $60.  Way out of my price range, but freaking cute.  That royal blue print will never go out of style, in my opinion.

Even though we didn't come home with anything, we had a blast.  We definitely learned a lot and plan to go to more.  We scouted and got a feel for everything.  There were also many guns too, which Jake is into. 

More Snow....

So, every year I forget it always snows on my birthday...or at least there is snow on the ground.  As predicted we got snow.  So Jake, Sawyer and I got all bundled up to take a walk to Bear Creek Store, at eight last night.  Sawyer loved it, she walked the whole way, like a big girl.  It was probably only twenty minutes or so, but it was one of those memories I just wanted to put on pause.  Sawyer gets so excited her mouth moves but no words come out.  Jake and I can't stop smiling because she is so cute.  Barb, who works at the store was so kind to take our picture.  I just love Sawyer, her Mmmm....kisses and how she loves to pick up snow and put it in her mouth.   She didn't even want to come inside.  The last three nights she has slept for over twelve hours.  I never thought I would be able to put her to bed giggling and smiling and her just go to sleep like a big girl.  She slept for like six nights in a row around thirteen months, but then she got out of the habit when we got colds after Christmas.  Now we are back on track and she's a wonderful sleeper.  Just looking back, I wonder how did we ever get through it? 





New party porch...

After having to get an entire new roof after the storm, we decided to add a covered porch to our house.  We didn't really have the extra money but figured we are making our house worth so much more in the end.  We pinched pennies and made it work.  We originally wanted a cedar pergola but decided to go big instead.  The finished product is beautiful and I am so lucky to have such a cozy home.  Jake come homes from work and just stares out the sliding glass door at it.  I keeping saying, I will like it when we get our savings account back up.  It really is stunning.  I am blessed to have such an amazing house.  I can't wait to decorate it and have a spot to hang out when we have people over.  I am thinking a couple rocking chairs, some birdhouses, maybe a big tin star on the house, lanterns with tea lights, I can't stand it. 

Paper wreath

Since every blog I ever look at has made a paper wreath.  I decided to put my craft skills to the test.  I bought a 8'' foam wreath from Michael's.  I torn up an old medical dictionary I had, three hundred pages or so and used twelve sticks on mini glue gun glue.  I only burnt my thumb once.  I am very proud of my project and it actually turned out better then I thought it would.  I wanted to replace my Christmas wreath on our front door, but my paper wreath turned out way too cute and deserves a home in doors.  After I spent an hour and a half working on it, I touched up a couple spots in the morning and ransacked the house for one tiny thumb tack.  I was so excited I couldn't wait to hang it up.  Finally after looking in every door, cabinets and tub I had, I realized I had some thumbs tacks in a zip lock bag in the tool chest.  Duh, where else would a thumb tack be?  Neatly placed in a zip lock bag, in the tool chest, in the garage, come on now.  Sometimes, I am too organized and I drive myself bananas because I can't find anything. 

I want a yellow door....

So ever since we bought our house, Jake and I have talked about painting our front door red.  A red door is welcoming and warm.  Our house is light blue with white trim, how lovely would a red door look? I even scouted out a house down the road, who recently painted their door red.  I gently knocked on their red door, admiring the color and the beautiful wreath they had hanging, to see if they would share the paint color with me.  Unfortunately, they weren't home.  Fortunately, this was a good thing, I felt a little more comfortable taking several pictures of this family's house.  I politely took pictures, then ran back to my car and acted like I was simply turning around in their driveway.  Then recently after reading a blog I follow....Stories from A to Z, a light turned on in the brain, actually it turned from a red light to a yellow light and something clicked.  Yellow is the new red, and yellow is my favorite color.  It was my wedding color.  How trend setting would we be with a beautiful bright canary yellow door on our cute three bedroom rambler?  I even considered naming my blog...the yellow door.  A married couple, with a one year old girl, making their house a home.  So I googled yellow door, finds out I wasn't the first one to think of this brilliant idea.  But I am still painting my door yellow.