Hear Me Roar!

This goes along with yesterday's post. A parent by definition is “a protector or guardian.” Let’s break it down even more; a protector is one who protects or defends. Think of a mother bear and her cubs in potential danger.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="478" caption="You think you're going out dressed like that?! Think again, sista!"][/caption]

 Yikes.

A guardian is a person who preserves. To preserve something means to keep safe from harm or injury; to protect or spare. See below:



Notice how mama is all up in their business and looking around. These little cubs seem pretty alert, but not all cubs are. Like this little cub:



Totally taking a snoozer, but the mom is business. Come at her kid, see what happens.

So basically our job as parents is to keep our children safe from harm or injury, whether that injury is physical, emotional, or mental. We need to do everything within our own ability to set up boundaries for our children regardless of what other parents are doing. Values people!

'Tis the Season

'Tis the season! but actually not for another 3 months. I'm just getting ahead of myself. I see Christmas full of glittery things. I love glitter and shine. Obviously, Christmas isn't about shiny stuff, but it is probably my most favorite holiday to decorate. Even when I lived with college girls who did nothing but whine about their hair and latest non-boyfriend, who didn't give two cents about holiday decorating or even cleaning for that matter, I still decorated.

One year I bought a little, three foot Christmas tree with miniature blue, pink, and silver glitter ornaments. I loved it. Then one year I lived with some girls (who mostly did like to clean and decorate!) and we inherited a huge, old, fake Christmas tree from a co-worker who was going to trash it; complete with ornaments! but then my little, three foot Christmas tree had nowhere to live--so I gave it to a friend who I pretty much forced to celebrate Christmas with some decor. I don't think he minded. Maybe.

I am determined to make some little glitter Christmas trees this year. I don't think we are planning on getting a real-fake tree until we actually live in our real house. So I'm trying to think 'small decorating'.



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="is it weird that I really just love that there is a single ornament hanging in a frame?"][/caption]



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="These are just super adorable, unique ornaments"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Sheet music ornaments."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Chipboard ornaments. Cover in your favo paper and various stuffs. Yes, I think I might do this and make a little garland!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Framed chalkboard--you can even use it outside of the Holidays!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="I love that these "trees" are in little flower pots"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="495" caption="I absolutely adore these. You could probably easily make them. If you don't have a tree hang them on doorknobs! or even from your rearview mirror. Bring Christmas to the car--oh yeah!"][/caption]

Or if you're feeling really crafty you could try this out:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Ornaments...made from BUTTONS!!!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Little button wreath. So cute!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Beaded snowflakes. These could also make a super simple/cheap gift."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Beaded letters! Love them. Could also make cute/cheap gift."][/caption]

So many ideas! Now. To think of which ones to do. Oh! and time to start thinking about Christmas cards! I've never done a Christmas card...my Baby Brain (aka pregnancy brain) is turning.

Bringing Classy Back

This has nothing to do with remodeling, redecorating, or designing anything. Kind of...I just had an epiphany that it sort of does: Remodeling our children. This post though is more specifically our girls.

Yeah, I'm not a parent yet, but I still have opinions on parenting. Maybe that isn't allowed. Regardless, I still have them. Today is one of those days where I'm all like, "Are you for real right now?" and yes. It's for real.

Let me begin:

How is it okay to let our daughters walk around like mini-hookers? So what if they are pretty—they look like strumpets in their frilly miniskirts and disco off the shoulder tops, with their glitter blue eye shadow and their fishnets and their boots. Even if she happens to be wearing tights with her black leather mini, neon leopard top and heels, guess what? You can see through tights. and she better not bend over or everything is going to come tumbling out.

If my daughter walked out of the house looking like some hungover rock-star chic (sorry Ke$ha) I would pray I was blind and deaf and that I had no accountability for what she wore. The thing is the majority of parents out there aren’t blind. Are you lazy? Scared? Do you honestly not care that I can pretty much see your daughter’s butt cheeks hanging out of her skirt as she walks away? You should be ashamed. I'm ashamed just looking in her general direction.

I’m a 23 year old Misses (Like, Mrs.). Saying woman makes me feel old, but my age clearly states that I can no longer claim the title of “girl.” I would say lady, but I feel I'm just a few notches short of classy to be called a lady. (I mean have you heard me speak?)  I must admit I wore a miniskirt once, and it only took those few hours to make me feel cheap, vulnerable, and gross. (If my parents are reading this, they probably just puked in their own mouths). That one time was after I had moved away from my parent’s house, and there was no way in this universe I would have ever left the house wearing a miniskirt. For good reason. No, I didn’t get hollered at, no one honked when I walked by, and no one tried to rape me. Instead, I got totally eye-groped. It was uncomfortable and I hated it. From that moment I never wore a miniskirt, or even short skirt again. My body is mine fool, back off. From that I gained a few ounces of self-respect.

Why on earth would we allow our daughters to dress in a fashion where they could potentially feel like a toy? Why would we, as parents, pay for the trash they are wearing? Why would we allow our sons to date girls who dressed like they were working the night shift on the corner?  We are parents, not best friends. We are mentors, not sidekicks. We are the bosses, not the interns.

It is possible to be pretty and appealing as opposed to pretty and sleazy. Let’s bring classy back people and teach our daughters (and ourselves) some self-respect.

Holla!

Put some clothes on.

Skeletor.

I just want to post some "before" and "middle" pictures. We aren't to the "after" yet, but hey. We've got pictures of the skeleton! Considering it has been just a little over three months since we bought the house I think we're doing pretty good. *Pat self on back* yay!

Heads up: This is a super long post, mostly filled with pictures. Enjoy!

The Living Room:

[caption id="attachment_439" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_458" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="now"][/caption]

The Other Living Room:

[caption id="attachment_441" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_459" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="now"][/caption]

The Bathroom:

[caption id="attachment_442" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_478" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

We also extended the bathroom by about a foot so the tub won't be crammed into the wall like it is in the "before" picture.

The Dining Room:

[caption id="attachment_440" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_479" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

We knocked out the wall dividing the kitchen and dining room to make it one big room. (see second picture below!)

The Kitchen:

[caption id="attachment_444" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_480" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="now"][/caption]

We extended the ceiling and it feels so open!

[caption id="attachment_445" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before (wall dividing kitchen and dining room)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_479" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now-same pic as above, I know, but just so we all have a visual."][/caption]

Mudroom:

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_481" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="now"][/caption]

We will be putting the wall back to recreate the 4th bedroom, but the door will go through the kitchen/dining area instead of through the mudroom. We had to take out the "before" wall to rip up all the rotting particle board. (ew.) Now we just have to sheet over this floor so we can eventually tile.

Bedroom 1:

[caption id="attachment_447" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_483" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

Yes, My Honeypie is trying to blend in with the wall. We ripped out the closet and we will build built-in bunk beds where the closet used to be. Don't worry people, we are putting in a closet again, just somewhere else. Stand by.

[caption id="attachment_449" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_484" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

Let me explain what this is. That thing in the middle of the room is the second bathroom we are adding in. To the left is where we will replace the closet we took out. I don't have a picture of the whole room (durh), but it is still a very decent sized room. yay!

Bedroom 2:

[caption id="attachment_452" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_451" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_485" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="in between the "before" and the "now""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_486" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

Our bathroom! I am so very excited for this. Very.

Bedroom 3:

[caption id="attachment_454" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="before"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_487" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="now"][/caption]

We are moving right along!

A Place to Stash All Yo' Kids.

I come from a family of 8 kids, and My Honeypie comes from a family of 11. Yeah...ELEVEN. We haven't decided how many kids we want...so far we are just working on the one. About that one kid; it's a dude (aka a "boy" for those of you who don't speak Alisha) and he is due January 15, 2012. Yay! We shall call him Baybaycae! (bay-bay-KAY) when referencing him from this moment on-BBC for short.

So the question is this: when you have so many kids....what do you do with all of them? Like, where do they sleep? Our families definitely did not have single rooms for each and every one of their children. With that many kids your house would have to be a mansion. So not practical. Even if you had enough rooms for all your kids, why would you give them all their own room? I'm all for kids sharing rooms. I was lucky enough that I only had to share with one other sibling, so it wasn't a big deal.

What happens if you have more than two siblings sharing a room? (besides chaos.)

Two words:
BUNK BEDS.
Holla!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="297" caption="For a small, difficult space"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="stacked three high!"][/caption]

and the thing is, you don't have to buy the bunk beds. It's probably pretty hard to find one that exactly fits your space/style/budget. This is where Ana White comes in...

She's this totally awesome furniture maker and she posts her plans (and lets others post theirs) for free! I love free! If you click here you can find all sorts of plans for bunk beds.

So good!

I Shall Love You Today

"I shall love you today and tomorrow, my love
And in all the tomorrows there are.
I shall love you as long as there lingers a song,
And the sky has a single star.
In the spring when the wind is a gentle breeze
And the rain and the roses are here;
In the summery days when the friendly rays
Of the golden sun appear;
In the lonely lap of the autumn months
Where the beautiful leaves must fall,
And again in the night when the fields are white
In the folds of their wintry shawl.
I shall love you while ever a mountain stands
And the waves of the ocean pass,
And until the sands of the farthest lands
Have run through the hour-glass.
I shall love you as much as my heart can love
Wherever, my love, you are.
I shall love you as long as there lingers a song,
And the sky has a single star."
-James J. Metcalfe

This has just become my new favorite poem. It's so lovely! One of my sisters-in-law just had a baby shower and I used this poem to make a mixed media sumthin'-sumthin' for her and her little girl on the way.

It started as this

then this...(her girl's color was purple)

and a bunch of this mess (not including the syrup)...

That is why I so need a craft room.

The poem. My Honeypie suggested and carried out the burning of the paper:

Some lace-y type remnants, a button, and a star bead that I've had for like, five years. The bead is kinda hard to see, it's that little gray thing off to the upper left of the button.

And we ended up with this:

Haha, I couldn't resist. He just didn't want to be in the picture.

Now, I know these aren't the best pictures, but I was going to be late and I still had to get my face on! Basically, you get the idea--Mixed media gift poem!