In a Nutshell: Bean and the Lack of Pictures

This week we have done a lot. The week was a weird mix of trying to enjoy the last bits of Summer and being tired of Summer and trying to get back some normalcy before school starts. 

We played outside. We went to the pool. We got more stuff for school. We cleaned. The boys had a couple of late nights. I sewed. I canned green beans. I organized a bit.

None of this was photographically documented. Nope. None of it.

Another area of photography that I feel I am slacking in, is capturing all of the sweet moments we are having with Bean.

With Oldest, every, and I mean EV-AH-REE thing was captured on film. 

Capturing the kiddos has digressed with each new Little Man.

So my sweet Bean hardly has any proof of his baby existence.

Which is such a terrible, terrible shame. 

He is lovely and sweet. Smiley and giggles abound from him. 

From now on I have every intention of  just snapping photos like a crazy woman...well crazier woman...

I am going to not care if the shot is inside or at night with no natural light. I am not going to care if the moment can't be captured all professional photog like. After all, not every photo can be uber great, and I am tired of missing parts of their lives because it won't make a awe-inspiring photo.

So Bean's photo files on the computer should be bustin' soon. I might even share some with you.

For now, here is a little video of my unbelievably cute Bean. Enjoy Grandmas and Grandpas, this is for you. Notice the Little Men noise in the background!

VIDEO fixed...SORRY EVERYONE.

So cute.

Chicken Gyros

Years ago Hubby came home with a recipe that he got from someone he worked with.

He raved, and raved, and raved some more.

He loved these Gyros.

I attentively listened. I filed the recipe away. AND I am such an unbelievably awesome and devoted wife that two plus years later I finally made them for him.

Yeah I am pretty awesome.

After we made these gyros I was pretty mad at myself for letting the recipe go unremembered in my recipe box for so long.

These babies are Yuuhhhummy. Did you get that?

They are yummy.

The gyros were light and fresh.  This was the perfect Summer meal. Fresh veggies. Grilled chicken. Cucumber sauce. Yum...oh wait I already said that.

We just made them and they are already on the menu again.  We have fresh veggies from the garden (not ours by the way...ours was pretty much an epic failure this year...I will talk about that another day)...by garden I mean Bountiful Baskets, so it is pretty much our fresh vegetable duty to make them again.

I promise it won't be a bad idea to put this recipe in your recipe box. Just make sure you don't forget about it.

Chicken Gyros

2-3 chicken breast cut into strips
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
2/3 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon dill

flat bread
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes

Combine lemon juice, oil, 3/4 teaspoon garlic, mustard, and oregano in a Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Marinate for 1-3 hours.

Squeeze the excess water from the cucumbers. Then in a small bowl combine cucumber, yogurt, dill, and remaining garlic.

When chicken is done marinating, remove from bag and discard bag with marinade in it. Grill chicken in a saute pan.

Serve chicken on flat bread and top with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber sauce.

Enjoy!

Sharing:
Craft O Maniac Monday: Craft O Maniac
Making Monday Marvelous: C.R.A.F.T.
Made By You Mondays: Skip to My Lou
Just Something I Whipped Up: Project Inspire
Melt in Your Mouth Mondays: Make Ahead Meals
Take a Look Tuesdays: Sugar Bee Crafts
Craft and Tell: Cherished Bliss

A Pinteresting Wednesday: Bubble Bath Paints

Have you ever had one of those days where by the end of said day you can't recall really sitting down the whole day? One of those days where you are pretty sure smoke is coming from your ears and not out of anger but out of a blown fuse in what used to be your brain.

I had one of those days. Amazingly enough it was still a really productive day. I got a lot done, but they were all surprise projects. Tasks more like it. So I had not prepared for them, pumped myself up if you will. There was no self-induced pep talk to start my tasks off right.

For that reason, as I type this out my brain is having trouble conversing with my fingers and you are lucky that the post doesn't start looking like this..djapiob sjiw lsj;oigj jjjjjzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

PS that was my head hitting the keyboard from instantaneous uncontrollable slumber.

Since I am 30 seconds away from having a perma indent on my forehead in the shape of a space bar, I am keeping this little post short and sweet.

Here we are on A Pinteresting Wednesday. The day of the week where I share a completed project from one of my Pin Boards. One of the thousands of projects I have good intentions of doing/trying. Hehehe.

This was a very recent pin. LIKE I saw it, pinned it, and did it all in 30 minutes.

What can we glean from this?

This project is SUPER easy.

Not only was is super easy, but it was an immediate hit with the bath-taker in our house.

I mean what kid doesn't like Bubble Bath Paint.

All you need to gather is:

1 bottle 15 oz baby bath wash (clear)
7 TBS cornstarch
small containers
food coloring

Simple. Now mix cornstarch into baby bath wash until well mixed. Pour the mixture into separate containers...these are about 1 cup containers and I filled four.

Mix in a couple drops of each color. Stir well.

Put lid on and wait until bath time...if you can.

Little wanted to take a bath immediately. Thank heavens I talked him into waiting until after dinner and when Hubby was home.

The paint can be used with a paint brush or with their hands.

Good times had by all.

I give this project a happy, if somewhat exhausted, two thumbs way up.

How has your pinning been going? My pin boards grow by the hour day. So many good ideas, so little time.

Now off I go to snuggle with Hubby on the couch and fall asleep watch some TV.

High Waist Maxi Skirt from Bed Sheet

Remember here how I promised I had another project to show you that I made from a bed sheet?

Tada!

Have I ever mentioned that I could wear skirts everyday of the week?

Tada, Tada!

I have had this sheet for at least a year. I picked it up on clearance. Tons of different projects have been assigned to this sheet. However, time and time again I pushed all of them to the back burner.

I know why now. Subconsciously, I knew that this skirt was in my future.

Hahaha, that is totally realistic right?

It just took awhile for my brain to catch up to this fabric. I mean how could I miss it just begging to be made into a high waist maxi skirt with pockets.

I have been all about high-waisted skirts lately. I recently made a stripped summer skirt. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE maxi skirts. I have several stretchy ones, but recently I have seen quite a few more lady-like ones.

So again, as this sheet was speaking to me saying, "I am a skirt, I am a skirt!"...Is anyone else worried sheets are talking to me? Did I mention I do not get tons of sleep...you know with the baby and all?

Anywho, thanks to the talking sheet and my love for both high-waisted and maxi skirts, I was bound to come up with this idea.

It really was inevitable.

I may or may not have already busted out a couple. This skirt is super easy to make. Since it is made from a sheet, some of the work is already done for you. Woohoo, just how I like it.

Another bonus, these sheets only cost $5 a piece. Add a zipper for just over $2 and you have a $7 skirt. A fabulous looking $7 skirt.

All you will need:

1 twin flat sheet
1 coordinating invisible zipper
coordinating thread

After taking out your sheet, find the top of the sheet. Cut off the entire top. This will be your waistband. An instant waistband. Woohoo. Measure around your waist where you want your skirt to hit. Add 1/2". Then cut that length from the top strip.

Next take the rest of your sheet. If it is not already folded in half side to side, then fold it in half. Measure how long you want your skirt. Measure from your waist to just below the ankle. Subtract the height of the waistband. Then add an inch at the bottom for the hem.

Cut the length from the folded sheet.

Then cut the sheet in half along the fold.

For the skirt piece, I didn't quite double my waist measurement. I didn't want it that poofy. It probably worked out to be 1 and 1/2 times the measurement of my waist. I actually just kept the original width of the sheet. If that works for you, then set aside one rectangle of your cut in half sheet.

Fold the other piece in half lengthwise. Cut along the fold again. These will be the back two panels.

If the width of the sheet will be too much, made the necessary adjustments to the front and side panels.

When all is said and done you should have a larger front panel, and two smaller and equal sized back panels.

Now it is time to make the pockets.

With the left over sheet material still folded in half, place your hand so that it is in a way that would comfortably fit in a pocket. Trace liberally around it. Cut out. There should be two pieces.

Then reverse the pocket and cut out another one from the sheet. Now you should have two more pieces.

Four pieces in total. Two complete pockets.

Pin each individual pocket piece to the pieces of the skirt. Two pockets for the front panel and 1 each for the back panels.

Measure down from the top 4 1/2" and pin the pocket to the skirt right sides facing.

Sew the pocket piece to the skirt panels.

Once the pockets are all attached to the panels. Pin the two back panels with pocket pieces to the front panel with pocket pieces.

They should match up. Remember when sewing around the pockets to sew around the outside not straight down the side seem.

After you are done attaching all the panels you should have one long piece without the back panels sewn to each other.

Now is the time to attach the waist band.

First sew along the top of the skirt with a basting stitch. Then gather. Gather so that the skirt piece is the same width of the waist band. Also make sure that the panels are gathered evenly, so that the pockets are on the sides of the skirt.

Pin the waist band and skirt pieces right sides together. They will be pinned at the raw edges. Start by pinning the mid point of the waist band to the middle point of the front panel. Again, this will help make sure that the pockets are in the right place.

Sew in place, giving enough of a seam allowance to cover the gathering stitch. Mine was about 5/8".

Now time for the zipper. Whew...

I am new to zippers and still feel lame-o at explaining how to do it. Luckily I have the easiest tutorial that I follow when I sew in a zipper.

HERE is that tutorial.

Maybe you already know how to sew in a zipper like a pro...I am jealous and bow down to your sewing superiority.

I sewed in my invisible zipper and then finished the skirt by sewing the back to panels together with a 5/8" seam allowance.

One lady like skirt done.

Imagine that. All from a inexpensive sheet from The Mart.

I am now obsessed with looking at sheets. I just can't stop myself from perusing the bedding aisle every time I go now. A whole new world has opened up.

I hope you take time to notice the lovely sheets around you now.

Sharing Here:
Craft O Maniac Monday: Craft O Maniac
Making Mondays Marvelous: C.R.A.F.T.
Made By You Mondays: Skip to My Lou
Just Something I Whipped Up: Project Inspire
Take a Look Tuesdays: Sugar Bee Crafts
Craft and Tell: Cherished Bliss

Back to School Shopping

The time of year is here.

The time where displays of crayons, glue, markers, rulers, pencils, and paper meet you as soon as you walk in any store.

Clothing stores start teasing and tempting you with fabulous sales on the newest jeans, tees, hoodies, socks, and shoes.

Back to school shopping!

I have such fond memories of the end of every summer growing up. As summer came to a close, I could be found skipping through the store loading up with all the necessary school supplies...it paints quite the picture, huh?

Even when I got older and was an oh-so-mature college student, I LOVED buying school supplies.

College school supplies were made even more exciting by the need to purchase big ol' text books.

Yup, I even loved buying text books. Yup, I am weird.

For years after I was done with school, in a mild depression I would wonder the store at back to school time. I was a little blue that I had no reason to buy school supplies.

I was not so blue that I wanted to enroll in school again. Nah. I still have nightmares I am back in school. So I will pass.

However, I still missed buying school supplies.

Then a couple of years ago I got to rejoin the supply-buying masses. Oldest was in school. Yipee!

So I loaded up on all the regulars:

crayons
pencils
glue
markers
paper
kleenex
wipes

I now floated through the store in school supply bliss (my bliss may end every year when the total comes up on the register...but I try not to let it ruin my love affair with school shopping).

Fast forward some years and this year brings even more excitement.

I am now shopping for TWO students.

All the supplies you could dream of...plus it seems a little extra. Is it just me or does it seem like we are supplying enough items for 3 students? I am just saying, I don't think my Kindergartner is going to use FOUR 24 pks of crayons.

Now as much as I love school supply shopping, there is another back to school shopping I love more.

Back to school clothes shopping!

I heart it. I just love restocking the boys' closets. I love putting together a special first day of school outfit.

I love new jeans.

A pile of nicely folded new tees make my heart sing.

Then there are new shoes. Sigh. After a summer of wearing flip flops, it is lovely to bring out a sporty pair of lace-ups or a causal pair of slip-ons.

Shirts from Target 

Love it.

If I could, I would go back to school clothes shopping crazy. I love mixing and matching different items to make pretty much the most awesome boy outfit.

It takes some time. It take some skill (if I do say so myself). It takes some patience.

Shopping for boys is WAY harder than shopping for girls. The availability of to.die.for boys clothes is slim.
Oh you can find an awesome item here and there, but hardly ever can you find an entire outfit.

Especially if you are on a budget. I mean I love Target and all, but their selection for boy's clothes isn't even that great all the time.

I love to "window" shop for my boys online. You know when you peruse all your favorite sites, even the ones you can't afford, and put together what you would buy if you had a mountain of money. A Scrooge McDuck vault of money to swim in if you will.

Recently in a momentary hallucination that I was Scrooge McDuck, I kind of went crazy and put some outfits together for my boys. I even put them together story board style for my organization and viewing pleasure.

It was a little addicting to put together ultra awesome outfits. I had the giddy claps after several of the outfits.

I don't want to hog all the giddy blissness, so I am sharing my boy outfits with you.

Here are my favorite so far. I put the links to all of the clothing items underneath each outfit just in case you have a little man you need to dress for school and you have a vault of money that you occasionally swim in.

ENJOY!

This is my absolute favorite. Trying to figure out a way to 

justify buying this outfit.

Marvel Shirt: Zara

Stripped Shirt: GAP

Yellow Puff Vest: GAP

Skinny Jeans: Old Navy

Red Sneakers: Zara

This outfit is super cool and laid back. LOVE those shoes. All this

outfit needs is a knit beanie.

Gray V-neck Tee: GAP

Purple Plaid Button-up: Old Navy

Jeans: GAP

Black Hightops: Old Navy

This for sure is the most expensive and day-dreaming outfit.

I mean I did include TOMS after all.

Gray Stripped Shirt: GAP

Skull Sweater: GAP

Blue Puff Vest: GAP

Skinny Stretch Jeans: GAP

Black TOMS

For a little reminiscence of our good old Ohio, here is 

a Go Buckeyes outfit. Hubby will appreciate this one.

Ohio State Shirt: GAP

Red Plaid: GAP

Gray Pants: GAP

Gray Slip-Ons: GAP

Red Watch: GAP 

I already have some more outfits in the works. So excited. Almost enough to make up for the fact these will never see the boys' closet. Hahaha.

Happy back to school shopping friends!