My vanity is playing peek-a-boo. Indulge me for a minute.

So, friends, I have come to a realization. I might be thinking a little highly of myself when it comes to my blog. I enjoy writing it, and I am pretty confident that people enjoy reading it. So I've decided to do a little bit of "self promotion" so to speak. I am going to do a giveaway. Now, there is going to be a process involved with this giveaway, and it is not going to happen right this second. This is just a little forewarning so you all can prepare yourself for all the hard work involved with winning the giveaway prize.

Here is how it is going to play out.

First, I'm going to have to do some work. Because, like all good and wonderful things, nothing is free, and I have to get the prize in order to give the prize. Now, a friend of mine is a Product Thirty-One director, and she is having a little contest of her own. In which I will be participating. Starting on March 1st, myself and 11 other people will be "competing" to win between a set of prizes. In order to win a prize, we have to get AT LEAST $100 worth of sales, either of our own purchasing or from our friends. The person who obtains the highest number of sales gets first pick between the prizes, and there is an additional prize for every $100 spent. So say I get $200 worth of sales for this contest, then I get TWO prizes. If I sell more than the other 11 girls, then I get to PICK my first prize. And that my friends, is where my giveaway comes in. As I do this competition, I will be promoting my friend's business, and my blog. Because if I win a prize, that becomes the giveaway prize for my blog. See how this works?

So what does all this have to do with you and MY giveaway? Well, for starters, if anyone wants to help me win this Bunny Hopper contest, and places and order, you are automatically entered to win from the giveaway. So if that strikes your fancy and you LOVE Thirty-One products like I do, let me tell you how to place an order should you choose to. Unless you see me in person, most of you will have to place an order online. Starting March 1st, and ending on March 25th, you can go to this website: Joni's Thirty-One Website and click on the link My Parties. Look for the event titled "The Bunny Hop" (It's not there yet, but it will be!) to place your order and help me win! After all, who doesn't love stylish and organizational bags?? I personally am probably ordering these: Mini Utility Bins because Monster D has one, and I figure I'll get the Monster girls one each as well and then we'll always have bins to use as Easter baskets!! I mean, really, who doesn't love a multi-functional storage item? I'm also seriously considering these: Timeless Memory Pouches because for $5 you get two drawstring bags, and the large one alone is worth that! But my secret, ultimate desired item is this Home Organizer because if it screams organization, I'm all ears. Plus, I love dry erase boards, and this has one.

Ok, so I am shamelessly trying to sell you on all these items, mostly because, well, it is a goal of mine to have a contest through my blog. So my friends, THAT is one way you can enter to win. Buy an item (just not before the event, or it won't help me out!), and your name goes in the hat. If I draw your name from the hat, you win. Easy Cheesy.  The prizes I COULD get (which ultimately means YOU could get) are as follows: 

$25 in free credit

$25 of free credit and one 1/2 price item

1 of 3 "Hostess Exclusive" items. The hostess exclusive items are these: The Perfect Party Set, The Party Thermal, and The Rolling Tote. 

If you pay attention REAL closely, you can see that The Rolling Tote is a pretty spectacular item. Hey, I would love to get it for myself! I just never go anywhere. So fingers crossed my friends, that I get the highest amount of orders, because then I get to pick my prize, and you better believe that's the one I'd pick! Because that would be one heck of a giveaway prize! And all you have to do is order even just ONE  Thirty-One item, and you could be entered to win!

Now that I've explained to you the beginning stages of my giveaway process, I'm going to leave you hanging in suspense. Say what? You mean I'm not going to tell you the other ways you could win? Nope, I'm not. One, because I'm cruel, and two, because I want you to come back, keep reading, and keep looking for an update. See what I did there? ;)

Baby steps.

For the last four days now, I have been using a nifty little app on my phone. Some of you may have it. Some of you may think I'm wasting my time. Some of you may feel encouraged that I have (finally) taken this step.

I installed the My Fitness Pal app and have been logging everything I eat, and all of my activities for the last 4 days. It. Is. Depressing. Did you know that the serving recommendations on most (deceivingly) single person packaged foods is almost ALWAYS half of the container??? As a fan of the big cans of Campbell's Chunky soups, I figured while I was at the store last night I'd compare a can of Chunky Chicken Noodle to a can of Chicken with Whole Grain Pasta from the Campbell's All Natural section. 

Um, excuse me? Those things looked almost the exact same. Oh, and do not even get me started on the differences between the Campbell's "classic recipe" and "healthy kids" recipe. Why would they not just switch ALL of fun shaped chicken noodle soups to the "healthy kids"?? Good thing my girls like the Princess shapes, because watch out Scooby-Doo, your sodium levels are going to catch up with you one day!

All this shopping around and comparing my foods has been an eye opener. While at the doctors office the other day, I weighed in at 180 lbs (Yeah I'm sharing that info with you, keep it to yourself). This means that in the four months since my son was born I've only lost total...15 lbs? That sounds great until you remember that 7 lbs 8 oz of that weight was all him in there. 180 lbs is a doozy of a downer for me. I hate that number. That number can go straight to hell. I look in the mirror and I don't think I LOOK like a 180, but I am. Which of course makes me look at myself entirely different. It also makes me think about the way I eat. I stay at home, with access to all sorts of goodies in my pantry and refrigerator. You might think to yourself, well then why buy those things? Yeah, well see, about that, I don't eat junk food. Occasionally I will have some chips, but you won't find me just sitting at the table with Double Chocolate Fudge ice cream and a Twinkie. See, I like to snack on things like a handful of Cheez-Its, maybe roll up some turkey sandwich meat and eat that, and if I'm really feeling "snacky" I'll pop some popcorn. These things are not necessarily unhealthy. In fact, most of the snacks in my fridge could almost be considered "rabbit food".  People like to use the phrase "quality not quantity". Well this is my problem. When I shop I am more worried about the "quality" of my food (which is GOOD, hear me out) because I want my family to eat healthy. But as I am snacking throughout the day I am realizing that my quantity is pushing the limits. The first day I logged everything I ate for the day, I was flabbergasted. I ate THAT much food? With THAT many calories? 

This sucks friends. Because I can no longer feign ignorance to my eating habits. And now that I have mastered eating quality food, it is time to master the quantity of my food.

That process so far has been remarkably easy. It started with wanting my children to eat better (go figure). At each meal I began to reword our go to "You need to eat" phrases. Instead of "You better eat/finish your food" we say, "You only have to eat until your tummy is full, but you do have to try what Mommy cooked for you." This has not only taught them that they can tell us when they are full, but also, it has been the cause of them trying new foods. "What, I don't have to finish everything? Heck yeah I'll try a bite of this broccoli roll up thing that looks so gross. Wait a minute! I like this!" It works like a freaking charm, friends! We also talked to them about the importance of not eating after your belly is full. 

Which is good, because now Monster S reminds us at every meal. "Mommy, it looks like you are eating a lot of food. Are you sure your belly isn't full?" and "Daddy, remember, Mama told us not to eat after your belly is full, because then you'll get fat." Wise words Monster S, wise words.

However, in between meals it is more difficult. There are only so many different ways to keep yourself busy and entertained when you are holding a sleeping baby. It's just easy to eat when I'm bored. Sitting in front of my computer is only exercise for my fingers, and I'm not sure that really counts. Can you burn calories when you are typing a million words a minute? Not to mention, once I've done my general "pick-up" around the house, there usually isn't much cleaning left to be done. It would also be a lot easier to just go to sleep at night if my Monster Man would sleep too.

This is my dilemma friends. I need some exercises/workouts for the non-athletic. Workouts that I can do while I am cleaning. Until I've figured that out I guess I'll just have to shake my hips a little extra during my dance marathons with the Monsters.

Raise your glass (of water) my friends, to what I hope is permanent habit of eating the right foods, with only the occasional candy bar and bag of chips! I mean really, it is all about the baby steps, right?

It's Not For Nothing.

I have to remind myself daily, Daily, DAILY that it is not for nothing that I do the things I do every day. Some days it is hard to remember, hard to push myself to keep going, and to follow through with my goals.

I suppose I can expand on what I am talking about.

I am a stay at home mom of three wonderful, beautiful, absolutely rotten Monsters. Every day is very much the same as the last. Get up, make breakfast (a.k.a. pour cereal in a bowl), clean the kitchen, vacuum the floors, mop if I didn't do so the day before, pick up toys and laundry, throw away trash, make a snack, fold laundry, put up laundry, make lunch, and so on and so on. Each night ends with Monster D crying and screaming until bedtime, which doesn't come until I myself go to bed. Each day is filled with breaking up fights, drying tears, dishing out discipline, playing with my kiddos and addressing the constant needs of each of them. 

It is repetitive. It is sometimes dull. Some days it is maddening.

But it is not for nothing. 

I know this because yesterday, when we all went out to eat for lunch, my Monster girls were polite, calm, and ate their food. They weren't running around, or jumping in their chairs (ok, maybe a little, but they ARE preschoolers.), they used inside voices and said "please" and "thank you" to our waitress. They did not whine, they did not complain over their vegetables, and Monster S was able to recite back to me why it is important to not be rude when we're in public. I was so impressed, and for a minute I thought to myself "This is it. This is why I do what I do Every Single Day.
Yesterday, I was That Mom that every other mother envies on a bad day. The one that we often think to ourselves, "How the hell does she do it???" I want to say it was just luck, but really it's just that finally I have found a method that works with my girls. 

It was not always this way. I used to get irritated over the incessant "Why do I have to?"s and the "I don't wanna"s and even the "You can't make me"s. Let me tell you, I have learned a lot in the past year that I've been staying at home with my children. I have discovered that the older they get, the easier it is to explain to them why things are the way they are. When Monster S asks me why we have to do things, I tell her. No more of this "Because I said so" BS. I actually tell her why I do what I do. 

Monster S like to ask me all kinds of questions. "Mama, if I do this, am I showing respect?" "Mama, if I do this, am I being bossy?" "Mama, if I do this, is it nice or is it mean?"

How simply wonderful it is to watch my child learn the difference between right and wrong. To say "sir" and "m'am". To show respect. To repeat to other people why she likes to be good.

Of course, now it sounds like my girls are little robots. I swear they're not. They are just a product of my everyday frustrations and struggles. They are a product of their Mama learning things too. Like how to control my temper. That no matter how boring and repetitive cleaning and laundry is, it has to be done. That I am the example for my children, and I want them to grow up with kind hearts, and a clear conscious. Obviously there are many things that they will have to learn on their own, and many mistakes they'll have to make. But in the long run, I want them to want to be just like me, so I remind myself that it is not for nothing that I do what I do. It is important. It is vital for them to learn that even Mommy's work hard, and that everything I do is for them. It is everything.

Even if I don't always smile while I do it.

The Magic of Couponing.

Tonight was the first night of my couponing adventures. Ok, that is not entirely accurate. I have witnessed the magic before this night. I have seen the wonders of stacking, doubling, and buy one get one free sales. Until tonight, though, I had never been a "couponer" myself.

The first part of becoming a couponer was taking the plunge and buying a binder in which I could organize them. The second step was purchasing the coupons. Now, I have learned it is best to buy your papers in multiples. The first week I bought two papers, the second week I bought four. After three two-hour sessions of working on and organizing my binder, I was on a roll. For your viewing pleasure I have put together pictures of my binder in all its glory. We shall call it, "The Binder".

Here is The Binder. It is a 2 inch black basic 3 ring binder.

Inside of The Binder are clear pocket pages. I have some of the coupon style pages, but these are better, the same kind as used for storing baseball cards.

All of my categories are split using page dividers.

Lots of lovely coupons tucked into place.

The Health and Beauty section is one of the fuller categories.

I keep a list in the front of tips and tricks to remember. More on those later.

This is where I write out the rough draft of my list, in a notebook clipped in the back of the binder.

The final list from today's shopping trip.

So I went into Publix today with a list in hand, and all the coupons I needed for this trip already tucked into a pocket page in the front of my binder. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is fun to browse up and down the aisles to find good deals on the things that are on sale. I have seen how this is beneficial. But today, for me and my sister in law, we were on a mission to get in and get out because we both had families to cook dinner for. My list consisted of 5 or 6 different products, but totaled out to 24 scanned items. I say scanned items, because my butters were two packs, making my total items 28.

This was my long receipt. 

Here was my total. I paid  $7.30 :)

Here was my score!

Today while couponing I got as follows: 6 boxes of Nutri-Grain bars (assorted flavors), 4 16oz bottles of International Delight coffee creamers (for us addicts!), 6 Maruchan Yakisoba meals (glorified Ramen, assorted flavors), 4 2packs of Smart Balance butter, 2 Speed Stick deodorants, and 2 Nivea chapsticks. I saved $49.40!! The savings covered the cost of my 6 newspapers in triple. I've spent a grand total of $12 on newspapers, and this is not the only day I have saved. It is worth it friends! I was not a believer before, but now I am!

The Adventures of Monster L and the Big Girl Potty.

For some time now I have been subject of many disapproving glances, some backhanded comments, and even some direct inquiries about the bathroom habits of my 3 year old. Now, I should give you some back story. Monster S, my 4.5 year old, was potty trained very quickly within a week of turning 3. It was easy. But not at first. See, I started when she was about 2.5 trying to potty train her to no avail. So I, being the relaxed and stress free (read: borderline lazy) mother that I was, gave up. Said to myself and every one else, "She'll go when she is ready." and then she did. A few days after her birthday she told me she wanted to be a big girl and go in the potty, and it has been easy every since. 

So when I decided to skip the struggle of the 2.5 potty training stage with Monster L, I figured everyone would remember how it happened for me with Monster S. Apparently I was wrong. 

Suddenly I had to endure comments such as "When are you going to potty train that girl?" and "Well, my kids were potty trained by now." and even "Well gosh Mom, I guess you're going to let her go to school in diapers aren't you?" The kicker was, Monster L wasn't even three yet. In fact, she still had 4-5 months left before she would turn three when these comments started. 

Now I believe in parenting the way you want. Unless of course you abuse/neglect your child, or you are just plain stupid. Then I judge you with all my heart. That's my right as a human being. But what I was doing with Monster L was in no way abuse, neglect, or even stupid. Still, though, I had listened to these comment enough for it to do one thing. Piss Me the Frack Off. Yep, it pissed me off so much that I said "Screw this, I guess I'll force her." against my better judgement. So when Monster L stubbornly refused to go in the potty, going so far as to look me in the eye with her arms crossed while she peed on the floor, I became even more agitated. I urged her, pleaded with her, punished her when she intentionally went to the bathroom on the floor, and even, I'm ashamed to admit it, bribed her. 

Guess what. It Didn't Work.

Because I knew, deep down that when she was ready, she would do it. Other people's opinions did not (and still DO NOT) matter to me at that point. If my daughter wanted to stubbornly hold on to her diapers and claim "I are a baby!" then gosh darn it, I was going to let her. 

So some time passed, and Monster L was still wearing diapers at her birthday party, much to many people's dismay, and secretly to my delight. She knew what she wanted, and she stood her ground. She was not ready to be independent, and let go of being "the baby". 

Until one day about 3 1/2 weeks after her birthday, she told me she wanted to wear a pair of big girl panties. Yes, you read that right. SHE told ME, not the other way around. Suddenly, my days had become filled with  "Mommy I go potty!" and "Hurry Mama, come see, I have go potty by myself!" She was ready, and nothing could hold her back. Off she would go, running awkwardly down the hall, mastering holding her bitty bladder in until she got to the potty and put her Dora potty seat on the toilet. Once, poor Monster L couldn't quite get there in time, and off I had to go to console my poor crying child as she wailed "I not a baby, I are a big giiiiiiiirl!!!"

 Since then she has dropped down to approximately one accident a week, climbing up on the potty herself, learning to wipe by herself, and using the stool to turn on the bathroom light by herself.

We still use diapers at night, and Pull Ups when we go out in public. But all in all, I would say that it has been an absolute breeze potty training her. In fact, I can't even say that I've had to do much. She does it all herself, or Monster S swoops in to be the "awesomest big sister!" and help her little sister out. 

As for Monster L wanting to be a baby, that is a thing of the past. Now she "are a big girl!" and there's no turning back. 

Now if only we could master the proper uses for toilet paper....

I am back with a vengeance.

Alright suckers, it has been quite a while since I have actually posted anything, and I figured today is the today. Why today you ask? Because today has sucked. Beyond epic proportions. While it has gotten better as the day presses on, I am still having a hard time leaving a smile on this charming face of mine.

Today started nothing like it normally would. At 12 a.m. I was sitting up chatting on the phone with my Mumsie, and I was in a delightful, chatter-box kind of mood. I actually closed my eyes to sleep at about, oh I don't know, 1:30a.m.? Still in a good mood, and just tired enough to fall asleep when I closed my eyes. I would have gone to bed much sooner if I had known what I was going to wake up to.

6:30a.m. rolled around, and I awoke to a God Awful Sound. The dog was whimpering and whining to be let out. Highly unusual as my dog has been kennel trained for almost 2 years, and is on a schedule of being let out at approximately 9:30 every morning. So I got out of bed, flipped on the hallway light, and oh boy did the profanities start. My dog had pooped everywhere. And not the kind of poop that you expect to see when your dog has an accident. The runny kind that just goes everywhere. Clearly she had tried to hold it in, and couldn't. To top it off, since I apparently strike fear into the hearts of lovable creatures everywhere, she was terrified of how I would react. Not surprising as I merely tolerate the animals in my house, while the rest of my family adores them. Of course, I was pissed, but not at her specifically. I knew it was an accident. Clearly she cannot tell the difference between pissed at the situation and pissed at HER, because she immediately started peeing uncontrollably as soon as I stepped into the hall. And this only made me even more mad. Again, not at her, but at the situation. Because guess who had to clean it up. Me of course, because Husband was not home to take care of his dog, he was at work. (Which, he planned I'm Sure, because he should be psychic and know that his dog would do this!)

Anywho, I let the dog outside where she began to frolic in the rain. She had managed somehow to not step in a single ounce of her widespread mess, thank goodness. As she pranced around outside, I ended up on my hands and knees at 6:30 in the morning, cursing and mutter under my breath (all the while pretending that my anger wouldn't possibly be loud enough to wake the kids, Yeah Right!) about the stupid dog, her stupid mess, and this stupid, stupid day. It took thirty minutes, an entire roll of paper towels, and a good portion of my bottle of 409 to get it all up. Meanwhile my hallway smelled like...dog feces. Deeee-lightful.  This, of course, had to be what woke up Monster S from a dead sleep (because my cursing wasn't loud, I'm telling you I can mutter like a boss!) and she came out to see what was going on. At which point I was snapping at her to get back in bed, because it's still sleep time, to which she replied "Well then why are you awake?" Ok, smart aleck, touche. But she got back in bed. After a good ten minutes of hand washing, so did I. 

Next thing I know, the baby is awake. Right as I'm about to curl up under the blankets again, I see that Declan has blown out his diaper all over his favorite snuggle blanket. Monster Mama-0/Life-2. 

Eventually we are all asleep again, and I'm laying there with a crick in my neck from laying next to the baby. I  reach up to grab my phone and find the following text message from Husband "Our computer either has a virus or it has been hacked."

Oh Heck No. Somebody thinks they are funny. Sure enough I get to the computer and find it at the start up screen where you can log on to your user. We have never had a password to get in to our computer. I started frantically typing password after password, only to click on the "Password Hint" button. It was taunting me with this message: "You ain't gettin' in sucka!" So not only was the hacker unable to use proper English or spelling, they called me a sucker, which I obviously was for continuing to attempt to log on even after Husband told me it had been hacked. 

My day did not get much better friends. In fact, everything from that point on Pissed Me Off. Everything and Everyone. Except a handful of people who very rarely make me mad.
And apparently this day didn't just suck for me. Husband and our besties all suffered as well. So this day shall go down in history as on of the crappiest days yet for our little foursome. 

To end, I'd like to share a humorous story about my Monsters.

Driving home yesterday from the store, we passed Girl Scouts selling their cookies. One cannot pass up Girl Scout cookies when one has the money to purchase them. So we stopped, and we grabbed 4 boxes (yeah, yeah we're fatties). As Husband gets back in the car and hands me the boxes, I go to open my Thin Mints. Husband looks at me as I attempt to quietly peel back the cardboard flap, and says "You know as soon as you open that box up, the vultures will know." I make a face that says "Psh whatever" and I peel back the flap. My fingers brush the plastic wrapping that is encasing my delicious cookies, and suddenly the car goes quiet. Deathly still friends. I hear a sniff, and some movement from the backseat. Next thing I know Monster S's voice is right beside my ear saying "What do you have Mommy? What are you opening, can I have some?" My eyes meet Husbands and immediately I am afraid we will crash the car, as we are both laughing hysterically alongside the chorus of "GIVE ME SOME!"s coming from the Monsters in the back. It was so innocent, such a perfect moment of awesome timing on Monster S's part, that I am smiling even now thinking about it. 

Children are delightful, ladies and gents. As frustrating as they are on the bad days, it is moments like that one, in the car with my Monster Family, that makes me love my life so much more. 

It is moments like that, that I want to always remember. I'm back with a vengeance, ready to chronicle my latest adventures of children, organizing my house, and hopefully soon, my success with couponing and sewing! Stay tuned for more excerpts from my crazy little life!

A whole new world.

The Monster house is slowly but surely turning into a T.V. Free household. I can not with any certainty promise that it will be completely without the magic screen, but for now it is at least under control and maintained. Why, you ask? Because this Monster Mama has put her Monster minions on a strict schedule. Ok, so it is not the most strict of schedules. But it is better than it was, and already I am witnessing a dramatic difference in my children.

Not too long ago, my household just sort of ran amok. Doing what they wanted, when they wanted, and only accomplishing things in a rushed, stressful manner. After repeated days of tantrums, glazed eyeballs, and zero housework being accomplished, I set myself a goal. I decided that my family was going to go on a schedule. A loose, flexible if not just a general outline kind of schedule. This is what it has looked like around here this past week:

Between 8 and 9a.m.- get up, sludge on out the kitchen where the Monster daughters await their breakfast. At this point in time the three of use indulge in a bowl of cereal, and Monster Mama waits for the coffee and caffeine to kick in, immediately morphing into a happier human being.

9:30-10a.m. The first 30 minutes of t.v. time, while I begin daily chores.

10-12:30  Whatever activity entertains the Monsters while I continue the daily chores. This includes but is not limited to: playing in their room, coloring/general arts and crafts, story time (thanks to the delightful discovery of Sparkle Stories!), or helping me with chores. This is when the bulk of my "cleaning" gets done. I have successfully maintained at least the three main room of our house, while also (almost) keeping up with the laundry. 

At almost exactly (no more than ten minutes past) 12:30 it is time for lunch. The Monsters KNOW when it is time for lunch. Something about cereal does not satisfy their hunger most days, and they are always ravenous, starved tiny humans by the time lunch rolls around. Of course, this is an exaggeration, as I do not starve my children. They just think I do.

An hour later (because it takes that long to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, don't ya know) it is nap time. This has been a battle as my children have been out of the nap routine for almost six months. However, with some patience (read: hair pulling and the threat of losing Even More t.v. time) my children have managed to endure (read: conked out like they were born to sleep) naps like little champs. 

 Now this is the glory time. The time where it is just me, relaxing. Of course, by relaxing this means folding laundry while I myself try to make it through one episode of whatever show is in my Hulu queue. Monster Man typically is awake for all of this, making it damn near impossible to enjoy but more enjoyable than if all three of them were awake. Make sense?

After naps is the downward countdown to bedtime (go figure) of dinner, baths (if that wasn't included in the 10-12:30 slot that morning), and some more of their allotted t.v. time. Once 7p.m. hits, it's a party for Husband and I because we finally get to sit down and enjoy some quiet.

Who knows how long this will last. I pray it lasts forever, because I honestly do not think my household has run this smoothly in...well, the entire existence of my household!

Fingers crossed friends. This crazy little life has morphed into a whole new world. Now we just have to make it stick!  ;)

Sewing Success!

I finally pulled out my spiffy sewing machine last week and knocked out my first two projects. Now, on my "List It-Things to Do in 2013" page, I set myself a goal of sewing 5 things with my sewing machine. Technically I have already physically made two items, but only one of those items was on my list. But before I start talking about that list, I want to talk about my fun with the sewing machine.

My purse. It's sexy, and it knows it.

I love, Love, LOVED making something productive for myself. In fact, I was proud that I even made the decision for my first two projects to be for me personally, because I always battle with wanting to do things for my children or for others. I suppose you could say that on my first day piddling around on the machine, I did make a Barbie dress that would have looked more in place on a cave-woman than a Barbie doll. I choose not to count this as my first project. It sucked in comparison. So I choose to consider my first project to be the purse that I made for me, myself, and I. It's a basic, one pouch slew of fabric with straps. But I love it. Because I made it, therefore I am awesome and the purse is too. 

Then out of some scraps of flannel I had leftover (HOLY CROW. Ya'll, My purse has lost its title of first place because I made burp cloths. 3 sets of burp cloths. Forget about that though and let's just pretend, mmk?) from some other project that I will not mention, I made an apron (go ahead and shriek at your computer that I made what?!? out of flannel). It is a very basic apron, as I only had So Much flannel left, and it is basically just for the purpose of being able to 1) protect my poor thigh faded pants, and 2) give me a place to hold my phone and a dishtowel while I cook or clean. However, despite all the work I put into placing my first ever pocket onto my 2nd ever (pretending still) project, I have yet to use my apron. Instead, I like to pull it out and show people "What I made!" when they come over to visit. So my pants are still slowly but surely being worn and faded in the general thigh/butt area. Ah well, can't fix everything right?

The super soft, flannel apron. The green strap hold my towel. Genius, I know.

So here's to sewing projects, the first of what I hope is many! Or at least, the five I'd like to complete for my List of things to do, in 2013. :)