Artistic

We have lots of art going on at our house everyday. Coloring books, paper, paper-plates, boxes, markers, paint...you name it. Ella loves art just as much as Carter does, so I'm working on finding a good kid-friendly and house-friendly art display, but until then we will continue to stack up our art that we want to be hung up! My kids adore THESE and so do I. The twist-up crayons are a life-saver.

I found THIS on pinterest {image below via pinterest} and thought you might be intrigued. The 20-minute tie looks like a total breeze for people who are remotely into sewing. For those sewing pros out there, you could jazz it up a bit! With Easter approaching, who doesn't want a funky tie on their little guy?

THIS is an amazing add to your kitchen, but look at what else you can do with the IKEA magnetic knife strip! I have one in the kitchen, but when I visit the store again I'm going to get one for Carter's cars. Such a great organization tip {image via pinterest}. Quite lovely.

Here's to a wonderful day, from me to you!

Natural

Is he not the most angelic baby you have ever laid eyes on? I know he's mine, but I cannot get past his sweet little nature. He's currently getting about 6 teeth total and he's still as happy as a little song bird.

Cooper is the third in line, so of course he is using all of Carter's hand-me-downs {which are so cute} but I am thinking hard about trying a few new things with him. Modern cloth-diapers and home-made baby food. I considered the cloth diapering system before, but I am definitely weighing the pros and cons now. WHY you might ask? I enjoy keeping the earth clean, good, and being natural but I also would love the financial aspect. Most cloth-diapering systems cost about $200 to stock up, but they are selling THIS BRAND at Walmart! Can you believe it? There is a great product review HERE if you are interested.

The home-made baby food process is not as tricky. Cooper is eating about 4-6 jars a day, and he has a sweet-tooth {like big sister and Momma}. I found an easy and very specific process HERE. Look at how pretty these baby-food cubes are.

So basically, there is no fancy-shmancy details here. You need a blender, ziploc baggies, and some good ice-cube trays {I did make THIS purchase}. You steam the veggies or whatever you want to make, blend until smooth, put in trays, and freeze. Pop them out when frozen and store in ziploc bags. One of the foods I saw made was roasted-red-peppers and goat cheese. Wow. That's better than any baby-food blend I have purchased :)

Birthday ideas

The big 5 is right around the corner for our oldest little rascal! It had me thinking of birthdays and I realized I never shared something with you. Remember when I sent you to this spot to find such cute calendars? I used those calendars for a sweet little birthday gift. I also used a frame that I painted {to add some special touch} to give the calendars a hom-ey feel. I know it's March, but you could still give the gift of a calendar!

Any cool thoughts on a big number 5 birthday party? We tend to go small scale, but we are planning on doing something with friends and family. My little guys birthday is also Easter weekend, speaking of which...I just bought Ella and Cooper's outfits. You will be so jealous!

It's hhheerrreee....

iPad!

We are loving the iPad around here. About a month ago, I was chosen for an award centered around my teaching efforts with my families from the last academic year. I thought I was going to get a good pat on the back, and maybe a certificate but when it was paired with a new iPad, I about did a cart-wheel :) Jonathan and I have wanted one for awhile, and decided we were going to get one when we had an extra bit of money just lying around {does that ever happen?} so now we don't have to wait any longer! Yippee! Of course this little dude is loving every minute of the iPad entertainment.

Your favorite apps? Good for kids? Inspiring musical apps? Drumming apps? Pre-K apps? I'm all ears!

Friday Freebie

In the mood to help your little one be more organized and independent? Go to Living Locurto and print these off! I can't wait to add them to Carter's room. I'm thinking of framing them and hanging on the wall, but placing on a shelf is a great idea as well and will not put extra holes in your wall.

Innocent faces...

As promised...

They are the sweetest faces in my world. I think the photo-session turned out nicely and we basically opted for a 30-45 minutes session with only one outfit change for Cooper. I have SO many pictures that I don't need tons and tons. I have quite a selection and I'm so pleased! We are planning to do a family portrait this summer around the time Cooper turns 1, maybe on the beach? Oh yes, you heard that right. We are gearing up for a family vaca, but not until the warm months. I might sneak another post in to you today -- stay tuned...

Back to normal...

Wow, what a whirlwind has been happening around here. Sorry to leave you hanging - but there has been lots of major stuff happening. These two cuties are doing well and my other babe is teething and re-cooping from a major coughing/sneezing/runny-nose/breathing epidemic. Don't worry, Cooper will have a post soon :)

Both older kids are having fun and living the life of little kids! Ella is sporting the black boots, which she does on a daily basis. They kind of match her attitude - spunky :) Carter loves this crazy red-knit hat from Old Navy. Don't you love how he has his eyes closed? We are working on that! He's getting geared up for his big birthday coming up. 5, no...he can't be. I've been keeping up with my weight-watchers and have started making roasted veggies about 3-4 times a week. They are simply SO good. No doubt. Here's some pics of HOW to make/cook roasted veggies.

1. Lay out veggies in a single layer on a cookie sheet. With weight-watchers you can use cooking spray + some olive oil. If you're not on WW, you can use all the olive-oil you want! 2. Set oven to about 400 degrees or higher. 3. You want to toss the veggies around a few times. Roast for about 20-30 minutes.

My favorite roasted choices are asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and I love to throw some red-potatoes in. Crispy, filling, and you can make them however your family likes. We love the Italian blend of spices that McCormick sells. It's a grinder with all those yummy flavors in one. For about $2, you can't beat it. On tomorrow list - another view of the photo shoot!