Cheapest way to Hang a HUGE picture!

By now I'm sure you've seen this all over Pinterest but I wanted to try it for myself! 

One of the hardest parts of getting LARGE pictures hung in our house is the cost. Printing then framing is just way too much, so I was excited to try this.

You start by picking a picture you like and making it black and white. Then run down to Staples and give them your flash drive and ask for an engineer print. There are a couple different sizes, I went with 24 x 36 (you can go bigger!)

Your picture will print out on regular copier paper and the quality is obviously not perfect, but it definitely works!

In the original post she then mounted it on foam board but since this is handing in our bedroom and living room I decided to go a little nicer and get a thin piece of wood (which of course my hubs already had haha!)

Just decide how much "boarder" you want and what color you would like. Then spray paint! You can leave the middle unpainted since it'll be covered :) 

You basically need 3 supplies for this project (other than picture and board)

• Spray Adhesive
• Mod Podge*
• Brush

Then position your paper where you like and have another person hold it in place 

Spray under one side, then flip up the other half and spray again. Such a hot helper :) :) 

I decided to save myself $8 and make my own mod pog. Just a 4 oz bottle of glue (like the knock off brand of Elmer's) and 2 oz water. It turned out great!

Here's where things got messy  :( And by that I mean went wrong! Mod podge on that thin of paper just makes it bubble and wrinkle and smudge and makes a huge mess. 

You can see I started to stroke it on and it immediately began to bubble :(

So that part didn't work as planned :(  and if you look closely you can see the corner where I put the mod podge. So if you get it done on thicker paper it would be fine, otherwise, just use more spray adhesive and then use a varnish spray on top to kind of "seal" it on. I am still working on better ways to do this :) But I did 3 different ones all over our house and everyone loves them! Yea for super cheap and easy crafts!

What having a constantly sick baby can teach you

Today as I was starting to grown and grunt about being "held back" from yet another thing due to my child being sick I began to think about all the things I have learned not only through being a mom, but during the times when being a mom isn't so fun --like when you're kids are sick. 

I guess my title is a bit dramatic. My child doesn't have some fatal disease or cancer so I cannot even begin to complain!!! And I guess it should read toddler now that she's 15 months :( Anyway! Ever since around 4 months, Juliana has seemed to catch ever little flu and bug. At 5 months she got very sick with a high fever, throwing up and lots more, and we had to go to the ER :( After 5 days they finally took her blood but said she just had had a virus. 

(picture of when she was little and trying to get that fever down!)

Next time she got a cold she had the same -- High Fever and (usually) throw up. This has continued for much of her 15 months of life! This past weekend when we were at the dr (I think they should have a standing weekly appointment for me haha) they said that she is the type that whenever she gets even the mildest of colds her body just reacts by getting high and long fevers and usually throw up is involved at least once lol! lovely. The girl who used to run and gag if people even talked of throwing up now has the kid who perpetually vomits. Are we sensing God's sense of humor yet? 

Today I began reflecting on how much I am learning and still have yet to learn. God is using these little sicknesses to work in my life. Crazy huh. I have always been a bad worrier. Anything I can find to be anxious about I will. So I have had to work and work and work on continually surrendering my child back to God (who loves her MORE than I do!) and knowing her is holding her, watching over her, and keeping her safe. Instead of laying awake listening to the monitor I've turned up far too loud, I've tried to relax and fall asleep praying. The other night is a great example. After a fun dinner out, Jules started throwing up in her car seat (if I had been reading this 2 years ago I would already be gagging just thinking about it). We're not talking a small amount of milk like she used to, we're talking lots of lots of.........ya know. Thankfully my hubby was driving so I got to hold handfuls of vomit until we could stop the car. Once we got home and my sad little lady was in bed. I just laid there praying and praying that we would not have a long week of a high fever again, that the throwing up would be done for the night. Well! I woke up the next morning and she seemed better and all those things had been answered! BUT in typical me fashion, I started worrying and praying that as the day progressed she wouldn't get sick again instead of realizing how he had blessed our night! So the first lesson I'm working on learning -- Stop worrying! I know I could give it excuses like, "Oh, I'm a mom it's what I do" or "I will always worry about my kids, it's ok!" I've decided I can't live worrying like that all the time. I trust God, but when I worry I'm not acting like it. She is His, she always has been. 

When your kid is sick it also means less fun for you. Not only because you'll be cleaning up puke and snot, but because you'll miss out on social outings! Sometimes I feel like I go a little insane after a couple sick days at home where I've had little adult interaction! But as much of a bummer as it is to miss stuff (especially for someone like me who hates to miss anything) it's part of sacrificing for your family and your child. There have been so many times where I've pushed it taking her out when I know she's sick and everyone ends up suffering because of it! Putting your family and kids above yourself isn't always fun, but it's what pleases God and boy it teaches you a lot in the process. 

Today she woke up with a cold LOL, which now makes for over a week of solid sicknesses, but we'll just deal with that! I hope everyone else is surviving with there sick kiddos! (And hopefully they aren't sick as often as mine!)

Happy Monday haha!!!!

Decorating time!!!!!

This is what our house looks like while decorating with a 1 year old :) 

Mini Me!!! Off to the craft fair! :) 

Love her!

Trashin my dress.........

Tomorrow I am doing a "Trash the Dress" photo session! I am BEYOND excited! I have wanted to do them for so long. Tomorrow it's supposed to be dumping rain so I guess we'll see how much we can actually do. We will be doing some rain shots of us playing in the rain and puddles and today I'm off to find cute rain boots and an umbrella :) 

What are your thoughts on trashing the dress? 

I do completely understand people who could never imagine doing it. They had their dress cleaned, preserved and it's stored perfectly in a box. And I also understand people who feel like it's just a dress, and it's better to have fun with it then let it hang in a closet untouched for your whole life (and secretly hoping your daughter will wear it......) I am just so excited to take lots of pictures without worrying about getting my dress messed up or dirty! I am even excited about jumping in puddles and playing around in it :) 

Here are some of my favorite ideas!

Aren't these fun????? Can't wait to do ours!!!!!!!! 

Pinning to Christmas Music.......ahhhhhhh :)

Do you ever have days that just zoom by and you CAN'T believe it's already evening? 

Today is the opposite! haha. I cannot believe it's only 11:20 am..........We've had company, gone for a walk, worked on Christmas presents, did some sewing projects, cleaned up the house and now have a play buddy over. It's amazing what can happen when Juliana wakes up an hour earlier than normal (and dragging me out of bed :) I wish I didn't wait until I heard her in the monitor to get up. I could accomplish so much if I just got up 30 minutes before her! But every morning.........I decide, "uh, nope!" 

I'm pretty much in love with Pinterest's new "Secret Boards". FINALLY I can pin Christmas presents and my family won't see them (insert evil laugh here :) 

Here's some non-secrets I'm pinning today

For flowers by the window

Sorry if this offends anyone!!! But it IS awesome! I love this idea for parties :) 

Delicious hot soups!

LOVE this :) 

You've got mail!

Well I'm off to chase the 2 one year olds that are doing a good job leaving a destructive path :) 

Happy Thursday! 

Crafty Nap Time !

This is what I'm doing during nap time! :) 

I had them all done, addressed and ready to go, but then realized I still had 13 people left  on the list (don't ask me how I miscounted!).............ok let's get the craft stuff back out! 

Work faster hands!!!!!

Random Thoughts Thursday

What am I thinking as I write:

1. Peanut M&M's are probably not the best afternoon snack. Actually I know they aren't. I should be snacking on carrots or something that will not make me feel sluggish. 

2. I love that Juliana has been taking 3 hour naps the last 4 days. Could this be the new normal please? I get so much done! (or I get so much rest haha)

3. I know this sounds like I've been living in a cave......but Story Time at the library? So fun!!!! Not that Juliana sat through more than one book, but the library overall is such fun! (Again.....I know everyone probably already knows this). 

4. As I was laying here on the couch doing my Bible Study God brought so many things to my mind. I love that he continues to work in my heart on even the most usual of days. I've been coming more and more aware of how often I compartmentalize my life. Spiritual Life/Married Life/Mommyhood/Everything Else. My spiritual life -- my walk with God isn't one aspect of my life, it's every aspect of my life. I am serving my family and serving him when I'm unloading the dishwasher or reading Juliana a book just as much as when I'm in church or serving a neighbor. It's about my heart and my constant attitude of being with Him. 

5. I am loving planning this baby shower for my dear friend! Is it possible that I am more excited about the arrival of her baby boy than she is?!?! No :) But I am getting pretty excited and can't wait to celebrate him! Baby Alex I am in love with you already!!!!!

6. I need to start working on Christmas presents!!!!!! My family does homemade Christmas every year and this year I feel a bit behind......in ideas. (lets not talk about the actual "STARTING" phase, but behind in the brainstorming stage.)

7. I used to love One Tree Hill --- I love the memories of watching it with my bestie in high school and eating teddy grahams. But like everything else, it's now all about sex. Literally that's what the whole show is about now. Lame.

8. I love my daughter, I love my husband and I love my life! I could love it because of how blessed I am, because I have a nice warm house, because I live in America where I get to have an opinion, because I am healthy, etc but that's not why I have joy. Joy is not dependent on circumstances -- but I have joy because God loved us enough to send his son to die for us. He wants to spend eternity with us. That God loves us. If this life was it what on earth is the point? The mundane things of the day become completely meaningless. There is more to life. There is life to come.