Okay, New Rule

Its dinner time!

2008-04-02T20:35:00.001-07:00

I love Apartment Therapy's whole "eat at home" philosophy. At first, I rebelled against this rule. We were an "order out" family. Even when we attempted the AT fall cure I tried to embrace the eating at home thing but it was so much easier to pick up food on my way home.

One resolution I made for this cure was to make a conscious decision to plan, cook and eat at home. To actually sit and eat with my family, or at least my husband on a nightly basis.

At first it was hard, then, as you can see from the plates above, it became enjoyable, and then tonight we ordered out and it was gross. We just sat we had nothing to say, nothing to do, we just sat and looked at one another.

It is not the actually act of eating that I enjoy it is the food preparation that rocks. Addie running at our feet as Sean and I silently read each others minds (read: I boss Sean around) to make a meal before Quinn has to go to bed. Then to sit at the table, one of us holding Quinn, the other feeding Addie from our plate, while we discuss how we will tweak the recipe for "next time"

Note: The above picture was homemade hummus served with warmed pita bread and a glass of Merlot.

My new obsession.....FABRIC!!!!!!

2008-03-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have been going to the fabric store weekly since I started the Apartment Therapy Spring Cure. I feel so inspired in there surrounded by all that color, texture and potential. Sadly, our fabric stores here in NOLA leave a lot to be desired. I look at all the cool crafts other bloggers undertake and how incredible their fabrics are and I am jealous. So I journeyed into the World Wide Web to find cool, kickass, affordable fabric sites:

SuperBuzzy offers a ton of fabrics, notions, yarn and even gifts. Every five minutes I was recreating one of the kids rooms in my head based on the fabric I found. The first picture is a sample of Racing by Heather Ross(who has quickly become one of my favorite fabric designers). The second picture is a sample of Alphabet Practice by Puti de Pome. And the third is appropriately call Red Train. The Heather Ross fabric is definitely making it to Quinn's room....I just have to decide in what fashion. I am also thinking of using the other two as framed wall art.

Next up, is Sew, Mama, Sew. This is not only one of my favorite fabric stores online, it is also one of my favorite blogs! The first is, Blossom's Bud Breeze's Ginger Blossom. I think it has a future as a pillow case for the throw pillows in the den. The second sample is Back Stripe Grey by Botanical Pop. I do not know my attraction to this fabric, but I like it! The third is Rulers by Wee Play. LOVE LOVE LOVE. And I think my office/craft area is leaning more towards a green palette so this fabric may work perfectly (don't worry it comes in blue as well in case the palette of the office changes).

And last, but certainly not least, is j caroline creative. This may be my favorite online fabric playground. The first picture Olive Taffy by Chocolate Lollipop. The second is Amy Butler (who I adore) and I think this will be the accent fabric we use in Jess's bedroom (not to be confused with her evacuation condo). Oh, the fabric is called Linen Optic Blossom. And the last is this really fun fabric called Curry Frogs in Jars also by Heather Ross (told you I was obsessed). This fabric makes me smile, every time I look at it I grin. I just can not figure out what I could do with it.....

pictures taken from superbuzzy, sewmamasew and jcarolinecreative.

Apartment What?????

2008-03-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

Since my brand new computer REFUSES to let me upload pictures, I will have to describe what I have accomplished thus far:

1.) I took everything out of my panty, painted the shelves white, and reload and reorganized the pantry.
2.) Took everything out of my cabinets, cleaned them and reloaded and rearranged.
3.) Bought a brand new computer to make blogging easier, which has made blogging harder.
4.) Cleaned the dining room, bought new placemats to add color, cleaned high chair and booster seat.
5.) Purchased and displayed, Gerber daisies in hot pink, white tulips (for Easter) and Belles of Ireland (for St. Patty's Day).
6.) Cleaned Kitchen floor
7.) Went through BOTH kids closets and started collecting thing for the biggest Garage Sale Ever.

To my mac computer which I have named Stella:

2008-03-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

oh, my new computer....why will you not let me upload pictures to my blog. It makes me so very sad. I do not want to return you but I will if I must. So cooperate or meet your doom.

Exciting News!!!!!!

2008-03-14T20:10:00.001-07:00

This post is from my brand new Apple imac laptop. Now of course I have NO CLUE how to use it since this is our first Apple so there will be no pictures or prettiness. I mainly wanted to rub it in that I got the BEST LAPTOP EVER!!!!

Well at least I think it is the best laptop ever. All I can figure out to do so far is turn it on and open the Internet. I do not even know how to turn it off. Looks like I will have to call Brit......AGAIN!

Curing with kids SUCKS!!!

2008-03-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

I am posting cute pictures of my children in hopes it will distracts anyone from noticing I have not posted about the Cure or my accomplishments all week. That is because minimal Cure work has been completed. The following is my well formulated excuse (and heartfelt rationalization):

I can not find the time to tackle any Cure projects because by the time I get Addie and Quinn to bed and then pack the diaper bag, pick up toys, clean their bathroom, and wash their clothes, I am exhausted. So I am going to have to drastically scale back on Cure projects, or just allot myself twice the time to complete me scheduled projects.

I did, however, embrace the starting of the Cure to also be the re-start of family dinners at home and that is working out rather nicely. I posted our menu, and I am happy to report that we have eaten in every night this week. Last night was our favorite so far. We made hummus. It was divine. From now on we will be stocking the pantry with Chickpeas, tahini and pita bread.

Rule #455 Never let anyone else define what motherhood is.

2008-03-10T21:01:00.001-07:00

I have a new favorite show, on my old favorite television station. It is called Secret Life of a Soccer Mom. The program gives stay at home moms the opportunity to see what their life would be like if they persuaded the careers they had before deciding to be a stay at home mom.

I have two children, my eldest is 2 and my youngest is 7 months. When I found out I was pregnant for my first child I was in route to law school so I often ponder the "what if" conundrum.

The first episode I watched a mom followed her dream to become a fashion designer. She had 3 young daughters and decided at the end of the show that she would accept the opportunity to become a working mom designer. I felt this huge "you go girl moment". After the show I felt so validated in my decision to go back to work.

The episode I watched tonight a mother of two young boys decided to forsake her career goals of becoming a gourmet chief and stay at home with her children. Once again I felt a huge "you go girl moment". And I still felt validated for being a working mother.

I have decided, after much thought, it comes down to the good old saying "to each their own". I am a great mom. I am a great employee. And I am fantastic at doing both, because I WANT both. I am tired of reading mommy blogs where the war between stay at home moms and working moms becomes so glaringly obvious. I will always say that being a stay at home mom is the hardest and most under paid and, in most cases, under appreciated career choice in the world. I have great respect for women who decide to be stay at home moms. But it is a decision.

Just like I look at other working moms in awe. I work with a girl who has two young boys and I am in constant amazement of how she finds the time to work full time, get home, cook dinner, get those boys bathed and in bed, keep an immaculately clean house all while her husband is in medical school. But then again, she has also made a decision.

So I would like to put an end to the mommy debate of what is better for a child, whether to stay at home, to work from home or to go back to work. In the end it is all about respecting yourself and your partner enough to make a cohesive decision as to what is best for you family and supporting ALL people in the decisions they make for their lives.

It is my humble opinion that children will thrive because they parents are thriving. If you want to be a stay at home mom then you go girl. You be the best stay at home mommy in the world! And if you decide to re-enter the work force then you should be the best mommy working mommy in the world. Because in the end, we are all up to our necks in poop, burnt dinners, and dirty clothes. It does not matter who you are or what you do being a parent is never easy. What matters at the end of the day is putting your head on that pillow and knowing that you are being the best parent you can be. After all, isn't that what it is all about.

THE CURE HAS BEGUN!!!!

2008-03-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

My two favorite things I learned from Apartment Therapy: (1) Fresh flowers are a household MUST and (2) Try to cook and eat at home. I keep up with both pretty regularly, but since Mardi Gras I have been horrible with eating out. So this week it is back to cooking for me!

Here is the run down:

Dinners:
Summer Rolls
Hummus w/ Pita Bread and Greek Salad
Asparagus and Shiitake Stir fry
Grilled Talipia w/ cous cous
Crawfish Pizza
and for date Night: Baked Feta Marinara

Flowers:
I have to go pick up flowers after work today. I am trying to decide between Lillies or Tulips.

Tonight's Goal:
Sit with Sean (the hubby) and finalize the game plan. Make sure everything is packed and prepped for an easy Tuesday Morning.

Rule #3 Never say never

2008-03-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

I said never to corrugated metal. Then tonight, while checking on the latest updates on AT before heading to bed, it happened. I feel in love (okay I am exaggerating, I developed a crush) with corrugated galvanized steel siding with natural wood trim. I will have such marvelous dreams tonight. I wonder how Sean is going to take the news that I want to re-side the house with corrugated galvanized steel? I think I will start calling it CGSS for short. I heart CGSS and I want the world to know!

Picture lifted from Apartment Therapy's ReNest

Rule # 501 I will cure my office and keep it functional.

2008-03-05T17:37:00.001-08:00

This is the insanity that is my work space. I had more incriminating photos which portrayed the actual mounds of paper that currently act as a "filing system" but I was too embarrassed to post them. Can you imagine this is were I spend 8 hours of my day??? No wonder I have no energy and can not focus! So it has begun. This is my jump start project for the Spring Cure.

The Game plan:

Provide every piece of paper with a home.
Rearrange equipment to be more functional
Clear ALL clutter
Bring a little bit of home to work (kids photos, color pens, COLOR)
DIY Bulletin Board

I will have this project completed by Friday and hope that walking into my office will no longer cause me to wish for death.