Author: Sydney

Faux Sheepskin Rug {Tutorial}

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So I really wanted a faux sheepskin rug for Bryson’s room but when I started looking around for them they were pretty expensive or really small. Ikea has a couple real sheepskin rugs for pretty inexpensive but they aren’t very big.

My friend told me about the Fabric Depot website. She had ordered Mongolian Fur from them and she said it was really soft and a nice quality. I ordered 1 1/4 yards from them. It was on sale plus I found a coupon code I could use for 20% off!! I spent a total of $37.25 for a decent sized piece of fur.

I knew once I got it I wanted to cut the piece into an animal shape but it took me a couple of weeks to actually do it! I was so nervous that I would ruin it!
Here is what it looked like when I received the fabric

The first thing I did was draw the shape I wanted with a sharpie

After I cut out the rug I used Fray Check around the edges to help stop it from fraying.

After letting the Fray Check dry for about 20 minutes I flipped the rug over and here is my finished product!!

I must say that I love how it turned out and it’s fun to think I made it myself!

Trust…It’s Not Always Easy

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I just had a few thoughts on my mind and wanted to share them…

God has been working on my heart – teaching me to trust him in multiple areas, things that seem impossible and things that I have no control over…this week was no exception.

At church on Sunday we were talking about tithing and trusting God with our finances and I was challenged in a way I wasn’t expecting. Tom and I have been faithful to tithe each month but I was still challenged. I’m the one that pays the bills each month and it’s always been just another bill I’ve paid. This week I was challenged to pay our tithe first. Give God our “first fruits” and do it with a thankful heart. We have been blessed in both our jobs and have always been able to pay it so I didn’t see it as a problem to pay it last. The thing is our situation could change at any moment and we need to always be thankful and bringing him our money first.

So as the one who pays the bills I made the decision that it would be the first bill I pay. That afternoon God blessed us with the PERFECT chair for the baby’s nursery…some may see it a coincidence but I don’t. I’ve been looking for an upholstered glider for our nursery on Craigslist for the last couple months. I couldn’t even find the right color and if I did find one they were always super overpriced. Well this one was about 10 minutes from my house, the EXACT color i wanted and only $50!! I almost died! I feel like it was just a little reminder from God that he knows our desires…even the small ones that seem unimportant.

The next day I got the mail and we were hit with 3 unexpected medical bills, Tom mentioned that the car had been making really weird sounds and needed to go into the shop and our monthly PUD bill went up by $60 per month…needless to say I was feeling a little discouraged…but I had made the decision tithe first and then we will trust God for the rest! Well today the mechanic told us the car would need a minimum of $600 in repairs plus we need to do the brake pads and rotors!! Not the best report (although it could be worse) we told them to go ahead and take care of the problems. Well within an hour Tom called me to tell me all the OT he had been working was almost the EXACT amount we would be paying to have the car fixed…he got paid today and we will be able to cover the cost of the car repair without even dipping into our savings!

I just had to share because it’s not always easy to trust but since I’ve made a decision 3 days ago I’ve already seen God’s hand in our finances! We are truly blesses and couldn’t do it without him!

Homemade Eye Make-up Remover

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I’m on a money saving kick right now…with the baby coming in 4 short months I know our budget will be tighter then it has been with one child. I figure all the little money saving things will add up!  I’ve see pins all over Pinterest about making your own laundry soap, dish soap, cleaning products and eye make-up remover so last night I tried one! I’ve been wanting some eye make up remover so I found a tutorial and whipped a batch up. The most amazing part was I already had all the ingredients at home!

This recipe is for a 4 ounce bottle. I had a bigger bottle so I doubled it.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp. baby oil (any brand)
  • 1 Tbsp. “tear free” baby shampoo (any brand as long as it’s “tear free”)

Mix all three ingredients together and pour into your bottle and your done! I used a travel shampoo bottle but you could also reuse a bottle from your previous eye make up remover or any other bottle you have around the house.

What I love is that it doesn’t burn my eyes, and it’s not greasy at all!

Make sure you shake the bottle slightly before you use it because the oil and water will separate.

21 Weeks, Nursery Inspiration And Progress

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Well this week I hit 21 weeks – I can’t believe that I’m already past the half way point! It’s crazy how time flies! Bryson is a very active baby – he seems to be moving around and kicking all day and all night – he even wakes me up sometimes in the middle of the night with all the kicking!

We had snow this weekend in Seattle so I decided an outside picture was appropriate! We don’t get snow very often and having grown up in N. Idaho I really miss it so when we do get it I get really excited!!

This week I started working on the nursery – I’ve been working on de-cluttering but this weekend I was able to get the nursery started by painting and sewing the crib skirt.

I saw this picture on Pinterest and knew I had found my inspiration for Bryson’s room. I showed Tom the pictures and he was sold!

Picture from Bower Power Blog

This weekend I got started by making the crib skirt

The crib skirt is blue, cream and has a small pinstripe of orange. The project was pretty simple but a little time consuming to cut all the pieces out.

I painted the room a blue with gray undertones it turned out a little bluer then I wanted but it still looks good!

The next step is going to be having Tom do the pallet wood accent wall but that may not happen for a couple months. It’s definitely an outside project since we will have to tear the pallets apart, stain the wood then cut them all to fit…considering that our weather is in the 30’s right now we will have to wait until it warms up a little! For now I will keep working on finding a dresser and figuring out art/wall decor!

It’s a Boy…19 Week Update

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On the 28th we had our anatomy scan and found out the baby is boy!! Everyone is super excited to welcome a boy into our family! The most important thing is that everything on the scan looked great and he is developing just as he should be! They said he currently weights 9 ounces and was measuring 19 weeks 1 day. I was 18 weeks 5 days at my ultrasound so he is right on track!

He was moving around a lot during the U/S so it took her awhile to get all the pictures she needed. At the end Taylin and my mom were allowed to come in and see the U/S as well. She is very excited to have a little brother!!

His name will be Bryson Thomas Ross – we loved the name Bryson and Thomas is my husband and his grandfather’s name.

On another note I think most of my morning sickness is gone. Smells are still bothering me but I can function without my Zofran so that is great news!! On the downside I have started having nightly headaches that start around 5pm each night. Prayers for them to go away would be appreciated!

I can’t wait to start the nursery – I’ve already found the room inspiration on Pinterest! I’ll post more on that later!

Christmas At The Lodge

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I’m sitting here in Jefferson, CO reflecting on our amazing Christmas and family vacation we have had. Vacations are few and far between and this was the first family vacation we have taken with Taylin. We were blessed to have such amazing hosts for our trip. My aunt is the most amazing cook and my uncle is one of the most generous and funny people I know!

It has been so fun watching Taylin experience so many new and amazing things. She had so many questions about the airplane, traveling and The Lodge. Every night we were here she prayed for all the normal people (Judah, Jossy, Kai, Noah, and Emmi Girl – her cousins) but it was so precious to see her pray for her “new family”. She is such a sweetheart and has been so great even with less naps than normal, she still had a great attitude most of the time.

A few of my favorite pictures from our trip:

I can’t believe that this our trip is almost over. This will be a Christmas full of great memories of laughing, yummy food and great people! I’m so grateful we were able to have this trip and enjoy some quality time with my aunt, uncle and cousins!

Pregnancy Weeks 5-16

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I decided that this time I was pregnant I wanted to track more of what happened each week, how I was feeling and what I was eating. In the future I plan to add in more pictures but I just haven’t really been up to it! Here is what I have tracked so far.

5 Weeks – September 22nd we find out I’m pregnant!! We couldn’t be happier!  You are due on May 26th!

6 Weeks – I start feeling REALLY sick – Your dad is great taking care of all the cooking and cleaning around the house

Food of the week: Anything I could keep down!! Doughnuts!

9 Weeks – I heard the heartbeat for the first time – 153 BPM its strong and I couldn’t be happier!! The Dr told me that I have lost 6 pounds so I need to try to eat more and eat enough protein so you can grown big and strong!

10 Weeks – I had an ultrasound to check on my ovaries – I got to see you wiggling around in my tummy! You are so precious, I already love you so much – your HB was 165! We are so blessed to have you in my life even though you are making me really sick!! We told the world about you (FB) and everyone was so excited! They all know how long we have been waiting for you to arrive and are so anxious to meet you!

Food of the week: Instant Breakfast drinks for extra protein, fruit, Spinach and Cheese Raviolis from Costco – so Yummy!

11 – 14 Weeks:  I’m still feeling sick…but have stopped losing weight and have gained a few pounds back that I had lost.

15 Weeks:  Your dad was gone on a business trip to NC and I had to hold down the fort with Taylin! It’s really hard to get up early, get Taylin ready and get out the door by 7:15 each day! The highlight of the week was having a good dr. appointment and getting to hear your heartbeat! She changed my due date to May 25th, 2012 since that is what my U/S indicated. I can’t wait to know if you are a boy or a girl!!

Our next appointment is December 28th – that is when we will get to know if you are a boy or a girl!!

Food of the week: Satsuma’s and poppy-seed muffins!

16 Weeks: I’m still not feeling well but have started to feel you move – especially at night! I forgot how awesome it is to feel the baby movement! I’m hoping to start feeling better soon but have started to believe that I might be sick the whole 9 months! I’m so grateful that my Zofran prescription! It helps me get through the days!  Your dad is a little sick of doing dishes and cooking – the smell of the old food and the smell of the fridge is hard for me to handle!!  I’m grateful for his willing attitude! I try to help with dishes and cooking on my good days.

More to come as the baby grows!

It’s been awhile…

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So it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything and here is why…

We are expecting baby #2 and couldn’t be happier! I have been really sick and just been trying to survive…unfortunately blogging hasn’t been part of that! I’m hoping to be back in the next few weeks with more recipes, more house project and maybe some baby info! I’m planning to blog about it along the way so I don’t forget all the fun details!

I’m due at the end of May and am so excited about all the upcoming changes that will be happening around our house over the next few months!

All photos are from CYE Photography – if you live in the greater Seattle area Brea is amazing and worth every penny!

Here is a link to a few more of our pictures!

Crockpot Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

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My boss turned me onto this recipe. It’s super yummy and so easy. It’s from the cookbook “Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook”.

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 pound pork roast or tenderloin
  • 2 –  large red bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 1/3 cup prepared teriyaki sauce
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Optional Toppings:
chopped green onions
chopped peanuts

Coat slow cooker with pan spray. Put all ingredients except peanut butter in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, remove all fat, and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to liquid in slow cooker, stir well until PB is dissolved and blended in with the liquid. Add pork to sauce and toss to coat meat. Serve over hot rice.

Chicken With Creamy Alfredo Sauce

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When I was in Roatan this year we stayed at Casa Isabella. One of the great things about this place was the great food that Isabel made for us each and every day! One night she made this amazing chicken for dinner. I had to know what it was! She only told me “Lots of garlic, pan fry the chicken until it’s browned, then simmer in a jar of Mushroom Alfredo sauce until fully cooked”. Here is what I came up with – it’s super easy and really yummy!!

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 2-4 chicken breasts cut into chunks
  • 1 jar Mushroom Alfredo Sauce (I like the Classico brand)

Heat olive olive oil on a medium low heat. Lightly brown the garlic then. Turn heat up to medium high. dd the chicken chunks to pan and brown on boat sides (1-2 min on each side)

Once both sides are browned add Alfredo sauce to pan, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 min.

Serve over mashed potatoes or on pasta. It’s super easy and quick to throw together at the end of the day!