Decorating, Serving, and Pumping!

Finished Natalie's room redo..a few weeks ago!  Such a sweet room for a growing young lady.  

Here are the highlights:

Natalie's Bed-soft pink shabby ruffles, white fur, gray velvet, and a current tapestry from Target.  We used her mom's beautiful white pearl painted iron bed.  A custom chalkboard from @inthepinesco topped it off!

Target wood lamp, brass nailhead linen shade, moss ball, and mirrored frame with a note from her mom.  And a cutesy brass rhino to oversee drinks on the nightstand!

Cleaned off bulletin board to start fresh, a mirror to check before she leaves in the morning, and some fun art.

PomPoms in the corner

Cleaned and calmed her desk.  A new brass lamp, clear chair with faux fur, and storage for pens, books, and folders.

In the opposite corner are her television, art, frame, and wood tray for jewelry and change..and new drapes!

And..the perfect gray chair with velvet pillow.  And of course, she's a Daughter of the King, so I hung it to remind her..when she's dressing for her day.

Here are the before pictures:

She had a great room, she was just growing out of brights.  So..I calmed, cleaned and cleared for her.  Her original budget was $500 for expenses, and I gave her some options-and we ended up at $599 for bedding, drapes, lamps, chair, and decor.  Labor was ten hours (shopping/installation).  It was an honor to create a new space!

Hope you are enjoying your spaces.  I've had a couple more opportunities to decorate..I can share them next time. : )  Here is some of what we've been doing:

Balloon Arch for HarBer's Winter Homecoming!  It only took us about 2 hours..we're getting soo much better, ha!  Wait till you see the one we're working on for a walk..we made an arch so we don't have to use helium!

Clay and Mary Claire have new pumps (Medtronic 670G) with sensors.  This KT Pro tape keeps them on for a WEEK!  (washable, breathable, flexible, and helps move the interstitial fluid around underneath for amazing blood sugar readings!)

Monogrammed treat jars for the priests for Valentine's Day <3 td="">

Ethan earned his Arrow of Light and bridged to Boy Scouts!

We packed meals for Feed My Starving Children sponsored by Tacos4Life-I think our group packed around 30 boxes of 36 meals each!)  We were racing the entire time (and measuring and quality checking!).  Good stuff.

Hope you've had an adventure-filled year, and you're ready for SPRiNG!  Happy Holy Week, we're almost there, friends.  Hugs!

Bunnies, Braces, and Boy Scouts

I can't write about me till I tell you about Meri and Ryan.  This sweet family is battling Ryan's newly diagnosed cancer (6 brain tumors and additional ones in his lungs and abdomen).  I will not do them justice, but they are an amazing family-with four sweet boys (three of them with type 1 diabetes!), and they need our prayers desperately.  Ryan has already started radiation, and they are beginning to fill with h.o.p.e.-thanks to everyone's prayers!  Please keep them in mind, and you are welcome to send them thoughts, prayers, and even donate if you feel called!  Here is their facebook page and their Give Forward page where you can send them hugs or donate!  Just say hi and encourage them..it's been hard to accept the love..they are such givers.  I'm so thankful to have gotten to know Meri-she's such a blessing! : )

And we have still been going..like Energizer bunnies.  I guess in more ways than one. ; )  I'm still making it-not so far to go now, thank goodness.  34 weeks on Tuesday!  Tons of contractions, little back pain today, but hanging in there.  I need him to get a little bigger so he can come right home. : )

Mary Claire had a JDRF Awards Ceremony for the walk we had in the fall, and Clay has finally moved up to BOY scouts, and earned his Arrow of Light (a BiG deal!):

A super fun awards ceremony: awards, go carts, games, and prizes!

Isn't he good to pose for Mama?  This was graduating to Boy Scouts (from cub scouts).

He was one of three boys who was a "Webelos Super Achievers": earning all 20 activity pins! (Totally thanks to his daddy!!)

Here's the special patch (that doesn't go on his uniform!)

Then he got ready to cross over: they removed the navy tabs on his shoulders, his handkerchief, and the little clip.  Then..

His new pack was on the other side to give him new tabs and a new handkerchief!  Look how big they are.  Oh gosh.

He's so excited! ('Cause they camp out at least once a month and a week in the summer!)  Can you see his sweet smiling face in the center?

And after we'd been up front presenting our sweetie with his arrow of light badge and his arrow!

Ok, seriously-Daddy was SO responsible for keeping Clay on track for his Arrow of Light and for all his pins-way to go, both of you! ; )

..and I just get to smile with my boys. ; )  (Ethan had already jammied up for bed!)

Ethan is doing well-we found out after a preschool eye exam that he has astigmatism, and after a real eye exam..he really does have a football-shaped eye (just one, so..), he is getting glasses.  My little boy.  He gets them this week, I think he'll be adorable.  He is so excited!  Now we know why he seems so :clumsy: bumping into the door frames, walls, countertop, even the water fountains at school!  Walls appear to bend when you have astigmatism, and you don't perceive surfaces/dimensions well.  Our friend, Dina, seems to think he'll grow out of it possibly.  We'll go back this August to check again before school starts.  If he doesn't get glasses the other eye will do all the work, and the right one will get weaker.  Can't have that.

And we are going for his kindergarten well-visit tomorrow..he goes this fall, believe it or not (I don't.).  He will surely get vaccines updated, which I've conveniently forgotten to mention to him.  I think I'll spring it on him with a treat/bribe.  And me?..I'm getting my braces off tomorrow-finally!  (well, I hope.)  I was supposed to get them off last Monday, but the lab was really busy-so tomorrow is the plan.  I've been begging/demanding to have them off before I deliver..and hopefully everything will happen in order. ; ) As long as these contractions hold off. ; )


Busy week coming with lots of appointments, Bible study, Bunco, hair, doctors, and Endocrinologist on Friday!! Hoping for a good a1c, we'll see what we get. ; )  Love to be busy right now, it makes the days go so fast..and the next week is Spring Break!  Ches is so excited.  He's taking FMLA (sick hours) after that for the remainder of the spring semester.  I need him, but he's getting to teach from home-a much needed rest/break after years teaching.  We are so ready. ; )