Keeping up with the "Jones's"

There are so many amazing blogs and women who are doing such amazing things! Baking fresh bread for their families daily, knitting beautiful things, home decorating, Etsy, etc. It makes me want to do it all. There was one point a couple of weeks ago where I was exhausted and Jim told me, "You're doing it to yourself". I think I had one of those "ah ha" moments that Oprah always talks about. I AM trying to do too much and it's stressing me out! All of my jewelry stuff and sewing is constantly all over the kitchen table, the counter is overflowing, and I can't stand it. Starting now I'm going to slow down. I'm not going to try to keep up and be the "perfect" mom and wife. More quality time is more important than more sewn items or fresh baked bread. (No, I'm not going to give them up, just cut back!) Before the cutbacks began... This is what I did on Saturday for a baby shower:



Cupcakes for the kiddos (they're supposed to look like baby rattles, it's a little tough to see in the picture and I keep thinking of Charlie Brown when I see the one on the bottom right!)









A crummy picture of the cake...









And trifle that I take to every family function just because I love to eat it!





The shower was for my cousin who's having a little boy. I gave her a playmat and taggie blanket. I love the playmats! (I only sold one on Etsy so I took them down and am just going to use them for shower gifts.) I used ours all of the time last summer. It's the perfect size for a little one who isn't mobile whether you're indoors or out. There are grommets and a drawstring cord so when you're ready to go you pull the cord and it makes a bag that you can put all of the toys in. I left toys in ours and it hung on a hook right inside our garage door ready to go at anytime. It would also be good to leave in your trunk if you have any room with all of the other baby stuff. I can't take credit for it, I got the idea from Martha Stewart and waited about 6 years to make one. I found great fabric that is vinyl coated cotton so it's water/sand/dirt proof. Here is Stella with hers last year.






(Ok, the one I have of her using it is on the other computer, but here is a picture of what it looks like pulled into a bag.)

If you can get a good deal on the fabric and are a sewer I think it's a great gift



Here's the one with her using it!











But now it's time to make our house calmer, more organized, and more beautiful. (If only for the year or so we have left to live there.) Do you read these girls? They're sisters, and I just found their blogs. They are both so inspiring when it comes to decorating your home. I'm currently working on decluttering/cleaning up the kitchen. I think I'm going to do this in all of the rooms before I actually get to the decorating part... or perhaps not. :) I've already printed off several pages from their sites for my new idea book. I know I'll never have a show house, but my goal is just to make every room in my house a place that I love to be!

And finally, a picture of Little Girlfriend because I just can't seem to post without one! Sitting (not very lady-like) in her cousins bouncy chair. She never liked her own this much!