Caleb 2 Year Check Up

So just realized that the Fail Master here totally forgot to give you guys a stats update when Caleb had his 2 year check up a few months ago. I'm sorry. Since I'm sure you can hardly wait (ha!) heres the nitty gritty.

Doc says Mr Caleb looks GREAT. He is 39 inches tall. He's so far off the chart now he didn't even get a dot on his height chart this time.... YEAH. I really do need to post a photo of that... Neways, so he's literally off the charts tall (on and here's whats scary, he's gotten taller since then, such that I had to retire almost all his pants for being high water...).

He weighs in at 33 lbs which put him in the 95th percentile for weight (last time we were in a docs office he was playing on the scale and it said he was more like 35.6 lbs now, but that does include shoes). And he's got a 20 inch head so he's also in the 95th for head.

He only had to get 1 shot this time which was nice (comparatively).

Otherwise they made me get a CBC to check him for his iron levels and make sure he didn't have lead poisoning or anything ( we live in an older home). That all came back fine but the getting the blood drawn bit was pure hell.

They also made me redo his hearing test (ooh that was fun. Especially after getting shots and a blood draw) and once again he's fine there. They're paranoid b/c theres a family history of hearing loss.

SO we survived. Caleb now has a raging phobia of women wearing scrubs. And he's growing like CRAZY.

Tah dah.

Master Bathroom Light Fixture

Hail the conquering Heeeroooo!! Nahhh nah nahhhh na na nahhhhhhhhh!!

*takes a bow*

Yes, its true. The dastardly electrical box may have won the first battle but by golly I won the WAR!! BWAHAHAHAH!  *ahem*

Neways so I forgot to take a true "Before" pic b/c thats just the way we like to fail at life around here. So here's the I-already-took-the-funky-glass-and-copper-shade-circa-1970-off and unscrewed all the little mini round clear bulbs shot I took when I realized my mistake:

So the adventure really began when I got the cover off this baby and got a look at my wall. Yeah my junction box cover (little round circle sticking out of the sheet rock that was oh so expertly cut RIGHT UP to the edge of the circle (hahahah NOT ANYMORE!!). Leaving visible ONLY the 2 HORIZONTAL screw spots (yes thats a technical term. Shut up).

Wellllll, this was a problem, b/c my new fixture has VERTICAL screw spots (you can't see what I'm talking about in pictures b/c I didn't take any during b/c it was night, I was tired, and I *thought* it was gonna be a generic boring install job and theres LOTS of those on the web *dies laughing*. Which is why it was a special growth experience. ) SOOOO I had to figure out how to get the circle to change orientation to the vertical.

So we took a time out. Failed at google (takes talent I tell you). Called Daddy (mercifully he was still awake). Figured out what we were doing after staring at a bunch of pictures of junction boxes and covers on home depot (okay so odds are my screws are going to be.... there annnnnnd THERE).

Then we shoved our fingers in the hole in the wall (always kinda nerve wracking if you ask me) and felt around until I discovered I had one screw in the lower left corner and one in the upper right. So then I used my hammer and flat head screw driver to chisel through the sheet rock (definitely the intended purpose of the tool) to find said screws. And I tried very hard not to take any more sheet rock than I absolutely had to b/c I was greatly afeared that my new, much smaller base plate wouldn't cover the holes I was making. But I told myself some minor sheet rock repair (which I totally know how to do) was nothing to be able to install my gorgeous $4 (no thats not a typo I really paid 4 bucks for this fixture at a local thrift store) light fixture.

AND it worked. I found my screws, undid them, chiseled out some more wall to buy myself room to turn the plate to the vertical, screwed it down in its new position and 5 whole minutes later my wiring was all done and my new fixture was attached to the wall!!

So after we stopped w/ the victory dance and the yells of "Whose Da WOMAN??! I'm DA WOMAN!!" I took a few more pictures. Please excuse the horribly yellow cast of the walls. My sister was demanding pics and didn't want to wait for day light. And I swear that the fixture is level even tho it doesn't look like it in this pic. Thats just my mad camera skills winning at life for ya. And I know my middle bulb is different than the outer 2. That will be fixed when I hit up Wallymart tomorrow.

And with out further disclaimers: Here we go!

Yes I look EXTREMELY attractive in these pictures. Please remember this was late at night, w/ an experimental (and FAILED) hair do thrown back in a pony tail. Also the fixture will look even better once the wall gets painted. The master bath is on the renovation list but the wrecking crew hasn't made it there yet. This was the first of many baby steps.

Caleb Steals a Hat

More specifically he stole his Grandpa's hat last Sunday when we were over at my inlaws house to celebrate my father in laws birthday. Bill (my father in law) snagged these super cute pictures and was kind enough to send them my way. :)

The Living Room BEFORE and AFTER

Before I show you the "Before" pictures I must add this disclaimer: This is my idea of survival and function with a toddler, NOT my idea of Decor.

Ahem:

Here's what we did: Painted the ceiling a soft flat white, the walls are Martha Stewart Living "Artesian Well" color matched to Behr Premium Plus Ultra paint which is the paint/primer combo stuff you can scrub. I figured since I was going w/ a flat color in a room with a toddler scrubbable was a good thing. All the trim got at least 2 coats of semi gloss white paint.

 I love this little shelf/ledge under the picture on the right. I'm still hunting the pretty things that are going to go on it. I think I'm gonna DIY me some art... Also we decided to see if Caleb would leave the computer alone if we took down the fence and so far so good! :D

Isn't that just SO much more open? I need to get stuff hung on the walls on this half of the room but I want to redo what I had there so it will take some time and doing. But no big I'm just going to do it one little bit at a time. :) We also ditched our huge coffee table in favor of this cute little chocolate brown faux suede storage ottoman. It holds all the throws and blankets and is the perfect height for Caleb to color at when he's sitting in his little chair. Also works good as an ottoman too. :)

 My next project is this hall way. I've even got the paint for it already. Just need a couple days to whip the rest of the house back in shape (it got scary while my back was turned). And this is Vi, its probably the only time most of you will ever see that cat.

I WON!!!

I just wanted to say, "Thank you SO very much" to everybody who voted for my piece on the Vintaj Monthly Design Challenge. Its SUCH an honor to win, particularly given how amazing some of the competition was. 

I am SO frickin' excited I've been doin' a happy dance ALL morning!! 

Thank you again!

http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=12700

Vote for ME!!

Hi Folks!!

So for the first time ever I've entered one of my pieces in a jewelry contest! Vintaj Natural Brass is one of my FAVORITE suppliers and they have a monthly  Design Challenge! Voting is open until Friday so if you would pretty, pretty please go vote for me I would REALLY appreciate it!! And feel free to tell all your friends to go vote too! My piece is #1. 

http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=12564

Thank you so much!

Also if you haven't seen our Etsy shop its rockin' if I do say so myself: 

www.beadsjustforyou.etsy.com

Annnnnd we're back!

So we just took an awesome and otherwise fantastic trip home to Sugar Land to see my folks (and my sissy and her fam). It was SO much fun. That was the longest trip I think I've taken yet (12 full days!). And just to make it even more full of the awesome - my sweet hubby Adam was able to join us for the 2nd half of the trip (rock on!).

And just to add a LITTLE more awesome - it was the first 4th of July I've had with my fam in several years, which was flat out rockin' awesome because for once instead of drooling over pictures of BBQ on facebook (and shedding the occasional jealous tears) that my Daddy made I was THERE to actually enjoy the feast with everybody else! SO awesome!

But because I am full of the FAIL I neglected to take like ANY pictures so I'll see what I can steal from my Dad and sister and get them to you sooner rather than later.

Also to update you on the yard - the grass now looks like over grown jungle since we got back (rock on the grass is HEALTHY!!) so I'm thinking we might have to buy a real lawn mower instead of trying to make this little old rotary mower handle that beast. I just don't wanna shell out for it. But I also really don't enjoy trying to mow with the weed eater either (definitely NOT intended for whole yard usage). So we might have to break down.

AND if you wanna see what I'm plotting for my redecoration of the dining room/kitchen hop on over to http://ilikesparklyobjects.blogspot.com/ to see pictures and hear all the gushie details.