Pillow Redo

Out with the (very) old. In with the new. So much prettier! I just bought fabric (with a coupon!) at JoAnn and recovered them myself…with the baby on my back for half of the time! A cheaper fix than heading to buy new ones!

Before and after:

It was time to make some cash…

$14 to be exact. And the better bonus, we have more room in the garage now.

The Sunshine Award

Anyone who knows me and how much I loved my nickname from my Gram as a child, knows that if someone sticks the word ‘Sunshine’ onto anything, I’ll love it.

Anyone who knows that I am a little overtaken by my five girlies and my handsome man, therefore undertaken in the adult conversation department, know that I would jump on a chance to participate in anything related to another adult. Ha!

My friend, Katie, over at Single.Simple.Studio, has nominated me for a Sunshine Award!  (Awww! Cue the ‘I-wish-we-lived-closer-I-really-do’ comments.)

The Sunshine Award is given to blogger who brightens your day (thank ya, lady!) and you answer 10 questions that the nominator gave you, then you pass on the love by nominating 10 others (I’m not sure I have that many friends! I’d better get on that! ha!) and asking them 10 new questions!

Here goes with my Q’s from Katie:

1. If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go?

Does back in time for a visit count?  Then it might be harder to choose…so, I’ll say it doesn’t.  How about to Europe.  I’ve never been, I’d love to go. Sure, I could nail down a location. Perhaps a favorite city or a specific attraction, but who would want to limit themselves if they are going wherever they want?  A month long trip to Europe. That’s my final answer.
2. If you could have one super power, what would it be?

Super powers would be awesome!  I’m thinking ahead to moving to Japan and the fact that we have to visits back home (30+ hours away) before then….how about teleportation?! For me and any of those that I’m touching!
3. Do you have a favorite show?

We don’t have cable, but I do still love a good series to get sucked into.  Currently, I like The Voice, Revolution, and The Big Bang Theory.  I LOVE Parenthood.  I like to jump on series on disc and ignore the children the housework until they’re done.  Most recently, it was Orange is the New Black and Breaking Bad, but Weeds was a favorite too.  My all-time favorite though, has got to be FRIENDS.  It’s so classic it can’t be beat.  It sounds like I watch a lot more television than I do, I promise!

4. If you weren’t a full-time mom/blogger/teacher at home, what would you want to be doing?

Oh, man, that’s hard.  Who knows what you would have if the current situation wasn’t there.  I’d like to say I couldn’t imagine anything different, but that might be a lie.  I would love to have had the opportunity to go to art school, live in a city studio apartment, to see where that would take me.  I would imagine in an alternate world I would be doing all the things I love and ‘don’t have time for’ now…more art, more writing, more sewing, more going out with friends…things I’ll hope to busy myself with when they littles don’t need me so much.
5. What do you miss the most about our hometown? 🙂

Ooh, loaded question. The people. 😉 Ha! Now, with that obligatory answer out of the way, I always miss and crave Downtown Deli (thought that’s a bit different given our diet changes), some hot & sour soup at House of Chen, and the fresh crisp air that hits before the worst coldest season of the Midwest.  I guess I like food. 😉
6. What part of Outlander are you most looking forward to seeing on screen this summer?!

Narrow it to one?! Well, first, as I mentioned before, I need to make friends with someone that subscribes to STARZ (applications can be requested through email).  Then, for me, it isn’t even the SEEING, it will be the HEARING! I want to sit and listen to the voices of the characters that have been living in my head since I put the books down.
7. What’s your least favorite food?

Seafood. I am a loser and lump it all in.  No, I haven’t tried all of it. But it smells…even when it’s the good stuff it smells bad. I can’t get over it. Why would you put something that smells like that in your face? Blech.
8. Ocean or lake?

To be in, neither. I am not a water fan at all.  (I remember being saved by the lifeguard at your birthday party forever and a day ago!) But to sit by and enjoy? Ocean. Fo’ sho’.
9. What’s your favorite part about being a mom?

This is a very hard question.  There are so many aspects that make each and everything I do, and conversely, the things I don’t get to do, worth it.  Warm foreheads to kiss, giggles, trust, all the mushy things that are easy to say.  I think digging deeper than that, the best part about being a mom is the fact that I have one life goal already realized.  A simple thing as their existence makes my role on this Earth realized.  Everything else is cake.
10. What’s your LEAST favorite part about being a mom?!

I should have rearranged your questions and ended on the good. Ha!  Least favorite thing…I will not even attempt to lie and say it’s all peachy, the worst thing…see it’s hard to even choose! The good does come with the bad!  Alright. The worst thing, as of today, as of the moment I needed to commit and finish the answer…not having the ability at the moment to be me.  Not mama. Misty. Me.  I think the name of the blog says it all.  This Mama Matters. Damn it.  And the hardest part is even after all the wifely and motherly commitments, it’s still on me to make it happen.  I’m getting there. 😉

Thanks for the fun, Katie!

And, now for the chain to continue (I’m only sending to one…I’m a loser like that.  BUT, I did always do the chain letters to completion when I was younger, don’t think I didn’t!

I would love for Roxanne, my Ignite Collaboration partner (as seen on the Artist page) and friend, at Imaging Rox to answer the following questions:

1. What is your favorite flower? Why?

2. What do you enjoy shooting the most (I know you like firearms, I mean photography!)?

3. Which is better: sandals in summer or slippers in winter?

4. If you could add 2 more hours to each day, what do you fill them with?

5. Coffee–the smell, the caffeine, the taste…put them in order of what you enjoy.

6. Speaking of orders, P and I disagree on the order for the following–in the correct my order, least to most favorite: rice, pasta, potatoes.  What is your order?

7.  If you could relocate your family anywhere (I’m thinking away from Iowa winters), where would it be?

8. Best feeling in the world? (Two of mine: new socks and having my pant legs pulled down while I’m sitting down getting comfy…weird, I know.)

9. Any stupid human tricks?

10. Crayons and playdough (can you guess what the girls are doing?!)—good smells or bad?

A seamly.co Versalette Challenge

It’s been a couple years now since I bought my first Versalette and then invested in my second one when the redesigned Versalette 2.0 came out.  Is it possible that we have talked since then and you are still confused about what a Versalette is? Prepare to come to the cool side.

As many of you know, we are on a path to change.  Less stuff.  In our food.  In our belongings.  In our time.  We are looking forward to moving to Japan with P’s Marine Corps career later this year and while we were already on a quest to downsize, the impending move made us get real.  One area that we have been working on regularly for a couple years now (which means we haven’t really sucked it up and committed yet, I guess) is our wardrobes.  Each season, and sometimes during, I go through my clothing and accessories and remove items that I are worn out, don’t fit properly anymore (babies, what?!) and just plain haven’t been reached for.  I am hoping to pare the collection down even further.  One way to make a small wardrobe seem larger than it is? Convertible clothing.  My favorite piece for that right now?  The Versalette.

Seamly.co is an amazing little clothing company with big heart.  It’s mission to use sustainable fabric and creation processes, to educate the population about where clothing comes from and that they have a choice in making it or looking for responsible goods, and to give it’s customers sweet designs to don, speaks right to my heart.

Enter the Versalette challenge.  Seamly.co’s leading lady, Kristin, issued a challenge for it’s clients/followers: wear this versatile garment five different ways, tag it on Instagram (or email the pics), and be entered to win a $100 seamly.co gift card.  Challenge accepted!  I had actually wanted to participate in the previous challenge, but it was right after I had Liezel and I wasn’t feeling up to par yet.  I guess that was an okay thing, because I was destined to be in this challenge.

Each day, I wore my Versalette and different way, enlisted Makenzi in the photo taking department, and posted the shot.  I even pulled her into one of them to model it’s uses an extra way. (Cheating? Maybe. Was I ashamed of doing it to get in an extra use? Nope.)

The judges took a week to deliberate and last Saturday morning I woke up to see that I was the winner!  I was so excited!  I couldn’t wait to share the news with Makenzi.  She, of course, thought that meant I should buy something that she could wear as well.  I figured this day would come (and it has, just ask my shoes).  She will be stealing my goods from here on out.  And there are four other girls right behind her to join in the fun.  Just wait until I can return the favor to them. Mwahahahaha!

I am going to hold out to order one of the convertible pieces that are currently out of stock.  I’m thinking the 5-Ways Maxi Dress or one a Jenny Dress.  I want to add another convertible piece to maximize my clothing.  If I get the 5-Ways, I should be able to remove at least 4 or 5 pieces out of my current collection!

If you haven’t already, and this isn’t just a plug for the company (no benefit to me, but one for you if you buy a great piece(s)!), check out the website and see if sustainable fashion can make it’s way into your closet.  Maybe it can even boot a few pieces out.  Maybe it will start to change the way you think about clothing from here on out.  I had several friends express interest and one confirmed order.  I am so excited for her to get it and rock it!  If I wasn’t so far away from everyone, I’d let you borrow mine!

Now, to get a Versalette in each one of my girls’ size. 😉

We fit!

After some deal searching, we found a table we like that fits–both us and our budget!

Craigslist pulled through for us this time.  I found a table that sits 8, checked dimensions for this house and Japan, and made the call.  We picked it up for $300, when it retails for $1130!  It’s not exactly the table I will want for good, but it is really nice, practically brand new, and fits all of us comfortably!  Plus, I sold our table for $125.  Not too shabby.

It’s not often we find a great score on CL, but when we do, I’m a happy gal.

Impatient, Instant Growth

I like my hair cut short. I really do. The growing out period, not so much. I am at a point right now that drives me crazy. It doesn’t look nice with my long face, nor with my fine hair. Extensions to the rescue!

This white girl wishes she had the extra money for a weave and it’s upkeep, but since I don’t, clip-ins to the rescue!

I already had one box, but it wasn’t quite enough. I bought another, colored them the same color as my hair (darker, which I like best) and watched about ten videos on how different people prefer to clip them in.

If it wasn’t for the time it takes to curl and the little baby crawling at my feet wanting up when I’m busy (my mom who was on the phone with me will attest to that being a pain!), I would put these in all the time! I like them! Too bad my natural hair, even if I do grow it out this long, will never be as nice as this.

Makenzi and Azaylia say they like my hair short best. Bella, Zhara (who was mad when I cut it the first time), and Philip like them.

Now, to teach the girls to do it for me. 😉 And to wear them in public. 🙂

What do you think? How do you like the extensions? Which way do you think my hair looks best? Honest answers.

Short, In between, Extension long, something other than this?

Another Fifty Saved

Can you imagine how much Beasley would cost us over time if we had to pay to groom him?  So glad those clippers have paid for themselves! 😉

Broken Surfboard? No problem.

P can fix it.  And cheaply too! 🙂
The landlord left his broken long board in the garage.  P thought it would be fun to try.  Much to his dismay it was broken.  A few materials, some nice weather and some work fixed that! He took it out with his cousin when they visited and his repair job worked well!

Professional cost to repair the damage? $150?

New long board? $400 or so?

P’s repair work? $30ish.

Nice job, Babe!

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A Cheaper, Greener Way to Mow?

Philip found a cheaper, greener way to mow the lawn, get a workout and practice his golf swing at the same time. Smart?! Fun. 🙂

Mullet No More

Welp, I did it! Azaylia no longer has her curly mullet! She was ready and asking. I figured it was time for me to get over it. And the results are awfully cute anyway! Now maybe her curls will grow evenly?! Fingers crossed.

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