As I embark on the wonderful world of...potty training! I will have to be honest with you, from the moment this handsome little man came out I have feared this very day! Like it was a plague! To be even more honest I will have to say I have a fear most of the "p" word. Y'all know what it is. Boys/men know exactly what I am talking about! I am a girl...I do not know what to do with that or how to train THAT to go into a potty. I do not want my home to smell like pee and I really really get grossed out by the thought of my large fabulous bathroom (dry clean only I might add!) rug getting tinkle juice all over it! Ewww!

But. I knew this day had to come. I feared it long enough and I felt it was time to conquer this fear or was it the fact my pediatrician said I really need to get started?! I took my little stud muffin to our fave store. Target. We waltzed over to the big boy undies section with pride and we laid those puppies out on the ground for his better choosing! I completely thought Thomas would win out. His first thought was Mickey Mouse. But in the end. It was Car's!

Now I get to look at this cute little fanny running around my home!


And can I just add that all my fear and anxiety was for nothing! This kid is doing great! It may help we have these puppies on hand for bribes too!



1 M&M for tinkles and 1 cookie for stinkies!

All I know is if you are like me. Living in fear and denial that it will just happen on its own. I say to you...go forth without fear and angst and potty train today!

Oh and as an added disclaimer, if by day 8 frustration has completely hit you to your core...I didn't do it!

I came across these really great, bright colored straws at Target in the $1 section! I just had to get them and do a project with them! Here is what you will need:


Straws...a bunch! Scissors, a container to hold cut straws and we ended up using the pipe cleaners as the yarn didn't work so well!



Cut your straws into various sizes (I did about an inch or so!) they will fling everywhere BEWARE! I did not save the "bendy" part of the straw that was Emily Grace's job to collect and place those in the recycling can!



Let the kids go to town stringing the pipe cleaners! When they are done, twist the ends together and snip off the ends and you have yourself an new bracelet!



The best part about this project is they could have done it for hours and I didn't really need to assist! YAY!

(to the tune of Brady bunch!)
There was this story of a lovely camera...the owner loved it very very much. Till this one day when her husband dropped it hiking. Now it is one great big ol' bust. Then the owner took it to a sho-op where it will be for the next few weeks..in the meantime you get to see some no good pictures....OK I should never be allowed to write music!



AND yes...I am still out of commission with my camera and makes me wanna cry! For those out there that want to know I have a Canon Powershot SX110 si and I LOVE my camera! I am very sad with out it and have honestly not been having good luck with our old clunker! lol! But I think of you all often as I try and focus some pictures that looks like I was sitting on the dryer while taking! Oy!

So until my pretty little camera gets back stay tuned for not so good photography shots!

Well one thing about us here...we love us some Zag's & Beaver's! I sent this picture to Paul this morning to bring a smile to his face! It worked and is now his computer background!


Mind you I STILL do not have my regular camera so I am using our old one...hence why the pics are so horrible lately!

I read a great passage in Lamentations the other day and wanted to share:

"The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him." Lamentations 3:22-25

I am completely honored, blessed and overjoyed to say that my lil' blog is being featured today at Ink & Mouse!! I found out late last night and was so completely excited!! YAY! My first feature!

I haven't been on here in a few days because Bliss Baby Designs will be at the Robin Hood Festival with 2 other vendors (Bananafana Baby & Casual Camera Photography) tomorrow and Saturday in Sherwood, OR! We are hoping to get into many more festivals this Summer and I will keep you all posted! I was up till 1:30 in the morning working on these:




But I love my job and I have the most gorgeous models in the world! I have been asked constantly if I will be adding boy stuff...I am proud to say YES! I will eventually be adding bow ties and shirts for boys into the mix of fluff and stuff!

To give you an idea of what life is like around here..as I write, my 2 1/2 year old just dumped and entire glass of milk all over the kitchen table and CLOTH chair...splattering it about like he was outside playing in a mud puddle! OY! Triple shot espresso please! Needless to say he is finished with his lunch even if he didn't take one bite...don't mess with mama! and is taking a nap earlier than normal!

I hope your day is smooth and easy going! I will be back to blogging as soon as I am done with the festival! Have a blessed day and don't forget to blog hop over to Ink & Mouse and check us out!

Goodness where has this day gone? I attempted to take my kids to see Yogi Bear at the Regal Summer Family day and failed miserably! I made it there...early. BUT by the time we got inside it was sold out! Bummer deal dude!

So instead this is what I worked on:


While sitting next to this cutie:



My big ones were busy watching Fraggle Rock (Yep! Bad mom alert...I am ousted! I let my kids watch t.v.!)

Anyhow I am getting ready for my stuff to be at a festival and have been working like crazy! Plus I am working on re-vamping my whole business line! Oh, you didn't know I own a business? By golly go to Bliss Baby Designs and you can see what it's all about!

I am now 45 minutes from leaving to teach a class! I **GASP** teach on couponing! My class is called Frugal Farm Girl (fitting eh?!). I get to sit and have dinner with some amazing women from my church and then we get dismissed into our own classrooms where I have a class of almost 20 people!

This is a recipe my friend (OK so we really only know each other through Facebook and church but I do consider a friend that I hope to get to know more of!) Katie made up! Yes I know it is spelled "smores" but she grew up calling them "schmores"! Oh, and she is a city girl! Unlike me!

These are yummy!!


First grab a plate (trust me...I made a mess the first time around! HA!) stack up your marshmallows and chocolate with the graham cracker.



Stick in the microwave and cook for 15 seconds.



Pull it out, eat it up and get messy! YUM! Also you can follow Katie's blog - Katie Campbell Photography! She is absolutely adorable and sweet as pie!

OMG, can you believe it?! I am back!! YAY! No really, I have missed you guys! My camera is still in need of repair but we found our old clunker of a camera which is not the greatest photography wise but does the job for the time being! Today I am excited to share my super duper amazing Spiced Pumpkin Bread recipe! The best part is this recipe makes 2 loaves! I know what you are probably thinking...pumpkin...in July? Well my dear friends I had an urge for something yummy different than banana bread! This recipe does not disappoint!

We recently had a very dear family/neighbor sell their home. It was like breaking up when we gave each other back our house keys. I miss them so much but you know what? The people that bought the house...we are friends with and have been for years! Isn't that neat/ironic/amazing all at the same time? Anyhow, I wanted to brings something to them as a "Welcome to the Neighborhood" sorta deal. So I came across this yesterday! If you haven't checked out 30 Handmade Days Blog I definitely think you should!


This was what I made! She had a great printable and the card below says "Things we love" and lists thinks like: parks, restaurants, sites, theatres, doctors, dentists etc! It also lists a spot for your phone number!

OK back to bread! I made the full batch to give a loaf to them (Paul said I really needed to bring them a 6 pack, but hey!)



In a large bowl mix together 1 -15 oz can of pumpkin, 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil (I use Canola!) and 3 large eggs.


Next you will add in: 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder and the KEY ingredient...Pampered Chef Brand Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend...I kid you not this is the BEST spice you will ever use!! I HIGHLY recommend getting it. And I am not just saying that because I sell Pampered Chef!! (BTW click on one of the links that says Pampered Chef and it will take you directly to my website!) OH back to the recipe...3 heaping tsp of the Cinnamon plus spice blend! I have tried pumpkin spice etc at the store and it is just not the same!! Mix together and then add in 3 cups of flour.



Lightly grease and flour two bread pans. I use Pam spray and then toss in some flour! SO much easier than buttering the pan and works just the same!



Divide batter evenly amongst pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes! Your house in the meantime will smell divine!!



When done baking let stand in pans for 5 minutes and then transfer bread to a cooling rack.



When we came back from a run last night...this is what I found! Looks like the kids got to it right? Wrong! My Dear Husband hunked off a piece before we went out for a run. Hellooooo...ever heard of a knife buddy? I told him if he does it again he is not allowed to partake in the eating festivities! Turkey.



And this is what we delivered to our new neighbors/friends! We did throw in a few beverages for for the adult drinking pleasure as well...but keeping it PG people!

Have a fantastic weekend!

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together...Psalms 34:1-3

I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy Fourth of July! Sorry I have not posted in a while! We have had a sick family, preparation for a class I am teaching, I got Mastitis (seriously horrible!), swim lessons...oh yea...and a broken camera! The Canon is still out of commission for the time being! BUT I wanted to let you all know I was thinking about you out in blog-land! I hope your weekend is filled with family, friends, food and fun! I know what my kids will be doing...


More sidewalk art! Be safe...have fun!