Make a Goal Monday: 1st week of March

Don't you just love this precious face! G has started to sit inside our ottoman to watch t.v. and I had to snap this picture today.

The weekend is over and it's time for me to set goals for the week, and to be honest I don't have any that are sticking out. Usually, I have a list of tons of things to do, but because we had a snow day on Friday, and we were suppose to have a house showing, the house is still fairly clean, and I was able to play 'catch up' over the weekend. But, if I rack my brain, I'm sure I can come up with things to do!

I mean, let's face it, I'm basically a single mom right now w/ a full time job and a side job- so there has to be something!

So, here goes:

1. I still haven't shipped my neice's birthday presents, and one of them had a birthday in January. So, my goal is to find a box (or two) big enough to hold both gifts and get them shipped.

2. Keep the house picked up throughout the week in case we have a surprise showing.

3. I purchased a Saint Joseph (he's suppose to help sell your house) so I need to bury him in the front yard by the 'for sale' sign.

4. I also thought about making a chore chart for Gretchen. So, if I have time this week at work, i'm going to start on it.

5. I've done a lot of sewing this weekend, but I still have it on my to-do list & I'd love to get some new bows made.

So, I guess I have more than I thought, but none of them feel absolutely pressing; so we'll see what I actually accomplish on Fessin' Up Friday!

What are your goals for this week?

New Applique's

With DJ being gone, I've had plenty of time to catch up on sewing projects! I just wanted to share what I've recently made.

This '3' baseball shirt was made for a friends little boy's third birthday party! I sent it to my mom to have it monogrammed. And, I know it'll be a hit for the party! (Pun was intended!)

Someone is going to be getting this spaceship applique' as a surprise in the mail! I've had it cut out for a long time, and I've been dying to applique it.

I made this apple shirt for Megan for the fall. I ordered the fabric last fall, and never had a chance to use it. Those are actual individual apples that were on the fabric, I just cut around each one, and added the stems.

I've also had this fabric left over for a while, so I drew out a "M" and applique'd another shirt for Megan to have this fall/winter.

And, I love this strawberry! I'm thinking about making a matching one for Megan and Gretchen, but this one has actually been ordered, and I'm working on a hair bow to match!

I miss my husband, but it sure is nice to catch up on some new projects!

Fun Items for Baby Megan!

I was so excited to check my mail today and to find it stuffed full with goodies from GG! She sent some wonderful items for Baby Megan and the great thing is that they're all available to you as well, since GG designs for Honey Pie Accessories!

GG picked up this adorable pink onesie and monogrammed a "M" on the front in a curly font, and on the back, she added:

RUFFLES! Aren't they adorable?!

She also sent an adorable silkie made of a pink chenille, and on the back, she monogrammed a "M".

We still have tons of burpies left over from Gretchen that are in great condition, but it'll be nice to have these brand new monogrammed ones!

Thanks GG for spoiling your girls!

Fessin' Up Friday

I can't believe I've had such a successful week in meeting my goals! This is the first time, that I've completed every single one of them! Okay, there were only three, but I'm thrilled!!!

Don't remember what my goals were?
1. I'm taking Gretchen to daycare today. Since DJ's gone, it'll be nice to have a day of 'me-time'. And, the mommy guilt already set in, but I know we'll both enjoy our time. I need to run to the fabric store and update my fabric album on facebook. I also forgot a few things at the grocery store. So, I'm going to run those errands in the morning, and get back to the house to clean some baseboards, walls, and do some laundry.
2. Sew cloth wipes and post a tutorial... I may not get to the tutorial, but I decided that I need to try cloth wipes with baby Megan. I'm also thinking of listing these on my facebook page as another item to HPA.
3. Post the Bright Starts infant swing giveaway!!! It'll start tomorrow, so keep your eye out for it!

Let's see if I can keep up the "good work" and meet all of my goals next week!

Social Parade Friday!

Welcome to the Social Parade, sponsored by Smart & Trendy Moms! If you're new to Honey Pie Accessories~ welcome! I'm so glad that you stopped over!

HPA has a lot of things to offer you! Right now, I'm giving away a Bright Starts InGenuity Swing! There are 4 easy ways to enter, so you'll want to head over there!

I'm also a mother of a 3 year old little girl, and I'm 26 weeks pregnant! I work full time as a speech pathologist, but I also own "Honey Pie Accessories" a hair bow boutique, also specializing in applique' shirts, burpies, tutu's, and other custom made items! You can go here to check out my Facebook page! I'm also a wife to an amazing man: he's currently accepted a new job, so you'll also hear about that journey and the process of moving that we're in! I also love to share recipes and tutorials!

So, in a nutshell, that's my blog.... it's a hodge-podge of things that I love and I want to share! Make sure you leave me a comment if you're a new follower and as long as it's easy to find, i'll follow you back!

Thanks again for stopping over!

Peach Bread Pudding: Recipe

My grandmother makes the most amazing bread pudding. As a child, it was one of my favorite's of her desserts.

We had a carry-in today at work, so I decided that I would make her bread pudding.

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

~1 1/2 pint of half and half milk

~ 2 eggs

~ 1 tsp. vanilla

~1/2 c. butter

~ French bread

~Peaches

~Nutmeg

Directions: Melt butter in a bowl. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and half and half. Spray an 8x11 dish, and add cut up peaches (I used canned.) Tear french bread into small pieces (day old works best and this is a great part to let the kids help with!) Pour the wet mixture over the top of the bread. Place in refrigerator and let sit overnight. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

*Most restraunts serve this with a rum or caramel sauce. Personally, I don't like the sauce, so I've never learned how to make it.

Enjoy!!!

26 weeks

I'm 26 weeks pregnant with Baby Megan. She's kicking up a storm, especially in the evenings. DJ felt her move before he left, but Gretchen still doesn't have the patience to sit down and try to feel her. She does however think that it's not nice for Megan to kick me, and she will talk to her.

Gretchen has told me that she has baby Caroline in her tummy as well. This week, she said, "baby Caroline isn't getting any bigger!" She also told me that baby Caroline had been kicking her. As well as informing me, that my butt is getting bigger, and yes, she's told me this on several occassions.

At 26 weeks the nerves in the baby's ears are more developed and more sensitive. Meaning, she can actually hear us talking (or yelling!) She's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which is helping her lungs to develop. She should know weigh about a pound and 2/3 and measure 14 inches.

I think weight wise, i'm doing fairly well. I hadn't gained as much at my last appointment as I did the previous month, and on Monday I have my glucose test and start my 2 week visits! I can still wear my rings, which I think at this point, they were becoming very tight with Gretchen, and my feet were swollen. The only difficult thing right now is bending over, and if i'm not careful with my posture, my back starts to hurt; which is probably the most excrutiating pain ever!

We're still deciding on where I'll be delivering. And for insurance purposes, I hope that I can deliver here, but there's also a good chance that DJ won't be here for the delivery. I plan on discussing that with my doctor's when I go on Monday- I'm hoping that they'll consider inducing me a week early, if I'm favorable, so DJ will have a chance to be here. Although, I did not want to be induced this time around! Just in case, I'll be interviewing OBs in Tulsa when I'm there over spring break.

How to Make Cloth Wipes: Tutorial

I decided that I would go the cloth diaper route with baby Megan. It's so much easier on the pocketbook, despite the extra laundry, and with the chemicals that I've read about in the new Pampers dry max, I'm honestly, just scared of disposable diapers.



Over the last few days, I've been wondering about cloth wipes. In my head, I had decided that I would purchase regular wipes, because we're still using them with Gretchen on occassion. Then, I began to wonder if the wipe solution would interfere with the material on the cloth diapers. So, I went to a trusty 'green' message board, and asked which would be better.



Upon hearing the results, I decided I would go ahead and give cloth wipes a try as well. One poster reported that she could save an average of $300.00 per year using cloth wipes, and that was purchasing the cheap ones!



I googled for a tutorial as to how to make the wipes myself and with some changes, here's what I came up with: 1. Gather your materials. You'll need paper to make a template, a ruler or straight edge, and measuring tape, pins, an ink pen, and fleece. You can also use receiving blankets.

2. Begin by marking your paper & choosing a measurement of how large you want the wipes. At first, I measured a 5x5 square, but once it was cut, I decided it wasn't big enough, so I measured a 6.5x6.5 square

3. I don't have a ruler, so I used this box to draw a straight edge.

4. Cut out your straight edge and pin it to the fabric.

5. Cut out your squares.

6. Place two squares together with the prints facing each other. You may want to pin these in place, but I found that the fleece 'stuck' well together.

7. Using a straight stitch, sew down the edge of each fleece. When you first start your stitch, you'll want to do a back stitch as well.

8. Sew around 3.5 sides. Leave a pocket opened, so you can flip the material right side out.

9. Once you flip your material facing the right direction, you'll want to turn in the edges of the pocket opening you left.

10. Sew your pocket opening shut- don't forget to back stitch at the beginning and the end.

11. And, that's it! If you want to give your wipes a decorative touch, you can sew around it again, using a zig-zag stitch.

These were pretty easy to make. The most time consuming part was cutting out the fabric. It took about 5 minutes to sew each one together.

If you don't feel like sewing, i've also decided to add these to my Facebook page. They'll be 5 wipes for $4.00 plus S&H. You'll also be able to choose between girl or boy fleece fabrics.

Keep your eye out in the next few weeks, for these cloth wipes to be added to gift sets that will be perfect for baby showers!

Bright Starts Swing Giveaway!

Bright Starts has been creating a fascinating world for babies since 1969. They have graciously offered you a chance to win their brand new InGenuity Cradle and Sway Swing!
The innovative control unit on this swing is powered by Hybridrive Technology, which is more efficient than any comparable swing and provides two times the battery life!

The swing allows you to provide the motion your baby needs. It rotates 180 degrees for a cradle (side to side) motion or a swinging (front to back) motion.

The swing offers the following features & benefits:

•TrueSpeed™ Technology that maintains 6 swing speeds even as baby grows

•Whisper Quiet™ operation for peaceful swinging

•Battery Savings – more than 2X the battery life of comparable swings

•Head rest and cushioned bolster system for ultimate comfort

•Comfort Recline™ seat with 2 positions to suit baby’s needs

•Easy-to-Remove Tray – can lift up left or right, or can be removed completely

•Pivoting Toy Mobile – swings out of the way for easy access to baby

•Swing Timer with 3 settings: 30, 45, and 60 minutes

•Soft, plush toys on tray and on mobile

•10 Melodies and Nature sounds to soothe baby

•Machine Washable seat pad and head rest

•5 point Harness keeps baby secure

You can purchase this swing for $128.00 at Walmart.com OR you can enter here to WIN a FREE one of your very own!

Please leave seperate comments for each entry as well as your email address in at least 1 of your comments.

Mandatory Entry: Head over to Bright Starts on Facebook and 'like' their page. Leave them a comment letting them know that Honey Pie Accessories sent you over! Make sure you also leave your email address in this entry. Remember, this is required for your other entries to count! (Ex comment: "I like Bright Starts on FB")

Extra Entries:

1. Follow this blog via GFC. (Ex comment: "I follow your blog")

2. "Like" Honey Pie Accessories on Facebook (Ex Comment: I 'like' HPA on FB)

3. Tell me why you want to win this swing. (Ex. Comment: I want to win because I'm pregnant)

4. Check out Bright Starts and let me know what other products you love. (Ex. Comment: I love their exersaucers)

The giveaway will end on March 15th. Good luck!!!!!

All information was provided from the Bright Starts website and facebook page. I was given a free swing to host this giveaway. I will also be providing my honest review of this product in July, once our new baby has had a chance to use it.

Planning a Minnie Party: The Outcome

It's been over a month since Gretchen's Minnie theme party, and I've put off blogging about it! Sometimes, I do that when I have long blog posts that I want to write, but that I'm also kind of dreading, just because of the length and detail that could be involved...

But, I'm sure you've all been anxiously waiting to see how it came together- or you just forgot and that's fine too. For the dining room decorations, I made zebra print and red tissue paper balls, and I also hung paper decorations that went with the mantle banner.

My idea for the actual centerpiece flopped- I had wanted to make a Minnie Mouse head out of spray painted styrofoam balls, but the spray paint ate the styrofoam, so I had to come up with something last minute! The flowers were going to go around the base of the minnie head, so I cut them from the bush, stuck them in this white vase that I had, along with some red glittery hearts to make it more 'cartoonish', and tied zebra ribbon around the neck of the vase. I also had an extra Minnie Mouse resin, that matched Gretchen's hair bow, so I hot glued it on.

I found these zebra print bags at Hobby Lobby- they're filled with Disney fruit snacks, Mickey Mouse clubhouse silly bands, Minnie and Daisy stickers, kazoos, and a Minnie & Mickey box of chocolates that I found in the Valentine's section!

We served Coke, bottled water, and juice boxes for the kids.

I used scrapbook paper to make this banner- simply trace shapes onto the back, cut them out, and punch holes in the side, and tie them together with grosgrain ribbon. I'm also selling these on my facebook page, because not everyone has the time to make them! This one features zebra print balloons, yellow flowers, and the red and white polk-a-dot hair bows.

Each child received a set of mouse ears to wear. The girls each had a detachable mini-clip. Gretchen's ears came from Disney World (a big thanks to my mother-in-law for picking those up for us!) I cut off the red bow that was attached, and made a detachable hair bow for Gretchen.

My cake plan also flopped, so I ordered this one from a local bakery. It's very difficult to find bakeries in our area that work with fondant, and the last two years, I've driven 30 minutes away to pick up the cake, but decided that I did not want to do that this year. I kept it simple by having the baker ice the cake in red, placing white polk-a-dots on it, and adding a yellow border at the bottom. The cake said, "Golly Gee, Gretchen is 3" which mimic'd the wording on our invitations. The cake was a delicious chocolate with raspberry filling and I'm sure the adults loved it more than the kids!

I made these dipped oreos that I blogged about earlier in January. And, they were super simple. Simply add mini-marshmallows to an oreo cookie using melted chocolate, and let dry. Then, dip the entire cookie into melted chocolate.

I also served cheese & crackers- you can find Mickey shaped cheese at Wal-Mart.

I made chocolate covered potato chips as well, and chocolate dipped pretzels that had a zebra stripe to them.

Gretchen wore zebra ruffled pants that GG made. I also applique'd a zebra print minnie mouse head with a detachable bow that matched her larger hair bow.

Here's a close-up of the birthday girl!

One of Gretchen's guests wearing her Minnie ears- the guests were able to take these home as part of their party favors!

We played 'pin the bow on Minnie" for our game. I just cut a large Minnie head out of black poster board, and used the same scrapbook paper and stencil for the bows. I also wrote each of the guests name on them before hand, so we could see who 'won'.

I think the party was a success! Gretchen made her wish and blew out her candles, and we're hoping for a fabulous third year!

And yes, I'm already planning her party for next year!

Makin' a Goal Monday: Feb 21

I'm so glad that this is the last full week in February! It's one of my favorite months because it goes by so fast, and usually we get some spring weather in March! Those days of 50, 60, and 70 degree weather, makes the 30 degree weather days a little more bearable!

I'm thankful that this is also a short work week.... thanks to all of those presidents, I have the day off work, making my 2 day weekend a 3 day weekend. And, I love the 4 day work weeks!

As, I'm meeting more and more of my weekly goals, and as I feel that I have a lot of my larger goals met, I was having a hard time thinking of some goals for the week. But, as with every week, and as a mother and a wife- there's always something to get done.

1. I'm taking Gretchen to daycare today. Since DJ's gone, it'll be nice to have a day of 'me-time'. And, the mommy guilt already set in, but I know we'll both enjoy our time. I need to run to the fabric store and update my fabric album on facebook. I also forgot a few things at the grocery store. So, I'm going to run those errands in the morning, and get back to the house to clean some baseboards, walls, and do some laundry.
2. Sew cloth wipes and post a tutorial... I may not get to the tutorial, but I decided that I need to try cloth wipes with baby Megan. I'm also thinking of listing these on my facebook page as another item to HPA.
3. Post the Bright Starts infant swing giveaway!!! It'll start tomorrow, so keep your eye out for it!

And, that's all, I'm keeping it short and simple this week. I'm hoping that this week will be really enjoyable. My spirits are looking up, as we get closer to spring, and closer to seeing DJ again!

What are your goals for the week???

We're Surviving....

If you've been following us for the last few weeks, you know that we are in the process of moving to Tulsa! I'm so excited about this move because we're going to be super close to my family, and DJ's!

We've had a successful week in the moving department. DJ found this house for us to rent until our house here can sale: It's 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and has hardwood floors, along with stainless steel appliances, a spa tub in the master bath, and granite tile countertops in the kitchen.... besides the brighter paint colors on the inside- I'm in love!

I will say that with this being our 3rd move to a new city & state in 5 years of marriage. DJ has always done very well with picking out our 'temporary' homes!

Gretchen and I have survived our 2nd full week by ourselves. We've only had one evening, where I thought I was needing a break, or she was needing an early bedtime because she was so whiny!

We had a great evening out last night at our school carnival! She did very well at the games (although she cheated a little) and she won the cake walk two times! So, she was treated to a mini cupcake and a sugar cookie!

We also took the time and colored a picture this week:
She said that she was making it for daddy, so I guess it's going to go in our 'miss you' box that we'll be mailing him on Tuesday.

Our house is officially on the market, and although we have had no phone calls about it, i'm hoping that we'll be getting some soon! I went ahead and ordered a St. Joseph from Amazon, who also came with a St. Jude..... there's a belief that if you bury St. Joseph under your 'for sale' sign upside down and facing your house that it will sell quicker. St. Jude is a saint for desperate times, so I figured that having him wouldn't hurt either! Plus, they came in a kit together.... I hope that they'll be delivered on Tuesday and that I can get the burried or in the appropriate places!

We're lucky enough to have President's Day off on Monday, but I'm going to take Gretchen to daycare, so I can have some relaxing time by myself. Of course, the mommy guilt set in, but as it's just the two of us, I figured some mommy time wouldn't hurt! I keep counting down the weeks until we see DJ again, and it actually isn't too far away! I'm ready for him to get his butt back here though, so we can have a full two weeks together! And after that, we'll be on the home stretch of having this baby and moving!

For those that are praying for our family- I thank you. It honestly means the world to me, as I don't know how I could get through this time without God's guidance and the support of our family and friends.

Cherry on Top! 1 bow worn 3 ways!

I am in love with this cherry themed hair bow! It features a cherry ribbon spray, a large red boutique bow middle, and a cherry ribbon boutique bow on top..... all set off with adorable ribbon sculptured cherries! But wait, you can wear this bow 3 different ways!!! Wear it all together, like the picture shown above OR....

Wear them seperately! Pull your little honey's hair back in a ponytail adorned with the bow, and use the clippie to hold back her bangs or any loose hairs!

Or, wear the clippie by itself!

This bow set is on my facebook page for only $9.00, but if you're the first to comment on this post w/ your paypal email address- I'll send it to you with NO shipping charge!

And, don't forget about the baby swing giveaway starting on Tuesday!!!

Fessin' Up Friday

A big 'thank you' to my co-worker who let me borrow her computer again! I swear, I'm getting this lady a huge gift!

I'm so glad that it's finally Friday! Anyone with me?! This week went by pretty fast, and I'm shocked that we only have one full week left of February! I'm praying that the weather will start to warm, and that the snow will stay away! I'm also, so ready for spring break to get here!

So, how did y'all do with your goals this week?

I don't think I did too shabby! ~Here's the rundown~
1. Our house is officially on the market! The sign is in the yard, along with the stat sheets (we also have them in the house). The virtual tour is up, and all of the photos online! Now, we just need a buyer!
2. Our bathroom is organized; I do still need to wash the cabinets, and the tub has been scrubbed!
3. Our painter finished yesterday, and the house looks great!
4. The house isn't back in order for showings, but the paint is still wet. I'm hoping that the house will be back in order on Saturday.
5. Enjoy Gretchen- well, I always enjoy my daughter. But we were able to color one night this week, and the weather was nice enough yesterday that we were able to get outside and play! Tonight is our school carnival, and I'm excited to take her to it, and to get ice cream on Saturday!

Of course, I have to share her 'funny' of the week.... as we were getting ready to go outside yesterday, I was bending over to put on my shoes- which, anyone that's been 6 months pregnant knows that this can be a very difficult task! Gretchen went behind me, hit my booty and said, 'Mommy, your butt's getting bigger!'

Wow! I mean, don't you love a 3 year old's honesty!

I hope you've all had a great week as well and were able to meet your weekly goals!

Out of the Loop! & Upcoming Giveaway!

AGH! I feel so out of the loop! My computer died this weekend, and it took until today to finally get it back from the IT guys at work! Within 3 hours, it had died AGAIN- so I'm completly frustrated with it. To top it off, our IT guy isn't suppose to be back in the building until next Wednesday!

My Bright Starts giveaway is suppose to begin next Tuesday, the 22nd- if I can get access to a computer over the weekend, then I will have it posted and ready to begin! You can win an amazing Bright Starts infant swing! They sent me one to review, and even though it's not out of the box- I already favor it compared to the one I used with Gretchen. It has a 5-point safety harness, and I was always scared that G would fall out of her swing, so we only used it for a few months. But, I know that this one will be used much longer just because of it's harness!

Baby Megan doesn't arrive until the end of May- but I will be review the product once she gets here- so you can look forward to that in July!

So, stay tuned for your chance to win this amazing swing!

I also want to give a quick update with our moving plans... DJ has finally settled on a rent house in Tulsa! We agreed to rent for up to a year, or until our house here sells. I'm thrilled that each of the girls will have their own room, and now, I'm searching for bedding that can match the already-there wall paint in Megan's room. G's room, is likely going to have to be repainted since we have her bedding already, but I'll get to start fresh with Megan's!

If you would please just keep us in our prayers, as we'll be struggling with two house payments, bills, and being so far away from each other. We're also trying to decide if I'll delivere here, or if I should move to Tulsa the month that I'm due and find an OB and deliver there. Also, pray for a quick sell of our current house, as it's being very difficult to move forward with the gloom of the house payment hanging over our heads.

I decided yesterday, that I really was blessed. And, I knew that God was wrapping his arms around our family. Thus far, everything has fallen into place. DJ has a job that he already loves, we'll be closer to family, our house is on the market, and I have a wonderful support system where I am. I know that God has taken care of us and has layed out this plan for our lives; it's just stressful not knowing the end outcome of when our house will sell and where I will be delivering.

I'll stop gabbing for now, but I thank you all for your patience as I have been so overwhelmed the last few weeks!

Make a Goal Monday: On a Tuesday

So, I'm a day late on making goals for this week; but my computer died over the weekend!!!!

Thanks to a co-worker who lent me her laptop for the evening!

Here's a quick rundown of this weeks goals:
1. Get the house on the market- can I get a 'woohoo' because we officially have a sign in the front yard as of 40 minutes ago!
2. Get our bathroom linen closet & cabinets cleaned out and organized. I also need to clean our tub.
3. Take pictures off the wall to get ready for the painter to be here on Thursday.
4. Once he's done, get the house back in order for showings
5. Enjoy Gretchen- I really want to enjoy this time with her while we are having lots of 'girl nights'. I'm hoping to take her for some ice cream this weekend!

So, what are your goals for the week?

Fessin' Up on a Friday Night

I'm so glad that it's Friday, and that Gretchen and I have the weekend ahead of us! I know it's going to be a busy weekend because the realtor is coming over to take pictures of the house so we can get it on the market- there's a lot of organizing I need to do!

So, here's how I did this week with my weekly goals:
1. I didn't have the painter over... he's coming on Sunday with the realtor.
2. I managed to survive DJ leaving on Monday without too many tears. Though, they came last night, I did survive this first week!
3. Our bathroom is not clean or organized- I decided to save that for this weekend.
4. Our closet- yup, it's not done either. Again, that's a task for tomorrow!
5. I did successfully organize our guest room into an 'office'. It at least looks so much larger than what it did!

So, how did you do this week with your goals?

Social Parade Friday!

If you're stopping over from the Social Parade sponsored by Smart and Trendy Moms a big WELCOME and THANK YOU goes out to you!!!!

HPA is a blog about so many things- absolutely anything goes! I blog about my family, my pregnancy, my business & crafts, post recipes, product reviews, share some of my favorite finds, and so much more!

You'll also want to stay posted because in less than two weeks I'm going to be giving away a FREE baby swing from Bright Starts!

So, hit the follow button, leave a comment, and you'll get a follow back!