So, I know that it's kind of early to start shopping for this...

seeing as how I have no idea whether this bambino is a boy or girl, but, alas, Etsy has sucked me in again.

Wouldn't these be perfect for a Christmas baby (which I just might have)? I need some!

I am loving these...

They have the pattern for them here (and for a lot less) so I'm hoping to convince my Mama to crochet me up a few.

Look at these! I want three of each...

I want one of these too, but not for cloth diaper usage (umm, no thank you). Wouldn't it look cute in a picture?

All I can say is: Oh My Goodness.

Look at this growth chart! I could possibly make one, but wouldn't it just be easier to buy one? Let's see if that argument will work with OP...

Well, I could honestly go on forever posting all the wonderfully delicious things I find on Etsy... people are so stinkin' creative! Unfortunately I have to get Adi-baby to her soccer game.

Maybe you could keep looking and send me a few links? I'd love that.

Cotton-Headed Ninny-Muggins

Yeah! We finally made it to the store! Note to self: always avoid the Dollar Store on a Saturday night. ALWAYS.

We had a bit of a difficult time trying to divide up the kids between OP and I, since Porter wouldn't leave Orrin's side (and they had drawn each other's name). Adi and Piper couldn't go together since Pip's had Adi, I couldn't take Piper since I had her name, and Adi couldn't go with me since she had my name.

We tried on some pretty elusive moves last night, but I'm pretty sure that everyone saw their gifts. But that's ok since the fun is in the choosing of the gifts, and not in the getting. Right?

When we were driving home, OP started rocking out to Journey. Yup, Journey.

Afterward, we picked up some din din, and then had movie night.

What did we watch, you may ask?

Elf, of course.

Will Ferrell is a genius.

Mamma's New Table

Another wonderfully-re-done project from my dear old friend, the D.I. (that is, as long as you don't look too closely). $15 big ones for the table, and $5 a piece for the chairs.

What's even better is that I got the paint for 1/2 price at Wally-World, so this set ended up costly a mere $30.

Wahoo!

Now the kiddos have a place to color in the family room and I have a place to sew (instead of on the ironing board. That got a little messy).

Oh, and the bird cage (originally a sage green) was also from good-ole Deseret.

What else I've been doing lately....

Some more thrift shopping.

I think that I just may be addicted. Awesome prices and so much potential!

Anywho, I found this desk at the D.I. Two spray paint cans later we had this (no before pics, sorry. That would require forethought :)

Last school year we had issues as to where Adi should store her backpack. No problems this year, thanks to my local thrift store, $2, and a can of paint:

And last, but certainly not least, I attacked this old bubble gum machine with some left-over paint and got this:

Just you wait to see what else I've been painting...

My favorite game...

I have this little game that I like to play very much. It is called: How Much Can Courtney Get For $20. The rules are simple: Courtney has $20. She must spend that $20 (because that's how I roll). She must get as much possible for that $20.

I am the reining queen of it.

Sure, sure, the game might be a bit biased toward myself, but I can't help it. It's just how it is.

Because I am so secure in my winner-status, I felt that I could share some of my spoils with all my friends...

Let's start with Kohl's. Oh, how I love me a good Kohl's clearance rack. Who doesn't? Today I discovered this gem of a dress that I've had my eye on for about 4 months now, just waiting for the right moment. And that moment came today. $13.80. It was on the 80% off rack, so I don't think that it would go lower.

Then these two packs of socks that came with six pair each. 12 pairs of super-cute socks for a mere $4.40? Awesome.

And these cutsie panties (which I am sure one day my girls will die in embarrassment when they find that I posted these for the blogging world to oggle at). Mudd brand- which usually go for 4 for $9.

There was a 15% off coupon used also... so cha-ching!

Then I went to the D.I. and found these wonderful Old Navy distressed jeans with flowers on the back pocket and leather detailing. For $3. And yes, I can see my lil' sis cringing while she reads this. But, Whit my dear, they are being washed as I type.

OK, I might have *stretched* the rules a bit and had to scrounge for quarters to make up the $1.67 difference, but still. A gorgeous dress, 12 pairs of socks, 4 pairs of underwear, and Old Navy Jeans for $21.67?

I still rein supreme.

****Post Edit*****

After I got home from Kohly's, I discovered a lovely $10 gift certificate there in my Inbox.

WAHOO!! So back to Kohls I went ('cause I had to go while my 15% off coupon was still good).

So, I ended up spending $2.71 and got the following awesome stuff:

*A pair of Tony Hawk shoes for Porter-Pot
*12 pair of sockies for the girlies

Thank you, thank you.

Thrifty Me

Lately I've had an itch to go peruse my local thrift store in search of some mega deals (this itchy-ness is due to reading Blaire's blog-she finds some awesome stuff). Here was my big find/project yesterday:

5 bucks (yeah, didn't look like much to me either)


But, some batting, fabric and staples later, it morphed it into this:


A much-needed headboard for my Baby Boy's room (I just threw the pillows on this morning for the picture- please don't judge my bed-making capabilities).

I'm almost finished with Porter Pot's room now, so I'll be posting pics soon...

Starting Early

What did I do yesterday while watching the kiddos swim outside in the 90 degree weather?

Made these oh-so-cute winter hats for the girls. I got the yarn at Hobby Lobby on clearance for $1.19. Steal of a deal! I think I need to go back today and get some more....

Did I mention that Hobby Lobby already had it's Christmas stuff out?! It's only June! Ahhh! You may be asking yourself why Courtney doesn't just walk past the displays and ignore them until it is more calendar-appropriate for such things. Well, when I see Christmas stuff, I get a little panic attack, thinking about how I need to start my Christmas preperations (which, by the way, I have. I happen to have all of our family gifts done. Wahoo). The same thing happens when they put winter clothes out to buy in July (did I mention that I have the girl's winter clothes all done? Coats, boots and all).

It's a conspiracy, and I play right into their hands...

Who's the Strange People Already Shopping For Spring?

That would be me. But hey, I've got the kid's Easter clothes already- or at least the majority of them.

Now I have to figure out which girl gets which dress. Any suggestions?

Porter's clothes were on clearance on OldNavy.com for &5 & &4- awesome!


I loved the girls' dresses last year, so I went with the same brand this year- and for only $20 a piece, a pretty awesome deal for Rare Edition dresses, if I do say so myself. Thanks eBay!


Now I need to get lil' white sweaters and shoes for the girlies and shoes and some kind of vest for Porter-Pot. Let me know if you if you see anything for a good price...

So, yes, I may still have three or four months till Easter, but with three kids to buy for and the current economic-crunch, I am all about shopping ahead for good deals.

Redecorating; Digi-Style

I've been looking for a new way to decorate the girls' room lately that would keep the same colors I've got going on now (I have way too much pink and brown to replace all of it).

Why? You may ask....

Because I enjoy hearing Orrin groan when I bring up redecorating a room, that's why ;)

Anyway, I was shopping at Tangie's Big Birthday Sale when I came across these beauties here and here. I could suddenly feel those long-unused decorating wheels start a'turning in my head (the poor things have rusted).

Wouldn't it be great to do something a little more vintage-y, borderline-Victorian in there? I also have this strange fascination with Emily Post, so I dug up a few quotes from her 1922 etiquette book and came up with these:

I'm going to frame them (probably in white) and hang 'em up (11x14 maybe?). Quick and inexpensive way to change their room!




Oh, and stand-by, 'cause I also bought Tangie's Giddeyup cowboy kit to do some things on Porter-Pot's wall!

My New Love...

I have found a new obsession- felt & crochet play food for the girls. I love these felt items

and these crochet ones.

Aren't those the sweetest things that you have ever seen? I'm trying to make some of the felt food, but crocheting is far beyond my ability! I bought the crochet cupcakes and some felt cookies for the girlies for Christmas, but I'm looking for more, so if there is anyone out there who knows how to make these, let me know, 'cause I'm in the market...

A Little Power Shopping On Etsy

Bought this...

From here for 99 cents. Check the store out- she has tons of cute skull hair stuff.

Bought these (Christmas presents for the girlies- oh yeah, I've already started Christmas shopping)...

From here for 20 cents each. Something called Pay It Forward? I now have to do three random acts of kindness.

Bought these

For my mom's b-day from here for... well they were presents, so I don't want to completely disclose the amount, but you can get on her site and see for yourself ;)

And finally, I bought this...

From here for $5 for OP (I can feel Vanessa, Emily and Lindy rolling their eyes right now).

I just *heart* Etsy.

Chuck E Cheesey Kind of Day

Adi and Piper have ben asking to go to the wonderful Chuck E Cheese for months now and I finally caved. We had gotten a coupon in the newspaper for a large pizza, 2 soft drinks and 20 tokens for $16, and I figured that that is a pretty darn good price.

It wasn't so bad. The hardest part was juggling Porter, two cups of coins, my bag and my camera in my arms, but somehow I managed!

We also bought Adi some more clothes for school here and here and picked up some bling for the girls here (don't you love their 10 for &10 table?).

We visited Grandma B where the girls showed off their new stuff and picked "peas" from a bush (they were actually seed pods which Pipes wanted me to take home and cook for dinner).

By the time we left Gma's, it was already 4:30 and I didn't feel much like cooking! So we went to Walmart and got their Pick 3 Bucket from the Deli for dinner. We didn't get home till 5:30 and not a single one of my kiddies had had a nap yet. Can you imagine how tired we all were? But the night was not yet over...

I had promised the girls about 3 months ago that on the night Camp Rock debuted, they could stay up to watch it. Well, of course it was on yesterday and not until 9 o'clock. Seriously.

The kiddies got to run in the sprinklers after dinner (unheard of), took a bath and Porter Boy went to bed. The girls did a "Camp Rock Craft"....



Made popcorn....

And fell asleep about twenty minutes into the movie...


I ended up staying up to not only watch Camp Rock in it's entireity, but also Wizards of Waverly Place. Hey, I love Disney shows, what can I say?

Silly me, I thought that after the big, long, tiring day yesterday, the kiddies would sleep in this morning.

I got my wake-up call at 5:45.

So. Not. Fair.

I Am Feeding My Addiction, But

I got two new books last night! I had a giftcard to Barnes and Noble left from my birthday (and we all know what a miracle it is that I've hung onto it this long), so OP watched the kids after our nightly routine last night and I snuck off into a little world of my own.

The problem with B&N is that their are just too many choices! I finally settled on two books that I have been wanting to read for a while now, and they both were located on the "teen summer read" table. I know, I know, but Twilight is also a teen book!

Anyway, I got this book:

Ella Enchanted- and so far it is way different than the movie (which I love).

And I got:

Forever in Jeans- I started reading the series way before the movie came out, and I just love the way that Ann Brashares writes!

So now I am off into Frell, I gotta get some reading in before the kiddies wake up!

Back to the Village

We went back to Gardner's Village yesterday, and it was the perfect weather! Not only did we get to do some shopping, but Piper fell in love!

His name is Sparky and he gave Piper her first ever pony ride. She has been waiting anxiously for the day that she would be able to ride a horse, and while Sparky isn't exactly Black Beauty, he was close enough for her!

Porter just watched his sister, a little upset that he couldn't join in on the fun.

Adi opted out of the animal fun and decided to hit afew shops with Her Aunt Whit and Nana.

This little Village is so cool- not just for the eclectic stores there, but it also has Archibalds (a nice, sit-down restaraunt inside an old mill silo),a cute lil' bakery (with the biggest cinnamon rolls I have ever seen), even cuter brick paths and bridges, but there were also ducks roaming around that the girlies got to feed (I was too afraid to take the impetuous young Porter out of his stroller for fear he would charge head-first into the pond).

If any of our AZ friends or family ever make it up to visit us (hint, hint) we will have to visit this place!