my home makes me happy. part 1.

I'm going to start a series here on my blog.

It will be called, "my home makes me happy."

Don't roll your eyes.
I'd like it to be legit and professional here.
Professional blogger? No. But, regardless, I'm going to tell you the story of my "series"---whether you want an explanation or not.

Aaron and I are always trying to figure out WHERE we'll finally settled down, set up our shop, and be for the next 20+ years. The United States is a big place. And, well, as you can imagine it's a pretty good topic (and, in case you're curious, we haven't figured out where we'll end up).

One thing I always remind him about is that I could live *pretty much* anywhere. Yes, even Alaska. Even New Mexico. And, even here in San Antonio.

I don't have a big list of needs, just a few:
1. internet access (duh, gotta update my blog. totally kidding. as you know "blogging" is pretty far down on my priority list, especially as of late).
2. Airplane access (no brainer. have you seen how much we visit family?).
3. feel safe in my home.
The last one is the most important. I spend 98% of my entire life in the walls of this home. That's a pretty big percentage of life, I'd say.

So, I'm going to take pictures of little scenes that are in my house from time to time. Why? Because I feel like it. And, home is where I'm happiest. And, I think a home tells a lot about a person. So, feel free to do the same. Maybe you live in a house, an apartment, an RV (go with me on this one), but I think it's a good idea to take a record. I bet, in 50 years, you'll want to remember the little scenes that went on in this time of life you're living.

And we begin.

This is what you see when you walk into my house. There is this weird little "niche" just built into the wall. At one point, I thought this would be great to change up with each season. Who was I kidding? The New Year's birds and delights were still up mid-summer.

(see really blurry picture here).

Another example? This was for our anniversary (early january) and Valentine's day.
I thought I was pretty clever combining the two of them. And then this stayed up till mid-summer again. Nice.

So, we decided to find something that would work a little better for the bulk of the year. And, the plus side is that I don't have to feel guilty every time I look over there and think, "Oh man, I've really got to change it, again!"

Instead, I just look at those darling little babies and go, "Wow. We sure know how to make cute kids."
kidding. I don't think that every time.

* The polka-dotted chicken.
Some may argue [insert Aaron's name here] that little kitschy things like this make clutter. Okay. Fair enough. But, if it's clutter, then it's BEAUTIFUL clutter to me. Remember the little glass blue bird? And, there are some things in this world that make me happy JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM. This chicken is one of them. As I type this, I wonder if it really IS a chicken? or maybe it's a hen? Oh well. Whatever ceramic fowl it is, I love it.

Funny story (to me at least). When I bought it in the summer of 2009, I put it up on my kitchen window sill so I could see it when I was doing dishes (we all need to be reminded of happy things when you are scrubbing crud off dishes), and Aaron was questioning me about my purchase. I told him how much I loved it and it was totally worth the $5 I paid. Anyway, the next morning while Tillie was eating breakfast she noticed the new bird, pointed to it, and started laughing. Aaron was my witness.
She loved it too, even when she was still a baby.
He agreed, if it made us BOTH that happy, it was definitely $5 well spent.

*the PEEP chart.

It used to be the SLEEP chart, but since Tillie is doing MUCH better in this department (we switched to a big girl bed a few months ago), we changed the sticker chart to the PEEP chart. Potty Training is in full swing here at the Wood house. Not my idea, mind you, it was Tillie's. She's been asking to go on the big potty for a while. So, we decided to give it a try. The rigorous training has been going on for a full week, and slowly, we are seeing progress.
Just as I'm ready to give up and stick a diaper on the poor girl, she proves to me that she can do it. Luckily, stickers are currency for Tillie. She LOVES them. So this method, combined with multiple M&M's, 2 Cheeto puffs and then other little prizes, are what makes this girl WANT to go pee pee on the potty.

Wow. I did just write that last sentence? Nice.

If you want to hear a great potty song, along with other fun kid tunes, feel free to click on this link to hear the new album "Do Fun Stuff" or is it Do Fun Stuff (italicized? in quotations? i never know). Regardless, have a listen. It's funny. Especially track number two, "Potty Time" by Cracker Jackson.

Speaking of bribery, here are some more "potty prizes". These are the big ticket items. If she goes numero dos (somehow it seems less gross if I write it in spanish), then she can choose ONE item.
She already chose Jessie (the cowgirl from Toy Story).

Not to be confused with Uncle Jesse.

or her REAL Uncle Jesse.


Speaking of Jessie (the cowGIRL as seen at the top of post)... This morning as Tillie was playing with Rex (her PEZ dispenser) and her new potty prize, I overheard her saying, "Andy's a special kid, Rex." I wasn't sure, at first, but then after she said it a few times, yes. That was exactly what she was saying. Too funny. Toy Story 2 is, after all, one of her favorite movies.

***On another Matilda note, yesterday morning she was whining from her high chair (not an unusual occurrence). I thought she was telling me she was finished, but in reality she was saying, "Oh, No! oh, no! It's a bwwight, mom. It's a bwwight!"
I was like, "what are you talking about??"
Then I realized.
It's too bright.
The sunlight had just come in through the window and *apparently* her eyes are very sensitive.
So I asked her, "What do you want me to do?"
"Get eye glasses, mom! Get eye glasses!"



So, here she is with her "eye glasses" in the bright kitchen.
Honestly, that girl.

Oh, and there's a reason we still do the infamous Ikea bib. Hello milk dribbler?

And, while we're talking about cute kiddos in the high chair, we'd be crazy not to mention this one. He's a good one, this boy. Good to the core.







my home makes me happy, indeed.