Life Through My Eyes

Valentine’s Day Decor

amymacagi — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:02 +0000

My Valentine’s Day decor is officially complete…for this year…so I thought I would share some pictures. I copied most of these ideas so don’t be too impressed!

The front hallway has become the home of most of my holiday decor. I love the first impression it makes when we have visitors in our home

I made a new runner in fun V-Day fabrics from JoAnn’s. My original runner post is HERE.

My frames have been switched out for V-Day. I got the idea HERE.

These adorable mailboxes are in the $1 spot at Target. I got the idea to glue them onto a spray-painted candlestick HERE. I already had the candlesticks, white spray paint, and black vinyl so this project only cost me a little over $4! I love the idea of leaving love notes in the individual mailboxes for my family during this season.

I bought several extra mailboxes to use for gifts for Reuben and Gabriella’s friends. I’ll post pictures of the finished products once I get them done

I am PITIFUL when it comes to floral arrangements. I found these V-Day colored floral arrangements at Michael’s and threw them in a red vase I already had. I put the vase inside my hurricane lantern and surrounded it with clear glass marbles I found in my craft closet.

I updated this frame with V-Day subway art that I downloaded HERE for free. There are TONS of free printables online so I went ahead and downloaded subway art for all holidays and special occasions and printed them off for the whole year at Quik Print. Each print is less than $2! Now I have them on hand to switch out for every occasion.

I decided to hang my V-Day wreath from Craft Night on my pantry door. You can see the tutorial HERE.

And, finally, this is displayed on my kitchen counter. I got this vinyl transfer for free for hosting an Uppercase Living party a few years ago. I put it on an extra kitchen tile we had and propped it on a picture frame stand.

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday: Pantry Organization

amymacagi — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:57 +0000

The pantry was my big organization project for this week. I usually have to do a good purge of expired items once or twice a year, but this time, I took everything out and tried to put it back in in a more organized and efficient manner. Based off the pictures of organized pantries I’ve been perusing online, I’m not IN LOVE with my finished product. I would prefer to have everything match and have a better flow, but I did the best with what I had. I wasn’t willing to spend a lot of money in order to buy all new matching supplies (I only bought the 3 black canvas totes for $4.50 and the 2 little black baskets for $1.50 at Wal-Mart…I already had everything else) So…here it is!

BEFORE

AFTER

I got these 2 bins at IKEA last year. They are on wheels and very handy! One is used for cleaning supplies and the other is full of paper products.

Can I take a moment and recommend that everyone buy the foodservice foil from Sams? It is a large box, but it lasts FOREVER. I’ve saved tons of money on foil. This huge thing costs $20 and lasts me about 2 years!

I love the little wire shelves for maximizing space with the canned goods. I purchased the stair step organizer from Container Store this summer. It’s a great space saver and really helps me to see what I have. I removed everything that was blocking the flour, sugar, and brown sugar canisters. It was a constant hassle to try to get them out of the pantry. I used my Cameo to spruce them up by adding vinyl labels on the front.

The biggest space saver on this shelf was removing the cereal bags and cracker sleeves from their boxes and sealing them with a chip clip. All the boxes were overwhelming me!

I feel like there is some definite wasted space up here…I may add another shelf in the future. We’ll see…

I added a push pin to the left hand side to hold our aprons.

I hung this plastic bag holder from IKEA on the right hand side to contain the mass of plastic bags until I collect them all and take them to the recycling bin at Wal-Mart. It doesn’t seem to matter how good I am about using my reusable shopping bags…the plastic bags still add up!

So…there you have it! I feel like my pantry is a constant work in progress. Who knows what it will look like next year!

Pajama Day

amymacagi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:09 +0000

Yesterday was Pajama Day at Reuben’s school. He was super excited to wear his dinosaur jammies and bear slippers for the day. He was also THRILLED to be able to take his “nigh nigh” to school. When I picked him up, he gave me a full run-down of what went on at school. The highlight was watching a Mickey Mouse movie and eating Cheerios! What a special day! I absolutely LOVE hearing his stories about his teachers and friends and all of their activities throughout the day. He’s been very honest about his behavior, too. Last week, he told me he pushed his friend Ben out of the car and onto his bottom because he wanted a turn to drive it. Oh my. We’ve been having BIG talks about using gentle hands with our friends and how to share and wait our turn. This almost-three-years-old little boy is definitely keeping me on my toes. He’s also bringing me an over abundance of JOY

A Sonic Drink a Day Keeps the Psychiatrist Away

amymacagi — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:50 +0000

So…a few weeks ago, Nick and I were discussing our budget and looking for areas in which we’re doing great and also areas in which we can be better stewards of our money. Well, just to give you an idea of how much we love Sonic (the drinks, not the food so much), it has its own category in our monthly budget. Nick encouraged me to try to go to Sonic during Happy Hour or before 11 a.m. to get cheaper drinks. The reality is…the 11-1 window is the best time for me to get my daily fix. Yes, I usually drink one Sonic drink a day. No, I don’t drink coffee or any other form of caffeine throughout the day. Before and after my Sonic drink, I have only water.

ANYWAY…

I know it’s pretty ridiculous to spend $2+ on a drink everyday so I was trying to be creative about how I could spend less on drinks, but still go to Sonic when it was convenient for me.

We’re talking about critical issues here.

WELL…since the budget discussion, these BEAUTIES have been showing up at the bottom of my receipts.

*This coupon has already been used, so don’t try to be tricky and print this out to use on your own drink. *

Maybe they were there before and I just didn’t pay attention, but it feels like a special gift from above. So now it all evens out…if I pay full price for a drink one day and use this the next day, you’ve got yourself two 1/2 price drinks! The carhops at my regular Sonic are familiar with me and they seem to be just as excited for me when one of these beloved coupons prints out at the bottom of my receipt. Today I hit the jackpot because I paid for my drink with a free coupon and a NEW ONE PRINTED OUT ON MY RECEIPT.

Glory. Hallelujah. Amen.

Reuben’s Trip to the ER

amymacagi — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:09 +0000

On Friday night, we went over to my parents’ house for a fun night of pizza and Wheel of Fortune on the Wii. After Rachel and Chad destroyed us in two games, we decided it was time to pack up and leave before our competitive spirits were crushed any further. We got Reuben and Gabriella in their jammies and started to pack up to head home. Reuben was antsy and desperate for some attention, so I put him on my back for a piggyback ride and started dancing him around the living room. He was cracking up having a great time and it quickly turned to tears. I put him down and he was grabbing his arm so I just knew that I had pulled his arm out of socket. Even though I knew we weren’t in an emergency situation, I began to feel hysterical because I had done something to cause my little boy to be in pain.

Mother of the year, right here.

We quickly decided that my dad would drive Nick and Reuben to the Pediatric Urgent Care just a few miles from their house. After trying 3 different urgent care facilities and finding them all to be closed, they decided they were going to have to go to the ER at St. Francis. They came back to the house so we could come up with a game plan. I knew that I couldn’t emotionally handle going back to that ER, so my dad graciously agreed to take them. I got Reuben’s bag all packed with a drink, snacks, a DVD player, and his “nigh nigh,” AKA blanket, and sent them on their way. I was able to just hang out at my parents’ house while they went to the ER. This definitely helped to calm my nerves.

Thankfully, they had a very pleasant experience at the ER. They were back home in a little over an hour. As we suspected, Reuben had nursemaid’s elbow, which the doctor assured Nick was very common in kids this age. They were able to quickly and easily pop his elbow back into place and Reuben only shed a few tears. Reuben was so brave. I am very proud of him! The doctor told us that since this has happened once to Reuben, the likelihood of it happening again is very high. So, you better believe our horseplay will be VERY careful for the next couple years until his bones/joints/ligaments are more secure.

Reuben had a great night’s sleep and was playing soccer just fine at his practice the next morning. This worried momma was very relieved!

Nick did a great job taking pictures to send to me and keeping me very informed while I waited with Gabriella at my parents’ house…

My brave little boy getting checked into the hospital.

Settled into the room, waiting on the doctor, and holding his arm just right.

Having a great time despite the circumstances!

Yay! Feeling all better!

I’m the champ of this hospital!

Reuben got a blue popsicle for being so brave

Delightfully Inspiring Thursday: Kitchen Command Center

amymacagi — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:36 +0000

This week’s project was my Kitchen Command Center. I got this idea from the Delightful Order blog. I had a command center of sorts, but it wasn’t organized or effective. I typically stand here to go through all the mail and pay the bills. I wanted to create a space that had all the necessary items housed in one place that wouldn’t be a constant eye sore.

BEFORE

This area becomes cluttered very quickly.

A once-organized-junk-drawer gone very bad.

I got this tray to hold mail, but things quickly just pile up. Also, I love my Erin Condren planner, but it was becoming part of the clutter.

Some organizational tools…baskets, drawers, etc…but not being put to good use at all. This cabinet quickly became a catch all.

AFTER

The area is still full, but has a much cleaner look. Not as much of an eyesore, for sure.

I added a square of cork board and a few hooks to the inside of the cabinet door. As you can see, I haven’t really filled up this space, but I’m glad to have it here. So far, I’ve got a great place to store my Box Tops collection. (If you don’t collect Box Tops, please start! You can give them to me! I’m currently collecting them to give to my friend who has a son enrolled at The Little Light House.)

A look at the inside of the cabinet…

I’ve got a bin for all my mailing/bills supplies (envelopes, address labels, stamps, calculator, and letter opener), a basket for gum, 3 drawers for an assortment of office supplies, and a basket for note pads. Please, no one ever buy me another note pad. I have this basket full and another larger basket full in our office!

The small green accordion file will be used to store my coupons. This will be an easier way to grab coupons when I’m headed on a shopping trip.

The second shelf has air fresheners and matches, lighters, and batteries and miscellaneous electronics.

The top shelf has a basket full of baby proofing supplies and a few random items that didn’t fit anywhere else.

This is definitely still a catch-all drawer, but at least it’s much more organized!

The mail center! The filer on the left has a slot for to be paid, needs attention, to be filed, to be shredded, and coupons (this is where they’ll go until I sort them into my green accordion file). The filer on the right has a slot for outgoing and incoming mail, as well as a place for pens and a letter opener. My EC planner is propped up right behind this filer.

Oreo Dirt

amymacagi — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:19 +0000

This is the dessert I mentioned in yesterday’s post. It is another super easy recipe that is a crowd favorite. My friends affectionately refer to it as “Oreo Junk in the Trunk.”

OREO DIRT

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (3.5 oz) boxes of instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
24 oz Cool Whip (one 8 oz and one 16 oz)
1 package Oreo cookies

In one bowl, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar. In another bowl, combine the pudding, milk, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures into one bowl. Fold in Cool Whip. Crush Oreos (you can do this in a food processor OR I just put all the cookies in a plastic bag and use my rolling pin to mash them). In your serving dish, layer the pudding mixture and the crushed Oreos. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(FYI: This recipe is approximately 12 points on Weight Watchers…depending on your portion size. You can always lighten it up by using light or fat free cream cheese, milk, and Cool Whip.)

Our Visit to the Fire Station

amymacagi — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:40 +0000

I found out that the heroes of Platoon A at Fire Station #2 were scheduled to be on duty on Saturday. I prepared a dessert (Oreo Dirt), got Gabriella all dressed up, called ahead of time to make sure it was a good time to come, and we headed that way. I was SO nervous on the way there. I was hoping that Reuben would get a chance to look at the fire truck and I was also hoping to get a picture of Gabriella with her heroes.

Once we arrived, we found out that it was a regularly scheduled day for Platoon A, but most of them were on vacation and the EMSA workers were out on a call So…we got to talk to 3 very friendly firemen who were not the ones who responded to our call. Oh well. We gave them our thank you card and dessert and asked that they let the men of Platoon A know that we had stopped by. I think we’ll try again in a month or so. I really would like to see them and thank them face-to-face.

So…no picture of Gabriella besides this one I took at home before we left.

Reuben was SUPER nervous and timid, but he was really excited to get on the truck.

He wasn’t quite as sure about sitting next to all the fancy tools…

Craft Night

amymacagi — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:43 +0000

I hosted a craft night at my house on Friday night. I’ve decided to do this once a month so I have at least one night a month on the calendar that is specifically devoted to time with my girlfriends and my sister, Rachel. We all wear comfy clothes, bring a snack to share, and bring a craft to work on. Some crafts were begun, a few were completed, and some were never even started. The most important thing is we all got to spend quality time together talking about anything and everything. I love my friends and I don’t take them for granted!

Because our dress code is to wear the most comfortable outfit you can find, I figured it’s only fair to NOT post pictures of our event. However, here are some pictures of the crafts I worked on.

I actually had nothing to do with this first craft. My mom, sisters, and I started these when we went to Shannon’s house for a craft day. My mom did the first part and Rachel finished it for me on Friday night. We pinned this from an Etsy shop that was selling them for $60 a piece! We ended up making our own for about $8.

My next craft was a Valentine’s wreath I also found on Pinterest. The tutorial is HERE. As expected, mine didn’t turn out as well as hers, but I still think it’s pretty cute and it was super easy! Even easier because I had help cutting out all the circles I may go get some more red felt and work on filling in some spots…AND…I may hang it straight up and down instead of sideways. I can’t decide…

We had a great time and I can’t wait until next month!

3 Months Old

amymacagi — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:37 +0000

Tomorrow marks 3 months since our precious Gabriella entered our world. As I’m sure everyone is now well aware, I’m SO thankful for the blessing of my daughter. She has already taught me so much and I’m looking forward to lifetime of a mother/daughter bond that can’t be matched.

Gabriella is peaceful, happy, and very content. She SLEEPS. Oh my goodness, the girl sleeps. Last night, she pulled a 9.5 hour stretch. I don’t want to brag…believe me…I know how TERRIBLE it is to be on the other side reading about a sleeping baby when yours wakes up approximately 19 times each night (REUBEN MAC). I’m just so SO thankful. I know I’m a better mom (and I still have MUCH room for improvement) because I’m getting several hours of uninterrupted sleep…besides the occasional, wake up, PANIC, check for breathing, RELIEF, go back to sleep. And by that statement, it’s clear that GK is still camping out in our room. Nick and I talked last night about when we’ll move her out of our room. We decided 18 is a great age for that

Gabriella is smiling and cooing. I just love it. She looks me right in the eye and grins from ear to ear showing her beautiful, one-sided dimple. Her eyelashes are coming in so full. She is just the most precious thing.

She’s smart, too. She’s figured out when Reuben goes to bed, she can demand Mommy and Daddy’s full attention. She is SO chill all day, but during nap time and after Reuben’s bed time, she finds her voice. She likes to be walked around the house, perched high on my shoulder, and patted on the back. You would think that after awhile she would relax and lay her head down. Nope. Girl has some major head control and she’s got to know what’s going on around her.

Gabriella loves to hear Daddy sing. When we’re at church, she is a perfect little angel while Daddy is singing. Once the music stops and the preaching starts, she gets cranky and likes to make some noise. Needless to say, we enjoy most sermons via TV in the nursing mom’s hangout.

And…now for the pictures…most of them blurry and taken on my phone. Maybe one day I’ll figure out how to effectively use our DSLR camera…

This little girl is growing like a weed! I’ve been saving this dress because it’s size 3 months, but I’m thankful I tried it on her when I did because it was almost too small!

Can you see those eyelashes???

Gabriella went on her first road trip this month. We took a day trip to Edmond for a girls’ craft day at Shannon’s house. She did a great job relaxing while we crafted!

She got a bit cranky towards the end so we swaddled her up and handed her to Uncle Neal

I decided to embrace her fro one day instead of trying to tame it after a bath. It lasted for over 2 days!

I just love the way she sticks her tongue out when she smiles

How cute is she in her poncho?!?

It’s exhausting being so cute.

Our families hooked both kids up with some pretty sweet clothes for Christmas!

The eyes…they kill me…

Just a little snuggle bug.

She got all dressed in her track suit to go watch Reuben’s soccer practice.

I. LOVE. THIS. PICTURE. How GQ is Reuben? How adorable and happy is Gabriella?!?

My sweet angel.