Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Father and my lovely husband Scott.
I love you!


I went low key on the gift giving this year due to the budgeting issue!

The "pieces" printable found here.
The card printable found here (Boston was drawing on the inside and drooled on the card if you notice the weird marks on the front).
The best thing on earth (cookie dough truffles) found here.

I love this picture! They really do look alike!

Where Is My Hat

Scott was leaving for school on Friday and couldn't find his hat. This happens often, even before Boston started hiding things on us. Normally I find the hat which in 20 seconds of looking but today was different. Couldn't find the hat anywhere. Scott had to go to school wearing a different hat and he wasn't too happy. A few hours later I was putting away laundry and found the hat. I think this is Boston's best hiding spot yet!

I found it in my bra drawer!

First Roughriders Game

My friend kristi got free tickets to one of the pre season roughriders game against Edmonton. We have always wanted to go and see what these diehard fans were all about. It was fun but cold and windy, so we left at the end of the 3rd. I will admit I did cheer for Saskatchewan, I hope my brothers don't disown me. But honestly, I wouldn't want to be beat up with a baby in my arms for cheering for the opposite team as all the crazy saskatchewan fans.

JOB

I got a job! I am excited. I start Monday, pretty fast but they needed someone asap and I really like the sounds of this company, so I didn't want to pass it up.

I am going to be working as a senior administration assistant for a company called Walker Projects. Pay is pretty good, a bit less than what I left at in Calgary before I went on maternity leave but pretty close. But the Employment agency i went through said that Calgary's salaries are higher than Regina, so really I shouldn't complain. After the 3 month probation period, I get pretty good benefits and honestly I am soooo excited to go to the dentist. Its been over a year since we had benefits (Scott didn't get anything through school and doesn't get any from his new job, since he is just getting paid as a scholarship), therefore been awhile since we have gone to the dentist. It is also time for me to get new glasses and contacts. I have had the same glasses for 4.5 years and no contacts for so many years! Way over due, the last couple years we spent all our allowed funds in my last job's benefits on glasses and contacts for Scott and there we never anything left for me.

The other nice thing about this job is it isn't too far from Scott's work. We only have one car and Scott was taking the bus downtown but since I get a parking spot and he doesn't we will be car pooling and I will be dropping him off and picking him up.

The lady that is going to be watching Boston is only like 5 doors down from us. We just have to walk him over, which is also going to be very nice. Won't have to make an extra stop on the drive to drop him off. 

Overall I am pretty excited about the change. I hope it all turns out as good as it looks right now on this post!

On a funny note, Scott's mom keeps on saying that Boston is going to a group home. Haha!

Laundry Room and Storage Room Organization

In the last month I was helping my friend get organized. It was a good little motivator for me and a realization that I actually really enjoy this and I have no excuse to not do it in my own home. Remember this post I did a LONG time ago were I said I was going to organizing my house. Well only 4 months later and I am finally half way done. I could go into my many excuses on why I have been slacking, but not every uplifting!


Let's have a refresher on the before...
Disclaimer (the room is tiny with no window, hard/impossible to get any good pictures)

Without any more fuss or delay, here is the finished Product!

Wait that's not it, maybe this is it?

I wish! I love the clean and simple approach with each rooms.. one day when we own our own house will I then design a room like the above, but until that day I am working with an old apartment that I cant change anything too.


ENOUGH dreaming here is how I tackled the room.
First, I got caught up on all the laundry and took all the recycling to the drop off.
Then I sat down and created a list of the areas and items I wanted stored in the room. I realized I had some great hidden storage areas I could use around the house and clear up some of the clutter. I took all the long, thin items (folding chairs, extra christmas wrap, ect) and placed under our bed. I then took all the items that I want to sell and placed ads online.


I next set up a bunch of my bins in the hallway for easy sorting.

I was using a huge clear bin for all my paints and home repairs/improvement items. I decided to split the contents into 3 small containers (paint, paint supplies, misc home repairs/improvement). It just made more sense especially when the huge container was full it was way too heavy.

On my top shelf I had a huge mess of my blankets and pillows. I thought about my biggest complaint about this area, that being if I wanted anything down from this pile, everything would come tumbling down with it. Simple solution was to use boxes and group similar items into the boxes. My husband was shocked that we had enough towels to fit into a big box. I explained to him that we don't have a linen closet and we only have 4 towels in the bathroom at any time. Plus we have two beach towels in the box. 
In the box labeled "Bedding" I used this idea I saw on Pinterest. It worked perfectly.

I love when I have all the same containers but I didn't want to spend much money on this project. I did buy a total of 4 small and 1 large clear bins everything else I already had and of course not ideal but I used boxes from our move to store some items. I personally like to use clear bins... I like to be able to see what is inside even if the bin is clearly labeled.

I am a huge recycler but sadly I was shocked when we moved to Regina how bad the recycling program is here. Thumbs up for the Alberta Government and their excellent recycling program. I don't recycle nearly as much as I did back home but I do recycle pop bottles, milk container and paper. 

On the bottom half of the recycling area I placed my tool box, sander and drill.


I have a bit of obsession for patterns, patterned fabric, patterned paper. Love it all. If you notice in the before pictures, there is a huge pile of fabric. I took all the small pieces and moved to display in my craft area (picture to come later in a different organization post) and everything else I stored in clear bins.

Here is the major problem corner before

After

This week I am focusing on adding some fun elements in the room. I am going to go through my 2 huge bin of home decor items and see what I can add to make the room more inviting.

I Love Regina

We went to the farmer's market today. It was a beautiful day with our favourite family. Too bad they are deserting us next week and moving back to Calgary :(

Babysitting

Boston loves these two girls (even if it doesn't look like it in this picture).  He also loves their brother found here and here. They watched Boston for me while I went to a job interview. When ever Boston see's this family he gets the biggest smile on his face. 

Invitations

My second attempt (first attempt here) at Photoshop. They are invitations for our ward relief society bbq. 
Idea found here.

Newest Addition

I purchased this on Saturday at a garage sale close to my house. I was looking for something a bit smaller, but I am going to test this out and see if it will work for a "makeup table"! I am having a hard time finding anything cheap enough and small enough in this small town. I have seen a few desk but they have all been over $55. Not worth it, if i am going to be spending money on paint, hardware and sandpaper. Now just to find the time to make it beautiful! 
Best part... if it doesn't work it was only $5!

Riding

The nice thing about where we live is we face this big court yard for our complex. There is side walks everywhere. I figured out that if I put Boston's feet up on this ride and sit toy, and push him around on the side walk, he is one very happy 1 year old!

Favourite Toy

Like most kids, Boston is love with electronics. I love apple, I love love love the apps they have for children (and me). Boston goes nuts for this app he is playing with in the picture. Boston has figured out a bit about our iPhones too. Luckily hasn't perfected the sliding function for unlocking the iPhone or the iPad (and we aren't showing him). He has figured out how to start playing music and activate the voice dial on our phones. He smiles like he is the smartest kid in the world.
Another electronic he loves and always has is the TV remote. It's amazing how smart they are. He will point the remote towards the TV and push the buttons. His most favourite shows are either the french channel or the real estate channel... always seems to end up on one of those two channels oh and occasionally the shopping channel.

Warm Weather & a new Chair

We were leaving extra foods on Tuesday and Scott saw this kid chair and suggest we get it for Boston. What do you think, perfect fit? I tried to get a picture with him in the chair but by the time i got the camera he was done with sitting. Next time.

Bring the flowers in tonight

I love my flowers I planted yesterday.

Hopefully they live! I have to bring them in tonight, it has been raining all day and currently only 9C (48F) only to get even colder over night.


The pots originally were cheap cream pots I purchased from JYSK. 

I figured the rundown front porch area of this apartment needed an extra little punch of color. I decided on a bright blue spray paint that matched the bright blue in the pillows.

While going through my picture tonight I found an old one of my table and chairs. They use to be pink!

Hows the weather where you live?? Hopefully a lot more summery than Regina!

Unhappy

He just really wanted to type on the computer... and I wouldn't let him. Mean mom I am!

Boston and Me

I love my little guy!

Playing with the iPhone

Boston and I playing with the front view camera on my phone.

Organizing Our Money

Over the last year we have been spending money like we were actually employed. I was getting $900 every two weeks for 1 year on maternity leave from the government but other than that we just few a hundred dollars coming in randomly (bookkeeping job, interest from a loan we lent, income tax return). We never went into debt BUT we used quite a bit of our savings.

Now Scott is employed! Working as an intern for the government. Amazing experience but little pay. I'm currently updating my resume and already have found child care for Boston starting July 4.

I realized we (okay, mostly me) need to get on top of our money and spending! I have always wanted to do money jars just never got around to it. My favourite money show is Till Debt Do Us Part (it aires on a few different channels and a few different versions including Home Edition and Princess Edition). Gail always sets up each couple with money jars. Starting TODAY I have taken away our bank and visa cards and we are a officially a money jar family! Is anyone already doing money jars and have any great tips?

To set up our money jars I first set up a budget worksheet a lot like Gail's found here. I will admit that I am kind of a geek when it comes to spreadsheets. I have had an excel spreadsheet budget for many years. I can tell you exactly how much we spend and on what. You think the numbers would have scared me to go to money jars sooner, but at the end of the day we always found the money. Sadly looking back, I cant believe how much money we could/should have saved!

Next I took baby food jars that I was saving. I used WD40 to take off all the glue from the labels. If you haven't tried this before, it works! Just spray onto the glue, wait a minute or two. Scrub off and if glue remains, spray again.

I then spray painted the lids a fun yellow that I had from a pervious project. I thought about creating cute labels with my cricut but for now I just used my label maker to print out my categories.

I have a good friend that is going through some hard money times and she listed on her blog some great points that she is started off with to get out of debt. My favourite ones that got me really thinking are 1. Plan your weekly meals around what is on sale in the flyers. Too bad flyers don't come around lately...  but I can go online. 2. Gives yourself a time limit on the amount of time spent at the grocery store. Love this idea. I am one of those shoppers that stores love. I take my time... going around Superstore and Walmart looking at what is new. 3. Fill up your gas tank on cheap days. Didn't even know there was such thing!

Another friend of mine started a blog a few months ago called Sexy Savvy Saving Mom. Take a look at some of her past post. Amazing tips! She has done post like Eating on a $350 a month budget, Saving with Baby and many more helpful posts.

I feel like if I share my struggles with money, I might be able to stay more committed. I love when Gail on Till Debt Do Us Part makes the couples tell their families how much debt they are in. Most of the time they have hid it from their families and close friends. By coming clean their families/friends are more likely to stop asking them to host big parties, go out for dinner, ect. I am going to make a commitment that every month I will tell everyone how my progress is going. My goal is to save enough money that when we are done with Regina, we will have a nice downpayment for a HOUSE back in Alberta! Oh how I dream of a house!

If you have had any success or failures saving money! I would love to hear about it. Leave me a comment below!