looks can be deceiving... and what we do with clutter...

Hey, guess what?!?! ...Its Wednesday!!!!!

I'm sure that was exciting for at least one of you out there lol...

Today, I was anti-unpacking but I did manage to do a little bit here and there...

It was so pretty outside that all we wanted to do was play outside and lounge in the sun.

I would love to tell you that my new house is already super organized and everything is put in its new place....a little like the picture suggests below...

...all my books look so neatly placed and everything seems so proper....(well the books are neatly stacked...now) It does seem nice to finally have a library/work space/"reading room"...but like I was saying...looks can be deceiving....because this is what the whole picture looks like...or looked like early this evening....

 I know, I know, cute right?!? But if you could divert your attention from all the cuteness to the hoarder-esque clutter action I have going on all over the floor...yeah, this is what I mean....it kinda like those head shot pics people take when they are insecure about how they look...yep, I could have just gone with that and let you guys think I was super woman or something, haha but lets be real, I have been here all of 4 full days...I'm not even going to try to lie...this is what it really looked like. Thanks to my husband, who reels in my ADD/procrastinating self...we tackled the majority of it early tonight...like we can now park our cars in the garage yay!!! ....and we actually have a place to hang our keys!? I know, scary right!?!

But just so we make this clear...sometimes clutter and disorganization is fun...and we use them as props...and creating random photo sessions out of them...because we like to.

Luca could not stop trying to climb this mirror...don't ask me why ....so I decided to "use it" to get a few pictures out of the kid...before he realized he was being scammed and refused to take anymore...

he loves him some brother...and I love how grammatically incorrect that sentence was...I'm totally OK with that. No emails please, I did it on purpose. lol.

the amount of drool on this mirror when we finished would have made a camel vomit. (and no, it was not my drool)

Enjoy your late night snack, after that mental image.

Kinda Like an Episode of Hoarders

...that's kinda what my house looks like right now lol...and its just a tad bit unsettling...like I don't wanna wear my pj's in front of company kind of unsettling...ya feel me? Well, we (meaning the moms and me) found boxes and she was so kind to drop over and help me pack and dust and (sneeze, sneeze, sneeze) and clean and organize and ahhhh! I couldn't have nearly done as much without her. Though I was almost thinking NO ONE gives out boxes anymore, I actually managed to get a whole trunk full today without dumpster diving!!! Thanks to Dollar Tree...that's right I'm not ashamed...they hooked this girl up BIG time!

SEE:

oh yes...! My poor kitchen ahahaha...and notice the toys Luca crammed into the oven?!?!?

Yep, he told me this morning when he shoved them in there, " Be VEH-WY careful momma, its HOT!"

He's got my back y'all, watch out!

And in case you all thought I was going completely insane...well now there's proof!!!

Soooo it kinda came out a lil blurry that's OK kids....all ya need to know is...I'm OK...for now...I am stressed, honestly, but rightfully so. I do have many people helping me, offering help and thinking of us all through this process and for that I am grateful...plus if it wasn't crazy around here you wouldn't get these awesome dorky pictures to make you laugh! See?!?! I am thinking of you!!!

Hope you laughed at this...because if you didn't then I am just completely embarrassed...the end.

Daily Inspiration// Update

Just thought I would pop in before things got crazy around here :)
I have been working here and there on projects and I thought I would give you a little insight into what is going on! I have been really inspired by turquoise and reds lately and have been incorporating them all over the place! Though these earrings are one of my older pieces...they are still one of my favorites and are one of my most complimented items to date! I just love how the colors pop no matter what outfit I wear. These earrings will be available soon in my shop....so stayed tuned for my reopening..... ♥

Ciao friends ♥

XoXo

The McCoys: Christmas Sneak Peak

....wanna  (little) glimpse of how Christmas is going to be here out our house?

....these are also some of the reasons I have had little-to-know sleep lately hahaha

....and why I think a handmade Christmas is so fun, rewarding and well, lots of other reasons!

...I made a little birdie for my little birdie ♥

...a whale of a scarf for a growing little guy... (I freaked over

this project a little; it was made completely free-hand w/out

using a pattern of any kind...yikes!)

...now ok, let me explain....oh, forget it. Yes, I have succumb to the

trend of bunting, arrest me. I. love.it.

This year, I decided to get creative with all my wrapping(s)...I made my own

bows, embellishments, tags...basically with what I had on hand...minus the craft paper,

I had to buy a role of that. This is just one example of  how I have vamped my Christmas wrapping

this year. There are so many options...I need more presents to try them all out...hahahah

I also made many of our tree ornaments and decorations...you can check that out here .

A handmade Christmas was really important this year...for more than one reason. Yeah, we could all do with

spending a little less money this time of year, that goes without saying, but for me it was a lot more than that. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than for Luca to open his presents on Christmas morning knowing, that I INVESTED in him; taking the time to think of what he likes, how to incorporate those likes into gifts, and what I could make that would reflect him-his personality, his favorite color, his favorite animals, etc.

So yeah, I lost sleep this month, but it is so worth it. If you have never made gifts, or made anything. Try it! The rewards far outweigh  the hassle. Promise.

I wish I could post pics of all the handmade gifts we have put together for the kiddos, but most of them are wrapped now....so maybe we can wait until after Christmas lol...

PS...though I went to sleep very late last night making presents and wrapping them....the highlight of my night was watching the Mr. making our oldest a dinosaur book....that was truly awesome.

 I am a lucky girl, have I told you lately?

XoXo

In Lists, it is Mecca...in life, it's just Kibble

Lets De-clutter List

(don't I just look soooo overwhelmed haha)

...actually it should be called: What I Have to Do Tomorrow List

...no pressure...

1. organize all my materials (ya know, the crafting kind) into their new home

 (a storage container woohoo lol)...and finally out of my kitchen.

2. wrap the last of the presents

3. clean, my already clean house....cuhzzz I am ocd...don't kid. It is a prah.blem.

4. Find a way to convince Luca that using the "Big Boy Potty" is actually pretty awesome and

all the popular kids are doing it...but wait, that's kind of an everyday thing, my bad.

5. Find the cheese box my dad says he has somewhere in his "museum" (or as most people call them, his house) of ah-mazing stuff...yes, the cheese box is a must for my life at the moment.

6. Pick more pecans...like all of them...(we have several on our property)...so no more random

strangers stop to graze my front yard like herded cattle...(except the old lady that promised to bring us a pie...she can pick them all she wants).

7. Wash my hair...we all know that's important...but with my mane...this is a very long process...

well the (drying of said hair anyway).

8. Welcome our visitors (the Mr.'s Nana and Grandpa) who will be celebrating Christmas with us and my extended family.

9. Figure out what-the-heck I am going to wear for Christmas....that just might send me over the edge guys...lol

10. Add all the stuff above to my list of washing, cleaning, bathing babes, diaper changing, feeding,

chasing, correcting, kissing, wrangling and yep, LOVING the heck outta my little (and big) men!

XoXo

I lied....

Well, sort of... I DID say I wasn't going to blog tonight but I just couldn't stay away haha!!!

I also said I was going to do nothing, save drink coffee and watch bad tv ( bad tv being jeopardy and ghost hunters lol). While I dis live up to that part, I still couldn't quite stay away from the sewing machine....

So.... This little cc/license/business card, etc. holder is what I ended up with!!!

I was pretty pleased with the turn out since it was made on the fly with no pattern....

Soooo..... Who wants it????
That's right!!! I'll be giving this little nugget to the 1st person to message me via email...(see contact info)!!!

Okkkkkk.... Now I'm going to bed...I think

Oh! Make sure to include your mailing address in your email!

Night!

XoXo Elena

Let's Get Festive

Our town had a cute little Christmas parade this past weekend so we took the kiddos out to battle the frigid coldness just to see Santa and nearly get knocked out by flying candy! Lol I loved it! The Marine Corp. band (one of them) came from Lejune to march in the parade as well as perform a mini-Christmas concert for everyone! That was super fun, Luca really enjoyed that...and the Mr. did as well since he is/was a marine (once you've served our country, in my mind, I think you should always be recognized as such).

Luca was anxious to see each new float go by

the town's center was filled with booths, yummy food, and rides for the kids! How fun!

On Friday, we finished decorating the tree and the living room (for the most part).
We had so much fun, and since Luca did so well decorating his grannie's tree in Florida, I let him
help decorate our tree! he did an awesome job and he is so proud of himself! He constantly admires it, and tells me,
"Momma very good job. tree Christmas. I did." Translation: "Momma I did a very good job on the Christmas tree." lol



Now he will never forget the first real tree we had as a family, and that he helped us to decorate it!
I love this family of mine!

We will be going out of town next week to visit family, so I have been getting all the Christmas presents together...or the making of I should say. I really feel like handmade gifts are so extra special because you have invested a little piece of yourself with the gift. Not that I am downing bought gifts because there will be a couple of those too, I just love making gifts!

Hope you all are jumping on the productivity wagon and getting all your Christmas stuff done!!! Here's to a minimal/no stress holiday! Woohoo!!!

XoXo

...I Got Things Done

I can hear you say it..."She's blogged twice today...and she's sick?!?" Yeah, I know, I actually said that to myself as I sat down to put this post together. However, I felt like I couldn't just leave you all hanging as it were. I am happy to say, I got some rest, I got stuff done (though kind of minimally) and we didn't have any major catastrophes to speak of...lol. Starting my day off right, set my day in positive motion. I recommend it.

I did the most important things I needed to do at least. I cooked (well partially, I made noodles for the leftover spaghetti sauce I made last night), I washed the dishes (Luca helped me because he loves it!!!), I even baked the Mr.'s favorite muffins- go me! lol. and I bathed the bird ♥

I am still out of it...but I feel a bit better. I think a lot of rest this night will be beneficial. Here's hopping the kiddos sleep peacefully too.

Hope you all are in good health, that you are in good minds for your Monday morning, that you rest well and sleep in peace and that you meet me back here for the next go round lol!

Keep a look out for Thursday's post, if all goes well I will be introducing a fabulous crafty momma and her beautiful creations!!!

Xo, cough, Xo