rue - my new fave indulgence

pop on over and set some time aside to drool over one of my new fave indulgences - rue. saying i love it would be an understatement.

whipup 2011 calendar!!

ohhhh, lookie at what i got my hands on!!!! the third annual whipup.net calendar! a gorgeous, eye-candy, drool worthy, crafty goodness filled calendar from whipup! kathreen is one of my fave blogging ladies. her blog, if you don't already know it, is fabulous! it's one of my top resources for crafty inspiration, book reviews and tutorials. i always look forward to her weekly email newsletters as well. i'm so proud to have been featured on her site many times and i'm glad to get to talk about her here in return.


when i found about this calendar i thought "now isn't that perfect". i needed a calendar and i needed one asap. i love calendars. i like to try to attempt to be organized and use my calendar everyday. yes, i use my google calendar but it's ugly and i can't stare at it in awe during the day, nor can i hand write on it with happy faces and hearts. and now because kathreen rocks she is offering us fab folks two ways to buy this year's calendar:

option 1 - you can print the calendar out in 3 different formats - your choice! there's vertical, horizontal or vertical 2 and all are printed on a a4/letter size page. nice. easy. and guess what, it's only $5!!! now really, where can you get this kind of calendar for $5 and bonus, you get all 3 formats for that price! sounds like my kind of calendar. mine is going up right next to my inspiration board. the other perk about this kind of calendar is you can print this puppy out and gift it to some friends! what a fab stocking stuffer as well!

option 2 - your second option is to order the real deal, already made here at Redbubble and i bet it's real pretty!

ready to see who's featured....

recognize some of them? i spotted dottie angel right away, she is one of my faves and yep, there's elsie marley...swoon. each month features another project for us to swoon over. here's the rundown for whipup 2011:

January: www.lilfishstudios.com
February: www.lavenderlimes.blogspot.com
March: www.dottieangel.blogspot.com
April: www.JammerSage.Etsy.com
May: www.filminthefridge.com
June: www.cozymemories.com
July: www.abitofpillipilli.blogspot.com
August: www.lauraleeburch.com
September: www.oneflewover-oneflewover.com
October: www.elsiemarley.com
November: www.myrtleandeunice.com
December & Cover: www.loulouandoscar.com

kathreen is also doing a fun post series right now called the "2011 whipup calendar girls". you can read a fun interview with all 12 of the talented ladies featured in the calendar. click here to check them all out in the next week or so.


make sure to pop over and tell kathreen how great she is and also check out her equally fabulous book "whipup mini quilts: patterns and how to for more than 20 contemporary small quilts", is there anything this momma of 2 can't do? go kathreen!

which month is your fave? do you have a favorite blogger featured? where do you hang your calendar? do you still use one?

p.s. happy thanksgiving!!! us Canadians had ours in oct. I wish you all a happy gobble gobble day!

*all images copyright whipup.net

a song about baby poo??

the hubby is making a special video for us with pics of the girls & video clips from the last year and this is one of the songs he found to put in. i laughed my ars off. thought you guys might too. now remember, i'm sleep deprived :P

baby poo by the arrogant worms

hope you got a laugh with your morning coffee!

p.s. the arrogant worms are a great & might i add hilarious canadian band.

the dish ran away with the spoon....

we've got another thank you to give out this week. one of the first bloggers i started chatting with is the lovely and talented jessica of the blog "happy together". she's a sweetheart and a friend that i hope to one day meet in person. she so kindly sent me the best gifts for the girls!!! seriously - so adorable!

Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon,
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

who doesn't love the nursery rhyme the dish that ran away with the spoon. i know we do! the best part with this gift is that you can make them for yourself too! how fun is that!


if you would like to make your very own dish and spoon click here for the tutorial!


and if those little cuddlies weren't enough, jessica also sent some adorable onesies for baby harper to sport with the cutest nursery rhyme silhouettes on them! i LOVE them. jessica also gives you a little bit of a run down as to how she used freezer paper to do the stenciling.

jessica, thank you soooo much for your kind gifts....the girls love them and so do i! big hugs to you from canada!!!

what's your favorite nursery rhyme? have you done freezer paper stencilling yet? fave soft toy to make? tell us...........

etsy monday in the mommyhood - tea cup month

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happy monday everyone, it's time for etsy monday in the mommyhood. it's been a while hasn't it? a few months i think. i missed it. you guys know how much i love checking out all the goodies on etsy and what better way to share them all with you than on mondays when we are all tired, sad the weekend is over and needing a quick pick me up. so instead of our normal etsy in the mommyhood i decided to have a theme for the rest of august - "tea cup month"!!!

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now some of you may remember this picture from last week right? i cannot get it out of my mind. a few people asked me where to find these gorgeous tea cups and guess what....i did. you can find them at esther coombs. she sells on etsy here and her website is here. the only sad thing is i can't find the exact mugs in the photo, not sure if she sells them anymore, but i found some other lovelies, and boy are they gorgeous. in fact, they are so pretty it inspired me to dig around on etsy to see what other tea cup goodies i could find. needless to say i found enough to last for the whole month!!!!

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." ~Author Unknown

1. birdcage coffee or tea mug by thimbly things
2. the man mustache mug by the peacock shop
3. mr. darcy proposal mug by brookish handmade goods
4. pool blue cakes tea cup and saucer by esther coombs

do you want to join the "tea party"?

that's right, this tea party isn't just for me, it's for all of us ladies. what's a tea party if i'm all by myself? don't worry coffee drinkers are invited to. now i know there are more of you out there that are dependent on their morning cup of jo or tea. i, myself, am a die hard. my brain doesn't function, i can't think and don't even dare talk to me before i have my coffee - it just ain't pretty.

so today's tea party is all about our favorite cup of tea. what's your favorite mug? the tea flavour you can't live without? the brand of coffee you'd take to a deserted island? c'mon it's gonna be fun....and it just may help to make the next few monday's go by just that much faster.

you've got a few ways to join the party:

1) leave a comment below telling me your thoughts to the above paragraph.
2) post about your thoughts on your own blog and leave me a link in the comments below.
3) tweet your thoughts (follow me on twitter @inthemommyhood).
4) go to our facebook page and share there too.
5) feeling inspired - take a picture of your favorite tea cup or find one online you are lusting after and share the link in the comments.

feel free to grab a button off of our sidebar as well and make sure to invite your friends :)

i can't wait. i feel more awake already. so come on in....pull up a chair. it's cozy here, the kids/babies are quiet, and the kitchen table is big enough for all of us........ahhh......good morning.

anyone wanna get inspired?

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first off, i'm in love with the tea cups above and couldn't resist posting them and secondly, sorry this is a weird post, but i had a special wish come true yesterday. the laptop fairy finally came to my house and payed me a visit!!! yippeee! so while i am normally blogging and breastfeeding i was busy drooling with the hubs over our new baby computer. i figured you guys would understand if this post wasn't my usual topics. i have seriously been saving and saving and saving and saving and saving and whining and whining and whining to pretty much everyone i know about getting a laptop and i've never had one so it's pretty exciting!

i finally realized that i just had to bite the bullet and get one. the birth of harper has made it next to impossible to get on to this stinking desktop. it's not in a convenient location in our condo, i can't see my toddler thus leading to all sorts of mischief when i am online and harper hates being over here - dark colors really wig her out and our desk is all dark wood. so what's the answer - laptop. now i can sit with my girls, breastfeed the baby, read stories, play, live my life and then still hang with all you folks - a bloggers dream. sound wonderful? i hope it is :)

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it hurt to spend the money though. i'm sure you guys can understand. raising 2 kiddos on one salary is tough in today's economy and we are frugal. we budget every last penny. we aren't lacking but we are careful. so buying this laptop was a big deal in our household. we got a little help for my bday - thanks mom/dad and my grandparents - you guys rock! i'll send you pics! and we saved and saved and saved...oh yeah, i told you that already :P


but enough about my new 3rd child, i wanted to share with you guys what else has been making me feel inspired. the website "pinterest". now there are a lot of these types of sites out there or similar ones i'm sure, but i love this one. it's sooooo fun. i'm not even going to try to explain it to you, you just have to take my word for it. if you love pretty pictures, cool things and inspiration boards you will love pinterest.


a lot of people ask me where i find my pics for my friday posts "weekend wishes". while i'll let you in on one of my sources - tumblr. tumblr is where i blog all the lovely pics i can't always post on here to show you. things that inspire me, that i think are pretty and interesting. it's fun and there are a ton of interesting goodies on there to be found.

my tumblr page

you can follow me on both tumblr and pinterest. for tumblr click here and then click in the top right hand corner where it says follow (if you're already signed up) or join (if you wanna be a member). if you want to follow me on pinterest...well, there's a fun catch. you have to get an invite. and you know what...i've got 4 left! anyone want one? first 4 people to comment to me "i want to be pinned" i'll invite. it's fun - come be my friend!

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now, back to snuggling the hubs. here's hoping i'll be blogging tomorrow's post with my new laptop on my geeky labtop table (it's so i can type while on the couch and still have hands to deal with children - don't judge me). see you in inspiration land!

anyone else on tumblr or pinterest already? leave me a comment with your info so i can come say hi and follow you :)

p.s. - don't forget to enter our megan nielsen sewing pattern giveaway....so fun!

a little about me and a little about you - babyhood bonaza edition!

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there's a lot of new readers popping in around here and i figured it's probably about time that i actually wrote my "about" page for this blog. yes, it's been way too long. will anyone read it or care? i don't know, but what i do know is that it's one of my fave things to read on other bloggers sites so here goes with mine.......

want to know more about luvinthemommyhood and lil' ol me? here's the lowdown on how i became a part of the mommyhood!

the mommyhood. what is it? is it a real word? does it have a map? an atlas anyone?

luvinthemommyhood is a place to give moms a one stop shop of what i think makes life in the mommyhood fabulous and inspiring. luvinthemommyhood is your source for a wealth of information ranging from handmade & repurposing projects, mommyhood survival tips, to photography, music and books. luvinthemommyhood serves it up with humour and a dose of daily life in the mommyhood - there’s something for everyone in this friendly neighbourhood!

who's behind luvinthemommyhood?

a fun loving, chatty momma (pic to come when i have time to actually do my hair and shower) who loves her family and friends and lives to laugh...oh, and my name is shannon. i’m a wife and also a stay-at-home mom to my 3 yr old daughter & new baby girl, who is happily living near the ocean on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. i’m currently learning how to sew (and show you how too), figuring out html (yuck - can we say headache!), crafting (when i have time), parenting (when my 3 year old isn't throwing tantrums), cooking (when i'm not breastfeeding on the couch), keeping the dreaded laundry pile down (don't you just love laundry...not) and coffee in my system (definitely a necessity) all while sharing it with the world.

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how did luvinthemommyhood begin?

well...let's just say i was lonely. if any of you know me, you know i love to chat. i am a big fan of the run on sentence and just live for a great gabfest. suddenly, in the spring of 2007 my first daughter was born and i was suddenly stuck at home, with nobody to talk to. yep, my worst nightmare. did i sit around and cry about it? a bit. did i whine to the hubs? a bit. what did i end up doing? i picked my sorry, post baby butt off the couch and started a blog. a personal blog.

originally luvinthemommyhood was for family and friends eyes only. i ranted about my poor boobs and the fear of the dreaded "rock in sock" look after breastfeeding, my addiction to coffee, old melrose place & murder she wrote episodes and all things mommy. i posted pics of my little girl and just talked........then suddenly people started reading. eeek!!! they know i wear spanks!

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at first it was weird knowing people i didn't know were reading, but then the addiction started. y'all know what i mean. this wonderful blogging community is so warm and inviting, it's like a giant hug from your bestest friend. i started to think about turning the blog into more than just my thoughts on my daughter and make my little dream come true of creating my own "neighbourhood" where moms can come and enjoy a cup of coffee and some girl chat (it also prevents you from boring your hubby to death with endless girl chatter that they care nothing about).

you see i grew up in a small town where my friends could just pop on over in 5 minutes (no phone calls needed) to their bff's house down the road and have some laughs while the toddlers played. while i had a reality check. i was living in vancouver, bc and let me tell you. you can't get anywhere in 5 minutes unless it's down your elevator and even that is a feat. so luvinthemommyhood is my way to connect moms and to recreate that feeling of having somewhere to go for all things mommy. to share in the hardships that nobody talks about (like when your kid poops on the floor), the fears we all have (are we good enough?), the joys we experience (that first smile from your new baby) and all the fun things that come along with mommyhood.

so why not come by for a visit. there's no need to call, just stop on by. i promise it's a warm, friendly neighbourhood that mr. rogers doesn't frequent. there's lots of goodies for everyone in the mommyhood and the real estate is free! won't you be my neighbour...haha, ok...that was lame, but i couldn't help myself.

to read the rest....click here.

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a little about me and a little about you!

i did one of these last year and had tons of fun, so i thought why not do another one? wanna join in? simply copy the first word of each line below and insert your answers and post away! leave a comment below if you shared your answers so i can come read em!

Making : a surprise pressie for my besties cindy and krystal
Cooking : leftovers for dinner
Drinking : water
Reading: "the girl with the dragon tatoo" and my copy of "house and home" magazine
Wanting: a shiny new labtop
Looking: at my new precious baby girl
Playing: puzzles with mackenzie
Wasting: time drooling over all the projects i have no time to make
Sewing: a tutorial for all you folks
Wishing: my family lived closer
Enjoying: the sunshine
Waiting: for my hubby to get home from work & school
Liking: our new family of four
Wondering: how i got so lucky to be so blessed
Loving: that the baby is sleeping through the night
Hoping: that she stays sleeping through the night and that our toddler will soon too
Marvelling: at how quickly time has flown by
Needing: some clothes that actually fit me
Smelling: mackenzie's hair as she cuddles me
Wearing: pj's
Following: the bachelorette...c'mon, i know you all are too - just admit it :)
Noticing: how talented all you ladies are! so many wonderful blogs out there!
Knowing: that eventually one day i will figure out how to run my sewing machine properly and get daring enough to make something with a zipper and a buttonhole.
Thinking: that it's time to get the kids to bed so i might actually get to sew.
Bookmarking: the next pattern i am going to make out of "simple sewing for baby" by lotta jansdotter.
Opening: the newest issue of house & home that just came in the mail!!!
Giggling: over funny emails the hubs sends me
Feeling: thankful that people actually read and enjoy my blog :)

are there any questions you would love to know about me? ask away in the comments below and if enough of you want to know a bit more about lil'ol me, i may just put together a fun little post about it answering all your questions.

happy canada day eh!!!

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there's been a lot of new readers to the blog lately (hello and welcome) and i'm not sure that all of you know that i am canadian. i live in beautiful british columbia, on vancouver island, in the lovely city of victoria. if you are a fellow canadian, like me, you know that today is canada day! yippee for canada! us canadians go wild with celebrations, chock filled with our anthem, flags and leafs galore, fireworks, face painting, parades, yummy food and just plain, good ol'cheerfulness and lots of fun!

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i love being canadian and i love this great country of ours. it's gorgeous and i think, one of the best places to live. so to all you canadians out there, wherever you are in this big ol'world - HAPPY CANADA DAY!

p.s.....i know you guys have july 4th just around the corner and i couldn't help mentioning this adorable tutorial for patriotic pillowcase dresses from the lovely blog "aesthetic nest"...this would, of course be just as cute with the canadian flag as well :)


what are your plans for canada day? are any of you in victoria? leave a comment and say hi!

what can put a smile on a very pregnant, tired, mom's face?

what can put a smile on a very pregnant, tired, braxton hick's suffering mom's face, a bounce in her heavy step and a little squeal of delight? 2 headbands from blue eyed freckle that's what! i know you guys have heard me mention my love for katie's lovely creations on here before, but i finally got my hands on some and couldn't resist showing off the goods :)

now i've bought my fair share of headbands and they sometimes fall apart or don't seem to be made with care but that's not the case with these little beauties. meticulously hand cute by katie, who by the way used to be a display artist with anthropologie (how cool would that job be?), they are more like little treasures than headbands. for the life of me, i cannot think where i am going to put these babies when they aren't on my head. they are too pretty to put away.


at this time in my life when feeling pretty just doesn't seem to be an option, katie's headbands helped ease that burden. i can tell you i was even bouncing around in my pj's with them on. this ex-hairdresser was one happy mama. mackenzie was so jealous we had to go pick her up a new headband today as well. next time, i'll make sure to get one of blue eyed freckle's for her as well.

you can get your hand's on a headband or aka preggo mama smile maker from blue eyed freckle via katie's etsy shop and read about her, drool over her sewing tutorials and her adorable little girl over on her blog of the same name as well.

thanks so much katie!!!! you made this preggo ladies day!

what put a smile on your face today? any fave headbands you recommend for those bad mommy hair days?

images via luvinthemommyhood

etsy monday in the mommyhood

"A woman's mind is as complex as the contents of her handbag; even when you get to the bottom of it, there is ALWAYS something there to surprise you!"
~billy connelly

1) pink polka dot brown baby bag by mabel's bags
2) lydia in green by christy studio
3) lilly bag in purple by tida mcintyre
4) ripple strip medium messenger by hot mama handbags

i've had diaper bags on my mind lately. i'm in the process of making a new handbag for my mom for her bday/mother's day gift and started thinking about the one i made recently for me. i hope it holds out with all the loot i'm going to have to carry around for 2 children!!! eeek! is my sewing that good? not so sure...haha.

so, yep, you guessed it, i popped over to etsy and took a fun look see through all the diaper bags. i had to stop myself there because then it would have been purses, clutches, shoes...etc...and this post would have been a mess and i would have missed dinner because i was on the computer so long. so here is a few of my fave diaper bags that i've spotted - so lovely! happy baby shopping!

what's your fave diaper bag? have you bought one off etsy you recommend? a pattern you have used? share, ladies, share :)

braxton hicks how you torture me....

i can't find the link to where i found this comic, but it sure rings true in my life at the moment and i'm definitely sure there are a gazillion of you out there that can relate.

i'm taking a day off today to enjoy my constant braxton hicks...haha, ya right, spend some time getting things ready for the little ones arrival and rest after putting together that monster of a roundup :)

until then.....get your glow on ladies.....j/k! who else is due out there soon?

happy birthday 3rd bday to my little angel!

it's my little ladies 3rd birthday today so i'll be spending the day celebrating with her. i love you sweetheart, you are my angel and my miracle baby all in one. thank you for blessing our lives with your sweet self - we love you more than we can say.

i couldn't resist posting 2 of my fave pics of mackenzie and i, trust me when i say i could have spent hours putting together mosaic after mosaic for you all to ohhh and ahhh over. it was hard not to, but i decided to go with 2. yep, just 2....ok, i may post more later...haha, but for now just 2.

she wasn't even 1 yet in these pics and we were still living in lovely vancouver. these pics were taken at stanley park in the fall, it's stunning there at that time of year and i miss it...gosh how time flies. the above photos capture an important time in my life with her and they won out amongst the gazillion pics i have our little girl, i must have baby on the brain! i cannot believe she is 3 years old today! insert my sobs.....ok, moving on...haha.


sorry this is just a quick post, but i'm busy getting tomorrow's special guest post for "made" that's part of "celebrating mom" ready to go for y'all! i'm excited! make sure you pop on over to see what dana's got going on and also disney from "ruffles and stuff". there will be lovelies up for the next 2 weeks!

any of your little ones having special bday's this week?

weekend wishes

that every woman would tell herself this every day......

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that i could wake up each morning and be so inspired to quilt that i even cover my closet doors in it.....

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that my little girl's weekend "tennis bday party" (her choice of theme) goes great and is tennistastic....

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that i can get some more sleep, or rest, or even a few hours without swollen feet, some heartburn and copious pee breaks....

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that i can finally get my little bird mobile finished for the little bean before she arrives (more to come next week, hopefully)....

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that i could grab these out of my computer and eat all of them....yep, every single one folks...

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my little girl is turning 3 next week. i cannot believe it. i've got a new one coming and my other one isn't a baby anymore....i think the horomones are kicking in....insert my tears here. i was looking at her the other day and it was like looking at another person - where did those longer feet come from, where's your baby chub (or what you did have of it), how did your legs grow so much in a week or two that your pants don't fit anymore, when did your face start to look like a little lady instead of my toddler? eeeekkk! i can't take it, it seems like yesterday i was breastfeeding her and reading sandra boynton board books and now we're having serious discussions and contemplations about why we can't name the baby after the little mermaid. oh my.

anyhoo, it's her bday and she has requested a tennis themed party. what you say? tennis? not princesses, not ballerinas or fairies but tennis? yep. my kid loves sports, and thankfully she has developed a love for tennis. i'm over the moon about it. tennis is my fave sport and i'm super excited to have my little girl love it as much as me and her daddy do.

she's over the moon to get her pink tennis racket and pink tennis balls for her bday....i keep hiding them in the house and the darn kid keeps finding them telling me she has to practice. too cute. so cross your fingers for me that the baby doesn't come before the party, that her tennis ball cupcakes turn out and i don't burn them and that no kids are injured during some of the activities that i have planned to entertain a group of about 18 adults and 6 kids in my tiny 2 bedroom condo.....have i lost my mind? yep...those horomones are kicking in for sure.

what are your plans for the weekend? any bdays causing tears on your end or am i the only one gettin' emotional over here?

p.s. don't forget to check out our sponsors who help keep the mommyhood a friendly neighbourhood to be in :) they are those lovely little boxes in the sidebar to your right.....go ahead click on one. they are some of my fave ladies, go say hi and ogle some of their lovely, lovely goodies.

hang in there

image via helgasams

link luv roundup is not going to be up today....i know, it sucks, i'm missing it too - but i have a good excuse. we've got lots and lots of goodies coming your way. things may be a bit up and down here the next few weeks depending on how i'm feeling as we get closer to the little bean's arrival and i'm also working away like mad getting a few super fun surprises done on the sidelines.

image via maria ramirez

first up i'll be doing a very exciting special guest post for dana on "made" next week so watch for that! it's a thrill to be on her blog and i'm honored she asked me to join her over there. more news to come about what will be happening on her blog soon.....and also i will be making a special announcement in the next week or so here in the mommyhood about what i've got planned for when i take my "baby leave". yep, i'm going to actually take a few weeks off...haha, it will be hard, but i promise to pop in now and then with updates and pics of the new babe. but i will be leaving you in some very lovely, talented and crafty hands. so hang in there with us.....we're not going far. i'll still be posting on here until i go on "baby leave" or the baby makes an appearance.

image via helgasams

thanks for all of your support over the last few weeks, you have all made it that much easier to get through the hard times and believe me when i say i appreciate every comment and email. in the meantime cross your fingers for me that the wee one is facing the right direction. i'm going for an ultrasound today to make sure the babe isn't breech. so "hang in there" really does seem fitting doesn't it? hang in there little monkey, but hang in there the right way :)

any of you have a pregnancy that the doc thinks may be breech at 37 weeks? what did you do? any advice? did you go the "let's turn this one around" or the c-section route?

etsy monday in the mommyhood & makin' it in the mommyhood

"Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer". ~ Lightning McQueen

1) small cars - set of 6 by small town toys
2) soft plush cars and trucks by by nanas hands
3) 'my first cars' set of two by birdy boots
4) natural race cars - set of 3 by happy squash toys


it's one of mackenzie's friends bday today and he is a huge fan of cars. little cars, big cars and of course the movie cars. his favorite color is red. whenever we see him he has cars with him so i thought what better gift to give than a car caddy!


i based this one on "homemade by jill's" tutorial. i also adore the one lindsay made from "the cottage home". i did make a few changes though. here's what i altered:

- different measurements. mine was shorter in length and height and only has 5 pockets. i didn't have jeans that had a wide enough leg to give me the measurements jill used.

- no piping used. i simply sewed the edges right sides together and then left an opening to pull the carrier through. i then attached my ties to the top right hand corner instead of the side and hand stitched the opening shut. i'm sure i could have top stitched for extra strength where the ties are but i didn't think i would like the look and couldn't decide on the color of thread to use so i left it. i made the ties from felt and figured he has a bit of pull leeway before they would fall out anyways. i also decided to let him knot it instead of using velcro.

-i added his name in felt onto the top half of the caddy above where the car is stitched on for cuteness factor.

this was a fun project to do especially since i am used to making girly girl things. i was happy to do the hand stitching and not have to be at the machine. it's proving harder and harder to make it for very long at my sewing machine...boo hoo.

have you made a car caddy? what tutorial did you use or did you make your own? i'd love to see them!

weekend wishes

i wish i could be doing this right now to erase the stress of this week.....

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to have the energy to get all the posts i have planned done before the baby comes....(there will be more preggers pics of me to come soon)

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to jump in this pic and bring home all that yummy wool and that cozy blanket....

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to find the time to reflect on this pregnancy and really relish in the special moments of the last few weeks that i will be pregnant....

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to not have anymore nightmares about keys and the lack of keys for locked doors....

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to enjoy the sunshine and a warm breeze.....

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and to actually get to spend time with my other half that's way longer than an hour here and there.

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it's been a rough week, a few rough weeks that is. i miss my hubs. i miss him a lot. our daughter misses him and his lack of presence is missed in our house. the laughs aren't as loud, the dinners aren't as yummy, the bathtime/bedtime routine isn't nearly as fun, and we both keep finding ourselves looking for him. i call him too much at work to whine and to tell him that i love him and asking when are you coming home, when i know he isn't and he can't but i still ask anyways.

does it mean i'm weak? nope, just in love..and very, very pregnant. ok, and hormonal and sappy...haha. oh well, what's a preggers to do? we'll get through it, we always do. damn you tax season. you make life hard but you also make life good. without the paycheck it just wouldn't be worth it :) we love you hun. thank you for working so hard and for making such a good life for us. xoxoxo.

ok, i'm done with my mushy gushy stuff. couldn't help myself. i'm going to be without the hubs all weekend so i really don't have much going on except for the above paragraph..hahaha. oh, and praying that my feet can't possibly swell any bigger than they already have and to be able to throw a kick butt bday party for my little girl next weekend without going into labor.

what are you missing this week? do you have an "absent spouse"? any of you doing fun things that i can live vicariously through you? share girls, share :)

a small celebration - part four

image via incurable_hippie

luvinthemommyhood is turning "1"!

it's our one year bday on the site so we're having a wee bit of a celebration. click here to read some more about my thoughts on turning "1" and to see "part one" of our celebration, check out "part two" - a look back at our tutorials and crafty goodness in the mommyhood and part three for our fave posts from "notes from the mommyhood" series.

next up in our party is my fave posts from our "fit friday in the mommyhood" series. i heart this series. it's been on the back burner for a bit due to my pregnancy but i have big plans to reinstate it monthly once the baby is born. i'll need to get rid of the jiggly bits, well attempt to anyways...haha. so here ya go ladies, why not have a good chuckle (it works the abs) while you get some great exercise tips!

work out videos, soft porn & g-strings and best workout videos

oh man, you gotta love richard simmons in all his slimy, shiny glory...i don't think there will ever be another him that's for sure. this post is one of my fave all time posts on the site. i laughed until i almost peed myself while writing it and reminiscing with my mom about some of the good ol' workout videos on VHS that we used to swear by.

i was lucky enough to have a shorter, and in my opinion, funnier version of this post published on the wonderful site "the yummy mummy club". it was lots of fun and i was honored to be included so i figured it only fitting to give you the links to both versions (click here for the yummy mummy article and here for the blog post). i wonder in hindsight though if the world can have cher sweat her tush off in a g-string and carmen electra striptease her way fit what the heck can they seriously come up with next? a female version of richard simmons? i'm scared...very scared....

the obama/ripa arm workout

any of you longtime readers will know i have a serious obsession with kelly ripa's arms. i love them, i dream of one day having them, those arms just kill me. i admit sometimes the only reason i watch her show is to stare at her arms. in my quest to achieve arms like hers (insert laughter here) i put together this post combining two of the best set of guns i have seen. yes, i know madonna is up there too, but hers tend to freak me out a bit....too manly. so get your gear on and welcome to the gun show!

top ten abs workout

ok, not to go on about kelly again, but seriously her abs are to die for as well. so i couldn't help putting together a post all on getting some great abs. did it happen for me? nope, but that was because i had to stop doing them cause i got knocked up...or at least that's what i tell myself the reason is. hey, it's so i can sleep at night ok? no judging...haha.

best chest exercises to lift up those girls

i don't post a lot of pics on here that show my body but one thing you guys know i do talk about is how the size of "your girls" or aka "boobs" can be a hindrance. you can't run without wearing 2 sports bras and a running tank or risk getting a black eye, dresses never fit right, tops don't fit right, they are heavy and hurt your back and your kid likes to smack them around like fun toys. sometimes the only person who i think really enjoys them is the hubs...but we won't go there...haha. anyhoo, if any of you would like to keep the girls pointing up to the sky instead of the dreaded "rock in the sock" boob this post is for you. not too sure if us breastfeeding folk have any chance in bringing the life back after breastfeeding multiple kids but it's worth a shot right?

don't forget to check out the other posts in the "fit friday in the mommyhood" series:

- kelly ripa and physiqe 57
- fit friday playlist summer 2009
- how to keep safe and in shape in the heat
- yoga wear roundup
- stroller fitness workout
- mommy calorie countdown

ok, i had a good laugh looking back through all of these, i hope you guys did too. don't forget to share your thoughts, i love to get comments!

you can also find all these posts on our sidebar. look for the pic on your left and it will take you to our posts. remember ladies....you're worth it and you deserve it!

hmmm, is the party over?? no way!!! i think i have a bit more party energy left, what about you guys? stay tuned for some more goodies next week!!!

a small celebration - part three

image via michibanban

luvinthemommyhood is turning "1"!

it's our one year bday on the site so we're having a wee bit of a celebration. click here to read some more about my thoughts on turning "1" and to see "part one" of our celebration and here to read "part two".

i thought i would continue this little shindig of ours with some of my fave moments in the mommyhood. i try to add a little bit of everything on luvinthemommyhood and part of that is an inside peek into my life as a mom, and believe me, it's not always fun or happy, but it is what it is. part of what makes blogging so special for me is the relationships that i have developed with all of you. i love hearing that someone else is going through the same thing or has wonderful advice to pass along to those of us who are suffering at the moment. it helps us moms get through the good times and the bad times, whether it's parenting, relationships, body issues or even sewing, you have all been there for me - so thank you!

here's a few of my fave posts that i have written in the series "notes from the mommyhood" that you can find on the sidebar.

post traumatic shi* disorder

this post is still one of my fave posts and probably one of the top experiences with mackenzie that still to this day grosses me out and makes me laugh (and crave cookies) all at the same time.

preschool paranoia

ahhhh, the preschool paranoia, a goodie. i suffered through this for a while and only recently can relax. we found and got into the preschool we wanted and let me tell you, it makes a world of a difference to feel comfortable in your decision for your child's education. we love our school and our teacher. next up - kindergarten.....i get the shakes just thinking about it.....

date night lowdown

the hubs and i are strong believers of the monthly (or whenever you can go regularly) date night. we try to go each month and we have a strict rule - no talking about kids. it keeps our dates fun and it keeps our relationship fresh and still filled with conversation that doesn't just consist of bills, kids, diapers and chores. not sure how we are going to do date nights with babe #2 coming soon, but we'll work it out :)

5 ways to help parent when you aren't at your best

this post means a lot to me personally, it talks about some things that i deal with on a weekly basis and i still go back to refer to it when i'm having a low point or a rough day. if you have any comments or tips, please feel free to keep adding comments, i would love to hear from you :)

don't forget to check out these other posts in the "notes from the mommyhood" series:

- it's bad enough that half of our body is already swollen
- made with love
- weaning your toddler

i hope you have fun taking a look back at some of the things i have experienced this past year and share your thoughts and comments as well. what's that you say? is the party over? nope, not yet. next up in our celebration - some of our fave moves from "fit friday in the mommyhood". so stay tuned!!!

weekend wishes

to finish the little beans stroller blankie and then wrap myself up in it (heck i may end up using it more than the kid will)......

get started (and finish) a few sewing projects that have been on the back burner now that i have some new fun fabric.....

that i had found this image earlier so i could have decked myself out in this image.........

image via ibreakplates

to be able to play my guitar again one day and to play it floating weightless in the air instead of being weighted down with what feels like a 25 pound baby.......

image via angelically

to maybe, just maybe give in to my craving for ice cream and sprinkles......

image via beautiful gravity

oh, and of course, to turn off for earth hour and hope that everyone else does too.

i'm hoping this weekend is filled with at least one nap, a tiny bit of alone time, sewing without having my feet swell up, picking up a ton of much needed baby supplies, having the hubs help me with some chores, family time to help deal with my daughter missing her daddy so much, and of course, no back pain or early labor.

we attended our local hospital tour the other night and i swear i thought it was going to kill me...haha. pregnant women in their third trimesters should not be made to waddle around for 45 minutes and stand still in one spot for a big chunk of it. between that, the stress of some news we found out about the amenities of our local hospital combined with the last few weeks was enough to get me thinking i was going to go into labor last night. thankfully i was finally able to get a massage today and have a little time to de-stress.

what are you up to this weekend? any of you have any tips on helping kids deal with their dads working tons all of a sudden....i could use some help? have you been disappointed in your hospital before your due date?

(all images luvinthemommyhood unless otherwise noted)

a small celebration - part two!

luvinthemommyhood is turning "1"!!!!!

it's our one year bday on the site here so we're having a wee bit of a celebration. click here to read some more about my thoughts on turning "1" and to see "part one" of our celebration.

i thought for part two we could reminisce on some of luvinthemommyhood's tutorials and other crafty goodies on the site. it's funny how they came about considering i didn't even know how to sew when i started this blog. i mostly had knitting projects on here. but low and behold, i got bit by the sewing bug and haven't stopped since. this was the shirt dress that started the ball rolling.


what i seriously never thought would happen was having my own tutorials. yep, that one was just weird and happened purely by accident. those are always life's best surprises though right? that's how the idea was born for the "newbie sewing series". i figured there must be a better way for tutorials to be explained so us newbie sewers could follow along with all you pros out there. no fancy terminology and ok, maybe a bit of my humor, along with a video for all you visual learners like me. so here's a look back out the "newbie sewing series".


make sure to add pics of your projects inspired by the tutes below to our flickr group! i love seeing all of your creations!

click here for the pdf download and video tutorial.

click here for the pdf download and video tutorial.

click here for pdf download and video tutorial.

along with the "newbie sewing series" i also started a 2nd tutorial series called "remake, repurpose, refashion". you've heard of the 3 Rs of environmentalism, reduce, reuse and recycle. well, luvinthemommyhood's bringing you the new 3 Rs: Remake, Repurpose, Refashion.

some crafts make use of craft supplies most households have lying around, but we present you with crafts that use things you have lying around but have not thought of for creating new items from. get raiding the donation pile before taking it to the thrift store (or even your husband's closet while he is at work - but don't tell him we put you up to it) and start showing your creativity!

click here for the pdf download

click here for the pdf download

and here's a look back at some of the projects i have been working on over the last year that aren't part of my tutorials but that were made using all the wonderful projects available out there in the blogoshpere! you can find a lot of these on the sidebar under the heading "map of the mommyhood". click on the links for either "makin'it in the mommyhood", "sewing in the mommyhood", or "knitting in the mommyhood" and a wealth of posts will pop up for you to puruse, but not all will be mine, so it does take some scrolling. this is one of the things that will be changed on the site revamp. to make it easier feel free to check out my personal flickr page. all the pics are there and most link up to the post they relate to. you can find me on flickr here.



well that's it for part two of our celebration....don't be sad though, the party isn't over yet....we've got more to come next week. so stay tuned for part three - some of our fave moments in the mommyhood!