Bathroom Pin-spiration

I love our house (especially my cave, aka office, which is about the size of a very small walk-in closet), its modest size forced us to purge the crap and distill Weeksworld to it's core style & decor elements, and it continues to present this organization-obsessed Housewife with wonderful opportunities & challenges to manage the space & all the stuff that's trying to fill it.

One room that is a source of constant frustration is our TINY upstairs bathroom. Its smaller than a McMansion's 1/2 bath, so managing the cutter of toothbrushes & paste, soaps & lotions, hairbrushes & ponytail holders is a perpetual battle.

 

So imagine my glee when I came across this pin...

Source: Uploaded by user via Lollie on Pinterest

I LOVE this ingeniously simple & unique counter top de-cluttering idea!

The excitement level grew substantially when I realized I actually have a few inches of open wall space for it, right above the toilet!

One small change to the original concept though...I think I'll match up the buckets, hooks & rod - nothin' a little spray paint can't take care of!

So I'm grabbing my measuring tape & heading to Lowe's & Home Depot tomorrow!

I'll post photos as soon as it done! (That way my new home-styling guru, Anna, at Take the Side Street, will know I've gotten myself motivated to start tackling my "home front" list.)

Makin' Turns with my Baron

The Housewife & The Baron in their Noridca ski boots.

New England certainly isn't having a stellar winter for us snow sport lovers (a decade in the Adirondacks converted this CA girl, if you can't beat it figure out some way to enjoy it! Downhill skiing, Nordic skiing & snowshoeing have all become FAVS.), but today's scheduled early school dismissal gave the Baron of Boredom and I the rare opportunity to have a mid-week ski date at the little local hill, while the unsuspecting Master of Mayhem was still imprisoned at preschool.

I'm embarrassed to admit that today was our first day on sticks this season (back in our pre-parenting days, the Handsome Husband & I would easily have 40-50+ days tallied up by now) - so it was time to see how much Jackson remembered from last season, and a chance to see how my new ACL (remember that fun back in April!) was going to treat me this winter.

Though the surrounding terrain was brown, the snowmakers have managed to keep the trails white and the turns were soft and sweet on the bunny hill.

The first few runs weren't pretty, but a few more trips down the hill and Jackson was ripping it up. And Mom's new ACL was surpassing her limited expectations.

Bottom line - it was a lovely ski date with my Baron!

P.S. Poor Master of Mayhem, Mother Nature rained on his ski date with Mama this morning. But I don't think he missed it too much, he got a PJ, movie, Wii & Hot Wheels day with Mom instead.

Snuggly Owlies

It took a bit of cyber-searching to find just the right project/gift for Carter & Luci's newest addition, Spencer.

My search resulted in thousands of baby blanket & hat options...then I discovered this adorable (& free) pattern for an Owlie Snuggle Sack & Owlie Hat, courtesy of Comfort Wool, a cool, crafty corner of the blogosphere.

Comfort Wool's Owlie Snuggle Sack

So the Baron, Master & I took a quick trip to the neighborhood knitters' haven, The Black Sheep Knitting Company, to select the yarn for Spencer gift.

Ms. Comfort Wool made her sack & hat with a Malabrigo yarn (one of my FAV yarn co's), but I wanted to keep things simple for Luci, who is now juggling a new 2-year-old big sister & Baby Spencer, so I opted for the machine washable ease of a Comfort yarn from Berrocco.

Three evening knitting sessions and the sack was done, and just one more day for the hat!

I love this pattern...unique, cute, simple & quick...perfect!

What's next on the Housewife's needles? 

I'm already many rows deep into a super secret project for a very special birthday that's coming up very soon! (I promise to share after the present is opened.)

P.S. A very special "thank you" goes out to Miss Leah for allowing her beloved "Baby Leah" to participate in the Housewife's photo shoot. Though they were both willing, I don't think the sack or hat would have ever been the same if the Baron or Master had modeled.

Three Cheers for Procratinators!

I just might have to blow this one up, print it out & hang it up in my cave, aka office...

Source: funri.com via Lollie on Pinterest

Stylin' Slippers

How is it that these days one of my few personal indulgences is wasting precious non-momming minutes wandering around Target?

Whatever happened to a Saturday afternoon at the mall - shopping, lunching, mani-pedis & chatting with a gal pal? 

Oh, the good ol' pre-mommy daze!

Then yesterday, while looking for searching for slippers for the Baron of Boredom, I stumbled upon these dreamies...

Source: target.com via Lollie on Pinterest

A bit of special balance training would be required before I could venture out into the world in one of these, they're a huge departure from usual my usual Dansko/Ugg/flipflop repertoire, but I'm willing to try.

Still in Vogue

A couple weeks ago, I received my college's alum newsletter. Of course, it got buried in the ever-growing pile of "stuff to read", and it wasn't until yesterday's paper purge fest that I rediscovered it.

As you may recall dear readers, back in September I lamented over the return of 80's stylings - peg-leg pants, pointy-toe pumps, gold lamé & Wayfarers - in my post "Back in Vogue".

I also shared a bit of my own Vogue history, including the Vogue obsession on my alma mater's campus.

Heck, at my small, mid-west alma mater, Stephens College, a womens' college with a serious fashion fixation (surprise, surprise), I think Vogue was actually considered a textbook, maybe even a sacred tome.

Well, in case you thought me exaggerating or outright fibbing, allow me to submit into evidence...
 

There it is - Vogue - on top of her text book!

I rest my case!

A Wii bit o' Blackmail

Alert the judges! I think we have a winner for this month's Parenting Awards -- lil' o' me!

So sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

Prior to Christmas and straight thru the school vacation week Weeksworld was beset by bad, bad, BAD little boy behavior.

Last year's Santa delivery.

The threat of Santa flying past our chimney (ok, we don't actually have a chimney), and the promise of a fun-filled vacation week (no Mom holed up in her office upstairs, Dad taking a few days off, field trips, play dates & sleepovers) held no sway with our vile lil' monsters.

I know, I know...Christmas anticipation & school hiatus boredom syndrome...bullshit, I say!

By New Year's Day Weeksworld had landed with an unceremonious thud at the bottom of a pit filled with video gaming obsession & boob tube addiction, contrary-ism & smart mouthiness, mischief & misbehavior, wrestling, pushing & hitting, whining, hollering & screaming, tantrums & tears, and parental-specific deafness. 

And the parental response wasn't much prettier...

excessive yelling & screaming, stroke-worthy blood pressure levels & excessive wine consumption.


Oh the inhumanity! Oh the insanity!

Weeksworld was not a happy, cheery place as it greeted the New Year!

As I watched our friend take his annual New Year's Day dip...

I briefly considered the behavior modification potential of tossing my two mayhem-makers into the frigid Nantucket Sounds surf, but decided against such a brash course of action...I figured interrupting the holiday weekend for people with badges wouldn't engender much sympathy, even for a beleaguered Mom.

Finally, in hopes of regaining some tiny bit of control~peace~sanity, bred of total desperation, I consulted with the primary perpetrators of our domestic unrest...

"What are we going to do, guys? How can we get our team back on track?"

I was at a loss for solutions and figured admitting defeat couldn't make it any worse.

My plea was met with a chorus of mumbled "I don't know."

Then it came to me...the Muses of Motherhood delivered unto me an idea of such simplicity it just might work.

I announced to the boys, "How 'bout from now on you guys are going to start each day with zero video game time, and when you do what Mommy & Daddy ask, without us having to say it more than two times, and without us having to raise our voice, you can earn five minutes of video game time."

"Ok," they almost willingly agreed.

Then I upped the ante, explaining "but, if we have to raise our voice you lose five minutes, and you'll lose five minutes for each time we have to repeat ourselves."

The middle row of my Mom-mobile was silent as they contemplated this additional component.

"OK?" I asked.

This time, the "ok", was delivered a tad reluctantly.

Now our weekly dry erase board on our fridge is a tote board for the boys Wii~iPad~iPod Touch~Leapster minutes.

The Baron of Boredom & Master of Mischief (aka Jackson & Brody) gleefully race to the board to add a newly earned "5" to the tally, and there are vehement protestations when a "5" is erased, but I am happy to report that Weeksworld has enjoyed several consecutive days of relatively tranquility.

 Game, set, match!

Celebrating the New Year & One Year Anniversary

We've bid adieu to another year.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Lollie on Pinterest

Excuse me sir, how much for a ticket for this NYE ride?

Now comes weeks of writing, then correcting, 2011 with 2012 . . . an annual annoyance!

Some of us look back, others are looking forward . . . and some of us are laying on the sofa in sweats waiting for motivation, inspiration & the batteries to recharge.

Sofa & sweats . . . check.

Motivation, inspiration & energy recharge . . . in progress.

Looking back . . .

It was on this day, one year ago, that my alter ego, The Fortuitous Housewife, staked her claim on this tiny corner of the blogosphere and pledged to post three times each week. 

2011 came to a close with 90 posts posted, an average of 1.73 posts per week. Not quite the three per week I had aimed for, but not too shabby for a beginner blogger.

I've mused, ranted and prattled on about all sorts of stuff -- 

savoring silence and non-momming time,

 tv & video game saturation and our overly "social" lives,

stripper shoes, sweaters & swimsuits,

doughnuts and Oprah's croissant,

momming with options,

the worst first day of school EVER,

happy hour play dates, red shirting & thank you notes,

birthday cake baking obsession and more doughnuts.

I've struggled with finding a focus, my niche, for this blog, and finally arrived at the door labeled "acceptance" . . . acceptance of my limitations (or inability to set limits) and embraced my eclectic nature.

Looking ahead . . .

The Fortuitous Housewife continues to find inspiration around every corner & with every click. 

Before this blog, I struggled to find words to write, writer's block was far too familiar a companion, and I had no faith in my ability to feed a beast of my own creation. Now, my only limitations are the number of hours in each day, the plethora of lists, a packed suburban mom schedule and two not-so-little-anymore distractions that keep me from my keyboard.

My list of ideas continues to expand and I'm looking forward to sharing several new sections on this website over the coming weeks & months.

Thanks for stopping by!
I sure do appreciate the company!

And please don't be shy . . . leave a comment, quip or rant so we know you've stopped by for a visit!

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Lollie on Pinterest

Sydney Harbor - another spot I'd like to be one NYE.  

(In a boat, of course!)

 Happy 2012!