Elliot's Nursery

(This post was originally written a year ago but never finished nor published until now. ha!)

Well, we started the nursery projects in March and many props go to my mom, yet again, for finishing it up while I was learning how to be a mom with a tiny little newborn.

Let's revisit our list, shall we?

• Dots on the walls in the nursery closet
• Painting the dresser/mirror
• Painting the tv stand (a dresser in its former life)
• Upholster the rocking chair seat and add felt pads to the bottom
• Find/make/hang shelves for the nursery
• Paint 10-12 picture frames and fill with art
• New guest bedding
• Find wire baskets for above the changing table
• Growth chart
• Changing table pad box

And guess what? I only have ONE left to do! Huzzzzaaahhh! The one I wish I would have finished sooner is the growth chart, but thanks to well-baby doctor visits, I can always go back and mark her height for the first year. Plus, those should probably go in a baby book of some sort, eh?

Want to see pictures? That's always what I like to see, so I'll share. It's funny looking at these, though, because you'd never know how many hours and how much work was involved but seriously, almost EVERYTHING was handmade, repainted, or altered in some way.                                                  

And of course, the prettiest thing in the nursery that took the longest amount of time.

 Lots of things have changed since I took these pictures (in FEBRUARY!). One of these days when I'm super organized and all the stars have aligned, Elliot's clothes will be picked up, her crib sheets will be clean and the guest bed will be made. Then, then I'll take updated pictures. Hopefully that happens before she's grown out of the crib.

In Which I Pretended to Be a Caterer

A few years ago we moved to Kansas and left our old and decrepit tax accountant back in Utah. We sent him our documents for taxes for the first year we moved here and never heard from him again. We're pretty sure he died. With our tax documents. He's probably buried with them, who knows.

Flash forward a bit and we found some friends who introduced us to a new tax guy. He's fantastic and quick and his wife is crazy and fabulous. Tax time for the Alexander family is no longer stressful in any way because of the blessing of finding the Draper family.

Mrs. Tax Guy is actually named Susan. She is so trusting and encouraging and this lead her to HIRING me to cater her youngest's wedding open house. Meaning, money would be changing hands. For food that I make. Their nearest and dearest would be eating things I make. But wait, there's more.

For one hundred people.

ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE WOULD BE EATING THINGS I MAKE.

After I realized she wasn't joking, I kind of said yes. Susan gave me free reign on the menu. She described that she wanted it to be simple and elegant and a variety of hors d'oeuvre. I can do simple and I can do elegant.

Check. Check. CHECK. I can do this.

It was a learning experience and forced me to be extremely organized for the weeks leading up the open house. I had a shopping list for each day the week of. I had a to-do list for each day that week. I made way too much food and learned that 100 people will not eat 1000 items. But all the websites I looked up for advice told me to plan for it. Lesson, learned. Websites, wrong.

I wanted everything to be simple and beautiful. To do this, you just need simple ingredients with complex flavors -- and to make sure it's pretty.

Successful?

I'd say so. Now, who wants to hire me next?

Tomorrow

It always seems like tomorrow has the promise of greatness.

"Tomorrow I'll paint the rest of the trim downstairs."

"Tomorrow I'll do all the dishes, mop the floor, and maybe start on the dresser that's in the garage!"

"Tomorrow I'll start eating better. This cookie needs to be gone by then. *chomp* For sure, tomorrow."

But you know what the beauty of that is? There's always going to be something that comes up that can be done tomorrow.

Today is the day I've wasted snuggling my baby. Today I consoled her and rubbed her head when she bumped it while on a great exploration adventure under the dining room table. Today I drank my weight in Diet Coke. Today I had a meltdown when the great explorer wouldn't take a freaking nap. Today I felt the weight of 6 months of stress lifted off my shoulders when my husband's first real paycheck hit the bank account. Today I wept thankful tears when my sweet girl looked up at me with stars of wonderment in her eyes and asked without words, "what is this?"

Today is better than tomorrow. It always has been for me. I am a procrastinator by nature and have always looked for ways to do things tomorrow. But today? That's where the true magic and true life is.

So what if I don't get all the dishes done or the dog hair swept up off the floor for the umpteenth time this week. I have kisses to give. I have hugs to steal. A grand adventure awaits me in the gigantic cardboard box someone's daddy saved. I'm learning to live in the moment and seize today.

Tomorrow will come eventually. For now, pass me another cookie.