5 on Friday - Mar 7

Here are Five things on my mind this week:

1. How is it already March? It's times like this when I want to curl up in a ball in the corner and cry. I posted before how I though the age from 3-4 went by lightning fast. WAAAAYYY faster than 0-1, 1-2, or 2-3. And we are on the same track. How was Disney 3 months ago?? I haven't even done our photobook, done any blog posts about it, or hell even downloaded the first pictures from my camera!! Christmas was over 2 months ago?? And crap - they turned 4 two months ago too!! What???? I JUST had their party!! I'm still finding glitter!

2. My workouts are back on track and I feel so great! Jake and I have been doing DDP Yoga each morning. They aren't long, which is great. (I'll probably do a post about it soon - it's different!!) So, we're doing it before the kids get up and then some other days I'll do something else - either walk, jog, a Leslie Samsone walking DVD, or the kids and I will do a kids exercise video together. They don't "really" do it, but they think it's fun. I just pull up a video on youtube. (usually Paul Eugene) and hook it up to the TV via an HDMI cord. Speaking of...

3. I recently started selling Plexus. It's it the greatest thing ever - and I'm not lying. I have NEVER EVER wanted to sell ANYTHING at home - but I just honestly fell in love. It is so easy and I've lost 10 pounds and haven't felt better. If you want to know  more shoot me an email - apstribling@gmail.com Here's my website if you want to learn more:
www.plexusslim.com/nashville

4. The kids and I are having an absolute ball at home. I am SO SO thankful I'm able to do this, at least for a little while. I will never regret it I know that. Time is fleeting and they are growing up super fast. They are hysterical and cute and cuddly and I love it. And they love it too, which is the most important. I am posting much more pics of our daily life on my instagram account. www.instagram.com/apstribling

I'm actually doing much better there that I used to!

5. Starting to plan a trip to Napa for my sister's 40th birthday. SUPER excited about this!!!! Much needed.

Josh and Jules singing Let it Go from Frozen

Well, here is mine. I'm sure all of your have videos of your kiddos singing Let it Go. Mine took it very serious. When I told them I wanted to film them singing it, they had a few requests:

1.Josh needed a shield and a sword. Check out my DIY cardboard shield. Mad skills I have.
2. Jules had to wear a blue princess dress. We don't have Elsa, so Cinderella would have to do.
3. They did not want to dance.
4. They each wanted to get their chairs and sit while singing instead of standing. Jules just wanted to "sit and sing" - no dancing. Serious, I tell ya.
5. Josh is usually the most vocal but he got a little camera shy.
6. Jules didn't quite make the note at the end. We're working on it. lol.

How Daniel Tiger is Helping me Parent

Okay, I'll admit it. Daniel Tiger is helping me parent my children. Seriously. It's embarrassing to admit, but it's true.

They actually don't watch the show, but they are OBSESSED with the little segment videos on the PBSkids app. And I gotta admit, I love it.

Let's start with the obvious. It's a complete knock-off/recreation of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, but it's so much better. Each episode consists of two 11 minute segments (or shorter with the app) that centers around exactly things that go on in a four-year-old's life: disappointment, anger, sadness, thankful, etc. The genius thing is that is uses a musical motif phrase to reinforce the theme. And my kids REMEMBER it and use it in their day-to-day things that happen. They really do!!

For example When you do something new (and my kids totally sing this when we are doing something new, so it reminds me that we need to talk about it first)




When they get super frustrated about things and pout (Josh and Jules actually sing this to each other lol!)





When something bad happens, why turn it around and find something good!!



Hey - need help with Potty Training? Daniel need help too!



Again, any time they are proud of themselves they'll sing this. Yesterday, Josh called down to us from his room because he was super proud that he found his Pjs himself, and though he was going to need help putting them on. Then he ran downstairs saying, "Mommy!! I did it all by myself! I tried and tried, and I did it! Keep trying - you'll get bbeeeeetttttteer!!"

  And one more. They literally sing this every time they clean up. I thought for a while that it was a song from school. I should have known better - why Daniel Tiger of course!!



I really don't have a problem with it at all. Its so funny. And it SOOOOO easy for kids to remember little short songs to help them remember things. 

5 on Friday - February edition

Yes, I told you the ONE time I've done this before that I'd be hard to keep up with it. But here goes.

1. Trying to get this stay-at-home Mom thing down. I've been one since November, and I'm slowly but surely getting into the groove. I'm home with them MWF while I work on my furniture on T, Th. I am a routine driven person so its kind of driving me crazy to not have one. So far Monday is our chill/cleaning day. We may/may not get our of our jammies. Wednesday is educational. I work with them all day on stuff they are doing at school - we do a craft, sight words, art, starfall.com, and piano. Friday is fun day with an outing. Jules has dance Friday mornings, and Josh and I go to the library and we go out to lunch. So far it going good. Any other things you guys do?

2. It's Matilda Jane release time. So far I'm in love with it. I wish I'd never gotten into Matilda Jane, but as of now I'm offically an addict and quite obsessed. The stuff is just so darn cute!

3. We just finished out a section of our basement. I love, love basements and so excited we got a home with one. Our basement is huge, unfinished, and the length of our house. So, now we have an exercise/bonus room and I still have lots of space to paint. One of the things we bought for it was a LoveSac. It is the perfect basement piece of furniture. And although I though it was ugly, expensive, and super 80's - OMG you guys I am obsessed. This thing is awesome.

4. I have decided I need a Louis Vuitton. Not a new one, but a pre-owned one (wish I could do new, but hell to the no). I have been scouring ebay and the shoppes of Intstagram for one in good condition. I have decided I want a Speedy 30. Stay Tuned!

5. Workouts. Jeez what happened here?- with our basement getting redone we've had no space. I did P90x last year and didn't get the results I wanted. We recently bought the DDP Yoga program. (Don't laugh lol it's supposed to be awesome - kind of like power Yoga) So we are going to start alternating the Yoga with the cardio/plyo parts of P90. I need to get back in shape!!

Our Weekend

This weekend was another crazy, but fun weekend! First was their little school Valentine's Party. So stinking cute.

Josh really is happy - promise!

My sister sings every Valentine's weekend in Knoxville in a band called The White Cosbys, and my brother-in-law plays the keyboard. It is so much dang fun. They kind of call it an 80's Prom Night. Most of the songs are those fabulous songs that you can't forget from the 80's and 90's. Here is a post from another performance.

It was a fun night as always, and super late as always lol. I swear my poor body can't do that much anymore. Ha!!

Me and Jennifer

Me and the sisters. I'm the Middle One :)

Me and Jake and The Prom!
On Moi: Top: Facebook Boutique//Jeans: Target Skinnies//Boots: Ferras

Moi, Jake, Carson and Jennifer

Saturday night we were back in Nashville (whew) because Grama and Papa got them tickets to Disney Jr Live for their birthday. There are so many of these little shows that come to Nashville. While I'll never support a circus of any kind, I feel compelled to want to go to all of these shows lol. We've done Super Why (our first one - Fun), Thomas the Train (not great), Sesame Street (not fun), Disney on Ice (super great), Fresh Beat Band (freaking awesome), and now Disney Jr. It was okay. It was fun, but a little boring, and I usually love this kind of stuff. And also as I type this out I really we need to tone down our shows lol. In our defense they are usually gifts from grandparents :) Plus, because we just did Magic Kingdom when we went to Disney, I felt we needed to go see Jake and the Pirates and Sophia the First, because my kids are sooooo obsessed with both of them.

Naturally, we had to wear our Sophia dress and Jake shirt! (Josh didn't want to completely wear his Jake costume)

Linking up to Monday Mingle and Join the Gossip

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, as much as I detest this made up silly holiday, I can't deny I have super cute kids that I like to pose and take pictures of. And is also seems like yesterday I took these. So there you have it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love, Josh and Jules

On Jules: Dress:Matilda Jane//Shoes: Stuart Weisman
On Josh: Shirt: Polo//Jeans:Gap

I die.

We got some pictures of us and our best buddies. Here is Josh with Ginger. 

Ginger and Captain America

Amber and Aurora

So, I dyed a Matilda Jane dress

Well, I have seen and heard gossip about doing this. I haven't been brave enough to pull the trigger.

And then I did. Have you yourself had questions about dying a Matilda Jane dress? How do you dye a Matilda Jane dress? Or is it easy to dye clothes? How do you dye a dress?

I am answering all these questions and might be fist pumping as well - because HOLY COW this was awesome.

I had a Harbor Grey Emilia. Actually, I had two (long story but I bought the wrong size during a Good Luck Trunk sale and couldn't return it) So, I thought about selling it, and then when I took it out of the bag I noticed that it had these weird color marks on it.

So, perfect candidate for my first dying experience.

Here she is! The Harbor Grey Emilia. 

The culprit - see the weird color marks?

Okay, so here we go.

1. Buy a small bottle of Rit Dye in Fuchsia. Also have a bucket, mixing bowl, wooden spoon, and bleach on hand.

2. Soak and stir half/half to a little more than half bleach half water and put in a mixing bowl. Stir stir stir! (maybe 5-10 minutes. Honestly the color turned quick.

3. Take it out and rise it well and remove the bleach smell. See how cute it is even without dying it?

The bleached Emilia. 

Things to note: The thread and label did not bleach or dye because it's made of polyester. 

4. Take your bucket and add the bottle of Rit Dye to super hot water. I read not to use stainless steel or porcelain due to staining. Then saturate your dress again in hot water (I read that this helps the color go on smoothly) Then constantly stir! I did this about 15 minutes. I almost wish I took it out sooner so it would be a shade or two lighter.

It turns quick!

Done! It's pretty dark as you can see, but it will lighten

 5. Rinse all the dye out in a sink/tub until all the water runs clear.

 6. Wash on gentle with some detergent and hang/lay flat to dry.

Ta Da!

IN. LOVE!!!!!!!

Luna - I'm coming for you next.