Family Fun: Cafe

The weather is absolutely beautiful here in Houston today! We enjoyed a nice lunch out with family.

The World's Smallest Postal Service

With Valentine's day just around the corner, I am loving these tiny treasures by Leafcutter Designs! Check out The World's Smallest Postal Service.

Skip Hop Introduces Tubby!

Check out Tubby, the new bath toy organizer from Skip Hop!

Vanity Makeover

Reinvent your bathroom vanity without spending a dime.

Stash Toiletries in Mismatched Tableware - Real Simple.

Mommy Monday: mantra

A great mommy mantra and so cute too! Find this print in many other colors at sfgirlbybay's etsy shop.

What's in your 4th folder?

This is the 4th photo, in the 4th folder, in My Pictures folder.

I was tagged by Carol at http://carolsheirloomcollection.blogspot.com/. The challenge is to do the following.

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.

3) Explain the picture.
4) Tag 4 people to do the same.

The photo is of our first house that we had built. Although it ended up not being our first house after very unfortunate circumstances. The photo shows one of many problems we had with what we refer to as THAT house! A tracktor ran right into the front of our house a month before closing, and I was six months pregnant! After this event, the unthinkable happened. The DAY before closing on THAT house, which took five months to build, we were told it would have to be torn down!! The builder had surveyed the land incorrectly and the house was in breach of variance. To make a long story short, our first home ended up being another house in our neighbor hood. We moved in one month before E was born!

Wordlock

Easy to remember and more fun than a string of numbers. Set your own five-letter combination with the Wordlock. Find it at Target.

Play Date

The Play Date plate and tea cup set from Rosanna are perfect for "little ladies who lunch".

Modern Mobiles

These mobiles found on ModernTots are simply elegant.

Inauguration Day

Today America swore in the 44th President of the United States of America. An unprecedented inauguration with a lasting place in history.

Political views aside, we have a responsibility as Americans to be united as One Nation Under God. Pray for our country's leadership and for the new first family.

Here are a few links of interest:

The official White House website.

The White House Blog

Fun Facts and First Pets

Our Presidents

Mommy Monday: Real Simple Cleaning Solutions

Quick Cleaning Solutions for Every Room
What to do around the house if you have 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or half a day to clean
From Real Simple

Follow that baby!

If you would like to follow my blog, please click on the newly added, Follow that baby! link on the right. Thanks for following my blog, and keep the comments coming! I love to hear from you!

All Best,

April

P.S. The above image is the French Envelope Tray at Jayson Home & Garden.

giggle: Dwell Studio bathroom makeover!

Visit giggle and enter to win $300 of Dwell Studio bathroom accessories.

Family Fun: Staycation

What is a staycation? To put it simply, it is a vacation at home. This may sound mundane, but it can really be a lot of fun. In fact Staycation parties are becoming a popular theme.

Be a tourist in your own city. Go to a restaurant you have been wanting to try, visit local museums and art galleries, take in a play, or spend some time in the great outdoors.

Check out, Get away on vacation — at home, by Jennifer C. Yates, on MSNBC.

Also, take a look at Jennifer Sbranti's take on the Staycation party. HWTM blog.

Printable Party Invitations By Egg Press

Check out Cookie Magazine online for free party invitations created by Egg Press.

Playtex Baby, First Sipster

This is an excellent product! E is very comfortable using it, and it does not leak. No matter if it is upside down in the diaper bag, or being launched off the high chair tray, it does not spill a drop. The sippy is BPA Free as well. Hear what others are saying at PlaytexBaby. Buy these wonderful cups at, Babies R Us. We also found some at our local HEB.

Mommy Monday: Hospital Check List

The Ultimate Hospital Packing Guide: Must-Haves for Every Mom-to-Be
From Parents.com

Chalk Night Out

Yesterday we enjoyed a nice evening outside with Elise and her new chalk set.

Little Gorilla

My dear friend bought this book for E's first birthday. It is such a cute book and perfect for a child's first birthday. To sum it up. Little Gorilla is loved by everyone, "Then one day something happened..." Little Gorilla was not little anymore, he was BIG! It was his birthday!

Cooking for Baby: Oatmeal

I got this book from Williams Sonoma Kids. Cooking for Baby, wholesome, homemade, delicious. It contains recipes for babies 6 months and on. The recipes are easy to follow and are put together by age group.

The recipe below for babies 9 to 11 months of age, found on page 60. Enjoy!

(Recipe makes about 2 cups)

Grocery List:

ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp

vanilla extract, 1 tsp

old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine 2 cups water, cinnamon, and vanilla and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in oats.

When mixture begins to simmer, cover, turn off heat, and let stand until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Serve with breast milk, formula, or flavor options (below) stirred in.

Flavoring Suggestions:

1 Tbsp mashed banana, plus 1 Tsp blueberry puree
1 Tbsp apricot puree, plus 1 Tbsp diced pear

2 Tbsp applesauce

Mommy Monday: Sara + Abraham

This mommy calling card is such a sweet idea! Sara Tams is the owner and designer behind Sara + Abraham. Check out her shop Sara + Abraham.

Souful Sunday: This Little Boy

While reading my devotional bible I came across this letter written by Mary C. & Robert G. Wells, Judy & Ken Gire.

Dear Lord,
I want this little boy to know how much I love him. I want him to know how much joy he has brought to my life. I realize, Lord, that he won't understand these things, at least not fully, until someday when he has children of his own. But Lord, help him even now to understand this: Help him to know how much he is wanted.

Help me to show him how much. By the sparkle of delight in my eyes when I smile at him. By how quick I am to drop a mother's chores and play with him. By the unhurried way I read him stories, even stories I've read to him a hundred times before. Especially those stories, Lord, because they will create such a vivid memory for him.

Help me to give this boy a happy childhood, filled with late nights and pillow fights and stories read by flashlight under his covers. May his mornings be filled with building forts, his noons with peanut butter sandwiches eaten in a tree house and his afternoons with baseball with the neighbor kids.

May his childhood be filled with such happy times, Lord, that when he looks back on them, twenty, thirty, forty years hence, the memories will bring a smile to his face and a reassurance to his heart that he was wanted, and that he was loved.

Cute Baby Announcement Idea

I found this unique baby announcement at D-Tales Event. This would be great as an announcement, or even to break the news to family and friends over brunch!

Welcome 2009!

We are enjoying a relaxing New Year morning at the Maduzia house! I am making a pot of lucky black eyed peas, E is creating a work of art with her fun crayons, and Jason is packing up our Christmas decor. Have a very happy and blessed New Year!