Friday, May 16, 2014

TELLUS MUSEUM

Khyri is really into space. He talks extensively about the planets, asteroids, space travel, etc. so during spring break 2014 we traveled to a small science museum just north of Smyrna called the Tellus Museum.


 





I loved the variety of exhibits! There were exhibits focused on space travel, geology, transportation, and dinosaurs. Unlike most museums, this was a hands-on museum so he was able to touch pretty much everything. It was like this museum was made for Khyri!



We had a wonderful time at the Tellus museum. It was a little too pricey for my taste $14/adults $10/children, but it was the perfect size for Khyri. I hate going to museums that are too packed or too large and then we don't get to see everything. We saw every single exhibit and lingered at each one for a good minute. It was a good way to spend a day of Khy's spring break. I can't wait to take Kielle next year!

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

CATCH UP 3.2014

So here's a brief breakdown of March.

We moved into the new house on March 2nd. I was determined to have Khyri wake up in his new room on his brithday so I was in serious "fix it" mode for the kiddo's rooms. I started by painting them. Yes I was pregnant, but you can't stop creativity and a momma on a mission!

Kielle's room got a nice lavender make over and Khryi's room got a gray and navy color scheme. Leading up to our move in date, Khyri often helped me around the house with small projects.

 
So when March 3rd rolled around Khyri's room was near completion and I moved forward with my new 5 year old tradition - filling the room with balloons!

 
I can't believe my "baby" boy is 5 years old. Time has flown - good thing I documented it all through pictures and this blog :-) hahahahahah. Since we had just moved into the house, I was not able to do a big 5 year birthday shindig. Instead, we had a pizza party at the house with a few friends.

I'm excited that March is the month where Khyri has discovered his inner photographer! you know I am allll over this, because its a creative outlet! Of course he can't use a simple point and shoot, he's gotta use my Nikon DSLR. Here are a few of his shots:


 
 

Khyri's favorite subject!
So I need to go ahead and keep my eye open for a reasonably priced DSLR camera for Khyri to expand his new hobby. Craigslist here I come...

Kielle has turned into a super cute fashionista! She has her own sense of style that is hard to categorize, but let's just say it basically has to have three things - sparkles, pink or purple, and accessories! Her favorite accessory is her kitty cat purse - thanks Aunt Pat!


 Sometimes she has a couple of misses... Here she tries to make an outfit out of Khyri's undies.. on her head. Yeah she wasn't allowed outside in this outfit. hahahahaha

Everyone is coming into their own; I just sit back and enjoy the show!

4+1 = CINCO!



Sooooo picture this: The hubs and I are at dinner for Valentine's day, a few days after our offer was accepted on the new house, and I have the waiter slip this little bobble into the billfold.

Y'all I thought hubby was going to have a heart attack! ahahahaha. He was so delusional he said, "Wait we're having 5 kids!" Whaaat!?!?!? Sir where did you get that from?!? No, we are having ONE baby. ONE. we are a family of 4 and we are adding 1. 4+1= CINCO!

Then it all hit him at once - we just bought a house.. oh lord! hahahahahah. Whatever. man up. its go time.

September 4, 2014 will be here before you know it!

The hubby has done it again and in his favorite words "got my belly swole".

Cinco we can't wait to meet you!


CATCH UP 1.2014 & 2.2014

A LOT has been going on in the Mosley household... let me repeat... A LOT has been going on in the Mosley household. I'll try to do a quick recap.

JANUARY
Little Miss Kielle turned 3! Her birthday comes right on the heels of Christmas so I need to make sure that I plan for her birthday each year prior to December 1st. I was very overwhelmed this year with her birthday so I threw together a small gathering. Just like her momma Kielle loves crafts, so we had a small crafts party!

We started off by painting canvases with the first letter of each friend's name. I used painter's tape on the canvas and the kiddos painted freely. At the end of the party the tape was removed to reveal a white letter. These were the "goodie bag" treat for the kiddos.



 

Each of the canvases were "signed" on the back with Kielle's hand print and a note that said "Thanks for coming to my party."

Next we moved on to creating a winter scene mural. I had scooped up some DIY foam snowmen kits from Michaels for $.49 each during the after Christmas sale and they were perfect for our snowbank picture. In addition to the snowmen, there was a bowl full of cotton balls that the kids could glue onto the mural as clouds.


 Lastly, I cut about 20 snowflakes from the card stock from the family Christmas cards that we had gotten.What's the motto!?! reduce, reuse, recycle... The Mosleys are all for it!


Here's our finished product!

 After crafts, we had the requisite cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to Kielle.

 
 To wear off the cupcakes, we released the sugared up children into the backyard.


 I almost forgot, you know Kielle had to get her special birthday balloon :-)
And Kielle LOVES musical cards. Check out the birthday princess *Thanks Audrey!*


All in all it was a great way to bring in year #3 :-)

FEBRUARY
Though we loved our cozy 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse, we were BURSTING at the seams. Sooooo... *cue The Jeffersons music* The Mosleys are moving on up! hahahahah We got a new house. YAY!

It was totally random. One day the hubby came home and said we need a new house - as if I didn't know this, but sometimes you just let the man stumble upon the obvious. hahahaha

Now as background info - I have been saying that we were looking for houses for at least the last two years. Yet, low and behold, we were still in the townhouse - Cozy, but cramped. hahahaha. During my two year search, I researched schools and based on the Greatschools.org info and the Cobb County test scores, I narrowed down which elementary schools I wanted the kiddos to attend - Nickajack, Teasley, or King Springs. I had given myself an internal deadline of summer 2015 because I thought, "We need to be settled in a new house before Khyri starts 1st grade." I really wanted to be settled before Kidergarten, but 1st grade was the ultimate drop dead date. So imagine my surprise when the hubs comes home all ready to rock and roll with a new house.

When I tell you I JUMPED on finding a house ASAP. I didn't want the tides to change. If he wants a new house, then dangit Imma find one - FAST! The first thing I needed to do was narrow down what school I really wanted to focus on getting into, three choices made my search too wide. I decided on King Springs and moved forward. I started on zillow.com on Saturday and found three houses I considered "ok". We didn't have a realtor, but there are realtors listed on zillow so I just contacted them to see the homes. The first house I saw was nice, but the master bedroom was on the first floor. I didn't really like that. I liked the realtor a lot though and she offered to show me more properties. The problem, though, was that she also had a 4 years old son and was looking for a home in the King Springs area.  Can you say conflict of interest. So I just contacted another home on my list and went with that listing agent.

The second home I saw, I gotta admit, did not grab me from the photos. But, it was in the right school district and it was a good price. I scheduled a viewing and instantly fell in love. I mean instantly! In addition to the school district, I wanted an home built pre 2000 and I also did not want the double height entryway that a lot of the newer homes have, the munchkins are loud and a double height space would only amplify that. This house had everything I wanted - more importantly everything I needed. The backyard is HUGE and fenced in. And knowing that my kiddos love going outside, this is the biggest perk. I called the hubby and told him he had to come see this house; it was Tuesday. He liked the house too and we put in an offer that Thursday. We had a response on Friday that our offer had  been accepted. YUP! that fast. We found a house in one week - literally.

The house has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It doesn't have granite countertops or hardwood floors, which are the standards for new homes now, but its perfect for us. These kids can't keep granite clean. These kids are gonna mess up the carpet. These kids are gonna scratch the cabinet doors and stuff. And I'm ok with that - they're kids. I figure we can do a major overhaul when everyone is over 8 years old. ahahhahaha

And now... here are the pics :-)
 

 
We are extremely happy about living here. The subdivision has a pool so come June - guess where we'll be!?!? :-)

The beginning of the year also was when there was a big uptick in my businesses - Konstrux Design, marketing services (websites, brochures, programs, and souvenir journals) and DaisyBloom : a paper boutique (sorority stationery). I guess it took 2 good years for word of mouth to actually work, but I garnered 6 projects all due by June of 2014. I am very excited to be expanding my client base and using my creative skills!

Journals:



DaisyBloom Cards: www.etsy.com/shop/cardsbydaisybloom

These cards are seriously an extension of my passion for my sorority. I love the camaraderie and support that I have received from my beloved sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I have been a member of this wonderful organization for *gasp* 15 years! I pledged in the Fall of 1998 at Epsilon Chapter in Boston, Massachusetts and now I belong to Tau Epsilon Omega chapter in East Point, Georgia. I love community service. I love being around influential successful black women. I love my sorority.

I decided to start a line of greeting cards that promote sisterhood. My Sorors are spread out across the globe and my line of cards reminds each Soror of their commitment to the organization and also strengthens the special bond that we all have as Sorors - no matter how far apart we are.

 
 
 
 
 


I'm super excited that I am making money being creative. I'm expanding on my passion and I feel really good about it! I've been trying to grow these businesses so that I can have a  flexible work schedule. One thing that I plan to work on this year is strengthening my business/mentee relationship with one of my besties who has multiple businesses *shout out to Nia!*. Now that  it looks like the graphic design/marketing business can be a viable career for me I need to make sure I structure the businesses correctly for sustainability and growth. I've been doing a few vending events, but I really need to step up my online marketing. I guess I will finally be joining the facebook, instagram, and twitter force :-) So keep an eye out for me soon!