Jen Russum

May Goals

May Goals

Sharing a few achievable goals on my blog each month has proven to be incredibly beneficial for me. I feel extra accountable to get things done when I know I will report back to my readers in this space. I don't always get everything accomplished on my monthly list, but I'm usually able to knock out the majority of my goals, and I consider that a very good thing. {via} RE-CAP OF LAST MONTH: Get pictures printed for Zianne's gallery wall... Zianne's entire nursery is DONE! You can see the finished project here! Finish first draft of portfolio paper... This is done and it feels so good! I finished it early in the month and I've already gotten positive feedback from my professors. Email committee about comps list... I've been in contact with all three of my committee members and this list is very much in the works. I hope to have it finalized by the end of this week. Send a letter to my grandma.... This is the one thing I did not get around to. I meant to do it last week during nap time and it just didn't happen. However, my dad is flying to see my grandma on Wednesday and I intend to send a letter and pictures with him when he goes. Read Insurgent. No, this didn't happen. I am falling into the trap where I'm reading two books at once and I don't finish either one of them in a timely fashion. I started Insurgent and then got two books from the library... Love and Logic and Gone Girl. People tell me I'll fly through Gone Girl, but the responsible parent in me feels like I should read the book on discipline so I can create good habits and structure for Zianne. Therefore, I've been going back and forth reading one and then the other, and I'm not even halfway done with either one. I need to finish both this month. And I've decided to put Insurgent aside for awhile. GOALS FOR THIS MONTH: Sell clothes... I've had clothes sitting in my closet for a few months now, and I hope to have a shop my closet sale soon {follow @thecuratedcloset if you want to play along}. I also have a few other books and baby items I hope to sell on Amazon. The goal is to have everything all sold and shipped by the end of the month. Get life insurance... Micah got life insurance last summer, but I wasn't able to because I was pregnant at the time. This task needs to be done now, but, don't worry, Micah will make sure I don't forget to do it. He knows he'll need a very expensive nanny if I'm not around... :) Update camera... Over the past year, I've gotten a number of new accessories for my camera, including a Wi-Fi SD card so I can transfer images directly to my computer, a remote for self-portraits, and a fixed 50mm lens, but I've sadly been letting them sit around in their packages. I just put my new lens on last week, and I love it. Now I want to get my new memory card and remote set up too. Finish two books... I need to finish two books this month to catch up to my one book per month goal. Hopefully, these two books will be Gone Girl and Love and Logic, but any two books will do! Write one letter of encouragement and a letter to my grandma... |Linking up with The Tiny Twig's "Goals with Grace"| ... Read more

At Last {Zianne’s Nursery}

At Last {Zianne’s Nursery}

It's finally done! The nursery that is. I must say I am feeling quite accomplished as we wrap up the month of April. On the same day this month, I turned in an important paper for school and hung the final pictures up on Zianne's gallery wall, and called her room FINISHED. Two huge accomplishments, one professional and one personal, completed in the same day after months of work. It felt good, to say the least. And I feel like I must apologize for, or at least acknowledge, the poor lighting in these photos. Zianne's nursery doesn't get a lot of natural light because its only window looks out to our covered patio in the backyard. I've tried taking photos of the room at different times of day, and no matter what, it's just kind of dim. This is GREAT for napping, and not so great for Pinterest-worthy photos, but if I had to choose between the two, I would pick naps for sure. I read a bunch about nap-training and many moms suggested black out curtains to help babies sleep during the day. I thought blackout panels sounded like more money to spend, and not really the vibe I was going for in the light, pastel-y nursery, so I chose the dimmest bedroom in the house instead and decided to train Z to sleep in there at all times of the day. Mission accomplished.  When it comes down to it, Zianne's bedroom turned out perfectly. I didn't imagine exactly what I wanted the overall look to be, since we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl, but what I created exceeded any expectations I could have set for myself. At first, I though I was going to do pink and peach on top of the neutral gray and white base {read more about our gender neutral nursery here}, but then I discovered it's just about impossible to match any orange toned accessories and decor, because the shades vary so much and often clash with each other. Instead, I used pink as my main accent color and added other pastel shades, including lots of mint, when it felt right. The result is girly without being over the top. It's a little bit whimsical, but also calm and peaceful. It's also fairly mature, and I feel like it would covert into a big girl room or even a guest room with ease. Basically, I love it.  When you get married, your house usually gets made up of a hodge-podge of hand-me-downs and furniture from Ikea, and you slowly add items you truly love, as you can afford nicer furniture and learn to agree on styles. This process can take years, and we are still very much in the midst of it around here. When a baby is on its way, you suddenly have a room where you get to start designing from scratch, and I think the result is exhilarating for most women. I'm pretty sure that's why so many moms say the nursery is their favorite room in the house.  At least, it might be mine... I will share as many sources as I can here, but please let me know if you have any other questions about where I found something or how I did something in the room. Also, Easy Canvas Prints kindly provided the canvas of Zianne's sweet three month face that you see near the upper right corner of the gallery wall. Their canvases are great quality and some of the most affordable I've seen! They are offering 60% off to my readers. Check them out here. Crib: South Shore on Amazon  {Super affordable and cute! I love that it looks a little different than most cribs out there!} Crib mattress: Safety 1st on Amazon Hot Air Balloon Mobile {DIY Kit}: Button Face Co. on Etsy  Dresser and Glider: Craigslist Glider cushions: HomeStyled on Etsy Mint applique throw pillow {on glider}: Gypsa on Etsy Flower Drawer Pulls: Similar Shelf: Target Chevron Hamper and Toy Bin: Kohl's {similar and similar} Contoured changing pad: Summer Infant on Amazon Changing pad cover: Summer Infant on Amazon {comes in many colors!} Changing pad liner: Boppy on Amazon Diaper basket: Target {similar} Shelf on gallery wall: Amazon {similar or similar} Floral "Z" initial: PB Kids Canvas: c/o Easy Canvas Prints Jewelry/headband holder with hooks: World Market Wooden name blocks: CraftEfamily Zebra print: The Aestate on Etsy Z is for Zianne print:  On To Baby {You can insert any initial and name for FREE!} Child of God print: FREE here Crib sheet: Genevieve Collection at Pottery Barn Kids Lovey blankets: Target {owl} and Babies R Us {elephant} Eyelet curtains: The Land of Nod Stencil: Iron Lattice or at Hobby Lobby Turtle Constellation Night Light: Amazon ... Read more

Easter

Easter

They always say holidays get better when you have kids. To be honest, at Christmas I didn't really notice a difference. If anything, Christmas felt like a blur this year. If it hadn't been for Amazon, gifts probably wouldn't have happened at all. I was wrapping up an insane semester of school, in which I taught two classes and took a class, all with a newborn dictating my schedule. Oh, and we did happen to fly to Seattle on Christmas Day. If anything, the holidays felt like the ultimate postpartum feat. I didn't have time to think about how everything was much more special with a baby in my arms. But on Easter, I saw the magic. I caught my first glimpse of how every single holiday is going to be more fun with children running around. Because there are long conversations with friends after Easter church service. And Easter baskets filled with books and toys. And cute dresses and big bows. And friends who come over to share a meal. And ham and pies to be eaten. And grandmas and grandpas to give hugs and presents. Now don't get me wrong. I completely understand that Easter is about our Risen Lord, not about candy and clothes. And I actually did quite a bit of contemplating over the last week or two about how we should celebrate Easter with kids, in order to keep it focused on Christ. And this is what I came up with... mom and dad give Easter baskets {not a creepy bunny who lives at the mall} as a symbol of our love and generosity, which is only the tiniest reflection of God's love and generosity toward us in the gift of His Son. So bring on the egg hunts next year, because Jesus gives us the ultimate reason to celebrate. I can't wait to watch chubby toddler legs on the hunt for plastic eggs hidden in plain sight. ... Read more