A few of my projects. ;)

Well this morning started out rough. I'll take that back the night was rough. Blakey was awake running a fever during the night. So, he couldn't go to school today. He is better today but coughing alot and super crabby. Yikes!! I too have a cold that is affecting my day but we as Mom's push on and do what needs to be done.

So, I think my laundry room is about done. I did not stencil the wall due to threats from my dear sweet husband that he would kill me if I did. Did I mention that he doesn't like anything out of the norm. Puh! So, I decided to paint the stencil pattern on a piece of scrapbook paper and then frame that. It's ok - I think the wall would have been better. I also found a super huge glass jug at Target for $7.99 and decided the black top matched my laundry room nicely. I put powdered detergent in it and I love it!! Yes, Jenn - I am crazy but not as crazy as you!!! ;)

While Blake was napping. I tore into the pantry and reorganized it. It had been driving me crazy for some time. So, it was time to deal with it. I really dislike the wire shelving but I made the most of it and after about 2 hours I present to you the newly organized pantry. Sorry the picture is the wrong way. ;)

OH my gosh!! That's soooo much better!!!

Thanks for stopping in!!

Love Always,

The Tubes are In!!

After a long morning at the surgery center we are home. Joey did awesome. Not one whine or cry out of him. He went back to the operating room by himself and it took a whole whopping 10 minutes before the doctor came out and told us they were done. He got a tube in only the left ear. By the time we got back to the recovery room he was talking the nurses ear off!! She even asked if he was always that chatty. Nope, he's not - just drugged I think. But, as soon as I talked to him he told me he could hear me better. Whooo Hooo!! We got back home and the boys crashed hard in my bed!!

I was able to get many things accomplished while they slept. I had bought an old tray last week at Good Will for like .79. It was burgandy and had legs on it. It seemed like something i could do something with. So, I attempted to distress it - not so good. So, then I was gonna paint it white - again nope. Finally decided on black - my new solution to everything!! And, a small stenciling on it.

Yes, it is in my laundry room. My thinking is that if I have this on the dryer mayber I won't let things pile up there. The bowl is for change or whatever else comes out of pockets and the candle - well - you know!! Candles go everywhere!! The gold stenciling on the tray is my favorite!! I think I may do a couple of these on the wall and put a black frame around it. We will see.

Also, I had found some tall and I mean TALL candle holders at Hobby Lobby for like $5 each. They weren't exactly the right color. Here they are before:

Pretty stinken white!!

And then here they are after:

With my new favorite color and answer for everything!! The height on the table is great!!

Oh, and look at this!! Did you know that it is nearly impossible to find a pretty garbage can. Seriously - nobody makes them!! So, again at hobby lobby - they had a ton of stuff on clearance!! I found this brown planter. It goes perfectly in my bathroom with the new curtain I made and the other browns in the room. I love it!!

I'm off to make cookies for the kiddo's. I am feeling inspired and may tackle that stenciling in the laundry room - maybe. ;-) Thanks for stopping in!!

Love Always,

Little of this and a little of that!

This past weekend was a bit crazy. For the first time in a very long time I got about 1 hour of sleep on Saturday night. No, I wasn't out on the town. I was at our church lock in. Sunday morning and actually all day I thought I was going to die. Seriously, it was the worst feeling I have ever had!! But, I made it and today has been slow and slightly unmotivated but I'm getting back to normal. I am so glad that those things are only once a year! Yikes!!!

Before I left Saturday night to go stay with these young middle school and high schoolers, I tried a new recipe. It was fabulous!! First, I will say that I am not a meat loaf person. Not one little bit - it's kind of ugly looking and just isn't that appealing to me. But, I found this recipe and tried it out - secretly knowing that I would have pizza at the lock in if I didn't care for it.

Stuffed Meat Loaf

2 lbs of ground beef

package of meat loaf seasoning

mix together and form into a rectangle

layer of sour cream

layer of cheese

Roll er up and bake for about an hour

So, my master bath is soooo close to being done. Eric is working on the coffee bar. Yes, coffee bar - those of you that drink coffee would understand. I have not been able to find a window treatment that I liked so i decided to make my own. Now, this is the first time I have made this type of a treatment and honestly I don't even know what you would call it.

Tomorrow Joey get his tubes in his ears. Please say a little prayer for him!! Until Next time!

Love Always,

What a lovely day!!!

Can I just say that my kids are the best!! I had to take a picture of the drawing that Joey made for me to surprise me. His handwriting isn't the best but the sentence says "I like to love Mom!". He is such a sweetheart and I am so very blessed to have all of my boys!!

A small project that Jenn and I decided on. This small table was in my bedroom. The dining room really needed something in the corner. So, it started as a light pine color. I was going to attempt to distress it but after I began I just don't think I can do it. So, I left it black. I love it!!

Her it is all finished in the dining room. On the bottom shelf is a tablecloth that was giving to me by my Grandmother who has passed. It was a wedding giff that her and my Grandpa were given.

And, here's the whole dining room.


I made one of my first trips to Goodwill today. I am hoping to find some Vintage things to have in the house. I have to show one of the things I found. The cookie jar below matches one of the colors in my back splash. I love it and it was $2.99!! I have to say that my husband did a wonderful job on the back splash. He is the best!! He put alot of time and effort into it and I appreciate it so very much!!

Jenn's coming!!!

I am so excited that I am going to have company tomorrow. Jenn and Dylan are coming for a visit tomorrow. We are going to "fix" my house and make it feel more homey and inviting. You have no idea how very excited I am!! I have had the feeling lately that my home does not have the warm inviting feeling that I would like it to have. It has more of the - please don't touch anything feel. Although, I would like everything to be in it's place and be neat and tidy - I would also like it to be a home and feel welcoming and lived in. If any of that makes sense. I have high hopes that tomorrow we can get things figured out without having to to spend a bunch of money. Jenn you have your work cut out for you!!

I finished two more scarfs over the weekend. One is for Jenn and the other was suppose to be for Joey but he decided that it was too "girly" for him to wear to school. So, I have some fleece that has Lightening McQueen on it that I will make one for him out of.

Here's hoping that I'll have lots to report back with tomorrow!!!

Love Always,

Yummy Cookies!

Last night I was going to make a fruit pizza. Well, the more I was looking at the dough I thought I could do cookies and everyone could have individual's. So, I baked the sugar cookies. Made the cream cheese frosting which consisted of a block of cream cheese, 4 TBSP of powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 TBSP milk. Frosted the cookies and added strawberries.

Since Eric had the flu he was home from work sick today. Which kind of put a kink in what I got accomplished since I had to take care of him. But, I was able to start some painting that I wanted to do. I have a sign above my cabinets that says "HOME". You can see it in the previous post about my kitchen. This sign is burgandy in color and since I have nothing really burgandy in my home any more. I decided to paint it black.

I also decided to paint a mirror frame that I had in the mud room black as well. The light pine color just wasn't matching. I am pleased that I was able to turn these into pieces that I really like instead of going and buying something new. Baby steps!!

And here is the "home" sign finished and in place.

Projects Projects!!

Saturday is our day to work on the things on the house that still need finished. Today we are working on the master bath. It still needs a bit of work - when it is finished I will post pictures. But, I sported my new Tool Belt this morning to help Eric with the work. I found this on a little shop on Etsy.com.

See the hammer!!! But, it's still pink!!

Before I made dinner I decided to clean up the kitchen and take some pictures. It was not feeling very homey to me today. Does anyone have any ideas?

I tried a new recipe for dinner. It was definetly a "Do Over" which means we will have it again.

It was Fiesta Chicken Bake. I found it on another blog: http://harringtonhouse.typepad.com/my_weblog/someones_in_the_kitchen/

I changed mine a little. I used Dorito's instead of just tortilla chips.

Mixing up the chicken, cream of celery, cream of chicken, rotel, cumin and chilli powder.

Ready to go in the oven at 350 until bubbely. Don't forget the cheese!! We like lots of it!!

After dinner I finished up a gift for a friend of mine. And, here he is again modeling for me!!!

Back to School!!!!

There was finally school today after a late start. So, the boys were seperated after being together for well - way too long!! But, after school they sure were happy to see each other!!! They played and played together with very little fighting. I was so happy!!!

Blake did not like having to model the last scarf I made and then find out that it was not for him. So, after a long debate about whether or not boys should wear scarfs - here he is with his new BLUE scarf. He wore it around thinking he was a super hero!!!

One of my first attempts at being thrifty. I had been wanting those personzlized framed letters from Pottery Barn. But, since I am turning over a new leaf and being less impulsive with my spending. I found some frames in the basement that I wasn't using and printed a couple "T"'s on some white paper and framed them. I don't think they turned out too bad for a spur of the moment craft.

We have had a long but productive day. I hope this weekend we will get lots of projects finished!! Maybe our Master bath. A girl can dream!!!

Sincerely,

Cleaning and Organizing

Yesterday was another snow day for my kids. We didn't leave the house at all due to the -30 temperatures. So, while I decided to clean and organize the office, Joey played a reading game on the computer and Blake took a nap.

I went through papers and shredded and filed and shredded and filed. It took a while but I am now ready for the new year of paperwork. And, the office is looking much better now.

I dusted and vacuumed the office. I took out the last of the Christmas/ Snowman decorations. So, we are back to normal. I also applied a wall sticker to this wall over the weekend.

Even though I didn't accomplish anything extra special yesterday. I do feel like a got a good amount of work done with the help from the two boys.

I hope you have a wonderfulday!!!!

The bread was delicious!!! I think I made my cuts in it plenty big. But, it tasted awesome!!

Snow Day!!!!

Well, since the boys didn't have school due to the blowing snow and wind chills well below zero, one would think we could have slept in a bit. But, at least I was up at normal time, worrying about Eric driving to work. But, while I was up alone drinking my coffee - I was able to finish a scarf that I had started for a friend.

Here is a picture of Blake modeling it after he got up:

I was able to get a roast in the crock pot and start a new bread recipe that I am trying. Artisan bread and I found it on another blog http://iloveyoualldaylong.blogspot.com/2009/01/little-baking-from-recipes-found-on.html. I am anxiously awaiting to see if it turns out.

The boys being home from school are playing well together at the moment. The have built some Geo trax train tracks to drive their trains on.

I was also able to apply my Upper Case living quote to my laundry room wall. I am really happy with the way it turned out:

Actually a pretty productive day so far. Now on to the cleaning!!!