Popsicles & Paint

Toy Closet Part II

2012-02-28T15:50:00.018-08:00

I found myself with a few extra minutes today to do some more work in the toy closet.

First, let's take a look at how far we have come. A year ago this is what it looked like:

Duct tape? My husband's idea of the best in organization supplies.

In an attempt to gain control of the mess I cleaned out...

And added shelves.

I have a love/hate relationship with the toy closet. I love it because it keeps the living room from looking like a preschool and gives me a place to shove everything when I'm in a hurry to pick up the house. I hate it because no matter how hard I try it always seems to end up looking like this.

I've been focusing on gaining control over Max and Lily's clothes and toys. I've been inspired to organize these spaces in both beautiful and practical ways. I'm hoping that if the organization is beautiful I will be motivated to keep it organized.

First, I cleared everything out and used wrapping paper to "wallpaper" the closet. There is not a lot to the process. I used a measuring tape to measure each cut and my cutting mat and rotary cutter to make the cuts. The job would have been much more difficult without these tools. I started out using Mod Podge to apply the paper and quickly realized that was not the way to go. After a little Google search, I decided to use spray adhesive to apply the paper to the wall. If you plan to take on this project spray adhesive is your best friend. Once all of the paper was up I used two coats of Mod Podge to protect the paper. Originally the paper did bubble, but after about 24 hours they were mostly gone. The "wallpapering" job is not perfect, but I am happy with the results.

While the paper was drying I sorted, purged and assessed the toy situation. I tried to think about where it would make the most sense to store each type of toy. Small Legos are now located in Max's room because the pieces are too small for Lily to play with and I moved the train stuff from Max's room to the toy closet because both Max and Lily can play with it. The toy closet is actually the closet that is formed from the space under the stairs and is in the little hallway that connects the living room to Lily's room. Since her room is so close to the main living area most of her toys (baby/girlie) are now stored in her room. I decided that the best use of the closet would be for shared toys and arts and craft supplies. I once tied magic markers to the ceiling fan and turned it on...I don't want my children to recreate this scene. Also stored in the closet are Duplo Legos, Lincoln Logs, Mr. Potato Head, cars and games. We also sent a bag of toys to Goodwill.

Today I used my extra few minutes to paint the faces of the shelves with chalkboard paint. I haven't written on them yet because I have to wait 24 hours for it to cure. I actually like the look of the shelves before they were painted, but I'm hoping to avoid Marcos' duct tape treatment.

Other than that, I used what I had and bought a few storage containers from Target.

What methods do you use to keep your difficult spaces organized?

I'm linking up!

Toy Closet Part I

2012-02-26T15:30:00.004-08:00

Wrapping paper + spray adhesive + Mod Podge =

I'll post more about using wrapping paper as wallpaper tomorrow. For now, let's enjoy!

Saturday Night Plans

2012-02-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Marcos is out.

Max is watching tv.

Lily is sleeping.

And I have a hot date with Max's closet...

He's not very attractive, but he has potential!:-)

Progress

2012-02-04T15:45:00.001-08:00

I had hoped to have Lily AND Max’s rooms organized/tweaked by the end of January. That didn’t happen. There’s been a lot of ~~laziness~~ sickness in our house so far this year. I have managed to make a little progress in Lily’s room.

I'm still not totally happy with the shelves. Those bad boys are hard to get just right.

I plan to put the rocker in the attic when she gets a big girl bed. That will make the drawers on that side easier to get to. Right now the bottom two drawers are empty and the top drawer holds her shoes.

On this side the top drawer holds her tights, leggings and socks and the bottom two drawers are empty. Several of the baskets are also empty. I'm happy that she has room to grow.

I managed to take the pink armoire from this:

To this:

Eventually the pink armoire will be completely empty and I will sell/re-purpose it. For now I am using it to hold the things that I still need to organize and extra baskets and storage containers.

I plan to organize her keepsakes tomorrow using these:

I finally framed some of Lily's pictures.

Now I just need to figure out where and how to hang them. I have a serious fear of hanging things on the wall.

I think I'll order a few more Etsy prints to throw in the mix. I'm just not sure if I want to hang them over the armoire...

or over her crib. The rings are looking a little sad. I had to take down the bottom two down because she could reach them and kept destroying them every time she took a nap. I think that the pictures would look better over the crib, but I'm afraid that they will pose a safety issue.

We will see...

~Melissa

Live What You Love

2012-01-28T17:04:00.001-08:00

When I moved here fourteen years ago...

Source

I fell in love. In love with the city, The College, the people, the open-mindedness and the BEACH!

Little did I know how this place would change me.

Because of this place my mind has been opened and my heart has been filled.

Here I became a friend, a teacher, a wife and a mother.

Here I suffered my greatest losses and celebrated my greatest blessings.

I’ve often heard that this is the type of place that you either love or hate—there’s no in between.

I happen to love it! It inspires me.

Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life I often lose touch with my passion for my home. Isn’t it ironic that the things that inspire us the most, our husbands, children, homes, and friends, are present in our everyday lives and we often fail to be inspired by the miracles that are right in front of us. This thing they call life is tricky.

Days like today, when I am struck by the beauty of my home and the laughter of my children,

make me want to do better.

To remember that these days won’t last forever.

To be more present in the moment.

To not take some things so seriously and to take other things more seriously.

To live what I love!

~Melissa

Organizing in 2012

2012-01-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired! This will be my year to get this house organized and I've starting with Lily's room.

It's really hard for me to let go of my children's clothes and only recently have I been able to let go a little. I'm beginning to realize that I need to simplify and live with less. After purging I decided to let go of ALL of this:

I plan to sell/donate everything pictured above. And that leaves me with this:

The top box holds keepsakes, the middle box holds too little clothes and the bottom box holds the clothes that are too big. I am committed to limiting the clothes that I keep to the two bottom boxes.

Next on the list:

Lily's Garden Party

2011-10-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

I know Lily's First Birthday was over 5 months ago, but better late than never:-)

Birthday Girl

Entrance

My mom thought that I had lost my mind when I was digging through the woods to find branches for this little project. I asked her if the final result was worth it...she didn't answer.

Yarn wrapped wreath for the front door.

My friend, Amanda, put together a Photo Movie of Lily's first year to play during the party. She even added thoughtful music...what a great gift!

Party Favors--I dressed up little flower pots that came out of the dollar bin at Target with a little burlap, ribbon and a tag.

Time, slow down!

~xoxo

Top 10 Ways...

2011-10-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

With all of the birthday parties, weddings and baby showers that fill up our lives it is not always possible or appropriate to make someone a handmade gift. Here are my Top 10 Ways to Make a Store Bought Gift Feel More Personal:

10. Set a budget and stick to it. As tempting as it may be to overspend, remember that it is the thought that counts. You will feel much better about the gift if you know that you spent responsibly.

9. Buy off of the registry/list if there is one. Even though the options may not be something that you would choose or think of as important there is a reason that it is on the registry/list.

8. Stick with a theme. If you are buying more than one item sticking to a theme makes gift giving much easier. My theme in the give above is "toy".

7. Think outside of the box/bag. I love to use baskets, buckets, cans, etc. to "wrap" my gifts. When I do actually wrap the present, I like to think outside the "box" by embellishing the gift with wooden letters, clothes pins, pom-poms, etc. The dollar bin at Target is a great place to find items that will make your gift feel special.

6. Don't wait until the last minute...when you do, it shows.

5. Stick to a color scheme. Use your gift, a party invitation or season to establish a color scheme and stick to it. This will make your final product feel polished.

4. Use what you have. If you are like me you have a whole collection of scrapbook supplies...make use of what you have, spend the $$ on the gift.

3. Make your own card/tag. Put those scrapbook supplies to work again by making your own card or tag. I prefer tags because they are quick and simple.

2. Attach a gift receipt. Make returns painless for your friend by including a gift receipt.

1. Use twine, lots of twine. Twine, my friend, is your friend. Cheap, versatile and rustic...what could be better?

~xoxo

Scary Cute!

2011-10-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Just a few little "Halloweenie" touches in Lily's room...

I used yarn to make pom-poms.

The fun ghosts were downloaded here and are in honor of her favorite Halloween word..."BOO!"

I love how each one has its own little personality.

Spooky, spider wreath.

We're having a Halloween Party for the kids this Saturday and I am super excited (and busy crafting). Have a great Monday!

~xoxo

Cushions and Fuse Boxes

2011-06-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today I've been working in the mudroom and here's a sneak peek at my progress:

I thought I'd also share the afters of my little fuse box turned chalkboard project.

Hint: If you decide to ~~defy your husband and~~ paint your fuse box with chalkboard paint I HIGHLY recommend using primer ~~so that you don't have to do it twice like I did.~~

Today I’m Linking to:

Crafty Soiree @ Yesterday on Tuesday
Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Hookin' Up With the House of Hepworths {Every Thursday}
Doggone Dirty Craftin' @ The Rhinestone Beagle
Catch A Glimpse Thursday
Patches of Pink

Laundry Room Redo

2011-06-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

I finally finished something...the laundry room! Today it looks like this:

A few months ago it looked like this:

Calling it a laundry "room" is really generous. It's more like a laundry "closet" with a pocket door.

The single wire shelf was not cutting it!

Don't judge my ironing board cover. I need a new one, okay?

Unsightly wires and cords.

And, of course, the boob light.

We added upper cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling to maximize storage. I'm hoping all of the extra storage will come in handy when I start ~~hoarding~~ couponing and fill it up with free laundry detergent.

I also used baskets/tins to organize all the laundry stuff. One of my favorite things in the room is the new folding table. We were able to add the table, with storage below, by stacking the washer and dryer.

It also provides a space for me to display a picture of my babies!

And my vintage clothes pins that I found at my grandmother's house.

We also added a shelf with a hanging bar. My builder thought I was crazy when I said I wanted to use a plumbing pipe as a hanging bar.

Beverage tubs snagged from Target serve as a great way to contain all of the laundry detergent. I love Target.

The boob light was replaced with this Ikea treasure.

Hidden behind the curtain are the laundry basket and trash can.

I used a rolling basket to create a pull out "drawer" to house the trash can and bleach.

The ironing board easily slides beside the washer and dryer. I couldn't resist painting the fuse box with chalkboard paint. I can't wait to write the laundry schedule on the new chalkboard, but I have to wait 24 hours to let the paint cure.

I'll leave you with the cutest thing that was in the room tonight. My little helper, Lily.

I try to link up to these great weekly parties:

Mondays
Craft-O-Maniac Monday @ Craft-O-Maniac
Made by You Monday @ Skip to My Lou
Mondays @ Making the World Cuter
Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Market Yourself Mondays @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff
Making Mondays Marvelous @ C.R.A.F.T.
Monday Craft Catwalk @ Embellishing Life Everyday
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple
You’re So Very Creative @ Me Making Do
Metaphormosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogie Board Cottage
Polly Want A Party @ Polly Want a Crafter
More the Merrier @ The DIY Home Sweet Home Project
Monday’s DIY Showoff
Craftastic Monday @ Sew Can Do
It’s Party Time @ It’s So Very Cheri
Today’s Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality
Calling All Crafters @ All Things Fee
Inspire Me Mondays @ Singing Three Little Birds
Pink Hippo Party @ Pinkapotamus
Made With Love Monday @ Sew Chatty
{Sew} Modern Monday @ Canoe Ridge Creations
Craft Couture Monday

Tuesday
Tuesdays @ Today’s Creative Blog
Sew Cute Tuesday @ The Creative Itch Boutique
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm
Who’s Got Glam @ Giggles, Glitz and Glam
Time to Shine @ Diamond In the Stuff
Power of Paint Party @ Domestically Speaking
Tip Me Tuesday @ Tip Junkie

Wednesday
We Did It! Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice @ 733
Home Décor & Organizing Link Party
Hoo’s Got Talent @ Night Owl Crafting
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
Wednesday Penny Pinching Party @ Thrifty Home
What’s Up Wednesday @ Sew Woodsy
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots
Whassup Wednesday @ Elements Interiors
Wow Me Wednesday @ Polka Dots on Parade
Show and Tell Wednesday @ Blue Cricket Design

Wicked Awesome Wednesday @ Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts

Thursday
Crafty Soiree @ Yesterday on Tuesday
Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Hookin' Up With the House of Hepworths {Every Thursday}
Doggone Dirty Craftin' @ The Rhinestone Beagle
Catch A Glimpse Thursday
Patches of Pink

Friday
Friday Remodalic
T.G.I.F. @ Craft Goodies
Tickled Pink Fridays @ 504 Main
I’m So Crafty @ Fun to Craft
Simply Designing
Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello
Fantastic Fridays @ Iron Violet Designs
Weekend Soiree @ Homemaker in Heels

ARRRGGG

2011-06-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we celebrated Max's 6th birthday. It was a low key event at the park and most of the Pirate-themed decorations were created by me the morning of the party. I was lucky enough to have my awesome photographer friend Amanda capture pictures of the day. It was simple and fun and I didn't have to clean my house:-)

The pirate ship watermelon made by my mom.

"X" Marks the Spot

Pirate Hats and Eye Patches

Everyone got to take home pirate swords. I made these out of garden stakes I found at AC Moore.

All the kids got tattoos...Max's lasted for over two weeks--sorry parents!

Max & Nathan

Olivia & Katie Grace

My Lily in her Pirate Wear

Maddison

Nannie & Lily

The Birthday Boy!

Joshua getting his chest tattoo.

scariest.cake.ever!

The Loot

Using the map to search for the loot.

Yes, they were digging!

Here it is!

Peg-leg Race

The dads joined in...

and it was not pretty.

Linking to:

We Did It! Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice @ 733
Home Décor & Organizing Link Party
Hoo’s Got Talent @ Night Owl Crafting
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
Wednesday Penny Pinching Party @ Thrifty Home
What’s Up Wednesday @ Sew Woodsy
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots
Whassup Wednesday @ Elements Interiors
Wow Me Wednesday @ Polka Dots on Parade
Show and Tell Wednesday @ Blue Cricket Design
Wow Me Wednesday @ Ginger Snap Crafts

Circus Baby Shower Inspiration

2011-01-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

I'm hosting a baby shower for a very sweet friend this Saturday. I have a lot to do before Saturday at 3PM...these pictures are giving me inspiration and visions of cuteness. I may not sleep tonight:-)

Images via here, here and here.

Living Room Inspiration

2011-01-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

We're thinking about adding orange and white to our living room...

Just to brighten it up a bit...

And add a little life...

No, we won't have swinging beds in the living room...

But boy do I wish we could!

Photos via Decor Pad

A-T-T-I-C

2011-01-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

I finally finished cleaning and organizing the attic today. Thanks to a snow day last week and a few hours this afternoon I was able to check this task off of my "to do" list.

The main use of our attic is to store holiday decor. It is a large space, but the pull down ladder makes it difficult to use for things that need to be easily accessible. I grouped each holiday/season together and labeled each box...I have plans to make chalkboard signs for each section.

I also chose to store some toys that are not being used and some polyfill--which takes up too much room in my craft room.

And this section? I'm just not ready to let go...who knows what may happen in a few years!

I swept the entire attic for the first time since we moved in almost 3 years ago and this is what I got. A lot of dust, wood, wires, etc. I don't like when people don't pick up their "play things"!

I'm hoping that my new organization system will keep the office from looking like this after every holiday.

I'm going to continue the organizing tomorrow as I attempt to purge my closet.

Craft Night with Mt. Pleasant Moms

2011-01-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

So, I don't live in Mt. Pleasant, but I am a mom and I have the hook-up! We had a great time eating, drinking and crafting. We painted and decoupaged little stools for our littles.

Some people cut out letters to put names on their stools...I decided to leave mine without a name. I made the stool for Lily, but Max doesn't need to know that:-)

Hello, Master Letter Cutter!

I Have Plans...

2011-01-13T15:50:00.000-08:00

I had big plans for this fabric when my mom gave it to me TWO years ago for Christmas. I was going to whip up Amy Butler's Lotus Brick Path Quilt...my first quilt...ever! No, I couldn't start with a small baby's quilt...that would be too easy! Instead, I cut umpteenbillion little rectangles and put them in a pretty basket to sit for TWO years.

This weekend I am going to begin the process of turning these rectangles of fabric into a beautiful--even if it's not perfect--quilt. I want to lay it across the bottom of the bed in my room/guest room. Hopefully the final product will resemble these:

(My lack of techy skills accompanied by quilt envy prevented me from making the two pictures above bigger.)

Mudroom Inspiration

2011-01-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of stressful, but fun changes going on in our house right now...here's just a little of what I'm dreaming of for my mudroom.

Photo Credit: House Beautiful, stagetecture.com, Windor Smith, Better Homes and Gardens

Spooky Wreath

2010-10-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

This is another project from last year. I took an old, faded out spring wreath and with a little spray paint, spider webs and spider rings turned it into a "spooky wreath" (imagine me saying this in a very "spooky" voice and it is way cooler).

Before

Here's the wreath after a good coat of black spray paint and my baby showing off our supplies.

Max helped me attach the webs and stick in the rings and we were good to go. Gotta love a quick and easy before and after!

Everything's Cuter with a Little Paint

2010-10-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

I completed this project over a year ago as a birthday gift for a dear friend of mine. It was such a fun project because it involved a few of my favorite things: turquoise, my paint sprayer, chalkboard paint and twine. I am a firm believer that anything can be made cuter with a little paint and ribbon. I will eventually paint or tie ribbon on anything that sits still long enough!

After

Before

I originally bought this old window at an antique store for $5 and it had been sitting in my garage for quite a while. First, I removed the glass panes. Then I scraped and sanded all of the loose paint. I then primed the window with an oil based primer (not many progress shots, sorry!). Next, I loaded my paint sprayer with my mis-tinted Wal-mart paint and sprayed the window. When the paint was dry I distressed the wood slightly and applied glaze.

The nice man at Lowes measured one of the glass panes that I had salvaged from the window and perfectly cut me 6 wooden panes. I came home, spray panted the panes with chalk board paint and popped them into place. I secured them into place with a small amount of wood glue, but it may be necessary to add a few small nails to keep the new panes in place.

When everything was dry I tied some twine around the window, added a little piece of chalk and a birthday message and I was ready to party!

Dear Lily

2010-10-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Lily,

When I look at you I have so many hopes and dreams for your life. I pray for you to stay little forever and simultaneously dream of what you will be like as a woman. I know that ours will be a bond that can never be broken and I pray that God will bless us with many years as mother and daughter. One day I will be gone. I want to make sure that when that day comes you never question my feelings and beliefs. I want for you to know where you came from...the stories, the traditions, the history. This is my gift to you.

She was voted "most talkative" in her senior class and never missed a day of work in 30 years. She would sit with me for hours as I struggled through my homework. She was honest and devoted. She was beautiful, yet frugal. She was creative and interesting. She was everything beautiful, kind, and honest. She was my grandmother, my ma-ma.

Her name was Varena Ernestine Gambrell Cooley. You were named after her mother, Lillian. She always told me not to name my children after her, "Don't do that to a child," she would say. She loved her mother, Lillian, so I decided to honor her by naming you after her mother. She was as unique as her name.

You will grow up surrounded by pictures of her as a young woman. These pictures are among some of my most prized possessions. She had green eyes and black hair--a beautiful combination. You have her eyes. The way that she dressed in these old pictures is classic and stylish. She told me that many of her clothes were handmade.

I will share many more stories of her with you. I hope that I can be to you what she was to me. What she will always be to me--my inspiration.

Love,

Mommy

Rub-ons, Paint and Pumpkins

2010-10-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've really been enjoying decorating for Halloween. Tonight I completed several projects that have been floating around in my head for a while. I'm tired and short on words tonight so here goes...

My Halloween Mantel

Did you spot my painted pumpkins?

Using these for inspiration, a little black paint and Max's paint brush I created these:

This little guy is my favorite.

Next, I used this:

To make this:

Cute, right?

Things I learned tonight:

1. Painting pumpkins is not as easy as it looks.

2. When applying rub-ons to glass, forget the little wooden stick and use a plastic baby spoon...works like a charm!

3. The correct spelling for "mantel".

Question I still have: Do I need to do something to seal the rub-ons on my glass candle holder?

Nite, Nite!

Max "Cleaned-up" His Room

2010-10-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I told Max that we could decorate his room for Halloween IF he cleaned it up first. He disappeared and returned about 20 minutes later to tell me that he was finished cleaning his room. This is what I found:

After taking a closer look at his room, I realized that this job was going to take more than 20 minutes and an eager 5 year old. Although it didn't look "that bad", under the surface it was an unorganized mess. Since Lily's arrival I haven't had a lot of time to focus on maintaining the organization in Max's room and I decided to jump in head first.

First, I had Max try on all of the clothes in his closet and we packed up the ones that were too little. We ended up with two bags full of clothes to pass on to Cruz. Bittersweet.

We finished the closet, but decided to wait until this weekend to tackle the bookshelf.

Today I decided I needed to finish what we had started. Here is what I faced:

We sorted the toys into categories and placed them in their appropriate baskets. Then came the fun part...

In an attempt to create an effective organization system (and use a little chalkboard paint) I made these wooden chalkboard labels for Max's baskets.

I started with a can of chalkboard paint and some wooden slats from AC Moore ($2.19 for a pack of 6). I sprayed the slats and drilled holes on each side.

I then "conditioned" the mini chalkboards using these directions from e-how: Condition your chalkboard surface. Rub over the entire chalkboard surface with chalk. Using a felt cloth, wipe off the chalk you just applied. Then use a slightly damp cloth to wipe the chalkboard clean.

Next, I cut pieces of twine (approximately 6 inches each) and used them to fasten the chalkboard plates to the baskets.

I love how they turned out. It is such a simple and inexpensive way to add personality to your organization. Max loved them too...we plan to draw on the labels as well to help him remember what is in each basket.

Please leave me a comment if you plan to use this idea in your home. I would love to see pictures and share them here on my blog!

It's Fall Y'all!

2010-10-16T18:11:00.001-07:00

I love fall! It is by far my favorite season. I love the smells, the colors, the change in the weather and the clothes. It is also really fun to decorate for fall. A few weeks ago my friend and I got together to work on a few projects. A lot of laughs and a spray painted dog later here is what we had...

"Trick-or-Treat" Banner

"BOO Pumpkins"

Both of these projects were fun and simple to complete. For the banner, we started with Halloween themed scrapbook paper and a "flag" template.

We then traced 11 flags and cut them out. (See my Lily in the background?)

Next, we arranged the patterns in the order that we wanted them to be in the final product. We cut circles out of card stock, stamped the letters with acrylic stamps, "cat-eyed" the edges of the circles and the flags and glued the circles to the flags. We also used Halloween stamps to add a little detail.

Finally, we cut slits on each corner of each flag and strung a ribbon through the slits. I hung mine in front of the mirror in my dining room.

The pumpkins were much less time consuming.

3 pumpkins...

plus a little chalkboard paint (applied 2 coats with a foam brush)...

and a little twine and ribbon...

provides a festive touch to the front porch. (Max loves it because he can "read" "BOO")

I have a few more unfinished Halloween project to finish tomorrow. I will be back soon to share!

Lily's First Month

2010-06-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

Lily turned one month old today. I can't believe it! Over the past few days we have really been able to see differences in Lily. She eats like crazy and it is showing in her newly chunky cheeks and legs.

It's my plan to take her picture in this chair and outfit on the 14th of every month so that I can see how she grows and changes from month to month.

In so many ways she looks just like Max, but she also has traits that are hers alone.

Her hair is light and thin and I think it may be a little curly.

I think her skin is going to be a little darker than Max's.

At first we thought her eyes were going to be brown, but they seem to be getting lighter every day and I think Marcos and I may have produced 2 blue eyed children. Only time will tell.

I love how she folds her legs into her stomach and presses her feet together. I know this must have been her favorite position when she was inside of me.

Those lips melt my heart.

Max loves her so much and is so proud to be a big brother.

Her first month of life has been a little chaotic. The first week Max was still in school so we were able to sleep in and snuggle. I loved those moments when we were getting to know each other. She would sleep all day and at about 10 PM she would wake up and want to stay awake until about 3 AM. I can't really complain because she was awake, but she was not crying. She just wanted to eat and be loved on by her mommy. For the most part we stayed at home for the first week and a half, but we did venture out to go to the Post Office, grocery store, Max's school, a birthday party and I took her to visit my school. She is such a good baby and I was proud to show her off.

We had to have our floors refinished when she was about 2 weeks old (perfect timing, right?). We took this inconvenience as the perfect time to take a mini-vacation. We moved everything out of the bottom floor of our house, packed our bags and headed to a hotel on the Isle of Palms. We stayed at the Boardwalk Inn in Wild Dunes and it was beautiful. We rested, visited the beach and spent a lot of time by the pool. It was the perfect time for her to sport her new swimsuit.

2 Things I Learned:

1. An infant swimsuit with no snaps to change the diaper is not a good idea.

2. We NEED a king size bed!

After almost a week in a hotel we headed home to a house that was full of dust and completely out of order. Instead of cleaning and getting the house back in order we spent most of our time snoozing and snuggling on the couch.

We did venture out of the house to cheer on the USA in their first game of the 2010 World Cup.

Although we have loved our lazy days, we realize that the Big Brother needs to get out and enjoy the summer. So we will be venturing out a lot more this month. I also need to get the house back in order since Max told me tonight--"We need our house back."

A Few Things I Want to Remember:

1. Breastfeeding hurts and it only starts to feel better between 3-4 weeks into it.

2. Lily's belly button fell off really early--they left the clip on--are they supposed to do that?

3. She wakes up two times at night to eat.

4. She grunts a lot.

5. At her first doctors appointment (5/19/2010) she was back up to her birth weight (7 lbs. 7 oz.). She was in the 25th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height.

6. She loves bath time.

Lily's Room

2010-05-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, so let's forget about the last post since it has been over two months and many of the things on my list have yet to be completed--so much for keeping myself accountable! Some how those things no longer seem that important. I did manage to complete Lily's nursery. It is fun and pink and I love how it turned out!

This used to be Max's room, however, we didn't paint or do much to it since we knew that he would eventually be moving upstairs to make room for a new baby.

After moving Max's stuff upstairs we moved all of the baby stuff downstairs. I was determined to use what I had to complete the baby's room. This is what we started with.

BEFORE

When I found out I was having a girl I had no idea what I would do in the nursery. I originally intended to use this fabric as inspiration, but eventually decided against it. After searching Google images for far too long I decided on stripes for the nursery. My inspiration came from this, this and this. I originally wanted to paint the stripes on the ceiling and the walls white. Marcos reminded me that I was, in fact, 7 months pregnant and that it would not be reasonable for me to paint stripes on the ceiling. I also originally planned on painting the stripes in my favorite color, but then decided that nothing says "girl" like pink. I found a tutorial here and altered it a little to fit my room.

First, I had to paint the walls white.

I then spent several hours with tape and a level.

The actual process was not that difficult. The hardest part was the fear that I would tape and paint everything and it would end up not looking good. The best advice I can give when painting stripes is to take the tape off as soon as possible. This makes for a clean, crisp line.

After the painting was complete, I moved on to the glider. We've had it since Max was a baby and it was in need of a makeover. I don't have any progress shots, but I used this tutorial and it was much easier than I expected. It was my first experience with piping and it turned out great. I love gaining new skills--you can learn how to do anything on the Internet!

I also needed to refinish the armoire. I decided to paint it the same pink as the stripes and distress it a little bit. Again, I was determined to use what I had.

Here's the after shot of the armoire in the room. I still need to figure out what to do on the top.

And here is the nursery after:

See my recovered chair?

The white rug has led to a "no shoes in the baby's room rule". I picked it up at Target with a gift card--SCORE!

The chair turned out pretty good, right?

I decided to save money by skipping out on the $300 crib set I originally wanted. I purchased the sheet and bumper at Babies-R-Us for a total of $45. I picked up the pink blanket at TJ Maxx and it is the best blanket ever--super soft and fuzzy! I also decided not to have a bed skirt and to use the space under the bed for toy storage instead. The crib is the same one that we used with Max.

Lily's first baby doll. It was a gift from her big brother.

Piggy from my baby shower--it holds everyone's guesses on Lily's birthday and weight.

I also had to refinish the once red side table. I painted it using the same white as the walls and replaced the knobs.

I purchased the lamp at TJ Maxx--I love lamps!

Did I mention that we welcomed our "Little Lily" on May 14, 2010?

"L" is for Lily

I've had this "Prayer for a Little Girl" since I was little and now I am passing it on to Lily.

Toy Buckets: Target

My babies!

I still need to work on the storage and organization in the nursery. I want it to be simple and functional.

The reality is that this is what the nursery looked like 2 weeks ago before we had our floors refinished. Today everything from the nursery is crammed upstairs and in the bathroom and the room is covered in dust. Once I get some motivation I'm going to work on getting it back in working order. That could take awhile since all I want to do lately is be lazy and snuggle with my baby all day long...

Keeping Myself Accountable

2010-04-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

It is the Friday of my Spring Break and I have gotten way off track. By now, the baby preparation is supposed to be well under way and the reality is that things are far from ready. I thought that maybe if I write down what I need to accomplish and then publish my accomplishments then it would motivate me and help me to stay on track. Here's the list for today:

Getting the kitchen ready!
1. Finish organizing kitchen cabinets and drawers
2. Clean oven
3. Clean (degrease) stove
4. Wash light fixtures/dust recessed lights
5. Clean stove hood
6. Wipe cabinet fronts
7. Polish counters
8. Clean windows
9. Polish stainless steel
10. Report back here!

Blogging Again and Max's New Map Room

2010-02-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

As Luigi would say, "I'm-a-back!" (Yes, I have a 4 year old, a husband and a Wii.) I would like to say that I have accomplished a lot over the past 5 months, but other than growing a little girl in my tummy, keeping up with a 4 year old and "completing" said 4 year old's Map Room I haven't accomplished much. I am excited to be back at blogging. I want to be able to use the blog as a way to document our lives and I hope I can keep it up this time. We'll see...

I am excited to share Max's new room. I started working on this project over Christmas break and last night I finally "finished" it. There is still much to be done in here, but it is good enough for now!

Our house has 2 bedrooms downstairs (including the master) and 3 bedrooms upstairs. Marcos uses one of the upstairs bedrooms for his office, I use another for the guest room and "my room" and, until recently, the other has been use for storage of baby stuff and other "stuff" we didn't know what to do with. Max has been downstairs with us. The news of Little Lily made us realize that it was time to move Max to the upstairs room. The problem? We had to make Max think this was a good idea...a little bribery never hurt! Talk of a cool new map room had him convinced!

This is what the room and closet looked like as the "we-don't-know-what-to-do-with-this" headquarters of the house.

Closet & Stuff

Cleaned-out Closet (don't ask me where the stuff went!)

Baby Furniture

The new view from the door. I decided to use the dresser that we used for Max's changing table in his room. This may mean that Lily won't have a changing table (did I mention that we are having a little girl in May and that her name will be Lily?). The globe is a Goodwill find and I think it is cool as ice.

(I don't have any progress shots--believe me, you don't want to see them anyway!)

Max's bed...I am still trying to decide on "art" for the walls. I have never been very good at hanging things on the wall.

This side of the room still needs a lot of help, but like I said, it is good enough for now!

This is a very old school desk that I refinished. I love the way that it turned out and I think that it makes the perfect bedside table for Max.

Max would be upset if I didn't point out his favorite item in the room--his orange lamp. My child loves all things orange.

The chalkboard wall in his closet is also one of his favorite parts of his new room.

I am happy to report that his transition to his new room has gone smoothly.

Now if I can only finish Lily's room by May!

Simplify

2009-10-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been feeling overwhelmed and tired. No time to do the things that I want to do. My patience is short and my energy is even shorter. I attribute much of this to the crazy hormones that are rushing through my body and to this precious little one growing inside of me that is sucking every bit of energy out of me--it's not easy making a person! I must be honest, however, and admit that it is not my current state of pregnancy alone that is causing me to feel so run down. The truth: I wish that I did not have to work; that I could stay home all day everyday playing with Max and making this house a home. That I could focus 100% on my family--on being the best mother, wife, ME that I can be. The reality: I MUST work (at least for now:-). I have a lot to do over the next 7 months. This list includes: building my consultant business so that I can stay at home the majority of the time with my children (I must say that I thank God everyday for the people that He has put into my life to help make this dream a reality); completing all of the projects that I have started (and not completed); moving Max's room upstairs; decorating a nursery; painting, painting, painting; installing a carpet runner on the steps (I'm leaving this up to the pros); organizing and cleaning out; the list goes on and on... Some of these items are clearly important to be completed before the birth of this baby and others may seem silly to some. Either way, the fact that there has been little progress over the past few weeks makes me feel out of control. I was so intent on things being "perfect" when this baby arrives that before I even knew for sure that I was pregnant I spent several house with 10 months worth of calendars scheduling every waking moment--if nothing got me off track, I would complete all of my tasks just in time...so here I am weeks later and already far behind on my "to do's". Here is the curse that is the story of my life--set expectations that are unrealistic, spend too much time planning how these unrealistic expectations will be met, setting myself up for failure by scheduling too much to do in too little time; doing nothing (or very little) because I am too overwhelmed. The result: a feeling of failure and very little actually accomplished. So why do I keep doing this to myself? Not sure...I think that I want for things to be organized and settled when this baby is born because with Max they were not. We brought Max home to a very tiny apartment stacked to the ceilings with boxes, moved when he was 7 weeks old and still haven't caught up. Max changed my life in ways that I cannot explain. I now realize that when he was born I didn't really know who I was. I was 26 years old when he was born and I am now 30. It is amazing how much things can change in 4 short years. I often feel sorry for him because I had to learn on him. Learn what is really important in life. Learn that I am often way too selfish. Learn that what I do and the decisions that I make have a lasting impact on my children. The number one thing that I've learned: I want to be the type of mother to my children that my Grandmother was to me. Along with this lesson, I have also learned that I am simply not her. I am me. Now I know who I am and what is important. I know that I am a caring, creative, devoted person. I like to believe that the best parts of me reflect some of who she was--funny, quirky, loving, selfless. I am often disappointed that I don't live up to those expectations. I remember her spending hours studying with me in the afternoon, yet I sometimes find myself finding excuses as to why I don't have enough time to read a book to Max. Needless to say I have a lot of learning and growing left to do. It's like I feel like I need for everything in my house, my work and my finances to be perfectly in order so that I can focus completely on my children. I have come to realize that this perfection that I strive for does not exist. I need balance in my life and I have come to realize that the only way to obtain this balance is to prioritize and simplify. I'm not sure what exactly this means or looks like, but I am making it my mission to figure it out. My priority is, of course, my family--being able to be as involved as possible with Max's school and be able to stay home as much as possible with the new baby. I am not exactly sure what it means to simplify as I have always been one to make things harder than they need to be, but what I want is to be able to accomplish those tasks that will have the most positive impact on my family while avoiding "to do" lists that make me feel like I am being buried alive. I still I have a lot that I want (an need) to accomplish before the arrival of our second child, but I need to enjoy the process and realize that things will never be perfect. I will devote myself to completing those tasks that will enrich my life and the lives of my family. I need to simplify.

Photo courtsey of twistyfishies on Etsy

Inspired

2009-10-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

I have been really slacking in the blog department lately--I'm blaming it on these crazy hormones that make me so tired I can barely make it through the day! BUT...I have been inspired to do better and not allow the hormones to beat me! I have much on my "to do" list that I want to share with you! What has inspired this new found motivation?

I have been inspired by my BFF's new blog! She has always inspired me and she is super creative and talented! Check out her blog I am sure you will be inspired too! Check back here tomorrow to learn how to make art out of an old window pane!

The Best Pajamas EVER!

2009-09-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Max has a "thing" for pajamas and I have a "thing" for how cute he looks in them. He has had some cute, unique, comfortable pajamas in his collection, but these are by far the coolest!

I found them on sale at the Gap Outlet (where I buy most of his clothes for super cheap). I knew he HAD to have them. Not only is he the cutest skeleton ever, but this latest addition to his pajama collection even GLOWS in the dark. In boy world things don't get much cooler than that! The only down fall is that he keeps turning off all of the lights and closing the door.

Wrapping it up!

2009-09-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

We have a birthday party to go to tomorrow at Chuck-e-Cheese. The perfect gift for a two-year-old little girl? BOOKS! The perfect "wrapping"? A $3 Wal-mart basket...

Max helped me pick out the books and we wrote a little note inside each of the books so the Birthday Girl would know that they were "Max Approved"...

I then searched the garage for some spray paint that would be suitable for a little girl--yellow offered a nice change for me. I pulled out the mask and sprayed the basket.

Twenty minutes later we have a personal gift that she is sure to enjoy for years to come.

I always like to use twine with ribbon to make my bows.

A few months ago I used some birthday paper to make a whole set of tags so that I don't have to make one every time we have a party to go to. This one matched my color theme perfectly.

Other great wrapping ideas...

Number paper and a red marker = "Calendar" Wrapping Paper

Jump Rope Ribbon

Cupcake Foil Flowers--This one is on my list to try!

Pom-poms--Cute & Cheap

Newspapers & Maps--Very Green!

And for the man in your life...a "Man Bucket"

Images courtesy of Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Marie Claire Idees via blackeiffel.blogspot.com and Simple Treasures

I've Got News...

2009-09-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm not that great at keeping secrets, but my news is too good to keep to myself!

Max is going to be a big brother!

I took 3 tests just to make sure!

TWO pink lines for sure and we couldn't be more excited. We have planned and waited on this for so long and we are thanking God for this blessing!

This momma's gotta get to bed so good night!

My New Best Friend

2009-09-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Meet my new best friend!

The Kobalt Large Gravity Feed Spray Gun!

Fancy, right?

I ran across a blog about a week ago that introduced me to the spray gun attachment for an air compressor. I was so excited about the thought of having a spray gun to make all of the painting that I need to do much easier and much quicker. I rushed to Home Depot the next day to get the exact spray gun as Holly from Life in the Fun Lane. I was disappointed that the gun was not compatible with our air compressor. I left Home Depot empty handed. Today I went to Lowe's to see if they had a spray gun that would work with my air compressor and they did!! I was so excited that I came home and got straight to work painting the arbor that I primed last weekend. I finished in less than 30 minutes! I have BIG plans for my new BFF this weekend, I'm only wishing I had known her when I was painting the shed last weekend.

I'm hoping to have some before and after pictures of the projects that I am working on to share with you tomorrow night. Until then, I will share some of Holly's beautiful work that is made possible by her handy spray gun...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

I'm on the hunt for one of these benches!

Before...

After...

Can you believe what she does to transform Craig's list and thrift store finds into beautiful furniture with her handy spray gun? She also has such a talent for styling her pictures! Check back tomorrow to see my progress.

Color Love

2009-09-08T17:25:00.000-07:00

I never know whether to call it turquoise, teal or aqua. What I do know is that any shade of this color makes me dream about the possibilities in my own home.

When I saw this table on the cover of House Beautiful I was instantly smitten. Had I not feared divorce, I would have painted and distressed my boring (at least compared to this one) black dining room table to imitate this beauty.

The crisp white beamed ceiling paired with the rustic floor and the breezy paint color make me feel instantly calm.

I would kill for this lamp.

The combination of orange and teal is an interesting one and I plan to use it in Max's new "Map Room".

This is another lamp I would love to bring home and that quilt would be perfect for Max's new room.

Red is not my favorite color, however, there is something about this pairing with turquoise that feels warm and rustic. I'm looking for a place to use the unique color combo.

I can promise you that before the end of the year there will be a turquoise door (or two) in the Negreiros house.

What color inspires you?

Images courtesy of House Beautiful & Dream Kitchen

Back on My Bike

2009-09-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

After several months of being "too busy" and too lazy to get my butt on my bike, I finally took the ole' girl out for a spin tonight.

The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed the ride. It reminded me of the importance of exercise and taking some time for myself. I hope to be spending a lot more time on my bike over the next few months. As for now, I am going to start my week off right by going to bed early.

BBQ, Park and My Camera

2009-09-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of today's beautiful weather and spent the day with friends at James Island County Park. They have a new playground and Max loved it. While he was playing on the equipment, I was playing with my camera.

Max and Ethan played on the playground for a long time.

They also played in a tree--I wish I had a tree like this in my backyard!

The "boys" played too...

We all got some "Cruz love"!

What I learned today:

#1. I am ready for another one of these.

#2. I love to spend time with friends!

#3. I love my camera, but I still have a lot to learn.

#4. I have to go to bed now because this day (and this post) have worn me out!

Today's Progress

2009-09-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

Marcos had to do some work out of town today and I wanted to surprise him with a completed shed. We have wanted a storage shed for quite a while and completing the room over the garage forced us to find a place to store all of the "stuff" that was stored up there. The shed has also enabled us to gain some much needed space in our garage. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to park my car in there one day. Marcos built the entire shed himself and it has been sitting there for over a month waiting to be painted. I don't have any progress shots, but here is what the shed looked like when I started painting yesterday.

I painted the door black and hung a red star that I stole from Max's cowboy room on the door--this led to a huge melt-down. Max hates change and there is no reasoning with him--I offered him a Popsicle and reminded him that we are going to redecorate his room. My little bribe didn't work--he...wants...the...star...back! He's not getting it back!

Marcos is not home yet, but I think he will be excited. Now he just needs to add the roof and the light and this will be one project that we can mark off the list.

This shed is going to solve more than one problem...

I love my husband and I am proud of his business, however, I do not love the mess that comes along with his chosen trade. There are pipes and back flow stuff and he also has an issue with collecting wood. For a year all of this has been up against the back of my house. Thanks to the shed it will be gone:-)

The space between the back of the shed and the fence will serve as storage for all of his crap, I mean stuff. I think he should put brick or pavers down to cut down on weeds and bugs.

He will also install trellis so that all of this stuff is finally out of view! I will be sure to keep you updated on his progress.

Labor Day Plans

2009-09-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

No, we're not headed to the beach or to the mountains for the weekend. However, we do have big plans. We started painting the shed tonight and I will finish it tomorrow. I also plan to paint my swing, stain the porches and plant some fall flowers in my window boxes. Fall is my favorite season and is the one time of the year that I can enjoy being outside without sneezing my head off. I hope to get all of my little outside projects completed this weekend. I hope to have progress to share tomorrow night.

Image courtesy of Southern Living

Coming Up for Air & Maxs' Haircuts

2009-08-31T17:09:00.000-07:00

After an entire summer full of surgeries, hospital visits, a birth, a wedding and a lot of home improvement projects, I am taking a moment to come up for air. I still have a lot on the "to do" list, but I can finally feel things returning to "normal". I have missed blogging and hope to find time to update more frequently.

I have many events from the past few months to catch you up on. The event that tops the list is Max's haircut. Before I get into the events that lead to my four year old having a buzz cut, let's take a look back at my baby and his beautiful hair.

When Max was born he had a head full of black hair...

It quickly turned a lot lighter (at times appearing blond)

We couldn't believe that we had a blue-eyed, blond-haired little boy...

We had it cut a few times...

but we always liked it best when it was long!

We were living in "long haired bliss" until about three weeks ago...

At about five o'clock in the morning on my first day back to work Max crawled into bed with us. I woke up and got in the shower about an hour later. Marcos put Max in the car and they left before I got to see Max (this never happens--I always say good bye). I walked into the hallway and saw locks of Max's beautiful hair on the floor. I frantically called Marcos. When I finally got in touch with him he said that Max had cut the front of his hair. I was upset, but thought "we will just get it fixed when I get home." I was thinking that we would just get him a nice "little boy haircut"--you know, the kind where they use scissors NOT the evil clippers. I was on my way home and Marcos sent me a text message that had a picture of Max's new haircut. I literally almost wreaked my car. Marcos' solution was to take him to the barber and have it "buzzed". I was devastated and threw the first of many fits.

This is what I came home to:

This is the only "good" picture I have of his hair cut from that day. I was too devastated to take any others. I did, however, try to figure out a way to hide the "buzz".

First I tried the stocking hat...

This was not a lasting solution because it is August in Charleston.

So I found a baseball cap for the wedding...

it did the trick and he looked adorable.

However, I began to feel bad when he wouldn't take the hat off for people to see his new haircut. He was embarrassed and it was my fault (Bad Mommy!). This helped me to see that I needed to stop trying to cover it up and come up with a better solution.

Molding wax to the rescue!

We use molding wax to "spike up" the front of his hair and make him look way cool!

Although we were all happy with the solution, Max let his jealousy and hair envy get the best of him. He took the very same scissors that cut his hair and cut off the yellow yarn hair of "Max", his stuffed cowboy.

I hid those scissors because I don't want to be next!

Back to School!

2009-08-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Getting Max ready to go back to school was no small feat! It all started Tuesday night with "Meet the Teacher". He was happy to be back, but there were a lot of people who didn't recognize him with his new "do". (If you haven't heard the about the haircut I will fill you in later--it is still too painful to talk about!)

On Wednesday, I put the patches on Max's new book bag and lunch box. The superhero patches are from Etsy. They are supposed to iron on, but it wasn't working for me so I used fabric glue and it worked great.

Then I had to fix his lunch...

get school supplies together...

and lay out his clothes.

We even go a book for Mrs. McGorty--Max's new teacher.

Max enjoyed it...

and we thought his teacher would too. Unfortunately, he gave it to his teacher from last year. I guess when I told him to give it to his teacher he thought that I meant Mrs. Barbara.

And this is what happens when you let your husband get those all important first day pictures...

He enjoyed his first day and is looking forward to a great year with his new teacher!

Just Checking In

2009-08-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of preparation and excitement, the wedding was a success! It was a blast, but now things must return to normal. I am exhausted and school starts tomorrow, however, I am kind of excited to return to a routine. Hopefully I can pace myself and wait a while before I start any new projects!

Over the next few weeks I hope to do a lot of blogging (there is much to catch you up on) and I also plan to start riding my bike again. For now I must go get ready for tomorrow and hopefully the Negreiros family will be in bed early tonight!

Mani & Pedi, Spray Tan & Bachelorette Party

2009-08-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

OK, so I don't get out much, but when I do go out I like to do it up right! I've never been much of a partier, but I enjoy those rare nights out with the girls as much as the next! Melissa and I joke that the only time we get to go out is when someone gets married--so thanks, Courtney and Berg, for giving us this opportunity to celebrate!

Today we will be celebrating Berg and Courtney's wedding by throwing them a shower...Tonight we will be initiating Courtney into the "Brazilian Wives Club"! To prepare myself I got my very first spray tan and the first pedicure I've had in over a year (the girl said they were going to charge me double). I also got a new outfit so I can feel sassy. I decided that even moms need to spend some time on themselves--we are still girls after all! I hope to have some great pictures and stories to share tomorrow!

What's Going on with Me...

2009-08-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

I had so many plans for the summer...I was going to get my house organized, a lot of school work completed, exercise daily and spend my days soaking in the sun and playing in the water with Max. One of my many weaknesses it that I always think that I can accomplish more in a specific time period than is possible. Once again, I have come to the end of the summer and I have more "to do's" left on my list than check marks...

I have tons of paperwork to do for school...

My mom has been in the hospital, but is doing much better and will be moving into a rehab center soon...

I also have a very messy house and a lot of cleaning to do before the wedding...

I CAN DO IT! I think...

I'm just going to try to do all that I can and be okay with the things that don't get competed.

I am looking forward to Courtney's shower, bachelorette party and wedding!

With all of this going on I should have some good blogging material...

Remember these?

2009-07-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have been on a Goodwill kick lately...as in today I visited 3 different locations. If you know me, you know that when I get something in my head I can become a little obsessive. I've been on the hunt for old Tupperware--you know the kind our moms had when we were growing up that came in lovely shades of orange and green? They just don't make it like that anymore! Anyway, Max found some Goodwill treasures too. This Lite-Brite has already provided hours of entertainment. He also found a little skateboard that is super cute and "totally" matches his skater boy haircut. (I promise I won't let him hang out in the Wal-mart parking lot with the other skater boys!)

There is something about toys like this that give me the "warm fuzzies" and remind me of when I was a little girl.

I love that they make you think and allow for creativity.

There is, however, a design flaw. When turned the correct way (as pictured) the pegs fall out and, in Max's words, "ruin everything"!

After several wig-out sessions, we overcame this flaw by turning the cube on it's side--worked like a charm!

Thank you, Lite-Brite, for giving me a few hours of peace and quiet!

What I've Been Up to...

2009-07-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past two days organizing and cleaning my kitchen and I had to take pictures because it may be a while before it looks like this again (it also gave me a chance to play with my new camera)! So here we go with a tour of my newly organized kitchen...

This is the view of the kitchen from the dining room:

We moved into our house a little over a year ago and

I think the builder did a great job designing the kitchen.

The appliances are nice and there is tons of storage.

Marcos installed the back splash and I painted--other than that

everything is exactly the same as the day we moved in.

Do I like my kitchen? Yes...Is it my dream kitchen? No...

If I had it my way, I would have all of the cabinets painted white, use subway tile for the back splash and replace the granite with marble...My husband thought that I was joking when I mentioned this. My dream kitchen would look something like this:

People (Marcos) say that I need to live in reality, so I have come up with some ideas of how to turn my "real kitchen" into my "dream kitchen" (without painting the cabinets).

First, I will make roman shades out of this fabric (I think):

Tell me what you think because I hope to order it soon.

I also want to replace the pendents with something like these and
the bar stools with something like this :

(I am in love with these stools.)

My Kitchen "To Do" List:
1. Order fabric and make shades.
2. Touch up wall paint.
3. Paint another coat on trim.
4. Sale "stuff" on Craig's List to buy the above mentioned stools.

Marcos' Kitchen "Honey Do" List:
1. Cough up the $$ to buy my new lights.
2. Install my new lights.
3. Fix the grout on HIS back splash.

OK, my mind has wondered on to what needs to be done,
let's get back to what has already been done...My organization:

We don't have a traditional pantry so all of out food has to be stored in cabinets. With some baskets and a little creativity we've made it work for us.

I've cleaned up onion peals one too many times, so I decided to line the bottom of the wire basket that holds the onions and potatoes with tin foil...my broom thanks me.

This is one of the sights in my kitchen that makes me smile. It's an old cracker tin that belonged to my grandmother--every time I see it I think of her.

The cabinet to the left of the stove houses all of the baking goods...

The one to the right houses all of the spices. (This is the one that needed the most help!)

Under the sink:

I mentioned that we have a lot of storage in our kitchen, therefore,
some "non-kitchen" items are stored in there.

Max's art supplies--I learned very quickly NOT to store these in his bedroom! Yellow paint on the sheets and quilt, anyone?

My vases waiting on freshly cut flowers from my garden (yea, right!).

Medicine (I'm blaming the Benefiber in my mom)

WOW, what a long post! I'll leave you with some details of the kitchen. Please let me know what you think of the fabric and stools.

My Abandoned Sewing Machine and New Camera

2009-07-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been away so long...

Not only have I abandoned my 3 followers, but I have also abandoned my sewing machine...

and the fabric intended for the hallway shades...

and the office!

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed these days...I have started (and not completed) a few too many projects. I have sooo much to do and the summer is almost over:-(! Just a few things still on my to do list: finish the office, paint, paint, paint, finish the Roman shades for the office and hall, hang the shades in the guest room, learn how to work my new camera--I guess I need to do laundry and go to the grocery store too! Summer, please slow down!

I did get a new camera...

Isn't she pretty?!

Thanks, Amanda, for the advice!

Hopefully I will post some progress tomorrow...

Something I Want to Remember...

2009-07-22T20:49:00.001-07:00

Max is four and as much as I try to remember all the cute and funny things that he says and does I often forget. Among many other things, I hope that this blog will serve as a quick and easy way for me to document those special little things that my little man does and says.

Photo unrelated, but cute! 2/14/2009

One of Max's favorite adjectives is "spicy". In "Max's Dictionary" spicy has several different definitions--none of which Webster would consider accurate.
His definition reads something like this:

spic-y

-adjective, spicier, spiciest
1. having or giving off heat; having a high temperature: this mac-n-cheese is spicy
2. having a fine point: those scissors are spicy
3. having a point or points: that porcupine is spicy
4. rhythmic: Michael Jackson's music is spicy

Because of Max "spicy" will always be one of my favorite words.
I hope to have Roman shades to share with you tomorrow!
Good night!

Office Redo-Sneak Peek

2009-07-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

I spent the entire day yesterday listing a bunch of stuff on Craig's List--hoping to get things cleaned out and organized (and maybe make a little $$ in the process)! I'm not sure if I was really motivated to get the stuff listed or if it was another tactic that I used to put off completing the office redo. If I don't finish soon my husband is seriously going to kill me. He told me (in a Brazilian accent), "Cooley, I want my office back!". I better get on it! What's his problem? At least he has a finished bathroom! I enjoy painting (strange, I know) and I think I have become pretty good at it. However, I am VERY slow--it drives Marcos crazy. He says I don't need to spend so much time on the details, again in a Brazilian accent! Anyway, I do have plans to finish the office just as soon as I finish listing all this stuff on Craig's List. In the meantime, I am going to walk you through the before pictures and give you a little taste of what is to come by showing the office bathroom afters. Here we go...

This is Marcos' attempt at decorating his office. He loves his office and I have to admit that this one is much better than the office we had at our last house. It seems like all the left over furniture gets put in the office--thankfully we needed more furniture in out last house than in this one so we were able to use some of the "good stuff" in the office this time. The desk is Pottery Barn--Marcos bought it from a client a few years ago for a great price. It needs to be cleaned up, but over all it is nice. My mom gave him the black office chair for Christmas. Don't even get me started on those curtains (Marcos loves them? But I have a great solution and I've already hidden the curtains so Marcos won't put them back up when I'm not home!)

My husband is a landscape designer and a very talented artist. His drawing desk serves its purpose, but the chair needs some help. The brown chair is also Pottery Barn and was purchased from the same client that Marcos bought the desk from. Marcos painted the canvas above his drawing table right after we got married and it is not my style (I like his drawings better than is paintings!), but there are some things you just don't mess with.

The large white buffet was in the formal living room at our old house and now serves a more useful purpose as book and office supply storage. The men on top are another thing that I know not to mess with. I will blame the clutter on the desk on my wonderful husband!

This black CD case is very useful and holds all of Marcos' CD cases--the CD's are all in CD holders? Men! The black chest was made by my grandfather and has been painted about a million times! The rug is also a transplant from our old house and needs a good cleaning.

This is the forgotten bathroom (as in it is upstairs and I often forget to clean it--scary!). I have plans to use Marcos' drawings to make this the "sexy" bathroom in the house.

The white shelf is from Max's nursery and the antique tools belonged to my grandfather--they will both stay.

This bathroom housed a mixture of items that we didn't have another place to put.

Now for the bathroom reveal...

The view from the office door:

Wall Paint: Valspar Satin color matched to Sherwin Williams Color--Steely Gray (I stole from Melissa)

Trim Paint: Behr High Gloss--Popped Corn

The details...

I hung the towel rods and toilet paper holder myself!

My grandfather's antique tools.

Personal touches:

Marcos' "sexy" drawings!

Built-in Shelves

I went with the "tool theme" and put all of our home repair books on the shelves.

I made the shower curtain out of a queen sheet set that I found on clearance at Target ($20 for the whole set!). The fuzzy rug came from TJ Maxx.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you have any ideas about what may need to be changed/added please leave a comment! Now I have to finish my Craig's List listings so that I can complete that darn office!

Batman!

2009-07-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

Fall 2008

Max in his Batman get-up. Yes, those are my boots, Marcos' socks and a pilgrim hat!

During Max's 4 short years he has gone through many phases. First, there was the cowboy phase (which I must admit was more my phase than his). Since then, he has rotated between cars, trains, blocks/egos and Spiderman. His most recent "thing" is Batman. This phase began about a year ago when I bought a pair of Batman PJ's on clearance at TJ Maxx. If you know me, you would understand that this was a very hard thing for me to do since I have a strong dislike for all things "commercial". I bought them because I knew that he would love them. Little did I know that that one pair of pajamas would turn into Batman toys, Batman DVD's, a Batman watch, a Batman belt, a Batman birthday party and, yes, Batman sheets! Although I still much prefer his vintage cowboy sheets over the Batman sheets, I am so glad that I let go and let him experience the joy that is Batman!

Christmas 2008
Santa brought Max a Batman belt. He loved it so much that he had to immediately change into his pj's and sport his new belt.

April 2009

Nannie gave him his Batman sheets for his birthday. He was so excited that he had to put them on his bed that night even though they hadn't been washed and were stiff and crunchy!

The jump castle was a big hit with children and adults alike! We enjoyed 8 hours of jumping fun. I understand that it is not normal for a 4 year old's birthday party to last 8 hours, but all of his have lasted at least that long. We have great friends and the time passes so quickly. (The picture above shows Max sneaking into the jump castle before the installation was complete--he just couldn't resist!)

Every year Nannie has made and decorated Max's birthday cake. After searching for a Batman pan (that is, by the way, discontinued) and refusing to pay $30 for it on e-bay, we decided to order his cake from Publix. It was adorable and tasted great. I followed suit and bought Batman decorations and treat bags instead of making everything myself. I love making things, but buying them pre-made is much easier when you are short on time and energy. Next year I hope to be so organized that I can enjoy making everything without stressing out and yelling at my husband:-)!

July 2009

Our latest Batman adventure involved a dry cloth, two office clips and a very excited Batman!

He loved the cape so much that he fell asleep with it on.

After his bath tonight I let him choose his pj's. He, of course, picked the Batman pajamas! As I type this he is tucked in the bed cuddled up in his favorite pj's. I noticed tonight that they are getting too small--I guess all phases will come to an end. I wonder what will be next.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven...

-Ecclesiastes 3:1