Grateful Sunday



via

 Ahh. . . I forgot to push publish last night, sorry.
I am grateful for:

• sunny weather - I know it's such a tease tempting me, but I can't help but be lured by it.
• the way G. says "got it" any time I tell him something.  Example:  Mommy "G, we have to go to the library today to turn in your books."  G "got it."  It makes me happy to know someone is listening.
• the compliment that I. gave me after church - "I really like that you are the type of mommy who will make something and get it exactly how I like it, instead of just go buy it."  Validation, for sure!
• that my husband still flirts with me
• for low key weekends!

What are you grateful for?
Have a great week!

PB Knock Off Bean Bags

 I know - that picture above does not look like a bean bag!  Currently, I'm surrounded by tissue paper as I make a bazillion pom poms.    So, while I'm doing that, I thought I'd share an oldie but definitely a goodie.

 Three Christmases ago, I made the kiddos bean bags.  M. was just a little little baby, but I didn't want her to feel left out when she got older, so I made her one.  It used to dwarf her, sigh.  We have used the bean bags SO much.  They get kicked all around the home.  Sometimes they are in the kids' bedrooms, sometimes they are in front of the TV, most of the time they are in the play room. . . . .

 I used a pattern - that part was easy.  I needed a lot of fabric and wanted a bean bag that would look good in any room of my home and not scream "kids live here."  I found cheap tan corduroy and bought it up.  Piping can get expensive, but I purchased this black and white trim on ebay - I still have about 30 yards, I think.  It was WAY cheap buying it this way.

The monogram was as simple as ironing on their letter and stitching around the edges.  The toughest part was the filling.  We used shredded foam and had that shipped.  The trouble was that they ship it by the pound and I had no clue how I was going to estimate how many pounds I was going to need.  I started ordering 15 pounds - and used that all in the first bean bag.  Also, foam has a lot of static electricity!  It was a mess filling these up.  Eventually, my husband got out our leaf blower and reversed it and filled up the bags that way.  He put on his boots and rubber gloves and even then, there were sparks a-flying.  It was kind of dangerous, but it did go much faster!

Usually we stack them up - and that is just as much fun as plopping on them!  If I had to do it again, I would have double stitched each seam.  I've mended many holes - I've also caught my kiddos jumping from their bed and landing on these; trying to slide them down the stairs; "steam roller-ing" each other with them; doing belly flops on them - you get the idea. 

I know bean bags are typically ugly, but I'm really pleased with how these look and how much we use them!  Do you have bean bags around?

Bar Height Tables

traditional kitchen design by austin architect Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

We are in the market for a new kitchen table and chairs.  I get anxious making decisions like this, so I start researching the heck out of things. 
I love a square table.  BUT . . I'm having a hard time finding one that is not a Bar Height Table.  This used to be a deal breaker for me, but I'm second guessing myself.  We don't have an island that we can chairs up to and sit at.  As I've poured through inspiration pictures, I haven't really found any with this type of table. 
So, sound off, please.  Saddle stools, similar to the picture above, can be found at morebarstools.com. My sister had these in an old home and I kind of liked them. What do you think?  Is it a fad?  My children getting up and down really isn't an issue - they can handle it.  Do you like them?  I'd love to hear!  The more the better!

Grateful Sunday



source 

 Today, I am grateful for:

• Whenever our children have to give talks in church, Tom  is always the one who helps the kiddos write them.  He comes up with terrific ones.  Today, G. talked about his Lego X-Wing fighter and building it using the instructions - and likened it to scriptures being our instructions.  Awesome talk - and G. is such a smarty pants!
• grapefruit for afternoon snack.  I am the only one in our home who eats them, and I LOVE them.  I  may have turned M. onto them and I might have to share.
• the sound of piano music - especially when it is a beginner just learning to play.
• Angry Birds and this tutorial that we are going to try to tackle tomorrow.
• A four day weekend that we are in the middle of! (which means a four day week!)

What are you grateful for?
Have a great Presidents Day!

Thursday

We moved some furniture around.  This doesn't happen that much, honestly.   Usually, I move it around and then realize that it was in the first place for a reason - it looks better there.  This furniture, however, didn't really get moved around - more like finally put in the place we planned for it.
We moved the loveseat that I slipcovered down in between the bookshelves.  We've had that couch in our master bedroom for so long that the corner really looked empty.

I moved the humongous, but oh-so awesome, chair up to this corner and really like it.  I finally brought this side table that I purchased about a year ago from Craigslist ($20).  Isn't this table great? 

Give me a lamp and this makes a great reading space.


PS - for all you I Spy-ers:  yes, there is a mirror hidden behind the chair that is waiting to be hung.  First, I'd like to put up a chair rail around the top of the room (about 6-8 inches from the ceiling).  Then, I'll hang up things like pictures and mirrors.  And yes, M. was watching Dora the while I was taking pictures - about 1 foot away from where I was taking pictures.

Valentines Happenings

Just some pictures of our very full fun filled LOVE day!

M. and I made marshmallows - gluten and egg free (always looking for these types of treats)

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting in a jar



Mailboxes for love notes





Oatmeal Cranberry Heart Scones - for the big kiddos in our family (I am so not a foodie blogger - sorry about the picture)




Gotta love a tulle heart shirt!




Valentines Parties at School



Our Valentines were a hit!



Delivering goodies to her teachers

We had flowers, candles, chocolates and lots of love the entire day!  Hope your day was special, too.



One Year Older and Wiser Too

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Getting old never felt so good!  Seriously, it's awesome to look at your life and realize how m any good people surround you and that you are perfectly content with where you are!

Spoiled by friends on Friday night at the coolest little place.  I'm surrounded by gorgeous women!  Actually their beauty is just the beginning of how awesome they are.

Came home from a date with my husband on Saturday night to find my kitchen looking like this - thanks Young Women!

My command center is filled to the brim with love - not a bad thing!

A dear friend has a layover for a couple hours and Tom willingly takes the kids on a Saturday so I can spend some time with this group of women.  (Seriously - I have gorgeous friends.  If I didn't know them, they would intimidate the heck out of me!)
On Sunday, I put the camera away and just spent time with my little family.  I got no less than 20 birthday hearts from my kids and the surprises kept coming.  What a wonderful day.  35 is going to be a great year!

Office Desk

When Tom and I get to talking about our home and what we would like we have different opinions.  We discuss and try to work it out.  We're not going to do anything unless both of us are on board.  Usually, though, Tom eventually sees my side of it and all is happy and right in the world :)  Occasionally, though, I just let Tom choose.  Such was the case with an office desk.  He wanted a big, substantial, manly man - don't you dare think of painting it - desk.

 I searched for months and eventually found one on Craigslist, of course.  I did look for new (there are great options here), but I found this solid, very heavy desk for $100 - you can't touch that price if I wanted it new. 

 There was some damange, though.  Sometimes I wonder why I just don't buy new!  When I first saw the pictures, I thought we'd be able to sand it down.  Then when I actually went to look at it, I realized they were leather inserts and the wood had water damage - you can't really fix that.  Still, we both liked it and thought it was still valuable. 

I cut some mat board to fit and topped it with a piece of glass - problem fixed!

I love the lines of this desk and I think the wood color is so pretty.  It is not what I wanted, but it's what Tom wanted, and I think it's pretty.

This is to give you an idea of the scale of this room.  It is pretty narrow and very tall.  Now, I've get to get busy with fabrics, light fixtures, chairs, mirrors and art work - I really love this.  We do work slow, though, so it might be another year before you get another glance of this room!

Random on a Monday

 Yesterday, I didn't turn on my computer at all!  That never happens, and I honestly didn't even think about it!  I even forgot to post Grateful Sunday, sorry.
These are thoughts I'm thinking about.  Let's do this bullet style, shall we?

• We had 2 snow days last week.  I am not the mom who complains that her kids are at home and wishes they would go off to school.  I never want them to leave me and had a blast those two days.
• My little man, G., turned 6 and boy, do I love him.  He makes me laugh every day, he starts off every day with a smile, and he is the perfect boy for me.  I only have one son and he is awesome!
• I watch any Sarah Richardson show as much as I can.  Both my girls know that they can get me to turn on the TV if they ask to watch Sarah's House.  I'm sucked in right away.
• I turn 35 in 6 days - that's middle age isn't it?
• I get bad dreams and can't watch any scary movies - especially if it involves a child getting hurt or kidnapped or anything bad.
• We're supposed to get some more snow today and I'm hoping for another snow day.
• Tom and I tried to watch Red this weekend, and after falling asleep to it on Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights, I give up.  It's not that good.
• My camera is still in the shop - can you tell?  I've had to use Tom's old work one lately and I really don't like it.  I'm hoping one comes in a birthday package on Sunday!
• Tom and I started planning our gardens for this year!  It's way too early, but I love dreaming about it.
• I didn't watch a single play of the Super Bowl yesterday, but I did drop everything to watch the half time show!
• Today is library day - any suggestions?

How random was that?  I've got to go get G. from Kindergarten.  Have a great day!



This is for my family, who says I don't post any pictures of me!



Dish Towel into Pillow

I come up with the most catching titles, don't I?  That one just grabbed you I'm sure.  Anyways. . . .
This summer, while in Breckenridge, I happened upon the cutest dish towel. I searched through the bin and asked the lady if I could search the back.  I loved them so much I wanted to give them as Christmas gifts.  I only came up with Colorado and Arizona, though.

It had a map of the state I love.  I was charmed.

There was the cutest ric rac trim and darling stripes going down both sides.  But there was a problem.  If I actually hung this up in my kitchen, then people would use it.  If they used it, I'm sure it would get ruined.  Sad fact, but true.  I liked this too much to watch it get ruined.

Here is the pouch this came in.  Just so I remember and can hopefully track down some more states.

Anyways, I cut off the adorable trim and it's saved for another project.  I turned this into a pillow and added black piping around the edges.  It is sitting on my entry bench where wet hands will not get wiped on it.  I saw something similar on Young House Love as a giveaway lately and love the idea of getting each state of where we have lived (why did I give the AZ one to my sister?)  I am now on the lookout for a California, a Utah, an Arizona, and a Washington (I know, we technically haven't lived there as a family but I'm still counting it!)  It might take another trip to Breckenridge, but I'll probably just google them and see what I find - which I haven't taken the time to do yet. 

Doesn't it just make you love Colorado?