Girls Day In

The girls of our family are home today while the boys head up to the mountain. We're going to bake cookies and perhaps do a little bit of shopping and knitting. It's been refreshing to watch Adia play without her big brother barging in on things, as big brothers sometimes do. She's blown bubbles outside and played with Steele's light saber. At one point she shot it out and yelled, "Fire!" Pretty stinkin' cute. She requested plain yogurt and honey for breakfast along with a slice of toast. Her usual favorite. I'm beginning to think we should live in the English countryside. Wouldn't that be lovely? Do you think they'd let her in?

They do let crazy-haired Lola in.

Anyhow...

I was going to share with you an amusing little story detailing me, going thrifting yesterday, attacked by the side effects of taking antibiotics for my sinus infection and winding up in the bathroom of the thrift store completely out of toilet paper with my only hope in sight being a dispenser on the other side of the room containing stiff brown, crinkly, paper towels.... but I decided to spare you that one and instead will share with you:


Home Decorating Victory and Tragedy


So, you'll never believe it. Sometimes I get on kicks, usually when I need something specific, where I check Craigslist all day long to make sure I get first chance at any good finds that might come up. I learned this from Justin who is the master of Craigslist resales. Anyway, (that wasn't the unbelievable part) the other day was one of those days. I was keeping my eyes open for couches and look at the beauties I found!

They looked more gray in the ad but for $200 (yes, I did just say $200... for both..hardly used and purchased off of overstock) those babies were comin' home to me.

Unlike my leather couches, I've already had to initiate a no-food-in-the-living room rule. (the kids usually only eat a few snacks in there anyway) And after inspecting them this morning before taking pictures, I see I'll have to initiate a no-marking-pen rule as well. Ugh. Oh well. It came out pretty easily.

But can you believe it?? Evidently other people could hardly believe it either because the lady I bought them from received tons of calls after me. So many that she called me back to make certain I was coming to get them. You bet your bottom dollar I was. (yes, I did really just say that. I think I watched too much Little Orphan Annie growing up)

This post is dedicated, in loving memory, to Maude the lamp.
She gave her life in sacrifice to a pushy new couch cushion.
I only knew you for a week but I loved you with my entire deco-heart.

Maude the Lamp
February 10, 2010 - February 18, 2010

It's Up

The mirror, that is. And the hooks. Thank you Justin.

I still haven't decided if/what color I wan to paint it but everything in my house is feeling so undone lately. It's amazing how hanging a few things up made me feel much better.

My endometriosis and a month long cold-turned-sinus infection are kicking my rear today. I think I'll feel better if I get dressed, eat something healthy and go look for some more lamps. Do any other mamas out there stay in their sweats all day long? I do. I haven't decided if it's a good or bad habit. I know many would say that if you get dressed in the morning you'll feel better and be more productive - but I would argue that the food/spit-up/snot stains I get on my good clothes (if you can call jeans and t-shirts "good" clothes) make me feel grumpier than wearing sweatpants. Just sayin'. These are dilemmas that consume way too much of my thought time throughout the day.

Pass the Tissue Please

So I can wipe the drool off my chin...

I am dying over this living room featured on Copy Cat Chic.

And just look at the grey copy cat couch!!

I know I said I would talk about my addictions later - but if you haven't guessed, one of them is drooling over design blogs.


In other news, I just opened and ate half the box of Junior Mints that I got Justin for Valentine's Day (along with a card) and forgot to give to him. oops.

Loving

Some things I'm loving - in random order.

My husband. I love how God gives us just who we need. This has certainly been the case with Justin. He is stable and strong and steady which allows me to be emotional, creative and spontaneous. He takes care of me in every way. He laughs at my jokes. We joke together about things. He loves my cooking. He appreciates my crafty/decorating "needs." He is a gentle and consistent father. He is a servant in every way. He listens to me and appreciates my opinions. He takes care of things that need to be done - no "honey-do" lists in this house! He cleans the kitchen after I cook, he scrubs the bathtub, the shower, the toilets and the kitchen floors (because, honestly, he does a way better job of it than I). He does the dirty work most of the time (think poopy diapers, cleaning up dog puke, poop on shoes etc.) He is an extremely hard worker. He doesn't mind that I'm not very tidy. He never (I truly cannot think of a time) condemns or criticizes me. As we head into this 10th year of marriage, I love and appreciate him more than I ever have before.

And, he looks super handsome in his uniform

We took these pictures on Christmas day.
They turned out really dark and looked terrible when I lightened them.
But I love them nonetheless.

This Room (from House Beautiful via Little Green Notebook)

I told you it was random....

I love how it incorporates contemporary, traditional and industrial aspects all in one room.

This Valentine's Day T-shirt. I made it for Steele and it actually turned out how I saw it in my brain. I love it when that happens.

Steele Trap - I love when I walk into a room in the evenings and find things like this. Being a mama is fun.

Knitting - I always love it but I'm a little obsessed with it right now. Must have a project on the needles at all times.

The Tuesday Night Cowl
Photo via Ravelry

I made this cabled cowl for my cousin Morgan for her birthday using the Tuesday Night Cowl pattern by Susan Lawrence that I found on Ravelry. I forgot to take my own pictures - bummer. I used this beautiful Mirasol Miski yarn in Jade. The yarn was great and the pattern gave instructions for 3 different types of yarn, but in the end I wish I would have used something chunkier as in in the photo.


And finally, THE OLYMPICS! Especially Alexandre Bilodeau. It's so fun that all of this is occuring right across the border from my house - I would love to make it up there for some Olympic festivities.


I also have to throw in one thing I'm hating.... my computer!! We need a new one so badly. I seriously had to restart it 4 times just to publish this post. It overheats and shuts down when I using photos. A new macbook paid for with our tax return is on the horizon.

Steele's Prayer in the Shari's Parking Lot

2/11/2010

Dear God,

Thank you for this beautiful day.

Thank you for the tow truck that took our van away.

Thank you for the police officer that helped us get across the street.

Thank you for the suburban to drive us home.

In Jesus name, Amen.


Well, the suburban didn't exactly drive us home (Grammy's van did) but "amen" to all the rest, sweet boy.

A Promise Kept and Lamp Love

Ok.... it might be more than love. It might be an addiction. Just keepin' it real.


As promised (smile): pictures of my newly painted, rearranged and in the process of being decorated living room. My purpose in posting these is to pick all your creative little brains for decorating ideas - so post up please!

View from the dining room

Entry corner with my craigslist church pew

This $10 second-hand store mirror will go over the top of the bench
once I decide what color I want to paint it

View looking toward dining room with my newly create and loved "reading nook"
I'm probably going to paint the coffee table the same color as the walls

As you can see, I don't have any art up yet. I'm picky about art, knick knacks etc.
So I'm going to keep things sparse until I find things I love.
Of course Diego will go back up very soon...

Now for the lamp love. I have been searching and searching on-line for lamps the likes of these featured on Little Green Notebook. (After looking at her latest post I may have just decided what color to paint the mirror) Anyhow, all the glass or crystal lamps I've looked at have cost at least $50 each, but usually more like $100 each. Um... yah... my kids need clothes to wear - I can't exactly be spending $100 for a lamp. So yesterday, my favorite day to hit the second-hand and antique stores in my town, I hit the lamp jackpot! Let me show you:

I found this pair of lamps for.... wait for it.... $18 for the pair!! I already had one grey drum shade ($14 ea. at Walmart) so I just went and got another one and VOILA! I would have preferred white shades similar to the ones on the Target lamps but since I already had the one.... I still need to clean them up and am thinking about painting the bases but I couldn't wait to see how they would look. I put the other one next to the recliner by the window.

I found this next lamp for $5.99!! I love, love, love it. I was going to spray paint it a creamy white and replace the shade but after getting it home, I think I like it just the way it is. The shade has a tear but I turned it to the back. I love the sweet little shade with the teeny holes poked in it.

I realize the bookcase is stuffed with books but we have a lot of books around here (it might be another addiction but let's not talk about that now). And what is a bookcase for but books, right?

And finally (remember, I told you it was a lamp jackpot!) I found two little bedside lamps. They're not identical but so close you have to look closely to tell. I like that they're not exactly the same. I'm realizing now I should have taken a picture of both but oh well. I don't like these shade so I'm going to look for some longer narrow white drum shades for them.

So there you have it! What do you think? Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm feeling like the living room is a little heavy with dark brown wood and fabrics so I'm going to try and lighten some things up a bit. I think the crystal lamps help with that some.

More on my addictions later.... I promise. ;-)

Promises, Promises

I know I should probably go to bed, especially since I have Bible study at my house at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, but for some reason I'm itching to write something.

Self-revelation here: Some of you may have noticed this about me (and some of you know this about me), but I'm not very good at follow through. It's not something I'm proud of but never something I'm surprised at myself for. I've gotten better with age but still often have a difficult time completing things. I have a whole truck-load of motivation, enthusiasm and ideas but tend to poop out before anything gets finished. I often have a really hard time doing things like: calling people back, finishing projects, making plans in advance, making Fix, Freeze, Feast meals with the sale-meat I bought that is sitting in my fridge, doing seemingly unimportant things like posting pictures on my blog when I say I'm going to.....

For example, I saw an acquaintance of mine at Trader Joe's the other day and we were talking about adoption. She mentioned that she'd like to get together with me and would e-mail me. So she did. I e-mailed back. She e-mailed me back asking if Tuesday would work - and for the life of me I can not get up the motivation to actually firm up plans with her. I mean, Tuesday is 5 whole days away! What if I don't feel well on Tuesday? What if my kids were up all night the night before? Anything could happen! Now, if she were to call me on Tuesday morning and I was at home I would say, "Sure, come on over!" and I wouldn't have an ounce of concern about it. For some reason I just don't like to have things looming.

Now please, if you are a friend of mine and you are reading this, don't let it stop you from calling to invite me to do something. In fact, do it! Push me a little - this is obviously something I need to get over. But anyway....

And so it often is with craft projects. I'm all gung-ho about something and make a grand start - only to fizzle out mid-way through. This is why I have half finished blanket for these boys sitting in my basement, fabric cut out for this doll quilt that I was going to make for Adia....last Christmas, yarn cast on for this top, my dining room ceiling yet without paint, my kitchen ceiling half way painted, and the list goes on.

But all hope is not lost! Every once in a while I actually get around to doing something I said or wanted to do. This is one of those moments.

Before Christmas I began knitting my grandma a pair of socks out of this pattern. While I am now a fairly experienced knitter, I had no idea that a pair of socks would take SO long to knit. So, par for the course, I finished one sock and gave it to my grandma for Christmas with the promise that I would knit nothing else until her sock was finished. If I believed in karma I would say that karma was on my side for this project - or perhaps it might be better to say it was on my Grandma's side. I tried starting two hats before finishing and they both failed miserably. But tonight! Tonight, I finished the socks. Even though it was 9:30, I had to call my grandma and tell her - she was excited. And so was I.

And now, I get to start some new projects. Something special for my cousin whose birthday is on Valentine's Day and a couple of hats for some new babies - cousins Mac and Jack - who were recently born at our church. I do way better with deadlines.

The ribbing does nothing for my already thick legs -
but since I inherited them from my grandmother,
they're sure to stay up on her too.