I'm a Big Girl Now

Here is the fabric I was afraid to open....


I love the fabric, even though the photo is horrible. It is the perfect color blue and the checks are plenty big enough. Now, I just have to find the time to do it....and a lot of Scotch Guard to keep the kids from ruining them!

Thanks to everyone that encouraged me to open it {instead of calling me a wimp}!

Spring Banner

I LOVE a bargain and found one last week at Target! I rarely go to Target anymore because I am at Walgreens every week. When I do go to Target, I always go to the end caps to look at the random clearance stuff. I have found some really great stuff shoved on those shelves!




Yep...$3.24 for this adorable banner!


Can't really read it from far away..."Happy Spring"

Here it is up close. It came with paper flowers and buttons. LOVE the buttons!

The girls helped glue on the decorations and DONE!

SO cute and SO easy and SO cheap!

I'm a Big Chicken

Yep that's me! Right there in the picture! At least they got my good side in the photo!

Or maybe I'm a scaredy cat....

This is a package I received in the mail 2 weeks ago. Normally, I rip any package open right there on the foyer floor. Not this one. It still sits in the dining room {blending into the carpet, I might add} waiting to reveal itself.

This is who sent it to me. It's fabric. Fabric for my kitchen chairs. I searched high and low for just the right buffalo check to redo my kitchen chairs. I found it at LSFabrics.com. Yet, it is unopened.


This is what the sample looks like off the internet. You can check (ha! ha!) it out here.

So what am I afraid of?! I have never bought fabric over the internet before. I didn't see it or touch it before I decided to reupholster my chairs with it. What if it is all wrong? What if I don't like the color, the texture, the feel... What if it won't wear well with my kiddos? The ANXIETY!

So there is sits...until I have the courage to open it or get a good shrink!

Hitting the Road!

This weekend was a road trip for the whole family. We went to Chicago for the hubby's nephew, Josh's, graduation from Naval boot camp. The kids had never been to Chicago and the hubby and I had not been since college...a long time!

The kids have rarely taken a road trip more than an hour, so the 6 hours was truly an eye-opening experience for them. I should have counted how many "are we there yet" I heard. We measure the time by episodes of Hannah Montana...30 minutes each. 12 Hannah Montanas is a LONG trip! The kids got a little crazy!


We had a great time after we arrived. It was so nice to see Josh. He looked so handsome and grown up in his uniform. I remember when he was born. I had just started dating his uncle, I was a junior in high school. I'm getting old! Wish him well, he is off to Navy seal training soon.



We spent time Saturday morning with an old college friend and her family that now live in the Chicago area. So glad to see you, Stacie! I never realize how much I missed her! (Silly me forgot to take a picture. I was distracted by the 6 kids running around on Michigan Ave.)

Then a day at Navy Pier. The kids were real troopers! We walked a lot and no one complained!


Sunday was brunch at the American Girl Doll Store! We had an awesome time eating, shopping and getting the dolls' hair done.

Here's a view of the cafe. L wants a light like this in her room and O wants it with yellow flowers. The decor was right up L's alley. She loves all things pink and flowery! I think she wanted to move in!

The little wild man had enough! He may have even yelled, "No more shopping!"

Excuse if I have rambled through this post...I have the flu and feel a little goofy!

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring! We are heading out the door to Chicago this weekend...5+ hours in a car with 3 kids...a little slice of heaven!

Here is a photo of tulips on the Magnificent Mile. Very spring-y! This is the kids' first trip to Chicago and they are very excited. A visit to the American Girl Doll store is on the schedule! Every 6 year olds' dream, every father's nightmare!


Spring is my favorite time of the year! The house we bought HAD been the best landscaped in the neighborhood, then it sat empty and neglected for 18 months. Since we didn't buy it until June last year and there was plenty of work to do inside, we just did some damage control outside. This spring I hope to restore it to it's previous grandeur! I also want a small vegetable and herb garden. Can't wait to cook with things straight from my own garden!

I'll see you next week...hopefully I can complete a project!

Oooppss~

We interrupt this post for a tetanus shot! Yep...I was working on a project and stepped on an old nail. Not this one...but it was old and my tetanus was due. Instead of finishing the project, I had to go to the urgent care for my shot...and my arm hurts!

So the project will come at a later date. Note to self: don't leave board on the ground with nails up and go out to the garage barefoot for "one more" coats of high gloss white paint!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In St. Louis, we latch onto any reason to party, Irish or not! I chose this image because I am no more Irish than the man in the moon. No red hair or freckles here. My husband claims some Irish in him but really I don't see it! So this image shows a good old Irishman and Uncle Sam sharing a beverage...adult beverage I'm sure.

Have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day! I'm working today and don't want to see any of you on my helicopter!



Once St. Paddy's Day is over, I can start putting out my Easter decor!

Free to Fly

For those that don't know me well, I am a TERRIBLE procrastinator! I will postpone anything I can...I mean anything! I cram for tests, crash diet, speed clean. You name it, I can delay it. Then I get these sudden bursts of energy and try to get everything done.

Well...I finally got motivated in O's room. The butterfly I made for her birthday (in January) finally was hung. The colors really do match nicely. Then I was going put the butterflies I won from WallCandy Arts on the wall with it. WRONG! It made my head hurt because the wall was so busy. So, plan B. I still have not decided how to finish this wall...it will come to me. I'm open for suggestions.



The butterflies migrated (HA!HA!) to the other wall...


Please hold your comments about the window brackets with no window treatments. I'm still working on that too!

I L.O.V.E. how they turned out! And O loves them too. My prize was 170 of these beauties and I used almost every single one.

There is one major flaw with what WallCandy has done...there are lots on bright butterflies but only a few pastels. Not an even mix at all. The large only came in right blue and bright pink. So that is when I thought I should layer them to break it up.

Thanks to everyone that voted so I could win this fantastic prize. O thanks you too! I really have great friends! If you are interested in ordering from WallCandy, use the code BLOGSUPPORT20 for 20% off your purchase!

Gotta fly!

I've Been MIA~did you notice?

Last week was weird. Some good and some very bad. There were lots of blogs that I read that are normally about decorating and craft that suddenly became quite serious and somber. People were discussing spending too much time on the computer and not enough with their families. It was depressing because I, too, am guilty of this. So I too a break from my blog and feel great about it!

It was also my birthday on Saturday and I had a great day! The weather was beautiful and the hubby cooked the BEST dinner. I finally got my Wii Fit {YEAH} and my sweet son gave me these flowers. AAAWWW! He's so sweet! The girls drew me the most lovely cards any mommy could ask for. I'm a lucky lady!

So I've decided I will continue to blog but not force it. Not on any schedule or certain number of posts a week. Just write and share when it feels right.

I do have several projects to share soon so I hope you come back to visit again!

A Family Table

Did you grow up in house that dinner was always on the table at 5 (or 6) and there were no excuses not to be there? That's how it was for me. Mom always had dinner ready at 5 and she better not have to yell for you from the porch...you should know what time dinner is!

Growing up with 5 kids in the family, dinner was usually a loud and messy undertaking. But it was a lot of fun too! Dad did nightly quizzes, usually history or geography. I always felt sorry for my friends or boyfriends that were not prepared for the question and answer session over a plate of lasagna. We always chatted {and bickered} about whatever or whoever was on our mind that day. And you ALWAYS cleaned your plate!

I believe those nightly dinners kept us all close and out of trouble...well only a little less trouble in my case! I have continued this practice with my kids. Dinner at 5. Sharp! We try not to even schedule any evening activities that might interfere with our time together. It's still easy while the kids are little but my mom held it together as we got older. I will try too.

Now...every family needs a good table to gather around and I have got one! I bought it from my old neighbor. He was having a garage sale the day we were moving out! What luck! It belonged to my neighbor's grandparents and he became teary eyed when he talked about the Thanksgiving dinners held around this table. I assured him it would be used often and well loved.

It came with 6 chairs upholstered in the most lovely shade of gold! (I finally found the exact fabric I wanted today online to reupholster!) There are 4 {yes, 4} leaves! Great for seating extras.

I also has drop down leaves when you need the space. This photo still has 3 leaves in, but the table actually gets really small. I wonder why they don't make such versatile pieces anymore?

Here is a better look at the chair. I love the color and age of the wood, the shape, the everything. Ok...the gold has to go! Give me time! But they are comfortable and sturdy.

Oops! Is it broken? These old chairs occasionally need some TLC.

Hubby to the rescue! All fixed!

Dinner tonight? There's room!

A Fresh Coat

***UPDATE***
Lifeingrace is having a "Painted Wood is Pretty" party where she featured her B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. painted kitchen cabinets. So here is a post a used for a linky party last month. I too had my cabinets repainted, counter tops come this week and back splash after that. The kitchen is basically as it was last month...waiting to be finished!



Melissa at The Inspired Room is hosting a "Spring" Linky Party. Well, it's 21 degrees here today so I don't see any signs of spring yet. There are no birds chirping in the trees or windows open, no green grass or signs that my bulbs will appear with beautiful flowers. I sent the kids to school today in heavy coats, hats and gloves...AGAIN! I'm over it!

Easter decorations are always a clear sign that spring is on the way. I haven't started decorating for Easter yet because we have to have St. Patrick's Day first. DUH! After all, it is a MAJOR holiday in this crazy town...even for the not-so Irish!

This is what makes me feel like spring is coming...the smell of drying paint. Lots of folks wait until spring to start "major" projects at home. Well my major project has been going for a few months!

Here is a picture of the kitchen before...

I know you are all drooling over the cabinets with the strange blue-gray hue it gets in certain lights. Or maybe you want the wallpaper...you can have it! It looks very dark and depressing in the picture.

Here is the after....

Crisp white cabinets with new crown molding, base trim and bead board against my butter walls. There are sample for bamboo blinds on the counter. Counter? Yes, that will come later. Did you really think I'd leave those?

New handles...that don't match?! I love it!

Did I mention the blue island?

Now, on to planning the window treatments, counters, sink and back splash!

Yeah SPRING!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I have been thinking and fretting about window treatments in my kitchen. I have been looking over The Nester's window mistreatments for inspiration.

Then I saw what L did to her Barbie Dream House. This is a pair of gold pants hanging from a ceiling beam that she is using as curtains. What a great idea! Only the mind of a 6 year old could be that free and creative. The think The Nester would be proud!

L said she is a little worried that the pants might get blown away by the wind...inside the playroom!


Of course, the little wild man has some decorating ideas of his own. Everything looks better with a car!