Vote for me!

Starting Saturday at midnight and running through Tuesday at midnight, you can, and should, vote for my room(s) to be made over by Mandi at Vintage Revivials. Just click on the star next to my link, #80. I would really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, love you FOREVER if you voted for me.

Where does she learn this?

Notice at the end how she smiles when she burps? Well, she does that with ALL bodily noises. Sometimes, she pushes to make them louder and then laughs.

I NEED a Makeover!

Or rather, I have 2 rooms that I can't decide between to be made over, hopefully, by Mandi from Vintage Revivals.





The rooms I can't decide between are the living room and dining room. They both don't have much personality, especially the dining room. But instead of me telling you, let me show you (if you need to stop and cry, that is fine, I will be here waiting).

The living room. We don't have an entry, so when people come over, it is right in the living room. Which doesn't normally bother me, but I have yet to decide how I want this room to look. Maybe it is because we have spent the last 5 years in rentals that we were not allowed to do anything with. I don't know. We have lived here for 2 years and for the most part, it looks the same as when we moved it. We have painted, but I am just not loving it anymore. I have tried to bring in some deeper purple accents, but it is not working. And see that blue rocker? I have been meaning to reupholster that thing. Oh, and the ottoman you see there in the left foreground.

I have made almost all the curtains in the house, but am tired of the red/green/yellow/gold stripes.

Really other than the purple canvases on the other wall, all the wall things are family pictures. I need something else to look at.

As well as a lock and key on the kids' bookcase. Chloe empties the thing about once a day. The rugs at least match the rest, but I want something either bigger, or a runner in front of the couch. It can be a pain to vacuum, then sweep, then mop, just one room. Almost daily. (Well except mopping. I think I have established to the family that I can only do that once a week or three;))

The entertainment center serves only to store blankets and toys. The movies that are in there are the kids' and Chloe also empties that on a daily basis. Basically, we need more functional storage in this space.And as for anything that could be refinished, well anything Mandi wants to get her hands on! Except the large mirror. That is my Moms until she wants it back, unless you want it refinished, Mom?

And the lovely dining room.  I am tired of all the brown in here. I have been thinking (which can get me in trouble) about painting the table and chairs, but a certain ambition and color allude me. This wall is a light yellow/cream color, along with the opposite wall. The other 2 are cream. Again, I made the curtains for the door and window.

I wish I could show it better in a picture, but there used to be a chair rail in this room that sat about 2 feet high than it should have. Notice how are bookcases are pretty much packed. We have been talking about building a floor to ceiling bookcase where that bigger one is.

Ah, the lovely propane fireplace that doesn't work because the tank was empty when we moved in. The tank is gone, so this ugly thing has never been used by us. We, or rather, I, really want to take this thing out and extend the kitchen counter and add a lazy susan to the corner. Or just move the wall down to counter height so there is more light in the kitchen. All of the wood pieces are just set on there, not a nail in sight. Oh, and did I mention that from the front or back door, you can see all the way to the other end of the house? That is why there are shear curtains on both, so we can see out, but no one can see in, during the day, at least.

That computer desk also needs to go and a smaller one with drawers needs to find it's way into that corner. The filing cabinet also needs a makeover. That little table is there because that is the only place that it will fit now. I need to get a new house plant, because a certain little girl climbed up on the table and pulled most of the leaves off. As you can see, the computer desk and that little table are a catch all for papers and bags and things that we don't know where else to put.

As you can clearly see, both rooms need a makeover, but I would be very happy with just one. Oh, and everyone reading this, come back next week to vote for me! (the room with the most votes will get the makeover!) And in case you forget, I will remind you, several times:)

Teddy Bear Clinic

My dad called me yesterday morning and asked if we had anything planned that day. After 12o'clock, no we didn't (Drake had preschool until then). He asked us if we wanted to go see my sister, who was working the clinic for CNA hours. I was avoiding folding up laundry, so we went right after Drake got done with school. (I did mop the floors and do dishes, though)

We don't have any teddy bears, so the kids picked out their Woody and Buzz dolls.

In the "ER" where a bear was injured.

Drake REFUSED to stand nest to the big bear to get a picture.

The kids and their favorite aunt.

There were several different stations that the kids went to. This one was about washing hands. They taught the kids that when you wash your hands, you need to sing the ABC song to make sure that you get all the germs off. What is funny is that Drake sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star when he washes his hands. (ABC and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune)

Watching a video about the poison control stickers.

They received several stickers, and by the time we left, Chloe has all of hers on her shirt. Drake was super excited to get a new tooth brush and coloring pages. In fact, he brushed his teeth 3 times yesterday after we got home. Once, as soon as we got home, then after dinner, then right before bed. I told him he can brush his teeth as much as he wants.

Easter!

Here is a picture rundown of what we did this weekend:

Played outside because "it was warm enough to play outside without anything on." (When Drake goes outside, he asks that, meaning is it warm enough to not wear a coat or jacket). That is Chloe's 'say cheese' face.

Spilled so much dye on the table on floor, it is a wonder that we don't have blue/green/red/yellow/orange carpet. Dyed eggs.

Had to touch all the eggs right after they came out of the dye bath.

Easter loot. (I have not been able to take a picture of the shopping cart put together. Between the 2 of them, that thing has not stopped being pushed since it was put together).

Chloe's skirt I made her at the last minute.

See? (If you need help, Drake is pushing the cart on the right of the picture) We even just had to take the cart to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Ha! I got a decent picture of her! She loves to move those bunnies all over the entry and kitchen. By the way, the kitchen is about 7 stairs above the entry. She climbed the stairs WITH a bunny in her hands.

Lot discovered that Chloe likes to 'jump' on the trampoline. Which is her just bending down enough that when she stands up, she bounces a little bit.

And, after n early dinner, the kids went outside to 'find' the eggs that Drake and my sister hid. Chloe was doing so well until she found out that there was candy in them. Then she sat next to the basket to open up all the eggs and Drake got the rest.

I hope you all had a great Easter, we sure did!

Burns (or lack thereof)

I needed new/more potholders. You see, when you drop a potholder on the heating element of your oven, while it is on, it can and probably will, create a small fire, burning your potholder so that you have to be careful not to burn yourself when you use it: 

A couple of years ago, my mom made us 3 potholders for Christmas:

front

back

I loved them so much that I stopped using my other, commercially made, ugly ones. Well, I am a messy cook/baker and they get dirty, a lot! There are many times that all 3 are in the wash, (or more likely, sitting in the laundry basket for a week, waiting to get washed). 


I went to JoAnns and looked all over the store for the insul-bright and adfter finally finding it, I bought 1/2 a yard. This stuff is cheap and a little goes a long way. I made 8 potholders and still have enough to make about 8 more. I only used 1 layer of insul-bright. 2 would be better. But it is not like I am going to be holding a hot pan for more than the time it takes to put it on the counter or stove top. Here are a few pictures of my Chloe's new toys:

This Wii remote did not just come out of the oven:) It is so you can see the relative size of the potholders.

Lot's Birthday/Wordless Wednesday

Yesterday was Lot's birthday. Drake wanted him to have a Superman cake, so that is what I attempted. It could be better, but it could also be worse. At least is tasted good:) It was a homemade yellow cake with a coconut frosting. Again, homemade. I haven't bought frosting for a few years and just started making cakes instead of using boxed mixes. So much better tasting! And really not any harder or time consuming than a nasty mix.

This is the most non blurry picture I could get of Chloe eating her cake. (Look at those tired eyes! That is what happens when she wants to take a nap at 4:30 instead of 1:30. It was an early night for her) The frosting got all mixed up in her hands, so instead of red, yellow, and blue, it is a brownish purple.

Drake got Lot a tool belt (to match his that I made). So I had to take pictures. They are 'clincking' their screwdrivers together.

Lot playing with his new toy:)

This is the wordless Wednesday picture. This was this morning and she moved a chair so she could get some cake. I gave up and let her have cake for breakfast. She did have some toast and milk a little later.

Fence Before and After

Front before...

During (we have gophers!)

Almost there!

DONE!

Side before...

During...

darn gophers!

Almost done! We still need to put the cedar on the side and add the gate, sometime tomorrow.

Back before. It is hard to tell in this picture, but that fence is leaning really bad. When we were done, the back fence gate, which we aren't doing yet, now closes with about a foot gap between it and the new fence. We couldn't even think about opening it before.

No more 3/4 of the way falling over fence! Of course, there isn't a fence there, but soon...

We really need to call an exterminator about those darn gophers!

Back DONE!!! There are posts supporting the fence until the concrete has cured for several days. Worried that the high winds we have been having will shift the posts slightly and make the fence lean.