It's the Little Things that Make a Difference!

The weather has been warming up a little this week so it was a great time to open up the windows in our bedroom and do a little trim painting.  The trim was a creamy white (which I painted a couple years ago) but with the new wall color it looked kind of dirty and drab.  I decided to brighten it up a bit with the same white paint that we used on our kitchen cabinets and on the molding/trim in Eli's new big boy room. It's called Decorators White by Benjamin Moore. 

Before color is to the left, new trim color is to the right.

                                              Before...                                            After...

  Windows and baseboards received some love as well.

Now that the wall color, trim, windows and doors are painted we can put our furniture back together in the room and put up our new light fixture.  I had been eyeing one at Lowe's and finally caved this week.  Post to come once its up and room is semi finished.  The hubby still needs to change out the electrical to white to match the room.  We are slowly but surely changing all the electrical in the house from cream to white.  Next up we have hopes of trying to build/make our own fabric headboard.  Will keep you posted! 

Trim is the most tedious of painting jobs, but sure does make a difference in the big scheme of things.  Any of you out there have a favorite trim color?  There are so many whites to choose from that it can be confusing.  I brought home several swatches and held them up in the light next to each other.  They all have a totally different color undertone.  I like the Decorators White because it has a gray undertone which flows with the other colors going on in the house.   And of course you don't have to just go with white.  We have a green trim color in our living room with cream walls. That may get changed out eventually but for now, it's staying :)  

Dear Eli...Spring is Here!

Dear Eli, 
Love You Forever My Boy...

It's crazy how time flies by and before you know it weeks have passed.  It seems like since you were born time has accelerated!  I try to savor every day as much as I can because it's hard to imagine that one day you will be reading this letter as a grown man.  Yet no matter how big or how old you are, you will always be my baby :)  I am reminded of the story that my mom used to read to Uncle Tyler called Love You Forever.  In the story the mom rocks her baby and sings, " I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."  

You crack me up and make me laugh every single day.  You are your father's child and are so routine when it comes to your schedule. You are like clockwork and our morning reminds me of Groundhog's day over and over, ha!  When you wake up there is no cuddling, but you immediately come into my room and announce you are ready for "milky" and Curious George.  After going to Disney last month, I think you got your Mickey fix so now you're in a Curious George phase.  Sadly you know how to operate the tv and netflix so away you go and you push the buttons to find your show.  You sit in the same spot on the same couch EVERY morning and you immediately switch into trance mode, which I call a milk/tv coma!  Sometimes you are sweet to me and you say "mommy, I can watch Curious George on the Kindle so you can watch your news."  I actually rarely ever watch the news now since you have taken top priority but when I do I sure do appreciate it :)  

Spring is finally here, according to the calender, and praying that the weather got the memo as well.  We had a huge snowstorm last week on March 18th, and even as I type this right now I'm looking at 4 feet of snow in our cul-de-sac.  However, the temperature is starting to reach 50 this week so I'm sure soon enough it will melt and it will really feel like spring is in the air.  I love waking up to hearing the birds chirping outside...there is such a fresh excitement in the air!  

Auntie Caleigh came over on her spring break last week and she brought an egg coloring kit.  You guys colored eggs together and you loved it!  We have them sitting out on display and you like to go over and just look at them.  You made a cross out of a palm branch at children's church this passed Sunday and we have that displayed with your Easter eggs.  We have been reading about the death and resurrection of Jesus the last couple weeks and when we ask you what Easter is truly about you say "Jesus died on the cross for us so that we can live here forever."  It is sweet to watch your little mind and spirit taking it all in.  You wanted to know why there were 3 men on crosses and why people were being mean to Jesus.  You challenge me with the questions you ask, especially trying to answer you in a way that you'll somewhat understand.    But no matter what, I can tell that you are absorbing it all and it's a blessing to have been chosen to help teach you!

Back at Christmas we took a quiz that told us our "Elf" name.  Your last name was monkey buns and ever since then you introduce yourself as "Eli Monkey Buns" to complete strangers, haha!  The funny part is that you are as serious as can be.  We always joke, since your name is monkey buns that your monkey butt needs a bath.   Now even before we tell you it's bath time you tell us "my monkey butt stinks...I need a bath,"  hahaha!  You love your bath time and since you were a baby it's rare that we miss a day.  I think having it as part of your routine in the evening always made it more of an easier transition for bed.    As of this past month, your diaper is dry every morning.  I am so proud of you.  This was the final straw where you no longer have any connection to your baby days:(  Once we get a waterproof mattress pad (for back up), those diapers are gone.   Makes me sad but thankful to be past the potty training stage!

This past week was my birthday and you lovingly made me a card with daddy.  Daddy asked you what you wanted to say to me and inside he wrote it word for word, "Mommy, Love you so much Chicken Butt....Love, Eli Monkey Buns."  I'm not sure where you came from, but you crack yourself up and you think you are so funny :)   Uncle Tyler taught you the word "chicken butt" and now you like to use it now and again cause you think it's hilarious!  I will keep that card forever in my stash of memories so one day when you are old and you are reading this letter, I can pull it out and show you.  There is never a dull moment when you are around!  Mimi and Buppa had a family birthday party at their house for me and Grampy and Grammy and Great Grandma came to celebrate with us as well.  You were my little helper in blowing out the candle and opening up all the gifts.  You love birthdays, no matter who's it is, because you love to just help out.  You asked me if you could have your birthday again with me.  

The chalkboard sign you and daddy wrote on for my birthday morning.

The beautiful table setting that Mimi put together...

 The yummy cupcakes Auntie Caleigh made, mmm....

Recently when I suggest something to you or ask you if you want to do something, you respond with "yea, that sounds like a really good idea."  You also have mastered putting your two fingers up when we ask you how old you are.  Before you had to use your other hand to push the remaining three fingers down.  I love watching you put your two fat fingers together.  I think you are pumped and proud of yourself because you love to show me all the time.  

You recently learned your birth date and you know the street that is connected to ours.  When we ask you your birthday you say "Nobember fif (5)" and every time we pull into our neighborhood you say "we are on Willowdale and then we are going down Wintergreen Drive." It's amazing how aware you are of your surroundings and you know which direction we are going depending on the roads we take.  

Today we were finally able to enjoy some play time outdoors without having to be all bundled up in snow pants.  I'm so glad to finally have some more mild weather ahead of us.  You had your dump truck and shovel outside trying to make roads and "snow" castles.  You found some sticks and you said you were planting carrots.  You asked if you could use the hose to water them, ha! You have such an imagination :)  I love it!

We have hit a new stage with you where you are VERY BOSSY!  I know I was similiar from what mimi tells me and of what I've seen on home videos.  It has been a challenging last few weeks with you.  You like to be in control (which I'm sure a lot of 2 year olds do) and so when things don't go your way, you have a fit.  You also don't know your own strength and in playing you will be more aggressive than I'd like, which could be a strength in sports someday but gets you into trouble sometimes. You're learning that you have to be aware of those around you and that you can hurt people if you are not cautious.   I have really had to stick to my guns and be consistent with discipline.  I hate doing it sometimes, but I can see that you do understand and are learning through this challenging time for both of us :)  

You are the light of my life and the first smile on my face every morning.  I don't know what I would do without you even when you test me to the limit!!;)  

Love you so much,

Mommy

Monday Makeover: Part 1- Master Bedroom paint is on the "Horizon"

As I said in the last post we were hoping to tackle our bedroom this past weekend with a paint change up.  Thanks to my husband's drive and ambition this task is pretty much complete and the bedroom makeover is finally underway.  When we bought our home almost 3 years ago (this May), I picked a paint color that I thought flowed with our duvet cover.  It was a neutral tan called "Earthy Cane" which I really liked but in our room it just never seemed to fit right.  It always felt dark and blah every time I walked into the room and that's exactly what I don't want to feel when I walk into my bedroom.  I want this to be a space where I can create an oasis that gives me room to relax, shut the door and take a little breather from the business of life.  I want it to have a bright airy feel with a little romantic flare but not too feminine since of course the hubs shares the space as well :)  I struggled with picking the right paint color this time.  I knew I wanted a light color, almost white with a grayish tint.  I had a few picked out and finally decided on Benjamin Moore's  "Horizon".  It is a light silvery/gray color with undertones of blue. Of course I didn't buy the Benjamin Moore paint because I didn't want to spend that much, but instead I brought the color to Lowe's and had them color match it in Valspar's 2 in 1 No VOC-Low Odor paint.  I was SO IMPRESSED with the coverage of the paint and plan to use it in the nursery for our next project.

When I envision this room I see white airy curtains, a crystal chandelier of some sorts, linen fabric headboard  with a small sunburst mirror over it, and a large rug to help ground the room and complete the warmth of the space.  I have an old vintage desk that my dad gifted me and side tables that I bought at the Goodwill last year that I plan to refinish.  But before moving forward with all the decor and fun stuff, here is the foundation and basis of our room, the walls.  I think if the walls could talk they are a lot happier as am I.  We slept in the nursery/guest room last night since the fumes were strong but when I walked into the room this morning I was very pleased with the result.  I'm not a fan of it with the bright lights on at night because it changes the look, but in the daylight its exactly what I envisioned.  I plan to put soft lighting in when we change out the lighting.  It's amazing how the right lighting can change the whole atmosphere and mood!

Here is the process of our painting party weekend:

 BEFORE Color in "Earthy Cane" and AFTER in "Horizon"

 

BEFORE...

 The journey of the process...

           

Removed all the outlet covers and trimmed out the entire room first.

First coat is going up...looks white in this picture still.

The hubs rolled the paint while I trimmed.  He is amazing and am so thankful he will help tackle projects with me. We work well as a team.  I'm the detail perfectionist and Nate is the bulldozer and motivator that keeps me going and gets the job done efficiently.  

  

2nd and last coat is up!  Planning to repaint trim "Decorators White" like in Eli's room so it's a little brighter white.

Choosing a paint color can be intimidating and scary, but don't let it keep you from taking a risk and diving in.  To be honest, I'm repainting almost every room in our house that we painted almost 3 years ago because after living in the home, I realize what I really like and what I want to live with long term.  When we moved in, I was picking colors in a flurry so we could get our things settled.  I would advise new home owners not to rush too quickly in painting your rooms because your perspective and liking can change once you live life in a space.  The great thing about paint is that it can be changed easily so you are never locked into it.  Keep in mind the lighting in a room when picking your paint color because that can completely alter the look.  I have had paint swatches hanging along our door frames for a while now so I could think about what I really envisioned and wanted.  And of course, you can always pay a few dollars for paint samples if you need to see larger samples side by side to make your final decision.  If anyone out there is questioning a color or needs help picking one, shoot me an email and maybe I can help brainstorm with you :)  I will be back soon with the next step in the process of the master bedroom makeover!  

As we head into our week leading up to Good Friday and Easter/Resurrection Sunday, may we all  be reminded to fix our minds and hearts on the sober reality of what this time and season represents.  My prayer is that we would all be opened up to new "Horizons" as we set our eyes on Jesus, the source of true life and the answer to all our needs!  

Happy Monday!

Spring(y) Decor Bringing Happiness & Cheer!

I have lagged in the blogging department this past week.  This long, drawn out cold snowy weather is giving me the winter blues.  I have been having trouble finding ambition to attack certain projects recently and hoping with Spring on the way it will help bounce me back into my creative mode.  I do love a good snow day and feeling all cozied up within the confinement of our home, but this year I feel like it has dragged on for too long now.  I'm itching to get out to play in the yard and get my spray painting on! :)  The one downfall to this cold weather is that certain projects I would like to attempt have to be put on hold because I don't have proper space to accomplish them in.

This past week we hopefully had one of the last snow storms for the year.  Eli and I had a pajama day and did a little spring cleaning/decorating to lift the spirits.  I tackled the living room and a little in the kitchen to help cheer up the space while our house was enveloped in the powdery white stuff outside.  I haven't purchased any new spring decor except for 2 small items so I just went shopping around my house and rearranged some things to feel somewhat new.  The two things I did purchase were a plate from Goodwill for 99 cents and a pack of spring paper napkins from Christmas Tree Shop for $1.99 that I incorporated into the space.  I love how just taking things you own and giving them a new home can refresh and revive a space.  Before decorating, Eli decided he wanted to vacuum so we had the whole living room torn apart before putting it back together in the pictures below.  He is my little cleaning buddy and loves to help out so with paper towel and vacuum in hand, we scrubbed the room, put the winter decor away and brought out some bright happy colors.  Here is the beginning stages of Spring in our home :)

 Living Room- view from the kitchen.

Took my 2 lanterns purchased from Goodwill this past fall and flanked the mantle with them. I originally had the lanterns put together on the side table to make one large lantern this winter, but decided to give them a fresh look by separating them.  I put 2 matching Goodwill plates in the back of each one with a mercury glass votive holder in front of it to be able to light the candles at night.  

This framed card was in the kitchen but brought it into the living room for a change of scenery.  I love this little silver bird in front of it that I purchased at Michael's this past Christmas for $1.50.

I have a love for old canning jars, especially the teal colored ones.  I found this one at a thrift store last year for $6 with the lid on it.   I filled it with the yellow and gold paper straw that I use for Eli's basket and the eggs we colored last year.

Lantern with the vintage Goodwill plate and mercury glass that can change and flow throughout every season.

Little ceramic white bowl that I again filled with the paper straw and eggs that Eli colored last year.

Our egg tree filled with glass eggs from Christmas Tree Shop (last year).  Branches are reused from previous decor and they are spray painted silver and white from in our back yard.

Thrift store table that I painted gray a while back and re-purposed next to the sofa.  Doily is from Nate's Great Gram who made it and gave it to us as a wedding gift.  Love sentimental pieces like this!  

Apple green bud vase was originally clear and purchased for $1 at Walmart last year.  I used acrylic craft paint and swirled it around inside to get this color.  I'm not usually into fake flowers, but those are.  I do love them now and again.  

Here is the paper napkin I decided to frame.  Hoping the fold lines will smooth out, but besides that I love the color it brings to the room.  This frame gets changed out seasonally.  For Christmas it said "Merry" and for winter it said "Let It Snow."  These flowers exude happiness:)

Kitchen received a few little touches.

Beautiful vintage tea cup that I received as a favor at a recent bridal shower.  Inside the cup is a yellow glass egg (left over from the egg tree).

Here is the plate I scored at Goodwill this week for 99 cents.  I think it has a very Anthropologie feel.  I would like to hang it on a plate gallery wall someday.

Little frame from Michael's this past Christmas for 99 cents.  I cut out a picture from the Pottery Barn magazine and frame the little chick with an egg in it.  Thought it was sweet!  This is something you can do at home.  Find a frame laying around and cut pictures out of decor magazines for a seasonal theme.  I do this all the time.

Blue glass egg in a little milk vase.

Old scale with festive eggs from Christmas Tree Shop (last year find).

Finally hung my chalkboard from 2 months ago.  That is my little Scentsy owl (from Christmas) that I thought would be a good home for him for now.  He will have some company on that shelf here soon :)

That is the beginning stages of bringing some bright, happy cheer into our home.  Just shows that you don't need to spend much to make your space feel alive and like YOU :)   It's fun trying to be creative with what you have and making it unique to your liking.  Hope to bring a touch of Spring into every room of the home somehow.  This time of year excites me with the rebirth of everything that died or went dormant for a season.  Bright colors always make me happy and although I don't personally like them on the wall (feels too permanent), I do love decor that can be changed out and brings a smile to my face when walking into the room.  What Spring projects or decor do you have in mind?  Send me an email if you'd like and I'll post your  reno or decor in an upcoming post :)  The hubby and I are tackling our bedroom here this week (hopefully) so stay tuned for updates, as well as a nursery redo and bathroom redo in the near future as well!  Have a great day and Happy Spring everyone!