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7.29.2009

Mother of Funny

M: R, do you want to go to the dollar store or Target for your prize?

R: The dollar store! Yeah! Yeah!

...upon our arrival...

R: Uh, mommy? Where are all the dollars?

Mother of Funny

I caught my kids throwing an antique quilt around my living room.

M: Hey! Don't do that! You know how old that blanket is?

E & R shake their heads 'no'.

M: It's older than Big Mama. Would you throw Big Mama around like that?

E: No.

R: We can't pick Big Mama up.

7.28.2009

Mother of Funny

"No eat the animals?"

{long pause}

"So you eat kids?!"

- a very horrified A, 3 years old, trying to figure out what I eat.

7.27.2009

Case of the Mondays

It was my first weekend spent in this big house officially alone {except for the chihuahua crowd} and I must say, I was completely productive.

With the assistance of good friends, R's pirate room is coming along quite nicely. After picking up my Bountiful Basket on Saturday morning, I joined my brother and his family for a Cracker Barrel breakfast before venturing out to Queen Creek to pick up a black twin captain's bed {River's choice and a CL steal at $140!}. Then after a few quick errands, J and I started in with the blue paint.

In between two days of errands and breaks, R has a Serene Sea blue room! I'm hoping to complete the following this week:

- stain the mast
- get the crow's nest up
- assemble his bed
- purchase a twin mattress
- paint the closet doors

Check my previous blog post for an update on the "To Purchase List". Cheers to a fast week!

**Enormous thanks to RS, N, and J for their assistance this weekend! I don't know what I would do without you boys.
**

7.24.2009

TGIF

Another Friday has arrived! This will mark the first weekend I spend as a real live grown up living in her own home - alone. At least 50% of the time {I do have those three McNuggets, you know}.

Through the magic of Craig's List, I picked up a nearly new twin mattress set {$40!} and an antique steamer trunk {aka treasure chest} last night.

Pretty awesome, right? The dome lid opens and it is lined with a beautiful floral velvet and is nearly mint condition for it's age. I've been pricing trunks at antique shops for weeks and the average price for one, similar to this, is roughly $295.00. This was a steal at $50.00! I'm also scheduled to pick up a black, PBK, solid wood Captain's Bed {four drawers} tomorrow morning - another CL steal!

Poor R; middle child, only boy, a redhead... I feel as if he always gets the fuzzy end of the lollipop. Which is why I'm going above and beyond on his brand new room. The mass produced adorable, can't-live-without girl stuff seems endless, but the can't-live-without awesome boy stuff seems to be few and far between. I do my best to make him feel really special everyday, because he totally is {duh!}, but I often wonder if it's enough and if any 5yo had expectations for bedroom decor, R would be your guy. Oh be still my little heart when he asked for a pirate themed room and not one that would perfectly suit Clay Aiken.

Tonight, I'm running a few simple, but necessary errands and hopefully, I'll get home early enough {and with enough energy} to start painting the Pirate Cove because the kids come home tomorrow and I really don't want to put off painting another week!

May your weekend be filled with creativity!

7.19.2009

Case of the Mondays

I had a fabulously relaxing weekend. Most of my Saturday afternoon was spent on the lawn of the Yavapai County Court House in Prescott, Arizona. My fabulous company and I sat there for at least two hours just enjoying the weather, the people, the puppies, and each other. Not only was the weather good (a mere 92 degrees and partly cloudy), but the fact that there was supple grass to sit on was amazing. We could have sat there all day, but thirst and hunger eventually called.


We stayed at Hotel Vendome on Cortez Street, right in the heart of Prescott's downtown area and Sunday was spent browsing 'Antique Row' (most of Cortez Street) and eventually arriving back to the inferno we call home sometime around 3pm.


We will definitely be returning - and soon too! I'm ready for a busy (and hopefully short) week. Happy Monday!

PS Thanks to N, B, and C for tending to Kiwi & Higley on last minute notice. You guys are the best! We just weren't comfortable driving 90 miles on a windy road, down a mountain, after dark, if you know what I mean.

7.17.2009

Where I Stood

I don't know what I've done
Or if I like what I've begun
But something told me to run
And honey, you know me, it's all or none.

There were sounds in my head
Little voices whispering
That I should go and this should end
Oh and I found myself listening.

Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood.

See I thought love was black or white
That it was wrong or it was right
But you ain't leaving without a fight
And I think I am just as torn inside.

But I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood.

And I won't be far from where you are if ever you should call
You meant more to me than anyone I ever loved at all
But you taught me how to trust myself and so I say to you
This is what I have to do.

Cause I don't know who I am, who I am without you
All I know is that I should
And I don't know if I could stand another hand upon you
All I know is that I should
Cause she will love you more than I could
She who dares to stand where I stood
Oh, she who dares to stand where I stood.

- Missy Higgins

TGIF

After a fairly short week of paint samples and coffee tables, lists and errands, babies and toddlers, I'm ready for a day of nothing but antiques and beer in the Prescott Pines with good company. It was also predicted to be a whopping 115 degrees in the Valley for tomorrow, I think I'll skip that.

Big hoorays for Friday! Wishing you cooler temperatures wherever you are this weekend!

7.16.2009

Re-Create: Family Room

I spotted this coffee table on Craig's List two weeks ago and I was completely shocked it hadn't sold immediately, even if the asking price was a little high {$125}. So when I saw that it had dropped dramatically, I decided to snatch it up before someone else did. At $60, it was a steal!


Completely unrelated to my end table, although they look very much alike. Don't you think?


In addition to a coffee table run last night, I also went to Home Depot to check out the Behr paint selection. I can't decide between a red, a purple, a yellow, or a neutral tone for the family room. I also can't decide if I should paint just the back wall or the adjacent one leading to the arcadia door as well. This will depend on where I decide to put my corner sofa. I'm going back to HD this evening to pick up more swatches in varying shades; adding a little antique blue to the selection. I'll keep you posted on what I come up with.

In other re-creating news, I decided to go with navy, sky blue and red for Rs Pirate Cove. I picked up a few swatches of red and blue paint last night and I also sketched out the wall behind his bed. I'm totally going to take the coolest mom on the block title for this one...


We'll see how this turns out in a few weeks. Wish me luck!

7.13.2009

Re-Create: The List

I'm getting a little ahead of myself and in order to keep track of all the ideas stored in my head, I think I need a list of things to purchase...

R's Pirate Cove
- paint in sky blue and red
- twin bed
- twin mattress
- black duvet
- ocean blue shams
- red sheets
- additional pillow
- wooden pirate treasure chest
- shelving
- pirate flag
- sail
- compass decal
- treasure map
- rope
- crow's nest
- parrot
- window valance
- rope ladder

E & A's Vintage Chic Chambre
- white paint {for dresser}
- twin bed {for Emma}
- two chenille bedspreads {one lavender, one yellow}
- two sets of vintage pink sheets
- decorative throw pillows
- additional pillow {A}
- shabby chic night stand
- two mosquito nets
- two mismatched white wrought iron wall swags {for headboards}
- two vintage vanity benches {for foot boards}
- milk glass lamp
- floral prints in antique frames
- curtains

Master Alcove
- queen sized canopy bed
- mosquito netting
- vintage queen white bedspread
- vintage queen white duvet
- decorative pillows
- shabby chic sheet set
- vanity table with mirror
- arm chair
- floor lamp
- two white mismatched night stands
- two table lamps
- curtains
- seven - nine tin ceiling tiles
- large photo frame & lace

Family Room
- end table
- nine antique windows
- white paint {cedar chest}
- wall paint {color TBA}
- white coffee table
- new couch cover
- plantation shutters
- white photo frames
- arm chair
- floor lamp
- table lamp
- decorative pillows
- antique quilt/chenille blanket
- large mirror

Case of the Mondays

'Twas a whirlwind of a weekend. I'm having a hard time letting it go. It seems to me that we should petition for an eighth day of the week, a day that falls between Saturday and Sunday. I'll call it 'Satrunday'.

After a few quick errands Saturday morning, J and I hit up The Treasure Trove in Scottsdale where I picked up the world's most adorable end table for the family room.

Already partially decorated, as you can see. I would like a doily, a new photo frame, and my milk glass lamp to arrive to complete it.

Speaking of lamps, I also purchased {on eBay} two 1950's ceramic cherub lamps to accompany my new bedroom set {bed purchased, but still looking for two white, mismatched end tables}.

On Sunday, the kids and I rode the light rail downtown to catch lunch at Marjele's and the Diamondbacks take on the Marlin's. My opinion of baseball hasn't changed much over the past ten years. It's still boring. Even more so if you toss in our sad score of one home run over nine whole innings. I couldn't blame R for wanting Steve Nash. So, it holds true. I had a ton of fun with my babies, but I am not a fan of baseball and I'm perfectly okay with that.

7.10.2009

TGIF

Regardless of whether or not I can believe it's already Friday, I'm glad it is. I need a day to sleep past 6:12a and do nothing and everything on my time.

I'm hoping to complete Project Kitchen Re-Create within in the next two weeks as I've already started planning and plotting my family room re-create. Because my family room and kitchen are attached, without a seam, I decided to let the milk glass flow over both rooms to tie them together with the addition of milk glass lamps.

eBay $2

I was also thinking an antique metal tri-fold trellis to give slight separation to the two rooms. With some S hooks, a towel drying rack, and some heavy duty wire, I could easily turn a trellis into a magazine/plant rack. I'm in the market for an two antique doors or five square windows, a new couch cover, a quilt, vintage throw pillows, an end table, shelving, and a buffet table or dresser. If I have the room {and the dollars}, I may purchase an oversized arm chair and floor lamp to make myself a cozy reading nook.

So far, I forsee my biggest problem being paint color. Because my couch is an IKEA mass reproduction and I refuse to buy something nicer until Autumn is in college, I've picked out a new cover in a light beige, but this leaves me unsure of what color to paint the walls. If anyone has a suggestion, I'm all ears.

Tomorrow is another busy day trying to find six additional milk glass plates to finish the north and west walls of the kitchen, sweeping through the supermarket, and picking up my weekly dose of fresh flowers at Trader Joe's. Sunday is my full weekend day with my babies and we'll be taking a family trip into downtown Phoenix to catch the Diamondbacks take on the Marlins. Should be very exciting with three kids and a thousand stairs to the third tier of the stadium, I think an overpriced beer will be in store.

Hope everyone else has a relaxing, sleep-in kind of weekend. Go D'Backs!

7.07.2009

Re-Create: Kitchen

Project Kitchen Re-Create continues this beautiful Tuesday morning with the addition of a no-sew {I used fabric tape} 20 minute curtain...

The South Wall

Embroidered antique cocktail napkins, circa 1950's
Total $12.00


Only one more big project left!

7.06.2009

Case of the Mondays

It's Monday again. My regular two-day weekend was surprisingly long, but really enjoyable. I spent Saturday morning at the salon getting a new 'do and then met up with my best friend, J, for the rest of the day for some much needed awesomeness.

It was an interesting holiday. For starters, I played Rock Band on the Wii. I'd like to clearly state right now that I am not a fan of video games in the slightest, so just the mere fact that I know who Mario & Luigi are should impress you. I'd also like to observe that playing the drum set makes for a hot sweaty mess.

Secondly, I'm beginning to think my new hair has some sort of magnetism effect on the male species. {thank goodness my magic stylist, J, taught me exactly how to recreate my Independence Day 'do} I was definitely fancied by five young lads looking for love, but unfortunately for them, I am all the wrong girl.

I was also contacted {via text message} by a friend whom I haven't seen in almost a year. We made a dinner date to catch up next month and I couldn't be more excited. I'd better start stretching now, cause that's gonna be one big hug.

On Sunday, I ran a huge lot of {mostly successful} errands. I hung my milk glass plates, made some alterations to the Kitchen Re-Create plan, and cleaned the house. The kitchen is coming together much faster than I had anticipated and, to be honest, I've hardly spent a dime. Here's what I have thus far...



Antique Aqua Canisters, circa 1950's. L to R labeled: sugar, flour, tea, & coffee.

Antique egg basket & banana tree
Garage find & spray painted orange over black


Vintage mug tree and percolator, both circa 1970's.

Antique days of the week tea towels, circa 1950's

Enamel tea pot, circa 1970's

The East Side
Total $57.18 + S&H

I'm totally lovin' it! There are still some projects waiting in the wings, like my trellis and cookbook book shelf, but I will definitely need a Tool Man who can take direction to come assist. I also need to hunt more milk glass plates before the north and west walls feel complete and, sadly, the hunt for vintage wrapping paper is still on.

Also on Sunday, I was given the news that S would have have his belongings completely removed from my house by the end of the week. It's always sad to see someone exit your life, but it can be easy. The hard part comes from not wanting them to go or from an unexpected exit. However, this is not the case for me. S and I have been battling "togetherness" for almost 17 months and it's just not working. It was an amicable break-up, one that I'm not hurt, sad or depressed over, but one that I'm letting out huge sighs of relief over. Sighs that have been 15 months in the making.

I hope everyone else had an awesome three-day weekend filled with special moments and special people. Cheers to a beautiful week!

7.03.2009

TGIF

It's the 3rd of July and as I sit here wondering where the year has gone and why I don't have today off like most everyone I know, I'm also missing my favorite lady who is celebrating her 89th birthday today. It's a darn good thing we're having a party tonight!

Happy Birthday, Mam-maw!