Adding to the Memory Bank

What a weekend…It all started on Friday when we picked N up from school early. For those of you who know me, this was an unusual occurrence. I think I believe that if N gets out of school early or misses school for anything other than being sick, I am not making good choices as his mother. But, isn’t adventure, family time, and making memories worth the few hours missed in school? I think so.

He buckled himself in and we headed to Chipotle to fill our empty stomachs before heading down the road in our fully loaded Tundra . We wanted to get to the CO mountains before the white stuff interfered with our weekend plans. You see, it was all about timing. We wanted the white stuff, and LOTS of it, but we wanted it after we arrived at our lodge. We stopped along the way at a discount ski ticket shack to get our lift tickets for the following day. Discount? Really?

A couple of hours later, we landed on Main Street in Breckinridge. We checked into the lodge, unloaded our bags, and headed out with our snow boots on meandering down Main Street. N enjoyed throwing snow balls and collecting huge icicles.

After walking in several shops, and making a few small purchases we ended up at the Breckinridge Brewery and Pub, where I enjoyed an Avalanche with my turkey burger and tater tots. Back at the hotel, we decided to brave the cold, change into our swimsuits and head to the outdoor hot tub. Oh, so nice!

Throughout the night, I could hear the roaring sound of the snow plow, so I knew fresh snow was a fallin’. My heart and mind were racing due to my nervousness and the excitement of what the day would bring.

Fast forward to the next morning. We woke up with tons of new powder on the ground. After an amazing breakfast at Columbine Cafe, we grabbed our ski gear and headed to the gondola. Our lodge was within walking distance. Oh, how I love convenience.

Snow was pouring from the sky as we put on our skis and headed to the lift.

Breckinridge

We had a full, fun-filled day of skiing. I even perfected my ski lift dismount. N is fearless, like his Dad, and even tried some jumps. We were even able to ski down a slope that put us right back in front of our lodge. Remember what I said about convenience? After another visit to the hot tub and hot showers, we headed to dinner at The Motherloaded Tavern.

Snowshoeing was in order for the next day. Here are a few shots.

What an amazing weekend. Getting away with the family, skiing, snowshoeing, great food, hot tubs in the snow…just makes me smile.

What did you do this weekend? Did you add memories to your memory bank? Please drop me a line and let me know.

Mar 8

Before and After

Just thought I would share a few “before” and “after” pictures with you today. My family and I moved to CO about 9 months ago. In that time, we have been working to make our new house feel more like “our home.” We repainted the walls after I went through paint paralysis. Choosing a paint color, especially a gray that wasn’t too blue or too purple or too beige, took me some time and many cans of sample paint. Now, I am a sample paint can advocate, for sure. I mean, after all, the small cans usually cost less than $5 and save you a ton of money in the long run. Plus, you have extra paint for small craft projects.

Choosing a gray

I finally chose Moonshine from Benjamin Moore, and I could not be happier. In addition to painting, we ripped up the carpet and had hardwood installed. We also removed the small wood colored baseboards and replaced them with wider white ones to make the floor “pop” a little more. Are you ready for a few “before” and “after” shots?

BEFORE

AFTER

Obviously, the prior owners used the front entrance room as a sitting area. However, right now it is mine and N’s office/work area. We have plans to put a longer table in this room so we can have family and friends over for dinner. The table we have picked out can double as a desk. Love when things can serve multiple purposes. We need some thing bigger in that room to help balance the scale.

Here is another area of the house “before” and “after.”

BEFORE

AFTER

The prior owners had a separate ceiling fan mounted flush to the ceiling, and a light that hung down too far and obstructed the view. We opted for a fan/light combo. We added metal sheeting to the bar area, and handles to the cabinets. We have plans to change out the countertops and possibly add different/more lighting in the kitchen area.

BEFORE

AFTER

That brown wall screamed at me every day, but now it makes me smile.

What do you think? We have many other exciting projects planned for our new home, but we are pleased with the transformation, thus far. Paint can certainly make a huge difference. I definitely enjoy relaxing in my new home and daydreaming about additional changes. Sometimes, it is the little things, even if they take time and money.

Have you changed something in your house to make it feel more like “your home”? Did you have the idea yourself or did you ask for design advice? Do you have paint paralysis like me? Please share.

Mar 7

Washi Love

I am in love with WASHI tape. I use it on little gifts, like these message bottles I put together for N’s friends for Valentine’s Day.

Washi on Gifts

I wrote a post about how I use it here on our Reading Tree.

Washi on Reading Tree

I used it at Christmas time to make my N an Advent Calendar.

Washi Tape Advent Calendar

When N’s grandmother and great grandmother visited from Florida during Thanksgiving, I used Washi tape to welcome them.

Washi Welcome Sign

My latest Washi inspiration came from a pin I posted on Pinterest. This creative person used Washi tape as an inexpensive, simple picture frame.

Washi tape frames from Design Sponge

These are so cool! So, I decided to use this idea in my guest bedroom. So, I grabbed a card that inspires me, a picture that my son created, and a Katie Daisy print. I then grabbed my washi tape that I had on hand and began taping.

Washi tape frame

Here is how they all look together.

Washi tape frames

I think my guests will enjoy this artwork display. It will show them that they are welcomed and loved. Hopefully, it will make them smile as much as it makes me. Sometimes, it is just the little things.

Do you love washi tape? What uses have you found for this amazing tape? Do you have a way that you frame cards, artwork, etc. other than using traditional frames? Please share.

Mar 6

Cashmere Banner, Anyone?

I was going to share with you today a tip I use in my home to organize gloves and hats, so we are never searching for them. Well, never is a strong word. However, it is a sunny, warm day here in CO, so I had a little “spring fever” running through my veins. I have been saving the J.Crew Italian Cashmere catalogue for some time now because I was absolutely drawn to the pastel colors. So, I grabbed that catalogue along with some additional supplies: scissors, a pencil, letter and shape stencils, thumbtacks, twine, and miniature clips.

Needed supplies

I had all of these supplies on hand and readily available. First, I opened the pages of the catalogue and chose the pages that appealed to me.

Aren’t these colors so refreshing and cool? I then traced the letters onto the backside of the page I wanted to use. Being careful to flip the stencil, so that when I cut them out, the letter would be correct. I traced the letters on the backside of the page I wanted so that when I cut the letters out, I would not see my pencil marks.

Trace the letter stencils

I then proceeded to cut out all of my letters, along with five ovals in the shape of Easter eggs. I cut the length of twine that I needed and tied each end around a thumbtack. I then placed the twine above my fireplace where a mantel will eventually sit one day. Finally, I used my miniature clips to clip the words and egg shapes to the twine. And voila!

Easter Banner made from a J.Crew catalogue

Here is a little closer view.

OK. Not a “knock your socks off” kind of banner, but certainly an inexpensive and quick one that just makes me smile. Sometimes, it is just the little things.

Do you repurpose catalogues or hang on to one just because of the amazing graphics or layout? What is your favorite catalogue to get through the mail? You know, the kind where you grab a cup or glass of your favorite drink and dare anyone to bother you. Have you started decorating for Easter? If so, please share some of your simple decorating ideas.

Mar 5

Wall of Art

My N loves to draw. I love that he loves to draw. So, to foster this I signed him up for art classes at The Bean and Belle when we were living in NC. He learned so much. It was so great how the teacher had them work on a single project for weeks, concentrating on all of the details needed to make the artwork amazing. Here he is at his first art show with one of his masterpieces:

N’s Wild Thing named Hairy

Don’t let the serious look fool you, he was beyond stoked and so proud. I have always displayed his artwork in various areas throughout the home. I enjoy looking at them as much as he enjoys making them. When we moved to CO, I wanted a way to display his art but also be able to change it out easily. So, one day I saw this picture on a blog that I read, and I posted it to one of my Pinterest boards.

Displaying art

Don’t you just love how clean and simple this looks? It looked like a great way to hang a lot of different pieces and to interchange it easily. So, the hubs and I got to work. Well, I gave him the idea, and he actually did most of the measuring, cutting, and staining. I did not take pictures of each step in the process. Sorry, that was pre-blog. But basically, we measured the wall going up the staircase to determine the length of the boards we needed. After taking measurements of the boards that would go horizontally and vertically, the hubs cut them. He then laid them out and stained them with a dark stain. We have a lot of woodwork in our home, so we wanted to contrast the boards for the art wall with the other wood. After several coats of stain and dry time, we brought the pieces indoors and mounted them to the wall. I purchased hangers from the trusty old Target at less than $5 for four and Voila!

Here you have it as it looks ToDaY.

N’s Art Wall

You will notice his Wild Thing named Hairy is still with us, along with some newer pieces he has created. I have also added some quotes to the art wall. If you are not familiar with Katie Daisy (Take a Hike, as seen above), check her out. I have several of her prints hanging in my home. I love it, N loves it. I plan on changing out the quotes as I find ones that “speak” to me or a member of my little family.

So, what do you think? Do you have one area in your home where you display the kiddo’s art? Does your kid enjoy drawing? Does he/she draw anything in particular?

Every time I look up at this wall, I just smile because sometimes it is just the little things.

Mar 4

The Reading Tree

As some of you know, my family moved to CO less than 9 months ago. Since that time, we have been making various changes to our house to make it more of “our home.” We have painted a majority of the walls and replaced the carpet with hardwood floors. Once the walls were painted, the hanging began. Well, hanging of pictures, that is.

When you walk in our front door, there is a huge blank wall. That blank wall kept beckoning me to do something with it. We kept thinking about what we could put there. I have an amazing one-of-a-kind painting on the wall adjacent to the blank wall, so I wanted NOTHING to compete with it.

Ryan Bradburn Original

This painting was given to me by an extremely talented coworker who has gone on to do even more amazing things. You can check out his website at www.ryanbradburn.com Here is another view to help you get oriented.

The wall opposite the windows and front door is the blank wall I am referring to. Don’t mind the small desks in that room. We have plans to purchase a long table that we can use when we have friends and family visit. The table will also double as mine and N’s desks. But that is for another day.

My hubs decided that a decal would be great. Specifically, a decal of a tree. I loved the idea and it was fairly inexpensive. So, here is the wall now.

This decal also came with a quote: “Do not be afraid to bite off more than you can chew.” We have not decided yet whether to add that quote to the wall. Oh, and see those little pieces of paper? N decided that this would be his “Reading Tree.” So, every time he finishes reading a book, he writes the title and date on a piece of paper and uses a small piece of washi tape to place it on the tree.

N’s Reading Tree

Win, Win. I decorate my wall and N is motivated to read more books. Here is how it all looks.

What do you think? We will be adding a light above the painting soon. It has already been purchased, but still sits in its box.

I love the tree decal. Now, when I walk in my front door, I smile. It also looks great from the outside at night when my desk light shines on it.

Do you have a big wall decal in your house or have plans for one? What do you think about adding the quote to the wall, as well? I love when things come together, even if sometimes, it is just a little thing.

Mar 1

Taking A Time Out

I am so guilty of going through the routine of my day and not stopping to do something little that will just make me smile and take me to that happy place. You see, once I get started on something, I sometimes get too focused. Usually something will happen that will refresh my memory of the importance of just taking a time out.

Yesterday, a neighbor and I walked back from the school together. You see, I am fortunate in that we live very close to N’s school, so I get to walk him and his friends to and from school every day. She invited me to come inside and share breakfast and conversation with her, her 2 year old daughter and another neighbor. We had some amazing Polish food, bread, and cookies. But, best of all, we had great conversation, fun, and laughs. I love getting to know people better. We sat and sipped hot tea for hours. Did my housework get done? Not as much as I had planned, but I did that housework with a smile on my face, dancing along to the music on the radio. Why is it that we get so focused on the “to do” list in our heads that we forget to stop and just enjoy “time with the girls.”

So, with this idea still fresh on my brain, I called my Mom this morning just to hear about her life and how her day is going. I really miss my family since moving to Colorado. Unfortunately, I seem to get so caught up in my day that I go several days without picking up the phone just to chat. I will change this.

With this in mind, I have started an “Entertaining the Girls” board on Pinterest. I will be adding things to this board that will motivate and remind me to just invite people over for a small gathering and tons of fun. Wouldn’t you like to sit with the girls and sip this white wine with frozen grapes?

White wine with frozen green grapes

Or bake a quiche to be served with a small salad and some hot tea?

Tea time

Of course, something sweet would always be in order. If you read my post yesterday, you know how much I adore sugar.

I think you get the idea. Take a Time Out to invite a friend over for hot tea, coffee, a cold beer, wine with raspberries, mimosas, etc. Pick up that phone to talk with a family member or friend. Enjoy that time, laugh alot, and get to know people better through great conversation.

Do you have a go to drink or recipe that you serve when you invite the girls or guys over? Please share.

Feb 28

I am honored just to be Nominated…

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when my friend, Amy, selected my blog to receive the Liebster Award! She and her blog, Baby Mama Juice, are the reason I finally got motivated enough to start my own blog.

This award is presented from one blogger to another newbie blogger as a way to acknowledge and recognize their blog. A little “shout out”, if you will.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:
1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to next.
3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.
4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
5. No tag backs.

OK. Post 11 random facts that I don’t mind people knowing about me. Ready, set, go.

1. I adore sugar. I eat dessert every night without fail.

2. I am a monster when I am hungry. Most, if not all, of my friends and family will agree.

3. I can spend hours in front of the computer just perusing the web.

4. Talking on the telephone is not my thing. So, if I have not called you in awhile, don’t worry. I promise, you are not the only one.

5. I prefer shopping on the internet and having the goods delivered straight to my door.

6. I am constantly playing with the ends of my hair. My hairdresser does not like this!

7. The first thing I do in the mornings is grab a pod from my kitchen drawer and make me a cup of coffee.

8. I can talk myself into just about anything if I want it bad enough. On the flip side, I can also talk myself out of something if I don’t really want to do it.

9. Once I put a winter hat on my head, it does not come off for the entire day.

10. I like to purge. I do not like clutter.

11. I love to take pictures!

Done. OK. Now to answer the 11 questions from Amy:

1 When and why did you start your blog?

I started my blog on February 19th of this year. Yes, I am definitely a newbie.

2. Who are your girl crushes?

Whitney Cummings or at least the Whitney on her tv sitcom because of her quick wit and humor.
Olivia Wilde because she is gorgeous.
Anne Hathoway because she always seems so sophisticated and is uber talented.
Hoda Kotb because I would just love to sit with her and talk over a cup of coffee.
Katharine McPhee because if you watch the show SMASH, you don’t even have to ask.

3. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Not putting things back where they belong. What is so hard about that?

4. If you could have a second home, where would it be?

I probably should list some place far away and exotic. However, since moving farther away from my family, I would like to own a vacation home near them. We could spend the summer there, and family members could visit as it fit into their schedule.

5. What is your favorite movie?

That is tough, since I don’t see many adult movies any more. One that comes to mind, however, is Fried Green Tomatoes.

6. Where is your favorite place to shop?

For clothes, Athleta. For home, West Elm. For both, Anthropologie

7. If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you ask them?

I very much enjoy Kelle Hampton’s blog Enjoying the Small Things. She has a huge heart, a great positive take on life, a sense of humor and takes amazing photos. I would probably ask her for some photography tips.

8. Would you rather take a vacation in the mountains or the beach?

I am a mountain kind of a girl.

9. How do you come up with ideas for your blog posts?

My brain never shuts off. It usually is a project that I have completed or something that just entered my life or thoughts for that day.

10. Do you have a daily beauty routine? If so, what is it?

I try not to have a strict routine. However, life is life. I wake up around 6:30, feed N, pack his lunch, get dressed, and walk him to school. Once I get back home, I eat, peruse the web, write my blog, etc. Run errands, clean house, walk back to school to get N. Play with N and his friends until time to cook dinner. Cook, eat, do homework with N, read with N, get N ready for bed. Then, crash on the sofa with the hubs to watch T.V. This is on days when I do not volunteer.

11. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

Not to care so much about what other people think.

Done. Here are my 11 questions for the blogs I am nominating:

1. What do you want to be when you grow up?

2. If you could splurge on one thing, what would it be?

3. What do you do first thing in the morning when your feet hit the floor?

4. What is a quote that you love and try to live by?

5. What simply just makes you smile or makes you feel all warm inside?

6. What is your favorite television show?

7. Do you have a hobby? If so, what is it?

8. What is your drink of choice with dinner?

9. Yoga, Pilates, Running, Biking? What is your favorite way to exercise?

10. What is one thing that you love about yourself and you hope never changes?

11. What is your favorite blog to read?

Lastly, here are my 11 nominees. Well, I only have 2 nominees because all of the blogs I follow have thousands of followers. And I do not have any friends who have started new blogs except the ones listed below and the one who nominated me.

Taking the Shot

Please keep me Safe

Thanks again Amy! Go check her out at Baby Mama Juice. Keep up the good work ladies.

Feb 27

Well, Hello…

I love doing simple things around our house to make it feel more like OUR HOME. I often get my ideas perusing the web and reading various blogs, magazines I subscribe to, Pinterest, Houzz, etc. While reading through the Young House Love book, I discovered my love on page 320 where they put a vinyl decal on their front door. They decided to put their house number. However, I opted for something a little different.

I purchased the vinyl decal from this Etsy shop. Don’t pay attention to the fact that I have no wreath currently hanging on my door or the fact that I desperately need to change out that light fixture. Here is another view from the road.

My “Hello” Door

See how well it shows up even from a distance. Looking up at that door when I am outdoors playing with my N and his friends, just makes me smile. The best part…it took a little less than $7 and about 15 mins out of my day. After all, sometimes it is just the little things… I hope it makes my visitors smile, as well.

Have you added something to your front door that just makes you smile? A new paint color or perhaps a new wreath? Have you used vinyl decals anywhere in your home? I am thinking of getting number decals for my stairs indoors. What do you think?

Feb 26

To Cover or Not to Cover

Today’s post is certainly about life stuff, especially if you are a parent, but simple, it is not. Or at least it is not simple to this mama who OVER analyzes everything. Let me give you a ~~little~~ a lot of background.

N has a weather project due for his 2nd grade class on Thursday. He has to display the information and give a presentation. He chose hurricanes. He could not wait to get started. He worked on this project for several days with the guidance of his “project loving” dad. He taught N the finer points of how to do all the prep work. Of course, the whole time, N just wanted to get to the creative part. The hubs taught N how to gather and write down information from his sources (books and the web). He then proceeded to instruct him on how to write the information on its own Post- it. N then placed the Post-its on the wall in the order in which he thought made the most sense.

So far, so good. To make a somewhat long story short, we printed out photos to place on the display board. I typed the information N wanted to go along with his pictures on the board based on the now infamous Post-it notes. We organized the pictures and information, and we glued. N is still excited at this point.

Then last night, it is time for N to use his oil pastels to put the title at the top of the display board (Hurricanes: Wild Waves and Wicked Winds). Great title, yes? I leave him to his own devices because after all, it is HIS project. OK, here is where we are now:

Of course, as a perfectionist, my brain is, “What the Hell? The word Hurricanes should take front stage.” “Why is Hurricanes just crammed on there and bleeding over into your typed text?” “Why is it not capitalized?” As a parent, I take a deep breath and I tell him that, “I really like the big, blocked letters, and the colors and that the title is perfect.” Then, I have to be honest with him and give him the dreaded BUT, “Honey, the word hurricanes should have been first and the biggest word.” “After all, your whole project is about hurricanes.” He agreed with me, but got that discouraged look on his face and professed that he no longer was excited about the project because he messed it up. My brain starts churning and my heart hurts just a bit.

This project reminds me of something I grapple with daily. To praise no matter what or tell the truth? Child Psychologists tell us to praise, praise, praise or kids will be discouraged, depressed, feel like a failure, scared to try new things, have low self-esteem. But what about honesty and teaching life lessons? We don’t always get it right the first time. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. We just try very hard not to make the same mistake twice. If we don’t teach them these lessons, life will slap them in the face one day.

Do you always praise your child to boost their egos and self-esteem and to keep them motivated and willing to take chances? Do you give them the praise even though they haven’t earned it? Or do you teach them important life lessons and tell them the truth? As a parent, I would like to strike a balance.

So, do I cover part of the title, the messed up part, with white paper and have him try again, or not cover it and leave it alone?