The Little Red Caboose Birdhouse

My sister Sharmyn is a creative soul. Recently, she and her husband traveled to Utah for Education Week and to spend time with her in-laws. We didn't get enough time with her. "We" meaning me. I briefly got her to myself on Monday night, where she showered us with gifts. Shouldn't it be the other way around? From her crowded luggage bag, she produced a Strawberry Shortcake book (I still very much love the original Strawberry Shortcake), a sweet little vase to match my decor, a handmade bag from India, few other little trinkets and fun things and this sweet little bird house that she made for Sam. I love this little birdhouse! It's made from an old book and just matches the boys room just so. I am looking for the perfect place to put it.




Thanks Sharm! I love it! Really I do! Wish that I could of had you all to myself because I am selfish like that. I am dying to come visit you at your home to see your stomping grounds.

First Day of School

I can't believe that it is already time for school to start. Where did the summer go?? The poor kids and I are still on a very relaxed summer schedule, so waking up this morning was a bit of a chore. Once awake, Jake was bubbling with energy preparing for the day. While I was getting ready myself, I heard Jake in talking to Mia about school. "You get to go to school today! When you go to school you will get smarter and smarter and then you will be in 2nd grade and have my teacher from last year too. You will love her! We'll walk together too!" It was too cute to have him in her room getting her excited too.


Finally, seven minutes later than I planned, we were rushing to school. I wasn't sure what line Jake needed to be in for his class. We walked around looking for his line with the neighbor boy looking for their lines. No luck. Poor Jake had tears well up in his eyes feeling stressed that he was messing up the first day. Finally, we just ducked inside to find his class already seated. It took a few minutes for Jake to compose himself but at least he wasn't the last one in. Coming home, he was thrilled to tell me about his day. Disappointed that he hadn't made any new friends yet, happy to see old friends from last year and proud of his pencil top eraser he won playing Name Bingo in class.


Kindergarten doesn't actually start this week, we had a 1/2 hour orientation this morning. It was good for us to see how long it takes for Mia to get ready in the morning. She choose one of her two new outfits, got her hair done and insisted on lip gloss. I am thankful for this week to get her used to waking up earlier and getting out the door. She's never had to do this before and I can see that I need an extra 10-15 minute for her.


Mia's teacher is adorable! I am thrilled for Mia. Mia was shy and unsure of her new surroundings. All of her neighborhood friends are in the other class. She was happy to see a familiar face from church. She followed the rules, enjoyed a story and drew a picture of herself. It was especially fun for her when she got to choose a balloon for finishing her picture. Walking home with her hand in hand, she told me that she thought that her teacher was funny and was excited to be there. Kindergartner's are so adorable.




I am looking forward to helping in their classes this year. I hope that I can swing over there a few times while Ryan is home. I really enjoy seeing them in their environment, seeing how they learn and interact.


So even though this school year has taken me by surprise, I am so excited for them to start. I love school and I hope that they love it too.

Just call me Joy...

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Sorry, posted wrong link on Nester's 10 minute change.

Go here!

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While talking on the phone today, I somehow decided that it was the perfect time to spray paint my fabulous finial find from the D.I. about a month ago. I was too busy chatting to take a before pic plus, I wasn't sure how good it would turn out. Just imagine forest green...

When Joys of Home posted this post about some finials that she made into beautifully aged garden finials, I knew that's what I wanted to do with mine. So, just like Joy, I spray painted it with gray primer. Then, just like Joy, I dry brushed some white acrylic paint over it. And to my surprise, it worked! It wasn't hard at all. I like it very, very much and have been busy auditioning it in different places in my home.

Today, Joys of Home is having a spray-painting party. I had a post about my lamps that I recently finished on her list already but I can't help myself for quickly throwing this un-planned project on the list too.

Thanks for the inspiration Joy!!

Lamps Revamped

Isn't that an original and creative title? Wowza! I sure amaze myself.

Remember my spray painting project gone wrong? Well, I fixed it. It's not perfect, but it's good enough! I sanded some of the grit off and sprayed with another brand of paint. That paint worked much, much better. If I would of taken more time to sand, it probably would have looked even better.

I am super pleased with how these lamps turned out. They were such a bargain! The lamps were $5 each from the DI, new lamp harps on clearance for $3.48 each, the brand new lamp shades were a score from a yard sale for $1 each, $3 for spray primer, $3 for gritty spray paint, then $3 more for another try. Cheap, cheap, cheap and I think they look pretty good! Today, I added a dollars worth of ribbon to see how I like it. What do you think? With or without?

I was surprised at how sadden I was to hear the news of Stephanie and Christian Nielsen last Monday. She and her husband were involved in a fiery airplane crash last Saturday. They are both in critical condition.

I have been reading her blog, NieNie Dialogues for a while now since Sharmyn introduced her to me. I really enjoyed the uplifting feeling that her blog brought. As her sister said, she had a way to romanticize the mundane and I truly fell that she felt that way in real life.

As they fight for their life, their recovery will be long, hard and costly - anticipated cost well into the millions. They have four young children and a household to keep up with no parents. We have been keeping them in our prayers and a donation fund has been set up. If would like to read the updates on them or donate a little to their cause, go to her sisters blog http://blog.cjanerun.com/ .

A new addition to the family

Meet Elizabeth.

We welcomed a little kitty into our family yesterday. Our neighbor's cat had kittens and they were trying to find home for them. We met her last week alongside her brothers William and Jack (name the movie) but Ryan and I were unsure about the added responsibility. That all changed abruptly yesterday when the neighbor announced that she didn't have a home and she was going to take her to the pound this week unless we wanted her. Of course, we took her in. And the kids couldn't be happier!

This little one better be a patient kitty. She has lots of love coming at her all day long. Mia and her friends carry her like a baby. I imagine she'll be dressed up sooner than later.

Jake and his friends have been rough housing with her. Sam is mesmerized following her around trying to play with her. For some reason, she doesn't like to play ball with him. Might be that he knocked her off the sofa table throwing the ball at her.

So far, she seems pretty well tempered. She'll come looking for us with her soft meow and purring and snuggling in for a quick pet before she's off to explore some more. The kids are happy and that makes me happy.

It's a PAR-TAY!

A window mistreatment party that is...

I first discovered the Nester through Nicole. She's all about the Nester and all that home-blogging stuff. It's so very addictive. Anywho, the Nester makes you feel like it's A-OK to have less than perfect window treatments up. She puts her treatments up with upholstery tacks, drapery ring clips and hot glue and she's proud of it!

Here's my first accidental mistreatment. I tend to test out theories before I "commit" to them. Here, I was testing out hanging tea towels to give us some more privacy. I didn't want to commit to drilling holes in the wall so I used a spring rod, drapery clips and the towels. I guess I like it, because it's still up! I even bought a rod to make the commitment, but have yet to actually put it up. Commitment issues or laziness? You decide.

Then, my second mistreament. This is more of a mistreatment in progress without making the actual progress. I obviously don't hate it, otherwise it wouldn't still be hanging. Mia's room is a tiny little room with a big window. I pinned a sheet set (that I just tore the elastic off and didn't iron) and a pink panel sideways with some left over ribbon and pinned on some cute pom-pom fringe and voila! My own little mistreatment!

It's so hard to get a decent picture! I think that it looks good and then I take the picture and think twice. Oh well... hope the idea comes across!

Go here to get inspired by other mistreaters. It's kind of fun!