Time flies!

Where has the time and the summer gone to.  I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've been on here.  We had a fabulous vacation (pictures to come) and have just been having fun with the kids this summer.  That was my whole goal this summer was to make sure we had fun and I think I've accomplished it.

 The last Friday fun day we could squeeze in before vacation (I had to work the Friday before we left for vacation) wasn't all that spectacular.  I was feeling like I could sleep forever and it was miserably hot and humid.  When it's already 90 degrees at 10 you  know it's gonna be a hot one.  So we headed to the doctor's first for Autumn's 6yr physical.

Then we headed to Target to get a bag of cheerios and head to City Park.  They have a great shaded playground and a lake with ducks.

Aren't they cute!

Logan happy watching all the ducks! (see how red his cheeks are? it was hot!)

This little lady kept me company the entire time I sat on the bench.

So despite mom feeling blah and it feeling like we were stuck in a rain forest they had fun and it sure wore them out.

I'll be back tomorrow to post vacation pictures.

Office Area

Back in February I decided to tackle the great room, which includes the kitchen, living room, dinning room and an office area.  When we built the house we decided the computer and desk would go in this space so it was easily accessible and to be able to monitor the kids on the computer once they got old enough.  Sometimes I wish I had an office but the only other option would be to move the laundry room downstairs and move the office in there.  But I really don't want to tote the insane amount of laundry up and down the stairs.  So for now this will have to do until we finish the basement. 

Our desk is dark and it never seems like we have enough room on the desktop.  It just didn't feel right.

It's just an unorganized cluster. I was at a loss of what to do with it. So one day while I was out in blogosphere,

I fell in love with a picture that Melanie over at My Sweet Savannah posted.

This made my heart go pitter patter. 

So after some paint, we ended up with this

 (excuse the picture, I didn't have enough proper lighting)

Some new hardware

Locker baskets I got off ebay for $12 a piece and lined with burlap.

The mini curtain rod with clips to display the kids weekly art work.

This whole space still needs to be refined but it's coming along.  Once the kids are back in school I can focus on it again.

P.S. 4 more days until we leave for vacation!

Seriously!

I accomplished absolutely nothing last week. I felt blah. Blah as in I just want to crawl back to bed and sleep.  I figured I felt that way just because it was that time of the month.  My left gland in my throat started bothering me, but I thought I had nicked it with a cracker.  Thursday it still wasn't better so I grabbed a flashlight at work and went in the bathroom.  What I saw caused me to get on over to urgent care.  Needless to say I have strep.  I've never had it before.  Thank goodness the kids are still fine.  We leave for vacation in 6 days so I'm kind of glad it happened then and not this week. 

Friday fun day I don't think was all that fun this week but I just wanted to take a nap and it was really hot and muggy.  Three Fridays ago we headed out to Old Bedford Village.  I figured it was something different plus the kids were free to get in.

Autumn wasn't happy to sit next to her brother.

I loved the porch on this house.

Let me tell you, they had some awesome furniture in these houses.  I was drooling over some pieces. All the items and houses were donated.

They had lots of ironstone everywhere.

They couldn't wait to get to the horse area.

Mr.Frog was the highlight as we were leaving. They could have stayed and watched him forever.

Two Friday's ago we went and saw this

The kids enjoyed it.  I did too.  I have to admit I almost cried at the end. Once I get the pictures off the camera I'll show this past Friday's Fun Day.

Friday Fun Day's

This summer I decided to rename Friday, Friday Fun Day's.  And my goal was to choose something different each Friday that I thought would be fun.  We got a bit of a late start on starting the Friday's as I had to finish painting the great room and restoring it to some type of order before Autumn's party.  Three weeks ago we hopped in the car a set off for an hour and half drive.  I don't tell the kids where we are going, we just go.  They had a blast at this amusement park that is pretty much geared to kids I would say 10 and under.

This was the first ride they chose.

This ride made my stomach turn.  I had not had anything to eat and going around in circles was not helping.

I didn't get any pictures of the water park.  I had to keep track of two kids by myself in this humongous kiddie pool so the camera stayed put.  Needless to say they were tired at the end of the day.  They asked if we could go back and I said yes.  Now I just need to talk hubby in to going so I don't feel so stressed watching two kids in the pool by myself.

The Kitchen

All the painting of the cabinets and walls has finally been completed.  What a long process that was.  I never expected to paint my cabinets, but with them having never been the color we wanted and trying to strip and stain was not going well, paint was the most appealing option.  The kitchen for the time is done, but it is not done.  Here is the before

These pictures were taken at the very beginning when I was picking out colors.  See the paint colors above the window.

The cabinets had started to yellow over time and I absolutely hated it.  With no direct sunlight into the house because of the porch overhang it was rather dark.

Here is the after

Hardware I got off of ebay.

Hubby picked out the color's.  I'm not sure about the blue though.

Here it is do date.  I ordered the stainless steel from one of our suppliers at work and then the shop forman welded the corner's for me. I think the front of the island needs something.  I really want to put beadboard on it.  The other countertops need to be addressed as well.  I have no idea what I want or what would look right.  I also want to tile the backsplash and I am dreaming of an apron front sink.  I just don't know about that blue.

 

Fireplace Mantle

The fireplace mantle that I picked up at Luckett's back in May is finished and installed.  I have this wall that really could serve no purpose what so ever, so I had painted a magnetic chalkboard for the kids to use and after painting the walls the green just stood out like a sore thumb, so I re-painted it black.  It needed something so I went on the hunt.  I was not expecting to find something like this for just $57.  It was cheaper than hubby building me one, which he said he would do.

Here it is before

I loved the simplistic details

It had a layer of pink, blue, yellow, sea green and varnish.  There was also contact paper on top of the pink on the top of the mantle.

Here is the after

Hub's had to cut a little off the ends, but I still like it.

 

Now I just need some accessories for the mantle. Overall I am very pleased with how it turned out.  Once I discovered the contact paper didn't want to come off I thought it was going to be a long process, but a little bit of stripper saved the day.

See the dark trim in the hallway in the background of the first picture.  I think that may be my next project.

Busy Weekend

I had this wonderful post for Autumn's 6th birthday but go figure my computer would not cooperate in downloading my pictures.  And what is a post without pictures.  Autumn lost her 3rd tooth on Friday night after a mishap of crashing into the couch and loosening it even more with a lot of blood.  So mom did the honor of wiggling it until it came out.  We properly placed it under her pillow in hopes the tooth fairy would make a visit. Sure enough Saturday morning she informed me that she had indeed visited us during the night.

Family made the long drive to our house to celebrate with us on Saturday.  Autumn is tickled that she said goodbye to......

And hello to .........

I asked her if being 6 felt any different than being 5 and she assured me it does. 

After opening presents (and a fight with her brother)

We had some cake (excuse my sloppy icing job)

On Sunday, her actual birthday, we left hubby to some peace and quiet for Father's Day and went swimming in Grand mom's pool. 

It is so hard to believe that 6 years ago on Father's Day I woke hubby up at 8:30 informing him I thought I was in labor.  Leaving the house at 9:35 for a 45+ minute ride to the hospital, but arriving there in 25 minutes.  To hubby passing out on me and holding her in my arms just 20 minutes after arriving.  It is a day that will be ingrained in my heart and mind forever.   

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!