Dream Big. Start Small.

Do you know how many times I hear "How do you do so much?" or "You do so many things!" or something along those lines?

I'm not complaining. I know I "do all the things". I'm also not complaining about doing those things.

I'm here more or less to encourage you.

How appropriate for the beginning of a new year is this? It may sound cheesy but there is so much truth in this one little statement. I saw this little quote by a TED Talk Speaker, Simon Sinek (I'm sure he is famous for other reasons but, he has several really great keynotes that you can listen to here).



Whatever dream you have - whether it be to stay home with your kids or work less hours, lose weight, work your way towards your dream job, buy a car or a house or a boat (I know a guy!), travel more, to make it from paycheck to paycheck, whatever it is... START!

I also saw something, that actually threw me off, that basically encouraged people not to do a dern thing but  stated that "God would make it so". I really, highly doubt God is looking down at us wanting us to simply sit and wait. Yes, His will be done and all those glorious and wonderful truths, but, laziness and complacency don't sit well with Him - guaranteed.

I may look like I have my hands in so. many. different. pots. And there are definitely days, sometimes weeks, where I'm like, "What in the actual F am I doing?" but if I am true to myself, I started and continue all my 'things' because I enjoy them. I have some lofty dreams tied to some. I am currently able to live some dreams tied to others. All in all, there is a reason for the madness and I really believe that a lot of 'starting,' no matter how hard it was, is tied to glorifying God and His plan for my life.

I'm not saying, "be like me!"

If there is something pulling at you, just start. No one got anywhere via complacency, moaning and groaning, or envying others.

Spaghetti Squash BBQ Chicken Casserole

So, I made this bomb paleo casserole (that isn’t 100% paleo because I added cheese to the top). Events leading up to it were not so fun. It’s spaghetti squash BBQ chicken casserole and here is the story behind the goodness (and thank God it was good or I would have really been ticked)! 

I bought the ingredients a few days before to be prepared and one of the main ones was a spaghetti squash (hence, the name). Well, I went to start cooking the spaghetti squash but it was nowhere to be found!!! Seriously, who loses a spaghetti squash?! They aren’t small! Luckily, my husband was just leaving work so he stopped for one. 

He got home, cut it in half (the width way, not length wise), I salted it, set it on a pan lined with parchment paper (cut side down) and cooked it for 35 minutes at 425F. 

Next, I got to work on the chicken. I cut two pounds of raw chicken breast  into bite size pieces. I honestly love doing that because it makes serving the meal to two littles a lot easier and faster! I digress. Into the pan with the chicken, I added garlic and Italian seasoning and some EVOO. I let the chicken cook while I diced a whole red onion. I added the red onion and two pouches of turkey bacon bits (yes, I cheated and used turkey bacon bits instead of cooking turkey bacon and cutting it) and let the chicken finish cooking. 

At this point, my youngest kept asking “Foooood, mommy? Fooood? Eat it?” Yes, dear, going as fast as I can! 

While the chicken and onions and cheater turkey bacon bits cooked, I whipped up some homemade bbq sauce! A small can of tomato paste, garlic, some shakes of liquid smoke, paprika, pepper, some maple syrup, then I used the tomato paste can to measure out 3/4 of a can of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 Worcestershire sauce. I whisked it all together, then tweaked what I put in and had my husband taste test it. He approved! Sorry, we don’t measure much around here. Who has time for that? 

I spaghettified the spaghetti squash, added in the chicken/bacon mix and the homemade bbq sauce then whisked up three eggs and added those. This all went into a parchment lined 13x9 pan. 

The kicker- since dinner was already severely delayed because of the case of the missing spaghetti squash, I threw in the casserole at 400F, set the timer for 30 minutes and tried to distract my hungry kids. I went to the oven with about 5 minutes left, to check on it and add the cheese .... and the oven was OFF! Say what?!? 

Ugh. Needless to say, I restarted the oven but my husband went to grab pizza because none of us could wait. 

The missing spoonful in the picture was tasty and kid approved - even after eating pizza. 

Can’t win them all, my friends. Half glass full: we now have dinner for tomorrow. 

6 Things I Do During Pregnancy...And Need To Do After

So, round 3 of pregnancy and I've been wondering this a lot lately. Probably because I've noticed my own behavior! We read articles and talk to friends and get input on what to do during pregnancy, to ensure a healthy and happy baby and momma. But, my question is, why don't we do this all the time? And not just women but, men too.

Here are a few things I've made mental note of recently that I pay much more attention to during pregnancy than during normal life (I say that because at this point in my life, I feel like I am pregnant more often than I am not!).

1. Establishing a good skin care routine.

Our skin does CRAY CRAY things while pregnant. Some of us break out like mad, some of us get pregnancy mask or melasma and some of us clear up like we haven't even hit puberty yet. Regardless, I notice that I pay much closer attention to my skin while pregnant. This is great, yes, but I need to keep it up after pregnancy too because, Lord knows the skin goes bonkers a few times trying to regulate those pesky hormones. 

2. Watching what goes on and in our body

Point #2 goes hand in hand with the above. I don't use products with retinol while pregnant or super harsh chemicals. I do make sure my skin is hydrated (I use this stuff and it's bomb: Active Hydration Body Cream) because with each pregnancy and while nursing, I feel like these babies literally suck me dry (and stretch marks are the devil but are inevitable sometimes). Also, I am not a naturalist by any means but essential oils are amazing for all life seasons and ages and ailments. I tend to run my diffuser into the garbage and douse kids with EO's while pregnant and I should be doing that all. the. time. 

I've also been watching what I eat. Besides the fact that this pregnancy has been full of cravings, I have been super mindful of what's going in my body. Mainly from a weight gaining standpoint but I need to be more consistent during the "off pregnancy" times. Lots of leafy greans, lean proteins, minimal carbs and dairy. But always ice cream. 

3. Working out and/or staying active

No one tells you how your shoulders will ache from carrying a 7 pound baby for 20 minutes. Or how your back will feel like it's going to spasm into oblivion after they've finally latched to nurse and there's no way in hell you're moving to get that boppy. Or how physically demanding labor and c-section recovery can be. But, you figure it out pretty dern fast. I won't say it's too late, but be careful trying to catch up when trying to get those weighted exercises in. Get clearance from your doctor and even still, take it easy. Working out and staying active before and during pregnancy make the transition to newbornhood/motherhood so much easier. You feel yourself faster and don't fatigue as quickly. Your stamina for those 2am parties will astound you. 

Don't stop there - keep up the activity after baby is born. He or she will need you even more outside of the womb. Your physical ability to keep up with mommy duties is overwhelming mentally, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming physically. 

4. Taking vitamins - and lots of them

Kind of like what I am putting into my body, I need to keep in mind the benefits of vitamins and probiotics! Probiotics are so good for baby (I wrote some notes on reflux and it mentions probiotics as a helpful aid) and mommy's gut health. Also, a prenatal may not be enough for you. Consider your food intake - do you need to supplement iron, calcium, DHA, vitamin D and the B's, or did you not get enough fruits and veggies (because all day sickness is REAL) that a food based vitamin could help? I absolutely love all the gummy vitamins - I take several - one with a probiotic, juice plus gummies to help get all those essential fruits and vegetables in, and a prenatal with DHA - I also take an iron supplement. I do all of this while nursing too but then I eventually leave a few off and end up only taking them here and there - bad girl! 

5. Getting enough sleep

Easier said than done while pregnant, I get this. However, I have made it a priority while pregnant - which is weird for me because I am usually one who can operate on little sleep. If you're not getting enough sleep pregnant or not, maybe evaluate what is really keeping you up - do you need to do meditation/prayer before bed to unwind, do you need a new mattress, do you need to politely ask your husband to go in the other room because he snores or wear some ear plugs? Sleep is so important for everyone. It improves brain function in EVERYONE. We encourage our littles to sleep so they can grow big and strong.

Why don't we take it more seriously when we aren't pregnant?

6. Watching my demeanor and tone of voice with my spouse and kids

Oh man, for the sake of all things holy why must hormones make us lose our ever living minds? I would love to go more than a week without wigging out on someone in my house. It is really, really hard and has gotten progressively worse with each pregnancy. I know better. So I need to be better. Grace is tossed around like pixie dust in my house, thankfully! This is a reminder for myself during and after this baby comes! They don't deserve it and I hate how it makes me feel. Keeping calm, generally keeps everyone calm. Apparently that is a harder lesson to learn than it really should be.

The list may sound obvious but point me to one person who is consistent with ALL of these things, ALL the time, so that I may shake their hand.

Wiser, just not older

I’ve wanted to write something like this for so many YEARS but never had the courage. I was once a 20- something with goals of being the CEO, helping to grow teams of people and an organization that was “going places”. Maybe it’s because I’m 31 now, clearly not a 20-Something. Maybe it’s because my life looks SO different than what I imagined and I’m loving this season and definitely believe God knows what He is doing. Maybe it’s because I don’t work at the place where a lot of these thoughts stem from. I have hesitated because I didn’t want to come off as disgruntled, though there is surely room for that, or immature, because that’s  the exact image I’m fighting against. 

I have worked (paid, unpaid, along side friends and family, as a volunteer, etc) with so many different types of people. Amazing people, despite differences. Younger people. Older people. People from all cultures, backgrounds, and walks of life. 

You have too, I’m sure! 

I have to say though, the people I enjoy being around and working with most are those who genuinely value me, my opinions and ideas, and who know my worth even more than I do.  Not just bosses or leaders that I’ve come to admire and respect, but certain peers as well. 

This isn’t to make myself feel better. No, this is for all those “other” people. Those people who look at the age of a person, their seemingly “limited” experience, even the way someone looks, and let’s not forget the gender factor. I’ve caught myself, one way or another, apologizing for my age, for my lack of experience in whatever the person was looking for, for the fact that I look even younger than my actual 20-Something age, and even for the fact that ... yep, I’m a woman. 

Crazy, right? I agree. 

What’s even more absurd is the fact that I’ve ever, EVER even felt the need to feel apologetic about those things. There were so many good ideas missed and passed over because of those few things mentioned above. So for the “others” here is some advice, culminating from YEARS of being passed over:

First and foremost, don’t EVER pass someone over based on their age, looks, gender, or past experience. Organizations are not “good ole boy” clubs. If you’re younger, remember who gave you a shot and keep in mind that they’re the reason you’re even in the position you’re in. If millinnials annoy you because they seem to only complain, maybe you’re just not listening or maybe you’re not helping them understand. If your allegiance is to a group of people who don’t embrace change, are afraid of and intimidated by younger people with less experience, and/or who don’t have a growth mindset and you’re too feeble to invite others in to that group, you’re going to struggle. If your job is to generate growth then you better learn to embrace trials, errors, ideas, opinions and change. Your greatest asset will be listening to your team and empowering individuals - from the receptionist to the CEO - so learn how to do that, quickly. 

If you see a spark in someone, cultivate it! Don’t put it out because they intimidate you and because you have the power to do so. Embrace and mentor them. Guide them. Love them. 

All this to say, you will suffer, whatever it is you’re working towards will suffer and so will the person you’re scrutinizing, if you don’t get some awareness, stat. It will take that person a lot of rejection and heartbreak to learn that, it wasn’t them. Unfortunately for the firecracker that got away, you and others like you, or the entire organization just weren’t ready for them, yet. 

I have a new perspective now. I sit behind a desk for less than a few hours a day, and when I’m there, my view is that of a playroom of toys scattered around. What I am certain of, though, is that my experience has only made me better, wiser, some may say more intimidating, but I’ll be damned if I’m not more proud of myself than ever. I am surrounded by people who seek me, my experience, advice and/or opinions and my tenacity. 

I’m so thankful for my spark. 

Pinterest Win or Pinterest Fail: Nursery #3 Reveal!

A few weeks ago I posted this blog for baby #3's nursery inspo.

I am happy to say the nursery is DONE! We made it our mission to be done before the holidays and we knocked it all out just in time for Thanksgiving, and that is something to be thankful for! Now we can sit back and enjoy one last holiday season with only 4 little feet running around as opposed to 6 (eek!).

Oddly enough, maybe because it's 3rd times a charm, I don't know, but this was the EASIEST of the three nurseries! Now, I fear my husband might make me spruce up the other two because this one is.. legit, for lack of a better term.

Now, was this a Pinterest Win or Pinterest Fail? I'm calling it a win - maybe not exactly how I imagined when first perusing Pinterest but, definitely perfect for welcoming home our Violet Blake. (Side note: every time I walk by the room, I smile a little on the inside. This is one room I am insanely proud of!)

Here it is, the (third) big reveal! I literally linked almost everything - the wall paint is Gentle Rain by Bher.

This is the wall across from the entry. 

Curtains: Z Gallerie (used to hang in our old living room); Rocker: who knows, used with two previous babies; Basket: Container Store (here); Wooden stool: At Home (here); Geometric Shelves: Hobby Lobby (two sizes - here) but I added the paper to them (it's wrapping paper that I cut to fit and used modge podge to adhere to the metal; the paper matches the pillow!); Swag: Hobby Lobby (here); Dresser: mine from when I was little, re-purposed once for my son and then again for baby #3 - bought gold hardware from Home Depot and used left over navy paint from our kitchen remodel; Lamp: At Home (here); Curtain Rod: Amazon (here); Pillow: Here

This wall is to the left of the changing table/dresser and faces the closet.

Name sign: Etsy (shop here) - I spray painted it with gold glitter when it arrived; Pictures: Hobby Lobby (elephant & ikat) - I used gold paint on the frames and on the pictures themselves, I also had a monogram made and stuck it onto the ikat print (see below); Flowers: a mix of Hobby Lobby (here) and the others were donated by a friend - I used blush pink chalk paint (find it here) on a few of them; Crib: Babyletto but was my daughter's before; Crib Sheet: Amazon (find it here); Basket: Container Store (here)

This is a bit of wall space next to the closet. My dad built the bookshelf and it's original purpose was to hide behind a door, however, the closet doors are behind the entry door. I love how this little corner turned out, though! Wall art: Hobby Lobby; Hooks: Amazon (here). 

This wall is just to the left of the entry, so just inside the room. 

White shelf: used for other daughter's room previously, Hobby Lobby; Arrow: Hobby Lobby and added the twine for the bows; Globe: Hobby Lobby; Shelves: Hobby Lobby (see above); Mirror: Hobby Lobby (here); Baskets: Container Store (here); Rug: RugsUSA (here) and OMG!!! This rug is AMAZING and actually REALLY soft!  

Here are some pictures of a few of the DIY's from above: 

     

Colic Shmolic

Once our daughter was diagnosed with silent reflux, ie. the silent parent killer...kidding... I got to work on ways to try to help her before resorting to meds. We aren't for or against vaccines or meds but, she was SO little and giving a baby strong steroids was really not ideal for us or my conscience. I've written this out for so many friends and family, I thought it was time to just post it!

First things first, if anyone tells you that your baby has colic, as if it's just a thing that happens and there is nothing you can do about it - shame on them and keep looking for answers. Babies cry for a REASON. They wake up in the night screaming for a REASON. It is not normal or acceptable, it is absolutely not your fault, and I highly encourage you to SEEK HELP, RESEARCH, and ASK QUESTIONS.

After visiting with doctors, scouring the internet, meeting with a certified lactation consultant - here is a run down of all I know now and ALL.THE.THINGS we did to help - either that or she outgrew it! Which is kind of fantastic, too. I've also attached links to the products purchased below.

1. I know this sounds obvious but, you'd be surprised (I mean, have you read some of these mom group questions? You know what I'm talking about) - eliminate anything that makes your tummy rumble like foods, drinks or vitamins high in fiber. In fact, if nursing, I would eliminate all of that from the beginning - including all dairy and coffee and coke (any diuretics and caffeinated products).

2. I found, during our research, that babies who aren’t fully developed often have this issue - though a LOT of full term/larger and older babies have it, too. They either don’t have a proper flap (I'm not a doctor so bare with me, the thing attached to their esophagus that can cause hiccups!) so any milk intake can come up and it can burn! Also, their tummy and digestive system may not produce enough cell salt (a natural tums/antacid). You can help both of these and hopefully, eventually, God-willing baby will outgrow it (that’s some good news). Cell salt used and regimen followed is below.

3. When nursing - this was INCREDIBLY helpful to know - your milk sacs are made up of things like grapes. So when you squeeze a grape, juice comes out and then there is the gooey stuff attached to the grape's skin. Well your thick and heavy milk sticks to the “skin” of these sacs - yes, there is some even if you are past the colostrum stage. Your goal should be to release or detach the heavy milk from the milk sac/skin and nurse until your breast is completely, totally empty. I used to nurse equal lengths of time on both sides, mainly because I heard stories where some babies ended up with a preference of side - which, compared to silent reflux, is the least of my worries! I understand the importance of nursing until one side is totally empty and simply offering the second breast if they're still hungry (then start the next feeding on the side you ended with). Allowing baby to get that thick, hind milk ensures the weight of the milk will stay down in baby's tummy better. This is also why reflux seems to "go away", because they start to eat heavier foods eventually. THE TRICK: To help aid in getting the hind/heavy milk to release from the milk sac, if you seem to have trouble, is this - towards the end of a feeding, microwave a sock filled with rice for about 30 seconds or less, hold it on your breast (be careful it's not too hot because it will be touching baby, potentially) to warm your breast, and massage all around as she nurses.

4. Nurse baby at as high of an angle is comfortable for you.

5. Also, don't lay baby down or put them on their tummy for about 20 minutes after feeding - this will help tremendously. When you do lay baby down, try to prop up whatever she is laying on or in, if possible.

6. When we were really at a loss we gave baby colic tablets and mylecon (gas drops) to help ease the tummy.

7.  Make sure their latch is good. Nursing should not hurt but if she is sucking air, that will make it worse - even bottles can allow air into a baby's tummy so watch closely, burp often, and maybe try a few bottles before committing to one brand/style.

8.  Don’t bounce baby - sounds obvious but throwing it out there!

9. I know pacifiers are helpful and pure sanity savers but, if you can stand it, try not to use them. Baby may end up sucking in air and you might not know it.

10. Last but not least, since I was nursing, I got started on a probiotic and (regardless of nursing) we started to give probiotics to baby morning and night. Probiotics help aid in digestion and since that's the root cause of silent reflux, it definitely didn't hurt.

The regimen we had:
Before nursing or bottle feeding:  We gave 1 cell salt and 1 colic tablet. After feeding we gave 1 of each again and some mylecon drops. We also gave her jaro drops, an infant probiotic recommended by our doctor, morning and night. Doing these things consistently was a LIFE SAVER!! It was at the peak of her reflux, around 6-9 weeks. Then she either outgrew it or the stuff worked well!!

We did end up putting our daughter on Zantac for a few weeks for sanity sake. It did help but we gave it sparingly - only at night and not consistently.

Products purchased/used:

Hyland's - Natrum Phos. 6x, 500 tablets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014ARBN4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9qYFBb61ZG6T7

Hyland's Homeopathic Baby Colic Tablets, 125 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IYB6RX0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TrYFBbVTWSN1J

Mylicon Infant Drops Anti-Gas Relief Dye Free formula, 1.0 Fluid Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011EVPAHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gtYFBbMSCWAVW

Jarrow Formulas Baby's Jarro-Dophilus Drops, 1 Billion Cells Per 6 Drops, Supports Intestinal & Immune Health, 8 ml  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N51XLUX/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U__VOU.Bb1GAR5CW

I hope these tips help for your sweet baby. If you are nursing, paying for the attention and help of a certified LC is HIGHLY recommended. Also, remember, the diet changes are temporary and hopefully this is, too.

**This is not actual, legal, medical advice, just our experience!**

I'm a Pinterest Mom: Dino-Four and Two-Tu Birthday Party

Disclaimer: All posts beginning with "I'm a Pinterest Mom" are not meant to be snarky. I legitimately enjoy being that mom. I don't own a vinyl or sewing machine (yet), but darn it if Etsy isn't my next best friend. Crafting and creating and designing are things that relieve stress and give me joy. Don't knock Pinterest moms until you get to know them! From home design to birthday parties and recipes - I am a Pinterest Mom... and proud of it.

Dino-Four and Two-Tu Birthday Party 

When you have two kids who have birthdays 6 days apart, you combo them. For all fairness and sanity sake, at least. Plus, lets be real, one birthday DAY versus two birthday DAYS - the answer is obvious. I'm one for a little party chaos but not that much. Also, I enjoy doing these things and don't want to ruin it for myself! So, combo party it is as long as I can help it!

Also, with the party happening just after our kitchen reno, money was TIGHT. I DIY'd a lot of this and found some pretty great deals at the dollar store and amazon. It just takes a little thought. Parties, especially Pinterest and Instagram worthy ones, don't have to be insanely expensive! Oh! And making your own cake/cupcakes will save you a TON of money. I normally spend about $100-$150 on cakes and cupcakes for both kiddos. That's insane. This year, I made their cakes and I am pretty proud of them - pics below.

Up until very recently, my 4 year old didn't care much about birthdays. I swear, every kid in his class has a birthday between July and December with the majority taking place at the end of September through mid-November - that's a LOT of birthdays when you consider the fact there are about 15-17 kids in the class. That being said, the idea of a birthday party was ingrained in his little brain pretty quickly - oh and thanks, Daniel Tiger. Luckily for me, the two year old could still care less so I was able to salvage a little creative freedom.

My 4 year old made it pretty clear, pretty quickly that he wanted a dinosaur birthday party. Let the pinteresting begin (here are some ideas I found in my initial search which helped lead me to the Dino-Four theme):

https://pin.it/ok3kuycednkinw

Backing up, I had purchased a SUPER cute tu-tu made by mudpie, from a little boutique in my home town (the owner is super sweet and her stuff is #totesadorbs - Farmhouse Market and Farmhouse Market Kids) back in April. I HAD to incorporate tu-tu's into the birthday party somehow. But not so fru-fru as ballerina's and baby pink BS everywhere. Yuck, no offense. I mean... look how cute...

And then, I got it! I was pretty stuck on the Dino-Four theme but my son, Grant, kept referring specifically to T-Rex. I muddled and mashed over a myriad of options and finally settled on a T-Rex & Tu-Tu's theme celebrating my son's Dino-Four Birthday and my daughter's Two-Tu birthday.  I'm big on shirts and invites to set the tone for an event (probably the marketer in me). The Dino-Four shirt was an easy find, as were the mamasaurus and daddysaurus (sorry, dear) shirts. I went one step further and got Lucy girl a dino shirt, too, tu-tu and big bow included that read Two-Rex.

Must have's - no baby pink, T. Rex, Tu-tu's, Dino-Four and Two-Tu slogans and a statement making it clear that gifts for both kids was NOT necessary. Step 1 was done and look how cute the invites turned out! 

The party was held at a park so minimal activities needed to be planned...or so I thought. There is never a perfect or weather proof event. When it never rains in October where you live, but then it rains every day since Hurricane season and the forecast calls for it the day of the party - you look for alternatives for play. I ordered a super cute pin the tail on the dino game, a bubble maker and some soft and small dodge-balls the week of the party (thanks, Amazon) and it was all a hit!

Big ticket items for me are food and decor...and of course party favors.

For the love of food: 

The party wasn't during the peak of a meal (because we wanted to let the other three kids who had birthdays that weekend enjoy their time, too!) but I needed some kind of sustenance. Enter Pinterest again. The Dino-nuggets were an obvious and easy choice, I threw in kolaches at the last minute, and we had the basics like fruits and veggies and pretzels. It was perfect and simple! Huge thanks to my mother in law for always helping with food needs! I was a little extra when it came to the tu-tu pops. However, (1) they were super easy and (2) they were a huge hit! Also, as previously mentioned, the cakes were a major cost savings. I used funfetti gluten free cake mix and gluten free frosting, mini cake pans from pampered chef, gold luster dust mixed with lemon extract for the 2 year old cake and chips ahoy cookies for the 4 year old dino cake, and a mini bunt mold for the small cakes.

   

   

   

More Decor! 

I usually go overboard with decor - like making centerpieces for instance. But, it's what makes a party and event special, in my opinion. Side note: the supplies for the centerpieces were all found at the dollar store - thank you very much! We split the pavilion (basketball court). One side was teal and dinosaur themed and the other was white/gold and tu-tu themed. Just like the invite, and it worked! The few days before I pieced together the back drops and with the help of a good friend (and amazing babysitter) we got the centerpieces done in no time at all. If this looks like it took hours, it really didn't. An hour or so a day here and there, just enough to keep me from freaking out the day/night before. Setting the tables and back drops the day before was also a huge time saver for set-up. We also had an army of people helping the morning of the party. Funny story: there was a group of men playing basketball under the pavilion where the party was to be held. They did NOT like that we wanted to set up, which delayed us a bit, and there was even a cop there to back us up. EEK! Luckily, they moved and only a few words were exchanged between my husband and one of the guys. Sheesh people, it is a little kid birthday party - you can play basketball any day #amiright

   

   

   

Ugh...party favors...

Let it be known, I am not one for goodie bags - I know, I know the kids love them and they are usually easy to put together and they ARE a nice gesture. But I just cannot with the excess sugar and trinkets that get lost or forgotten or broken within a few hours. This was an easy one, though. I decided on doing a dino-dig where the kids got to keep a dinosaur as their party favor - and  yes, I caved and ended up giving a sugar cookie, too. We also set out some tattoos! The little girls invited were able to make a DIY tu-tu! With the help of this same good friend mentioned above, we strung together basic white tulle and ribbon, I bought some princess and jewel stickers and cut some other strips of tulle in multiple colors for the girls (read: mom/dad) to add to the basic white that was provided. The kids loved both activities!

Links to what was purchased 

Bubble Maker

Pin the Tail on the Dino

Jewels for Tu-Tu's

Soft dodge-balls

Shovels for Dino Dig
Dino Decor
White Tulle for Tu-tu's
Multi-colored Tulle for tu-tu's
Gold luster for cake
Ribbon for Tu-tu's
Dino's for Dino-Dig
Extra Tiny Dinos
Dino Backdrop
Two-Tu Backdrop supplies
Stickers for Tu-Tu's
Dino Tattoo's 
Invite - Etsy link
Cake toppers - Etsy link
Dino-Four Shirt - Etsy link
Two-Rex Shirt - Etsy link
Cake Stands - Target
Table/Food signs - Target

Everything else I already had or was purchased at the dollar store.

Well, We Won't Be Doing That Again - Kitchen Remodel Part 7

Well, we won't be doing that again. I know, never say never. Even through the plague, we are so thankful this project came together (and came to an end). We are hoping and praying everything checks out with the inspection but all, in all, we are very pleased. As previously mentioned, it was not for the faint of heart. Remodeling is NO JOKE and it is definitely no HGTV, picture perfect process.

Also, it just goes to show you, that even though everyone else on the internet, with their picture perfect Instagram, seem to do these kinds of projects without issue or frustration - it's totally there. No matter how good the idea is or how beautiful the outcome, there was definitely a curse word said... or two or two hundred.

We learned so much - about things I don't care to ever encounter again - and some pretty hard lessons. Financially and logically we should not have undertaken a project of this magnitude. We should not have tried to help out a budding contractor because we felt for him. We should have researched and inquired more. We should have been patient and enjoyed our new home as it was for a while.

What's done is done and we are so thankful it is...done. All in time for our kids' birthday party and friends and family to visit!

Here is the final reveal of our kitchen. Caution: These are not professional photos, you will notice the terrible lighting, stuff lying around and dishes by the sink because... we are normal. Enjoy!

We spray painted our bar stools navy, the pendant lights are from Lowe's, the lamp is from Target, I sanded and stained the support under the granite (someone tried to tell me that it was unnecessary... huh?!?!), the track light is from amazon and the fan is from Home Depot. 

Opposite view - we removed the double doors to the dining room. That helped to open the space up, also. Now I have a cute coffee bar in there! 

Ignore the mismatched tile but notice the ice maker and wine fridge - so fun! Fun Fact: We found terrazzo flooring underneath the tile and restoring it might be our next project *insert evil laugh*. If you're not familiar with terrazzo - get familiar. It's basically a piece of (expensive) history in our home.

Note: Dishes by the sink. Debating on adding hardware but, one thing at a time, people. The track light replaced a nasty, huge square fluorescent and the fan replaced a nasty and tiny white fan. Fan in the kitchen - life saver! 

The next light to go - above the kitchen table. We decided to keep this L portion of the bar because it would have been a lot of dead and wasted space. Our breakfast area is already exceptionally large. You'll notice, too, we got rid of the entire, huge, walk-in pantry. The door in this picture was a cleaning supplies closet but is now the pantry and works great. Most of the food we eat is in the fridge or freezer or bought the week of cooking so our pantry didn't need to be huge. Our previous house had a small pantry, too, so it works for us! 

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Part 5

Part 6

Race to Finish - Kitchen Remodel Part 6

After the plague, things picked up. Well, after our BEAUTIFUL counter tops were installed, things picked up. Supposedly that was the missing piece to getting this thing done. Even the granite didn't come without issue though - the original one we picked was said to be "too soft" and would scratch easily (why no one told us before is beyond me), then we had to wait for the weather to clear up. Who knew cutting granite generated so much dust? That dust, when mixed with water, can turn into some really hard to clean paste. However, the finished product of the counter tops was well worth it.

Counter tops went in, cabinet paint was finished, floors were patched, back splash went in, electric was done. Even though there was a lot of doing, and re-doing, we could see the end. Here are a few more progress pics....

With a few stern words and tough conversations about needing to "get'r done", the contractors stayed late a few days to finish up. We had a grout issue and mismatch tile issue. Floors are the next project but not for a while. The grout issue was major, for me, because it stuck out like a sore thumb. It was too dark. BUT, did you know, there is grout paint?!?! It was a time and life saver for the contractors because I was NOT a very happy camper.

Grout paint cleaned up - left, grout painted on - literally with a paint brush - center, original (too dark) grout - far right.

Once all that was in and things were still being buttoned up, we realized the wall color - a flat, builder beige - was not going to work. We absolutely loved the color we chose for our previous house so we decided to go with that. It took the stress out of trying to find the right color, that's for sure. And yes, we went cheap - good ole' Gentle Rain  by Behr.

To all the painters who wanted me to spend an arm and a leg on paint -

Why would I spend money on expensive paint when we have a four year old, a two year old, a huge and clumsy dog and are about to welcome a newborn to the Walker clan, who all, at any given moment, can projectile vomit, lose the lid to a sippy, or splatter food/water/mud/etc all over said paint? We bought the most economical, but durable paint. It's paint. Not a purse...or shoes. So for all you Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, Pratt & Lambert snobs lovers- buzz off. We will stick to our beloved Behr and Valspar, k thanks.

Final reveal will be posted next!!!!! YAY! The saga has an ending!

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Part 3
Part 4
Part 5