Today's the Day!

I am so super excited today!  I have been looking forward to this for about a week now, but didn't want to say anything on the off-chance that things didn't work out.  You know, how despite the best laid plans stuff comes up...

 A few months ago, I met an awesome lady after I shared my  buffet makeover at some linky party or other.  She commented on my post and asked if I'd link it up to her linky party.  And of course, I said, "SURE!"

Well, over a few snafus with her linky party button we got to talking over the following few days and even though she lives somewhere in Michigan, she grew up a mere 20 minutes from where we live!  We even know some of the same people.  What are the odds of that???  Talking about six degrees of separation!  LOL!

And guess what?!  She's here visiting her family for the holidays and TODAY we're going junking together!  WOO-HOO!

I can't tell you how very exciting that is to me.  Most of my good friends here are friends I've made through my sons' sports.  And I adore them, I really do.  We do a lot of getting together that revolves around sporting events and get together just to hang out, but none of them would probably even consider going with me to dig through piles of someone else's junk.  LOL!  The thought of one friend in particular doing it makes me LOL!!!  I've finally gotten so I don't try to keep on the DL that I love going to GW and thrift stores. And its been amazing the amount of support they've all given me - trying to talk me into opening my own store (Kevin, Karmen, Tracie, Amanda, and Niki... <3 you guys!), which has been great for my confidence as I get comfortable with my new love of refurbishing and crafting.  But its not the same as having someone to go out and share finding stuff with, or has ideas of her own and might see potential in something that I don't.  So today, I get to enjoy doing what I love doing best with one amazing person who is a fantastic crafter/refinisher in her own right.  YIPPEE!!!

I'm going to take along my camera and record a few moments.  I'm sure we'll have a hilarious time and lots of blog worthy material.

And since I'm in a mysterious kind of mood (LMBO!), I'm going to  see if you can guess who I'm going to be hanging out with today.  (Gotta save something to blog about, right?  LOL!!)

Here's a little hint:

Well...  Gotta get moving and get ready!  I hope we find tons of great stuff.  After all, tomorrow is Friday's Finds!  :D

Backdoor Reveal

So, I started this door that sits between the kitchen and the back porch two weeks ago...  We had removed it THREE years ago and it had been sitting in the barn FOREVER waiting on me to get around to doing something with it.

As you can see, if needed A LOT of work.  Glass missing thanks to my boys.  :P  SEVERAL layers of paint.  I tried stripping...  I sanded and sanded and sanded...  I peeled off paint in strips.  And yet the very.  last.  layer. wasn't going ANYWHERE.  What did they use back in the day??? Its like it had formed a permanently hardened coating.  NOTHING took it off.  PFFT.  Story of my life with everything in this old house.  Drives me nuts!

Well, I suppose I could have put a new back door on.

It certainly would have looked BETTER.  It would have been NEWER.  But it would have lacked any PERSONALITY.

So, this is what I came up with...

Probably should have waited until Scott got the trim on to reveal it, but I've never been known for my patience.  LOL!  Plus, I'd be waiting WEEKS!  :P

I painted it white, distressed, and then glazed it.  The numbers I hand painted on using stencils.  The glass I replaced with a piece of plywood that I painted using chalkboard paint.  Works for me!

And here's the exterior side of it...

I didn't distress or glaze this side.  I'm kind of wishing I hadn't done it to the other side either, but once the kitchen gets done, it'll be perfect...  I hope.  Otherwise, there's always more paint.  ;)

A Prairie Home Christmas Day Celebration

I can hardly believe that Christmas for this year is over and gone.  It just seems like I was putting up the decorations and in a week, it'll be time to take them down!  What a great time we had!  But not only did we have a lot of fun, we also learned a little this season too.  Here's a little peek into our Christmas with our family...

Christmas Eve we had an absolute blast!  This is the first year that I attempted (and succeeded) at making sugar cookies from scratch, for the children to cut out and decorate.  I have been informed that this is now a must each year!

They had such fun rolling out the dough and using the cookie cutters...

decorating (and eating) their creations.

But trying to get a good picture of all them afterward is like attempting to get a clear shot of the Lochness Monster.  LOL!

This was about all that was left out of 7 dozen!  LOL!

Just another day in the life.  HA HA HA!

After we baked and decorated cookies, we had our traditional opening of presents from Scott and I.  We read about the birth of Christ and answered some of the questions they inevitably have about the circumstances of His birth.  Then it was present opening time.  This year we decided to get them books.  Epic FAIL.  Greyson likes his.  Ian had already read his.  Noah had already read his.  Eva liked her Shel Silverstein book, except it wasn't purple (her favorite color).  And Landon...  Well, he said his book was a baby book.  Well, son...  You ARE still a baby.  Guess he doesn't think so.  LOL!  Better luck next year!  :P

Then, we all settled down to watch "A Christmas Story" and the antics of Ralphie and his Red Ryder BB Gun.  We LOVE this movie and have watched it every year since Greyson was about 8.

Finally, it was time to get them settled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums (or rather cop cars, Moxy Girls, XBOX games, and Lord knows what) danced in their heads.  Christmas Eve is the best night of the year for getting all the little stinkers to go to bed at a decent hour.  Within 30 minutes, not one was awake.    YAY!  ;)

After waiting about an hour to be sure they were good and quiet, we ran over to Scott's parents to get the "stash", came back home, and waited another hour just to make good and sure they weren't faking it.  LOL!  When I started pulling the presents out of their bags and grouping them according to who they belonged, I realized we were missing some.  ARGH!  This meant another high speed dash to the in-law's to grab the other presents we had hidden inside their house.  Finally...  At about 12:30am, I was able to commence wrapping.

Fortunately, it didn't take me too long, as their "big" gift was unwrappable (in my world, that is a word).  Finally, Santa Claus had come...

I have to admit I was a little worried this year about how our Santa Claus's presents would be received.  Not only because we I  had declared a technology-free Christmas (which Scott thought was a huge mistake), but also because we had cut our Christmas budget by more than half.  I don't know about y'all, but we often way overspend.  An average Christmas the past few years has usually run us upwards of $1500 and since we buy nothing on credit, this really leaves us hurting the rest of the winter, since our business is seasonal.  This year, since I am often the major buyer of presents, I said enough is enough.  This craziness of trying to out-do what we did the year before had to stop before the only they didn't have yet was a car!  And since I've been seeing a huge case of the "Gimmes" with my kiddos, I knew if we didn't stop now, we never would.  Needless to say, I was totally holding my breath the next morning.

So, the kiddos awoke us bright and early (in which I was zombified as I crawled into bed at 3:30am) the next morning, excited to see what Santa had brought them.  This was a really fun Christmas, as Eva was so "into" the idea of Santa Claus and had really pumped Landon up for it too.  This is really the first year that he understood what was happening.

First, Greyson read a letter from Santa (giving me little eye rolls in the process), while I tried to stifle the giggles from the other two little non-believers with meaningful looks glares.  Then the opening of presents commenced in force:

After they opened all of their presents, they each read out loud a little clue Santa had left tucked inside their stockings...

The younger two of the four just stood there kind of puzzled.  Greyson blurted out, "A vehicle."  Darn good guess.  And then Ian says, "A bike!"  I smile and nod and they all go running for the west door that leads out to the driveway and barrel outside with bare feet and no coats on to see my answer to a technology-free Christmas...

I'm pretty sure it was a hit...

And I totally breathed a sign of relief - and kind of gloated that I had proved Scott wrong.  LOL!

While, I think they were a little disappointed that they didn't come downstairs to the mounds of gifts that they're used to or super expensive, high-priced items we've allowed them to expect over the years, they never said a word.  And you know what?  We're never going back to that.  Ever.  We survived, and dare I say enjoyed a simpler Christmas.  No worries about how we're going to pay our bills for the next couple of months.  No worries about how in the world are we going to out do ourselves the next year.  Just a simple, back to the basics Christmas where the focus is the why we are celebrating, instead of how much we can spend celebrating.  And we also gave our kids a more reasonable expectation for when they become adults themselves, instead of perpetuating a future where they feel the need to out-do and give their children more than what we gave them.

The rest of the day was spent lounging on the couch, playing games, watching movies, and not doing a single thing but enjoying the day.  Needless to say, the living room looked like a tornado went through it...

But we had a blast!

And instead of killing myself cooking our traditional Christmas dinner of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, and the like... And instead of spending the entire day in the kitchen and not being able to enjoy spending time with the kids, I did this instead...

About a simple as it gets:  Paper plates, a roll of paper towels, sweet tea, homemade cocktail sauce, and a great big aluminum pan of Chesapeake Bay Seasoned Spiced Shrimp.  It took less than an hour to prepare:  5 lbs of shrimp, 3 lbs of red potatoes, and 24 ears of corn.  Done.  Ian informed me that this must be the new tradition and everyone else nodded because their mouths were full.  LOL!  Music to a momma's ears!  ;)  Of course, we usually spend Christmas with Scott's family, so this won't be the norm, but I did tell them we would definitely make this our Christmas Eve dinner, if that's what everyone wanted.  LOL!  There wasn't a single bite left after everyone was finished and everyone was stuffed.  No leftovers to deal with either!  SCORE!  ;)

Lesson learned this Christmas:  Sometimes breaking with tradition is a good thing all the way around.  :D

Sooooo, that's how we spent our Christmas....  How was yours this year?

Guest Blogging @ Turnstyle Vogue

Today's a great day!  Four days and counting until Christmas!  Are ya ready yet?  I think I finally am - after a mad sprint to W'loo last night and frantic rushing.  Thanks for all your advice yesterday ladies!  It definitely made me think and I think I've won the technology-free Christmas challenge!  YAY ME!  (You'll have to wait until after Christmas to see what I decided.)

Last week, one of my favorite bloggers that I ritually stalk flattered me and asked if I would be willing to guest blog over at her place.  The subject matter:  Christmas Traditions.  Well, she didn't have to ask twice!  My first guest blog!  And from one of my most favorite bloggers to boot!  WOO-HOO!

So, today I'm blogging over at Turnstyle Vogue.  Shari is absolutely fantastic and I am often in awe at her eye for style and color.  And what she can do with furniture...  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

I am joined in Shari's Traditions Week by Mandy from The Project Queen, Cassie from Primitive and Proper, and fellow former Iowan and friend, Kammy from Kammy's Korner.  What fantastic company I'm in!

So, please stop over at Turnstyle Vogue and read about all of our different and endearing family traditions.  Be sure to tell Shari I sent ya!  ;)

Taking The Challenge: A Technology-Free Christmas

Oh my gosh!  This week is flying by.  I've got about a bazillion things yet to do.  This year, my procrastinator streak really bit me in the hiney.  Plus, we've an some "ah-hah" moments that have really limited what our buying options are for our older boys.

Here's where I'm at...

Landon is done.  Eva is done.  But the boys...  Yeah.  What do you buy a 9, an 11, and an almost a 13 yr. old boy?  Ian wanted an iPod Touch...  We bought one, only to return it because of a certain event the other night that proved to us he's really not ready for that kind of responsibility.  Texting on your brother's phone at 10:30 p.m. under your covers when you're supposed to be asleep????  Really???  I don't even want to talk about the meltdown that ensued.  HUGE, folks.  Just because I demanded that he surrender the phone to me.  REALLY!  You would have thought I was cutting off his right hand!  Now, I feel like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld.  Remember him?  Except its "No iPod for you!  Next!"  :P

Let's look back at how far society has come...   For me, it was a book and a flashlight.  For them, its texting or the TV or the XBOX or the iPad.  At least the reading was improving my mind!  Ian wanted the iPod Touch.  Hmmmm...  Not gonna happen now.  So, now we have to figure something else out.  Noah said the only thing he wanted was his DSi XL fixed...  That's the only thing he could think of!  OMG.  Seriously???  Greyson wants a basketball hoop and a new ball...  That's reasonable.  However...  We live in Iowa.  Its winter time.  All he'd be able to do is look at it in the box for 5 months before the ground thaws enough to be able to concrete it into the ground.  He's just going to have to wait until his birthday for that one.  ARGH.  But at least it wasn't another piece of technology

To be honest, I am sick of technology.  It sucks up all of our time.  It takes us away from time that should be spent as a family.  As an adult, I can self-impose time limits on the amount of time I spent online.  And even as an adult, I find that difficult.  How many times have I been sucked into other people's blogs, Facebook, and do I dare mention it...  Pinterest.  If I, as an adult, have a hard time and I know the boundaries, what about children who haven't learned that yet?  Kids...  Its a whole 'nother ball game.  Especially my kids.  If they're not watching TV, they're texting.  If they've not texting, they're on the computer.  If they're not on the computer, they're on the XBOX.  And just for fun, let's also throw in the school endorsed iPads.  Grrrrrr!  I feel like I never "see" my children!

After a lot of reflecting the last couple of weeks, Scott and I decided to have a technology-free Christmas this year.  Last year they got an XBOX (bane of my existence) and Greyson got a cell phone.  The year before, it was their flat screen (another bane of my existence - Parents:  Keep the TV out of your kids' bedrooms!)  I feel like I spend half my time coaxing them out of their bedroom to spend some time with us or chastising them to turn them off at bedtime.  Noah:  "Just wait until my man dies, Mom." (Yeah, two hours LATER.)  Ian:  "But I've been waiting for this game all week!" (Its every sports game, no matter what the season.)  Greyson:  "But I'm right in the middle of this show." (There's ALWAYS a show on!)  And just for fun let's throw in the inevitable arguing because one wants to watch TV and another wants to play XBOX.  And the other half of my time is spent chasing them away from one piece of technology, only to have them go to another.  Is this really what our family has become???

So, this year I have decreed a technology-free Christmas.  Scott thinks I'm certifiable.  That within a day I will driven insane with bored children who have nothing to do.  And it will probably take a while for all of us to get used to it.  But.  I am sticking to my guns.  There will be absolutely not one single thing that promotes technology.  No video games.  No iPods.  No movies.  No iTunes cards.  No nothing.  The computer will be locked down.  I have already told Ian and Greyson, but have yet to break it to Noah.  It didn't go over with them too well and we even had a few tears.  Noah is by-far the most addicted to the XBOX, so I'm bracing for a nuclear explosion.  And that's not all...  The day after Christmas (I'm not a TOTAL grinch - I'll at least wait until the day after),  their TV is being taken out of their room.  I can't remember the last time we all sat down together and watched something - and that's sad.  The XBOX is being removed from the house all together.  Its going to be a tough Christmas break - for them.  For me...  I'm really, really looking forward to spending some quality family time with my kiddos...  If they're not ignoring me because of this total shift in the family dynamic.

You may wonder where this epiphany came from.  Why the 180* turn?  Well, I was going through some old videos that I've thrown together the last couple of years and I came across this:



I've watched it a gazillion times in the past week.  And that was a year ago...  They've changed even so much since then!  Where has the time gone????  It just seems like yesterday Scott and I were newly married.  Then came the babies one right after the other.  Then they all started school and then came the sporting events and the never-ending running, running, running.  I spent all of 5 minutes home yesterday and barely saw any of them at all.  Savanna is now 17, all grown up, living out on the east coast, has a job, and will be starting her first semester of college in January.  Yesterday she was my baby!  There are so many things nowadays that compete with my time with my children.  School, I can't control.  Sports is something they love and I don't want to limit.  Technology...  Well, that I can do something about.  I do not want them to look back on their childhoods and only have memories of TV shows and XBOX games and absolutely none of family time spent together.  Its time to simplify life a little bit and get back to the basics.  Back to what really matters.  Each other.  So...  Here we are.

Some of you may be wondering why I let it happen in the first place.  Or you might ask why I didn't realize it sooner.  Well...  being a slave to technology is something that happened over years.  It kind of just snuck up on us.  It began by adding one piece at a time, until suddenly we just realized that we have been inundated by it.  Its been a slippery slope and one that we now find our family at the bottom of - in a gigantic messy heap.  I am just so glad that the Lord has put it on my heart to do something about it - before technology raises my children for me.

However, this revelation has also brought about a big conundrum:  What in the world do we get the boys this year for Christmas????  My sons have never been ones to play with Legos or other "toys".  They have all the sporting equipment they need.  They have so many clothes (its hand me down heaven around here), that they don't need anything in that department.  I am completely at a loss.  Its really sad that I can't think of a single thing that they would like that isn't technology related.  So.  Here I am.  Its five days before Christmas and I have NOTHING.  They're getting books from us because thankfully they've all inherited my love of reading - well, except for Ian, but he's still getting books.  He will convert!  LOL!  There's the prerequisite pajamas, underwear, and socks that they know to expect from us.  But anything else?  No clue.

So...  I'm asking for some help in coming up with ideas for presents.  Yes, I am so desperate for ideas that I'm reaching out to all of my friends in the blogosphere.  I know y'all won't let me down!  :)

Until then...  I'm sitting here wracking my brain because I refuse to be sucked into buying them video games or iPods or anything else technology related because I can't think of anything.  Ugh.  And that's how I really know things must change - and fast!  :P

Friday's Finds... #13

I absolutely, positively cannot believe its Friday already!  This week just flew by and I was non-stop on the go for all of it!  I don't think I've ever let a week go by without posting at least a few times!  Sorry, y'all!

This week's pickin's  for Friday's Finds is a little slim.  If you're following me on Facebook, you'll know that last week, I had a minor incident that involved a can of paint...

Yeah...  Don't shake a paint can AFTER you loosen the lid!  LOL!  What I didn't take picture of was me covered in paint - hair, arm, and leg.  Ugh.  I immediately threw all my clothes in the wash and didn't remember until the cycle was halfway through that I had stuck my cell phone in my pocket.  GREAT.  So, guess what I had to spend money on 2 weeks before Christmas?  That's right a cell phone.  And then last night, our fan broke on our furnace.  Fa-la-la-la-laaaaa  La La La... Bah-Humbug!

So, let's just say there isn't a lot of thrifting going on, but more like being thrifty.  Extremely so.

Here are the very few finds that I haven't shared, that I've gotten this week and some that were delivered last week...

I haven't really decided where to put these ice skates yet, so for now they're hanging on a decorative ladder.  I haven't had much time for anything this week!  I got these from Shabby Chatue for $20.00 + Shipping.  They need a little embellishing.  Hopefully, I can get around to some glaze and glitter before next weekend!  Or maybe, I'll put a little less stress on myself and leave them for something to do next year.  ;)

The silver platter I found stashed in a cupboard in our kitchen hutch.  LOL!!  I'd completely forgotten about it!  The book is a German Hymnal copyright 1867 in Deutschland (Germany).  $2.50 at the thrift store!  Its amazing what people just give away.  I can't read a single word of it, but still!  What an awesome piece of German heritage!

I stole this cloche from Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage when she posted it on her Facebook page.  Yes, Shannon...  I just admitted I stole it from you.  Just so you know, its a bit more turquoise than aqua, so you probably wouldn't have like it as much anyway.  LOL!  I may have to tone it down some with some white paint...  or something.  $22.00 + Shipping from Etsy.  The name of the store is Turquoise Rollerset.  For some reason the link repeatedly wouldn't work.  :(  If you love turquoise, this is your girl!  :D

I got these fantastic frames from Annette's Vintage Blanket Bingo. I love the color and the glazing.  Fantastic!  $8.00 each + Shipping.  These will be perfect for my gallery wall!

I got this lovely at the thrift for a mere $3.00.  I am beginning to believe I have a slight candleholder fetish.  If it has any design and heft to it, I snatch it right up.  I think my current count is 12.  LOL!  But I suppose it won't technically be a "problem" unless my collection starts numbering in the hundreds.  How's that logic for you?  He he he!

And last but not least, I promised the diva that we would make homemade sugar cookies, cut them out with cookie cutters, and decorate them with icing and sprinkles....

Since in my 17 years as a parent I have always relied on Pillsbury, I didn't have one single cookie cutter.  So, off to the thrift I went and picked up a few of them for $0.25-$0.50 each.  Of course, after I bought them Scott tells me that his mother has tons somewhere.  Go figure.  Oh well...  They can always be used for Christmas decorations.  LOL!  And if anyone can tell me what the one in the foreground is supposed to be, I'd appreciate it.  Scott says its an angel.  I think its supposed to be Santa with his sack on his back.  What do you think????

And on that note...

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!  Saturday I'll be enjoying a day of Christmas baking with my little girl, but the rest of the time it'll be wrestling, wrestling, and more wrestling.  :D

Until next week...

Mondays, A Back Door, And A Little Peek

TGI....ummmm, M?

Merry Monday Morning!

Ain't it marvelous?!

Well, to be honest its raining and yucky here in I-O-WA, and will be for the next couple of days.  Blech.  However...  I am giddy with the idea of a QUIET house!  

Isn't it lovely?

Silence.

Yes.

Silence.

*sigh*

Its just me, the comforting rumble of the furnace, and my 2nd cup of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.  Complete and utter contentment.

I love my kiddos, but sometimes I just need me time.  I've been sorely lacking in that department lately - and as such, been wound tighter than a string on a violin.  Seriously.

So, until Landon tumbles down the stairs on half-awake little feet, I am going to enjoy just BEING.

*sigh*

And I will NOT think about tomorrow... which begins with an 8:30 a.m. Christmas Sing (actually its a "Winter" Sing, but I refuse to be PC about the birth of our Savior) at the elementary school, followed by who knows what, then Greyson's first basketball game of the season 45 minutes away  in Charles City at 4:15 p.m., which will probably mean a super-sonic flight back this way for the boys' wrestling practice at 6:30 p.m.  Ugh.

Not thinking.

Not thinking.

Not thinking.

*sigh*

So, since I don't have a lot to blog about today, (even though I did attempt to get up to some craftiness this weekend, I just didn't finish anything), here's a couple of sneak peeks at a couple of projects I've got going...

Reinstalling the original back door:

See the areas of gray (well, actually it was beige, but it showed up gray)?  Well, the door used to be painted with that all over.  When we started remodeling the kitchen (Ahem, TWO YEARS AGO, Scott) we took down the back door, with the idea I would strip every single painted surface in the kitchen that was original to the house and I wanted to save.  Yeah.  Right.  Its been sitting in the barn for two years.  So, we've had no door in between the mudroom and the kitchen.

Mudroom.  Yeah, I use that term loosely.  It holds a set of 8 lockers we got from a local high school locker room when two schools were consolidated, a chest freezer, a 2nd refrigerator, and has hooks for all the kids coats and book bags which still - despite the way cool lockers that any kid would love to store their stuff in - are thrown on the floor in front of their locker or piled in a corner.  The "mudroom" (technically an addition of an enclosed back porch) is not insulated, so it is FREEZING in there in the winter.  Yep, another item on the never-ending "To-Do" List.

So, yesterday I had Scott bring the back door in, so I could commence stripping it of the first layer of paint that had begun bubbling off before we took it down in 2009.  (If I could my hands on the people we bought this house from because of stupid stuff like using water based paint on top of oil based paint.  :P)  So, with my hand-dandy Sam's Club Card (LOL!) I commenced peeling paint, with the idea that I could get that top layer off and then just paint over the other 6 layers of paint without taking any of them off.  Luckily, several layers peeled off with the first leaving me with the original white that was painted over the varnished oak.  Not so luckily, it looks terrible.  FIVE HOURS OF PEELING PAINT and I'm still no closer to that door being done.  ARGH.  (I gotta get a heat gun for the other doors to the built-in hutch.)    I decided to hedge my bets (Please Lord, please let it work!) and sanded the dickens out of it, then applied Liquid Sander and DeGlosser onto the oil based paint just to be doubly sure the primer would adhere, and then applied my primer right on top of it.  I'm not very patient.  I don't care if it looks old and shabby, since that's what I was going to do to it any way (which drives Scott nuts because I'll have something old looking new and then I make it look old again.  HA HA HA).  The door will just be authentically old and shabby.  LOL!

Stay tuned to see what we do with the opening where the glass used to be.  :)  No details of how that wonderfully thick original glass got broken...  I'll just say we have FOUR boys.  It survived over 100 years and a tornado, but it didn't last 2 years in the house with my crew.  :P  Hopefully it wil be completed TODAY - but don't hold your breath on that one.  ;)

Then there's this:

I'm not going to tell you what its for or what it is.  This is the "1st draft".  I finished painting it Saturday night.  Hopefully today it will be installed.  Just thought I'd give you a little peek.

So, that's what I'm up to today...

And probably tomorrow...

and more than likely the next day.  :P

As I've said more than once, its a loooooong, slooooooow process around here, but that makes us appreciate it more...  I think.  ;)

Hope y'all have a marvelous Monday and a wonderful week!