Onto the next.

Last night I tucked this sweet 4 year old boy into his toddler bed for the very last time.

Because this weekend, he and his sister are going to Grammi and Poppi's house while Joe and I work like the surprise elves we are to completely transform his room into a "big boy" space for his 5th birthday (which is on Tuesday. Hold me.).

He's been clear for about the last 4 months that all he wants for his birthday is a bunk bed (with steps, not a ladder) and train sheets (not Thomas though, because he's for babies). He's specific, if nothing else? He also wants light blue paint for the walls and a unicorn. I'm not kidding with that last part. 

So, Joe and I will spend the weekend transforming his lair to meet his little boy dreams. I've got sheets and train fatheads and paint and baskets and a whiteboard (more on that later) hoarded in our closet, just ready to be on display. The bed is being delivered on Sunday and cheese willing, the room will be painted and ready for it all to be assembled. It will be so fun...but a little, tiny piece of me was so very sad last night as I tucked those wittle toes that are tipping off the edge of that too-small race car bed in for the last time. I suppose the bright side is that he'll look SO much littler in the full bed that's coming.

And my point in all of this is that if you have a steady hand and an extra paintbrush, we'll have beer and pizza at the ready. See you Saturday?

Welcome, spring!

So I'm ignoring the fact that it's currently snowing (ahhh, Michigan) and choosing instead to relish in the fact that I did, in fact, have to bump all the clocks in our house ahead on Sunday.

Today I was dreaming of the new patio design for our back yard and mentally mapping out where I'll be putting all my planters with their blooming pops of pink and yellow. Yes, yes, yes. This winter girl is finally ready for spring!

I came, I saw, I crafted.

I'm generally not a crafty person and 9 times out of 10 would rather pay someone to craft on my behalf and then subsequently display it in my home as if I'd done it myself.

But as every good fake crafter knows, it just takes one trip to Hobby Lobby, a cheap bottle of wine and an afternoon with nothing on the schedule to let the beast out. And that's exactly what happened to me yesterday.

Tools: empty bottles, yarn, scissors, a glue gun & some flower accessories.

Thank you, Jill, for teaching me the difference between a high and low temp hot glue gun. Also, my fingers thank you.

About 45 minutes later:

Mantle decor!

And onto my favorite project of the weekend...the wall hooks! I've been looking for a really unique set of hooks for our entryway pretty much since we moved. After hunting down all my favorite retailers, etailers and antique shops, I couldn't find one I loved that was worth its price tag. So what's a girl to do with an old piece of scrap wood and a few knobs from Hobby Lobby? Make one!

 

I painted the circular ones red, because they were originally white and got lost on the board behind it. Knobs & pulls are almost always 50% off at Hobby Lobby, so with a little over a $10 investment, some epoxy and a little manpower from Joey and his drill, we have one of the coolest (and most unique!) coat racks in town.

In unrelated news, I have a LOT of yarn lying around that needs a purpose. I can't promise I won't start wrapping kitchen chairs and toilets with the stuff. 

Our Angel Tree.

Joe and I kind of always knew we wanted to get something rather special and permanent to remember our sweet tWIPs and precious bdub. Tattoos are extraordinarily painful and since I am the largest wussie on planet earth, also completely out of the question.

We had a lot of ideas, but ultimately the idea of something living--that we could see every day--was a requirement. And, as luck would have it, we've got a big ol' lot of sod just waiting for some life and landscaping.

And so, a few weeks ago, we drove on over to a nursery (ironic, no?) and got us a tree. Alex calls it our "angel tree" and I think that's rather appropriate. Here it is:

It's a sugar maple, so it will turn really beautiful vibrant shades of red every fall. I love it for all that it is and all that it stands for. It really is a tree of life.

And so this post isn't all sappy-wappy, here are some obligatory adorable photos from the weekend: a tractor ride at Franklin Cider Mill and trying on Daddy's new glasses.

Home Sweet Home.

Remember this? Well, I finally finished (and hung) my version!

I just love it--and am so proud that it's something I actually made, vs. bought at HomeGoods and just pretended I made it. Some letters were purchased as-is, and others I painted and played with a bit more. You'll also notice that the first M, W and last E are different than my original plan. I found more treasures since October and simply had to use them!

For those that need a little inspiration, most of these are from Hobby Lobby (use the 40% coupons or buy when on sale!). I also got a few of the unfinished ones from Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics (same story with the coupons, yo). The whole thing cost less than $30.

And the best part is there's not a SINGLE nail whole in the wall! I used these to hang them. (And pretty much everything in our house, because a hole in my brand new walls? So not happening.)

Be inspired, my friends! If I, the self-proclaimed "uncrafty Queen" can do it, so can you!

My grandmother's nook.

And no, not a tablet PC. A literal nook in our house. Specifically, this one:

It's the corner of our master bedroom and I LOVE it. (Aside from the curtains that need to be hemmed and steamed.) The table is perhaps the most special part, because it belonged to my Great Grandma.

It used to look like this:

But with a touch of love and a little bit of Martha Stewart's Hosta paint, it's the perfect piece. I had so much fun painting it--locked myself in the basement, turned on Francesca Battistelli on Pandora and went to town. I actually don't have any memories of my Great Grandma, so it was really my Grandma that I was sharing a moment with. The hardware for the table was stored in a baggie in the drawer with her handwriting on it, and I got teary eyed as I tightened them back in when the paint was dry...imagining her taking them out in the same way, putting them in the bag and labeling it so carefully with her shaky hands, "hardware for dresser. 6 pcs. from mother."

And now the table has a special spot in my home. Atop it sits a photo from my wedding day--a day she wasn't there for in person, but I carried a piece of her on my bouquet. Next to it, a little red bottle from which Joe and I took communion from on the day before our wedding--a special gift from my Mom, but the holder actually belonged to the same Grandma. And in the vase are the rose petals from my actual bouquet.

On the wall is a cool vintage frame I found on one of my many treasure hunts with Sarah. And inside that is my housewarming gift to Joe - a framed piece with all sorts of words about love, life and our relationship.

So there's a peek into one of my favorite little spaces in the house. As soon as I finish Alex's room, that'll be next!

A proper yard.

As we turned the corner onto our street yesterday, we were greeted by a lovely green surprise.

Sod. AKA how the VeeDubs grow a yard. And Alex, the smartest kid ever, said, "Look, Mom! Somebody made our grass!"

Big boy room.

Up until the new house, Alex was still in his crib. Boy loves his sleep like his Momma (read: very much) and never tried to climb out, so we didn't mess with a good thing. However, we thought the new house was as good a time as any to transition him into his big boy room.

I asked him what he wanted his room to look like, and to no one's surprise, he asked for race cars. I totally delivered on that promise.

Uncle Kyle helped me get the bed into the room...

And by the time he got home from daycare, it was ready for him to see:


And with the exception of a few random fears (all solved with the purchase of a Dreamlight...and if your kids watch the Sprout channel, I'm SO sorry that the DreamlightDreamlightStarryNightWithDreamlight commercial will now be playing in our head all day long), the transition to the big boy bed has been a successful one!

Why anyone would choose to do this more than once in a lifetime, I will never know.

I promise that I was genuinely planning on blogging daily updates of the move. But then we were actually in the process of moving and I realized how much it totally sucks and didn't even have the energy to brush my hair let alone type words and string them into coherent and entertaining sentences.

But here we are, almost a week later. My quads and calves are embarrassingly sore. This two-story house thing is going to be GREAT for the figure, though. My Dad says were about 1 month ahead of "normal" people in terms of how "moved in" we are, but I can only attribute that success to the help of my Mom, Dad, Kyle, Jill, Sarah, Susan and John. It's true what they say about many hands making light work!

Anyway, it was the end of one era...

And the beginning of another...

And if you thought I was kidding about wearing a tiara and wielding a wand...(thanks, Mom!)

We have a few more things to put together (IKEA challenge post coming soon...) and some final touches to make on certain rooms so I will do a home tour later. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at one of my favorite arrangements in the house:

Fiiiiiiiiive.

No time for shenanigans today. We have carpet! Appliances come tomorrow! Inspection Monday! Moving Tuesday! My life is in boxes! My head is spinning! I love exclamations! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

In case I don't resurface for awhile, here's something to keep you busy. My dear friend Natalie is in the running to win $250 from a local Auto Dealership and needs a few more comments on her photo to win. Click here (it's a Facebook album) and comment "Summer Fun" on the 4th photo (the one of the boy and his gpa on the dock...also pictured below) to help her seal the deal! Only one comment per person, so you just have to do it once. Gracias, amigas.

1 week! 1 week!

We take a small break from my regular enthusiasm regarding the move to address 4 things that suck.

1. I have been pregnant for roughly 6 of the last 12 months with nothing to show for it but a tired body and 3 pairs of kickass maternity jeans from Gap that I got on clearance that have yet to see the light of day.

2. Hospitals should not be allowed to send bills for visits that sucked. See also: miscarriage, death, cancer, loss of limbs. Only people whose lives they actually save or make better should have to pay bills. Obviously I'm being melodramatic but you get my point. I don't need ANOTHER reminder, thankyouveryuch.

3. People should not be allowed to send meeting notices from the 11:30 am hour into the 1 pm hour, most specifically from 12-1. As such. I've been declining all meetings during this time because, hello? I'm eating. Back off.

4. I have packed at least 1 box a day (probably an average of 3) since July 16. I made detailed spreadsheets and alphabetized lists of all the things that needed to get done up to the minute of the move, and despite the rooms full of packed boxes and bubble wrap, I still feel like I've accomplished next to nothing. I'm an anxious, hot mess and I just want to be in my house already.

In totally related news, this time next week I will be wearing a tiara and wielding a wand instructing all the big, strong men where to put my things. Eeeee!

Eight is great.

The list of things that needs to be completed on the house is so small I can rattle it off: shutters, appliance delivery, porch railings, towel bars, carpet & paint touch ups. AND HERE'S WHERE I PANIC.

Not really, I've totally got my shit together. *tosses hair over shoulders* Our house is a minefield of boxes, but that means they are packed. I submitted our change of address to the ol' P.O. today, and my Mom is coming on Wednesday to drink with me help pack whatever is left. In other words? It's on like donkey kong. I'm getting a gold medal in moving. BOOM.

Lights and fans!

...and they work!

More work in the kitchen.

Just needs shutters and porch rails.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make more lists. Toodles!

TWELVE.

Things are chugging right along. I'll let the pictures do the talking today. I'm all out of words. And also lazy.

The toilet photo is arguably the best picture I've ever taken. He was so confused, like "Yo, Mom. Where's the water? How do I use it?" And also, regarding the 3rd photo, I have no idea when he grew to be 11 ft. tall. I do not support it.

And also regarding the wonky pinky spreadage in his handprint....he comes by it naturally.

TWELVE. DAYS.

Thirteen.

We're down to 13 days. In related news, my house is a minefield of boxes and bubble wrap. Please do not come over. Or, actually, please do. I will put you to work.

The Mindful Grey paint is done and I love it MORE than the khaki. I'm so pleased with my paint choices that I actually pinched my own cheeks and then  high fived myself. Below is a crappy picture, but whatevs. It's fabulous.

And because his ridiculous face hasn't been on this blog nearly enough lately, here's my sweet Alex doing what he does best...lazily playing on the floor with his 32,189,032,189,032,189,012 Cars characters. No surprise, we were having movie night and watching Cars 2 at the time.

And, technically, since that's not his face, here's one hiding in his closet at "the different house." THIRTEEN DAYS, PEOPLE.

Sherman Williams.

Sherman. Pffft. It still makes me laugh.

Anyway, the Universal Khaki (ended up going a shade darker than my original choice) is finished AND I LOVE IT. I first saw it in the garage and nearly wept tears of hatred because it wasn't what I had in mind. But they didn't prime the garage with dark primer like they did the inside (not sure why, but whatever) so the inside is awesome. Seriously I love it. It's the perfect mix of warm and cool and I want to bathe in it.

Tonight all the Mindful Grey should be done, and tomorrow the flooring and dishwasher go in. Thursday the plumber and electrician will finish...and from there, I really don't know what's next. Just finishing touches, grading the yard and pouring the driveway/sidewalk. FOURTEEN DAYS.

Good news.

Today we turn a corner and share the good news that the move is a mere 15 days away. Cue paper bag.

In semi-related news, remember that one time I posted all about my friend Sarah and her fabulous, crafty wares and then linked you to her etsy store and she was on vacation? Yeah, that. Sorry. Anyway, she's BACK! Click here to fall in love and shop 'til you drop.

And for a fun sneak peek into my crafting days of yore, here's two projects Sarah and I completed a few weekends ago...

I bought this jankety old mirrored tray for $3.99. A blast of yellow spray paint and some Windex and voila! A super adorbs tray to keep all my sparkles and shiny things.

Sarah found this old mirror for (I think) $20. She flipped the mirror and painted the backside with chalkboard paint (hello, versatility!) and added a pop of color. The perfect menu board for her kitchen that can also go back to a mirror with a simple flip.

I'm SO excited to do a virtual home tour once we get settled so you can see my other totally random crafting slash gluing slash duct taping projects. I'm actually quite concerned that the mix of everything I've been hoarding for a year is going to be nothing short of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, but whatever. FIFTEEN DAYS.

P.S. - Not to ignore the obvious but thank you to everyone who sent an email or commented on that last, awful blog post. It means more than you know.

It's all coming together.

We interrupt what was supposed to be a so sarah designs update to bring you photos of a completed exterior (sans shutters and door color) and interior doors. Doors are so...official, right?

We're picking carpet tomorrow which I pray to Cheez-its is the last decision I will have to make. I mean, honestly, what's left?

More progress. And crafting.

I spent most of yesterday crafting a ridiculous spreadsheet of all the things that must be done before we move. It's a very organized hot mess, which is just how I like it. I have us packing or doing at least 1 "thing" (closet, room, space, area) every night until the Big Day to avoid a frantic frenzy the morning the movers arrive. Hopefully, this works out in my favor and I can be sipping Diet Coke on my porch wearing a tiara and wielding a wand instructing the big, strong boys on where to place all of my shit. Here's hoping, anyway.

Meanwhile, everything at Alex's "different house" is coming along swimmingly. The tile is complete, doors were delivered, and the siding has started. Note in this first picture that the walls are also primed. I sort of love the primer color. I'm tempted to just leave it. And somewhere, the salesman at Sherwin Williams bangs his head against a wall.



In related news, I popped over to Grand Rapids this weekend for the Grand Opening of a store called Hammer & Thread. It's a shop that has a compilation of handmade artisan goods, and my dear friend Sarah of so sarah designs is one of the vendors! More on that tomorrow...

Sarah and I spent some of our time hunting around all of Grand Rapid's best little hidden treasures, and even spent some time CRAFTING. And by crafting I mean I opened a can of spray paint and read a magazine while she did most of the work. But I digress.

I will share all of our crafting goodness later this week, but meanwhile, please enjoy this gem: a painted (love the color) coffee table with a chalkboard top for Alex's playroom/the den. It was s STEAL for $130 and I might have peed a little when I texted a photo to Joey and he immediately responed with, "buy it." You're welcome, America.