More Candlestick Tables...

So, my mom-in-law found these great candlesticks on clearance after my last "candlestick table" project.  They were the perfect size!  I already had the plates so all I had to do was use gorilla glue to attach the plate to the candlestick.  I didn't even have to paint them or anything! Woo Hoo!  That is the kind of DIY projects I could get used to!!

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Going Retro, Baby!!

When we sold our home and decided to rent something smaller, it gave me the opportunity to change up my style a bit.  We had to get different furniture because our old furniture was way too big to fit.  Fortunately, I was able to find some awesome deals on used furniture!  Especially the fun things that we were able to get from my husbands grandparents home.  Not only are they special to us, I absolutely love the style of them.  Later, when I finally get the room all together, I will show it all.  For now, I will just show the latest project I finished with one of the fantastic finds.....

I first found these great lamp shades at Stewart's grandparents...they needed some work but the size and style was perfect for the look I was going for!

This picture is after I removed the band that went around the edges so that when I covered them, the fabric would be smoother.

Then, I found these great lamps at a thrift store for $10 each.  They were the perfect size for the shades!

I kinda wanted to keep the brass look so I tried to clean them but it just didn't work.  I cleaned and cleaned but....nothing.  So, I decided to paint them.  

First step, primer...

Next, I sprayed them with a robin egg blue color and covered the shades with a grey linen-like fabric.  That was definitely a lot of work.  The shades were so big to try to handle.  I covered one by myself but got some help from my 

mom-in-law on the second one.  

I am sooooo thrilled with how they turned out and can't wait to finish the room so I can reveal it all together!

First Day of Preschool

Well, summertime has passed and it is time to get back into some routine, yayyyyyy!  Colby was very excited to be going back to school.  This is his 3rd and last year at his preschool, *sigh.  Brady had no idea what was getting ready to happen when I enrolled him into his first toddler class!  I could not decide for sure but knew that it was best for him since he is such a mama's boy!  So, he is also going for 2 mornings a week while Colby is going every morning.  That means, yes, I have 2 whole mornings a week with no children.....I don't even know what to do with myself!!  It seems so very weird to clean the house or get groceries or even, yes, have an occasional breakfast-with-the-girls without some child whining or fussing or refusing to eat!  So, here are some pics from the first days of school...

Colby's First Day

He was way more excited about the lunchbox than anything else! 

Or, as he calls it, his "snack box" because "I don't take lunch, mom, I take a snack!"

 Moving his name to the "in" side in his classroom

Brady's First Day

Breakfast of champs...nutella and grahm crackers and apple sauce...there may be more on him than in his tummy!!

Being silly for the pictures...

It has been a few weeks now, and Colby has done great in his new class.  Except of course for the long story he told me about getting in trouble and his teacher making him sit outside in the hallway while he cried....ummmmmm, yeah, didn't even happen.  While dropping him off the next morning I asked his teacher about it and Colby says "Mama, Mama, I was just kiddin."  

Brady took a few days to adjust.  He pretty much cried the whole time for a couple of days but now seems happy to go and even reached out for his teacher this morning!!  And, his response to "are you ready to go play at school this morning?" has thankfully changed from "noooooo" to "uh huh!"  

Can't believe how big they are getting.  I love the break during the day but am so ready to see those sweet little faces when I pick them up!  Such blessings!

A Little Family Time

I realize that I usually post about DIY stuff but I thought today I would switch it up and show a little about the family.  A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to stay at a friend's beach house for a few days.  And, wow, it was awesome!!  At times, we had up to 7 adults and 3 kids and it was not even close to crowded.  With like 4 floors and what seemed like endless bedrooms and bathrooms, we were all able to have our own space!  

This was the first photo of the trip...I gave the boys a cup with some M&M's to keep them occupied while we unloaded the car.  It worked pretty well!

Since we didn't go to the beach or pool the first day, the older boys enjoyed "swimming" in the whirlpool tub!  They literally stayed in there forever!!

Fresh corn-on-the-cob for supper....it was a hit with Brady ;)

The next day, we did go swimming and the boys were soooo worn out they would not even eat....slept right through until bedtime!

They had a blast at the pool when their dad's arrived!

This is Colby pretending to be a shark!  Cracked us up!!  Not sure where he learned that at!!

The next day we finally made it to the beach.  Brady didn't like it so much (just like the last time we tried it with him).  But Colby and Nicholas loved it!

Our last morning there, we took the kids to the aquarium where they had a great time and even got to see the divers in the tank!!

Colby is trying to "shoot" the poor thing, lol!!!

We had such a great time and can't wait for next year!!!