{The Royal Wedding}

YEP...I'm one of those CRAZY ones that will be getting up at 

3 AM to watch the Royal Wedding :)

 I don't know what it is... but I can't get enough of every little detail about this wedding!!

 Seriously...It's like I'm getting married all over again, that's  how excited I am!! 

In Honor of the big event 

I wanted to share some of my FAVORITE things concerning 

Will and Kate!

I highly considered buying this Ring...hehe

If I had a tea party, I would most definitely have these!!

Would you like one lump or two??

If you are going to take the time to BUY this then honestly... you REALLY do care!! 

Too Funny :)

Ahhhh?!! 

I would have this room in my house permanently!!! 

LOVE IT!!

Ok people..I think we are going a bit to far here!!!

And last..The wedding that will NEVER be! 

But I'm sure that buckingham palace will be rocking it once Kate and Willy's party begins!! 

{Quick Tip}

I have been SUPER Busy this week but, I wanted to post another great household tip! 

Over the years I have found MANY great rugs, But would tend to shy away from the flat and less plush ones. 

UNTIL...I came up with this solution. 

It makes shopping for rug super easy and my options are unlimited!!

CARPET PAD!!!

(Problem Solved)

It's quick, easy, and doesn't cost a whole lot...In fact, you just might have some pad hidden away in the corner of your storage room.

Makes such a difference under the feet!

I'm all about Comfort :)

{Boys Trim Work}

I know I still need to post about my trip to NYC, but can you believe that I TOTALLY forgot my camera!?! So all my pictures are on my friend's camera. Hopefully I will have some to share soon. 

In the meantime, I wanted to post about one of my favorite trim-work projects that my cute hubby Brett did in our home!!!

{The Boys Room}

This inspiration came while I was laying WIDE awake one night (as most of my ideas do) 

First...we made sure that the bottom half of the wall around the circumference of the room was NOT textured during construction. Then Brett used 2x4 MDF boards and nailed them vertically and evenly spaced out.

Next for the back wall...

We had a few extra planks from the salvaged barn, so Brett put them up vertically and then added more 2x4 MDF boards to break up the pattern into 3 squares.
 When that was done, we added the cross pattern with 1/4 inch board that Brett cut down in long 4 inch wide boards.  Then he framed it in with a top shelf and base board, again with MDF board.

My inspiration came from my love of old barn doors!

~Paint -Bull Frog Green- Valspar (Lowes)

~Bedding, Curtains and Street signs are PBK 2009

Beds are Downeast brand, Bought them when they were producing downeast furniture

~Silver pendant lights WORLD IMPORTS

~Sconces are outdoor lights from Lowes

{ Front Door Solution}

Ok...So, I am sure this trick isn't original but I am proud to say that I did come up with it on my own after a LONG and frustrating battle over figuring out how to hang a wreath without destroying the front door!

I am really BIG into wreaths; I love to change them out for every season. 

With my first home ... oh so long ago, I remember having just painted my front door, and then going out to buy a shiny silver door hook and the perfect wreath to Christen my FIRST front door. 

The next thing I remember is without notice, the wind started blowing and I heard the nail biting scrape of the metal across my newly painted front door ... aughhhhh!

 I also remember being so annoyed that every time I would shut the front door it would catch because    of that extra quarter inch piece of metal on the top of the door! It about drove me bonkers!!!

So, as you can image I am NOT a fan of metal or even plastic wreath hangers.

I am also NOT a fan of having to destroy my front door by hammering a nail right in the dead center so I can hang a wreath on it!!  For me, that isn't a great solution either...

If you feel the same way about those darn door hooks as I do...

I have got an AMAZING solution for you!

{All you need is}

 #1 Ribbon   

(I personally love thicker ribbon)

#2 Roofing Nails 

ROOFING NAILS???

(Yep...use roofing nails because they are a very short nail so you can easily remove them, and they also have the largest head of any nail that I have found thus far)

#3 A Hammer

#4 Wreath of your choice

After you gather all your supplies, cut the ribbon to the length you want the wreath to hang on the door. Then use 1 to 2 nails to secure the ribbon on the top of the door. I don't like to hammer the nail all the way down; it makes it easier to remove the nail whenever you want to switch your wreath out.

 Problem Solved! :)

{I'm Famous...Well, Not Really :) }

OK...Maybe being featured in a "Garage Organization Ad" doesn't merit the title of "FAMOUS" but,   my kiddos did get a kick out of seeing their Mom in a Magazine :)

I'm suppose to be a Soccer Mom!?! What do you think, did I nail it?? (wink)

Go check out there website!!
http://www.monkeybarstorage.com/
I only WISH I had a garage like this one!!!!

{Friday Favs}

I know this post is a little bit late for FRIDAY,

but hey...better late than never, right?

This is how I like to spend my Friday nights

I like to spend time with all these people

Eating my FAVORITE all time popcorn

 Eating my favorite kinds of candy

 While sipping on this yummy drink!

Watching my ALL TIME FAVORITE movie!!!

Seriously, if you haven't seen this show it's a MUST!!!  

It has all the elements I love in a movie: 

#1 A feel good movie

#2 A love story

#3 Great music

#4 and Tom Hanks

What more can I say?

OK...So now is your chance to own a copy of this AWESOME movie of your VERY own, plus a bag of my FAVORITE gummy cherries YAY...How exciting!!!

(seriously...once you taste this candy you'll be addicted too!)

You have Three chances to WIN!!!

#1 Become a Fan of this blog and leave a comment

(It's SUPER easy to do, just go to the very top of right hand column and push FOLLOW.  If you don't have a Google account, it's super quick to set one up!)

#2 Tell your friends . . .share my blog on your Facebook page, or send an email to all your friends about this blog. Pretty much do what you like, just share the love! 

Then come back and tell me what you did! :)

#3 LIKE me on Facebook, then come back and leave a comment

Giveaway ends Tuesday April 12th

winner will be draw through a random.org selector

{ It's Been one of "THOSE" days}

Yesterday was one of "THOSE" days!!

You know “THOSE” days when it seems nothing goes right?  If you had lived my life yesterday, it would have gone something like this...

You wake up feeling kinda crummy after getting up 3 times in the middle of the night to tend to your 2-year-old, when you finally do get out of bed, you feel like you are carrying around an extra 5 pounds in water weight and to top it all off you over slept so you missed your gym class to TRY and get rid of that extra water weight, Aunt Flow is on her way, there is a HUGE cold sore on your face that you thought was a zit but turned into a nightmare sore, and days later when it wasn't getting better, you finally go to the skin doctor and they tell you that it's REALLY a cold sore on your face and that the only way it's going to go away is by taking medication, which goes to show that all those nights of putting toothpaste on the zit/cold sore did do you a bit of good! LOVELY... Aughhhhh!  
Wish I would have known that 5 days earlier instead of hiding out in fear that I would TRAUMATIZE people on the streets, THOUGH the blemish could have come in handy if it were Halloween instead of the current bi-polar season that is trying to decide if it’s spring or winter.  
Guess you could call it “S’winter”

ANYWAY.... shall we continue?

You have a thousand things on your TO DO list, the house is a mess from top to bottom, especially the kitchen where you are attempting a pantry makeover, your master bedroom is ripped apart, you have an “ah-ha” moment where you have come to the conclusion that you have WAY too many clothes that you never wear. No wonder they always end up on the floor.  You should have realized by now that trying them on time and time again is not going to give you a different result; they’re never going to make you look like Giselle in the VS magazine, right??.  Your 2-year-old was MORE naughty than you thought possible by flooding your master bathroom with an overflowing sink, destroying your FAVORITE eye shadow by digging his nails into it, then comes the diaper that exploded from the top of his neck all the way to the bottom of his feet…YUCK!!  
The Highlight of the naughtiness was when he microwaved his Zuzu pet, thus destroying the pet and the Microwave.  Let me tell you how awesome it was when smoke came billowing out and now we have the distinct smell of burnt Zuzu pet and electrical smoke flooding the house … FANTASTIC

Oh wait...It doesn't stop there!

When doing laundry you accidently dry your favorite jeans that once fit you, but now fits your 8-year-old daughter… deep breath :(

To top it all off... you had a house guest coming that night, and no food in the house. 
Your sweet hubby promised he would help prepare for their arrival and when the BIG day comes, he is too busy to help... aughhhh! 

So…my day consisted of a messy house, naughty children, imperfect skin, ugly clothes and broken appliances…to sum it all up only one word comes to mind…NORMAL! 
Yep... I hate to admit, I’m just a normal, everyday, out-of-her-mind, crazy busy Mom 
WHO LOVES HER JOB!
( I honestly do!!)

Yep...it's been one of those days!

(Warning..These pictures are NOT staged!!)

 Yep...Even Meg's Agrees!

The start of the pantry nightmare!

The end of the day couldn't have come sooner!!

{ Toy Closet..Take 2}

OK...so if you know me even the tiniest little bit, you'll know I tend to change my mind about design projects all the time!  Why oh why do I get my BEST inspirations after the project has already begun?   

Anyway, with that being said...I was in the middle of painting the the toy closet when all of a sudden a light bulb moment happened.
As much as I LOVE my first inspiration, I believe I was more in love with the "IDEA" of it, than what would work BEST for the space.  

Due to the fact that the outside of the closet is a school house, I felt the inside needed to coincide with the outside.
So...here is my NEW idea.

Because I have a tiny, little toy closet with no windows and one little light, I ended up going a different direction with paint. I needed something more on the soft side so...
 I ended up using a lighter blue color from PBK

Sweet Bluette

(It's a very soft blue)

  

On the toy closet floor will go....

PBK Rug..I already own this one so SCORE!!
Money Saved ;)

For the toys, I decided to use darling locker boxes for storage. 

( lockers and school, I think we have a match here! ) 

I do have to say this was a HUGE splurge for me!!!  I usually DO NOT buy storage this pricey! 

But...I figured I would throw in a little bit of my own hard 

earned money, and called it a deal with the hubby! 

Here is what I ended up buying!

I'm super excited about these boxes!  They earn the title of "STINKIN' CUTE" which I only save for the best of the best cute things!!! 

www.landofnod.com

Next.....

 The TREE Mural...Here are a few of my ideas!!

( with Apples added...minus the Monkey! :) 

I am going to attempt to do the mural myself!
I had one priced out, and as much as I would LOVE a professional to paint the mural,
at this point my pennies are needed in other parts of the house.
We will see how great my artistic skills are?? 

What do you think...does it Scream School House to you?

{Kitchen Fav's }

I HONESTLY Cannot Live Without 

These SIX Kitchen Fav's!!!

(I wouldn't have made a good pioneer!)

Kitchen Scissors

I use these for EVERYTHING!  From cutting up food into bite-size pieces for the baby to cutting all the gross fat from chicken.  

These are ONLY for food, my kids know VERY well they cannot use these to cut paper! Love these, and they're even dishwasher safe :)

William and Sonoma Mixing Bowls

 I Love, Love, Love these!!!

They are the Perfect size and they even come as a set! 

Perfect for wedding gifts.

Fruit Piller

This is awesome. I am a lover of peach pie but HATE having to boil the darn things. 

This will peel the PERFECT peach including kiwi's, apples, pears, etc.... 

VitaMix Blender

We use this daily. Brett likes to make Green Shakes for the kids. 

(If they only knew what they were REALLY drinking hehe!!) 

I make everything from shakes to avocado dip! 

Love this thing!

Apple Cutter

this gadget saves so much time and engery! 
It makes eating healthily less messy! 

My kids can even use this apple cutter by themselves, so that makes this invention
 EVEN better!!

www.pamperedchef.com

Cuisinart Coffee Grinder

NO, I don't use this to grind coffee...but I do have to tell you that this little contraption is AMAZING. 

My hubby and I use it to grind raw oats, flax seed, and barley.  Pretty much anything you need ground, this gadget will do it for you. 

I trick I like to do is grind something healthy and throw it into my basic pancake mix. The kids never know it's there, and I get a gold star for being such a health-conscience Mom! :)