A little bit of this and a little bit of that

We've been busy, as usual, since my last post. We returned to school after the last round of snow days which I mentioned in the last post, and then we had ANOTHER snow day on Tuesday of this week due to slight ice! So, that makes 8 snow days to make up this year. Our school district voted to give up the student break on Feb. 15-16 and remain in school to make up two of the eight days.

Stuart and I did an early Valentine's date and went to the Todd Agnew, Meredith Andrews, and Pocket Full of Rocks Christian concert here in town last Friday night. We got a babysitter for the kids and really enjoyed it. Stuart worked at the World Vision booth before the concert and during intermission. He has really gotten involved with that ministry which sponsors needy children around the world, and Stuart is working to promote child sponsorship at our local church. We just signed up to sponsor our second child monthly, and this little boy is one who shares the same birthday with Hudson. It is a really neat ministry to communicate with these children across continents and help provide financially for their food, medical care, and education for only $35 per month.

We enjoyed a fun Super Bowl party and fellowship time last Sunday with our small group from church. The kids enjoyed playing, and I think only the husbands and Owen were watching any of the game. I know the Colts were one team, but I couldn't tell you who they played or who won! I just enjoyed visiting with friends, watching the kids play, and eating lots of yummy snack food.

After we returned to school on Wednesday from our snow day, Hudson came home sick. He was subdued in the car when I picked him up on Wednesday afternoon, and then right after dinner began to throw up. So, he stayed home on Thursday with Stuart. Hudson managed to make it back to school on Friday for his class Valentine's party since he hadn't been sick since Wednesday night. However, he was still pale and lacking energy. Well . . . when I picked the boys up from school on Friday, Hudson threw up in the car on the way home from school and then more once I got him inside! Ugh! I guess he wasn't quite over the bug after all, or he tried to eat too much at the party, and his stomach couldn't handle it yet. He is still laying on the couch this morning and also has congestion and a cold. He hasn't gotten sick again, but he is running a slight fever now. I'm just hoping he gets better soon, and that no one else in our family gets the stomach bug!

We don't have any big plans for Valentine's Day since we already used a babysitter last weekend. We might order take-out for tonight and rent a movie or something simple like that. We both agreed that we were just too tired since Hudson is sick to do anything but rest this weekend. However, Stuart did get a really nice "present" this week because we traded his 2009 Honda Civic for a used 2009 Honda CRV! He got the Civic last June when his old 1990 CRV was dying and having engine issues. We couldn't afford a CRV then, and I hadn't gotten my teaching job. Stuart liked the Civic, but he found that he was just too tall to drive it comfortably for longer distances. So, he had been looking for used CRVs that we could trade up for with very little cost difference. He found this used CRV that is royal blue with gray interior that had only 7000 miles and one owner for 7 months! It was a good deal, and it is only a little more each month for us than the Civic was costing. He is so, so happy to be back into a taller vehicle!

Arden is driving me crazy by trying to potty train, which is all her idea since I wanted to wait until school was out. She is refusing to wear diapers and can undress herself and rip them off. She only wants Pull-Ups (which she also takes off about every 30 minutes). She is constantly saying she needs to go pee pee and undressing herself. Yes, she is actually going about once a day on the potty but not consistently. It is a lot of work because she can take off all her clothes and her Pull Up by herself which she routinely does about 15 times per day! The boys NEVER undressed themselves, so this is very different for me at this age of just turning two. Also, she is very independent and stubborn and refuses help with putting clothes back on, so it takes a long time to get her dressed again, and it usually results in her screaming in frustration or anger that I force her to let me help her. I hope she masters the whole potty training thing soon! This stage is exhausting!

Have a good Valentine's weekend!

Snow Days (again!)

We had another large snow on Thursday night and Friday. It began with sleet on Thursday night, and we accumulated around an inch of that. Then on Friday, it snowed literally all day until around 9 at night. It was beautiful to watch, and at times it was really heavy with large snowflakes. It reminded me a lot of when I lived in Colorado where snow like that is common. We ended up with about 5 inches of snow on top of the ice. Needless to say, no one was able to get out on Friday or Saturday. We were stocked up with food, and I don't think many people lost power since we got more snow than ice (compared to the huge ice storm last January). Stuart bought a snow shovel before this snow, and we actually shoveled part of our driveway. This is the first snow shovel we've owned in our entire marriage, so you can tell that the weather is different here than in central Arkansas! Stuart is already talking about getting a 4-wheel drive vehicle as his next car!

I have enjoyed being home with the kids on Friday and today. I think we will probably resume school tomorrow (Tuesday), but today is already our seventh snow day this month! I know that people are upset that school has closed so much because all the days will probably be added onto the school year and push back the date that summer vacation can start. I'm already looking at my last teacher work day as June 10 which is very late. However, I've actually appreciated the snow days! As a working mom this year, I've enjoyed reconnecting with my kids for more frequent breaks and getting projects done around the house without having to wait until Spring Break! Since Arden is in daycare this year, I have missed being with her as much as I was during the week last year, and the snow days have given us lots of time to play and watch Dora together! I don't mind having less summer in order to see my children more frequently along the way. For me, it's been a nice break and a way to reenergize for the rest of the school year.

I can't believe that it's already February today! Wow! I guess most of January was taken up with seven snow days and two large storms. Stuart and I have a sitter and are planning to attend the Todd Agnew concert here in town at a local church on Friday night. I plan to do our taxes in the next week, and I hope we get back a little bit of a refund. Then, the students are out again on Feb. 15-16 while teachers have professional development. We don't have any big Valentine's Day plans, but we might order Mama Fu's for take-out and bring it in.

I've been getting two flooring bids the past couple weeks and trying to figure out the cost of getting wood flooring installed downstairs in our house. I am missing my wood floors terribly since I loved them so much in our last house. Light colored carpet everywhere is NOT kid-friendly! It looks like I've decided on a local, family owned business to do the installation, but no one can get my wood for as low a price as several internet suppliers. They are quoting me $1.75/SF less on the exact brand and style of wood that I know I want because a good friend has it in her house. I want the 5 inch, distressed style planks that work well with kids and pets since they won't show scratches and nicks as much. So, I'm debating if I go through the trouble of having the wood sent by freight to my house where I have to arrange to have it unloaded, meet the delivery truck, and inspect it myself for damage. Right now, I think I will try it for the first flooring project which involves laying wood in the hallway, dining room, and office, since I will save $800 on those rooms alone just by purchasing the wood direct from Georgia. Depending on how much money we can save, I would like to get the first part of the wood flooring done before school gets out for summer.

Well, I'd better start my crock pot meal, so that we can eat tonight! Happy snow day!

You know you're old when . . .

you get excited to find cabinet knobs half price
you wish for rain in the summer in order to help water your lawn more cheaply
your children tell you that your face is "crinkly"
a student asks if the picture of you and your husband is of you and your son
you fall asleep before 9:30 while watching Grey's Anatomy on DVR
the skin on your hands looks mysteriously more baggy than usual
you are too tired to want to go out on a weeknight after working all day
a coupon for $2.00 off a favorite product is exciting
a date night takes three months of planning to fit into the family schedule
the current big item you're saving for is new flooring for your house
you begin to consider buying that foundation makeup that firms up your skin
you realize that you have worn the same outfit every Saturday for a month because it's comfortable
you have researched Roth IRAs and 403b accounts
your oldest child is almost past your shoulders in height
your 20th wedding anniversary is this year

A Year with Frog and Toad

Last Saturday, I took the boys to the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville to see a play there for the first time. We had been given free tickets to attend the play through Hudson's participation in the H.I.P.P.Y program. This musical was originally a Broadway show that was based upon the children's books about two characters named Frog and Toad. Frog is the happy, upbeat, organized friend, while Toad seems to be grumpy and worried about everything (think "The Odd Couple"). The differences in their personalities make for a lot of humorous events!

Owen and I had seen this play at the Arkansas Children's Theater in Little Rock several years ago, and we had really enjoyed it. However, this was the first time that Hudson had been to a full-length theater production. The Walton Arts Center was amazing, and this version of the play was much more professional than the one I had seen previously (though it was good too). This version completely amazed me, and I would have seen it again, if it hadn't been the final day of the play before the tour left. The actors were professional, New York City trained performers with degrees from places like NYU and the Boston Conservatory. The show included scenes that were not included in the smaller show I'd seen in Little Rock, and the actors were very impressive in their musical and dancing abilities. In fact, we all liked the musical score so much that I just ordered a copy of the CD from the original Broadway version this week, and it should arrive in a few days.

I'm looking forward to singing along with the boys in the car and learning all the rest of the lines! If you ever hear of this play in your town, you really need to take your kids! It was wonderful!

The next production I'm looking forward to is Grease which will also be at the Walton Arts Center in May. I think Owen and I will be attending that one since it's a bit too mature for Hudson, and Owen acted in a short production from Grease at a drama camp. These tickets are a bit pricey, or we might all go. I'm so glad that my children are already loving theater like I do!

Search List 2010

This list is mainly for me since I want to keep a running list of what I am looking for used this year. I will add to it as more things come up that I realize I need/want, and I will update when I've found the items on the list. Since I plan to print my blog as a book each year, this is a fun way for me to remember what I search for during each year!

Search list for used items in 2010:

1. twin mattress and boxsprings for Arden

2. side table/nightstand for Arden

3. Fisher Price Loving People dollhouse furniture and people for Arden's house

4. Leap Frog grocery cart replacement food
*1/28/10: I found a complete used set on Ebay with a good Buy-it-Now price of $20.00. These were discontinued items and hard to find. I had been outbid on many previous auctions for more than this!

5. Custom bedding for master bedroom (queen size)

6. Entertainment center with side bookcases for bonus room (maybe this year, but might be in 2011 due to other house projects)

I found another great deal on Craigslist this week and stumbled upon a like-new Radio Flyer Canopy Wagon that has folding seats and a removable canopy. The owners said they used it twice. It retails at Walmart and Target between $120-$140, and I got it for $40! However, I had to go out in 8 degree weather to test it out in an ice-covered parking lot when I met the lady for pick-up, but it was worth it! It will be wonderful to use to transport all our pool items to our neighborhood pool this summer, plus it will be great at Silver Dollar City and the Tulsa Zoo which I hope to visit this year. Last summer, I realized that all my neighbors used wagons at the pool to haul all the gear and snacks, and I looked for one all summer to purchase. Luckily, most people probably weren't out on the hunt for a wagon in January, so I was able to bargain down the original price. :)

Snow Days

We are going to be on snow day #3 tomorrow! It just posted on the Bentonville website that they have closed classes again for Wednesday. I guess Bella Vista and more northern roads are still bad because my street is now completely clear. I was actually really wanting to go to work tomorrow because it's getting a little stir crazy being inside with three children and no where to go. They are about bored with electronics and getting restless, too. I think they want to get out and see their friends, and I haven't left the house since Saturday. Now, I'm getting concerned that it will be a long time before Arden goes back to daycare if we are closed until next week which might make her transition rougher for her return and separation from me again.

Unfortunately, more snow is predicted to come in tomorrow night with several inches in accumulation. Since we are only having high temps in the teens right now, nothing is melting much at all. I expected we would go to school on Wednesday, but then we might be out again on Thursday. I really wanted to check in with my students and give them some assignments to do at home in case we got more snow! Ha. They are probably glad we didn't meet after all, even if I had a fun activity planned that involved using toilet paper.

So, I might take the kids out in the next hour to run a few errands before it all refreezes overnight and more snow comes in tomorrow. This is too reminiscient of last January when school closed for a week due to an ice storm. Now, it looks like we will possibly have this entire week out of school and have to make it all up in June.

At any rate, it has been a nice, long break, and I will be ready to go back to school when the snow thaws. God has helped prepare me for the return to work by giving me enough extra rest that I'm actually getting bored!

Design on a Dime

I like nice things and have a designer taste for my home, but I've always been on a tight budget for decorating. I usually only have a couple hundred dollars at any time to spend in a room, and I've never hired a decorator. I don't even know where to shop to find a sofa that would cost thousands or more. In fact, I am the person who pulled off an entire wedding for $1750 which included the dress! Granted, that was back in 1990, but it was still dirt cheap then. It wasn't fancy or elaborate, but I didn't want to accrue debt for a one-day event (that's my practical side). Now that I've been married for almost 20 years, I don't think I would change my wedding at all except for one thing: I would spend more on photography. That's really the only object of the wedding budget that endures past the one day ceremony. Well, I might consent to better accomodations for our honeymoon since the $35 per night "cottage" was a bit, um, questionable!

Many people comment that they like my home decor and are amazed when I share that the majority of my home furnishings were purchased used, repainted, or handmade. I don't decorate fancy, but I tend to do a mix of traditional/Pottery Barn/Country French. I tend to use approximately 60-70% used/recycled items and then mix it with around 30-40% new, more upscale items (still on sale) that I adore and can't find used. I think that mix helps make the room seem more pulled together, and I like to have one or two "focus" items in the room that are often new items. Then, the cheap stuff appears like it is valuable too! I want my house to look like Pottery Barn, but not be expensive!

My daughter's room is one of my favorite rooms in my house. I think it is because it is the first time I was able to really go all "girly" in one space after living with a houseful of boys! Arden's room is a perfect example of how to mix new plus thrift store/used items. Now, I'm not saying her room is the best, fanciest nursery that I've ever been in, but I can guarantee that it's much less expensive!

If you are trying to branch out to use thrift store or used items, maybe these ideas will inspire you to try it!



This wall is Arden's window, rocker, and crib. The bedding is the inspiration piece for the entire room, as most nurserys are. I found the beddings first . . on Ebay. Yes, it was used. However, it was custom-made, decorator fabric bedding with lots of details like cording in a contrasting fabric and a two layer dust ruffle that is 18 inches long, so it reaches the floor. I didn't see it before I bought it, but I saw a lot of pictures of it on the internet and emailed a few other questions to the seller. I was thrilled with it! The auction included the bedding, lampshade (which is currently not is use until she gets a nightstand), and the slipcover for the child's rocking chair. I paid $150 for all those pieces. I've also found used, custom made dining room drapes (with pinch-pleating!) that I bought on Ebay, so it is worth checking out for custom fabric treatments. I like to benefit from rich people who are redecorating and getting rid of perfectly stylish items!

The crib has been used by SEVEN children, and it's still going strong. It is a Simmons crib that was well-made and sturdy. It has caster wheels and two drop down sides, so it is functional. It was actually my sister-in-law's crib who let me borrow it (free) for my children. Yes, it is now dinged up and has lots of chipped areas, but you really can't tell with the bedding in. Sure, I would have loved a $1000 wrought iron crib with finials (Corsican . . . *sigh*), but I couldn't justify that expense when this free crib works fine and was a traditional style. If you have to choose, I would buy upper scale bedding and a basic (good and functional) crib. The bedding makes the crib and the room more than the crib by itself. Also, consider a crib that would work with both genders, so you can use it multiple times. Craigslist is a good place to look for used baby furniture, since a lot of people sell nice cribs after they are done with them. Don't let a few scuffs or nicks deter you because it will look like that a month after your toddler gets through with it anyway!

The glider was purchased new for Hudson. I made the decision because I was practical, and this Dutailer glider allows you to order replacement cushions in different fabrics. So, instead of buying a fully-upholstered denim rocker for Hudson's nursery, I just switched out his cushions and ordered new toile ones for Arden at 1/3 the cost of a second chair. It's held up great and is very comfortable. Plus, it's slimmer than a fully padded chair, and my nursery rooms are always a bit small. I try to think about how to "repurpose" new items before I buy them, so that they can be moved elsewhere in the house when my needs change. That helps to make the cost of a new item more practical. I've used this chair with two children and in two different nurseries for almost six years!

My two "focus" items which were where I spend 60% of the entire budget for the room are the custom toile drapes and the handpainted canvas above the bed. The drapes were a necessity in my last house because the nursery had a room where sun shone in early in the morning and heated the room. Arden would never sleep in there during the day and was up at 5:00 a.m. in the summer. So, I got these drapes made to coordinate with her bedding and had them lined in blackout fabric, so she would sleep. My boys never had fancy drapes and weren't bothered by light as a baby. The canvas is 36" square, and it was painted by a friend in Little Rock, so it was actually cheaper than one might cost if you ordered it from a catalog. If you know student artists or art teachers, they are good resources to paint custom canvases or murals are a reasonable cost. The cute wooden rocking horse was a Craigslist find for $20, too!



This wall is next to the crib and includes the closet doors. It isn't very exciting since this wall is mainly a closet, but I did get the cute peg shelf at Land of Nod catalog. I love their items, and they have good sales. The painted sign above the closet says, "Dreams do come True," and I ordered it off Ebay for less than in a boutique.



This wall is across from the crib, and it is also full of used items. The main hanging shelf was a handmade wedding gift from one of Stuart's relatives. It started off stained light brown pine, but I eventually painted and distressed it shabby chic. Often, if you can visualize an item in a different color, you can repurpose many thrift store finds by painting them and changing the hardware. I already had everything in the hutch from previous nurseries, my childhood items, or other decor from around my house. Use what you have! The prints on the left are from an old Beatrix Potter book from a thrift store that I cut up and framed. Framing book art is a great idea for children's rooms. The bulletin board was also from a thrift store, and I used a staple gun to attach coordinating fabric from Arden's bedding to cover it. The child's chair was slipcovered with the cover that came with her bedding from Ebay, and I found the chair underneath it at a children's consignment sale for $12.00 (it's actually an ugly blue check), then I simply used upholstery tacks to keep the slipcover in place and make it fit. The bookcase was purchased new since I wanted something sturdy, and it was from Land of Nod catalog.



The final wall is Arden's new play kitchen area. The kitchen was purchased used from Craigslist. The clock is a Storytime clock from Timeworks. They retail around $85, but I found it used on Ebay for $20. I made the square plaque myself from a vintage ceiling tile! I also have one upstairs in our bonus room, and I get a lot of compliments on them. Basically, you need to find a 24 inch square vintage ceiling tile. Where, you ask? I found both mine on Ebay (search: vintage ceiling tile), but flea markets often carry them. I painted over both of mine, then distressed them again, but you can leave them really old and rusty if you want. This one is over 100 years old and came from a church in Nebraska. It cost $40 with shipping on Ebay. I got a piece of wood cut to a 30 inch square and painted it pink (my plaque upstairs is stained dark brown for the wood part to look more Pottery Barn). Then I simply centered the tin to have a three inch border and nailed it on! There are usually holes in the tin edges that I used to attach it. I attached picture hanger screws and wire on the back and threw it up on the wall. I've seen similar decor at designer stores for around $200! It's a pretty cheap statement piece if you need a large 30 inch diameter object to fill a blank wall.

When tackling a design project, select your big items first (furniture, bedding) and see if you can find any of those used. You might have to look for months! Craigslist is great for furniture, and Ebay is good for fabric items that can be shipped. Then, add new and old accessories to finish the look! Remember to always have at least two places any new item can be used in your home, so that you can move things around when you desire or if you move to a new home. That makes everthing work longer, and it gives you the option to mix up your decor when you get tired of it without purchasing much else!

For more design inspiration, check out The Nester's blog since she shares my philosophy and gives me lots of good ideas! Her house is amazing and on a budget!