Two GORGEOUS Reasons...

for me feeling blessed this evening:




Ok - and FOUR reasons I feel blessed...FAMILY!!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday

Hey - Good morning!!!

First off, the last time I posted on Small Successes, I was not feeling strong, and was low, and had the kindest comments and perspectives offered to me by my reader pals. I just wanted to say Thank YOU and I am better! Getting away out of town last week to the beach helped so much, as well as talking to those I needed to talk to - honesty is wonderful! Add a dose of "I'm sorry" and a big pinch of forgiveness and you have a recipe for saving your spirit and getting some grace! So, thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Thank You!

So, onto my list. I can happily say I've actually done some things this week - and am about to do many more. I have family arriving today staying through Monday, so we've been doing, and will be doing, a lot for them and with them! I can't WAIT!! So without further adieu:

1. I've finally caught up on all the laundry from both pre and post beach trip, cleaned the house, straightened, and organized!! I hope somehow it stays that way!!

2. Hubby and I worked together and painted and redecorated our 1960s guest bathroom (it is blue lol). Hubby stripped the old wall paper when we were out of town, and we did the rest when we got back. Paint can do so much when you can't renovate everything!!

3. Hubby and I then decided on a whim to then do the same (except strictly PAINT, not replace anything - that has to wait for another paycheck) to our tiny master bathroom. It feels so good to accomplish some home projects together, and feel we could do something of value to our house, without breaking our daily budget. I'd love to do more, but we can't currently, and this felt great enough to do! Also, I love color, and always get too scared to try it, and this time we just went with the stuff we picked...no help - just us...and it felt great to just GO FOR IT! :) Hubby is excited too!!

I hope your week was wonderful too!!

Thankful Thursday
This week I'm so thankful for....

1. My wonderful Hubby for all his hard work!!!
2. having had the chance to escape to the beach, even as a single mom for a week, with wonderful generous friends to give my kids another memory and myself some too!
3. My whole family, and us having the chance to be together for the next few days!!!
4. Those who read my random thoughts here
5. Incredible friends!!!
6. Healing...
7. That Baby Valiant (almost 13 months!) finally mastered the sippy cup, and LOVES table food. She'll eat anything!!! It's really helping her growth!
8. That Lovely is just such a joy and helper every day. I'm blessed!

Tons to do today...gotta run. I'll try and read others as I can!! Have a fantastic day!!

Why paint one bathroom....

and not another??

So, after finishing the guest bathroom at like 10pm the other night, Hubby and I looked at our tiny master bathroom and its blandness and decided we were done living with that too. Sure, we can't really do new fixtures and vanity right now, but paint changes a room! so we went for it. In the below pics, you can see some areas painted in a neutral we had on hand (and we hated it!) and then we decided to go more bold, and use colors from the beach trip to inspire us.

First...here is our tiny master bath in its original state:



So, we hated that paint. In trying to decide what color to pick to go with the tile color, we got inspired by the color scheme of this picture:


And so we went with this:



Overtime, we can update more - but the color is growing on us. It cheers us now when we the room.


We also have some green in that violin/flute picture that is right by the bathroom (hey - ViolinMama has to have musical pictures lol!)


It was fun to work on these projects!! I'm sure we'll keep finding more and more....it never ends! But, we're so blessed to have a home to enjoy!

Off to find more work to do....Ciao!!

a little home project - UPDATED

So...we've lived in our house almost 4 years. In that time, we've SLOWLY done cosmetic things to the house. When we first moved in, we barely had time to maintain it and the yard (we came from a condo). I was teaching full time, going to school at night, mommy to a 2 year old, and Hubby was busy too. Then, when I quit work to stay home, I had another baby...WAH WAH! Excuses! In any case, we have an old house, but we've never done much to it than cosmetic changes - paint, elbow grease, sewing, updating. We haven't really made the budget bigger yet, and we're not sure what we want to do and if we're ready for it. I would LOVE to do more work in the kitchen....but one day!

So, in the last 4 years, we've managed to tackle each room in some way. Both Hubby (especially Hubby!) and I, and friends and family joining in! The only room left untouched was the infamous BLUE BATHROOM. It is our upstairs guest bathroom.

The Blue Bathroom is caught in a time warp. It has the original 3 shades of tile from floor to ceiling that was so beloved of the 60s - in blue. Hubby and I were grateful it was not 60s pink or or yellow!! In a way, the blue endeared itself to us. We kinda liked its retro feel....but it was so much....especially with the flowery wall paper. Words are NOT needed. Just see below:


Doesn't it just leave you feeling......speechless? The flowers, the glowing fake marble light fixture (see next pic), the 3 shades of blue... ...... ........

uuhhh huhhh.

(you can see in above and below pics, the wall paper is coming down!)

Lovely loves it because it is the color of the ocean....so it has the imagination factor going for it! She loved her Ducky towel in the blues and flowers :)

So, we're not ready budget wise to gut it...so what can we do? Attempt to tie it all in with paint, color, fixtures, pictures, etc! (EDITED to ADD that I think I'm going to switch out the striped big towel, trashcan, and soap dispenser for solid colors, just to avoid TOO many stripes. I had to live with it some to decide. I like the small striped hand towel)



Too many stripes? Hmmm.

(sorry, when taking pics of the lights, the pics got really dark)

UPDATED! Here is a new pic of some of the changes I made to more solid accents....such as knobs, trashcan, dispenser, towels, etc.



We're close friends with major DIYer's, so we're always feeling the pressure to do something lol. Maybe one day we can get to their status! Until then, we will dream in our heads LOL! We move so slow. I can't believe we lived 4 years with that wall paper LOL!

So...tips, viewpoints...what can we do more or less of for now?

I think we'll get some new ceiling fans next in a few rooms budget wise. Fans can make a huge change, even to the eye...especially when most of our fans are from the 80s! It never ends does it? Then, maybe more to the kitchen? lol.....and then the couch.....

hehe!

Many thanks to Hubby for all his work painting, caulking, scraping, dry walling, drilling, attaching, etc. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back from the Beach!

Just a teaser....more pics and recap to come of the girls and my trip to the beach (sorry, Daddy could not make it)! I'm still behind posting pics of our Disney trip too! But there is something so peaceful about the beach....it was a restful, refreshing, nourishing, and needed trip.

Later gators!

Nighty Night (the girls and I in bed....)

Happy Fourth of July!!!

And it truly is happy!! Thank you to all who have served to make this such a wonderful birthday for our country!!

It is also happy because I've had a huge weight off my shoulders. I feel like the last 2 weeks melted away thanks to a "hug" of sorts. It was an answer to prayer!! I'm very grateful.

Last night we celebrated the 4th early, and it felt so good to be happy about something for once. We went to a friend's b-day BBQ and a local town's fireworks display for the fourth, early. It was a fun evening. The fireworks were great, and Lovely cracked us all up by singing her own medley of much for the show (HAHA!). Here are some pictures from our evening (I know, I still owe you pics from vacation, etc.....SOON!)

These are from the B-day BBQ...



Here we were waiting for the town fireworks to start...


And the cutest thing of the night? Baby Valiant discovered the moon! Here she is waving to it....


And I love this one....really reaching for it!

"I love you to the moon......and back!"

It was a great night!! Now I'm about to go pack for the girls and I to take a beach trip this week! Daddy sadly stays here to work from home and work ON the home (nice vacation). But, we'll enjoy part of the week with my sister and her family (we're caravaning together) and part of the week with friends. I hope we just get some extra rest, relaxation, and more peace with the sand, sun, and surf.

God Bless! Much love! Stay Safe!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday

I don't really think I have many successes this week. Since coming home from vacation I haven't done much aside from VBS (which I already blogged about). I've been under the weather. As for everything else, I have not brought my A game. I have not been the best communicator lately, let things build, and lost perspective. Sure, feelings are valid, but honesty is better. Oh yeah, and having a little faith. It's funny, I feel I can tackle BIG things in life - I'm prepared for, and been through, really hard events and come out with a positive attitude and faith. I think I'm seeing a pattern this year that I break down over smaller items that add up. It's like having your house foundation chipped away by termites or settling, you keep on pushing on but you are starting to fall apart. I could have acknowledged both faster in my daily life. I've been sick again, tired, and am preparing for a busy July. I also have some hindsight that along with all the energy used with a baby in the house (most moms get that I think) I was also going through PMS for the 1st time in 2 years (hellooooo crazy woman), but how far can I use those excuses? Along with all the above I haven't done much housework, taken or processed pictures from past trips and family time, and felt at odds with dealing with a situation in my life that has worn on me for a few months. I got stressed over Valiant's doc appt Friday where had it happened today I would have been fine! I feel out of control emotionally. So, really I'm not sure I have successes for this week, unless finally being honest was one, both with myself, and others. Otherwise, check back with me next week. The good thing is that I know every day is a fresh day, and I can approach today with a smile, new faith, and trust. I do control how I feel and react - I just need to remember to let go and Let God.

Thankful Thursday

Today I find myself thankful for...

1) Good health and strong body when I have both.
2) Faith...when I remember I have it, and when I don't. It's always there waiting, like grace is.
3) My family and friends.
4) Lovely and Valiant's proactive pediatrician.
5) the members of my mommy group - their help, time, and support in addressing concerns I had - what an amazing group of ladies!

Much love!