As we are getting settled into the house I am starting to get a lot of decorating inspiration as I ponder what do to with all our new space… I have so many ideas my head spins sometimes.
One thing that has always interested me is chalkboard paint. They now have chalkboard paint in so many colors, so neat, but part of me is still drawn to the old-school chalk board look. Today I was reading one of the blogs I follow and I found a link to this chalkboard paint line, their website was full of inspirational ways that you can use the paint. Suddenly I have ideas to use chalk board paint in every room of my house! Well, of course those ideas will have to simmer for a bit but I will definitely be using some chalkboard paint in my house. Likely in the kid’s bedrooms and possibly in the dining room area as well… I am excited to see how it works!
Check out the chalk board paint at:
http://alkemie.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-about-colorful-chalkboard-paint.html
Have you ever used chalk board paint? Know anyone who has? Have any tips for me? If so, I'd love to hear!
Cheers,
Beth
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Welcome to the Neighborhood!
Yesterday was the first day that I had a full day of our new 'normal' routine. It went well! In the evening I was shocked that we arrived home at the exact same time as we did to our old home, despite the fact that we are about 15 miles past our old rental home. This gave us plenty of time to eat dinner (thank you Adam for making dinner) and to get outside with the kids. Chloe wanted to 'ride bikes' really bad...
Last Thursday while packing up with my sister in law Nikki she said to me "how long do you think it will be until Evan (14 month old) has a four-wheeler? I laughed and said, not long.... Well, that conversation was sped up by the fact that some of the neighborhood boys came over last night to say hello! They both drove up on ATV's (they are 7 and 12 years of age). They spent some time talking and welcomed us to the neighborhood. Nice kids! Of course as they sped off, not to long after the words came... When do you think we should get Evan a four-wheeler? Oh heavens!!!!
I have learned that in our neighborhood of 7 homes, we have 3 girls named Chloe and we have 3 families that drive a GMC Acadia! We have a Chloe and drive an Acadia as well, so this MUST be meant to be...we fit in so well already!
I spent last night deciding where to put all my pottery and odds and ends.... The house is coming together great and Adam has the deck almost done, it is looking fantastic!
We have to go out and buy a new range/oven... I am so excited that I will be able to get a gas range! After cooking on gas for the past year I have grown to prefer it!
Cheers,
Beth
Last Thursday while packing up with my sister in law Nikki she said to me "how long do you think it will be until Evan (14 month old) has a four-wheeler? I laughed and said, not long.... Well, that conversation was sped up by the fact that some of the neighborhood boys came over last night to say hello! They both drove up on ATV's (they are 7 and 12 years of age). They spent some time talking and welcomed us to the neighborhood. Nice kids! Of course as they sped off, not to long after the words came... When do you think we should get Evan a four-wheeler? Oh heavens!!!!
I have learned that in our neighborhood of 7 homes, we have 3 girls named Chloe and we have 3 families that drive a GMC Acadia! We have a Chloe and drive an Acadia as well, so this MUST be meant to be...we fit in so well already!
I spent last night deciding where to put all my pottery and odds and ends.... The house is coming together great and Adam has the deck almost done, it is looking fantastic!
We have to go out and buy a new range/oven... I am so excited that I will be able to get a gas range! After cooking on gas for the past year I have grown to prefer it!
Cheers,
Beth
Monday, July 27, 2009
Third times a charm...
Well, it is done. The third move in 1 1/2 years is successfully complete, and this time we are staying for a VERY LONG TIME!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US MOVE!
Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th I spent packing and packing and packing with my dad's help, my sister and law, and my mother in law. Saturday was the BIG move and everyone came to help! My mom took Chloe and Evan, so we could actually get something done! Thanks Ma!
Saturday we slept at the new house for the first time, it was WONDERFUL and Sunday we actually all slept in until 8am! That was a treat.
Sunday Adam started working to put spindles on the deck, our closest neighbors came over to meet us. Amanda and Al are their names, they are about our age and I am SO excited to get to know them better. I have always wanted neighbors to do 'stuff' with!
Today was my first day back at work in almost a week, it was good to be back into a routine. Chloe didn't want to leave the 'red house' this morning, she wanted to stay and play...it made me smile because that was the first time she had ever done that before. I will be excited to go pick up the kids and go home...to OUR home...not a rental, not my parents basement, OUR home! Ah, finally!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US MOVE!
Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th I spent packing and packing and packing with my dad's help, my sister and law, and my mother in law. Saturday was the BIG move and everyone came to help! My mom took Chloe and Evan, so we could actually get something done! Thanks Ma!
Saturday we slept at the new house for the first time, it was WONDERFUL and Sunday we actually all slept in until 8am! That was a treat.
Sunday Adam started working to put spindles on the deck, our closest neighbors came over to meet us. Amanda and Al are their names, they are about our age and I am SO excited to get to know them better. I have always wanted neighbors to do 'stuff' with!
Today was my first day back at work in almost a week, it was good to be back into a routine. Chloe didn't want to leave the 'red house' this morning, she wanted to stay and play...it made me smile because that was the first time she had ever done that before. I will be excited to go pick up the kids and go home...to OUR home...not a rental, not my parents basement, OUR home! Ah, finally!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Outdoor fun and the Itch to Pitch
Have you ever noticed that parenting is SO much easier and much more fun when you get outside! This weekend we went to my parent’s house for dinner and after dinner migrated outside. My parents have 40+ acres off of a gravel road east of River Falls, WI which leads to a lot of exploring.
Kids are so fascinated with nature and the outdoors, and that fresh air does us all good! It warmed my heart to watch Chloe plop herself down in the garden soil with a shovel and bucket and dig in the dirt. Chloe was fascinated by my dad’s fake snake in the garden; she carried it everywhere and took such good care of the snake…even giving him a nap in the bucket of dirt she had!
Evan loved pushing the push lawn mower, which is all he wanted to do. Although a ride on the riding lawn mower proved to be terrifying! Evan and I took a little walk together, we held hands and walked through some little yellow flowers…which he thought was so neat!
This weekend Adam and I started packing up the house. We have been at our rental home for less than a year and I am amazed at how much ‘stuff’ you accumulate in less than a years’ time! There is a blog that I read a lot called The Happy Housewife, she blogged about her itch to pitch and I thought it was a great blog post (http://thehappyhousewife.com/ ). Adam and I have been selling things on Craig’s List (http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/) and throwing things out! It is a good time to go through everything and get rid of those things you have not used in a few years. Selling on Craig’s List is a nice way to bring in some cash to pay for those new items I want for the new house!
This week for me will be dedicated to packing and pitching! Wish me luck,
Cheers,
Beth
Kids are so fascinated with nature and the outdoors, and that fresh air does us all good! It warmed my heart to watch Chloe plop herself down in the garden soil with a shovel and bucket and dig in the dirt. Chloe was fascinated by my dad’s fake snake in the garden; she carried it everywhere and took such good care of the snake…even giving him a nap in the bucket of dirt she had!
Evan loved pushing the push lawn mower, which is all he wanted to do. Although a ride on the riding lawn mower proved to be terrifying! Evan and I took a little walk together, we held hands and walked through some little yellow flowers…which he thought was so neat!
This weekend Adam and I started packing up the house. We have been at our rental home for less than a year and I am amazed at how much ‘stuff’ you accumulate in less than a years’ time! There is a blog that I read a lot called The Happy Housewife, she blogged about her itch to pitch and I thought it was a great blog post (http://thehappyhousewife.com/ ). Adam and I have been selling things on Craig’s List (http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/) and throwing things out! It is a good time to go through everything and get rid of those things you have not used in a few years. Selling on Craig’s List is a nice way to bring in some cash to pay for those new items I want for the new house!
This week for me will be dedicated to packing and pitching! Wish me luck,
Cheers,
Beth
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Hindsight is 20/20
I am at the point right now where I can see how the low points in my life were necessary to go through to reach a blessing that God had in store...
In January 2007 my husband and I welcomed a baby girl (Chloe) into our family. My husband was just about to graduate as a Chiropractor when we found out in September that I was pregnant again (due May, 2008). What would normally be a time of great joy was a time of fear. We would be facing a double daycare bill AND student loans coming due, in this neck of the woods that amounts to about $1400 a month. We unsure what kind of income my husband would be making, so we made the decision to rent out our townhome and move into my parents basement...Me, My husband (Adam), our baby boy (Evan), a 16 month old (Chloe), and our two dogs (Brea and Woody).
While blessed to have an alternative place to live, this move put me into quite a depression. Although my parents are as close as you can get to saints, it was a struggle for me personally to digest all the unexpected changes.
About 5 months after moving in with my parents, we moved out to a rental home. This home fit our needs and gave us a sense of family.
Less than a year after moving into our rental home we were finding that we were able to swing it financially with our new budget demands. To my delight, we were even able to start looking for a new home that would fir our family's needs!
The house hunt was interesting! I'll write about that whole process later. I am HAPPY to report that we close on a house that we both fell in love with right away on Wednesday July 22nd, 2009!
I can look back now and see... If it was not for my delightful little son Evan, we would have never rented out our townhome, and thus been in a position to buy a home that better fits the lifestyle of a family with two children and two dogs. I can see how God's plan IS better than ours, so we need to be thankful for those hard times, they bring us charictor and at the end...we have a wonderful reward.
Cheers,
Beth
In January 2007 my husband and I welcomed a baby girl (Chloe) into our family. My husband was just about to graduate as a Chiropractor when we found out in September that I was pregnant again (due May, 2008). What would normally be a time of great joy was a time of fear. We would be facing a double daycare bill AND student loans coming due, in this neck of the woods that amounts to about $1400 a month. We unsure what kind of income my husband would be making, so we made the decision to rent out our townhome and move into my parents basement...Me, My husband (Adam), our baby boy (Evan), a 16 month old (Chloe), and our two dogs (Brea and Woody).
While blessed to have an alternative place to live, this move put me into quite a depression. Although my parents are as close as you can get to saints, it was a struggle for me personally to digest all the unexpected changes.
About 5 months after moving in with my parents, we moved out to a rental home. This home fit our needs and gave us a sense of family.
Less than a year after moving into our rental home we were finding that we were able to swing it financially with our new budget demands. To my delight, we were even able to start looking for a new home that would fir our family's needs!
The house hunt was interesting! I'll write about that whole process later. I am HAPPY to report that we close on a house that we both fell in love with right away on Wednesday July 22nd, 2009!
I can look back now and see... If it was not for my delightful little son Evan, we would have never rented out our townhome, and thus been in a position to buy a home that better fits the lifestyle of a family with two children and two dogs. I can see how God's plan IS better than ours, so we need to be thankful for those hard times, they bring us charictor and at the end...we have a wonderful reward.
Cheers,
Beth
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