Tag Archives: Do It Yourself

Family room update

I’ve been absent for a bit because life has been busy! We’ve had lots of guests, the kids have been very active- Caroline is becoming quite the confident walker!- and I’m trying to savor my time with my children before I have to go back to the working world.

Jensen and I had big plans for doing more renovations, but the wind was knocked out of our sails when our retaining wall failed

I hate this fricking wall.

This is no minor issue- its only ten feet from the side of our house, and it’s nearly fifty feet long. It’s also very expensive to repair- like, three bathroom updates expensive… Needless to say, we lost a little bit of our motivation and got the wind knocked out of our sails, so we’ve been sitting in stasis for a bit, trying to find solutions to this major problem that won’t gut our finances.

On a positive note, I finally got 95% of the boxes unpacked and sorted, so it feels a bit more like home every day. David finally stopped asking about going to his old house, which also helps.

I wanted to do a quick overview of the family room, as this is where we spend most of our time and it’s really the most finished room in the house… besides art work. That’s always something I struggle with.

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This is the view from the kitchen dining nook. I love this room- I really do. I love the paint color (Sherwin Williams Sea Salt FOR LYFE!), I love the rug (Costco special, although someday I’ll buy a gorgeous vintage rug when I don’t have to worry about kids destroying it), and I love our sofa- down feather- wrapped cushions are dreamy, people. Dreamy. I also adore the parquet floor, which surprises Jensen to no end. It’s real hardwood, and I am enamored with the way it sounds and feels underfoot. We need to get drawbacks for the sheers (Ikea, by the way), but every single time I go to buy them, I forget when I’m shopping. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this!?!?!?!

This is our current toy storage situation. It’s not BAD, but it’s certainly not ideal. I got some really great ideas from readers on Instagram, and I’m trying to figure out if I want to buy a cubby system or use what I already have and maybe build a simple floating shelf. We also need to refinish the children’s table that we have so we can create an art station. I wanted to keep the kids toys in the family room so that I can keep an eye on them when they’re playing. <No, it’s not this clean during the day, but we clean up toys every night as part of our bedtime routine. See the post here to get more information about how we put our toddler to bed each night.> (Also, peep the bar- I can’t wait to have more parties so I can really utilize this thing!)

I missed putting a pair of little boy’s shoes away… oops.

There’s only thing I really don’t like in this space- and there’s so much to like, seriously! It’s a large room, it has incredible INCREDIBLE light because of the skylights, the floors, and the sliding glass door (which is okay but we’ll update eventually to French doors… can’t wait…) I hate the fireplace. Some people really like the rock fascia on the fireplace, but it’s just really not my jam. It’s A LOT of rock. Like, an 8 foot corner of rock. And I also prefer to have rooms that are predominately white or light colored, not brown. I think this fireplace just drags the room down. I’ve been doing a lot of Pinterest hunting on this, and have narrowed it down to a few ideas, and I’m drawn to painted white brick or white paneling. (Surprise, surprise) I also want to add a mantle- it needs SOMETHING there to break it up.

Thanks for joining me on this little tour- step by step, this house is coming together!

XO,

Lindsay

Instagram Squares & Pinterest Saves

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My personal scapegoat.

Social media can be a beautiful, positive tool. It’s hard to imagine doing anything creative without a little Pinterest scrolling to get our minds flowing, or tapping through Instagram to find some fabulous home before and after’s. A well phrased Google search can find a solution to just about any question you might have. I can spend hours and hours looking for inspiration. My social media home design inspiration board, on both Pinterest and Instagram Collections, is big.

It can, however, hinder us. I see square after square of beautifully designed spaces, and homes that always look clean, and it makes me feel like I’ll just never get there. I’ll never have the money, I’ll never have the talent, I’ll never have the time, I’ll never… you get the drift.

I was starting to feel really discontented last week. And when I say discontented, I was REALLY upset. I started to hate our new house. I started to get really angry at all the little “surprises” that keep on popping up (especially the retaining wall on the side of our house, which, all of a sudden, decided to fail within the first week of us moving in. Repairing this retaining wall is going to prevent a bathroom remodel for at least another year!!!! And we need to remodel THREE bathrooms!!!!!!!!)

I was getting more and more upset, and then I made myself pause. I reminded myself of two truths I know and so easily forget:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Don’t judge your beginning to someone else’s middle.

Here’s the thing… I can choose to be angry or I can choose to be content. It really is a choice. Jensen and I worked really hard to get this house- we jumped through a lot of hoops and sacrificed a lot to get to a place we love. It’s not going to be perfect. It’s never going to be perfect! No one has the perfect house, and I do mean, no one. Every home has it’s quirks.

Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere had a thought provoking Instagram post a few weeks back of a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Her caption was talking about how everything in her home is a huge mess because she’s been busy living her life and working so hard and being a mom, but this one corner of the house, with this vase of fresh flowers- it was “killing it.” It was a poignant reminder that we use social media to show the best of us, and, while that’s ok- who doesn’t want to see more beauty?!- we need to ground ourselves and realize that it IS just the highlight reel.

It’s okay to feel the mean reds once in a while. It’s okay to wonder if you’ll ever get to where you want to go, in whatever way that means to you. But please, for your sanity, don’t stay in that space. Use that to fuel your fire, to push yourself to where you want to be. You are capable of so much more than you realize. You’ve made it through every trial you’ve been through before- don’t let social media be the thing that stops you from growing and building and living your best life. That’s right- YOUR best life. It’s your life, and your definition of best is yours alone. You can’t compare pizza to ice cream- they’re both so good, and doing so would be ignoring the great things that each of these foods have. Your life is the same way- don’t deny the beauty and meaning of what you’re creating by comparing it to someone else who is living their journey.

Last Friday, I took a big deep breath, and I made a weekend to do list. It was tangible things I knew Jensen and I could accomplish on Saturday that would help me feel better. We worked really, really hard, and let me tell you- working on that back patio and getting my closet shelving fixed helped change my outlook. I felt like I made progress on what is, unquestionable, a big project. And I felt a whole lot happier.

We’re all just doing our best, friends. Just keep on trying, and keep on making your life beautiful. Enjoy the journey.

XO,

Lindsay

Makin’ Mini Frittatas

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Some people like to call these mini egg cups or egg muffins… but I can’t do it. It just sounds weird to me, so I like to call them mini frittatas. Plus, the way my three year old says frittata is super cute.

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I thought that once I didn’t have to hustle two kids out the door every morning before work that somehow, it would be less hectic. I thought wrong. David usually manages to wake up his sister by yelling “Mama! MAMA! MAMA THE SUN IS UP!” and once I let him out of bed, he thunders down the hallway to play with toys. Once Caroline is woken by all the thumping and hollering, she starts to whine to remind me that she, too would like to get up, and then it’s a big rush to get everyone breakfast and changed into fresh diapers and underwear and brush our teeth and comb our hair. I don’t put getting dressed on this list, because pajama life is the way to go until it’s about 10.30AM and it’s time for play time outside.

I was trying to come up with a quick easy breakfast idea that both kids could eat easily, because waffles and pancakes are just too much sugar to eat on a regular basis, and cereal is a non-starter right now. I scrolled Pinterest for quick breakfast ideas, and mini frittatas caught my eye- high protein, veggie loaded. It is a no brainer!

These are really easy to make, and you can use whatever you have on hand. I had the following ingredients, and I really didn’t want to make another trip to the store, so I winged it, and think they turned out great.

Bacon and Bell Pepper Mini Frittatas

10-12 eggs
1 bell pepper, diced
4-5 strips of bacon, diced or crumbled (we did ours on the barbeque, so it was extra crispy <3)
Salt and pepper to taste

*you could add red pepper flakes if you want a little kick, but I had to keep my kids in mind, so I passed

1. Heat oven to 350F. Chop ingredients in the meanwhile

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2. Grease muffin pan generously. I used Pam with Olive Oil. Don’t be shy with the spray!

3. Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly.

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4. Pour mixture into muffin cups. I tried to keep mine about 1/2 to 3/4 full.

5. Put into oven. Mine seemed to need to bake for about 15 minutes, but check them around 11 minutes.

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David liked these, except for the bell pepper. Caroline loved them!

Happy Thursday, and may you make it through one more hectic morning until it’s Saturday!

XO,

Lindsay

P.S.- I realized the last three posts have been about food. Sorry not sorry. I think about food a lot 🙂

Lessons I’ve learned about moving a family

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I consider myself a pretty experienced mover. My husband and I counted how many times we’ve both moved since we began college, and the number between us was 21. That’s a lot of moves! However, we have not moved with small children, and let me tell you- that, my friends, that is a whole different ball game. Also, we haven’t moved a distance this far in quite some time, so that threw a whole level of complication that was unexpected.

Before I get started addressing the mistakes I made, let me shout out my in-laws and parents, without whom this move would not have happened. Between the four of them, they packed boxes, entertained babies, and fixed things around the house. This move would have been even more chaotic if they hadn’t been there to help! We’re fortunate to have such hands on, loving parents. Thank goodness they were around, I would have lost it without them.

I think the biggest mistake I made was not starting packing soon enough. I started about a week ahead of time, and I should have started AT LEAST two weeks in advance. We were packing until 1 in the morning the night before they came and there was STILL stuff that wasn’t in boxes! I underestimated how much stuff we had (and I’ve been purging our belongings for months) and how difficult it is to pack with two little kids who want to see what you’re doing and look for trouble when you’re not paying attention.

Bless the men in this moving truck. Bless. Them.

I’ve never had professional movers before, so this wasn’t something I’ve thought about- but labeling which room boxes go in to would have helped the movers with unloading and eliminated some of the quick decision making that bogged and tired out my mind on unloading day. I made some mistakes directing which boxes go where, and that has slowed down my unpacking efforts considerably.

The mystery box pile… Don’t do this to yourself, people

I also should have brought more cleaning supplies with us when we got there the night before the movers did. Our sellers did pay someone to come clean before they left, but I’m guessing, based on the way that we found the house, those cleaners did not, in fact show up. Moving into a dirty house is just gross, so… lesson painfully learned. A vacuum, mop, and all purpose cleanser would have been miracle workers.

Things to remember to pack for your kids- all of their toiletries and a variety of toys. Trust me on this. I did get all of their bedtime stuff with us, but I forgot toothbrushes (oops), so this meant an extra run to the store when I was already strapped for time. Don’t forget your own toiletries and bedding, in addition to what your kids need. It’s like you’re packing for the most overwhelming, stressful overnight vacation ever.

My lady bug loves all the boxes because they are easy to pull up on for standing practice. Haha.

I wish we would have had window coverings, at least for the kids room, installed and ready to go ahead of time. This was a complete slip of the mind on my part, because I had forgotten we had asked the painter to remove all the old vertical blinds. David especially is light sensitive when he sleeps, and I would have loved having him sleep in until 7.30 on move in day, not 6.30.

If you have dogs, bring their beds. Our dogs love their beds, and we forgot to pack those for them. I didn’t forget their food, bowls or medications, however, much to their pleasure.

I/we didn’t do everything wrong, however. Some big pluses for this move include hiring a moving company (worth every penny) and having the house painted before we arrived. Fresh paint makes everything feel bright and clean, I think, and the painter himself commented on how much he liked my paint choices. (Why, thank you! I happen to like them too 🙂 Finally, having a trailer strictly for trash has alleviated a lot of anxiety about what to do with all of the house rubbish, like the old vertical blinds, and has helped keep our trash area looking not so… trashy.

What words of wisdom do you have to share with families who are planning a big move? Share below in the comments!

XO,

Lindsay

Our Hilltop Home Tour- Living Areas

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This is part two of the new home tour; if you want to see the bedrooms, click here. The living space in our new home is enormous- we’re gaining almost a thousand square feet- the lot itself is nearly two acres. We wanted our children to grow up raising livestock through 4H, and I also wanted to own horses again. I’ve missed that part of my life so much.

So… anyway, welcome to our new home!

The front door is on our list of things to update, but currently it’s low on our list of priorities. We had originally intended to replace this dated glass window, but learned, upon closer inspection, that it’s actually a false window! We’ll have to have it covered with siding so that it matches. It’s just going to have to wait until we redo the siding in the next few years. We will be repainting the door- color TBD.

The entry way leads into the kitchen <<not pictured, as it was covered with our packing mess as I was trying to get out of town to make it to Easter lunch on time!>>. The lighting fixture will be updated ASAP.

The formal living area is directly off the entry way, and has a fireplace (one of two). We will be updating the fireplace and the mantle in due time. The vertical blinds will be coming down quickly- as mentioned previously, David is very enthralled with them.

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The family dining room leads directly off the formal living room and is right next to the kitchen. The ceiling fan will be updated soon.

This room is lovely- so much light! There are skylights and high windows in the ceiling. We are going to use this as our primary gathering space, so anticipate lots of seating and soft textures.

The dining area is an unexpected bonus- I never expected to have one in a new home, but it will be wonderful to have. I inherited my grandparent’s formal dining set, so it will be a nice addition to our new home to carry on her memory. (The door across the family room leads into the guest suite, just for reference.) And yes, the chandelier is going to go, ASAP! I already found the replacement on Ikea!

Finally, the pantry. I love LOVE LOVE that the laundry is inside, and I love how much storage is available. We’re going to replace this white wire racks with stainless steel bakers racks. I think this space can wait for updating, but I have some ideas that will make it really beautiful!

I can’t wait to share the next steps with you!

XO,

Lindsay

Easter Egg Magic

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I love dying Easter eggs! They are so bright and joyful, and are a happy reminder that Spring is finally here. I’m one of the few people who actually hard boil and dye eggs for our family’s egg hunt each year (no suprise that the plastic eggs filled with candy or money are more popular! Haha). I figured I should make them something special.

I was scrolling through Facebook and found a video for creating marbled Easter eggs. Intrigued to see if it works, I decided to try it out. The worst that could happen was I would loose $4 in eggs and Cool Whip. I’m delighted to report that this does indeed work!

Supplies are simple- vinegar to soak eggs in, one to two tubs of Cool Whip, defrosted, hard boiled eggs, and food dye. You’ll also need a toothpick to marble the food dye.

Before everything starts, soak the eggs in vinegar for about two minutes. As the eggs were soaking, I spread Cool Whip in a small metal roasting pan (I only did a dozen eggs). I put drops of food dye in various colors all in random pattern throughout the Cool Whip and then used a toothipick to distribute the food dye throughout.

I was holding a baby while trying to photograph this… forgive me 🙂

Then comes the best part, at least according to my David. I did this step outside on the patio table, and I recommend not doing this alone if your child is three and extremely active. I gave David eggs, and he rolled them around in the Cool Whip mixture.

Be forewarned- it’s going to look a little messy and you’re going to wonder if the eggs will turn out. Your toddler’s hands are going to be dyed. My son wanted to bang the eggs into the dish, so they got a little smashed. I say, it adds character to the eggs. No biggie.

Let the eggs sit for ten to fifteen minutes in the Cool Whip concoction. The Cool Whip acts as a medium to let the dye sit on the eggs, much like you would soak the eggs in the dye in cups.

When the time is up, rinse in cool water and set to dry on a drying rack.

I’m wearing black to hide any stains. Pro tip.

Your finished product will look something like this:

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Let me know in the comments if you try this yourself! Does your family dye eggs, or do you prefer the plastic treat filled variety?

XO,

Lindsay