DIY time in the our house- Vintage Shelving

So the weekend was very busy. My husband and son not only built a fire pit, they also created my vintage shelving for our 1871 farmhouse's kitchen.  I had wall space that should have had cabinets built on them years ago and had not.  A shelving unit was just too bulky since it was near our table.  I had been researching online everywhere and since I could not find any old barn wood to reclaim and repurpose, we decided to make some.  We started off at Home Depot for the boards.  They have cheap unfinished utility boards that are perfect for shelving.  All my husband had to do to prep them was to cut them.  We chose to make four, three foot shelves.  Three for one wall and one for over our antique-window-turned-chore board.
We picked our colors.  My kitchen is done in roosters with turquoise, red, mustard and green.  Very chic.  I love it.  After finding the perfect table cloth to tie in my hand towels and rugs, I made the perfect choice in paint.  A shade that matched most of my roosters was called pomegranate and the other was blue crab.  Phil started by cutting, then painting all sides of the boards red first. 

 

 

Next, he sanded them down with a steel brush attachment for his drill that only costs a few bucks also at Home Depot.  After trail and error, it is best to just do the entire board.  It gives it a nice weathered look like many years of use in the sun and rain and elements. You can see his attachment here as well.

 

 

Third, a thin coat of the lighter contrasting blue crab hue is applied all over.  There is no right or wrong way to apply.

 

The finished product is mounted with some black brackets we found at Lowe's.  Nothing fancy, but something you may have used in accordance with the period of the home.  These homes are not preserved and loved as they should be most of the time.  I plan to correct this, but it takes time and money and we have three kids.  Small little projects like this go a long way in the presentation of your home.  It is a great look that can be achieved with an afternoon's work.  The sanding is the hardest part.  My husband had the smarts to pull it off and I can't wait to show them off.  Little things can make such a big difference.

 

They are gorgeous and you make such a statement in the room where you spend so much time, or at least we do!







What I Would Want to Say...An Open Letter to My Family

Have you ever thought about the "what if's" in life? What if I got hit by a bus? I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but so much can change in a second.  Would my family know what I wanted to say?  My best friend and I had always meant to make a video after hearing about a woman in Texas that did after learning that she had cancer. She wanted to make videos for every moment of her child's life that she was going to miss.  It was parental genius and done with such love. I didn't want to do it though. I wasn't terminal. I had the rest of my life ahead of me to watch my children grow with love and advice along the way.  First dances, first break ups, graduations and weddings.  What if that tomorrow doesn't come?  I don't mean to take such a dark turn...but I could be in a car accident and never speak to my family again.  I decided to pen a note. Once that couldn't be lost or tossed away.  One that could be found by my children anytime, anywhere...so that they would know how much I love them and what I want for them.
Daughters: Live and love.  Be silly. Be strong.  You have to find a balance.  I want you to go to school and be whatever you want to be.  Always be on time.  Never lie.  You are going to love. You are going to hurt.  When you find the one that makes you smile when you are not with him, and your stomach flutters at the very thought of seeing him, he is the one. You will fight. Then make up.  If he is truly the one, you will fight for him.  Always remember to say you are sorry if you are. Never walk away.  You can fight and argue, but never leave for anything other than a moment to clear your head.  Leaving is not the answer.  If you really thought he was the one, don't lose sight of that and don't let anything come between you.  Except if a man strikes you, get away and don't look back.  It will only get worse.  Don't become a statistic. Should something happen, that took me away, know that I will walk with you always.  I will love you always and be there for you.  You have but to speak to me with your heart, and I will hear you.  I have envisioned your wedding days since you two were born.  To attach your veils, and kiss your cheek as you marry the man you love above all else.  Should I not be there to mark that moment, please know that I will be watching.  You may not feel it, but I will smooth your veil.  My spirit will be all around you and be so proud.  I will always be proud.
Son: Get dirty. Wash up. Listen to your Father. Protect your sisters.  Open doors. Refine your curve ball. Throw a long pass.  Never, ever lay your hand on a woman.  Speak with kindness.  Love fiercely.  Treat the woman you choose to love with respect, never speak or do anything to them that you would not want done to your sisters.  If you have to fight, never throw the first punch.  Stand up for what is right. Have integrity.  When you find the one that you can not live without, make the proposal the most magical, wonderful, romantic moment of her life.  She will remember it for life and retell it with love. Get a good education and be successful.  You can do anything you want if you set your mind to it.  If I am not there on the day you watch your bride walk down the aisle, remember that I will be watching with love from somewhere close by, wishing I could smooth that unruly hair down at your crown.  You will be so handsome and I love you so much. 
Husband: I know this is not something you want to hear, but with tomorrow never promised, I wanted something to give to you and our children as a short memoir for them to remember how much I loved them and how much I loved you should God call me home.  Hopefully no tragedy shall find our family, but I want you know things that are important that only a mother can know.
The little things in life are what is biggest to their hearts.  Make time for Lego's.  Listen to silly stories.  The stories seem so trivial, but if they are telling it, then listen.  They take a pillow to a sleepover.  Check their heads for lice.  Always buy a new back pack and lunch box before school starts.  It doesn't matter. Just do it. Make sure you ask about schoolwork.   Ask how their day was.  Tell them you love them every day. Don't let them forget me. That I was here. That I loved them. That I want them to have all the joy in the world. Remind them on their wedding day.  Talk with them about me on the day that their children are born.  I was here. They will know it.  They will feel it.  Tell their children about me.  Tell them funny stories.  Tell them about the time you were air drumming in the car and how funny that was. Show them where I was secretly recording that. Tell them I loved the simple things they asked me.  "Mommy, want to watch a movie with me?" "Mom, what shirt goes with these shorts?" "Mom, can we go grab some new mascara?" This was our life.  This is who were were.  With me.  Without me will be so different, but find happiness.  Know that I will always be with them, watching them.
I have read so many stories where people waited until the end to tell someone how much they meant or how they felt.  That is a luxury that not everyone is given; I just wanted to put it out there for the world to see.  For my children and husband to read, that should something tragic happen and I didn't get to tell you goodbye, to know that I didn't need to.  I have told you everything that you need to know about how much you mean to me and I tried to show you every day. That is the goal for all of us. When I am tired and beaten from a long day at work, I will still read to you and listen to your funny story from school.  Because I love you.

Three Kids and a Little Crazy

Most of you moms out there have similar things going on with your kids and family.  Mostly chaos, am I right?
I try things I find online either through Pinterest and blogs, try them and see what works best.  Then I can let my readers know my findings and save yourself some trouble.
I wanted to find a way to get the kids' outfits put together from head to toe ahead of time; planning outfits for two girls the night before was taking way too much of my time and making me nuts in the process.  They could sense my frustration and I didn't want that.
I will be honest, I have one of those kids, that even though she is smart, loving and kind, well-liked and popular...she completely loses her mind when picking clothes.  The kind of over-the-top-can't-tell-her-anything kind of bonkers.  I have tried to stress how pieces need to go together. I have explained why you can't wear just any cardigan with shorts to make a cute outfit, etc.  She is slowly coming around the last month or so.  The last two years have been stressful for both of us.  Now, first let me say... she was my preemie.  They are a different breed of cat.  If you don't have one, then there is no way I can make you understand in this blog post.  I struggled with her from 5th grade to the start of 7th.  We are finally at a good place fashion wise.  We plan accordingly and this planning of outfits saves so much time and trouble with all three kids that I hope it can save another mom's sanity.

I found on Pinterest, an interesting way to do the kids clothes and shoes.  Someone was using a plastic drawer set with 6 drawers, complete with wheels on the bottom.  Just like you find at Target or Wal-Mart.
Problems:
Takes up too much room. 
Looks like something of a baby changing station that we have outgrown.
Solution:
Everyone has a book shelf. 
Clothes are folded nicely in a pile with shirts and pants, cardigan, etc.
A basket next to that holds accessories. 
Shoes for me were already kept nicely on a shelf in the closet so this wasn't an issue, space was.
Jackets are kept downstairs on a nice hook and table beneath holds backpacks.

With this being said, you could use anything that you might want to repurpose.  I would be all about this if I had more room.  This would make it like a station of it's own within their room.  If a dresser has room, you could lay each day on top, with others in a drawer of their own.  This is my goal once we do spring cleaning, after we get the house in order from the move.  Check back later for pictures and an updated post once that happens. It will be so much neater and easier.

The main thing that you need to take away from this is...get organized.  It helps, we stay sane, the kids aren't stressed because they don't see the bigger picture that we are wigging out about.
Anything you do will make your life a little less crazy.  Three kids keep me hopping; the last thing I want to deal with is the stress of clothes.  With girls getting older, they realize that life is a runway.  I want to enjoy the little moments of them asking me "necklace or scarf?" not screaming because they can't find something or telling me "that is so not me".  It is calm and peaceful, they do it on their own time.  My rule is all clothes have to get put out by 5 pm on Sunday evening. My son is easy. I mean, boys and clothes...no work.  I love it.  He mainly just wants to be included in the ritual which I love.

Moms have to stick together; I hope this little idea grows with you and leads you to this chore being one less to tackle with agression and loathing. If you have girls, then I don't have to say more.  Now with two teenage daughters, clothes have become a pain worse than death.  This simple life hack has changed all of that...for the most part anyway.

Trials by Food- Flip or Flop?

In a break from healthy living tips, I wanted to share some recipes that I found and tweaked. Flip or flop is what we usually call them in my house.  Some are just for me, because my six year old will never eat stuff cabbage rolls. So let's just leave that there.
I did a massive food prep on Sunday and had a blast.  It has been a while and I am so happy to be back in the groove with foods.  I love cooking.  All of my children love to cook and like to help where they can.  I try to teach them healthy food choices, even if the boy won't try it, he still makes excellent food choices overall.
I like to try recipes and tweak them to my specific tastes or needs in regards to being cleaner and healthier and some I don't becuase my husband is not on the bandwagon like me.  I am on Pinterest and love to try out new things.  Feel free to make your own additions. It is so easy to get in a rut with food that I hope by sharing my finds I help you as well.
Enjoy!



New Recipe:
Stuffed Cabbage Credit - Original Recipe- parsleysagesweet.com
Flip!
Recipe with my changes:
4 large frozen chicken breasts, boiled, cut into bite size pieces
1 c quinoa, cooked
1 large tomato cut into bite size pieces
1/2 head of cabbage
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp fresh garlic (jar)

25 minutes in a 350 oven
Mix the chicken, quinoa, tomoatoes, pepper and garlic together.
I put the head of cabbage in the microwave for six minutes and it works! I had read
about this and thought I would try.  Less mess.
Wash and dry off.  Peel off leaves and drop a tbsp of mixture in and roll up like a little
burrito, please seam side down in a large baking pan lined with foil.  I placed a little of the
broth in the bottom.  Any extra mix, you can chop up a leaf or two and place over the top. 
Cover and bake.

Stuffed Chicken Cabbage Rolls

 



New Recipe:
Power Bites
Flip!
I adjust depending on how much I am making.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix:
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 packets of truvia
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Dash of vanilla
Bring these items to a boil and remove from heat.
Mix in 1/2 cup steel cut oats and stir. Adding more until you get a ball like consistency.
With a small ice cream scoop or large melon baller, scoop out and place on foil or wax paper and put in fridge to cool.
Keep in a tupperware after setting up.
Low calorie and full of goodness. It offers a great alternative if you need a sweet.

                             Power Bites


New Recipe:
Coleslaw- gonnawantseconds.com
Flip!
I adjusted original recipe to my husband's tastes as this was made for him and picky daughters.
I used the rest of head of cabbage from my rolls, finely chopped.
4 tbsp diced onion
1 cup sugar
1/4 milk
1/2 c mayo
2 tbsp white vinegar
4 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least an hour.
I have never like it until now, this is the best tasting sauce. I was dipping chicken pieces in to try it. Yum!!
Flip!



 

Don't Be Scared to Eat Out

The weekend is here and with it, fun and errands with the family or friends.  I used to be scared to eat out on the weekends because it is usually prepared poorly and full of hidden calories.  Even the best restaurant is not going to prepare it like you would at home.  The dressing will usually ruin you if you choose a salad.
This is where we talk about Tip #2:
Bring your own dressing.  I swear on my Michael Kors bag that there is a low calorie dressing spritz in my bag every time I leave the house when I think I might eat.  Do I care if I look weird? No, because I am a superhero.  My power is knowledge.  My husband thought I was crazy at first.  I can't seem to get him on the Healthy Train.  He is a work in progress; eating with a spouse that doesn't eat healthy and clean is an entry for another day. Back to dressings, restaurant dressing are horrible for you, full of processed junk that can ruin your hard work from the week. 
With that being said, I am also an advocate of a cheat meal once a week.  I just prefer to do mine with breakfast with my family once on the weekend.  It is bad carbs more often than not, so I backload that day.  This means I eat the bad stuff first so that my body has a way to use it up hopefully, over the course of a day. It is more important to have a nice, normal, slow paced meal that we normally don't enjoy during the week because of work, school and activities.
Sometimes it is hard. I feel guilty for eating poorly.  It will make me feel bad. I won't have as much energy as I normally do.  I will usually eat the eggs and a biscuit or cinnimon roll and drool over the rest.  I am from the South. We love our biscuits. We know how to do big breakfasts.  Eggs, sausge and/or bacon, hashbrowns, gravy and biscuits. It is a struggle every day.  I kid you not, I am a person who has to make every food choice with precision because I will gain if I don't.  I do not get it. It is not fair, but I have had to learn to deal with it.  So suck it up, buttercup! Quit using excuses.  I hate when people have every excuse in the world for not eating healthy and exercise, yet gripe about the fact that they are up a size.  Well, put down the cheeseburger and think about it.  Is it really worth it? I have to ask myself that all the time.  My weakness is ice cream.  Goodness! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  So if I eat it, I have to run longer, walk more or put in some extra work somewhere.  It is getting into that mind set that is the real struggle here. You have to have self control and be accountable.  I was fat and lazy. The end.  I got my butt up and started to really work.  It.  Is. Work.  Every day, every meal, all the time.
So enjoy your restaurant meal. Have a lovely grilled chicked or salmon on your salad (sans croutons) with fruits or veggies...and dig into that fabulous bag of yours and pull out a healthy alternative to the dressing in the restaurant.  Be proud, straighten your cape and dig in!