Color me Happy!

I had a really ugly old picture my Mom gave me years ago.  I knew I could do something fun with it.  Today as Brayden and I sat coloring at the table, I thought...hmmm....I know what I could make. 

Here...BEFORE:

and here is the AFTER:

I think it's just the cutest thing ever!  Now I just need to find a place to hang it ;-)

One step forward...

I will admit, I have been in a blog funk lately.  I have so many things to blog about, and no time to do it...when it would seem that since I am at home with Brayden these days that I would have all the time in the world to write, blog and share pictures.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in life's day to day events, triumph's and struggles that other things can seem to go by the wayside. 

Let me share with you our lives as of late.

First...we had a wonderful Valentines day.  Brayden painted a beautiful canvas for Daddy all by himself.  He insisted on using paint brushes because he knows that what I always use, and he is not a huge fan of getting his hands all dirty.  Needless to say though...stripped down to a diaper on a towel in the bathroom...he painted his heart out.  He requested the colors he wished to use on Daddy's surpirse present.  He turned the paint brush and drew in the paint once it was all finished, which made a neat design.  He was so excited.  After we were all done...I plopped him into the tubby and had to give him two baths to get him all clean as he had paint on him everywhere...belly button included!  When Daddy got home from work he quickly and excitedly announced to him that "I paint Daddy, present...a castle....then tubby".  He can't keep a secret evidently ;-)  Oh well.

Daddy LOVED his picture so much he has been walking around the house holding it up in various places on the wall to see exactly where he wants to hang it.  I said to Ron, "Why don't we put it in our room on the wall, the colors kind of match in there"  and Ron replied "yeah, but nobody will get to see it in there, and I want everyone to know Brayden painted this for me".  {sniff sniff}...how sweet is that?  Ron is not an overly emotional person to others...and it was just such a statement of emotion as to how much this messy little canvas meant to him...and the fact the Brayden worked so hard on it for Daddy. 

These are the moments in life that when they happen I quietly reflect and then THANK GOD for my life ;-)

Daddy bought Brayden a big green heart filled with his favorite candy...M & M's.  They were all green inside.   Bray LOVED them, stinker!

We also took a trip to the Ice Castle last weekend as well.  Brayden thinks everything is a castle lately, and was truly taken back by the real thing, all lit up with a bon fire and all.  It's a yearly thing here where we live, and its on the lake.  There was music, good food, lights, tons of people bundled to the hilt, fireworks and snowmobiles driving on the lake {scary I know!}...but we had lots of fun.  It was SO cold though that we did not stay for long.  Brayden however would have stayed all night if he could have.  It was so fun to share this with him though...and he truly had a wonderful time. 

Other than all of that...we have just been trying to stay home, stay warm, and get the house done...you know...the normal everyday stuff.  Brayden has been trying to be a big helper in the kitchen with me lately...since I have been making more meals at home these days.  It's nice to finally be in a place in our lives where that simple normalcy now seems like a blessing to us, rather than a burden.  I like that bad things make you appreciate the small things all the more. 

We are slowly recovering from 2009....it's still going to take us some time...but I have learned that one step in the right direction everyday will eventually get us there.  One step, one day at a time. 

Dining Chair Re-do Part I

Two years ago I purchased these chairs from a garage sale...4 of them for 6$, and later found two captains chairs to match this set at another sale for $2.  They are not in the best condition, and need to be completely refinished, but I don't want to put that much energy into them just yet.  So...I figured first I would play around with upholstry and see if I even liked the outcome before deciding to do anything more with them. 

 Last week I found a Waverly curtain panel at Big Lots for like $6.  I bought one, knowing by its size I would have plenty of fabric to do my chairs.  I decided to cover the backs of the chairs because I just dont like them...simple as that.  For the backs, I used cardboard and batting, fit them in the slight indentation on each side of the chair, and hot glue hot glue hot glue.  I secured the outer sections with rope and more hot glue to secure them even more, and they are not going anywhere! 

 Some fabric buttons finish the look, and a few serious burns later...here it is.  I still need to do something with the wood on the chairs, shine it up-paint them...don't know yet...but so far one chair is complete, and I really do love it!  Can't beat it for less than 3$ a chair huh?  Happy Decorating!

BEFORE

AFTER

This week...

This week has been a productive one for us. 

 At least I feel like it has.

1. I managed to re-upholster one diningroom chair, and burn my hands with the hot glue gun when applying the very last fabric button that I JUST HAD to add to the chair!  I ran to the kitchen screaming explitives so loudly that Brayden ran in behind me yelling "Mommy-matter?"  I told him I had boo boo's on my hands and he said "wow-really?" and walked out of the room.  Thankfully he did not decide to repeat the F-bomb I dropped several times in my mad dash to the kitchen ;-)
2. Today we loaded up with paint, and a canvas in the bathroom with Brayden only in a diaper for his first "painting" experience.  We were making Daddy's {surprise} Valentines gift...I told Brayden several times it was a present for Daddy and not to tell him.  {yes, I know...I should have known better}.  As soon as Ron got home from work Brayden ran up to give him hugs and kisses and said "Daddy-painting yellow...a castle....in tubby"....he didn't totally give it away but close enough.  Needless to say...he was COVERED head to toe with all sorts of different colors of paint, and so was my bathroom floor.  It was beautiful to watch him create something like this though.  He was SO proud of himself and just loved painting and exploring all of these colors.  We are not quite done with the present though...will have to keep you posted on the final project.
3. Brayden and I went to a friends house for a playdate this week.  I was nervous...I will admit it.  He was TWICE their size {two little girls half his age}, and with Bray-he can either be a total angel, or a little stinkbutt....and I was not sure how he would react.  HE was a total GENTLEMAN....so sweet, polite, nice, everything.  I was PROUD.  I felt good about the job I have done thus far as a parent and THAT felt good.  Needless to say, I had fun too...spending time with an old co-worker and her daughter Rosalie, and a childhood best friend Ylsa and her daughter Rya.  It was really a great day and I enjoyed myself immensely.  I was though EXHUASTED by the time we got home and settled.
4. My cousin Nikki and her daughter Amanda came over to visit us today and brought me coffee and donuts.  She is so sweet.  I am so glad we have such a great friendship, and I really love LOVE love her company.  She has been a huge help to me over the last few years in my life here in NY, and I am so blessed for that.
5. I did manage to decorate the bathroom too this week, and give it a great scrub down.  I am still putting the finishing touches on it, but so far I am pretty darn happy with it.

I have not done the laundry I promised myself I would do this week, but I did get other things done.  Mostly it was taking time to really enjoy Brayden and our time together during the day.  He is so fun.  He is so sweet. 

 I told Ron tonight...."even though during the day it gets exhausting sometimes to constantly entertain Brayden...when he goes to bed...I just want to wake him up because I miss him already".

Perserverance...{Driving Miss Daisy Part II}

We got the BEST news two days ago.  The Senators office called me to tell me that the letter of intent I provided with all of the proof of our insurance, and a work order for my brakes {seriously}...they decided to FINALLY dissolve everything.  We went today and got NY state insurance, cancelled our other policy, and got new plates and registrations...we are again mobile. 

 Perserverance is not overrated. 

 I am proud that I kept plugging away until somebody budged. I must have heard 100

 "we can't do anything for you"

 in my five weeks of phone calls and letters. I cried more times than I can count.  I slammed my phone down a few more hundred times.  I called and cried to family members and friends.  I panicked, I did not sleep, I prayed, cried and prayed some more. We depended solely on family and friends for rides here there and everywhere.

 {Thank you all so much, we love you and are forever grateful}.

Needless to say.... IT WAS NOT FUN!!!
I experienced every natural emotion.  I was shocked, then sad, helpless, frustrated, MAD, angry, then accepting.  I tried to see the good in this.  I spent time with Brayden without having to run anywhere in the car.  THAT was nice.  We had a ton of fun playing and unpacking and decorating this new house we had prayed so many times for in the last 6 months.  I spent time being grateful, and knowing I would accept any outcome with grace, and still continued to perservere.

 I cannot take all of the credit for these wonderful changes of events though.  Senator Cathy Youngs office was a HUGE support to us.  It never hurts to involve the higher ups when you really need it.  We are giddy with excitement.  It has been five weeks that we have been unable to drive our poor cars.  It really sucked...let's just put it that way.  Brayden and I both gained 5 pounds just being stuck in the house

 {Ron got to leave to go to work}.

 Brat.

I will admit...putting the plates on the cars today...I felt like I was 16 again getting behind the wheel for the first time.  I was like this little nervous driver. 

 Too funny.

A woman at the DMV said to me yesterday

 "Wow, I bet you guys have had a rough couple of days with all of this mess"...

I chuckled and said

 "yeah...a rough couple of days it was" {roll my eyes}...

 when what I REALLY wanted to say was...

 "Days??? Try FIVE friggin weeks lady!!!"

But I refrained. 

 I want good Karma. ;-)

Funny guy...

Brayden is so happy to be home with Mommy these days.  He has gotten into his own swing of things in the new house, and seems to be loving every minute of his undivided attention he gets from me while Daddy is at work all day.  That's not to say he doesn't LOVE his time with Ron, as I am chop liver as soon as Daddy walks in the door at night, but that's okay with me...gives me my break time then...which is also good for me.

Lately Brayden has been loving sleeping in his own big boy room, in his very own bed.  He wakes up usually around 4:30 am about 4 nights a week and says, "Mommy-help!"  or "Shanny?  Shannon?  Nuggle me?"  He loves when I get out of my bed and go snuggle with him...and I don't mind, because I love it too.  I know...probably creating a bad habit for the future but I want him to feel safe, and that we will come when he needs us...so I, or Daddy will go in and "nuggle" with him.  Occassionally he will just get out of bed and come into our room.  Our bed sits up too high for him to get in all alone, so he will stand there and say "Mommy, M-up, climb? nuggle?"  aka: Mommy Im up, Ill climb up and snuggle?  So I tell him to climb and pull him up into bed with us.  He usually falls back to sleep in like 2.2 seconds.  :-)

Every night when Ron and I tuck him in we talk all about what he did for the day.  He has gotten quite good at recalling the day.  He loves to have family hugs and tells us "I miss you" aka: I love you.  So we tell him we love him too! 

It's amazing to watch him grow.  He is talking so much lately.  He is so polite.  His manners are really sweet, and not forced from us.  I have always wanted a polite child, but never pushed the issue.  It seems to be something he has picked up and likes to use!  Good thing!  He says please, thank you, no thankyou, excuse me, excuse me sir, yes maam....I am impressed...and happy. 

His newest favorite meal is salad shreds with ranch dressing.  He will go to the fridge, pull out the ranch and tell me salad Mommy! 

It's feels good to be staying at home with him right now.  This is perfect timing.  Time that I don't want to miss.  Time with him to shape who he is, and that is so important at this age.  That makes me feel good.  I love being able to see his smiling face all day, hear him giggle, watch him learn, explore, talk and test.  He is just amazing to us.  We are so grateful for having him in our lives.  We love you Brayden!

Hallway Redo...Part II

The hallway is getting there...slowly but surely.  It was A LOT more work than I had anticipated.  First...I had to crawl on the stairs on my knees to scrub them down.  2.  I re-painted all of the white trim from the top of the stairs, all the way down into the hallway, a window, doors, french doors, and front door.  I then had to paint the stairs and underneath molding brown. 3.  Then the floors needed to be scraped because they are an old icky hardwood that had paint droppings on them that was driving me crazy {not from me...from someone previous}.  4. Then I had to scrape the windows on the french doors because I got paint on the glass...{sigh} I intended to do it that way though...really.

Here is the so far progress.

I still have to make a front door curtain, a new window curtain, hang pretties in my hallway up the stairs...yadda yadda yadda...

                                    Before                                                                   After

                                  Before                                                                After

Okay...not a HUGE difference, but much cleaner looking in person...you can totally notice it looks better.

Much better!

Here are some of the newest pics I took to show off all of my hard work. 

More to come this weekend.  Pinky swear!

Enjoy!