Nursery Mood Board

Nick and I have been busy getting ready for Caden to enter this world in April. I have cleaned out the spare bedroom and bought the bedding. Over the holidays my parents will be coming down to help paint the room. I had a hard time picking out the color of the room, but we decided with doing a light green for the walls. We also decided to take the closet doors off since they are sliding doors and annoying and going to extend the room into the closet. Everything in the closet will be painted white (shelves and top clothes rod) and then we are going to stripe the walls with two shades of light blue. Here is an example of the closest doors being taken off and the striping of the walls.

example of the blue stripes for the closet

example of extending the room to the closet

example of the stripes in the closet

Once we get the room painted we will order our crib and dresser and get the room underway. We plan to also put another dresser in the closet. The dresser is actually ours in our bedroom right now so we will have to wait till we get another dresser for our bedroom. We also have a glider chair from when we had Connor to put in the room as well. Here is our mood board for the room and hope it turns out the way I hope.

In the photo:

Bedding: Pottery Barn Kasey Navy

Crib and Dresser: BabiesRUs

I'm going to incorporate a sports theme to his room. Some of the objects above will be a different color than the picture. (stars, numbers, mobile, artwork, etc). Hope to have the room completed by March - so be looking for updates and final photos.

PS - our guest bathroom makeover is pretty much done - just need towel bars and toilet paper holder and then over the summer we will repaint the cabinets and put new hardware on. Eventually I hope to get new sinks and a new countertop but that will have to be put on the back burner for now.

On a side note - I am 25 weeks pregnant and go to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up. I will be taking my glucose diabetes test probably after Christmas and start going to appointments every two weeks. This pregnancy is sure going fast, but at times not fast enough. Connor definitely makes sure I am up and busy so I do not get much rest. But it has kept the weight off - don't know if that is what the scale says but my body feels that way. Once January gets here I think time will slow down - usually does for work and I will want things to speed up for March and April to be here. Anyways I will keep you posted!

Raising boys

All for one and one for all

My brother and my friend

What fun we have

The time we share

Brothers 'til the end.

~Author Unknown

Nick and I have the best child ever. Connor is our greatest love and joy in our life. He can turn on every single emotion a person can feel towards a person with a click of a switch. We are truly blessed to have such a healthy and smart son. He will grow to be a great leader and passionate person. He loves sports and the outdoors and he sure has a temper that shows his stubborn side. Next weekend we will be celebrating Connor's 2nd birthday even though his birthday is not till December 25, we figured he could have some space in between birthday and Christmas. I can not believe he is already going to be 2!!!

We found out in July that we were pregnant again with baby #2. With Connor keeping me busy and starting at a new school teaching I have not even at a moment to think about this next baby. I will say as my belly has grown I have had to restrict some of my play time with Connor to more low key and to make sure I rest when Connor rest or I am pooped. During my down time (if I ever get any) I tend to think about how it is going to be with two babies in the house. How you can possibly love another child with the same capacity but in a different way....I will soon find out in April.

This past Friday we had our 18 week ultra sound and we were able to find out we are having another baby boy!!!

Part of us was hoping for a girl because it would be different and interesting. But of course a healthy baby will be the best. I felt all along that I was having another boy just because I had all the same signs I had with Connor and sure enough I was right. When we went to the ultra sound it was such a relaxing time. I felt like I was in a spa room because they had soft music going and the lights dimmed. Connor wanted to be apart of it all and sat on the bed with me as we all watched the screen. It was the perfect moment.

This baby currently is only .49 lbs and is not a mover at all. Unlike my other child who has never stopped moving. Baby #2 seems to be calm - so I am curious how he will actually be. I am so excited to have another boy not just because boys are so much fun to raise, but for the fact that Connor will now have a brother to play with and experience life with. Connor and Baby #2 will be best friends even though they might not know it until they are older. I can not wait to see how they interact and play with each other. I can not wait to see how they take care of each other and look out for each other.

My biggest insecurity right now with raising two boys is making sure I raise them in a Christian home and make sure they lead a life for the glory of God. I hope and pray everyday that my boys will be strong Christians and lead a family that is for the Lord. It is my duty as a mother, parent, and Christian that I teach my children that God is the way, the truth, and the light. I'm not so much insecure that I can't do it, but that I do it right.

Again I can not express how happy Nick and I are right now as we plan and get our house ready for our new bundle of joy. Please pray for us on this journey!

A sibling may be the keeper of one's identity, the only person with the keys to one's unfettered, more fundamental self. ~Marian Sandmaier

Toys and More Toys

I found this really cool website called Knock-Off Wood and I love all the stuff on there. It is a website on how to make knock off expensive wood furniture and items. In the past my dad has made Connor's toddler bed from the website and his night stand (which is a ladder). Now I commissioned him to make some toy boxes for Connor's room. They are so awesome and look great in his room. It actually was nice to take a few toys out of the play room and store them in his room so we have more space. Thanks DAD!!! We definitely have more work to do from that website - can't wait to get started.

Phase Three of the Guest Bathroom

This guest bathroom business has been a long and slow process but we are getting there. I hope to have it complete by Christmas!!! Then it is onto our bedroom and bathroom. Yay!

Click below to see the process:

Beginning and Phase One Post

Phase Two Post

This weekend was kind of a rough weekend. I just get frustrated when things are not in order. So to let out of my frustration I decided to work on the bathroom. I painted the white frame around the mirror black and I bought the glass pieces for the vanity lights. Two weekends ago we purchased the shower rod and shower curtain as well. We went with a curved shower rod instead of a straight one so that our guest can have more room in the shower.

After the painters came in and painted all the trim white it really outdated the cabinets and the frame around the mirror. You could actually see the yellow in the paint - which I find very disgusting. So I decided the frame around the mirror needed to be painted and definitely not a new fresh paint of white. The black paint actually makes the frame look more formal and the mirror stands out more. I love it!

I also had bought the vanity lights awhile back and my father in law installed them but I did not have enough money at the time to by the glass around the bulbs, so I finally bought them this weekend and added them to the vanity lights.

Here is the vanity lights without the glass around the bulbs:

I have added a few decorations that I bought with my sister to the counter top to add to my black and white scheme.

All we have left is to buy the towel and toilet paper rods, a piece of art work for the bathroom, re-paint the cabinets and add new hardware, new bath towels and rugs and I want to replace the sinks and redo the countertop. The sinks and countertops actually might not happen till after the baby is born because of the amount of money it will cost. So we will see. Check out the pictures!!!

Klein Collins HomeComing!!!

So this school year my dream finally came true to be a high school teacher. I've been wanting to teach high school since I graduated college. I don't know if its because I thought my students would be more mature and more excited about learning art, or was it all the activities that go on with high school. Overall this year has been a good one, but I've had some ups and downs and go back and forth wondering if I made the right move in my career. Only time will tell.

One fun thing though my family and I got to experience was the hype of homecoming and the football game. I thought when I was in high school our mums and garters were out of control and expensive. Oh you have no idea what it is like now - RIDICULOUS. That boy inviting that girl to homecoming is a poor poor child. I would say most girls mums were atleast $200-$300 dollars and they had to hang them around their necks because they were so huge. Not to be rude or anything but I swear if you are a little on the heavy side these mums would of hid you too. WOW!!!

It was a fun week though. The school had dress up days all week long and the school was wildly decorated. My parents came into town that weekend and I thought it would be fun for us all to go to the football game. Especially since Klein Collins (where I teach) is undefeated in football. I wanted us all to be dressed in our school colors and I wanted Connor to have his own personal garter to wear to the game. My sister- in- law's mother makes mums and garters by the way and she does a fabulous job, but I asked her to make Connor one and it was sooo cute. Unfortunately Connor just wanted to hold it and not wear it, so it wasn't exactly where I was going with it and all. Well we went to the game and of course ended up chasing Connor and watching football. Being 4 mths pregnant and chasing a 2 yr old is exhausting by the way, so Mimi and Papa, and daddy did a fantastic job. Connor wanted so bad to get on the field and play with the "baseball" - he keeps forgetting its a football or I really just think he has an obsession with baseball. He loved watching the band perform as well and we had a great evening! Oh and of course won the game!

Final Guest Bath room painted

So the painters finally showed up yesterday. They were suppose to be here at 4pm and never showed up till 7pm. And of course they are horrible with time so they did not leave till 10:30pm. We were exhausted and kind of put in a bad mood. But when we saw the bathroom we LOVED it!

The bathroom still has many renovations to take place. We still need to paint the cabinets (ran out of money so we did not ask the painters) and put new hardware on them. We want to eventually change out the sink and countertop. I am going to paint the mirror frame black probably next week - so it pops more off the wall. Then we just have to decorate it!!!

Here is the finish product of the paint








And here is how we are going to decorate the bathroom for those that did not see it on the previous blog. You can also see before pictures on the previous blog.

Guest Bathroom remodel

This summer I began a journey destroying our guest bathroom by taking wall paper of the walls. Well I did not get very far because the sheet rock started coming off with the wallpaper. Then I found out I was pregnant. So I decided to hire someone to finish up the bathroom. It has been a blessing to have someone else do the work for a change because I just simply do not have the energy and when you have a two year old - he thinks he can help but....not very well - makes more of a mess.

Any who.....the painter guys came this past Sunday

Here is the before pictures:





Here is after the painters came and repaired the walls to be painted:






I will have the final pictures of the painting of the bathroom later on this week and then when it is all done and decorated I will post again.

Here is the layout of the bathroom and how I am thinking about decorating it!
Enjoy!

Time for Two

Its time for baby #2!!!

Nick and I found out we are pregnant at the beginning of August and will be going to the doctor on September 13th to confirm. But I can pretty much confirm it! Peeing all the time, already showing, tired, mood swings. Oh and the worse!.....I have a sciatic nerve in my lower back, butt area - which by the way is almost worse than labor. It is absolutely painful. Sometimes the pain brings tears to my eyes and sometimes I feel paralyzed in the position I left myself in. If I cough it shoots pains up and down my spine. It is miserable. So come Sept. 13 I am going to get some drugs - because I need them ASAP.

On a happy note - we are ecstatic and we are due I believe April 7, 2011
We will keep everyone updated and please if you could say prayers for the pain!!!

Two quick furniture paintings this week

I decided I needed some projects to work on this week! My first project was a salvaged find in Galveston and the other my dad and I built together.

Project #1:
I picked up two of these chairs off the side of the rode and thought I could use one as a chair in my guest room. I don't know what I'm going to do with the other one. So I made my hubby drag the chairs along with our already loaded down truck back to Houston so I could begin my project. The project was real fast and simple. I picked up a can of Rustoleum White Gloss spray paint and spray painted the entire chair. It took two bottles and some patience on the drying - since it was metal in some areas. This is what it looked like -


















and here is the room that this chair is going into -







Then I decided it was too white - so I hand-painted the handles black to add some interest

AND HERE IS THE FINAL PRODUCT - TADA!!!





Project #2: I started off going to one of my most favorite websites -
KNOCK-OFF WOOD and found the plans to a ladder night stand table for Connor's room. At Pottery Barn it resales for $69 and just buying the wood it cost us $13

Here is the Pottery Barn Night Stand Table -
Click Here

Here is the one my dad and I made -

With a little bit of primer and blue spray paint (two cans) - here is my awesome side table for Connor's room


















Yay for projects! And now I'm back to painting some canvas art for my friend's baby shower.

Fireplace Makeover

So ever since I moved into my new house I've gone back and forth on painting my fireplace. I did not hate the brick but I did not get a soothing vibe from it either. So I've been reading this blog Decorating Obsessed and also this blog Young House Love, who both took the challenge to paint their fireplaces. After reading and drooling at their new fireplace I finally took the plunge.

This is the fireplace before:



This is the fireplace after:




I LOVE IT!!!


So here is my step by step:

I first painted the mantle which was stained with primer and then took the same color as the walls - Sherwin Williams DoveTail and painted the mantle. Once the mantle was dry I think proceeded to tape off the entire fireplace to get ready to paint it white. I use a white semi-gloss latex paint.



I had to put two coats of white paint on and found that some areas of the brick in the center were absorbing the paint and so I had to put a third coat in those areas.



Now look at that nasty brass screen - YUCK!! So once the white was dry I retaped off the screen and the glass and used a high heat ultra black spray paint from Rust-oleum. If you have never used Rust-oleum before it is the best product ever and can do so many neat things. Here is the result



Finally when it was all dry I added my decorations and WA-LA! I will eventually change my decorations because I'm sure I really like them, but it is what I have right now. Any suggestions on decorating the fireplace would be excellent. Thanks!!!

Water Baby

We have started entering into our terrible two stage earlier than wanted. Connor is full of energy, but he is also very stubborn and demanding. If he doesn't get what he wants he throws a tantrum or hits or bites (no biting at our house though right now, thank goodness). Since all this has been happening Nick and I have been researching and reading books on discipline for children. Connor is still at the age where you can not reason with him yet, but there are still positive ways we have been working with him on. So far it seems to be going great. One thing though we have found that calms Connor down and excites him too is water. He is the total water baby. (just like his momma!)

I can not wait till it gets warmer outside and we are able to go to the pool, Schlitterbahn, and Splash Town. Connor will absolutely have a blast. Lately we have been putting bubbles in his bath and he loves them. I've been trying to teach him how to blow bubbles in the water. He hasn't quite mastered that yet, but we are practicing.
So I've already started planning our water adventures to get him use to the water more and be okay putting his face in the water. Since we moved into our new house this past summer we have been dying to use our neighborhood pool (its nothing special), but its so close to the house. And in June we are going to New Braunsfel with the Schneider family for a couple of days - so Schlitterbahn here we come. Then we are also going to Rockport with the Bryan family for a fishing tournement. Finally we live right across the freeway from Splashtown and Nick's friend works there so do I hear the words DISCOUNT - yes I do!

All in all I'm so glad to have a baby who loves water and is adventurous. Boys are so much fun and we are truly blessed to have such a fun, loving, stubborn, and fiesty child!