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New House
05.02.13

We have stairs!

Real stairs!  That we can walk up and down!  And a railing to hold!  It’s wonderful.  I feel like Tom Hanks on The Money Pit.  “We have stairs!”  Classic.  

 Top trim wasn’t quite finished when I took most of these pictures.

Now the top trim is finished.  
Several of you have asked me when the house will be done and we can move in.

“Two weeks!”  
Kidding.  Still in Money Pit mode.  :)
We are supposed to finish in July (one year from our start date) but since I know that there is no such thing as a house that is built on budget and on time I’m crossing my fingers for August. 
 Crossing my fingers… but not holding my breath.

xoxo, Erin
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Organization
05.01.13

Organizing solutions (my way your way)

Hello hello friends!  I’ve rounded up some serious organizing eye candy for you today.  Woot woot!  (You know I mean business when I break out with a “woot woot!”)  I have been so inspired lately with fun organizing solutions that are similar to methods I already have in place so of course I had to share them all with you!  Enjoy!
You’ve all seen my craft space several times.  It has been so nice to have a set cupboard for the kids to keep all of their art supplies.  But if a cupboard is nice…
how fabulous would a whole armoire be?  I love that most used toys can be stored low for little hands, art work is displayed on the doors, and at the end of the day everything can be closed up and hidden.  Genius!

I also love the idea of keeping an “art tray” nearby stocked full of pencils, scissors, markers, etc. so that supplies are always within reach.

I’ve shared how I store my jewelry.  Necklaces hang on hooks on the wall and everything else is crammed into a small jewelry box (so excited to revamp this system after we move!).
Here are a few other fun ideas…
Use simple mini hooks to hold necklaces.

Or try multiple jewelry stands!  I love that everything is out on display here.  I think I’d wear my jewelry more if I could see it all!

I’ve always kept my nail polish in this simple divider.
But what a fun idea to use an old spice rack?  Or a new one.  :)
I love seeing creative organizing solutions.
A simple book from Hallmark has helped me keep track of birthdays and organize my cards.
But how cool is Jen’s solution for organizing cards?  Categorizing just makes me smile!  This way you can stock up on cards and always have one ready to go if you are short on time.
It’s like having your own mini Hallmark right at your fingertips!  :)
In the past I have used a simple trash can to corral wrapping paper.  This was especially handy for me during the holidays when I set up my Christmas wrap station.
But how simple and fabulous is this solution?
Cup hooks holding dowels make smart wrapping paper storage!
Labeled Ziploc bags for kids’ clothes each day of the week has been a lifesaver for helping us plan and lay out weekly outfits.  Mornings have run much smoother since we implemented this little system!
But if I had the room…
I LOVE this solution too!  Hooks on the closet door with a simple paper label for each day of the week.  You could also add the hooks on a blank wall in your child’s room.  So smart!
In my linen closet I store cleaning supplies in labeled bins.
But I think next time I organize cleaning supplies these lined wire baskets with labels are calling my name.  So stylish!  About as stylish as toilet paper and cleaning supplies can look if you ask me.  :)
And you’ve all seen our makeshift mudroom on a wall in our garage.  It has worked well for us, but I love the following solution even more…
All you need for this is a shelf with some hooks and a hallway!  A perfect place for kids to drop off shoes and backpacks.  And a happy place for the family calendar to live as well!
YEA!  So many fun organizing solutions.
Hope this post made you as happy as it made me.
:)
xoxo, Erin
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home decor 2
04.29.13

Spring Mantel

Sharing a few pics of my mantel at this very moment.  And I know it’s pretty similar to past Spring mantels I’ve already shared.  But while I was decorating it I realized that it was the last time I’d decorate this mantel in this house so I’m sharing pictures anyway.  :)

The only new addition to the mantel is the plate.  It has been with me a while.  It was $2.99 at Home Goods and for that price and with those colors it just sort of hopped in my cart.

 A simple Spring mantel.  That I thought was done and done.

 

 Until Ad brought home this ever so interesting clay fish she made in school.

 

And with that pose and with those colors, he just sort of hopped on up.
Free for all mantel.  Wonder what will find its way up there next?
:)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
04.25.13

iphone dump

 A favorite hang out.

 Life with sisters.  
 Ever so patiently waiting his turn.  

 So happy I caught this moment at the park.  
Girls being especially quite upstairs always = fun surprises for mom.  
 Turtles taking a soak.  
Open House in Ad’s class.  Made me miss teaching 1st grade!
And 4th.  And 5th.  
Swim lessons with El.  
Working hard to get ready for a swim test she has to pass next month before she can take her favorite lifeguard summer camp at the beach.  El is such a good swimmer – WAY better than her mom 
although that’s not saying much.  Nose plugs anyone?  :)
Lessons are on her early out day at school so Kenny comes home for lunch to stay with (napping) Kole and Ad while I take her.

What do I do during El’s swim lesson?  Nothing!  Highlight of my week!  
Although it’s officially time to lose the jeans and boots and let my white legs see some sun!  

Girls were in charge of Kole’s birthday cupcakes for our little family party.  
Mmmmmmm.  
Sprinkles anyone?  
 The birthday boy didn’t mind much.  
He enjoyed them so much in fact that we had to sing and let him blow out the candle oh.. 
about 18 times.  

The men in my life.  Kole is holding his remote control.  He uses it to make the “diggers” move.

:)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
04.24.13

Master Bedroom (just a peek)

K – this really has nothing to do with my post, but I have to say that lately I have been having such a hard time staying on top of things around the house.  And by “lately” I mean the past few years.  :)  Ever since child number three came along it feels like housework is such an uphill battle.  Kenny came home tonight and I said “Ahhh!  I can’t wait to move!  The new house is going to be so… clean!”  Kenny was like “um… I don’t know why you think it’s going to be any easier to keep clean than this house…”  But he doesn’t get it.  He doesn’t know that the new house is going to be different.  It’s going to be this magical place.  A magical place where dishes wash themselves, laundry will cease to exist, and floors will stay perfectly vacuumed and polished.  Everything will have a place where it happily resides and clutter and chaos will be no more.  While I’m at – daydreaming away – it will also be a place where delicious, well-balanced home cooked meals appear each evening right around dinner time…  
I have a dream!  Similar to yours?  :)  
Moving on now.  
Sharing a few progress pics of the master bedroom today.
 These were taken a couple of months ago just after drywall. 

The door to this room is down the hall a bit.  Right before the french doors that open to the back porch.

Here is that same space now.  Primed and almost ready to paint!  

This is the wall our bed will face.  
That same wall today.  
 And a sketch of what that wall will look like when it’s finished.  

 A bird’s eye view of the room.  
I’m excited about this space!  
Even though deep down I’m well aware that the bed won’t make itself.  
:)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
04.22.13

Weekend Organizing (and other nonsense)

I hope you all had a restful weekend friends!  Sharing a quick re-cap of what went down around here.  
 Friday afternoon we loaded up the car and then I kissed three people good-bye.  

 Well.  More than three if you count the “friends” who were along for the ride.  :)  Kenny took the girls camping (they go once a month with a group of dads and daughters) so it was just my little boyfriend and I left at home (the only boyfriend Kenny is cool with).

A whole weekend to ourselves!  Hmmmm… what to do…. what to do….

I know!  I’ll make a list!  Nothing like a good to-do list and time to actually tackle it.  Not a long list, but each to-do was a major time sucker.  Plus I did still have my little man to tend to who is known to be a bit of a to-do list sabotager.  :)  But despite his best efforts, I managed to cross off most of my list (and a few things not listed!) which has left me starting the week both tired and happy.  There was also a lot of train assembling, pillow fort building, and Peppa Pig watching that went on but I didn’t take a ton of pictures.  Time was of the essence!  Here are a few I did snap…

Quick fridge clean out.  I’m wishing I would have taken a “before” because it was so bad.  Not a lot of upkeep lately on my part and my organized spaces were falling fast.  After a good 45 minutes we were back in business.

And desperately in need of groceries!
Quick pantry tidying.  

 I went to put something away in the craft cupboard and gasped at what was staring back at me.  

Ten minutes and we were back in business in this space.  
I cleaned out the closet under my stairs.  Again.  It’s our major catch all for anything that doesn’t have a home.  I didn’t take pics of the before and after, but here is how I’m storing a few things in that closet…
Because we are short on space I always store suitcases inside of suitcases and bags inside of other bags.  

Summer essentials I keep in a bucket for easy access (I added sunscreen after I took this picture).  This is next to our beach bags so if we are heading to the beach or pool I can have us ready in no time.  Well.  Not no time.  It still takes us some time.  Nothing happens at light speed with three children.  But now we can be ready in less time!  And less is more if you ask me.  But you didn’t ask me so I’ll stop rambling now.  At least about this picture.

When I cleaned out our van (our van requires a major clean out before I can even take it to the car wash!) I realized that our front console was a mess.  I emptied it only to find three umbrellas.  THREE!  And it doesn’t even rain here that much.  Funny.  So I rounded up all of our umbrellas that were living in random places throughout the car and the house and grouped them together in this green bucket I had on hand.  Now when it does rain we will be ready in no time!  Well.  Not no time.  But less time.

You get the picture.  :)  

Our bougainvillea vine over the garage is looking stunning as always but I have to say that while this vine and I were once in love, we have now become mortal enemies.  I decided this as I swept out my garage for the 3,267th time this year.  I also decided that I can’t plant one over the garage in my new house like I thought I would.  Bummer!  As beautiful as it is, it is just way too high maintenance.  These lovely little pink flowers blow off and end up everywhere.  I will have to find a better spot for one in the new place.

There are a couple of things left to accomplish whenever I find a minute.  Girls’ bathroom cupboards are in need of some tweaking and as you can see on my list – I didn’t organize blog posts for the week.   Nothing new there.  Oh well!  I’m a better fly by the seat of my pants kind of blogger anyway.  :)

In between organizing spurts both days my little buddy and I went to the park.  I got a run in and he got  some swing/slide/sand time.  Win win!  We both enjoyed the fresh air.

 He also “helped” me prepare meals.  The two of us had a fabulous time together but after two full days of “where my Ellie go?”  “where my Addie go?”  “where my daddy go?” we were both ready to see our campers again.

Just not so ready for the laundry they brought with them.  
:) 

xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
04.17.13

A bit of Fall in the Spring

Hello friends.  :)  It’s Spring.  I know.  But I’m about to share Fall pictures with y’all anyway.  (I don’t usually say “y’all.”  Ok – when I lived in Virginia I said “y’all” attempting to blend in better.  I had so much fun saying to my 4th graders “y’all listen up now!”  Ha!  K.  Why am I talking about this?  I’m tired and clearly need to keep this post short.)  Anyway!  Back to the pictures.  My cute friend Josie took these of our family last November during our Christmas card photo shoot in my mom’s backyard.  We played in the leaves in between posed shots to loosen up a bit!

This one is funny to me.  Kenny and I look like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz.  
Oil can please!
These pictures are messy and random.  And kind of my favorites.
  
That’s it for now.  Y’all have a great day.  
:)

xoxo, Erin
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New House
04.16.13

Staying organized during a build/re-model


Hello friends!  I have had a similar question pop up a few times so I thought I’d take a minute to answer it today.  Some of you have e-mailed me asking for suggestions on how to stay organized during a build or home re-model.  Well.  Let me tell you.  This has been my toughest organizing challenge EVER!  It is unbelievable the amount of STUFF you have to keep track of when you build a house.  I’m sure going through a major re-model is the same.  I constantly have books, receipts, sketches, and samples all over my house.  Until just last week we had a bathtub sitting in our garage.   :)  It can be a bit overwhelming keeping it all under control!  I’ve shared most of these ideas before, but I thought a post with everything in one place might help.  So!  Here are a few things I’ve done that have helped me stay organized throughout this process…
1) Corral your “inspiration.”  A process like this begins with looking at LOTS and LOTS of inspiration photos.  Pinterest is the best way to organize your inspiration pictures on-line.  If you’re getting ready to build or re-model and don’t have a Pinterest account I would highly recommend getting one!  My architect was amazed at how many photos I had on my computer showing him exactly what I wanted.  It made both of our jobs a lot easier!  My Pinterest boards started out fairly organized (exterior of homes, bathroom, kitchens, etc.) but as the building process became more time consuming I just started dumping all of my pictures onto one happy board titled “Creating my House” which you can see here.  :)
Before I started this process magazines were piling high on every surface!  

I bought this magazine holder from Ballards to keep them all in one place.  I wanted them in a central location that was easy to get to since I was referring to certain pictures so often.  Another alternative is to just buy a big basket to hold all of your magazines.

What to do with all of the pages you are tearing out of magazines?  I went to my happy place (Martha Stewart supply section of Staples) and picked up a binder and a large accordion file.

Then I sorted all of my inspiration pics into piles…

labeled each room…

and filed away!
2)  Use binders and notebooks to organize your sketches and notes.

I bought tabs and organized all of my cabinet and built-in sketches by room. 

 Then I labeled a spot in my time management notepad “new house” so that I have a place to jot down notes and to-do’s as they pop up.

3)  Use file folders/boxes to hold important papers that are house related.

We don’t have drawers in our current house for files so I just bought a simple crate to organize random house related papers.    
Pick up some file folders.  Fun colors are a must.

Then organize away!  I initially started this file box for papers for the kids but lately have added several folders for new house forms as well.  

4)  Have a set location to hold all of your house related items. 

I have our house and landscaping plans in big baskets hidden behind the living room couch.  Find a location that is easily accessible because you will be pulling these out ten times a day!

Next to our plans I have everything else house related.  Files, binder for sketches, plans, paint swatches, etc.  Oh.  And throw in some diapers and wipes for good measure.  :)    

As far as larger samples go, a closet or specific place to house them all would be lovely.  We don’t have room for them.  Or for much of anything which is why we are building.  :)  
For months I had samples all over my living room floor.  

Now that I’ve picked out all of our tile and counter tops I’ve moved most of our samples to the garage.

A few other things that might help:

5)  Keep a bag in your car with a tape measure, a notepad and pen, and a pair of shoes that you don’t care about for hanging out at the job site.  Every time I visit our new house I have these things handy!

6)  organize e-mail folders in your inbox for specific house related e-mails.
I have separate folders titled: 
– cabinets (all of our cabinet sketches and e-mails regarding cabinets)
– design sketches (all of our random design sketches)
– yard (every e-mail about landscaping that I need to save)
– finish work (e-mails on finish work)
– inspiration pictures (e-mails including pictures I’ve sent)
– finances (e-mails pertaining to finances) — although I don’t have much in this folder.  Unfortunately I can’t give you a lot of advice on how to organize the finance component of building because that is Kenny’s job.  He has spreadsheets galore going on to keep track of it all.  While I love the design aspect of this project, the finances are one area I am more than happy to turn over to him!

 Like I said before, this beast has been a hard one to stay on top of.  :)  I hope a few of the things that have helped me stay organized throughout this process helps some of you as well!

xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
04.15.13

Happy Monday

Monday!  It is upon us.  Well.  When you all read this it will be hitting us smack dab in the face.  We had a wonderful week off.  Usually we travel during Spring Break, but this year with everything going on with the house we decided to take a bit of a “staycation” and just enjoyed some down time at home instead.  It was so nice and I am sad that it is ending.  Since we will all be up bright and early tomorrow I’m off to pre-pack lunches and get everything ready so that we have a smooth morning.  But first I will leave you with some pictures of my girls from 2009 (El was 5 and Ad was 3)…


{A typical scene from the breakfast table}

Here’s Ellie – happily munching away at her toast…

and here’s Addison.

Take a guess which of my daughters is NOT a morning person?

And they haven’t changed a bit.

:)

Happy Monday.
xoxo, Erin
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New House
04.11.13

House update – the latest

 Popping in with a few recent pics of the house!

Love this picture of Kenny.  He LIVES in that Charger shirt.  I think I’ve washed it at least 72,854 times.  At least.  As you can tell from this picture, I decided to go with rock around and above the front door.  Definitely the hardest decision for me this far in the process.  I don’t know why this decision was so hard for me, but it was.  I think more than anything I just hit a wall.  Total building burn out!  I love my house but I have to say that I am so excited for the day when I don’t have to think about it anymore.  :)

Aside from hitting a wall, I think part of the reason I’m unsure about the rock right now is because it is clashing SO badly with the yellow siding.  I’m anxious to paint the house!
Here are a few colors we have been looking at.  The middle color has a strange green tint to it (hard to tell in this picture but trust me, it does) so we are trying to decide between the lighter top color or the darker bottom color.  I am finding that grays are SO hard to work with!  They all have a certain tint to them – brown grey, green grey, blue grey.  We have a lot of grey going on the inside of the house as well and let me tell you – it is not easy to find the right shade!  Have any of you experienced this with grey paint?  Tricky stuff.  Regardless, whatever we pick will be a welcome change from the yellow!

Interior doors are being hung tomorrow!  I have loved this craftsman style of doors for so long now.
They will all be painted white later.

Our finish carpenters have taken over the garage and are starting the wood work.  I think this might be my favorite part of this process so far!  I can tell it will also be a time consuming one.  I have to be very involved in this stage so working this in with my schedule is going to be tricky.  The girls might be doing their homework in sawdust for a bit.  :)

We just started in the entryway…
 and with a few of the ceilings!
Kenny is not thrilled about this stage.
He knows it is a dangerous one.
I keep assuring him I will stick to the budget.
Sort of.
:)
 A few pics of the backyard with the rock.  The grout is NOT finished!  Looks kind of dark and funny right now.

My planter boxes just make me smile.  I can’t wait to plant pretty flowers in them!  Those corbels underneath were just re-done because the first ones I picked out were way too small.  One of the many little mistakes I’ve made because I am picking things out with a 15 minute time limit and a squirmy toddler on my hip!  And because I really have no clue what I’m doing and am just faking it half of the time.  Don’t tell anyone though.  I am getting really good at pretending.

They’ve started tearing things up in the yard this week.  Lots of cement trucks and “diggers” so Kole has been in hog heaven.  :)  The little path on the right of this picture was the first thing I told our landscapers I wanted when we sat down to design the backyard.
It winds all the way around.  A little path for the kids to ride bikes, scooters, roller blade, etc.
Free babysitting is what I call it!  Can’t wait.
I wish you all could bring your kids over for a playdate when it’s done!  :)
Thanks for hanging in there with me through so many house pictures!
No doubt most of you were asleep by picture 2.  :)
Enjoy your Thursday!
(where did the week go!?)
xoxo, Erin
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Parenting
04.10.13

Scrapbooking solutions

One of the things I am most excited about in my next house is my scrapbook room.  I cannot wait to have a space to just SPREAD OUT all of my stuff and leave it up to continually work on things.  It has been a while since I’ve been able to work on my albums and I am having major withdrawals!  I miss it!  There are so many different ways to record your story and/or your childrens’ stories.  Most of you know that I’ve been using Becky Higgin’s Project Life albums.  I love that they are so flexible. 

 If I want to spend a little time and personalize certain pages it’s easy to do that.  
OR if time is limited I can just pop in the pictures, add a little journaling and call it a day!
(You can see more of my Project Life pages here)
But alas, life is busy and scrapbooking takes time that is often hard to find.  While I am still going to attempt to keep up my kids’ albums the way I’ve been doing (fingers crossed I have more time for that once our house is finished and we are settled!) I am always searching for new ways to save and record the endless amount of papers and memorabilia my kids bring home.  I found two fun systems on-line that I thought I’d share with all of you!  Just in case you are often on the look out for memory keeping ideas like I am.  :)
I’ve shared before how I save my kids’ special papers, art work, etc. before I place them in their albums.  
Below is a picture of how you can make this type of system work to take the place of albums…

Simple files in a box.  Files are labeled things like: baby information, health records, age 0-3, grade levels, portraits, sports.  Label away!  The possibilities are endless!  Such a simple solution to taming everything you want to save for your kids that takes NO time at all.

Here is another similar solution where binders are used:

This busy mom creates “memory binders” to hold all of her kids’ memorabilia.  Nothing fancy.  Just page protectors holding each child’s important papers with each child’s name labeled on the side.  Genius!

You can check out the links for more details on each of the systems I’ve shared above.  Fun stuff! Nothing like finding a system that works for you.  And nothing like finding the time to actually implement the system that works for you.  That’s the tricky part.  :)

xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
04.08.13

An eventful week

Last week was an eventful one around here.  A couple of days before our fun little TV appearance, the girls got new haircuts!  
A quick “before.”  Their hair was getting so long!  

 We were able to donate what we cut for cancer patients are were so excited about that.  
And after!  Nothing like a new do!  

Quick pics I snapped with my Iphone on Easter Sunday.  This was the dress Ad wore on TV and a few of you asked me where I bought it.  The dresses are from Children’s Place.  LOVE them!  They came with a darling yellow belt but the belt sits too low on my girls right now because I bought them a little big so they can wear them next spring/summer too.  So next year they will be rockin’ the belt.  :)

The little dude got a haircut too!  This is the only way we pull it off.  We sit him on Kenny’s lap with a game or movie on the ipad.  And even this set up only last a few minutes before he is ready to bolt!  Luckily our hair dresser is FAST.  :)
Last week was also monumental for us because Kole started pre-school!  It is an amazing little school and I know it will be so good for him.  Just a few hours in the morning, a great program plus he will receive additional speech therapy in school.  I’m thrilled about that.  But can I just say that I had a really emotional week because of it.  The first day of school he was so excited to be there (we had visited the school together a few times so it was familiar) right up until it was time to say good-bye to mom.  He cried.  I was brave.  I blew kisses and waved good-bye and told him I’d be right back.  I held it together and drove away.  I went to the grocery store and started wandering down the first isle in the store thinking of how for so many years I have thought about what it would be like to get groceries without dealing with a baby or chasing a busy toddler throughout the store.  Nine years to be exact.  I thought about how so many times I had dreamt of this very moment.  How wonderful it would be.  By isle 2 I had tears streaming down my cheeks and by isle 5 I was full on bawling.  I just left the store.  Didn’t even buy groceries.  I went to my car and called to check on Kole.  Of course he had only cried for a minute and was fine and having a ball.  I on the other hand, cried on and off throughout the entire week.  It is the end of an era for me and I guess I’m having a harder time with it than I thought I would.  Even though it’s time and I’m ready for it.  Even though I wouldn’t change it.  It is still hard.  Moms understand.  :)
This week is our Spring Break and I am so happy to have all three of my kiddos home with me all day.  I need that right now.  If for nothing else but to remind me that I need them to all head right back to school the following week!  ;)  
Kole needs a little backpack for pre-school (how cute is that!?).  They use it to send home notes about what he did each morning.  I have narrowed it down to three and I’d love to hear your vote!  Aside from haircuts, being on the news, and Kole starting pre-school we also had a stressful week with the new house and I am so OVER making decisions!  So will you make this one for me?  :)  
I found these darling shark backpacks from Pottery Barn Kids that I can personalize with his name (so cool you can test it out on-line!).  
 Navy and Red

Green and Navy
OR…

This adorable monkey backpack I found on sale at Joss and Main.  Too cute!  I’m kind of leaning towards this one because Kole is a little monkey himself.  :)  What is your favorite?  Anyone else have a crying jag last week?

:)   
xoxo, Erin
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