living room re-do

Have you ever just lived with something each and every day and never even realized how much you disliked it? 

We moved into this house 3 years ago and since then we've just sort of "gotten by" when it came to our living room. We've played musical couches, getting an old one reupholstered (badly - and thankfully cheaply) through my husband's job and then inheriting one when Jared's grandpa passed away. Nothing wrong with passing down a perfectly good couch, but a beige couch didn't add much to our already beige walls and beige carpeting.

Seriously, it was neutral heaven. If we were selling our house on an episode of House Hunters, I'm sure we'd be an HGTV realtor's dream. No crazy colors to look past here! 

One day I just was walking through and it dawned on me, "Man, I hate our living room."

It's true. I have never liked those curtains. They were a cheap Ebay find and they "got us by." 

Noticing a trend here folks?

For three years. More than enough time to get by and go out and buy something else! 

Because of the slightly weird layout of the room with multiple entries, we have tiny little spaces on the wall. I feel like the room had no personality and didn't give the sense of family that I was wanting. (Besides the scattered kids' toys that practically scream Hey, a family lives here!)

So we finally went and bought a couch that we picked out and wanted. 

And it's leather. 

Because we have a dog that will randomly eat grass and puke wherever he happens to be sitting. And a son that strip down and sit on furniture completely naked. A beige fabric couch is essentially the least compatible fit for those scenarios and small children in general.

So the plain curtains are gone, replaced by a bolder color and pattern. 

Bye bye beige couch, my sincere apologies for all the times Avery peed on you.

This new couch is a napper's paradise; Jared and the new couch have already completely bonded.

Jared built two sets of shelves to custom fit the small available wall spaces in the room.

They're simple and allow for much more decorative touches to be added to our room. I love displaying photos, especially ones of my babies when they were tiny and squishy.

The drawing on the right is the first real drawing Bailey ever did: a rainbow. Truly fitting because our eldest is all about hearts, butterflies, rainbows and sunshine.

We're still finding where things look good, tweaking as we find a new photo or old item, which might be obvious as one frame appears two places. ;)

I love our updated living room. Some people might not see a huge difference, but I actually like sitting in it now. Even with those mountains of toys as far as the eye can see.

Refinished buffet

As I have mentioned in a previous post or two, we recently purchased an old buffet. 
Or sideboard. 
Or server. 
Or whatever you prefer to call it. 

We had a long wall in our dining room that was needing some love. And I have a thing for old vintage pieces of furniture, especially ones that are updated and given new life. 
A buffet was the perfect solution. 
The problem was finding one... 
We attended auctions, garage sales, you name it and it took over two years to finally find one.
Finally Jared attended a household auction on a random Friday night at 5:30 during an approaching rain storm. The stars aligned, and because few people want to stand out in a cold drizzle while their stomachs growl, he was able to snag the buffet for cheap.

Here it is in all of its "before" glory.

It cost us $110, which is pennies when you compare that to the cost of already refinished sideboards that quite often sell for upwards of $500 or $600. 

There was basically no cost in refinishing the buffet - only Jared's time. 
We already had the tools and stain required to sand down the top and refinish it. We also had the white paint used on the rest of the piece. We pieced together the decor by browsing Etsy and happening along a couple treasures at a household sale across the street from us. (We really are starting to sound like auction crazies. We aren't. We just like a good, cheap find.)

Table Runner: Etsy Modernality2
Copper Pitcher: Etsy SarahsVintageShop
Lamp: Hobby Lobby clearance
Yellow bowl: household sale for $4
Mirror: household sale $2

I love the fact that it is a neutral piece in our dining room that can be arranged and then rearranged for any season or purpose. Even just a new table runner can change up the whole look. I am excited to be able to display favorite items and family photos for years to come. 
And are you noticing all that storage? Extra storage room and increased organization make my heart oh so happy.

The ladies' room

Bailey and Avery share a room. Most days it is all fine and dandy. And some nights it is an absolute disaster, but that is a bitch sesh for another day.

Their room isn't large. Up until recently all the available floor space was basically eaten up by two twin beds and one bookcase. There was no room to actually play or do anything other than sleep. Now that they are older and playing more and more independently, I wanted their room to be a place where they could actually spend time. 

Of course the peace and quiet I experience from that is a pleasant outcome as well.

So we decided to buy a set of bunk beds. And because their existing carpet was nasty blue office carpet dotted with paint stains and hastily installed by the previous owners, we opted to install new carpet while we were re-doing everything else in the room. One trip to Menard's and $250 later, Jared and I got the privilege of installing a remnant piece of carpet all on our own. 

It is safe to say that carpet removal and installation is a workout all on its own. 

But I am glad we took that extra step because both of us had forgotten what nice, new carpet feels like because God knows it is no where else in this house. "This is why we don't have nice things" rings more true each and every day. I know you are hearing me on this one, fellow parents.

Anyway, new carpet - totally worth the hassle.

The girls thought it was great fun to spend one night sleeping on the floor in their empty room.

Bunk bed installation was less painful than I imagined. Granted we bought them from Walmart so we were expecting vague directions and not top-of-the-line quality, but I am pleased with how they turned out, especially for the money. We already had the mattresses and matching bedding, so there wasn't much expense in this room re-do. 

I had only a couple honey-do projects for Jared to complete to finish off the room. 

Jared scored an old dresser for $35 at a local household auction two months ago. It is in great shape and with a quick coat of paint, it very quickly became a fun piece of furniture for their room.

If you are wondering about the rug under the bed, well that is the kids' favorite place to "hide" from me each night after their bath. They have pillows under there too, and they think it is just the coolest place to hang out.

The other area of their room is open and easily facilities a pillow and blanket cuddle-up session for reading books, which happens nightly before bed. 

Jared built the white crate for the corner of the room to hold all their blankets. They have so many baby blankets, many lovingly knitted and quilted by friends, and they are beautiful. They have been sitting in a closet for years since I had no where to put them. The crate works perfectly because it is easy for the kids to access the blankets and put them away at night. Plus every time they get used, I remember all the time and love put into making those blankets for each of my three newborn babies.

The dollhouse bookshelf is originally from Pottery Barn and we found it on Omaha Craigslist a few years ago for a hundred bucks. The rocking chair we bought at a garage sale for $10 and a coat of white paint freshened it right up.

The girls love their new room and Bailey was excited to achieve Big Sister Top Bunk status. And while it is technically Bailey's bed, Graham is up there so often you would think he had claimed it as his own.

Are you spying that bookshelf? 

Yep, another honey-do right there. I love that it holds so many books and Bailey has a variety at her fingertips at night without having to climb up and down the ladder.

We still need some decor for the walls, but I want to wait and find something that we really like and that will grow a little with the girls. Oh, and I don't want to spend much money. Are you noticing a trend here?  :)

So we will take our time and add things as we feel like it. Right now I most happy about the missing blue office carpet. 

My only complaint: changing linens on a bunk bed. Ugh.

It's. The. Worst.

the Solkos in September

Ya know, I thought that once school started, I was going to feel like I had a tiny bit more free time, especially on days with both girls in class.

I thought I might be able to get some exercising in with Graham on those two days a week when both girls are in school.

I pictured myself accomplishing all kinds of tasks. 

I imagined I might even have time to blog or do something I enjoy while Graham played quietly.

The reality?

Nope, not so much.

For one, on the days when both girls are in school, it has rained every single day - with the exception of one. Pretty hard to go on a bike ride or long stroller trek in a constant downpour. 

And two, this school drop-off stuff is basically a pain in my ass. 

Like today: I get all three kids ready, loaded in the car just to get to the school and unload all three just for one child to actually go to school. Then I shepherd the other two back outside (after Graham and/or Avery has thrown a fit because they want to stay and play), load them in the car just to drive back home and unload them again. Then I do it all again 2.5 hours later. 

And while this might not sound like much, if you have ever tried to get my wiggly terror of a 22 month-old into his car seat, you know what I am talking about. 

Completely trying to your patience.

And I get to do it 4 times in one morning. 

Both girls love school though. Their clothes are always picked out the night before and given a lot of thought. Lately Bailey has quite the obsession with headbands, scarves, and her black maxi skirt. 

Meanwhile Avery has been a tad bit addicted to her cowboy boots. In her world they work with every outfit.

Jeans? Naturally.

Gym shorts? Of course.

Easter dress? Why not?

And then there is the G Man.

I want to go on record at this point and state just how much more cooperative my girls were at this age. There weren't temper tantrums or the word "NO!" on constant repeat throughout the day. He is less verbal than his sisters were at this age, so maybe that is his issue. Whatever the reason, he is an absolute terror some days. 

A cute terror.

But still a terror.

And believe me, he has the sucking up, give-Mom-an-I'm-sorry-kiss part down pat.

Other stuff in our world...

Redecorating.

We have been checking out garage sales and household auctions for a couple years on the lookout for a buffet/sideboard for our dining room. We wanted one that needed some TLC (ie: minimal cost) that we could re-do on the cheap. It took a while but Jared finally scored one. 

The "before" shot

The price was very, very right due to it being cold and rainy at an outdoor auction on a random Friday night. Since then Jared has refinished/painted it, and I have been picky about exactly what I want on it. It needs one more final touch and I will be ready to show off our upcycled find. 

Also at that same auction, Jared scored another cheap find - a dresser for the girls' room. We installed new carpet in their room along with assembling new bunk beds. The room looks totally different now and much more grown-up with room to play. I will be taking some pictures soon to share.

Also on my to-do list: switching up Graham's room. 

He is still in a crib at the moment but has made it clear he wants his own bed. (He has done this by trying to nap in Avery's bed every day.) While I am not exactly looking forward to giving up the comfort of knowing he is safely imprisoned in his crib, it is probably time. I want to repaint the room (yep, officially tired of nursery-room-neutral green) and he still needs a duvet/comforter. And since we already have Avery's old bed to use, once the bedding is obtained, we are in business. Right now his room is a total mishmosh of random stuff that I don't particularly love, so I am excited to give it some purpose and make it a fun room for a little boy.

Trying to keep my shit together.

Today I took 30 minutes to put months and months worth of photos in the kids' albums - a job I have put off for at least 2 weeks. I could see Graham and Avery in the next room; they were playing decently with a huge mountain of toys. I finish what I am doing and walk in the room. A box of 8 crayons is laying on the floor completely empty. Tucker had chewed all of them and currently we now have large spots of red and black (it couldn't have been yellow?!) crayon melted and ground into the light beige carpet. 

Where is the rumchata when my coffee needs it?

Other randoms lately.

A weekend trip to Omaha.

A new roof for our house very soon.

Looking for a new church.

Etsy orders.

Trying to squeeze in a workout every day.

Planning a week-long vacation to Colorado in about 2 weeks.

That last little item is what is motivating both Jared and me lately. A switch from our normal routine is going to be an extremely welcome change! As will a house in the mountains with an included hot tub. Oh hot tub, how I am looking forward to you... Come on, October!

kids' cubby storage

I wrote earlier about being excited for the new project Jared has been working on. 
Well, it's finished. 
And has been for like three weeks.
And while there are still photos to hang, I am unveiling it.
It might seem ridiculous how excited I am for some organization around here, but it is the little things in life, my friends.

Jared got the plans from a website he really likes to use: 

Ana-White.com

Her plans are free, and this woman builds everything. 
You can search for specific project plans on her site, and also a helpful feature, other people submit photos and reviews of their projects which they finished using her plans. It's a pretty useful tool for anyone who has a particular project in mind (and the skill that goes with it). Quite a few of her children's projects are copy-cat versions of popular stores, such as Pottery Barn.

The cubby was modeled after the Pottery Barn Cameron 2 Cubby & 2 Base version, which is currently selling for $629 on sale right now, not including the $60 for shipping.

Jared was able to buy all the wood, plus paint and miscellaneous supplies for just $150.

He spent part of two afternoons working to complete the project, and then a little bit more time giving it a few coats of paint. 

So without further ado, here is our version.

It is configured of two separate units so that they can be used together or separated later between kids' rooms. 

The base is large and works great to stash away all the bigger items: tractors and school buses and Batman mobiles and Barbie cars that take up so much room in a traditional toy box.

It took a while for me to decide what boxes/bins I wanted to use. I wanted them to be functional and sturdy. 
I also didn't want to break the bank. 
The baskets that are so cutely displayed on the Pottery Barn website for this cubby storage system are priced at $35 per basket, not including the personalized liners which start at $18. Too rich for my blood.

So we finally found four of these bins at Target, and ordered the rest from Target online. 
(Free shipping plus 5% off - Gotta love my RedCard!)
They still weren't cheap (definitely no 35 bucks a bin though!) but I like how purposeful they seem. They have pop-out dividers which have actually proved useful. The girls like to separate their tea set from the rest of their kitchen utensils and keep their Little People separate from their Barbies in the bins. 
(We are raising such organized individuals... ha!)

I wasn't sold on the colors originally, but since placing them in the house, I have come to like them. They are neutral and with all the toys scattered around, there is a lot of color in the room as it is. I was worried about protecting them from the kids' grimy hands - flashes of peanut butter hand prints specifically - so I coated each bin with a few layers of Scotchgard fabric protector. I am hopeful that will help them last much longer than they would have without.

The plan is to hang our two family pictures above the storage unit, along one of these signs Jared makes for his Etsy shop, but has yet to make for his own wifey. 
*hint hint, Jared*

I am very happy with how the project turned out. 
Our room that really isn't a true toy room is now much less of a cluster. 
Plus it seems like they actually play with their toys now. Playing kitchen is way easier when they can grab the two bins containing food and kitchen utensils and get started. No digging through a disorganized, over-full toy box. Less toy tossing chaos.
Plus Mama just really loves feeling organized.

off the rack

Jared's been hard at work ticking items off my wish-list this winter. 

About two weeks ago he finished our Pottery Barn-inspired cubby storage unit. But it took awhile to find the boxes we wanted to fill it with, and now we need to hang our family pictures above it. So maybe a post about that next week? 

In the meantime he used the scraps from that project to make a cute step-stool for the kids to use... and boy, do they use it! It helps them reach the extra-tall sink in our bathroom and is big enough for two to use at once. 
Heaven help us when Graham decides he needs in on the action too.

Jared's latest project:
a rolling rack for the girls' dress-up clothes.

After this past Christmas their dress collection grew immensely. Grandma Cathy sent a present that consisted of five Disney princess dresses. So along with the shoes and accessories (ie: bracelets that Tucker chews and destroys daily) they already owned, they have been in dress-up mode constantly. 

I love the... imagination?
Mismatched socks. 
Lion purse. 
Tutu with a bunched up dress.
And sensible flats to round it all out.

Anyway,
I had previously purchased an old-school suitcase at a garage sale for 25 cents and shoved all of their random items in there.
And it ended up looking like this. Constantly.

Time for something different.

There is lots of room for all their dresses. 
(And shawls. And owl purses. And feather boas. And cowboy hats.) 

The bottom of the rack is large enough to hold all the miscellaneous stuff. (And keep Tucker's favorite "chew toys" out of reach!)
Down the road I could even place containers inside it to separate or group together different items. 
Yay organization!

And the best part?
It's on wheels.
Perfect since we are storing it out of sight in the under-the-stairs closet when not in use.
Also, the wheels help the little guy feel like he is part of the action.  ;)