House on Pender

Let There Be Lights and Flushes

2012-01-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

I helped out in the basement again. That's right. The hubs called me down one night and asked where I wanted lights, switches, and outlets. I got to walk around and point and he took notes. He added his two cents, we discussed, more notes were taken, and we were done. I'm loving how my involvement is in all the easy parts (so far).

Last weekend the hubs fam came down and helped out on the plumbing and electrical work for the basement. Lucky for us Nick's dad is pretty handy with some wires and turned our empty electrical sockets into full up and running light switches.

We are currently waiting on our inspection for the A-Okay on the work they completed before adding the switch and outlet covers. But now our framed walls are starting to come together. Check out those outlets!

The most exciting part is now all of our exciting light choices. Before we had plain old boring exposed light bulbs. Nice, huh?

And now we have this nice recessed lighting arrangement. I'm pretty sure it is going to be even more exciting once the drywall is up. We went with recessed lighting because we have it in our kitchen and we love it! The first two lights (not seen in the picture) can be turned on or you can flip both switches and turn on all six! Love it!!

Those boys were so busy they even hooked up some plumbing. Remember how the hubs put a nice big hole in our basement floor? The goods news is that hole is now filled with pipes. Woot, Woot for a future shower!

They vanity will go on this wall. Don't mind the water heater in the back, that part of the basement will be a storage closet.

I have to say I'm getting pretty excited about the progress of our basement. The more that gets done the more excited I get about having some walls.

Which brings me to our to-do list (in no particular order):

Drywall and Putty
Flooring
Painting
Floor Molding
Furniture for the Guest Room
Picking Out a Vanity (We have the shower and toilet)
Furniture for the Living Area
Benches with Storage
Baby P's Play Area
Tile for the Bathroom
Bathroom Accessories
Blinds
Curtains

Whew! What a big space. Thank goodness we will be taking baby steps with this project.

Mommy Monday: Post Baby (or Should I Say Body?) Wardrobe

2012-01-23T11:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first Mommy Monday!

Today's Topic is Bras and Jeans; the post baby ~~nightmare~~ wardrobe.

I used to be a Victoria's Secret bra kinda gal. The Semi-Annual Sale was marked on my calendar! This sale I strolled (with my actually stroller) into Vicky Secrets determined to find a bra that was cheap, durable, and large enough to hold these post breastfeeding boobs. Wait. I got ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning of my bra drama.

It pretty much started right out of the pregnancy gate. My boobs started growing instantly, well one did. That's right through my entire time with child my left breast could have taken out my right breast in one swift motion. This made bra shopping insanely impossible! My one breast was literally a completely different cup size than the other. Dilemma #1 and about 3 bras later.

Here's a little glimpse of what I looked like at 40 weeks.

Once Baby P arrived I then had the fun of trying to find a nursing bra that could hold the girls with and without milk. Did I mention that the left boob was still showing the right one who's boss? And those hooks on those nursing bras! I would make one wrong move and the girls would fall right out. Dilemma #2 and 4 more bras later. Sidenote: The nursing bra was actually my answer to Dilemma #1.

I didn't have the chance to nurse very long (that's a whole other post) so I needed to find post nursing bras. Of course my breasts are not back to pre-baby form, so a new bra was needed. Enter my trip to VS. My goal was unlike any others at the Semi-Annual Sale, find a bra that could 1) contain the girls, tame the back fat, and not resemble a grandma bra. I meet goals 1 and 2. However, I miss my old breasts! I can deal with the sagging, I'm pretty sure that's why push ups were invented. But the size! I've come to the conclusion that a lot of my weight gain was in my chest, back, and stomach. Until I loose some lbs no bra is going to make this mama happy. Hello Dilemma #3.

The next dreaded item of clothing I needed to tackle was the jeans. Remember my weight gain was in my stomach too? I've been wearing my maternity jeans throughout my maternity leave, but with only two and a half weeks left I felt I needed to re-enter the world of jeans with buttons and zippers. The good news is the search was easy and successful! The bad news is that I am now in deep depression about my new jean size. I have been a solid size 6 my entire life. I've experienced a little muffin top here and there, but have always gotten back on track and kept the same size jeans. Until now...

Please meet my very cozy, size 12 jeans. They are Old Navy's Sweetheart Skinny Jeans.

Here is how I am trying to make myself feel better about this purchase. 1) They were only $29.95. 2) They are "skinny" jeans. 3) They are a little big. (The 10 really showed off the post pregnancy pouch,so I went a size bigger) 4) My hips just aren't what they used to be!

I did somehow manage to keep my flat, pancake butt though. It seems strange, but having a flat tush has become a part of who I am. I would have been devastated at the loss.

So there you have it. The struggles of a mommy and her wardrobe. I thought once I got through finding maternity clothes life would be easy in the closet department. Okay you moms of two or more, stop your laughing! Lesson learned.

Tune in next week for a fitness addition of Mommy Monday.

Valentine Ideas

2012-01-19T15:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know it is a little early for Valentines but I just can't help it. There is something about all that pink and red that just gets me so excited! I think it also has to do with the fact that this is a holiday that revolves around the selling of chocolate. Hello!

While Baby P has been napping I have been checking out some super cute DIY Valentines on Pinterest. I can't wait until P is old enough for us to make Valentines together! (However, I had a bit of a sad moment when I discovered she already needs a size 6 month pj's, so let's not rush her too much.)

Back to the Valentines. How cute are these ideas? Most of them are really simple too! The first one is my favorite.

For more instructions on how to assemble each Valentine you can check out their original links by visiting my Pinterest page.

I hope you are enjoying the hearts and flowers as much as I am. And now that I think about it a Valentine post isn't too crazy - it's in a month after all.

We Need Plumbing

2012-01-15T11:29:00.000-05:00

We are moving right along with progress in the basement. We officially have the framing of the rooms completed. The room to the left is going to be a bedroom which will lead out into the main room and have a door to the bathroom. The middle room will be the bathroom and then the last room to the right is going to be a storage closet.

We want the shower in a different spot then where the pipes are, so the boys had to turn our nice smooth cement floor into a crumbled mess. And it only took them all day to complete this fun task! The drilling sound and dust even took over the upstairs towards the end of the day. Yikes!

What's left for this part of the project?

moving around some plumping
filling in the hole
adding a shower

Piece of cake, right?

In the meantime the hubs is getting ready to start some electrical work this weekend.We went around yesterday and marked where we want outlets and light switches. I have to say it was all a little overwhelming! So many choices as to where and how you want to turn something on.

Once the electrical and plumbing are complete we need a visit from the inspector and the okay to keep working, then it's on to drywall. I make it sound so easy, don't I?

I'm kind of loving this project because besides putting up with the drilling and hammering sounds this project has only required me to walk around and give input where needed. I will be more help once we actually have walls.

I'm already brainstorming some fun ideas for the little one.

DIY Play Kitchen seen here
Chalkboard Wall
Toy Storage
Arts and Crafts Table

Our basement will be half "man cave" and half "kid's play land".

Fun Red Cup

2012-01-11T15:58:00.002-05:00

My Red Starbucks Cup. I drink you up. It's time to party! Okay, it's no red solo cup, but I hate when I go to Starbucks for the first time in the new year and the red cups have already been put away and I am back to the boring old white. There is something so exciting about that red holiday cup. Oh well, see ya next year red.

Projects for the New Year

2011-12-31T17:27:00.000-05:00

The past two years we were rather busy, but not much on this to-do list got done. Instead we were busy with wedding planning, honeymooning, and getting a nursery ready. Such fun! But now it's time to get down to business with this house!

Before we get started with this year's to-dos let's take a look at what we did manage to get done project wise this past year.

Start finishing the basement - SUCCESS! Who would have thought the biggest project on the list is what we would have put the biggest dent in?

Finishing up the buffet, another SUCCESS! It took awhile, but we finally got that yard sale dresser from trash to a nice useful piece in the kitchen.

Getting the guest room to a space we love, our final SUCCESS! However, with the completion of the basement well on its way this will be re-added to our to-do list. The guest room will be getting a new location on the basement is fully completed.

Now onto the dream list for this year and let's be honest the next couple of years. Hey, we have a new born after all.

Basement - We are still a long way off from our basement being complete. We still need to do the electrical and plumbing then get the space inspected. Once we get the okay we will move on to drywall and carpeting. Doors and fixtures will be next. We are planning on building a bench with hidden storage for baby girl's toys and such. After all of this fun stuff is done we will have to move on to an entertainment center, couch, chairs, desk, guest room furniture, etc. Really do we even need anymore to tasks with this project on our list?

Living Room - It will be getting a more formal setting since our family fun area will be moving downstairs. After the past year of searching I'm hoping we finally find an entertainment center that meets our needs. I'd also like to find a large round mirror for over the mantel and clear out all those pictures by finally getting around to making shelves in that crazy empty space in our living room wall. We are also going to need to find some storage for what toys Payton will be keeping upstairs.

Kitchen - The kitchen is a room that is going to take saving up for, especially after our big basement project is complete. We have talked about adding new counter tops, installing a new sink, and adding some back splash. Maybe even extending our sink area into a bar. Depending on how long we stay in our little casa we might have to revisit our kitchen table. It might be a little too big for little ones. Most of these tasks will most likely be moved over to the 2013 to-do list.

Of course we will probably add some small projects here and there that aren't on our big plans list, but we will share those as they come about. Does anyone have any big plans for their house this year?

Good Bye 2011, I'm sad to see you go!

2011-12-30T13:35:00.000-05:00

2011 held so many great things for us with getting ready for the birth of our little girl. I'm kind of sad to see the year end.

However, I'm really excited to see the things that the new year has in store for us! I can only imagine life with a growing toddler. With that being said, Welcome 2012! Of course with the new year requires some New Year Resolutions. This year I thought I would make a bunch of tiny resolutions. This way I don't have one big resolution hanging over my head and feeling defeated by the end of January.

Resolution #1 - Eating In and Not Out
The hubs and I are really bad about putting off going to the grocery store and then find the cabinets bare. This leads to a lot of meals out, which also leads to money spent. My goal for 2012 is to make weekly dinner lists and try my best to stick to them. Maybe a nice chart from I Heart Organizing can get me on the right track.

Resolution #2 -Getting Fit
I don't want this to be the cliche NYR where I make a goal to lose some lb's. Don't get me wrong, I'm very anxious to shed this last 10 pounds of baby weight. However, losing weight isn't my main goal (but I would welcome it with open arms!). I want to just get back in shape so I am able to keep up with Payton and feel good about myself. I am going to tell myself the gym doesn't have to be my BFF. A walk with Payton in the stroller is even better!

Resolution #3 - Find the Balance
This is my first year wearing the mommy, wife, friend, teacher hat. I'm a little nervous about how it will all work out together. I don't want to spread myself out to thin, but I also want to enjoy all aspects of my life. I'm hoping to find a balance that doesn't make me crazy and that doesn't make me miss out on all the important parts.

Here is to a great 2012! Happy New Year Everyone!!

New Year's Pictures from Pinterest

Meeting Great Gram

2011-12-22T12:19:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Payton took her first road trip to PA to meet her (only) Great Gram. It was a short visit, but it was nice to get to see some of Nick's relatives that we don't often get to visit with. You may remember from our trip to see them last year.

Great Gram and Payton

Great Gram and Her Two Granddaughters

Payton with Grammy and Great Gram

Nick's Cousin and Her Daughter with Payton

While we were there we had a little cake to celebrate Gram's birthday. Of course you can't have candles around a toddler and not let her have a turn and blowing them out, so after Gram blew out the candles Katherine got her turn. I must say she was so patient waiting for her turn, it was so cute!

I love when we make the trip to visit Nick's Gram because we also visit with his Aunt and Cousin. They always make sure to let us know they are thinking of us with cards and gifts. They are so sweet and I really enjoy being around them.

I have to add that Payton did great on her first road trip! She slept the entire way. That's my kind of traveling!

Twelve Days of Christmas

2011-12-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm a pretty practical person so I don't go out and make big purchases. I like to dream about all the fun things in life I would have, but I actually never buy myself those things. I thought it would be fun to create a list of things I would love to have, but will probably never get or I could take the challenge and save up for a special splurge.That being said, here is my Twelve Days of Christmas ~~wish~~ dream list.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Adobe Photoshop to make fun art for my blog

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Kindle Fire to read anywhere

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Fleece to keep me nice and warm

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Canon Digital Camera to capture all our family moments

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a pair of Running Shoes to hit the pavement with

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

an iPhone that actually works (mine's on the fritz!)

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

an iMac just because I like them

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Cricut to cut out fun things for parties

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Heart Monitor to use on my long runs (that I will hopefully have again)

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Treadmill to help me get rid of the baby weight

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Keurig for a mocha latte

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

a Wii for lots of family fun

May everyone's Christmas be merry and bright, and may all of us remember that the true meaning of Christmas is friends and family.

The Sleep Lady and a Newborn

2011-12-13T17:45:00.004-05:00

I'm pretty sure that the inventor of caffeine was a woman with a newborn baby. Since I had to stop nursing (due to getting sick) caffeine has been my saving grace. Sidenote: I don't know how nursing mothers go without caffeine - they are heroic! I used to be a scheduled sleeper from 10pm to 5am on weekdays and weekends I caught up on those extra hours missed during the week. Needless to say when Baby P was born the crazy hours of sleep did a number on me. Getting up at all hours of the night sent me right into zombie parenting. That is until I met The Sleep Lady...

The Sleep Lady aka Kim West believes in setting a routine from the beginning and slowly adapting your child to her "Sleep Lady Shuffle". I was given Kim's book The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight by my cousin Susie at my baby shower. It sat on the shelf until about a week ago when I thought about Payton sleeping through the night and how in the world was I going to get her ready for such a big transaction. Enter the Sleep Lady.

Kim's steps are so easy that you don't feel overwhelmed and you think "Hey, I can do this!". First she gives you her eight rules of infant slumber:
1. Create a flexible feeding and sleeping routine.
2. Encourage soothing techniques other than feeding.
3. Offer a pacifier for soothing and sucking.
4. Feed your baby when he/she wakes from a nap.
5. Put your baby down drowsy but awake at least once a day.
6. Introduce a bottle at least once a day. (This is for nursing moms)
7. Create a sleep-friendly environment.
8. Carefully think through bedsharing/cosleeping or roomsharing.

She gives you much more detail in the book about each step and how to complete them successfully. The best part is some apply more than others I you are probably already doing some without knowing it. Easy Peasy!

Since Payton is now almost six weeks we are at the distinguishing day from night part of establishing a routine. Once again we were already doing a lot of this process on our own, but an expert giving me a little more instruction was very reassuring.

Here is the process we are working on for this month 5-8 weeks and next month 9-12 weeks:
1. Keeping her awake from 8-10pm
2. Putting her to bed when she is drowsy but awake and getting her there by soothing her, not feeding her
3. Her sleeping from 10pm-2am (feeding) and then sleeping until 6am or 11pm-3am and then until 7am.
4. Slowly starting to establish a night time routine
This is our routine: bottle, bath, pj's, diaper, lotion, story, rocking
5. Her sleeping through the night and not needing the middle of the night feeding - using diapers one size too big or Pamper's Baby Dry Diapers really helped
6. Moving her bedtime up by an hour
7. Waking up at a consistent time 7am or 7:30am (sometime before 8am)
8. Napping around 9am if getting up at 7am

Of course The Sleep Lady gives you more detailed instruction in her book, but this is a simple breakdown of what she has to offer. The steps are so easy and it is nice to have goals to work toward instead of feeling that we are stumbling in the dark.

Current Progress:
1. Payton is sleeping most nights from 10pm-4am getting up for a feeding and then sleeping until 7:30-8am
2. Keeping her awake from 8-10pm is a bit tricky at times. Sometimes she is ready for bed at 8:30 (and we go ahead and put her down) or she wants to take little cat naps. Of course other night she is wide awake and ready to play.
3. I'm slowly getting adjusted to the drowsy but awake. It is hard to watch her open her eyes wide and whine a little until she drifts to sleep.
4. I am starting to feel less like a walking zombie because Pay is waking up at a more consistent time.

Fingers crossed that we can transition smoothly into 10 hours of solid sleep.

*This is my own opinion of the book. I was not paid to talk about this book on my blog.

Cookies and Cocktails

2011-12-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was a busy one for the Sborz gals. First we started out the day baking cookies at my mom's house. Cookie baking has become a Christmas tradition for us. Over the years my best friends Courtney and Sara have joined in. This year was special because we all have a little one now. I can't wait until next year when Tucker and Payton are old enough to join in on the fun - this year they just hung out in the bouncers.

My Mom and Nephew

With My Nephew Dylan

We had to get Payton in on cutting at least one cookie.

Check out those new mommy roots! Yikes!! Sitting in a chair for two-three hours to get highlights is not on the top of my mommy to-do list right now. Don't worry, I have an appointment set! I can't let myself go too bad, right?

The kids favorite part is icing and sprinkles of course! Let me tell you, two toddlers and sprinkles is rather interesting. My nephew took a liking to my pal Sara - it was love at first sprinkle!

This day is one of my favorite days of the year! I hope it is a tradition that carries on for many years to come. It is so special now that we are adding new additions has the years go on.

Here were the new additions this year.

Baking cookies really wore Baby P out, so she took a little nap in between cookies and my mom's annual Christmas gathering.

After a few hours at home in was time to return to my mom's for a little Christmas gathering. My mom throws a good party with lots of yummy treats.

I love being at her house during the holidays because she goes all out with the decorations. We even have our own stockings at her house and her tree always looks like something out of a catalog.

It's so nice to be with friends and family during the holiday season and this year it was great for Payton to meet those people special to us that she hadn't had the privilege of meeting yet.

To get the recipe for the sugar cookies check out last years post of cookie baking fun.

If you love the apron I'm wearing you can get one from BellaBeeDesigns. My students gave me the one I'm wearing for Christmas last year. I absolutely love it! If it is possible to feel cute in an apron this is it!

Here is a better picture of it taken last year.

Basement Progress

2011-12-08T08:10:00.000-05:00

Remember a few weeks ago I told you we finally started working on our basement? Over the Thanksgiving weekend Nick's family came to town and one thing lead to another and the men were downstairs working away on the framing. They were working like a machine and got a pretty good amount done.

Before Thanksgiving

The Basement Now

Guest Room and Bath

Main Room

Storage Closet and Main Room

The down side to all of this construction? It really made me realize what a dumping area the basement has become. YIKES! The hubs must have noticed it as well; because today he went out and bought me some storage containers. I think this was his ~~not so~~ subtle hint of telling me to get organized. Looks like this week I will be spending some time down in the basement. I will let you know how that turns out.

Why is it one area in your house seems to become a magnet for junk?

Easy Holiday Fun

2011-12-07T09:56:00.001-05:00

Tis the season for Pinterest fa la la la la la la la la. In the season of all things crafty and yummy, I thought it would be nice to share some of my "favorite things" that I've discovered on Pinterest. I am sharing some easy projects because I know the holiday season is busy and time seems to slip away quickly. I hope you can find at least one fun thing to share with a loved one. Enjoy!

We Wisk You a Merry Kissmass!
What a great gift to give to a neighbor or co-worker. Who doesn't love Hershey Kisses? To make it more Christmas like you can use the Kisses in the red and green wrappers.

Reindeer Beverages
This idea is so cute and can also be used on bottled on soda. You can had some festive cheer at a party you are going to or give as a gift.

Cookies for a Friend
I LOVE baking cookies, especially at Christmas time. I think this is a great way for you to share a special family recipe with a friend.

Family Christmas Card
What a great way to say Happy Holidays and involve the kids! You can buy envelopes, paint, and white card stock at any craft store for a reasonable price.

Christmas Card Wreath
I am thinking of making this project myself! Our cards always end up on counters and the fridge. What a great way to display cards in a location where they are easy to look at and festive all in one.

Easy Ornament Decorating
Don't have room for a tree, but you love ornaments? No problem! Just put a magnet on the back and slap them on the fridge. Well, don't really slap them - they will break. I know, bad joke!

Nutter Butter Reindeer
Of course Christmas project wouldn't be complete without a yummy treat. This one involves chocolate and peanut butter so you can't go wrong! You can eat them as a family or wrap them up to give to friends.

To find out more about these projects and see others, you can visit my Pinterest page House on Pender.

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-03T17:58:00.001-05:00

Payton had her first meeting with Santa at Rock Harbor's Breakfast with Santa event. It was such a nice morning and you can't beat $15.00 for a breakfast buffet and a picture with HO HO.

This being a golf course Santa arrived in style...

Payton warmed right up to Santa and Mrs. Clause and was ready for pictures!

Of course I needed a family pic of our first visit with the Clause family.

My mom took my nephew, Dylan with us and he was so fun to watch! He is almost 3 and completely understands the idea of Santa. We couldn't even get him to finish his breakfast because he was so mesmerized by Santa.

I can't wait until next year when P. will understand what is going on a little bit more.

Making a Glider Cushion

2011-12-01T15:46:00.001-05:00

Back in the summer I was dropping some things off at our local Hospice store when I came across this beauty.

Check out the price that was on it! That's not all - it was on sale for $17.00!!

I figured it would be simple enough to recover the foot stool and find something to work as a seat cushion, so I called the hubs and he came and loaded her up for me. Then she continued to sit in the garage for the remaining of the summer. Oops!

Finally, at the beginning of the school year I got movin' and found a cushion for this baby. I headed over to our brand new Hobby Lobby (HEAVEN!) and purchased a foam cushion and some fabric. For the foot stool I just used my handy staple gun and folded over the fabric and wah-la!

For the cushion I measured out the seat and the where the handles are and marked them on the pieace of foam. Then I had a little help making the slip cover with the sewing machine.

The slip cover just went right on the foam piece and we were in business.

Even after buying foam, material, and the chair we only spent about $55.00! Much better then the going rate of $179.00.

Finished Nursery

2011-12-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

We finally got around to taking some pictures of the completed nursery! We finished way before the arrival of Baby Sborz, but with last minute baby items, back to school, and summer vacations taking pictures of the final project just got farther and farther down the list.

Here is where baby Payton lays her head to rest every night. We went with this crib that turns into a toddler bed from Wal-Mart.

Her changing area is a dresser we snagged on sale from Costco and we just added the changing pad on top. The changing pad also came from Costco, along with her mattress. They are both made from organic material, which was a huge plus to me since she spends so much time on both. Plus, the mattress converts to a toddler mattress by flipping it over.

We didn't get her a baby book (gasp!), so I decided to make her a little shadow box of all the important things from her trip from the hospital. It hangs over her changing table and is a great reminder of what a special day that was for us.

- The newspaper from the day she was born
- Her ID bracelets along with the parent ones
- Her birth announcement we sent out
- Dried pink carnations from a flower arrangement she got
- The footprint that was taken in the hospital
- Her first picture the hospital gave us
- First little hat she wore
- It's a Girl card and plastic piece from flower arrangements

Here are her bookshelves, ABC wall, and self from Target where we keep all her fun toys and stuffed animals. It is also the home of the glider where we spend our early morning feedings.

A girl's room is not complete without a closet of cute outfits!

I love how this space turned out because it gives her room to grow and add things PLUS it is a room she can grow into because it doesn't have a baby theme as the main focus.

Christmas Tree Plus Three

2011-11-29T19:29:00.003-05:00

Last year we decided it would be fun to get a fresh Christmas tree. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving the weather was so nice we couldn't resist making this our own little Christmas tradition. We went to Ashcroft Farms again this year and headed out on the search for a perfect tree.

We searched around for a little bit and settled on a cute little short tree. Last year the tree we picked was a little difficult to get into the house, so this year we went simple.

The best part about searching out the perfect tree is watching Nick cut it down.

Our first Christmas Tree as a family of THREE!

Here she is all decorated for the holiday season - we went with the same decor as our tree from last year.

Thankful...

2011-11-29T19:28:00.001-05:00

This year we have so much to be thankful for! This was our first Thanksgiving with our little girl and we hosted our first Thanksgiving dinner at our house. On Thursday we spent the day with my family and Saturday we had dinner with Nick's family. They live in PA, so it is hard to double up a celebration in one day. This year Nick's fam came to VA for turkey. I have to admit I was a little nervous, but everything turned out great.

Thanksgiving at My Mom

The feast...

Nick and His First Turkey

Next year we will up the table setting - This year the focus was the food.

Nick's Family

Pink October

2011-10-12T20:10:00.000-04:00

I love all the fall colors that come out in the month of October, but I also love all the pink that comes out during the month in support of breast cancer awareness! Here are a few of my favorite items that help support a great cause when you buy them.

Harry Barker's Leopard Print Dog Leash

Organic Kids Stainless Steel Bottle

Reebok's Pink Ribbon Zigfly Sneakers

Georgetown Cupcakes

Yedi Houseware Travel Mug

Washington Redskins Breast Cancer Shirt

It's such a fun color and such a great cause to support! To check out my picks from last year go here. If you've found any great pink products that support breast cancer please share them by leaving a comment with a link to the product.

Under Construction

2011-10-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

A little sneak peak. Our basement is finally UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

ABC Wall

2011-10-09T18:51:00.000-04:00

I have loved all the ABC nursery walls that have been popping up all over the blog world.

Needless to say that I felt Baby Sborz needed one of her very own! At first I checked out the wooden ABC letters at Michael's Craft Store. They ran about $1.99 each. 26 letters at about $2.00 a pop seemed worth it to me. Then, my hubby kindly reminded me that his dad loves cutting out wooden figures and lucky for us he said he wouldn't mind cutting us out the entire alphabet for FREE! Not only are we getting to complete a project for cheap, but the letters now hold a sentimental value for Baby Sborz!

Once we had the letters they just needed a little bit of color. Lucky for me Hobby Lobby opened up and had the exact color of spray paint on sale.

After dividing the letters and laying them out in the yard I got busy spray painting.

I already knew that I was going to use Scotch Permanent Mounting Tape to attach the letters to the wall. After a day of drying and touch-ups I just cut the mounting tape into pieces and stuck a piece to the back of each.

Once all the letters had mounting tape attached I just hung them randomly on the nursery wall. Eventually I would like to have a variety of letters like the inspiration above, but for now the ABC wall is perfect for a new born.

You can also see how we painted, added lighting, and DIY'd some shelves here, here, and here.

Now our to-do list looks more like this:

~~1. Paint the walls~~
~~2. Add the Chair Railing~~
~~3. Re-wire the Lighting for the Dimmer Switch~~
~~4. Add a Light Fixture~~
~~5. Add Blinds to the Window~~
~~6. Add Window Treatments~~
~~7. Art Work - DIY??~~
~~8. Get a Glidder, Rocker, some kind of Cozy Chair~~
~~9. Buy and Build the Crib~~
~~10. Order Bedding~~
~~11. DIY Book Shelves~~
~~12. Changing Table/Dresser - DIY??~~
13. Closet Organization
~~14. Storage/Shelving above the Changing Table~~
15. Fix Up the Glider

I promise more picture of finished projects are coming!

Pinterst Challenge

2011-08-02T16:44:00.001-04:00

Considering I had already pinned a project from my own Pinterest account that I wanted to do for the nursery, I just couldn't resist the Pinterest Challenge put on by two of my favorite blogs. What could be a better deadline than that, right?

Here is the project that had caught my eye on Pinterest.

Source: domesticsimplicity.com via House On Pender on Pinterest

I loved the simple look of these book shelves and when I realized they were $3.99 spice shelves from Ikea I just knew they were perfect for our nursery.

The only thing they needed ~~was a~~ were a couple coats of paint and some screws to hang them to the wall. The shelves do come with screws to connect the pieces together, but nothing to hold them to the hall. A simple trip to Lowe's and a $2.98 pack of screws fixed that problem in a jiffy.

Once the hubs hung the shelving to the wall and we placed the books in I knew I was completely satisfied with the look of shelves. I was a little scared they would look cheap, but my worry was gone the second they hit the wall.

So, there you have it - another project checked off our to-do list for the nursery.

~~1. Paint the walls~~
~~2. Add the Chair Railing~~
~~3. Re-wire the Lighting for the Dimmer Switch~~
~~4. Add a Light Fixture~~
~~5. Add Blinds to the Window~~
~~6. Add Window Treatments~~
7. Art Work - DIY??
~~8. Get a Glidder, Rocker, some kind of Cozy Chair~~
~~9. Buy and Build the Crib~~
~~10. Order Bedding~~
~~11. DIY Book Shelves~~
~~12. Changing Table/Dresser - DIY??~~
13. Closet Organization
14. Storage/Shelving above the Changing Table
15. Fix Up the Glider
* We have a few other things crossed off the list that I haven't shared yet.

Check out John and Sherry's clothes pin chandelier project here and Katie Bowers' mirror project here.

Also, another of my favorite blogs, I Heart Organizing used these same shelves in her boys room. Check out what these shelves look like in red here.

Sweat, Dirt, and Improvemnt

2011-07-28T14:32:00.000-04:00

I have a few new tv-show obsessions that just seem to suck me in when I see them on. OK, I'll come clean. I have now started to tivo episodes to watch during my down time. Oh the shame in my love for the DIY network.

My first love started with Desperate Landscapes. Besides hating the site of our front yard, I completely heart Jason! I love that he gets right down to business,, finishes a yard in a day, and all the while explaining tips as he goes.

Dear Jason, Please come save my front yard from the sun and the touch of my ~~green~~ black thumb. Love, The girl who is clueless about landscaping.

He does do some wild and crazy things in some episodes, but I grabbed some before and afters of houses that I can relate to and steal some ideas from myself.

Before

After

Before

After

My next show of choice is Sweat Equity. This show is about couples who have projects in their house they want to tackle to add value to their home. They set a budget and get to work with the help of handy girl Amy. How great is a gal with a drill? Complete girl crush I have!

Here is a clip from an empty space to a mudroom. If you keep up with my blog you know I hate my own laundry space, so of course this had me drooling.

I also enjoy these guys - The "Crashers" Ashmed does landscaping, Matt does bathrooms, and Josh tackles any other room in need of some TLC.

If you ever see them hanging around your local home improvement store and they ask to go home with you take them right away! Some lucky couple got an ultimate crash and had their bathroom, backyard, and kitchen redone. How amazing would that be? To check out the ultimate crash they completed check the times here.

*All of the pictures and videos came from the DIY Network website.

Best Friends and Babies

2011-07-28T13:48:00.001-04:00

The joy of being pregnant is even more exciting when you get to share it with your best ~~friend~~ friends. Out of my group of gal pals from high school more than two of us are preggers! I could blame it on the water, but we live in different areas. We try to do the best we can to stay in touch as a group. We are blessed that when we can get together we never skip a beat and it seems as though we have seen each other yesterday. It is so fun to get to share in the joys of pregnancy with friends who I treasure so much.

Here we are when we met up in Arlington for a get together back in May.

It doesn't always happen that we get to all be together at the same time and place, but this past weekend four of us were able to get together for Sara's Baby Shower! Sara is expecting her first bundle of (baby boy) joy at the end of August. Let the countdown begin...


Her and her hubs are big WVU fans!


We are missing two from the group because of prior engagements.

We always sneak in a mother-daughter shot when we can.

It's so fun experiencing this amazing time in my life with my best friend Sara. All those ups and downs of pregnancy are so much more laughable when someone so close to you is going through all or most of the same things you are. I can't wait to meet Baby Boy Birchenough and I can't wait for him to meet Baby Girl Sborz come October!

Lighting the Nursery

2011-07-20T17:05:00.003-04:00

This weekend we the hubs and my father in-law were really productive with the progress of the nursery. It is really coming together now! If you remember from this post the hubs had gotten the nursery painted, but we still had a lot to get done before furniture could be ordered.

Over the weekend Nick and his dad got down to business and finished the chair railing, hung the blinds and curtain, rewired the light switches, and hung the light fixture. Woot, Woot! (Have you guys seen this Oreo commercial? The little boy cracks me up every time!)

The first thing the guys did was finish up the chair railing we had picked up at Lowe's. We got pretty lucky and most of the pieces were the perfect fit for our walls and the others needed to be cut size. Once all the pieces were cut they lined them up with our handy line we left with the painter's tape, and nailed them in with the nail gun. Once they were up they went back and filled in the holes with putty. Now they are patiently awaiting some touch-up paint. (The joys of painting!)

The next thing on the to-do list was switching over our normal flip light switch for a dimmer feature. I have read where a lot of moms and dads have added a dimmer switch to the nursery so when you go in for a feeding you aren't keeping the baby up with the bright light. I have to say that I have already played with the dimmer feature and l-o-v-e it!

Once we had all the wiring connected to the correct switches we hooked up the ~~new~~ light fixture. This room was already wired for a light so they just hooked up the correct wires. For those of you who know nothing about wiring don't worry the light came with a handy how-to in the direction packet. The lighting feature is actually this outdoor light from Lowe's that I got on sale for $22.38. I had looked at a couple of lights that were in the $60-70 range, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay that much a light for a baby's room. and this light instantly caught my eye and screamed childish fun. The only thing we had to do was buy some smaller screws because the ones it came with were a little long for connecting it to the ceiling.

I had gone to Lowe's to buy some strong wooden blinds like we have in our living room. Once I started shopping these cute little blinds caught my eye. They just seemed so tiny and precious for a baby's room. Did I mention they were also $4.46 compared to the $44.00 I was originally thinking about? I already had the curtain rod, so that cost was ZERO. The curtain is the Harper Valance from Pottery Barn Kids. I am still thinking about if I want to add some curtains, but I am going to wait and see how the valance works with the rest of the decor when it's all said and done.

So now our to-do list looks a little more like this:

~~1. Paint the walls~~
~~2. Add the Chair Railing~~
~~3. Re-wire the Lighting for the Dimmer Switch~~
~~4. Add a Light Fixture~~
~~5. Add Blinds to the Window~~
~~6. Add Window Treatments~~
7. DIY Art Work
~~8. Get a Glidder, Rocker, some kind of Cozy Chair~~
9. Buy and Build the Crib
~~10. Order Bedding~~
11. DIY Book Shelves
12. Changing Table/Dresser - DIY??
13. Closet Organization
14. Storage/Shelving above the Changing Table
15. Fix Up the Glider

Did you notice I snuck in crossing off #8? I scored a great glider from a thrift shop this past weekend and of course it needs some DIY LOVE.