:: Jacob ::

:: My sweet little big boy was found sleeping in his chair today for his nap::

:: He has his towel covering his legs and left his blanket on his bed because he wouldn't want to mess it up, he's quite particular you know. He also has to smell everything prior to using or wearing it to ensure it doesn't have a funky smell ::

:: What a funny little guy, but he's just too sweet for words to me; that is unless he's dropping all of his weight on his younger brothers back...then I have plenty of words! ::

:: Welcome Autumn ::

:: Autumn is finally officially here & I love it! ::

{:: The Body Shop "Vanilla Spice" Room Fragrance, Apples on our apple tree, New pumps from Old Navy, Eucalyptus buds, Falling Leaves, Stanley Park ::}

:: This is really just a note to show you some of the reasons that I love this season and to let you know that I am here...I've got lots to post about and a few items in the archive to edit and publish, just no time to do so ::

:: If you have stopped by and have noticed my absence don't fear, I won't be gone for long! ::

:: I'll be back with decor tips for Fall, our Anniversary Weekend & Women's Wednesday photos & recap ::

:: Old House ~ New Look: Laundry Room ::

:: Okay, Okay, Okay....well I guess I've left it long enough now! This post was actually partially finished two days ago, I just didn't have the chance to edit and post it ::

:: So here we go ::

:: Not sure if you remember but this is my original laundry room. It was horrible...the door couldn't open fully due to the small size of the room + full size washer&dryer = no room for the opening {there is Jacob crawling around, he was about the same age as Cole is now...it's crazy fast how fast time goes by!} ::

:: Here is the laundry room now from the same view. Here is what we did to change it:
*New floor {peel & stick from Home Depot}
*Paint
*New trim
*Painted the doors
*Installed new stacking washer/dryer
*Left original light fixture but just painted the trim & center w/ spray paint
*Paul created & installed a folding table beside the washer/dryer unit {due to the pipes & tubing for the washer/dryer unit we couldn't put the washer/dryer unit right against the wall so we had to improvise}

:: Here is the view from our hall into our laundry room - this is the folding table Paul made for me that stands perfectly high enough for me to fold on without bending over ::

:: Yes, I have a few detergents - One for darks, one for whites, one for regular + Downy fabric softener, then there is the bleach, fabric softening sheets {I don't use my Downy on Paul's outside work clothes, so he gets the fabric sheets, these are also used for lining our dresser drawers and putting on our hangers etc.}, oxi-clean for those boy type stains, and Mrs. Stewarts liquid bluing ::


:: In the baskets; there is one for random socks {don't ask}, some cleaning supplies that I don't keep in my cleaning closet, an emergency kit {flashlight, matches, snack bars etc.} and our sunscreen & swimming diapers for the babes ::

:: Under the folding table is my laundry basket, a garbage can & my mop bucket ::

:: Close up of decor on my folding table {calendar, lamp, fake potted plant (I killed the real one) & hand lotion} ::

:: This is a view from the door into the laundry room towards the garage door ::

:: See how small my laundry room actually is? I told you it is a postage stamp! ::

:: On top of my washer/dryer I have extra fabric softener & a basket holding extra paper products {toilet paper & paper towel} ::

:: This is the wall directly across from my washer/dryer unit. It has a peg board with misc. items on it and friends photos ::

:: I found this great little shoe rack at Target ($20) for the boys shoes/socks and extra out-door items. Sometimes it ends up being a catch all but usually it stays pretty organized ::

:: We also have two key racks in our house, one by each door we may enter. This is because someone {to remain anonymous} looses their keys all the time - I bought these pine "keys" holder @ Walmart in the states for $2 or $3 dollars and painted them ::

:: Across from the above wall - behind the garage door and beside the washer/dry unit {got that??!?!} we installed hooks from the dollar store (5 hooks on white wood for $2). The upper set is for Cole's coats etc. and the bottom one is for Jacob's. So far Jacob has been really good at putting his shoes away on his shelf and hanging up his coats...that's one more thing off my list! ::

:: So that's it, my laundry room...I love it, it may be small and may be nothing special but it suits my needs right now and so I'm happy with it. If we stay in this house we will probably extend it out a few feet to make a bigger "mud room" portion for our boys but we'll cross that road when we get there.

:: If you have any questions that I didn't answer regarding my laundry room, just ask me on my comment section...I'll try and answer you asap ::

:: Thanks for coming on a tour of my laundry room with me...not like you had a choice! ::

:: Just around the corner ::

:: Remember back here when I announced a new ministry that I was venturing into with my friend Lisa.B? Well, it's finally here...the first night...the big kick off...and my palms are sweaty ::

:: Lisa wrote a great post here on her blog, take a moment go over and read it, she's much more articulate than I am ::

:: If you read this blog and you are in the area...You know who you are...come out to our first event, heck come out to all of our events ::

:: This Wednesday night {our first event} is in the CLA Cafe @ 7:30 pm - Our guest speaker is Pam Russell and you won't want to miss "Walking in her shoes" ::

:: If you go to another church please don't hesitate to get a gang of gals together and join us in an evening of warm drinks, fellowship and a breath of fresh air. We all need a break every once in a while! ::

:: A good reason ::

:: As to why I didn't post my laundry room, was because I had better things to do ::

:: Like snuggle this sweet little girl all the way from Duncan. I'm sure ya'll understand! ::

Christy {my SIL}, her Mum Nancy & Denay came over for a visit. It was so great to see Denay {and of course Christy & Nancy} and see her new tricks, she is a chatty baby with the desire to see everything that is going on ::

:: Thanks for coming over for a visit Christy, Nancy & Denay. Can't wait to see you in a couple weeks! ::

:: I Like ::

:: If I were American, which I'm not. But if I were, I would choose her ::

:: I could be mistaken for an American, and I wouldn't mind. I find they are loyal to God & their country. I love that they are not afraid to stand up and state what they believe. That country has such amazing pride {sometimes a good thing, sometimes not} ::


:: Not that I'm a political person {cause I'm not}, but I do my due dillegence to vote and stand up for who I believe will make the best choices for my country and for the future of my family ::


:: Again, if I were American, I would choose Palin -- I like her. A lot ::

:: Tune in later for another post today - wow, two posts in one day...hoo ha! ::

:: Pictures courtesy of Time.com ::

:: Bigger Things ::

:: As I sit here in the comfort of my home reflecting on what this day means, I'll leave you with a few photos ::

:: I remember where I was at when I heard that this had happened, it was a terrible day. Horrible. I still get pains in my chest when I see these pictures. I can't even begin to comprehend. I pray for all still affected, especially today :: :: It's always hard to try and wrap your mind around what we would do if a hurricane were to rush through our part of the world. How would I pick up and leave my comfort, my home? There are thousands doing this right now in Texas. I pray you find safety with your family and I pray God turns the hurricane and the weatherman is wrong {why can't he be wrong for a good reason this time?} ::


:: Praying for the major & minor things in life tonight. Good Night ::

:: Itching for it to be here ::

:: Seriously, is any body else got the itch to break out all the fun fall decor and get the freezer filled with yummy comfort foods??? ::

:: I'm excited, and yet, Paul says it's too early to put up my decor! Ah shucks! ::

:: Can you tell I'm stalling...I have to work, don't feel like working. So I'm here. Stalling ::

:: There was a comment left on this post asking what room I'm going to do next in my house? I'm going to pick apart my laundry room...I heart my laundry room. I don't love it, it's a postage stamp of a room, but I've done the best I could with it and it's turned out just perfect for me ::

:: So stay tuned for that feature, and FYI I just might {might} being the operative word have a ASAQD next week, so be prepared people! ::

:: General Update ::

:: I've been drowning {in a good way} in work of all sorts, that is my reason for not being around these parts ::

:: Here's a quick update before I change the sheets on Jacob's bed {he wet through last night} and before I pull out dinner for tonight, have my morning java and get ready head to the office ::

:: COLE ::
:: On the baby front; Cole has finally broken skin on his new bottom teeth {praise the Lord!}. He is also almost walking...he'll take 3 - 6 steps by himself from place to place. It's a whole new world for him and he's trying desperately to keep up with big brother Jacob ::

:: JACOB ::
:: Jacob is starting to use words more and has found a new love for reading, especially before bed. We had started having a really tough time getting him down to sleep last week and this had never been a problem. So we thought about it one night after it took him 2 hours to fall asleep and I figured that he just needed to have more of a "cool down" time after a long afternoon of playing. We were right. Some cuddles on the couch and then a bible story prior to bed was just the thing. He settles right into bed and reads the story with Daddy {Mama doesn't cut it for reading stories apparently!}. It is delightful to see him so interested in books and what they have to say. He is really growing up in front of our eyes, and it brings us such joy ::

:: Website Recommendation ::
:: I have tapped into a resource of many very dependable recipes from another blog I read and I thought that ya'll might be able to use this resource as well....they are amazingly dependable recipes and oh so yummy! Here is the link to "Mennonite Girls Can Cook". Let me know if you try any of the recipes out and what ones you liked best! Although I'm sure they are all AMAZING! It's kinda like having an old church recipe book at your fingertips. Gotta love it! ::

:: WORK ::
:: Currently I'm occupying my time during the day @ Cranberry Creek getting ready for the new season of shows and samples. During this time my kids come with me to the office {aka Grammie & Grampie's} and surprisingly I get a lot of work accomplished! In the evening I'm working on our kick-off event for Women's Wednesday coming up on September 17th. I am also committing to a new exciting chapter of my life and work life...stay tuned for more details on this in the next few weeks ::

:: Guest Post ::
:: I may have a guest come and drop by my blog, stay tuned to see what that is all about! ::

:: Have a wonderful day, the weatherman says it's going to be crazy warm here today. Yay - Three cheers for September weather! ::

:: Old House New Look ~ Part One Explained ::

:: So as previously stated in this post our living room & dining room is pretty much completed {only after a whole year of living here!} ::

:: I also said that I would be back to break down the cost of everything in the room so you could see that I actually didn't break the bank on decorating it ::

:: So here goes ::

:: Twigs in galvanized pot w/ Lantern - Twigs $20/Pot $10/Lantern $7 = $37 @ Ikea ::

:: China Cabinet - Free! There is a story that goes along with this one...My Grandpa died and we were moving my Grandma into assisted living home, so she had to get rid of her dining room table and china cabinet. My younger brother said he would take the table & I said that we would take the cabinet. I told Paul to go pick it up with our truck. He headed over to my Grandma's place and called me from the garage. The conversation went something like this:

S :: Hello
P :: Hey it's me
S :: Hey you, are you at Grandma's
P :: Yeah, I'm in the garage.
S :: Is there a problem with the cabinet?
P :: Yeah.
S :: Oh, what's wrong???
P :: Have you actually seen this thing? And you still want it?!?!
S :: Yes, yes I do!
P :: You are sure?
S :: Yes, I'm positive.
P :: Okay, as long as your sure!

:: So Paul came home with the wood veneer & plastic china cabinet that was once my Grandparents and we placed it in our garage. One quick trip to Revy and one can of black paint and some primer quickly fixed the ugly cabinet into a fabulous piece of furniture that I love to have in our home and call my own :::: Okay, so it wasn't technically free, it was $40 for the black paint and $10 for the primer plus a bit of elbow grease. Total = $50 @ Rona
:: Coffee Tables - $300 @ Ikea. These tables were originally a maple colour which I had never really LOVED but I did love the shape of the tables, so when we found these tables @ Ikea when we were engaged we couldn't pass up the deal. We got a sofa table, large coffee table and two large side tables for $300. A couple years ago after I finished painting the china cabinet there was tons of paint left over so I decided to paint two out of the 4 pieces of furniture that we use. The sofa table is currently in our entrance way and I have yet to paint it {probably won't be black} and the second side table is in our crawl space as we currently don't have space for it! Total = $300 @ Ikea & some elbow grease ::

:: This picture also features our area rug - We purchased this rug @ Home Sense {even though it was quite a fiasco...read more here}. Rug = $179 @ Home Sense ::
:: Accent Chairs - $129 @ Superstore x 2 = $260 {and they have yet to fall apart, ha ha ha} ::

:: The Drapes & Rods - JYSK {In our family we call this store "J"unk "Y"ou "S"houldn't "K"eep, but sometimes they've got GREAT junk!}, okay I digress...back to the drapes. Drapes $12/panel x 4 panels = $50 + $8 for the two rod packets {including the hardware - Ikea sells each piece separate so it end up being about double or triple the price of JYSK's deals} So all in all....Total = $70


:: If you come into my house you will probably be able to find at least one thing in each room from my Grandma Rosie {My dad's Mom - the same Grandma that gave us the cabinet} - Here are a few of her items that I have inherited. So in essence they were all - FREE! ::

:: Mirror {was originally gold, I spray painted it w/ Paul's car spray paint (it's actually a primer but you can't tell). Mirror Total = Elbow Grease ::

:: Antique chest {This is probably my most cherished item of furniture in my house}, this too is from my Grandma. It was my Great Grandma Cooks and I inherited it from my family. So you want to know what I keep in it? My purses, yep...you got it, my purse collection fills up that whole thing! You thought it would be journals, photo albums or something like a keepsake in there..no, no wedding dress in this chest, just purses! Antique chest Total = FREE ::

:: Lamp - We received this lamp as part of the a three lamp kit that we got from some of my family members for a shower gift prior to getting married - it's broken partially but still works. I love it cause it's such a simple design and doesn't take away from anything else in the room. Lamp Total = Gift, so it was free ::

:: Pear, Clock & Fern filled Pot - Pear I got from my SIL Jenn for my birthday last year and I just love it, Clock I got from my Kindergarten teacher for a wedding gift {it has a stand that it sits in but I'm currently using that as a recipe book stand in my kitchen}, Fern filled pot I have had this since I was a single girl living in my parents house, I got the pot from Ikea for $5 and I think I stole the ferns from my Mom's place, I probably took apart an old arrangement she had condemned to the basement {thanks Mom!} . Decorative Items Total - $5 @ Ikea :::: Coffee table decor - This Bible is Paul's Grandpa's bible from Boys Brigade, as well as a dictionary from my Nanny's place and a Bible that was my Mom's when she was little, is it bad that three of the four things in this dish are just taken without asking and two of the three things are bibles!?!?!? Hmmmmm...anyway, my point being, I love things that others have well loved ::

:: The other items on the coffee table are a vase filled with rocks {free from my bro's wedding} and our family photo album from 2006 ::

:: Coffee table decor = Pretty much free ::

:: Wall Collage - Frames $40 @ Costco, prints $24 @ Costco. Total = $64 ::

:: Other coffee table decor - Lamp again gift from family for wedding shower, books taken from my parent's place and Grandma's {I know, I know...I'll pay for it!}, fake flowers I bought these prior to getting married from Winners for $5, frame from Kevin & Steph and filled with old photo's of Paul and I when we were babes {little kids = we're still babes, just for the record!}. Coffee Table Decor = $5 ::

:: Dining Room Table/Paintin & Chandelier - Table -$300 on Craigslist/Painting - $90 @ Ikea/Chandelier - $60 @ Costco. Total for dining room set up = $450 ::

:: Mirror - I inherited this from my parents, if you read my Mom's blog you will remember this post of them re-doing their powder room. They had a bit of an oops and this mirror dropped. It got cracked on two corners and some of the glass was damaged and it has some etching in the middle of it. However, my dad fixed it up real nice and so they offered it to us and it was free so we took it and hung it in our dining room. Mirror = FREE ::

:: So there ya go, that's the verdict on the living/dining room - oh and as for the couch, we have a couch set that we have divided between the family room & the living room - we paid $1500 for both delivered & scotchguarded prior to getting married. We bought them @ MJM furniture during one of their tent sales ::

:: I would tell you what colour paint we painted this room, but for the life of me I can't remember! ::

:: Well I hope you have enjoyed my explanation of how I decorate and do not fear if you invite me over I will leave your old books, chests and flower arrangements alone! ::

:: Have a great one everyone, I'm off to bake cookies, pay some bills and fold some laundry - Oh joy! ::

xoxo,
Shawna