Fall Mantel

Fall is officially here, and I can't even tell you how happy I am about that. I love the crisp, cool weather, the yummy pumpkin scented candles, apple cider, pumpkin patches with the kids, the excitement of the upcoming holidays, busting out the cozy blankets and curling up on the couch, it's all so so so good. But there is one thing in particular that makes me oh-so-happy about this time of year...these are the only few months of the year that my #1 Decorating Dilemma is solved! Yay! This dilemma would be the lovely mantel. Normally, I would be jumping at the chance to decorate a mantel, but mine causes me nothing but a headache. You see, we mounted our tv on the wall way back when, and it had a table beneath it at the time. The tv was positioned perfectly. THEN we bought one of those electric fireplaces, which was great and all, but was much higher than the table and didn't leave a very large space for me to play with. Like at all. Like mere inches. Torture for me, I tell you. I love decorating stuff like that. Mantels make me very happy. And having a couple of inches to work with is tough, from the months of January through August. But come September, I can figure this dilemma out!

Now granted, there are a few berries and stems interfering with the tv, but for the most part, we're in the clear;) The hubs likes to tease me about this constantly. It's become a running joke in this house. Especially when trying to view stats on the football game;)

I'm sure you're not the least bit surprised a chalkboard is involved, am I right?! You have to believe me people, this was not in the original plan. I'm currently looking for a 12-step program of sorts, for chalkboard-a-holics, so if you happen to hear of any, email me. I'd greatly appreciate it. ;)

Here's how it started. I found this cute little box for a whopping 50 cents at a yard sale not too long ago.

I didn't know what I was going to do with it, but I liked it. It sat in the laundry room for a month or so before I realized it would be a great height for the mantel. I could stuff it with something, right? Well, turns out I was drawing blanks. Then came September. Oh the choices! I told you I'm so much better at decorating in the fall, didn't I?! I spackled the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!" (it was engraved) then sanded it down and spray painted it a cream color. I filled it with pinecones, red apples, and some fall-y garland, added some sparkly pumpkins I had, a couple cozy candles and called it a day. But it was not working for me. Then it all clicked! I had just done the canisters for the kitchen with my new favorite thing: chalkboard sticky paper! I cut a strip, and used my fancy-shmancy craft scissors to give a little somethin'-somethin' to the corners, stuck it on, and there you have it.

It looks so pretty at night, all lit up, with the fireplace on underneath. And I love that I can change up the words - I'm thinking something Halloween-y in October, Give Thanks in November, and oh the possibilities in December! I can't wait to fill this puppy up with Christmas greens and red berries, candles...oh bring it, mantel! You don't scare me now! (At least until January anyway...)

Happy Fall, Everyone!

P.S. I linked this up At The Picket Fence!  :)

The Book Nook

A while ago I spotted something so stinkin' adorable on Pinterest (surprise, surprise!) that I knew I had to do it. It was super easy and super inexpensive to boot. It was this:

Framed book covers. How genius is that!? (you can see the whole scoop on this pin at ohdeedoh.com). I pictured a gallery wall of book covers immediately in our playroom. We don't have a large playroom space by any means, and when you throw in a train table and a large Nilo activity table, it gets even smaller. But there was certainly room for a little corner to be designated a "library," (this is what my kindergartener has named the space, as she bosses plays teacher and assigns every family member a 'center.') We have a small sectional (Ikea Ektorp) that splits the room in half, so behind the piece that juts out is where I decided to make this nook. I simply moved the bookshelf/storage cube-y thing we had there, up to my son's room (who desperately needed some furniture anyway), and had some of those little white bookshelves that you can buy for super cheap at any Target/Walmart type of store, and placed them horizontally. Grabbed a rug and some floor pillows we already had, some old pillows I have yet to re-cover, and who doesn't have 800 stuffed animals laying around? Then I collected some book covers, and sprayed a bunch of frames I had (a mix of Dollar Store and yard sale finds) with spray paint that matched a color from the cover, and sprayed some wooden letters I bought at JoAnn's:

 Instant little book nook. Now, in my head I picture a super fluffy shag rug, ginormous bean bag chairs/poofs to lounge around on, new lighting, and ditch the bookshelves all together and do the rain gutter idea for shelving the books: (from Gus and Lola)

Or maybe the IKEA spice racks idea: (another Ohdeedoh)

BUT, this will do for the time being. If that doesn't happen as soon as I'd like, I'll at least make soft little seat covers so the bookshelves can be like a little L-shaped bench. We'll see.

I love the framed book covers idea. If you read yesterday's post, you know how special these books are to me, and several of them came from books that had literally fallen apart into many pages, so it was a perfect way to preserve them. I was going to spray the letters different colors, but with the colors from the book covers and frames, I decided white would be the best choice.

Best part is, the kids love it, and I'll often look over and see one of them (or all of them) taking a book, and sprawling out on the rug to "read." I spotted Tinkerbell here minutes after I finished setting it all up:

And today, after school (and I mean RIGHT after school), my kindergartener, who does nothing - and I mean nothing - but play school these days, got right back in there and was reading to her "class:"

So that's the Book Nook, (or Library Center according to my 5 year old budding teacher) for the time being. Total cost: $14. $8 on letters, and $6 on frames. I'll keep you posted as I make the updates I mentioned earlier. But for 14 bucks, it works just fine for right now;)

Perfection.

Don't you just LOVE it when something just plain awesome happens while you're working on a project? Like somehow you stumble upon the perfect elements out of nowhere and it makes you downright giddy?

Here's a sneak peek at a project I'm working on for the kids' playroom...I was looking around for old books to frame (the covers), and found this treasure. This was our FIRST copy of Goodnight Moon - after our second child, it was literally falling apart and we had to buy a new copy for our third. I saved it, because it's just one of those things that I look at and my mind instantly rewinds to many, many nights, sitting with a freshly bathed baby on my lap, rocking away in the chair, not even having to look at the words to read it...and I can still hear the giggles that would explode when my voice would get silly on the word "mush."

I would then put the book down on the little table beside the chair, feed my girl a bottle, and then put the bottle on top of the book, sometimes leaving milk circles behind. Many times she'd fall asleep in my arms, and I'd look over and see that bottle resting on top of Goodnight Moon and daydream away until I laid her in her crib. And in those early newborn stages, I'd be in there (or my husband would be) just a few short hours later, doing the whole bottle thing again.

Well, when I saw this book, that still sits on her bookshelf, in about 4 pieces, I almost teared up when I noticed the milk rings that were still there, left from aaaaallll those bottle feedings, in her chair, in her nursery, with that precious baby asleep in my arms. I knew this book was going to be included in the playroom project.

And as if that wasn't perfect enough, I found a frame that belonged to my grandmother sitting in a box in our laundry room. I had wanted to use it a while back, and broke the glass when I was taking it out to spray paint. Something told me to hold onto it anyway, and I'm so glad I did. The book cover fits just perfectly inside, and the fact that the glass is missing makes no difference whatsoever.

And then...I go to my (growing!) collection of spray paint to see if I'd have a color to spray the frame that would match the book cover. Wouldn't you know it, ORANGE. Sitting right there in front of me, the perfect shade of orange. Meant to be I tell ya.

Treasured memories. Milk stains. Grandmother's frame. Leftover orange paint. Perfection.

10 Years Later

On the morning of September 11th 2001, I was a young 21 year old, so excited to be starting my career as a second-grade teacher; life couldn't be better. I was in the middle of a lesson, when one of the resource teachers appeared at my door, nodding to come over to her. When she told me what had happened (at that point, just the one tower had fallen), it didn't seem to register at that moment. I had no idea the magnitude of what had happened, and in my little world, I just assumed it was some horrific accident; terrorists never entered my mind. It certainly affected me more over the next days and weeks after, but I have to admit that over the years on 9/11, I would say a prayer, and pause to reflect, but I didn't spend days mourning all over again like I did in 2001.

Until this year.

September 11, 2011 has hit me hard. Ten years ago, I mourned for the country. I mourned for the fact that the world will never feel the same. I mourned for the lives lost, and their loved ones left behind. But at the time, I had never experienced a tragic loss in my life, so I don't think I fully grasped that kind of pain.

Until now.

So much has changed since that day. Some life-changing events. I got married. I had kids. I lost a close friend.Three things that have made me more aware of the personal stories behind 9/11, and not just the country as a whole. I've watched the specials that have aired this weekend. I've listened to the widows as they describe their husbands. Husbands who sound a lot like mine. I've heard them talk about the way their kids would race to the door when Daddy got home, and I picture my trio as they do that every night when their daddy comes in. I listened as they describe telling their kids that Daddy won't be coming home, and the heartbreaking responses, like, "can we call him on his cell phone?" I listened to the parents who have buried their child. They show pictures of them, smiling ear to ear, and describe the joy they brought to their lives over the years. These are the stories that broke my heart 10 years ago, but rock me to my core today. The loss these families experienced is more than I can wrap my brain around. Their courage and strength truly amazes me.

I have recently gotten to know a friend whose best friend was on Flight 93. She went to the Shanksville Ceremony this weekend, and she is one of the people I can't get out of my mind this weekend. One of my dearest friends passed away in 2005, so I now know how painful it is to lose a wonderful friend. I didn't in 2001. The moment you hear those words is one you'll never forget. It is life-changing, and you are never the same. Years go by, and you are able to smile again, but you are never the same. There is a hole that will never be filled. And every time you go through something in your life, like marriage, having kids, you think of her, and wonder why isn't she here, going through this stuff too? I see my new friend's pictures on Facebook, of her standing next to her friend's name on the wall in Shanksville, and my heart breaks. That kind of loss...well, there simply are no words.

10 years. I'm older, I'm wiser, and therefore I'm sadder. My heart goes out to every life affected by 9/11/01, the day we were forever changed. To the heroes we lost, and to the heroes with us today, I promise you will never be forgotten. And we are forever grateful.

If I Could Keep You Little...

She did it. My oldest baby hopped on the bus to Kindergarten this morning. And the only tears were mine, for that I could not be more thankful. I don't know how in the world moms and dads do it with sad little faces looking up at them, saying they don't want to go. I think I'd have to homeschool at that point;). In all seriousness though, I feel beyond blessed that my baby girl was not only ready, but could hardly wait to get on that big yellow bus and head off to school. Makes it much easier on me. I keep looking at the clock, and counting down the minutes until she gets home...

There are so many reasons I love Facebook, a huge one being that there is always support when you need it. When my mom battled cancer in the spring (AND WON!!!), the amount of "friends" who offered prayers, take the kids, bring her dinner, was ENDLESS. To this day, people I haven't seen since childhood, will message me, asking how she's doing. It's amazing. And while I've had one heckuva time dealing with this whole kindergarten experience, the moms who've been through it, or the ones who are right there with me has been such a comfort. We all share our sob stories, and those who are in the other group of "can't WAIT for Kindergarten!!" have been just as helpful. Hearing their excitement for their kids, and the benefits, like having a conversation in peace, sure do work wonders. And for that, again, I am thankful.

I recently read an article interviewing Michael J. Fox, father of four, and one of the questions he was asked was, what's the hardest thing about parenting, in your opinion? He replied, "the fact that they have to grow up." He went on to explain how you spend those first several years literally by their side - watching their every move - holding their hand crossing the street, keeping them close at the pool, always within eye/ear sight. Then they grow up, and they don't need to wave to you when they get to the neighbor's house, or let you know where they are at all times. And that's hard. It's hard to let go, and to not know what they're doing, and to not be around them all the time, and them not needing you as much. I have to say, Michael, I could not agree more. And my oldest is only 5 years old!!! I can't imagine how hard it must be when they're teenagers. I mean, yes, sleepless nights when they're newborns is no walk in the park. Potty training - a total nightmare. The Terrible Twos, need I say more? But I knew those would be hard. I had no idea sending my girl off to Kindergarten would be this tough on me. I cried packing her lunch for goodness sake. I cried getting out her clothes. For real. Tough stuff, I tell you. Tough stuff.

 One of my friends posted this quote on FB the night before school: "If I could keep you little, I'd keep you close to me, but then I'd miss you growing into who you're meant to be." This, although sob-inducing, seems so fitting, and I've had it in my head for days. As I watched my baby board that bus this morning, I kept it in my head, and I just feel so blessed to 1. have this daughter to miss so terribly and 2. be able to watch her grow into the incredible person I just know she's going to be. She is such a gift, and the world is lucky she's in it.

So to get myself thinking happy thoughts, I thought it might be good to make a list of all the positive aspects of being down to just 2 kids (and just 1 two mornings a week when the preschooler starts on Tuesday!) on a daily basis. Here's what I came up with:

1. Shopping with less children. Always a plus, even if the kindergartener is always the best behaved. It's numbers, people. Less seatbelts to buckle, less heads to count when we go down aisles. For this is, I have to say, I'm stoked.
2. The younger two get along BEAUTIFULLY. Don't know if it's the close-in-age-sister thing that makes the girls bicker, but the middle child (girl), and youngest (boy) hardly EVER fight. I have to say, today has been pretty much a breeze. They don't fight over Barbies, or Polly Pockets, or these damn Squinkies that have taken over the house lately. They do their own thing, sometimes collaborate together, and it almost never ends in a fight. That's a beautiful thing.
3. My girl is beyond ready for Kindergarten - she would have gone last year if she was allowed! She's a bright girl (not just biased - she really is!), and I have never seen a brain so eager to learn. (And I was a teacher in my previous life!;). She just wants to know it all, craft it all, sing it all, read it all - she's going to L.O.V.E it. I know it.
4. Playdates with just my boy. Those mornings I drop #2 off at preschool, I plan on taking my boy to other BOYS' houses - I have several friends who will just have a boy or 2 around, and I am so excited for him to be the big boy and get to play with HIS friends for once. No pink in sight!
5. In just a day, I've noticed my middle child more, and what a delight she is. She always gets the rep of the "difficult one" but I think she's always in competition with her big sis, and it's tough to be the middle child. But now she's in charge. And she's been a dream all day. I don't think I've uttered those words about her more than 5 times in her 3 years...so this IS a good thing....;)
6. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let's face it, by the end of the summer, we've all kinda had enough of looking at the same faces day in and day out. She's only been gone for 4 hours, and we all can't wait to see her get off that bus! I think the kids miss her (the youngest has asked for her quite a few times already), and I miss her. I'll be so excited to hear about her day, and surprise her with her big giant cookie (thank you Pinterest!), and she'll be happy to be home too. I've already thought about her days off, and making fun breakfasts and all that cheesy stuff...I'm such a dork with that kinda stuff, in case you hadn't picked up on that already;)

So I know in my heart, this is a good thing. But sometimes good things are hard things. Like watching your kids grow up. Of course that's a good thing for them, but breaks Mama's heart, I gotta say.

Dear Kindergarten Teacher, please take good care of her. She's something special. - A Thankful Mommy