Lazy days of summer.

Alas, summer is here, and I couldn't have been more ready. 

Sleeping in.

Watching cartoons in our pj's.

Breakfast on the couch. 

Visits to the beach. 

Adventure walks at the park.

Homemade popsicles. 

Late evening ice cream runs. 

Movies before bed. 

And our latest family activity...kite flying!

The kids took to it like champs, and couldn't get enough.

She loves to watch her brother fly his kite...and clearly I just can't get enough of her!

Nearly four, and she still takes my breath away every day.

A boy and his penguin. 

To me, summer speaks "family"...and time well spent with those that matter most. 

I'd like to be back blogging more frequently, but right now these little people have captured my heart {and my free moments}, so I'll blog when I can and hope for the best!

Soak it all in! Summer is here!  

On Mother's Day

To the {funniest} little people that made me a mom...

...you are my GREATEST gifts.

A son...

...and a daughter.

How did I ever get so lucky?

I sneak into your room every night and pray over you as you lie asleep in your bed. 

I place my hand on your chest, kiss your warm cheeks, and offer a prayer of gratitude over your life, your health, and your growing faith.

I pray you never forget to stop and smell the flowers and revel in our Creator's creation.

I pray you always remember your greatest cheerleader is the one who grew up alongside you, who shared with you, stuck up for you, laughed with you and conspired with you.

 

I pray you reach for the sky...

...to follow the path for your life that He so intricately designed for YOU...

 

...and to never stop being you, in all your silly, life-giving ways.

I pray you know deeply and innately there is nothing you can ever say or do 

that would make me {or your dad} love you any less. 

We're simply hooked on you!

Through the laughter and the tears,

I'm eternally grateful I get to be your mom.

Have you tried a meal swap?

I've been on a bit of a reading kick lately.

If you've read this blog for any length of time you know that I love food. I dream about food. And even though I definitely exist in the "eat to live" camp {not live to eat}, I do think about it...a lot.

While I feed my kids healthy food 95% of the time {mama's got a bit of a sweet tooth, so we allow desserts around our house}, I knew I still had some room for improvement, so I began looking for some alternative perspectives on child rearing when it comes to nutrition and diet.

One book I'm working through is:

It's been an education to say the least. Americans tend to hold the French in high esteem when it comes to their children's food intake. I wondered why.

I initially thought after reading the title, c'mon, they really eat everything?

Well, yes, yes they do.

The book goes in to detail about how the French achieve this and what I now understand is that it has much to do with EXPOSURE! I've always assumed I expose my kids to lots of food. But really, I probably introduce them to only about 20% of what the French do.

They just assume their kids will eat Roquefort cheese at 9 months, mussels and clams at 2 years old, duck pate at 3 years old. Nothing is off limits. French food is celebrated, discussed, and socialized over -- daily. Food culture is incorporated into public education. French kids know food is a big deal and that trying new foods is both fun and an accomplishment.

So, as of the last couple weeks, I've been revamping our diet...again. You can read about our first family diet revamp here.

Enter in the meal swap.

Have you done one before? I'm a meal swap newbie, but after lots of research from the blogging world, I discovered that it was just what I was looking for to increase my kids' exposure to food - cause frankly I don't always know what to offer them.

Traditionally in a meal swamp, 5 friends get together to swap meals. Each person makes 5 family-size servings of 1 meal and then they swap over the weekend or at a designated time that everyone agrees on. After a quick swap, you end up walking away with 5 different meals for your week. Botta bing - botta boom! Your week's meals are not only planned, but PREPPED, ready to go! Genius.

And - buying in bulk is WAY cheaper when it comes to high price items like meat, dairy and produce. Meal swap participants not only cut food costs, but they also often end up wasting less food from their fridge and pantry too.

Are you hooked yet?

If not, check out this link. Our local news station did a story on meal swapping a few months back.

I wanted to start out slow with my own meal swap, so I invited one friend to do it with me. She is like- minded in healthy eating, loves to meal plan, is an adventurous eater and has a family of four like mine. We were a good match.

We decided to start out this first month by doubling two recipes each. We've been swapping on the weekend and by Sunday night, we end up with four different PREPARED meals for the weak. We are rotating every other weekend who will do the driving to swap meals.

Typically, meal swap participants sit down to discuss food dislikes and likes, allergies, things that are off limits, etc. For us, there wasn't much to discuss since we both want to expose our kids to a wide variety of food. I don't eat a lot of gluten in general, but once a day a few times a week, doesn't cause me a lot of discomfort, so I stick with that for quality of life and enjoyment of food.

So want to see our April meal plan?

Week One

• Rosemary Chicken, Steamed White Rice, Balsamic Asparagus
• 3-Cheese Sausage Pasta Bake, Sliced Fruit, Garlic Bread
• Sweet Potato/Black Bean Enchiladas, Spanish Rice
• Quinoa Loaf with Sundried Tomatoes, Mushrooms & Peas, Roasted Broccoli 

Week Two

• BBQ Beer Chicken Sandwiches, Sliced Veggies, TJ's BBQ Chips
• Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef and Broccoli, Brown Rice
• Crockpot Chicken Salsa Black Bean Soup with Scoop Chips
• Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp

Week Three

• Lasagna Rollups, Garlic-Lemon String Beans
• Chicken Milenase over Arugala Salad, Garlic Cheese Breadsticks
• BBQ Pulled Port Pretzel Sandwiches, Apple Yogurt Salad,  Green Salad
• Sweet Potato Burgers, Baked Beans & Broccoli Waldorf Salad

·      

Week Four

• Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, Mexican Rice, Sliced Pineapple
• Spaghetti with Homemade Meat Sauce, Caramelized Brussell Sprouts
• Soy Sauce Crock Pot Shredded Chicken over Rice, Apricot Glazed Carrots with Ginger and Curry
• Broccoli Bow Tie Pasta with Chicken and Green Salad

Our new family motto at the dinner table: "You don't have to like it, but you do have to try it." 

My kids have surprised me with what they have been willing to try, especially Hallie. She is our painfully slow dinner eater {we are talking TWO hours, people}, but she is naturally curious about food, loves veggies and fun flavors, and is usually up for trying something new. 

Hayden, well - he's a work in progress. We are still working through his food neophobia, but he now expects something new and different at the dinner table, and we are doing our best to make it fun and interesting for him. I invite him in to the kitchen to prepare food with me as often as I can {this kid loves to cook and bake} and I think that's helping. He also planted some veggies and herbs with me a few weeks ago, and he's been having fun watching them grow. Kyle, my non-veggie eating husband, has been a great sport, and has been trying {and mostly consuming} everything I've made for dinner. 

So you see my friends what this food enthusiast is up against? A kid with neophobia, another kid who pockets food in her cheeks and takes two hours to eat, and a husband with a taste and texture aversion to veggies. 

BUT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS! We really are - through the tears, the fears, the fits and the wasted food, this mama is on a mission to coach her children {and hubby} into liking foods from all over the world. 

We would really like to travel {internationally} with our kiddos in the near future, and we know that we need to get them accustomed to trying new foods so they don't starve to death while abroad. Ha! 

Have you tried a meal swap?

I'm already looking forward to May's menu, and we are adding a couple gals, so it'll be even less work! AWESOME! Totally, completely hooked. :)

Annie Sloan Hutch Makeover

My sweet friend Heather {my bff's sister-in-law) just finished up her first Annie Sloan furniture makeover, and is giving me the privilege of sharing it on the blog today!

It's sophisticated and charming, 

and the paper backing gives it just the right 
amount of modern flair.

 

I asked Heather a few questions about her experience. 

Me: Where did you get your hutch from? Was it a family heirloom?

  

Heather: The hutch was my grandmother's. I don't know when she purchased it, but I do recall it being in her dining room for many Christmas Eve dinners. When it came time for my grandmother to move out of her home, my mother gave the hutch to me. It's been in my possession for almost 5 years. 

A before shot.

Me: Can you share a little about the Annie Sloan products you used? (Colors, waxes, brushes)

  

Heather: Once I learned of Annie Sloan and her incredible chalk paint, I knew that's what I wanted to use on this piece. I chose to paint it in Old White and was extremely happy with my color choice. It's not a bright white, but doesn't have a lot of yellow, either. Just perfect. I followed it with the clear wax and then (deep breath!) the dark wax. I sprung for the wax brush, too. Worth every penny, by the way.

Me: Can you describe your first experience using Annie Sloan's products? Was it difficult to get the hang of? Were you nervous to paint it? Did you run into any challenges?
 

Heather: Apart from spray painting small tables and chairs, I had never painted a piece of furniture with a brush, nor such a large piece for that matter. After I began, I realized how gutsy I was for taking on such a big project! The paint was amazing. I did not strip, I did not sand, I didn't even remove the hardware and hinges. The texture of the paint was definitely chalky and I found that my brush was ready to be cleaned sooner than I expected. However, the paint was smooth and dried really well. After two coats, I sanded to create an incredibly smooth surface (was very surprised how smooth and soft it was) and to create the distressed look. 

Next, I applied 1 coat of clear wax, let it dry and then applied the dark wax. The dark wax (especially over Old White) was intimidating and found it best to work with in small sections. Due to our schedule and  having small children, it took a few days to apply the wax. The final sections of dark wax were much more difficult to work with, because the clear wax had spent so much time drying. This was probably my biggest obstacle.

Me: Tell me about the paper backing.

Heather: The paper is Kraft White Flourish Wrapping Paper from Paper Source. I didn't want to spend a lot of money and I knew I'd find something gorgeous at Paper Source - my go-to place for anything paper. Using decoupage glue, I cut the approximate size for each box (notice there are 6 separate boxes in the hutch), brushed the glue onto the back of the hutch, applied the paper (very slowly to get the air pockets out) and then trimmed the edges with a blade. My husband assisted me with this portion of the project and I couldn't have done it without him. It was tricky and tedious. Well worth it, though. I love the result!

  

Me: Anything else you'd like to share?
    

Heather: I loved every minute working on this piece. This being the first piece, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I'm very happy. I love it. Now, I'm looking for something else to paint. :)

Well done my friend! It's beautiful. 

I love the monochromatic look achieved by painting the hardware the same color. It's a bold move that I'm seeing more and more on refinished pieces. And Annie Sloan's products really do work on anything...even metal, brass, stainless steel, and the like.

And I have it on good authority that Heather has already tackled another piece! It is quite addicting for sure.

Happy painting, blogging friends!

 

Ikea FROSTA Stools: Auction Re-do's

I had been working on some midcentury credenzas as of late, but got derailed this last week. The auction coordinators at Hayden's school asked if I would refinish a few pieces for the auction on Saturday.

They had 3 Ikea Frosta Stools that they wanted refinished and made colorful and fun. {Our theme this year for the auction is Dr. Suess.}

STRIPED + CHEVRON + POLKA DOT = FUN in my book

They were pretty plain Jane before any color. 

With my trusty assistant at my side, we spruced them up a bit with some 

DIY Chalk Paint in Valspar's "Iron Frost" and "Butterfly Yellow."

He's my favorite work buddy. And he was earning quarters for extra jobs that day.

Are you sick of hearing me talk about DIY Chalk Paint? 

Sorry - I'm in love with the stuff!

Doesn't everyone's kitchen look like this? Our house was taken over by painting projects for a week.

Don't be fooled. These stools may look like little guys, but they took me FOREVER! 

We're talking days.

But I learned a VERY good lesson. My beloved Frog Tape DOES NOT adhere properly to chalk paint. Something about the chemical properties of the Frog Tape which works perfectly on latex paint for smooth, crisp lines, completely backfires on chalk paint. 

I had to redo the designs over and over. I about threw in the towel  after some serious head banging against the wall. The yellow kept bleeding onto the gray, until I realized it must be the tape + paint combination. Fortunately, I had some old blue painters tape on hand. I had my doubts, but wouldn't you know it, it worked perfectly. 

So there you have it! Trial and error, folks. This is how I live my life when it comes to painting. 

I'm feeling a little nervous about having people bid on my work at the auction. 

But I guess it's time to pull up my big girl panties and let it be! 

Oh and THIS was another reason I've gotten behind on painting projects. 

BABY NOA!

My lil' sis flew into town this last week to do some quick house shopping 

before they MOVE BACK here next month!

That's right...in one month, I'll have regular access to this darling boy!

I mean c'mon, look at those cheeks!

Smitten doesn't even capture it. 

Linking to Simple Home Life Linky Party & Liz Marie Blog's Linky Party!

My Afternoon at RE-Store

I got an unexpected day off with no kids yesterday afternoon. My parents took the kids for me while I attended a dear friend's baby shower in the morning, and then decided to keep them overnight! 

HALLELUJAH!  

I must have looked haggard when I dropped them off after a 7-day run with Kyle hardly being home. My mom said, "Ummm...we'll see you tomorrow morning with the kids?" Well, you don't have to ask me twice!

My wheels started turning immediately as I drove away, making a list in my head of everything I wanted to accomplish sans kids.

After a drop off at the dry cleaners, a run to our PO Box and swinging thru the bank, I headed into Ballard, a quaint and very urban part of Seattle. There is a second-hand building materials store in the neighborhood that my mom-in-law introduced me to years ago. 

RE-Store is the mecca for all things repurposed and recycled, and is a furniture refinisher's dream when it comes to finding "period piece" hardware. 

I knew I was going to be spending some time in there "hunting", so I swung thru Starbizzle and grabbed a coffee and a water for the long haul. Essentials, people.

I'm finishing up two midcentury dressers right now, and both pieces came with flat drawers sans hardware. I thought about adding more modern pulls, but the purist in me just couldn't do it...so I began the hunt for midcentury drawer pulls. 

Oodles and oodles of old hardware!

90 minutes in, we were getting somewhere! 

The owners came over at one point, gave me a bucket and chuckled at my persistence (and the fact that at one point, I sat on the floor buried in drawer pulls)! They said most people give up after 30 minutes of trying to find enough matching ones. :)

After I found everything I needed, I perused the store for fun treasures. 

I LOVED this antique desk...

...and that little end table tucked in there...

And then I came across these lockers. 

I want to add a whole wall of these to our future garage for all my painting gear and tools. 

A smaller set would be perfect too in a mudroom for our little family. 

Wheels.Are.Turning.

Does this antique table look familiar? It's almost identical to the one I refinished a couple weeks ago. This one had a $40 price tag on it. I liked my $6 Goodwill price tag better. 

I know how impractical it is, but I long for a retro range and refrigerator. Sigh.

I walked past this black wrought iron fencing over and over again.

 I kept thinking it could be a cool headboard of some sort.

They have windows GALORE!

And this fixture of doorknobs makes me want to swap out every single door knob for something a little bit more unique! 

Sitz bath anyone?

They have two rooms full of old light fixtures and chandeliers.

Needless to say, three hours FLEW by and I felt so refreshed after I left.

I'm SOOOO grateful for parents that live close by that love on my kids 

so my mommy-batteries can get recharged for a day. It's a blessing for sure. 

Do you have a second hand building materials store in your town? It's a treasure trove for all things repurposed - I'd highly recommend checking it out!

Two Antique Re-do's: Nightstand + End Table

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you might have seen these two antique tables I picked up at my local Goodwill recently. The two drawer nightstand still had the antique markings on the back - lucky finds for sure. They were both in great condition! 

I tackled the end table first. Here is the before. Sorry, blurry phone pic.

I mixed up some DIY chalk paint in "Cottage Linen" by Valspar, 

distressed it in natural places and finished it in Rustoleum's Java Glaze.

I loved the shape of that lower shelf. 

Here is a before pic of that antique nightstand. 

You might have noticed how similar it is to the Tiffany Blue dresser I refinished awhile back. 

Again, I refinished it in a DIY chalk paint in "La Fonda Mirage" by Valspar. 

I.LOVED.THIS.COLOR!

The DIY chalk paint I use distresses beautifully and dare I say, 

even better than ASCP {for me anyways}.

And because I sand in between coats, and give it a final finishing sand with a high grit, 

there are no streaks! 

Just a smooth, chalky, buttery finish!

This will be going in Hallie's new room at the end of the summer. She is our bright, cheerful and "sunny" child, so we will be doing LOTS of color in her new space. She's been helping me pick out colors, patterns and designs: pale aquas, corals and whites. 

We'll see how it all pans out! I just want it to reflect her. 

Have you tried a DIY chalk paint recipe? I'd HIGHLY recommend it! I really do love the ASCP products. But I find myself gravitating more and more to the DIY version - as do many of my favorite furniture refinishing bloggers. I anticipate going back and forth between the two {I still LOVE some of Annie's colors that you just can't replicate}, but when my hobby budget is lean, this is definitely the way to go! 

And for those wanting to know, this is the ONLY recipe I use, from this lovely gal:

Linked to Liz Marie Blog's "Paint It" Party! Go check out all the other fun painting projects for inspiration!