Our Turn

It's been a sticky few days. On and off one of us has been a little under the weather throughout February. But nothing more than minor colds, really.

{ barely hanging on (like me after only 2 hours of sleep last night), my valentine's roses }

 

Sean was sick at the end of last week and I was hoping that was the end of it. But when I picked up Wrennie girl from school on Monday I knew she wasn't herself. Even her teacher mentioned it.

By the time we got home her little eyes were barely open (how mean am I, forcing her to smile and take a picture?! but her face was just too cute). By early afternoon I knew it: we had the dreaded bug that's been making the rounds.

Yesterday was the first day in her entire life she didn't get out of bed. AT ALL. High fever, shakes, chills, cough, we've got them all and it is no fun! It has been at least two years since she was really sick last and I had forgot how helpless you feel and become when you have a tiny person that just isn't themselves. So if you see me out and about, keep your distance! I don't appear to have caught it yet but I am sure it won't be leaving me unscathed.

Toodles and Chicken Noodles!

Spring Shop Finds

 

I have Spring on my brain! I just uploaded a ton of new blankets to my etsy shop and you can definitely see a pattern: all the blankets are super happy and in spring-like colors.

It was brought to my attention on Instagram that most people had no idea I had an etsy shop, so please excuse the fact that I've mentioned it twice this week. I just want everyone to see all these beauties and find them loving new homes!

 

My favorites are always the brightest, funnest colors. I was given a handmade blankie for Wren at her baby shower and the lovely friend of my Mom's who made it wrote me the sweetest card. Paraphrasing here, but she wanted to give Wren a special blanket that not only kept her warm but was the start of her best adventures. Because with a little imagination a blanket can be anything from a fort to a magic carpet to a cape for a child. The adventures are limitless!

 

I am hoping these blankets have the some good travels and adventures in their future as well.

Be sure to check out these (and MANY more goodies) by clicking here.

Friday

Did I mention we are dog sitting right now????? 

I always told myself and everyone I know it would be fun to have a bajillion dogs. 

Nope.

I am not one to eat my words, so it is a hard pill to swallow for me to admit I am just not cut out for multiple-pet-parenting. But Wren sure is. She has been in heaven this week with her little pack of dogs and definitely been a big helper on the doggie front. I hear her reading stories to them (they ALL sleep on her bed) every night, she gets all bundled up to take them out in the back yard adventuring, and she feeds them all by herself every night (no easy task!). She has taught me that even though I still look at her as my baby she really is a little girl now.

 

Her enthusiasm for life and adventure positively excite me and even when I'm wishing a big comfy couch was calling my name I find it infectious. It is a reminder to myself that nothing comes easy and it is worth the effort.

I love these words by Henry Ford.

 

Have you ever noticed there is a difference between enthusiasm and ambition? I think both are good traits in their own ways but I prefer to be enthusiastic. There seems to be a sense of contentment while pursuing your passion. Maybe it is just my experience but ambitious people often seem to be constantly reaching for something out of their grasp, where enthusiastic people enjoy the journey so much more.

Either way, I am enthusiastic about going to back to a one dog household soon but will enjoy watching the fun Wren has until then.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Hey Oyster Update (and code, but shhhhhh it's a secret)

I have been having so much fun over the last couple weeks with my new Etsy Store

 and really really really appreciate all the love you have all shown it.

My pile of blankets and sweaters only seems to grow, taking over multiple rooms in the house right now. To try and keep my sanity I want to make room for the new ones in the shop before I list them so as a well deserved thank you I thought I would share some love with a special coupon code valid only from now until Sunday night!

I know it isn't much in comparison to the support you have given, but I truly have so much to be thankful for and I owe it to you and the love you've given Hey, Oyster and In The Fun Lane.

Have fun shopping dolls, Toodles!

Another Parkview Update

Things are really picking up! It was just a week or so ago that I was showing the drywall going in, but since then we have full drywall and ceilings, as well as all the walls and ceilings painted with their first 2 coats of paint. The final coat of paint will go up once we have baseboards, doors and trim so the painters can do all that at the same time.

Oh yeah, and we have a new front porch addition! I think it will be the biggest single improvement once we are done and all the new siding and character are added to the trim work out here.

As you can see, when I took this last week we were getting ready for our new roof which is now in progress. Then our new exterior insulation and siding will go on.

On to the inside, here is the living room (from standing in the dining room). It is pretty amazing to have lights inside now! I can't wait to show you some of the fixtures we have as well for hanging lights.

From the dining room we head into the kitchen, where our cabinetry is starting to get prepped for the kitchen install.

Looking into the kitchen from the family room. I should have taken more photos today because our cabinets are all ready and up, just without doors till our flooring is in place.

From the kitchen looking into the family room, which is housing most of my drawer and door fronts.

Off the family room is a hallway with a large laundry room (that is still dark without the light installed) and powder room.

Our side entrance is also dark without lighting still, but I can't wait to show you what I have planned for storage and organization in here.

Off the side entrance we have a really really large den/office that also leads back on to our front entry.

Heading upstairs off the foyer (it is small, but unfortunately the one thing I couldn't change about the house. Such is life dealing with old homes).

The upstairs hallway is so much brighter with the new window in the center of the house.

At the top of the stairs is the second bathroom.

This is our master bedroom.

But my FAVORITE thing we changed about the house was converting the fourth upstairs bedroom into a roomy master ensuite.

The double vanity and wall sconces will probably be the last things installed, but I am already in love with this room. And on the right you can see the bright new master closet entrance.

It is long and narrow, but the natural light and bright window make up for it. Definitely not the kind of closet you usually see in houses built in the 1960's.

In the master bath we will have a lot of tile work to get done and glass dividers/doors on the shower area. But I can visualize it all done and I am totally jealous already.

So that is roughly where things stand! I have flooring/doors and trim being ordered this week so the finished product isn't looking nearly so far out as it did about a month ago.

Lots of work left though!

DIY Lifestyle Magazine

I am up to my ears in fur balls today! Wren and I are dog-sitting 2 dogs for the next few weeks so we have a full pack including Mungkee. I probably won't have much free time for the foreseeable future, but if you do I highly recommend checking out DIY Lifestyle Magazine.

I was thrilled to include my painted cannisters in this month's issue, and there are a ton of other awesome ideas from a handful of bloggers. If you want to check it out as well the awesome team over at DIY Lifestyle are giving us all this months issue for FREE. Just head over here to download it on iTunes and enter "1monthdiy"

Enjoy!

Friday

It was one of those rare busy weeks in our house that while I managed to cram 25 hours in a day, on reflection it all went relatively smoothly. Despite 3 am start times for Sean, Valentine's busyness and on the tail end of the week a fever for Wren we all laughed an awful lot, leaned on each other when we had to and acknowledged the little bits of goodness we did for one another. If that is what Valentine's brings out in people I want to celebrate it more often.

 

Even being feverish, Wren desperately wanted to take a little drive out to visit my Grandma, Grandpa and his precious ponies this week. I always love a trip out to the country to catch my breath for a day.

 

Sometimes it really is the best medicine.

Have a wonderful Family Day weekend. 

Happy Valentine's Day

 

We celebrated a day early in our house. It was just easier that way since Wren goes to school on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Sean and I had a little bag of surprises for her that we wanted her to have before school so she could wear them for her class party (the dollar store heart necklace above being one of those items) and then she used the pretty little bag to carry all her Valentine's home from school too. So it was a win all around to go the early route. 

We hope your day is filled with love and laughter and all the good stuff.

{ a bun!!! Finally! I celebrated this all day long. }

 

I enjoyed reading all her little cards. 4 year old printing is up there with newborn puppies and laughing babies on the cute-ness index.

 

 

And a big BON VOYAGE to my little sis (@digitalconfections on IG)  who left for her Italian adventure yesterday!

Valentine's in our House

 

It is definitely the season for love here in our little family. I have been rocking head to toe pink this week . Maybe a little dramatic? Maybe a little over the top? probably. But I am tickled pink (hardy har) to have an excuse. (dress and shoes above are from Tailor and Stylist for anyone asking, tights are F21 and headband is my own creation).

Wren and I have been working on her school valentine's. My mom bought her these adorable Vintage inspired ones and I am finding it hard to hand them over. All throughout the past week we have been doing little surprises daily for each other. Yesterday I picked up a perfectly pink baby cake for Wren (and a chocolate eclair  for her daddy) as my little gift.

And all last week Wren was furiously making these creations out of dollar store paper doilies as her surprises for us. I grabbed three different colors and sizes and she has made infinite combinations out of them by flipping some backwards for lighter pinks or whites and gluing them together.

 

Together we made a few extra so we'd have enough to go down the entire (yet unifinished) staircase.

 

I just clothes pinned them to the garland for an instant art display.

 

Also infinitely useful? my clearance christmas tinsel garland making ANOTHER appearance. That is already 3 times this years guys. Best $1.20 I ever spent.

 

One of my little surprises for her last week after school was a donut. Of course that's hardly seasonal.

 

But I threw a handful of pink nonpareils on top and set it on a sparkly piece of dollar store paper for a glam placemat and she was thrilled!

 

Hardly revolutionary, but we've also been cutting all our food into hearts. Heart pancakes, sandwiches and jello all seem to taste a little better than normal ones in our house... hmmm.

 

My first little surprise for Sean was a heart over our headboard I quickly whipped up with Washi Tape while he was out buying me some more printer toner on Sunday (he surprised me as well with my favorite latte, definitely a keeper girls).

 

But because I am finding it hard to pick just one this year, I wanted to ask all of you:

Hope you have a LOVE filled week!!