the Crown Molding Project

A few weeks before Thanksgiving, I finally convinced Ryan to put up crown molding in our foyer and dining room.

Dining room, before:

Foyer before:

More foyer, before:

Last before shot of the foyer:

The work begins! He taped off where the bottom piece of molding would go. We did a 3 section molding, with the crown in between. It gave us more of a stacked or thicker crown look.

My job was to paint the trim and crown pieces.

Installation has begun! You can see the top piece of molding (attached to the ceiling) and the bottom piece. The crown goes in between these two.

The finished product!

We have a small section of our foyer that is two stories with about 8" where there was a gap. Ryan just took the crown all the way across so we have two pieces that stick out a bit. It was a perfect solution to these weird sections.

Ryan did such a great job! It took a lot of convincing and it took several weekends of hard work. This was only his second crown molding project, but I think it looks completely professional. I appreciate his need to be a perfectionist and it turned out beautifully!

Valentine's Day Mantel

As I browsed through several of my decor and craft blogs over the past few weeks, I was inspired to do a Valentine's Day mantel.

I have always decorated a bit for Valentine's Day so I had some things on hand, but I did add a few new things this year.

First up, I spent yesterday making some felt flower balls. I found the tutorial at one of my new favorite blogs, Eighteen 25. I was going to attempt to make her heart shaped wreath, but after cutting so many 3" felt circles, I thought three flower balls was enough. Maybe next year!

I love the way they turned out! Not bad for $5 in styrofoam balls and $3 worth of red felt. It's a really easy craft if you have the patience to cut loads of felt.

I already had the silver pillar holders and the white pillar candles. I also put some Valentine's M&Ms in a glass apothecary jar that I received as a Christmas gift.

I also found this Valentine's Day subway art from Eighteen 25. A free printable poster...can't beat free! I had it printed at Walgreens in the 16x20 poster size. I did buy the frame at Michael's, but I can always reuse it for something else.

The heart garland was $4 at Michael's and I already had the LOVE sign. I'm pretty sure I bought it at the Target Dollar Spot last year.

I'm linking up to The Stories of A to Z Valentine's Mantel Linky party.

New Desk Chair

The before, a $9 chair I found at Goodwill, sitting in our messy garage (don't judge - we were in the midst of a big project at our house).

I had been searching for a ladderback chair for a while and even bought one on Craigslist. Unfortunately, that chair was super uncomfortable. But this chair was the total opposite! It was in great condition, no wobbly legs, cushy seat and uber comfortable, or as comfortable as a ladderback chair can be.




It just needed a touch up for our office. After a few coats of black matte spray paint and $6 invested in jazzy new green zebra fabric, it's perfect. :)



I'm so happy with how it turned out :)

20 month stats

Our pediatrician does well baby visits at 16, 20 and 24 months during the second year and Tyson's appointment was yesterday. We've got a big boy on our hands!

30 pounds! (90th percentile)
34 1/2 inches (90th percentile)

I couldn't resist this...Tyson and Dadddy "working" on their laptops together :)

Oh, the tantrums.

I know they've only just begun and are bound to get worse before they get better, but it just seemed to come on all of a sudden. (We had him checked out at his 20 month well baby visit just to rule out any kind of ear infection or other reason for the moods). My ever so sweet little boy has been throwing wild tantrums several times a day since Sunday afternoon. Who knew waking up from your Sunday afternoon nap could be so disconcerting?

Mama has now experienced her first public trantrum. At least it was in Babies 'R Us, but it still did not stop the glaring stares from strangers and pregnant soon-to-be mamas. Call me crazy, but I never thought my child would be one of those screaming kids in a store.

I have also experienced tantrums because it was time to eat, he finished something he liked or I gave him something he didn't, because we couldn't watch "Mick", his train ran out of batteries, or he couldn't find it at all and the list could go on. I know it's all normal and part of toddlerhood and sometimes his fits are downright funny, especially when we look at what caused it in the first place. I just wish they wouldn't happen so.much so quickly. At least give me some time to adjust to it first!

Amidst one tantrum yesterday, I did manage to teach him how to say the words "help" and "please". We've been working on please for months, but I think he finally got it! At least it's something positive.

20 weeks, Baby #2

I guess since I'm already halfway there, I'd better start taking some pictures! Sorry baby girl :)

So far, this pregnancy has flown by and I'm sure the next 20 weeks will go just as fast. We have quite a lot to do, but I know we'll figure out a way to get it done.

Mama and Daddy are so Proud

It all started with this adorable gift from mama's cousin Jessica. An IU hat, scarf and mitten set.



We (with the help of Jessica) taught him to say IU. It sounds really cute and like it's all one word: "eyeyou". Now he recognizes it everywhere...Daddy's IU hat, Mama's IU t-shirt and says it without being prompted.

He makes his parents so very proud! :wipes tear: