Lamp Revamp

So you don't really like that plain ol' black lamp that you've had since college, but can't afford a new one...?  Try a new look for very few $!  My grandma taught me that you CAN paint pretty much anything, although I'm sure I'm not the expert she is!  This project required a can of primer spray paint, a can of Rustoleum "Oregano" spray paint and a little sandpaper.  All of which I either had or purchased but am also using for other projects (more on that later).  A $1.50 natural woven trim added to the lampshade with craft glue and a little paint and I feel like I have a new lamp!  A little distressed and a little more contemporary than the plain black!  Don't be afraid to paint something you love that's the wrong color or just something you can't really afford to get rid of- a little elbow grease and your husband will think you went shopping!

More on my other projects tomorrow! Night!

kitchen accessories!

Yesterday I made a little stop in TJ Maxx and found some new dish towels for our kitchen.  We have some cute Williams Sonoma ones, but I think I have had them since I went to college and I was up for a change! These are such good quality and you cant beat TJ Maxx prices!!  The burgundy and flowered towels are from my mother-in-law who has great taste and knows me so well!  So, I wanted to post about accessorizing and adding "decor" to your kitchen.  Whenever I get new dishtowels I get excited to roll them up all cute and put them in one of my favorite bowls to display (and eventually use).  Its like functional decor!

Another way to add personality with your kitchen accessories is to use chargers, stacked as a centerpiece.  

This picture just shows two sets of chargers stacked on top of each other with a pretty fall bowl full of knick knacks and nature!   

Did I ever mention I really dislike clutter?!  I am an organized individual.  It can be good and bad...I may need to let up a little!  For the longest time the top of our fridge was messy. Packages of half opened pepsi 12 packs, waterbottles, etc. just stacked on top.  I COULDN' T TAKE IT!  So I went to Walmart and bought myself these beauties for $10 and I breathe a sigh of relief every time I go to the refrigerator!  

That's easy organization!  I always keep a few wooden clothespins on them just in case I need to keep the chip bag closed or something!  I recently just took down all of our pics of the fridge- time to freshen up!  Now all we have to look at and anticipate is our little baby boy we cant wait to meet!  

I cleaned today!  If you want great tips on how to lose the commercial cleaners (cause they aren't good for you, your children, or your pets) head on over to this blog!

My little man awakes- see ya tomorrow!

God Bless!

A LONG week

Well, I made it through last week thinking that I was actually getting over my cold, just in time for it to end up turning into a sinus infection and more time spent in bed.  My poor hubby is probably sick of hearing me whine, but this is really the sickest I have been in ages!  Having done nothing in the past week except eat to survive and change diapers, I come with no offerings of creativity.  So sorry!  One encouraging thing happened over the weekend (opening weekend that is!).....my manly hubby shot a deer!  Some of you are probably cringing and some thinking that's not so hard, but he is a relatively new bow hunter and its really quite challenging to actually hit the deer if you even see a big one!  So kudos to him!

The buck's left antlers broke off at some point, but its still a pretty good buck!  I think Johnny (hubby) is having some bittersweet feelings about shooting a deer this early in the game (Bow hunting season lasts around 2-3 months).  Now he just doesn't know what he is going to do for the rest of the season.  I quickly reminded him he has a delightful family to spend time with :) AND he has a turkey tag to fill, as well as another deer tag for muzzleloader season!  Poor guy has nothing to do!  

Please be praying for my Grandpa Jens who has severe emphysema (sp?) among other things going on.  He has been in and out (thankfully!) of the hospital in the last year and we are SO grateful that we haven't lost him, though there have been some close calls.  He needs our prayers and God to give him strength/comfort.  Also prayers for my Grandma and close family who are basically involved in the 24 hour care- I know they want to be there to help, but its wearing on them too.  

Grandpa Jens

Grandma Shirli

Blessings to you all!  If you are one of my WA friends, I cant wait to see you in somewhere around 9 days!!  How's the weather there?! Already starting to pack my bag!!

THE BIG NEWS!

Well, no pics or anything to attach to this post- short and sweet!  We found out today that we are having another little boy!  A little brother for Wyatt!  Yay!  Can't wait for more cowboys, trucks, dirt, and grass-stained knees!  Will post some pics of the ultrasound tomorrow possibly!  Blessings!

Back and Feeling Better!

Finally getting over a nasty cold that I've had since Friday!  Blah!  I really, really dislike being sick. Thankfully it happened over the weekend, because there was no getting out of bed for me on Saturday (male bonding time for my boys I suppose).  Not much new news here to tell (although tomorrow there will be!)  I will update you all as to whether to start seeing blue or pink in the Rasmussen future!

I thought today I would show you the full sized bed we scored for Wyatt's room last week!  I randomly talked to a lady via craigslist and she had a basically new mattress/boxspring/frame for us for $25!  At first I was a little skeptical..yikes...$25, how many stains/lice/bedbugs does this mattress have!?  I was quite relieved to drive up to their big, beautiful home and see how clean everything was!  We scooped up a pretty good deal and now our guests actually have a bed to sleep in!  The lighting in these pics is not the greatest either so....

I couldnt help myself (since this will be Wyatt's bed once we moved back to WA)- I ordered the adorable vintage truck pillowcases from Pottery Barn kids.

The comforter and shams are a PB bedding set we already had and the rest of the sheeting/bedskirt is from Target!  I think it came together well.  The vintage printer's tray above Wyatt's bed is from Goodwill and has some sweet little vintage blocks in his initials (J.W.R).  I just won a cool old license plate on ebay. It's a vintage Wyoming truck plate...I wish we had plates like these (there is a bucking horse with a cowboy in the middle)!  Will be hanging that with some sort of twine from the printer's tray.  Funky, fun art!  (Will post pics of that when it arrives) The lampshade on the dresser is from Target and the wooden lamp base is a $2 Good will score!

Updates on the doc appointment tomorrow!!  Blessings!

Celebrating our Anniversary!

So hard to believe that 3 years of marriage have come and gone already! I am truly blessed and married to the most wonderful guy ever!  God had me in mind when he designed Johnny and vice versa!  Hard to believe that it is already the middle of September!  I have a busy-bee hubby who has clinic appointments today, so we will have to actually "celebrate" this weekend!  We also are involved in a small group bible study that we LOVE and didn't want to miss tonight!

The leaves are starting to turn here and the weather (though its still unpredictable) just has a different feel.  I have been taking Wyatt to the park and walking a lot more these days which is just lovely!  Something about this time of year makes me miss home quite a bit!  I miss watching football on Saturday with family and waiting for the guys to come home to see if they shot the big buck!  Now we still do those things, except I'm usually looking at my watch wondering where Johnny is because its dark (and you cant hunt after dark) and dinner is getting cold!  haha- I really do love my hubby, he just doesn't share the same urgency for things as I do.

We will be finding out in 6 days now whether our "bun-in-the-oven" is a boy or a girl!  We caved and decided to find out! I will be thrilled either way!  I imagine the possibilities with a little girl, but also treasure the thought that Wyatt could have a brother to play with everyday!  We'll see!

Just real quick- I promised some pics of my fall mantle, and though I don't have pics in the frames yet I thought I would show you!  Some greenery, antlers, warm wood tones and distressed white frames! I am going to get some fall pics of last year printed to fit the frames (on my to-do list).  I love using burnt orange, green, and cranberry to accent!  All my pretty throws are currently being laundered, but there is nothing better than a few cozy blankets to snuggle up with!  I've had a few cups of hot chocolate and tea lately too---woooohooo!!!!

Blessings!  Have a great day!

One of my favorite bloggers, a lovely Christian lady named Susie Harris just blogged about "Enough".  She was speaking of her Fall mantel, but I think she was also just referring to her life, her home, her family, and GOD above all else being ENOUGH!  This really inspired me and brought a lot of thoughts into my head.  How often throughout the day do I think "I need this, I need that" when in all reality I have ALL that I need.  I have a Almighty God (who never, ever lets me down), a loyal and loving husband, and a son that literally brings a smile to my face no matter what he is doing....(okay, that piercing scream doesn't exactly make me smile- more like cringe!) HAHA!  Not to mention I have the most supportive and amazing extended family and friends I could ever ask for! Boy life is good!

Food for thought- What are you filling your life up with that's not glorifying to God?  Is God ENOUGH for you?

I'm a sinner, just like the next person, but I am really going to make an effort to make sure God is what's filling my voids in life and not worldly stuff!

Okey dokey- things get a little messy from here....I have learned in the last few months that the phrase "Boys will be boys" is actually quite true in so many ways.  Wyatt spent the afternoon outside with his daddy and had to be carted to the bathtub completely stripped of clothes because there was powdered dirt in nearly every crevice.  It really made me smile to see him having so much fun throwing that dirt (as long as I was the one who didn't have to bathe him)!

All cleaned up and in his new camo bathrobe from my parents!  Such a big boy!  

Going "junking" with a friend this weekend- let you all know what we find!  My mantel is almost done! Pics of that in my next post!

Have a blessed day!