Family Room Revival!

SO EXCITED TO HAVE UPDATED OUR COUCH! 

Its no secret that our sectional had done its time (and then some). We had gotten to the point of stuffing beach towels in the cushions and I usually preferred to sit on the floor. But couches are expensive! We have been hunting for a while, as we just don't have the ability to throw down a couple thousand (or even one thousand) dollars on furniture. I've been visiting lots of 'Closing Forever' furniture store sales and researching other budgeted options. After scouring Craigslist for weeks if not months, hundreds of inquiry emails and a handful of hiccups along the way...we finally found a set. A really nice set. For $275! A really sweet woman had these in storage, hardly used. She just needed them gone. I fired off an email, without much hope. And after a couple exchanges, they became ours!

I knew couches would be a great upgrade, but WOW. I can't get over how much more cozy and pulled together my family room is looking right now! I still need to paint, figure out lighting and a few other laundry list items. But those are all little things that I can confidently pursue now that the big elephant in the room is taken care of!

Since they had been in storage, the couches needed a good cleaning. I researched what to do with microfiber, even though we had microfiber before, I was nervous to ruin my amazing furniture find. I found this link to be especially helpful!! I washed the cushion covers with Woolite, cold water and on gentle cycle. A brief low heat tumble dry (about 10 minutes) and let them hang dry overnight. No shrinkage! The rest of the couch was vacuumed and sprayed/scrubbed down with rubbing alcohol & a white rag. 

Hanging Planter DIY

I'm currently on a serious yard sprucing kick. All I want is flowers, flowers, flowers! I picked up a strainer (food cover?) at the thrift store last week for $0.60 and knew it would be the perfect hanging planter. I think it may actually be a food cover because there was a ring on the top. But its made of sturdy wire mesh like that of a strainer. Dual triple  purpose. 

From here I gathered:

Burlap, two squares cut a few inches larger than the rim of the bowl (good thing I have a stash!)

Chain link ($0.63/foot at Home Depot!)

Dirt

Flowers ($2.70/6pack)

Eyehook

I wasn't sure if the burlap was going to do the job of being a proper liner, but so far its working great! Cody held the bowl up at different levels to determine how long to cut the chain (I went way overboard and bought 8ft!). Using needle-nose pliers, we made three equal length chains and spaced them out around the rim of the bowl. The ring that was a handle on the outer top of the bowl became the connector for all three chains. One eyehook screwed into our porch beam holds the entire thing!

I planted impatients becuase it will always be in the shade. For $8.34 I have a cheery little splash of color on the porch, I can see it from our dining table too! I could have chopped that price in half if I had measured how much chain I actually needed beforehand too. But honestly I hope to find another similar piece to hang and then it'll all be justified!

Home Made Croutons

I feel silly even calling this a recipe. I mean its so ridiculously simple, but it involves ingredients and its edible so it is a recipe. It's also silly spending $5.95 for 'artisan' croutons, I mean how hard can be to toast bread??! While I've had decent motivation to make these for a while, but the whole concept of leftover bread wasn't entirely realistic in our household. A fresh, herby loaf of bread is like gold, amiright?! 

But this week, I finally did it. I saved half a loaf of potato rosemary bread. That is the hardest part of this entire recipe actually. From there, just chop it up, add some more dried herbs (ahem, garlic), toast in olive oil over medium heat. I let mine cool on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Truthfully, they are tad over salted but most of my family smothers their salads in ranch dressing anyways so they'll likely never notice! 

The whole process took under ten minutes. Even with the extra salt, they're so super yummy. I'm totally making these again! 

My Favorite Things for Baby

Luke is growing so fast its blowing me away! I can't believe we're in the second half of his first year! I'm not sure how well I've succeeded but my original goal was to have a balance in our baby products. Enough that I would have plenty of options and help with the day-to-day but also not so much that my home looked like Babies R Us! I find that I feel more relaxed in a more minimalist home environment, and I am working on creating a simpler home. Or just a whole lot LESS STUFF. I still definitely embrace a more traditional and eclectic home but just with less clutter. I wouldn't say I'm a minimalist parent however, we have a lot of toys and clothes for Luke. Our family and friends have been SO gracious and giving its really seriously mind blowing. We've hardly bought a thing ourselves for Luke! I haven't even bought a single diaper for him yet! Although he's been overflowing his current ones, so this week I'll be buying my first pack of diapers after 7 months (size 5!!)!

I thought I would compile a list of the baby products I really enjoyed having for Luke's first six months. Some of these can continue to work longer depending on how quickly your baby grows. Luke grew out of a few things that still would have been great if he wasn't too big for them! I hesitate to call this a list of  needs  because really your sweet baby only needs you! At the end of it all, he has just as much fun chewing/sucking on my sleeve as he does any other available toy, so these are just products we enjoyed!

Changing table pad. I can't remember if its from Target or Babies R Us but, this $20 purchase converted a standard dresser to a changing table. I really appreciate the lips on the sides, its an extra challenge for Luke to be able to roll off and out of it while being changed! Although, he's gotten so tall already that he just fits the 32" length so I am not sure how much longer we will be able to use it!

(Full nursery photos here)

Diaper Genie. Yes, its wonderful. Any trashcan with a self sealing lid will do. So feel free to shop around on this one! Although trash cans get expensive, like fast. Never understood that. 

Infant Lounger & Boppy Pillows. I noticed a big difference in the quality of his nap-times (longer, less fussy, fell asleep faster!) when I used these to prop Luke up more to sleep. Especially during a few bouts of hating nap-time and also when he had a stuffy nose. The contours of the pillows cradle him (and fit the cradle even!) so its literally like lounging in a recliner. Personally, I don't enjoy sleeping flat on my back, so why would a baby?

Stroller/Carseat System. The ease of clicking his carseat directly onto the stroller is invaluable! We went with a Graco model because we liked the hardware on the wheels best, also the wheels were rubber and not entirely plastic. This is one of those items you should definitely visit in stores instead of soley relying on the internet.

Bouncy/Vibration Lounger. He got over this idea/grew too large for this pretty quickly. But it was really great while it lasted! Luke wasn't much for swings, although he enjoyed the upright baby swing when he was around 4-5 months with our nanny.

Bumbo Seat. Really seriously loved this thing. It fits anywhere and we used it everywhere. If he hadn't grown out of it so quickly I would have continued using it as a highchair alternative!

Highchair. Instead of a floor model, we have been solely using a table attachment. At first, he was a bit wobbly in it, a rolled up blanket helped fill up the space though. Now he's stronger and also more used to the idea of being in it so its worked great for us. Major space saver to use this instead of a floor model!

Mesh Food Feeder. I'm pretty certain this is my favorite thing. We'll thankfully be able to still use it for a while too! I do mostly frozen foods in here (I puree foods and freeze in ice-cube trays). Stuffing a frozen cube of squash in here while we eat dinner has been a fun way to all eat together. And I love the idea of him getting to practice feeding himself and seeing his excitement as he got the hang of it! They were also wonderful for our recent heat wave. I have learned to make small ice-cubes so they fit more easily into the opening of the mesh.

 

Playmats. We have two options here, one is a large rectangle that we are still using. It has rings, varied fabric prints and crunchy elephant ear flaps. Luke still enjoys army crawling on and off of this one. The other one he grew out of was smaller but had an upright four key piano like feature that he could kick while playing with a mobile above his head (while laying on his back). This was really entertaining for all of us. He'd manage to grab a toy, get excited, kick the piano, hear the song, get really excited, kick again, etc. We used this a lot in the evening when the sun-down syndrome started to hit. You know the its too early for bed, not enough time for a nap though, happy to sad in an instant time.

 

Exersaucer. I've been calling this the jumpy seat, but I guess that's a slightly different product. Luke LOVES this thing. He jumps, he picks up his feet and hangs, spins the tumblers, spins himself around... Endless entertainment here. Ours is adjustable in height, so we should be able to continue using this one for a while still!

Music & Books. Singing, reading, listening...this is when I feel the most bonded with Luke. He reacts so strongly to us reading a story, Cody playing guitar, or even him trying to get in on our conversations. So many times, I have to find a chewy toy so Cody and I can talk, he really gets going on the vocals when we're talking, he just wants to be in on it so badly! But he gets so loud sometimes we have to sit and wait for him to take a breath to continue our conversation! We also somehow became reliant on singing the ABCs a quick happy pill and it totally works! I think it came to be on of those sleep deprived days when I couldn't remember the words to any other songs.

Every now and then Luke looks at the pictures too instead of just chewing on the books. On the left is Luke at Christms, the right one is from last week! He's losing his tan skin and dark hair! So far I think the blue eyes are safe though :)

Well this list is considerably longer than I anticipated. What was I just saying about the having less stuff theory??! Oops. I can say that we didn't have all of these items at once! The things he has grown out of are either stored or given to a friend already. Makes me a feel a little better! I'll be curious to see which of these stands up as a favorites for an future kids too. And no, that is not an announcement! It would be so out of character for me to just throw something like that in a post like this. When at some point in the future we grow our family again, you can count on me coming up with some sort of themed photo shoot over it! :)

Read Part II Here!

P.S. I'm not paid or perked or compensated in any form or fashion here! My only reward is the sweet comments I receive from you! Thank you for following and feel free to add any items that you loved!

Chalk Paint

As in chalk for writing on the chalkboard, not paint to make a chalkboard. A friend pinned this link and it was just perfect timing for me! My lettering skills are not up to Pinterest par, so I my excitement was halted in using our new chalkboard, but this method made it all so do-able! 

Three steps: crush a stick of chalk, add water, brush on! Add enough water so it will easily brush on, but not so much that it becomes runny! One piece of chalk goes a long way.

Does it get any easier?! It dries much darker than when first brushed, so let it do its thing before applying a second coat. The finer you crush the chalk the better too. Cody, after his infamous eyebrow raise when I explain my latest idea, really enjoyed crushing chalk with one of his dumbbells. He thankfully did so in the garage on a cookie sheet, because chalk dust everywhere would have been a hard one for me to overcome. He knows me so well! We also found this concoction works just as well for finger painting on the chalkboard. 

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!!

Making a Quilt (Part 2)

Nearly two months since I started, but my quilt is finally complete! Originally I thought I purchased way to much fabric for the border and backing, but I actually needed almost double that! That's part of the game when I insist on largely just 'winging it' though. I fortunately found a black fitted sheet at the thrift shop for $3.25 and broke that down to make up the difference for the backing of the quilt. I usually overlook the fitted sheets as fabric sources, but it was pretty simple to break it down. Just cut along the corner seams and then snip off the flaps. 

I decided hand tying would be my method for this quilt, partially because I like the look of it and also because it made me less anxious! With a yarn needle and fine black yarn, I made knots starting with the center of each gingham square on the front. From there I just tried to create symmetrical knots all over the quilt so there is no gap greater than twelve inches between knots. Every tutorial I read emphasized basting spray, but I handled this just fine without it. I taped the backing to the floor and just pinned the whole thing like crazy. You'll notice I didn't bother trimming the edge of the fabric because I wanted to give myself lots of extra seam allowance. 

The finished size of the quilt is 92" by 67" and I used a full size, pre-cut batting roll (had to trim down the width). Referencing this tutorial, I used the backing to also create the binding. I thought sewing the binding was going to be more tricky since there's much less room for error. But it went really quickly and smoothly! Plus I had Luke partially cheering me on, its a tough competition between me and the ceiling fan for his attention. 

After removing all 40,000 pins and safety pins, we finally get to enjoy it! Super warm too, I might add, I bought the thickest batting available. Thank you ten times over for all your 'likes' and text message high fives while I figured this thing out! I've been wanting to sew a quilt for ages and your support and encouragement throughout was a major player in this project! 

THANK YOU!

Monthday Pictures

Now that Luke has reached the six month mark, I thought it was perfect timing to share his monthly photos. I have been taking his photo against a blanket backdrop every month on the 28th (or rug, see November!). The chalkboard is a picture frame with the glass painted over with chalkboard paint. I usually take these photos first thing in the morning since he wakes up so super happy. I sing a lot to keep his attention, and we're usually done within just a couple of minutes. Some months are more themed but I love seeing how much he's grown already!

(October)

(November)

(December)

(January)

(February)

(March)

Many of you have probably already seen these photos on Facebook & Instagram (tawnweya, if you want to follow me there!) but since this blog is also a journal of our life, here you go again! And just for fun, a list of Luke Stats:

Weight (as of 2/28): 18 lbs, 3 oz
Height (as of 2/28): 28" We have another appointment Friday so we'll see how his 'off the charts' height saga continues!
Diapers: Size 4
Sleep: When we started doing more food/cereal his sleeping through the night stopped. Trying to alter our eating throughout the day routine to fix that! He gets a bit of cereal in each bottle too. But he is usually ready for bed between 6 and 7 pm and then up for the day between 6 and 7 am. He'll wake up hungry once between 1 and 4 am. He definitely squirms and slightly wakes up other times throughout the night, but puts himself back to sleep without much noise. When its a hunger call, his cry is loud & keeps escalating til I get there and then slams that bottle down like nobodies business and its back to sleep right away. His best nap is in the morning about one hour after waking up and will last for an average of two hours. Then its shorter naps every few hours, usually about three rounds of this til bedtime.
Teeth: A definite bump on the center of his lower gums. We've had teething pain that lasts only a day here and there. They're taking their time and I get to enjoy a gummy smile for a little while longer!
Movement: Inchworm Master, also a fair amount of planking. Spins around like the hands on a clock and belly slides backward. Gets his knees up without his hands and vice a versa. But he's very happy and proud of himself--and we are too!
Sitting: Hasn't gotten into position on his own, but will sit pretty reliably once set up. He also does a controlled, slow fall (or maybe its a roll?) to get to his tummy when he wants.
Eating: Pureed Apples, Banana, Pear, Prunes, Carrots, Sqaush, Peas, Potato (all mixed with cereal, he's not into heavy flavors yet and likes vegetables more than fruit!)
Vocals: Been singing, squealing, laughing, gurgling, yelling, snorting, tongue clicking, lip smacking for a while now. Found his voice and likes it!
Clothes: 9 months across the board. Getting ready to pull out the 9-12 month stash too. He also really likes just being in his diaper only. Even just taking off his socks is instant joy!
Favorite activities: Chewing on everything, bath time, tummy time, jumpy seat, and just being outside. I've also been doing some sensory exposure: toes & hands in grass or a bowl of uncooked/dry rice and kidney beans. The latter has been hit & miss, some days he loves running his hands through it and other days he gets freaked out. So we're just following his cues on exposure time. He's also Cody's biggest fan when he plays the guitar. Its been helpful for both calming him down at bedtime and also in pushing through a grumpy hour.
Favorite Books: He never complains about being read to, but any book with rhythm is a winner. Cody's grandmother gave us a copy of poetry called 'When we Were Very Young' by A.A. Milne, and its perfect! I also read the book of Psalms to him.
Favorite Toys: He's pretty satisfied to chew on a burp rag honestly. But he also loves gel teething toys, seeing his reflection, crunchy-crinkle books, musical toys and recently discovered stuffed animals (AKA a stuffed burp rag!).

And that's our life in a nutshell!