la famille bizarre

pace of nature . . .

2011-08-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

3 months since my last post . . .

and an interesting 3 months it has been.

I've been on a spiritual journey

which has taken me on a bumpy road.

Somedays have been good, somedays have been full of struggles.

But overall the Lord has revealed a lot to me which has helped me personally and given me some insight on not only the past 3 months, but the past 3 YEARS.

As He has taken me down some twist and turns,

I have been overloaded with some amazing insight

that consumes my every thought and prayer.

Meanwhile, la famille bizarre is here at the Frio River down in Leakey, Texas. . . (taking sometime to get away from it all) which has proven to be exactly what I needed.

3 years of lots of questions and no answers.

3 months of goodness and glory revealing itself a little bit at a time!

What perfect timing as I am surrounded by all things nature . . .

(simplified bee)

design + decor :: office inspiration

2011-05-19T20:58:00.001-05:00

I've been spending all of my spare time swooning over AMAZING office spaces!

Inspiration boards . . .

blue and whites . . .

rich glossy colors . . .

organization . . .

graphic fabrics . . .

and organized chaos.

Love Love Love!

remodeling :: office space inspiration

2011-05-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

Good news!

I'm finally getting an office here at the house!

Before I left to go out of town this past weekend, prep work was being done. When I got back and walked inside the house, not only could I immediately see the painted white walls all the way from my kitchen, but I instantly realized that seeing the drab dark paneling (i have no idea why we never put up a shade on the door) and piles and piles of stored junk had been such a burden to me over the past couple of years.

(view from the living room)

It's amazing how a little paint can make such a drastic change!

Even better news!

I went to Lonny Mag website to look at some of the work space inspiration pictures that I've been swooning over for awhile, only to find that

1. the May/June issue just went live yesterday (talk about good timing)

and 2. it just so happens that they have a huge spread on decorating their new offices. (double good timing)

They haven't posted pictures from the current issue in their gallery just yet, so no pictures to post . . .

but of course, more to come!

design + decor :: refurbished lamps

2011-05-03T18:28:00.001-05:00

Anything refurbished makes me giddy, so take a look at these babies . . .

These poor things were so ugly. I bought them at a garage sale about a yr. ago and despite their lack of luster, I fell in love with their shape. So away they went into our garage (along with all the other refurbishing hopefuls) and stayed nicely put for a year.

But during my spring fever stint a few weeks ago, I pulled them out, painted them a bright teal blue and rewired them.

Oh, wait. That's where it all went wrong. I TRIED to rewire them but for some reason I wasn't doing something right. After a couple of small shocks and a large one that travelled up through my arm and straight to my heart (literally) I realized I was playing with danger. I could actually hear DJ Lance on Yo Gabba Gabba singing "Danger, danger, danger. Be careful when there's danger. Look out, look out. everybody watch out!"

So I put it down and pouted for the rest of the day!

But guess who came to town that weekend!?

No, not Santa! Better than that.

My brilliant engineer of a dad!

(hence the man hands in the picture)

And of course, the sweet man that he is not only rewired them correctly for me, but he also

1. praised me on my work

2. reassured me that the instructions I was following were not correct

and 3. taught me a 'lil trick that all engineers know about how to stand with one hand firmly griping your thigh so that if you DO happen to get electrocuted then it won't jolt your heart which would give you a greater chance of living. (sorry about the run-on sentence)

(I love that man! He even knows the correct way to get electrocuted! Those that know him will find that particularly amusing.)

So we've been enjoying my refurbished lamps for awhile! I just love the jolt of color!

And yes, those are original Dorothy Draper chests. . .

those are my little pieces of heaven that I stumbled upon. (which is a whole post within itself.)

design + decor :: toile toile toile

2011-05-02T18:59:00.002-05:00

So here's another one of those things marked off my list.
Not so much a honey-do list, but more of a
"there's a million things going thru my head that I'd like to get done" list.

I am working on a very exciting new retail venture (more to come on that), but in the meantime

I have been collecting inventory
which has (not surprisingly) taken over my house.

Our current dining room
table and chairs being one of them . . .

The table is on the list to be redone but I seriously could not look at the 60s/70s era fabric on the seat cushions for another minute. YIKES!

So I am proud to say that I have officially marked that one off of my list.
I was so eager that I didn't even take the old fabric or cushion off. (obviously that would be the Martha Stewart way of recovering) There were so many staples that I wasn't about to spend a week on this job.

There are lots of fabrics that I played around with but for some reason I couldn't get away from the french toile pattern.
So I flipped those ugly babies around and started stapling away.

Toile. Toile. Toile.

So there you have it.

~~recover dining room chairs~~

DONE.

gardening :: fresh start

2011-04-12T15:55:00.000-05:00

Gardening. Always LOVED it,

but never had the much needed time to do it.

It's been a desire of mine for awhile but I think a much

needed necessity for my mother-in-law. She's a great gardener and

has been without this hobby of hers since she moved here with us a few years ago.

SO . . . WE MADE ROOM FOR A VEGETABLE GARDEN.

By the time we got back from our little spring break getaway,

she had already planned out and planted our (I mean HER) garden.

You could say that we were all thrilled when we

spotted our (I mean HER) first little baby tomato.

Even the kids were dying to have a picture with our (I mean HER) first producing plant.

I hope we get to eat it before these crazy TEXAS squirrels do!

i live in a circus . . . i mean, farm

2011-03-31T18:33:00.000-05:00

Well, my blog is called la famille bizarre for a reason.

I knew this when starting this whole thing but I am learning more and more each day just how appropriate it is. Besides living a crazy and completely unpredictable life, also known as our own little circus, I've recently had to just accept the fact that our humble abode is beginning to resemble a farm.

Let me introduce you to our city-fied farm animals . . .

1. Indie (aka Indie Rock, Indie Roo)

Thinks he's a 200 lb. sheep dog but truly weighs in at just under 5 lb.

2. Miley (aka Miley Cyrus)

She's a friend of Indie's that loves to come over and play

3. Gretta (aka the apple of Eric's eye)

4. Keene (aka Hans Von Keene)

Both are loveable, hyper and ALWAYS wet from the pool. If you could only see my reaction as they shake mud all over my flagstone patio and WHITE adirondack chairs. Wow. I just don't even know what to say about these kiddos.

But wait! It gets better!

5. "the quail"

Yes, that's right. Eric has bought quail to trian his dogs with . . .

LOTS of quail!

Sorry, but I don't have the energy to conjure up any adjectives in order to describe the stinch!

And that leaves us one more on the farm . . .

6. Cottontail (another dog training tool)

I'm not sure if I should mention there were others . . .

GEEZ LOUISE!

remodeling :: sixx design inspiration

2011-03-16T23:12:00.000-05:00

I remember the first time I fell in love with Cortney and Robert Novogratz of Sixx Design.

I can't even tell you which magazine it was (if you saw their magazine press on their website, you'd understand where I'm coming from) but I'll never forget it! I immediately cut out the images of the spread like my own personal little paper doll and placed it in one of my design "inspiration" notebooks.

That was at least 2 to 3 years ago and of course now they are well beyond their modest "self taught" status to being some of the most fabulous high-end real estate flippers. (again, check out their press. crazy good.)

I have been craving and craving some good inspiration for the exterior of our house. While I lean toward cozy bungalows, there is no denying that what the good Lord gave us is a white colonial. A very very stark white colonial. . .

In case you're wondering where I'm going with this, no matter the depth of my "inspirational research", I have come full circle back to Sixx Design and their amazing burst of yellow mixed with the calming casual curtains.

Love Love Love!

garage sale digs :: ohh + ahhh

2011-03-06T12:03:00.000-06:00

oh, garage sale digs!

I very rarely post about my finds, but I'm obviously still swooning over my vintage finds from yesterday, so I just have to share a glimpse.

(believe it or not, there's more than I'm showing)

Go ahead . . . feel free to ohh + ahhh!

And of course our little monkey boy won't stay out of the picture so I had to let him take a turn . . .

. . . and back to the ohh + ahhh!

I must say this has only intensified my fever . . . spring fever, that is!

design + decor :: milkglass topiaries

2011-03-04T23:33:00.001-06:00

This week has been nothing short of a weird week.

It's amazing how use you get to routine. I realized, once again, that I like routine. Noelle woke up sick sick sick Monday morning with strep throat which quickly threw my usual weekly grind into a whirlwind.

But that being said, I was home Monday (not knowing she'd be home all week) and found 20 minutes to throw in a quick project that I've been meaning to do for a few weeks.

I bought some precious 6 in. milk glass urns a few weeks past (as if I don't have enough milkglass) on one of my off road antique binges. I took that 20 minutes (in between nursing Noelle back to health and the usual crazy housework that always seems to be there) to turn my little milkglass loves into some stellar little moss covered topiaries. They have livened up a little vignette in our living room. And considering I've got a huge case of spring fever (and a dreary cold), these seem to be the only thing that screams SPRING in our house right now.

(I feel a bit weird posting about these cute little bundles of mossy topiaries considering there is a large plant in the corner that's about to die because of lack of water. So shameful!)

Brrrrrrrr . . .

2011-02-05T14:36:00.000-06:00

The good news,

it's sunny outside and Noelle won BOTH of her basketball games today!

The bad news,

it's still cold and it seems that spring is nowhere in sight!

design + decor :: gallery of cheap art

2011-01-31T16:11:00.002-06:00

Our house has slowly been coming together . . .

besides the fact that my estate sale wonders have kept furniture coming and going in a crazy endless cycle, I have managed to nail a few things down in some quasi-permanent spots among the walls.

Our downstairs half-bath was craving my attention first and foremost because it had a HUGE blank wall that really kept things boring while doing your doo. (if you know what I mean) It really didn't matter how fancy I kept our reading material . . . it was so blann in there that you'd have no problem falling asleep on the throne.

So, enter some of my estate sale finds . . .

I had found some AMAZING watercolor/ink prints at a sale and snagged them for about $5 each. Both the details and vibrant colors work perfectly with our modern gray walls.

The gold inner-trim was great but I just wasn't feeling the outter red part of the frame.

So, I taped 'em up,

slapped on a couple coats of glossy black paint,

laid them out,

and

VOILA!

Instant gratification!

How amazing is it that this gallery of cheap framed art

seems to make me feel a little more glamorous. . .

(even after I wipe my 3 year old's butt and then catch a quick glimpse of myself in the mirror.)

These pictures in the background have a nice way of taking the attention off of the bags under my eyes!

Awesome! Now, on to some laundry.

back to the blog-o-sphere . . .

2011-01-15T10:18:00.000-06:00

Here I am . . .

back to the blog-o-sphere!

Before I kick off 2011 with everything about anything

and anything about everything I have share a bit of my world.

It's been nearly 3 months since my last post and tons of people have asked me why I haven't been blogging. (which is weird since I only have a few followers. ha ha ha)

The truth behind it all is that while I long to blog on a daily basis, any spare time that I have has been spent with my family.

Many of my close friends know that my life has been beyond chaotic for the past few years, but I am happy to announce that our daily routines have resembled somewhat of a "normal life". I'm sure my mom is laughing right now because what I consider a "normal life" still seems to resemble a circus to those around me.

Since October, (the notable last blog post) I have consumed every moment with making memories.

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Eric's Birthday

Christmas

New Year's

My Birthday

And then to top it all off . . .

Our Anniversary!

All of this wrapped with

Friends

Family

the best of Vintage shopping

and lots of our crazy Love!

The Lord has truly given me strength throughout 2010 and I praise Him

for all of our countless blessings!

Here's to a "normal routine" in 2011 filled

with many more memories and lots of blogging!

snippits of fall . . .

2010-10-28T22:11:00.000-05:00

I've almost let the whole month of October slip away with only one post under my belt.

I so wish for more time to blog but in the meantime, here are a few snippits of fall from our abode sweet abode.

indoor garden

2010-10-03T21:03:00.000-05:00

So with only a few more days of the official "summer" season left, I decided to make the most of it by planting some herbs for a small indoor garden.

Lucas started off strong with a great sense of helpfulness as he concentrated really

hard while following instructions and pushing the seeds down with the eraser end of a pencil.

Well, then things just started to get a little immature . . .

Or shall I say "toddler-ish."

But finally, success!

Seeds planted, no broken pots, a smile for a quick pic, and a happy mama.

All is well and a summer project completed

with only a few more days left.

Oh, well. At least we did it!

whatever, martha!

2010-09-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

I've never been lucky enough [that's an easy way of saying I've totally been out of the technological loop since Lucas was born]to have sirius radio, nor have I taken the time to pull it up on my computer.

So unfortunately, I've totally missed out on

Jennifer Koppelman Hutt and Alexis Stewart's radio show, Whatever, Martha!

image via ivillage

[Basically, Martha Stewart's daughter, Alexis and her best friend make fun of Martha with quick wit and voicing what we're all thinking . . . even us Martha wanna-bees.]

For those that thrive on sarcasm like me, you will absolutely fall in love with these women! Especially those of us who really dream of being Martha Stewart but seem to only find frustration persuing her simple homemade projects . . . which she seems to produce with classic perfection and ease.

[perhaps some good editing and the fact that she has a million people

working for her has something do to with that . . .]

The good news is . . .

they will debut their new tv show, Whatever, Martha!, on the hallmark channel, September 13th!

And the great thing is that the magnificent Martha herself is the executive producer/creator of the show.

So now instead of obsessing to produce a Martha Stewart home, I can watch Jennifer and Alexis and not worry that my cupcakes aren't perfect . . .

Oh wait, I don't have time to cook cupcakes.

last days of summer

2010-09-06T10:17:00.000-05:00

I'm always sad to see summer slip away . . .

but I have to say that I can't wait to start layering clothes and decorating for fall!

[speaking of Texas fall weather . . . it was bright and sunny when I started this one-sentence post, and as I was about to 'publish post' it started to rain. hmmmm.]

garage sale digs

2010-09-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Yes!

I'm a little crazy about garages sales, estate sales,

dumpster diving or better yet . . . road side junk!

It's not just the idea of great vintage finds . . . for me, it's the art of revival with a seemingly designer-esque touch. I just love it when I give myself a completely unreasonable budget and prove to myself (yet again) that the small budget shopping days are the ones that make me the happiest.

I won't bore you with the silly details, I'll just say that I was well under my $10 budget.

How convienient that these rich colors happen to be my fall color scheme that I've been dreaming about for a couple of months. There's not a complete set of the glasses (only 5) but I can use these for votive holders or something useful . . .

even just some tablescape eye candy.

Oh, the simple things in life!

robot dance party . . .

2010-09-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

sewing project :: noelle's patchwork jeans

2010-07-27T15:19:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, Noelle began hoarding all of my fashion magazines in her room.

I noticed that a lot of them were missing and then one day I found that she had seized them and nonchalantly stacked them on her coffee table as if I wouldn't notice. Not only did I notice that she had all of my magazines, but I realized that this was it! She had officially grown up! Overnight she had gone from a girl that we [her dad and I] could shop to death, to a young fashionista that sports all things stylish!

In one of my Lucky mags, she found a pair of patchwork jeans from Nasty Gal which cost about $88.

[I know . . . it sounds like a horrible shop for a 12 year old, but it's not bad.

They've actually got some really great stuff!]

She begged me to buy these jeans for her . . . even though the temps outside were screaming SUMMER time and SANDALS, not overpriced jeans that you can't wear everyday because the whole world will notice that you wore the same patchwork jeans the previous day. . .

So like any other day I said to her, "I can make that!" . . .

Except this time I actually did make it . . . unlike all of those other ambitious days of mine.

She picked out her fabric and I did the work . . .

Now I've seen them on a lot of sites for the late summer/early fall line ups.

I noticed that Gap even has their own version.

Good thing I followed through with this project.

design + decor :: vintage rugs

2010-07-01T19:24:00.002-05:00

These pictures that were posted on style court a few years ago

totally embrace the idea of vintage-luxe because of the casual use of

vintage rugs thrown in with modern design

. . . which happen to make me oh-so-happy!

With that idea out on the table . . .

The time has come to begin decorating our humble abode.

And while I'm dreaming of Trina Turk fabric and maybe a room flounced in Schumacher wallpaper,

I have to be realistic. In case I haven't stressed the word budget enough

within the past year, hear me now . . .

BUDGET!
but stylish, non the less.

Being that garage sales and estate sales are my absolute favorite past time, I couldn't resist going out this past weekend even though I was giving myself a budget of only $20.

That $20 went really fast but on one item that I've been scrounging around for all summer. . .

an antique big boy bed for Lucas! That'll be a project that you'll soon hear all about but the real excitement came an hour later after I found an unexpected estate sale.

Let me introduce you to our first splash of color in our home . . .

An antique persian rug that happened to be my dream rug for the past few years.

(probably about 10 years to be exact) Perfect colors, antique (over 50 yrs old, just like I have dreamt), just the right size (13ft x 10ft) and the perfect price.

Did I mention it was half price because it was the last day? So half of $350 equals perfectly and acceptably over budget. Not to mention that I also stole a Turkish 9ft runner for the upstairs hallway . . . for only $75.

The colors are perfectly rich and look amazing with our dark floors and gray walls! Not to mention that the couple of aged spots make it even better for me. Even {E} was so excited about it! Woo Hoo! Talk about blowing my $20 garage sale budget,
but what a day of vintage-luxe!

The rug is so inspiring for me but of course I wasn't expecting to get an antique persian rug until a few years from now. So . . . this totally moves our decor in a different direction, but a good one!

These pillows I made only cost me $2. Yes Yes Yes!
Swoon if you will . . . only $2!

I'm loving the contrast with the rug . . .

which is what I've always loved!

Just when I thought I was going to back down from garage sales and estate sales,

I think I've only just begun. I seriously have a problem!

events & parties :: robot inspiration

2010-06-19T10:50:00.001-05:00

Ok. So we're suppose to be in northeast Arkansas for a

family wedding and then on over to Memphis to see friends . . . but of course in the world of la famille bizarre plans continually change.

Instead of continuing another day of my own pity party (about being 10 hours away from family and friends while they're all partying and having fun),

I decided to start planning Lucas' 3rd birthday party.

I can't believe I'm even saying that out loud! My baby is turning 3!!!!!!

I've been obsessed with crazy robots since

Lucas was all too young for that "big boy" stuff . . .

I've secretly been waiting for this day since this post from cookie magazine,

which the picture says it all.

To my amazement, Lucas now acts like a robot all day long (and we've got the movie robots on loop in the dvd player to prove it) . . .

He has surpassed my obsession which means it's time to turn our obsessions into a party!

It's 2 months away but the planning has begun!

The Invites

. . . inspiration from tiny prints.

The Edibles

. . . inspiration from the hostess with the mostess.

metallic my world!

2010-06-03T20:07:00.000-05:00

All of this metallic popping up within the past few years in the design world

has gotten me all worked up!

But if you know anything about me,

you know I will find a resourceful way to get a similar look.

Well, someone will have to take the spray paint away from me . . .

but not because I'm getting high . . .

but because I have begun to spray everything needing a bit of a lift!

I began my own little metallic world a few months ago with the idea to use some of

the metallic spray paints that are on the market and bring some of my cheap garage sale rubbish

finds into a new demension of life.

Beginning with a vintage piggy bank for Lucas . . .

This thing was a hideous pale pink with awful flowers which need not

ever ever ever be on a pig to begin with . . . or anything else for that matter!

A 50 cent pig is now a stellar piece of porcelin for a groovy little kid!

Then moving on to some amazing side tables . . .

This curvacious table (I bought two for $15) was just screaming for some metallic love!

and that's exactly what I gave it!

an overdue update . . .

2010-05-28T12:41:00.000-05:00

Well, as usual, when our life begins to look normal, the chaos flows like a river.

As soon as we got the flagstone patio done under the new breezeway, we realized

that our sewer had some problems. And when I saw problems, I mean leaks in all of the pipes . . .

all over our yard while our sewage literally paraded down the street. Yowzers!

{E} had to practically dig up every pipe in the yard in order to make sure that the problem was fixed.

Meanwhile, the jets in the pool broke and some valves with the pool equipment had to be replaced.

I'm ok posting these pictures of our white trash back yard, but you'll notice that I didn't dare take

a photo of our swamp of a pool while {E} was having it fixed . . .

Here's my quick photo montage!

Feel free to laugh! (or cry for me, either one)

contemplating how to begin another long weekend fixing pipes . . .

Lucas becoming comfortable with our chaotic lifestyle so he protested against clothes . . .

yep, that's my husband, deep in mud . . . rolex and all!

I have to say that this was the first time that I've ever asked Ace Hardware where

to rent a jack-hammer. Meanwhile, all of the bushes around the pull had

to come out . . . apparently they were causing some problems with the sewer.

And of course {E} did that reck-neck style by using his truck to pull them all out.

. . . of all of the poses he could have chosen, this is how he decided to take his picture

Noelle was with her mom, Lucas was taking a nap, and I was waiting for my next run to

Ace Hardware . . . so I stole a moment with a nice Dr. Pepper and dreaming of fabulous decor. . .

Finally! Grass and no more dirt!

. . . then moving on to {E}'s clinic. A long night of chamber ribbon cutting and open house partying.

Ignoring the green swamp of a pool, Noelle and her friend Maddy made a fashionably late

appearance at their end of the year school dance.

Lucas always messing with the water, even in his pajamas.

And then my husband that never stops decided that in the midst of all of this chaos would be the

perfect time to plant our new flower bed.

And that's all I have to say about that . . .

happy mother's day to me . . .

2010-05-10T18:48:00.001-05:00

I love my husband so much and I even love the way

he runs out of the house and tells me that he's going to buy me, my mom [she was visiting],

and his mom some flowers! The best part is that I told him exactly what I wanted and

where to go to get them . . .

I'm a sucker for fresh flowers and love love love them all over the house!

So I was extremely happy and eager to cut and arrange my simple mother's day roses . . .

I even wrote my card for myself! Such a lovely day!

And of course we can never take good pictures . . .

It was way past Lucas' naptime, Noelle was suppose to be packing to go visit her mom,

mom and dad were trying to hurry and get out of town, and I had to drag my lovely husband

away from the workers doing our flagstone patio.

It was all I could do to pull everyone together for a quick snapshot . . .

And YES, Lucas desperately needs a haircut!

It's on my list . . .

oh, rubie green . . .

2010-05-02T23:27:00.000-05:00

oh, rubie green, how i love thee!

belated easter pics

2010-04-26T14:14:00.001-05:00

In the midst of all our daily chaos, I was determined to get at least one shot of the kids

in their Easter get-ups. Apparently we didn't have a minute to rush outside and take a picture by

some beautiful spring foliage.

Oh well, I guess the front door will do . . .

A month late, but here they are!

My gorgeous family, if I do say so myself!

remodeling :: easter madness part two

2010-04-26T13:50:00.000-05:00

So nothing in my life goes according to plan . . .

hence the fact that, not only am I just now catching up on my blogging, but our kitchen wasn't done by Easter!

No worries though. I'm not in the crazy house, in case you were wondering. You're prayers must have worked because everything was as complicated as usual and yet I'm still here.

:: SUNDAY ::
[one week before Easter]

"E" woke up early and started on the house again . . . preparing for the vent-a-hood.

The house is a total disaster . . .

. . . of course the vent-a-hood wasn't as easy as they thought and pretty much took ALL day.

:: MONDAY ::

The counter top installers made it to our house by 8:00am only to realize

that we had ordered squared edges as opposed to ogee.

So they had to return all the way to North Houston to fabricate the edges in their shop . . .

which means a few more days until I get my counter tops.

Good thing the marble installers had to come back because "E" realized there was a piece loose where the pot filler had to be installed . . . hence the huge hole in the wall. So there he goes working again!

:: TUESDAY ::

He fixed the loose piece but now the hard part . . . crawling under the house and turning on the water!

Cabinet dooors still being installed!

Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! I absolutely LOVE my inset cabinets!

Another late night . . .

staying up to get the kitchen clean for the marble installers Wednesday morning.

Poor "E"! He's so exhausted he was being a pooper!

:: THURSDAY ::

Well, they called Wednesday morning and said they were still working

on some of the fabrications on the edges . . .so we had to wait another day!

:: SATURDAY ::

They came and left Thursday only to find they had made a lot of mistakes!

Too many considering the price we paid.

So this is the boss man back to fix it all!

I was sick to my stomach for two days until they finally got this done!

"E" and our cute young plumber moving in the dishwasher! Yay!

But of course I had to stay up late with "E" to get in all installed.

After nearly two years of this, I have become a professional "manual/installation reader."

:: EASTER SUNDAY ::

It wasn't done in time for Easter dinner, but I can't complain. At least I can now wash clothes without walking across our lot to the back garage with no light and some rigged plumbing! I've been washing everything in my sight! Fabuloso!

Then it was a week of unpacking and organizing. Oh wait, did I say a week?
I'm pretty sure I'll still be organizing a year from now.

With a lot of help from a friend and a little help from me, "E" was able to get our range out of the garage and in the kitchen last night . . .
now if we can just get it in place then I'll be cooking soon.

remodeling :: easter madness inspiration

2010-03-29T10:22:00.000-05:00

I know this is totally far fetched but just humor me for a minute!

This is what I will be dreaming about all week in the midst of our Easter madness.

Ok . . . totally inspiring for me!

remodeling :: easter madness part one

2010-03-29T10:08:00.001-05:00

So here I am again . . . there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could just stop and blog

:: or maybe I should try to smell the roses ::

But life has been so intense and full of surprises lately that I have not had an ounce of energy to pick up my computer at midnight . . . instead I have opted to try to get some sleep since every morning seems to intale another chaotic start to another long day.

But you will all be happy to hear that we our on our last leg of remodeling!

:: i'm sure you're all so tired of hearing about it ::

I'm attaching a few pictures from the past couple of weeks with not much explanation . . .

just trust me that it's coming along and pray that my family won't have to put me in the crazy house!

I do have a few more pictures that are a little more current . . . as in I took them yesterday.

But you're still going to laugh when I tell you that our current goal is to have this done by Friday . . . as in this Friday . . . as in 4 days from now . . . as in Good Friday . . . as in this Easter weekend!

Again, pray for my sanity and let the madness continue . . .

and the bed goes to . . .

2010-03-08T11:51:00.002-06:00

la famille bizarre getting ready for bed

9:30 pm :: everyone watching the Oscars

10:55 pm :: waking up from groggy sleep just in time for Best Actor

11:02 pm :: getting everyone up stairs for bed

11:10 pm :: Noelle and Indie lay down in her bed and close the door

11:12 pm :: Momzy lays down with Lucas in our bed

11:13 pm :: {E} decides he wants Keene to sleep in our room so he brings him up stairs

11:15 pm :: Noelle decides to use the bathroom and leaves her door open so Indie runs out

11:15 pm :: Keene so excited about Indie (but Indie hates Keene) and he starts chasing him thru the hallway

11:16 pm :: Momzy realized she needs some water to take some medicine and heads down stairs

11:16 pm :: Indie trys to escape Keene's playful gestures and takes off after Momzy

11:17 pm :: Momzy does her best to ignore the fact that both dogs are chasing each other around and around the house while barking and growling

11:18 pm :: Momzy finally gets both dogs upstairs

11:18 pm :: {E} gets Indie and Noelle settled again in her bed with door closed

11:20 pm :: Momzy back in bed with Lucas and {E} gets Keene settled on his bed

11:25 pm :: finally, all lights out

11:26 pm :: Keene whimpering for attention

11:27 pm :: we hear Noelle getting out of her room and leaves Indie in her room with door closed

11:27 pm :: Noelle in the bathroom and Indie barking and barking because he's by himself

11:28 pm :: Keene begins his barking and whimpering because he wants to be with Indie

11:29 pm :: Noelle back in her room with Indie

11:30 pm :: Keene asleep and snoring

11:32 pm :: silence

11:35 pm :: silence

11:37 pm :: silence

11:39 pm :: silence

11:40 pm :: Noelle knocking on our door with Indie in her hands

11:40 pm :: Indie jumps out of her hands and runs to my bed and gets under the covers

11:40 pm :: Keene wakes up and wants Indie

11:41 pm :: Eric talks Noelle into letting Keene sleep in her room with her

11:42 pm :: Eric takes Keene and his bed into Noelle's room

11:43 pm :: Noelle talks {E} into sleeping with her

11:45 pm :: Noelle and {E} in her room with Keene asleep on floor

11:45 pm :: Momzy, Lucas and Indie asleep in our bed

project profile :: noelle's room [re]vamp

2010-03-01T15:56:00.001-06:00

Noelle's room is the first one that we've even began to touch decor wise. She's been patiently waiting for a room of her own.

:: after living together in our garage apt. she deserved to have her own space ::

She's grown up so much over the past year and a half since we bought this house so she was quick to tell us that she wasn't very excited about bring her "little girl" furniture and decor into this room . . .

Well lucky for her, after much pleading and begging for some funds, her dad said I could start redecorating her room for Christmas. Being that today is March, Christmas has obviously come and gone and I have neglected to get this room completed.

But we are definitely well on our way even though it's been a challenge. First of all her room here is at least 2x bigger than any room she's ever had. Secondly, we both have different design ideas. But it's her room so I stuck with her design inspiration board and went from there while guiding her along the way. I think it's turning out great . . . so here's a sneak peek.

The chalkboard "grandmother" clock that we painted on the wall came in phases.

A week ago we started that project . . .

WEEK 1

We folded wrapping paper in half, hand drew the outline for the clock, cut it out, then unfolded and taped it on the wall. Then I just traced around it with pencil and there you go . . .

Here's sweet Noelle patiently waiting for me to outline the clock with paint so she could paint the rest.

After a couple of coats of paint the teal/turquoise clock was finally done. I personally would have left it like this but Noelle was dying to have it as a chalkboard.

WEEK 2

I used the same template and just cut to make it smaller. Then I taped it back up on the wall and retraced it with a pencil again for the chalkboard area. I initially rounded the top part of the chalkboard and when I stepped back to admire my work, it looked like a big egg on a pedastool. So I free handed it up on top and made it taller.

I finally completed it in the middle of all our other projects going on around the house . . . and just in time for Noelle to see it when she got home from visiting her mother for the weekend

:: she didn't know that I was going to finish it for her ::

She wasn't even home for 10 minutes before she had it covered in her tested artwork!

Ok, one weekend project down . . . a million more to go!

remodeling :: quasi relaxing weekend part 2

2010-03-01T15:05:00.000-06:00

Once again, I only thought I would be able to get some creative juices out of my system only to find my husband with some other "big" plans for our weekend . . .

After huffing and puffing all day Saturday by trying to do this all himself, he finally decided to call in for some re-inforcements . . . and I'm so glad that he did.

I was so mad at him for starting this project because I never thought I would see an end to it. But once he got a crew out here to help him they were able to tear out layers and layers of concrete, remove the grass and install some new french drains, so we are well on our way to installing a new flagstone patio!

. . . but as for today it's turned into a big mud puddle for Lucas!

remodeling :: quasi relaxing weekend part 1

2010-02-27T17:19:00.004-06:00

So our weekends have been "quasi" relaxing since Christmas . . .

Well, somewhat . . . meaning no painters or sub-contractors running thru our house.

And all of these ideas I've been storing up in my head with bookoos of inspiration have given me a mission to conquer, one good idea each weekend.

But of course that sounded way too good in my head to become reality.

Last weekend Noelle and I tried to finish her room by getting {E} to help us hang the rest of her pictures along with conquering Noelle's personal request . . . a painted grandmother clock on her wall.

:: more to come on that topic ::

Meanwhile, the small monkey that lives in our house was begging and begging and begging to go outside . . . because afterall, that's where monkeys belong. So I had to put down the paint brush on my little project and head outside for some sidewalk art, which is actually what I love doing with my little monkey boy on a "quasi" relaxing weekend.

Meanwhile . . .

My busy little husband can't sit still and continues to use me as his apprentice on ALL of his projects, therefore I was whisked back inside for some plumbing apprentinceship.

This little plumbing project was something that we've been putting off but was totally necessary so we could have our bathroom downstairs.

First we had to do our best to push the vanity into a tiny spot that made specifically for the vanity . . . no smaller, no bigger.

We had to get our cabinet maker to notch part of the legs in order to make them fit. It's been a long process and this is just another one of those bumps in the road

:: we basically built the bathroom around the vanity but silly us must have had a lot on our minds because we forgot to take the baseboards into account ::

which means lots of more touch up paint for me to do.

yay! finally got it in . . .

by this time I had poured me a nice little glass of sparkly . . .

and Lucas was wearing us down.

:: don't all apprentices have a wrench in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? ::

but of course monkey had to be in the spotlight . . .

all of that work and {E} realized the faucet had a leak and we had to return it!

Seriously? I'm talking hours people, hours!

Anyway, he was finally able to finish it the next day after church . . . after a couple of more hours of help from his apprentice.

the loveables :: vintage valentines

2010-02-14T17:56:00.001-06:00

I love my sweet vintage valentines . . .

These are all from my grandfather, Ralph Smythe, that my grandmother saved throughout the years.

About 10 years ago my mother framed them in a shadow box for me for valentines day which brought me such joy! I love that they are all signed from his grade school friends and most of them mispelled his name.

the loveables :: printable valentines

2010-02-12T13:30:00.000-06:00

Since my life and famille have been so bizarre for the past 3 years, I haven't had many opportunities to whip out the creative genius stuffed inside of me even though it's my heart's desire. This is the first year that Noelle hasn't done valentines for school {because 6th graders are way too cool for that} but nevertheless, now Lucas is of the age that his Mother's Day Out classes are full of classroom parties.

So . . .

Since I have vowed to never buy Go Diego Go valentines for Lucas I was panicking for a quick creative substitute. Luckily there are some genius artists that have the time and talent to come up with great school valentines for the modern kiddos with modern moms!

I ordered the happy heart day animals for Lucas and decided to go ahead and order the love birds for Noelle in hopes that she'd change her mind.

Sure enough, the love birds stole her heart! {yes, punn intended} Aren't they precious?!

Many thanks to Julie Green with up up creative on etsy I was able to start the lovely weekend in a semi-creative way!

remodeling :: new light fixtures

2010-02-11T11:16:00.000-06:00

So we finally got the electrician out here a couple of weeks ago to finish the electrical in the kitchen and breakfast/sunroom. Then {E} installed our new fixtures that we ordered!

I love how they turned out! Simple, clean and elegant!

dining room sconces

kitchen island pendant

breakfast/sunroom fixture

the loveables :: mr. moose

2010-02-01T14:37:00.002-06:00

Mr. Moose became apart of our family on Christmas day. Since we bought Noelle tons of stuff for her bedroom, I just had to add some design whimsy to Lucas' room . . .

even though I haven't decorated his room yet, he's LOVING Mr. Moose. They're best buds!

I've seen them on several sites but I got this one from popdeluxe .

remodeling :: morrning mud . . .

2010-01-30T12:21:00.001-06:00

So I woke up this morning thinking that I may hit a couple of estate sales, {which is my favorite past-time} despite the fact that southeast texas is freezing!

I totally should have gone with my instinct; instead I found out {E} had already planned for the old brick pathway to be scabbed up in prep for our soon-to-be flagstone pathway . . .

HOLY COW!

Needless to say that I didn't make those inspiring vintage estate sales . . .

But Lucas had a blast watching {E} and the "bob the builder" tractor

grandmother's quilt

2010-01-29T15:10:00.001-06:00

Today is rainy and dreary . . .

I was suppose to do some marketing for Eric's clinic this morning and was actually (selfishly) relieved when he said he had to take my car to work. (his window won't roll up all the way which doesn't make for a great ride to work in the middle of a thunderstorm)

Noelle has a cold and has missed the past two days of school and Lucas is right behind her with the cold, minus the fever, so he missed the trusty 'ol Mother's Day Out today.

Nevertheless, we're all home snuggling under our quilts. I always forget how much I love my quilts! I'm pretty sure Noelle is tired of hearing me talk about them but every quilt has a story and just floods me with memories!

This particular one that I threw on my bed last month is one my late Grandmother Opal made with pieces of my past. Every piece of fabric is from an outfit, pillow or bedspread that she had made me at some point in my childhood.

It's not Dwell Studio but it's so great for this perfectly simple day!

la famille bizarre

2010-01-09T13:21:00.001-06:00

It's always eventful this time of the year because most of our big family occassions are around the holidays . . .

Eric turned 37 a few days before Christmas.

I turned 30 right after New Years.

And we just celebrated our 3 year anniversary!

Here are some recent pictures of our crazy famille. More to come but this is all I've got right now . . .they're still editing.

la famille bizarre!

today . . .

2010-01-08T23:40:00.000-06:00

This fabulous art I found on FRYD + DESIGN is something that resonated with me today. We've been so busy and stressed for a year and a half that I have vowed to make some changes in 2010 . . . including worry less. This says it all for me . . .

remodeling :: on a lighter note . . .

2010-01-05T22:01:00.001-06:00

So for the past year we've been looking at and shopping for light fixtures with high anticipation! I don't know what it is about the idea of lighting our renovated abode, but I think that if you skimp on the lighting then your efforts and money could possibly look dim . . . total pun intended.

Well, here we are on the last leg of renovations while also being on the last leg of our budget. We've exhausted every penny and now have no money for that fabulous lighting that we keep dreaming about . . .

but my lighting solution made me feel like I struck gold.

We re-invented the old lighting that the previous owners left with the house and brought it to a new state of traditional glam!

LOVE HOW THEY TURNED OUT!

before

after

before

after

I was surprised that eric agreed to my plan but not only did he agree but undoubtedly, he was the one who ended up spraying them for me. . . look at that artistic focus!

In fact, love it so much I think we're going to forego those other dreamy lighting options and keep these until we strike gold one day.

But until the next gold strike I'm going to be dreaming of these . . .

jaime hayon

new years eve

2010-01-02T00:26:00.000-06:00

Filipino traditions consisting of 12 round fruits

in a bowl and coins on every window seal

and every step for a prosperous year.

check.

Party hats, noise makers and sparkling wine.

check.

Eric's craving of lobster and his

dad's craving of macaroni salad.

check.

Staying home with our family {in our new house} turned into the

best new years we've ever had which we'll cherish forever!

ChEErS! and HaPpY 2010!

new years eve morning . . .

2009-12-31T10:18:00.000-06:00

This is what I woke up to this morning . . .

no room for mama bear!

But I LOVE my family!

Can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for us!

fall wreath

2009-12-07T15:17:00.000-06:00

Sadly, I haven't decorated for Christmas yet. We finally finished putting up our neighborhood Christmas Trees outside in the yard and hung a wreath on the front door, but all of our Christmas decor is sadly still packed away and pushed in a corner of Lucas' bedroom . . . along with all of Eric's 6 boxes of sweaters with no where to store. I haven't even taken them down the stairs since retrieving them from the back of the attic. Since we're still trying to finish up with the painting downstiars, there is no point in making a mess yet. So that being said, my fall wreaths (which were never hung up because our painting wasn't done) have taken up residence in our bedroom. I was thinking I would just put them back in the attic when I put the empty Christmas decor boxes back up there. . .but obviously that hasn't happened. Since I wasn't able to share these wreaths with my neighborhood, I will share them with the world! Next year they will be grand once they make it to the front and back doors but right now they are just reminders that not only did November come and go but it's 7 December 2009 and I'm dying to decorate for Christmas!

remodeling :: keep truckin'

2009-12-07T15:03:00.001-06:00

"keep truckin'"

So I stole that quote from my older brother . . . it's his favorite!

But I've had it in my head for the past couple of weeks. We thought we'd already have our furniture moved in downstairs and we're anxiously scurring around trying to complete some of the small details so we can make that move a reality.

Senior "Saggy Pants" Hector taking his time drying paint samples for me.

The painters took a little longer than we thought and I had a bit of a meltdown when we realized that the paint we saved from upstiars had been tampered with which meant the paint codes didn't work. (with one room left to paint) Our paint didn't even remotely resemble the rest of the house (the whole house is the same gray color except for our white kitchen) but after a few days of tears and frustration, an angel at Home Depot was able to match our color exactly! So, the painters said their goodbyes and in came the floor guy ready to stain all of the floors.

BUT HE DIDN'T TAPE OFF THE BASEBOARDS!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me? He knew we just paid thousands of dollars for all of the interior and exterior paint and then he nonchalantly screws it up! But don't worry, he quickly realized who his mamma was when I put my foot down on any payments being made to him until he helped with the painting. Well, why in the world did I think that a guy that does floors for a living would have a clue about painting. He showed up with a sponge paintbrush from a craft store and a teenage boy that doesn't speak english. Ha Ha Ha

Needless to say, we are still working on touch up paint which ultimately turned into me and Eric re-painting all of the baseboards. We should have moved in a week ago but of course after a year of this, you'd think that I would have learned, nothing goes according to plan around here.

"keep truckin'"

coastal snow

2009-12-04T23:01:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought that snow would reach down to the Texas coast . . .

It was quiet a refreshing surprise to drive around town today with snow flurries fluttering down through the traffic and then to pull up in the driveway and find our home draped with a thin blanket of snow!

What a way to start the Christmasa season . . .

forget moving furniture in downstairs, now I just want to put up my Christmas tree!

cookie!

2009-11-30T15:24:00.001-06:00

Ok, I'm seriously about to go crazy! Conde Nast has truly upset me once again . . .they are cutting cost (like the rest of us) and of all magazines, they have chosen, yet again, to stop production of my all time favorite mom magazine, Cookie. They've already taken Domino and Portfolio and now they're taking Cookie along with Gourmet. They're seriously killing me!

It's the all time best of modern mom magazines and pushes me and my creativity while balancing the world of mommy-hood.

Again, sorrow for myself and all the other modern moms that look forward to their monthly subscription that always seems to help make each month more inspiring!

remodeling :: holy yellow batman!

2009-11-24T19:00:00.002-06:00

So I had to fight for the YELLOW front door and was happy to finally win a battle that was truly inspired by some bright yellow doors on the web.

As you can see yellow became YELLOW and I'm not so sure about my decision.

It looks AMAZING in this picture and I think it's just as inspiring as other yellow doors I've seen . . . despite the limp and dying fall decor. Now I'm dreaming of a crazy zebra rug to add to our unpredictable front porch entrance in place of our sad and unimpressive door mat.

It definitely creates an entrance that becomes the prelude to a modern traditional home, which is exactly what I was going for . . . but I missed the mark with the shade of YELLOW. My inspiration was YELLOW, but with our over abudance of a pure white coastal house, I think I should have toned it down to be more of a yellow . . .

Eric said that while I was gone this past weekend that several different couples walking by complimented our color choice . . . but I'm definitely not sure if I believe them. There's no telling what people are saying in this conservative town.

Since the door was scraped and scraped for days in preparation of it's new coat of paint, it's safe to say that Eric will kill me if I mention that we need to tone the yellow down a notch. So, that being said, I think maybe some black shutters or possibly window boxes will be my next project in order to break up the large blank canvas.

Now the fun part begins as I pull out all of our Christmas decor and try to depict what will work with our new home . . . and YELLOW door.

fall without the decor . . .

2009-11-24T17:38:00.000-06:00

It finally feels like fall.

24 November 2009

. . . and I still don't have a wreath on my front door. Actually, after 3 weeks, the painters just finished painting our front door YELLOW. . . just in time for Christmas decor.

All year I've been setting goals for our house and every goal seems to become just a simple statement made and a simple statement past.

I'm obviously very anxious to get back to anything that resembles a simple life, including holiday decor. The fall season seems like it's flown by; especially since it's been 80 and 70 degrees throughout October and November with no signs of leaves changing colors (up until this past week).

As a creative person at heart, I have yearned to make these holidays warm, creative and cozy for our kids, despite living in a less than inviting construction zone. Although I have had good intentions, the fall season has been anything but a stylish magazine cover for me.

*****

*The new halloween cookie cutters - left untouched sitting in Lucas' high chair * halloween pumpkins - most left undecorated (but great ideas in my crazy head) and then realized they were given to the Mexican workers painting the house by my husband without telling me * the cookies and baking supplies for fall cookies - still left untouched in the fridge and kitchen cupboards * my fall wreaths - still sitting on my desk in our room waiting to be hung (after painters are done with the exterior) * cornicopias and other fall decor - still packed away in the attic with nowhere to be displayed * my fresh fall spice flavored candles - melted, warped and packed along with other candles * the few ceramic pumpkins set out for some simple decor - busted and shattered thanks to Lucas * my front porch plants and pumpkin scapes specifically placed in hopes to show the neighbors that we are not white trash - only to be crushed and wacked out by the painters

*****

Nothing has gone according to plan for me but I was able to let the kids paint some miniture pumpkins

. . . freestyle . . . which was awesome to watch! While visiting my mom, Noelle invited her friend Zoe over and Lucas was just along for the ride and enjoying every minute of it. Lots of color, laughs and family made me content with the remodeling life long enough to consume the love and joy that the holidays brings out in everyone. Looking forward to December and hoping for some more creative outlets to pursue that hopefully produce some holiday cheer that I have long awaited for.

pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin

2009-11-15T15:45:00.004-06:00

AFTER A LOT OF . . .

ROLLING . . . CARRYING . . .

HIDING . . . POSING . . .

STACKING . . . & SITTING . . .

WE WERE ABLE TO SNATCH A FEW SWEET PHOTOS!

But unfortunately, 6 uploaded photos is all my patience can handle today. I'm obviously not a professional blogger and Lucas just woke up from his Sunday afternoon nap which means no more sitting and typing for me. Hopefully more fall picturess to come, but at this rate it may be after Christmas.

galveston, texas

2009-11-06T14:10:00.000-06:00

I came across these pictures from a couple of weeks ago, which I totally forgot about. Eric's parents have been staying with us since July and we've never had a good opportunity to show them around the state . . . or even around this area. So one Sunday afternoon Eric decided that he wanted to pile in the car and drive over to Crystal Beach and Galveston. The ferry ride is always a big hit with Lucas because of the crazy hungry seagulls that swarm over waiting for bread.

events.parties.design

2009-10-28T00:08:00.000-05:00

Embarking on a new phase in my life.

Our youngest, Lucas, is now 2 which gives me a little more freedom and has me looking in new directions. Just before Lucas was born I was working full time in the

event & party industry which is a passion that seems to have taken up residence inside of me.

It won't go away . . .

So I will continue with it . . .

Besides, it's good . . .

I like it . . .

I love it . . .

I don't think I will ever NOT produce events or parties . . .

Just another thing that makes me, me!

san francisco

2009-10-27T23:39:00.001-05:00

From the gorgeous hilltop chapel in Tiburon, to making-out in a big tree at Lake Tahoe, here are a few pics of our trip (without kids, I might add . . .) to San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. It's long over due and with everything else on our plate I really don't have the energy for captions . . .

enjoy la famille bizarre without kids! (seriously our first trip without kids since we got married)

Ok, I have to write a caption for this picture of Noelle . . .

My family knows I absolutely love caramel apples and m&m's are my favorite candy . . . When I found this caramel apple smothered in m&m's at Dean & Delucas in Napa, I knew it would be the perfect afternoon snack for me and Noelle. So of course I took special care of it the whole flight home just so we could cram our mouths full of m&ms while caramel sticks to our teeth . . .yum yum!

remodeling :: mellow yellow

2009-10-20T11:37:00.001-05:00

OUR HUMBLE ABODE

BEFORE A FRESH COAT OF PAINT . . .

I have a friend that painted her front door yellow a couple of years ago. I was in love with her "bachelorette meets anthropolie" style that gave her cute house a modern, yet sleek, look. I wanted my home (especially the exterior) to reflect my style too, but unfortunately, my first house with my husband was also his first house with his first wife. That's life and I lived with it . . .

But now with our new home, we have a fresh start, and the ability

to make this traditional house a stylish home.

Throughout this remodel, we've had plenty of design conflicts but I knew that I had to have a yellow front door. With plenty of white traditional homes in the area, our friends will be sure to acknowledge our home as well as our "modern traditional style."

Though I thought it would be another hard battle trying to convince Eric of this crazy color choice, these inspiring pictures did the work for me and sealed the deal to the

first yellow front door in our traditional neighborhood!

I JUST WANT TO HURRY AND PAINT THE FRONT DOOR SO I CAN DECORATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

I'M ABOUT TO GO CRAZIER THAN I ALREADY AM . . .

ENJOY OUR INSPIRATION!

OUR YELLOW DOOR PICS ARE COMING SOON!

www.theterracewindermere.co.uk

www.yellowfrontdoor.co.uk/

www.designfabulous.com

modern mom monday

2009-10-05T23:27:00.000-05:00

I pretty much forgot that it was Monday today. I've been consumed with all of our taxes!!! Yes, it's not enough that we're super busy with our house, but we've got to get our taxes done before we leave for San Francisco this Friday.

I've taken a break from all of the crazy receipts to share my latest craving.

I love this book! I crawled in a corner in Barnes and Nobles the day I discovered it and almost looked through every single craft . . .while dreaming of the days that I could actually work on some of those cool projects. I noticed recently that Urban Outfitters is carrying it online now too! But I'm gonna wait to buy it because I know myself too well . . . I will put everything important aside in order to test every project!

This is another super chic book from urbn. I was flipping through the other one called "All About Me" when I realized Eric and I could go through this book together! It's the couples version . . . an attempt to bring us all closer, I guess. OH SO COOL! I'm so curious to know what our answers are going to be. But no matter what it could definitely shake things up around here and get our mind off of our crazy remodeling!

weekly dose

2009-10-04T16:58:00.001-05:00

So I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks and for good reasons, of course. The usual house remodeling has continued to consume our lives. But this past week has proved another trying week for us as Noelle and Eric have both had the flu and Lucas has battled high temps all week due to his 2 yr molars. We've been pretty busy with the daily grind but we did manage to take some time to ourselves and enjoy life a bit. This is our week in pictures. Enjoy!

Ok, so there is a crazy blue line underneath this picture of Noelle and I have no idea why. Anyway, this is that precious step-daughter of mine right before her first middle school dance. I can't believe she's in 6th grade this year and already making some great middle school memories. And of course she's stylin' with her black skinny jeans. She was so excited!

(Couple of days before her Doc told her she had to be out of school for a week)

All of our Filipino friends wanted to go see Journey in concert which was amazing! I haven't been to a concert in awhile (which is an old favorite pastime of mine) so for a minute there I felt like the free spirit that I use to be.

Ok, so you are laughing at me because of all of the concerts to feel like a free spirit, why Journey, right?

Well, not only was the new Filipino front man, Arnel, unbelievable, but their opening act was Night Ranger. I had no idea that I knew Night Ranger, but apparently I know all of their songs which brought back some great memories while making new ones.

We have been meeting up with friends on Saturday mornings to ride some bike trails which has been so stinkin' fun! We're really started to get into it now. . .

The river is the ugly dark brown part behind us . . . but look at that crazy white sand on the far bank! Who knew southeast texas had white sand on their rivers?

Unfortunately there is white sand on a lot of the trails too . . .

I was peddling along and my chain snapped while we were out in the middle of the woods. Eric and I had to walk our bikes about 2 miles back to the cars. Crazy!

But I love this picture I took of Eric while walking with my bike chain in his hand! Ha!

'domino' effect

2009-09-19T19:07:00.003-05:00

I have been having some serious withdrawals from DOMINO magazine for the past 6 months. When I read the editor's note about their "last issue" I almost cried but figured that the funds from sponsors would come storming through their doors and I would be happy to find my April issue pleasantly hanging out of my mailbox waiting for me to read and consume every picture and word. As it turned out, the funds didn't come through, and the editor was right, they were done . . . no more domino.

As the months have gone on I have continued to cry for my beloved DOMINO mag!!!!!!

COME BACK MY LOVE!

I only have a handful of my magazines left and wished I had the last full year's worth of issues to keep. How happy am I to find issues for sale on AMAZON! This has made my weekend!

modern mom monday

2009-09-14T11:17:00.003-05:00

These are my picks for MODERN MOM MONDAY! I was hurrying through BARNES & NOBLE the other day (trying to get in a moment of "me time" before I picked Lucas up from Mother's Day Out) when I couldn't help but notice these beautifully chic puzzles as I was scurrying by.

So many styles and patterns to choose from, I can't decide which one I want. I just know that I want one for my purse or the car. I don't think I'll mind waiting in line for 20 minutes to pick Noelle up from school as long as I have one of these to keep me busy . . . not to mention that it may actually help my mind; especially since I have to review 6th grade math homework before I can check it. Ha!

SIMPLE & CHIC FOR THE MODERN MOM!

modern mom monday

2009-09-08T23:34:00.003-05:00

Ok! So this is the fiirst MODERN MOM MONDAY blog. Mondays are a drag and as a mom I'm always looking for a little pick me up so I'm going to make sure that my Monday blogs include a little love for the busy, yet modern, mom.

Well, for the past two weeks I've had my eyes on the new Madsen Cycle so I knew I wanted it to be my first modern mom pick!

I just can't get enough of it and since my first spying of this incredibly posh transportation, I have since seen it in other blogs, magazines and of course all over the internet.

I was so excited to use this modern bike for my new MODERN MOM MONDAY blog so I found the home webpage and realized that they are just as excited about getting the word out as I am.

They're giving away one bike each week which just made my Monday even more exciting! I can just picture myself and my little monkey boy cruising around Beaumont, Texas while really dreaming about riding in a locale with less humidity! Wouldn't that be so much fun?!

nate berkus

2009-09-08T22:04:00.002-05:00

I think we all fell in love with Nate Berkus when he first appeared on

Oprah . . . but now I'm happy to say that he's given us

some more eye candy that doesn't include his cute smile.

This is a fabulous settee from his line being sold exclusively on HSN .

I am so in love!

simply be . . .

2009-09-08T10:31:00.006-05:00

"There is time in which to be,

simply be,

that time in which God

quietly tells us who we are

and who he wants

us to be.

It is then that

God takes our

emptiness

and fills it

with what he wants."

Madeleine L'Engle

the loveables :: 'caps' off to pencils

2009-09-03T13:17:00.020-05:00

I use to work for a non-profit arts organization with a daily grind that included countless appointments and meetings that were scheduled and re-scheduled and then scheduled and re-scheduled all over again. Addicted to ink, I quickly learned that I had to create a new habit of using pencils in order to keep my daily planner looking sleek and organized. Unfortunately I was never able

(nor did I have the time of day) to look for stylish pencils.

Noelle started back to school last week and has been told she can't use mechanical pencils in some of her classes. After lugging around town gathering up all of her school supplies, I was not only inspired to begin a new love affair with pencils, but I was on a mission to find something stylish . . . beyond the classic yellow #2 pencils.

So in love with these bamboo patterned pencils from iomoi!

I don't think I will mind filling up my calendar as long as I

have one of these in my hand. What a statement!

iomoi has a ton of rich colors to choose from but I kept going back to this

incredible color of gray! Although dark, it still captures a clean and crisp look.

This pencil holder from see jane work screams style!

What's a pretty pencil without a gorgeous pencil holder?!

. . . and these pencil holders will look fabulous on Noelle's desk.

These colors from seejanework.com are so modern

and would probably inspire Noelle to do her math homework.

What can I say? This box of pencils are far from the typical

box of yellow #2 pencils. Very girly with unexpected whimsy make

these Lilly Pulitzer pencils worth buying . . . so lovely!

If I were back in an office job I would definitely want these pencils

the russell+hazel website to be placed front and center on my desk.

They have such a sleek look with crystals that grace the tops for an added surprise.

If I'm not mistaken, the glass holder comes with them . . .

As soon as I can get my hands on some of these pencils I will be putting the caps back on my pens and setting them aside to make room for my new love affair . . .

remodeling :: inspiration

2009-08-30T23:15:00.005-05:00

I'm obsessed with all things decor right now and am anxiously awaiting to decorate our humble abode! Although we won't decorate until the remodeling is completely finished, my inspiration boards keep me going and continue to work their temporary magic . . .

One look is as good as a cup of coffee for me. . .

it makes me OH SO HAPPY!

lost art

2009-08-30T21:05:00.008-05:00

My mother always influenced me with her handwritten notes. Whether it was a simple note she was sending to a friend or some biblical words of encouragement, I grew up treasuring those little handwritten somethings that always gave me comfort when I least expected it. Now, even as an adult, I cherish those days when in the massive pile of bills, magazines and junk mail I'm lucky enough to pull out a thoughtful handwritten gesture addressed to me. With the daily grind becoming so saturated with technology we have forgotten how great it is to be so personal.

Here is some inspiration to pass along . . .

These books by Margaret Shepherd make me want to hand write notes to everyone in my contacts. It's scary to think that the rising generation think of handwritten notes as a lost art but maybe these books will encourage a new phase of comfort with the pen.

Now . . . on to finding that perfectly modern stationery . . .

You can check her out at www.margaretshepherd.com

remodeling :: bathroom remodel

2009-08-21T15:08:00.022-05:00

Before and After pictures of our upstairs bathrooms . . . enjoy!

MASTER BATH BEFORE

This vanity space was probably a good idea but we took it

out to make room for a private toilet room.

AFTER

BEFORE

Everything was so compacted on one side of the room . . .

not sure how the morning routines worked in this space . . .

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

I'm pretty sure the Delta body sprays are the first thing that

put us over budget, but definitely worth it.

AFTER

KIDS/HALLWAY BATHROOM AFTER

AFTER

By taking out one of the small hallway linen closets,

we were able to make room for a private toilet room in their bathroom too!

BEFORE

Weren't the fish just gorgeous in our "under the sea" bathroom?

Needless to say, Noelle wasn't too keen on the idea . . .

AFTER

birthday invites

2009-08-02T19:22:00.008-05:00

Lucas's 2nd birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks so I'm rushing to get a birthday party together around our construction zone. It's probably going to be a small party since I'm still new in town and all of my close friends live elsewhere, but I can't resist making a big deal about it all. . .even though Lucas won't know the difference. Since we obviously won't be able to fit people in our temporary 'humble abode' we have no choice but to make it an outdoor pool party which will still be totally fun! It'll definitely give all of the kids something to do.

I'm addicted to TinyPrints which has some fantastic invitations. These are the invites that I've narrowed down for my little monkey boy.

www.tinyprints.com

I love the owls on the limb. I can see myself getting carried away with the whimsical party hats!

www.tinyprints.com

This picture card is fantastic! My only problem is that I'm having to stay away from the picture cards because I have no good current pictures of Lucas. Maybe this card will inspire me this week to start snapping away!

www.tinyprints.com

This pool party invitation isn't necessarily my favorite one but it's definitely at the top of my list. Especially since we're forced to have a pool party because it's the easiest thing for us right now. And of course as an event planner I am already thinking about how to incorporate the stripes and polkadots into the party decor.

www.tinyprints.com

Who can resist the cuteness of this dragon and lion? Even though it has nothing to do with a pool party I am tempted to make it work just because I love the idea of the childish yet modern artwork.

Not sure which one to pick yet but I have to make a decision within the next hour or so. . .to be continued.

budget birthday!

2009-08-01T16:44:00.016-05:00

I had a lot of plans and a lot of great ideas that quickly became obsolete once we decided that 2009 has brought on more of ‘budget birthdays’ as opposed to ‘blowout birthdays’. So my big 2-year-old baby soiree turned into a small thing . . .not so much of a big event like I normally pursue.

After convincing myself that it’s Lucas’ party and he wouldn’t even remember, I finally began planning a party with budget in mind instead of atmosphere and design. Once my mind was set on budget, I surprised myself by what I pulled off.

Using all things creative and with the help of some of my handmade birthday banners (from Lucas’ 1^st birthday party) we made a simple pool party feel a tad bit more extravagant even though “budget” was the main theme.

Afterward I laughed at myself because of my crazy undying need to entertain in style. After 3 years of being with my Filipino husband, I think I have finally realized what Eric has been telling me all along . . .Filipinos aren’t worried about the lavish designs and décor of stylish parties, they are more interested in spending quality time with close friends and family.

I am so proud of myself for putting together a party that was geared toward these special times with friends and family. This is one of the first parties that I’ve hosted that I haven’t been stressed out. Lucas had a blast and partied with the owls until 11pm while all of the other kids and parents continued to swim, eat and enjoy fellowship well past midnight.

I pulled out Lucas's birthday banners that I had made for his 1st birthday. Fortunately you can find some great templates on marthastewart.com

which is where I found the cool lettering that I used on my scrapbook paper.

The lush paper flowers are also martha stewart. I had them left over from a previous party but unfortunately are almost on their last leg.

Although Noelle wouldn't get out of the pool, we managed to snap a quick pic with the birthday boy!

Noelle finally jumped out to take pic with the birthday boy and G-Mama and Pops! Obviously it wasn't a cocktail party, so not only were we wearing our poolside attire, but we battled southest texas humidity all day and night.

I suggest a pool party for any toddler that needs to get some wiggles out. . .it worked great for our family and friends. . .especially for a 'budget birthday.'

Of course I couldn't just completely walk away from creative birthday decor, even if no one else cared, so I pulled out some supplies from our moving boxes and implemented some homemade signage for table centerpieces. With my initial inspiration from tinyprints.com, I decided to make some birthday party owls that could "hoot" all night with the kids. I had all of the supplies so it only cost me $5 for laminating and could last for a few more parties if anyone wants them. . .

Although I take great pride in hosting parties and don’t think I will ever be able to cleanse myself of those creative juices, I am so thankful for the wonderful evening with friends, family and food!

Now, if I can only stay with the “budget” theme for Noelle’s 12^th birthday bash in a few weeks!

remodeling :: kitchen inspiration

2009-07-22T16:49:00.020-05:00

We are getting closer to seeing our small budget, dream kitchen come together so I'm finally getting filled with excitement again! After a year of extreme patience, I started to lose my focus and had no inspiration. This week while digging through our 'book of inspiration' I started to regain some of my design spunk back and thought I would share some. . .

Coastal Living, www.myhomeideas.com

I'm loving this island! Although it's mostly enclosed and used as functional storage, the large curvacious legs and small open shelving gives it a totally carefree look. It's the perfect mix between Eric's traditional and my eclectic styles.

Cottage Living, www.myhomeideas.com

Can't you just picture yourself in this warm kitchen with the 'oh so cool' cottage meets modern-traditional style? The dark wood floors (which we're looking forward to in our own kitchen) help the green cabinets pop while still feeling cool and airy with the white paint and open shelving on the walls. My secret lust in this room is the bar stool bench! I am definitely going to incorporate this style in our kitchen. It gives it a living space feel without actually having to add square footage. And don't even get me started on the zinc island counter top . . . Yes, that's right. Zinc. Isn't it gorgeous?

Elle Decor, www.pointclickhome.com

This kitchen screams Eric while echoing classic. The white classic look is where

we started with our dream kitchen but we've continued to cut and paste our

own styles into the mix. . .

www.pointclickhome.com

Again with the traditional and classic look . . . Very clean, crisp and inspiring!

Metropolitan Home, www.pointclickhome.com

This kitchen inspiration is my "if i were a bachelorette" look but I had to throw it in there. The grey cabinetry is so glamorous when it's mixed with the glass tiles.

indie

2009-07-14T14:36:00.004-05:00

Believe it or not I was actually contemplating getting rid of our small 3 year old yorkie . . . with contractors coming and going Indie really hasn't been very sensitive to the fact that Lucas can't take naps with loud consistent barking! (especially in a small apartment)

I have been dog sitting for a friend since last Thursday and have realized how great Indie actually is. (besides the annoying and steady high-pitched bark)

He sits, lays down, stays on command and walks on a leash . . .well, he pulls on a leash, but at least I don't have to drag him.

Now he can peruse around the yard with his collar flipped up and some confidence on his sleeve because dog sitting has not only proved to me that one small dog is enough for the Toribio household right now, but it has rekindled my love for him! How cute is he? He even sat there for me to take this picture of him.

tree hugger/planet lover

2009-07-14T13:44:00.013-05:00

Ok . . .Now I can sleep at night. We wondered through the downtown streets of Beaumont, Texas and found Gulf Coast Recycling Co. as if it had been waiting for us for 6 months! I had begun to second guess myself after I loaded up the kids with the back of my car completely filled with 1-week worth of paper, plastic and aluminum. But as we pulled up to our destination with mother earth in mind, even Noelle got excited. Our recycling trip exceeded our expectations and motivated us to continue with our weekly trips downtown in an effort to be green. Now with Noelle on board, we can get back to living a semi-normal life . . .

So much for the Struggling Tree Hugger and say hello to the Planet Lover!