Cookin' Honey

As in honey oak EXPLOSION that was happening in our kitchen when we moved in...

Check out this really functional island...?!! NOT !

I have a serious problem with ceiling fans...I need to get over it. 

Believe me now?  HONEY OAK in your face.  

First step, PAINT.  Cabinets.  Walls.  Trim.

 

Progress.  So. much. better.

Next step, get rid of that island and refinish the hardwoods.

We went for the dark stain on the right...

I have to sweep my floors almost daily but it is worth it. LOVE them.

Next remove the awful white square tiles...

 Replace with beautiful glass subway tile in a subtle gray hue...courtesy of my incredibly handy and talented father in law and hubbie. (Richard I promise I won't put you to work for the entire week you visit us next time! Well, maybe just a couple days...)

Obsessed with subway tile. 

Then I do what I do best...SHOP...on craigslist of course.  I really wish I had a before pic of this puppy.  It was an old, honey oak (of course) console that the mister did what he does best...refinish...antique... and slapped some granite on the top.  My father in law built a base for it, new hardware, sealed it and put rollers on the drawers to make a trash can slide out of the right side.  And voila...custom kitchen island for less than $150!

Pardon the misters attempt at graffiti on our garage walls.  Yes, I did make him paint the entire garage afterwards.  The point of this picture is to show you yet another craigslist purchase of bar stools.  5 for under $100!  A little paint and good as new.   

Next, remove the ceiling fan and add some wonderful pendant lights...

And some DIY artwork done on a Saturday night with a couple bottles of wine...

Moral of this story....

Life with a toddler and a newborn + new home with honey oak, house fans, bad tile, awkward island and early 90s fixtures = Saturday night house projects.

Maybe I should learn how to cook now?!!

Powder room potty

This little man...

says it is time...POTTY time! 

And apparently, the potty chair has to go in the powder room...

(I will spare you the image of the toilet ring and child on the toilet.  And I'll be honest, 90 percent of the time he spends more time off the toilet looking in at his work than on the seat actually going.  We are currently trying to expedite this process.) 

All would be fine and dandy if this wasn't the same bathroom that our guests have to use as well. 

"Um, sorry (insert guest name)...let me get that toilet ring off real quick." 

Because when this kid has to go...he has to go.  I never in my life thought I would be so happy about number 1 and number 2 in the toilet. 

Ok...I will spare you any more potty training talk for the moment. 

How about more pics of our insane DIY project for the powder room?

Yes, my husband and I are crazy.  And this did take FOREVER.  

Step 1...paint walls white since they were previously green.  Tape vertical lines a foot apart. 

 Then tape some more...(don't remember the exact measurements for these lines...I tried to remove those long hours, on a Saturday night nonetheless, out of my memory).

 And paint...and paint yet again.

 And yes, it does make our guests cross-eyed when they use our bathroom. It helps them deter their attention from the toilet ring and the mess on the floor from Liam not getting everything quite in the toilet.

Reason for everything I tell ya.

This art piece is of the LA freeway system.  Love the piece.  Hate the freeways.  Miss socal.  You can find it at 20x200. Great unique art pieces for killer prices.

 And always remember...LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE (another DIY project by yours truly).

Moby Man

My man...and his moby

Make little man and mama happy.  

Sidenote: Kevin calls it his "mumu"...you can get your moby "mumu" wrap here. Or if you have a wonderful friend like I do you get it for free...which also makes mama happy.

Orange crush

These bandaids...Made me want to buy this table... 

And eat tons of cute clementines... 

 Pretty sure I accomplished all of the above yesterday.  Orange you glad?!

(Sorry, I couldn't resist the popsickle joke..thats for you mom...lover of popsickle jokes).

p.s. that mini Parsons table is on sale now at West Elm!

Lines with Liam

Scene: Home in the basement trying to workout, in efforts to shed stubborn baby lbs. Liam and I are "working hard, EXCERCIZING (as Liam says it)". 

Me: "Ok Liam, time to do some abs"

Liam: "Mommy you want to go get some abs?"

Me: "Yes I do"

Liam: "Where we get abs at?!"

Me: (not paying too much attention, in mid V-up, which could be the worst ab exercise ever) "I don't know Liam..."

Liam: "At the store Mommy!"

Scene: In the bath tub after what seems 20 minutes of play time.

Me: "OK Liam! Will you please wash your face off for Mommy?!"

Liam: "Not yet! The monster is coming!"

Me: "Where is the monster?!"

Liam: "Outside...we need to take him to his house...he needs to take a bath!"

Quotes courtesy of this little man...Liam James Hall

hi...I'm Dax

and I'm new.  Well, this is me with my mom brand new...

as in 10 minutes old new.  I decided to make my first appearance into this world on December 12, 2011.  Although my mom will tell you I had been kicking, growing and running out of room for months before that.  I wasn't the smallest baby you see, weighing 8lb.s 8.2 oz., and 20.5 inches long.  My mom likes to talk about my 14" head and the fact that she started pushing at 3:02a.m. and I was here at 3:06a.m.  Yep that is four minutes of pushing folks.  Good work mom, but I was just making a case to be your favorite son because I have this kid to compete with...

and he is pretty cool.  This is my big brother Liam.  He is 2 1/2 and he turns "3 1/2" at the "end of July," so he says.  And this is our family...

I enjoying snuggling and sleeping on your chest...

and eating...thats how I got these awesome cankles.  Don't be jealous.

Nice to meet you.  I'll try and get my mom to write more often.  Because who doesn't want to see more pictures of me?!

Talk soon!

Wallpaper?!...Yes wallpaper

Before you sigh and think of your parents 1970 bad fruit designed wallpaper in mustard yellow, tangerine orange, and just an all out awful green (sorry Mom but it was real ugly) check out these amazing wallpaper designs by Walnut Wallpaper.  

I think I need this wallpaper in Liam's bathroom!  I am in the whale mood since I missed out on sighting a whale on a recent trip to Hawaii.  A little bit of this can go a long way so just the right amount will make perfect!

This on the ceiling would be spectacular.  It is a wonderful hexagon pattern that captivate a little ones attention.

How fabulous is this nursery?!

This in a master bathroom is amazing but I want this for my closet I dream of filled with the same wooden hangers, beautiful glitzy chandelier hanging from the middle and my shoes would all have a perfect slot just them.  And I would have a vintage settee covered in a pop of color.  My friends can come over and play grown up dress up with a glass of red wine...oh dosen't this sound amazing! 

Check out Walnut Wallpaper here and give wallpaper another chance...

Feelin' the LOVE

Personally I am definitely feeling the LOVE lately.  Maybe because Liam was belly laughing last night and I really think he gave me a giant bear hug last night before bed just to tell me in his own way he loved me.  And at 4:30 this morning when Kevin was leaving for work thinking I was asleep and thinking I would not hear him, he kissed me on my forehead and said "I love you." Kevin is a hopeless romantic and he makes me feel special and loved every single day.  Which ever it is that is making me feel this way these prints fit my mood to a tee...and they are incredibly awesome and simplistic.  You can find these prints on Trendy Peas Etsy shop here.  A 8 x 10 print is $20.  What a great inexpensive art piece!

The color palette in this print for a little girls nursery or room is adorable.  

Actually I am considering getting it for myself for my wall of randomness.

I hope you are feeling the LOVE today...its that holiday cheer time of year so go ahead and tell someone you love them. 

I definitely love these two guys...

Light up the night...but not too bright!

Night lights have never been so interesting and RAD! (Yes I said rad.)  I don't know what I would do without my favorite little martian men.  Stumbling around at 2:37a.m. (just one time example of when I looked at the clock this night/morning) I grab either the blue or green man and head to see what Liam is fussing about.  The perfect glow doesn't totally wake him, nor Kevin, nor myself, so I can hopefully put him back to sleep without using a blinding light and sleep walk back to bed.

Another wonderful color combo in orangle/fuschia.  

These stylish nightlights are made by Oxo.  They will last up to 8 hours off the charger base and never get hot so they are safe for you to pick up and eventually for the little ones to pick up themselves.  In a dream world brave their way to the bathroom by themselves...oh someday please:)  For now I'll just take 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep!!!

Now they are available in the tooli yellow single stand.

Or how about the "roomi."

 Or the super fun red rocket.

I really should name them don't you think?!  Anyone have some name ideas? It took me almost 9 months to pick the name Liam out...martian men would be way too difficult:)