posted on by

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a busy day with us splitting our time between our two separate families, which are two hours away from each other. We choose to do it this way because seeing family always means a lot to people, and we are always glad we did it.

This year one of our dinners will bring together 36 family members! There are second cousins meeting each other for the first time and cousins who seem all grown up since the last time I saw them.

My aunt put together some beautiful table decorations for the adult table. She has a family event planning business called Cork and Copper, where they create and collect beautiful party decor they rent to clients.

When I saw the table decorations on Wednesday I knew I wanted to share them with you. They are simply a collection of mason jars holding old family photos on display. Some have battery operated tea candles. Others are adorned with additional burlap ribbons, raphia or lettering that was created by painting on a brown paper bag.

Seeing the old family photos is what makes the decoraitons so special, and that there are 36 people from four different states who will be gathered around them. Now that is something to be thankful for!

In addition to this table, their will be a “young adult table” and a “kids table.” I think this is funny because at age 36 and with three kids, I’m still, essentially, sitting at a kid table. I’m totally fine with that.

I just secretly wish I got the kids table where we can draw on the table cloth. I’m sure I’ll be joining them at some point anyway, because I always do. And I’m very thankful for that too! As well as having a wonderful life with my splendid little family of girls.

Thank you for letting me share it with you. I’m grateful for this space here, and for every one of you who find your way here. Wether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or just having another ordinary day, I hope it’s a happy one!

posted on by

Hall landing play nook reveal

Previous to renovating the upstairs of our house there was a closet at the top of the stairs that had two sliding doors. The girls already liked playing in the closet, using it as a little fort space during the months when it wasn’t too hot to be upstairs.

When the walls were torn down we found wasted space on either side of that previous closet space. Immediately, I saw it as a perfect play nook in the hallway, serving as an overflow space for the two girls who are sharing a room. Luckily there was extra pine hardwood flooring in the unused attic part of the house, which was moved to build the floor you see here. Also, the flooring allows for the space to count as added square footage to the house.

Right now it serves as a baby doll play area, and a corner with the doctor cart.

Later I imagine it as a study space, with desks as the girls get older. And like everything else, it will get shifted and recreated with every new phase these girls ring in.  But for now, it’s just perfect the way it is.

posted on by

Eucalyptus Bath Salts for wintertime colds and flu

Homemade eucalyptus bath salts is our family’s go to comfort item for wintertime colds and flu. It makes great gifts as well, especially for teachers. Once you have the ingredients on hand, the supplies make a lot of bath salts. Just mix all the ingredients together and store in mason jars.

Eucalyptus Bath Salts for wintertime colds and flu 

1 cup baking soda

1 cup dry milk

2 cups Epsom salts

2 cups dead sea salts

1 tsp. olive oil

15-20 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil

It’s a quick and easy gift to make and the ingredients can be found at local grocery stores. The dead sea salts are bought in bulk, or by the pound, from organic grocery stores. I get mine at Earthfare. The eucalyptus oil can be found there as well. The mason jars are 12 oz. Ball canning jars. I used a scrapbooking punch for the label and fabric to dress up the jar. Scrapbooking paper can be cut and added to the top of the jar instead, with a bow to pretty it up.

I shared these during a holiday craft making swap over the weekend and they were a big hit. I was introduced to this gift making swap by my friend Melissa at Frugalissa Finds. It was great fun.


posted on by

Last minute Thankful banner, for the classroom

There is a giant pile of burlap in my basement that I collected from a random source of authentic South American coffee bean bags. And it sits there, taunting me to make things with it. I have a thing for banners. I just love them. And I have a thing for burlap. I just want to make stuff with it.

So here we have, a last minute Thankful banner made from felt, scrap fabrics braided together as rope and …. burlap.  It was just one of those things I felt like I needed to make. I needed to get my hands on something crafty, draw out letters, cut fabric and sew — there was just something therapeutic about it. The music was cranked up. And for 90 minutes I started with an idea and ended with something I myself was thankful for – that quick opportunity to start and finish something.

The girls were at school so it was uninterrupted bliss, sitting in my kitchen with the sunlight pouring down on me. The piles of life, here and there scattered around the house, sat still. Being ignored.

The banner ended up finding a home hanging up in my middle daughter’s classroom, as a decoration for their Thanksgiving parent breakfast. It was a perfect place.

I am very thankful for the enriching and loving experience my children gain at school, and then for every second after school when I am so happy to scoop them up into my arms and heart.  I’m thankful for the times my girls spend there, and even more so for the times I miss them which makes me love them even more.

I love that my homemade banner hangs in my daughter’s classroom, serving her with a little reminder from home, and a piece of me. And then, when my toddler enters that class next year she too will enjoy it hanging there during this thankful season, for the three years she’ll enjoy this very same classroom with the very same teachers.

Since it was a parent breakfast, and that I should be including myself in more of life’s pictures with my daughters, here are some parent shots of my girls choosing lessons at their Thanksgiving breakfasts. My oldest daughter’s Thanksgiving event is next week, where the students bake deserts for the parents and invite us into their classroom. I can’t wait!

posted on by

For now on they will pack their own lunches

In passing, the 10-year-old spending the afternoon at our house slipped into the conversation, “when I pack my lunch.”  I had to ask, does she packs her own lunch every day? The answer was yes.

Her mom told me their kids starting being responsible for packing their own lunches when they started going to school. Her daughter, and her teenage son, also take weekly turns doing the family’s laundry.

Errrk. Hold up! What am I doing wrong over here????

Both parents in their household work, the mom travels a lot, and so the kids naturally fend for themselves more often. And in this case, I think it’s a really good thing.

Thinking about this, I realized I do way too much for my children. I know from the Montessori standpoint what children can do for themselves, starting as toddlers. But I must admit – It takes SOOOO much longer that way. And the younger the children, the more steps you have to take to prepare the environment for small children to successfully do things themselves.

In the long run I know it is better this way.

That’s why in our new kitchen the girls will be packing their own lunches, the night before school, just after dinner.

My  8 year old was so excited Sunday night that she had her lunch packed before I finished my dinner. She packed her favorite hummus wraps, whole wheat flat bagels with cream cheese, and grapes. She asked me if that was a healthy lunch. We talked about having a grain, a protein, a fruit and a vegetable. Per our short conversation, she wrote her own guide on how to pack a good lunch and made a note to include carrots next time.

My 6 year old was eager to pack her lunch too. I stood by, making sure she was using the knife properly to cut the seeds out of the grapes, and that she was able to maneuver the apple cutter.

My 3 year old helped too, because she will not miss an opportunity to spread sunflower seed butter (it’s a nut free class due to allergies) on bread.

Adding to the fun of packing their lunches, was the excitement of being in our new kitchen – that we officially moved into this weekend. Consider the photo a sneak peek!

I know every night won’t be that easy, or fun. And we’ll have to bump up our dinnertime, to make time for lunch packing in order to keep a decent bedtime. But I think this new chore is worth it.

And I should admit, packing three lunches a day is not a chore I like doing. So bring on the helpers!

posted on by

Fighting off colds and fall sickness

These days we’ve found ourselves doing whatever we can to stay well, and avoiding sickness that surrounds this this time of year. For us this means more rest, more afternoons at home, visits to the salt spa, eucalyptus oil in dehumidifiers, lemon and honey tea, vitamin C drinks, antioxidant packed smoothies, my oldest girl waking me up at 5 am to help her do the neti pot, and lots of fresh air.

Here is where we spent our Friday evening, and Saturday morning, at  Knoxville’s Salt Spa.

I’ve written about the salt spa before when I detailed some of our favorite natural remedies for alergies in a post this past spring. Lots of the same things apply to fall colds and congestions. Also, here’s the recipe to our Immune Boosting Popsicles, a post on why we don’t get the flu shot, and how we lived to tell about it when we DID get the flu. Tis the season!

So far we have been able to ward off anything more serious, like the several cases of strep throat going around at school. And I hope it stays that way.

How are your kids holding up this fall?

posted on by

A Simple Moment

A Simple Moment is a post that appears here every Friday.
A photo I want to remember of a simple moment, with a few simple words.

If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link in the comment section for all to see and read.

My little girl had her first tool time at Gramps’ Workshop last weekend. I have to say, watching her swing that hammer with such determination and vengeance scared the dickens out me. But as a watchful mom, I did my best to not say a word.

A Simple Moment was inspired by SouleMama. Visit her site to see many more moments.

posted on by

Moms, take your kids and vote!

I make an effort to stay clear from anything political here – it’s just not that kind of platform.  But it’s voting day!! And moms don’t get a break from their kids to go vote.

Yes there is early voting in some states. But I still prefer the hoopla of voting day. It’s exciting to me.

Therefore I wanted to show my support for moms, by saying I have taken my kids with me to vote many, many times. 

There is a post over at The Stir laying out the 411 about taking your kids with you to vote. It never dawned on me that someone might think they are not allowed to take their children with them to vote. It did dawn on me that moms might not want to take their kids with them, and that it might deter them not to vote.

The Stir post brought back some voting memories. Starting eight years ago with my four-week-old baby and the time husband and I took turns going in to vote, with the other one staying in the car. I was a new mom then and the germ factor scared me.

Four years ago my husband and I took that four-year-old, and our two-year-old, voting with us to teach them a lesson and let them each push the big red “cast ballot”  button.

During the last four years I’ve voted alone with a new baby, a toddler and with all three of my kids in tow – like the time they had to stand outside my voting booth because we couldn’t all fit in it together!

My point is – kids grow up, eight years goes by very fast (there is an unintended policial joke in there whichever way you want to swing it), and working the mom job should not stop you from going out to vote. Moms go together, watch each other’s kids, or take them with you – just vote!!!

It’s only one day and it DOES make a difference.

posted on by

A Simple Moment

A Simple Moment is a post that appears here every Friday.
A photo I want to remember of a simple moment, with a few simple words.

If you are inspired to do the same, leave a link in the comment section for all to see and read.

A Simple Moment was inspired by SouleMama. Visit her site to see many more moments.

posted on by

The Girls Bathroom Reveal

Since January 2012, our historic 1918 craftsman house has been undergoing major renovations inside and out. Some of it has been documented here, under the Renovations Category. Final projects are wrapping up and it’s time to start revealing the new spaces.

The first completed space was the girls bathroom, shared by my three daughters ages 3, 5 and 8.

The bathroom was renovated as part of a total overhaul to the upstairs of the house that was gutted down to the exterior studs and framework, then put back together with modern insulation, HVAC and new walls. The bathroom was tripled in size by adding a dormer to the roofline. The locations of the bathtub/shower, toilet and sink were all reconfigured into a new layout, and the doorway was moved to make more room for the sink and three girls to stand in front of it.

Before the renovations, the upstairs bathroom was tiny! It did not have central heat and air. It had a small sink from the last time it was renovated when the owners choose to use plastic tiles on the walls in the 1950s. When we bought the house in 2005 there was no shower head. The old couple only took baths. The bathroom was not functional by modern day standards, and definitely didn’t work for three girls.

Until this renovation we were all five sharing one bathroom on the main level of the house – which was remodled in 2006 but kept it’s original size of only 5’x8′. So this (in addition to the two bedrooms we gained) was a much needed change!

Actually, it came down to the decision of do we renovate, or do we move? I’m glad we stayed. Because I would have never found a house with this bathroom designed so perfectly for our family.

The bathroom was was created around the sink, a cast-iron Brockway utility sink by Kohler – that I found on Pinterest. Special blocking was built into the studs of the wall to support sink, which weighs about 100 pounds.

The mirror above the sink is built into the wall, with the wainscoting. I have to thank our contractors on this design, at Clinch River Custom Builders. I explained my vision for the space and Simon, the carpenter working on the job, made it all happen. The shelf above the window is built in as well, designed to hold a curtian beneath it.

The schoolhouse sconces are from Destination Lighting.

I wrote about sewing the curtains here, from the shower curtain I bought on Ebay.

The footstool was a Goodwill find. I think it might have been an ottoman with a padded cushion at one time. I sanded it and put a clear water based stain on it. This is the MOST perfect footstool for the girls. They can all fit on it together to brush their teeth, and even my 8-year-old prefers this spot to brush her hair in the mornings.

The white cabinet was found at Homegoods. I bought the galvanized bins this sumer at World Market in their party section.

The floor tiles are 1 1/2″ hexagon tiles, unglazed, purchased at our local John Beretta Tile Company that has been in business since the same year our house was built. Which I think is really, really cool.

Classic white subway tile was used in the shower. With a shampoo ledge build into the space using a piece of gray marble we found in the basement left by the former owners. I believe it is Tennessee Marble, from a nearby quarry.

A very helpful associate at Ferguson’s (local folks, ask for Sharron Tiller) helped me find the right shower system the space. The rod is by Kohler, called Stillness, and it’s perfect because my children can easily adjust the height of the shower head themselves. Plus, it detaches with a long enough hose to help the little kids in the bathtub. The shower head is Bancroft, and the water pressure options are enjoyed by all the ages in our household. The bathtub is cast-iron, also by Kohler.

Here is the bathroom from a different angle, with hooks for towels and a separate wall for the toilet space.

The windows on this wall were built by our contractors, to be identical to the ones used on an existing dormer. I am very particular about renovating an old house the right way, and making everything look like it was meant to be there from the start. The windows were an important factor in that.

Lastly, here is our girls in action one morning standing at the sink getting ready for school. I must say the whole space has been a smashing success with our family! We are all thrilled with how it turned out.

Next up for renovation reveals will by the bedroom shared by my two youngest daughters – just as soon as I get the last four curtain panels sewn and up! After that will by the playbook in the upstairs landing, my oldest daughter’s room after I sew her comforter – and finally the kitchen and mudroom. That ought to keep me busy – and hopefully bring you back to read some more. 

If you like us – please – Like us on Facebook to stay informed about the next renovation reveal. Or – follow us on Twitter. 

Subscribe


 

Archives