Happy Halloween!!!

                   HAPPY HALLOWEEN

DIY Tray

You know how I mentioned that I needed to buy a tray to put on top of the storage cube I bought the other night.....well, Mom just happened to find the cutest idea on Pinterest for a DIY tray! Why did I think I had to buy a plain old brown wooden tray from Pier 1 {at $40 bucks I might add}, when I can make a one of a kind tray? Here are a few options:

I like the first one best. All you need is a frame {any size, and doesn't have to be new}, some paint, a piece of fabric or paper to go inside, and 2 handles{new or some you might already have}. I have the frame, paint, and fabric, so I can get started this week. I'll pick up some hardware when I get to Lowes later this week. Here is the tutorial for the first tray from a fellow blogger Lemon Tree Creations.
A saw another idea that I loved using a cabinet door. This idea came from another fellow blogger at The Little Brown House.  Here is the DIY Tray Tutorial for this one:

I also came across this oval frame tray that I thought would look cute on a bathroom vanity or a dresser in the bedroom. This one doesn't have handles, but it has beads glued to the bottom of it to make it look footed. Love it!

So, thanks to Mom & Pinterest!!! I can now get busy making my frame tray......who wants this

when they can have this

I'll post pictures of my DIY Frame Tray as soon as it's complete!!!

Weekend Catch-Up 10/29

This week was all about fall cleaning and Halloween parties, and Halloween parties, and more Halloween parties!!! WoW! When did Halloween become a two-week event??? I do love Halloween though, it's such a fun time for everyone.

MONDAY - a gorgeous fall day- sunny and in the 60's. I started fall cleaning our bedroom.
TUESDAY - another nice day, warm & breezy, I finished cleaning our bedroom. I'm amazed at how much "stuff" ends up in our bedroom closet. Somehow, our bedroom becomes the catch-all place for things that need to find a home or to be put in the attic. I had to make peanut butter candy for the school party. Nathan had college day today and went to his Halloween party.
WEDNESDAY- more cleaning {no, I am not planning on fall cleaning forever!!} I spent most of today, just getting caught up on laundry, and picking up and putting away "stuff" that is all over our house. I've come to the conclusion that we have wayyyyyy too much stuff!! Mom often uses the word SIMPLIFY....that's exactly what I need to start doing.....SIMPLIFY things! We got Logan's our computer back from the repair shop. It is LIKE NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy to have my own computer again. {we've been using Nathan's Netbook, and well, you know about sharing a computer with a teen-they really don't like to share!!!}

Okay......now I'm happy!!! :O) {don't notice all the cords, I'm still trying to make those look a little neater}
THURSDAY - beautiful day, high 70's. Cleaning our den. Logan called and said it was 28 degrees and snowing in Albany, NY. OMG!! Snow in October?? Gonna be a long, cold winter! I went to a Signature Homestyles party.... see post here . More Halloween parties at school, elementary this time, so I skipped going to watch.
FRIDAY- well the beautiful fall weather left us today, temps in the 50's!! Much to my dismay, Peter turned on the heat! It's October for heaven's sake....just go put a sweater on...LOL I would rather layer on the clothes than turn the heat on.
Well, you guessed it......I did MORE fall cleaning today!!! I worked all day in our den...I rearranged the furniture and it looks so much better. The sofa in this room will be the one going into my our new room as soon as we pick one out to replace it. Peter and I are going away for a few nights next week, so we'll get a chance to do some shopping. Other than a new sofa, I would like to find a pretty lamp to replace the once bright gold, now painted black, very dated lamp that I've now drawn attention to in the picture below!! LOL Peter and I skipped the PTA Halloween party tonight, but Mom said it was a big turn-out and lots of fun.

SATURDAY - A very rainy, windy, chilly morning! Nathan woke up starving, so I fixed him some pancakes and a strawberry smoothie. YUMMY!!!

yes....they are Mickey Mouse pancakes:O)

I put a chicken in the oven, and other than doing a few loads of laundry, I think this is gonna be a lazy day here at our house!! Tomorrow: church, football- although the Bears have a bye week :O( and some computer time....maybe even a nap!! Life is Good!!!

Happy Birthday Lady Liberty!!!!

I have only been to New York one time in my life, and unfortunately, it didn't include a visit to see the Statue of Liberty. Logan just happened to be in NY this week and got close enough to snap this picture as he passed by it while steering his tugboat through the harbor. Today marks the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, which was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986.
To mark the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, 125 immigrants from 46 countries were sworn in as United States citizens during a ceremony Friday. The naturalization ceremony on Liberty Island kicked off a daylong celebration of the dedication of the statue in 1886, which has welcomed millions of new immigrants to America on their way to Ellis Island. For her birthday this year, Lady Liberty is getting a high-tech uplift. Five webcams attached to the torch held high in New York harbor will offer views not seen by the public in nearly a century.
The webcams went live during a ceremony on Liberty Island, from computers afar, viewers were able to watch live video streams of traffic, boats and airplanes in high-resolution panoramic images showing the Manhattan skyline, the city's borough of Brooklyn and neighboring New Jersey.
Officials closed the torch to the public in 1916 during World War One, following an explosion at a nearby munitions depot, blamed on German saboteurs, that damaged the statue.
It was a day of events today on Liberty Island to mark the anniversary, including a reading of Emma Lazurus' poem "The New Colossus" by actress Sigourney Weaver and renditions of both the French and U.S. national anthems.
After the celebration, access to the statue's interior, including its crown, will be closed for about a year while the statue is renovated, although Liberty Island will remain open to visitors. About 3 million people visit the Statue of Liberty per year.

this photo and some info copied from the web

5Q Friday - Oct 28

1. Do you prefer cotton, silk, or flannel sheets? Cotton, preferably Egyptian Cotton.

2. What time zone are you in? Eastern

3. What is your favorite part of the holiday season? Spending time with family.

4. What is your favorite "wintry" drink? (It doesn't have to be an "alcoholic" drink!) I love hot chocolate w/lots of whipped cream!

5. In your opinion, what is the worst job in the world?

Two that popped in my mind, although I know they aren't the "worst" jobs, was trash collector or taxi driver. Trash collector for the obvious reasons, and taxi driver, well, can you imagine all the weird characters that might hop in your cab! {shiver}

Destination Disney-The Letter "R"

River Boat

Rafiki

Even rain at Disney isn't bad!Remy

Rhinos

Big Thunder Mountain RailroadRock 'n Roller Coaster

Rainforest Cafe'

Rabbit

Storage Cube

I've been looking for a small table/trunk/chest, something to put in front of the sofa in the new room. I didn't want anything too big or bulky, just big enough to put your feet up on, or a place to put your drink or snack. I went to a Signature Homestyle party tonight and found just the thing!! I bought the storage cube- I got it in espresso brown and I think it will look great with the espresso bean painted furniture I have in there. It measures 16"x 16"x16" and has a lid. I'm going to buy a tray to sit on top of it. Love it!!!

Thoughtful Thursday

Yikes!!! Makes you think twice about eating all that Halloween candy!

Hoo Are You......Oct 25

This week's Hoo Are You is all about FALL......
1. Do you like the season, Fall? It's my favorite season!!!
2. What is your favorite fall smell? All of the wonderful smells of cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

3, What is your favorite activity to do in the fall? I love picking out pumpkins and mums to decorate with. As far as activities, I like the Halloween parties and trick-or-treaters.
4. Do you dress in fall colors during the season? I do start wearing more fall-y colors, and I love pulling out the jeans and sweaters.
5. Name 4 qualities about yourself that start with each letter in the word FALL!
(It's ok to brag yourself up)
F- Friendly

A- Affectionate

L- Loves Life

L- Likeable, and in some cases, even lovable...LOL

Room Re-do part 4

Curtains are hung...............what's next???



This wall has a corner cabinet that is painted Espresso Bean by Behr paints. I want to put some pretty colored storage boxes, books, and a few collectibles in the top part of this cabinet. The bottom part will hold my scrapbook albums.
The sofa will go on this wall. As soon as we get the new sofa for our living room, we'll put our old one here. It still looks pretty good, it has a neutral colored slipcover on it. I'm going to have some pillows made from the aqua & chartreuse fabric I got from Hobby Lobby to spruce it up.
I kept the dresser that was Nathan's in this room as kind of an entry table. It has tons of storage-perfect for holding all of my scrapbook/craft supplies. It was already painted as well, and I thought it looked so good with the white & blue, so I kept it that color. I plan to add lamps {maybe a polished silver finish}, and a few accessories. I have a vintage round mirror to put over it and I've ordered 2 oval mirrors from the At Home America party I went to a few weeks ago. The room is really coming together, even better that I imagined! I still haven't found a desk chair yet, but I'm working on that. The only thing I don't love about the room is the HUGE silver and black tv........but it has to stay for now. It still works fine and has a great picture, so I guess I'll just have to get over how big it is.....LOL.

Weekend Catch Up-10/23

Ask me if this has been a long, hectic, all-out-of-sorts week......yep, it most definitely has been. Let's recap:
MONDAY- the carpenter shows up mid-afternoon to start the repair {note I say repair as this will be important later} on the soft place in our bathroom floor.......by the time he left, both the toilet and the sink were sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. :O( What started as a simple floor "repair" turned into a complete redo! Peter took his Mom to the doctor, Mom came over to help me finish some odds & ends in the room I'm redoing. Nathan had volleyball practice tonight for the tournament this weekend.
TUESDAY- carpenter comes over to start the "repair", and after peeling away the old linoleum and top layer of sub floor, he finds more water damage........which led to ripping out the entire bathroom floor. Mom had us over for dinner {which was the best part of the whole week!!}, then we went to the Hi-Y's Haunted Trail. The weather was gorgeous today, a perfect fall day!
WEDNESDAY- it rained all day....carpenter working in bathroom....slow, but sure.....Mom cooked another awesome meal for us today.....did I mention that this is the highlight of the week? Nathan had practice and then movie night at youth group. They had pizza & watched Soul Surfer. What an inspiring movie, if you haven't seen it yet, please give it a try.
THURSDAY- today was very blustery!! Peter took Nathan to the orthodontist. Braces still not off, they gave him another 6 weeks. Oh well, she's not taking them off until they are perfect, right? Carpenter here today, floor finally in.....slow, but sure! Highlight of the day.....chicken & dumplings at Mom's! Yummy!!! Nathan had practice again tonight.
FRIDAY- will this carpenter ever finish???????????????????? I distracted myself today by fall cleaning our bedroom minus the closet which I'll get to next week. Volleyball tournament tonight- Nathan's team ended up 1-2.

SATURDAY- is the end in sight????? If I could just get the toilet out of the kitchen! I did a few things around the house, did laundry, made peanut butter candy for the tournament, just tried to stay busy so that my nerves didn't get the best of me. Dinner at Mom's....lasagna {again, yummy!} then time to head to the gym for volleyball games. Bathroom pretty much put back together. I left Peter helping carpenter at 6 p.m., since Nathan's game was first and he wanted at least one of us there. Peter showed up around 7 p.m.......the job was complete! :O) We enjoyed the rest of the night watching the games. Nathan's team was eliminated, but he had a great weekend playing volleyball and being with his friends. I came home after the games and started cleaning up the bathroom, starting with the tub....I couldn't wait to get a hot bubble bath! I'll share more pictures of our completed bathroom soon!!

SUNDAY - I woke up to Peter cooking breakfast. Now I don't think I've mentioned this before, but Peter never cooks. I have always dreamed that one day he would become interested in cooking, and finally, after 28 years of marriage, his interest has finally sparked! He has cooked breakfast the past few Sundays {which I absolutely LOVE} and we have been talking about maybe the three of us cooking together once a week, I think the kitchen is a great place to spend time together don't you? After Sunday school & church, we settled in for our day of football. The Bears beat the Bucs 24-18.
We did some ribs on the grill for dinner. Talked with Logan, who is back at work. He's been on anchor since he got on the boat Weds. He is so ready to get moving! The upcoming week looks really busy with lots of Halloween parties and more fall cleaning for me to get done. Peter and I are hoping to go away for a few nights soon-a much needed get away!