Book Picks

When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite ways to whittle away a Saturday was snuggled in our overstuffed chair between stacks of books.  (Actually, this would still be my weekend preference, but life is a tad more demanding now.)  I would literally finish one and pick up another.  It was like Pringles—once you pop, you can’t stop.  Man, I sooo hope my kids love reading!  Boredom is simply never an issue when there are books to be read.  Anyway, while visiting my folks recently, one of my cousins (Josh, are you out there?)mentioned that he’d read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, which is written by Laura Hillenbrand, author of one of my favorite books, Seabiscuit.  He recommended it highly, plus it was already on my Goodreads list, so I decided to check it out.  It was amazing.  In fact, I really can’t recommend this book highly enough.  The only problem is that you will disappear for a few days, and your husband will be bummed when you refuse to hang out with him because you are completely riveted. 

If you’re looking for another compelling read, I would also suggest Brother Andrew’s book, God’s Smuggler, which is an autobiographical account of one man’s work behind the Iron Curtain.  Your faith will be strengthened.  Also, I can’t recall if I’ve mentioned it before, but Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are left me with quite a heart check this year.  Definitely a book to read, give away—rinse and repeat. 

Any good book recommendations out there? 

P.S. Since every post needs a photo…here are some of my recent favs, completely unstaged.

Pressed up against the sliding glass door…

He had to endure a few extra seconds of being stuck while I snapped these photos…then I rescued him.  : )

Playin’ around at the park…

Indoor skateboarding with his pal…this didn’t last too long.  : )

Pool time!  This was Liam’s first swim, and he was a champ!

Attitude = 100%

After waking up at 5 am to catch an 8:30 am flight from Denver to Chicago-Midway last weekend, I found myself remembering my great uncle Harold’s words of wisdom about attitude.  Did I mention that I was traveling alone with a 10 month old? 

To make a long story short, our incoming plane was delayed getting into Denver due to bad weather in Kansas, and since they apparently couldn’t find another crew or plane, we ended up leaving DIA around noon, rather than the original 8:30 am take-off time.  Liam missed his morning nap (which is essential to keeping us sane), and I was down to a handful of diapers and a limited supply of baby-friendly food.  Basically, all of my fears about traveling alone with an infant were coming true, and I worried that Liam might have a meltdown in our very confined space on the plane and we would be those people.  Even worse, what if we had to spend all day in the airport, only to find that our flight was cancelled (there were plenty of people in this predicament from an earlier storm, and they were cashed out all over DIA)?  Then the light bulb went off. 

Self.  You are the adult.  Your attitude will determine much about this situation.  Liam actually doesn’t seem to mind being in the airport.  In fact, he’s practically having the time of his life being social with anyone and everyone in the vicinity.  That glass?  Perfect for licking and people watching from above the terminal.  Those walls?  Very few electrical outlets to be concerned with.  The floors?  Dirty as all get out, but plenty of new space to explore.  Now pull yourself together and relax.  You’re only borrowing trouble. 

So I did what all good moms do when they’re desperate.  I took pictures. 

In the end, Liam didn’t sleep a wink, but he was happy the entire time we waited in the airport and during the flight.  Looking back, the extra hours were quite short in the scheme of things—although it seemed an eternity in that moment.  Still, I realized that once I was able to let go of my original expectations, the situation became significantly more bearable.  I sense that this is a significant lesson in parenting, as so often our kids are affected by our own attitudes.  Can you relate? 

In case you’re wondering, if you add up the letters in the word “attitude,” they equal 100% (a=1, t=20, etc).  Thanks for the words of wisdom, Uncle Harold.  They come to mind more often than you’ll ever know. 

And just for fun, here are some shots from a few weeks ago.  After all, someone other than me needs to appreciate them.  : ) 

Whatcha Chalkin’ About?

There’s been a little addition to our basement stairwell.  See that ugly old electrical box?   It needed something to hide behind…  Welcome, oh long awaited chalkboard!

After a quick prepping of the surface (I followed these instructions), he was ready to go.

I would have loved to DIY this baby, but sadly, the paint itself would have cost more than this piece altogether, not to mention the time involved.  Perhaps I’ll make one down the road, but for now, I’m thoroughly enjoying our new store-bought art (from Homegooods, if you were wondering).  Hurray for finally covering up our old electrical box!  Goodbye ugly, hello happy. 

Since we already have a memo board on our fridge, I plan to use this space for my favorite quotes.  Check out our current inspiration.

What are you chalkin’ about these days?  : )

Bummin’ Around

Hi, family.  This one is for you.  Mom, hopefully it will tide you over for one more week.  : ) 

Thrifting

Happy Monday, all!  We had a great weekend—just the right amount of activity + relaxation.  I also had a bit of alone time *gasp* since Matt decided to take Liam for a hike on Saturday morning—love that they got in some male bonding.  Oh, those cheesy mugs…

Liam and I had just hiked together on Friday afternoon, so I wasn’t all that jazzed to wake at the crack of dawn for a chilly blitz up Barr Trail, but I was more than happy to enjoy a quiet morning thrifting around town at my local favorites, the ARC (they mark nearly everything to 50% off on Saturdays) and Habitat for Humanity’s Restore.  While out and about, I snagged a few photos of some items that caught my eye.  Obviously many of these are in need of cosmetic upgrades, but since I mainly look for good lines (as in, the shape and design of a piece)  when thrifting, I thought some of my finds were worth sharing. 

They had two of these huge bowls, and I loved the cut-outs.  Sadly, they were waaay more pricey than most pieces I find at the ARC, but they still make nice eye candy.

I have picked up several of these little cloches over the years, as they make great accents.  I always paint or stain the wood piece to freshen it up.

This binder was brand new (originally from Target), and I loved the design. 

I was super impressed to see four extra-long pinch-pleat curtains on the rack; it’s always nice to see high quality items, and since there was a set of four, they could definitely be used to outfit an entire room. 

Bamboo frames are one of my favorite finds, and this one was nice and large.  With new art, and possibly some colorful paint, this would make a fun wall statement.  Keep in mind that you can always paint over the old matting, too.

This lumbar pillow in a funky ikat print was a happy find.

I spy me some Pottery Barn cushions…  Since these are white, they can be bleached and laid out in the sun for a quick brightening.  And of course, I love finding full sets of matching name-brand items (there were six of them).

This classic chair would be super chic in a new upholstery.  It looks like a fairly straight-forward DIY job that reminds me of when I recovered this lovely lady. 

I fell pretty hard for this octagon table’s unique shape.  What a steal at $20!  Wouldn’t she be pretty in a soft gray surrounded by upholstered parsons chairs in a dining room?  Or maybe an eclectic yellow with mismatched chairs to be used as a game table… 

This long wicker bench boasted storage space inside, and the cushion could easily be removed, as it wasn’t in the greatest shape.

The clean lines and simple feet of this mid-century modern dresser drew me in (sorry, I couldn’t get a good picture, since it was crammed between lots of other furniture—it had about six drawers and peg feet), along with the interesting pulls.

Birds—love ‘em.  This wooden one nearly made it home with me, but I resisted…

I found some cool lights at the Restore.  This one was sooo sweet and would be adorable in a little girl’s room or a powder bath. 

Massive lantern lights are all the rage right now, and I really dig their craftsman look.  There were two of these, and I think they would make a great pair over a long dining room table.  I would definitely spray paint them, as the shiny brass look isn’t my favorite, but again, it’s a quick and easy fix.  Priced at $30 each, you’ve got yourself some serious lighting for a great deal.

This guy was much smaller and would look cool in a boy’s room or hanging from an outdoor pergola.

At just $4 a pop, these outdoor lights would be dapper painted an oil-rubbed bronze.

Brainstorming ways to beautify old, used items gets me all giddy, but since I have limited cash and time to work on projects, this was the next best thing.  I will definitely be taking my camera on more thrifting excursions! 

If you were to pick from this virtual thrift store, what item would you buy? 

Brass Sass

Hunting for bargains is one of my favorite ways to while away an hour, but those are rare moments these days.  Happily, the other day I poked into Homegoods for about fifteen minutes (which is quite a feat in itself) and stumbled upon this beaut.

I know what some of you are thinking.  Brass?  Really?! 

Before you completely write me off, did I mention that it was $10?  That’s right.  Ten big ones for an extra-large, weighty, softly brushed brass (it’s even prettier and softer in real life) fixture boasting craftsman details.  I promise this is not a paid advertisement. 

I did a triple take when I saw the price tag.  The pile of stickers showed that it had been marked down about six times; my theory is that people were afraid of it because the top of the light appears unfinished…like it’s missing pieces that might be necessary for hanging. 

So I looked it up online when I got home, and it turns out this is a flush-mount light from Robert Abbey’s collection.  It normally costs (gasp!) $500, and even when sold “cheaply,” it’s typically sold in the high $300s.  That’s what I call a steal. 

My options: Leave light as is OR spray paint the metal a different finish (such as oil-rubbed bronze or even a punchy blue or red) and someday grace a laundry/mud room, porch ceiling, hallway, or bedroom with its presence (meaning it will not likely be hung in our current house).  If all else fails, I’ll sell it for more than $10 and thank my lucky stars that I didn’t dismiss it while wandering down the clearance aisle. 

If you’re still wondering about brass, here are a few ways it’s bringing charming patina back into homes.

Mimsie and Popsie

You asked for it (well, at least one of you did…), so we are trying out our first video on the blog today.  Gma Mimsie and Gpa Popsie—this one’s for you. 

 

Just for the record, Liam thinks it is super funny whenever we say “Popsie” or “Mimsie.”  It’s becoming a guaranteed giggle around here.  I think you know what that means, oh family of mine.  Yup.  Mimsie and Popsie are here to stay.  : )