thoughts and musings

It's Friday and this is my first blog post of the week.

They call me an overachiever for a reason, my friends.

Truthfully, we really haven't been up to a whole lot around our neck of the woods recently.  And I'm totally happy with that.  The only downside is that it doesn't give me a whole heck of write about on the blog.  But I'll take that over the stresses of the school year any day.  I do have several DIY projects on my mind and my birthday is right around the corner... so stay tuned, folks :)

Today, we'll play our normal game of "catch-up" with some of my random thoughts and musings included along the way...

First of all, a belated Father's Day wish to my Daddy.  He's one of a kind and I'm so very thankful for him!

I have often wondered to myself whether it is frowned upon to join my preschoolers during naptime.  It is so very tempting!

Housewife problem... the ring of grease left in the washer after cleaning your husband's work clothes.  The man literally looks like he has rolled around in grease every day.  Thank the Lord for bleach, vinegar, and Magic Erasers... my secret for making the ring disappear.

My cousins are the cutest... but they are growing up way too fast!  Lily got herself a Topper Girl dress and Gracyn decided to photobomb by climbing on a nearby table.

She starts Kindergarten in the Fall and found the perfect backpack for the occasion.  I cannot believe she is about to start school!

Sunsets are the prettiest here in KY.  I admit that I crouched in our wheat to get this... and it was worth it.

I'm not sure what took me so long to hop aboard the "I Need Coffee" train every day.  Enter the Starbucks Mocha Light Frappe.  100 calories.  Not too strong.  Happy girl!

DIY chalkboards look best on a shelf near the front door.  I made this one out of an old cabinet door from a local thrift shop.  Chalkboard paint is one of the best investments I've ever made.

How is it that Pandora always knows what song to play at the right moment?  This came on the other night while I was finishing up my workout... just what I needed to push through.

And, finally, I marked another item off my Summer Bucket List... I made my first batch of homemade ice cream over the weekend.  I was quite impressed.  Absolutely delicious!

 

Here's to a good weekend, friends! :)

SPD: DIY Michael's Crate Storage Center

Alright, y'all.  I'm so excited to share this DIY project with you! 

 

Here's some background info.  Hubs started living in our house on the farm a year before we got married.  As with any new homeowner, some pieces of furniture were put on the back burner as being unnecessary for the time being.  For us, it was an entertainment/storage center near the TV. 

 

Fast forward about a year and half.  We've been married nearly 8 {wow!} months and I had enough of the whole wires hanging everywhere deal.  Since they don't give you a paycheck during student teaching, we were on a limited budget so I knew a DIY project was in order.  I consulted Pinterest and this beauty immediately caught my eye.

 

{original pin}

 

And so I was inspired.

 

Here's what you need for this project:

 

Krylon WoodStain - Earthen Brown.  (I used 3 cans.)  This stuff is awesome... it's like wood stain spray paint so you don't waste time using a brush.

 

 

Michael's Wooden Carry-All Crates.  (I used 6 crates.)

Step one. 
Lay out all crates in a ventilated area... preferably with some type of tarp/paper underneath it.

Step two. 
Shake the Krylon WoodStain well and spray onto crates until you reach your desired color.  I recommend using a little, letting dry, then adding more if you need to.  A little goes a long way with this stain!

Step three. 
Allow your crates to dry overnight.  The can says that it will be ready in about an hour but I really recommend giving them plenty of time to dry so that you don't get any smudges on your pretty stained crates.

Step four.
You can finally bring your crates inside and assemble them!  Some of the tutorials I read bolted the crates together.  Fortunately for us, the crates were all level and we felt it wasn't necessary to bolt them together.  This also gives us the option to rearrange them in the future if we want.

Once the crates are arranged and assembled, pretty them up with your belongings.  I used lots of items from our wedding... our guest book, my bouquet, the unity candles, redneck wine glass, and the lantern that was on the mantle behind us.  I also included the stitchery that my mom handmade for us as a wedding present.  It was also used on the mantle in our wedding.  Some fresh flowers, painted mason jar, and our telephone complete the piece. 

Off to the side, there is a quilt that is very special to us.  Nathan's great-grandmother made this for us as a wedding present.  She passed many years before we actually got married but made sure she completed it before it was her time to go.  I had the pleasure to know her and am so grateful that she is still a part of our lives through this quilt.

This is a snapshot (before and after) of the area.  You can see how terrible those cords were.  Praise Jesus they are now gone!  I love this piece so much :)

So how much did it cost?!  From my calculations, this project was less than $75.  Much cheaper than buying a piece of furniture anywhere.  I used coupons for the crates at Michael's and, lucky for me, the stain was on clearance at Michael's when I bought the crates.  Total win-win.

Now go forth and link up, ladies!

my week via the iPhone

I really wonder how we ever documented our lives before the iPhone and Instagram came around.  Let us be thankful for them.

 

I may be partial but I think we live in the most beautiful place in the world.  I take one every week but here's another sunset picture for you guys.  The clouds are just perfect.

 

In other news, Mother Nature is still undecided as to what season it is.  Frost at the end of April?!?  Kill me now.

I'm a total fan of #tbt - aka Throwback Thursdays.  Here was mine from this week.  Sixteen, driver's permit... and a perm.

It was Prom at home this weekend and I happened to dig up pictures from all four years that Nate and I went together.  I think we aged pretty well during those years ;)

The boys went on their first bow fishing adventure over the weekend so my friend, Elizabeth, and I had a girl's night in.  I helped out the bride-to-be with some of her centerpieces.  Here's what we started with....

And here's what we ended up with.  I am pretty darn proud of them.  I'm not florist, by any means, but I feel like I can DIY just about anything after surviving my wedding ;) 
She is going to have three different types of centerpieces for her wedding so I'm glad I got to help her cross this off the list!

And that's that.  Happy Monday, y'all... and here's to a great week!

recent obsessions

1.  Healthy Choice Frozen Greek Yogurt - dark fudge swirl.  Let me say that I was a bit hesitant to try this because I am not a fan of regular greek yogurt.  But something must happen when they freeze it because this stuff rocks!  And ya can't beat 100 calories, friend.

 

2.  Fiber One Oats and Chocolate Granola Bar.  I forgot how yummy these things are!  They've kept my hunger at bay while I've been at home on Spring Break.  And I promise that's not an easy task.

3.  Baking Soda.  A little strange to be obsessed with baking soda?  Let me explain.  I have been using about a quarter size of this in addition to my regular cleanser for the past few weeks.  I was put on steroids while I had mono and let's just say that steroids wreak havoc on pretty much everything in your body.  Including acne.  So I started using this in order along with my cleanser (just mixing them together) to make sure my face was getting scrubbed clean.  Something must be working!  I also have a hunch that the baking soda helps with oily skin.  Maybe it absorbs it?!  IONO.  But I hace seen a difference and recommend it!

4.  The Big Bang Theory.  Why did it take my husband and I so long to jump on this band wagon?  We have really been missing out and are thoroughly enjoying catching up via DVR.

  
5.  Ashley Monroe and Dustin Lynch.  Get their CDs asap, folks!  They will not disappoint.

6.  And, finally, March Madness.  Even though my team (UK) was absolutely pathetic in the postseason, you can bet that I'm still enjoying each game.  I've even downloaded the app.  Basketball is religion here in Kentucky... even if we didn't even make the tourney.  *sigh*

7.  Suave Moroccan Oil Infused Hair Care.  I cannot tell y'all how much I love this shampoo.  After the first wash, I could immediately tell that my hair was thicker, softer, and just plain healthier.  This stuff may soon be replacing my beloved Organix shampoo.  Get some ASAP!

sunday social

1.  What's your favorite outfit pin?
For the warmer months...

For the colder months...

I love simple.  I love layers.  And I couldn't live without my jeans.

2.  What's your favorite food pin?
I've tried several recipes from Pinterest and most have been fine.  However, one recipe I've tried stands out and made its way into our weekly rotations... Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot BBQ Chicken.  For real, try it.

3.  What's your favorite wedding pin?
This was the pin that inspired the overall look I was going for on our wedding day.  It's just perfection to me. 

I found this article just a few weeks after we got married and it remains my favorite that I've read on the internet.  It made me look at things in a new perspective.  I often revisit and reread it because I love it so much!

4.  What's your favorite DIY/craft pin?
This triangle quilt caught my eye the minute I saw it.  I love the colors and I haven't seen many quilts use this pattern.  I have a goal to make a quilt over the summer and this is my inspiration!

5.  What's your favorite quote/verse/lyric pin?
I couldn't pick just one...

6.  Share one more random pin you love.

Because Luke Bryan really is what's important.

Happy Sunday, y'all!

um, the past month of my life... recap.

Holy cow.  It has been over a month since my last post.  Not because I lost interest... but because I literally couldn't find the time in the day to sit down and write a blog post.  Lesson plans and the Teacher Work Sample recently consumed my life.

 

However, I really can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know this is all almost over :)

 

Now to more important things... allow me to recap the past month of my life in pictures.

 

1.  For some reason, at the end of February, I had the urge to go all natural... brunette.  I'm not sure if it was the meds from Mono that caused this urge but I did it.  (see proof below)

 

And then a whole 3 days later, I went blonde again just in time for March.  I tried, I really did.  I got compliments but it just wasn't me.  Apparently I am just supposed to have color-treated hair. 

Oh, and a big shout-out to Revlon hair color.  I chose to spend $7 and try the at-home color method.  I was nervous but it turned out to be quite foolproof.  I'm blonde - not orange - and that's about all a girl can ask for!

2.  I wrapped up my first placement of student teaching with my 2nd graders by finishing our "Grammar Garden"...

 ... and got a surprise party from the kiddos!  They gave me cupcakes, classroom supplies, and a book full of notes and pictures.  It melted my heart.  Those little ones were tough and gave me a run for my money most days, but they are the sweetest things and taught me so much.

On another note, my second placement is absolutely wonderful!  I cannot wait to finish out my student teaching with these 5th graders.  They are a great group!

3.  Marriage is still ever-so-exciting.  Nate's reaction below sums it up ;)

For real, though, I love always having somebody around that I can post embarassing pictures of on Facebook.  I mean, when ya fall asleep early, you're just asking for it.  He's a mighty good sport!  We are celebrating our 7 year dating anniversary today... and nearly 6 months of marriage.  It has been an amazing ride :)

4.  I finally took down my Christmas wreath (don't judge!) and made a wreath more Spring appropriate.

With the exception of the white flowers, it is made of items used for decor at our wedding.  I have to admit that it turned out great!  Now I just need to find a rug for our porch that doesn't have Christmas trees.  Suggestions, people!

5.  Wedding season is starting!!! :)
We showered our friends, Brent and Jess, a couple weeks ago.  They are getting married in a couple short months and received so many things to begin their lives together. 

(I have to admit that it's nice to be on the other side of weddings now.  Planning and paying for my wedding was more than enough to last me the rest of my life!)

And, of course, the boys can't go anywhere without getting into some kind of mischief.  Our friend, Jake, locked his keys in his truck at their shower.  So they had to make a trip to Wal-Mart for wire hangers and somehow managed to break-in.  Keep in mind that it was pouring rain at this time too.  This picture was taken in the dry climate of my car while sharing laughter with the girls.  I sometimes wonder if my sole purpose in life is just to document the crap they get into.  Gotta admit, it sure is entertaining ;)

6.  The pups become more spoiled each day.  How can you say no to these faces?!

 7.  Spring break has arrived for this girl!  The district that I'm student teaching in is a year-round school system so we receive two weeks for this break.  And, let me tell ya, I am beyond excited for this break.  My face pretty much sums up my emotions about it.

And that piece of paper on the right is my to-do list for the break.  I am now halfway done with it.  The inside of our home has now been deep-cleaned for Spring.  What a relief!  Today, I'm looking forward to some dinner and shopping with my friend, Nicole.  Then tomorrow, I get to pick up my cap and gown for graduation. Six and a half weeks, y'all!

8.  Finally, it looks as though Mother Nature will be cooperating the rest of my break and may actually throw in some spring weather.  Considering the fact that it has snowed the past two days, I'm ready.  And so is the rest of the state of Kentucky.

9.  What's coming up on my blog?  The final wedding recap pictures, recent obsession, spring/summer bucket list, Easter recap (I heart Easter!), and a few DIY projects that the Hubs and I have tackled.  :)

It feels good to be back, my friends.  Happy hump day!