My very first decoupage.

The time has come to reveal my latest weekend project!! My very generous aunt called me before a trip to Goodwill and asked if I wanted an old little dresser than her kids no longer use. I don't know what it is in me, but whenever there's an opportunity to save a family item...I always say yes. This could become an issue down the road...hoarder in the making maybe. That's a post for another day... don't tell my husband. ;)

For the past few weekends I worked on refinishing the dresser little by little. I started by sanding it down and adding a fresh coat of white paint. I picked a shade that matches our baby's crib perfectly. My first intentions were to paint the top of the dresser to match the espresso trim of the crib, but quickly discovered that stain was a better option. Unfortunately stain just wouldn't work. So I jumped online to look for the latest trend and discovered my newest obsession: mod podge.

I will say I was a little nervous to use Mod Podge for the first time on a family item, but I'm really glad I went for it!! I bought a piece of inexpensive fabric and cut it to fit the entire dresser top. Followed the Mod Podge instructions and POOF... a master piece. 

The process was a lot easier than expected:

• Sand
• Paint
• Sand again.
• Apply Mod Modge & fabric piece.
• Wait.
• Apply more Mod Modge.
• Wait again.
• Sand....again :/
• More Mod Modge...more sanding...again, and again, and again..

I'm really the instant gratification type so waiting for mod podge to dry & sanding various layers were probably my least favorite parts of the project.

• Finally I sprayed the top with a clear acryilic sealer & added the new drawer pulls. 
• Time to be proud and for the moment only answer to, "DIY Mom!!!'

Time to give thanks for giving.

Mother nature sure welcomed us to the month of November today! It's freezing cold outside and I have the most annoying head cold around. Every tissue box in our house is empty which consequently means that every trash can is over flowing....(one thing my husband absolutely dislikes of me).

Maybe I should pledge that I will empty the bathroom trash more often and promise to always replace TP roll in 2013. I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, but my husband is the most deserving man that this world has ever seen. He's seriously one of those "nice" guys that women seem to think don't exist. I pretty much feel like I owe him the world and at this point, restocking the TP roll would mean just as much to him.

Last December we officially became parents!! I've heard some stories about first time dads and let me tell you....my husband is the best of them. He is the most generous father I know. From the beginning he has been hands on and proud of fatherhood. He changed the baby's very first poopie diaper and gave him his very first bath. To this day, he does absolutely anything and everything that he could possibly do in order to help take care of our son. Diapers, baths, dressing, playing, feeding, last minute shopping, you name it....he does it. (The only thing he doesn't do is breastfeed, but he's the first person to keep to my schedule and make sure that we have everything that we need to do so). I can't explain how thankful I am for all of the love and support he provides for this family.

My husband deserves an award, metal, or some type of noble prize. I couldn't be where I am today without every bit of his support. He gets me through rough times and brings me up when I'm sad. If I need someone to make me laugh, he's the one. If I'm lonely, he drives with me to work. If I'm tired, he brings me a coffee (In addition, if I am not feeling well he brings me an Italian soda..yummm). We smuggle up to movie nights, eat dinner together as often as we can, and spend countless hours enjoying quality time with our son.....together.

Together...that's a huge factor in why my husband is so amazing. We both work full time jobs and in a lot of cases, we work opposite shifts. There are many nights during the month when he isn't home or days when he is working overtime. His job is not really a job at all, it's a lifestyle and I've been given the chance to view life from a completely different perspective as a result. With all the long hours and late nights, our family is still together. He works ten or more hour shifts sometimes miles and miles away from home, but somehow he makes it feel like he is always here. No matter how much my husband works, he is still here for his family and that is what I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for the best husband, better father, and most amazing person that I share my life with. He deserves everything to the moon and back....so maybe I'll start restocking the TP roll when it runs out. ;)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Well here we are again.....day light savings!!!! This morning everyone claimed their extra hour of sleep with the exception of all the parents out there who have tiny little minis that pay no attention to our watches. Our baby woke up just before 6am today and I felt myself needing a nap by 10am. So of course on an exhausting day of traveling, cleaning, and playing I decided to round up the baby and head to Walmart at 5pm on a Sunday. When I pulled into the parking lot I immediately knew it wasn't one of my greatest ideas, but we made the best of it!!!

Our trip to Walley World America was one of my first outings out in the dark. The street lights were beaming and headlights circling the parking lot all over. I had to take a deep breath and remember it's just a simple trip to the store and not the end of the world (pulling into to an overpopulated parking lot at night with a Baby can be quite scary at first). I was fully equipped with our grocery cart cover, winter hat, diaper bag and more. We headed in like two soldiers about to go to war.

As we entered the sliding glass doors, felt the sudden blast of wind (where does that come from) and survived the giant grocery cart speed bump, my very first observation was....CHRISTMAS!! The pumpkins haven't even met markdowns yet and the potted evergreen is on sale (spray glitter included I must add). The baby and I browsed around the store looking for gift giving inspiration I suppose. Until I run into the scented pine cones, I feel holiday resistant.

All the marketing craze made me start thinking about all the fuss of the holidays. We live in Central Washington exactly centered between Spokane relatives & Seattle relatives. I imagine Christmas as a beautiful, warm holiday when I don't have to work and I can celebrate joy & appreciation in my sweater and slippers (while eating too...stuffing only tastes right on holiday). Anyways, living away from my parents, my husband's parents, my grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends who are really family....on and on and on.. makes the thought of Christmas exhausting!! A few experienced parents out there have predicted that we will ensure the shuffle for a few years and finally make our own traditions as a family avoiding the stress and commotion. Well I'm here to say that we don't need to wait until the "you can't please everyone" lesson kicks in....I say, We're having Christmas at our house!!!!! Simple. <3