one.

so we made it a year.
it was fun. eventful. pure joy.
W turned one!!
i felt like the beginning didn't fly by.
everyone kept saying it will go by so fast.
i think i was expecting to go to bed exhausted one night and wake up to a nine year old sleeping in the crib where my newborn had been.
but that wasn't the case.
until we stopped referring to Ws age in weeks.
when we went from saying he was 16 weeks to saying he was 4 months, time slipped away SO quickly.
but, here we are.  better people since being called mama and dada (even though im usually called dada as well.....grrrr.)
so to celebrate our favorite little man, mama went party nuts!
was starting to plan a july birthday in december too early?
i didn't think so either ;)
by the looks of the parties on pinterest, i don't think i was too out of line.
crazy party planning mamas out there say HOLLA!!
crazy party planning mamas???????
well, i started in december.
and already know the theme for his second birthday, so i have twelve full months to plan that one.
ha.
it all started with pinterest.
one day we wont even have to say that line.
it will be an understood since everything begins with pinterest, right?
i was obsessively stalking casually browsing different party ideas and kept coming back to the cute woodland theme.
vintage, yet boyish.
perfect.
obviously not my husband's first pick. 
maybe he can choose the third birthday theme. 
maybe.
anyway, it just so happened to be the year that world market and target had woodland themed holiday decoration lines.
when i walked into world market it was like the party planning angels began to sing praises and beams of light fell directly upon the felt mushroom ornaments and the woodland animal favor bags.
i was in love.
like for real.
but the $8.99 each price tag slowed my mad woman cart filling escapade.
i mean, $8.99 for a two inch felt mushroom????
im not gonna lie....i debated. 
for a REALLY long time.
but common sense took over.
barely.
i left world market........empty handed.
first. time. ever.
fast forward a few days to me at target (hi target, i love you.)
imagine my face and then me sprinting toward the holiday decor section like it was 1999 and there were only 5 "special edition" beanie babies left.
yep, it was that intense.
target had the felt mushroom ornaments!
yippee!
but like any other party planning mama, i had envisioned a lot of felt mushrooms hanging from the trees over our deck. 
like 10......or 20......or 100.
and even though they were much more reasonable at $3.99 each, i walked away.
i hear your gasps.
i know. i know.
but i said a little prayer that they would still be there the day after christmas so i could snatch those babies up at a whopping 50% off (insert husband smiling here).
and i left. (not empty handed in case you were wondering.  who leaves target empty handed?  exactly.)
and by golly, they were still there.
a ton of them.
50% off!!
and then it was like God was in on my party planning madness.
the entire woodland collection was still at world market as well.
i couldn't believe it.
why weren't all of the other pinterest obsessed mamas out there snatching this stuff up for the cutest woodland themed party ever?
i didn't get it.
but didn't care either.
and hold on to your seats.......
it was all 70% off!
im not positive, but i think a few sale seekers dove out of the way of my cart when they saw me coming.
i hit the jackpot.
and since i bought the boring practical party items like plates, cups, napkins, blah, blah, blah for 50% off at target, i justified the over indulgence at world market.
so, if anyone is still reading after that WAY too long of a story, here it is.
W's one.

pre party gift opening.....so mama could use it for decoration (ha!)

getting hydrated for the big event

why i need adult interaction :)

i am so fortunate.
i am able to be home with W everyday.
but still contribute financially.
i have been doing in home childcare for 4 years.
and love it.  really. i do.
no doubt it can be exhausting and i am in desperate need of adult interaction come 5:30 pm.
but i am so happy that i am able to spend everyday with W.
and know what he is learning.
and know that he IS learning.
i have my bachelors in early childhood and not sure if i ever want to teach in a traditional school.
maybe someday.  maybe not.
but for now here i am....at home.

i love having a separate space.
love that i can go upstairs and close the door on friday evening :)
W will think this is everyones normal.
a basement full of toys. and a standing daily playdate with 4 friends.
love it.

i will do a full tour.....someday ;)
but for now here are just a few tips on how i stay sane organized.
it may help someone out there.
or not.
but here ya go anyway......

diamonds are not always a girl's best friend

im a girl.
i should love all shiny diamonds, right?
not on my bathroom wall.
in metallic gold paint.
on top of brownze (brown + bronze) paint.





ugh.

this 1/2 bath is seen by everyone since it is right off of the kitchen.
i couldn't take it.
it was horrid!
hubby agreed (we had already replaced all of the toilets in the house)
all 5 of them!!
visual.....us, flat bed cart, 5 toilets, lowe's check out lady saying "wow, you guys must have a toilet fetish."
true story.

took out the vanity....caused major damage to the wall.
because it was GLUED!!
couldn't cover metallic diamonds with 4,634 coats of primer and paint.
got my beadboard that i begged for anyway ;)
trim replaced and painted.
new wall paint.
new pedestal sink. love.
new mirror.
new hardware.
and our new toilet :)






ahhhhhhh, i love that bathroom.
so fresh and bright.
i hate when bathrooms don't have windows.
they seem so, blah.
(that was my argument to get the beadboard. bathroom needs brightening. i've got it....beadboard!)

p.s. the top after picture is the most recent. liked the white towel better :) changed out door hardware to brushed nickel. i was not sad to see the brass hardware go.

are we crazy?

nod your head yes.

we bought a house.
a very, very, very dirty house.
a house that was once loved.
a family with 4 teenagers kind of love.
but needed some "new" love.

we love our new house.
there's no more dirt.
well, not other people's 4 teenager's dirt.
just our dirt.
ha.

we have done so much to this house over 18 months.
we will never be done.
there are things that NEED to be done, but they are so far down on the list....who knows.
like the discolored, dusty exhaust fan in the master bathroom.
its just our dust and no one sees it but us, so bump it to the bottom of the list.
would take 5 minutes to change it, but.....nah.

i have so many ideas swirling around my head.
so much to change.
so much to buy.
so much to spray paint.
i love spray paint.
am i the only one who gets asked for my id when they buy spray paint?
maybe its because i buy SO much spray paint???

anywho, tag along as we make this home OUR home, with OUR dirt :)