An evening in Paris....

My cousin Rachel got married last year and I'm just now getting the pictures together from her shower.  We through a "Evening in Paris" themed bridal shower at my parents house.  My mom went all out in making this truly feel like an evening in a beautiful foreign country.

Theme: Evening in Paris
Date: June 13, 2010
Invitations: An AirFrance-like boarding pass with all the event details and an attached luggage tag with all the bridal registry detail.
Decor: White table clothes, mixed china dishware, strung lights, beautiful live flower bouquets, wedding gown, wine glasses, and Paris decor.
Meal: Sit down style dinner for guests.  Each table started off with a beautiful cheese/cracker tray as an appetizer.  Next, a platter of chicken/ham salad sandwiches and fresh fruit kabobs.  Last but not least a beautiful tray of desserts was placed at each table to be indulged during the gift opening.
Favor: Each guest was able to choose one wine glass with a handmade wine charm to take home and enjoy!
Extras: Each guest enjoyed a professional hand/arm massage from Heaven Sent Hands during the event.

Bathroom Vanity Makeover

Hello long lost friends!  It's been a while since I have blogged... my apologies to my groupies!  It's been crazy around here... big work project, new job for hubby, a birthday party, and a whole lot more.

I'm about 3 projects behind in updating my blog but here is my most recent undertaking.  We just had a new bathtub/surround put in about 2 months ago.  I LOVE MY BATH TIME!!  So I am absolutely in love with my new deep soak tub.  But anyhow... this project was my bathroom vanity.  The vanity is an odd size 57 3/4 inches.  Yeah!  Not a simple 60" or 48".  We are trying to renovate the whole bathroom so I thought I could just go buy a fairly inexpensive replacement at Home Depot. NOT!  60" is just too wide and 48" too small.  So I opted to keep the one we have (which is in great shape) and add my own personal charm.

So with a little advice from my friend at Sincerely, Ashleigh & Sarah I decided to paint the vanity.  Ashleigh advised me to sand down the "shiny stuff" off the existing vanity, use an oil based primer, and whatever paint color my heart desired.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Ashleigh!  I am not a painter.  My husband will definitely agree with this.  But this is my greatest work yet!!  Following the steps and waiting the 3-4 days for everything to dry was well worth it.

I threw on some new drawer pulls and handles and... TA-DAH!!!

Next steps will be removing the existing tile, putting up bead board on the wall behind the sink, new sink, new counter top, new floor, and putting in the new toilet that's sitting in our spare bedroom.  Ohhhhh AAnnndreeewwwwwwww!!

Stick around and I will post updates to the dining room soon!

Love ~

Abi

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Hallelujah!  He has risen.

For many children around the world Easter means pretty eggs, pictures with the Easter bunny, and candy filled baskets, but for our little boy it means his first lessons and understanding of the resurrection of Christ.  As we are often asked, "Did Ethan get his photo taken with the Easter bunny?" or "What did you put in his basket this year?", we kindly just shake our heads and say that we don't celebrate that way.

For those of you that are curious as to why?  Read on. 

Resurrection Sunday (also known as Easter) is the most important Christian holiday.  It is a day to remember that God sent his only son, whom died on a cross for your sins and my sins, and on the third day of burial in the tomb he rose from the dead, fulfilling the prophecy that Jesus Christ was the son of God.

Most of you already know this story.  You've heard it in church on Sunday.  You've read it a million times in your bible.  This is just a summary of facts you already know.  But do you know why you color eggs?  Or why you dress up as a bunny?  I challenge your to find out the meaning behind these traditions.  I think you may be very surprised! 

The Easter Egg
“The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this marvelous egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis], was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter.”[11]

The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her names.

The Easter Bunny
The Easter bunny symbolizes the Mother Goddess. Annual Spring time fertility rituals are associated worship of the Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband Nimrod.


Most of these traditions are of pagan descent so we chose not to honor them.  I've heard my whole life "well... it's just a little egg".. "it's just a small little basket with some candy".. to us.. it's much more!  One day Andrew and I will stand before God the Father and answer for how we have chosen to live and how we have raised our child.  We will stand before no man, no boss, no parent, no neighbor... we will stand before the Alpha and Omega, King of Kings,  Lord of Lords, the Great I AM... we will stand before Him, and we will say that we chose His way over the easy way.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

If you are wondering, yes, we do still buy our son gifts in celebration of this glorious day.  He will go on a bibical scanvenger hunt at my parents.  We read scriptures to decipher where our gifts are hidden.  My mother is very creative and makes every Resurrection Sunday better then the last.  In years to come Ethan will come and attend the Easter play at Trinity Gospel Temple with us. It is a usual tradition in our family.  Both my parents were stars in the play in their youth, so it has a special meaning for us.  It is one of the best portrayal of the events of Christ's death and resurrection.  I encourage your to check it out one year!  It's fabulous!

Happy Resurrection Sunday my friends!  May God be with you and your loved one's as you celebrate this blessed day.  :)

Love ~ Abi

To read more about the Christian and Pagan traditions of Easter please check out this page: Origins of Easter (Resurrection Sunday)

A Garden Party Baby Shower

A Garden Party Baby Shower for my sister's good friend.  I only helped with the invitations and decor.  I can not take all the credit for these designs.  But the diaper cake is 100% mine.

(Diaper cake wrapped in receiving blankets and topped with a pot of flowers (far left); handmade invitations including a fabric flower (top right); name/advice cards with light pink flower background (middle row, far left); fabric flower on the diaper cake (middle row, 2nd to the left); random shot of spring flowers (middle row, 2nd to the right); top view of diaper cake (middle row, far right); closeup of diaper cake fabric flowers (bottom right)

'Drop your drawers' Sunday

Today has been a day full of drawer cleaning.  I will be the first to admit that organizing is not a cheap project.  Totes, shelves, and organizing accessories are expensive.  But totally worth it!

I didn't do any before pics because I was so ashamed of the state of my kitchen junk drawer, but now I am proud to say there is not one "junk drawer" in this house.  :)

Kitchen Desk Drawer

Kitchen Junk Drawer

Bathroom Junk Drawer



Happy Valentine's Day!

My husband has finally learned that I don't need diamonds or shoes.  I just need a simple repair job done!  This Valentine's Day I got the best gift I have ever gotten!  Granted, I loved this gift the first time around, but the fact that my husband actually listened to something I said, and acted on it, is truly amazing!

I came home after a long work day to my two men shoveling the driveway.  As I gathered my purse, bag, etc. from the car, Andrew told me there was something inside for me.  I love surprises, but I was really just expecting the typical roses and a card.  To my surprise, I walked in to find that Andrew had fixed a cedar trunk I had gotten from my parents.  A few weeks prior we had rearranged the kitchen and had a large open space by our back door.  We both agreed that we needed something that could store my purse and diaper bag along with his work boots.  I told him we had that cedar chest in the basement but the hinges were broken and the lid wouldn't shut right.

Well... tadaaaaahhh!  I came home Valentine's day to find my trunk in PERFECT working condition in my kitchen.  (A special thanks to Grandpa May who helped with this project.)  It only took a few extra screws in the hinges to fix it.  But I am proud to say that my husband is the greatest man ever.. and has finally learned how easy it is to please this girl!!

THANK YOU ANDREW JOSEPH MAY!!  I LOVE YOU!!

Blessed beyond our dreams...

     Lately, I have been reminded of how simply blessed we truly are.  We have a roof over our heads and food on the table, which are miracles only skin deep.  Our true blessing lie deep in our faith.  We are blessed with the health in our bodies, love in our hearts, and an unfathomable belief that there is a God in heaven that has a plan.  It's not always 'our' plan or in our time, but God has a plan.  If we can put 100% of our trust in him... he delivers 150% of the time, in His time. 
     Patience is a virtue that I struggle with all the time.  I want everything now, now, now!  So, as I tell a friend to just trust in God's time, I must reflect on myself and remind myself to be patient and understand that God has a better plan. 

     I remember growing up and my mom telling us that "prayers never expire".  The prayers that you pray today, may go on forgotten by mankind, but they never expire in heaven.  So, what I prayed for 3 years ago, God has not forgotten.  And I have witnessed the riches of his blessings, years down the road, and they are always more magnificent then my mind could have imagined.  So now, ever morning in the car (as I remember my mother doing),  I pray for my child that he has wisdom beyond his years, that he may grow into a strong man, full of honor and integrity.  That his children and grandchildren go strong and healthy;  I pray for all the people at my workplace, that the owner of my company has wisdom and strength to make wise decisions so that he may prosper; I pray for all those that I know are troubled or in a hard spot;  I pray for the leaders of this country, that they make intelligent choices that benefit this nation. 

     I know that these prayers are small, but God hears everyone, and he will answer, in His time.

Bubble bath baby... then and now.

While giving Ethan a bath tonight I realized how much he has grown and decided to capture the moment. 

9 months old.

Goodbye sweet baby.

20 months old.

Hello sweet boy.

New kitchen sink light fixture...

In a trade-off with my husband I agreed to find/install new music download software in exchange for his "light fixture" hanging expertise.  I definitely got the easier end of the bargain.

So here is our hideous, fluorescent light that used to be above our kitchen sink.  Anyone that has a home built in the 1960's has probably seen one of these bad boys.

It actually used to have a cover but I broke it right before taking these photos.  I got a little excited to get the stupid thing down that I forgot to take a good "before" pic.

Here are the results!  This is an oil-rubbed bronze track light system.  It was marked $20 brand new, in the box at Restore.  Steph and I went on 25% off day and I got it for $15.  I found similar products at Home Depot ranging from $70-$150.  Talk about a bargain!

Here's a close up.  It's a great fixture!! Each of the heads can swivel in any directions.  It brings so much more light to our kitchen and it matches my favorite feature of my kitchen (another Restore bargain) my faucet.  I love it!

Please ignore the ugly ceiling where the light is mounted.  It needs patched and painted from the holes the other fixture left. I'm thinking about trying out a new paint color.  What a perfectly hidden spot to test it out!



On to the next project!

Oh where oh where is your Hair Flair??

I've always been one that was not afraid to try something new with my hair.  Ask any of my hair stylists!  I don't get too offended if I do something I don't like.  It's just hair... it will grow back! 

So, a few weeks ago my mother-in-law asked if she could try out a new product on me. (She is a licensed cosmetologist.)  So, I gladly obliged.  As long as you aren't turning my hair purple.. I'm happy.  So she brought over what looked like a keychain of tinsel.  And she told me that we were going to insert these 'hair flair' strands into the roots of my hair.  Um.. ok???  My questions... "Is it going to wash out?", "Will it only last for tonight", "Is my hair going to fall out?"  LOL!  And the answer to all my questions surprised me.  The 'hair flair' strands are tied directly into the root of 4-5 strands of hair.  They will stay in for 2-3 weeks.  They can be washed, dryed, curled, straightened, etc. Amazing!  So she put 5 strands in and here are the results.  Sorry... this would be much cooler if you had longer hair but.. I guess you have to deal with the models available!  bahahaha...

"Hair flair" comes in every color and length imaginable.  Check out there website http://www.glamstrand.com/

It would be a great product for highschool dances, cheerleading, etc.  I am a witness that you can wash/dry/straighten it and it will stay in for over 2 weeks.  It's a really fun product!

Contact me if you are interested in having it done.  My mother-in-law is charging $2 per strand.

Who else met my spray paint can?

This is the old ugly, brass light fixture in Ethan's room after a new coat of paint.  :)

.... and this is the door knob to our kitchen/garage door.  The results are amazing.  Sorry I didn't upload the results of how the doorknob looks on the door.  Let's just say it's quite an improvement!

And to keep you interested for other future posts, my spray painting has caught the attention of a friend who is tackling a much larger 'spray paint project'.  Details to follow!!

There's nothing a lil' can of spray paint can't fix

This is going to be a quick post.  I think you can all do the math!

One bottle of spray paint

+

One shiny, ugly, brass light fixture

=

One beautiful, oil rubbed bronze light fixture

Tada!  Not much to explain in this update.  Sanded the fixture a bit and then hit it with a coat of spray paint.  The paint covered great!  It has a great finish and sparkle.  It's beautiful.

Stay tuned for what else lay victim to my spray paint can.

Here's a hint....

Cheap and Easy Kitchen Update... (I mean... FUN!!)

Ethan and I woke up at 8:30am today.  The usual Thursday routine.  With the holiday's over we could breathe a little easier knowing there were no presents to shop for, wrap, or decorate.  Instead, my plan today was stay at home and complete our 2011 budget.  I'm famous for getting distracted.  It's an unfortunate personality trait. 

Anyhow, while sitting at the kitchen table I decided I needed to do something to spruce up the kitchen.  We are constantly battling our decisions in the kitchen.  Should we splurge and upgrade to all new counters and cabinets, just get everything refaced, paint the cabinets ourselves??? UGH!  Decisions, decisions, decisions!  If only we were made of money.  Lol! So I decided to do something.  I recently read a blog about a woman who took the cabinet doors off her kitchen cabinets.  Granted, her cabinets were a little nicer then mine, but I thought it was worth a shot.  Painting the inside of the cabinet would make it much cuter but I didn't want to spend the time or money today.  I wanted a change... NOW! 

So here it is.....

Here is a shot of the kitchen before. (Yes.. there are dirty dishes in the sink.)

 The victim cabinet is the single one in the left of this photo.

After rummaging through my house and stealing stuff from every room.  It's complete.  I'm not 100% satisfied but it will do for now.  The hubby even gave his compliments after his initial shock. 

Again. 

Here's the overall look. 

And what was Ethan doing while mommy was working and rummaging?  Playing in his tunnel, of course.  Thank goodness we don't get all the xmas toys out at once.  Days like this I need a new distraction!!



Mission Organization - Basement segment - COMPLETE!

Hi, my name is Abi and I admit that I have organizational anxiety.  I love to organize!  Now, my house is not perfect by ANY means.  But I love to buy things to organize.  It inspires me!  I have ignored 1/4 of my basement for about 3 months just because I know the evil messy creature that is lurking in that dark corner.  I do ALL the organizing in our house and the basement is a very big place, so it's taken a lot of motivation to get this ball rolling.  Our basement is the 'catch all' for everything I don't want to see upstairs.  We used to be 'semi-sane' before Ethan.  But kids have a way of collecting a lot of junk.  Toys, baby clothes, baby gear, blah blah blah.

So as much as I am humiliated to show this, I must do it for the integrity of this project.  Here is a before photo of our 'evil messy creature' lurking in our basement.  (Please do not judge us based on this photograph.)

So, for Christmas I asked for storage shelves large enough to hold tote bins.  I'm so envious of people that have their basements/garages lined with organizational furniture.  That stuff is not cheap!  So, my parents granted my wishes and I got one large storage shelf.  The beginning of my motivation!



Meet my best friend for EVERY organizational project.  My Dymo Label Maker.  This is a must-have for all women.

So with my new shelf together, label maker in hand, and about 3 large trash bags later... Mission Organization - COMPLETE!

(Please ignore the hideous Bo flex that everything in the basement must "work around". It NEVER gets used. Oops!  Did I say that??)

I could probably use 2 or 3 more shelves.  I realized that half of all my junk is just baby stuff.  So someday, maybe I will have a completely organized basement. Wishful thinking!

Here is the shelf put together and loaded with totes.

This blog helps me stay motivated.  If I could just get my husband to organize his work bench, we'd be in tiptop shape.

Stay tuned for more House Mayhem!