AT LAST!!! My Gallery Wall!

After weeks and months of gathering frames from second hand shops, digging through old photos, begging family for historical images, digitizing images, spray painting frames, laying out, organizing and reorganizing the wall, countless trips to the hardware and hobby stores to get glass cut and buy supplies, days spent cutting mats, cleaning glass and securing backs on them, and finally hanging, the project is nearly finished.  Now I just have to pick up a couple of oval mats from Hobby Lobby (since I don't own my own oval/round mat cutter) and I'll be completely finished.  I've never had a project with so many roadblocks, problems and mishaps. I'd love to hear what you think!  Special thanks to my baby girl, Grae, and my amazing and patient husband and hero, Professor Iowa Jones.  I'm pretty sure this project secured their place in heaven.  LOL   

Entry way changes!

Lavender walls and Honey Oak Trim are not my first preference.
This color is one of the first things I changed after we got married!

I needed something big to put on this entry wall.
The ceilings are 16'  and I wasn't prepared to make
an art purchase that would fill this space.
These shutters were out in our garage gathering
dust and seemed to fit the bill.
They still need to be properly filled.
But I love the shelves! 

Family photos were cool here and I think
I might just recreate a gallery wall here again!

Note the light fixture.  I bought it at the ReStore for $8.75
and cleaned it up and painted it.  What do you think?

Ok... a few photos of the entry way and the changes to the woodwork transforming it to my own style.  I love the white so much more than the honey oak that screamed the 90's.  I still need to hang decor (I'm crazy at work on a gallery wall for the stairway!!) but here it is so far.  Got any suggestions?

Time for an Update!

Dreaded Carpet!!

Beautiful white and clean stairs!!

View of the Landing BEFORE!

View of the landing AFTER!
(The decor will change, but I needed to put something there for the photos!)

So, I really want to do this blog thing.  I like the idea of a record of what I do and think.  It's been a big couple of years for me and the changes are starting to show everywhere.

My most recent project has been the removal of carpet from the stairs and a subsequent paint job.  Take a look at the photos!  It's not decorated the way I want it to be, but I think it looks better.  What do you think??

When I tore up the carpet, I found MDF stair treads.  Not the ideal material, but I wanted this to be an inexpensive project.  I bought some wood filler and filled and sanded a couple of times.

There was a bit of a fiasco when I decided to use the power sander after I filled.  Yeah... well... I ended up cleaning up fine dust from every imaginable corner for the next two days.  (I highly recommend that you hand sand if you find the choice placed before you!)

At any rate, after some filling (the bull nose fronts of the treads were especially rough and in need of attention), some sanding and caulk in the corners, it was ready for paint.  I used two coats of KILZ oil based primer and then two coats of enamel Valspar Porch and Floor paint.  The bright white was premixed and worked out perfectly to match the Benjamin Moore Decorator's White Dura paint that is on the woodwork.

Overall, I think the finished result was worth the time and effort!

Evolution

So, here I am, in beautiful Hawaii. My baby girl LOVES her new home and school and to top it all off got a job on her second day here at PCC. She is on top of her life and doing well in her classes. She is making new friends and being her amazing self and LIVING out loud studying, surfing, swimming and socializing. She loves it and is already talking about staying. I'll be surprised if she leaves in December. It is a perfect fit for her and I am thrilled that she is here! It's amazing to see her so confident and competent at such a young age.

Like Grae, Mason, as usual, is making life exactly what he wants it to be. He is continuing to cement his character and reputation with everyone he comes in contact with as he works and plays and serves others. He continues to prepare for his mission with progress steady and sure. About a week after I get home, he and I are going to take a road trip to Portland for Owen and Chelsea's wedding and then go from there for week to Utah together. I'm really looking forward to that time with him. It's hard not to notice the growth and maturity in him.

That leaves me. This trip has been so good for me. I've had a lot of time to rest and recover from a very difficult period in my life. It may well be the most time I have ever spent alone in my life. And to my surprise, I'm enjoying the solitude and peace I have away from the responsibilities of home. I have enjoyed having the time these last 10 days to focus on eating right, exercising, reading and praying and thinking about where I came from, where I'm going and why I'm here. I've come to realize that its time to do what I have been trying to teach my children to do all these years. I need to grow and learn and become all that I am meant to be. That means deciding where I want to go and be and then doing the things that will take me there. So, of course, I am making lists. :) Lists of things I always wanted to do and be. Things well within my reach and other just beyond my reach for now but will be attainable with a little stretching. All things that will help me to be more grateful, more hopeful, more confident, more happy, and more like my Savior. I feel the opportunity to throw off the chains of bad habits formed over the years and be free of that which keeps me and my world small and so much less than it could be. Its time to rise from the dust and droop in sin no more!

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~E.E. Cummings

This is an amazing time. I have so much to be grateful for. My son has, in the last year, become a man. It was not by accident, either. He chose it. One choice at a time, Mason has become a man. These are not easy choices, nor are they few. To become a man requires that you make many difficult choices that are consistantly wise and often mean a measure of short term sacrifice. Growing up is a conscious effort. One cannot be compelled to do it. You must chose it and do it all on your own. It's a powerful process to watch and so rewarding for a mother to see her son do it so well. So reassuring to realize that your son understands the concept of self discipline and the desire to do what's right. Those things, along with a strong work ethic, an ability to think clearly and critically and a love of people are a foundation that will help him find success in life no matter where life finds him. This is my boy. How I love and admire him.

Ch-ch-ch-changes....

For years now, I have known that just after my 42nd birthday I would be facing an empty nest. I have to say it is something I have faced with a certain amount of dread. 2010 has taunted me, coming closer every year and now it's here.

In one week, I will board a plane with my baby girl bound for Hawaii where she will start college at BYU Hawaii. How did that happen? My sweet little ladybug is all grown up and off to her freshman year in college. Wasn't it just yesterday that she wanted to be a flamingo when she grew up so she could be "pink all over" and "quarter", "Cory" and "kool-aid" all sounded like the same word? I will ever miss days filled with baby dolls and pricess dresses, a trail of dandilions when she came from outside, and giggles and sweet little girl songs ringing from her room. Even more I will miss a house full of teenagers, tents aglow in the backyard on summer nights, mountains of clothes on her bedroom floor and 4 different colors of flipflops next to the front door. Being her mother has been the joy of my life. I couldn't have asked for more in a daughter. She fulfilled every dream I'd ever had for a daughter. I love you bug. Truly I am blessed beyond measure.

Tonight was one of those rare occasions when the planets all align and everything is, for just a brief moment, simply pefection. I dream at night of things like this, and frankly, the dreams just never measure up to the real thing.

We had decided well in advance that we would not get a tree until my finals were over for the quarter and everyone was looking forward to this weekend when we could go out and get one. For once, everyone was planning the same thing with their time and were ready and waiting at the appointed time. Just after sunset, as we were all bundled up and headed out the door, a few snow flakes began to fall. Mason jumped in the driver's seat and we were off.

After trying at least 5 tree lots and farms last year at this time, we stumbled onto a small tree lot just on the corner of 124th St and Avondale Rd. on the other side of Education Hill. Last year, our considerable efforts were not feeling successful at all until we found this little spot. After hours of looking and looking at overpriced and really ,basically, ugly trees, we found our ideal tree about 3 minutes after we got out of the car and for far less than the other places we had visited. The guy who ran it was nice and the tree was gorgeous, so we decided to make a B-line there.

Christmas music on the radio, snow falling outside and everyone chatting and singing along to the carols playing on the radio, it seemed to me that we arrived at our destination far too quickly. That would prove to be the only disappointment of the day. The snow was falling harder and faster every minute. We found that we had the tree lot to ourselves. The friendly proprieter had an open fire and passed out small candy canes when he heard that this was Pim's 1st ever snow. The pungent frangrance of pine, along with laughter and smiles permeated the crisp air as we all spread out to find the perfect tree. It was magical. Just the kind of day I wish I could have with my family every day of my life.

It's such a blessing to be a family and share this life with those we love.