Since I shared Ava's room redo in such a timely manner, I don't have high hopes for actually documenting the boys room any time soon but here is a start. I found a corkboard and message board for the boys that I loved. But at $68 {!} for the pair on sale, I wasn't a fan of the price tag. So, of course, I made my own. Unfortunately, I did this so long ago I forgot actual prices but it was around $15 my version. Quite a difference!
The corkboard came from A.C. Moore with a coupon. I gave it a few coats of white spray paint, taped some stripes, sprayed some navy blue and was done.
I accidentally bought the wrong spray paint. The spray paint aisle is not the greatest place to mull over colors & finishes with three young kiddos who want to know why everyone else gets to test out the spray paint on the floor. So the blue isn't perfect but it gets covered up and I'm ok with it.
I also picked up a 12x12 piece of galvanized metal from Home Depot and found a 12x12 unfinished glass-less frame. The metal is wicked sharp and definitely needs some kind of frame around it. I stained the frame, popped in the metal and was finished!
Both pieces are secured on the wall but I liked the look of placing them on floating shelves. Cole is excited to have someplace to finally hang up his school work in his room. Logan has no opinion on it just yet.
Not too shabby for a quick and cheap update on the boys' wall!
It's always fun to see the Pats at training camp! This year we got to watch their in-stadium practice and the kiddos got to go too. They still won't let us live it down that we went to a game without them. As exciting as seeing the players up close and personal was, Ava & Cole were more excited about all the food options. Little tummies may have eaten a tad too much that night.
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| ready to go! |
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| little fans |
The games are obviously much more exciting but it was fun to see them practice and run some plays.
We aren't rushing summer away but we are getting excited for fall & football season!
I adore how much our kiddos love creating. They rummage through our recycling bin in search of the perfect addition to whatever it is they feel like creating that day. While I'm not a fan of the endless teeny tiny scraps of paper around the house, or rolls of tape everywhere, I do appreciate how they use their little minds to turn empty boxes into rocket ships with strips of red napkins for the fire or some contraption that will allow you to tell if there is a treasure near by. They are always, always creating something every single day. They have free reign of our art supplies---pending them use them correctly, of course---and take full advantage of that.
Here's a few from our latest painting. Looking back at old pictures with the kiddos made me realize I'm seriously slacking in the sensory/art department. I'm calling myself out again so we will hopefully make some more messy memories before the summer is over. I'm sure the kids will hold me to it!
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| Ava is so careful and thoughtful with every brush stroke |
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| while Cole just dives right in---creating as he goes |
Little Logan had a blast painting. It was so fun watching him slowly touch the paint and then dive right in. He made quite the mess but seemed to have a ton of fun.
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| painting feet is so much more fun |
{I was going back through some drafts and came across this post. Obviously things have changed a ton since Ava has a new room and her old room was turned into the boys' room but I figured I'd share anyways. The pictures are horrible and we never finished {boo} and are still working on the other rooms but I did a major deep clean of her room today to get ready for the school year {boo again} and figured I'd finally share these. Please enjoy this post from a year-ish ago: }
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We had waited on the kiddos' room redos while we were trying for bean #3. So after waiting and waiting we finally started the room redos.
And then Steve got hit by a car.
And then we found out sweet #3 was on the way.
So nothing really ever got finished. And now we're going to start the process of moving & redoing these rooms again to hold us over until we move. So Ava's room was never 100% finished but I love the direction it was headed. I have to say it was much easier redoing rooms without the 5 year old's opinion resident HGTV expert in how she wanted things done.
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| proof my husband loves me |
We got Ava the hemnes daybed from IKEA {shocker right?}. We picked it for the huge amount of storage and the fact it pulled out to a king size bed.The kids have loved having this for sleep overs. The bed is fantastic and the amount of stuff you can fit into the drawers is incredible.
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| American Girl stuff organized in one place? hooray! |
We added two bookcases for storage on either side of the bed. Ava has taken to decorating them all herself. I was trying to make it "my way" but it was a losing battle and I do have to accept it's her room so she is in charge of the "styling". I've also never met someone who can quite tear apart her bed just by sleeping in it each night.
I also made those shades out of cheap mini blinds & fabric. Easiest thing ever
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| memo board with dance ribbons, gymnastic medals & other mementos |
I hate even sharing it without being 100% done {and the crappy pictures} but, after this year, I'm surprised we managed that much. So there's a tiny sneak peek as we move on to the next redo!
...aka the money pit month.
Oh, July, I swear if something could go wrong it did. Actually I shouldn't even say that because it seems to be tempting fate. We just had one of those crappy months. First, our lawn mower broke. Then, as Steve & I are discussing how much money we are saving by cloth diapering & breastfeeding, our washer breaks.
In the middle of a load of cloth diapers.
Well played, universe, well played.
So we expected our third bad thing to happen. And...yup, Steve's car needed a ton of work. Obviously. So we hoped figured bad things only happen in threes.
Ha.
Then Steven came home from a run all bloody with a smashed-to-smithereens iphone. A dog had chased after him causing him to fall and crush his phone. Thankfully he was fine. Obviously we are 10 months away from an upgrade. Obviously. And, yes, I think we can all agree he should give up running---or at least run with full body armor.
Of course all this is happening with a little nugget with his second tooth coming in right of the heels of his first tooth causing lots and lots of crankiness, sleepless nights & the like. Oh, and two weeks of harassing the hell calling the neurologist office every other day just to reschedule an appointment that was cancelled/get some questions answered. They told me my husband was lucky to have such a strong advocate---which I'm pretty sure if their way of nicely calling me a pain in their ass. The day I never have to make another phone call regarding this accident, to insurance/medical/billing or fight for what Steve needs will be the happiest day of my life.
Then we got a new pet---a mouse. I can't even. I wish I was making this stuff up. In two random drawers in the kitchen I found droppings. One drawer holds wipes, tinfoil, random stuff we use throughout the day. That drawer is opened at least 10 times a day. I opened it in the morning and mouse droppings were everywhere. They must have had a party all night. Also my little friend found a wrapped chocolate and helped himself to it and the wrapper. Cole thinks we should put out cheese for him. I have other plans for him. {update-papa set a trap and caught our little friend. hopefully that sent a message to any future friends}
Oh and our neighbors hacked our trees with a machete because the people who lived in our house before us had harassed them to take care of them. I mean we've only been living here for 5 years and they are on our land so clearly why not take a machete to them? I'm thinking a nice lilac bush---or seven---will look nice there.
And Ava fell off her bike and re-opened her chin she had glued shut a few years ago along with other scrapes. It was super fun holding her down to get all the itty bitty pieces of sand out of her cuts.
giggles, grins & good times!
