A Boys Room...Moving Up In the World

My little man isn't exactly little any more. He's growing up...way too fast for me, but it's still happening. He was 6 years old and had just finished kindergarten when we moved into our old house. Flash forward a few years and he is now 10 and well into his 4th grade year.

He has changed and it was time for his room to reflect that...here is what it looked like before...

And here are the after pictures...



The beds went from single to bunked. A new area rug and window panels were added as well as sconces for both bunks. The antique corner desk (Pennsylvania House...and yes, I got it from the side of the road) was paired with a hand-me-down chair that I painted black. I was able to get some old wood (for free) from the local wrecking yard that I cut into two shelves and mounted with metal brackets from Home Depot. After a quick trip to my favorite thrift store, I left with an old stop sign, a vintage architecture light, the "lucky" mason jar, an antique table fan, and a curio shelf that was hung and turned into storage for his Lego men. Paper storage was hung on the wall beside the desk for those afternoons when he has "SO" much homework. The closet door is a fun little place for chalkboard drawings, and he still has the perfect spot for his backpack. Mr. T moved the $1 book shelves from the other side of the room and I hung part of his pennant collection from the different cities we have traveled to. The bedding is the same...I just perked it up with a bottle of Rit Dye in Denim.

What's better than a fresh, new, organized space? Spending some great quality time with my little man!!!

Rachel :)

The Best (Vegetarian) Tacos Ever...

The Smurfs winter break was three weeks this year, so a few days after New Years we packed up and headed for warmer weather...the beach? Florida? California? Nope...Texas! We definitely don't take your run of the mill family vacations...the kids have never been to Disney and we don't go to the beach all that much. My theory is that there are a lot of places I want to see in this great, big world of ours and it's not going to happen if we run to the beach or Orlando every chance we get. Last year for spring break, when all of our friends were packing their swimsuits, we packed our snow bibs and headed out west for a week of skiing and snow...

Our return trip didn't go exactly as planned when our airline overbooked our flight. While most people complain and groan when this happens, we took the bump, and were rewarded with another day in Colorado and eight round trip tickets to ANYWHERE they fly...oh yeah...Mr T. was fretting if we had made the right decision, and I was doing my happy dance. Everyone knows how expensive it is for a family of four to fly.

Fast forward eight months, and we were on our way to San Antonio, excited to catch up with old friends and soak up some wonderful culture. We walked a ton, saw even more, and ate our way through this great city.

Peas and Thank You



And while I know I will never eat guacamole as good as Boudros, I did come home and find a great recipe for Roasted Chic Pea Tacos. One of the BEST recipes I have ever made, it's a must have for the recipe book. I'm not a huge fan of meat (blah) and generally use black beans on my tacos, so I was super excited to have something new to try. Check these out...they are the best things you will ever put in your mouth!!

Rachel :)

Roasted Chic Pea Tacos via Peas and Thank You:

Our favorite way to eat chickpeas and quite possibly the best tacos ever.

Ingredients (8 tacos)

• 2 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1/4 t. dried oregano
• 1 1/2 t. ground cumin
• 1 t. sea salt
• 1 T. lime juice
• 2 T. water
• One 14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 organic taco shells (i.e. Trader Joe’s brand)
• Taco trimmings: shredded cabbage, tomato, guacamole, non-dairy (i.e. Daiya) or organic cheese, etc.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, salt, lime juice and water.
• Add chickpeas and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Place chickpeas on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once during cooking, until chickpeas are slightly crispy.
• Prepare taco shells according to package directions. Fill with chickpeas and desired toppings.

Legos and Smiles :)

My little man loves Legos...as in really LOVES Legos. And while they are a wonderful and educational way to learn and grow, they are everywhere. I step on them, suck them up with the vacuum cleaner, kick them across wood floors, and silently say bad words in the middle of the night when they crunch under my bare feet. After Brainy Smurf's birthday, Christmas, and Hanukkah...I had a minor meltdown because the Legos in his room were out of control. I was never quite sure how to handle the growing amount until I saw this...

What can I say? I'm a sucker for good advertising. And this was great! It's called a Swoop Bag and it was designed for little ones that love legos. I immediately went to their web site to check them out. About five minutes later I was convinced that this would be the best way to keep all those Legos in one spot. He picked out a bag in Star Dust Blue and a few days later it arrived at our doorstep.

If you have kids, and your kids have Legos...go ahead and buy one. Fabulous. Wonderful. Well-Made. Easy. It is everything it says it is. We now have Legos in one place. And they stay in one place. This bag rocks my socks. Seriously.

But the smiles part of this isn't about the smile this bag brought to my face...it's about the smiles it brings to everyone else's face. A percentage of every sale goes to Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization that gives smiles to children born with birth defects. This is such an important charity to my family that this year Brainy Smurf didn't get Legos from his grandparents. Instead, he got this...

Sometimes, life is all about legos and smiles...

Rachel :)

Copy Cat Chic

I've taken a little time (ok...a LOT of time) over the break and have been trying to update/clean/organize Brainy Smurfs room. The twin beds that were bunked at one time, then separated, are now bunked again. I have been searching for two swing arm lights to mount on the wall beside his top bunk and lower bunk to give him a little more lighting when he reads. Here's the inspiration picture...

Restoration Hardware

I love the sconces in this picture from Restoration Hardware. Unfortunately, I don't love the price. Long story short, I found them for a good bit cheaper and let my friend Reichel over at Copy Cat Chic know. Today, she featured this Chic Find...so stop by her place to see what I found!

Rachel :)

These are a few of my favorite things...

Before we sent 2011 off, here are a few of my favorite projects from the past year...

Smurfettes Lemonade Stand...this was by far my favorite!! I learned it is a pain in the a$$ to take apart pallets, but we had such a fun time as a family making this!

Budget Breakfast Nook...It is so incredibly awesome to NOT have the washer and dryer in the kitchen anymore! And we were able to create this on a super slim budget after finding a great piece at our Habitat ReStore!

Kids Outdoor Chalkboard...I learned that making outdoor chalkboard paint is harder than it looks, but the kids LOVE this! Neighbours comment on it when they drive by and after 6 months it is still in perfect condition...yay!

Jules Back Deck...My very first total design project where I got to spend someone else's money and do what I wanted. This was a fun, stressful, learning experience. They love the end result, as do I, and I hope to be able to do this again!

via The Lettered Cottage

Spackle Can Change Your Life...In September I went to Atlanta to help Layla and Kevin and the people from HGTV shoot a TV pilot. Seriously. I learned so much...about Spackle and about myself. Hopefully January will bring great things for this sweet couple...I'll keep you posted.

Of course there are other projects I loved like making homemade vanilla,  our wonderful new laundry closet, and the kids homework area.

The past year I fell in love with old windows, wood pallets, and chalkboards.

We grew as a family and the Smurfs proved that they are old enough to help with projects and make design decisions. :) I grew as a person by taking my first big solo trip to Boston and realizing they would survive without me.

Marlene decided she didn't want to blog anymore because she didn't have anything to say, but I'm still trying to convince her to come back because she is by far the funniest person I know. And she's my best friend. And I love her.

Overall, it was a great eye opening, learning, wonderful year and I am so looking forward to 2012...

Happy, Happy New Year!

Rachel :)

Chirstmas Card Pictures...

How many people stress about the picture that they put on their Holiday/Hanukkah/Christmas/New Years card? A few days ago I pulled out some decent clothes, moved the Chesterfield sofa from the bedroom to the backyard, and set up the tripod. Seriously...why is this such a difficult process...

I even tried to get a family photo, but apparently my neck was broken and the Smurfs were...



100 pictures and 20 minutes later I had a few good pictures of the kids...

another of the family..

but ended up using this...

happy holidays...

rachel :)

Elf on the...Swing?!?

This little guy made his grand appearance this morning...

That's our Elf on the Shelf, Blake...only he made his debut on a swing, not a shelf. A swing attached to our 1950's chandelier. Awesome.

I am hoping he will work his magic on the Smurfs! Happy first (your shopping days are numbered) weekend of December!!

Rachel :)

DIY Wooden Picture

As soon as I saw this video, I wanted to share it with the world! Best idea ever! And cutest video ever...enjoy!!!

Let me know if you do this and how it turns out!

Rachel :)

Chalk It Up

I cannot get enough of chalkboards. I think they are fabulous, kid friendly, and super fun. I've had a ton of projects this year that included painting something with chalkboard paint. Here are a few more awesome examples...



Pinterest



Graham Yelton



Pinterest



Confessions of a Plate Addict



Milk Bottles

 

Addicted 2 Decorating

 

Jones Design Company

Seriously people. Get out. Buy paint. Create something fun. Your kids will love you. You will love you.

Rachel :)