What does it mean to be thankful?

Growing up, saying thank you and please was drilled into my head. Some of the first words I taught Little Miss were those same two words. But what does it mean to really be thankful?

Teaching our kids manners is one thing, who doesn't want a polite kid? Teaching the meaning of being thankful to an almost four year old (the one year old doesn't count yet) is another story. To attempt this huge feat (in my eyes anything to do with the Little Miss is a huge feat) we created a new tradition in our house.  The "Be Thankful" board.

Our Be Thankful board is a huge board hanging in our living room. Every day each person in our family has to think of something they are thankful for and write it down. Yes, we are only doing this in the month of November (for now).  With little kiddos, you have to start small, but starting is the key to success.  We still try to instill a sense of thankfulness daily year round by being good examples.  We plan on starting a tradition of giving in our house too.  I think Halloween helped to teach me that even at almost four (an age where I personally thought being selfish was just in their nature), a child is happy giving without receiving.

Our giant board was also super easy to make! The most time consuming thing was waiting for the paint to dry!  This little sucker was a $4.95 mirror I found at a thrift store!! It was one of those tall mirrors that belongs on a dresser (you know that style, the one that is no longer cool?). And because those mirrors are "uncool" they are cheap and easy to find! 

Slap a little white craft paint and some (of course) chalkboard paint on that sucker and you have a giant board for all seasons. Thanksgiving? It's a thankful board. Christmas? Countdown, advent calendar, card holder, and on!! To say I'm excited over this project is an understatement! It also has a home on a wall that I plan on making into a big gallery wall, and this project totally kick started that project (because as I type this, it looks kinda silly being the only thing on that poor wall).

Teaching thankfulness is something that doesn't happen in a single month, for anyone. But a daily reminder right now as we enter into a holiday of gift giving (both kids have winter birthdays) is something I'm excited to start with my family, even if one of them was only thankful for "lions and giraffes" today. 

~enjoy

xo Stacie

I linked up to www.primitiveandproper.blogspot.com

Oh for the love of Chalkboard paint

I'm a little bit obsessed with chalkboard paint at the moment. So much so that the husband has officially asked me to stop decorating with the stuff (yeah right).  But you see, I've only ever bought one little pint of the stuff, and let me tell you, it has lasted.  I love the unexpected look of the black chalkboard paint.  It just gets to me, ya know?

It all started about two years ago when Little Miss was interested in playing with chalk.  But we don't have a paved driveway, so there was no where easy for her to draw.  Buy an easel? Sure, but where would we put it? Those things are BIG and take up a lot of space, space we didn't have back then (the basement was a dumping ground, but is now enjoyable).  Solution?  Paint the side of our very old white fridge.  Instant easel!

It's fantastic to have that chalkboard there.  We draw on it all the time and it would even entertain her while I was cooking dinner! This year I cleaned it up and added another coat of paint to it since there are now two little people attacking drawing on the fridge.  It has held up very well for the abuse it receives.
*side note, if you want to do this, I suggest using a magnetic primer like we did, it just makes sure the fridge is still magnetic after all those paint coats, which we've put on only three total now.*

 Need decorations for birthday parties or holidays? What better way than to use chalkboard paint?  Did you like that little advertisement? It's how I sell these projects to the hubs.  He doesn't always find me as amusing as I know you guys do.  Seriously though? Finding a picture frame for a dollar at the thrift store and adding chalkboard paint to the glass, instant chalkboard.  I've used this little blue one numerous times at parties, actually I think I've used it at EVERY party! I'm kind of sad that I only made one.  This little blue guy sits on my kitchen counter year round with fun sayings like 'kiss the cook' (I'm original like that ya'll).

and yes, we also are obsessed with foxes :)

My latest project was a kids craft table.  So excited to share that one with ya'll! I imagine the kids using this table until, oh, their little legs don't fit under it any longer.  (I'm not 100% happy with the color of the chairs, but we decided to use what color spray paint we had on hand instead of investing ANY money on this project).  Seriously, this was a completely free project.  Table was a hand me down, Lowe's is awesome in that they give out free paint samples at the beginning of each season, and we have a ton of weird colored spray paint already! Score!

I have visions of using this table at the holidays with each kids name on the back of the chair.  But that would mean having said holidays at my house....so nevermind.  I made the table to sit in their playroom, but it takes up lots of space and the room is not that big.  So instead, its in the family part of the basement, near our "game table" (we don't play games yet, three year olds cheat) and my craft area, so it is a perfect craft area for the kids!

My newest and yet to be finished project also includes, drumroll please! Chalkboard paint!!! I cannot wait to show you! I am super excited about this project and it kind of kick starts another project that I've been too lazy to start yet! I'll show you the finished project on Friday so stay tuned!!

What all have you painted with chalkboard paint? Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me!

~Enjoy!

xo Stacie

What Halloween taught me

 I had this idea in my head that for Halloween I'd make costumes and the whole family would walk down the street hand in hand and everyone would exclaim "oh my look at that family! So lovely!"

When Little Miss said "mommy I want to be Ariel and brother Prince Eric and you be Ursula and daddy King Triton" I said "well of course!"  I was gung-ho about making everyone in the house a costume, pinning away the best ways to do so.  

Then a bit of reality hit. Homemade Ariel costumes are super adorable, don't get me wrong, but I wanted something that I knew would last better than what I could make (only used the sewing machine twice over here). So I thought, ok we'll buy her costume since a trip to Disney world is already in the making (feel bad for our wallets now). 

So off I set to make three costumes. And let me just tell you I'm a procrastinator. So I waited and waited. And finally two days before Halloween I finished my Ursula costume and the Prince Eric costume. Daddy got left out (isn't that how it normally goes?) but he was ok with because the idea of running around with no shirt on and a skirt just wasn't his cup of tea. 

Since it took so long to finish the costumes we didn't attend any special trick or treating events (our zoo has a pretty cool one we usually hit up). And I was ok with that. Until I checked the weather report. And we were predicted to have tornados. Yes tornados. On Halloween. Now when I was a kid I went out in the snow with no complaints, but never in weather that could produce tornados. So every city around ours changed their trick or treating dates to the next day (Friday). Our Halloween night was spent inside watching a movie and handing out candy to the five (yes five) kids and parents who braved the wind and rain. The kids didn't say one word. No whining to go out, no crying, nothing. I give credit for that to the movie we choose (The Croods-super funny). 

Real classy here: 

We are lucky enough that the grandparents live in the next city over and so on Friday we headed to their neighborhood for trick or treating fun. The city actually set a time for the evening but we weren't sure what it was. And here's where my lessons started. 

There was no walking hand in hand. Little miss took off with her cousin ten steps in front of the parents looking for houses with their lights on. Little mister? Oh his pace was two steps forward, three sideways, then four backwards. Carrying him? Nope. Wasn't happening (besides, then how could anyone check out his adorable costume?). And people commenting on the loveliness of our super cute Little Mermaid family? Didn't happen once. 

And because we headed out early and had four little ones in tow, we headed back early too. With no complaints. After that we sat on the grandparents porch. Little Miss had as much fun handing out candy as she did trick or treating. She actually was so sad when the kids were all gone! 

So what did Halloween teach me? For one, lower my expectations. For another? Kids will surprise you! Did I ever in a million years think my almost four year old would rather give candy than receive it? No. But seeing her do that made me a proud momma. Last thing I learned? The holidays are not about me anymore. No one cares that I spent a million hours agonizing over costumes, decorations (which no one saw on Halloween because of the weather), and how my kids will act. We had a great Halloween and so did the kids and that's all that really matters. 

How was your Halloween? Did bad weather effect you? Did you let this silly holiday stress you out like I did? Would love to hear from y'all!!

~enjoy

Xo Stacie

Now that Halloween is over, Fall is back!

Well, I'm only about 15 years behind other bloggers in showing off my fall table.  And you'll have to excuse the Halloween decorations that snuck in there (they will hang around until Christmas, kinda like your in laws).  When I first asked the hubs to build me a console table, I had dreams of it going in the tiny foyer/hallway where our front door opens to the living room.  However, he likes to do things big (go big or go home, right?) and the table was too big for that spot.  People just wouldn't be able to walk around the table.  So its new home is in front of our stairs, kinda under our TV, but it houses the electrical equipment (cable box, dvd player, router, and a black box that I have no clue what it is or does) and little else.  SO I decorated it for FALL!!

Excuse the bad qualities of photos, like I've said before, I am 125% amateur and this table was hard to capture, maybe because it was so BIG!

I thrifted/ and or was given every single piece on this table except the lamp.  That baby came from Tarjay for a mere $14 (whaaaa? two separate pieces!) and I'm kicking myself for not buying more, but since I was just on a laundry detergent run, coming home with seven lamps might of been excessive.

Can't have fall without the foxes! My three year old is obsessed with that song and already knows all the words (trying to teach her the dance too but she's not going for it).  Every time we're out and see a fox she wants to bring it home, but even I have my limits.

How do YOU style a table that is not up against the wall? Send me some of your best work!!

Enjoy~
xo Stacie