Ok. This is crazy. I changed around a few things to try to fix the comment issues and the only way I know how to check to see if it worked is if I'm left comments successfully. So if anyone's out there, please say something. And maybe tell me if anything is weird or different than it's been in the past. Thanks. If I don't get ANY comments I'll assume it still isn't working because DANG IT - my friends are nicer than that. And yes, I'm talking to YOU.

Oh deary me. I've been having serious blogger issues lately. A few people have told me that they haven't been able to leave comments for some weird reason, which I hate as you know. I've got to try to figure out what's going on. But please, PLEASE don't abandon me. I'm going to try making a few changes in my settings and see if I can fix it, but really I have no clue what I'm doing. If you have any helpful tips let me know. My email is carrieballen@cox.net.

I hate this.

I've been on the prowl for a good long time for a dresser for Maggie's new room. Why are dressers so ridiculously expensive? I could buy like 300 value menu chicken nuggets for the cost of a new dresser. That's why I rarely do new. Besides, new doesn't give me nearly the same rush as transforming does. I'm happy to report that I totally scored a great dresser!

Let me give you the story. This dresser had a $50 price tag at DI. It's super solid, very well built, but still $50 seemed like a lot for a thrift store. Soooo....I decided to have a chat with Lee. You might remember Lee from this post. Back then he was Leland, but since that time our business relations have blossomed and I just call him Lee. I asked Lee when the next mark downs would take place and he said they were trying to clear out everything by that night. So right then and there, he changed the price to $35!!

Seriously. Sometimes you just have to ask.

I'm in project overload right now. So let's momentarily take a break from Maggie's room. I am still making progress, I just got a little distracted.

A few weeks ago I found these corbels, and could absolutely not pass them up for 75 cents each.

I decided to put these two thrifty finds together and ended up with a beauty... for $2.50. Can't beat that! It definitely pays to be patient - and collecting junk for a hobby doesn't hurt either.

I think this stuff was made for eachother. Don't you think? And it was definitely made to display my favorite green duck who now happily smiles at me everytime I check the time.

I was actually shocked that they agreed to pose for a picture.

...and a few tricky dance moves

Finally, the kids got to celebrate all their hard work with a fancy presidential cake (??? again, that word) and Capri Suns, of course. Really, it wouldn't be a school function without the Capri Suns, you know.

I'm up to my eyeballs in a full room makeover for Maggie. She's leaving the little girly pink room that she and Claire have been sharing and moving into her own room. I'm kind of feeling all nostalgic-like about it, like it's "Wendy's last night in the nursery" or something. Lots of little things are all adding up to remind me that she's growing up and I'm not sure I like it so much.

I think it spruced up quite nicely.

And I love, love, LOVE the paper. I think I could put it everywhere. I'll try to resist.

One project down, about 28 to go!

I don't know what happened. I blinked and the week passed me by. Well ACTUALLY I do know what happened. It's called weather in the high 60s to mid 70s and I can't be kept indoors... not even to blog. I've been picnicking (is that how you spell that?) with the kids, strolling around the neighborhood, celebrating Ty's week long birthday festivities, and painting like there's no tomorrow. And boy, have I got projects to show...at least I think they're kinda fun. They're not quite ready for the reveal. Soon. Very soon.



For now, here are some of my favorite pictures from the week.

Nothing like a good whiff of spray paint in the air to let you know spring has arrived.

(and THIS is why I hate to throw away a good box)

My baby is dancing WITH A BOY! Ack! More to come about this one.

Ty had a couple of buddies over for lunch Monday afternoon. They were having a nice little chat over PB and J's and applesauce, when all of the sudden I heard Parker say, "Blayde has a girlfriend!" Oh no. Pleeeeeease no! Not yet! They're only babies. All this was running through my head as I'm trying to hold back panic and tears. Pretty much since the second my children take their first breath, I start dreading the day that they will come to realize there are boys and there are girls. And that there is something called love, other than the way that brothers love sisters and we all love babies. So, I took a breath and decided I needed to get in on this conversation. "Sooooo Blayde.....what's your girlfriend's name?" I tried to sound more friendly than mom-ish. He looked at me with the best grin ever and proudly announced, "My girlfriend is MY MOM because I love her!!!!!"

Halleluja!!!!! I could have ran and given him the biggest kiss on the cheek and told him what a good boy he is and that I am so glad he is Ty's friend. But I didn't.

Ty, Parker, and Blayde in all their messy-faced glory

I have a bathroom. Sometimes I forget. It's my own that I share with one other adult. I have to remind myself of this because usually it's buried under hairbows, bathtoys, and size 10 boy sneakers. The funny thing about this is that the kids have a bathroom too. It's theirs. Really they can do whatever they want with it as long as they remember to flush. They flush, I clean. A pretty good deal for them, I think. Yet still, little naked bums come wandering into MY space and overtake my supposed to be haven. They dribble, they spit pink bubbly saliva (somehow missing the sink), they drop socks, leave wet towels, play with bathtime Dora and hundreds of army men (which hurt like heck when you step on them, by the way), and they write ABCs with bath crayons all over my tub. My kids are great. I love them and I love that I have so many of them now that arms and legs are hanging out of the tub if I try to cram them all in there at the same time, so we don't do that anymore.


As much as I love them, it's time to kick them out...of our bathroom, that is. Reas has been saying this for a while. They have a tub. Why are they always in ours? I know why. There's a separate shower and a large tub in the master bath so 2 kids in the shower, a couple in the tub together, baddabing baddaboom. 4 kids bathed in one bath's time. But, yes. He's right. They have a bathroom for a reason.


I've been gearing up for the big switcharoo for a while. Over the last few days I've made some changes. And I'm excited!! MY bathroom is beginning to evolve. It's almost looking like grown-ups use it. And there are even a few pretty things to make me feel pampered. Keep in mind, it doesn't take much to make me feel this way...I'm the mom who scrapes the cold macaroni and cheese out of the pot and calls it my lunch. Of course I'd LOVE new sinks, faucets, or even just finished baseboards, but for now I'm getting my high from easy 5 minute changes that make a difference. It's almost equally satisfying, but very much FREE.


So here we go. Let me take you on tour with a couple of "befores."






This is what I started with in the tub. Eeek. Isn't it just bubbling over with "fill me up and come soak for a while?" I think not.









First things first. I removed Dora, old washcloths, bath boats, and even all the army men are MIA. They're in a nice little basket under the sink - the KID'S sink.

Then I stood back and said, "Eww." That bathtub ring is much more noticeable when there are no toys to hide it. So I scrubbed a bit. That's better.


Lack of storage has always been an issue in this bathroom. I'm not sure why it took me 2 years to think of this, but I've found a solution. And I'm liking it. I replaced the ugly trashcan and unfriendly scale in the open space below the counter with a lovely large basket. It's now home to towels, washcloths, and extra rolls of t.p. Problem solved.


What used to be this (yes, that is painter's tape. No, I am not going to tell you how long it's been there.)







is now this.







And THIS is the perfect example of why it's always a good idea to have extra baskets and tins laying around. You never know when they'll jump into place. (This is me rationalizing my thriftstore and Target clearance basket purchases).

Seriously, this basket was made for this spot. Don't you think?



Next, this is the totally frivolous and kind of fun part. I dug around under my bathroom sinks and pulled out bubblebath, bath beads, shower gels, the poofy things, and anything else pretty. Here's my confession. These things are really not ME. I'm not your soak-in-the-tub-with-lit candles kind of girly girl, but who knows. Maybe now I will be since I have this lovely bowl of pampering nonsense sitting on the side of the tub. I'm not even sure how I acquired this stuff. I know I didn't buy it...probably Christmas gift exchanges.



For some finishing touches I hung up a decorative wall piece I found months ago at DI for $2. When I bought it, I didn't know where I was going to put it...again, sometimes you just have to shop by faith. You know why I love it in this spot? Look at my next picture - do you see it? Look at the shape of the window behind me...and the shape of the thingy...and the window...and back to the thingy. I didn't realize how much this repeating diamond shape theme would make my heart flutter.