The Simple Things + a Shout Out

Little Miss L turned 2 this week.

She has started speaking a lot more this month.

Her brother has had a play buddy for the past couple of months.

She has been a sunkissed California girl for the past 6 months.

Her binky, blankie, and baby have stayed with her throughout this last year.
It's amazing the big and little things that can happen in one year.

I had a good friend of mine from high school, Trina, come take pictures of her!
Isn't this picture amazing?!

How did she capture her little angelic, too stubborn to look at the camera, curious about everything around her, beautiful personality?

She seriously is wonderful!

If you are in Southern California during the summer & fall or Utah during the winter & spring,

she is your girl.

Yes, she is that lucky to be a beach babe and snow bum.

Check out her blog for more pictures, she'd probably love it if you said hi!

Linking up here

Coffee Table Makeover

I've been seeing a lot of 2 toned painting jobs done lately and have fallen in love!

I really like the stained on top-cream on bottom look and want to "try" it on our bedroom furniture.

Before I experiment/botch our whole set, I decided to try my luck on a table.

I found a table and the price kept going down and down, thank you Craigslist!
I had my husband come get it with me, which I now think is a necessity since this was in a sketchy location.

Here's the beauty! I love the legs, the curves and it was in great shape!

Mr. J took it apart for me and I stripped, sanded, stripped, primed, painted and glazed.

Here is the finished product in my parent's piano room, I love it!

It fits perfect in there!

Things I learned from this project:
If you have never redone furniture, it's not going to be perfect the first time. I'm a great example.

I love glazing, I could have done way more on this, but I played it safe. What do you think, more glaze or leave it?

I really wanted a dark, dark top so I stained it a few times. Stain doesn't soak in the exact same amount in every spot and the perfectionist in me had a hard time at the beginning, but I'm loving the different shading now.
Linking up here
Blue Cricket Design-Show & Tell Wednesday

 

The Simple Things

I would love to understand how my childrens little minds work.

It doesn't dawn on them to get fully dressed before walking out the front door on this gorgeous fall evening.

Lucky for them, they get to watch their uncles and friends play a game of football in the street.

It doesn't dawn on them that they might step on a rock or to put on shoes.

They think it's pure luck to get in a good game of fetch with the neighbor's dog.

It doesn't dawn on them that they haven't had dinner yet.

They are fully enjoying the snickers and twix given to them by our sweet friend.
It doesn't dawn on them that they are each others best buddy.
He's lucky that she follows everything he does, she's lucky that he is such a good example.
Through the fighting over toys, the he says-she says, and who had it first,
the cuddle time and the concern when the other is hurt win every time,
they are so blessed to have each other and I am blessed to have them.

There is something truly magical about being a mother and enjoying the small things with them.

The fall weather in California, the quiet evenings in, and letting the kids be kids make me feel like I'm doing something right.

Linking up here