happenings

This past week has flown by for us!  So much stuff going on (and I thought July/August would be a breeze ... ha!)! 


For starters, we're having the exterior of our house repaired and painted.  They said it would take 3 days.  It's now been 5.  They're doing a great job, working hard, but I think they underestimated how many repairs really needed to be made.  That's what you get with an old house.  But I'm just excited it's finally getting done! (I'll post before/after pictures when it's completed.)


We also have a new roommate!  Our friend, Jackie, moved in with us on Monday and is staying a few weeks until her apartment is ready to move into.  We love her and she's been a delight!  


On Thursday night, Max and Rudy moved in with us for a week and a half while my parents take a much-needed vacation in Colorado with my mom's brothers and their wives.  


And then this morning, our dear friends dropped off their two puppies for us to dog-sit while they go on vacation for two weeks on the East Coast.  


Crazy houseful?  Yes.  But I honestly kinda like it!


Here's some pictures of the past few days:

(Enjoying a beautiful day outside)

(His little tush is so spankable!)

(He LOVES being outside!)

(Playing with Rudy)

(Rudy playing with him)

(We got a swimming pool just our size!)

(Max made us dinner ... and breakfast this morning!)

(Playing with Jackie's ukalale)

(Jackie and her "brother")

all things home thursday: my best purchases

There are a few things in my home that I am so glad that I purchased.  I rarely will buy something for my home that I'm not in love with, but there are just a few that I absolutely love and I would buy again and again.  I decided to share them with you (I listed the prices if I could remember them):

Jewelry Trees - Urban Outfitters

I had kept my jewelry in a box prior to purchasing these. Haha.  Anything would have been an improvement, but I absolutely loved these -  with the little bird decoration on top, both the earring wheel and the bracelet tree helps keep my jewelry nice and neat.

Candle Sconces - Home Goods ($14.99 each)

Our newest addition to the Osorno home, I loved loved loved these!  I love the shape, the rod iron, everything. They give some dimension to the previously bare wall in our living room.

Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals - Trader Joe's

If you haven't tried these yet, you need to!  They have so much more flavor than regular salt. Steam some broccoli and put a little of this on top ... mmmm!  Delish!

Wall Art - Target ($6.99/set on clearance)

I think these were supposed to be for outdoor patio decor, but I loved the shape and the material, so I used it in my dining room.  I love Target clearance racks!

Wall Hooks - World Market

I was getting so frustrated because we would come in the house and throw our coats and bags and hats on the couch or the table or wherever.  We just didn't have a good place to put them.  I found these and we installed them right by the front door so now it's quite an accommodating place to keep things up off the floor and furniture.

Cube Ottomans - Overstock.com (29.99/each)

We got these to replace our big, hard-cornered coffee table once Seth became mobile.  The coffee table took up too much room in our small living room, and I was horrified at the thought of my child hitting his head on the corner of it.  So I searched around and found these.  They have turned out to be perfect!  It's a great height for Seth to stand up against and play with toys on, plus they are easily moveable to make more room in the space and double as extra seating.  Great buy.

Mirrored Nightstands - Target

I just love these.  Enough said.

Hunter Ceiling Fan - Lowe's ($109.00 on clearance)

I got this fan for 50% off and I have no idea why.  It's in perfect condition, I just found it in the clearance section.  I love that.  Our old fan totally went out on us (ok ... it was tweaking out ... it would randomly turn on and off by itself ... creepy!).  I'm not a huge fan of ceiling fans, but in our case it was necessary since we don't have A/C, and I must say, it's a gorgeous fan.  

Magnetic Clips - Walmart ($3.99)

I don't like clutter at all.  But there are some things you just need to leave out to see them, so this is a great way instead of having them sit on your counter or desk - clip them to your refrigerator.  These clips are super duty - huge magnet on the back, so they can hold lots of papers/photos/etc. without losing their hold.

Glass Jar - World Market

I wanted to have easy access to the old faithful Q-tip after showers, but didn't want to go digging for them.  I found this glass jar with a cute embossed pattern on the outside which makes storing the practical item in a cute way.

Glass Tile - Home Depot

We got our bathroom remodeled last year, and I found these tiles and fell in love!  One of my favorite additions to our house.  I don't know why, but it makes taking a shower a little nicer. :)

Key Hook - World Market

When we were living in our apartment in Elk Grove, the previous tenant had left a key hook by the front door, so we started using it when we moved in.  I found that I loved it.  I never had to look for my keys again, and especially with a child now, it allows me to get one item out of my hands quickly after getting inside the door.

all things home thursday: toy chest refinishing

I am so excited to finally start posting about my home ideas!  Sorry for the delay!


This first All Things Home post, I've decided to share with you one of my most recent projects.  My chiropractor gave me a super nice toy chest a few months back, but it didn't match Seth's room at all (he has dark wood furniture).  Take a peek at the before:

It had great bones, solidly made, perfect size ... I loved everything about it except it's finish.  At first I was thinking of just painting it, but then I thought of down the road when Seth gets bigger and rougher and he'll be throwing toys in and out of it ... I could already see the paint being scratched away.  So I decided to strip the current sealer/stain off and re-stain it to match the rest of the furniture in Seth's room.  It's definitely a whole-weekend project, but it's relatively simple and it turned a free piece of furniture into something Seth will have for years to come (and it looks great!).  Keep in mind, this is the very first time I've ever done this.  I had watched my mom refinish one or two pieces of furniture back when I was in elementary school, but that was many, many, many years ago.  So if I can do it ... you definitely can.  I knew I'd need stripper and new stain, so I just went down to Orchard Supply and read the back of the the bottles to see if there was other stuff I'd have to get too. Here's what you'll need:

-Chemical stripper (that's safe on wood)

-Mineral spirits (to clean off your paint brush ... water won't do the job and it's illegal to put these chemicals down the drain)

-Stain color of your choice (I ended up getting a stain with polyurathane in it ... polyurathane is a sealant that helps protect the wood ... make sure your stain has it or make sure to get a can of it to put on after your stain has dried)

-Metal can (to put the mineral spirits in to clean your brushes; I had to buy one, but you can use an old metal coffee can or something you have around your house)

-Paint brush

-Putty knife

-Chemical resistant plastic gloves

-Face mask

-Newspaper

Now here's what to do:

1.  Make sure you're working outdoors, because the fumes can be intoxicating!

2.  Lay out newspapers under your piece of furniture, and lift the piece off the ground using old paint cans or pots, etc. (so you can make sure you get down to the edges).

3.  Clean the piece free of dirt and dust.

4.  Apply the chemical stripper following the grain of the wood (following the directions on the can) with a paintbrush, scrape off with the putty knife.

5.  Clean the piece so that all of the stripper is off.

6.  Apply the stain with a paintbrush in the direction of the wood grain, making sure your brush strokes are even.

7.  Allow to dry in between stain coats, but feel free to add as many layers of stain you want.  The more coats you put on = the darker the finish.

8.  If your stain didn't come with a polyurathane in it, apply it last and allow to dry.

Kind of a lot of steps, but they're all really easy!  Here's my finished project:

(I made a cushion for the top too in a coordinating fabric to Seth's bedding)

Here are a few tips for first-timers:

-When stripping and staining, make sure to lay the piece down so the surface you're working on is parallel to the ground.  I didn't do this, and ended up with drips which I didn't notice until after it had dried.

- If you do get drips, use extra fine steel wool (0000) to sand off the drips and restain that section.

-Make sure to use your gloves!  That stripper burns pretty bad if it makes contact with your skin.

All in all, it was fun!  Hope you are inspired!

answered prayers & raspberry jam

This morning I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God.  Do you ever feel as if He never hears you?  Do you feel as if He really doesn't care?  Well I was starting to feel that way. 


My son's sleeping habits for the past three months have been not-so-good.  That, in turn, had left me and my husband always feeling slightly sleep deprived and has caused Seth to be quite a handful at times (as he gets crazy hyper when he's tired).  But he just wouldn't sleep or stay asleep like he should be doing.  We were constantly crying out to God for help.  Constantly.  And it just didn't seem to be getting better.  Then we went on the Disney trip, which stirred up a bad sleeper into a horrible sleeper.  I was praying through tears on the trip each night that God would have mercy on us, that we might be able to enjoy that time with our family.  Each time I prayed, I felt the Spirit telling me, "Sylvia, do you not remember that God knows exactly what is happening?". His still, small voice was instilling those words into me.  Yes, Lord, I remember.  Help me to remember.


And this is why I'm overwhelmed:  since we've been home, Seth has been putting himself to sleep in his crib, not crying at all when I leave the room, and staying asleep for substantial naps and all the way through the night.  How can you not believe that's an answer to prayer?!  Woo hoo!  He's even going to bed earlier than normal at night, allowing Jack and I to have some quiet time with each other before bed.  God answers prayers in ways we don't even ask.  His ways are definitely higher than our ways!  God's goodness to us is so deep that it seriously brings me to tears.  I really felt that the Lord used our Disney trip to bring Seth to a place where he would sleep once he got home.  Perhaps it was the exhaustion he felt on the trip that he's finally able to rest here at home; maybe it was all of the changing scenery that has caused him to find much comfort in his own bed ... whatever it was, I feel a huge amount of confirmation that the Lord used the battles we experienced on the Disney trip to bring Seth to this place of rest now.


Sounds like a sermon to me.  Praise God!

.. .. ..

On a completely different note, I made jam for the first time yesterday.  Raspberry Jam!

I had a blast making it (Seth helped smash the raspberries!), and was shocked by how simple it actually is.  I had equally as much fun decorating the jars.  :)

I have to let it sit for 24 hours and then I'll have Jack and Joel taste-test it before I give it away to some lucky people.  Let me know if you want a jar!

new phone ... attachment

I love Pinterest.  I get so inspired for DIY projects, party ideas and home decor.  But also for things like this:

I couldn't live without it, so I now I look like this:

(I was having a bad face/hair day today ... hence the no-head shot)

A little excessive, maybe.  But isn't it so adorable?  And honestly it's much more comfortable for talking.  Even my manly husband has been using it!  

Go get one from Amazon ... all the cool kids are doing it.  

to disney and back

Finally!  I'm sitting down to recap, perhaps the last month of my life.  For starters, let me mention all of Seth's new accomplishments:


1.  He now has 8 teeth (he finally got his two middle upper teeth and no longer looks like a vampire ... his dad was very sad at this.)
2.  He can suck out of a straw (thank you, Lita!)
3.  He is cruising along furniture
4.  He is no longer a vegetarian (he loves chicken!)
5.  He can wave goodbye
6.  He can grind his teeth (and it is the most horrifying sound in the world to me!  Agh!)
7.  He has an obsession with the dishwasher and the refrigerator
8.  He has figured out how to open drawers (time to baby proof the kitchen!)
9.  He has gone swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and a swimming pool (and loved both)
10.  His latest fascination is shaking his head back and forth in a "no" motion (uh-oh!)


Now onto all of the Disney extravaganzas that we've been on.  Well, maybe a few pictures to start:

(The Disney Dream Cruise Ship)

(On the cruise: with our cousin, Naya!)

(On the cruise: at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, just after swimming in the ocean)

(On the cruise: King Seth ... wearing his bandana for pirate day)

(Can you see the water slide up top?  Fun!)

(On the cruise: a re-creation of Andy's room from Toy Story!  Seth's crawling inside Slinky!) 

(On the cruise: the Diaper Dash!  Seth took 1st place for his age group, 2nd place overall)

(On the cruise: our stateroom with a towel monkey left by housekeeping)

(Animal Kingdom Safari)

(Magic Kingdom Carousel ... this one's for you, Aunt Julie!)

(Magic Kingdom: meeting Cinderella! I honestly have to say I was so excited to meet her ... haha ... you never get rid of that little girl inside!)

(Magic Kingdom: meeting Snow White)

(Tired baby!)

 

(In Animal Kingdom ... do you see both of our sunglasses?  Yeah, they're no more.  We both left them on Space Mountain the next day.  So sad.)

(Magic Kingdom Castle)

So overall the trip was fantastic.  I think most of all, I just loved spending time with Jack's side of the family.  We really got to spend some quality time together ... all of us.  I'm so thankful for a great family-in-law!  

Seth, overall, did good.  The cruise, however, was not his forte.  He did not sleep good at all!  And therefore, Jack and I didn't either.  I'm thinking he was a little sensitive to the motion of the boat, put on top of being in a new place with new sounds, etc.  But he was great splashing in Nemo's Reef water playplace on the top deck and loved cruising around the ship, discovering new things.  One day on the ship they had something called a Diaper Dash crawling race.  Haha!  I had never heard of such a thing!  So we put Seth in the race and he won for his age group and came in second place overall!  It was so funny to watch!  

The ship stopped in Nassau, Bahamas on the second day, where Jack I went out snorkeling.  Can you say a-m-a-z-i-n-g?!  Jack's mom watched Seth while we went out and it was simply perfect.  The warm ocean water, lots of colorful fish, and cold rain on our backs.  Seriously amazing.  The third day we ported at Disney's private island called Castaway Cay.  It was so much fun!  They had lots to do there and that's where we brought Seth out swimming in the ocean for the first time!  He was a little apprehensive at first, but was loving it soon after.  We spent a good majority of the day out on the island, but when it started raining down in sheets ... I've never seen rain that heavy before ... we got back on the ship.  (What's crazy to me is how it can be pouring down rain and still warm, beautiful weather.  I'm just not used to that living where we live.  Normally if it's raining, it's freezing cold and windy.)  The fourth and final day we just spent at sea and went swimming on the boat and did other random activities with the family.

But the fun doesn't stop there.  We still had four days in Disney World after we docked the ship!  We stayed in Disney's Contemporary Resort and our rooms were gorgeous!  We had a fantastic view of Cinderella's castle at Magic Kingdom.  Seth's sleeping, though not perfect, was much better than it was on the cruise ship.  He was such a champ, riding around in his stroller to all of the different parks with us.  It was really hot and humid there, so we were fanning him down and giving him lots of water (which is how he learned how to drink out of a straw ... he loves it now).  Each of the parks were so different and fun.  We took Seth on as many rides as we could ...  I think his favorite was Winnie the Pooh ... he was captivated by everything on that ride!  One thing I loved about all of the parks is their Baby Care Centers.  They had a couple private rooms for nursing moms, a big room with a bajillion changing tables, and rooms with tables and chairs and high chairs for feeding/crawling/watching a movie, etc.  Those were havens for us when Seth was getting antsy.  

The plane rides ... um ... can we just not talk about those?  Ok, they weren't horrible, except for the last one coming from LAX to SFO.  Seth was so exhausted, so ready to be home, that he pretty much cried the whole way.  Yes, we were that family with the crying kid on the plane.  Nothing we would do would stop it.  But as soon as we got in the car, he was out like a light.  

It was a great trip.  Truly it was.  But I'm never going to do it again with a baby.  ;)