Germs Be Gone! (please)

A Gentle {and visual} Reminder

Are the Germs still hanging around your house?  Here, we are (dare I say) in a good place.  (ok, i am sure that will lead to some new bug nesting in our home.)  But hopefully with this little reminder I've set out.. we can keep those buggy friends at bay!

It is nothing special at all... but it has helped everyone to remember to 

1. Use a tissue (as opposed to a sleeve).

2. Throw it away (as opposed to laying it on the counter next to the box.. the same counter that happens to be just above the trash can.  Hmmm...)

3. Wash hands before resuming to all important activities.

Now, some of us have more trouble with certain numbers listed above than others... but I think the benefits are felt by all. 

it's the little things...

arrow for additional reminder of WHERE to "throw" .. just incase

see.. it even rhymes.. Addie practices a little reading, phonics, and cleanliness now with each (and there are many) Blow!

Happy Friday!!

I think I'm going to bring back "pass it on"... (the 1 a day  posts in october that i did).  Not every day.. but aren't the little tips that help you in your day your favorite??  

they are for me.

A little frustrated, I'd say

I'm going to cough up a confession right now...  Full blast, can't take it any more.. Frustration. With. Myself.

My house is so not ready for visitors. Visitors that are coming tomorrow.  My sister would be so mad if she knew am stressing like this. (Sorry Meg!) She's so laid back and not the type at All to judge if my house is cleaned and in order or if there are toys and piles throughout..  ahem.. the ladder.

Its a disappointment in myself. I wanted to have it ready for when she came.
That was the goal.

No, i didn't think it would be all organized and each room painted and decorated with all the Pinterest ideas i have... I'm not that delusional.  But a general neatness would be nice.
And folks, that is NOT what we have.

I should have organized the guest room last week.. it is kind of a catch all since its the loft and out of my daily sight.  Instead, I decided to paint the living room and laundry room.  I should have cleaned and organized Monday when the kids were off. Instead I decided to start painting Micah's room.. because it was going to be "easy".  Well... let's just say I upped the ante in there. It is going to be Great... at some point. 

So there we have it. My confession of the messiest house ever before guests arrive. I don't want to whine here... but ya know,  it's not all happy little crafts and cute kids here all the time. ;)

Can anyone identify?!?!?!? 
Thanks for listening (if you read to here.. you rock!) and hey, don't judge! Unless of course you have it all together all the time... then i invite you to throw stones... throw lots of stones! ;)

Ps... why did i take time to write this??  Well besides feeling much better... i multi-tasked and did it on my phone while rocking Micah!  Boom! Break out the caffeine.. (or wine?!)   It is cleaning time!!

going to attack the kitchen first!

Blessings

Blessings.
enough said.

Garrett learned to play chess two weeks ago.  He taught me this week.  He used grown up statements like, "the thing about chess is..." while explaining to me.  He knew my moves before I did and told me when 'he wouldn't do that'...   i felt like 8 year old.

Addison got a trim this weekend.  About 3 and a half inches came off her blonde locks.  She's still as cute as ever, but in complete girl fashion.. she changed her mind about cutting it up to her chin and donating her pony tail when we arrived.  Addie is not a "pull on the heart stings" type girl... she's 5. 

Enjoying the game this week.  a little chilly at 8:30 am!

Addie loves to spend time in her room now.. big girl bed, books, and the ipad.  why not?!

How cuddly precious is this?!

My boys.  sooooooooooo sweet.

New Years Mantle

2013!!

I've been wanting to share my New Years mantle.. how is it that it is half way through January already?

We've been busy with projects already.. here you can see a little of the paint project.. I think it is a never ending project spilling over to multiple rooms in the house!

After putting away Christmas.. I have stayed away from decorating.  Like I said we are focusing on the house and the projects we've been talking about since we moved in.  So, I picked two areas to add a little winter flare.  What is life with out a good lookin:

1. the front porch {here}

2. the mantle (well, my version)

I went really simple.. silver and blues.

 

Since it was too warm here, I used my aqua scarf for color and texture.

Cheers!

I love the sparkle

I made these with things I had.. didn't even have to paint the sicks :)

This vase became victim to silver paint.. it's pearly and pretty.

A dear friend in NV made me this wreath! Isn't it fabulous?  thanks Kristyn!

I move these vases around all the time! {Here} is how i made them a while back.

I still miss having a real mantel... but this is working.

OH, and how do you like the paint??

linking to:

 

 

Rustic January Front Porch

Trying to capture "winter" while it is 80 degrees is somewhat difficult.  After being in snowy Ohio though, I felt the need to continue it somewhat... it is after all, January.  I didn't have much of a plan for what I wanted to do on the front porch.. it just sort of evolved.  And I kind of like it! 

 It's natural.  It has a touch of Florida.  It has glitter.

There's those silver numbers again!

pinecones and greenery provided by our neighborhood :)

antler borrowed from Garrett :)

Welcome!

here's the glitter.. the first initial of our names :)

This is an old rug maker, of my great grandma's.  I just loved the texture and height here. :)

So yeah, January can be kind of blah in the decorating world.  But I really don't think this is "blah" at all.  It's inviting.. like, come on in and have a cup of coffee or tea (possibly iced...)!

side note... my accomplice on the gathering walks fell asleep on the job! 

 

 LOL, I gathered these last week when Micah started feeling better and wanted to be outside.  So on one of these walks I decided how to "dress my porch for January".. then on another walk I brought some clippers and did the neighborhood pruning.  Let's just say the construction guys on our street think I am NUTS! (notice the pallet boxes in the pictures.. they know it's me!)

Linking:
Create & Inspire 
Get Your Craft On

Steelers Sunday

While we were in Ohio a bunch of us cashed in on a great Christmas present... tickets to a Steelers game!! (To be fair a few Griffin boys considered them tickets to a Browns game... poor souls.)  Garrett was SO excited!! I was too... though a little nervous about the 20 something temps... I've become a Florida girl ya know!
It was so fun to spend the day with "the guys".. Matt, Garrett, my dad, Matt's dad, and his brother.  We were evenly divided: team Steelers- my dad, garrett, and me. The Griffin boys made up the losing team.. oops I mean team Browns.  Personally I am glad to be a Steelers fan... but even more so because the relentless teasing Garrett did had to have been annoying!
Garrett was in awe even as we approached the stadium,  wanting me to snap pictures of everything. Here are some from a great day!!  (Ps: the Steelers won) ;)

Oh, and look out if you ever sit next to Garrett at a Steelers game.. he is wicked with his terrible towel!!! 

our seats were high, but still good and the crowd around us was very kid friendly

inside the stadium is tons of memorabilia

1978 Super Bowl Champs.. good year ;)

the exact spot where The Immaculate Reception was caught in 1972

J-O-Y!!

Micah update and how we kept busy

What a difference a week makes!!  Last week we were at the doctor, getting a sad diagnosis... And this week, we have our Micah back!

Happy now. I love how he puts his hands in his pockets!

He was such a sad guy for the weekend and beginning of the week; so lathargic and miserable.

breathing treatments

After he got to the point where he didn't want held all the time and would get down to play, I decided I needed something to keep me busy since we were home bound for the week. So to Lowe's we went.. for paint!

yes, I am that mom now.. but it kept them busy while i decided on the right "happy yellow"

By Wednesday I was suffering from cabin fever. Micah kept asking to go "bye bye" too.. :)  The weather was a perfect 70 and sunny (reminded me of Coronado!) So we hit the sidewalks going for a run and quite a few walks. He just loves being outside and the fresh air seemed the best medicine.

what chu talkin bout willis?

He finally got his appetite back .... and his personality was not far behind!

pudding would make me feel better too! 

By the end of the week were were enjoying the weather.. oh and our time stuck at home!

love this guy so much

Here we are today.. it was 81 while we were at Garrett's flag football game.  Not sure the boys loved running around in the hot weather, but we loved it from the sidelines!

and the painting... it's coming along nicely!  we have been wanting to paint our living room since we moved in.  I am sick of looking at the beige walls.  The clashed so bad with our beautiful teal kitchen nook.. now the teal and the gray are together and it is so much better for the eyes!  We also decided to paint the laundry room before putting up the cabinets Matt has ready to install.. that was the "happy yellow" Lowe's trip.  

I told you we were busy!!

thanks for all your prayers and thoughts for Micah!