Don’t Sweat The REALLY Small Stuff

I’ll admit it…I’m one of those “MaTcHy MaTcH MoMs” that loves to have everything coordinate.  I love dressing my 2 year old daughter up in outfits with matching hair BoWs, socks, shoes, bracelets…the whole NiNe YaRdS!  You can say flying by the seat of my pants in NOT in my vocabulary.  I’ve always loved picking clothes out for my kids and have never had an issue until the other day when I took my 4 year old son shopping for his BaCk-To-ScHoOl sneakers.  For days he was saying he wanted blue and yellow sneakers which I figured would be no problem.  I envisioned a SnEaKeR with some navy and a little mustardy yellow accent that could easily match his wardrobe.  Needless to say what he picked out was far from the understated running shoe I had in mind.  However, the look on his face when he tried them on was PRICELESS.  I took a deep breath and bought the sneakers that my son had so proudly picked out all on his own. 

On the car ride home I thought that there are so many things that can cause stress in our daily lives…I was proud of myself for going with the flow for once and in the grand scheme of things, this really is sMaLL StUfF!

~Guest Writer Robyn, From New Jersey~

Biggest Bang For Your Buck – Buying Name Brand

Ever find something you really would like to buy, but don’t want to pay full price?  If so, try buying a floor model.  Stores have to move these items from time to time and usually do so at a discount.

This TabLe & cHaiRs, rUg and DollhOusE I found at a Potterybarn Kids store.  And best of all, they were all floor models.  I was able to get a 50% DisCouNt on the table & chairs and rug, as well as a 40% discount on the dollhouse.  I found all these buys in the summer and instantly I had a head start on my Christmas shopping!

Many times stores don’t advertise these discounts, so you may want to ask the sales clerk if there are any discounts on FlOoR mOdEls.  I was browsing and just happened to be looking at pricetags.  Another option is to put your name on a WaiTiNg LiSt for a floor model that you are interested in.  I have done this before and although you may have to wait for a few months or longer, you may be able to land a really GoOd DeaL.  Of course, there are no guarantees your name will be the top name on the list, but it’s worth a shot.

So next time you fall in love with a piece of furniture or household item that you don’t want to pay full price for, give it a try and see if you can’t land a great deal.  It may take PaTieNcE, but it will be worth it.

Robynn~

Wedding Guest Book Idea

Earlier this year I had an engaged couple wanting to use blocks as a NeW and FuN way to have people sign their wedding guest book!  It was going to be a small wedding, so they decided to use blocks for the guests to sign.  The best thing about this IdEA was that they are able to decorate their home with these blocks and cHeriSh them for a lifetime!

 

See more block options by visiting my website at www.letterblockshop.com

Cheers~

Lara

Country Roads Take Me Home!

In my opinion, there are few things as good for the SouL as a drive in the CoUnTrY.  If you need a break from the rat race or just want a slower pace grab your keys and EnJoY the countryside. 

Need a good song?  John Denver’s, CoUnTrY RoAdS is one song my family and I love to belt out as we do our country cruising.

Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k49paH8plfY&feature=related

Robynn~

LIVE A Little

With the hustle and bustle of being a mom, running a business and keeping up with life in general, it is easy to let extra fun and uNique experiences pass me by if I let them. To-do lists will always be NeVer-Ending and no matter how hard we try, there will never be more than 24 hours in a day!

When I find myself busy with the daily grind, I am often reminded of something my Dad told me growing up, “Sometimes you need to live a little.”

“Living a little” may be painting your toes a crazy color or wearing an outfit that is different from your typical wardrobe style. Maybe it means eating on your Grandmother’s china more often, rolliNg around in the sand with your kids or doing something as cRaZy as sky-diving! Put your busy life on hold now and then and “live a little”! It will be FUN and you’ll never regret the MeMories you’ll make while doing so!

Have FUN!

~Lara

*This is a picture of my sister!!  She is so BRAVE! ;)

Bittersweet

Yesterday I sent my firstborn to KiNdErGaRtEn.  {Sniff, Sniff}  I was actually only a tad bit emotional.  The real WaTeRwOrKs came the day before when I looked through her BaBy picture books. 

What was I thinking?  I guess I was just trying to get a handle on how QuiCkLy those five years had gone.  I’ve heard the StoRiEs of the first day of school but now I UnDeRsTaNd.

What’s worse is those stories go on to say the years from Kindergarten to high school graduation go by just as quickly. 

Oh No. 

I’m definitely not ready for that…

This reminds me of the quote by Alice Morse Earl that says, “The clock is RuNniNg.  Make the MoSt of today.  Time WaiTs for no man.  Yesterday is HiStoRy.  Tomorrow is a MySteRy.  Today is a GiFt.  That’s why it is called the PrEsEnT.”

Enough of the BiTtEr-StUfF.  Now for the SwEeT.

Yesterday we started some TrAdiTioNs. 

Of course I took a slew of PicTuReS and had Grandma GiGi take the family photo on our back porch. 

We took HeiGhT measurements.

EnJoYeD chocolate-chip cookies with milk after school.

PaiNtEd hand prints.

And SaVeD our local newspaper for the scrapbook.

This MiLe-MaRkEr a.k.a. Kindergarten is a chance for me to look back fondly at the past and forward with great hopes and dreams for the future.   But even more importantly to cherish the PrEseNt.  Hopefully these traditions will help me do just that. :)

How are you marking your miles?  We would love to hear about YoUr first-day-of-school traditions!

Robynn~

Photobook by:  Portrait Designs By Lasha

Flooded Basement Makeover

A year ago our basement flooded due to me forgetting to turn the electricity back on after trying to install a new light fixture and running to town to get a new part :(  Of course it just happened to be raining that day, and I came home to over 6″ of water!

I wanted to come up with a cHeaP way to make our basement a more functional and inviting living space, but something that would make another flood less devistating.  I was able to transform the space on a budget with the help of these items:

– 10 tan colored king-sized sheets from Wal-Mart ($14 each)

-Binder clips and Binder Rings

-1 roll of thick wire from Lowe’s

-A couple sheets of drywall and putty

-1×12″ pine boards for the trim

-Staple Gun w/ Staples

-1 Can of spraypaint that I already had

-Paint, which I already had

Before Pic 1 

After Pic 1

As you can see, I hung sheets for the “walls” so if it floods again I can pull off the sheets and take them outside to dry (or wash them!)

Before Pic 2 

After Pic 2  

We used 1×12″ pine for the trim at the bottom of the walls with sheetrock.  This way, if it floods again, hopefully it will be less than 12″ and won’t ruin the sheetrock!

My Quick & Easy Trick

See these binder rings and clips? I spray painted these a dark brown and used these to hang my sheets!

Hanging the drywall and sanding/painting the wall was probably the hardest part.  If all you had to do is hang the sheets, you could traNsForm a room within an afternoon!

~Lara