Mirror Mirror on the wall...

It's Wednesday! What a week it has been for me! Drake was unfortunately hit with a stomach bug...poor little guy couldn't hold anything down! Luckily he woke up today feeling good and is keeping his food down!

So, as I have said in my recent posts...I am still in the midst of furnishing and decorating my home! Even after living here for 2 years I/we aren't done! In many ways I am actually happy I haven't done it yet, because now I have you all to come along for the ride! The one room I have been teetering with is our master bedroom! It is a big room with lots of spaces to fill...but I'm taking it one step at a time! Check out our bedroom before I made some changes...I could have kept it this way, but it felt like we had so much space from our bed to the ceilings (sounds crazy, right?) I wanted our room to look longer and fuller!

I found these lovely mirrors at Tai Pan Trading (<-- Love this place!!) $15 each in the clearance section! Steal, right??

Take a look at what a difference it made in our room! Not only did it make it look taller and spacious, it brought out the golds in my bedding (from Pottery Barn..hehe)...When trying to make a room look bigger or taller, buy mirrors or hang tall pictures!

What a change it has made!

...Adriana

Feels like summer to me...

Simply Saturday today! What are your plans for this lovely weekend?? This morning my love and I decided it was time for some Spring cleaning ourselves! We decided to buy a new mop (big wipee?? right??) and we did some cleaning around the home. It's kinda sad, or funny, that as you get older...the simplest things become pleasing and rewarding!

 I have to say that today is such a great day! It feels like summer already! Sadly, we don't have a pool to enjoy when the weather heats up...BUT we have sprinklers! OK! Maybe just for Drake!! ;) Check out my little man enjoying himself today! It's so nice being with family on the weekends, for me, it's rewarding. It's so nice to just relax every once and a while and leave the "to do" list for another day...

 I have to say that I officially sat myself down and made a list of projects that need (and will) get done around our home! First thing on that list is finishing Drake's room...which has already begun!

 My kind mother rescued this piece for me...

Yes, it looks like a hunk of junk...but this bad boy is now all Drake's! Oh no no no...I know what your thinking...you probably think I'm gunna take that blue can of spray paint and go to town...and that's it...hahaha! You really think I would just give my secret away like that??? Oh no! This piece is going to be so much more than that...I'll give you a hint...Marvel!

Stay tuned...So what are you doing to make your Saturday simple?

Adriana

Superhero Makeover

How is your Wednesday so far?? I hope heroic! Speaking of heroic! I've been talking with Cory about re-doing Drake's room into Super Hero's! As you can see in my pictures below...the theme is a little, well...chaotic! First, we had his room in all monkey/jungle theme, and it was cuuute...but now that he is a little older, his taste has definitely changed (and still changing)...and Second, that change became Spiderman, Cars, Iron Man, Iron Giant (Yes, he does exist) AND Toy Story! Being that I try and give my little man everything his sweet heart desires, I let Drake be his own interior designer for his room!...and now I'm over this inconsistent look! I want his room to look like a little boys room! Sooooo Cory and I have decided to transform his room into a Superhero theme! Take a look at what his room looks like now...

See all the Toy Story decals?? LOL...he loves them! The color on the walls is a pale green, which I loved at first...but being that we are changing his room...I'm still deciding on the new color!

 Can you see Jesse (from Toy Story)...yes I know...there's A LOT going on here!

I hate that lamp too!

After living here for 2 years now...his room his still bare...

How sad the wall looks, right?? So naked! Well that will soon change!

Using his changing table now as his shoe/toy holder...

See that 3 drawer next to the table, that's going bye bye!

See all those books?! Crazy thing is...those were all mine when I was little!

Hate that his closet is a little dis-organized...that's going to change too!

A small little corner spot to store some of his toys!

Ok so I know what your thinking...nothing matches! Yes! You are so right! That is why we have decided to make over Drake's room into a space where he can feel like a superhero himself! Keep in mind this is going to be a bit of a process but I'm super(hero) excited!! Hehe! :)

Now take a look at some of the stuff I have already bought...

I found these 2 vintage tin wall arts at the OC Swapmeet (<--Love that place)

So now that you took a tour of Drake's room, follow along to see the finished product! Can't wait to make this room look like a little boys room!

...Adriana

911...

It's Friday! Are you loving this rain or not? I'm loving it! Nothing like being home cuddled up in a blanket catching up on your shows on the dvr, while stuffing your face with some left over Easter candy, right?!

After the week I had, all I want to do is to be cuddled up on the couch with my 2 boys! It wasn't like the usual Wednesday for me; go to work, pick up Drake from grandma's, cook dinner, get Drake fed, bathed, and tucked into bed.  While daddy and I catch up on our day with the last 2 hours left of the evening before we hit the hay! Not this Wednesday...When I picked up Drake from grandma's house, she informed me that he woke up with a fever of 103 and managed to get it down to 100.

Just to fill you in...Drake has been fighting this cough, not fever, for like a week, so the fever came as a surprise! Yes, I had already taken him to the doc's and she had him on a cough and cold medicine.

After I picked up Drake, I took him home and monitored him. To my surprise Cory cooked dinner for us (cute, right?!), at this point Drake was acting very lethargic (not like him AT ALL!).  He didn't want to eat and he laid down on the couch while we ate...after dinner I sat next to him keeping him cool. Well, the next part was NOT-SO-FUN...Drake fell back to the floor and immediately went into a seizure...eyes rolled back, body slightly twitching and unresponsive! YES! I WAS FREAKING OUT!  This was the first time I saw my son in this state...Cory and I were helpless! I picked up the phone and called 9-1-1 (I had to actually think about what numbers I was dialing).  I was in full blown panic mode! Cory had to calm me down for Drake's sake. As a mom, your worse fear is seeing your child unresponsive and sick! Drake had a seizure (for what felt like an hour) for 2.5 minutes. The worst and longest minutes of my life! The 911 operator was so kind and helpful while showing us how to care for Drake. The paramedics finally arrived at our home 5 minutes after the call! When they showed up Drake was having a hard time breathing and they could clearly see it. They informed us that they needed to take him to the hospital before he has another possible seizure. Another ambulance ride, again?? Yes, I said again! Just a year ago Drake was fighting the H1N1 flu, pneumonia and a virus, he turned blue on Cory and I and had to be rushed to the hospital! So you can see my frustration and broken heart!

Once we arrived at the hospital, they checked his fever and it had peaked to 104! The doctor explained that Drake had a Febrile Seizure, which is common in toddlers that is brought on by a fever over 100. They also did a Chest X-Ray to make sure he didn't have pneumonia. The doctor did discover an ear infection in his left ear, and other then that Drake had a good report card...We were sent home with anitbitotics, Motrin and Tylenol for the fever.

Throughout all of this craziness I leaned to God for his grace and love. All I could do was Pray, Pray Pray. God gave me the strength to make the call, the peace to keep me calm and the love to keep me going. For all of you newer or soon-to-be mom's who are not aware of what Febrile Seizures are click the link to read about how common it is with toddlers. For any of you mother's out there who have a child with an illness or who may be sick...my heart goes out to you. YOU ARE AMAZING! Don't you forget that!

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become by salvation. Isaiah 12:2

Miss Classy

Hello Wednesday! Hey guys! I am sooo excited to be sharing the reveal of The Stray Buffet! This is by far one of my favorite projects I have done!! When I found this piece, she was pretty beat...but with a little bit of TLC, I gave her a makeover! Take a look at the steps I took to beautify this buffet!

Before

Visit The Stray Buffet if you would like to see the steps I took before I painted. I decided on going with a simple semi-gloss white. I painted the entire buffet 1 coat of white, then I took a can of white semi-gloss spray paint and went to town! I have no clue why I didn't spray paint in the first place?! It makes it soooo much easier! Spray painting helps to get into the small areas where your brush can't reach.

After

 I bought this wood stainer at The Home Depot for $4

MINWAX-Ebony

After the paint dried, I took my can of stainer and an old t-shirt and started rubbing the creases and designs, then took the dry part of my t-shirt and wiped off the wet stainer. Repeat this process until you get the desired look.

I sprayed the finishings with Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze

You can get this at either The Home Depot of Lowes- $7.98

I just love how the color of the hardware really ties in the vintage look I was going for!

After all the paint, staining and sanding was complete, I finished the job off with a protective clear coat.

  

Amazing what a difference???

Coming soon...a video tutorial on how to stain your furniture!

What do you all think??...Adriana

The Manly Easter Basket

It's Wednesday ya'll! This has to be my least favorite day of the week...as it is for you, Im sure! As in my previous post How Often Do You Date?, I mentioned how I was planning a creative date night. I'm happy to say that the babysitter (Grandma) is booked and plans are set (keep our fingers crossed that nothing comes up). Friday night me and my man plan on hitting up one of our favorite restaurants TOKYO KITCHEN,...it has to be thee #1 Tepan Grill, their food is AMAZING! If all goes as planned we will sneak in a movie...not too sure which one yet. Suggestions?

ANYHOO! Easter is right around the corner! Yay! Call me crazy but I not only buy for my son (uh yea of course) I also buy for my fiance! C'mon now, you know they love it when they too have a basket waiting for them at the front door! My mom still to this day gets me and my sister an Easter basket! The day she stops will be pretty devastating! I plan to continue the tradition! 

OK...so every year I have to get creative when buying for Cory (the fiance)...Yes, buying for the little guy is pretty easy! Got him all Spiderman stuff at the Target dollar section...and some marshmallow peeps (Gotta have those in your basket!)...and a book on Spiders, because he's obsessed! Now for Cory...he is a little more difficult to shop for! You want the basket to be a little more mature and yet still come from the heart. Here are some ideas (without draining your wallet) for your significant other to stuff his basket (um...that didn't sound right...) LOL!

First things first: Remember! This is not Christmas, so don't put too much pressure on yourself to go all out...remember what the holiday is all about!...the basket is just a bonus! 

Second: Men are simple people (unlike us gals). A simple backrub would please them, so don't feel the need to go crazy, save your $$ for that much needed mani! 

And Thirdly: Guys don't find it necessary to go all out on Easter, like us woman...so don't be hurt if he doesn't show up with a basket filled with goodies...it's most likely he'll give ya a smooch and possibly chocolates! Or not...LOL

Now...onto the basket filler! You will need a basket (duh!)...you can either purchase your basket at the local dollar tree (they have everything!!) or like myself...I'll get a little more creative and buy something I know he needs at Target! Maybe a small tapered fabric bin to hold his toiletries (gel, hairspray, electric shaver, deodorant) This particular bin you can find at Target for $6.99!

Manly Easter basket suggestions:

-Basket $1 at the dollar tree or $6.99 at Target for bin

-His favorite candy or batch of cookies wrapped up $3

-Men's magazine (Men's Health or Fitness) $3

-Plastic eggs filled with cute love notes and candy for his surprise $1

-DIY Gift certificate for a free backrub- or foot massage! Click Here for printable Template 

-Easter Grass of course! $1

-A new refill on his gel and hairspray $5-$10 (Depends if you get him the real real good stuff!)

VOILA! You have yourself a manly Easter basket all under $25! Now that's one thoughtful, inexpensive manly Easter basket!! ...Adriana

A Bride on a Budget

Happy Friday to you all!!! We are now heading into April! Geeze, how time is flying by!!! I can't keep up with the changing seasons! Come May, it will be a whole year since me and my man have been engaged! Yes, time definitely flys!!! It's crazy because everyone keeps asking me "how's the wedding planning coming along?", "When is the BIG Day??"...and my answer to them is always the same- We haven't found a venue yet...still searching!  When in reality...we are struggling with our budget! Along with many newly engaged couples, we too, are trying to plan a wedding that won't break our bank!

I really want to be able to show everyone that you can have the wedding of your dreams on a budget! I've been to plenty of weddings, and have gazed at the gorgeous bride walking down this extravagant isle that is filled with huge floral displays, while her giddy groom is awaiting her arrival! I think sometimes we get lost in the planning, and the details...that we tend to forget what the wedding is all about! After much debackle and debate with my fiance about having our wedding, I have come to the conclusion that our happiness and commitment is the ONLY thing that matters to me...I keep telling my family....all I want is to walk down the isle in my dress! I found my dress at The Dresser in Fullerton...my sister, Genelle, was with me...Once I saw myself in it, I knew it was THE ONE! I'm in love with my dress as I am with my fiance! Naw, I'm just kidding!! But you get the point?!

 I want to show brides that you can get married and have your wedding be just as special and lavish as the one's you see in magazines...the wedding day every girls dreams of. My fiance and I have now begun the process of planning our wedding and I'm going to show you step by step how we pull this off (fingers crossed). I will compare prices researching local vendors...so you will be informed on who has the better deal! I'm going to be honest and open about the spending, the obstacles we face, and the drama behind the scenes! Get ready to see the magical workings of a bride on a budget!...Adriana