one of those days

it has been one of those days that I -

want to (and probably will) eat everything in sight
need to (and probably won't) accomplish a whole bunch of things
want to snarl at everything and everyone
get annoyed at the tiniest things
need to (and so far have managed to) keep my temper under control
need to be left alone
would start drinking now if there was enough wine in this house to make it better (yes, I know that is not a solution...but we have all been there)
wish I could start all over...from the very beginning
have no explanation for...I just feel out of control
don't like myself very much
don't like at all

where in the world is flat daddy?

If you remember I had mentioned a few months ago that we were the proud hosts of our very own flat daddy while my friend Sarah's husband Damion was overseas in Afghanistan.  if you don't remember, you are forgiven as it has been awhile (March I think) since I had any flat daddy updates.  But, as the summer is in full swing (and Damion is nearing the end of his deployment...yeah!) flat daddy has been quite active with the Oleksak family.

So where in the world is flat daddy?

he joined in on some backyard crazy sprinkler fun

and then joined me under the umbrella with some unsweetened tea and Southern Living magazine (drool)

he ventured to the local spray park to cool off with the kiddos

and he had the privilege of accompanying the kids and I to Eclipse...wonder if he is team Edward or team Jacob (or is he Team Bella with JT) ????

enjoy your day!

Tracy

how's it rollin' all my friends with flair?

ahhh!  I {heart} Fridays for so many reasons...but Unity's FWF has to be at the top of that list.  Not that I need an excuse to escape into my craft room, but I so look forward to the opportunity to HAVE to escape.  Although to be honest...it is so messy right now that I had to escape from it before I got lost under a pile of stamps, paper and embellishments...when will I ever learn to put things away when I am done with them?  (maybe when the kids do..lol!)

So today I have this fun retro card for you.  I love this little image from the May 2010 KOM...a little happy. But then again, I love pretty much any image in the KOMs...they are so fun! 

I wasn't too sure where I wanted to go with the color scheme on the card.  I was looking for fun & retro...then inspiration jumped right out at me...check out my summer purse!  I had a friend that always joked I stole it from the set of The Dating Game!  how more retro & roller skates is that?

By now you must know the deal...but if not, here it is.  Roll on over to the Unity Blog and check out the list of participants in FWF today!  Be sure to check out everyone's fabulous projects.  One participant is hosting the hidden blinkie...find it and leave a comment on that blog for a chance to win some Unity rubba!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend.  I would love to hear from you before you roll on out of here!

Tracy

from dark & dreary to bright & cheery

I have been {very} slowly trying to turn my house into a home I can be proud of.  We have been here for 6 years now (has it really been that long???) and my house is still someone elses.  Sure I have my furniture in the rooms, my touches here and there but for the most part, I haven't really made this house a home.

I don't know why...it isn't like we are moving again...at least until the kid's have grown and we retire.   Maybe it is because I am afraid of color, but that can be changed right?  Or afraid of putting something on the wall, table, floor, etc. because I might not like it, never even thought of returning it (until a friend told me that was how she turned her house into one she loves).  Maybe it is because I don't really know what my style is, although I am slowly fiinding it.

Anywhoo...one of my goals for 2010 was to finish the house.  Now to me that means doing what can be done.  I am certainly not talking major overhauls (which really need to be done in the kitchen, basement and upstairs bath) I am talking cosmetic changes that I can do...paint, pictures, accessories and a little bit of crown molding.  Here it is July and I am in no way close to that goal (I think it was that fear...lack of style thing).  I don't know what has come over me lately (could it be all the fabulous home decorating blogs I have discovered???) but I WANT to get a move on.  Summer is so hard for that now because I don't have any me time to scour stores and work on fun projects...but Fall will be here soon enough and I can start shopping and bargain hunting.  Til then, I will be loaded up on ideas.

In the meantime, I wanted to share the first part of my home's transformation (file it in the DIY kitchen makeover category).  Keep in mind that the master plan is to have the kitchen gutted and redone professionally in 5 years (keeping my finger's crossed).  So I am not talking replacing floors, cabinets, countertops.  I am talking working with what I have and sprucing it all up with paint. 

I started with the cabinets and went from this:

(Please note this pic is in progress...notice the removed doors...and please excuse the mess.)

To this:

I painted the cabinets in 2 tone colors and replaced the hardware.  I also painted the trim of the window above the sink.  The result...I am really beginning to love the kitchen.  The colors actually almost make the ugly mustard yellow tile look pretty...not too much hope for that floor, but it is a slight improvement. 

Next step is the trim and walls!  I will post more pics when I get that done...hopefully shortly.

I will be sharing more as I slowly transform my house into a home.

Thanks for stopping by -

Tracy

oh me, oh my I {heart} these shoes!

I have this thing for shoes...as do most women.  Problem is I don't get the chance to wear funky or fancy shoes often.  Being a SAHM I am mostly in bare feet/socks (so I always have a nice pedicure!) and when I leave the house flip flops or sneakers.  I suppose I could slip on a fabulous pair of heals with my jeans when I go out...and yes, I really would like to, but then there is my wardrobe...that would need to change to accomodate the funky shoes I would love to wear.

As I have mentioned previously I am trying ever so hard to loose weight.  My goal is to have a new, fun, totally me wardrobe by October...I know I can do it, I am busting my behind to get this weight off and I have already warned my husband that he is going to have a problem on his hands once I do get it off 'cuz I am going shopping and filling our "shared" closet with clothes.  Maybe for once, I will have more than he does!  Oh...and once I get that wardrobe the weight will not come back on!

So I came across these super cute shoes (and a few others) that I really must have to go with the super cute wardrobe I will have come October. 

images courtesy of Anthropologie

Although at $130 & $148 I really can't justify and will be scouring the mall and internet for something similar and much cheaper. Please let me know if you see anything like this for at least 1/2 the price tag!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tracy

two weeks down & adapting

We have been out of school almost 2 weeks now (minus a day or 2) and things are starting to settle into a semi normal (although slightly chaotic) routine.  After a few days of wondering if I was going to make it through 10 weeks of summer vacation fully intact, I relinquished the desire to hide in a corner and pull my hair out while everyone got out their sillies and crazies and decided to embrace the idea of organized chaos.


Last week I basically let the kids do what they wanted to.  No schedule, no chores, no summertime school work...just relax.  That didn't work, although I am quite sure they felt differently.  I was constantly breaking up fights between my two usually cooperative children.  I was yelling way too much, picking up after them too much and looking at the clock anxiously awaiting bed time so I could drown myself in a glass (or 3 or 4) of wine too much.  Foot down and determined to make this a good summer, I set out on a schedule and some other tricks I had up my sleeve.  With a full weekend agenda, my husband coming home from one trip only to leave for another, and a spur of the moment trip to the beach on Monday, I didn't get as much planned as I wanted to...but at least I got started.

I was able to whip up these cute chore cards.  I saw the idea over on Melissa's blog and knew I had to give it a go.  (She even has them saved on as a Google doc to download...although I couldn't get Word to work correctly so I made my own).

Despite K telling me that we didn't need a picture of the chore cards (as I was taking one) because she hated them and didn't want any extra reminders, they are working very well.  The top card has their name and morning routine (which includes making their bed...which is not a rotating chore, much to their dismay) and then each day I pick 2 or 3 (depending on complexity) chores for them to perform.  These need to be done before any toys come out or plans are made.   The stuff that I usually do (vacuuming, folding towels, etc.) isn't chosen everyday, but I feel it is important for them to learn how to do these things.  I also included a "make dinner with Mom card" and while it is a bonding and teaching experience for them, and not necessarily a chore I am sure they will see it that way at first.  My intention is to cook with them once a week and have them prepare a meal (with limited help) at the end of the summer.

Other than that, besides having the house screen time free starting at 8:00 am (with the exception of 1 hour in the evening) I haven't really set down a concrete schedule.  Starting Tuesday I am re-introducing 45 minutes of "school" work and a structured project or activity as we will have 2 extra friends visiting for a few hours each morning.  I can embrace organized chaos even better when it is at least structured chaos (my plan is also to avoid the ever constant "I am bored, there is nothing to do, I can't believe we can't watch t.v., play wii, be on the computer...etc. etc." ).  Note:  I limit the screen time because #1 I think too much is not good, #2, I cannot stand seeing people zoned out in front of the tv doing nothing (especially when I never get a chance) and #3 my children behave SOOO much better when they don't have the tv going constantly...they play together, use their imaginations, are creative, loving, helpful, polite...geez turning off the screens = magic!

Well, I had a few more things I wanted to get out, but since this post is long enough, I guess I have a few days worth of blogging!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tracy