Take Me Out to the Ball Game

For Father's Day Henry bought Jeremy tickets to the Reds game this past Monday. We were all so excited to go!

Although it was a little early - Henry received his first birthday gift from us. Doesn't he just look adorable in his hat? He really looked so cute, I couldn't get over it. The hat is put away again now - he'll get it back on his birthday.

He was so good at the game too! He sat in my lap and didn't fuss at all until about the 7th inning. He flirted a lot with the ladies behind us and I think they paid more attention to him than what they did the game. By the time we got back to the trolley, he was fast asleep. I think he had a great time though.

The Reds won too! That always makes for a great time.

Jeremy surprised me with a stay at the Raddison. He was so excited to see the weiner mobile parked outside of the hotel when we got back.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!!

Our view was amazing from our room. Normally I wouldn't trade a beautiful mountain or body of water for the city anytime but I really enjoyed it. We had a late night meal of White Castle and then crashed for the night.

In the morning we did some exploring. We drove around Covington awhile, found all the riverboats and then drove up and down downtime Cincinnati for about an hour. When we finally did get on the road, we stopped in Blue Ash to have chili at an 'authentic' Cincinnati chili place and then stopped at Jungle Jims and Ikea on our way home.

I had such a wonderful time and so did Jeremy and Henry!

What I Did Today

Today I added some vinyl stickers that I had bought awhile ago to my refrigerator. They are metallic and this photo does not do them justice. I may change the actually 'wishes' eventually - I feel like they could use some more structure. I just threw them on there for now. Henry absolutely loves it and he's sat in front of them starting numerous times today.

We are all going to a Red's game tonight. I can't wait!

Did you do anything creative today?

What I Did Today

Other than pay bills, go to the grocery, do laundry and clean house - this is what I've done so far today. Well that and make a roast, which is smelling absolutely wonderful right about now. (Why yes, I'll accept the term Superwoman any time now!)

My good friend Jessica's and Henry's best pal and girlfriend is turning one next week and tomorrow is her birthday party. We are so excited to go but considering that I can't even figure out what to get Henry for HIS first birthday, figuring out what to get Miss Layla was not any easy task. On a crazy-what-the-heck-was-I-thinking whim, I went and bought fabric to make her a blanket.

Now, while that may not sound all that crazy - I've owned a sewing machine for two years now and haven't touched it once. I keep telling myself that I will and I really WANTED to - but it kind of scared me. I mean, as if there's not enough creative possibilities out there, imagine if I could learn to sew? The madness would never end!

So last night I sat down at my sewing machine and fabricated what looked nothing like a blanket for Henry out of some scrap pieces that I had picked up while I was out too. His poor blanket looks like a two year old took a needle and thread to it and just went crazy. BUT it IS functional and I was so happy to finish it last night that I made him sleep with it. (What a mean mommy, I know)

Layla's turned out SOO much better. It's still flawed but I know she'll love it -flaws and all.

I could get use to this sewing thing! 

What I Did Today

Soo...another diy. This one is easier than all the other though. I found this awesome wrought iron hook/hanger thingy at a craft store today for $5. I had originally carried another one around the store the entire time, but when I saw this one I immediately loved it.

When I got home, I went out into my yard of endless possibilities (that's what I'm calling it now) and found this old piece of fence wood - it's really old and about four different paint colors. I LOVE IT.

I screwed the hanger onto the fence post and then hung it on the wall beside my front door. You can't see it in the picture but I have a bench below it, a basket for shoes and a place for our diaper bag. I really love this little space, now I just need to find some awesome photos or framed art to hang above it. I have a few ideas in mind...but we will see!

Did you make anything cool today?

Void

I haven't blogged in awhile (by my terms anyway) and I feel like I should but I really have nothing to say. I've had a busy week thus far and it's just going to keep going that way.

Monday I went shopping for some flowers to fill my flowerbeds. I ended up with several hostas, some oriental grass, some annuals for color and a few other perennials that I'm not sure of the names of off the top of my head and I'm holding my breath and hoping will come back bigger and better every year.

Tuesday Jeremy had the day off so we had a 'family' day and went to an old grain mill not too far from our house, a museum and a few other places locally. Then we came home and played in the pool for a few hours. It was a good day.  =)

Today I spent the day with my grandmother. I bought some fabric to make Henry and Layla 'silkies' for their birthdays. They both are so attached to their satin lined blankets that it's ridiculous. I also found Henry his 1st birthday outfit IF it will fit next month. It's a size 9 months but he's still been wearing his 6-9 months clothes easily so I'm hoping it will fit. If not...back it will go and I'll just find or make something else.

Tomorrow Jessica and I are going to a closeout craft store in Springfield. 'nough said. We will probably spend the entire day browsing the aisles.

Friday I HAVE to do some housework...seriously. Plus, bills need paid, the groceries need bought... it's not good. I've been a serious slacker this week.

Then it's work Saturday and Sunday.

As I said...busy...and void of anything to blog about. Or maybe just unwilling?

And then we had a pool...

Yup, that's what you think it is! We now have a pool!

It's lopsided and dirty but...it's ours.

Let me tell you something about a 'quick' and 'easy' set-up pool that you have no instructions for... it is NOT easy or quick!

We have so much junk in our yard and garage that we are constantly finding new things. As Jeremy was going through and throwing away some of 'the pile' last night, he found this pool. We couldn't have been happier although we were SURE it was going to have a huge hole or something in it. But no holes yet!

Eventually it will have to be drained and moved to a different area of the yard. We had intended on just stretching it out and filling the bottom with a little water so we could investigate for holes, but it ended up being an all night project with one draining already under out belt. I finished filling it this morning and although it's a little lopsided, I think it's fully functional at this point. It'll stay lopsided until we move it, we didn't pick a very level part of our yard to fill it.

Anyway, I'm so excited! I've been hoping for a pool and although it's a little smaller than what I had been hoping for - you can't beat free!

Homemade Chalkboard Paint

I bought the things I needed to make my very own chalkboard paint last weekend and I've been itching to whip me up a batch all week.

All I could think was that if this worked, the world better watch out because I am going to paint EVERYTHING.

Well...it worked! Do you like my tray? I do!

There's a bazillion recipes out there, so if you want to try to make some of your own, just google 'homemade chalkboard paint'. Essentially the recipe is somewhere along the lines of 1 cup of paint to 2 tbsp of unsanded grout. I just eyed it so I can't tell you exactly what I used. It's suppose to be an oatmeal like consistency and it's okay if it has a few lumps although you want to try to get as many out as you can.

  It's super easy and it's super cheap but I have a few pointers if you're going to try it for yourself.

1) Make your paint in very little batches at a time and make sure each layer of paint is completely dry before you add another. It dries quickly but if you don't let it dry completely it will chip and smear.

2) If in doubt about your mixture, I say go a little heavier on the paint side. Otherwise your paint is going to dry out and crack or chip too easily.

3) Use a paint roller over a paint brush. You can buy a trim and touch-up mini-roller with a small tray from Lowes for $1.98. You can't beat it and as long as you rinse out your roller and tray- you can reuse it multiple times.

4) Don't forget to 'season' your board. Just take a piece of chalk and rub it over the entire surface and then just wipe it off with a paper towel or soft rag of some sort.

Otherwise, it's really up to you. You can make your paint in any color and really paint anything you'd like! Use your imagination and go crazy with it.

Total cost for this project?

$1.98 for the roller -which is reuseable - go me!

The paint was something that I had laying around but you can buy a sample of paint out for around $3

$2.00 for the tray at The Christmas Tree Shops 

(You could probably find one cheaper, this one was something that I originally liked BEFORE I painted it, so it was well worth the money to me. I may have to buy another just like it later, haha.)

$1.98 for a small container of unsanded grout.

Chalk - which I had around the house. If you don't have any I'm fairly certain you can buy a package for a dollar or two.

Total cost?  $5.96

Is that awesome or what?