making me happy

On Tuesday morning, we decided to head over to a rather new barber shop here in town for Travis to get his mop hair cut.  We walked in and I whipped out my phone, like, so fast, and started snapping pictures.  Isn't it too cute?!  I love that striped wall with the grellow sofa in front of it.  From the tool boxes, to the retro barber chairs, to the checkered floors...  Just a fun place.  Great vibe.  And the owner was as cool as could be.  If you ever find yourself in Enid, needing a haircut, definitely check out BlueJay's Barber Shop & Beauty Bar.

{ source }

After the haircut, we crossed the street to check out a little antique mall.  I picked up this little guy { I love him, btw } for $10.50.  Not the cheapest little creature, but I knew I'd kick myself when I got home if I left him at the store.  He has made his nest up on the bookshelf in the living room (for now). 

{ perched between vintage cameras }

Last week, I received an e-mail from my hoop swap buddy giving me a heads up about a free filler print on eighteen 25's page.  I was all over it.  I saved the file, uploaded it to Costco's photo website, ordered a 12x18 print, and found it in my mailbox on Tuesday.  I'm in love with it.  Get your own here.

{ Thanks, L, for the heads up! }

On the same day that I got my filler print in the mail { Tuesday was pretty eventful, huh! }, I got the fabric that I had ordered from Hawthorne Threads.  My husband wasn't overly entertained by my happy song & dance.  Like I cared.  HAPPY MAIL, HELLO?!

 I have pillow and kitchen curtain making in my future.

Our new fence is slowly making its way from one end of the yard to the other (96 feet).  We have about 3 more posts to install, and 3.5 panels.  { So close!! }  100+ degree temperatures plus an (almost) 8 month old make for slow progress.  But we're getting there, and it's a HUGE improvement!

 

Oh, and I'm sure you saw the new look that our fireplace is rocking in this post.   With just two coats of primer, the fireplace is already looking so much better.  I'm hoping to get two coats of paint on that baby by the weekend.

Grilled PB&J sandwiches.  Need I say more?

So that's what's making me happy this week.  What's putting a smile on your face these days?

recipe : fresh vegetable salad

On the 4th of July, I was responsible for sides and dessert.  The sides I chose to make were this salad and Parmesan potatoes.  Both were first time recipes for me, both turned out really well.  

The veggie salad was my favorite, though.  I reminded me of my favorite broccoli salad from Sweet Tomatoes.

I can't get enough. 

This photo doesn't do the salad justice.  iPhone pictures rarely do anything justice.  But you get the idea. 

This, very well, might turn into my new "go-to" BBQ side.  

Here's the recipe (from Taste of Home):

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflowerets

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

(I forgot to include this, but I'm not a fan of green pepper, so that worked out just fine)

1/2 cup chopped onion (I used a red onion)

1/4 cup grated carrot

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (I used Kraft's mayo made with olive oil)

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

(I also added about 1/4 cup raisins) 

Directions

Toss vegetables in a large salad bowl.  In a small bowl, combine mayo, sugar, and Parmesan; pour over veggies and toss to coat.  Cover and chill.  Sprinkle with bacon just before serving. 

Every time I try a new recipe, I think about what could be added or changed, if anything.  This salad is delicious as it is, but I think the next time I'll add chopped walnuts, diced green apple, and sunflower seeds.

YUM.

Do you have any "go-to" summer time recipes?

Hope you're staying cool!  Temperatures are consistently 100+ degrees in our neck of the woods.

Is it too early to say that I'm ready for Fall?

our 4th in photos

{ Callan's first 4th of July }

{ family photo }

{ can't forget Ellie }

{ goofy family photo }

{ lemon squares, poke cake, burger and sides, drink in a mason jar }

{ watching fireworks from the end of our driveway }

making progress

So, I've been a little MIA this week.  I know, I have a lot of catching up to do.  But that's because every spare moment has been spent working on putting up the new fence or painting the fireplace.

 {Spare moment = Callan's naptime}

 Slow progress on both projects.  Expected.

Note to self:  Hire a professional next time you want a fence installed.  

Putting up a fence is HARD WORK.  It takes a lot of patience.  And prep work.  And time.

We tore down the old fence on Saturday.

Adios peeling, rotted, ivy ridden, falling over, tied up, eye sore of a fence.

{old fence}

Literally, tied up.

{old fence}

Once the fence was down, it already looked and felt so much better.  And to be honest, it made us wish our backyard was a little deeper...but we got what we got.  Can't do anything about that.

{fence removed}

{old fence panels}

This fence replacing process is slow going.  The bulk of the work gets done during Callan's nap time.  And in 100+ degree weather.  We are lucky if we can get two posts set in concrete before Callan wakes up.

{hooooot}

Fence ingredients.  The major ones, at least. 

{concrete, posts, & panels}

Our neighbor generously rented us a one man auger to make the post hole digging drilling a little easier.  It wasn't the most delightful thing to maneuver {just ask my husband}, but it got the job done.  Mostly.

Once Callan wakes from a nap, we'll put him in his stroller and wheel him out to the shade while we finish what we were in the middle of before he woke up.  He doesn't last long.

I don't blame him.

It's hot out there.

Even in the shade.

We have 5 panels up.  We have 7 (?) more to go.  I'll post pictures next week once it's up in all it's glory.  It's already looking so much better.  

We're learning as we go...we've had a few bumps along the way...it's certainly not perfect...and certainly not completely straight...but it's an improvement. 

And it's so nice to look out the kitchen window and see a brand new fence.  It makes me smile.

See?  : )

naptime painting

I've always loved an exposed brick wall.  There's just something about the texture, the strength, and the history that enamors me.  I want to live in a big city loft just so I can have one of my own.

{sources 1, 2, 3, 4}

And a brick fireplace?  So charming and cozy.

{sources 1, 2, 3}

But sometimes you get stuck with ugly brick.

Like at our house.

Inside and outside.

It reminds me of a creamsicle.

And not in a good way.

So I'm working on making it less ugly.

Over the next few naptimes I'll have paintbrush in hand, priming and painting our fireplace.

Also,

This weekend we're going to be pulling down our old, rotted fence.  We have new posts and panels being delivered tomorrow.  Hopefully by next weekend we'll have a nice new fence! 

Oh, and Callan is getting his bottom two teeth.  So, that's fun.

Enjoy your weekend!

clean this

Let me be honest.  I probably don't clean as often as I should.  It's hard to get in a proper cleaning between keeping a sharp eye on a very mobile little guy, working on projects around the house, making meals, doing the dishes, and drinking coffee.  I tend to cram in a little bit of everything during nap time - a little cleaning, a little project-ing, sneaking in a blog post or two, a little of this, a little of that, you know how it goes.  

And sometime I just want to sit.

And do nothing.

Ya feel me?

But I wanted to share with you a few things that make my cleaning a little easier, even more enjoyable, if you will.  These are my "go-to" products.  Products I "swear by".

I love these little scrub brushes from Ikea.  I use them on every moderately dirty dish before I put them in the dishwasher, and on every soiled pot and pan.  I only have one left in my stash.  Mom, you reading this?  ;)

{source}

Bar Keepers Friend is THE best cleaner for porcelain sinks and bathtubs.  Love this stuff.  Pair this with the scrub brush from Ikea and you have one very clean sink/tub.

{source}

These are genius.  Need I say more?

{source}

These surface wipes from Costco are my favorite.  I just picked some up when we were back in Fresno a few weeks ago.  Our closest Costco is, like, 5 hours away, or something ridiculous like that.  Boo!

{source}

My favorite sponges.  I won't buy any others.  I'm stocked up. {from Costco}

{source}

This is my absolute favorite vacuum I've EVER owned.  SO worth the money.  Both my mom and mother-in-law each have one, too.  They'd say the same thing.

{source}

Are there any products that you "swear by"?

Do you have a cleaning schedule?  Maybe I should work on putting one together...

Speaking of cleaning, I should probably go empty the dishwasher before Callan wakes up. 

slap out of it

I'm actually *thinking about* painting over my stenciled wall.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!