Playground Bed

Outdoor projects are my new love...probably because I have no more indoor projects, but still, it's fun making things look nice. However, it is getting hot, so we are running out of time to do a lot of the heavy work.

I already tackled the deck earlier this year, so we are on to adding some landscaping touches.

• Create playground bed, line with stone, add mulch
• Insert stepping stones from the deck to the playground
• Re-line the flowerbed by the fence with stone
• Fill in bare spots in grass with either seed or sod
• Plant a couple crepe myrtles in the backyard

This is not including the dirt and sod we already bought for the side yard (though we need more there too), the new plants and bushes we planted in the front bed, and the seed we already spread around our front tree. Oh, and I need to repaint the chimney. Not landscaping related, but it still is on the list.

Yesterday, we tackled the big project; creating, framing, and filling the playground bed. It took 3 trips to Lowe's and was under $130 including tax.

We do not have a lot of space to play with, but we definitely have some potential in sprucing up the plain area. Lining the playground adds an aesthetic element to the yard, and makes mowing and edging easier. Later, for future owners, it can also work as a garden or a picnic area.

We loaded up the backyard with our supplies: Landscaping fabric, and fabric anchors; dozens of stone pavers; bags and bags of kid-friendly mulch; stepping stones; levels, shovels, trowels, string, markings for sprinkler heads, a hoe; and lots of water, suncreen, and persistence.

We started around 10am and including a break for lunch, we were finished around 3:30pm.

It was totally worth it. I think it looks so much better. We are going to be using the same stone to re-line the flower bed on the other side of the yard as well. I want to add a crepe myrtle in the back corner of the playground bed. (There is room, though the picture doesn't show it.) I also want to plant one in the flower bed for more privacy from our neighbor's yard.

I am glad to have this big project accomplished, it will make all the other tasks seem small. ;)


M.LEWIS

Tips and Tricks

People always seem genuinely surprised by my home improvement projects. While flattering, what I do can be done by anyone. In the past few years I have attempted and accomplished tasks I never really thought about until home-ownership. 

If you are in the position of updating your home, but don't know where to start, I am going to give you 5 tips and tricks to get your ball rolling.

1. Contact paper is not just for shelves. While it lines and protects your shelves great, this product can do so much more. Put it on walls, countertops, mirrors, glass, furniture. It comes in all patterns and finishes...and it's so inexpensive, there is no reason not to consider contact paper for some fun updates.
   Here are some of my uses:
   (If there is a blog about it, the picture is the link...)

Wall decal

New countertops

Pantry backsplash

Laundry room stripe

Chalkboard table

   2. Spray Paint fixes a lot. It makes things look new, clean, shiny, and cheap! It can be used on almost everything. Though, you will probably have to practice on getting a certain "professional" application skill...but the finish project always comes out great.

Foyer light

Lorelai's nightstand

Front porch

Lorelai's dresser

   3. Don't be afraid to sand and stain/paint. This is loads cheaper than ripping out the old and buying and installing the new. If you can salvage it, do it. It's work, but sanding and staining is not that hard, just time-consuming!

I restained every bathroom cabinet

Repainted the kitchen cabinets

Refinished and restained the deck

Restaining the master bathroom

   4. Vinyl tiles are not the enemy. Though they have a bad rep, vinyl tiles are not bad at all, in fact, I love them. They are easy to install, nice to the wallet, easy to replace, and they are surprisingly versatile. Plus, they are not as hard and cold as ceramic. You might mess up a few tiles, but you get the hang of it pretty quick.

Kitchen backsplash

Kitchen sink backsplash

Master bathroom tile

   5. Think outside the box, be creative. If you think of something you want, try making it. It will be custom, far cheaper, and specifically what you want. Don't be afraid to dig flower beds, knock a hole in the wall, fix a pipe...know your limits, but give it a whirl. You'll be surprised, hopefully in a good way. ;)

DIY headboard

New flowerbed

Mudroom-like station

Starburst mirror

Installing the dishwasher

Hope this helps anyone stuck on what to do. Also, I have done far more than I thought, haha. ;)

M.LEWIS

The Light at the End of the Paint Can

My mini not-so-mini project.
I thought it would be fast, easy, and inexpensive.
Well, one of those things was correct.

Here is an old picture of our little foyer. Pre-paint, pre-better accessories. Anyway, there is my project. That little light. Not a bad style, but brass...very brass. So, I could buy a new fixture, but it would cost $60 easy and the styles are hard to match what I want; Or, I could try to refinish my existing fixture for far cheaper. And, if I royally screw it up, I could just buy a new one anyway.

I bought a can of textured spray paint and primer in one for all surfaces. It's at Lowe's for less than $6.

 I dismantled the fixture from the wall. That was not easy. I did shut off the power at the breaker, but the wires, the bolts, the screws...it took some time. Probably more than it should have, but I didn't want to do anything wrong. I got it down. Then taking apart the pieces took more time. Oy. That thing was not going down easy. I got it to the point where I could work with it. It's mainly glass, so I had to cover the glass panels. Thoroughly, precisely, and with lots of more time.

About an hour from when I first started, I finally got to the paint part. 

Before prep, excuse the dust

Cutting out the contact paper panels and taping them on

Completely covered and ready for paint

 Painting it was messy and difficult. Hanging chains, a center piece that was hard to manipulate, impossible to find a way for it to dry without touching anything, slipping wires...a little bit of everything.
It's not perfect, but it turned out pretty well. The upper center parts still have a bit of brass, but I simply can't reach it. It's soldered shut and you do what you can.

Tada

It better matches everything now

Looks good to me

It took a little over 3 hours...yes, I probably handled it too soon after painting, but I needed to get done. I have wild children, dinner to make, and no patience. ;)

Now for the front outdoor light...I have a different execution plan for that one.

M.LEWIS

Fake Beauty

Anyone else tired of the media talking about women and body/beauty issues?
I hope other people are.
I feel a bit mean with my reaction. I feel like I should be standing up saying something stupid and hollow like "You go girl!" but really, I feel annoyed, irritated, and frustrated.

To me, it is so contrived, so disingenuous. We shake our finger at people and corporations that "fat shame" and "stream-line beauty" so we then "rebel" and then talk about how we don't need to talk about it. Constantly.

We shouldn't be focusing on women's physical appearance. So let's draw attention to women's physical appearance then tell them not to focus on it.

Got it?
...Me neither.

It is now a beauty-crime to be thin, white, blue-eyed, and blonde. You are hated if you have a "thigh gap" or is you "pass the finger trap test." You get the hipster sneer if you wear makeup, or if you put on form-fitting clothes. Painting your nails? How dare you. Curling your eyelashes? You monster. You are a disgrace to women everywhere.

Interesting. I do a lot of these things, and I felt much better about myself before social media "came to my defense."

Why do I do these things?
Clearly, it's because society has convinced me I am ugly and I need to do these things to so I can begin to see myself as beautiful and confident.


Wrong.
I do these things because I want to, I like to. I think it's fun and I feel more peppy and energized when I feel well-groomed. It's a miracle if I get through the day in the same shirt. I spend my time playing "where's your nose?" and naming colors. I read story books with pop-up pages, and I have cut up more bananas than I thought possible. My big trips out consist of picking up forgotten items at Target or buying paint at Lowe's. I am continuously falling behind on laundry, vacuuming, and watering the plants. (The "housewife rant" is worth anther blog.) My life is a little...boring. Important, valued, beloved, but boring. 
Slipping on some trendy jeans with my freshly painted toenails makes me feel cute. Putting on some makeup and fixing my hair makes me feel pretty. I spend a grand total of 10 minutes getting ready. 10 minutes that is usually stretched out to 30 because my one-year old is quite needy and fussy, but collectively I get 10 minutes to spend on myself. The makeup rubs off in a few hours, my clothes get smeared with peanutbutter, and my hair and nail polish look disheveled at an amazing rate, but I still do it. Taking care of myself and my appearance goes a long with me. Like when one gets over a cold, you want to put on pants, run a brush through your hair, and smile with minty fresh breath. It makes a difference. Do I fret over my appearance? Do I worry if my hair gets wet in the rain? Do I feel terrible if I wear yoga pants 50% of the time? Nope.


Why?
Because these things are just a tiny part of how I see myself. I am not defined by my outward appearance. I am so many things beyond my hair color, dress size, and the shape of my nose.

Finding the narrow area where you are socially acceptable is difficult if you rely on pop culture. You must be slender, not overweight, but not too skinny. Though "overweight" is a term that is now frowned upon. You are either, curvy, more-to-love, or "a real woman." Though too skinny is bad to, you then obviously have an eating disorder. You also need to wear enough make-up to "accentuate your features" but too much that you look like a Halloween mask. Oh, and if you go bare you are either "homely" or a hero...it depends on your motive. 
You must wear clothes that say "I'm not trying too hard" with a simple t-shirt and jeans, but they have to be the right style of t-shirt and jeans. If you wear skirts all the time you are either a cool hippie, or a weird homeschooler. Hair? Well, long is feminine and pretty, but it can also be described as sexy, which would be appealing to men. And, as we all know by now, being seen as "attractive" to men is horrible and demeaning. That is, unless, your hair is too long, then you are considered a bible-thumper or a hoarder. Short is funky and says "I don't care about society's standards." This has become popular, so popular that it's becoming trendy...losing it's rebel status. Too short and you seem too masculine...or that you are having a Britney Spears meltdown. Shoes are lower on the totem pole (literally) but there are rules there too. High heels suggest confidence, but you run the risk of men looking at your legs more (again, not good...men showing interest in women? ew). Wearing flats everyday means you are either Zooey Deschanel or modest and shy. Sandals all the time suggests you are lazy...or fun...I forget what the sandal has to look like to determine the difference. I think it's sequins.


Confused? Exhausted?
Yeah, well, try writing it.  

All these "women's movements" seem to be missing the point. Maybe that is because they aren't defending you. Maybe it is all a skillfully crafted illusion. Stop working the client, stop advertising self-identity, stop angling the conversation to your benefit. Everyone has an agenda. I've learned a lot from Mad Men.

“You are the product. You feeling something. That’s what sells." -Don Draper 

Just be you. Don't be sold on an idea, go with your gut. If you feel best in a long skirt, flowing hair, and no makeup; excellent. If you feel like skinny jeans, heavy eyeliner, and platform heels best expresses yourself; go for it. But no one should then set up a precedence for others. Men, women, we all are bombarded with this crap far too often (hence the vintage beauty ads). Just don't fall for it.

Just please, please, stop playing victim. Stop heckling, judging and criticizing others. There is no standard, just fads and big mouths. Things change, evolve; in ten years there will be a whole new set of "rules." Look past it. 

Do what I do, look at the latest celebrity magazine cover with Blake Lively at the beach in her spunky bikini, showing off her thigh gap and no-stretch-mark-tummy and think: I hope she put on sunscreen.


M.LEWIS

Smaller is Better

I awhile ago, I mentioned my struggles with losing baby weight. I do avoid writing about this topic because, as you remember, I really hate talking about weight. Honestly, the scale can say whatever number it likes, I just want to feel good and look healthy...and fit into my favorite clothes.

It's been about 7 months since my first post. At that point I had lost about 2-3 lbs since attempting to lose the baby weight (about 3 months). Not impressive, not exactly encouraging.
Well, here we are over half a year later, and I have some more encouraging news. Since my September post, I have lost an additional 10-12 lbs (yes, it varies on the day). I don't want to share my exact weight, because that is not the point. The point is how much extra weight I have kicked to the curb, and how much more I need to get rid of. Right now I am about 10-12 lbs away from my pre-Lorelai self.
I drink one glass of soda a week, no diet stuff (artificial sweeteners are yucky!); I limit my intake of empty snacks like crackers, pretzels, or chips to a rare event; I have started eating large amounts of plain greek yogurt; I drink a full glass of cold water every time I feel hungry, then see if I still need to eat something; I buy very few frozen items, if I do, they are usually vegetables; I buy fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables; I wear clothes and shoes that encourage me to move more; and I do light weight training and short bursts of exercise throughout the day. I am down 2 pant sizes, and have lost a total of 6 inches from my tummy, arms, and waist.

It seems small compared to "The Biggest Loser" results, but thankfully, I was not starting from where those people do. I do enjoy, and will never eliminate, chocolate from my diet. I mean, a couple peanutbutter cups in the evening will not wreck any of my success. I feel better about my food intake, and I feel better that my clothes just fit better. I actually had to by smaller jeans a couple weeks ago, and it was an awesome feeling.

I took for granted my lifestyle and body type before kids. I assumed that getting back to that point wasn't going to be that hard...I was wrong. It has forced me to really evaluate how I look at my life and how I want my kids to see me and themselves.
Eating vegetables isn't always something I like, but the more you do it, the less you think of it. Before this change, I would search for cheese-its or chips when I wanted a snack, now I grab and apple or some baby carrots. Breakfast would have been a poptart (or two) or a muffin, now I have a fiber-rich cereal or a bowl of yogurt. Now I am not talking about those sweet, fruit on the bottom yogurts, I am talking about plain greek yogurt with 6g of sugar and 22g of protein. Warning. This stuff is hard to adjust to. It is almost sour tasting...not at all what I think of when I hear yogurt. But, with a quick drizzle of honey and a handful of oats, this concoction has become a staple in my routine. Chris started with this yogurt, and I have joined in...it's been worth it. Lunch and dinners are more about portion control, but also about making something so I know what's in it, and what it will do for me...and the other people eating it as well.
I want Lorelai and Adalaide to see that eating healthy is not a chore, it's not this horrible task you force yourself to do. It's just the right thing to do. It's what you should eat...and if you never get in the habit of eating junk all the time, you will not feel like you have to sacrifice anything later.
Hard to snack on junky stuff when you don't buy it.
I'm not insane, I do buy my kids crackers for snacks. I buy them chicken nuggets, and I let them drink strawberry flavored milk occasionally. I mean, they are kids; french fries are their favorite, and that's ok. They have them a couple of times a week, and that's absolutely fine with me because the other days they eat bananas, apples, peaches, carrots, and other veggies I hide in other things. *Pureed anything in ketchup works well.* ;)

My expedition to lose baby weight has become a healthier outlook for my whole family. Mainly because I make their food most days, but also because it's important to start off life feeling good and doing good. Chris has also made some amazing progress with new eating and exercising habits. I feel this is our new normal now, and we can only get better and healthier from here. Who wants to spend their time sulking on the couch feeling gross, embarrassed, and tired all the time? Get up, make the change, and go with it. Don't be lazy.

I will not be stock footage if overweight people walking around for health stories on the news. Never, never. Here to the next half of the year, and hopefully, the last of the baby weight...until the next kid. :P


M.LEWIS

Oh Hi

I have been lacking in the blog department again. Not for a lack of trying however...it's for the lack of time sans children, laundry, and dishes.

I have ideas, I want to write, I get a strong urge to write, but writing with the kids Adalaide around is impossible. She cries, she screams, she wants to sit in my lap, she wants to bang the living daylight of my laptop.
So I am left with the hours from 7:45pm to 10:00pm...which I tend to share with other household chores, and the wake-up fussies of little girls. Oh, and I'm usually pretty tired by then.

So, this is my long-winded way of saying: I haven't gone anywhere; I will write something soon...but not tonight.


M.LEWIS

The Deck Reveal

Now, I will preface this post with: I still need to touch up some spots, so technically I'm not 100% done; AND it's windy outside, so I couldn't "setup" the space exactly how I want...but here you go, the deck reveal ;)

My deck. It was old, worn, dingy, and not pretty.

The "white" lines and spots you see here is wood filler. And yes, we needed a fair amount. I probably used too much by the time I figured out how to best apply it, but the spaces were filled, and that's all that matters. I used an exterior wood filler by Elmer's from Lowe's for about $12 a tub. That and a plastic putty knife since I killed the last one we had with rust.

We already had a sander, but I purchased heavy duty sandpaper and a protective mask. I also ended up using plastic latex-like gloves since I hate sanding and this helped keep the chalky dust off me...a bit.

I also bought my stain...which I might need to go and purchase another quart or so...we'll see. It's an semi-transparent stain and sealant in one by Olympic from Lowe's for about $36/g. I have a rebate around here somewhere for it too. We choose the color "tobacco".

Then came the hard work. Sanding and scrubbing, washing and treating, and even more sanding. Like most of my projects, this process took a while since I can only squeeze work in an hour at a time here and there. I purchased some new outdoor items and reused pieces we already had to make an "outdoor livingroom" feel.

I had to close the umbrella...it was too windy today!

We owned the chairs and the firepit, along with the tables and the pillows. This Spring we bought the rug, the umbrella and stand, the storage bench, the lanterns and the plants. It's far from perfect, and I will be touching up certain spots this weekend, but for our little backyard, I think this deck still has something to add to our home. The totals? Deck resurfacing supplies (not including power tools): less than $70. Accessories/new furniture: less than $230.

Now to tend to the lawn! ;)

M.LEWIS