Owls...

We frequent Target ALOT! I love that store and it is a necessity at the moment because the formula Taryne uses is from Target.

Many of you know that I love owls. I really wanted owls to be the theme for Taryne's room when shew as born. Unfortunately last year there was very little baby bedding that had owls as part of the theme. If it did, it was not the main part of the theme or it was just creepy. So we went with elephants which sort of portrayed that Aggie theme (if you are an Aggie you understand, if not, google it!) without A&M and maroon being plastered all over the place. And of course as the time approached for her arrival, I started seeing owl stuff everywhere! Why then, why not before? Such frustration!!

Well sometime after she was born, I discovered this toddler bedding with owls and other woodland creatures. The main colors are pink and green and it was just adorable. So for months now I have been watching this bedding every time we go to Target to make sure it is not clearanced out before we need it. And every time we walk down that aisle, Taryne loves to play with one of the plush owl pillows that goes with the set.

Well I recently pulled up the bedding online to show someone the set and it was "out of stock". I panicked and went to the store and purchased the one set that is always in stock in the store. Knowing my luck, it will be on clearance in a week or two, but I don't care because I have it and I don't have to worry about it not being there. Now I just need to get all the accessories that go along with this set. While they are not as critical, I think Taryne might be heartbroken if she doesn't get that owl pillow!

Her 1st birthday is coming up in about a month and a half and the theme will go along with this bedding line. I am going to have owls as the theme while I can still choose the theme! I can't wait to make all sorts of great crafty and baking things for her special day!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Mod Podge...

So I follow alot of blogs...some are crafty while others involve baking or cooking and some are just about life. There are two blogs I follow that use Mod Podge on a consistent basis. I am not sure I have ever worked with Mod Podge before, but I had decided a while ago that I wanted to get a bottle and make something. Well, every time I made a trip to Hobby Lobby or Michael's I would totally forget about the Mod Podge until I was on my way home.

Las weekend I made a trip to Hobby Lobby to start scoping out the Christmas stuff and I had a list and Mod Podge was on my list.

Months ago I purchased a few wooden "T" cutouts and some cardboard "T" cutouts for crafty projects for Taryne and her cousin Theia. I painted one of the wooden "T" cutouts and hot glued some ribbon on it and gave it to Theia so she could hold her hair bows. I had plans to make one for Taryne as well, I just never got around to doing it. When I finally did, I hated the way it came out...the painted part. So I just stuck her wooden "T" in the closet and forgot about it. Until I started reading these Mod Podge blogs.

While at Hobby Lobby, I also purchased a sheet of scrapbook paper for this project. So all I used was Mod Podge, the wooden "T" cutout and a sheet of scrapbook paper.

To begin (sorry I don't have "in progress" pictures) I painted a thin layer of Mod Podge on the front of the "T" and then I placed it face down onto the BACK of the scrapbook paper. I then turned it over and smoothed out all the bubbles. I did a pretty good job, but I probably should get one of the little Mod Podge roller things to help out next time.

Once I had the bubbles out, I used an X Acto knife to trim the excess paper. Once I had all the excess trimmed off, I measured the side of the "T" and cut several strips in that width to Mod Podge to the side so it would have a finished look.

After all the paper was Mod Podged to the letter, I let it dry for about 20-30 minutes and then I applied a thin coat of Mod Podge over the front and sides of the letter. After letting that dry for at least 15 minutes I repeated that step 2 more times so it would have a nice seal. I plan to eventually add some ribbon to the bottom to hold all of Taryne's hair bows, but I have to find the perfect coordinating ribbon first.

Until next time...Gig'em!

This week in the world of Taryne...

This has been a busy week for us all. Taryne is moving around more than ever and playing and exploring her curiosities all the time.

Since I recently started selling Thirty One, I have now been trying to have a collection of items in similar patterns for Taryne. She now has a toddler backpack, toddler bib, thermal lunch tote, a tote for her toys and I think that might be it...for now. Over the past week all of these items have arrived and they are so cute and she loves them!

Yesterday I had lunch with two of my friends and one thought she saw a tooth in Taryne's mouth. I said "no, she doesn't have any teeth yet...that I know of." Well I was inspecting her mouth a little last night and sure enough, there is a tooth coming through. It is not quite through the gums yet, but it is almost there. Yay! We finally have a tooth!

Last night Kyle, Taryne and I went to the mall and Casa Ole'. After dinner, we stopped by Pay-Less and Taryne found a pair of shoes she just had to have.

So we got them for her and she is still getting used to walking around in them, but she is learning fast! She was so excited to put them on this morning and stroll around the house.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Kitchen Disaster...

Taryne is walking EVERYWHERE and she can stand up on her own without holding on to anything. I am pretty impressed at how quickly she has progressed. 

As you have seen, we have been painting our kitchen cabinets. The doors to the cabinets are a "still in progress" status so it has been very interesting with a curious, mobile child...

No cabinet doors and a curious 10 1/2 month old equals this....

Until next time...Gig'em!

Family Wedding #3 of 4

This past weekend my youngest cousin Chance got married. Now all of my cousins and sisters are married. I am sure that makes our parents feel old...it makes me feel a little old, but not too much. The wedding was in Galveston at a beautiful church. It was very ornate inside, but not in a way I have ever seen. It was white almost everywhere, but the carvings and details were amazing. The outside of the church is very different than most churches you see in Texas or the U.S.; it reminded me of an old Spanish Mediterranean type church.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Galveston

It is just so impressive on the outside. Here you can find out a little history about the original church that was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1900. The history is fascinating and now I am curious to see the what the original church looked like...I guess I need a trip to Augusta, Georgia.

The inside is just as impressive. The daylight that came through the stain glass windows was amazing. My camera did not necessarily like the lighting inside. Just enough light the flash didn't come on, but with the flash it was too much.

Mom (Mimi) and Taryne during the ceremony

The reception was at the 1880 Garten Verein in Galveston. It was a beautiful German inspired building.

The groom's cake...

The candy favor table...

The bride's cake...

Taryne started making this face earlier that day. We finally caught it on camera!

Chance and Amanda Kucera...my camera didn't flash because of all the light in the building, but I think a silhouette is pretty too!

Tanya, Mom, Cheryl, Charlotte

Taryne with Grandpa Clarence & Grandma Milady...gotta love the look she is giving Grandpa...he stole the bottle from her...

Tanya and Theia

Taryne telling her cousin Theia "bye-bye!"

I am so happy to have Amanda join our family and I am so excited for the both of them as they start their new life together. Congratulations and we love you very much!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Taryne is walking!

Taryne has been walking a few steps at a time for a while now. In the past week she has started walking in 4-5 foot long stretches. And in the past day or so she has really started to take off.

Here is a short video of her walking around the living room...

Until next time...Gig'em!

10 months

Yesterday, Taryne celebrated her 10 month birthday. How did this child get this big this fast? I have no idea! She is teething, walking small amounts at a time...the most she has continuously walked is about 4-5 feet. She is babbling all the time and is in to EVERYTHING!!! I love her curious nature and I love teaching her about the world around her.

Here are a few pics to commemorate her 10 month birthday....

Until next time...Gig'em!

One anniversary and two wedding showers...

This past weekend we had an anniversary dinner and two wedding showers to attend. I have to say, it was a very busy and long weekend, but we had fun at all the events. If you read this blog on a regular basis you know that we have been super busy with home improvement projects. In some ways it was nice to get away from all the remodeling for a few days, but it was a very busy weekend so there was no opportunity for resting.

On July 5th, Kyle's grandparents, Roy & Bernice Weinheimer, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary! Wow! So this past Friday, the entire family (Kyle's mom's side of the family is HUGE and that is just the siblings) had dinner at El Maguey in Fredericksburg to celebrate this amazing milestone. It was great to see everyone and look at the great wedding pictures from 60 years ago.

Saturday evening we attended a couple's wedding shower for Kyle's cousin, Jetta and her fiance' Chad. They had great food and it was fun watching everyone compete in washers, horseshoes and 42.

On Sunday, I helped host a shower for Jetta. This shower was a "Girls Only" shower and it was beautiful. We held the shower at Grape Creek Vineyards just outside of Fredericksburg. It helped that Jetta works there and was able to get us the room since they no longer rent it out for functions. We had about 50 people in attendance. This was a display shower so all the gifts arrived unwrapped and were beautifully displayed for all to see.

The food was amazing. There were so many delicious things made by the hostesses...I am going to have to get some of these recipes! We had a chocolate fountain, fruit, veggies, cookies, sandwiches, dips, cake squares and bars.

These were the best chicken salad sandwiches and I am pretty picky when it comes to chicken salad...there were even apples in it and I loved it...I really need to get this recipe.

Cake squares and apricot almond bars...I am not a huge apricot fan and these were yummy!

Pimento cheese sandwiches...I love these, but apparently when you make them at home, they don't taste as good as they do when they are cut into little triangles and served at a shower...

These are the cookies I made...

The room where we had the shower...the table decorations were beautiful!

The gift table at the beginning of the shower...there were many more gifts by the end.

We had a pretty good spread for the shower...

The "sign in" area...I also made the invitations for the shower.

We were absolutely exhausted by the time we got home Sunday night, but it was fun!

Until next time...Gig'em!

The Unorganized Organized Closet...

I have cleaned and organized this closet several times in the past week...I guess I will have it on my "To-Do" list again...

Until next time...Gig'em!

Girly girl...

I am definitely not a girly girl. Well, I am more a girly girl now than when I was a kid. I hated dresses and anything "girly". Now I don't mind some of it...not too much anyway.

When I was pregnant with Taryne, I insisted no pink mostly because I didn't want an overload of pink. Not that I didn't like it or mind it. She does have her fair share of pink things and that is okay. I have a hot pink luggage set...which is great by the way when flying.

Today I made Taryne a maroon and white tutu. I have seen these in the mall and I really didn't want to pay the price they were asking so I decided that I can do this and for much less. And I did...

Until next time...Gig'em!

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Day 2...

Okay, today we painted and painted and painted!! We got up early and went to Lowe's to get paint. We decided on white. I have to say I never dreamed this kitchen could look this big! We thought we could get by with two coats of paint, but it really needed a third.

All the cabinets on the sink side of the kitchen are finished!! Whoohoo!! All the cabinets on the stove side of the kitchen need one more coat. Not bad for a days work. The drawers also only need one more coat of paint. We haven't touched the doors yet. That is a project for tomorrow.

Kyle also neatly laid out all the brass colored hinges from the doors and spray painted them a nickel color to match the new knobs we still need to buy. We could have easily spent over $250 on just hinges alone if we bought them new.

My goal tomorrow is to get all the painting finished...even the trim in the breakfast area!

Let me leave you with a few pics of the cabinets from today...I know, it is hard to tell what we did since the Kilz and the paint are both white.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Day 1...

Today we started the crazy task of painting our kitchen cabinets. We have great custom built cabinets in our kitchen, they just look like they are still in the early '90's when this house was built. Our original plan was to sand and stain the cabinets. However, when we started looking into it, we decided that was just way too much work. So we decided to paint.

We started the day by "washing" the cabinets and trim in the breakfast area with this product called Krud Kutter. We got the bottle of it from our neighbors...they used it when they painted their cabinets and they said it worked great. This product cleans and "sands" the area so it is ready to paint. This process took longer than we thought...it was just very time consuming.

Kyle spend the morning and early afternoon numbering and removing all the doors to the cabinets. We have SO MANY doors! He also removed the knobs and hinges so they are ready to paint. When we get to it...sometime this week.

Once everything was clean and ready to go, we started painting the Kilz primer on the trim and cabinets. It took all afternoon and part of the evening. I know we have a big kitchen, but I guess I didn't realize just how big the kitchen really is in this house.

Our original plan (once we decided to paint) was to paint a dark chocolate brown on the cabinets that would sort of mimic the stain color we wanted. After seeing the kitchen cabinets all nice and white today, we are seriously rethinking the color. Since we might be selling our house soon, we decided to go with white because we feel it is more appealing to a larger number of people versus the dark brown.

Here are some pics of the day...

Tomorrow we will start painting. Our goal is to get this cabinet makeover completed this weekend if possible. Thank goodness we have Monday off to work on it, but I think it will spill over into the week a little...hopefully not too much. I need my kitchen back to bake about 100 cookies for a shower next weekend.

Until next time...Gig'em!