Crafty McCrafterson

That's my new legal name. Here is how I, Crafty McCrafterson, made my first wreath. Ever. And I only almost cried once. And used a bad word twice.

Go to your local craft store and buy a wreath.

A plain, boring wreath that sheds hay all over your house when you unwrap it.

Break out the glue gun you asked for two Christmases ago.

Unwrap.

Realize you still have black spray paint on your hands from a previous project. Eww.

Spread out fake gourds and have a pretend Thanksgiving feast.

Grab one of those little guys and turn him bottom up.

Add copious amounts of hot glue to said bottom.

A note about hot glue:

It is like your hair before a date. The more you mess with it, the worse it gets.

Chris may have walked past the kitchen window and seen me madly waving my hands in the air trying to get threads of glue off my finger tips because I tried to clean up a small glop that landed on another gourd. Respect the glue. Also, if you touch the metal tip you will say a bad word.

Not bad right? As I always say, keep it simple.

 Unless it could use some more gourds...

Get into car and go BACK to craft store.

Buy more gourds and another pack of glue sticks.

And a puzzle for Austin. Because it was on sale.

 You will go through 2 million of these while making your wreath.

Some of it will be in your hair.

 This is when you call your mom and cry to her that maybe you should have kept it simple. The gourds are taking control of your life. There may be a coup in progress.

Power through. Glue on 23 more gourds.

 Cross your arms and stare at finished wreath sitting on your Dining Room table and realize you did not plan on how to actually hang it.

Squeeze ribbon through coup plotting gourds and tie into a knot.

 Google "How to hang a wreath without putting a hole in my door".

Martha Stewart says to use a ribbon and attach it to the top of the door using small nails or thumb tacks.

Realize while standing on a chair holding thumb tacks that your door is METAL.

Use a bad word.

Go find the duct tape and fix it West Virginia style.

 Success!

And it only cost about $25 in materials and gas.

And a small portion of your sanity.

Happy Fall Y'all!

The Wonder Years

Does anyone remember that show? I loved it. It was all white picket fences, manicured lawns, homemade cookies after school, noogies from your big brother, falling in love with Winnie Cooper, good family fun. I jokingly refer to our neighborhood as the "Wonder Years" hood. It's quite picturesque. And so far we have very nice neighbors. And an ice cream truck. This actually the third place we've lived that was on an ice cream truck route. But it is even cooler this time because Austin is old enough to spend all of my cash enjoy it this time around.

 We heard the music as he turned into our neighborhood.

 "Here he comes Mommy!!!!!"

 The hyperactivity delivery truck.

 Sooo many choices!

 And a chocolate banana popsicle it is.

My child is part monkey.

Either that or we need to cut back on the "Curious George".

"Bye. bye ice creamy truck!"

This is when I looked at my phone and saw that it was 4:00 pm. 

WHAT? 

Who buys their kid ice cream an hour before dinner?!

Oh wait. Me.

Deere John

One thing you need to know about our house is this:
We have a friggin' HUGE yard.
So friggin' HUGE that after spending a whole day mowing the lawn with a push mower, Chris jumped into his car and headed to the nearest John Deere dealer to get himself a serious mowin' machine. This is where I casually mention that I asked him to get a riding lawn mower in the first place. But no one ever listens to me. But I digress...

 Big boys get big toys.

That are delivered on flatbed trucks.

 Big expensive toys.

Yee Haw!

 Don't worry, the blades were up and locked. The boys went out to do donuts in the yard.

 And Austin is in love.

When he's older Austin will be mowing the grass with this same tractor.

Awwwww.

And a cup holder.

Because what's the point of having a John Deere tractor if you can't drink a beer while you mow the lawn? Exactly. 

Now off to buy Chris a John Deere trucker hat to make him official.

Boxes

Ah, the joys of unpacking. We are living amongst stacks of boxes that taunt me every time I walk past them. I think this is the longest it has ever taken me to get unpacked and settled somewhere. To be honest, I'm just lacking the motivation. But starting today, it's on. Those boxes are going down. At least a few of them. Like maybe one.

So many boxes are lying around that my child decided to sleep in one.

I love Vermont!

A few weeks ago, while my in-laws were visiting, we decided to make a pilgrimage to a very holy place. The Vermont Country Store. I am IN love with this place. We braved the post Hurricane Irene ravaged Vermont country roads to Weston where the store is located. And despite driving past washed out roads, covered bridges, and homes, we made it safely without any problems. The store was actually still running on generators. Good thing, cause mama needed to do some shopping.

 

The front of the store.

I was about to die from country cuteness overload.

Nonny enjoying the selection of random awesomeness.

They had all of the great old toys.

No Yo Gabba Gabba stuff here.

This place was too cute, we had to stop and get ice cream.

Lunch and maple ice cream at the dairy bar next door.

Austin got chocolate.

Because he's my child.

Nonny and Pop, post maple ice cream and VERY happy.

Homeward bound.

But I'll be back.

Because...

I love Vermont!

The Joys of Homeownership

What is missing from this picture?

If you said "part of Brandi's roof" then you are right!

Hurricane Irene, you're on my list.

I'll bet the neighbors are SUPER excited that a couple from West Virginia moved in.

And promptly put a tarp on their roof.

And has a son that sometimes runs naked out of the house and pees in the yard.

In Da House

Okay, okay. So I WAS going to wait until my house was decorated like a page out of a Pottery Barn catalog before I let anyone see pictures. Stop laughing. I'm serious. It could happen. One day.
Here are a few for now to keep the restless natives happy.

 Thar she blows.

 Dining Room.

 Office.

And plaid carpet.

Which Chris loves with all of his heart.

I'm being serious.

 Living Room.

 Austin's Room.

I painted it myself! I'll show before and after of some rooms later.

 Master Bedroom.

 Master Bathroom.

 Breakfast Nook off of Kitchen.

 Kitchen.

This is going to be a huge project.

HUGE.

Laundry Closet.

I'm kind of going through my own Van Gogh "Blue Period".

2nd Guest Bedroom.

AKA Purgatory.

Where we will toss crap with no home.

The house is beautiful. But there are TONS of little projects to be done. And a few large projects too. The people we bought the house from are now on my "LIST" for the condition in which they left the house. 

But it's our home now. And we're glad to be here. Now to unpack...

Pop Goes the Weasel