Outside door and some tipsy pots

I just can't tell you how much I love looking at other people's blogs and getting inspired!

Recently, I saw a post on "outside doors" on Rose's blog.

If you haven't' stopped by her blog Confessions of a Curbshopaholic, you really need to go check it out!

After she answered my demand request on how to make the door stand straight up, I knew I needed a door of my very own.

I called my dad, because he has two of everything, and asked him if he had a door with an opening at the top.

And...of course he did.

The door is one that came out of the primary school where I attended grades 2 & 3.

How fun is that?

So...

May I present to you...

The door to classroom number 5?

Many a kid went through this door.

Just hoping that mine won't try it.

Thanks Rose for the inspiration!

Thanks Dad for the door!

And thanks Corey for putting it all together for me!

New Coffee Table

I recently bought the cutest coffee table at GW for 20 bucks.

I think that it must have been a couch in a former life.

At least my kids treat it like one.

It has the cutest little chunky legs and the little drawer in the front is so fun.

Here, let me show you...

Um...

Kids?

Can you move so I can see the drawer?

Hello?

Ok, I'll take a picture and the flash will surely break their trance.

Ok...

maybe not.

You would think that they have never seen a TV before.

Let me try one more picture.

Surely that will make them snap out of it.

Or not.

Sigh...

Guess I'll have to show you the drawer some other time...

Happy Birthday Matthew

I can hardly believe that my sweet Matthew is 6 years old.

After we had five kids, I was convinced that we were done having babies.

On two separate occasions, in my home, I was for sure that I saw a little boy, out of the corner of my eye.

Both times that I turned my head and looked, he was gone.

I told Corey that I thought we needed to have another baby.

He thought I must have been hit by a crazy stick.

One night I had a dream that I had given birth to a little boy and that we had named him Matthew.

I woke up in the morning and took a pregnancy test.

It was positive.

So, when our little boy was born...

we named him Matthew.

He is such a funny little boy, always saying things that totally crack us all up.

Everyone loves Matthew.

On his birthday, he ordered Biscuits and Gravy. Remember the Magic Mix? It makes great white sauce. I just added some sausage and some spices and...ta-dah! Sausage Gravy.

Since I had been contacted the day before his birthday by a mystery shopping company, asking me to do a last minute bowling shop, we took Matthew with us.

Corey and I love doing these shops.

So did Matthew.

The staff there eventually brought over a metal ramp for Matthew to use, so he could bowl easier.

We used the lane with the bumpers on it, so no gutter balls.

I still stunk at the bowling.

It is much easier bowling on the Wii.

Just sayin...

And, what birthday would be complete without the Ice Cream Brownie Mountain?

We had so much fun watching him try to blow out the trick candles (that I bought at GW, new in the pack for 29 cents).

He declared that it was the best day of his entire life.

We love you Matthew!

Happy Birthday!

Freebies of the Week

Before I show you the pictures of all my "finds" for the week, I just want to clarify something.

Ya know when I was talking in an earlier post about not wanting to be a collector of stuff?

I was totally talking about the kid's stuff.

Not mine.

Cuz, if I was talking about my stuff, the following pictures would confirm that I am a hypocrite.

And, who would want that.

Ahem...

So...

with that being said...

Here are my freebies of the week...

All these art supplies came out of the dumpster at GW.

A lot of the little brushes were new, some still in their package.

We couldn't even reach them all but just grabbed the ones near the top.

This cute little V-tech toy was still in it's box.

It hooks up to the TV and is for toddlers.

Lily had such a fun time pushing all the buttons and watching what was happening on the TV screen.

Apparently it was a bit too much for my supercool 15 year old, Michael.

He left the room but not before remarking that he was ready to go throw himself off of the room.

Such dramatics...

Four picture frames (with GW tags still on them)

Two games (haven't checked to see if all the pieces are there yet)

One little glass globe thingie

One hardback American Tourister Suitcase.

I sure love me some suitcases.

I still haven't started finished the last suitcase project yet.

Guess I'd better get on that...

Small metal file cabinet.

Really good shape except for the circular rust stain on the top.

Corey needed somewhere to store all those old files from his business that you have to hang on to, like forever...

I scored this heavier then sin dresser for free off of Craigslist.

Corey thought that it must have its drawers full of bricks because it was so heavy.

No drawer pulls but that is easily fixed.

A free oak coffee table that just needs a sanding and new coat of paint.

I admit that I squealed out loud when Corey unloaded this free dresser.

I can't believe that someone just wanted this gone...for free.

When I sent Corey as my errand boy we went to go pick up an oak table with five chairs that I bought off of CL (for $40...score!) the people there gave Corey this patio set.

They were moving and just wanted it gone.

Thanks!

And last, but not least...

When Josh, Liz and I were out garage-saling this weekend we picked up this chair (with matching couch) off of the curb in front of the cutest old lady thatyoueverdidsee's house.

This set (in need of new upholstery) she had owned since before I was born and it dates back to the 30's or 40's. I lovelovelove the wooden accents.

These will look perfect in my front room...

After it gets remodeled...

And after I get the set reupholstered...

She made me promise "after" pictures.

And I promised her visitation rights.

The furniture has lived through teenagers once.

Hope it can do it again...

Suddenly my list of "to do" projects is growing.

Yikes!

Happy Birthday Levi and Joshua!

Joshua and Levi's birthdays are only one day apart so they get gipped.

Cuz, I only make one cake.

But they still each get to choose their birthday dinner.

Levi chose pancakes on his birthday.

Then, the next day, Joshua requested Bean and Biscuit casserole.

Yummy.

Here again is the Ice Cream Brownie Mountain but without Cool Whip, because I didn't have any.

Can anyone tell me how to get Levi to make a normal "cheese" face?

Joshua loves anything electronic...

and that has batteries.

We call him "The Battery King"

A better name for him might be "Get all kinds of screwdrivers out to change batteries and then leave them laying all over the place King"

But that is kinda wordy.

So, we just call him "The Battery King."

Happy 12th birthday Joshua!

Happy 4th birthday Levi!

We love you guys!

Happy Birthday Liz

Eight of my nine kids have birthdays in the months from Feb-May.

We call it the birthday season.

Four of them have birthdays in April-May.

It is crazy keeping up with it all.

I am a little behind on birthday posts. because I have been busy dumpster diving

So, here is the first of several posts for the birthday kiddos.

Liz...

Such a little lady and a wonderful, sweet personality.

Very girly.

She got a new bedding set for her "tween" room.

Zebra print with pink.

We also have her the cute white lamp with feathers that I had made for her.

She loved it and couldn't wait to dress up her new room.

She requested the Bean and Biscuit casserole, which seems to be the birthday food most requested.

I'll have to post the recipe sometime.

And, for dessert...

Ice Cream Brownie Mountain.

Almost everyone requests this too.

I'll get you that recipe as well.

Happy 10th Birthday Elizabeth!

We are so proud of you!

Making a Terrarium

My mom had a terrarium when I was just a kiddo.

For some reason, they have always fascinated me.

Doesn't take much, huh?

Anyhoo...

I was on the lookout for a lot of things a great glass container so I could have a terrarium of my very own.

Mine...mine...mine...

Oops sorry, Lily's been rubbing off on me.

So, when I just happened by a Goodwill store and spied the largest Mason jar thatyoueverdidsee, I immediately thought of a terrarium.

Ok, honestly, my first thought was, "How the heck can you fit that in a water bath canner?"

And, then I realized that it was just for decoration.

Silly me.

Color me shocked when I saw that they wanted $46 for it.

I think I made a not so very nice face at that one.

Then, I went home and checked online.

And discovered that their asking price was not totally out of line.

Just out of my line.

Cuz I'm cheap like that.

So...

I waited patiently until it went 1/2 off.

$23, although still high, inmyhumbleopinion, was easier to swallow.

She is 18" high and very heavy.

She was also filled with a bunch of sand, seashells and rocks which I removed.

Isn't she purdy?

Then, I gathered my supplies.

I rinsed off a bunch of rocks that I bought in a bag.

They were very dir-tay.

After putting down a thin layer of rocks, I put in a layer of activated charcoal.

This is to keep it from smelling yucky.

I found the charcoal in the aquarium supplies at Walmart.

I added a layer of green spanish moss.

Cuz, it's purdy.

But you can skip this step if you want to.

I then dumped in some potting soil and planted my plants.

I bought three little ones and they barely fit.

I still haven't decided where her permanent spot is.

I keep moving her around.

If I can make this...

Anyone can.

It was so easy that my five year old could have done this.

Promise.