Oh yes....I did it!

The BIG BRIGHT WHITE before!

The Chalkboard after!

Chalkboard painted the refrigerator........there it sat, in the middle of my kitchen full of black appliances.......the big BRIGHT WHITE refrigerator (ok so not really bright white when you get up close since I discovered when taking it apart for painting it under ALL those magnets & pictures it was scurvy dirty!!) for the last almost 6 years it has driven me CRAAAAZY! We designed and built our kitchen when I was pregnant with Savannah..we literally had it all ripped out, stove in the middle of the room, utility sink barely hooked up and a refrigerator in the living room when I said "honey I am pregnant!?!? so HURRY on the remodeling!" I am sure I wasn't that polite but oh well!

So, I couldn't justify spending $1000 on a new fridge when we had one that worked fine and so we kept it, I knew I wanted all black appliances with the cream cabinets so the wall ovens and dishwasher and cook top we bought all new black and stainless...finally I had enough...I had bought chalkboard paint for the playroom door awhile back and on the can I noticed it said "refrigerator" under uses...then I looked online for people who had done it to see what it involved and how it would turn out...then I told Dave my plan, he was scared but this old fridge is just going to end up in the garage someday anyway so who cares..

Here it is after "seasoning" it

So, it was really easy, just time consuming since you have to remove all the hardware, sand it down, prime 2 coats and paint 3 coats with lengthy time in between coats, wait 2 days to fully harden & then "season it" (rub chalk all over then erase)...BUT its done and great! I write the menu for dinner on it and Savannah has fun "chalking" on it too! I still want my new black french door fridge someday but now at least its not screaming WHITE at me every time I see it! :)

Here it is complete w/ magnets again!

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter to everyone!!! Wonderful weather all weekend which is FANTASTIC since its usually snowing or raining every year....we went to the Egg Hunt @ Cazenovia Lake yesterday morning and it was mass chaos with TONS of kids...the nice weather made everyone come out for the event! Emmie did not care to find eggs but wanted to go in the lake instead! Savannah had a good time and we saw lots of friends there! We colored eggs in the afternoon and had lots of outside playtime! This morning the Easter Bunny came and delivered quite a haul..then this afternoon another egg hunt courtesy of Aunt Connie & Hunter! What a wonderful weekend and the girls are loving all the outdoor time!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and took a little time to remember the true reason for Easter!

WOWEEE!! Look what I made!

So, the other day I was reading this blog that I love and she made the cutest headbands with fabric flowers! I hate hate hate those obnoxious ones with the ENORMOUS fake flowers on them but these were really cute and I wanted one for both girls...well they were $17 in her store, so NO WAY was that happening!!!

Savannah has fabric headbands already, I knew I had scraps of fabric from various projects all I needed now was a way to make it all come together since I do not sew at all, when something needs mending, I tell Savannah "that's what Grammy is for"!

Today I was out running errands so I ran into Joanns and found these super cute flower buttons, surely even I could sew on a button!

TaaaDaaa.......here they are! Not nearly as cute as the ones from the blog BUT it cost me less than $2 since all I had to buy was the buttons! Savannah would not model it but here are both the headbands & Emerson sporting hers!

8 years.......

We have been married for 8 years today! March 22,2002 was when "I" became a "we" & now I cannot even imagine life as an "I" anymore.....1 husband + 8 years + 2 kids later = a pretty great life! I am truly blessed to have found a wonderful man that I still love as much, if not more than all those years ago......that first date feeling you have, exciting yet scary! Not all the nervous, getting to know you garbage..now its comfortable and familiar but still amazing! We don't say it often enough or show it in big grand gestures but its there!

So..enough with the mushy crud....BUT I just wanted to remember this day and how we got to this pretty great life we are living right now! Happy Anniversary to us & here is to many more to follow!!!

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

HAPPY St. Patty's day!!! Emmie started off the day with a huge helping of green icing, never mind the donut underneath because that's just kinda like a holder for the icing!

Savannah and I made her class cupcakes last night with "2 of my MOST favorite things in the WHOLE world" according to her...lucky charms & cupcakes w/ frosting! Hope everyone enjoys the GREEN day!

PS - the ultra-lovely dresser has already started her makeover, carpet is gone to the garbage & all the glue has been scraped off!!!! She was allowed off the porch and into the house after that!

Isn't she lovely?!?!?

Let me start out by saying yet again just how much I LOVE Craigs List! If I wasn't already married to a great guy & actually knew who this Craig person was I would TOTALLY marry him just because of his amazing list!!!! LOL

This morning I was checking Craigs List...not because I need anything or was looking for something specific, just because I check it like a million times a day because you NEVER know what you will find and realize you cannot live without it any longer!

CURB ALERT - 2 of my most favorite words! Since I have been following this blog that does "Roadkill Rescues" I am addicted to finding free items that can be made into something GREAT! There is a curb alert in Syracuse for this house who cleaned out their attic and there is a HUGE pile of stuff @ the curb! It was posted Sunday though :( I emailed them to see if the 3 items I really would love to have are still there, no response! BUMMER!! I was headed out to Dewitt anyway so mapquested the address and realized it was only 5 minutes from where I would be! SCORE and totally worth the gamble! I toss Emmie in the car and off we go. I get there and the pile has pretty much vanished but 1 of the TOP items was still there!!!

Isn't she SOOOOO purdy??? I know she isn't, but she will be!!! Right now she is dirty and pretty roughed up, complete with the NASTY carpet glued down on top of her but she will be BEAUTIFUL!!!

Now, I just need to find a place to hide her from Dave until her transformation is complete & I can find a spot to put her & a reason I "needed" her!!! :)

Frugal Chicks RULE!!!!

Still cannot believe the score I made yesterday @ Rite Aid!!! Sure it takes time and patience to be frugal - cutting coupons, looking thru sale ads, following stores rebate programs...but it SOOOOOO pays off! Check out the list of stuff I purchased yesterday from Rite Aid!

Spray in Wash 44oz $5.49
Garnier Fructis Shampoo $4.29
Garnier Fructis Shine Serum $6.49
Nivea Kiss of Shine LipBalm $2.99 x2
Carmex Tube $1.69
Halls Cough Drops $1.99 x2
Natures Bounty Omega 3/D3 vitamins $12.99 x2

TOTAL: $53.90

With sales, coupons & rebates, I paid.........drum roll please..................

ACTUAL TOTAL PAID: $5.36