What Pinterest has done to me...

So I have a love hate relationship with Pinterest. I adore it for the easy menu planning that has been going on at our house. Every Monday night I pull up my recipes page and plan my meals depending on what new thing I have pinned or one that I have been craving for a while! My favorite so far has been the corn and potato chowder and the grilled chicken marinade. Dying to try the zucchini bites. I love that I have all of my recipes with me on my phone- clutch when I am at the store and needing ingredients to a recipe!

Now- my problem is all of the pinning of amazing looking rooms...it isn't healthy. I have been working on planning Little B's big boy room and was eyeing some wood spindle beds that cost 1700 dollars- each. Yeah- not going to happen. So it has been a challenge finding affordable things that look spectacular like all of the pinterest rooms that I have pinned.

The good that it has brought is that I have taken the challenge of finding what I like and making it look like the 1700 dollar beds! I found these two old school wooden beds-I think Jenny Lind- at a consignment store for 113. I couldn't let them pass as they were too good of a deal and with some paint and distressing I could make them look like the 1700 dollar beds! So- here is my first big project thanks to pinterest. I am pleased- with the look and def. with the price!

The set up- wiped down the bed with a dry cloth

Hampton only watched during the set up- not while the painting was going on!

Spray painted it with white primer spray paint

First coat of Antique White on the headboard- spray paint again!

I sanded little bits on the edges to make it look distressed- this was my favorite part!

Tada!

He loves his big boy bed!

Total cost to paint was 3 cans of spray paint primer and 3 cans of spray paint- each can was 4 dollars- so 24.00! Pretty proud of that as I got a quote for getting someone to paint them and it was going to be 100 dollars a bed! I haven't done Hampton's yet but I have a while until he will need that- plus- I have the crib in there still as Little B is still taking naps in his crib. Not ready to give him complete freedom!

Next for Little B's big boy room is painting the walls, hanging pictures and some kind of inexpensive window treatments!

This video is priceless- plus you can see what he thinks about his big boy bed at the end! Please excuse his room- as it is still "under construction"

Small World

Meet our friends the Darnell's! Such a small world! Another friendship that our Maker orchestrated!

Big Bradford met the Darnell's one morning while waiting for Little Bradford's classroom to open. They had a little girl in the class too- They started talking and realized they are from Mobile like Big B- went to the other two private schools in Mobile- they lived in Birmingham before they moved to Tampa- and they both graduated from Alabama. Lindsey loves to decorate and find good deals- I have so much to learn from her!

They have a little girl named Claire who is so much fun to be around- and who Little Bradford adores. I called her his girlfriend one time but Big B reminded me that she will go to Alabama and a house divided marriage might not be best. Whatever- I still think of Claire as B's girlfriend. We have gotten together over the last few weekends and the two are peas in a pod.

Bradford loves eating at Claire's as her mama fixes yummy stuff

Smitten.

Lindsey is due in a few short weeks! They are the rare ones out there as they don't know what they are having- can't wait to find out if Hampton has a little buddy or a girlfriend!

Look at Hambone sitting up!

Yay for a family photo

Loving this Florida weather!

Imaginary Baseball

We walked to a nearby park this afternoon and watched a little league baseball game. Little B loved watching all of the kids running and yelling for their team. We found an empty field and let Little B run free. He had so much fun playing pretend baseball. His imagination continues to amaze me! And oh how I love weekends. Having Daddy home all day is such a treat!

Practicing pitching....not looking like the lefty we had hoped for :)

B had to take a break in the dug out- while sitting and drinking his water he said "I am so hot, alright- it's baseball time!" And ran back out into the field.

Hampton loved being outside!

A video of B running the bases...

How boys play dress up

The mini hat cracks me up. Did yall hear B? "Hampton, wear this." Bradford is really into including Hampton lately while he is playing. Nothing can prepare you for that feeling when the two are connecting.

How to back up your blog

Here is the information on backing up your blog! Key- having an external hard drive!

http://tidymom.net/2011/how-to-back-up-your-blog/

Also, click here to turn your blog into a book! Motivating to blog and take more pics. I would love to have a book each year!

Happy Monday!

Brotherly Love and Hampton is 5 months!

Oh how I love this little guy! Though life is tough and I am weary- his sweetness makes up for it. He weighs 17 lbs and 10 ounces. Not struggling with weight since he eats 24 hours a day! How cute is this outfit Ma C made special for him! Little B has a matching smocked t-shirt on the way! Most of you guys know that it makes my heart happy when kids match. Though it is not very realistic= I think I have had their matching pjs clean once at the same time- a mom can dream.

Loving his feet!

Best of buds

Little B hugs Hampton at least twice an hour.

And for those who really want a peek into their daily interaction...a video- just watch the first 10 seconds to get an idea- the other minute and a half might hurt your ears since my two year old screams randomly throughout the day.

I am headed to ATL tomorrow early- excited about spending some time with my friends and visiting Nanny. Prayers for my Nanny as she has taken a turn for the worse- Ever since her stroke on Christmas Eve, she hasn't been the same. My mom goes every weekend to be with her and I know she could use prayers too. She is quite the warrior. Also, big thanks to my Big Bradford for holding down the fort for another weekend :) I can already here Little B saying all weekend, "Okay- Let's go boys!"

Apples crash?

Whew- Kudos to you mamas that are blogging. I need about 4 more hours in my day to have time to do it. I have actually been really sad every time I look at our apple computer because it has disappointed me. It crashed a few weeks ago and they couldn't recover our hard drive. So we lost everything. Did we back up our photos? Nope. I guess we aren't invisible. I really had to examine my heart and realize that those were earthly treasures....So- I am now taking my camera more places and trying to restart my photo collection of my favorite people. I know I have alot of my photos on Facebook and I have this blog- so hopefully between the two I can get what I need. I had a friend mention to me that your blog could crash and you could lose it all too- so I am in the process of backing up my blog so I don't lose those precious memories as well. Sweet Hampton's one year book might just start when he is 5 months old :)

I will be back soon with some adorable pictures of my favorite little boys. Also, Hampton goes tomorrow for an Upper GI X-ray to see what is going on with our sweet little man. We are down to waking up once or twice in the night as I moved him back into the swing- last week in his crib he was waking up every hour and a half....I was not stable. I am a little more stable this week- though my sentences don't make sense....I should start keeping a list of what I say....it is scary...if I had a real job I think I would have already been fired. Thankful that I stay home and I can't get fired- or can I? Big Bradford came home last week and said he found me a job as I think he thought I was going to the crazy house. Thankful that he was looking out for me but I think I will just stay crazy and love on my boys all day.