A Makeover!!!!

Most of the boxes are unpacked ~ a lot has found it's way to Goodwill.  However, there are still a few makeovers to be found :) 

When we purchased this home, it needed a LOT of updating.  The good news was we had time to do it ~ the acreage had not sold so we didn't have to move yet.  The old wool carpet was pulled out, the stuck-on tile was chiseled out, new paint in every room, new light fixtures hung. 

I decided to go a different way in decorating this home.  While I still like the prim look, it just doesn't "fit" in this house.  So I went with a color called cork for all the walls, ceilings, and woodwork.  Yes ~ we painted the ceilings and workwood all the same color as the walls.  We cut our living space in half and felt that by painting everything the same color, it would open the space up and give more of a flow to the house.  Loving it! 

I'm using black for most of the accessories with just a hint of red here and there.  I took my inspiration from a pip berry garland that I have.  So I've been busy painting picture frames and anything else that I have displayed black ~ mostly gloss.  I didn't think I would like the shine of gloss, but it is giving everything a nice finish. 

Because I don't have as much display room, I've been downsizing and downsizing all my "pretties".  Plus with everything that happened during my surgery, I have found myself craving anything with a connection to our family ~ photos, artwork, etc.  Everything that I had out at the acreage just doesn't seem to matter to me anymore.  As I've been unpacking them, I don't want to display them and just want to get rid of them.  I have always loved displaying DS and DD artwork, but now that's about all I have on the walls besides photos.  There is just something about doing this that makes our home so cozy!

I came across a window frame mirror that I have had for years in one of the boxes and an idea came to me on how I could incorporate it into our home.  It was a glossy navy blue and needed some updating. 

Here's the before ~

It's painted, now I'm just waiting for it to dry to finish it up.  Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to post the finished project!

The Last 11 Weeks

Where to start?  11 weeks ago ~ Feb. 20 to be exact, I went in for a scheduled hysterectomy.  It was a Da Vinci (robotic) which was to take about 2 hours.  I would stay overnight, go home, and be back to normal in about 2 weeks.

Well ~ my dr. was about 90% done with about 15 minutes to go when something seriously went wrong.  The assisting dr. hit and cut my inferior vena cava.  In a matter of seconds, it went from routine to life-threatening.  My dr. basically put his finger in the cut and waited until the general surgeon could get in the OR.  Thankfully, the best general surgeon was there and within a few more seconds, he had the vein sutured up.  My dr.'s nurse told me when I was back in a week later to have the staples removed that the room went from having 4-5 people in to being jammed packed.

I ended up in the ICU for 2.5 days and in the hospital for 6,  had to have 7 units of blood transfused, and instead of 4 small incisions, came home with those 4 plus a vertical abdominal incision that is about 9 inches long, all held together with staples.  I also had 30 pounds of fluid weight from all the ivs and transfusions.  To say I was sore would be an understatement.

Two weeks after surgery, I began running a temperature of 102.5 and knew something was wrong.  I ended up having a CT scan.  It showed that everything appeared to look good and that the vein was healing properly.  So my dr. diagnosed it as an infection somewhere and I found myself back in the hospital ~ thankfully just overnight ~ to pump antibiotics into my system.  Went back home and was on meds for 7 days.

In the middle of all this, we accepted an offer on our acreage and moved! A bit crazy?  I blame it on my pain meds, DH doesn't know what to blame it on :)

Both drs. told me that had I been older or not in good health, I won't have made it.  I still get a little emotional when I think about that.  I can't put into words how my heart feels knowing God was there holding me and guiding their hands to save me.  The pain is getting less every day and I'm learning to live with the scar.  I have good days and bad days ~ but am so thankful to still be here.

So, please forgive the lapse in posts ~ I'm going to try to get back at it again.  I've got lots to share about Disney and a whole house full of new rooms to decorate!

Change of Direction!

First, I want to thank all my followers that have not dropped me.  It's been awhile since my last post ~ I've wanted to sit and write, but inspiration hasn't.  The prim makeovers were fun, but I have too many and have, in fact, started to downsize my collection.  Dusting all those prims is not so much fun :(  I've kept all the family heirlooms and just a few of my favorites ~ otherwise the rest have moved on to be loved by someone else.

That's not the only change I've made.  After months of prayer and thought, we resigned as Sunday School teachers.  It was a tough decision, but we do feel it was the right thing to do.  Our hearts were not in a good place and that wasn't fair to the kids.  It's been nice to attend adult class and have our souls fed and re-fueled.

So, for the next change!  Now that the prim makeovers are in the past, I need a new focus for my blog.  What a better time to share another love of mine.  It started a little over 3 years.  The kids were at a perfect age, DH and I had been discussing it for about a year when the postcard arrived in the mail.  A deal so great that even he couldn't pass it up!  That was the beginning of our love for a certain mouse :)

I invite you to join me on this journey as I share our adventures, tips, secrets, and fun in a land where dreams really do come true!

Life Moves Along Too Quickly!

Halloween has come and gone ~ Thanksgiving will be upon us before we blink!

I haven't posted in some time due to many factors.  Sick kids, busy schedules, Jack being diagnosed with brain cancer and trying to help the family anyway I can, etc., etc.

During this time, I've been de-cluttering the basement ~ again ~ and have made the decision to end my makeovers.  I just have too much stuff!  The stuff is beginning to take over my life and I don't like it.  There are so many other things that I want to fill my life with.  So, if I lose some of my followers, that's okay.  I plan on posting about life stuff now ~ prayer requests, kids, how the Lord is working in my life, friends, etc.

I want to thank those that will stay with me through this change.  I appreciate all the comments that have been left and did have fun with the makeovers.  It's just time to move on!

2 Sick Kiddos = No Makeover This Week

Just a quick post ~ both kiddos are down with bronchitis.  I was hoping it was a bad case of allergies, but turns out to be worse.  Started meds today, hoping that DH and I don't catch it!

Goodwill Goodie Finish Friday .....er... Saturday :)

Somehow yesterday got away from me and I didn't get my post up!  I traveled up north to have lunch with DH and stopped on the way home to do a little shopping.  The kiddos are trying to decide what to be for Halloween ~ actually DS is debating whether he is too old this year, you know, he's in middle school now :)  DD, at the moment, has picked Angelica from the Pirates of the Caribbean 4.  I think that it might have something to do with the fact that she met "her" at Disney World in May.  First she was all about being Rapunzel (she also met her), then quickly decided that it had to be Angelica.  Luckily, I have found a costume in her size ~ not thrilled about buying a pre-made costume as I grew up having my mom make all our costumes.  But I have tried to put one together at Goodwill and haven't had much luck.  Plus GW seems to keep raising their prices, so by the time I would get all the necessary pieces, the costume would actually be the cheaper way to go.  If DS decides that he isn't too old, he's going as Captain Jack Sparrow.  No luck on finding a costume in his size.  Boys end at size 10-12 and then jumped to an adult size large.  So I'm searching for pieces.  I've found a hat, wig with beads and all, and a shirt.  His may not be as "authentic" as her, but I'm trying!

The weather took a turn for the cool, but it sounds like next week we could be back into the high 70s, low 80s.  Oh how I love fall!

Onto this week's makeover!  If you remember from Monday's post, this is what I upcycled (I guess that's the proper term to be using!) ~

Quite a few bloggers that I follow have done these and I was so happy when I finally found one.  So many possibilities!  I love decor like this ~ you can move it from place to place and re-purpose it without much work!

Here's what it looks like now ~

And add a few finishing touches for fall and you have ~

Never knew you could transform a cheese plate into a piece of versatile decor, did you?!? 

Not sure what will be up next on Monday ~ have to take a look around and see what I feel needs some new life breathed into it!  Leave a comment and be sure to visit again on Monday!

Goodwill Goodie Makeover Monday

How can September be half over already???  We have been experiencing great fall weather lately ~ it was in the 90s last Monday and then dropped into the 70s.  Mornings have been a bit chilly, but I'll take it.  Even though I love the hot temps of sun, fall is my absolute favorite time of the year ~ the smells of harvest hanging in the air, the vibrant colors of the trees, delicious aromas coming from the kitchen, the cozy glow of candles.  It's also when I seem to have the most energy to de-clutter and get those makeovers done. 

Today I'm heading back into my pile of goodies.  I have seen a lot of these type of makeovers and couldn't ever seem to find one to try.  However, over the summer I snagged one.  So this week, I'll be working on this ~

Not only am I going to be getting back to that pile, I'm getting back on the treadmill (finally!).  I thought that once school started, I would be able to get back into my rountines.  It seems like something has always come up to keep the treadmill on the to-do list.  But, today is the day.  So I'm off to get the running shoes on!  I'll leave you with the latest update on my buddy Jack ~

(Sunday) No specific update tonight. Jack is resting soundly. His shunt is performing just as it should. They are currently trying to wean him off of the blood pressure regulating medication that he has been receiving since the surgery to remove his tumor. If they can do that, then he can move out of the PICU and down to the standard Ped's floor. (But between you and me, we're in no hurry to leave the PICU - - the kids here receive excellent one-on-one care, and seeing as he is still having some difficulty with his sight, swallowing, and the use of his left arm, I think he'd be better off staying up here a bit longer!)
We created a CaringBridge website for Jack....the web address is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jackconlon1. However, I don't think you'll find anything there that you haven't already read here on FB. (We did put up some pictures of him, though!) But, if you know of someone who does not have a FB account, feel free to pass that site onto them - we'll try to update that as often as we do FB.
Thank you all for your continued prayers - - we'll take all we can get, as Jack's fight has only just begun!
God bless you all. ~ Nikki