Updated Living Room with a Traditional Twist

We are about 90% finished with our living room! The final piece just arrived and with a few screws the room will be complete. Until then however I wanted to share our most recent update: Wood trim on the wall. As a reference here is what the living room looked like to date: living room update

Using a guide from wainscoting of America we had our AMAZING contractor Dan from Testa Contracting interpret one of the wainscoting kits. Rather than the wood trim completely covering the wall, we used the wall and layered shadow boxes on shadow boxes. He built out the windowsills and made a wood trim window valance. We sprayed the entire wall with a high gloss white paint to add an extra element. Dan also installed four high hats - two on either side of the new chandelier. In a room where the light was MINIMAL at best, we now can see every detail with absolutely clarity. Rather than me fumbling the description I thought I would just show you how the process went with the art of I-Phone photography!

This is the BEFORE:

No Wood Trim and No chandelier or high hats.

This was one of the first layers of wood trim. You can see the crown molding, flat trim being added to make large and small rectangles, and the trim window valance.

Here are all the layers of trim- high hats installed- and the hand bevelled beadboard above the fireplace.

 This is Dan, his co-worker, and the "Foreman" Doc checking things out after the first coat of paint!

 Here is a glimpse of Dan painting and the BEAUTIFUL chandelier!

This is a close up of the beadboard above the fireplace. I love the way this turned out! He did such an amazing job. The beadboard is so simple yet elegant. 

 The last two photos below were taking with my back to the fireplace. The tall table lamps are from Restoration Hardware.

 Finally I have a fancy room to drink my "fancy" pickle juice martini's! Cheers Friends and a Big Thank You to Testa Contracting!

First Day of Pre-K and Nursery School Teacher Gifts

Well the time has come for me to rejoice. The boys are headed back to school next week! We had a wonderful summer together and I know I will always look back to the dream team 2015 summer with fond memories but as they say,

 'all good things must come to an end' 

and as I say,

 "Mamma needs to regain her sanity."

 In preparation for the boys going back to school I had to take a little time to whip up a 

"Here we come! Look Out! Get Ready!" teacher gift. 

I always loved the sentiment of bringing your teacher an apple on the first day of school but as we all know, teachers do not want apples. 

So I went to the next best thing, Mini MacIntosh Apple Candles.

I love these little candles and here's why:

 #1: They are tiny so they are easy for a child to carry

#2: They are made in the U.S.A.

#3: You CAN NOT beat the price 

#4: They wrap so nicely in clear wrap and ribbon

#5: They may be small in stature but they are mighty in scent 

Attached to each of the candles I tied a hand written quotation on the boys stationary. 

I really love the way they all came together. 

Hopefully the teachers do too! 

How To Un-Spoil Your Children?

So the summer has come to an end ... After you read that what was your immediate feeling? Sadness? Joy? Did you just take a huge sigh of relief? My answer would be: Anxious. I am anxious for the school year to begin and completely stressed out by all of the little things I need finished before I can calmly begin a new season. You see I have one tiny... little... itsy bitsy... big... daunting thing I need to  do... I need to un-spoil my insanely energetic boys! How do I do that? Seriously I am truly asking: How do you make your child less bratty? Well that just sounds mean... less demanding of things? No, that's not right either... how about More appreciative? That's better.
You see over the past three months I have raced through so many emotions I should have been diagnosed with something ... now that summer is over and I am beginning to clear my eyes and mark up my calendar I have taken a good long look at my boys and noticed that I have created MONSTERS! I guess I took the "whatever you want" approach to life this summer a little too far... Remember Wedding Crashers when Gloria is tantruming at her sisters wedding... I am Christopher Walken in that scene just waving my hands saying "whatever you want..."
Last week I tried the whole "if you don't do this, you want get that" type of bargaining. It worked once on each child and then I was turning onto a dead end road. The "Cold Turkey" method usually works well in my life when it comes to my addiction to sweets... Maybe that will work with the boys too? No candy, no jinky junk toys, no baked goods, no more crazy hupla! What do you think? How long will it take to have my nice even tempered children back again? Have you gone through this before? I need some help on this one.