Dreaming of … a new dining table

I may have mentioned I’m dreaming of updating some home furnishings. Especially my dining table with the gunk-filled grooves. I’ve always liked round tables for some reason too, and since there are four of us, why not replace our big rectangular 6-person table?

I love this at Pottery Barn:

although dark wood or black is really my style. And then I found this on overstock.com:

It’s half the price.

I’m thinking these chairs are pretty too:

But still. Saving money. Ugh.

Maybe I just need to get out of my house more so I stop thinking these things!

The thankful tree

Sometimes I find crafts in magazines and blogs and actually do them with Ella. I’m glad she loves to do crafty things, like me.

So, this week we did a “thankful tree.” Basically you put a branch in a pot, fill with whatever material you want to hold the branch, (I think coffee beans would smell good, but we used some landscaping pebbles we had), cut out leaves in which you write one thing you are thankful for on each, hole punch them, hang them on branches and Wha la. The thankful tree.

Ella didn’t know what the word thankful meant when I first told her about the project last week. But as the week went by she would remember the word and use it. On one particular day she said “Mama, I’m thankful you let me have all that candy.” How sweet!

Here are some other things she said she’s thankful for:

• Her grandparents
• Her mommy
• Her sister
• Lots of popsicles
• Her sparkly horse
• Milk

And please don’t remind Steve that he didn’t make the tree. He is her favorite person to sit by at dinner and go to the movies with though, so he’s doing pretty well.

Ella insisted we make 4 Thankful Trees actually. Eva’s is in her room.

Working out has some perks

I’ve really been trying to get in better shape and make exercise a priority. And I’ve learned there are some serious perks that come along with it. Of course you feel better about your body and have renewed energy, bla bla bla, but I’m talking about other things, like:

1. Do you know that if you work out, as long as you are not stinky and dripping with sweat, you earn the right to wear sweats/workout clothes all day? It’s true! You can just be like “Yep, I worked out, didn’t have time to change!” People respect that.
2. My gym has a coffee station. After my morning workout I can grab a cup on my way out. No more getting the coffee ready in the morning!
3. I’ve never been a gym shower kinda person, but I’m thinking if I get there a little earlier, I may try it out. I bet that I could take a shower there without anyone walking in on me or crying for a snack. Sounds pretty sweet to me.

Peekaboo

I had no idea how much everyone in the family would enjoy our new curtains. Privacy AND hours of peekaboo and hide and seek fun.