What a Week

What a great way to end a great week, being featured on the lovely blog, 6th Street Design School.

I have admired Kristen's blog since I first discovered it.  She is a hip young designer with great style. You can check out the feature here.

Our week started off with a bang when our dear friends from Tennessee came up to visit for a few days. We were cursed with more rain, but it certainly didn't slow us down.  

We were able to fit in a Red's game, the Butterfly Show at the local conservatory, 

a trip the Children's Museum and even a night out just for the adults.  

Here are all the children all hyped up for the game.  

They made the trip up to hang out and make memories, of course, but also to help celebrate my husbands' 40th Birthday! They left the morning of his big day.  

We kept the party going and invited the family over for cake.

(I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that I love to bake.  My creations normally turn out tasty, but not so pretty. i.e. this carrot cake that looks like it was iced by my four year old)

I actually put 40 candles on that cake and he blew them all out with one try.  

I thought the smoke alarm was going to go off.  

My husband and I are going away for the weekend to officially celebrate his birthday.  I can't wait for some rest and relaxation.  Wish my mother good luck.  She's in charge of the wild ones while we are away.

TGIF

First, be sure to head on over to My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.  Sweet Kristin is featuring our home today.  She has a beautiful home and some serious talent. You will definitely want to see it.

Wow, what a long week.  My husband was out of town most of the week so I was single parenting it.  Props to you all you single moms out there.  Sometimes I feel like one, but I have much respect for you.
The week was filled with fighting with my little ones over homework, shuffling kids from one activity to another, finding time to sit down and eat dinner together, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, you know the drill.  I decided to take the night off from a big post, have a few glasses of wine and just go with some random thoughts.

1)  Didn't get to sleep in like I thought I was going to, husband had to leave at 4:45p to catch a flight.
2)  Why, oh why, must there be so much homework?
3)  Broken garage door = cha ching
4)  So happy to meet some new bloggers and discover more great blogs!
5)  Four year old learned how to ride a bike without training wheels on Wednesday, Hurray!
6)  So excited to be going to Ballard Outlet tomorrow (with a 50% off coupon) again, Hurray!
7)  Spent a beautiful sunny day at the park with one of my best friends and my little boy!

That about sums up my week.  Okay, that was a lot of (!s).  I guess it wasn't that bad of a week after all.   Looking forward to a fun weekend with the family.  Hope you all have a great one too!

Hello Sunshine

First things first, I'm thrilled that our kitchen is being featured over at Remodelaholic today.  Be sure to  check it out.  This amazing blog is the perfect place to get inspiration for your own home.  A special thanks to Cassity for inviting me over.  

I have been excited about today all week.  Several reasons: 1) the Remodelaholic feature; 2) no gym on Thursdays so I get to sleep in a little later; 3) taking my son to the park to play; 3) THE SUN WILL BE OUT AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE 70 DEGREES!  We have had our fair share of dreary cold weather here and I am ready for Spring.  Funny how sunshine can change your whole mood.  I don't care if I wake up and have two flat tires, I will be happy tomorrow (as long as the sun is shining). 

To bid farewell to the cold weather, I went on a bit of a winter de-cluttering mission.  I am never excited to get all the winter coats, boots, gloves, hats and boots out, but I am always a bit slap happy to put them away.

This is what our mudroom looks like on a normal (cold) day.

This is the new and improved Spring version.

  So much better without all those heavy coats.

I tend to get a bit side tracked when I start a project like this.  

What started out as simply putting some winter wear away,

ended up as a full fledge spring cleaning of the mudroom and pantry. 

Since this is the pantry door, there is no hiding a mess.

 I would love to spruce this space up with some cool paint and glass containers, 

but I was trying to use what I had and just reorganize everything.

Here are the famous tin cans from this post.  This is also where I keep most of 

the kids' craft supplies and my cleaning supplies. 

And just to make sure Old Man Winter knows he is no longer welcome here, 

I added a lovely message to the chalkboard. 

Linking to:  

I Heart Organizing

Houseography

The Mustard Ceiling

Featured

Yeah!!  I was featured today at Savvy Southern Style.  You have to check out this lovely blog.

You're sure to be inspired by this southern gal and her savvy style.

Being new to blogging, I can use all the tips, advice and help I can get. Blogging is a like another planet I didn't even know existed until about two years ago.  I would constantly do google image searches for kitchens and bathrooms when we were planning our renovation.  Most of the time, the images I would click on would lead me to an amazing blog.  A whole new world was opened up for me.  I started out just perusing other blogs that inspired me (and I still do), but one of my New Year's resolutions for 2011 was to start my very own blog.  Not being one to procrastinate, Oak Ridge Revival was born in January. It's such a fun way for me to express my creativity and to connect with others.  Sometimes being a stay at home mother can be a bit lonely.  Who knew there were so many women out there just like me, yearning to connect with other nose wiping, car pooling, design loving women.  So there you have it, the story behind my blog.  I have already met some amazing people through blogging and while I don't have a clear vision yet for where this new venture might lead, I am always open for new experiences and opportunities.  So happy you are joining me!

I have also been featured at: