Updating and Refreshing

Way back in September our good friend Nate helped us repaint our living room, and we have been slowly updating it a little every month. I think it is safe to say that it is finally done! The walls went from white to a happy yellow, and I changed the dark red and orange curtains to white and brightened up the room. Next, I spray painted my black star white and edge it in brown staz-on ink to add dimension.

The green candlesticks were a yard sale find that had a horrible paint job. The green is proof of my newfound love affair with spray paint. It fixes anything!

These pillows are all recovered old ones that were just plain worn out. I got some new fabric and covered the old ones. The small band around the sash is the fabric that covers the glider pillow and the lamp shade in the picture below. Craigs list, one of my favorite shopping places, is where I found a black lamp with a white shade. With a little red spray paint, and some pretty fabric it's like new!

I just had to use the floral fabric in one more spot so I made a table cover to go on our entertainment center. There is also one under the table lamp on the other side of the room.


Last, but not least, our mounted pride and joy. In between them are picture of our kids. Just kidding, but I was really excited about these two canvases. They are covered in fabric that matches the dining room chairs I recovered last summer. The brown flourishes are vinyl cutouts from my cricut.
It is so rejuvenating changing something in my house, especially when it is all done by hand!

A snapshot of our Arizona trip

The first week of January, Andy's parents kindly blessed us with a trip to Anthem, AZ to come see them for a week. We had so much fun shopping, going to the zoo, the pioneer museum, shopping, having a mommy and daddy day in Sedona, and did I mention shopping? Andy and Jaben even got to spend a day golfing a beautiful course with Grandpa Jerry. It was truly a trip of a lifetime! The beautiful scenery and the break from freezing cold were just what we needed to rejuvenate.

Some may think it's strange to take pictures of huge cacti, but come on, they don't exactly grow among the evergreens in North Idaho. This was at the quaint little pioneer museum we went to.

Andy and I took a drive into Sedona to celebrate my birthday, just the two of us. The surrounding area was absolutely gorgeous with all of the red rock. We stopped several times to take pictures, and to walk a path by Montesuma's Castle. Once we arrived in Sedona we hit a couple of art galleries and had sushi for lunch. It was a very relaxing, and very adult like day. Andy made me feel so special spending that time with me!

The sunsets in Arizona are nothing short of awe-inspiring. This was our welcoming sunset the day we got into Anthem.

The kids loved the fun park by the condo, complete with fishing and play equipment. Jaben said the fish had already eaten when we got there, and that is why we couldn't catch any. (:

The Wildlife zoo and aquarium we went too were amazing. We have never been quite this close to so many beautiful animals.

Kyleah squealed the whole time we were in the petting zoo. She loved it until they got too close, then she was a little less sure about things.

What a great trip with such happy memories. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma!