It's a Lack Hack

Awhile back I was inspired to try a new project. I wish I could say I was creative enough to always think of projects on my own, but unfortunately I use the creativity of others. I am very thankful for all of those creative people out there. You have actually seen pictures of this project in previous posts, but I wanted to detail how simple and budget friendly this was.

Meet our new side table...

A similar looking Parsons side table at West Elm is available for $199. Here is a photo of what that one looks like.

There are certainly differences in the two tables, but they both share the same idea. Parsons. Parsons=yummy. Parsons has clean lines and I love clean lines. Now, there may be differences, but there is one difference that made me so happy that my hair curled (I have straight hair...well unless I use curling mousse, but that's a story for another time).

So as I said the West Elm version was $199, but my version was a mere $15.98+a few supplies from around the house. That's a difference of $183.02!!! So what did it take to make this masterpiece?

2 Ikea Lack Tables @ $7.99 each (you need two)
Liquid Nails
Screws and drill (optional)

Honestly you can do this project all by yourself, no help needed. This was a project that giant pregnant ladies like because it took very little effort at all.

1. Put together one Lack table fully (it's Ikea, you always have to put something together).
2. Turn it upside down (legs in the air), place a small amount of liquid nails spread evenly over the legs
3. Take the top of the other table (white side is the one that you want to place onto the legs) and center with the legs. Press down carefully, but firmly. If any of the liquid nails squeezes out, be sure to clean up with a paper towel.

Now the next step is not necessary and you can skip it. Josh and I chose to screw the two pieces together to ensure that the table would be very sturdy. The liquid nails will work just fine, but we wanted this to outlast our little baby. To screw the two pieces together, flip the table back over and screw into the already made holes (you may want to pre-drill into the holes).

Ta-Da! You are done and now have a cheap version of a beautiful side table.

Again, I am so thankful for all those creative type. In fact, I must give credit where credit is due. Here is the blog where I originally saw this fabulous idea.

We LOVE our budget friendly side table and it was well worth the $15.98 we spent to have it. I am also thinking that there are MANY other things you can do with these simple tables. Maybe we will attempt another project in the near future...

So Fresh and So Clean

A few months ago we realized we were really dirty. Okay well not really, but we did realize that we were having a baby and if there is one thing that we have been told over and over, its how much our laundry will increase. Between knowing that we would have a lot more laundry to do, as well as our goal to live a more eco-friendly and cost efficient life we decided that a new washer and dryer were beyond necessary. We actually had a great used set that our wonderful friends had given to us which were still working, but were of course top loaders which as we know do not conserve water in the least. Here is the thing, we actually bought our washer and dryer on a trip to Home Depot with the sole intent of buying a lawn mower....this is what happens to us when we go unattended into a home improvement store of any kind.

This here is the manufacturer's picture of the LG Washer (and matching dryer) that was delivered and set up right before our very eyes (thank you Home Depot!).

We chose to use the stacking feature to save room in our basement. We had space for them to sit side by side, however in our future plans we do intend to finish the basement and we would need them to be stacked at that point anyway. The other nice thing about the washer and dryer is that without the pedestal option I can easily reach the top buttons on the dryer (and that's saying something for this 5'0 girl!).

Well, now that we have owned these beauties for a few months we felt it time to give our thoughts on them. First of all we could not beat the price. We happened upon the washer and dryer on sale for less than $900. To us that was quite the deal! Second, these babies can clean! It is amazing how little detergent we use and yet how fresh our laundry smells. This also impresses us since we use detergent that is free of all dyes and perfumes. Third, they are quiet. Yes, we can still hear them, but the sound is not nearly as deafening as a traditional washer and dryer. This makes us quite happy since little Eden's room is right above the washer and dryer. Fourth, the washer and dryer both have the cutest jingles to indicate that they are done. No more extremely loud buzzer that wakes the whole neighborhood. The jingle does get stuck in your head so beware!

Things that drive us crazy about the washer and dryer...well there really is nothing. We love them! I will say that they seem to take about 55 minutes per load which can feel like forever when you are trying to get a lot done, but we look at it as a way to ensure that the clothes are super clean. This washer also has the same maintenance as most front loaders, which if you aren't used to them may seem like a hassle. We look at them not so much as hassles, but as a way to ensure that we have many wonderful years with our beloved washer and dryer. The main thing is to always dry the inside lip of the washer, drain the line located at the bottom of the washer every couple of weeks, and when necessary you can even run the tub wash cycle to ensure an extra clean and mildew free washer.

All in all we can't stress our love for these babies enough. We cannot wait to try the washer and dryer on the cloth diapers that we are planning to use. Yep, we are going to try them out on our little girls tush. That will be the true test of how well the washer and dryer hold up.

*Side note: We are expressing our love for this washer and dryer solely because we love them. LG and Home Depot do not know we are writing this so unless they want to compensate us, we are doing this review out of our own desires.

Eden's Room: Chapter 1

Welcome to the first chapter of Eden's Room. We want to share every dirty detail of the nursery progress so we thought we would start with the first purchase for her room that arrived YESTERDAY! Without further adieu, the rocker.

Blogworld meet Eames look-a-like, Eames look-a-like meet the Blogworld. This here is where we will rock our little girl to sleep, read her books, or just plain sit and enjoy. We ordered this chair four days ago on Overstock.com after falling IN LOVE with the Eames rocker. Unfortunately, our wallets did not like the prices for the original Eames, so we went for second best (which truthfully doesn't feel like second best at all). This rocker only set us back $166.99 which compared to the real thing or really any of the other rocking chairs and gliders that we looked at, well it was a steal. Our criteria for a rocker was: smaller in size, white, easy to clean, and modern. With this rocker we were able to meet each and every criteria. The size of the rocker is PERFECT in our very modest nursery which measures a mere 8'x9'. Still bigger than some, but when you have one wall that's taken up by a closet it really leaves little room to maneuver.

All in all we are very happy with our purchase and it just proves that you don't have to spend a lot to get what you want. We are aiming to get great quality at the best prices possible so you can keep us accountable to that. I do want to add that if you have this same goal in mind, give Overstock.com a try. I am continually amazed at the products that they sell. I am not even being paid to say that, it just so happens that we love their products and service so much that we like to promote them.

Next up in Eden's room will be ripping up the carpet to expose the beautiful dark hardwoods underneath and finalizing our fabric choice so we can settle on a wall color. Hopefully the next chapter will be coming soon!

Halfway to the Meeting Point

We hit 21 weeks today! I can't believe we are now over halfway through this pregnancy. I also can't believe there is about 19 weeks until we meet Eden. Time seems to be flying by and with all these pregnancy hormones that means a bit of added stress. See, even though realistically there are 4 months for us to get her room all ready and then get ourselves ready, for some reason when you are pregnant 4 months seems like 4 days. Good thing I have a husband who is level headed and can remind me that we have plenty of time, thanks honey! Well, now that we are into week 21 I figured I better hurry up and do my 20 week update.

We had our 19 week ultrasound where we found out the little mermaid in my tummy really was going to be a mermaid and not a merman. She didn't leave anything to the imagination...this girl really obeyed her mommy when she revealed her gender. Yes, we had multiple talks about how it was very important that she cooperate during the ultrasound. I have such an obedient child. Here is a picture of Miss Eden...one where she is actually sitting still amazingly enough...

That's our girl, sucking her thumb and all. We are very proud of her. However, there was one moment in particular that had us feeling like we had a super special baby...yes, our child gave us a thumbs up during the u/s. We are the proudest parents to have ever lived. This poor girl, we have such high expectations now that we know she gives thumbs up.

A couple days after our ultrasound we had my 20 week appointment. Here is what I looked like for that...

WHOA...who's that whale?! Only kidding! However, yes, I am growing quite a bit all the time and even had my first stranger walk up and ask how far along I was. Wouldn't have been a strange question except that I didn't expect the first person to ask that question to be a man. Oh well.

Back to the appointment. I am gaining weight just as I should which made us all very happy. There was some concern about my weight since I had lost so much prior to the pregnancy due to all of my health issues. Thankfully so far we have nothing to worry about, I am eating like a champ. What? I like food. The baby showed up healthy and perfect on the ultrasound so we had no issues there, but there was an issue with her mommy. There is a chance that I have placenta previa. This basically means the placenta is partially covering the cervix which would spell disaster for a natural delivery. Thankfully, the doctor is not worried and said she doesn't expect it to be an issue. We are going to do another ultrasound during week 28 to ensure that everything has done what it is supposed to. If they find that my placenta has either not moved or is covering the cervix we will then schedule a C-section. We figure if thats the worse that happens in this pregnancy than we are just fine. We are leaving it in God's hands and feel confident that our doctor will take great care of Eden and I.

Now that I am well into the 2nd trimester I am feeling really good and finally truly enjoying pregnancy (I think Josh is feeling better and enjoying it more too). Morning sickness is finally gone, hooray!! Now it is just about me taking care of myself so the next 19 weeks go smoothly.

We did want to fill all of you in on our name choice. I know I promised that before. So here it is:

First Name: Eden
Middle Name: Rae

We chose Eden because we wanted something that reminded us of our faith. The Garden of Eden was where it all started. From the way it is described it was such a beautiful place. Translated, Eden means beautiful paradise. To us there will be nothing more beautiful that our baby girl.

Rae actually comes from a family name on my (Mallory) side. My Grandpa on my mom's side was Filipino and his actual name was Moises, however everyone called him Ray. Although my grandpa passed away when I was young, I still had quite a special bond with him. I knew I always wanted a way to honor him and remember him so picking out our little girl's middle name was simple. We chose to use an E instead of a Y at the end in order to girl it up a bit, but it certainly doesn't keep me from thinking of him every time we say her name.

Well, there you have it. A full update and some information on why our little Eden Rae has the name that she does. Thank you all for checking in on us and for your love and prayers.

Gender Reveal Housewarming Party

With our families so far away and not having a chance to have all of our friends over to see our new house, we decided that a party was in order. While we love to plan parties, I don't do so well with hosting. I am a perfectionist and stress case which makes for an interesting combo when it comes to parties. However, Josh encouraged me to go through with a housewarming gender reveal party and I am so glad that he did. It was so fun to have our families and a few of our friends there to see the house as well as learn what the baby's gender was as well as the name. So, here are a few pictures so you can all feel like you were there!

The Decor

I wanted the decor to be very simple. I did not want the party to feel overdecorated or have a dramatic theme. We went with red and aqua as our color theme. I love those two colors together, I think it gives such a happy vibe and really what else matters besides making me happy? I made the bunting banner above out of scrapbook paper. It was such a simple project, anyone could do it! I hot glued each triangle to a long white ribbon and attached it with a few tacks to the mantle. I am totally someone who believes that candy makes the best decor. Honestly if you want a cheap way to decorate and want something that everyone can truly enjoy consider using candy. It is a miracle worker! I also knew I wanted some tissue paper pom-poms, but I have to admit that I didn't end up making them. I had every intention of putting them together, but the stress had overtaken me and so the lovely Maggie stepped in and saved the day. Didn't she do an amazing job!? I am in LOVE with them!

The Food

For the food I knew I wanted something easy and something I could prepare ahead of time. Josh and I have a pretty deep love for Mexican food so that part was a very easy decision for us. With all of my food allergies, I also knew I wanted foods that anyone could eat. I ended up making baked beef and chicken taquitos and had taco salad as a vegetarian option. For toppings we had sour cream, salsa, black beans, sliced olives, cheese, and of course guacamole. I have an unhealthy obsession with guac and feel that everyone should share that. I also made up a batch of Luscious Slush Punch (only using 1 cup sugar...trust me on this one) and it was a total hit. Honestly I recommend it to anyone who is having a party. You make it up ahead of time so the day of the party you can just throw it together. Easy as pie. Although I don't think pie is easy, I am intimated by the thought of making one. I will do my best to give recipes soon for the taquitos because I love them and I think you should too.

Boy or Girl?

 

I put together these boy and girl clips for everyone to choose from. I could have made everyone wear pink or blue to correspond with their guess, but I figure I don't like people telling me what to wear so I didn't want to tell everyone else what to wear. It's just not how I roll. Besides, are these not the cutest things you've seen? I do have to admit, these were not my idea. I knew I wanted to do some sort of pin or clip, but I actually found it on another blog (which I cannot find right now, but will post the link when I do!).

Team Boy

Team Girl

I think you can see the clear majority going into the reveal...

The Reveal

I made cake pops to use for the reveal. I chose red velvet cake so that I could use either red or blue food coloring. One bite in and everyone would know if the baby was a boy or girl. If you want to make cake pops of your own I recommend checking out this site. Bakerella is who taught me how to make cake balls and even taught me how to make cake from scratch to use for cake balls. However, after making my first batch of cake pops without using a box, I will say I definitely recommend using a box mix and store bought frosting. Honestly it just works better and I NEVER advocate using pre-made anything. 

The Result (as seen here)

IT'S A GIRL!!!! 

The Reaction

(Mom please don't hate me for this picture)

The Name Game

Answer: Eden Rae

The Still Smiling Hosts

Wow...not only did this party exhaust me, but this post exhausted me as well. Thanks to any of you who stuck around for the whole thing! Honestly this party was so much fun and I am so thankful for wonderful family and friends who love and support us. We wish we could have invited everyone over, but with 830 sq. ft. we figured it might get a little crowded. 

I'll try to post my 20 week ultrasound and appointment details this week! There was one moment of nervousness, but we feel so calm knowing that God is in control even when things seem a little scary. We'll share those details soon!


**Want to see the invite? We posted it here.  

Living Room Reveal

We have been working away at making our living room feel less like a mix of unmatched furniture and more like a comfy and welcoming place to relax. While we have many rooms that we plan to renovate, the living room was the one that I picked as a MUST DO before the baby arrives. Now that it is nearly there (a few elements will have to wait until after baby) we can focus on Eden's room. In case you forgot...here are a few photos from when we moved in...

BEFORE

AFTER

(That table you see above is not staying, it was set up for a party. In its place will be a future project we have in store)

We finally had a sunny day so I could get some pictures of the space. This also happened on the day of the party so you get a sneak peak of party decorations as well. Here are the things we have done in this space: bought a new couch, chair, chandelier, rug, and some accessories. We pulled up the carpet to reveal the beautiful dark hardwoods that were living below. We painted the walls (twice). Put up curtains. Added new tile to the fireplace hearth. We did a lot of other small things that cannot necessarily be seen, but adds to the efficiency of our house. One of these changes was replacing the weather stripping around our front door. Let me tell you, it is a simple change, but really saves on energy usage.

We are not done with this room, but we are very close. We still want to paint the trim a bright glossy white, repaint the fireplace in that same bright white, add bamboo blinds to the windows, and make a desk/entry table for the back wall. We also need to purchase a few more pillows as well as two ottomans to replace the coffee table for a safe place for Eden to play as well as a place to put all of her toys. We will update more as more changes take place. Now off to work on our little girl's room...

Pink or Blue?

We just finished our gender reveal party so now its time to fill the rest of you in...

So, were the cake pops blue or pink in the middle?

It's a.....GIRL!!!! 

We also revealed the name at the party by making everyone unscramble the first and middle name...

Ok, I won't make you suffer, although feel free to unscramble it for fun if you would like.


The letters spell out...

Eden Rae

We cannot wait to meet our little girl, I just know she is going to be perfect! We will have details on the party as well as a little explanation on how we came to this name. 

Thank you all for your excitement and support. We feel that our daughter is going to have such a great support group. 

Back later with more...