the whole wide world

We have lived in our house almost a year.

One year.  One entire year of painting, cleaning, rearranging, sickness, organizing, tossing, cleaning, sickness, researching, purchasing, cleaning, playing, sickness......

I think you get the idea.

In that year I've spent my time mostly nursing my sick kids trying to figure out what direction I'm going in my home.  It seems crazy that I'm just now getting to most of the big projects.  But alas, such is life with 3 small kiddos.  *grin*

All that said, here we go.  We put the whole wide world on our living room wall.  Yep.  We sure did.

First I found a map I liked.

My kids were more thrilled with the tube it came in.  And the fact that, sawed into 3 pieces, it made awesome swords.

At first I wanted to either use open back ready frames from Hobby Lobby OR custom frames.  But I couldn't ju$tify that.  I had no clue if we would like the fini$hed outcome or not.....so I went with the po$ter frame$ from Hob Lob and $aved a BUNDLE.

First we hung the frames.  Just to get an idea.  Everything could still be returned if we hated it!

Wow.  The frames look black in that picture.  They're not.

Have you seen all the different frame options?  I had no idea there were so many options in the poster frames!  And they had the EXACT dimensions we needed. 

It was a HUGE map. 
I needed six frames.
The math about killed my brain.

We spread out the map on the hardwood floor.  I ended up taking out the plywood piece of our train table to put under the map as I cut.

My man sat on the template (or rather the backing of the frame) as I used the rotary cutter to cut.

4 hours a divorce attorney and a marriage counselor later we had the world at our fingertips.  ha.

Ready for the finished product???? 

Please ignore the pillows.  And the reflection of the TV.  Funny.  And seriously, if you have seen fun, cute pillows lately, hook me up.  I'm having the hardest time finding exactly what I want!  GRRRRR!!!!

By the way, this picture was taken BEFORE my man lowered all the pictures.  Enter the aforesaid marriage counselor.  Apparently when I said "you always hang stuff too high, babe" it didn't sink in the first time.  Ahem.

I heard Bubba tell his friend today that this map was the whole world.  His friend was equally impressed.  Funny.  I have globes throughout my entire house that I use for decor.....does he not realize the globe is also the whole world?  hmmmm.....

It doesn't look as big in these pictures, but it's a honkin' big map.  73x48, to be exact.  I hate that I still know that.

So what do you think?  Not that I care.  Did I do ok on staying traditional for my man in his man cave?  I didn't get too freaky-deaky did I?  Traditional is beatiful.  It just isn't my style.  Hence the main reason I couldn't ju$tify $pending an arm & a leg for wall decor.  My last house....well, I have very expensive pieces that are now in my attic, garage, and about to be removed from the walls of this house.  I just didn't want to do that again.  Ridiculous.

I'm still working on this room.  Still lots to be done.  But I'm ready to move on to the family room.  Cuz that's all mine.  Expect color...and lots of it.    Just in case you don't know me very well....... *wink*

monday randomness

* good monday to ya.  we had rain in the night!!!  hallelujah!!!

* i have 2 outta 3 sick kids.  i sent bubba on to school b/c he hasn't run fever since the wee hours of sunday morning.  i normally would've kept him home, but since it's the beginning of school....and the fact that he was rubbing it in his brother's face as he pranced around the house this morning....i decided he could tough it out.

* amazingly, he began to feel ill again after i told him to get dressed. *grin*

* it looks as though doh doh will be missing mother's day out tomorrow as well.  she woke up with fever again this morning.  *sigh*  it's unbelievable how sick our kids have been in the past year. ugh.

* i'm trying hard to work on decorating the living room, family room, bathroom, and kitchen.  i really want to get these projects finished while it's still blazing hot outside.  once it cools off i plan on being outside!!!!!!!  and also working on organizing the garage and shed.

* doh doh has become obsessed with buzz lightyear.  obsessed.  it's cracking us up.  pretty sure this is her first crush.  *wink*  i mean, who can blame her.  i think it's the uniform.  oh, who am i kidding.  it's the voice.

* since my lady is sickly and hasn't been eating anything, i decided to treat us for lunch today and get her ranch dressing.  i mean, pizza.

* today i'm doing laundry.  other than that it's kind of a low-key day.  holding a sick little lady, watching buzz, folding laundry, and searching etsy for pillow inspiration.

* my kitchen is so clean right now it makes martha stewart look like a hoarder.  i love starting the week off with organization and cleanliness.  love.

* ok, time to get my girl down for a nap.  and then i think i'll clean my bathroom.  so much for my low-key day.  ugh.

* come back tomorrow when i show off our big weekend project!  the huge wall in my living room looks awesome!!!!!

a light in the darkness

Praying over our children this school year

that they be

lights in the darkness

Last year we moved Bubba from Christian school to public.  And our prayer has been for him to shine on his mission field.  This year we added a second missionary to his own mission field.  And our prayer is that our children be lights in the darkness, shining bright for those precious little ones who don't know our Lord & Savior.

Our second missionary is very reluctant. 

He would much rather be
a missionary to his Legos. 

happy wednesday to ya.  i'm cleaning bathrooms.  and washing sheets.  and doing laundry.  i'm not supposed to be blogging.  so shhh...... it's our little secret.  right?!?!

really great day

Mondays aren't typically people's best days.  Are they?

Well, we had a great one here at the house of M.

I'm sure you've had enough of my bullet points.  But I love them.  Crave them.  Can't get enough of them.  Dream about them at night.  And yes, I'd like to marry them.  I mean, if I didn't already have the cream of the crop.  Or if bullet points were a hunky man and not...well, typography.

* the day started off with the boys arriving at school with just about 2 minutes to spare.  I let them sleep in b/c we had a long weekend, which included taking in a Naturals game Saturday night.  FUN! 

* beds were never made today.  And I'm ok with that.

* I cleaned my kitchen today.  Deep cleaned.  Including the top of the fridge.  It feels good.  Another reason I'm a-ok with the lack of bed making today.

* the kids played outside this afternoon.  (In case you've missed the memo, and don't live in the South, it's been blasted hot here.  I mean HOT.)  Yesterday the boys -- with the assistance and supervision of their Daddy -- built a ramp.  Or bridge.  Depending on which kid you ask. 

* today they also watered all the plants and even my garden.  Which means I get the night off.  Hippety-hip-hooray.  (Dig these goofy faces below.  Cuteness, no?)

* We listened to ABBA's greatest hits this evening.  Which means we danced all evening long....while making dinner, while cleaning up, while making lunches for tomorrow, while waiting for Daddy to get home from working late, while giggling, while twirling, while wiggling our booties, while washing dishes, while shaking our groove thangs....

* and yes, I am the dancing queen.  Knowing me, knowing you, it's the best I can do.  And yes, the winner takes it all.  *wink*

* tonight's dinner was sheer comfort food.  Pasta, butter, parmesan, pepper.  have. mercy.  I love this meal.  Does the picture make your heart go pitter-pat?  No?  It should.

* Doh Doh had a dr's appointment first thing this morning.  Dermatologist treating *hopefully for the last time* her eczema spots.  They have to burn them off with acid.  It's gross.

* after that we hit a little furniture & accessories spot I like.  Second hand, antiques, new pieces, market items....all at a great price.  Love it.  I found a couple of pieces.  But I'm mulling them over.  I can't decide.  And I feel like I've spent way too much moolah this month anyway.

* which is the perfect segway for this next -- and most important -- bullet point.  I have felt so selfish lately.  It seems funny b/c as mommas we are NOT selfish creatures.  Being a mother is completely selfless.  I serve everyone else, everyday.  And I'm horrible at taking time for myself.  But here lately, so much of my time is devoted to decorating my house.  Which means money is being spent to decorate my house.  And I feel guilty, selfish, and it is plaguing my mind.  For a year now our focus has been dealing with kids, and sick kids...and this house/our move.  My heart is for a world who needs our God.  A nation who is obsessed with money, materialism, and entitlement.  I am none of those.  My desire is to serve.  And for whatever reason, I haven't been in that position for awhile.  Yes, i do little things here and there.  And perhaps this is just a season.... a time where the Lord is having us be somewhat selfish.  I don't know.  I just want my HEART to shine thru....my true desire.  And that is to GO and SHARE the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

* and so i'm sharing.  Do you know Jesus?  Are you searching in life?  Do you feel that there is MORE to life than just daily existence?  There is.  And it's Him.  We've been put on this earth not to accumulate things.  Not to make money.  Not to have a family.  We're put here to serve our Lord.  We're here to praise Him.  We're here to bring Him GLORY.  In all things.  I hope my blog does that.  I never want to hinder anyone from seeing HIM.  I don't deserve the life I have.  And I'm grateful to my Savior every day.

* please never think my blog is showing off all that I have -- my family, my home, etc.  My blog is a way of self-expression.  A way of sharing my little slice of life.  And a way of spreading the Good News.

* I have all 3 little punkins tucked in bed.  The boys are dealing with growing pains.  Not sure how much either will sleep tonight.

* my man just came in to show me this youtube clip.  You MUST watch it.  And woo pig sooie!

* I'm off to take a shower.  Today I put a docking station in my bathroom.  Which means I'll be rockin' out to ABBA while in the shower.  Oh yes, I will.

* ahhh!  I almost forgot.  Get this....... Bruiser's teacher called me today.  Apparently,  he thought he didn't have a lunch.  But never. said. a. word.  Lining up for lunch she just happened to notice he didn't have a lunchbox.  Nor had he ordered a plate lunch.  So she helped him get a tray -- which thankfully was chicken nuggets, something the kid'll actually eat.  Later on she went to get his folder out of his backpack.  And found his lunchbox.  And called to tell me.  Hilarious.  Two things were learned:  (1.) I need to have direct eye contact from the boy when explaining things to him. (2). He needs to remember to get out his folder every morning.  Like he's supposed to.  Maybe then he'll find his lunch.  And who knows what else?

AND HE LIKED THE PLATE LUNCH!!!  AND WANTS IT AGAIN!!! But only on chicken nugget day.  sigh.  baby steps.  baby steps.

and now, ABBA here I come. *wink*

i'm on a roll

* we've had 3 days of school thus far.

* in those 3 days i crammed in 2 weeks' worth of activities.

* i went to the grocery store; i cleaned out and organized my fridge.

* it was definitely time.  i won't go into detail.  but trust me, it was time.  i even bought containers to store all our items....in hopes of more organization.  and cleanliness.  so far.....we LOVE it.

* i have shopped and shopped and shopped some more.  i don't really enjoy shopping.  but all of this needed to be done.

* so now i've got some goodies to help bring color into my kitchen.

* i'm focusing on finishing out our living room.  i was working on the living room AND family room.  but 2 rooms proved too much for this unorganized chicka.  i get overwhelmed.  so i took a step back and decided the family room can wait til next month.

* i bought a new rug.

* i actually came home with 3.  three rugs as long as my car.  and just as heavy.  {ps....the living room is for my man.  kinda like his man cave.  so it's more traditional.  the rest of my house, we have agreed, is mine.  ALL MINE.  i am not a traditional kinda gal.  but he gets a room.}

* getting 1 room does not keep him from bossing me around telling me how to do everything in all the other rooms.  sigh. 

* i have frames ready to be hung.  well, almost.  i'm still working.  but they've been purchased.  and are in the corner just waiting.  and my man is thrilled.  and excited about how his room is turning out.  so that makes me happy. 

* i have containers for pantry organization.

* cushions ready to be fluffed and placed.

* furniture items waiting for cooler {read: less muggy} conditions to be spray painted.

* and i have ideas floating through my head 24-7 until i feel like i really could just explode.  and Pinterest pictures would flow all thru my messy house.

* all in all, i'm amazed at what all was accomplished in 3 days.  we've been in this house for almost a year.  and i'm just now getting done what should've been done 12 months ago.  it's fun.  chaotic, but fun.

* so are you working on any new projects?  i promise pictures as soon as the living room is finished.  i'm waiting on fed ex to deliver 1 last item.  hip-hip-hooray!!!

p.s.  does anyone use the mint app on your phone?  mine keeps dinging with ALERTS and telling me "you usually spend $x on home improvements, but this month you've spent $$xxxx."  haahahahaaa!!!  hilarious.  sadly it dinged this morning while my man was sitting there.  the alert about put him into panic mode.  until he remembered i had 2 HUGE rugs to return to the store.  2 HUGE rugs = major $$$ to him.  he relaxed and i showed him i was within budget.  well, mostly within budget.  ok, kinda within.  ok, who are you to judge??!?!??!

*wink*wink*  i kid. 

back to reality

* remember that old song...."back to life, back to reality."  anybody?  well, I know my friend Leslie is singing it now.  *wink*  you're welcome....

* school has started.  my boys are gone.  the return of normalcy is slowly creeping in.

* in case you missed my Facebook post regarding the first morning back to school, here it is.  Please always remember -- I just keep it real, folks.  Typical Maurer morning.  Bubba was up @ crack of dawn, Bruiser still snoring despite his big Kindergarten debut today.  Put bread in the toaster, wondering what smelled like beer.  Threw away moldy bread & made smoothies.  Got to school late, left my phone @ home.  So you don't get a 1st day pic.  But considering the outfits my boys chose....well, you're welcome.

* yep, i'm all about keepin' it real.  martha stewart i am not.

* how cute is my big kindergartener?  i did remember my camera so i was able to get 1 picture.  but since we were so late...and i was a little worried about a scene....i snapped one and only one.  i think his teacher secretly loved me at that moment.  at least that's what i choose to believe.

* we both made it thru the 1st day without tears.  however, we did not make it thru without vomit.  b/c that's just how my family rolls.  (if you've missed previous posts, my family is very susceptible to stomach viruses.  bubba also vomited w/ every tooth he cut, fever he ran, growth spurt he had.....)  after getting in the car, complaining he felt like he had a broken bone in his head, bruiser vomited.

* my big bad kindergartener was not happy when he realized the next morning that his vomitting episode -- which i'm convinced was dehydration {and nerves} -- did not keep him from missing school.

* i turned on my oven thursday night for the second time all summer long.  Wha?!?!?!  oh, yes.  ooooh, yesssssssssss.  we feasted upon corn on the cob, cornbread, fried squash, sliced tomatoes, and beans.

* would you think less of me if i shared that i had to use flour on my squash instead of my usual corn meal?  it had been SO VERY LONG since i had cooked that my corn meal was infested with bugs.  as was my back up bag.  sigh.  do you still love me?

* we consumed copious amounts of cereal during the summer evenings.  and greek salads.  at 114 degrees, i ain't a-turnin' on the oven.  no way.  no how.

* this heat has taken a toll on my poor garden.  i'm sorely afraid i'm close to picking the last of my harvest.  from my understanding, lots in this area are having the same issues.  my cherry tomatoe plant...faithful to us all summer long...has finally waved his white flag in defeat.  no hurt feelings, dear Stanley {is that an odd name for a tomato plant??} you served doh doh us well.

* my banana pepper plants, on the contrary, are thriving since the slight cool down.  they're even toppling over from the weight.  if you need banana peppers, i can hook you up.

* while typing this endless blog post, my fellas are at my side coloring.

* i would love to paint a picture of a happy, harmonious, joyful play time.  but alas, my desire for REALITY permits me from doing so.  the boys are fighting.  my patience has run out.  i keep messing up keystrokes...therefore irritability has set in.  and every 2.2 seconds bruiser has me turn around to see the centimeter of space he has recently colored.

BUT I LOVE IT.

* i just wish i could say i loved all the crap creations above bubba's desk in our playroom.  sigh.  guess what room is getting some love next week after he goes back to school?

goodbye, summer {break}

Today is our last day of summer break.

I've tried to cram as many last day activities in as I can.

We've had....

Phineas salami sandwiches

Perry the Platypus

& Ferb sandwiches.  Yes, it was definitely a Phineas and Ferb summer.  Heart them.

We've gone to The Monkey House

and bounced.

We've painted

and various other art projects

and, of course, hung them all up.  Bubba style.

We've worn our NEW backpacks around the house.

And even worn our brother's home from the store.

Picked out lunchboxes {via Momma's phone}

Had sword fights

made friendship bracelets

and thrown in some more swimming.

What a great way to end an already terrific summer.

Now I send my two oldest off to school.  Not without tears, I'm sure.  And baby girl starts Mother's Day Out for the first time.  *sniff*sniff* 

Praying the Lord blesses us this school year just as He did all summer long!  Thank You, Lord, for our amazing summer!

true confessions

Monday.

The last Monday of summer.

I'm serious you guys.  I am NOT ready for school to start. 

I love summer. 
Heart it. 
In a big way. 
Like wanna bottle it up and save it for the depressing winter. 
Ugh.
But alas, school is starting Wednesday.  So today....we swim.

And this afternoon, we organize.
And tonight, we orient.  Orientate.  Ok, tonight is school orientation. *wink*

But before all of that, how 'bout a Monday true confessional??  Would you like to know what I did over the weekend?

Like all good confessionals, it's a secret.  So shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Don't tell.  M'kay?

Saturday I went to LR to get purtied up.  For the first time EV-UH in my life....I colored my hair. 

I'm now a blonde.

Ha.  Just kidding. 

I've played on blonde on stage.  And not very convincingly either.

I simply colored right around the temples.  Right where gray would be.  I mean, if I had grey.  It might be there.  (Do you spell it grAy?  Or grEy?  I go back & forth...depending on mood.)

After the color job, my hair stylist extraordinaire, straightened my hair.  As she always does.  And I never do.  I used to wear my hair straight.  But many of you have probably never seen that.

Wanna see???  Want to see my gray-free (not that I had any, mind you) straight hair?

Like my horrible crown?  Hahaa.  Funny idea.  Zero time to accomplish it.  As you can imagine, after being gone an entire day, I returned home to a volcano that head erupted inside my very home.  *sigh*

Now take a good look....you won't see that straightness again.  Ev-uh.

And remember....the color job is top secret.

I can trust you.  Right?

{un} believable

Today is Sunday. 

my family is at church
i'm home
in bed

Because of a very bizarre -- and painful -- accident in the shower this morning, I'm stuck in bed.  And only able to hobble around.

This is what my foot is supposed to look like.

Yes, I have skinny feet.  Very skinny feet.  Very weird, very skinny, very paternally-inherited feet.

And this is what my other foot looks like.

See that big lump?  A fogless shower mirror fell -- after being nudged by my clutzy elbow -- right on my foot.  There was already a lump as soon as I looked down.  Is that a bad sign?

I hollered for a bag of ice as I hobbled outta the shower.  It's taken 2 1/2 hours, but I can just now put that bag of ice on it.

I'm not accident-prone.  So really this is pretty funny.  I have a high tolerance for pain, so I rarely take pain meds.  But about 45 minutes ago....well....Tylenol, I love you.

I had planned on spending the afternoon running errands -- san les petite enfants  -- and returning stuff to stores, etc.  But most importantly, getting us cleaned up, organized and ready to start school on Wednesday.

However, I'll apparently be in bed today.  Applying ice.  And watching The Golden Girls.  And staring into my dining room...

....dreaming of a farmhouse hutch, in white, or cream, or turquoise open on top to display stuff.  Guess I'll continue my pursuit online. 

Unless you have one you'd be willing to part with.  Or know of someone.  Or saw one in a store.  Or know of a website.  Or....well, you get the idea.  Hook me up.

my to-do list {& what not}

I'm taking a break from making friendship bracelets and blogging.  I do NOT remember friendship bracelets being so hard to make.

Of course, I didn't have 3 kids running around me back then either.

In the spirit of yesterday's post about decluttering what once was my stressful laundry room, I'm sharing my to-do list.

I don't normally make a lot of lists.  Just not really my personality.  I like them, but LIFE always seems to interrupt.  And then I get stressed.  And then I have to rip up the first list and make a secondary list.  Which usually has more on it.

Then that list gets ripped up....and I start a third list, usually with half the items.  While trying to accomplish the first thing on the third list for the fifth time someone usually vomits.  Or poops.  Or needs milk.  Or wants to swing.  Or needs some tender lovin' discipline.

Are you still with me?  So yeah.....these days I'm not much of a list-maker.  But here is my back-to-school list.  To *hopefully* be accomplished during the first few weeks of school.

*wink*wink*

1.  Finish laundry room.
2.  Finish walls in family room. {BIG project}
3.  Finish wall in living room.  {even BIGGER project}
4.  Paint stools for kitchen bar.
5.  Paint rocker for family room.
6.  Clean everything.  {Yes, I mean everything.}
7.  Finish painting canvas for kids' bathroom.
8.  Organize closet.
9.  Organize kids' hall closet.
10. Clean out Doh Doh's closet.
11. Pick bedding for Doh Doh's big girl bed. {*grin*}

Ok, so maybe I should say this is my list for the first SEMESTER of school.  Sheesh.  I'm just listing the first 11 things....but there's more.  Oh boy, is there more.

I have lots of projects going on.  Lots of things that need to be spray painted, wrapped in yarn, framed, painted, quilted {no, I don't quilt....}, and so on.... 

I've discovered that since having kids I'm not much of a planner.  Ok, so those who have known me a long time just let out a big fat GUFFAW.  I've never been a planner.  But I was way better than I am now.  When I plan nothing ever turns out like I plan.  For example....

Right now I have 2 outta 3 sick kids.  Yes, if you've read my blog for awhile then you know sickness has been an issue with us for the last year.  Bubba had strep when we went on vaca.  I started an antibiotic b/c I'm pretty sure it was coming for me as well.  Now Bubba and Doh Doh have viral infections.  Ugh.

So are you working on projects?  Cleaning?  Counting down the hours until school starts?

All pics were taken on my phone @ Scoops on vacation.  Cuteness, right?  Like the bloodshot eyes?  Hilarious.