Our patio reveal is up over on The Home Depot’s blog, The Apron. Here’s where we started…

…and here’s where we ended up…

The goal was to create an outdoor dining space that jives with our simple, modern, cozy style. To see more pictures {day and night!} and hear all the details, check out my post over on The Apron. Bonus: There are many great ideas from other bloggers over there, too, to get your creative juices flowing.

Sprucing up the back patio jumpstarted more outdoor projects. Stay tuned…

Click here to see who won last week’s giveaway.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

And they all live happily ever after. The end.

Okay, there’s more to it than that.

So, by now you know that I’ve partnered with Target to bring you the best of Threshold. {If not, you can catch up here and here.} This month I was asked to feature Threshold goodies in my bathroom. I’ve been wanting to add something to the wall above the toilet. {On a side note, do guys care what they look at when they pee?} I browsed the Threshold aisles and immediately zoned in on a trio of sea urchins.

I have a peculiar fascination with anything urchin-esque. I can remember going to my grandma’s house when I was maybe 5 and she had a children’s book {couldn’t tell you the title or story line} that included a picture of a child stepping on a sea urchin in the ocean. I read the book every time I was at my grandma’s and I was so infatuated with that bothersome urchin. That’s how it all started.

Now, thirty years later, there are three sea urchins hanging above my toilet. I am not normal. Off the shelf, the urchins were a little too dark for my liking so I spray painted them gold - the same spray paint I used on our garden stool. If I may, let me correct myself: Now, thirty years later, there are three gold sea urchins hanging above my toilet. Still, not normal.

I brought in a few gold accessories on the sink top so the urchins wouldn’t be all “Damn it! I knew the one time I made an effort to dress up for a dinner party everyone else would be wearing jeans and loafers. I’m overdressed and under-appreciated. Never again.” I bet you didn’t know sea urchins were so temperamental, did you?

The soap dispenser and tumbler have an antique brass finish. My bathroom is quite the melting pot for metal finishes.

Shop the look: brass soap pump / brass tumbler / rattan wastebasket / metal urchin

I apologize for the artificial light in these pictures. It’s just that HH and I spontaneously decided to landscape our front yard. By ourselves. With three kids. {That’s contradictory, isn’t it?} As in digging, trenching, planting, shoveling, watering, wheelbarrowing, sweating, raking and seeding our crack house into submission. In the midst of our spontaneity {which totally isn’t like us}, I forgot to take pictures of the bathroom before the sun went down.

I am tired. I love Target. Sea urchins are fascinating.

***UPDATE: Daytime urchin pictures because I felt guilty.***

This post brought to you by Threshold, a Target collection. The Threshold collection focuses on specialized design techniques including hand-painted accents and artisanal touches to make each piece unique yet affordable. What differentiates Target’s new Threshold collection is its unprecedented style coupled with its high quality and affordability. Thank you Tar-jay!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

One week from today our outdoor dining patio will be featured on the Home Depot’s blog, The Apron. To hold you over until then, I thought I’d share a few of the DIY projects that were involved in the makeover. The Home Depot provided us with a dining table and bench to help furnish our back patio and the rest was up to us. There were budget and time constraints – not to mention the Ohio weather was NOT cooperating at all until a week before the already extended deadline. But I think projects like these {ones that require little time and not a lot of money} provide the most opportunity for creativity and inspiration.

Patio project #1: Update a garden stool. We had a ceramic garden stool sitting in our garage just begging for a makeover. Originally, it was a glossy green. {You can see the original stool here on the front porch of our previous home.} I had been eyeing pricey gold versions for our patio makeover so I decided to try painting ours. HH was concerned that regular spray paint wouldn’t adhere to the shiny, slick surface. After a little research googling, I discovered that applying a few coats of flat white spray primer first would be my best bet. I wiped down the stool, applied two coats of Rust-Oleum primer then finished with two coats of Rust-Oleum pure gold spray paint. Behold! A much cheaper alternative to the trendy gold and brass versions floating around on the internet. I like that the finish isn’t brassy but is a little on the “champagne” side. Very sophisticated. It’s been outside for a few weeks now and is holding up superbly.

Patio project #2: DIY a modern outdoor art piece. I can’t get over Ariele Alasko’s work. As much as I’d love to own an original piece, it’s just not in the financial cards for us. So I did the next thing best thing. I sketched a simple chevron design and handed the drawing over to HH who brought it to life. HH started with a 3′ x 3′ piece of treated plywood as the base. He borrowed a neighbor’s planer to rip 2 x 8′s {leftover from demo’ing the original 8′ ceilings in what is now our vaulted great room} down to ½” thick strips. Using a compound miter saw, construction adhesive and finish nailer, he attached the wood strips to the plywood base. He trimmed the outside edges and framed them then stained and sealed the entire piece. We hung the outdoor art on our home’s brick exterior with concrete anchors. The piece is sheltered by a deep 3′ eave and hangs on the north side of the house to avoid rotting and fading.

It is my favorite part of the entire patio because 1) it’s a personal design and 2) we used wood salvaged during our home’s renovation. It’s just a bunch of wood but it holds a lot of meaning for us. It turned out so great! HH and I are thinking we’d love to incorporate more pieces like this inside the house.

Patio project #3: Create portable light poles. Ever since I started brainstorming the patio makeover, I knew I wanted to string globe lights above the patio but there was one teensy, weensy problem. There aren’t any outbuildings or trees in the backyard to string lights to and I didn’t want to sink poles into the ground permanently. Along with HH, I came up with an idea for portable light poles.

HH poured 7″ of concrete into two concrete tube forms, set fencing top rails into the wet concrete, placed 4 eye bolts into each concrete base {for tethering purposes if necessary}, then held everything level and in place with a clamp/ladder system for 24 hours. It wasn’t until after the concrete was dry that we realized the clever clamp/ladder system had a fault. The only way to remove the ladder was to turn the entire apparatus on its side and slide the ladder off the metal rails. Oops! Luckily, it wasn’t a huge problem. More funny than anything. We removed the forms and cut the poles to our desired height. We added looped end caps to the top of each pole. String lights can be secured to the loops with zip ties. To be honest, we weren’t confident these poles would work out but, so far, they have been wonderful! They are sturdy enough not to topple or lean when lights are strung from them (or even during thunderstorms) yet they are light enough to move around. We haven’t had to tether them.

There are a few peeks at our patio tweaks. Can’t wait to share the final result next week!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Oh, hey. It’s Friday and I’m just hanging out in my laundry nook posing all The Price is Right beauty-like. I am so weird. My idea of a good time is staging amateur photo shoots in my house. Not necessarily with me in the picture but I like seeing other bloggers in their homes, so I thought I’d give it a go. I should have put on shoes.

The last time I showed you the laundry nook it looked like this…

Not too much has changed but I would like to point out my recents tweaks and then give you the full monty. Of the laundry nook’s innards, that is.

First up, I took all y’alls advice and rehung the homemade curtains {I cut up and hemmed IKEA linen panels} under the DIY countertop. Instead of clipping the curtains across the top, I gathered the fabric and clipped it about 2″ from the top hem. I guess you could call it the poor man’s pinch pleat. And it rocks. You guys are awesome with a capitol AWE! The gathered top looks more polished and pulls the curtains up off the floor a bit which makes sweeping easier. I haven’t heard other bloggers say this but I, for one, think a great advantage of having a blog is receiving ideas from the peanut gallery. Sometimes, even as a blogger, it’s really helpful to see my house through others’ eyes. Thank you!

The other obvious change is the mirror. The original mirror wasn’t the best shape for the vertical space between the two upper cabinets. The round mirror hung above the mantel in our previous home and there was no harm in trying it out but, once I hung it, I knew I’d eventually replace it with something taller and leaner.

I spotted Feiss’s Cleo mirror on Wayfair and the measurements were perfect. Its shape is curvier and a bit more feminine than I’m usually drawn to but I thought the curves would help break up the straight lines of the cabinets and countertop. Plus, hello, I am a girl {I don’t think I’ll ever be able to call myself a “woman” and feel comfortable saying it} and I am the only person in our household who uses this nook so I’m entitled to a little girlification when I’m handling dirty underwear, no? I clipped some forsythia, redbud and other green stuff from the backyard and threw them in a vase. Along with the leaning mirror, they give the nook a relaxed feel.

Please note the reflection of the dining pendant light in the mirror. Money shot.

I also enjoy seeing pictures of all the people whose dirty underwear I’m tending to while I tackle mounds of laundry. The second tier countertop was the best idea I could come up with to hide the dryer’s control panel. The magnetic photo strip is angle iron that you can find at any home improvement store. Ideally, I would prefer a dryer with controls on the front but there’s nothing wrong with ours so I made do. I strategically placed a few horizontal photos near the start button for easy access.

The photos can be removed to change the dryer’s settings but I rarely change them from load to load.

HH made the wood countertops using boards he found in the attic during renovations. He secured them together lengthwise with joiner biscuits and wood glue to get the depth we needed. The lower counter rests on wall cleats at the sides and a 2×4 in the middle. I painted all the supports white to blend in. The upper counter rests on the wainscoting.

There’s a secret trap door that gives me access to the washer’s control panel.

HH installed sliding latches to lock the door in the closed position. The door itself can’t support much weight when closed {a full laundry basket is fine} but the rest of the countertop is really sturdy. I can stand on it, no problem, and I have. Both countertops – the lower, deeper one & the higher, shallower one – are removable in case we ever need to get to the water/electric hook ups for the washer or dryer. They just slide out.

And now for the full monty…

BAM. The cabinets and woven baskets hold laundry supplies, lightbulbs, a water pitcher and our owner’s manuals. We have empty shelves!

The washer and dryer take up most of the floor space under the countertop.

There’s room next to the dryer for a rolling cart, drying rack, petite ironing board and small trash can. I hung the ironing board from a hook that’s screwed into one of the wall cleats.

My little laundry nook isn’t perfect but it makes me happy and I’ve come to love it. Since it is part of our mudroom/dining room, I keep it tidy and it keeps me honest. I try not to let laundry pile up in here. And whenever we get around to having a party {we are so due for a party}, I think it could moonlight as a bar.

Everett really, really, REALLY wanted me to take his picture. He says he’s going to be a principal when he grows up {lord help us all} and this is his attempt to dress like one. A clip-on tie on top of an argyle sweater vest on top of a striped polo and everything tucked in to show off the *reversible* belt. So smooth.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I’ve had requests to share my favorite etsy shops and finds. Dare I say I spend more time browsing etsy than pinterest? It’s true. I’ve decided to try weekly etsy features and see how they go over. Let me know if you enjoy them!

This week on etsy I stumbled upon the most amazing collection of handmade chandeliers and sconces via Stimulight. The urchin-like starburst lighting has a midcentury vibe that reminds me of the Sputnik but is more affordable than the popular vintage pieces. Most of the fixtures are listed with a price tag of less than $400 while true Sputniks and even high end replicas can sell for upwards of $1,000.

The custom fixtures are made with the utmost attention to detail. The metal spines are crafted from high quality wire and can be adorned with hand painted wood beads for an explosive effect.

Along with chandeliers, the shop also offers handsome wall sconces and table lamps. I could see a pair of urchin sconces above a buffet in a dining room or flanking the bed in a master bedroom. A single sconce near a rocking chair or glider would be so adorable in a nursery.

After discovering this inspiring little shop, I was delighted to find out more about the maker and designer behind the pieces. The shop is the result of a creative collaboration between a visual display manager and an engineer. Zach Dutton, one half of the Stimulight duo, is a visual display designer for West Elm. Yes, THE West Elm. I’m a huge fan of West Elm so it’s really no surprise that I’m drawn to the experimental lighting gig spurred by one of their designers. I don’t think this newly introduced tangent shop will be sitting on the sidelines for long!

What do you think of these affordable spins on a vintage design? Are you a fan of West Elm too?

images: Stimulight

Surprise!

On a whim, I rearranged the living room furniture. We’ve been living here for nearly a year and something felt off about the living room layout. So I decided to switch things up. Luckily, rearranging furniture doesn’t cost a dime, takes little time and is totally reversible – you know, if things don’t work out like you hope they do. Also, my miraculous lifting powers have been likened to an ant’s. Don’t let my petite build fool you. I’m strong when I have to be. Like when an overturned car needs to be removed from a stranger’s mangled body {just kidding, that’s never happened to me} OR when a large piece of furniture needs moved across the room and I’m the only person older than 9 in the house {on the contrary, that happens quite often}.

The leather sofa used to sit perpendicular to the picture window but now it lives in front of it. I posted a sneak peek of the new layout on instagram and a follower said they needed shots of the room from different angles. Being an online peeping Tom of houses myself, I can appreciate that. This post is devoted to images of what our real life living room looks like right now. No styling. No prepping. Heck, no finished walls in some areas. Just straight up giveittomelikeitis. Here ya go.

As soon as I moved the furniture around, I was sold. Putting the sofa under the window totally opened up the room and felt more relaxed. My immediate thought was “this is it!” My second thought was “I hope HH likes it.” I pulled the switcharoo while HH was at work. He didn’t even notice when he got home that day. But after two mum days, he spoke up out of nowhere as if it had just hit him “I really like the furniture this way.”

Sold and sold.

It’s funny how a little thing like changing your furniture layout can change the way you use a room and feel in it. We used this room quite a bit before because it’s our only “sitting room” but now…NOW…we hang out in it. It draws us in. The kids are falling for it too. Mabrey loves standing on the couch, looking out the front window and watching neighbors walk their dogs down the street. {dog-dog!} It’s the place to be. All. the. time.

Reconfiguring the furniture even makes the unfinished fireplace wall look better. Okay, not really. But it does give me a clearer vision for the room.

Clearer vision decision #1: the brick fireplace surround is totally getting painted white. You may recall that the original red brick didn’t bother us enough to paint it ASAP so we were living with it as-is because un-painting brick is not an option.

Clearer vision decision #2: the TV will be framed out and recessed within a simple white tongue and groove feature that reaches to the ceiling. Long-time readers may recall that we had a grandiose idea to hide the flatscreen with a large painting that would raise/lower at the push of a button. But, now, that idea seems a little over-the-top. A little too “you’re trying too hard.” Sorry to everyone who was anticipating that.

I am working around the boob speakers. I hung two mirrors from Joss & Main and I think they’ll do. As much as a mirror can do next to bosom audio devices.

In case you’re wondering where the subwoofer is {I know, it’s weird that I can read your mind like that}, it’s rocking its ginormous cube self on the floor behind a curtain that’s behind a basket that’s behind a chair. Ha. I’ve got you right where I want you, subwoofer.

The media cabinet is vintage and I haven’t done a thing to it. It is screaming for an update. Don’t worry. I have an idea. Isn’t this sliver of wall begging to be a vignette? Much like the old drywall mud drippings on the hearth leftover from renovation are begging to be scraped off. Seriously. I am that busy lazy.

Looking back the other way is our crack house’s front door. I am ashamed.

We don’t use the front door yet. It’s a pain to open. It sticks and the jamb needs rebuilt. There’s a nice gap at the bottom too that I’ve stuffed with a beach towel until we find time + warm weather to tackle the door. Fancy, we are not. The UPS guy automatically brings our packages to the picture window for delivery. He knows.

Clearer vision decision #3: the shoe cabinet and octagon mirror will be relocated to the master bedroom. I love them together – just not here. They’re crowding the door. Plus, HH wants shoe storage in our bedroom. Currently, all of our shoes are stored on a rickety shoe rack in the garage.

Do you like our solution for disguising the wall speakers? It’s just an off-the-shelf wall shelving bracket system that you can get from nearly any home improvement store. We topped it with pine boards that we cut to length, stained and sealed. I LOVE them. I’m going to have fun filling them up.

Clearer vision decision #4: we won’t be DIYing a console table for behind the leather sofa. When the sofa used to live where the gray chair {above} now lives, we thought it needed a sofa table. But the sofa’s new home is under the window so we’re good. HH is way too excited about being able to set his drinking glass down on the slate windowsill behind the couch where it can’t get knocked over by rambunctious boys or a curious lil’ girl. He tells me at least three times a day how much he likes it. That’s what she said.

So what do you think of the recent turn of events in our home? Are you appalled by our living conditions? Has rearranging furniture given you a clearer vision for a room too?

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

This isn’t technically an “all done!” after – just an after shot of the boys’ bedroom since adding the striped wallpaper. You can read more about the wallpaper install here.

There was some concern about PVC fumes off gassing from the wallpaper. But after touching base with the creator of Chasing Paper, I’d like to clarify. The wallpaper is actually made of PVC-free fabric {!} and non-toxic adhesive.

Still, I let the wallpaper off gas in the garage for a few weeks before I brought it into the house and I aired out the room after the wallpaper was hung by opening the windows which is protocol around here whenever I add something new {wallpaper, paint, rug, furniture, etc.} to any room. We have had absolutely no strange odors in the room – well, other than the natural strange odors that come with two boys ;)

The night after we hung the wallpaper I had dreams of waking to find the paper crumpled in a pile on the floor. Luckily, it was just a dream.

The wallpaper looks just as good as the day we put it up.

A reader asked if the boys ever pick at the wallpaper and try to remove it. {The peel-and-stick wallpaper can be easily removed without damaging drywall.} The answer is no. I don’t even know if the boys know it can be peeled away like a sticker. Also, anytime the boys witness us making an improvement to the house they are more likely to respect it. They really do have an appreciation for making our house a home. {Everett keeps telling us we need to “fix” the mantel and TV area in the living room. It’s still exposed to the block wall.} I think having the kids present during less intense projects allows them to see how much time and effort we invest in creating a feel good place to live. As a result, they are less likely to destroy stuff. Of course, they are kids and spills, scratches, dents, dings and messes happen. I’m not saying they’re perfect little angels but they’re definitely aware of any changes we make and are the first to compliment us on them. They love showing guests their bunk bed hideout!

The striped wall does exactly what I had hoped it would do. It makes the galley-like room appear wider. And you know I love the graphic black and white stripes.

Things left to do in the boys’ bedroom:

*add window treatments

*paint the step stool

*paint the lamps on the bookcases

*bring in more color and playful accessories

*style the dresser

*hang wall decor

*the boys are requesting a table for Lego building…we’ll see

Lots done and lots left to do. That goes for any room in the house right now.

Click here to see who won this week’s giveaway. If you didn’t win, you can still score 20% off one purchase by entering “TWEAKING20″ at checkout now through May 15th. Coincidentally, Alexandra of Erie Drive lives in Boston and my thoughts are with her, her family and friends, and anyone else affected by this week’s tragic events. Boston has always been at the top of my “cities I want to visit” list – and it holds steady after Bostonians came together as a loving community to help out in the aftermath of the marathon attacks. We’re thinking of you today, Boston. Stay safe.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I’m one of 18 bloggers participating in the Home Depot Patio Style Challenge. Considering this is what the back patio off the mudroom looked like when we bought the Underdog…

…and this is what it looked like after we removed a bunch of dead trees {and replaced the roof and converted the original dining room window to french doors}…

…and this is what it looked like when we excavated the entire yard last fall {yep, the old cracked patio was ripped out}…

…and this is what the newly poured patio looked like pretty much all winter…

it should go without saying that we have a burning desire for a decent outdoor living space. Ideally, we’d like to see the patio off the mudroom used as an outdoor dining area. The goal is to make the dining area reflect our style {simple, modern, cozy} and make it feel like an extension of the indoors. To achieve the look, we’re using some new pieces, incorporating items we have on hand and doing a little DIY. Here’s the plan.

1 – I’ll bring in a pillow or two from the living room to cozy things up outside. I just bought these Crate & Barrel pillows and they’re great. I was recently asked to suggest a non-IKEA place to grab pillow inserts. C&B pillows are affordable and a feather down insert is included with your purchase. Can’t beat that! Of note: These are not outdoor pillows so I’ll only toss them outside when we’re enjoying nice weather.

2 – Stringing globe lights above the patio will give the al fresco dining area instant ambiance and a sense of festivity. Party on the patio!

3 – We’re giving Ariele Alasko‘s reclaimed wood wall panel our own DIY spin. Her pieces are amazing!

4 – On cool mornings or evenings, I can throw in a wool blanket that usually lives at the foot of our bed.

5 – My heart is set on a large succulent centerpiece for the outdoor dining table. I’ll use this oval concrete planter to make it happen.

6 – We’re using a simple outdoor dining table and coordinating benches for the basic dining pieces. I hope to show how this practical dining set can be personalized by mixing it with items from other sources.

7 – Mabrey enjoys pulling to stand {no steps yet! she can take her sweet time as far as I’m concerned} with the help of this leather pouf. On warm, sunny days I’ll carry it out to the patio for her to play on – or maybe I’ll prop my feet up on it if she’s napping and I have five minutes to sit outside in the sun. Dear summer 2013, please give me five minutes of sun-to-myself time at least once!

8 – This woven chair looks good enough for an indoor dining room but it’s made of rattan-like plastic and is suitable for outdoor use as well. I think it’s airy feel and white color will contrast nicely with the clean-lined, dark brown dining set. I also like the fact that it’s light enough to move around easily. We can move it up to our future deck when extra seating is needed.

9 – We have a bright green garden stool leftover from our previous house but I think it could use a fresh coat of brassy gold spray paint. I paid less than $40 for the green stool. Transforming it with gold paint will be a cheap DIY version of pricier drum stools.

That’s the gist of our plan. Of course, I’ll be adding greenery and maybe a surprise too. I can’t wait to share the reveal in early May on The Home Depot’s Apron blog. In the meantime, click over to check out a bunch of other inspiring reveals!

I also have a patio-related post on Wayfair today with a few more before shots of our patio and a brief discussion on painting the french doors. What color would you paint them?

images: 1-4) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  5) Polyvore collage by Dana Miller, linked within

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

Congrats to Ashley – the first entry! – whose favorite kid-friendly item in her home is the living room pouf she recently made for her nephew to lay on.

I was first introduced to Alexandra Grenham’s amazing style via an Apartment Therapy house tour.

Her Boston home is full of kid-friendly furnishings and playful accessories but is far from childish. It’s a stylish space suitable for both kids and adults. Perfect for a young family of four. Alexandra is the creative director and buyer for Erie Drive, an online boutique featuring a blended collection of fun, practical and eclectic gifts. So when Alexandra contacted me a few weeks ago about a possible giveaway and linked to her AT tour, I had two immediate thoughts. First “Hey, I know that house!” and second “Yes! I would love to feature Erie Drive for a giveaway.”

Which brings me to this week’s giveaway. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite items available through Erie Drive. I would be happy to have any of these pieces in my home.

Sources: wooden alarm dock for iPod or iPhone // “You Undress” giclee print by Christopher Gray // Magno portable radio // flour sack towel set // Critical Cycles bicycle in cream

Would you like the chance to win one of these items? See below for entry details.

PRIZE: one item of choice from the curated collection shown above {Of note – The wooden alarm dock is not compatible with the iPhone 5 but Erie Drive does offer another version for the iPhone 5. The flour sack towel set includes both towels shown.}

RULES: You must be at least 18 years old and have a shipping address {no P.O. boxes please} within the U.S. to enter. One entry per email address.

TO ENTER: “Like” Erie Drive on facebook then leave a comment on this post proclaiming “DRIVE ME!”

DEADLINE: Enter before Friday, April 19th at noon EST. One random winner will be announced later that same day.

WHILE YOU’RE AT IT: Since we’re talking family-friendly style today…what is your favorite kid-friendly item in your house? A soft ottoman that does double duty as a coffee table? A bench that opens to reveal toy storage? I’ll go first. A few months back I bought a pair of floor poufs from West Elm. I’d been eyeing them for nearly a year but couldn’t pull the trigger…until they went on sale. I’m so glad I did! My kids drag the poufs all around the house and they look great in every room. In the boys’ bedroom, they are wrestled and jumped on. In the living room, they are the perfect lounge spot for reading or watching TV. Mabrey loves pulling to stand and climbing on top of them. HH and I like to prop our feet up on them at night after the kids are in bed. I love them!

BUT, WAIT!, THERE’S MORE: House*Tweaking readers can score 20% off one Erie Drive purchase now through May 15th by entering the discount code “TWEAKING20″ at checkout.

Thanks Alexandra!

You can check out more of Alexandra’s inspiring home tour right here. Follow Erie Drive on twitter and pinterest.

images: 1) Tara Bellucci for Apartment Therapy  2) polyvore collage by Dana Miller linked within

Last week I was on hiatus in Weeki Wachee, Florida. My {active and lively!} grandparents live on the water there and we drove down to visit for the boys’ spring break. We don’t vacation often {for the past few years we’ve done the staycation thing} but we were itching for warmer weather after winter’s gloom. Plus, we were offered free lodging and promised home cooked meals. Thanks Gigi and Great Grandpa!

Here’s a little instagram recap of our week away.

GOOD FRIDAY – Travel day. 18 hours in the car with three kids isn’t exactly my idea of heaven but it was worth it. I think Everett described it best. “We drove a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, verrrrrrrrry long time and then it was summer.”

SATURDAY – Mabrey turned 1! She absolutely loved it when everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” I’ve always been an emotional mess on my kids’ first birthdays. Okay, every birthday but especially the first ones. I feel like “we made it!” To celebrate, we took Mabrey on her first boat ride in the river then watched the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. Teary + smiley = me.

SUNDAY – Easter. Somehow the Easter bunny knew we were in Florida. The kids had fun searching for and then emptying their Easter baskets. We spent the day at my aunt’s house. The kids had a grand time swimming and splashing around. My grandpa served up his famous fried grouper {which he caught himself in the Gulf} and hush puppies. Not your typical Easter dinner but, hello, YUM.

MONDAY – My two younger sisters made an appearance! Just in time for a more traditional Easter meal which included Gigi’s homemade spinach balls. The recipe is coming, I promise. We kayaked on the river and put together a scavenger hunt for the boys that ended with a treasure/snack. Then they asked to do it all over again.

TUESDAY – We dragged Easter out a little longer and painted eggs. In the afternoon, I gave HH the day off {hehe} and we headed to a little beach with the boys and my sisters. Mabrey stayed back at the house with my grandparents for her nap.

WEDNESDAY – My sisters left {boo} and per Everett’s birthday request, HH, the boys and I hit up Legoland. My grandparents babysat Mabrey for the day. I was relieved of my diapering, bottling, baby-on-the-hip duties but was really missing that girl by the end of the day. We loved Legoland – especially Miniland USA. So many little Lego details! I prefer Legoland over Disney. It’s smaller and less overwhelming. It’s definitely family oriented. All four of us were able to go on 95% of the rides together so we didn’t have to split up, me taking one boy to one ride and HH taking the other boy to another ride. Everett had to get his face painted. {He never misses an opportunity to dress up, accessorize or make believe.} Of course, he picked the most expensive, least attractive design. Of course.

THURSDAY – Rain day. We spent the day reading {my faves were The Honest Life, Domino’s Small Spaces special edition and Dwell’s Renovate Today special edition} and in between sprinkles Everett learned to ride his two wheeler. In the evening, we took the boys to see Oz The Great and Powerful. Going to the movie theater is a rare occurrence for us. We all liked the movie but Everett was a little scared of the wicked witch. Even after his frightening face painting the day before – go figure!

FRIDAY – Our last day in Florida. I did a few loads of laundry to make packing/unpacking easier. We went on another boat ride. Just as we were heading back to the house, three manatee came right up to our boat! We took my grandparents out for dinner as a thank-you-for-letting-us-make-your-house-loud-and-messy-for-a-week gesture.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY – Travel days. On the way home, we split up the drive. We stayed in Tennessee overnight. Mabrey thought it was fun that we were all sleeping in the same room and proceeded to play peekaboo. Sunday was Everett’s birthday and he was such a good sport about spending it in the car. He turned 5 and will start kindergarten next fall. Ahhhhh! All my babies are achieving these huge milestones on different age appropriate paths and I’m trying hard to savor each and every one.

Our little vacation was just the refresher we needed. It was so nice not to have the laptop as a distraction and just focus on my family. I think I should go offline more often but maybe for shorter periods of time. It makes me a better mom and blogger!

I’ll leave you with the funniest picture from the entire week that had me howling…

Criminals.

Were you on vacation last week too? Any vacations in the works? Do you have the same online/offline struggle?

images: Dana Miller via instagram