Boys will be boys...& an important backyard skill

Instead of swimming in the pool, Carson decided he'd made a mud pit...

He also learned a skill necessary to survive backyard play during Texas summers...

Skinny dipping gone wrong (this was prior to the mud pit)...

Helping Daddy plant flowers...

We're all just glad Daddy is home... he took a full week off to go fishing with his dad down at Falcon Lake... which was an AMAZING trip.  Lots of HUGE fish... more on that later.

Living Room Wall Updates

I FINALLY put some of my 100's of Pinterest ideas to work and actually made them REAL. Whoop!

Nothing major, but I was over my black & white picture collage wall... not that I didn't like it, but the black frames really didn't go in the living room, plus I just felt like it needed a little sprucing up. As anal I usually am about stuff being symmetrical, I actually LOVE the idea of a random art/picture wall. Definitely more interesting...

Here was my inspiration...

Source: eismandesign.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: knottinghillinteriors.com via Emily on Pinterest

So, we went from this (which is an OLD picture, the walls are a different color now and there are new lamps...and they aren't crooked)...

To this...

It's still not quite where I envisioned it, but it's definitely a start.

Another one of the projects I was excited about were the pallet shelves.

Here was my inspiration...

Source: thestoriesofa2z.com via Emily on Pinterest

I "repurposed" a pallet from someone on my street's trash pile and used that as the frame.  Let me tell you, those suckers are HEAVY!  Then, to make the shelves a little more personal, I found some old scrap wood in the barn at the farm.  These scraps were a hot mess and covered in dirt, cow patties, and no telling what else.  But, with a little elbow grease, I got them all "cleaned" up, well...let's just say I love the old reclaimed wood look.  They aren't supposed to look "clean."  Oh, and a clock...gotta love Ross for stuff like that.

So here ya go....

We're slowly getting to where I'd like to be in the living room.  We finally went to IKEA this past weekend and got two pieces to go on either side of the fireplace.  I would have loved to have 'nicer' pieces to go there, but I didn't feel like spending $1,000 a piece on furniture that may or may not be needed when/if we move.  With a new rug (b/c ours is looking pretty rough) and coffee table (b/c you can't put drink on an ottoman and we don't have room for more than one end table), we'll be in pretty good shape.  Hopefully {fingers crossed} we can get those IKEA pieces put together this week.... NOT looking forward to that!  More pics to come as more progress is made!  Happy Monday!

Day out with Thomas the Train!

When I found out that Thomas the Train was coming to Grapevine, I knew we HAD to go.  It worked out that this was also the same weekend as the Highlandettes' 50th Anniversary Spring Review.  I haven't been back to my drill team's show since I was last in it in 2000.  It was SO fun to see so many old friends... more on that later.

Back to Thomas, Carson LOVES Thomas.  He LOVES trains!

We were on the 9:00am train, the first of the day.  Carson was just taking it all in.  He had fun tapping his feet and clapping his hands to the Thomas songs they played during the 25-minute ride.

 "More" trains

  Checking out our Junior Engineer Certificate

I think his favorite parts of the whole thing were all the trains you could play with and watch. They had one tent with several different trains you could play with. There were 2-3 little MEGA blocks tables, 2 BIG tables with the electric Thomas cars, and 2-3 tables with the wooden Thomas sets. Carson LOVED the electric ones and played so well with the other children, mostly little boys. There were definitely WAY more boys than girls there. We was fascinated, and I think he could have easily stayed in there all day.

Conductor Carson...

He stole the clown's ball...

They also had a big tent with the whole "hobbyist" electric train set up.  This was the real deal.  This is what they have conventions about.  There were tons of very realistic model trains, little towns, tunnels, airplanes, etc.  Carson enjoyed watching these for a long time too... this one was a little tricky though, they were high up, so we had to hold him the whole time.  We found ourselves mesmerized as well.  It's very relaxing for some reason.

We also rode the little (riding lawnmower) train and played in the GIANT sandbox. 

Watched a show...

Played with trains some more...

 Ate corny dogs...

We didn't bother waiting in line to meet Sir Topham Hat (he's always "cross" anyway!). 

We also went across the street to the feed store, and Carson was just as fascinated with the baby ducks and chicks as he was anything else that day.  We tried for a pony ride and picture on a mini bull... FAIL.  He LOVES to look at animals, riding them is a whole other story. 

A little shoulder ride with Pops...

Showing us his Thomas tattoo...

He was OUT on the way home, but of course a car ride is never a long enough nap and he would NOT go back to sleep once we got home.. oh well.