Just One Blister

Holy productive weekend, Batman!

I couldn't tell you the last time I've spent the bulk of Saturday and Sunday at home, but this past weekend was different!  And I made darn good use of the time too!  Knowing that the weeks are going to really start flying by now that horse show season kicks off this weekend, I knew I had to get cracking on my list of projects. 

Hosting a baby shower at your house will, none the less, light a fire under ya!

The project of redoing our very formal dining room chairs has been in the works for, oh six years or so!  Obviously they weren't too high up the list.  Since the new floors went in (hand-scraped engineered hardwood) the chairs were really sticking out like sore thumbs and something needed to be done!  Here's the before...

A fine chair, but far too stuffy and formal for our house's "style".  I knew I was going to take them in the 'farmhouse' direction by painting them white-ish and then roughing them up to make them look worn and well loved!

Friday afternoon I made collected all the necessary supplies and started by first reupholstering the seats with a new 'farmhouse style' fabric.  Learning from past mistakes, I measured twice and cut once, that part was smooth sailing!  I finished up the seats just as Matt walked in the door, he did stop to say how nice they looked before he ushered me out the door to meet friends for supper.  Bonus points, husband.  Bonus points.

Saturday morning I started off by using flat black spray paint and spraying all six chairs.  Living on the prairie, I lucked out with an almost windless day!  While the paint was drying, I took the dogs for a run and then came back and did a second coat.  The weather was so gorgeous that I left the chairs out in the yard while I drove down and rode Louie. 

After getting back that afternoon, I busted out the paint.  I went with Glidden's Antique Beige, which coordinated nicely with the cream in the fabric.  By the end of Saturday, I had three of the six chairs painted!  Makin' progress.

Sunday morning after my workout, I went back to painting the rest of chairs.  For whatever reason it took an extra coat of the beige paint to cover the black?  Who knows why?  I had to stop occasionally for snacks and to play with the dogs, but by 8:30pm Sunday all six chairs were painted, distressed, reassembled and back in the dining room! 

And despite the one blister, I'm so stinking thrilled with the end product!

Did anyone else work on projects this weekend? 

Linking up with B Loved Boston

Weekend Festivities // Live Music and Fall Fun

Another great weekend has come and gone.  *sigh*  Thankfully, we'll have another one coming around again, but first a whole week of work!

Instead of diving into work, I'd rather relive this weekend's shenanigans...

Friday night we did a little drinking, dancing and singing to Mr. Aaron Watson!  Good times, great music!  Keeping my fingers crossed that he will be playing in Vegas when we head out in December.

After sleeping in 'til 10:30am Saturday morning I was feeling extra energetic and a little guilty about all those Redd's from the night before, so I headed out for a 4 mile run.  I felt extra spiffy in my coordinating workout gear!

Matt and Bella headed to the farm to plant his deer food plot and I spent the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen whipping up some tasty yummies!  Broccoli salad, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, bruschetta and apple crisp pie with salted caramel sauce.  The house smelled AMAZING!

After Matt got home and cleaned up we headed to Beitz's for supper and then we all headed off to hear some more live music!

Saturday night was Brushville, an up and coming country band who played at our wedding almost four years ago.  They've got two singles out on country radio, Bar Star and Baby's Got Her Boots On.  Check them out!  Here in central Illinois, they're a pretty big deal!

Since I slept like the dead Saturday morning, it was fitting that I was up bright and early Sunday.  But it was all for a good reason!  The first thing I did was prep a crock pot full of balsamic beef stew and then it was off to Apple 'N Pork Festival. 

Shockingly, I only bought one thing and it wasn't even for me... but a Christmas present!  I know... Christmas already!?!?  After checking out all the vendors that this year's festival had to offer it was time to head back and consume copious amounts of beef stew and apple pie while watching football!  After watching the Bears lose to the Packers (I guess it's only disappointing if you're a Bears fan, which I'm not... Go Broncos!) I started the process, and it really is a process, of decorating the house for fall! 

What can I say, I love Fall!  We were married in October, so I have lots and lots of decorations left over from the wedding that I use to decorate the house every year.  I overheard Matt say to Bella, "Holy Fall shitzel Bella!  Doesn't it feel like we're in a pumpkin patch?"

Linking up with Biana and Meghan.

Weekend Replay

I'm all for a quiet weekend at home, but given the option I'd choose fun and friends any day!  Who's with me?!?

After work we loaded up the car and hit the road south bound for Missouri.  Matt and I were both anxious to see our college pals and the four hour road trip was the only thing standing in our way!

Thankfully, the trip down was pretty uneventful.  We dealt with a little rain and some traffic around St. Louis, but nothing too terrible.  Come to find out, we timed everything just right and missed all the Cardinal baseball traffic as we went through!

When we got to Eric and Jamie's the party was already in full swing.  The bonfire was blazing, the beer was flowing and as predicted, so were the stories!!  Honestly, those stories may be old and tired, but they still bring a smile to my face!  

Saturday morning came a little too early for some, but for the most part we were all up and at 'em in pretty good time (and shape)!  After lighting a fire under the slower movers, we lit out to meet the company we rent the canoes from.  

I've only ever floated/canoed with this company, but how they typically organize everything generally goes like this:

1. Pay for your group.

2. Drive down the hill and park vehicles where we will finish on the canoes.

3. Load coolers and people into a large wagon and ride down to the river.

4. Organize canoes and float off.

This year we had a bit of a snafu between 3 and 4.  

Everything was all fine and dandy.  We had loaded the excessive amount of beer all our coolers and were on the way to the river.

 

When there was a bit of a problem... 

Now, you can't convince me that the hitch broke just because of the weight of 17 people and all those frickin coolers, but it sure didn't help!  And it makes for another funny story that will be told for years to come.  

We finally managed to make it to the river.  Hallelujah!

This year, Matt and I decided to shake things up and not be each others partners.  Sometimes it's just for the best.  Jamie and I decided that we were going to pair up and the husbands could be partners.  Best. Decision. Ever.  

Laughing at you and your partners mistakes is WAY more fun that being PO'd at the end of the day because you (or your significant other) did something dumb.  And this way, Jamie and I could chit-chat and gossip for the next six hours!  It worked out perfectly.  Jamie and I had a blast and I was still speaking to Matt by the time we were done!  

Being the lone 'girls only' canoe you can also get away with certain things too!!  

"Paddle boys, paddle!"

After countless laughs, multiple cans of beer and several miles spent on the river, a few of us took the lazy way out and fast-tracked to the finish. 

 

In our defense, there is always an amazing spread of food waiting for us back at the house.  That and a hot shower!  After we got back, cleaned up and our bellies were full of food most of us retreated to the bonfire and you guessed it... more old stories resurfaced!  And because it's what Illinois men do when they get together, there was also euchre into the wee hours of the night.

By 9 o'clock Sunday morning, everyone had packed up and headed for home, but it's tradition for us to stick around and have brunch with Jamie, Eric and his parents.  Mostly we relive the float trip and make notes for next year (t-shirts and music on the river!), share what's new or swap recipes.  This year, I came home with a new recipe for pasta sauce that I'm anxious to try!  And since there's 30 tomato plants in our garden, I think we will have an opportunity to make something new this year!

On our way home, we stopped at our friend's house for their daughter's 1st birthday party.  Jill out did herself decorating and everything looked spectacular!  Even more exciting than the decorations, Adelynn's last gift that she opened announced that she would be getting a new baby BROTHER in December!  The family is obviously excited, but I think John is super stoked for a boy to even up the score at home.  

So tell me, did you go-go-go this weekend or did you recharge your batteries?  

Linking up with Biana and Meghan.

I Could Use Another Day

I don't know about you folks, but I would have been totally open to an extra day sandwiched between Saturday and Sunday!  All in favor of instituting mandatory three day weekends, raise your right hand.  Opposed... your vote doesn't count.

Friday afternoon I go off work and headed home to start prepping for the graduation party I was asked to cater.  But as I was pulling in the drive I did get sidetracked because my peonies FINALLY bloomed! 

Aren't they lovely?!?!

Okay, back to the task at hand. Food and decorations for the party. 

This is just the stuff that didn't have to go in the refrigerator.  I didn't get a pic of everything crammed in there, but it was chalk full too!

Friday night I made a double batch of my So So Good Chex Mix and finished up all the paper decorations for the party.  I also loaded up all the serving dishes, utensils and drink dispensers so I wouldn't have to do that Saturday. 

Saturday morning I was up bright and early to bake chocolate cupcakes, cut fruit and veggies, make dips and BLT bites.  Thankfully the family I was doing all this for have an extra fridge and I was able to run everything down Saturday afternoon and make room for what I had to prepare on Sunday!  I spent the rest of Saturday decorating the chocolate cupcakes! 

Tutorial coming soon to a blog near you...

After getting the cupcakes done, I was happy to relax with some wine (and food I didn't have to make) at a friends cookout!  Burgers and brats on the grill, pasta salad and a baby announcement to top off the evening! 

Sunday I was up and at 'em early again.  With Matt's help, I finished up meatballs, baked ham and cheese sandwiches and black bean and cilantro salsa.  After loading up the last of the food, I headed to Wilkin's for the party.  From this point, everything becomes a whirlwind of hanging decorations, icing beverages, displaying and refilling food and because I pulled it off, LOTS of smiling!

Linking up with B Loved Boston and Champagne and Suburbs.