My baby is 7!

Today is a BIG day at our house....My first born, J is seven today.....As I was tucking him in last night, as a six year old, I remembered the day he was born and the sheer joy of his arrival!

Today, while the skies were cloudy, very rainy and not "birthday like" it was a BIG morning....Remember when I posted back in February about our raffle winnings and I shared that J won TWO firetruck rides to school?  Well today, was ride #1!!!!!!!!!

It was stormy, grey and simply terribly weather, but J, little brother C and neighbor and best buddy M got a private tour of the fire house, the trucks and then climbed into a pumper truck for school!  Lights were on, headphones were donned and J was able to talk to the chief (in the car in front of us) and to M in the back of the truck thinking he was a TRUE fire fighter.

C & J in the drivers seat of the bucket truck

I do not have the photo's of our BIG (and rainy) arrival at school yet, between M's parents, my parents and good friends who became victim of the DOWNPOUR as we arrived, I cannot ask them to "hurry up and send them to me".....but they will come.

J sitting shotgun in the pumper truck as we left for school!

The sheer sheets of rain as we got out of the truck will be comical I am sure...We were soaked as we walked into school, but no one cared.  J was a celebrity as the entire school watched as arrive from classroom windows and doors.  As J entered his classroom, his classmates, hid and yelled "HAPPY BIRTHDAY J" when they jumped out to surprise him!  Then the sweet hugs and wishes from every classmate! It was so sweet.  J is a popular boy today!

C and I came home, dried off, and then started on "project birthday room re-do" to surprise him when he gets home. My little boy wanted a big boy room with sports posters etc.  He picked out all of the posters and then gave me permission to "decorate it".  More photo's on that later.

Tonight, we, with my parents are off to dinner at J's favorite place, California Pizza Kitchen and will open more gifts......It has been an amazing day so far...I am sure as the day continues my 7 year old will think it will be better and better too....

My new project

I have this screened in porch off my kitchen.  It is officially called "mommy's space" and through the years I have been adding to it.

Last fall my parents took this out of our summer house and gave it to me!

 

I sat and looked at it all winter trying to get inspired how to paint it.  

Then, over the weekend it hit me.....Use the colors from this birdhouse (that my dad used to make me another amazing table....coming later!)

This is one side of my beloved porch with the unpainted table..

 

There are four wicker chairs in the space....so I took inspiration from the green and pink.....Think Lily Pultizer....

C and I started the taping off and painting yesterday...

 

C was most helpful in painting the stripes!  We had to give it two good coats (since his accuracy was slightly off) but when we were done, the top of the table looked awesome~

 

So today we are adding some more stripes to the side, some yellow below the top stripes and I am not sure about the legs.  It is a work in progress, but has been so much fun!  

Here is the birdhouse table my dad made me a few years ago.  He has made many for friends and family as well.  He originally just made one for my mom for our summer house, but has made at least 6 more since...

 This is my happy space. I could sit out there for hours (and I do!) When the kids are in bed, I read out there, gaze into the yard, talk on the phone....It is so peaceful and lovely (until the annoying neighbors start to blare music....do not get me started on them ruining my peace and quiet!)

Stay tuned on the table. I am going BIG with color and am so excited!  

Spring has sprung

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, simply trying to get my life back from all the chaos of the last few weeks / months!

Just so you can see the fun I had my hubby took this video after I was presented in front of the 950 people there with flowers and a thank you!  King Arthur (a Wizard player) and I kicked off the interactive half time show!  While I am hardly a dancer, I had a BLAST dancing and honestly the entire night!

 King Arthur with the crowd!

Swoop getting the crowd amped!

It was an awesome night, almost $ 7,000.00 was raised and I am taking a quick break before planning their next appearance!

In the mean time, I have been busy with giving this house a little TLC and starting my outdoor planting and projects....8 flats of flowers, 10 pots to fill with other goodies, opening up my screened in porch / my vacation room and other things to make my outdoor home the place I want to be all spring and summer.  Lots to do, lots to plant, lots of everything!