Mini-Man Cave

Do you have a mini-man? That's what I call my two boys. Except that one of them is not so mini anymore. He will be in 8th grade and still shares a room with his little brother; so, I anticipate that he is going to start wanting his own space soon. Being a single parent and owning a small townhouse means I have to get creative with finding more space. The only place I could really go was out. So I spent [more hours than I would have liked] cleaning out my garage, organizing, and creating a little corner for him I like to call our "Mini-Man Cave."

There is a loft storage, about 6 ft high, in my garage, and I created this man cave underneath it:

Here is how the space began:

What's missing in this view is the loft storage, but you can see that the garage is all slab cement and icky storage. [And the only before picture I have because my computer crashed as I started this project, erasing a lot of my photos.]

So, starting with such bare bones was a little intimidating, but exciting, as we started designing and things started to take shape.

THE PAINT: I started by painting the orange stripe on the wall [The color is Behr "dragon fire" paint picked out by my son. Isn't that a cool name for paint?]

THE FLOOR: I then started laying down the black and white vinyl tiles. [Self stick, 12" square tiles purchased at Lowes and super easy to install!]  They were perfect for a low traffic area and easy to keep clean in our garage!

THE EXTRAS: I wanted the space  to be a place my boys could hang out, play [the tv has no cable, it is hooked up to an old PlayStation 2,] read, play board games [stored in the storage cabinet pictured] and just relax. I had been collecting art and little things for this space for a while, so was happy when it finally came together! Here are some of the extras!


I picked up the two sports signs at Home Goods several months ago. I love their wooden background and texture...

The folding table and chairs are for camping. I had the table already but bought the chairs at Big 5. I thought they were easy to move around, the right size for a small space and we could actually take them when we DO go camping! Both the table and chairs fold easily if the boys want to clear the area to play a game.

The lamp is also a camping lamp. It can sit on a table or it has a hook for easy hanging.

Of course, our favorite part of the man cave [and the piece that took the most time] was the rock wall!

Every boy needs something to climb, right? This started out as a bare white wall. I hand painted the rock pattern then chalk marked the studs. Most of the rock holds are bolted into studs, and a fair few are anchored carefully into the dry wall. The rope was also anchored into the ceiling. [But before you hang a rope for your children to swing from, please make sure it is bolted and anchored securely into a stud, and always test it yourself or with a professional before a child swings from it!]

My boys helped make this wall. I think any time kids have a part in the creation of something, they feel more ownership over it and they take better care of it. They also felt really proud that they had a part in the rock wall. Through the process they learned how to tighten each bolt in case, over time, they come loose.

Of coure, the best part is getting to test your handiwork!!!

The boys are very happy with their new Man Cave. My son said now all he needs is a hammock and a refrigerator in there and he would never have to leave! We'll see kiddo, we'll see. lol

They have already tried to say "No Girls Allowed" and actually, I'm okay with that rule. In fact, I may hold them to that in a few years. [wink]

What do you think? Do you like our Mini-Man Cave? How do you create extra space for your kids?

I'd love to see you -- follow me on Facebook|Instagram!


Sharing at Somewhat Simple, Tatertots and Jello, 52 Mantels and some of my favorite places.

{WIW} Value

When you look in  the mirror, what do you see?

Do you see someone big? Small? Ugly? Pretty? Significant? Or insignificant?


There is a battle raging.

It's keeping you from achieving your dreams...

It's keeping you from reaching your potential...

It's keeping you from accomplishing your goals.

There are no soldiers.

There is no supernatural course of nature.

There is no uncontrollable force.

There is only one  thing.

You.

The voice in your head.

The voice that tells you you can't.

You're not good enough.

You're not worthy.

You are not enough.

But I am here to tell you that YOU ARE.

That the steady mantra inside your head needs to be replaced with the marching shouts of confidence.

And that when you look in the mirror you see

Value,

{Old Navy "Diva" skinny jeans and Old Navy ballet flats. The shirt was a gift. Smile}

Strength,

Worth,



and Beauty.

 Because you are beautiful

in His eyes.

That  your dreams are there for the taking.

That you have what you need to acheive your goals.

That your potential is withing reach.

And you are enough.


Sharing at The Pleated Poppy

Encourage others by liking or sharing here: Facebook|Instagram|Twitter

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you. {Eph. 1:18}

Find more information here: http://www.saddleback.com/series/loveandwar/

4th of July Treat Pops. Sort of.

I love the 4th of July. It's my birthday month (woohoo), I love red, white and blue and there are so many fun crafts and food to make!

This year I'm having some friends over to watch the fireworks at our local lake. I thought to myself, "self, you should make some really awesome treats - one of those everyone will think is UH-MAZING, how-did-you-do-that sort of treat." And they should look festive.

So, when my grocery store was selling these at buy one get one free -- suddenly I had 24 cake treat pops.

Doesn't the picture make those pops look so pretty? So I immediately looked on Pinterest for inspiration (since you know there is no original idea anymore - even when I think I'm being creative and original, Pinterest Popper burst my bubble.) But I digress. :)

And I found these...

{source}

 I liked the red, white and blue - but instead of colored cake, I wanted colored frosting and white cake.

Yesterday I was at a party where I thought I'd practice these treats before the 'big show' on Thursday.

Lessons learned:

1. Mini cupcakes are not EXACTLY the same size as a push up pop.
2. If your cake is not the same size as your push pop, the frosting will "bleed."
3. Buying store bought tubes of colored frosting only kind of works. There isn't enough frosting for 12 push pops. Each tube frosts 3-4 at best.
4. Store bought frosting tubes are REALLY hard to squeeze out after a while. Especially toward the end. Your arms may hurt.
5. You will need to do more push ups and maybe lift some 5 lb. weights for a bit to prepare for your next push up treat pop adventure.
6. Smushy and messy treat pops taste just as good as perfect looking ones. True story.

So, I ask you, I am actually going to attempt this again for the 4th - any tips for success?

 

What's on your menu for the 4th of July?

American Flag Etiquette

What? There is etiquette for a flag? Yeah, yeah, I know, don't burn them and don't let them touch the ground - but what else is there? If you were me you'd be thinking "Flag cakes and pallet art! Woohoo!" :-) But, with 4th of July coming up and a bunch of flag flying parading around, I thought it would be useful and (dare I say?) fun to share some American flag etiquette with you!

Let's start with the obvious:

1. Don't let it touch the ground. Why? Because our flag is a symbol of pride and we treat it like a person. The reasoning is that we walk on the ground and it would be disrespectful to our pride and the flag to place it on the ground. What happens if your flag does touch the ground? Proper etiquette is actually to bury it.

2. You CAN burn an American Flag. But not in political protest! (Yikes.) Did you know that the proper way to dispose of an old American Flag is actually to burn it! (To do this safely contact your local American Legion office.)

3. Leave your flag up from sunrise to sunset. If your flag is outside, you should only leave it out during daylight hours. If you leave it out at night, you should have a light shining on it. (The US Flag Code says indoor flags can be left up at all times.) ;o)

4.  DON'T tie it to a tree. Or hang it across a boat, train or car. All those are signs of disrespect. DO - hang your flag from a pole or tack it to a window or wall.

5. DO fly your flag RIGHT SIDE UP and on top! If you are flying 3 flags, the American Flag can be in the middle, otherwise, it's on top. ALSO -- make sure it is right side up. Upside down is a sign of distress. And DON'T do what my son's school did by accident:

Oops!!

True story.

I'm sure that you will do great with your flag. I've heard that the American flag also looks great on face paint and men in uniform. But that wasn't in the flag code. :o)

Do you have any flag tips to add to this list?

Happy Flag Flying!!


Sources: US Flag Code and Real Simple.

Why I'm a Horrible Blogger

Here we go...

This school year kicked my butt! And my blog momentum was lost.  So, I thought I'd share the top 10 reasons why I'm a horrible blogger. (I'm here simply for your amusement people.)


1. I don't post regularly. I commend people who  can write every day - or have weekly themes! That's amazing to me! I write when I have time and when the spirit moves me, Usually those two things don't happen in sync though.

2. I forget to check my blog email. All. The. Time. I had a separate email just for my bloggy blog. It was special. It had my blog name. And I forgot I had it. For like, 2 months. Until I finally just had all my blog emails revert to my regular email address because, let's face it, navigating two emails is just asking too much. TOO MUCH.

3. I don't monitize. I've gotten offers. (I KNOW.) This one's bad. It's on my summer bucket list. We'll see if I have time to devote to it.

4. TIME? What's that? I am a single mom and I teach full time. Blogging during the school year is minimal sometimes. I justify those blog droughts as "quality, not quantity" of posts while others refer to it as "Oh, I didn't even realize you were gone." I have been known to take a break for a day or two. Or a month.

5. My computer is out to sabatoge me. Seriously. In the past several months I have had TWO computers completely die on me. Granted both were old to begin with, but still. I am borrowing a work computer to write, but that doesn't let me load photoshop or anything cool on it.

6. I don't network like I should. I really, really love reading blogs and checking out all the seasonal ideas. But I barely have time to read them, let alone comment. (See #4 above.) Being a single mom and teacher gives me very valid reasons, I know. But I also know how much I love comments, and it makes me sad I don't return the love as often as I should. I tend to comment on Facebook now, more than on someone's actual post. (Is that bad? Or is commenting on Facebook just as good? What do you think?)

7. Facebook. Facebook. Facebook. Well, since we're on the subject, Facebook has it out for blog pages I think. It changes it's news feed updates faster than Rihanna changes hairstyles. Now that the newsfeed is reliant on constant network and interaction, it makes it harder for people like me to be seen and harder for me to see you. Unless I am commenting and posting daily, I disappear - and so do you. {Insert sad face.} So, if I don't post for awhile and then start posting, well, you get the picture.

8. I don't bring my business cards everywhere. Well, it's not like I should be handing them to the grocery cashier - "Thanks for the lemons, here's my card." But I forgot to bring them to a blog conference. A blog conference people!

9. I would rather play Candy Crush. Only sometimes. Maybe. I'm stuck on a level right now and once I pass that, back to blogging. I swear. Actually... wait... Candy Crush needs Adobe flash and my computer refuses to update it. Back to #5 on this list...

10. I take my own pictures. I don't hire a professional photographer for my kid's birthday parties. I do all my own projects. My camera is just a normal one. I often use my iPhone for photos.

And I also just realized I didn't put any photos in this post.

Fail.

Again.

The positive:
1. I make YOU look good.
    You're welcome. ;-)

2. There may be hope for me yet -- It's summertime now, and maybe I can change some of those numbers above. I really do love reading other blogs and pages and I'm hoping I can catch up on all the awesomeness you guys are putting out there! And hopefully, as I post more this summer, you'll see me too. :)

Do you have any horrible blogger moments to add to this list?
How about an awesome post for me to read? (Because I have time to read it now!!) {Wink}

Elevate Blog Conference {Recap}

Have you ever been to a blog conference? If you have, then you know why I'm so excited to share about Elevate!! It is the best Orange County conference a girl could ask for! And if you have never been to a blog conference -- I highly recommend Elevate! {After you check out all these pics, you'll see why!}

{All photos credit to Lora Knight Photography except the ones marked "Shaped by Grace."}

What I love about the Elevate Blog Conference:

1. They keep it small. They only sell a limited number of tickets so that there is plenty of time to meet and speak with everyone. (And it works!) The conference felt so intimate - I loved being at different tables and in different groups to meet and make new friends!

 

 

2. They have AMAZING speakers! Seriously! Last year I got to meet Holly at 504 Main and Ashley from Little Blue Boo and this year --- they did not disappoint! This years speakers included Sarah from Penelope Lane Boutique, Kimmie from Sugar and Dot, Erin from Living in Yellow and Ashley from Little Miss Momma. {I KNOW!! I'm getting star struck just writing this out again!}

 

{Ashley from Little Miss Momma -- and ME!! Squeal!} 

 

Do you ever wonder if a blogger is like their blog posts or a lot different? Well, these ladies are just who they are - on and off the blog. And just as wonderful. They all had a unified message -- BE YOURSELF on your blog. Find your voice and share YOUR STORY.

 

 

3. We get to have craft time! Every year (okay, there has only been 2 so far) they provide a craft for us to create. This year it was nail art where we got to hammer nails into distressed wood and create a design. I chose the outline to California and added the heart (Thanks to guidance by Nichole from Yeung Mother Hubbard) where Southern CA is because that's where I'm from. I loved the end result:

 

 

 

This sign is hanging up proudly by my front door and I know it will be part of my home for a long time. :o)

 

4. We are part of a service project. I love that each year Elevate has a service project. This year's project was for us to cut out patterns for an organization called Sole Hope that makes shoes for children in need. It's a great cause and I encourage you guys to look it up and throw your own shoe making party! It was also great chance to meet and bond with more ladies at the conference!

 

 

 

5. They have awesome food and decorations!! I will let you take in all the eye candy that was this conference. I tell you, the people I met were the best part of the day, but it's fun to meet and greet around delicious food and tons of cute decor!

 

 







 

 

6. Friendships!! I get to reunite with friends and meet new blog friends in person!! I was so excited to meet Megan from Absolute Mommy, Kristine from The Foley Fam {Unedited} pictured below

 

 

 

and hang with one of my bloggy BFF's Renee from Coffee-n-Ink -- she is always smiling and full of love and connecting people! I'm so happy every time I get to hang with her!!

 

 

 

7. We get to play games!!! (If you know me -- you know I like games!!) It's more bonding time and TONS of fun to do all the tasks!

 

 

I loved sharing in the day with each one of these beautiful ladies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of all, I have to thank these three ladies for all their hard work, dedication and time to put together this entire conference for us! We are blessed by your time and talents! Thank you!!

 

 

{From left: Jen from Delightful Deets, Summer from Made by Munchies Mama and Nichole from Yeung Mother Hubbard.}

 

If the pictures weren't enough - here is a video that Lora Knight put together that captures the essence of the event. Enjoy!!

 

Would you like to go to a blog confernece? I highly recommend Elevate! It's every year in May!! See you there! ;o)

First World Problems

It began like this:

My son, exclaiming with drama, "Oh no!" in a devastated and forlorn way.

Me (concerned): "What happened?"
Son: "I didn't realize there was still a little milk in my bowl, and it splashed on me when I went to put it in the dishwasher."

Me (Insert sad face): Sounds like a first world problem to me.
Son: A what?
Me: A first world problem. In third world countries their problems can include not enough food to eat , no shoes, or a place to live. You're lucky, you don't have those kinds of problems, so the milk issue -- that's a first world problem.
Son: "Oh."
Cleans up the milk.

"First World Problems" have become our saying now, for those issues in our house that cause drama, but in the scheme of the world, aren't really problems at all. And now I've even started seeing this topic on the web.

I have included some examples for your entertainment. Some of these have actually happened in our house recently and some, well, are just funny.

I created and photoshopped the photos above; the photos below, I found here.

 

 

 

While this topic has put problems into perspective in my house, it has also come full circle.

Me: "Nooooooo!"
Son: "What happened mom?"
Me: "I didn't mean to hit send on a word in Words With Friends. I had just seen a better word."
Son: "Sounds like a first world problem to me."

Thanks son. Thanks. Point taken.

Have you experienced any first world problems in your house lately? Can you relate to any of these photos above? :o)