Travel Tuesday

Mission of Carmel

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do in the whole world.  Besides being with my family I love to travel and explore the world.  I feel like I could be a professional traveler.  Our family has had many opportunities to travel and even though, we love it all.  From hostels, to nice motels, to cheap food and more expensive to my taste.  It still does not compare to my favorite city/town ever.  Carmel California is one of the most unusual and characteristic towns that I have EVER been to.  You could literally walk the streets looking at the different architectural features of each house.  However, what I love most about Carmel is their mission house that is on the outside of the city.  

I've included a few pictures, but of course, it doesn't do it justice.  The stucco and the painting of the mission is such a labor intense procedure.  And yet, when you look at it, it truly calms your soul, with the colors so blended together.  I've included just a few pictures and a short history of the mission in Carmel.

Entrance to Church

One of the last times that Denny and I were there, we had the chance to view some of a wedding being done in the mission courtyard.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven viewing this.  It's one of the reasons, that I moved to California, was to be able to go to Carmel all the time.

Quote it for Motivate/Monday

Good Morning Monday,

It's the beginning of the week and we ALL need some motivation right??  Especially, if you have children that are playing sports on the weekend.  Your probably asking, "did I even get a break to rest this weekend?"  So, I thought it would be a great idea to share some type of motivation or quote for the week.  

God might not 

lighten my load

But he will

strengthen my back 

Happy Monday You ALL!!

French Country Hutch Update

French Country Hutch

With our busy season of football, I'm reposting about our hutch and updating you on the condition of it. 

We bought this reproduction french country hutch or library cabinet at Restoration Hardware http://Restoration Hardware in California.  We both loved this piece so much, but it didn't have enough shelving for us. So, to gain more room to store our small appliances and glass pieces we needed to add more stained shelves that my hubby would have to customize.

French Country Hutch

In this picture you can't tell, but there is a room for a top shelf and then a shelf below the other one.  It didn't come with the shelves, so we have to make our own.  We got a killer deal on this piece and it's quality furniture on top of that.  We bought this piece from Restoration Hardware at an outlet store.  And on top of it being a great deal that day they were having 30% off on top of the deal.  If you can't tell I'm like super excited for us to have this piece.   So, we knew we wanted additional shelves and just decided that we could cut and make them work.  We started out with boards from Home Depot that needed sanded and then stained.  To help condition your wood and get a better coat of stain on your boards we first used this on it all.  

Then came the time to pick the stain.  Tricky, tricky, tricky!!  I got a brilliant idea and decided to pull out all my stains and give a comparison to them.  Thank you Sherwin Williams for all my extra paint sticks!!  

I wiped the stain on left them dry for awhile.   We've settled on a Dark Walnut stain to finish the shelves with.  We also had to buy shelf brackets to hold up the shelves.  We choose a couple that are more expensive, but nicer and then settled on ones that cost about $1.67 a piece.  Most of our stuff comes from Home Depot because that's all that we have in our town.  

UPDATE ON HUTCH

The hutch/library has held up superb!!  I still love the quality of this piece and love, love the details and wood grain of it.  However, it is a little hard to keep clean because the dust somewhat sticks to the wood.  And yet, I would buy this piece all over again!!   

What day is it?

  It's Game Day around here!!

Today we officially start into football games.  Not, that we haven't been doing football ALL and I repeat ALL summer long.  My husband is the offensive coordinating coach for the High School football team.  Along with that we have a JV Player and then our youngest plays on the Jr. Team.

So, can we just talk about the time and committment that it takes for our family to do football.  I, saw a picture that said:  Marriage is on hold because it's football season.  And that my friends is the truth.

Have a great weekend!!

Let's Begin!!

Today, I decided that enough is enough and I will truly get my blog up and running and do what I need to do.  Somedays, I have told every girl in my head, exactly how to paint this type of furniture or that type and why it needs all these steps.  So...... instead of telling it in my head to all of you, I thought I needed to share more and create more.