2 Month Old Photos

It seems like just yesterday that my little Wylie Roo arrived in my arms. My heart grows for him every second of every hour of every day! I can't believe he is already 2 months old and growing by the second. Sorry these are a little late, our house has been a monkey house lately.

Im still learning my camera and how to use it, but i have to say my little man sure knows how to work the camera!

Welcoming Our New Addition

After months of preparing for our third bundle of joy, the wonderful day came a little earlier than expected. Just like my first two, he made his appearance a month early. With the help of my DSLR and great sun light I am so so excited to introduce him to the world!

Welcome to our family Mr. Wylie Patrick Williams 

It is amazing how he is already his own person. I can't wait to watch him bloom into an incredible man! 

Mommy Loves you!!! 

Fall in New England is Simply the BEST

As the weather begins to get colder and the leaves change in color, well kind of change, my longing for New England grows stronger. There are defiantly some advantages to living in Texas, but a fall in New England is like no other! It has been three years now since I took the drive up 93 to look at God’s beautiful painting. Oh how i miss it! For some reason fall just doesn’t feel like fall this year, which is sad because fall is my favorite time of year! I can’t wait to pull out my UGG boots and North face jacket. I jump for joy when Starbucks brings back the Pumpkin Spice Latte! This year i just want to bring a little bit of my home to Texas. 

I miss driving down the road and being taken away by all the different colors within the trees.

I miss Apple picking in the cold crisp air.

I miss drinking warm apple cider while sitting around a fire outside. 

I miss wearing sweaters, scarves, and boots because its cold outside….not just for fashion.

I miss shopping down Newbury Street wearing just a North Face fleece window shopping for Christmas. 

I miss holding a Pumpkin Spice Latte to warm my hands 

 I miss all the Halloween festivals and events  

But most of all I miss the smell! There is no way to describe the smell of New England other than… Perfect! 

What is your favorite thing about Fall? 

It's Okay!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

What do you do when you realize you aren’t living the life you dreamed about? The life you saw displayed in magazines, movies, and television shows, the type of life that society has associated with “normal”. 

All my life I had depicted this image of what a “normal” life, marriage, and family were supposed to look. I would grow up to be a mother of four beautiful children who wore pearls and dresses while tending to the house and kids. I would smile all the time because there was nothing to be sad about. My husband would come home after a hard day at work to a gourmet meal on the table and his family exchanging stories about their day.  We would live in a standard suburban home with a well-tamed dog and excellently manicured lawn. I would dive the children around to their activities and sports in our minivan and cook for the bake sale and booster club.  Fights between spouses and daily troubles were not thought of.

Check Out Tinyme's Awsome Range Of Wall Stickers

Ok…you can laugh now!

There is no fairytale life, marriage, or family. There is no “normal”. One of the biggest lessons I have learned after 3 years of marriage and 2 kids is that it is ok to just be you. It is ok to do what works for your family. What works for you.

I drive myself crazy trying to be the best mother and wife I can be for my family. I never want my husband or my children to be without or feel like they could have had someone better. This may sound crazy to you, but I just like to be my best. I think it is the control/ OCD side of me. I am still fairly new at this whole wife and mother thing, but I have found that it is important to find our families own identity. I cannot compare my family to that of those on television or in magazines because lets face it….THEY ARENT REAL!

• It’s ok to want to hide in a closet and cry when times get tough
• It’s ok to have arguments with your spouse. It can even be healthy for your relationship
• It’s ok for you house to not be wicked clean and tidy all the time
• It’s ok to have mac-n-cheese for dinner occasionally
• It’s ok to just want to be alone
• It’s ok to wonder what you life would have been like if you went down a different road
• It’s ok to skip bath time and go straight to bed
• It’s ok to not do the dishes every night
• It’s ok to totally hate the Disney Channel and all the characters on it
• It’s ok to just let you children cry themselves to sleep after a long day
• It’s ok to skip a few pages at story time to get to the end faster
• It’s ok to not put all the toys back where they are suppose to go
• It’s ok to want to have an adult conversation at the end of the day
• It’s ok to have your husband cook dinner and clean up
• It’s ok to get mad and yell
• It’s ok to be overwhelmed
• It’s ok to watch reality TV and eat candy in bed
• It’s ok to give into your kids and give them what they want just so they will stop whining or crying
• It’s ok the laundry has been sitting there for a week
• It’s ok if your lawn and landscaping isn’t perfect
• It’s ok if you have week old fast food bags left in your car
• It’s ok that you hid that really annoying toy your kids love and tell them it’s lost
• It’s ok to make bedtime a little early just to have time with your husband
• It’s ok to get a babysitter and enjoy a night out with your husband
• It’s ok that your still in your pajamas and your hair isn’t brushed
• It’s ok if you don’t sit at the dinner table as a family

IT IS OK TO JUST LET YOUR FAMILY BE YOUR FAMILY!!!! LET YOURSELF BE YOURSELF! LET YOUR RELATIONSHIP BE ITS OWN!

Ebola Infects Halloween Candy

I am not one to write about politics or world issues, nor is this blog about such topics, but I fear the Ebola virus. With Halloween just around the corner this article sent me into a panic attack. Yes, I might be an overactive mother, but that is ok with me! The fact that 3 Ebola patients have been diagnosed close to home is terrifying! ….and now this. When are we going to be able to enjoy a holiday and not have to fear for the safety and health of our families?

The following article is from Fox News :

Some of the world’s largest chocolate companies are joining the fight against Ebola, as the virus threatens the world's chocolate supply.

Nestle, Mars and Hershey are among the companies pledging support to combat the disease wrecking havoc on nations that border Ivory Coast --the world’s biggest exporter cacao --the raw ingredient in chocolate. 

Ivory Coast has shut down its borders with Liberia and Guinea, two nations hardest hit by the Ebola virus, shutting out migrant workers needed to pick the beans that go into M&M, Snickers Bars and Hershey's Kisses, reports Politico. Though Ivory Coast has yet to report a single case of the deadly virus, residents are fearful that the disease may quickly cross borders.

The World Cocoa Foundation, a non-profit that aids small cocoa farmers, has enlisted the help of many of its 113 members, including Godiva, Ghiradelli, Mars, to raise money for those affected. The organization has not released figures on how much has been raised, and more details are likely to emerge at the group’s annual meeting this Wednesday in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“As a member of the WCF and a supporter of the CocoaAction strategy, Mars is pleased to see the industry coming together to help organizations on the ground in the prevention and eradication of the Ebola virus,” Mars told Politico in a statement.

Prices for cocoa beans have risen in recent weeks due to Ebola concerns, but it's unclear if Americans stocking up on Halloween candy will feel the pinch.  If prices continue to rise, chocolate producers could replace some of the cocoa with fillers, or could just pass the cost onto consumers. This follows a spike in chocolate prices this summer, when cocoa prices jumped by about 8 percent.  

Donations from the chocolate companies will be distributed to the International Federation of Red Cross, the Red Crescent Societies, and Caritas, a charity affiliated with the Catholic Church, according to CNN.

According to the World Health Organization, over 4,000 people have died from Ebola in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Chocolate magnate Nestle is said to be “deeply concerned” about the devastating potential spread of the virus through West Africa which is home to many of its 6,300 African employees. 

5841ce1ba947dfcd7bdc338ab2dfef34a2c8034092d6c040fa

Keeping Your Family Safe from Ebola

One of the hottest topics in the news around the United States right now is the scare and risk of Ebola. Is the United States Ebola’s next target for an epidemic? Is Ebola our generations AIDS? Should we be scared to walk out our doors, let alone function in normal society?

It was not until the news started reporting of Ebola hitting the United States that I have buried my head in the news just waiting to hear our world is slowly crashing down one germ at a time.  The good news is that there has been no form of Ebola contracted within the United States. The bad is that there have been 3 individuals treated in our hospitals across the United States. The fear of this potentially fatal epidemic did not really hit home with me until Ebola started taking over our news here in Texas.  Are we more vulnerable? Are my kids safe?  These questions among many more pass through my head everyday.

What really is Ebola?

According to WHO, the World Health Organization, Ebola (hemorrhagic fever) is a rare and serious disease caused by infection with one of the five virus strains. Fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas,

monkeys, forest antelope, and porcupines that are found ill or dead in the rainforest host the virus. The virus is then introduced to humans through the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of the infected animals. It has been reported that this is commonly transmitted through eating raw meat of an infected animal.

The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo where there were 318 reported cases with an 88% death rate.  From 1976 the majority of Ebola cases were reported across Africa. The most recent outbreak first reported in March of the year, is the largest and most complex outbreak since 1976.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM EBOLA. CLICK HERE 

How can we get Ebola?

Ebola is spread among humans by the direct contact of an infected human’s blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids. This includes semen and breast milk. Men who were infected can transmit Ebola through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery. Ebola can also be spread through surfaces and materials contaminated by an infected person’s bodily fluids. 

Unlike other viral outbreaks, the Ebola virus is not spread through the air, water, or food.  There has also been no evidence that the virus can be spread through insects.

What are the Signs and Symptoms?

Level 1:

• Fever greater than 101.5 degrees F
• Severe headache
• Muscle pain
• Weakness
• Sore throat

Level 2:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal (stomach) pain
• Rash
• Symptoms of impaired kidney and Liver function
• In some cases internal and external bleeding

A person will not become infectious until the onset of the symptoms that arise between 2-21 days after coming into contact with Ebola. During a blood test low white blood cell and platelet counts will be noted, along with elevated liver enzymes.

How do you keep your family Safe?

• WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid other people’s blood and body fluids
• Disinfect all surfaces – especially those in public
• Wear gloves in public if unsure of your surrounding
• Avoid anyone who you suspect might be infected
• Avoid contact with bats and nonhuman primates
• Boost your immune system
• Be cautious of public restrooms
• Do not touch your face without sanitizing or washing hands
• Keep all wounds bandaged properly

If you are like me, germs are your worst nightmare. The fear of contracting some weird virus, let alone Ebola is overwhelming! I fear more for my children than anything else. I constantly have to grab unknown objects out of their hands and mouth. Store shopping carts, public restrooms, store counters, and credit card readers are some of my worst enemies! To help limit the risk of my family coming into contact with Ebola, I have invested in high alcohol content hand sanitizer, portable Lysol wipes, and Lysol disinfecting spray. Yes, I am that woman with a can of Lysol disinfecting spray in public.

Don’t let the media scare you with all of the Ebola stories. Know your facts and practice careful hygiene to stay germ free, especially during the winter months. 

References: 

"Ebola Virus Disease." WHO. World Health Organization, Sept. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/>.

"Prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 07 Oct. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/prevention/index.html>.

"Answering Your Questions About Ebola Treatments And Vaccines." NPR. NPR, 10 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/10/355184997/answering-your-questions-about-ebola-treatments-and-vaccines>.

  

30 Secrets for a Happy Marriage After Kids

Maintaining a healthy and loving relationship is hard, add children to the mix and you have a cocktail for disaster if it is not nurtured correctly.  My husband and I jumped into the fast lane from the beginning of our relationship. Just a few months after we were married we were welcoming our first child, then a year later our second. We are 3 years into our marriage and have two wonderful children and one on the way to show for it.

Marriage is no easy thing! You can’t just read some articles on the Internet and think those easy tips will fix everything. Marriage requires effort, time, and love.  Let me be the first to admit that a marriage with children can be exhausting. Your attention is pulled in every direction. You want to be a good spouse while being an awesome parent. 

I am no marriage pro but I have to say my husband and I must be doing something right. Three years and we are happier now then we were then. Here are our guidelines that work wonders for our relationship:

1. Wake up by saying Good Morning with a Kiss
2. Always kiss Goodbye
3. Communicate throughout the day
4. Send loving Text messages just because
5. Take the time to share about your day
6. Say I Love You at least 5 times a day
7. Cook dinner together
8. Always eat together at the table
9. Have you time
10. Have your couple time away from the kids.
11. Set time aside during each day to spend as a family. For use we go on nightly golf cart rides and look at the nature that surrounds us. This is relaxing and the kids love it!
12. Give random gifts of love just because
13. Find television shows that you watch together weekly
14. Assign tasks around the house
15. Never go to bed angry
16. Take time to calm down when your angry before talking it out
17. Try not to use hurtful words
18. When your wife says she is “fine” she really isn’t
19. Set a time during the night to put all electronics including phones away
20. Pray with and for each other
21. Cook breakfast as a family at least once a month
22. Read books to your kids before bed nightly
23. Always laugh
24. Always smile
25. Always love
26. Say please and thank you
27. Don’t let an argument go by without saying sorry
28. Have family date nights weekly
29. Take interest in your spouses interests
30. Try and go to bed at the same time as your spouse

How do you keep your marriage happy and fresh with kids? I would love to hear what you guys have to say!!

Momnesia: It's Real!

 Momnesia: Pregnant and Losing my Mind

Momnesia. Yes this is a thing. If you are pregnant or have been pregnant, you know exactly what I am talking about. If it wasn’t hard enough dealing with the constant changes of your body, you now have to deal with “Pregnancy Brain”.  This isn’t just your common forgetting were you put your keys, while they are comfortably resting in your hand. I can let our dogs out then five minutes later get up to let them out again, and repeat this five more times. It reminds me of the Modern Family episode where Gloria is pregnant and dealing with “Pregnancy Brain” and almost gets out of the car before they come to a stop. It’s almost like my brain has gone on vacation and my body is just going through the motions.

What causes it: Many experts have blamed the sluggish brain to the upheaval of hormones that I  

personally think the overwhelming thoughts of parenting also contribute, especially for first time mothers. You are gathering so much information and planning for such a large change that your mind is overwhelmed by all your thoughts and the amount of new information being processed.
happens during and after childbirth. But Shannon Seip, the co-author of Momnesia, thinks sleep deprivation can be just as much a contributing factor.

How long does it last: I have read that research shows your Momnesia can last up to a year after you have your bundle of joy. However, from my experience it fades away after you adjust to your new life and your hormones calm down. During my first two pregnancies my Momnesia went away about 3-4 months postpartum. So don’t worry you will get your grove back and you will be better than ever!

How to deal with it now: Try not to let it bother you too much. Unfortunately, it just comes with the territory of being pregnant. I find it better to laugh it off and take advantage of the pregnancy excuse while it lasts. After everything is said and done you will look back and laugh at the things you did while you were pregnant. After all they can make good stories to write in the baby book.

Derby Days!

It's that time of year again. It's time for the Kentucky Derby. It's a day filled with big hats, pearls, and Mint Julep's. Ever since I was a little girl I loved dressing up for derby days and watching the horses run down the track, in the best 2 minutes of the year.

The Kentucky Derby is all about looking classic, but classic doesn't need to be boring. After all it is spring, and spring is full of color. Here is a classic and fun outfit for the big day!

Derby days outfit:

Dress: MATELASSÉ SHEATH DRESS $138

Headband - Fabulous Floral' Fascinator Headband $38

Earrings - PAVÉ BALL STUD EARRINGS $28

Necklace - HEIRLOOM PEARL STATEMENT NECKLACE $168

Pink ring- Cushio- cut cocktail ring $42

Gold ring- FRAMED + FACETED HONEYCOMB RING $48

Making New Wood Look Old {Hester Way}

Everybody wants the reclaimed barn wood look, but lets face it: who has the money to buy it? Now that it is the Bee's knees, it's expensive! On top of being expensive it isn't the safest type of wood to use in your little one's bedrooms and playrooms, so i figured out a way to make new wood look old. Yes it can be done. And it can be done cheaply. Nothing better than that!

First you need to understand the basics of staining, and it really is easy. Here is my video of how to stain a basic board. My son Winston wanted to help :)

Now that you have the basics down there are so many fun ways to make new wood look reclaimed. 

The great thing about reclaimed wood is that every piece is different, which makes our job even easier. 

Steps to reclaimed looking wood:

1. Sand the edges of the wood to make the boards look worn. I took this step a little further and sanded my edges uneven making them look even more worn. You can do this by applying different amounts of pressure along the sides. 

2. Grab your distress tool and go to town.  Pick any tool that has the ability to leave a mark on the wood. I personally like the marks that large screws leave on the board, but you can use metal picks, hammers, or barbwire. 

I placed a handful of large screws in a plastic bag and hit the bag against my boards several times until i got the look i was looking for. This part is both easy and a great stress reliever :)

3. Stain the board

4. Wipe away the excess stain with an old Cotton cloth

What you will need to get the reclaimed look:

• Interior Wood Stain (a little goes a long way) 
• Old or cheap paint brush 
• Plastic gloves (staining gets very messy)
• Old cotton cloth
• Sander 
• Your object of choice to distress (bag or screws, hammer, barbwire, chicken wire, metal picks etc.)

I used these basic steps to make my son's reclaimed wood wall in his bedroom. Here is the picture of my reclaimed wood wall inspiration. I love how the stained wood plays off the painted boards. To make every board have it's own personality was fun and it allowed me to play around with ideas for future projects. 

To get the really old reclaimed wood look i added 2 parts water to my bowl of stain. This dulled down the color of the stain and gave the board a whitewashed look. I personally love the way this turned out with my darker stain! 

The important thing I learned when working with stain is to not be afraid to play around. Play with colors. It never hurts to mix two stain colors that you like to get the perfect tone. Reclaimed is never perfect so don't strive for perfection. The less perfect it is, the better it is going to look. 

Reclaimed wood can look good in any room in your home. How are you going to use your faux reclaimed wood? 

Happy Staining!

Kasha 

Reclaimed Wood Wall

 Wood Panel Wall {Hester Way}

One of the first project I decided to take head on was my son's room. I contemplated what to do in his room for days. He has been growing into such a big boy and I wanted his room to represent his amazing personality but still be able to grow along with him. Of course his room still needed to stay soft and relaxing enough for the baby he still is. At least in my eyes!

 I finally knew what I wanted to do when I saw a picture of a wood panel wall on Pinterest. It would be the perfect contractual design element that I had been dreaming about this whole time. 

But the BIG questions were could I pull it off and could we afford it? The simple answer…..YES! Well thanks to the help of my dad who has 20+ years experience remodeling homes and building commercial buildings. Without his expertise and tools, I would not have been able to pull off a wall that looks as good as this! And of course I have to give a shout out to my sister for helping distract the little ones. A project this size takes lots of hands, tools, help, and patience.

Here is a list of supplies we used. The supplies you need might differ with your project depending on square footage:

Chop Saw -My dad brought his RIDGID10 in Sliding CompoundMiter Saw with Dual Laser Guide. This made cutting boards easy and fast. You can rent similar saws at your local Home DepotStud finder- We bought the Zircon Corporation e50 StudSensor for $19.97Hammer
Interior White paint
Wood – We used 5/8 in. x 5 ½ in x 6 ft Cedar Pickets. We had the lumberyard pre cut the wood into random sizes to make it easier for us. 15 boards cost us $215 and they cut it for free!Circular saw- We used the RIDGID 15- Amp 7-1/4 in. Circular saw $99.00. This made cutting the wood to fit the top of the wall easy.Tape Measure

Nail gun -We bought the new Ryobi One Plus 18-volt 2 in18-gauge cordless Brad Nailer for $149.99. This was an amazing buy and worked better than we thought it would. You can also rent a nail gun for your local Home Depot for around the same price

Nails for nail gun -We used Porter-Cable 2 in. x 18 gauge glued 5M Electro-Galvanized Steel Brand Nail—5000 pack -- $19.98

Pencil

Level

Interior Wood Finishing Stain

Interior Red paint

 After we bought the wood, I spent the next two weeks contemplating on how to stain the boards to make them look like old barn wood. I would do a board here and there with a different staining technique I had learned each time. It wasn’t until I was on my 6^th board that I realized if I continued at this pace it would take me a year, and we had a dead line. Winston’s room had to be finished before grandma came to visit. 

Anyway, I had decided to put up the stain and paint brushes and put the bare wood on the wall.

Before you nail the boards into the wall, it is important to use the stud finder to find the studs in the wall. Once you find the studs us the level and draw a line up the wall where the studs are. Believe me, this will make your life so much easier! The last think you want to do is have to search for the studs on every layer of boards.

Remember: Nail the boards directly into the studs (wood behind the drywall) and corners of the wall so they are secure and will not come loose.  I would not recommend using liquid nails! If by any chance you decide to take the wall down…it will be impossible with liquid nails. 

This is me showing the nail gun who is boss. lol. After the 5th layer i finally got the hang of it!

After the guidelines have been drawn on the wall its time to apply the boards. I recommend using 3-4 different size boards in each layer to get the old barn look. 

Even though the boards were pre-cut for us, we still had to cut the end pieces to fit the wall perfectly. My dad used his chop saw to get the job done accurately and fast. I would have helped him, but I have a fear of cutting my fingers off. :( 

My dad using his new toy to cut the boards 

Once the first layer of boards are up use the level to make sure the layer is level with the floorboards. Continue this process up the rest of the wall.

Remember: If the first layer is not level is will cause major problems when you get to the top of the wall.

Hint: make sure to measure twice and cut once. Also don't forget about using the level. We forgot to check if a few layers were level and had to take them down because they were so off. And believe me you don't want to take the boards off. It is a major pain in the butt!!!

 If you have electrical outlets on your wall like we did, they can be a totally pain in the butt! Thankfully I had my dad there to know exactly what to do. When we came up on the electrical outlets he measured the outlets and cut the boards to fit the outside of the outlet opening. We then screwed the electrical casing to the closest boards giving the electrical outlets a smooth finish on the wall. Please be careful when doing this…you are working with live wires.

Due to the nature of the wood the board pieces will not fit perfectly together. This is totally ok! It will make the wall look more natural and vintage if there are some odd spaced boards.

Hint: If you find there are overly large gaps in the spacing, use black paint fill in the space…you will not even be able to notice the space at a distance.

Once you get to the top of the wall measure the distance between the ceiling and the boards to ensure you will have boards that fit the opening. We were a little off at the top and had to hand cut the wood using a circular saw to make the boards fit.

This isn't the last layer, but this is the only picture i got before we were finished with the wall. 

You have the option to put edging around the wall or leave it unfinished. We opted to put the edging around the wall to make it look more finished. You can choose any edging you would like. We used ¾ “ round edging to finish our look. Here is how we applied the edging.

Here is the finished wall with the edging. We still have to finishes painting and staining the remainder of the boards. I was so happy that it turned out so good! 

By the time we were fully finished with the wall our backs were killing us and it was time for some relaxation and the Big Band Theory. 

The next day we strategically placed where the red and white painted boards would be placed. Now when I say strategically, I mean we used blue tap to mark random boards red and white. I only wanted a few on the wall and just wanted to space them randomly throughout the wall. To get that old barn look I whitewashed the board using the red paint I had left over from a previous project and the white paint that was left over from painting our trim.  Whitewashing is extremely easy! 

I honestly liked the way the boards looked on the wall without being stained, however it was not the look I was going for so I had to stain the remainder of the boards. I decided to use Minwax 1-Qt Oil-Based Ebony Wood Finish Interior Stain,  Minwax 1-Qt Oil Based Dark Walnut Wood Finish Interior Stain, and Minwax 1-Qt Oil Based Jacobean Wood Finish Interior Stain. I went with using three stains to give a mismatched look similar to reclaimed wood.

My tips for making new wood look old. 

Remember: When staining please make sure you are in a well vented area, uses a drop cloth if the boards are on the wall, and use cheap brushes. There is no need to use expensive brushes because the stain will ruin them.

 I can't wait to hear about your experiences! 

Kasha