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Our week in five

// ONE //

I wanted to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my blog posts and for all of your kind comments about the blog. It means the world to me that someone other than myself and Mr. L are actually reading what I write (and that Mr. L’s proof-reading efforts are worthwhile). I started writing this blog as a way to keep my wits about me after deciding to stay at home with the kids. When I was working as an attorney, I was on top of everything—I could whip out memos in minutes, navigate the internet like a pro, and use big words when I spoke to other people. I was going to write, “big words like ___ and ___,” but quite honestly, I can’t even remember what those words are. But the point is, I sounded (or at least felt like I sounded) smart.

I feel extremely blessed that I can stay home with Lamborghini and The Dot, especially this day and age when there are so many two-parent working families. We, like a lot of other families I know, make sacrifices so that I get to have this privilege, and I really do appreciate that I have the choice to stay home. But I must admit that while I go to bed every night and think about how thankful I am for each day I get to spend with my kids, my brain sometimes feels like it is shriveling up. I often struggle with how to reply to simple text messages or social media comments (see the blanks above) and I’m cringing internally when I try to have a conversation with someone and can’t express what I’m trying to say. Anyway, this writing project helps me feel a little bit like an adult every once in a while. Lol. Thanks again for the encouraging feedback. ♥

// TWO //

Now to discuss the most important day of Lamborghini’s week: Wednesday. Also known as the day Lamborghini got to ring as many doorbells as his heart desired.

Ringing doorbells on Halloween

Because that’s what Halloween is about, right? I really think he could have cared less about the costumes and candy. He would race to every door and frantically search for the doorbell. When people answered the door, he would inquire about whether their doorbell was broken, why they had two doorbells (one was a wireless doorbell at kid-height), and, in one case, he yelled, “Why don’t you have a doorbell?!” He’s already scoping out the doorbells he plans to ring next year.

Trick or treating

(Darned nighttime lighting!)

The funny thing is that The Dot got the memo about Halloween. She held onto her trick or treat bag like it contained the crown jewels, and she would NOT let anyone help her with it. I heard “Mo!” (her “no”) more times that night than I do when I ask her if she wants to go to bed. Since Halloween, she has decided that she does not care much for Skittles, but she does like Butterfinger bars, Reece’s Pieces, and M&Ms. So basically anything chocolate.

It poured rain all Halloween night, so the kids’ trick-or-treating only lasted for about an hour. But it was the perfect amount of time for us. The cardboard airplanes I made for them were a hit, although they were a bit cumbersome to walk around with in the rain. I think I’ll go a bit simpler next time.

And with another Halloween behind us, Lamborghini woke up from his nap on Thursday and stated matter-of-factly, “I want to eat my house.”

Eating Trader Joes chocolate haunted house

And eat it he did.

We are sad Halloween is over, but are looking forward to the next holiday . . . . and our next construction project:

Trader Joes Gingerbread Turkey Kit

// THREE //

Ok, so now that Lamborghini’s doorbell obsession is out of the bag, I have to mention his favorite toy. The wireless doorbell that we purchased off of Amazon. Unfortunately our exact brand is no longer available. This one is similar in case you are interested (photo links to Amazon product):

It works just like a regular doorbell, but it’s battery-operated. Plus it comes with thirty-six melodies to choose from in case you don’t want the standard “ding-dong” noise. Lamborghini is partial to the can-can song. Yup—the tune to which the line of cabaret ladies (and now Lamborghini) kick up their legs. Mr. L and I can tolerate it up to about twenty “rings,” but then we insist he either hand over the doorbell for us to destroy or move on to another song. Although I sometimes lament the day I gave him the doorbell, I love how much he loves using it. I’m mentioning it here because it would be a good quick-fix for anyone whose doorbell is broken. There are more of you out there than you would think! Believe me, we know.

// FOUR //

It cracks me up that I am snuggled up in a blanket right now and wearing long sleeves when this is what we did earlier this week:

Splash pad fun

As you can tell by the fact that both kids are fully clothed, we had an unplanned stop at the splash pad before it closed for the season. We would do this almost every other day during the summer, so the kids naturally expected a splash pad day even though it was 85 degrees outside.

They had tons of fun. Lamborghini likes to pretend he is a race car (imagine that) that changes colors when he runs through the water. The Dot doesn’t appear to have a specific purpose in mind, but she sure does like the water. I had to pull the plug on the fun when I noticed The Dot stopping every minute or so, shaking uncontrollably, and then running around screaming with joy. Luckily it was a sunny day, so they warmed up on the walk home. And they took a GREAT nap that afternoon.

// FIVE //

Oh! And to continue with the door/doorbell theme, my mom sent me an interesting article titled “A Simple Trick to Make Your Home Worth $6,000 More.” Apparently Zillow conducted a study of homes that sold across the US and determined that homes with black or charcoal-gray doors sold on average $6,271 more than homes with traditional wooden doors. Who knew?

 

Painted black back door

So the photo above is actually a photo of my back door, which I painted black earlier this year. I WISH I had a photo of my black front door, but I don’t have a black front door! I really really wanted to paint my front door black when I refinished it in the spring, but I decided to keep it the mahogany color by coating the wood with spar urethane. It was an awful project that I didn’t even bother to document because I was so frustrated the entire time. Maybe I’ll paint the door black the next time it starts to look dingy. But our doorbell is working!


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🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I 🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I didn’t decorate for Easter this year because the house is in shambles and I can’t imagine adding more things to the chaos (new baby and teething toddler are a tricky combination). However, I did manage to put together a small bunnyscape on our kitchen table. Looking forward to Easter brunch with the family tomorrow ❤️🐰

#easterbrunch #easterbreakfast #tablesetting #easter #easterdecor #eastertablescape #eastertable #eastertabledecor #tablescape #tablescapestyling #bunnies #herecomespetercottontail #familytime #springtablescape #springtabledecor #springtable #entertainingathome #neutralstyle #neutraldecor #neutralhome #carrotcake #mywoodlandslifeblog
Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Texas. Sixty-four degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The kids went to the park, had a “hot dog fire” outside for lunch, and are playing in the backyard this afternoon. I stayed up late last night finishing up a blog post on one of my favorite projects: my Serena and Lily inspired modern coastal coffee table. We took an inexpensive Ikea Lack coffee table and wrapped it in textured vinyl peel and stick wallpaper to get a designer look for less. Check out the link to my blog in my bio for step by step instructions and sources.

#springisintheair #firstdayofspring #blueandwhite #coastaldecor #moderncoastal #mytradhome #ikeahack #ikeahacks #ikealovers #ikeaideas #topiary #coffeetable #coffeetabledecor #coffeetableideas #grasscloth #grassclothwallpaper #removablewallpaper #lightandbright #chinoiserie #chinoiseriechicstyle #blueandwhitedecor #classicdesign #diydecor #diyprojects #mywoodlandslifeblog
Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Amazingly this was one of the easiest DIY projects I’ve done, and I loved the immediate results. Plus you can’t beat the Amazon price on removable wallpaper. Click the link in my profile for sources. 

#stpatricksday #wallpaper #peelandstickwallpaper #removablewallpaper #myhome #myhomevibe #myhomestyle #mytradhome #greenandwhite #homedecor #diywalldecor #diyprojects #diyhomedecor #wallpaperwednesday #amazonfinds #herringbone #brightasthetic #brightgreen #wallpaperdecor #diy
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About me

Hi! I'm Lauren. Welcome to my blog, where I write about DIY projects, home decor, and decorating on a budget. With 3 kids under the age of 5, my house not always as neat in real life as it looks on the blog, but I find a way to embrace (and organize) the chaos.

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INSTAGRAM FEED

🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I 🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I didn’t decorate for Easter this year because the house is in shambles and I can’t imagine adding more things to the chaos (new baby and teething toddler are a tricky combination). However, I did manage to put together a small bunnyscape on our kitchen table. Looking forward to Easter brunch with the family tomorrow ❤️🐰

#easterbrunch #easterbreakfast #tablesetting #easter #easterdecor #eastertablescape #eastertable #eastertabledecor #tablescape #tablescapestyling #bunnies #herecomespetercottontail #familytime #springtablescape #springtabledecor #springtable #entertainingathome #neutralstyle #neutraldecor #neutralhome #carrotcake #mywoodlandslifeblog
Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Texas. Sixty-four degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The kids went to the park, had a “hot dog fire” outside for lunch, and are playing in the backyard this afternoon. I stayed up late last night finishing up a blog post on one of my favorite projects: my Serena and Lily inspired modern coastal coffee table. We took an inexpensive Ikea Lack coffee table and wrapped it in textured vinyl peel and stick wallpaper to get a designer look for less. Check out the link to my blog in my bio for step by step instructions and sources.

#springisintheair #firstdayofspring #blueandwhite #coastaldecor #moderncoastal #mytradhome #ikeahack #ikeahacks #ikealovers #ikeaideas #topiary #coffeetable #coffeetabledecor #coffeetableideas #grasscloth #grassclothwallpaper #removablewallpaper #lightandbright #chinoiserie #chinoiseriechicstyle #blueandwhitedecor #classicdesign #diydecor #diyprojects #mywoodlandslifeblog
Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Amazingly this was one of the easiest DIY projects I’ve done, and I loved the immediate results. Plus you can’t beat the Amazon price on removable wallpaper. Click the link in my profile for sources. 

#stpatricksday #wallpaper #peelandstickwallpaper #removablewallpaper #myhome #myhomevibe #myhomestyle #mytradhome #greenandwhite #homedecor #diywalldecor #diyprojects #diyhomedecor #wallpaperwednesday #amazonfinds #herringbone #brightasthetic #brightgreen #wallpaperdecor #diy
So very excited about St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow So very excited about St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!! We have a well-stocked supply of green food coloring and drinks. Plus I have a lineup of activities for the kiddos that I think they will enjoy. The kids and I made this St. Patrick’s Day themed snack board a few weeks ago as a test run for the blog, and I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out. Totally tricked the kids into trying cauliflower (they were not fans). But they ate everything else. Cookies first of course 🍀. 

#stpatricksday #stpattysday #stpatrick #snacks #snackideas #snacktime #snacksforkids #healthysnacks #healthysnackideas #fruitandveggies #charcuterieboard #holdthemeat #shamrock #rainbowfood #partyideas #appetizers #foodart #stpatricksdayfood #stpatricksdaydecor #fruittray #veggietray
Playing a bit of catchup on Instagram this week an Playing a bit of catchup on Instagram this week and realized I never shared how my daughter's purple bedroom turned out. While it pained me to paint over her blush flower wall, her love for purple won me over. She is thrilled with the final result and is so excited to have her big girl room just the way she wants it. All the details are on the blog (just click the link under my profile to go check out the post). #purplebedroom #nomorepink #purplebedding #bedroomdecor #purpledecor #popofpurple #catart #homedecorlove #bedroomrefresh #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #kidsroomdecor #kidsroominspo #girlsroom #kidsfurniture #toddlerroom #purpleroom #benjaminmoore #lavendarice #mywoodlandslifeblog
When I made this flower arrangement a few weeks ag When I made this flower arrangement a few weeks ago, little did I know that all of the camelias would freeze. I'm thankful to have this winter storm behind us. We lost power for 12 hours and luckily do not have any damage to our pipes. But I know a lot of people who were without power and water for days. Praying for Texas's speedy recovery and so very grateful for all of the linemen and other field personnel who worked tirelessly to restore power.⁣
⁣
#prayfortexas #staysafe #flowerarrangement #flowerpic #blueandwhite #diyhomedecor #entrywaydecor #camelia #pinkandblue #flowerlove #flowerpop #flowersofinstagram #chinoiserie #gingerjar #chinoiseriechic #palmbeachstyle #readyforspring #springinspo #springinthesouth #touchofpink #springflowers #traditionalhome #mywoodlandslifeblog
Now that 2021 has officially begun, I’m starting Now that 2021 has officially begun, I’m starting off the week with fresh linen. Have downsized decorative pillows to three, which makes the husband happy. Drawback to bedding refresh: getting out of cozy bed every morning is a challenge. 

#whitebedding #whitebedroom #neutralbedroomdecor #newyearnewbedding #dontwanttogetup #mypotterybarn #pickstitch #serenaandlily #percaleduvet #diyeurosham #whiteandbright #bedroomrefresh #beddingdecor #beddinginspo #homedecor #brightbedroom #mywoodlandslifeblog
Just finished putting together our mini holiday ho Just finished putting together our mini holiday home tour on the blog and realized that while Christmas is almost here, it is almost over too. I will miss all of the ornaments and reindeer and excuses to eat Christmas cookies. I’m looking forward to spending the next few days with family and especially with the kids. I’m also looking forward to 2021 and am hoping it brings some peace and resolution to this confusing year. I hope too that everyone has a safe and joyful holiday and a Happy New Year. 

#merrychristmas #happyholidays #christmasishere #enjoythemoment #holidayhomedecor #vibrantchristmas #blueandwhite #flocked #christmaslivingroomdecor #mywoodlandslifeblog
What’s for Christmas dinner? I have no idea, but What’s for Christmas dinner? I have no idea, but we will have a cute table setting 😂. I made these pink, green and red charger plates out of $2 plastic chargers from Hobby Lobby and acrylic paint. Check out today’s blog post for more detailed sources/instructions. I’ve also uploaded a step-by-step to my story highlights. 

#christmastablesetting #christmastabledecor #diychargerplates #diycharger #handpaintedchargerplate #christmaschargerplates #pinkandgreenchristmas #worldmarketlinens #holidaycharger #holidaytable #holidaytablesetting #agapanthus #hollyberries #decoratefortheseason #merryandbright #pinkchristmas #mywoodlandslifeblog
I made these little Santa cookies today to go with I made these little Santa cookies today to go with the trees and couldn’t be happier with how they turned out. Packaging them all up with some #traderjoes chocolate covered pretzels to deliver to the neighbors as Christmas goodies. 

Cookie cutters and design inspiration from @hol_fox 
She has the cutest Etsy account with such clever cookie ideas. 

#christmascookies #royalicingdecoratedcookies #santacookies #neighborgiftideas #diyholidaycookies #cutoutcookies #holidaycookies #sugarcookiesfromscratch #hollyfox #christmasgiftidea
A few years ago, I made these piped Christmas pill A few years ago, I made these piped Christmas pillows for our master bed. Well the husband won the pillow battle, and I will humbly admit that having 11 pillows on the bed is a bit much. I think the pillows look cuter on the couch anyway.

#plaidchristmasdecor #plaidpillows #stewarttartanplaid #diypillowcovers  #howmanypillowsistoomany #neutralholidaydecor #redandgreenandwhite #whitecouch #diychristmaspillows #pipedpillows #livingroomdetails #christmasdetails
Tree confession: Not only does our tree have the p Tree confession: Not only does our tree have the party in the front, naked in the back thing going on, it’s also rocking the high water look. The baby (now toddler) keeps absconding with the lower ornaments. Plus our three and five-year-old wanted to show us how tall they are by putting the ornaments as high as they could reach. So we have some nice ornament clumps at arm’s length 😂. Wouldn’t have it any other way though! 

#christmastreedecorating #christmastrees #silverandgoldchristmastree #neutralchristmasdecor #christmaswithtoddlersismagical #treesofinstagram #christmastrees #christmastreedecoration #homedecor #neutralstyle #stockings #boxwoodwreath #mywoodlandslifeblog
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