Category: Family

Renovation Reality & Pinterest Dreams

As most of you know we moved into our new home about a month ago.  So far we are loving it!  We knew we wanted to stay in a certain area and stuck to our guns when it came to that and I’m so glad we did.  We did look outside of this area, but we kept coming back and hoping and praying something would turn up in our desired location.

Connor got to trick-or-treat in our new neighborhood last night 🙂

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We moved into an apartment during the summer of 2015, only to renew the lease two more times.  It was over a year long process of searching in DFW for the perfect home. To be honest I thought we would never find our home.

I truly believe we found the perfect place thanks to a lot of hard work and a great team!

We have done some renovation projects to our new house, and we still have a lot more we’d like to do.  That’s the thing about houses…it never really ends!  We painted the kitchen and living room a bright white and it made such a difference.  We made changes that included paint, lighting, fireplace, and a few other cosmetic details.

Living room BEFORE:

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Living room AFTER:

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I’ll share more with you on all the changes we made in another blog post.  Today I want to talk to you about home equity.  Although we’ve made some major improvements in our new home we do have a “wish list” that we still want to tackle in the future.  That list includes the bathrooms and maybe a mud room some day.  We’d like to put a barn door where the laundry room is.  It’s so fun to dream up how you envision your home in the years to come.

Capital One has some great home equity tools on their website.  If you are thinking of a remodel, but don’t know where to start I encourage you to take a look.  I’ve never been happier than investing in a home we know we are going to be in years to come.  It’s money well spent and I can’t wait to make all the memories and future visions come true.

Whether you’re remodeling your home or consolidating debt, Capital One is here to help with simply smarter tools that help you choose the right option for your situation. I know by using the right tools and having a plan we can save to make those dreams come to life.

By visiting capitalone.com/home-equity you can get a customized rate offer, an estimated loan amount, and even begin the application process.  There are no fees and no impact to your credit score either.  So when we are ready to replace those sea shell sinks in the bathroom we can start the process right away.13958064_840856172681733_2915495672524413337_o

The DFW area is booming right now, I can tell you that because it took us over a year and almost 30 STRONG offers on homes to figure that out.  It’s a battlefield out there y’all.  Be prepared to bring your A-game.  

Check out these Dallas Fort-Worth Survey Results:

  • The DFW real estate market is thriving. And with higher home prices and smaller supply available on the market, 58 percent of homeowners in DFW anticipate home improvement expenses in the next two years.
  • As DFW residents plan ahead for these projects, only 25 percent have taken out a home equity line of credit previously and nearly seven in ten (68 percent) admit to facing obstacles in obtaining a loan.
  • When asked to identify these specific challenges, 33 percent of respondents cited the amount of paperwork needed and 29 percent indicated not knowing exactly where they stood in the application process.
  • With these obstacles in mind and as residents go through the process for the first time, Capital One is here to help with simply smarter tools that empower DFW residents to take charge with the support they need on their own terms.

If you are in the market right now, or just want to make your Pinterest dreams come true, don’t forget to check Capital One.  You can see how much equity you have to play with right away & make your dreams a reality.

Here’s to many more memories to come…

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

School Halloween Treats

I always like getting crafty when it comes to Connor’s school holidays.  This was the easiest treat….

 

Just get a bag of Sixlets at your local grocery store.  You can use the free spider printable below.  (Just click on it to make it bigger, then right click and save to your desktop)

We have the cutest little spiders 🙂
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Just glue or tape to the back of the spider’s face.  I used cardstock so the paper was a bit heavier.  Have fun and happy Halloweeeeeeeen!spider-2

 

Life Update…Fa La La La FALL!

I’m already seeing the glimmer of Christmas bulbs in Target people!  You know if Target has it then it must be true….I mean you can’t trust Hobby Lobby or Michaels because it’s basically Christmas 24 hours a day/ 365 at those joints.

Like seriously I’m so anxious to decorate this house because I have more Christmas decorations that I actually have regular decorations so it sort of makes my house look shall we say….”decorated“???

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This week begins my very favorite Christmas shopping event in DFW Christmas in Cowtown 🙂

Check out our past shopping adventures HERE.

Update on the house…well, we had to buy a pool pump and my washing machine broke along with a thousand other things that need to get done, but that’s okay we have a lifetime right?  I’m not going to sell a kidney just yet.

Check out our entry way.  Gone is the tuscan Olive Garden feel and welcome sleek and modern clean walls and lighting from Savoy House.

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At least all the messy stuff is over and we can relax a bit.  I’ve been getting into Snapchat lately: Username: thejavamama

Connor has been having a lot of fun playing soccer again.  We are about to start boy scouts too!

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I did the prettiest engagement shoot for my friend Kelly’s daughter.  The Dallas Arboretum is so gorgeous this time of year and they have pumpkins EVERYWHERE!
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Aren’t they the cutest???

Well, that’s about it besides the daily routine of school and work.  I’m loving the new show “This is Us”.  If you haven’t watched it….DO IT.  My parents are coming in for a visit in the next couple of weeks and I can’t wait!  For the daily you can find me on Instagram 🙂

xo Becky

It’s Fall & All

I can’t believe we are already into October.  I mean we have like 80 something days until CHRISTMAS!  If you ask anyone and everyone that knows me Christmas time is my absolute favorite ever!  When I was pregnant with Connor the very first thing we bought for our new home was a Christmas tree because Terence knew how important that was to me 🙂  I’m so excited to put up our tree this year…it may be the only thing in our dining room right now, but that is perfectly fine with me.

We went really bold on this color.  New lighting to come soon!

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Oh the joys of moving into a new home….so far our washing machine has broken, the pool pump broke, and we’ve also spent a ton of money updating the house.  But, hoping we will be here for the long haul and all this will be worth it.  I absolutely LOVE our neighborhood and everyone is so friendly.  Connor’s school is only a few streets away….I mean God knew y’all.  He really did.  Why do I question Him so much?

Speaking of school….Toyota sent us back to school in strait up style.

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All the room for all the THINGS!  Connor started soccer again…so we are hauling chairs, soccer balls, school stuff.
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Seat bun warmers and coolers…yes ma’am!DSC_5412 DSC_5408

I like to be in charge of everything.  And I am with all the buttons and the nice little shelf for my phone.  I meeeeaaaan….I have officially decided my next car is an SUV.  DSC_5411

I can’t believe he’s in first grade.  My baby…he’s growing up so fast.  I need another one before I turn into an infertile myrtle.  Waaaahhhh!DSC_4519

Yep, lots of changes going on and YES– I am behind on just about everything in life right now.

We get to do so many fun things as bloggers and social media divas.  I just love the community of women I’ve met.  Over the last 10 years a lot has changed, but the one thing that will never change is my love of writing and reading.  I did say 10 years because my little blog here is TEN YEARS OLD this year!  What????

I can’t believe it.  Time flies.  Enjoy every second.  Reflect, love, learn, grow, reap, sew, and for the love of blogging and pen and paper WRITE IT DOWN.  Because some day when you are old and senile you will want to remember all the little bitty things in life you forgot.

Maybe one day my grandkids could read this blog?  Gulp.

Anyways…that’s a ways off….until then coffee cats 🙂

*House updates to come soon!

It’s Football Time with KING’S HAWAIIAN! #GameTimeGrilling

This blog post was sponsored by KING’S HAWAIIAN® but the opinions are all my own.

It’s FOOTBALL time y’all!  We are big TCU fans in our house.  Of course I am torn between two families…my family in Arkansas are big Razorback fans, and my husband went to TCU.  Arkansas just played TCU and lost…. 🙁

There’s nothing like a fall weekend with friends and family eating good food and watching football.  It’s the obligatory thing to do on the weekends am I right?

So, we love our football…but we also love good FOOD!  Last weekend the boys were watching the game and I headed to HEB to make some yummy ham & cheese sliders.  This is definitely one of my go-to recipes for football and party food!hawaain

KING’S HAWAIIAN® rolls are great for lots of sandwiches, but this is our favorite!

HAM AND CHEESE MELTS:

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You can choose the original or go a little spicy with the Jalapeno rolls
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Cut the entire package in halfdsc_5509

Layer with ham

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Top with cheese 🙂

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Put the tops back on the KING’S HAWAIIAN® rollsdsc_5517

Spread the butter/mustard/poppy seed mixture on top!dsc_5519

And ENJOY like my precious boys here 🙂  They love watching football together…it gets a bit loud in there I must say!  Ha ha!
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KING’S HAWAIIAN® also has a fab new line of grilling sauces & we LOOOOVE to grill while the weather is still nice outside.  Here is my hubby cooking up some yumminess on the grill!  That’s the KING’S HAWAIIAN® Kona Coffee BBQ sauce!07042010-25

We try to cook at home during the week to help save and prepare our meals in advance.  These sauces make preparation easy and simple!

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Also, I was browsing in the Food Network Magazine this weekend and LOOK!!!  These cute little “spooky sliders” using KING’S HAWAIIAN® rolls are so adorable!  See recipes below:

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Happy Football season from our little Horned Frog to yours!

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RECIPE:

HAWAIIAN HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup melted Butter
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
  • 2 tsp Dried Minced Onion
  • 12 King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
  • 9 oz thin sliced Deli Ham
  • 8 oz thin sliced Swiss Cheese

DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Combine butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, poppy seeds, and dried onion.
  • Slice the rolls to make sandwiches. Remove tops and set aside.
  • Place the bottom pieces into the prepared baking dish.
  • Layer the ham onto the rolls.
  • Top the ham with the Swiss cheese.
  • Place the tops of the rolls onto the sandwiches.
  • Brush or pour the liquid mixture evenly over the rolls.
  • Bake 20 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned and cheese has melted.
  • Separate into individual sandwiches to serve.

 

Fall into a Good Routine with ProNamel® for Kids

The ProNamel® brand has compensated me in connection with statements made in this post.

It’s time for back to school and making sure your kiddos are in tip-top shape this year! Bring on the back to school shopping, the school supplies, and yearly physicals.   I’ve talked with you all before how important taking care of your child’s teeth is.  In my opinion it’s just as important as a well check-up.  A healthy mouth can help your child’s overall immune system and prevent infections in the future.

I was at Connor’s class visiting one day and I was astonished as I sat there and saw so many kids with fingers in their MOUTHS!  Ugh…

I know we can’t be there to remind them 24/7 not to stick their hands in their mouth & tell them how nasty it is, but we can instill good dental hygiene to help prevent germs and bacteria from growing.

ProNamel® 6-12 Years Toothpaste for Kids is the toothpaste we use and it works great to keep Connor’s teeth healthy!  Tooth enamel is precious and needs to be protected, starting at an early age. Acid Erosion compromises the strength of enamel. This is where ProNamel® 6-12 Years Toothpaste for Kids comes in. ProNamel® for Kids actively strengthens enamel and protects against everyday acids and cavities. I work for a Dental office and our Doctor also recommends ProNamel® to our patients.

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It’s never too early or too LATE to start good oral hygiene habits in your kids.

We try to make brushing our teeth fun and we also tell Connor how important it is to keep his teeth healthy.  Now that he’s getting his permanent teeth in he knows he’ll only get one set of those.  It’s important to take care of your smile, because it’s the only one you’re going to get 🙂

We have another tooth on the loose!  Ha ha!

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Here are some tips to make brushing fun for your kids:

  • Let them pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste, they have an opinion too!  Toothbrushes come in so many fun styles these days- some have lights and even music!
  • Show them how to brush their teeth in a routine way.  Side to side, back to front.
  • Try rhyming or music to make brushing teeth fun.
  • Tell them how sparkly and pretty their teeth look when they are done.  It helps build self esteem.

As you get ready for back to school, send your child out there with confidence.  A bright smile can go a long way.  Education is key and having the right tools and great products help make this Mom’s life a lot easier.

 

COUPONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

Follow along for all the latest on ProNamel® for Kids on Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Home Remodeling…and other Stuff

So, let’s play catch up shall we?  A lot has been going on and I want to remember these things when I’m an old gray mare….so I shall blog about them 🙂

We closed on our house!!!  Whoop!  Whoop!  It only took almost a year and a half, but it was worth the wait 🙂  The market here in DFW is crazy, so we feel like we won the house jackpot and the best part is Connor still gets to stay at his wonderful schools.

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We found a new ice cream place that freezes the ice cream on a hibachi type slab and rolls them up.  It was fun to watch and Connor loved it!14206046_856553344445349_8222023181738132229_o

My first friend in the new house, my bff Kelly 🙂  (Ignore the plastic EVERYWHERE!)14207821_857193031048047_7843104448549306073_o

This was one of the funniest things I read all week.  It’s sad but true, our generation has lost all sense of conversationalism.  Something I truly enjoy, but am also guilty of being on my phone.  If I’m alone, almost always on my phone…it’s a serious crutch.raqj636g9e69

We’ve got a bunch of remodeling going on at the new house and we are super excited to get moved in.  It will be fun to share all the details with everyone as we go through the design process.

Here’s an example of what we are trying to do right now:

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And the chaos that ensues:

The entry way already looks a ton better with the faux brick gone.  We are getting all new lighting from Savoy House.  Lighting makes SUCH a big difference!  I can’t wait to show you all the after photos!

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Connor had his first swim in the new pool.  I posted some videos and things as we go through the remodel process on Facebook and Instagram if you want to follow!

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All the wood will be painted white.

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The kitchen currently…

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The dining room will be a very pretty dark grey from floor to ceiling.  The color we chose is called “Peppercorn” from Sherwin Williams.  We are changing out all the lighting to fit more to our liking.  The former homeowners had a more “Tuscan” style.DSC_5485

Connor playing Legos in my new office.  I’m so excited about this space!  I really want a chalkboard wall…DSC_5491

The hall bathroom

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Anyway, so that’s a bit of what has been going on.  We are so thankful that God has provided us with the perfect home after a long year of searching!  So so thankful.  Connor boy started soccer again and seems to be enjoying the first grade.  Except he brought home a book about snakes this week and I can hardly stand to open it!  Yuck!

I’ll be attending the Megaphone conference next week and I’ll be sure to document all that fun too!  I can’t wait to hang out with all my Arkansas peeps and one of my favorite bloggy friends Michelle 🙂  Yippee!

So, yeah a lot going on and some days I feel like this…but you know what it’s FALL and I’m ready to scarf it up and throw on some boots!

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Hang in there…the best is yet to come!

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