Sometimes

Sometimes Aidan crawls out of his bed in the middle of his night {also known as the start of ours} and comes in to our room and says he is scared.   I am pretty sure this is all a big fib because when you ask him "what of" he looks at you kind of crazy like he just heard somewhere that's what you should say when you want to get out of your bed in the middle of the night.  

But being the softees that we are, we milk it and let him climb in to bed for a while and he eventually falls off in to a deep sleep and all feels right in our worlds.  He's no longer scared of nothing and we are no longer wishing he could just sleep in our bed forever. 

You Can DIY too!!

I have been hard at work these days trying to knock out some DIY/Craft projects around the house.  Most of them being things I have seen in catalogs or online that I want but don't love the price tag.  You wouldn't believe how much money you can save finding ways to do these things yourself.   I've spent years now trying to find ways to get the "Pottery Barn" look without the price tag.  Every time that catalog graces my mailbox I start tearing out pages of things I want but don't want to pay the crazy price for {and honestly, I give in once in a while}.  Now, I am still tearing out pages, I'm just finding my owns ways to create the Pottery Barn look.    I have a feeling now that I'm on a roll, I won't stop there.  Items from  Ballard Designs and the other online boutiques I frequent will be making there way in to our home in a new DIY form.  I'll try my best to keep up the tutorials so you can DIY too!!!



I really have wanted to find some wall decor that designates our dining area from our living area since we took the wall down between the two rooms.  You know so my husband know he has to eat in the dining room.  I like the idea of these canvases from Pottery Barn but the size was a little much for my space and the color was basically the same as our paint color so I decided I would put my own spin on them.   And I decided I wanted to do it for less than $20.

Here's what you'll need.  Three canvases.  Any size you want.  I had two packs of canvases in my attic that I used. 

Fabric to cover your canvases.  I used black burlap from Hobby Lobby. I bought a yard and a half and it was on sale 50% off so I paid less than $5.  Fabric paint. I used white.  A glue gun.  Something transparent to make stencils with. I used contact paper I bought to make paper xmas ornaments with Aidan for his grandparents.  Tracing paper will work.  An Xacto knife.  A pencil.  Paint brush.  Ribbon of your choice to hang canvases.

First thing you want to do is cover your canvases with your fabric using your glue gun and gluing the fabric to the edges of your canvas.  Using burlap was a pain in the bum. I'm not even going to lie.  It pulls all over the place because the weave is so loose.

Next I used Google images to find a picture of a fork, knife and spoon.  I saved them to my computer and then opened them in my photo editing software so I could zoom them in and used my computer as a light box and traced them on to the contact paper.  I then took my Xacto knife and cut out the fork, knife and spoon.  The pieces of contact paper are now stencils and you should have these left over.

I eyeballed the center of each canvas and taped the stencil on to the fabric.  I then took a rough paint brush and painted away from the edges of the stencil to try and prevent bleeding {it worked!} I lifted the stencils and used my paint brush to add some paint to some of the areas that were lighter than others.  I did not want the fork, knife or spoon to be completely filled in because I wanted them to look a little worn.  This is what they looked like when I was finished! Not too shabby.

 I really thought I would want to use a green silk ribbon to hang these but with my new Crate and Barrel china cabinet being red, I didn't want anyone to think it looked like Christmas year round.  So I chose this gun metal colored ribbon and I ended up loving it.  I just cut three pieces 2 ft long, tied a bow in the middle, centered them and hot glued them to the back of the canvas {on the frame}.

I hung them on a nail to show them to you but they will be hung on a wall in our dining room as soon as I can get the time to take down the family photos that are there, patch those holes and hang these.

 I think for the price and the amount of time they took me to make {barely two hours} they are perfect and I can't wait to get them

hung in their proper home.

COMING UP....

{a little sneak peek, can you guess what this is going to be}

I am linking up to the DIY Show Off Today!

Picture Day

Recently Aidan had picture day at school.  He looked so handsome.  Some of the parents really dress their kids up!  They take the pics on the playground so I thought he looked perfect.

Standing at the door waiting to leave for school. 

 Refusing to smile to spite all my picture taking.

 Cutie McCuterson

 Goofing off with Daddy.

Blue Button Down Shirt-Gap Kids

Jeans-Gap Kids

Navy Vest-Gymboree



Dear Computer Gods,

Please, please, please have mercy on my little Toshiba baby.  I have been so good to her.  What did I do to deserve this?  Better yet, what can I do to prevent it in the future?  I've done everything right. I keep up my Spyware subscription, I do bi weekly disc sweeps {I think that's what they are called} to clear up unused space.  I  let her sleep on top of my pjs in the basket beneath my bed.  I  use the spray stuff that can freeze off your fingers to keep the junk between her keys to a minimum. 

Luckily, out of the blue I started to copy all of our photos on to discs recently.  I had no idea this was coming.  I didn't get them all and that makes me so sick to my stomach.  It  brings tears to my eyes.  I never was one to delete my photos from camera until I thought I was on the right track to backing up and BOOM she just decided she doesn't want to load up on Wednesday.   What could I have done wrong?  Could you have warned me?  Thank you for giving me the time to get the video of Aidan's first steps. 

She's not that old.  I remember the day I first opened that box and she gleamed that metallic silver and the screen was so fresh and clean.   I have recorded so much of my life on that computer.  The keys that spell out LOVE have the most wear.  Can you please try to bring her back to life?  I  have left her with the best computer doctors money can buy. Even though it means I will have to give up the fall shopping spree I have been putting money aside for.   My husband says he will just buy me a new one but do you know the emptiness I feel thinking about all of my favorites being gone, my pictures being lost, the way I arranged my icons perfectly on my home screen.  The flawless picture I took of Aidan when I first got my new camera is gracing my home screen.   Ugh the thought is almost unbearable.  Oh Dear God, my iTunes.  I just remembered you.  I'm sick now.

Please Computer Gods, have mercy on me and my laptop.  I'll buy her a spiffy new padded case if you spare her.  I won't download anything I don't REALLY need ever again.  I will back up everything.  Every last thing.  And lastly,  I will prevent Aidan from dropping her that one time and breaking the plastic around where I plug her in.  You remembered that, I didn't want you to think I forgot. 

Thanks and love,
April Harvey

Thankful Thursday!!!

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are one of my favorite times of the year.  Mostly because it brings my family together and it reminds me of all I have to be THANKFUL for!!!  I have enjoyed my little Thankful Thursdays posts because they give me the opportunity to share with all of you what I am most Thankful for this time of the year.

Today I have to start by saying I am extremely THANKFUL for my mom, because when my computer crashed today, she let me come over and use hers so that I could get this post done!

I am THANKFUL for my family.  Family is there when all else fails.  We have been going through some heart wrenching trials of life around here and it always feels so good to know that at the end of the day when everything thing else goes wrong, you have your family. 

I am THANKFUL for Adam's job.  Everyday we turn on the news and we hear about unemployment rates and we talk to people who have tirelessly been trying to find jobs to support their families to no avail.   To know that for now Adam is safe in his job is such a blessing and we are so THANKFUL.

I am THANKFUL for this blog.  I think it has made be a better person.  I have read so many different stories and it has opened my heart to so many things.   I've read things that have caused me to cry tears of joy and tears of sorrow but all in all it's been the most rewarding experience.   I love taking the time to share a little bit of myself with the world and even get a little bit back in return.

On that note, I am THANKFUL for all my readers.  The few of you out there.  You keep me encouraged to keep it going.  It always seems that on the days like I feel there is nothing more to tell you, I get the sweetest email or comment just checking in on us.  Thank you.

I hope to be THANKFUL for the computer guru who is going to attempt to bring my sweet computer back to life tomorrow.   When you spend as much time on a machine as I have on that thing, you start to feel like you owe it something.   A trip to the dumpster is not what I had in mind.  Really I will be happy if they can salvage the last three years of pictures that I did not back up. 

I am always, always THANKFUL for Aidan. I read blogs written by women who's arms hurt to hold a child and I have a most precious one. He makes me laugh until it hurts and he loves me like no other. Just when I think I am doing all the teaching he turns around and shows me something I never knew.


Last, but never least, I am THANKFUL for my hubby.  He thinks I am crazy for driving ten minutes in the pouring rain to get this post done but he loves me none the less. Every day, all day, no matter what!


So that's it for me this week!  I really do hope someone surprises me and joins in on the Thankful Thursday posts!!!!  And I really hope this McLinky works because it's my first time ever using it!

My Greek Pizza Recipe

I have never claimed to be a good cook but once in a while I make something good.   I think anyways.  Most everything I cook is super simple.  I wish I read more blogs with quick, tasty recipes.   So, I thought I would share this one with you.   I'm not very techinical so bear with me. 

Greek Pizza

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 Roma Tomato

1 Cucumber

1 Red Onion

Kalamata Olives

Feta Cheese

2% Mozarella Cheese

Tzatziki Sauce (cucumber sauce)

 Balsamic Vinagrette

Step 1

Set your dough out 20 minutes before you want to use it. That way it will be easier to roll out. 

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.  

Flour your pizza stone (or an area on your counterop and then transfer pizza to pan)

Roll out your dough. I am the world's worst dough roller.  My pizzas are always lop sided.

Step 2

Instead of using standard pizza sauce, you are going to use your Tzatziki Sauce.  I get mine at Trader Joe's and it's really good.

I use a spoon to spread mine and it works really well. Make sure you leave space near the sides for your crust area.

Step 3

Layer your mozarella over the Tzatziki sauce. I use a thin layer but it's up to you how much cheese you want to use.  Pop the pizza in the oven at 350 degrees.  I would say it takes about 20 minutes. I would just check on it to make sure it's not burning.

 Step 4,5,6

Chop your tomato, cucumber and red onion into small cubes.   This is where you would also cut up your Kalamata Olives I just wasn't in the mood for them the other night.

Toss it lightly in Balsamic Vinagrette. I love the Maple Groves Farm Fat Free. 

 add as much or as little Feta cheese as you want. I add about an 1/8 of a cup. 

Step 7

Once the pizza is done, remove it from the oven and spoon your veggies and feta over the top.  I usually let mine cool for just a few minutes and then add the topping.  That way the feta melts a little.  Mmmm.

Step 8

Drizzle Tzatziki over the top!!!

Step 9

Cut and Serve!!!

Seriously it is soooo good.   Make it and tell me how much you loved it!!!  

Adam and Aidan weren't in the mood for Greek Pizza so they just made cheese and pepperoni.  Doesn't this look good too??



If you have any questions feel free to email me!

Thankful Thursdays

Last year I did a little segment here on the blog I called "Thankful Thursdays".   I thought it would be fun to do it this year for the three weeks leading up until Thanksgiving and add a linky thing {I will have to figure that out} so my blog friends {the few of you} could join in.   I realize I will probably be doing it myself but I thought it would just be fun to invite you in case you want to share what you are thankful for this holiday season.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for, thankfully.   I will start this week the 4th!

Also, if you don't have a blog and still want to play along, you can always leave what you are thankful for in the comments section or send me an email and I will post them! I would love to hear!

Seriously though, can you believe it's November?