BULK TRASH/ DIY Antique Chairs

So, a few years ago, (yes, it was REALLY that long - I am sure that none of you put off projects that long, just me!) I found two pretty cool chairs in bulk trash. 

If you aren't familiar with bulk trash - it is something my neighborhood does once a month - you can put ANYTHING on the curb and waste management will take it away for FREE.  It is truly awesome.  But what is even MORE awesome is all the AMAZING finds I have had in other people's bulk trash.  To name a few - FULL bedroom set, bookshelves, desks, pool furniture, leftover wood from someone's project, seriously, it UNREAL what I find. 

Anyway, I found these chairs and thought, hmmmmm - its always nice to have extra chairs - and the TV show FRIENDS taught me that they don't need to match.  I could redo them, right, I mean, I had never done that - but I'll just follow a tutorial.  So, I took them home.   There were two of them and within the first 10 days of having them home I took them apart (they had fabric seats) and sanded the heck out of the wood.  They appeared to have been in a fire - they had weird melted stuff on the wood and the fabric seats were truly falling apart.   MUCH to my surprise - when I took the seats off - I found tags still intact and hanging telling the age/the make - it was awesome - I was looking at antique chairs.  They are beautiful.  I looked them up online and found that each chair was worth over $800.  Seriously, who throws them out!!  Here is a picture of how dilapidated the seats were before I tore them apart.  It did take some (wo-)man-power to pull all the staples out. 

 

Well, it took me a few years to go any further - but I finally found the perfect fabric and the resolve to finish the job.  I love birds and the color in this fabric, well, I just love it. 

After many hours of staple pulling - this is the "frame" of the seat that I found underneath all the gucky fire-ruined fabric and padding.  

 

Interestingly enough, this is what the OTHER "frame" looked like.  Which one do you think is original?  LOL!  When I took it to the fabric store - the sweet lady who helped was in awe - saying she'd never seen a frame like the one above.  Antique, I tell you.   AWESOMENESS! 

 

So, I forgot to take a picture of it all laid out before I started stapling again.  Sorry.  But basically, I bought an upholstery stapler from JoAnn's. I secured the corners first (all four) and then just stapled over and over until it was the tautness that I wanted. 

 

Here are my finished chairs.  I absolutely love how they turned out.  You can tell that they have kind of a shabby chic look to them because I didn't re stain them after I sanded off all the guck.  I was going to paint them - but ended up falling in love with the grainy look - so for now, I will just keep them how they are. 

 

That is the beauty of DIY projects.  For now, I am in love and when my love starts to fade - I'll make if over again with new fabric and fall in love again. 

 

Till next time - for there is ALWAYS moore to tell . . .

How I deal with STRESS!!!!!

After a really stressful morning - I took my stress out on my chores.  Good news for me - they got done extra quick and efficiently.  However, when I was finished I still didn't feel "better".  I found myself sitting at the piano a few hours later and could actually FEEL the stress finally melting away as I played.  Dwelling on my morning when I was through - I realized it.  It was like an AHA! moment and I began to really think about things or actions that make me feel "better" when I am stressed. This is the list I came up with.


1.  Prayer - turning to my Heavenly Father ALWAYS helps.  I am not always strong enough to do this right away - even when I know I should.  I guess its the natural man in me wanting to resolve it on my own.  However, once I take the time to explain the situation to him - then I can finally start to figure out what I need to do next. 

My mom always says that "A day hemmed in prayer never unravels."  She is usually right. 

2.  Get Outdoors - a hike, a run, a walk in nature helps my brain to think in ways it just can't when it is surrounded by 4 walls. 

I think it also helps me to remember "The Big Picture".  So often life seems stressful because we are only seeing it from one view and for me going outdoors reminds me that someone can see the whole picture and I need to have faith that I am being led.  Even when the path seems incredibly rocky - He knows the way - it is all about trust. 

3.  Music - especially when I am the one playing or singing - it seems to bring peace to my soul in a way so few things can.  Perhaps it is even the actual ACTION required to play the piano or sing that soothes me, I don't know but it often works. 

4. Listening to Music - esp. ones with words that stir my soul and make me think.  Here are two of my favorites.   They are hymns from my church.  The words get me every time.

Where Can I Turn for Peace?

1. Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?

2. Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

3. He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.
.
Text: Emma Lou Thayne, b. 1924. (c) 1973 IRI
Music: Joleen G. Meredith, b. 1935. (c) 1973 IRI

You can listen to it HERE.
Seriously, playing this one on the piano and singing it usually make me cry.  I love the words.  I am so incredibly grateful for my knowledge of a Savior who loves me. 

Here is my other favorite.  It is only one verse - but the words are powerful.   I can recall numerous nights in my life - when things seemed unfair or out of sorts and these words were the ones that ran through my mind and eventually calmed my fears and my soul. 

When Faith Endures

I will not doubt, I will not fear;
God's love and strength are always near.
His promised gift helps me to find
An inner strength and peace of mind.
I give the Father willingly
My trust, my prayers, humility.
His Spirit guides; his love assures
That fear departs when faith endures.

Text: Naomi W. Randall, 1908-2001. (c) 1985 IRI
Music: Stephen M. Jones, b. 1960. (c) 1985 IRI

You can listen to it HERE.


I am totally attracted to lyrics in songs.  Melodies, accompaniments are all important - but for me it is the lyrics that truly stir my soul.  Especially when they make me think and reevaluate my life or how I do things or even cause me to have an AHA! moment. 

5.  Reading Favorite Quotes - esp. ones referring to strength or trials.  I often jot down ones that are extremely close to my heart and hang them in my bathroom and by my bed.  Reading them often ingrains them in my mind and due to that they are easy to recall in times of trial/stress.  Here are a few of my current favorites. 

"Don't you worry your pretty little mind.  People throw rocks at things that shine."

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off.  You sit still and trust the engineer."   - Corrie Ten Boom

"Family isn't always blood.  It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are.  The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what"

"Its supposed to be hard, If it wasn't hard . . . everyone would do it.  The hard . . . is what makes it great."  A League of Their Own

"People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you; Be honest and sincere anyway. 
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight; Create anyway. 
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten; Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it might never be enough; Give your best anyway. 
In the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway." 
                                                                                              Mother Teresa

6.  Bath - Need I say more?  Bubbles, quiet (well, maybe a little quiet) and a good book.  This usually calms me down a ton!!  Especially if I lite a candle as well. 

6.  Broadway Musicals - I know, this may seem silly to some of you - but belting out the music to a current favorite (while listening to it on my ipod, of course) brings joy to my soul and even some sort of perspective. 



What do you do to bring peace when all around seems out of sorts? 
I would love to hear your ideas. . . .

After all, there is ALWAYS moore to tell. . .

Clean My House, REALLY????? DO I HAVE TO?

Okay - I struggle with this.  I always have really great intentions and am really good about making a plan (I bet you knew that!LOL!)  but I don't always follow thru.  Mostly, because I hate to clean.  There I said it.  Especially bathrooms, mopping floors.  I love it once its done - and even think as I am finishing, "Oh, that wasn't so bad".  But initiating it is often WAY too much of a chore.

I have tried it all - assigning chores to certain days, putting on the chores on a list and crossing off as I achieve them throughout the week, doing whatever looks dirtiest(don't judge!).  However, I think I might have found the motherload of HOW to clean your home.  

There is an amazing ebook/app (your choice) out there that assigns all the chores in your home.  This includes things I always seem to forget like: cleaning the crumbs out of the toaster, changing your a/c filter, cleaning out your purse.  I AM IN LOVE!!!!!  There are certain things that you are assigned everyday like: doing 1 load of laundry, running the dishwasher, sweeping the kitchen/entryway.  Then, there are about 5 chores assigned each day that vary.  My assigned chores take me on average 15-20 minutes.  My everyday chores take about 10-15 depending on whether I have little ones running under my feet. 

App vs. Ebook

1. The ebook comes in 2 different formats - you are able to print out a sample sheet before purchasing so you can decide which one you like better.  There is a daily form and a weekly form.  I ended up purchasing the daily form.  It has a place to write your menu plan for the day as well as your appointments.  I get it out at night before heading to bed and review my day tomorrow.  I AM IN LOVE!!!!  Go HERE to view the daily form.  It costs $7.99 for an entire year of a cleaning schedule.  WAY worth the time and energy saved. 

2. The app is also amazing.  They have it for android and iphone.  There are features about the app that I really like such as: you can customize your cleaning/daily plan.  For example: I can write in that I want to practice my piano everyday and it will make it a chore that appears daily in my schedule.  Another thing I really like - is that you can assign individuals in your home a color and then you can assign jobs to them and mark them off when they are completed.  The app can be purchased in a lite version which costs $1.99 and allows you a 2 month trial of the app.  If you like it - you can then purchase the full version for $7.99.  Can be downloaded through the app store or iTunes. 

Go HERE to view their overall site. 

They also have a version that includes Bible reading throughout the year.  Same price - totally just your preference. 

FREE - - If you are looking for a FREE version - there is one.  Although upon comparison I preferred Motivaed Moms version -  but honestly, it was because I liked the daily form.  This one comes from The Confidant Mom.  It is only available in the weekly format - but also includes the option of Bible reading or not.  Totally up to you and what your spiritual goals are this year.   HERE is the link to download it. 

Happy Cleaning/Organizing! 
I'll be back with Moore To Tell. . .

Love, Haylee

Our Family Night - 2015 PLAN

In my last post, I referred to our family's weekly  "Family Home Evening" Night or FHE for short.  This is such an amazing time for our family.  I am incredibly impressed with what my family/kids take away from this each week - even when they fight thru the entire thing some nights.  (Yes, you aren't the only one!)  Even thru this - they retain so much. 

Every family tends to do FHE differently.
        Ours generally consists of:
                 
                 Opening Prayer
                  Opening Song
                  Short Scripture Lesson
                  Learning  "Song of the Month"
                  Closing Prayer
                  Treat or Activity

We have tried doing it many different ways, using cute stories, teaching straight out of the scriptures, picking topics our kids are struggling with and reviewing what they learned in their classes at church.  For me, it seems to work best if I have a plan.  (I know, after my planning post you are totally surprised, right!) 

So, this year we have selected to follow:
THIS

We are going to use her 2011 lesson plans for the entire year.  I really like the way she lays out what is being taught.  Her lessons are short and often include a coloring page or a short activity/craft.  I have an FHE binder which I use to keep track of who is assigned what each week. (Prayers, Song Leader, Lesson, etc) I have a really awesome form that I use to keep track of this.  If you'd like a copy of it - leave your email in the comment section below and I will send you a pdf.   

The binder also houses up to a month of printed off lessons.  Then, if we are having an insane day and the preparation hasn't happened - I can grab the lesson and pretty much wing it if needed.  (Sadly, this happens too often - but the important part is that we are still DOING FHE - and her lessons lend to this - so it is OK!) 

One of my favorite things is the "Song of the Month". (If you use the song of the month from the site above - the flipcharts are printable from it as well.)   I always print off flipcharts to use with the kids.  Since we are learning it for a month - I pin the pages onto a bulletin board that we have in our family room and we leave it up all month.  We usually sing the song 2-3 times during each FHE depending on where their attention is at that point and then after the prayer, during the coloring or activity I put the song on my phone (most are in our churches children's songbook) and we "listen/sing" to it while we do the activity.  It is amazing how much it sticks with them.   Often I will catch one of them singing it days later while they play.  It always makes me smile. 

Overall, I have noticed an amazing difference in our home when we are holding FHE with our kids.  Often they fight thru the whole thing - but there are moments, tender moments,  (usually days, weeks, or months later)  where I can tell that they are learning.   Even on the days when I would swear they (my children) were sent here solely to torment me!! - do you have those, too?  

One of my kids favorite things is we have a "Family Song".  It is in our churches children's songbook, entitled, "Family Night".  They love to sing it.  Here are the words.   Go HERE to listen to it. 

This is the night we've waited for
Always a treat we have in store
We love each other more and more
With every family night.

Stories and games for everyone
Learning the Gospel can be fun
Father and Mother, Daughter and Son
Together on Family Night. 

They LOVE to be the leader because they get to tell us to sing loud or soft and they often clap on their laps through the whole song.

Do you have a regular Family Night with your family where you teach them about things you  believe and hold dear?  What do you do?? 


Love, Haylee 

Planning, Planning, Planning

Shhhhh.  Don't tell anyone, but I secretly LOVE to plan.  Ok, so its not such a big secret - but it is something I truly enjoy.  I often enjoy it even more than implementing whatever I plan.   LOL!  Due to this secret LOVE, I often go to great lengths planning all kinds of fun things and then share them with my friends - for after I have exerted ALL that effort - hopefully, it blesses someone else's life as well. 

Often my planning involves gathering tips/information from others all over the internet and incorporating their "genius" into something that works for my family.   So, my friends think I am the "genius" but it is all borrowed genius.  (I TRY TO TELL THEM!)

As you can imagine - I kindof ADORE this time of year.  The thrill that comes for me with Planning an entire year makes me giddy.  (I know, I am totally a geek!)  However, hopefully you can benefit from some of my geekdom. 

1.  I have been voraciously inspired by THIS AWESOME WEBSITE
 this year.  She has this amazing printable on her site entitled, "Yearly Goals (Brainstorming Questions)" which took my goal setting to a whole new level this year.  I always set a few goals and try my best to achieve them.  (although they often fall by the wayside!)  But this printable inspired me to search into multiple areas of my life and figure out small changes I can make to make myself better.  That's what this is all about, right? 

So, this year - my goals fall across multiple areas, Spiritual, Personal Development, Marriage, Motherhood, Financial, Heath/Fitness, Home Skills.  I am very proud of how it turned out - and I don't look at it and feel overwhelmed - just satisfied.  Most of them are small things that will make a big difference and are achievable.  But by writing them down - I can put the plan in action to achieve them - not set myself up for being disappointed in myself. 

I do love goals - but I think more important than the goal - I love having a PLAN.  For example, this year the hubs and I decided we needed to increase our "scheduled family time".  So, we are implementing once a week Family Game Night AND once a week Family Movie Night.  This will "force" us to spend more quality time together in a wonderful way.  So the "goal" becomes a part of our week plan. 

For example, for our family - Sunday night is now Family Night (time where we discuss the scriptures and our Savior with our kids, Monday night is Family Game Night and Friday Night is Family Movie Night (Pizza Night, too).  Right there - my plan each week is a little more specific.  LOVE IT!  Easily achievable - and if we miss a week or two - no biggie.  It is just meant to bring us closer together. 

We implemented Family Movie Night tonight. My kids loved it.  I downloaded a bunch of "Good Family Movies on Netflix" from the internet and came up with a list that we will draw from for the next 10-15 weeks. 

2.  Some of my other goals were:
         To read 6-12 books this year - - so I looked up the best books of 2014 and read thru some reviews on goodreads.com and already have 3 books on my list.  I already placed the first one on hold at the library. 

          Date my husband every week. In fact, we have already mapped out the first two months as to which night we will go and whether it will be with friends or just us.  (Crazy, I know - but it helps us make it happen!)

         Continue my SP Texting group.  Explanation:  I have 3 friends with whom in order to hold each other accountable with our scripture reading & saying our prayers, we text each other everyday and say SP if we remembered to do both and then give a short synopsis or talk about the favorite thing we learned from our reading.  THIS has done WONDERS for my reading/prayers.  I found a link to someone who had done this through pinterest and I tell you, it is awesome!!! 

          Run a 5k by June.  Measurable and doable.  (I hope!)  I found a great one that is coming to Phoenix, AZ in March - the color run - which I think I'll do with my kids.  They will think its awesome and it isn't timed - so it is a low key way to check off this goal for me. 

Just a few - but you get the idea. 

Do you set goals for the New Year?  What is your #1 Goal for 2015?


Love, Haylee

As a side-note go HERE
 This website has this AMAZING Homemaking Binder Set for FREE to anyone who does an email subscription to her feed until January 10th.  Again, SOOOOOOOOO inspiring.  I had honestly never heard of a Homemaking Binder but I am so in love with it.   Don't miss your chance to head on over and get the set of printables for FREE.  After January 10th - you'll have to pay to get it.