A dresser for Myles

I have to admit that I most certainly bit off more than I could chew with this last project. I'm blaming pinterest and possibly, nesting for this one! After searching for a dresser for Myles' room and having no luck at all I took to craigslist (against my better, not-wanting-to-get-kidnapped judgement) to look for an antique option. You see, the problem with nursery furniture is that every brand has their own shade of "cinnamon" or "cherry" and the crib that Melissa so generously gave us was now discontinued. I was having such a hard time finding something that matched that I decided DIY was my best option at this point. Lucky for me, Kansas just happens to have all kinds of antique furniture! and the lovely couple that I found on craigslist just-so-happened to be liquidating their parents (her in-laws) antique store after they had become too weak and sick to run it themselves. So, long story short I found an adorable "tall boy" dresser complete with wheels, key holes, and original knobs! Think it can't get better? It only set me back a cool $50!!

After having Dean load and unload the dresser and letting it sit in our garage for 2 months I finally decided in December I should start the decorating process. Especially since Myles' arrival was only a month away! So, after reading several DIY blogs I purchased 6 cans of all-in-one primer+spray paint, sandpaper, antique glaze, and pewter/grey paint for the details. Let me be the first to tell you that the blogs will recommend to spray paint because "it gives better coverage". You know what else it gives? the painter carpel tunnel syndrome after 6 cans of spray paint have been used on a dresser! I didn't even know the muscles in my fingers were that out of shape, or were even there for a matter of fact. Here's what I recommend: Buy regular paint (still use paint+primer), use a brush, and sand out the imperfections later because the spray paint is going to leave little bubbles in random spots too and will require sanding, enjoy the dexterity your fingers will retain from not holding down the button on a spray can for hours on end:) After coating the entire dresser I was left with this:

**DISCLAIMER** I did not paint the dresser in Myles' room. Dean carried it inside for me from our very well ventilated garage after spray painting was complete. 

Now that the base color was dry and the imperfections were sanding out it was time to tape off the design! I must admit I have a small obsession with chevron (as evidence by the fact that I've already blogged about making a chevron lamp). So I started taping off zig-zags.

Last step! After successfully taping the dresser and applying several coats of paint it was time to apply the antique glaze, paint the knobs, sand the edges and change the purpose of the piece! lol Originally it was meant to be a changing table but in order for it to be of use we would have to cut the legs shorter and I had grown attached to the charming wheels. I decided to paint the knobs with the left over yellow paint from my previous DIY lamp shade and then added a couple frames alongside the lamp for added decor. Below is the final finished product. It may have taken a while and caused me some pregnancy pain but I do love what we have now!

I hope Myles likes it! Otherwise mommy might steal it:)

Good Friends, Good Food, Amazing Family!

First thing is first, just a little disclaimer: I want to recommend to any pregnant woman who thinks it's a good idea in her third trimester to take a 12+ hour trip (driving) not to. I don't care how excited you are or how great you feel, you will hate life, yourself, your husband, and the world 8 hours into the drive there and the entire day before the drive back. Don't do it. You will most likely develop restless leg syndrome so severe you have to shake your leg the entire last two hours keeping you from driving or sleeping! None of the crappy fast food sounds good and when you try something you think will work you get heartburn so bad that your $6 bottle of gas station tums doesn't take care of it:( you will swell up to the size of a hippo. Seriously. My toes looked like mini vienna sausages and it wasn't a good look. Just don't do it. On the plus side, if you do happen to take a lengthy trip back home there are a lot of positives that make it worthwhile. We started out our trip by driving into Nashville very late on Wednesday (before Thanksgiving) and spending the night with  my dad and step-mom. The next morning we woke up, got ready, and headed to Hoptown (Hopkinsville:)) to see my gramma, aunts, and cousins for Thanksgiving dinner. I can't say enough how much I love my family and how happy they make me. I never stop laughing when I'm around them and I always regret leaving because I'm never certain when we'll all be together again. The food alone was worth the 12 hours I spent in traveling purgatory. I think I actually used the term "food drunk" several times that day, and I really was! After eating more than should have ever fit into my body I remember the room getting fuzzy and being very very drowsy. But no time for sleep!! We needed to head to Lexington to celebrate ThanksChristmas with Mark, Judy, Brad, Ale, Sofia and Evy! Which meant more food, more family, and more fun!! We arrived at Casa de Haggard pretty late but we were greeted by two of the sweetest little girls ever which instantly made the drive worth it (again). Friday morning we would have breakfast, beignets, and Christmas!!The next day we did JUST that:) Sofia and Evy helped hand out presents (well, Sofia handed out presents. Evy tried to take presents!)

Evy had her eye on the prize!!

 We all emptied our stockings and Dean ate almost all of his candy within the hour (seriously) with a little help from the girls of course:) and just when we thought our trip home couldn't get any better, we still had Friendsgiving!! For those of you not familiar with this shindig, it is when our friends gather for a Thanksgiving of our own. It usually happens before Thanksgiving but because our friends love us so much they moved it to that Saturday so we could participate! (yeah, they're really that awesome!) There's nothing better than being welcomed home by all of the people you love the most. We were so lucky to be able to share in these amazing events and make lasting memories with family and friends.

All of the lovely ladies at the Ames' Friendsgiving!