DIY project - by ME!!

So those of you who know me KNOW that I am NOT a crafty person.  It is out of my comfort zone to even be doing this blog, let alone taking time to be 'crafty'.  I must say that I was inspired by a friend (Thanks Wendy) who started reading blogs and then taking the ideas and doing them herself.  As I started looking at others blogs I stumbled upon some who were refinishing furniture and I am hooked!  I have quite a few things in my house that I would love to have but that are not in the 'budget'.  I decided to take matters into my own hands! :)

I have been saying that I need a dresser for Rhyan's room for 2 years (I know, I know) but I hate to spend money on that kind of thing and her closet shelving was sufficient.  Well, I went to a few yard sales with a friend and found a 'beauty' for $5!  Yes, FIVE dollars!  I saw it and immediately knew that it had potential.

I love the legs!

It was a mess!

Beautiful, right?

What was I thinking right?  It is a mess!  Sorry that I didn't get pictures taken prior to the drawers being taken out and beginning to sand.  I was SO excited to get started!

I told Matt what I was doing and he thought that I was crazy!  But, as always, he was supportive.  I had let him know that if this turned out good and I liked the 'refinishing process' that I wanted one for our anniversary or my birthday!     He even went out and bought me an electric sander the next day to do the project!  And so the sanding begun.....

I have to say that sanding is not my favorite part of the process but my new DeWalt Sander was wonderful!  THANKS BABE!!  Not only did he purchase my sander- but he also did a lot of the sanding for me....sweet!!

So it is sanded...now what?  Back to reading blogs to find out my next step!  Primer - off to Home Depot!  Matt and I had a blast together looking for all the things I needed for my project while he pointed out his Christmas 'wish list' as well.  So we leave with not only a 2 gallon bucket of primer (on sale and I know there are more projects to come) but also a gallon of OOPS paint for $5!  Be sure to check out the OOPS paint in your local store.....it is so worth the savings!  The gentleman behind the counter actually had a gallon of white that had fallen off the shelf (was dented) so he tinted it the color I wanted, for $5!!!

Prime time!  If you are going to do a project - be sure to MIX PRIMER WELL before brushing it on! :)  LOL  I shook up the can but didn't use a paint stick to mix.  It was very thin....but I just assumed that was what 'primer' was!  Don't laugh- I said that I was not craft at all!!  After a coat of 'liquid primer' I mixed it up well with a paint stick and then was impressed at how well the '2nd' coat went on.

Time to paint!  Matt and I worked on this together as well- so I will give him some of the credit!

I wanted to put something in the bottom of the drawers and saw on another blog that you can use spray adhesive and wrapping paper!  What a great idea - as there are so many choices for wrapping paper.  I was able to find a cute striped paper that matched Rhyan's room at the 99 cent store!  Took my 50% off coupons to Michael's for spray adhesive and Mod Podge.

Thanks to my friend Lisa for coming over with glass of wine and helping with with this step.  We cut the wrapping paper to fit and inserted it into all the drawers.  Then a thin coat of Mod Podge to keep the paper in place and wahlah!

Wrapping paper in the top drawer.  LOVE the dividers!

I decided to use the sander at the end to 'distress' the dresser as well.  Matt did not agree with me on the 'step' of the process.  He was convinced that I was going to ruin his paint job!  I LOVE it!  Distressed is best if you ask me.

 

There she is - my first project

So are you ready to see the final project?  Take a look and let me know what you think.  I would love to hear from you - so leave a comment if you would.

So I am currently on the hunt for the perfect knobs for the dresser.  I am thinking possibly of using the 'glass' knobs but we will see what I can find.  I am thinking that most of the fun is finding the treasures for my projects!

I found a FREE cabinet type thing at an Estate sale on Friday!  Still not sure exactly where I am going to put it or what I want to do to finish it - but I will be sure to share.

Thanks for taking a look at my DIY project!  Hope it wasn't too boring for you- I had fun!


And by the way- Rhyan loves her new dresser!

Rhyan's first Volleyball game

So the boys of Fall are into full swing with tackle football and LOVING IT!  Rhyan just kicked off her first season of volleyball this weekend!  What an experience this is going to be! :)  She actually is pretty good at it -but we certainly still have a lot of work to do.

Ready for her first serve of her VB career!

Rhyan seems to be a natural when it comes to sports (she must get it from her mother), however there is a difference in practice and games.  It is too funny to watch a ball served over the net by another team and the response of 7 and 8 year olds awaiting the serve!  Rhyan has an interesting 'spin' move that she does when the ball is over her head.  It is as if she is still going to try to get it even though there is NO chance of her making contact!  Hysterical to watch!  

Waiting patiently on the ball...

My beautiful girl...

During 3 games (to 25 points) there were only 3 or 4 'volleys'!  Yes, you heard me correctly, and it made for a pretty S-L-O-W game to watch!  BUT - the girls are having a blast and will certainly get better as the season goes on.  I can't wait until they are able to return serves and keep volleys going which will make for much more exciting games!  Until then - I will enjoy the pure joy Rhyan has in conquering yet another sport!  I am so proud of her!

Halloween

Grant is a bit disgusted...

The Furrey's are not 'big' Halloween fans but we do love hanging out with our neighbors each and every year.  Pumpkin Carving for the Furrey's and Schmidt's was great fun!  We were sure to collect all the seeds for roasting later.  However- they are still, a week later, sitting in the same bowl waiting to be seasoned and baked!  Oops!!

Rhyan is always smiling for the camera

Grace is not sure what she thinks of the guts!

The Schmidt's

Trey cleaning his pumpkin

A potluck dinner followed by a walk around the neighborhood to collect some yummy treats is a great way to enjoy one another's company!  The kids have a blast and the adults, well, we chat and chat and chat! :)

Check out some of the kids on the block......

Meagan- an amazing little girl! :)

Brayden

Grant.....scared plenty of people laying on the sidewalk.

Travis.....LOVE his smile here!

Oh-what a night!  We are so blessed to have so many AMAZING neighbors that we can spend so much time with.  It is wonderful to be have friends that we can hang out with and trust with our children!  THANK YOU Rimrock and Marshall peeps for a great night!

The Boys of Fall

Fall is finally here......well 'fall' as we know it in AZ I should say.  I am soooo missing the beautiful colorful trees and crisp cool air during football games!  Either way- football is in FULL effect in the Furrey household and we are thrilled!

The boys are now a part of NYS tackle football and loving every minute of it.  They live for Tuesday and Thursday practices as well as Saturday afternoon games.  I must say that I am less nervous than I thought I would be but am thinking that having the camera between the field and I is probably helping! :O)

Check out the determination on Grant's face...

He is still going.....

And going...

TOUCHDOWN #22, Grant Furrey!!!

We are so proud of Grant for getting the first touchdown of the season!  I was jumping up and down like crazy and of course Grant acted as though nothing had happened! Yep - he was almost expressionless- imagine that.  He is so much like his father.

Trey has been a great quarterback for the team and really enjoys his role.  He is a natural in the game and it shows.  I must admit that the first time he got 'crushed' I was a bit worried but managed to keep my cool.  What can a mom do but get down on her knees and pray for the safety of her babies!

Trey #28 getting ready for the snap..

Dad was proud of this stiff arm - he went on to break 3 tackles

Looking for his target....

Coach/Dad looking on...

Yep.....this is where he got 'crushed'!  Ugh......

Matt and I are loving watching the boys play as you can tell that they are so much more engaged in tackle then they were in flag football!  We can see the passion in their eyes each and every play- it is so cool to see.  Matt is coaching and enjoying the fact that they are learning more and more each and every day.  He is 'making them' sit down and watch NFL games ALL the time and pointing out what they should and should not be doing.  It is too funny!  Trey will gladly do this with Matt for HOURS.  Grant?  Well, he will watch on and off for most of the day.  :O)

Rhyan - where is Rhyan?  Oh, well she can typically be found hanging out on the blanket with a friend, on a dirt mound, or singing and dancing on the sidelines.  After all, that's what sisters do right?  

I am sure there will be many more football pics/posts soon!  So far the Cats are 0-2 BUT they are getting better!  This is most of the kids' first year in tackle so we are still trying to 'figure it out'.  We are very proud of the coaches and kids for all their hard work and dedication!  

Our Second Home

The Five of Us Loving Life

So we have found a place that we love to go to as a family to unwind and enjoy the Pacific.  We have been to 'our' Carlsbad condo so many times over the past 2 years that it feels like home.  There is nothing like sitting on the beach listening to the ocean waves and watching the dolphins play as our children laugh together while playing in the sand! Ahhhhh.....did you hear that? They LAUGH TOGETHER! No fighting in this world we call 'paradise'!

What makes this destination even better is that my sister Kate lives about a mile away! So we are able to enjoy her company while living our dream.

The sound of the ocean is one of my favorites!  I could sit and listen to the waves crash all day.  Although Matt enjoys the sounds too - he tends to try to keep up with the kids while 'riding the waves'.

Matt concentrating on his 'landing'! 

Relaxing is the highlight of this trip for the adults.   No agenda, no running from activity to activity, no morning routine, just fly by the seat of your pants and love every minute of what you are doing.  Coffee in the morning with the windows open feeling the cool breeze, a run on the beach, a trip to the Pizza Port for a 'real' pizza and a locally brewed beer or just a walk around town to enjoy the shops!

Grant Digging himself a tunnel

The kids?  Constant play!  Board games, card games, digging on the beach, boogie boarding, catching 'sand crabs', building castles, and the list could go on and on!  'Our condo' is a place where everyone is happy to be at all times!
                                                                                                                                                                    

Still digging.......

Finding some 'yucky' treasures

Trey on a mission

Having a ball.....

So, this is where you will find us anytime we can get a day off of school.  We love our 'short' 5 -6 hour drive to the beach.  Even the drive is interesting.....on this trip we had all 3 kids with their ipods in singing different songs at the same time, while Matt and I were listening to the radio!   Matt and I just looked at each other and smiled - what a memory in the making!  

Rhyan lounging on the beach...

Only 6 months later!

Well- The blog from March did not even get posted until September 1st! Really?! As you can probably guess- I am NEW to this thing people call 'blogging'.......

I was inspired today by a friend who 're-started' their blog recently! I need to do this- what a great way to let others who care about us, and some that probably don't, know what is going on in out lives. So here I go again......

The kids are now in 5th, 3rd and 2nd grades! How in the world does that happen in just ONE blog session! LOL
So the boys had their FIRST football practice with full pads on today......I had tears in my eyes as they pulled away. Gone are the days of the 'little' boys putting on Uncle Mike's helmets in the living room and just playing in them. They have grown into their own helmets and will be on the field before I know it. Matt is one proud dad and just as excited as the boys to get the games started.

While the boys were off at practice, Rhyan and I ran a few errands including a trip to Barnes and Noble for her to choose a new chapter book. The girl is a reading machine and her new adventure is Ramona and Beezus - should be a good one! She is loving gymnastics and looking forward to starting her very first season of volleyball! Oh yea.....trying out her mom's sport!

Well......that's it for now. I promise to have pictures up in my next blog, unless I can figure it out QUICKLY when publishing this one! :O)

If you're gonna start sometime, why not now?

Where to begin? I would love to know exactly what you want to hear......but that would mean that I am a 'mind reader' and my family can tell you that is far from the truth! So - why not begin with January, 2010?!?!

After a horrific auto accident on December 22, 2009 - The Furrey Family is giving God ALL the Glory for His protection on our lives that day and EVERY day. Matt said it best in a prayer the day after the accident by saying " Obviously God isn't finished with us yet." We, as a family, will strive to give Him the glory in all we do.......

I guess I didn't really start with 2010 huh? Those of you who know me well know that my mind goes in a million different directions at once so deal with it! :O) One of my best friends calls it 'popcorn talk' while another one tells me that I remind her of her grandma who never really knows what she is talking about. I am not so sure either one of those comments is a compliment.

Anyway- It is hard to believe that Matt and I have been married for over 12 years! I can honestly say that we have never been better in our relationship with one another.....I am more in love with him today than the day I married him. Honestly- he is an incredible Godly man who loves me and the kids with his whole heart! I look forward to an exciting future together!

Our children are growing up so fast......where does the time go?
Trey Matthew is 10, Grant Edward is 8 and Rhyan Victoria is 7. It seems like not long ago I was sitting on the kitchen floor (with 3 kids, 3 yr, 18 month, & 6 weeks)all screaming around me telling Matt that I 'just couldn't do it anymore'. Obvioulsy the days were physically exhausting then, but wow - what a blessing they were. It seems to me that people were always telling me to cherish those moments when all I wanted to do was get through them. As the kids are getting older I totally understand how quickly time is passing......

Trey is in 4th grade and loves school. He gets great grades, love sports, and seems to be a 'friend to all'. Did I mention that Trey loves sports?!?! He really does live, eat and breathe baseball and football. Football is his favorite and he would play ALL the time if he could. You can almost always find him carrying a football in his arms most places that he goes. He is already planning his college career!

Grant is in 2nd grade and likes school for 'social' reasons! :O) He is doing really well but I would not say that it is his favorite place to be. Grant is also very involved in sports (baseball and football) and seems to have a love for WWE too! He is really looking forward to going with his dad, brother, and grandpa to see WWE in action later this month. Oh my - I am sure it will be a treat!

Rhyan, oh Rhyan! She is one of a kind - 'the girl I had to have' Matt always tells me. She is a cross between a tom boy and a princess which makes life in our house very interesting. She is very involved in gymnastics and is getting ready to start her 2nd round of softball, which she was pretty good at! She certainly keeps us on our toes and is only quiet when she is sleeping. :O)

Matt is enjoying his job with Miller and Associates more than ever! He sells heavy duty automotive equiptment and is in charge of Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado. His job does allow him to travel a bit which makes our 'home schedule' even crazier. Living in AZ has allowed him to golf more, which he loves. Softball is still a part of his life as well sometimes more than his schedule can handle.

I am loving the flexiblilty of my Pampered Chef business now more than ever! It is so wonderful to be able to work around the kids' crazy school and sports schedules while still helping out with the finances. As if paying me is not enough - my company also sends me on amazing vacations, just for doing my job! I soooo love what I do.

Well- that is a quick glimpse of 'The Furrey Family' for now. I hope continue this blog and update often so that I can keep in better touch with family and friends. I am 'addicted' to picture taking so I also think that this will be a great way to capture some of our favorite moments and actually SHARE them with others. Right now I have THOUSANDS of pictures just sitting on my computer waiting to be shared.

Hmmmmmm......not sure how well that went?!?!? My first blog entry.... It can only get better, right?!?!??