DIY: How to Build a Corner Desk

I finally did it. I made myself a 'Command Center" to keep all of the school papers out of the kitchen, and have somewhere QUIET to work! I used a (previously) sad little corner in my small, master bedroom and made it into a very useful desk. What used to be in that corner? My dirty laundry. So I would open my eyes and see that every morning. Now, I wake up and see something I've made with my own two hands.

I still have things I want to do, like buy a beautiful new chair and decorate ABOVE the desk with shelves. I'll get there! In case you want to make something like this, I'll describe how I did it below! 

Before I stained the desktop

For the base of the desk, I used two cube organizers from Target. The basic outline of the desktop is shown below. I used 1 by 6's and just measured how long I wanted each leg of the desk to be. I laid out the pieces, cut them to size, and glued them onto plywood, which I cut into two long strips to backup the 1 by 6's. Then, I bought a 4-pack of braces and connected the plywood with those. I love how the corner looks woven! A little tip, I numbered the pieces after I cut them, so when I laid them out- it would be obvious where each one went! If you are going to try this, send me pictures of your end result- please! And good luck!

Giveaway: Heroes of the City

I discovered Heroes of the City last year, when I had the opportunity to review the new DVD "Ready to Rescue." This show is perfect for preschool and kindergarten aged children. It features police cars, firetrucks, trains and many other great characters. The message in the shows are very positive, and include cooperation and friendship. Mayhem loves this series! They also have a great app, that comes with 9 different games. And now, Heroes of the City has a new YouTube Channel, where you can watch new episodes of the show FOR FREE!

I have a Heroes of the City prize pack to giveaway to one lucky winner! The prize pack includes: a Heroes of the City T-shirt, a DVD and a die cast car.

Enter below! The giveaway starts at midnight tonight (Monday, May 11) and ends at midnight (Monday, May 19). Good luck! 


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Last Saturday... 11.1.14

I woke up and said, "Soccer at 9:30, right?" The hubs responded, "Yup... that's what you told me." And so began our 'typical' Saturday. It was our day to bring snacks for the soccer team, so after I got a shower- I spent some time putting together little bags of goodies, packing a cooler with mini Gatorades, and packing the diaper bag for #3. We had everything- chairs, the snack, J's ball, extra clothes for the baby. What could go wrong?! Well, soccer was at 12:30, not 9:30. You would THINK I would check my calendar before driving to the field... but nope.

 

The hubs decides that it's a perfect time to head to Costco, since it's not exactly close to where we live. "We're already out, ready for soccer- and we have THREE HOURS!" So, off we went. After taking our sweet time, and filling a shopping cart- we went to check out. Hubs starts to pat his shorts, and the pockets in his sweatshirt... "Um, do YOU have my wallet?" "No." "Hmm, I don't seem to have it!" We are in line, at this point- ready to check out. With perishable food, three children, and a long line behind us. I ran out to the car, to see if I had my wallet in the diaper bag. I usually do, but today? No, of course not.

 

We ended up applying for a Costco American Express card, so we could pay for our groceries! Then, we drove about 30 minutes home- with just enough time to drop off the food and get to the soccer game. I open the garage, and run inside to put some food on the counter. The dogs are both sitting in the front entry way, and looking up. I think it's odd, but I'm in too much of a rush to really process what they are doing. As I re-enter the kitchen, I notice that the backdoor has been open. This. Entire. Time. Then I hear wings beating against glass. CHIRP CHIRP. A panicked little bird had flown into our house, and was stuck against the windows in the front of the house. Out of my reach.

 

Hubs runs upstairs, to grab his wallet and gets dive bombed by the freaked out bird. It ends up in the bathroom. "Close the door!" I end up climbing into our bathtub and opening the bathroom window to let the darn thing out.

 

HELP!

THEN, finally, we get to the soccer game. Little J's team loses, and I have one too few goody bags for the 'younger siblings' so he has to graciously give own bag up. Well, at least we my college football team won that day! Just another Saturday at our crazy house...

 

Electric Eels soccer team, Little J is far right

 

 

 

MMG: Progress to Report! 6.2.14

Happy Monday! This weekend went WAY too fast! But first, an update on our 'flood status' from last week. We moved back home last Wednesday, because it was just too difficult to deal with the two dogs in a hotel- and also, because everyone was stir crazy. In other words, we moved home so we could use our backyard and sleep in our own beds. The entire first floor of our home is still wiped out- although, we do have a refrigerator? And, several of you have asked what exactly happened- and it was the dishwasher supply line. It burst, and flooded the entire first floor while we were sleeping. It wasn't actually a slab leak.  

We are working on getting quotes from contractors to repair all the damage, and once we settle the amount with the insurance company- we can get started on fixing everything. We have 9 weeks to get it all back together, because that is when Baby Boy is due! I'll wait until you stop laughing... are you done? OK. So, here's how our weekend went! 

Friday, I worked from home- while two contractors measured every square inch of my downstairs... and a handy man fixed our (unrelated) leaky toilet upstairs. And, of course, Mayhem was not feeling well- this is the only picture I have from the entire weekend. It just about sums up my Friday. Luckily, he bounced back quickly and was able to keep up with us this weekend.

Saturday morning, we had swim class and then headed straight to the tile store to look at new granite counter tops and tile floors for the impromptu kitchen remodel. That basically took all afternoon, but we agreed on a floor style, cabinet style/color, and a granite color. So we made progress! Now we need to get the insulation replaced and drywall repaired, so we can paint the entire first floor and then replace the flooring! Baby steps. 

Sunday we went to Laguna Beach for the morning, and had brunch with friends and walked around. It was so nice to get out of the house, and be in the gorgeous California weather for a while. I really needed that! How was your weekend?

  

Where Have I Been? The Residence Inn...

Last Wednesday morning, around 5 am, the hubs and I heard a loud POP! When hubs when downstairs to check it out, he yelled, "KERI! Get down here NOW!" So I scrambled out of bed, not knowing what to expect...and at the bottom of the stairs, I stepped into ankle-deep water. "Oh my god?! Oh my god?!" I just kept saying it. "What happened?!" Where were the dogs? On the couch, looking at me like I was crazy. Why didn't they alert us to what was going on? I guess they just decided to stay out of the water, on the couch, until we came down to rescue them. 

5 a.m.: We walked around the entire downstairs (living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, laundry room, bathroom and garage), and there was water everywhere. Hubs shut off the water, and we wandered around- wondering what to start with. Being 7 months pregnant, I couldn't lift furniture to get it out of the house- so I started moving light things (mainly toys), and trying to wrap my head around what had happened. How could this be?! Whatever it was, it needed to be fixed... like NOW! So I went upstairs to find our home warranty paperwork. And our insurance. 

5:30 a.m.: My mother-in-law and her boyfriend are moving my furniture onto my patio and my front lawn. I'm moving toys onto the back patio, and the dogs to the backyard. Nothing is dry. Nothing. I still can't believe what's going on.

6 a.m.: I realize that I am not going to make it to work today. I also realize that I have no internet. HOW CAN I LIVE LIKE THIS?! Get it together, Keri... The boys wake up. J's reaction: "Ohh. Well, I guess we have to move again." Mayhem just shrugs and says, "Guess we have to live outside now. I'm hungry." 

6:30 a.m.: Feeding the boys breakfast out on the patio, explaining that it's no big deal. We can fix it, as long as we're together- we'll be OK. Trying to believe what I'm saying...

On the left in the photo above, our family room. Soaking wet laminate flooring. You can't tell in the photo, but all the water has soaked into the floor and the rugs. When the restoration people arrived, they removed all our furniture and ripped the flooring out. Then, they cut off the lower part of the drywall, removed the insulation and put fans EVERYWHERE...

By now, we have been told that the house will be 'inhospitable' for the next several days. This is a few days before Memorial Day weekend, and now we're trying to find a hotel to take us and the dogs for the weekend. 

Wherever we were going, these girls wanted to come with us. The boys found this whole process exciting. The packed literally everything- piggy banks, pictures from their rooms, books, toys... I had to unpack their suitcases several times. "Guys, we need CLOTHES and toothbrushes! OK, not so many Legos and stuffed animals..." By Wednesday night, we all (kids AND dogs!) had checked into a Residence Inn about 30 minutes from home- the best we could do on such short notice. More on our experience coming soon!!  

Mollie's Biopsy: The Results

First of all, if you are one of 'those people' who does not consider your dogs/pets a part of your family- you may not want to read this post. Fair warning!

This weekend our basset hound, Mollie, had a lump removed from her chest. The vet told us they would send it out to the lab for a biopsy, and let us know the results. Yesterday, I checked my voicemail- and got the news. "Mollie's lump was a mast cell tumor, please call me to discuss options." I wasn't expecting that AT ALL! Who leaves that on a voicemail!

My heart dropped. I couldn't react the way I wanted to because I was at work. I wanted to run home and hug her, and cry. I really wanted to cry. She drives me NUTS, she really does. She's been trouble from the start, she's been hard to handle, and she's been expensive. But that doesn't mean I don't love her.

I know there are much larger problems in this world. I know that there are PEOPLE with much larger problems. But she's a part of our family, and this hurts.

Our little troublemaker...

Her prognosis is good, but this is still very scary. The vet told me that mast cell tumors usually aren't aggressive, and she could go for years without getting another one. The problem is that they are unpredictable, so she could get another one relatively soon. It's a 'wait and see' approach.

Unfortunately for Mollie our house isn't a quiet and peaceful place, except during nap time. For now, I just hope she's getting some rest so she can feel better soon. I don't think she's done causing trouble quite yet...

Monday Morning Update 2.3.14

On Friday morning, I took our basset hound to the vet for a lump removal. This is not her first lump removal, but so far they have only been fatty lumps. She was not very happy about the procedure, but she's doing well. We find out the results of the biopsy later this week.

Poor Mollie...

Lego Birthday Party

Little J turned 5 on Saturday, and we celebrated with friends and family at Pump It Up. This was the first birthday party for either of our boys that we did at a location that wasn't a backyard or a park. I knew the kids would need to run around, and since we're 'between houses' right now... I figured a neutral location was best. 

It took a little time to J to warm up... I made this t-shirt with an iron-on decal from Clean Cut Studio (via Etsy)

I figured it would be a party that only the kids enjoyed, but I was very wrong about that! 

The 'big kids' enjoyed the party just as much as the little kids. My cousin, Mike, shown here with Mayhem

My brother, with a bucket on his head to protect himself from the crossfire.

I apologize for the 'through the net' photo, but this was hilarious. The 20-somethings enjoyed boxing each other, with oversized boxing gloves. Daddy J got in on this too, and enjoyed punching Uncle Andy.

All in all the party was a success. Little J was very happy. :) Everyone was tired, and took a wonderfully long nap in the afternoon. 

I made the cake, it was supposed to look like a lego. Don't mind the fact that it's TEAL. I highly recommend the 'easy' birthday party every once in a while, especially when you have a very active 2 year old to contend with. All we did was show up with a cake, and Pump It Up did the rest! It was so easy and the kids all had a blast. The adults enjoyed it more than they thought. 

Thanks to everyone who came out and made Little J's fifth birthday special!