Passionista Presents: A Houseboat Concert With Sarah Sample.

I've made no secret of how much I adore Sarah Sample. Really, I love her. Sarah + my beloved river? Well, now. That just sounds about as close to heaven as I can imagine. The Passionista has arranged to have Sarah perform a special concert on the Mighty Columbia River with guest Kate Graves. It's going to be a magical night. I snagged my ticket yesterday as a "I survived the first day of school and I only ate two cookies in the process" reward. You deserve a reward too.

Buy your ticket here and come sway along side me.

Beautiful concert poster by the ever inspiring Lovely Lindsay.

First Day 2011.

A few things to remember about the first day of 2011...

1. The past few days I've been a nervous wreck thinking about sending Easton to middle school. I've been wondering who would be in his classes, would his teachers be kind, is he ready? And then this morning when he came up the stairs looking so handsome in his new shirt, I knew he would be fine. There was a peacefulness in his countenance and his calm nerves soothed mine. 

2. Owen was as excited as can be to head out the door. He was ready to go (with shoes and backpack on) an hour and a half before he should have been. What's he most excited about? Recess, of course. And a special friend that's in his class.

3. Abby wasn't nervous at all. She was cool and collected, ready to start this new year and eager to wear her new clothes. The happiest part of her day? Finding out her best friend was assigned to sit next to her in class. Lucky girls.

I always thought it would become easier to send my children off to school the older they got. It hasn't. I dread the first day of school like other mothers dread the last. I miss my children when they're gone and so do Audrey and Oliver. They've already asked too many times to count today, "is it time to get the kids?" 

What do I look forward to? The routine. Hello, happy school days routine! 

Weekending | Home Movie Edition.

Hooray! I'm excited to share this little home movie we made this weekend to mark our last summer Saturday before school starts. I shot all of the video with my iPhone + used this cool iSupr8 app to make it look like the opening credits from The Wonder Years. That's what it reminds me of anyway. Hope you enjoy it + Happy Monday!



iSupr8 app found via the darling Ruby of Cakies. "You For Me" by Terra Naomi.

Back to School Feast 2010 | A Year Late.

Happy Friday, dearies! I hope your day is off to a fine start. Unfortunately I've been laid up all morning with an awful sinus headache. Boo! Good news is, while in bed I was planning our annual back to school feast + realized I never got around to showing you pictures from last years dinner. Shameful. Can you believe how much these children can grow in one year? Makes me sad to see how their little faces have changed in such a short period of time.

Now that my headache has subsided I'm off to Costco (with 5 children in tow, pray for me) to get all the necessities for Sunday. I'm feeling a little blue that summer is winding down and plan on soaking in as much fun this weekend as possible.  I hope you do too.

p.s. You can see our feast from 2009 right here.

The Girls' Room | Progress.

Wow! Thank you for your kind words on my last post. From your comments it sounds like I'm not the only one that has commitment problems when it comes to decorating. Perhaps in our browsing through pages + pages of design magazines, blog posts, scouring through catalogs and online shops we have convinced ourselves that everyone is living in lovely, well designed spaces. I know I discouraged myself, I thought that my house couldn't measure up - so I gave up. Sad. I want to stop thinking that way. I want to see my home as a work in progress, not like a project that is too overwhelming to even begin. Who's with me?

With my new found resolve I've been collecting a few ideas for the girls' room and wanted to share them with you. I mentioned that we'll be keeping most of the girls' furniture so the bulk of the re-decorating is coming through the accessories. That's the fun part anyway, right? 

No. 1- I love this print! I already have it framed and everything, aren't you proud?!

No. 2- My cousin Lisa has this set of lovely books in her music parlor. When Abigail and I visit for her weekly violin lesson I secretly covet them. I'm excited to add the set to the girls' bookcase.

No. 3- Kristin brought this Ikea striped fabric to my attention and I can't stop thinking about it. The window in the girls' room is teeny tiny so a pop of pattern in a roman shade might be nice. Especially since I plan on keeping the bedding simple.

No. 4- I envision all white bedding for the space. I'm not set on this duvet quite yet. I like that it's feminine, but perhaps too much so? What are your thoughts? Have you seen anything out there that we might like more?

No. 5- You might remember I included this decal headboard in my Houzz ideabook. In the early planning stages of the room redo I was thinking of upholstering a headboard for the girls but this decal is so budget friendly, it won over. Plus, I think it will add a fun little kick to the room.

I think I'll keep the rest of the details a secret until the big reveal. I promise not to keep you waiting too long.

The Girls' Room.

I have a problem when it comes to decorating the cozy brick house: I obsess over the details + I can't commit. I search online for the perfect chairs and let them sit in my virtual shopping cart for 3 weeks while I decide if they're really the right ones. I buy prints that go unframed for...ever? I make a decision. Then I second guess myself. I get distracted by life, other projects, stuff.  Do you do the same? Please... someone out there, please say you do the same!

It's time for a change. I'm tired of living in a half decorated space + I have a game plan. I know I promised a couple of weeks ago to reveal my craft room but another project has more priority right now. It's the girls' room. Abigail and Audrey begged and pleaded to move their room. They wanted to sleep closer to the boys which meant my old craft  room would become their new space. They've been in their new (completely undecorated!) room for months. I'm ashamed.

Here are some changes we've made so far:
-Abby chose a soft blue paint color and Ryan promptly painted.
-We organized the dresser, dejunked the bookcase and donated the old decor.
-We ditched the girls' separate beds and opted to have them share a queen.

We're keeping the old furniture. I plan to replace the hardware on the dresser and hopefully snag a nightstand on Craigslist that can be painted an accent color. This means all there is to buy is bedding and accessories. I've already purchased some favorite things and have even had a few of them tucked away for awhile. I plan on sharing those with you soon. Maybe later today or tomorrow? Until then, I'd love to know how you go about decorating. Do you do it slowly over time or tackle it all at once? Do you decorate room by room? Going room by room is helping me stay focused right now but I'm all ears. I'm really interested in how other people do this.

Houzz.

If you're inspired by design as much as I am, you might enjoy a new-to-me site called Houzz. Houzz is a place for design enthusiasts to come together, share ideas and get feedback on their work. Professionals can upload their portfolios to reach out to potential clients and homeowners can create ideabooks to store inspiring images. You can create ideabooks for products or specific rooms. Perhaps a project you're working on like redesigning your dining room will get it's very own ideabook. It's a great way to keep ideas organized and get advice and feedback from design professionals. I really love the search capabilities the site offers too. Just click on "Laundry Room" under the "Browse by Space" header. I dare you. You will be inspired to the moon and back.

I recently finished up my very first Houzz ideabook. This go around I decided to highlight some of my favorite accessories for children's spaces. My first ideabook was showcased on the Houzz homepage earlier today + I would love for you to click over and tell me what you think. It was so much fun to create! You can keep up with my monthly ideabooks by clicking the link in my sidebar.

What To Wear To Preschool.

Why is Audrey excited to go to preschool? The backpack. When I showed her a few options online she fell in love with this little owl version + has asked when it will be here a million times since ordering it. I have to tell you, I'm lucky when it comes to dressing Audrey. She hasn't formed much of an opinion yet as far as her wardrobe is concerned so I get to pick out whatever I like. I'm sure it's not going to last long but I plan to buy her mary janes every fall until she begins to protest.

Round Neck Cardigan from Zara Kids $19.90 | Ruffled Flutter Sleeve Dress from Old Navy $16.94 | Zoo Pack Backpack from Skip Hop $20 | Striped Tights from Gap $10.50 | Black Mary Janes from Target $9.99 | Polka Dot Barrettes from Crewcuts $9.50

What To Wear To First Grade.

First grade is calling Owen's name. He's so excited he can barely stand it. Finally, he'll be at school all day like the big kids. Eating a sacked lunch and enjoying not one, but THREE recesses. These are super important things to a 6 year old, you know. I wasn't surprised at all by Owen's back to school selections. He has a colorful personality so this outfit fits him to a t. I'm in love with his idea of jazzing up his basic chucks with some bright green shoelaces, his favorite color.

Boys' Grand Prix Tee from Crewcuts $18.30 | Cardigan from H&M $14.95 | Skinny Jeans (medium gray wash) from Gap $20.97 | Chuck Taylor All Star from Converse $30 | Kids MacAlister Laces from Crewcuts $4

What To Wear To 4th Grade.

Abby's heading into the fourth grade in a couple of weeks. Her style mimics mine so closely, I often find myself wishing I could squeeze into her clothes. This outfit she pulled together is no different. Aside from the pink hair bow, I can easily see this working for me. The striped cardigan over the patterned top is so fun!

Yesterday a reader commented about thriftiness and I thought she brought up some good points. Don't be fooled by these inspiration boards, we're on a budget too.  Earlier this month I was able to stock up on jeans for all my school age children at Gap (8 pairs for under $100, holla!) using coupons and taking advantage of a great sale. I do my best to hunt out coupon codes online and usually only pay full price for shoes. My children are slow growers-rarely outgrowing shoes before the school year's over. I don't mind paying for shoes because we get our use out of them. What about you? What do you do to save money when shopping for your children without sacrificing quality and style?

Key Hole Floral Top from Gap $26.50  | Big Bow Hair Clip by Gymboree $3.99 | Striped Cardigan from Target $16.99 | Goldenrod Cord Toms $38 | Super Skinny Jeans (saturated dark wash) from Gap $22

What To Wear To Middle School.

It's hard to believe that Easton (my Young Bibliomaniac) will be heading off to middle school this year. I still remember how he (and I!) cried nearly everyday for weeks when I dropped him off at Kindergarten. Oh, how the time flies.

There are so many great things about having older children. The conversations, the laughs, the free babysitting. . .  One of my favorite things lately is seeing Easton's personal style develop. He has an opinion about the color and style of his shoes + what fit his jeans are. It's made school shopping especially fun (and frustrating) this year. We've weeded through a lot of stores and have come up with our favorite back to school essentials to share with you.

Dakine Varial Backpack from Altrec $49.95 | Bold Buffalo Paid Shirt from 77 Kids $29.50 | Super Stitch T-Shirt from Johnny B. $28 | Original Fit Jeans from Gap (faded black wash) $25 | Adidas Retro Gazelle Sneakers from J.Crew $45

Modern Toddler Chore Chart.

Since I'm a list maker at heart, I love the idea of a chore chart to help keep children on track in regards to their daily chores. The problem? Charts can be tricky for the 4 and under crowd who are not yet reading but still want to feel like the big kids. I've used this chart in the past for my older children but it wasn't suitable for my little ones. 

My solution was creating a chart with Audrey (3) and Oliver (2) in mind. I kept with the same color scheme as the older children's chart but the daily tasks are more simple and are things I want them to get in the habit of doing on their own. They are: making their beds, getting dressed, clearing their dishes from the table, brushing their teeth and putting away toys. I realize that some of these tasks will require my help (brushing their teeth and helping Oliver get dressed) but for the most part, they are capable of accomplishing them with minimal parental interference.

Audrey + Oliver love adding stickers to the page when a task is complete. Another good alternative would be laminating the chart and using a dry erase marker to track progress.

I have high hopes this chart is going to help ease some of the morning rush chaos once school rolls around. Do you have toddlers in your home too? I turned our chore chart into a PDF printable just for you!

-Download the Modern Toddler Chore Chart here.

Shabby Apple Review.

Then Shabby Apple is the place for you. It can be tough finding pretty + modest dresses so you can imagine how happy I was when Shabby Apple offered to send me a dress to try out. It was really difficult choosing (they're all so cute!) but ultimately I decided on the Ahoy. The fit is so flattering and I loved the pop of color from the bow belt. When choosing my dress I found the reviews on the site very helpful and really appreciated the fit guide. Buying clothing from a company for the first time can be tricky so it was nice being able to read what other customers thought of the fit and quality.

I'm happy to report that Shabby Apple lived up to every expectation I had of them. My dress arrived in lightening fast speed, it fits perfectly and the quality is top notch. Are you itching to buy a dress of your own? Well lucky you! Shabby Apple is offering a discount code to Dandee readers. Just enter dandee10off at check out to receive 10% off your purchase.

Just so you know, it is very important to me that I offer honest reviews to you my readers + friends. I would never lead you to buy a product that I wouldn't spend my hard earned money on too. If you have a product you think it would be a good fit for Dandee, I'd love to hear from you! Please email me at dandeedesigns@gmail.com for more information.

Inspired By:

The new Kirsty.

Kirsty got a makeover. Have you checked it out? If you're a visual person you're bound to fall in love with the beautiful curated slide shows as much as I have. Pinkie promise.

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag.

Recently the kind and talented Lyndsay left a comment with her recipe for homemade ice cream. I've always wanted to try making ice cream in a freezer bag so last night we gave it a shot. The children LOVED it! Making this ice cream was so simple and easy, I thought you'd like to try it out too. 

To get started you'll need to gather:
2 zipper freezer bags. Lyndsay suggested using one gallon and one quart, but I only had the gallon size on hand and it worked just fine.
1 C. cream
1 C. milk
6 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
ice
salt (I used Kosher)

In one bag mix the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla then seal. In the other bag add enough ice to fill the bag halfway. Add 1/2 cup salt over the ice. Place the sealed cream mixture bag on top of the ice and salt and seal the bag. Knead and shake the bag for about 5 minutes until the mixture in the inner bag has thickened. Remove the inner bag (containing the ice cream) and enjoy!

We sandwiched the ice cream inside my favorite chocolate chip cookies that Owen and I baked earlier in the day. It was a simple and delicious summertime family night treat.

Pioneer Trek.

Hello, dears! Sorry about disappearing this last little while. Last week Ryan and I had the opportunity to be a Ma and Pa for a Pioneer Trek for our Church. I'm going to be completely transparent with you and admit that I wasn't very excited about it. All I could imagine was the heat and dust we would be hiking through, sleeping on the hard ground and eating camp food. What I wasn't expecting were the 9 amazing children we were given stewardship over, the fun we would have together and the blessings that come when you put your trust in the Lord. It was an amazing and powerful experience that I'm so grateful to have had. I feel changed and inspired. I have a greater appreciation for the blessings I enjoy and for the pioneers who suffered so much for their faith. You can read more about the Pioneer Trek here and see a great slideshow of images (keep a lookout for Ryan!) right here.

I've got a couple of surprises planned for you this week. A giveaway I know you're going to love and a free download! Hooray! But before all of that fun I have laundry to do, a fridge to stock and five sweet faces to kiss on.

Hello, August.

We spent Saturday at the river with cousins.

We tubed + skied, 

played a little frisbee,

and collected shells.

We jumped the waves,

  played with little plastic boats,

and had mud fights.

Happy August to you!