Spring finally came!

***Quick attic update***
You guys...we're almost done with drywall!  You can't imagine how excited I am about that.  This weekend I got the walls on the landing primed, but we still have a couple of touch up coats of mud to put on some spots on the ceiling.  Those sloped ceilings are tricky to mud!  I think we'll be ready to prime the ceiling & paint the whole room by Sunday.  Eek!

In other news, since I don't have enough going on already, I'm also taking Karen Russel's Snapshots of a Good Life photography class over the next couple of months.  I'm only a couple of weeks in, & I already highly recommend it!  No matter what level of your photography skills, you'll come away with something new. 

Our week 1 assignment had to do with composition.  So, I took Grady to the park...which proved to be challenging to say the least.  The kid doesn't stop moving to begin with, but get him outside, at a playground, after the longest, coldest, most cooped-up winter I can remember...& yeah...it was hard for this girl to visualize, much less get a shot with good composition before he was moving on (at warp speed) to something new.  I did manage to get a few shots that I liked though...

I'm really looking forward to the next 8 weeks of Karen's class & am anxious to see where it takes my photography! 

{I'm looking forward even more to spring...& more days at the park!}

This is HUUUGE...

It's time for the Pinterest Challenge again!  You know, the brilliant creation that Sherry @Young House Love & Katie @Bower Power came up with to get all of us actually DOING all of those cool projects that we continually pin, but rarely act on!

Last challenge my dad & I built an ipod/iphone amp out of wood.  It rocks.  (Hehe...punny!)
Also, last fall I made a huge military style chalkboard map that my almost four year old loves.

Now for the other part of the announcement...drumroll, please...I get to co-host with these 3 lovely ladies this spring!!!  How insanely amazingly awesome is that?!?  Beyond excited.

Emily from Sparkle Meets Pop
Katie from Bower Power
Sherry from Young House Love

If you're not familiar with the Pinterest Challenge, it goes something like this:

1. Take a look through your pins (or pin something new) that you want to try.  No project is too big or too small!
2. Complete your project by Wednesday, May 8th.
3. Post about it on your blog, or take some photos to share in the comment section.
4. Come back here around 10am on May 8th (& also to Emily, Katie, & Sherry's corners of the interweb) to link up & share your finished project with all of us!

Some additional notes:

• Feel free to grab the banners off the top of this post to use on your own blog.
• Remember to link not only to the pin where you got your inspiration, but also to the original source - spread the love! 
• Pinterest doesn't know about this challenge (or endorse, sponsor, etc.) - it's just plain fun!

And now...for what I'm pinning & planning!  One of the very first things I ever pinned was a wooden door mat from Martha Stewart (#4 below).  It's pretty paint had me from the second I saw it!  And the arrival of spring (finally) means I can't wait to get started with outdoor projects!  I've got a few ideas swirling around about how to combine a lot of these ideas in this crazy head of mine.  Haha.

Sources:
one: Yellow Brick Home
two: French Bull (No longer available)
three: How Does She
four: Martha Stewart
five: Lowes Creative Ideas

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

What a difference a year makes...

On this, the first day of spring, it's 3 degrees outside.  3 degrees.  3!!!

You're cruel Mother Nature, just plain cruel.

This time last year we were playing on the (almost green) grass - I have proof:

Remind me again why we live in Minnesota...

Oh yeah, that's right, I remember now.  Come onnnnnnnnnn summer...we're waiting patiently for your return!