Diva on a Dime- Patio Chair Re-do

So my family and I moved recently and one of my favorite places in my house is the deck. The only thing is that I don't have any deck furniture, except a swing that came with the house and 2 weathered patio chairs I brought from my old place.

I had been looking for budget friendly ways to add some color and personality to our home and I decided on using turquoise as an accent color. Bring in 2 cans of gloss Valspar spray paint in Exotic Sea and a plastic table cloth to cover the working area and I now have the cutest patio chairs.

Valspar Gloss Spray Paint
Prime and Paint in Exotic Blue

Before

After

The pros of this project is that it only cost me the price of the spray paint which was $8 for both and It only took me about 20 minutes. The con would be that it was a little windy and my impatience and excitement took over and against my better judgment I sprayed anyway, which resulted in part of the porch and my toes turning blue (I also chose to wear flip flops).

My next project, inspiration curtesy of Pinterest is pallette furniture: first up is a bench. Here's a sneak peak.

What DIY projects are you working on?

And advise for me and my pallette furniture?

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids,

Rhonda

Thrifting is My Cardio

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I love thrifting. Buying good quality clothes at discounted prices, sign me up. I feel just like Macklemore in his "Thrift Store" video when I find something great- I too be popping tags. I have been thrifting since before it became a "thing", almost ashamed of being caught at a second hand store. But, times have definitely changed and mother has bills.

I mostly thrift for my kids because they grow out of their clothes at such an exponential rate. It's even better when you shop at a consignment store that will buy back your old clothes and give you a store credit (or cash). Last school year I was able to buy both my kids 3 outfits each and I only had to come out of my pocket about $20.

I thrift for myself whenever I need a particular clothing item to complete a look. For instance, my church choir doesn't wear robes so we choose a different uniform that we will wear each time we sing. I don't always have the complete look hanging in my closet, so for those items, thriftying becomes my best friend. Just in the last couple months I have had to obtain the following items: a bow tie, a blue dress, khaki pants, a purple top and a blue blazer. I don't think I paid over $3 for any of those items.

The only thing about thrifting is that you have to have time to shop. Whether the clothes are hung up or in a bin, you have to take your time to find want you want, and they may not even have your size. And speaking of size, you have to be realistic about your needs. If you wear a 12- buy a 12, or maybe even a 14 because these are gently used clothes and they have been washed and possibly shrunken. And depending on the stores' policy, you just may be stuck with the item. I bought a pain of silky pants that claimed to be a size above mine and I thought I would be able to turn them into harem pants. My thighs however, didn't cooperate so they are now pajama bottoms.

So, here are my top 3 thrift stores in the Southeastern Michigan area:
1. Once Upon a Child (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- They carry clothes, shoes, toys, books and equipment for kids from newborn to size 10 in boys. They are also a consignment store and buy gently used clothes. They are very choosy with what they except- no off brands, faded clothes, holes, etc.
2. Value World (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- Carrying kids, women and men's clothing, household goods, toys, accessories and shoes, the stores are huge and you can get a whole outfit for about $10- $15. But, buyer beware, look for missing buttons, undone hems and the like as their clothes are donated.
3. Thrift on the Ave- This resale/ consignment store is so classy and cute, located in the Midtown area in Detroit. I found them on Instagram and was hooked after I went to a clothing swap they hosted a couple months ago.

Thrift stores I have yet to enjoy:
1. Goodwill (multiple locations- Nation Wide)- I've heard good things about Goodwill (especially the one in Dearborn), so I can't wait until I can get my cardio on and get some great finds. Goodwill Industries has been around for a long time and has done a lot for our communities.
2. Hips (2 locations in Michigan)- Geared for the plus sized woman, I pass by Hips everyday on my morning commute and want to see what kind of clothes they have.
3. Whoo U R Upscale Resale For a Cause- Located in Rochester, I found this store during an Internet search and they seem to have a lot of high quality merchandise. I just hope the high quality product doesn't equal high price. I'll let you know, though as I plan to hit up each one before the summer's out.

Where's your favorite place for resale? If you need help finding a resale store in your area, you should check out thethriftshopper.com. Let me know if you discover some good finds.

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. kids,
Rhonda

Moving Tips...Not Really

It's funny that s fast as I wrote the post saying that I was combining my two blogs into one, I decided not to. I take pleasure in knowing that as a woman, (not to mention owner of the blogs in question), I can and will change my mind. #sorrynotsorry

So I realized that I had been so busy, that I didn't get a chance to spread the good news...We moved! We've been in the new house for a little over a month now and I absolutely love it. Moving from an apartment to a house was the best and long awaited thing I've done. Yes, I'm paying more a month, but it's worth every dime.

In addition to more space, we have peace of mind and wonderful neighbors. For anyone who remembers my Facebook posts over the years, I have had more than my share of neighbors from hell. I've had my packages stolen, my apartment nearly broken into, loud cursing, screaming and fighting all times of the night, and copper thieves who caused us to have to be evacuated. Needless to say, I don't miss a thing about apartment living and for those who are still enduring, may God be with you.

I was on Pinterest looking at other blogs' moving tips and I had gathered all my supplies: boxes, packaging tape, markers, bags, etc. I had planned on labeling each room a different color and since we had several weeks to move, I thought this was going to be the best moving experience we've had.

I would love to tell you that's what happened and I would love to give you helpful hints about moving and how to make it easy and stress free. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen for me, so I got nothing. There was broken furniture, punctured walls, too many masculine egos and tight jaws (maybe even a broken tooth) from me choosing to keep my mouth shut. But, what I do have is appreciation to my family for helping us move. But for the sake of our sanity and my teeth, I'm hiring movers next time.

Tell me something crazy that happened during your move.

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids!

Ain't nobody got time for stress

Hey y'all I'm back! I had to take a pause for the cause since stress had been wearing me down. Life has it's stressful moments - I'm a wife, mother, work full time, sing in the choir, do make up and hair on the side and I try to fit my love of writing in there somewhere, not to mention some tiny health issues that slowed me down. I'm exhausted at just typing that out.

But, I'm learning how to deal by taking plenty of breaks along the way. I will admit it has been hard to do. I knew it was time to do so when I was cooking the other day and just could not get it together. My mind was on 10,000 and my body was just all over the place- I dropped raw hamburger meat in dishwater and dropped an egg on the floor. I was tempted to throw my hands up and go get take out, but we were under a winter advisory so I just put my big girl panties on and continued cooking my meal.

When I'm stressed I feel it all throughout my body. I have to loosen my shoulders, which are usually up to my ears by the end of the day. And there are times that my jaws are clenched so tight I have to stop and do jaw movements. But what's a girl to do?

That being said, here are 5 simple things that I do that help me de-stress, even if it's only for a brief moment.

1. Take a bubble bath. The "Calgon take me away" lady knew what she was talking about. A nice, calming bath with soft music playing may be just the mini-vacation (or for some the only vacation) you need. I go all out with mine, candles, music and sometimes wine if it's been that type of day.

2. Do some yoga and breathe. Like I said, I feel stress all throughout my body, so taking some nice deep breaths and stretching those muscles out makes me feel rejuvenated after a long day's work. Or, you can just lay out on the floor for 20 minutes and tell your family you're in corpse pose.

3. Take an hour back. Sometimes I just reclaim my life as my own and I choose to do whatever I want to do for one hour. Whether it's turning up my music and dancing in my room, watching a show via Netflix or faux-shopping on the Internet (that's where I put all the stuff I want in my cart without actually confirming the purchase.) Don't judge me, I'm on a budget.

4. Read a magazine. I would love to say read a book, but let's keep it real, we ain't got time for that. But, flipping through a magazine, looking at the latest makeup and clothing trends makes me happy and I often find inspiration for shopping my closet or a new product I want to try.

5. Mini facial or makeover. I used to give myself a facial every week. Unfortunately, those facials have become few and far between. But, when I need to de-stress I pull out my scrubs and masks and get to work. Or, I play dress up and beat my face for an event that may or may not be happening in the near future.

How do you de-stress? Maybe I can add it to my routine. 

Wishing you Love, Peace and Soul Deep Beauty!

Love and Marriage: Continue to Date Each Other

So when I started writing this post about dating your spouse, I wanted to do some investigating on dating. It's not a term I hear too much these days and I wanted to know if people still do it. I often hear phrases like, "we talking", " we kicking it", "some dude I was messing with", but I hardly ever hear the word "dating". Even though I knew I would see different definitions, I wasn't even ready for the Urban Dictionary, which says it's "a form of prostitution." Say what?!

Have we lost sight of what it means to actually break bread, laugh, talk, get to know somebody before any prostitution like thoughts are had? So clearly, dating means different thing to different people.

My personal definition of dating is two people, sharing an experience that lets them get to know each other better, sharing their dreams, wishes and aspirations with, and getting to know one another on an emotional, spiritual and physical level.

It's no mystery that people change. They mature, or life in general happens and it changes their views on life. Not only that, but when you add in the daily pressure of work, bills, husband, wife, kids, house and car, life can get in the way and you look up and not only don't recognize the person you married, but you don't even recognize yourself. That's why it's so important to continue to date each other, even years after you say "I do."

So here's two of my favorite date night ideas. One is from Find Joy in the Journey Blog and the other is from Life in the Greenhouse Blog, both of which I stumbled upon on Pinterest.

12 Months of Dates- Find Joy in the Journey

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How it Works: Basically, you have 12 envelopes, one for each month. Inside each envelope is a pre-planned and sometimes pre-paid date. They are a mix of at home, out on the town and even one out of town date and you and your spouse open the envelope together at the beginning of the month, choose a day, and enjoy the fun. (You can plan the out of town date for your anniversary month.)
Why it Works: I love that feeling of anticipation. And nothing is better than anticipating some alone time with your boo. It gives you something to look forward to. Plus, you and your mate come together and plan, instead of leaving it up to one person.


Date Night Jar- Life in the Greenhouse

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How it Works: Take about 15-20 big popsicle sticks, color code them with one color for stay at home dates, one color for more planned out and expensive dates and one color for less expensive but still planned out dates. Whenever the feeling hits, decide on a budget, pull a color coordinated stick and have wonderful date night.
Why it Works: Hopefully, you have already come together and decided what date goes with what budget and it's as simple as picking a stick. Also, you don't have to have that "what do you want to do, I don't know what do you want to do conversation", which by the way, I absolutely hate.

Of course there are tons of other date night ideas you can incorporate into your relationship, these were just my favorites. Plus, they're easy to do.

Another site you can check out is The Dating Divas, they have literally tons of ideas. I love their tagline: "Strengthening marriages one date at a time", because that's exactly what dating your spouse does. 

So, tell me, what are some of your favorite date night ideas? Would you ever incorporate a date night envelope or jar to your routine? I want to know all the juicy details (well, not all), but yes, do share.

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids, (and my husband, too),
Rhonda

Love and Marriage: Communication is Key

I remember in the early part of our marriage, my husband and I would argue about the most ridiculous stuff. One incident in particular (which happened 3 years ago I might add) started with me asking him for the last piece of cornbread from some BBQ take out place we love. He said no, I asked him again, he again said no, and that resulted in me slapping his plate out of his hands onto the floor. (Don't judge me.)

The reality is that it wasn't about the cornbread (even though it is that good). There were a number of things that had happened during that time and him not giving me his cornbread was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Needless to say, the argument didn't end there, I mean my man's plate was on the floor. So we went back and forth, my plate got tossed in the garbage as payback and we both went to bed mad and hungry. Let me explain. It was a year to the day that my dad had passed and I was going though some things and didn't realize it until the plate had hit the floor. But, if I would have told him that I was feeling depressed, overwhelmed and not appreciated instead of expecting him to be able to just know I was going through those things, we would have both been able to enjoy our meal.  

I said all that to say, that as a couple you have to keep the lines of communication open. You can't assume that your significant other knows what's going on in your head cause they have their own issues to deal with. If you are mad, sad or glad about something, let them know. I think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but you should check in with each other frequently, whether it's once a day or once a week, just to let them know what's going on. I hardly ever tell my husband about what's going on at work because I leave work, at work and when I'm at home it's wife and mommy mode, so I don't have time to dwell on the goings on of my job. But, when I check in with him, that gives him a chance to see that work life is just as stressful as home life and he helps out more as a result.

So #teamstaytogether came up with some rules that has helped us over the years. Do we break them from time to time? Yes, but there's no such thing as perfect people or a perfect marriage. Here's a few for your viewing pleasure:

1. Say what you mean and mean what you say. I tell people to be very careful with the words they say because words can not be taken back once they are put out there. That whole "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" saying is a lie. Words can sometimes cut so deep that people are affected years later.

2. Go to your corner and regroup.When a conversation gets heated, I have to walk away and take 2 minutes before I break rule #1.

3. Don't go days without speaking. It's not one of my best qualities, but I can hold a grudge.(Or at least I used to.) Nobody knows that better than my husband because I can play passive aggressive and sarcastic queen like nobody's business. Oh, I'll talk to you, but you only gonna get either one word answers or the total opposite of the truth. I've learned to play nice and not hold out on talking to my husband when we can't agree to disagree because frankly, life is too short.

4. Never argue in front of others, especially your kids. This is just self explanatory. Fighting with your mate is intimate and ugly and should be kept between the two of you.

5. Don't let things build up and then you argue about something as simple as a lost sock. If you've learned anything from the story above, it's that you should let your mate know when they do something that bothers you. Nobody can fix what they can't acknowledge, and if they don't know they are hurting you, it's your own fault for not letting it be known.

6. If all else fails, don't be ashamed to get professional help- sometimes a third party helps. You ever told somebody something a million and thirty-seven times, but then when they hear it one time from someone else, they "get it". I don't know what's up with that, but that is what couples counseling can do for you. Some people think it's not worth the time or money, but if your relationship is as important as you claim it is, you will exhaust all options to get your communication skills up to par. The counselor is there to observe and suggest ways to make it better. Believe me, it will work if you do the work.

Because we're in a better place, we can laugh about it now, but at the time of the cornbread debacle of 2010, it was going down. You live and you learn. Of course there are many things you can do when it comes to communicating with your spouse and you might as well become familiar with them because there is not one area of a relationship that is not held up by communication. By the way, he offers me his last piece of food almost every single time.

What are some of your communication tips?

Until next time,
Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids (and my Husband),
Rhonda

I might be the only mother who dreads back to school time

I feel the tension in my neck just thinking about it. Drill Sergeant mornings commanding my kids to brush there teeth and get ready for school, packing lunches that barely get eaten, traffic with thousands of parents hitting the streets again, trying to make the drop offs and punch the daily clock on time. Not to mention the back to school sales and lists of recommended school supplies that specify Crayola. (I guess the $1 store brand is out of the question.) Budgets become non existent when the perfect backpack is in mind.

Needless to say, back to school time stresses me out. Where are my moments of singing and jumping in the air like they do on the commercials? Those must be stay-at-home moms cause I don't feel that kind of joy. I'm glad that they are learning and socializing, but getting them to school is more than a notion. I've thought several times about homeschooling, but I don't have the patience for that either. This working mom is trying to figure out how to juggle cooking, homework, baths and one on one time with my kids with the 3 hours of time we'll have together in the evenings (bedtime is 8:30).

The good news is that my kids do wonderfully at school. I've been told they are some of the smartest and well behaved children in there classes, so they make it easy for us as parents.  The even better news is that since they are getting older, they can help out. I'm going to have them help fix their own lunches and pick out their clothes the night before. That should also eliminate the "I can't find my shoes" debacle every morning. We'll get our routine together eventually.

So, I guess I'll start the back to school countdown and lift my imaginary glass of sparkling grape juice (it's too early for wine) and toast it up to another healthy, happy and drama free school year.

Forever loving my B.A.D.D. Kids,
  Rhonda