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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Estate Sale Friday & Saturday In Chandler

We have a fabulous estate sale planned for tomorrow and Saturday, starting at 7am.  Tons of home decor and some unique antiques.    The sale is located at 420 S. Dodge Drive in Chandler, AZ.  Here's a peek at just a tiny portion of what will be for sale...













We are now accepting credit cards!  For more information visit estatesales.net  Hope to see you there!  If you like to get super amazing deals, everything goes 50% off at 11:00am on Saturday for our last hour.  Love, Kelly.

The Trunk That Won 't Sell


I found this trunk a few months ago while thrifting.  
It was on display by the front window of the thrift store, covered in silk plants and I almost missed seeing it.  It was priced at $15.00 and I knew it would be a great item to take to Qcumberz.
I took it down to Qcumberz and put it on display, first like this.  
There it sat for a month.  To my surprise, it didn’t sell.  So, I put it on display like that.  Maybe if people say the inside, it would be more appealing.
Another month later and there it was staring back at me.
Originally, I wasn’t going to paint this piece.  I mean, the wood is so cool, all organic and natural.  But another, month and it was still there.
I knew what I had to do.  I brought it home and wondered what color it should be?  
I taped up the fixtures before I started.
Now, I have it on display like this.
And that.
And here's hoping a cloudy blue paint job helps it sell now.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Reflections of a 40 year-old birthday girl.


I don’t feel like a newly-claimed 40 year-old woman, I still feel like a girl.
When I was young and free, I had big plans.  I wanted to go to college and study to become an elementary teacher. I wanted to travel the world, helping those in need.  I wanted to train for marathons and help care for the environment, especially the ocean, but most importantly, I dreamed of someday becoming a mother. 
Ever since I was a little girl, my greatest desire has been to be a mother.
(Here I am eight years old playing house with my baby sister Becky)
But at the age of 18, then 19, then up to age 24, the problem was finding someone to love.
I’ve showcased some of my fun dating disasters, here.  Finally, at the age of 25, the Lord granted me my one true love.  
To read about how I met the counselor, click here, here, here and here.  The counselor proposed after four weeks of courtship.  We were engaged for three months before being married in the Mesa Mormon Temple.  We were determined to travel and do some things with just the two of us before starting our family, but my heart’s desire to be a mother outshined anything else.  A year and three months after our wedding, we had our first child, Chandler.

Finally, I was a mother.  I couldn’t believe this little creature was created inside my body.   And how was his tiny body so perfect?  Sure, I was throwing up for 9 months and gained 30 pounds, but to think my body had the ability to such a thing?   It changed my life.

When Chandler was one, a little voice inside my head suggesting there was another baby wanting to join our home.  The counselor proved to be the most amazing father and supportive husband I could have never imagined.  He was all for having lots of babies.  A year later, Payson was born, another few years came Mayer,
 next Reef 
and finally Eden.  
With each baby came miracles and blessings.  
I didn't know my heart had such capacity to love.  
Most importantly, my dreams of being a mother had come true.
This is what I am thinking of today.  I am a happy 40 year-old rebel with 5 gorgeous kids! 
How did that happen so fast?  How am I so blessed!

On my birthday, my friend Amberlee took me to lunch.  
Amberlee’s daughter Francesca is Eden’s little bestie girl friend.  After we ate, I wanted to get their picture together, after all, when they're18 years-old they will love to see photos of them growing up together.  Everywhere we had the girls stand was a bit frightening.
Stand here.
Stand here.
Stand here.
Finally, we found a place at this amazing Mexican restaurant with nothing scary in the background, unless you count the red vine of tremendously hot chili peppers that would probably burn their eyes out if they touched them.
Later, at home, I watched Eden play with the dog and the hose.  
My dog looks like a demon!
My daughter looks like an angel with bouncy piggy tails!
Over the weekend, we drained our pool to give it a good cleaning.  
Today, we played in it as it filled back up.
Turning 40 isn’t so bad, especially with all my little dreams-come-true keeping me young.  Thank you for all your birthday wishes.  It was a wonderful day. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

What's New at Qcumberz?


This weekend, the counselor offered to take a few things down to Qcumberz for me. 
A week earlier he had brought home this funky dresser, so I painted it a retro green color.
I love experimenting with color on unique furniture pieces.
Just a day after dropping things off, Ron called from Qcumberz and told me this three-drawer nightstand already sold.
I was out thrifting last week and found this super clean amazing Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag for $3.00.  New, they sell for $170.  
I did a bit of research and found used, they sell on craigslist for around $75.  I priced it at $60 and the counselor took it down to the shop too.
Last night, I told the kids to brush their teeth and get ready for bed, but it wasn’t the usual hustle and bustle of noise.
I became preoccupied with cleaning up the dinner dishes when I wondered why it was so quiet.  Where was the arguing over toothbrushes, the last minute homework assingments and the bedtime story requests?
I checked in on them and they were all sitting in the hallway, like peas in a pod while Payson read them a story.  
Later, Eden plays in her dollhouse with Mayer’s tech deck and toy motorcycle.
Resourceful little thing, isn't she.
What are your latest thrifting finds? Do tell!