Updated Gallery Wall

After painting our great room/kitchen/loft last fall, the dismantled gallery wall stayed dismantled until last weekend.

(The gallery wall back in 2010 when I first put it up.)

So, yeah. It only took me six and a half months to put it back together.

There may have been some humming and hawing. There may have been some indecision and some dragging of the feet.

But eventually I decided that I wanted to base the gallery wall on three ledges similar to these. I thought it probably wouldn't be enough space for all of the photos, but I gave myself enough room between the ledges (36" -- we used a yardstick to space the ledges) to hang a few frames in the leftover space.

I built my ledges using 1x3s for the back and 1x2s for the front and bottom, all joined using just glue and nails. Once they were joined, I cut off the ends of the ledges using my miter saw, to give me perfectly smooth ends. (Believe it or not, this is the first time I've noticed that 8' lumber isn't all exactly 8'.) All of the lumber is pre-primed finger-joint pine, painted in our white trim paint. To put them on the wall, I just drilled through the 1x3 on the back into the studs and attached the ledges to the wall using 2 1/2" deck screws. The lumber cost me about $30 -- not bad for three 8' ledges.

Next up? It's time to recover the gigantic bench under the gallery! The avocado green belongs to our old, muted color scheme. Now I'm deciding between using the same grey fabric that's in the striped curtains or going with something bright and fun. I'm leaning toward plain grey and adding fun, funky, colorful pillows. 

I love my little family.

I grabbed this snapshot after Callie's soccer game this weekend. I am in love with it. It captures the essence of each person in the photo. Scott, loving and dedicated. Callie, unpredictable. (What's she gonna do next? Scream? Cry? Smile? You'll never know, and neither will I.) Brynn, genuine, interested, and a little bit mischievous.


I am so blessed.

Photo booth

In more snow day fun today, we had a little photo booth session in the kitchen. The girls had a blast!

A New Collage Wall...or, Still Moving Back In

I am not a fast mover-inner. I thought I would do a little each day throughout the summer and be moved back into my house by now, but I am coming to grips with the reality that such a well-planned approach just doesn't fit me well. I have no, as in very close to ZERO, spices in my spice drawer. I threw most of them out before we left San Pancho because the humid air has not treated them kindly. I cook daily. Usually twice daily. I have salt and pepper. And pretty much nothing else. Refilling my spice jars was on my list of things to do...in July. Now it is nearly mid-September. Still no spices. The task seems too overwhelming.

Until yesterday, among the things that still needed to be unpacked and put away were the zillion photos pictured above. Since we are re-organizing our house a bit, this gigantic wall is now freed up to carry some photos. So yesterday, about fifteen minutes before I was supposed to pick up the girls from school, I decided it was high time to get those frames up on the wall. Fifteen minutes was not nearly enough time (surprise, surprise, I know) but the girls were actually really helpful at finishing it with me. "Hammer." Hammer. "Level." Level. "Small nail." Small nail. Callie just stood there and got me what I needed so that I didn't have to get up and down, up and down off of the step stool which would have been much better for my health, probably.

Anyway, the collage wall is done. And with one new photo, to boot! (Only one? After all those shots you got in Mexico? I know...procrastinator.) The canvas up on the top right came from Canvas by Demand, via Groupon for a great price. When I bought it, I was not really in the market for a canvas (although I plan to invest in several huge ones when the money is available) but this one was such a great price I couldn't resist. It is a photo I took of the girls and Libbie at Garden of the Gods last summer before we left for Mexico. I love it.


I think what I love most about the collage wall is that it now incorporates our wedding photos (the ones with the grey mats), plus Brynn's little kindergarten handprint, and my absolutely beloved ultrasound pictures. I really get teary when I look at them or even think about them. Those are irreplaceable images of my babies inside my body. They are fuzzy and hard to make sense of but to me they are sacred and I love that the girls and I can see them every day. To me it is an incredible reminder of God's grace and his wisdom -- that a child can be knitted together inside a woman's body. I will never get over that and I hope my girls don't either.

The Lasts

We had a little case of "the lasts" during our final week in San Pancho. Like...the last time we'll eat at Tacos con Amor. Very sad. The last time we'll pay the phone bill at an ATM. Not so sad. The last day of school. Sad enough to make us cry.

Here are a few photos from our favorite last events. And things.

The last dip in Grandpa's pool.

The last sandy nose.

The last party on the beach.

The last time pulling off of Nueva Galicia. Appropriately, the Cow Bell Garbage Alarm man was walking up the street shaking his bell at the same time. 6:20am.


Of course, shortly after Scott left, we had our last spider. He was about the size of my hand. Well, maybe the size of Brynn's hand.

Last dinner. Waiting for enchiladas at Eva's Tacos. Between the three of us, we ate eleven and a half enchiladas. Not proud of myself for that.


After dinner on the beach, we had our last play time/photo session on the beach.

She's saving some of that enchilada for later. A la Uncle Nick.

Last time watching the surfers.

Last cirrus clouds.

Last sunset.


Sunset + Eva's agua de limon = smiles.

An evening at the beach

You've already seen some photos from a recent evening at the beach. Here are a few more...

Bubbles already has three great families interested in adopting her when she gets to Canada next month. Hooray!


Happy Callie.










My girls LOVE to dig in the sand. It is never-ending entertainment for them.




She can be thoughtful...for about two seconds.


Brynn intends to win some races someday.






Scott doesn't get to go to the beach much, so when he does, he REALLY takes it all in.




Doodling in the sand is another favorite beach pastime for the girls.










Baby turtles!


Watching the turtles go.