Ikea Hacking a Train Table

Last week, I posted about Finn’s 2nd birthday. His big surprise was a homemade train table, which I was beyond excited to give him. I’m not generally a crafter. I mean, I love to create–I write, I take photos, I cook. But, as much as I love spending hours roaming the aisles at craft stores, imagining what I could do with feathers and wooden cut-outs and puffy paint, craft projects aren’t really in my wheelhouse. I just don’t have the patience for them.

Yet, when we decided pretty early on that we wanted to give Finn a train table for his birthday, I became adamant that I wanted to make it for him myself. There were a few reasons why I wanted to take the (relatively easy) project on: 1. After looking at all of the well-rated train tables available on the market, I was totally put off by how ugly they were. I know this sounds so petty, but we love our little home, take pride in how it looks, and are pretty design-conscious. So, having some factory-issued, laminate play table right in the center of our family room was really unappealing. 2. The marketed ones were also really large and bulky, and the space we had in mind for the table required one that was much more streamlined. 3. I wanted it to have some sentimental value. I knew Finn wouldn’t care whether he had a gleaming store-bought version or a hacked Momma-made table. So, I opted for the latter.

Since I’m about as experienced at building furniture as I am at running marathons–which is to say, not at all–I knew I needed to start with a solid base. Of course, IKEA came through for me! I found the LACK coffee table online, and I’d seen it hacked for several different projects. It was the right size, was only $24.99, and was a great blank slate. So, I drove out to the ‘burbs and picked one up. (Note: this coffee table comes in two sizes. We got the smaller of the two.)

Luckily, unlike most IKEA furniture, the table was pretty easy to put together. I started by screwing together everything except for the shelf, as I figured it’d be easier to paint it all without the shelf attached.

First, I had to sand the heck out of the thing. Again, like most stuff from IKEA, the table isn’t solid wood. It’s MDF, covered in laminate, and the surface wouldn’t have been receptive to paint had I not sanded it quite a bit.

I chose to go with a spray chalk paint. If I did this project again, I’d either go with a brushable chalk paint or a more forgiving spray paint. I think I’d get a smoother surface that way.

I did start with a spray primer. Again, I wish I would’ve bought something that could’ve been applied with a brush. You live and you learn. Still, a primer that is specifically intended for laminate surfaces is absolutely necessary.

After two coats of primer, I spent a few days applying several thin coats of the chalk paint. This is the one I chose, though. It took three cans and a few days to finish this step. Impatient Me struggled with that wait time a bit.

The next step was to figure out the layout for the tracks and map out how I’d paint the landscape on top. One of the other reasons we wanted to make a relatively inexpensive table is so that we could instead invest in high-quality tracks and accessories. We went with BRIO, which really is the best, and I had a little too much fun figuring out which accessories to order and which configurations would maximize the table space. I also sourced a few things for cheap on eBay–like the trees and signs, which are really difficult to find without having to purchase a full set.

Sona and I spent an hour one evening laying the tracks out, and then I made the biggest error–a rookie error–in the project: I outlined it all in pen. I couldn’t find a pencil and was being lazy. “I’ll just paint over it, anyway, I thought.”

Important Fact of the Day: most pens use oil-based ink. Paint cannot cover oil. No matter how many coats of paint–and, eventually, more primer–you put over pen marks, they will still show through.

This little mishap cost me a new can of oil-specific primer, a couple of extra days worth of painting, and a few tears. For what it’s worth, I’ve read that pencil lines can have the same effect. So, choose a paint-friendly pencil to outline.

Anyway, I did eventually get it worked out, and I painted the table using four colors of acrylic craft paint: green, light green, blue, and grey. I also used a Sharpie paint pen for the dashes on the roadways.

We made the decision not to glue/nail down the tracks, as we have lots more and want Finn to be able to change it up as time goes on. We’ve already shifted things around a bit, actually. Even still, the painted landscape is really what makes the table feel special, and it was the part I had the most fun doing.

After the landscape dried, I did three coats of polyacrylic sealer on the whole table, screwed on the bottom shelf, and added a couple of baskets–one with extra tracks and one with trains. (If you follow us on Insta, you know that I hit the jackpot, scoring around 60 high-quality trains for like $50 in an online sale. Now that I know the trains run $15-$25 each, I realize how lucky we got.)

Also, in the category of “things I never would have known before having kids,” BRIO tracks are compatible with most trains, including the larger, wooden Thomas the Train ones. The only trains that don’t work are the smaller, metal die-cast Thomas trains, which only work with Thomas tracks.

Here is the resulting table:

Of course, it isn’t perfect. You can still KINDA see a few pen marks on top, I could’ve put an extra coat of paint on the bottom shelf, and the edges of the landscape are a little uneven, but Finn LOVES it. He has literally played with it every single day since we gave it to him, and he doesn’t really care about the imperfections, which is really all that matters.

How much did it end up costing for just the table, anyway?

LACK coffee table: $25

3 cans of chalk spray paint: $18

primer: $6

brushes and acrylic paint: $12

polyacrylic sealer: $10

baskets: $12/each

TOTAL: $95

(The tracks and accessories were purchased separately. If you’re interested in exactly which BRIO sets we got, just let me know.)

Finn Turned 2!

Before August ends, I figured I better get some memories of Finn’s second birthday up on this here blog!

Finn has been TWO years old for 17 days, and I still can’t get over it. In fact, as I sat down to write this post, I made the mistake of looking up last year’s birthday post. And, well, there went 20 minutes down the sobbing, my-son-is-growing-up-way-too-quickly rabbit hole.

Let’s just take a second to remember one year old Finn, shall we?

And two year old Finn? Well, we still love him.

Like last year, we decided to forgo a birthday party. Instead, we opted for a lot of quality family time and a weekend full of Finn’s favorite things: pizza, Mimi & Pops, swimming, lots of park time, waffles, trains… you get the idea. Though I had a little guilt about not throwing him some hopping shindig, I know that he doesn’t really care about a party at his age, and the family time we enjoy on his birthday is much more special when no one is stressing about decorating or hosting or any of the other stuff that comes with having a party.

Finn woke up to his favorite breakfast: waffles! And, of course, he got sprinkles on his waffles. Because BIRTHDAY!

After breakfast, we decided to take him to a new playroom in the city.

He took a particular interest in the train table, which made me SO excited to give him his later on in the day.

Like last time, we decided to do gifts after nap time. We did this for a few reasons: 1. We knew that, once he saw his toys, he’d want to stay in for the whole day and play, and we wanted to get out in the morning. 2. It gave us a chance to set things up during nap. 3. Sona actually had to work, as Finn’s bday fell on a Thursday this year, and we couldn’t possibly open presents without both mommies around.

When Finn woke up from his nap, he came downstairs to this scene!

He made out like a bandit, even though we tried not to over-do it. He got a balance bike, a ton of Cars color changes (which he LOVES), some John Deere stuff (since he thinks he’s a country boy), and a new train table, which Momma made for him! (He also got some gift cards and shopping money from friends and family. Again, SPOILED!)

I’ve had lots of questions about his train table already. So, later this week, I’m going to do a quick post explaining how I made it.

Needless to say, he was pretty excited.

 

Of course, he went for the balloons first.

He played with his new goodies for a bit, and then we had homemade pizza. Even though I’d had surgery just two days prior and wasn’t 100%, I was set on making him a homemade meal that I know he loved.

But the piĆØce de rĆ©sistance was the cake, which had his favorite thing in the whole world on it: a tractor!

A John Deere tractor cake? SO not my thing. But it’s Finn’s birthday, and it was a total hit.

Later on in the weekend, we continued the celebration at a nearby water park. Finn has been swimming-obsessed since we got back from vacation, and we knew it’d be a great way for the family to make some memories and for Finn to do what he loves best.

(In all realness: we actually spent all morning Saturday, getting hyped up and prepping for a Lake Michigan beach day. We packed lunches, loaded up on beach toys, walked the 15 minute walk there, only to find that the waves were outrageous and the beach was closed for swimming. By that time, it was really too late to re-group, as Finn’s nap time was approaching. Momma had a little (or a big) cry about it, but we made up for it by doing the water park on Sunday.)

I really can’t believe that Finn is already two years old. How many times can a parent say “time goes so quickly!” But, you guys, IT DOES.

Our little 2 year old is a riot. He’s smart and sweet and ridiculously energetic. He can say his ABCs and sings a million different songs. He knows his colors (but always confuses yellow, for some reason). He still sleeps like a champ, mostly. His appetite ebbs and flows; he frequently boycotts dinner. When he does eat, Mexican, Italian, and Indian foods are his favorite. He talks A LOT. His favorite place in the whole world is our bed. His iPad obsession is still alive and kicking. He is very kind to other kids and has the biggest heart. And he NEVER stops moving.

I love him to pieces, y’all, and I’m excited to have had him around for two years of our lives.

Trip Report :: Grand Cayman

We just got back from a week-long vacay on Grand Cayman–the three of us and my dad. It’s not a secret that Sona and I are huge Caribbean fans. It’s our happy place. I’m actually pushing Sona to move there in the next couple of years, but that’s another story.

Grand Cayman was my and Sona’s 9th Caribbean island and Finn’s 3rd. We’ve been putting it off for a few years because, to be honest, it’s not really our usual Carib spot. It’s significantly more developed and more commercialized than the islands we usually gravitate towards, but that also makes it an easier–and somewhat safer–bet with a toddler. So, we pulled the trigger.

We stayed in a condo right on Seven Mile Beach, which is right in the center of the action. It had a HUGE balcony, which was really the selling feature. We all loved hanging out on the balcony, having breakfast or dinner, watching the sunset, and enjoying the spectacular view. Finn especially loved it out there. He would lay on the lounge chairs in the evening and shout, “the moon is on!”

This vacay was also a little different for us because we spent a lot of time just enjoying the pool and the beach on our property. When Sona and I travel alone, we do a lot of exploring, looking for secret beaches, driving all around islands in search of seafood shacks or great views. With Finn, though, sometimes easier is better. And even though we did do a little exploring with him, we also dialed that back a bit, opting instead for low-key days filled with lots of sand castles, swimming, and naps. Both Sona and I remarked that, though our week-long beach trips usually fly by, last week actually felt full and slow–in the best kind of way. I think we owe that to Finn, as he forced us to slow things down, and that also allowed for more quality family time and more relaxation, both things we really, really needed.

Our typical day in GC went something like this: wake up, have a lazy breakfast on the balcony, go down to the beach, play in the sand and swim for a few hours, grab some lunch, take a long afternoon nap (which we all did every single day), get up, go back to the beach or the pool, swim until sunset, eat a late dinner, and hit the sack–exhausted but happy.

We did squeeze in a little adventure amidst all that beach lazing, though. We did a half-day boat tour, which included a trip to Stingray City and a snorkeling stop. It was the thing I was most nervous about, as we’d be stuck on a boat for several hours, and if Finn got cranky or tired or freaked out, there wouldn’t be much we could do about it. However, he really surprised us–as he did several times on this trip–and he did so well! He danced to the music on board, he swam with sting rays, he played all over the boat, and he held up like a champ, despite having been up since 4AM that morning with teething pain.

I also have to give Finn a huge shout-out for how well he did in the water! This kid went from never having worn floaties before we got to Grand Cayman to refusing to let us even touch him when he was in the pool or the ocean. He started full-on swimming by himself, and he would go and go and go–just like the little Energizer Bunny that he is. I couldn’t have been more proud of how brave he was.

Our nighttime swims were one of my favorite parts of the trip. We always had the pool to ourselves, and Finn would jump and run and splash until far past his usual bedtime. “More swim,” he would say. And then, when he got tired, he’d climb up the stairs, turn and look at us over his shoulder, and pronounce “all done.”

Ā 

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All in all, it was another great vacation, and Sona and I both left feeling so much more confident in our ability to globe-trot with our little tyke. From the long travel days to the extended periods in the hot sun, Finn weathered everything like a pro traveler, and so many of our anxieties were eased. He did 100x better than we expected–and on every front. Since we’ve been home, Sona swears that Finn has matured. “He changed on this trip,” she’s said a couple of times. And I think maybe he did a little bit. But really, I think that the uninterrupted quality time as a family–and the sand! and the sea!–did us all a world of good and it has given us, at least for a short while, a fresh perspective on this whole raising-a-toddler thing.

(Also, I finally got a fat-kini, and I ain’t ever going back to one piece swimwear again.)

Our Grand Cayman Faves and Recommendations:

  • our condo, #30 at South Bay Beach Club
  • eat the lionfish sandwich and the homemade ice cream sandwiches at Macabuca
  • spend a day or two at Smith’s Cove–take a snorkel and mask!
  • get gelato at Gelato & Co.
  • spend an evening exploring Camana Bay, eating at Brooklyn
  • shop at Kirk’s market, stocking up on imported chocolate
  • do the Breakfast with Rays excursion with Red Sail
  • snorkel the man-made reef in front of the Marriott
  • have a romantic dinner at Grand Old House, request to sit right on the water
  • get the pina coladas and fish tacos at Veranda beach bar–both the best I’ve ever had!
  • eat some Asian/Caribbean chow at Hemingway’s

Summer Bucketlist–Update!

In early June, I posted our summer bucketlist,Ā which catalogued the stuff we wanted to do this summer–both fun and the not-so-fun.

Now that our summer is just a month or so from ending, I thought I’d check in with some updates and see how the list is faring.

Let’s take stock of the summer of 2017, thus far, starting with the fun.

  • Spend several days at the beach

Oh, man. We’ve been pretty bad about beach days, thus far. Weekends are so jam-packed that, when we have a day together as a family, we often have too much on the agenda to visit the beach. Plus, it’s been a super rainy summer, and that’s drenched our plans a bit. (See what I did, there?)

  • Hit up a new Caribbean island

We leave for Grand Cayman on Sunday. So, stay tuned!

  • Have a no-cook charcuterie/tapas-style dinner on the porch at least once a week</li>

Check out this charcuterie. Ain’t she a beaut?! We’ve done some no-cook dinners, but more are on the agenda, for sure.

  • Have a swanky rooftop cocktail date downtown with my gal

Nope, not yet.

  • Visit a farmer’s market at least once a week

We’ve done the farmer’s market a lot, this summer. Sometimes, we’ve gone TWICEĀ  a week!

  • Catch up on our vacation photo books (Alaska/Cannon Beach, Belize, San Juan/Nevis/Anguilla, Virgin Gorda, Italy)

I have a feel that this one isn’t going to happen. Winter project, maybe?

  • Take Finn to the Thomas the Train show

Done! Despite the long drive and a tot who woke up earlier than expected, meaning it was nearly nap time when we arrived, we had a really good morning at the Thomas the Train event, which took place at the Illinois Railway Museum. He did great, and he was SO excited by all of the trains.

He would not, however, tolerate facing AWAY from Thomas long enough for a photo. Can you see the “c’mon, can we just get this photo thing over with” look on both of their faces?

Kissing ALL the Thomases.

And we did the train ride, too! (Which, honestly, he was maybe a little too young to enjoy, but it was still worth it.)

  • Visit my hometown in Tennessee for the first time since Finn was born (and eat lots of Mexican food while there)

Check! We went to TN the week of July 4th, showing Finn our home states (Kentucky and Tennessee) for the first time. And there was LOTS of Mexican food had.

Finn LOVED being a country boy for a few days, and he especially loved riding the lawn mower (which he thinks is a tractor) with Pops!

We enjoyed spending time with our family, including Finn’s favorite cousin: Max!

We also celebrated Sona’s 36th bday while we were there!

And we spentĀ  little time in the pool.

  • Go berry picking with Finn

The berry picking ship has sailed, no? Maybe we can pick peaches?

  • Binge watch OITNB

The first thing we checked off!

  • Get family photos taken

Scheduled for Friday!

  • Finally get back to blogging before/after photos of our house

I blogged the before/after photos of our master bedroom and bath. Didya see?

  • Finally get back to blogging regularly, in general

The jury is still out.

  • Celebrate Finn’s 2nd birthday with a casual beach party

Yet to come…

  • Plant an herb garden–and keep it alive

Yes! I have basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley. All are totally lush! But the dill? Not so much.

  • Finally visit one of the surrounding state fairs

Fingers crossed!

  • Eat watermelon, corn, peaches, and tomatoes until we explode

Ohmygosh, YAAAASSSSS! In fact, we are having corn and tomatoes for dinner again, tonight.

  • Get my hands on a pair of those freaking copper-colored Birkenstocks that I’ve been stalking since February (No, really, I know this one is stupid, but I have wide feet and it’s hard to find cute shoes, and I’ve literally checked for these EVERY SINGLE DAY for months)

I think I should just give up on this one. (Sob.)

The Not-So-Fun:

  • Finish Kellogg practicum project

50 pages? Sent!

  • Clean out Finn’s closet and list a ton of clothes in his Kidizen shop

I’ve listed–and sold–dozens of items, already! Not on Kidizen? Use my code–khc5i–for a $5 credit upon signing up!

  • Clean out my closet and do the same

Maybe this week?

  • Go through the house and clean up/touch up paint, which we’ve been meaning to do since we moved in

Nope.

  • Pack up some of Finn’s baby toys šŸ™ and organize what is left

Yes! We’ve gone from a living room that was being overtaken by toys to just a couple of baskets. I also cleaned out his closet, allowing us to put all of his larger cars (he has like 15) on the floor of the closet, rather than the floor of our living room.

  • Have all of our windows professionally cleaned–they are GROSS

Done! And what a difference it makes!

  • Get back into a steady workout routine

I’ve been going to the gym 4 days a week for about a month, now. I’m going to have to find a new routine once school starts back, but I’m happy with my progress, for now.

  • Have a pretty standard out-patient surgery that I’ve been putting off because it means I won’t be able to pick Finn up for two weeks

Scheduled for early August.

  • Get started on the two book projects I’ve been delaying, which are due relatively soon

I’ve already had a couple of meetings with my co-author, and we’ve made some good progress!

  • Begin visiting possible preschools and (hopefully) get on a waitlist

I emailed a few. Does that count?

  • Sign-up for and start swim lessons with Finn

We have his 4th lesson tonight, actually! He goes to Goldfish Swim School every Tuesday night. After, we have a casual family dinner. It’s been a pretty fun new routine.

  • Potty-trainĀ  (KILL ME NOW)

Still in denial.

 

Before & After: Master Bedroom & Bath

This month marks one year since the renovation was finished on our first home. It is hard to believe that we’ve already lived here for a full year–and that we’ve owned our own place for a bit longer than that!

The first year of home ownership is not without its trials. There have been quite a few times when Sona and I have looked at each other, asking “What did we get ourselves into?”

Still, I am totally smitten with our little Chicago duplex. And though it’s a work in progress, it has come a long way.

I started blogging about our first home last year. I posted photos of the house as it was the day we first saw it, complete with our reno plans. Then, I posted the before and after photos of our living room/dining room.

In honor of our home-iversary, I’m going to get back to the before and afters. Today, I’m sharing the changes we made to our master bedroom and bathroom.

So, let’s start with a reminder of what we saw the first time we every walked into the house:

The two upstairs bathrooms were the most dated part of the house. (The downstairs bathroom was much better, and it’s still the only room that remains untouched. Hopefully, we’ll get to that, soon.)

The master bath was small, and the functionality suffered. It also had an ancient whirlpool tub that was: 1. Gross. 2. Not working. 3. Not even a little cute.

We knew we wanted to gut the bathrooms. It was a condition of our buying the place.

Here are photos from the day we got the keys. As you can see, the bedroom was fine. Nothing special, nothing terrible.

The room is moderately sized, but there are three huge closets. That is great, as Sona and I have had to split our clothes between two rooms in the past. However, it also means that 75% of the wall space in the bedroom is occupied by closet doors, leaving little space for furniture.

These photos literally make me cringe, still.

When we had contractors come give bids, they all shook their head in confusion at the tub, which was beyond salvaging. (We got a small credit for it in closing costs.)

And now, here’s what the bathroom looks like today:

Can you get over the difference?! We completely gutted the room. At first, we’d planned to expand the footprint into one of the closets, but then decided against it when we realized how much it would cost. Sona and I are accustomed to sharing a small bathroom, and a large master bath was never on our home-buying wishlist. So, we decided to make the best of the small space, choosing more high-end finishes to make the little bathroom feel special.

These light fixtures were one of the first things we knew we had to have in the new place. And the vanity was one of the things we refused to compromise on. It was actually back-ordered and didn’t come until a month after everything was finished, but we just couldn’t find another that we loved as much. Our contractor, who we LOVE, just furrowed his eyebrows, wondering why we wouldn’t just “go pick another one.” But he also knew us well enough, by then, to know that we wouldn’t change our minds.

It originally had silver hardware, but I swapped it all out for gold. Of course.

I really debated going with the gold fixtures, which are a bit trendy, and I suspect they may be outdated when we sell. But I love them SO much, and Sona convinced me to do what makes ME happy–not what the market would like in seven years. So, we went with gold in both upstairs bathrooms and all lighting fixtures throughout the house. I think it’s just that little something unexpected that makes the bathrooms pop.

The bathroom is bright, but it is also can feel very cold. (I love cool tones. So, that doesn’t really bother me.) Still, I knew I wanted a vintage oil painting to warm it up a bit and to tone down some of the new-ness. We searched and searched for months before finding this guy on eBay for like $50–frame and all! I love him. I also need a couple of small plants to give some life to the space.

Early on, Sona and I fell in love with bathrooms done in carrara marble. We decided to use it for a walk-in shower, which replaced that horrendous tub. Then, we started hearing/reading about how much of a PIA marble can be in a bathroom. It’s a very temperamental stone, and it requires a good bit of TLC to keep it looking good. Even still, it is inevitable that the stone will stain, etch, and scratch over time. We had several conversations about whether or not to pull the marble plug, but we ultimately decided that we were willing to do the maintenance for a bathroom we love. We still don’t regret that decision, even though marble is a total pain in the butt and has caused me more stress than pretty much anything else in my life. (True story.) I’ve cried over this marble on more than one occasion, as ridiculous as that sounds. It’s my second child.

When we re-do the guest bathroom downstairs, we probably will use a more people-friendly and water-friendly tile, but I’m glad that we decided to go for it in our own bathroom.

We also did custom shower doors, which also makes a huge difference in the overall aesthetic. Using gold hardware, obvs.

All of our fixtures are from Kohler’s Purist line and are in the color “Vibrant Moderne Brushed Gold.” Again, they were pricey, but in such a small space, they make a huge impact. Also, we looked everywhere for less expensive alternatives, and nothing matched up.

The one architectural element that we did change in the bathroom–other than adding new baseboards–is that we had a pocket door installed. Talk about a little change making a HUGE impact! The previous door opened to the left, completely blocking the large window, which is the only source of natural light in the bathroom. Now, not only does the door not get in the way, but we also have a full-view of that glorious window.

Let’s move on to the bedroom…

We made a few changes in the bedroom: First, we painted the walls grey. (They were beige.) Then, we added new baseboards and casings around the doorways. Finally, we stained the floor. This room is actually the only one in the entire house (aside from the downstairs bath) that still has the same flooring as when we purchased the home. The rest of the top floor now has new hardwood, as the existing hardwood was from 1916! The bedroom flooring, however, had been replaced at some point. So, it was much newer, and it was considerably cheaper to sand and stain it, rather than replace it.

We also had sconces installed around the bed. They are from Schoolhouse Electric, where we got all of the lighting in the house.

For the past several years, in anticipation of moving, I fantasized about buying two things: a fiddle leaf fig (which I did–as you can see in the living room post) and vintage campaign nightstands. I lusted after these babies for YEARS, inspired by very similar ones that DIY Playbook (a GREAT Chicago design duo) posted. I stalked MegMade’s website. (They are a great vintage reno shop. We’ve purchased several pieces from them in the past.) As soon as two matching campaign nightstands became available, we snatched them up and had the refinished in white! They are two of my favorite pieces in our home.

The artwork over the nightstands leftover are vintage stamps from our wedding invitations, which I framed (Ralph Waldo Emerson for Sona and Emily Dickinson for me) and custom calligraphy prints with the lyrics from our first dance song (First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes).

We also have a huge print of this horse photo, which I took in North Carolina. It’s for sale in my Etsy shop.

I bought this bench on Wayfair for a steal, and I recovered it with this Dalmatian printed fabric, which I’m kind of obsessed with.

Sona isn’t as interested in home design as I am. She definitely likes for our home to look nice, but she doesn’t often come up with ideas on her own. However, she was adamant that we find something for her nightstand that represented who she is and what she loves. So, she was super excited to find this vintage brass microscope at a local flea market. It’s the one thing that SHE had to have!

Cat photo-bomb, here.

I also love the mixed prints in our bedroom. Of all the rooms in our home, this is the one that feels the most complete to me. It’s also the one where I think I really nailed my style. You know, it can be difficult to figure out exactly what your personal style is, and we’ve waffled a lot over the years, experimenting with shabby chic and beachy and uber modern. Ultimately, this room really captures us perfectly: colorful, whimsical, a little new, and a little old. It’s interesting and eccentric but clean and uncluttered.

But we do need a new duvet. Thanks for ruining everything, cats.

Kitty #2. I told him that, since he matches our bench, we can keep him. šŸ˜‰

Eventually, we would like to take this wall of closets, open it up, and do custom built-ins with sliding frosted glass doors and a hidden spot for a TV. For now, I relish not having a TV in the bedroom. (Sona, not so much.)

Next up… our kitchen!

Trip Report: Washington D.C.

A few weeks ago, we flew to D.C. for a family wedding. Since I’d never been, we decided to make a week-long trip of it. It was also the first vacation-ish trip that we’ve taken with Finn without our parents tagging along for support. (We took him to Virgin Gorda, last year, but the rents were there to help.)

It was also the first time that he’s been on an airplane since he was 7 months old, as last year’s big move prevented a lot of traveling aside from Italy, which Sona and I did by ourselves.

I was a little nervous about it. As I’ve mentioned before, Finn is the world’s most energetic child. He moves CONSTANTLY. Like, he really never, ever sits still. Also, three days before we left, he was diagnosed with a double ear infection.

The plane ride to D.C. was a bit of a challenge. He did okay, but we had to wrestle him into his seat more than a dozen times, and he totally lost his shit at baggage claim in D.C. It was past nap-time, he needed desperately to get out some energy, and we were asking him to sit still and wait.Ā  On the way back, though, he was a perfect angel. So, I think some ear discomfort might have contributed to his behavior on the first flight. Or not. You never really know. Complete 180s are a pretty common occurrences with toddlers, and I always prep myself for the fact that it could go either way.

Either way, we had a good time in D.C., after we got past the first day or so of general out-of-sortedness. We rented an AirBnB in a great neighborhood, which was within walking distance of the main highlights, but we didn’t realize that the bedroom didn’t have a door. So, Finn slept in a pack-n-play in the living room and had a clear view of our bedroom. It wasn’t ideal, and it interfered with sleeping just a bit. He took forever to go down for naps, which is super unusual, and we had to hide out in the bedroom the entire time he slept. (It was WAY too bright in the bedroom for naps.) As a result, he was a little bit of a crank that first 24-36 hours.

Sona and I also had a few “Oh, so this is what traveling with kids is going to be like” moments. We needed to adjust our expectations quite a bit, as we are so accustomed to globe-trotting on our own, but once we did, everything was a lot better.

Things really improved once: 1. We recognized that Finn should lead the way, most of the time. 2. We gave up on walking miles and miles in the heat and Ubered to a lot of places, allowing more time to explore and less time spent in transit. 3. We honored nap time. 4. We gave up on trying to do a lot of indoor dining with Finn, opting for picnics and outdoor options, instead. 5. We let him walk/run more than he was in the stroller. 6. We found a playground and a splash-pad near our apartment, which gave Finn a sense of normalcy, as we do those things at home a lot. 7. We had a babysitter come after he went to bed in the evenings, giving Sona and I a chance to have adult time and explore some of the good eats D.C. has to offer.

All in all, it ended up being a really great little trip, and I’m glad we worked out the kinks of traveling with a toddler before we take a bigger trip later this year.

Here are a ton of pics:

We were super ambitious and walked to the White House pretty much as soon as we got off the plane.

We were kind of surprised that, despite a lot of greenspace, D.C. didn’t actually have a lot of parks or playgrounds that were for little kids. In Chicago, we are spoiled by a plethora of playgrounds! But we did find Stead Park, which was just a few blocks from our AirBnB, and it was a total hit!

We did the National Mall on our second day.

Finn really enjoyed our picnic by the water, watching the ducks.

The morning ceremony was at a Hindu temple about 30 minutes outside of the city. Finn didn’t do so well there, but he did enjoy the music. (Another lesson: don’t take a toddler to a wedding!)

It was nice to get dressed up–and have my BFF babysit–for the evening wedding ceremony.

The fried chicken, honey butter, hot sauce, and donut sandwich at Astro Donuts is what dreams are made of! We went three times. Don’t judge us!

Someone at the wedding recommended the paddleboats on the Potomac, and it was SO much fun!

Ā 

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with dinner at Le Diplomate. SO yum!

We had a babysitter 4 of the nights we were in town, and it allowed us to enjoy the nightlife a bit.

Ā Ā Ā 

Our D.C. Faves and Recommendations:

  • Eat at Astro Donuts–like 10 times, at least
  • Rent a paddleboat from Tidal Basin
  • Have pina coladas and empandas at Colada Shop
  • Have dinner (or brunch) at Le Diplomate–get the gougeres and seafood tower
  • Get ice cream at Ice Cream Jubilee
  • Make the most of the toddler-friendly main attractions: White House, National Mall, Smithsonian Natural History Museum
  • Eat at Compass Rose
  • Visit Stead Park for the playground and splash pad

 

Summer Bucket List

As an English professor at a local community college, I’m lucky enough to get a lot of time off. Even though I sometimes teach in this summer, I decided not to, this year. So, I’m off for nearly 3 months.

I know that having that much time off is a luxury that most would jump through hoops to take advantage of, and I am really happy to have a career that affords me so much flexibility and time away from work. However, when I do have an entire summer off, I sometimes go a little stir crazy. (Is the world’s smallest violin playing for me, yet?)

Often, by the end of the summer, I have reverted to my pretty pathetic 20-something habits: staying up until the wee hours of the morning, sleeping half the day, showeringĀ  irregularly, spending WAY too much time on the internet, watching trash TV. You get the idea.

Now that we have Finn, that’s a little more difficult. He requires that I remain at least minimally functional.Ā  Plus, we want him to have a summer full of new things and adventures (big and small) and lots of time spent outdoors.

Also, now that we are homeowners, there is a never-ending list of little projects that need done–most of which have been neglected for the past year, as we try to stay afloat with two full-time jobs, a toddler, 2 rabbits, 2 cats, and countless other responsibilities.

So, in an effort to have both a memorable and a productive summer, I’ve made myself a summer bucket list, which will hopefully guide and motivate the next few months. Maybe putting this all out there will help keep me accountable for the not-so-fun stuff. MAYBE.

Either way, here it goes.

The Fun:

  • Spend several days at the beach
  • Hit up a new Caribbean island
  • Have a no-cook charcuterie/tapas-style dinner on the porch at least once a week
  • Have a swanky rooftop cocktail date downtown with my gal
  • Visit a farmer’s market at least once a week
  • Catch up on our vacation photo books (Alaska/Cannon Beach, Belize, San Juan/Nevis/Anguilla, Virgin Gorda, Italy)
  • Take Finn to the Thomas the Train show
  • Visit my hometown in Tennessee for the first time since Finn was born (and eat lots of Mexican food while there)
  • Go berry picking with Finn
  • Binge watch OITNB
  • Get family photos taken
  • Finally get back to blogging before/after photos of our house
  • Finally get back to blogging regularly, in general
  • Celebrate Finn’s 2nd birthday with a casual beach party
  • Plant an herb garden–and keep it alive
  • Finally visit one of the surrounding state fairs
  • Eat watermelon, corn, peaches, and tomatoes until we explode
  • Get my hands on a pair of those freaking copper-colored Birkenstocks that I’ve been stalking since February (No, really, I know this one is stupid, but I have wide feet and it’s hard to find cute shoes, and I’ve literally checked for these EVERY SINGLE DAY for months)

The Not-So-Fun:

  • Finish Kellogg practicum project
  • Clean out Finn’s closet and list a ton of clothes in his Kidizen shop
  • Clean out my closet and do the same
  • Go through the house and clean up/touch up paint, which we’ve been meaning to do since we moved in
  • Pack up some of Finn’s baby toys šŸ™ and organize what is left
  • Have all of our windows professionally cleaned–they are GROSS
  • Get back into a steady workout routine
  • Have a pretty standard out-patient surgery that I’ve been putting off because it means I won’t be able to pick Finn up for two weeks
  • Get started on the two book projects I’ve been delaying, which are due relatively soon
  • Begin visiting possible preschools and (hopefully) get on a waitlist
  • Sign-up for and start swim lessons with Finn
  • Potty-trainĀ  (KILL ME NOW)

10 of Our Dirty Parenting Secrets

[Insert a long and sorrowful explanation for why I haven’t blogged in over two months, here.]

Glad we got that over with. You know what’s a good entry back into the blogging world, especially when you’ve also been writing a 30+ page research project for the past week? A list!

So, here is our list of the dirty little parenting secrets that we don’t really want people to know about because: 1. they are pretty shameful; 2. they may cause people to question our son’s well-being; and 3. they make us seem like the laziest, most ill-equipped parents on the planet.

Still, I know we’re not alone, and I’m all for airing my dirty laundry. Here it goes:

  1. Despite all of the best parenting advice that I’ve read in all of the best parenting books, I regularly bribe Finn to get him to cooperate. For example, at least three times a week, I have to offer him a sucker or a pack of jelly beans just to get coax him out of our bed, away from the iPad, and into the car for daycare drop-off.
  2. Did I mention the iPad? Yeah, our son who lived a relatively screen-free existence for the first 1.5 years of his life has suddenly become OBSESSED with iPad games. I mean, it’s ridiculous. In a matter of days, he went from casually exploring the iPad to waking up and demanding “Pad!” the second we walk into his room. It is literally his first word every single morning. We’ve limited “Pad!” time to just 20 minutes or so after he wakes up, but he asks for it all day. He also knows how to access the app store. God help us.
  3. We said we would never, ever allow devices at the dinner table, and he’s still never had them at home, but we’ve started breaking out the iPhone and letting Finn watch YouTube videos when he gets a bit antsy during restaurant excursions. It’s a slippery slope, I know, and I’m quite sure we’ll soon be those parents whose toddler stares zombie-like at a screen, Mountain Dew dripping down his chin and Cheeto dust coloring his fingertips. But if it affords me the extra 15 minutes to finish a meal in peace, I’m good with that.
  4. Finn LOVES iced tea. And he likes coffee, too. If I make a Starbucks run, I try to get him water or milk or some other age-appropriate drink, but I also absolutely do not have the energy to resist his begging for our caffeinated beverages. You want to stunt your growth, kid? Go freaking wild.
  5. We limit refined sugar during the weekdays. Finn doesn’t really get any “treats,” then, other than fruit or yogurt (oh, and those morning bribes). But on the weekends, all bets are off. It is not unusual for him to have donuts, cookies, and ice cream in the span of 48 hours.
  6. I can’t tell you how many times–in the face of some kind of disgustingly atrocious behavior–I’ve just shrugged and thought, “Oh, well.” Dropped a straw in the dirt and then kept using it? Oh, well. Licked the playground equipment? Oh, well. Ate a fistful of cat hair? You get the idea.
  7. We have not planned out Finn’s educational future. We live in Chicago, and preschool application is some urbanized version of the Hunger Games, but I don’t even know at what age preschool starts. True story. I will look into it, eventually…
  8. While we’re on the subject of complete and utter denial, I have absolutely no intentions to actively try potty training this kid anytime soon. He’ll be two in August. Maybe we will try, then? He definitely has shown some signs of readiness: he asks to use the bathroom at daycare, he alerts the whole world that he has “poop poop” in his diaper, etc. But I have a lot on the agenda for summer, and chasing a bare-assed toddler around the house while he pisses all over our new wood floors is definitely not something I want to add to my list.
  9. He is 22 months, and he still drinks from a bottle before bedtime. Nuff said.
  10. I’m pretty sure we’ve brainwashed him into believing that he physically cannot get out of his crib until 8:00 in the morning. He’s always been a late sleeper. Until about 18 months, he regularly slept past 9:00. I think that’s because, when he was an infant and would wake at around 5 or 6 , I’d give him a bottle and then put him right back to sleep. Every single time. I’m pretty sure a lot of parents just assume that the 5 or 6 wake time is when their baby is ready to get up for the day, but I made it my life’s mission to convince Finn that–should he come out of his crib before 8:00 in the morning–the world would implode. So, he doesn’t question it. Even if he wakes at around 7:00, which he does sometimes, he just sits quietly, like he has an internalized version of one of those wake clocks. “Finn is up,” Sona and I will say to each other. And then we roll over and go right back to sleep.

Trip Report: Venice, Italy

Shameless plug: photos from both Florence and Venice are now featured in my Etsy shop, which is linked above.

Last week, I shared our trip report for Florence. After Florence, we headed to Venice for a few days.

We booked our train ticket a month or so in advance through Trentitalia, but that really wasn’t necessary. The high speed train system in Italy is surprisingly easy and efficient, and we probably could’ve shown up and booked tickets the day of. We also got to the train station way too early, and we were those silly tourists, staring at the board, waiting for our track to post.

Even still, the train ride was effortless, and it was actually nice to have a couple hours of down time. Sona slept; I snacked and stared out the window.

When we arrived in Venice, we did the thing you probably shouldn’t do if you’re smart and trying to save a little money: we hired a private water taxi to get to our hotel. There are certainly cheaper ways to go about that, but I really wanted to enter Venice with a bang–and see it from the water, for the first time, in a way that was comfortable and special. But if we did it again, I’d just hop a Vaporetto, especially since our hotel–Cima Rosa–was just a couple of stops away from the train station.

Though, that 10-minute ride was awe-inspiring. I have to say: Sona and I have traveled quite a bit, and we’ve seen many a wondrous location, but I rarely have the immediate mouth-agape, eyes-wide reaction to Europe that I do to places in the Caribbean. What can I say? I’m a gal who is inspired by water. But the second we stepped into the water taxi and caught sight of the Grand Canal, my jaw dropped. Literally.

The water taxi hadn’t even started moving when I started snapping photos. I must have taken 50 photos in those 10 minutes, including all of these:

I must have mistakenly thought that I was getting a limited opportunity to capture Venice’s beauty, but then I realized that there is no spot in Venice–no alley you wonder down, no canal you cross–that isn’t every bit as charming and captivating and lovely as that first 10 minute ride. Venice is, inch for inch, the prettiest place we’ve ever been, and it is a photographer’s dream. You just can’t take a bad photo.

We stayed at Cima Rosa, which bills itself as a boutique B&B. It is housed in a centuries-old building and has less than 10 rooms. It felt really intimate, as there are less than 10 rooms. We snagged a room right on the Grand Canal, which gave us an incredible view and was uber romantic. Probably the most romance-inspiring place we’ve ever stayed, actually.

Cima Rosa is just slightly outside of the tourist-driven area of Venice, which was perfect for us. It is in a neighborhood that is quiet and feels residential; it’s also centrally located, which gave us the opportunity to explore much of Venice.

During our days there, we walked and walked and walked. We explored virtually every corner of the city, branching out to all parts of the islands and walking through every major neighborhood. It was worth all of the blisters, though, because each neighborhood had its own personality, and–as is true in pretty much any place on the planet–the most interesting spots weren’t necessarily the ones the guidebooks told us about.

In fact, our favorite day in Venice–and maybe of the whole trip–was the one designed by the receptionist at our B&B, who wrote us out a walking tour of her neighborhood–Dorsoduro–including her favorite spots to eat, shop, etc. That’s the artistic district of Venice, and it’s also where the university is. So, it’s young, hip, and local. We really, really loved it–so much so that we went back on our last day.

One of our concerns about Venice stemmed from the fact that lots of folks told us how hard it would be to find good eats, as so much is geared towards locals, but we didn’t find that to be true at all. With a little research–and walking–you’ll find plenty of yumminess, including a lot of cicchetti, which is the tradition of Venetian small bites. Most cicchetti are various toppings–spreads, fish, etc.–on slices of bread. ALL of them are delicious and affordable. Venetians eat cicchetti much in the same way that the Spanish eat tapas: as small bites, accompanied by an aperitif, before dinner. We ate them before–and after–lots of meals.

On our last day, we did what anyone must do on their first trip to Venice, stereotypes be damned: we took a gondola ride. We deliberately timed it to be right before sunset, and we asked not to go on the Grand Canal. This left us meandering through the blissfully quiet small canals. It was worth every penny, at $80 for 40 minutes, because Venice was really meant to be seen from the water, and we wanted to have that experience before we left.

 

Do I even have to tell you how much we enjoyed Florence and Venice? I don’t think so. Sometimes, we go to a place and leave, thinking “That was wonderful, but it is on to somewhere new!” And sometimes, you come home from a place, and you find yourself daydreaming about it, wishing you could do the trip all over, again.

I’ve spent every day since Italy wishing that we were back in Italy.

Our Venice Faves and Recommendations:

  • our hotel, Cima Rosa
  • a gondola tour–but not on the Grand Canal
  • the Peggy Guggenheim museum
  • a day spent exploring Dorsoduro, including exploring the artist shops along S. Barnaba
  • cicchetti at Osteria Al Squero and Vino gia Schiavi
  • frito misto and pasta (we loved the arrabiata) at Fried Land (just trust me on this one)
  • dinner at Osteria Anice Stellato
  • an early morning walk through the Rialto Market
  • chocolate souvenirs at Vizo Virtu
  • sandwiches and pastries at Rosa Salva (the one by the hospital)
  • a walk through the Libreria Acqua Alta bookstore
  • wine at Vino Vero, sitting along the canal
  • gelato at Grom
  • an evening spent drinking on one of the local squares
  • pizza at Muro Frari

 

 

 

 

Trip Report: Florence, Italy

It’s been a little over a month since my last post, and I could blame that on being unusually busy, but I’m beginning to realize that being unusually busy is our new usual.

Amidst the busyness, though, Sona and I managed to sneak away for an 8-day getaway to Italy–sans Finn.

It was our first alone trip since he was born, and before I go into too much detail about all the ways in which it was absolutely wonderful, soul-satisfying, and marriage-restoring, let me just give you the short of it: IT IS NOT ONLY OKAY, BUT ALSO TOTALLY IMPORTANT, THAT PARENTS TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM THEIR KIDS.

We were very lucky that my mom and step-dad–Mimi and Pops–were willing to sacrifice a week of their own vacation time to come up to Chicago and take care of our little man. We really wanted him to stay in our home. First, because we thought he needed as much stability as possible in the very fragile state we’d assumed he’d be in without us (more on that, later) and, also, because driving to and from Tennessee would shave a couple of days off of our own vacay time.

Italy has been on our must-visit list for a LONG time. And we figured that if we had a chance to escape without any toddler, we might as well go somewhere that would be difficult with him. It’s not that doing Europe with Finn would be impossible (though, the thought does terrify me), it’s just that doing it the way we’d want to do it–wandering aimlessly for hours, drinking a lot of wine, lounging carelessly at a variety of sidewalk cafes–would be impossible with him. Having him would have totally changed the nature of the trip, and we wanted to remember what it was like to be wanderlust-y and carefree–without a baby.

Though, as the trip date approached, Sona and I were feeling so tired and depleted that we found ourselves secretly wishing that we’d just booked a lazy trip to the Caribbean–one in which we wouldn’t feel guilty sleeping on a beach chair all day.

And even though we did run from sun-up to sun-down each day, walking a total of 50+ miles while we were gone (according to our iPhones) and exploring every inch of both Florence and Venice, it was completely worth it. The trip gave us a small glimpse into our pre-baby lives. That was a time that we wouldn’t trade for now–because, of course, Finn is our sun and our moon–but it was nice to remember who we were to each other before we were moms. We felt more connected to each other than we have in a long time, and that was really because we had one luxury that we don’t have very often, anymore: uninterrupted and responsibility-free time.

As for Finn, he couldn’t have cared less about our absence. I mean, he cared so little that we were actually a little hurt. Couldn’t he have just pretended that he was devastated? Thrown just a few tantrums, thrashing his legs and screaming for “momma”?! Truth was, Mimi and Pops did such a good job giving him completely undivided attention that he was happy as a clam and hardly noticed that we were away.

That is to say, I think the week apart was good for all of us.

Now… Florence! We started in Florence and ended in Venice, which when we asked around, were the two Italian cities that folks seemed to have enjoyed the most. If we’d had a few more days, we would’ve crammed Rome into the itinerary, too, but we didn’t want to over-tax ourselves. (And we really wanted a lot of time for wine and gelato.)

In Florence, we rented an apartment, which is what we generally prefer, as it helps us live more like locals for a few days–and is usually nicer, roomier, and cheaper than a hotel. Our apartment was right around the corner fro Ponte Vecchio–the main attraction in Florence. That put us smack dab in the middle of the two sides of the city separated by the Arno river–one that is more touristy and one that is more geared towards the locals. We enjoyed exploring both.

Florence was a great city to wander and eat in–which are the two things we did the most. Walk. Sit. Drink. Eat. Repeat. That was how we spent those four glorious days. We did a good bit of noshing, rather than elaborate multi-course meals, and it proved to be the best way to experience–and taste–much of what the city had to offer.

We also ate gelato at least twice a day. So, there’s that.

It was in the mid-60s most of the time we were there. So, while it got a little chilly at night, I really enjoyed being able to explore all day without getting too hot. We lucked out with the weather, and it was sunny during our entire visit. That made wandering a lot more enjoyable.

Of course, we did many of the requisite Florence things: we went to see David at dell’Accademia, walked through the Uffizi galleries, rubbed the nose of the lucky boar, and explored the Boboli Gardens.

We also did an all-day private tour of the Tuscan countryside, which included stops in the medieval towns of Montalcino and Pienza, a wine tour and tasting, a visit to some Roman baths, and an awe-inspiring lunch at a local farm.

But really, the days we enjoyed most were the ones when we didn’t have anything on the docket–days when we just set out, grabbed a latte (or two), ate, and walked, and ate some more.

Those are the kinds of days we miss the most–and the kind that were the most restorative.

Next stop, Venice!

Our Florence Faves and Recommendations:

  • our apartment, VRBO listingĀ 827364
  • a tour with Andrea from Tuscany Experience Tours
  • a walk through Boboli Gardens (bring a snack)
  • pizza at Gusta Pizza
  • gelato at Gelateria Della Passera, Perche No, and Gelateria Dei Neri
  • dinner at Vini e Vecchi
  • a charcuterie board at La Prosciutteria Firenze
  • anything fried at Il Coccolo
  • a sandwich at Ino
  • breakfast (and lunch and snacks and coffee) at Catinetta dei Verrazzano
  • a nibbling tour through Mercato di San Lorenzo
  • dinner–and a drink on the square–at 4 Leones