my latest project :)

The last two weeks I've had a nasty sinus infection and didn't really feel like going anywhere or doing anything.  I was starting to get a little stir crazy, so I decided maybe I should do something productive, so I painted our door to the garage in chalkboard paint!  My very clever friend, Katie L, gave me the suggestion when I was complaining to her that I didn't like the color of my door.  It's so nice to have friends who have good ideas!  She also told me about "chalkboard markers" so if you want something to stay on longer and not get erased, you can use the markers.  So like if you wanted to draw a calendar on your door like this...

then when you go to erase the dates/events, the calendar part will stay put.  And when you want to erase it, you can used rubbing alcohol and it comes right off.  Cool, huh?  Maybe you already knew about those markers, but I never had!  Maybe I need to get on Pinterest more... ;)

Below our family calendar, I made a chore chart for the kids and also made some magnets to go with it.

 

The "$" column is for chores they get paid for (just a quarter), so when they put their magnet there, I know I need to pay them.  Sure helps trying to remember if I gave them their quarter yet or not.  They don't take the magnet off until they have their money! :)

The kids LOVE their new chore chart.  They especially like getting to move their magnets to the "Done" or "$" column!

Here are a few examples of our magnets... they're not perfect, so please don't judge me or look too closely...

dusting...

cleaning the bathroom, setting the table

folding laundry, watering plants

If you've never made magnets before, they're easy breezy.  Here's a quick tutorial:

*You need (1) those glass round things (don't know what they're called, but you can find them in the floral section of Hobby Lobby), (2) some magnets (the round, stronger kind), (3) some clear tacky glue, and (4) hot glue or E6000.  I actually just used E6000 for both types of glue.  That stuff is seriously the strongest glue I've ever seen.  It ate right through a foam plate I had it on one time.  So don't put it on styrofoam!  And be careful because the back of it says prolonged exposure to skin has been known to cause cancer in California.  Not sure why just California... maybe their beautiful, tanned, beachy skin is more sensitive? ;) 

*Then find some cute clipart online.  Print it out on cardstock or matte photo paper.

*Use packing tape to "laminate" the pictures so they don't bleed when you glue them. (this is an optional step... some papers don't bleed as much as others)

*Cut the pictures into circles the size of the magnets.

*Use clear tacky glue or E6000 to glue the pictures to the magnets.

*When mostly dry, use hot glue or E6000 to glue the magnets to the back and Voilà! You have homemade magnets!

Back to the door, I'm not thrilled with this bottom part here, but I wanted the kids to have a place to create their works of art too.

If I decide to keep the frames, I may need my uber-talented friend Abby to come over and re-do them for me.  Up for a playdate, Abby? ;)

Here's what Millie and Tate did today.  It was too nice out when Addie got home from school, so she'll do her picture tomorrow.

Tate wanted me to draw a raincloud for him and he did the "grass."  ;)  And Millie's is a yellow heart in a blue sky with green grass.  Sweet. :)

And here's the door all together.  I thought it looked too busy with the magnets there, so I moved them so they line up down the right side of the chart.  Looks much better.  

And I'm still not sure about those frames... Maybe I'll do one big one to kinda match the chart and calendar?  Any ideas?

Oh, and here's a picture of the door before I did my stuff on it.  This was waiting for me when I came home from a retreat a few weekends ago...

Aw, isn't that sweet!

So now my sinus infection is over, but I'm on this nasty antibiotic until Sunday.  Seriously, the nastiest pill I've ever taken.  It's ginormous and makes my mouth taste metallic-y ALL DAY. It's so bad that it makes me nauseous.  Not kidding.  My doctor recommended sucking on candy to help with the taste. Also she said if I'm in the sun, it'll make me break out in a rash and it also causes the Achille's tendon to weaken and tear, so I can't do my normal workout. (This is what you get when you're allergic to penicillin and sulfa drugs!)  So my teeth might rot, I may gain 5 pounds this week, break into a nasty rash and tear my tendons... all thanks to my sinuses.  ;)  Has anyone else ever been on such a nasty antibiotic?  I never knew one as lethal as this existed!

And, just a reminder... please continue to pray for my cousin's son, TJ. Click here to read about him.  He's been without a feeding tube now for 26 days and is deteriorating right in front of his parent's eyes.  Can't even begin to imagine how difficult that would be. Please pray that God will take him home peacefully.  Makes me feel like a HUGE baby for complaining about my pill. Really gives life a whole new perspective.