PerryBuilt Family

This is my second year where I have looked forward to and dreaded being a slave to the school calendar and going back to school!  My oldest will be in first grade this year.  It seems that there are two sides to every point I am thinking of in saying goodbye to the beautiful Summer and hello to Fall. First off, I think we have had an amazing summer.  We had a few beach days, played in a pool that was given to us most everyday, rode bikes, gone to the aquarium and the zoo, gone camping, boating, maintained a garden, checked off several house projects, and done it all while we both (Perry Mama and Perry Papa) somehow worked and kept it all on track. Boy, am I tired; and still attempting to fit in a few final activities in the last two days before school inevitable starts at 8:30 on Wednesday of this week!!  OMG! I am looking forward to a longer school day, my daughter will go to school until 2:30 for the first time in her life!  But, I am going t...

I'm trying to revive some of my kitchen staples to add a fun splash of color.  I was left with all of these unused paint samples that I wanted to use for a fun summer project, I thought it was going to be for something outside, but I found something inside that needed a  face lift.  Don't forget 1 coat of primer, even if your paint comes with primer in it and two coats of color (I learned that the hard way, thinking I could skip the primer step).  Unfortunately, all of the samples you get from Home Depot are flat, so I also needed to spray them with a glossy sealer, so they would also wipe clean.  Just some tips if this should inspire you! I definitely need to learn about wax sealers, if you have used them, please comment and give me your tips!          Yes, it might look a little like Easter, but with my tired linoleum counter tops that I am going to have to wait to replace, I needed something a little fun!   I al...

I'm usually full of thoughts, but today the only thing I can think of that I have spent and huge amount of time on lately other than work and family is gardening. I am honestly enjoying it! Even the weeding. I have tried to take before and after pictures, but I just get going when I have a few moments and so much changes so quickly and before you know it I haven't taken a before and after shot. I think the main thing is that I am learning a lot, and I am really enjoying it! It's been a great activity for all of us to do together.  And we get some sun and fresh air. I am also experimenting so much and just trying to see what works here in this climate, with our predators and maybe a few clumsy people that trample the wrong spot. The main thing is that the people that had this house before me, knew a lot more than I did. And, with a little help from my friends; I post what I don't know about on facebook and I get a ton of great advice and things to google and loo...

My daughter has 4 weeks and counting until summer starts. What am I going to do with 2 kids home all day, everyday, all summer long? And what do I remember most about being a kid and my summers? Summer to me, means flexibility in schedules, and being outside and staying up late. After ending Spring Break a little disappointed that I didn't focus on more activities that I wanted to do with the kids, I am creating a cup with summer activities that I am writing on Popsicle sticks. We will pull 3 each week and plan our week around those activities. The amusement park, beach days, cooking, reading, and craft projects will all be attained and I feel with this plan we will all have a fun fulfilling summer. Here are some ideas: Before school ends, post a calendar of park meet ups so the kids can see their friends throughout the summer and you don't have to entertain a bunch of kids in your own home. You can get to know more of the parents,etc. This has been very fun f...

When I was a kid I went back and forth between my parents houses because they were divorced. I had gone every other day (I usually get a pitiful look from people when I say that, but it was awesome, what kid doesn't want to see both parents everyday?) And, I don't remember feeling disconnected with my space until I was 8 and started going every other week. Every week I would get home and even if my room wasn't dirty I would clean. I was reacquainting myself with the space. In a big world where still many things are out of my control; cleaning, is a simple task where I can feel satisfied and some what accomplished. Here's a link to an article about sanity and cleanliness. (I'm still on the hunt for a better one out there which I will share with you when I find one, but when I google psychology and cleanliness I get the biblical verse about cleanliness and godliness, which isn't what I was trying to share with my readers). In my new home, though it has been a slo...

The first few pictures I hung in my house, I used the help of my handy dandy talented contractor husband who, has all the right tools and does math easily in his head to hang pictures at the right height and can easily match the height or divide up the space perfectly. Having two kids, the project got interrupted, of course. But, there is something about moving, I don't feel quite settled until I see my artwork or families and friends faces on the walls surrounding me. It's how I mark my territory, or something. So, if you walked into my home, you would know my style, and immediately what I love. And, what I love, which as you will see in the next few pictures are my kids! My husband did complain that we need either different people on our walls and or more artwork. I agree, we spent a pretty penny on getting professional pictures taken of our kids as infants and that time was really the last time I updated what was in my frames. I told him, we will get the frames u...

I should not be writing my blog today, but I need a little brain break and I would rather be thinking about all these things than work and bills. Spring is such a wonderful time of year! Living in California, it is the short time of the year where everything growing under the trees is actually green without a sprinkler, and it does not last long. The trees start to blossom and the sun gets warmer, yet the mornings are still crisp and clean. We just moved into a new place with lots of garden beds. Last Friday, my kids (and the neighbors, Thank you, by the way), dug up some poorly placed garden boxes right outside our front door and moved them to the side of the house where all the rest of the garden boxes live. It has been a few years since I have actually had a vegetable garden, so we will see how it goes, but I have high hopes and have actually started my veggies by seed. I know I must be crazy. I have followed this website where you put in your zipcode and it tells you wha...