Rollin’ in a Palomino..

Little Vanilla Ice lyrical redo lead in and … drum rolll….

Guess whose family will not be attacked by rabid raccoons or stuck laying on our half deflated air mattresses looking at the tent ceiling this summer?

Mine! That’s right we went all out and bought a pop up camper, but not just any pop up camper, this one has hard sides, which is very cool. Not sure if they are hard to find or not, but we went to a neighboring state to get this baby:

As for rabid raccoons and rain storms, both are true. Last year on our annual “gypsy trot” summer family vacation we encountered 2 days or torrential rain in Ludington, MI, which is an amazing beautiful quaint little town. Imagine all 6 of us in our 2 room “deluxe” tent laying on air mattresses, some that were really failing to hold their air, trying not to touch the walls for fear that water might leak in.

Now if we are caught in the rain I imagine that we can at least sit or stand *gasp* and play games and enjoy the storm.

This camper has a King size bed on one end, and a queen size bed on the other end, the table folds down and becomes a bed as well. plenty of room for all of us. We looked at quite a few campers on Craigslist before deciding on this one, and with Jon’s height 6’2″ and the size of our family we decided this platform was going to be the best for our family. There are quite a few that are a little smaller with a queen on one side and a full on the other, most have the fold down table option.

King

Queen

Table turned into bed.

this also has air-conditioning and heating, a shower, which I do not think we will use, and a potty!!! No more late night running through th campground to pee. This was not on our must have list but it is a nice option to have. This is a hinged lid that lifts up and viola, potty.

In all honesty I would LOVE…LOVE to find an old airstream, we almost bought one once 3-4 years ago, but it needed a lot of work. there was also a pop up for sale while we were looking that had a that nice 70′s orange stove and sink, the vintage spoke to me, but it had the smaller bed platform.

So we have stainless which I really like as well.

I am hoping to whip out my handy Singer machine and sew some new curtains and valance to retro this out a little bit.

I might even paint the cabinets, and definitely I have to replace the gold handles and hinges….not a fan of gold much. Oooh and maybe a name?!?!

So there it is, the new camper on the block. We are really excited to gypsy around in it!

Super Sib Cape – Birthday Gift

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Santanna’s best friend has an older sister, who is battling a brain tumor with all the energy she can muster. I know I have briefly written about this before, and I ran my last marathon for team Ana.

Elsa and Santanna have an extremely special bond. We are a place that E can come and escape some of the burden of chemo and pills and sadness that is detected even when I am sure it is trying not to show itself. She is a “super sib” and has been praised as that in many aspects and events. Not enough in the shadow of cancer, but she knows she is loved and valued.

Santanna and Elsa have know each other since they were 3 and now that they are both just turning 6, that is like forever!

All Elsa wanted for her birthday according to her mom was Santanna.

What do you give as a gift to a girl who adamantly prays for a cure for her sister’s cancer? For normalcy?

I can’t tell you….

But we did make her a super E cape, a reminder that she is amazing and wonderful, and as many other little girls would love…one for her American Girl Doll.

It was really an easy project, and E loved it!!

Here is Tanna modeling it with our own AG doll Lucy:

If you have it in you, whatever your persuasion or belief, even though you do not know their family, will you please take a moment and use your heart to give a beat for Ana. They really are an amazing family. I know they will feel and appreciate it.

Upcycled Jewelery Oraganization

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Is it May already…and almost 1/3 over. I am still pushing foward on the NYR to become more oranginzed.

Organization in our house is a constant battle, a good one, but hard-fought non the less.

With 3 girls, the princess accessories are at an all time high, but I am sure it is just the tip of the iceberg.

At her recent campout birthday party, Raiven received a few new special accessories, she has pierced easr, has been acquiring necklaces and bracelets from relatives and friends, and thrifting. Until this project she was hanging them on a wooden drawing doll, is that what it is called?

I accidentally deleted a whole card full of photos…ugh! So the before shots are none existent..but here is what we did:

I had 2 black picture frames that were thrifted or the glass has brokern out of, I was tired of tripping over them but knew I would find a use from them….eventually.

When I saw this I decided to upcycle the old frames to organize our oldest daughters jewelry.

We spray painted them in Raiven’s color choice.

Then Hubby cut, he is the type A to my relaxed type B, and attached chicken wire to the frame.

He attached them to the wall with hallow all sinkers, since they were not on a stud, we wanted them securely in place.

WE added these hooks to the chicken wire, we crimped the top set closed so they are fixed in place, but we left the others uncrimped so she can move them around as she likes. These are from Menards, but I am sure any hardware store has them.

The other side we did not put any hook on, we left this one for earrings so she can just loop them over the wire.

I made the yellow beautiful art on her wall, inspired by one I saw on Zulily.

She is thrilled with this new addition to her room, and is really lets her showcase all the special jewelery she has, as most of it has been gifts. It also gives her the independence to choose what she wants to wear and gives her the ability to easily care for her special jewelry.

This Cake is on Fi-yah!!

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Raiven just celebrated her 9th birthday.

We chose to have it at our house and she was allowed to invite up to 9 girls, including her self to spend the night.

All but one was able to spend the night, they all came and played, made a craft and had cake and ice cream.

We are big campers at our house so we set the tent up, since there was still 6 inches of snow outside, in the base ment, for the girls to sleep in. In nice weather we would have set it up outside.

After seeing this cake:

Credit: Amam Cara…Cakedecorating website

Hubby and I decided to do our own take on a bonfire cake:

Here are the ingredients:

Cake mix of your choice, along with ingredients needed to make cake, which may vary.

Pam or non stick spray.

Pirouette cookies.

Hard butterscotch and cinnamon candies, at least 25 of each

Here is how we did it, as always feel free to do what you like and works best for you.

Bake cake according to directions on the package. We used a yellow cake it is a favorite, also I thought it would be neat to take some scoops of the cake mix before baking it and add red or yellow coloring and plop them in so when you cut the cake the inside had more of a fire look,…maybe next time.

We baked the cake in a 9 X 13, cut it in half and sacked it, you could do 2 round pants as well.

Let it cool, frost as you normally would, we used chocolate.

Then take the butterscotch and cinnamon hard candies, put them in a baggies and pound them until crushed, almost like a sugar.

Then put them on a sheet of tinfoil that has been sprayed with non stick spray and put in the oven at 350, here are the candies we melted:

This does not take long 5 minutes or so, it will look a little liquidy and bubbly, also when you melt the candies you can choose how thick to make them which will change the time depending on the thickness.

Once cooled, break into pieces and put on your cake however you like, add pirouette cookies as the “loge for your fire.

We added fire to the edges, the candy stuck very well to the frosting.

Ta-Da bonfire cake!

Sing with me This cake is on Fi-yah!

Happy 9th Birthday!! This girl knows how to party

My first Duathalon, Cannon Falls

Posted by Patchwork Reality

I need to give you all a weekend recap, the lineup was:

9 am Saturday morning, just me; Cannon FAlls Duathalon

2 pm Saturday afternoon the whole family; Colordash

9 am Sunday morning, just me: Spring Fling Diva Dash.

Seriously!

I have to tell you that I was so excited/nervous that I barely slept Friday night, plus Jon worked an overnight shift, which means that none of us slept very well, it is weird how the kids just sleep differently with him out of the house.

I had breakfast made, everyone organized, all my gear set out and we left on time…..and got 17 minutes away when i realized I did not have my helmet…*&$%….this is the one thing that I could NOT race without, my Garmin, fuelbelt, gu champs, all of those I would have been OK without, %&$*!

I RACED back home got my helmet, RACED to the start, which was in a town 45 minutes away, praying not to get pulled over, called my friend who was racing with me, she picked up my packet.

I got these pinned on my number, got body marked, parked my bike and just got the last satellite signal on my Garmin and we were off.

I was already racing at this point.

2 mile run:

14 mile bike….yep thats me on my old GT mountain bike, and skater girl helmet (yes I have a helmet!!!).

I came in from the first 2 mile run in about 16 minutes, so i was feeling pretty good, then I started getting passed by people pretty quickly, my bike is heavy, not really meant for racing, but I am not serious enough to invest in a road bike…yet.

One lady passed me and I turned and said “great job”…she said, “wow, you are doing really well on that kind of bike”….thanks!

3 more miles, this last transition was the hardest, my legs were a little wobbly and felt heavy, I kept going and actually kept up a solid pace. I passed a few runners, HA, I might have a heavy bike, but I know how to run.

Finish time 1:40:XX, my goal was to come in under 2 hours, because I really had not idea how long the bike portion would take, with wind and hills, I guess I was a little off on my estimation.

Here I am in my Patchworkreality cover shoot

This was such a fun experience, I love the challenge that I got in training for and participating in this event, as a runner, sometimes all I do is practice running, I noticed a difference in my pace and even shed a few pounds, but mostly toned up some new parts of this old bod. I am already planning to participate in another Du in September, and am going to see about borrowing a road bike from someone to see if I can finish a little faster.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers and FInal stretch for putting on this event!

We’ve Got Wood

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Seriously …number one in speech writing is an attention getter right?!? Well I am applying that to blog writing and titles..today.

Yes we do , we have wood: white oak unfinished 3 1/2 by 3/4 inch various length hardwood flooring, wanna see??

We have it set behind the love seat in the living room so it can “acclimate”, so that when we put it down, nail it in, sand it and clear coat it, we don’t end up with any seams shrinking and gaping open.

The salesman at Lumber Liquidators said it should sit for about a week to 10 days.

Can’t wait to show some progress on this pile of wood.

Better

Posted by Patchwork Reality

I took Friday and Saturday of from running, which cancelled a total of 16 miles from my training plan.

Sunday I rode 20 miles on a stationary bike at teh club.

This coming Saturday is my Duathalon…Dualathon…whichever…2 sports one race

I am felling better so today I ran a slow 4 miles on the treadmill, still to rainy to go outside.

I made it no pain, my back still hurts just a little bit in certain positions, I am very thankful that I did no severely injure myself, I think I just tweaked something doing a sloppy kettlebell workout…I might just need a little more sleep.

I fell so much better. I could feel myself getting crabby and not coping with life as well.

Truth is running is my reset button, somehow it has become part of me, like breathing or sunshine, I thrive with it in my life.

Crazy to understand if it is not your gig, plain truth if you are a runner.

Not Back At It…today anyway

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Here I sit on a lovely April Saturday morning, all be it, the temperature is still unseasonably cold here, even for Minnesota, but it is Saturday morning, a race morning and I am sitting out.

Thursday I rode 10 miles on the bike and did Kettlebells, I felt a little off when I was doing kettlebells and the stretch hurt a little at the end in my lower back, and I realized I hurt myself. I think I strained it and jsut tweaked something and have hobble around for 2 days, slept on a heating pack and walked yesterday. I tried to run, but it hurt.

Now I am 100% Pro activity in any form, but if you are a runner, you can totally understand that going for a walk, cannot be compared to going for a run.

TOday was supposed to be my first race this calendar year, so I am calling it the season, which usually includes a race most Saturday morning through October when I consider serious racing and training done after I run the Mankato Marathon.

SO I am really sad to be sitting out the local Fetzer 20K that is going on right now.

My back is feeling better so I am hoping to get in at least some biking today and maybe start running again on Monday.

Next week is my duathalon and all 6 of us are signed up for the color run.

Exercise Room

Posted by Patchwork Reality

Still working on organizing the house, from my New Years resolution.

This pace used to be our office, we had 2 desks on each end, after the kids went to be Jon worked on his homework and I worked on Ebay/blogging.

Jon recently bought a laptop and can work wherever he likes and I have moved my office into the unfinished, large, laundry/craft room. I just have so much inventory it was not enough space and kept spilling into the living room.

Here is a picture from our living room:

Notice the exercise area behind the futon? Well it is gone! During my Fab Five February I sold the futon and the recumbent bike!!

This living room downstairs, serves as the TV room, a playroom, you can see the dress up on the middle left side of the picture, and until recently a workout room.

This space needed less responsibility!

So we moved all exercise related items into the old office and viola! No more exercising in the living room. (living room pic still to come)

Some before and after shots of the new workout room:

Notice there are glass french doors so I can close them if I need/want to.

Before. After

Before After

Before. After

Before. After…my 7 mile run at night…hence the lighting.

I still have a few things that I would like to do in this room:

Add some audio/visual maybe take down one shelf dn add a small TV, definitely something for music.
Take out the wireless modem..move it into the office.
Add some inspirational sayings? Wall art?
Relable the Ikea bins, since those no longer house shopping bags and mittens/hats

It feels so good to have a clean space to exercise inside, so I can run while the littles nap, and since spring has yet to get here, I may need this space for a while.

We do have a gym membership to a fantastic club in town, but it is nice to have this option. In about 3 years will all 4 of our kids are in school full day I will probably sell the treadmill and run at the club or outside. AS an avid runner this is still a vital piece of “home decor” for me.

New Wood Flooring Has Been Ordered

Posted by Patchwork Reality

It has taken quite a bit orf researching and information gathering as most well thought out projects do, and I am happy to say that we have chosen and ordered hardwood floors for the upstairs living space as of 2 hours ago!!

Ok so here is a before picture:

The carpet looks fine in the picture, but it does not look great up close, it is 6 years old and was very inexpensive carpet to begin with, and it no longer looks nice.

What you cannot see in this picture is that the carpet in the living room buts up to red oak hardwood flooring in the kitchen/dining room. When we built this house the orignal plan was for hardwood throughout the main floor, but I asked to have carpet in this living room area. We had just sold a house that was all hardwood flooring, which we loved, but is hard when you have littles, I wanted an area where I could plop them down with some toys that would be soft landing.

Now that everyone has graduated from toddler-hood, the carpet has done is job and is ready to retire.

Here is what we purchased:

It is an unfinished red oak “select” meaning it has no knots or imperfections, which is what is already in the house size 3 1/4 X 3/4 inch.

We purchased the flooring from Lumber Liquidators, we looked at HOme depot, they did not have it available in unfinished, we also tried to buy from a local small town restoration business but after a week of waiting for a return call, and our tax return money just sitting there in the bank;), we decided on Lumber liquidators.

We have to wait 7-10 days for the flooring to get to our store, then we need to let is “rest” in our house for 7-10 days, 2 weeks being ideal.

Then we can install, sand and clear coat.

We are really excited and I will keep you in the loop for each step! We are pretty seasoned DIY’er our last house we had to refinish the floors, but we have never actually installed them so this will be new for us.

Patchwork Reality

Making it through life one piece at a time

Rollin’ in a Palomino..

Super Sib Cape – Birthday Gift

Upcycled Jewelery Oraganization

This Cake is on Fi-yah!!

My first Duathalon, Cannon Falls

We’ve Got Wood

Better

Not Back At It…today anyway

Exercise Room

New Wood Flooring Has Been Ordered

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