My Camper: Painting

Sheesh!  We've been busy!  Thanks for all the trailer love!!  It's so fun to have you on board! :)

Getting our trailer ready for our upcoming trip has been non stop!

It won't be entirely updated to where I want it but close enough.

This is my little inspiration book.  I have measurements, fabrics samples and sketches of how I want things done to it eventually.  

These are the speckled Formica counter tops which I'll eventually replace.

 Sadie is so excited about his project, she's even made her own trailer inspiration book and has copied everything I have put in mine.  She is just like I was to my Dad when I was little, following my every step asking me what she can do to help with my project.  

Here we are prepping for paint.  I tore out the linoleum back splash in the kitchen, removed all the cupboards and hinges and taped everything for my Dad to paint it with a spray gun.  

Ready for paint.

I LOVE that we didn't spend ONE penny on paint!

We had a 5 gallon bucket of leftover off-white paint from our rental house that we used. 

My awesome Dad getting the gun ready.

I felt bad for him because it was a really warm day and he had to wear that white suit and be in that tiny hot space.  I kept him busy that day.  It was a lot of hard work.  Thanks Dad!!!

The spray gun saved us so much time and made everything look a LOT better! Yay!

I didn't care about paint getting on the floor because I'm planning on replacing it with a cute red and white checkered floor.

Again, I used left over paint from my kitchen in my home to paint the kitchen in the trailer.  It's a good thing I love this color because it's in both of my kitchen's now. :)  

The color is a Martha Stewart Vintage Map.  Which is now discontinued because I bought it when her paints were sold at Lowe's.  Now they are at Home Depot and she has a whole new color line there.  

Vintage Map is a perfect aqua.  Not really green and not really blue either.  Perfectly in the middle of both.

A little sneak peek of the fabric.

Poor Kevin wasn't too thrilled when he saw all the floral.  How could he not know where I was going with this?  I've done nothing but STARE at my inspiration photos and show everyone who walks through my door the inspiration photos for the last 3 weeks!  It makes me laugh.  

I'm sure he'll like it when it all comes together.  I can't wait to show you how it's coming together! 

Even though I'm exhausted, I have had so much fun!

I forgot to add some links to my last post.  Tin Can Tourist is a fun place to browse classifieds of vintage trailers.  I also added the link to Constance.

My Vintage Trailer: Falling in Love

Every spring in Virginia there is a fair that my sister goes to called 

Lucketts Spring Fair.

My sister Jill posted these next 3 pictures on here blog (which is private) of her fun adventure.

They sell all kinds of cute and adorable stuff like this:

for really good prices.

At the fair, my sister spotted this adorable Vintage Serro Scotty Camper on display and instantly new that I'd fall in love with it.  

Boy was she right!

Once I laid eyes on this little cutie, I was hooked and told my self that I would not rest until I own a little camper of my own.  

After all, I do enjoy our annual trips to Fish Lake every summer.  Why not invest in one of these and add on a few more fun trips?  Bear Lake, Uintahs and Moab .  With Living in Utah, it won't be hard to find great places to take something like this.  

This is the interior of the one my sister posted on her blog.  ADORABLE!

After doing a little research on google, I had NO idea that there was a world out there of people who restore cute little vintage camper trailers!  Why hadn't I known this earlier?  There are many groups and rallies where people who own these get together with their trailers and all open their doors for people to have a peek inside.  Wouldn't that be fun?

During my search, I fell in love with another darling.  Constance.

I love it all!

Especially the red and white checkered floor!!

And I love, love, LOVE all the Cath Kidston decor inside!  If you don't know who she is, well then click here.  your welcome.  Sadly her stuff is sold in London.  But thankfully she has a US site.  Which I can't really afford anyway.  A girl can dream right?

Look at these.  I love the stripy little awnings!

Anyone that knows me well, knows that when I get a Bee in My Bonnet, I can not let it rest.  Here I am sitting on the computer drooling at all these darling little trailers and I can't resist searching for local finds on KSL and Craigslist.  In my search I realize that these things sell around $500 for really old rotted and gutted out ones to $5,000 - $10,000 or more for restored ones.  That doesn't really work for me.
Meanwhile, it's Memorial Day weekend and my Dad has decided to take a Day trip 2 hours south to visit his family members graves in Loa and Lyman, Utah.
Once I discovered he was traveling south, where there are a bunch a little old towns along the way,  I knew that would be the PERFECT place to look for a trailer within my budget and updating needs.  I'm pretty sure some people down there don't post things on KSL or Craigslist too often.  Or even know it exists. 
I couldn't speed dial him fast enough.  "DAD, be on the look out for any small old trailers for sale!"

Just 3 minutes after we ended our call, he sees this little trailer on the side of the road that read, FOR SALE.  $550 OBO.  Which totally caught him by surprise at the timing.   

Quickly he pulled over and took down the information and thanks to smart phones, sent me a picture.

The owner emailed me some pictures of the inside.

I was so impressed with myself!  I thought about it for one whole week!  How's that for the Bee-in-the-Bonnet type?  Patient, I know.  

Not too bad.  But I must see it in person if I'm going to buy it.  

We dropped the kids off at my Mom's house and my Dad, Kevin and I took the drive to see it.

I wasn't so sure how Kevin would take onto all this little trailer stuff.  But he was neither here nor there about it.  He's very nice and tolerant of my dreams.  

Well little did I know....... he's into it!  What do you think?

It was a very windy day.  

I'm looking real good next to MY 11 foot 1970 Vintage Travois Trailer!

I did it!  We rolled out of a little town called Sigard with this baby for a whopping $480.00

A GREAT deal if you ask me!  We checked the interior for severe water damage and the condition of things and felt that it was worth the buy.

We didn't tell the kids where we were going.  Just that we'd be back in a while.  Their faces just lit up as we pulled in!   I love Cole's face!

This little old thing is like a resort on wheels to them.  Ha! 

Here they are, dying to unload the trailer and get in!

We all couldn't wait to clean that old thing!

Kevin and my Dad are all on board! :)

Sadie couldn't wait to help scrub it clean too!

Frankie enjoyed the free entertainment.

As the sun went down my Dad pulled out his camp chairs and we sat and stared at the trailer, dreaming of the changes we'd like to make.  

It was all quiet and we wondered where little MaryJane went.

Oh, we found her.  

Happy as can be with her pillow pet and that darn binky and lovey.

The seats fold down into a large king sized bed.  MaryJane couldn't resist.  Don't worry, those cushions are already on their way to have a new fabric on them.  I can't wait to share the details of the changes that have been made so far.  We have been busy!  Trying to get this thing ready for use within two short weeks!

Yikes!

Do you have a Vintage Camper?  Am I totally crazy?  

Lots to Celebrate!

Last week we had a marathon Saturday.  

But it was a fun one, with lots to celebrate.

Thankfully all the excitement happened while Aunt Jill was in town!

Our morning Started off bright and early with a Tangled themed dance performance by MaryJane.

We had to leave the recital a little early to catch... 

this handsome boy's Baptism.

I can't believe he is 8!

It was a very sweet Baptism.  I hope Cole can remember this day.

Cousins.

I love MaryJane wearing her costume.  A great reminder of the fun filled day. She stood front and center in her costume on the stand in the chapel while all the kids sang I am a Child of God.  So funny.

After the Baptism we ran home to have lunch.  Yummy Sliders with homemade rolls (just ask my Dad), Jill's awesome potato salad, and the cute "8" cookies that the bakery made.

Cole ate just in time to make it to his soccer game against his best friend Peter's team. 

No way, was he going to miss that game!  Cole even scored 3 goals!

After the game, since the family was already here,  

we went back home to have a mini Birthday celebration for Frankie.

I made this crown for him and a "1" on his onesie.

I also made the cake too.  But I cheated a little.  The grocery store bakery made the frosting.

I ordered white, blue and yellow butter cream frosting and threw it on the cake. 

It was really yummy! 

Frankie wasn't too sure of the cake. 

Seeing how he is still on baby food and not table food, cake was a big adventure.

He hated the cake all over his hands.   He just didn't know what to do.

It was tough to crack a smile out of him. 

Remember Henry?

Well he and his cousin stopped by to wish Frankie a Happy Birthday just before bed time.

Once we set Frankie on the couch next to him, he was all over Henry!

I have never seen Frankie act so excited towards someone. 

He just dove right for Henry, grabbing his face and tried to kiss him.

I was cracking up!  Poor Henry was a good sport and tolerated Frankie mauling him for a while as I tried to snap pics.  Then suddenly he burst into tears.  He had had enough.

What a sweetie.  Sorry Henry, Frankie just loves you!!

After the fun day, Grandpa asked Sadie, "So, did you enjoy the party today?"

Then Sadie said," Yeah, except for the part when Mom tortured Frankie and tied him to a chair.  He was just stuck there and he didn't like it and he couldn't get out!"

Now that is HILARIOUS!  

For the smash cake I sat Frankie on a kid chair and tied my bath robe sash around his tummy and through the back slats to stabilize him from not falling over.  Just like I did here for MaryJane.  It's not even that tight.  Frankie just didn't like cake on his hands.

Oh Sadie,  I love the spark you add to our family!

And that my friends is a lengthy report of our fun marathon day. 

Thanks to our family for supporting us the WHOLE day!

Can you believe...

this little boy turned ONE?!  

Oh, I love him SO much!!

With Frankie still being little, it hasn't felt like he is one.  My babies are usually walking at this age.

Frankie is still working on sitting.  We're almost there.  

But hey, I'm not complaining.

Not one bit.

He is an absolute joy to have around!

I can't get enough of him.  He is my little lap baby.  I love this stage and thankfully, he'll be here for a while. 

He loves faces.  

Frankie has brought our family so much joy this last year.  

I needed this little boy in my life.  I'm so attached to him and I'm forever grateful for the blessing he is to me!

Thanks to my friend Caitlin for capturing a few pics for me!

Mia Kareen

Lately I have been obsessed with this darling family's story!

Kecia is the first mom I met at the Down syndrome Playgroup I'm in.

They have a cute little girl with Down syndrome named Bree who is 4.  They are in Russia right now adopting a little girl who is the same age and has Down syndrome also.

It was sad for me to learn that kids with Down syndrome are not accepted in Russia.  Parents give their children with Down syndrome to orphanages because their society won't accepted them, allow them to have jobs and their family will shun them.  It's heartbreaking for some of these parents that have to give their children up but they couldn't provide for them if they keep their child with special needs.  

After a child with special needs reaches the age of 4-6 and are not adopted, they have to leave what they call home (the orphanage), leave their caretakers and orphan friends and they are sent to Mental Institutions.  A world of nothingness, left in cribs to be malnourished and die.  Their society does not see that these sweet little children are deserving of a life and to be loved.

Reese's Rainbow is an amazing foundation that helps these sweet little ones with Down syndrome find families. 

The Cox family found Mia through Reese's Rainbow.  Their journey to her has been SO inspiring!  I wish I blogged about it sooner!  They have been there for a month and every day she has posted all their meetings with Mia.  Every day I have popped out of bead early in the morning to read the latest.  I find myself grinning from ear to ear with tears rolling off my checks!    

It has been so beautiful to watch Mia blossom before my eyes as she experiences the affect of LOVE.

This picture (above) is the first day they met her.

Today is the day that the Cox's family gets to take her out of the orphanage.  It is called Gotcha Day.

Today, this little girls LIFE will begin.  If you know that song from the movie Tangled, it is perfect for Mia's story.

Mia is 4 and to think that if the Cox family hadn't followed their hearts to her she would be leaving the orphanage on a different journey, to the mental institution.  I can't even bare the thought.

THANK YOU COX FAMILY FOR SAVING THIS ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL!!!!!!

I am so thrilled for them today and I wanted to share their journey with you!

Here is their blog.  You must go back and read it from the beginning!  What a moving story!

Welcome to a family Mia!!!!!!

The Fillmores are another great family that just went through a similar experience to adopt Anya.  They are now helping a family who are trying to bring home Anya's friend Ian.  Click here to help save another sweet angel.