This weekend, my kids (Zack, 6 and Emma, almost 2) and I will set off on a two-week, 3000 mile road trip.  Along the way, we’ll visit fun destinations, gather with family and even pop in on some friends (including some fellow Home Decor bloggers that you know and love).  My husband is staying home for work and to take care of “Cone Dog.”  It’s yet to be determined if I’m the funnest mom ever or off my rocker insane, but I’m leaning towards the later.

Obviously, I won’t be doing any big DIY projects over the next two weeks, although I do have a few that I finished recently and will be sharing with you while I’m gone.  Instead of trying to come up with some sort of “Hey, I’m on vacation and need to post something just to post something” type posts, I thought you and I could play a little game.

HA!  I hope that you sang the “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” song in your head like I did in mine.

Throughout the next few weeks, I’ll be posting photos and stories from the road here on the blog.  At the end of my trip, there will be a scavenger hunt type contest for you guys to figure out where we went.  Everyone who guesses the destinations correctly – and in the correct order – will be entered to win a Bag of Swag.  The contents of said Bag of Swag are secret, but I promise that it will be worth your while.  Like, really, really worth it.

Okay, so here’s how it’s going to go down:

1)  After we leave a location, I will post photos and stories about said location.  Obviously, I will wait until we leave, since I don’t want someone to try to kidnap me for my furniture painting abilities.

2)  I will post additional hints and photos to my Facebook page.  If you aren’t already joining in the conversations there, please go ahead and “Like” my page.  I’m having so much fun with those of you who are already there…and you guys at least know who “Cone Dog” is.

3)  You are welcome to take a guess at the locations in the comments section of each post, but it won’t count as an actual entry.  Those will all have to be comments in the last post (which will be obvious).  If you’d like to comment just to talk to me, please do.  My comments are sent to my phone, so it would be nice to hear from you guys along the way…Unless you want to say something that may lead to road rage, in which case you should just keep that to yourself (forever).

4)  If you are a local friend of mine who knows where I’m going, you don’t get to play.  Just sayin’.

5)  Don’t worry, not every post over the next few weeks will be trip related.  I’ve got some projects and inspirational goodies lined up, too.

So, who wants to play?  And if you have any words of advice for me regarding the 3000 mile road trip (other than “You are crazy!” which I’ve already heard eleventy billion times), please pass them along!

See ya on the road!

It wouldn’t have been a Saturday if we didn’t go to Home Depot at least twice.

It wouldn’t have been a Saturday if my paint clothes didn’t earn a few more splashes of color.

It wouldn’t have been a Saturday if Tom didn’t have to end up taking three showers due to being covered in various DIY dust.

It wouldn’t have been a Saturday if a homeless piece of furniture didn’t find its way into my garage.

And it wouldn’t have been a Saturday if my living room didn’t look like this at the end of the day.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – We DIYers don’t live in the pages of magazines.  We transform our living rooms, dining rooms and garages into workspaces.

As seen in the photo:
1) Recently painted new project that will totally rock your socks.
2) This chair that Tom sat in to help put the hinges on the new project.
3) A Lightening McQueen digital watch.  Obviously.
4) This chair that desperately needs to be redone but has to wait until next year along with the rest of the room.
5) A nightstand being used as a media center.
6) Our dog’s crate (that actually lives in the living room OMG).
7) Diapers, diapers, diapers.
8) A huge pile of throw pillows that always seem to end up piled up on one the ugly sofas.
9) A throw blanket just thrown on the other ugly sofa.
10) Someone’s shoes and dirty socks (ahem, Tom).
11) Emma’s doll stroller that she was using to push around a Dr. Doofensmirtz figurine.  Naturally.
12) Emma’s baby toys that she hasn’t played with in a year, so I’m not sure why they are out.
13) A stain of unknown origin.  I blame the dogs.  Or a cup of coffee that might have jumped out of my hand.
14) Either a picture that Emma has drawn for me or a love not that Zack has written for me. ♥♥♥

Our home is often messy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  We love that we can DIY as a family unit.  If that means that we spend our Saturdays in chaos, then so be it.