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Buy a fixer upper, they said. It'll be fun, they said. 😂


Well... ok so some of it's fun.


But mostly, it's a lot of work. And it could take up a lot of your time. And if you're an amateur-home-improvement-DIYe like me, it's also a whole lotta time spent researching all the things for each project. And by research, I mean watching a million YouTube videos on "How To Build x, y, z," Google searching, Pinteresting... just everything I could find on the World Wide Web.


When we first moved in last year, I was hoping we could get the new flooring and full kitchen done before moving on to the big projects outside. But since we don't quite have the budget to start on the interior projects right now, we decided to put all the interior projects on pause for a minute and work on some things we had planned for outside. Especially since we haven't really touched a thing outside since we moved in. Just kept it clean and maintained. But since the existing landscape/hardscape isn't exactly our style... we thought we'd get started on its transformation.


First up on the list of DIY's: Backyard Edition - build a wood gate for our driveway. A modern horizontal wood gate to be exact. And technically it's near the front of the house, but because we're going to focus on the backyard for a bit, this modern wood gate is THE project that will launch the domino effect of projects to come.


So here we go.


Please note: I have never built a fence before in my life and not sure if building a whole gate should have been my first big DIY project EVER, but... here we are! 😂


Let's take a look at what our driveway looked like before:



Like I said before, we have not done anything to improve this area since we moved in. Just keeping it clean and not letting it get overrun by weeds. We have plans to work on the landscape soon - new rocks, maybe some turf, more green plants - but that's a few projects down the line.


1. Setting Posts for Doors/Frame

As you can see, we started from scratch. There was no existing gate to work with. Just a long open driveway. So the first thing we needed to do was add some posts to hold up the doors and framing for the side fencing. This required digging so we made sure to contact 811 beforehand so that the utility companies could come out and mark where we shouldn't dig. Once we were cleared, we started on our project. The first thing we did was attach a 2x4 post to our house on the left side of the gate. The reason for this is because our main gas line runs very close to this are and we weren't able to dig to put a post in the ground. So attaching this post to house was our only option. I measured and pre-drilled 3 holes in the wall as well as the 2x4. And then we screwed the wood to the house using lag bolts.

Then, to make sure the gate was as straight as possible, we ran a string line from this post all the way to the brick wall on the other side of the driveway. We totally eyeballed this one. Once the line was in, we drilled 2 holes (top and bottom) into the 2x4 and the brick wall, and then used masonry screws to secure the post.


Once that was done, we marked the ground where we wanted to door posts to go, using spray paint. We wanted our door opening to be about 10 feet wide. So once the ground was marked, Daniel got to digging the holes. The holes were approximately 2 feet deep and about a foot wide. We poured some gravel at the bottom before adding the concrete mix. We used Quikrete from Home Depot because it made this process a whole lot easier for us - just pour the bag in the hole and add water and that's it! No buckets or wheelbarrows needed at all.



2. Door Frame/Fence Frame

Next up, was building the frames for the doors. Since we wanted the opening to be 10 feet wide, each door measured about 5 feet wide. We cut the 2x4s down to size with a miter saw. And then we used an anti-sag gate kit I purchased from Amazon to put the frame together. The kit came with heavy duty hinges and screws that is good for doors up to 6 feet wide. So... fingers crossed 🤞 that our gate holds up. Tip: make sure to take precise measurements or your doors will not open/close properly.




I added a 2x4 to the middle of each door going vertically so that I would be able to screw the fence boards in the middle as well.


Once that was done, we measured and cut 2x4's to run horizontally from the posts on the house and brick wall, to the 4x4 posts. I pre-drilled pocket holes on each end and then secured them to the vertical posts with pocket screws. Then I added 2x4's to the frame in the spots that I would need to screw the fence boards to.




3. Installing The Wood Planks/Fence Boards

After we got all the framing up, it was time to attach the wood planks. I would have loved to use tongue and groove planks, but with the cost of lumber these days, we used regular cedar dog eared fence boards that we cut down to size. Cedar is naturally resistant to most bugs and moisture and water damage. AND it's also lighter in weight, which I'm hoping will help keep the gate from sagging.





I learned that some metal screws would cause some discoloration to happen in cedar wood over time, so to prevent any kind of that nonsense happening, we used stainless steel screws just to be safe.


I didn't want a lot of space in between planks, but still needed to leave a little space to allow for any expansion or shrinkage when the weather changes. So for that, we used business cards as spacers. I call that being resourceful 😉.


4. Sanding/Staining Fence Boards

I actually did this BEFORE doing everything else because I wanted to make sure to get the front, back and the sides stained to protect the wood so it lasts longer. I spent about 2 days sanding all the boards. And then another 2-3 days were spent staining. And because it's been such a hot summer so far here in California, I was only able to really work on it for about 3 hours in the morning and some evenings.



I really wanted a teak wood colored gate so this is the stain we got from Lowe's.



I have seen some people stain before installation and I have also seen people do it afterwards. Obviously I am no expert and I can only assume that it's a matter of preference. I can't say one method is better than the other... I'll just say YOU DO YOU!


And there you have it! A horizontal modern wood gate for our Spanish styled home.






I am very pleased with how it all turned out! Did we do a good job or what? Let me know what ya think in the comments below!


Here's a list of everything we used:


MATERIALS

2x4 Douglas fir

4x4 redwood

dog eared cedar fence boards

Quikrete


TOOLS

masonry drill bit

drill bits/screw bits

paint brush


HARDWARE

masonry screws

lag bolts

stainless steel screws


Disclosure: That Plain Jane Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including Amazon.com.


This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love.











I just realized my very last post was of Ella graduating Pre-K. Oops, my bad. These unintentional breaks from anything blog-related (including social media) seems to be happening a lot since this whole pandemic started. I wanna say that I've just been livin' my best life and enjoying every second with my girls but let's be real... I've just been straight up too LAZY to write anything.


Anyway... Summer came and went. And we've already completed our first full week of Kindergarten but guess what... Ella and I are totally ROCKIN' this whole Distance Learning thing. It's SO much more organized this time around and even though the lectures are virtual, there's still a good amount of interaction between the teacher and students and these kids seem to be very engaged in this process. It's A LOT of work for us (the parents) but it's so worth it when I see how much Ella has learned in just a week and a half, and I'm very excited to see what she and I will accomplish together this school year.



Why Did We Choose Distance Learning?

To be quite honest, I just felt it would be safer for everyone involved in our lives if we opted to learn from home. Safer for the teachers + staff, safer for the other students, and safer for my family. It's obviously not how I imagined Kindergarten would be for Ella, but with our COVID cases continuing to rise and the amount of people who are against wearing masks to protect others, it was a no-brainer decision for us. Our decision is based on the Science and data about this virus and the simple fact that we still know very little about the long-term effects it could have on our bodies if we were to catch it. I don't want my girls to get sick with this virus, knowing there's no real treatment for it yet. And while I do understand that most kids may not get very sick or experience any symptoms, I would still feel horrible if my girls did.


So distance learning was the way to go. For us. And we committed to doing this for the entire school year. And even though I feel bad that Ella won't get to have the same Kindergarten experience I did as a kid, I am determined to make this school year a GREAT one for her.


Ella's 1st Day of Kindergarten


Monday, August 10th, my little girl officially started Kindergarten. At a brand new school. With brand new classmates. Fully immersed in Spanish.


Say what?


Did I mention that she's enrolled in a dual language immersion program? Call us crazy for taking this on, but what kids benefit from learning more than 1 language in the early years of education is an opportunity we just couldn't pass up. So here we are. Where 90% of her class is taught in Spanish, 10% in English. I haven't practiced my Spanish speaking skills since I was in college, so I'm excited to be re-learning things, too 😂.



Full transparency - I did feel a little sad that we didn't get to walk her to her classroom and help get her settled in. But I realized that I shouldn't dwell on all that because then I'd be taking away from this experience. Distance Learning Kindergarten doesn't have to be sad. It is what we make it to be. And we plan for it to be ah-maze-ing!


What About Everly?


She's a bit of a firecracker and has been wanting to do EVERYTHING Big Sis does, so we're doin' a lil bit of preschool stuff with her too. She calls me Miss Mommy and gets excited to practice writing, loves to draw, paint & color... and she LIVES for all the songs and books Ella's teacher assigns for us to view. She's already picked up on A LOT of Spanish words, so I think this exposure will help her when it's time for her to start Kindergarten.




Our Homeschool Classroom Setup & Essentials

Since we live with Daniel's dad and his 2 teenage sisters, space is very limited (as you can imagine) and we don't have extra bedrooms for me to convert into a mini-classroom. Which is a bummer because I have all these cute ideas I wanna do once we finally buy a house! Okay I digress. Since I want this to be a positive and memorable experience for Ella, I wanted to create a space that she could work in and feel like she was doin' school things. So our homeschool "classroom" is set up in our bedroom. It includes a work table that both she and Everly can sit at and a 3-tier utility cart filled with all the things we use daily for school. Oh and some artwork on the wall... I left some space to add their masterpieces once we start doin' some major crafting stuff.



Minimalism at its finest 😆. Daniel works from home and also has his setup in our bedroom too so we kinda have a lot going on here 😂. If things get too crazy, we can always pick up and move out to the living room if we have to.


This cart is THE BEST. I can wheel it out to the living room or outside if we need a change of scenery. We also used this cart for Summer school so it was already stocked with the basic supplies: crayons, glue, scissors, paint, pencils, markers, workbooks, etc. And to maximize space, I used storage containers and some tin cans to organize everything.


The Friday before school started, we picked up a care package that Ella's teacher put together for her. In it were some school supplies as well as some workbooks, worksheets, a couple of textbooks, a pencil case full of math tools & supplies, and a mini iPad. And then this week, her teacher had us pickup a backpack full of more goodies (not pictured) - notebooks, folders, another pencil case full of crayons, pencils, erasers, markers. Ella loved getting all the new goodies and even said it already feels like Christmas 😂.



Also, I just wanted to share a great tool to have that we've been using since last year. These dry erase pocket sheets are awesome. Especially when workin' on their writing skills so you can reuse those workbook sheets. Everly loves to do everything Ella does, so instead of making copies and using up all the ink, I'll just hand her one of these with one of Ella's worksheets. The set I bought came with 12 sleeves and a set of pens. I had to order more pens because some of the original markers have already run out of ink.



Here is a list of what I use for storage:

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links to our favorite products.

  • 3-tier Utility Cart - I am using the SimpleHouseware Heavy Duty cart in white. It comes in many different colors and can also be used for other things (like tools in the garage, kitchen storage, etc.).

  • Utility Tote Caddy - This Storage Organizer from mDesign is stocked with pencils, markers, dry erase markers, crayons, glue and glue sticks, pretty much what we use everyday. I will usually take this out and leave it on the work table so it is easily accessible and the kids don't have to keep getting up out of their chairs.

  • Stackable Storage Containers - I have 2 different styles on this cart. Both by mDesign. This small square-is container comes with a lid that's attached and we keep the loose crayons that we've collected over the years in 1 and some arts & craft supplies in the other. Then I also have ones that do not have lids and the bottom one is stocked with little paint bottles, while the top one holds the extra glue & gluesticks, extra crayon sets, flashcards, paintbrushes, and index cards. All of which is stored on the 2nd tier.

  • Folder/Workbook Bin - I got 2 file folder bins from mDesign to store all of the folders and workbooks. I also keep extra paper in it as well for when Everly has the sudden urge to paint or draw. And these are on the top tier of the cart.

I think I'll do a separate blog post to show exactly WHAT we have in this cart. So if you're interested in that, then lookout for it in the future 😉.


So Far, So Good...

That's the overall consensus right now. Ask me again in another week or 2 and I may change my mind 😂. I don't have any experience with homeschool or anything of the sort, I don't exactly call the end of last school year and Summer school distance learning experience because I was just following the teachers' lead, but this is as close as it gets. I do not intend for this to be a long-term thing, so I am hoping COVID will be over and done with by this time next year. Ella thrives in a real classroom environment with a real teacher and with kids her age so she needs to be back in school. But for now, my goal is to teach my ass off and make this experience incredibly enjoyable for her. And I am going to enjoy not having to wake up super early to get dressed for school drop off 😝. PJ's and athleisurewear is still my jam y'all 😉😂.

 

Have your kiddos started school yet? What option did you choose? And for all you homeschool mamas out there, what advice or tips do you have for those who are super new to distance learning/homeschooling?

Leave it all in the comments below!


 

Disclosure: That Plain Jane Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including Amazon.com.


This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love.



Valentine's Day is just 2 weeks away and I've been busy gettin' thangs ready for LOVE month over here. I've never been a huge fan of V-Day, but I have to admit... it's a pretty fun holiday to celebrate when you have kids. Especially my girls. Give them all the pink things and they are ALL about it.



If you remember, I started this V-Day basket tradition last year and blogged all about it here. My girls LOVED their baskets so, of course, I just had to do it again this year. But since we just celebrated Christmas and Easter is just a couple of months away, I figured I should go the more minimalistic route and implement the "4 rules of gift giving." To help minimize clutter in the house and so we don't break the bank. Because, I dunno about you... but we're still kinda recuperating from that one 😆.


Here's what's inside their baskets...


1. Something They Want:

My girls love stuffies. Especially small cute ones. And they asked for a lot of them for Christmas but apparently Santa forgot to bring them some. And since they have a few beanie boo stuffies already, I thought I'd get them a couple more to add to their growing collection.




2. Something They Need:

So this one was a tough one. They have everything they need. For now, at least. Ella doesn't need any new school supplies right now. And Everly, well, all she needs is diapers and gold fish crackers 😝. But I don't think she'd appreciate the diapers very much. So then I thought, instead of buying them cheap cheesy baskets, I should get them good quality wire baskets that we could use for storage - maybe for their toys or their books. Or maybe I could just use it for my stuff 😉. And we could also use them again next year, too. Definitely a smart investment overall.



3. Something To Read:

This one was a no-brainer. They love books. It was just a matter of finding books we didn't already own. And books that I wouldn't mind reading over and over again. Because Everly has this thing about reading each book 10x before we move on to the next one. I actually can't wait to read these to them soon.




4. Something to Wear:

While I love shopping for clothes for my girls, I realize they're not exactly thrilled to receive them as gifts. But they love getting accessories. And they love sunglasses. Plus, we're going on vacation in March so they're gonna need them (does this count as something they need too? 🤔). They're gonna look super cute wearing these and I see many IG photo ops in the near future... so that's my story and I'm sticking' to it 😂.



And then I just had to fill the basket with other "little" things they love. Because what's Valentine's Day without some sweets and cute stickers, right?




Also, I'd just like to add that all the V-Day decor/props featured in the photos were pretty inexpensive (all Dollar Tree, Walmart, Target dollar spot finds) and will be used for years to come (until I can't use them no mo).


And there ya go. My idea of a minimalist V-Day gift basket... if there is such a thing. Can't wait for my girls to see all the goodies they got!


How about you? Is V-Day your thing?

Have you done V-Day gift baskets before?

Do you think this is a good/bad idea?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!!!


 

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