Saturday, February 16, 2013

Rooms and Burnt Squash


Last weekend was so crazy busy with the derby, two i.e.ps. to be written, a trip to w/salem, early/late church, dinner plans......   
I was really excited that this weekend I had no plans and no school work or meeting to prepare. Its funny how your body automatically goes into lazy drive when you have a down weekend. It took me all day to clean up and fold laundry, when last weekend I did it within hours because I knew I had something else waiting for me to do.  I guess we need those slow downed times or our bodies would just go on strike. 

 One thing we finally finished this weekend was giving our living room a facelift.  Our living room is TRULY a LIVING room.  The one room where we all gather, eat, talk, play, do homework, read, work on the computer, etc.  It is where we truly LIVE.   Our living room was much like me....in MAJOR need of a full body makeover and face lift.    Like most folks, we had to budget our money and purchase wisely.  Basically I was limited in what I could do, but I did put my living room on a diet of Burnt Squash.

This is the before:


no color. blah.


These curtains were well worth whatever was spent.  They were  given to me as hand me downs my first year as a teacher.  They were suppose to be temporary until we could save for a different set.
I've had them hanging at this window for 11 years! 



I had plans to add more pictures to this wall...I swear.



Before Carlee was born Darren bought us two beautiful end tables and a great coffee table that doubles as two backless chairs (on clearance).  
1.  The coffee table had to go to the basement with the promise one day we will have time, space, and use for a coffee table.  2.  The two end tables were already getting some wear and tear thanks to all the activity surrounding it with two children.



This describes our marriage perfectly.  
I wanted color.
He wanted cheap and white.
We compromised. 
One accent wall (Burnt Squash) with the rest white (Wedding Chapel).



Darren is a very talented painter.  
He is a perfectionist and carefully fills the holes, sands, and prepares before painting.

This is how it turned out.
Burnt Squash
Connor calls it gold (which I HATE).



I had to fix a place for the toys.
I have no problem with toys in the living room with the agreement that Connor keeps them separate from Carlee's bucket and that everything is placed in this corner (or the trash) by the end of the night.




Project II- Carlee's First Year
(like the gold Burnt Squash background?)



We hung the pictures above the television, to bring out the Burnt Squash- Man I love to write that word.  

It isn't Gold!!! You hear me, it isn't GOLD. 





I found some fabric to cover the end tables (would you say, Monroe Bisque??) until Carlee and Connor are a little older 
(we have some absorbent bath towels under those cloths too).  

I went bold with the curtains (and each panel was under 10.00).
I really like the color.  





The only problem is... if we close the curtains, the living room looks like a seedy night club.

Yeah. We will be keeping the curtains open. 





 I guess it's no secret I love, love, love photos.
This is what we have on the wall...with the hope of adding more as our children, cousins, and other family grow.

My picture frames before were a light and dark mix. 
 Darren thought a uniform color would look better.


Family- where life begins and love never ends.




While I was fixing up the living room, I found these curtains for Carlee's room.  The curtains are sheer with silk brown/pink ribbon and tiny pink/brown dots.  
These are also the colors in her room.  
$3.00 a panel!!!  
I think they look lovely.



In the world of paint cans Carlee's room colors would be 
Blushing Bride 
and
Rich Coffee.
I want to work as a person who names paint colors.




And then I went to the kitchen for a snack and I realized my kitchen wall looked like crap non-creative,
and I was broke.




Connor has been bringing home so many creative pieces of work from school, I thought I could showcase them.

I used my old light frames
and some of his past and present work. 






This is C's interpretation based on the Tree of Life painting by Gustav Klimt.
He did this in Art class (I want to go to this teacher's class!!!)

Would you say there is some Burnt Squash coloring in there? I swear I'll stop now.



This is a snowman designed in kindergarten from alternative materials from home.  




This is a picture of Connor when he grows up.
He is a reptile catcher who is feeding his Anaconda in this picture.




This is from Connor's Thanksgiving unit in kindergarten.  He was an Indian who designed his own vest.  This is a piece from that vest.



This is from music class.  This is Connor playing his favorite instrument- a guitar from his Uncle Joe.  Carlee is watching Connor play.



I'm exhausted...I think I'll go rest and make my self a delicious snack the color of Cabin in the Woods and drink a refreshing drink the color of Lobster Bake.
I could go all night on this color thing.











Sunday, February 10, 2013

Looking for Love

This morning at church, we went looking for love and found it in all the right places!

I used ten scriptures to remind the children how much Jesus loves them (and me).  Then we went on a scavenger hunt to find  (earthly) treasure.

Each scripture had one word that took them to the next clue.

If I had to do it all over again....I would have picked short scriptures.  I couldn't finish one before they were off to the next.  My plan was to discuss and then move.  So basically I yelled "HEY COME BACK HERE!!" the whole time.

Jesus tells us not to focus on worldly treasures, but when chocolate is involved it really becomes hard to follow the rules.

Remember, 
We love because He first loved us. -1 John 4:10
Love is a powerful emotion.

Happy Valentines Day


Clue #5 

In the Bible

Really Warm


Clues

Yahoo!  We did it.


Teamwork 

V. Day= SUGAR Rush

Red, red, and more Red

There is always ONE CLOWN in the group

Clue Word:  children (where do children play games?)

Found It

We are so close to that treasure!

Hymn Book

No- Not in There

Major Clue

Jackpot

A little Frosting never hurt anyone.

Lots of Blessings

V. Day Praise and Blessing Tree

Treasure

Yummo.







Saturday, February 9, 2013

Happy 11 Months Carlee


Happy 11 Months Carlee

One more month... what a year!


-Your hair has it's own personality.

-Your making more sounds- mama, dada, mmm, yaya, baba, gaga, etc.   Your like an animal when you want another bite of food..growling and hissing.

-You cry when I have to leave "bye bye"
(it just breaks my heart to see your face crumble)

-Your two front teeth came in fully at nearly the same time! 



-You love to hand us things and we make such a big deal about it, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

-You will now spit out anything in your mouth if we tell you.  We have retrieved 1. tissue  2. Squinkie  3.  mini-WWE wrestling belt


-LOVES: bubble baths, Buddy Love (our dog), your silky, paci (you still use your very first one, pink with an owl), and Connor.

-You play a mean patty cake.



-Standing independently.
Maybe close to walking. 
You remind me of a baby colt trying to learn to walk.



-You started at 10 pounds and now you weigh 20 pounds.  (I gave you a big head start girl).


-Surprisingly, you easily entertain your self.  
You play alone often, and you follow me around on Saturday morning...just quietly watching me clean.


-Morning Routine with Dad: 
eat banana, drink milk, and watch country music videos until meme arrives

-You love the beginning song to Texas Walker Ranger.  Sometimes we have to rewind it.

-You play peekaboo with your blankie.


-Wow Carlee, you are getting to be a big girl.
We love you, you BIG Sweetie Pie!!!

























Sunday, February 3, 2013

Week in Review

This is what January's Calendar Looked Like....

And this is what February's Calendar is starting to look like.
Is Summer Near??? please.





Cold Weather= Homemade Potato Soup
Milk, Potatoes, Flour, Seasoning, Ham... done and easy.



It was very exciting to not only see snow at school
but to also LEAVE Early!




We had a bit of a snowy drive home.



Very Sick Baby




Things to do while your at the doctor when waiting forrrrreeeeever:

1.  brush hair






2. eat a snack





3. play peek a boo (she wasn't into it)




4. clean out bags




5. roll around the office room in the Doc's rolling chair (while taking pictures)


6.  read every sign on the back of the door as you rant in your head that you hope the doctor arrives because our wait time is dangerously nearing nap time and you don't want your child to start screaming and you don't want her to nap in the car because when you move her in the house she will wake up and the whole day is disrupted.....SO HURRY UP!!!




ANOTHER Baby Dedication
at church this morning.
my fav. moments



Growing Fast.  Just Beautiful.




Helping with brother's Pinewood Derby Car.
Daddy's Girl?





A Pinterest Project that my neighbor showed me on F.B.
It looked easy but it took years off my life.
I ruined two pictures frames before I got this out.


(the background matches our new accent wall)

This is Connor's first baby year.  I orginally had tiny little photos displayed in a circle frame.  You really couldn't see him, so I wanted to do something different for both him and Carlee to display in our newly painted living room.  
I enlarged his pictures and used 
the project idea
ribbon instead of twine.  It turned out good....as long as no one 
a. looks at the back
b. touches it
c. breaths on it





And then someone turns 7 and acts like the shopping cart is a 7-47 giving his sister a ride and it turns crazy.


The weeks just keep flying by...so fast.