wasted summer days

For some reason I haven't felt like blogging much or maybe I just haven't had anything news worthy to post about. Even as I write this I feel like I'm grasping--so many scrambled up thoughts and not enough sleep to make them come out coherent. I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. Energy--life--comes at me in waves and right now I'm in a lull. Sometimes I wonder if I have cyclical depression, but I never care enough to get it checked out. Meh. Soon I'll feel myself again.

Usually I love watching the news, reading papers and generally staying afloat current events, but a while ago I started to feel it bringing me down and I needed to take a break. However, this article is the best thing I've read lately. It got me energized.

So, anyway, my three young 'uns and I have been having fun attending the "Summer movie clubhouse" at our local theater weekly and making beaded purses and snow cones. And, when I have "me" time, I will confess that, for the past couple weeks, I have been wasting my time reading this and this and watching this and doing this. Don't judge.

Maybe it's all the rain...

Nah, I just need some sleep.

before and after- master bedroom

Finally! I've been dreaming and planning about this day for a long time--the master bedroom is finished, yay!

So, when we first bought this house the MB had gosh-awful wallpaper on every wall and black lines underneath (much to our surprise after peeling off said wallpaper--I'll have to scrounge up an old photo and scan it in later). It was such a mess that we decided to replace all the sheetrock and insulation in the room (right before Emma was born--more than 5 years ago).

At the time I was in a "green" mood so I painted the room a sage green, except it didn't look that way once it got on the walls. Over the years I vacillated between doing a monochromatic scheme in sage and cream and, for about five minutes in the year 2005, a red french toile. Completely different, I know, but I never felt really passionate about either one, so our room sat day after day, year after year half done and undecorated and ugly.

Until a couple months ago when I'd had enough, so we decided to use Gene's bonus on the room. After about 6 weeks of shopping and gathering all supplies we started the month long project of remodeling our bedroom. Yours truly did all the mudding, sanding, priming, painting and decorating. Gene built the headboard and paid for everything. On the last day I kicked Gene out for hours so that it would be a surprise for him. He loved it! So, enjoy the pics--who doesn't like a good "before and after" reveal?

BEFORE (on a good day)

Our extremely boring room without headboard, nightstand or decor

(unless you can call clutter decor). This was the look for the last 6 years or so.

This was my grandmother's hope chest that she got as an anniversary present from grandpa. Isn't it lovely with the dusty t.v. and cleaning supplies on it?

I don't like closet doors as a rule and since we had limited space we decided to do cedar lining and a closet system including more clutter.

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DURING CONSTRUCTION

We decided to build a headboard that could also be used as a book shelf. This is in the early mudding stage.

Side view of the headboard constructed with 2x4's, a 2x10 on top and sheetrock.

During the primer stage, after many days of mudding and sanding! The cutout is to allow access to the outlet for our lamps, etc.

The first coat of color, also the headboard is about 10" deep.

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AFTER

I decided what I'm really passionate about is the contrast between dark woods and white, and I wanted something not too feminine and not too masculine.

The view of our room from the doorway.

Notice the organized and fixed closet and my first grown up night stand? I love it--found it at Target. Love Target.

I'd noticed this saying in a Deseret Book catalog and decided to display photos of us through out our 15 years together--from our first date, through our wedding to just last October.

The view from the nightstand looking out the door.

The view from the closet looking toward the window and hope chest, which looks a tad prettier like this and I hope grandma is pleased. We hope to hang the t.v. on the wall someday.

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DETAILS

A close up of the blue and brown checkered fabric that I used to sew the valance and runner on the hope chest.

The perfect reed diffuser for this room.

These Korean wedding ducks were a wedding gift from Gene's mission president. They symbolize fidelity since ducks mate for life.

Another Target purchase--loved that this mirror was beveled and solid wood.

beauty

I just had to post a couple photos of the beautiful flowers from my garden so far this year:

My pink peonies from the front yard (we have white ones too but they were done before I thought to put them in a vase). I LOVE peonies!!!

Our giant lilac bush was lovely and delicious smelling for weeks. A few years ago we planted many other lilac bushes along the fence to create a wall of lilacs and the new ones finally bloomed this year--I'm so excited for them to get bigger in the future.

monkey see monkey do

One of the things, if not the main thing, that sold Gene and I on this house was the backyard. It's huge with lots of mature trees and has sooo much potential for a pretend landscape-architect such as myself. Over the last several years we've tried our best to make it the "kool-aid" house on our street (are we living vicariously through our kids? Making up for lost childhood dreams? I dunno, that's another post). Mostly we just want our kids to play here, at home, instead of always wanting to go somewhere else. I dare say that we've been successful when the other day (shortly after our 6 tons of sand arrived) I looked outside and saw nine children that I didn't birth, in addition to my three. A "kid paradise" to quote Sarah. Kid approved by my own--that's saying something.

Well, apparently we missed something in our child-like visions of fun, and forgot all the temptations that face a two year old! Like how they can climb over the railing that you thought was safe enough. Little miss Morgan, in an attempt to be a "big girl" like her nine year old sister accidentally fell off the top of the club house and got a little buckle fracture on her right arm. :( Poor thing was treating her arm so gingerly that I knew something wasn't right and insisted on an Xray. Sure enough. I'm just so grateful that it wasn't worse!!! So now she's sporting a pink cast for the next 3 weeks, during which Gene and I will be raising the railing on the clubhouse and otherwise toddler-proofing the backyard.

Morgan grumpy that mommy wants to take a picture of her cast.

Cute little Morgan finally cooperating for a photo op...

Morgan's pink 6" long baby waterproof cast :(

Sarah liked jumping off the clubhouse with this rope swing...uh, not anymore (at lease not around Morgan).

another birthday

My oldest daughter, Sarah, is unbelievably 9 years old (April) and I can hardly stand it! On her birthday she got to go to work with Gene for half a day (national bring your kid to work day) & incidentally got the royal treatment and a bag with all sorts of goodies! When they got home we had presents and a cake waiting to surprise her. We got her books, books and books (per request) and a snowcone maker (which we've all enjoyed).

About a week later she got to have her "friends" party. Sarah didn't want to play "little kid" games, so we opted for music, dancing and Wii karaoke and Wii Mariocart games. Let me tell you this: few things are more fun than sneaking a peek at a bunch of 9 year old girls, taking themselves all too seriously, singing to High School Musical karaoke! It was a hoot!!!

Sarah, home from daddy's work, with her gifts.

Sarah salivating over her new books.

Playing on the Wii and waiting for guests to arrive.

Sarah's BFF, Noo-Noo (in the green), having her turn singing karaoke.

Sarah opening her gifts.

The snowcone maker and flavored syrups--yay, liquid sugary fun!

happy mother's day

fly like an eagle

One of my favorite things to do as an aunt is to brag about my nieces and nephews. This time it's my nephew Steven, who just yesterday got his Eagle Scout award! His Eagle project was upgrading the playground of an elementary school by painting new hop-scotch and four-square lines on the asphalt. His leaders had nothing but good things to say about him. We are so proud of you, Steven! Congratulations!!!

Getting together for lunch at the cousins house before the ceremony.

"On my honor.." Steve being sworn in.

Isn't this cake incredible?

Steve the Eagle Scout!
Upon mom's request that we all gather for a group photo (and another one, and another one...and still one more...) ;)

a mixture of pics

Left over pics from Easter--these are with Gene's side of the family:

The Easter egg hunt in Lorraine's front yard.

Gene & Nathan helping the little ones.
Morgan wearing a pair of earrings found in an egg.

These are individual chocolate cakes that my SIL's mom made for each child (probably around 20). So sweet--thanks Pat!


My girls posing for Aunt Lorraine on her front porch swing.
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Spring


Our cherry tree in full bloom!

It's so big that it's hard to get the entire thing in one shot.

Gorgeous blooms!

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Park

On the day that Sarah took her CRT's I got to pick her up for lunch and take her & her sisters to a park around the corner for some fresh air and exercise (then she had to go back for 3 1/2 hours of more testing).

Sarah

Emma

Morgan

superman

My husband is awesome! You've heard the saying "when it rains, it pours" right? Well, a couple days ago we had a few small, but unexpected, thunder bursts.

Our van had wheel issues; a flat tire on one wheel and grinding ball bearings on a separate wheel. My husband replaced the wheel bearing with his own hands (saving us a hundred dollars or more in the process), and got a new tire to replace the flat. Our computer had an executing problem, my husband came home and fixed it within a half hour. Then he went outside and mowed & fertilized the lawn, and then ran to Home Depot to get items for the "project" I have for him to do this weekend. And to top off his awesomeness he made pancakes for the kids this morning (as he does every Saturday I may add).

He's the only man I know who can go from being a mechanic one minute to a computer tech guy the next, from being a carpenter to a gardener to a chef...and STILL change a diaper without being asked! I love him!

song of the week

I LOVE this song! Every single time it comes on the radio, or my ipod, I get happy inside--like really, really happy--smiling and dancing. I don't get the video (sorta Titanic-esque) but the music makes me feel like Spring inside, and since the weather is supposed to improve for this weekend I'm singing and dancing and lovin' life! "I feel like a newborn!" ;)

Easter pics for now...

HOPPY EASTER!

Some of our dyed eggs.

Morgan dying eggs last night...and her hand...and her shirt...

Our first attempt at pictures.

Fine. We'll go to where little miss Morgan is.

I love Morgan's grin and Sarah & Emma's smiles--CUTE as all get-out in their new Easter dresses!

Super Daddy with his super-sweet girls.

Yours truly (in my new denim skirt--no pastels for me thanks) with my lovely daughters.

Morgan, Emma and Sarah after church enjoying their baskets of goodies.