Latest Project

Pete told me when we were doing the wood floors that I wasn't allowed to even SUGGEST doing another home improvement project for 6 months.  Well, summer's here and I'm bored, so I figure 6 weeks is close enough, right?  It has the number "6" in it.  He's gotta be ok with that. ;-)

My latest project is to work on our front door and then redo the entire foyer.  When we were doing the floors, I was often times sitting in this area waiting for Pete to bring in boards that he cut.  I would look around and realize how much the foyer needed a change.  Without school projects to prepare for, I need something to channel some creativity.  So, I'm taking down the tired stained glass thing I put by the door 10 yrs ago and putting up some etched window film and then painting.  I didn't paint the door when I did the foyer and I'm not really sure why.  It kind of sticks out like a sore thumb.  So, when I paint the foyer this time, I'll be painting the door and side panels as well.

Before I can get to the painting part, I have to do a lot of deconstruction.  First one up are the side panels.  It's a lot harder to get that stuff on than I realized!  Thank goodness for carrot peelers.  That's what I'm using to get it off with.  I'm sure once Pete gets home he'll suggest I use something more practical, but it's working and that's all that matters.  The etching, underneath the part I'm working on, shows the new design going up.  So excited to get to work and spend the next few weeks creating my new foyer's look!

Berry Pickin' Time

We are now a little over a week into our summer vacation and we were in desperate need of something to do other than hang out here!  My friend Shawn went to a place called Plow Creek Farms yesterday and picked strawberries.  It sounded like so much fun that I took the kids there this morning to do a little pickin' of our own!  It was an hour away, but everything seems to be at least an hour away from us if it's something fun, so the trip didn't seem like a big deal. 

It was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL morning to be out too!  We got to drive through some cute little towns before we found the place and it was right off the road.  Really easy to find.  A little old hippie was running the place.  He had a long beard with cut-off jeans and barefeet.  So cute and just the nicest guy you'd want to meet.  He gave the kids each a small basket and then a big container for them to dump them in when they were getting full, then took us to "our row".  He showed them how to dig down inside the plants and find the good ones.  They got right to work!

There weren't a ton of people there at 9am.  There was one family in the next couple of rows over, but that was it in our section, so we had lots of freedom to move and find our berries.  The kids really got into it and would get so excited if they found lots of big ones.

These were their little baskets.  They filled them up a few times each.  Our larger container is that one beside Livie, hanging from the metal hook thing.  Don't you love Livie's pickin' hat too?!  It's so awesome!

Madie found the biggest strawberry of the day.  It was a two in one!  She was so excited!

When we were done, we took our container up and got it weighed.  We got a little over 9 lbs of delicious, sweet, natural strawberries.  YUM!

Yep!  A morning well spent!  You can tell how yummy they are too by the expression on Livie's face.  She had a mouthful of them when I took this. ;-)  On the way home, we stopped for some ice cream.  We plan on having strawberry sundaes for lunch!

Check Out That Cupcake!

Know what THIS means?!  It means I got my ear mold made today for my hearing aid - or as my bestie calls, h'aids. ;-)  My kids said it looked like I had a cupcake in my ear - thus the title of this blog post.  All I know is that I'm super-excited about hearing again!  I'm only getting one in my right ear, because of the costs of them, but I'd rather have one that's the highest quality than two of lesser.  So, the process has begun.  In just 2 more weeks I'll have the best hearing aid around and I'll be able to hear so much more!  Hooray!!   As my other friend said, I am now joining an elite group of awesome hearing aid wearers.  Now, if I could only figure out how to make them fancier.  Think they make hot pink ones with zebra stripes?

Time to Dance!

Today was the "Variety Show" and it was such a beautiful day for it too!  We had to be there by 12:30.  Since church got out around 11:15, Pete picked up lunch for us and dropped me and the girls off at the high school, so we wouldn't have to rush around at home and drive back separately.



We sat outside the school and ate our lunch and the weather was just perfect!  I could've sat outside all day with my girls. :-)

They were anxious to get inside, though, so we went in about a half hour later, so we could get ready.  Had to take the recital picture on the stairs outside the school like I always do.  Granted, I usually have to say something to the effect of "Stand next to each other and act like you like each other!", so that all the pictures I take, I can look back on and think, "Boy, they were such happy sisters back then.".  ;-)

When we got there, we were still so early, that I had time to get them both dressed and in make-up and hair before anyone else showed up.  The bottom floor of the school is where they usually have most of the classrooms for the kids to get ready in, but that area is all under construction, so Madie was on the 2nd floor and Livie was in the basement, so there was a lot of stairs to climb.  I kept them together as long as possible, so I didn't have to make so many trips!  Don't they look cute in their get-up?

Madie's room was right outside the door for the balcony and with general admission tickets this year, we decided to sit up there.  It was kind of nice having her right across the hall.  After she finished, she came right to our seats, without me having to go get her.  She was getting ready to line up as Pete and Noah came in.  She was pretty excited!

This is the third picture I took of Pete and Noah, because it took 3 shots to get one of Noah looking up from his DS and actually smile at me.  The first one I couldn't get him to stop playing his game.  The second one he was frowning in.  I thought he would actually enjoy the show, because he didn't have to sit through all the tech and dress rehearsals like in years past, but I was wrong.  He kept complaining about how boring it was and kept asking if it was "halftime" yet.  I think he's becoming more and more like Pete every day! ;-)  He just resorted to playing his DS through the entire second Act.  I was just happy it kept him occupied and quiet.

Here is Madie in all her glory!  She's on the far right, second from the back.  She did a great job!

Livie did a great job too!  She was fourth from the left.  So proud of my girls!!

What's That Growing in my Yard?

I was outside one day with Tater and I saw these tiny little things growing in a bare spot in our grass.  Last year we had this GARGANTUAN tomato plants growing in our garden.  Two tomato plants had turned into 2 of the biggest plants I've ever seen.  They got taller than the kids and got so heavy, they ended up falling over and laying in our yard.  Thus, the bare spot, where it killed all of our grass in that area.  

Upon closer inspection of the little "weeds" growing in that patch, I discovered that they were tomato plants growing!  I've never seen this happen before, but I guess a tomato off the plant from last year left some seeds and new plants started growing from it this year.

In fact, I realized it wasn't just one plants, it was three!  How fun is that?!  So, I told Pete he wasn't allowed to mow it (he did at least once before I figured it out) and they have grown and grown and already have flowers on them.  I wanted to let them grow in the yard, but Pete wanted to move them before they "killed the rest of his grass", as he put it.  So, after I took this picture, he moved them back into our flower beds.  I love that our amazing plant from last year is continuing to yield more fruit for us this year.  Can't wait to see how these grow for us!

Variety Show Practice

Our dance experience began back in 2005 when Madie was just 4 years old.  Since we began, we have had recitals every other year with a year break in between.  This year they decided to have them perform on an off-year on the stage in what they are calling a "Variety Show".  It's basically a toned-down version of the recital.  Instead of costumes that cost hundreds of dollars, special hairstyles, and 3-day performances, they're wearing clothes from their own closets, wearing their hair in ponies, and only doing one performance on Sunday afternoon.  It's a real treat, because we get to see what they've worked on without all the craziness that comes with recital weekends.

Today was our dress rehearsal/practice.  Usually during recital, they have a Saturday devoted to practice on the stage.  This usually lasts all day, depending on how many performances your kids are in.  Then you have dress rehearsal, which usually lasts 2 weeknights, one for Act 1 and one for Act 2.  Because of it being a singular performance and a slightly less serious production, we got to knock it all out today by noon.  Yay!  Livie's group had to wear Easter dresses.  It was hard for me to choose which dress, because she has so many cute ones!  But, this is the one that Livie wanted to wear.  Her Nana T got it for her and she loves it.  Gotta say, she picked a good one!  She looks adorable.

It was cute seeing her sit with all her dancemates in their beautiful dresses.  Tomorrow they will shine even more when they have their make-up and hair all done.  And, since Livie LOVES wearing make-up, she is always sooo excited about that part! :-)

I never get to see what they are working on, because their practices during the school year are closed, so it was fun to see Madie practice today.  I got a few pictures of them while they were putting their marks down.

It's hard to get close-up shots when she's on stage, so I apologize that they are blurry, but I know that these pictures of them practicing are probably the only good pictures I'll get of them doing their performances, because it goes so quickly when they are actually doing their routine. 

Madie's first performance was when she was only 5, so it's been so fun to see how her skills improve each year.  She's really got some moves and this number is particularly sassy!! :-)

Even Livie has improved in the 3 years since she started taking dance.  I noticed how much more she's learned!  This is her first tap number on stage and she LOVES tap, so she was very excited!

They get to use real cell phones in their performance and she sings while on the phone.  She did a great job and they all looked so cute up there.  Can't wait to see it all happen tomorrow!