Jack's First Donut

Jack spied Bea's donut the other day. He took a nose dive out of my arms to grab it. So I popped him in his booster and let him go to town. I should have taken a video. It was so funny. He couldn't grab it and get it to his mouth fast enough. He was making grunting noise and smacking his lips. Ryan and I watched in amazement as he inhaled the donut in less than 3 minutes.

This was his reaction when the donut was gone.

sorry for the blurry photos...

Answers to your questions and more.

This is the "Upstairs".

4 kid bedrooms

2 kid bathrooms

Hall

Things to consider:

Elle gets to input on her color...she has wild ideas, needs lots of suggestion.

Will has denim curtains and bedspreads, gets to have input too, but easily directed!

Bea...open book!

Jack, I would like to have a "safari" theme, has beige & cream fabrics, would like to stay away from red.

I have a Pottery Barn fish mobile I'd like to hang in one of the baths...

All trim is painted white, carpet is beige and brown.

Everyone has natural stained wood furniture except Bea, hers is white.

Helpful?

HELP!!!

My High/low for yesterday happened all in one conversation yesterday.......


Matt the contractor told me we need to paint the upstairs in TWO WEEKS!!

High: YYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAA!!!!

low: Absolutely NO paint choices picked out.


What colors / schemes would you suggest?

Help me please! And for all of you who have never left a comment, click the button below, start typin'. I need serious input.

yes, this link: "your fabulous thoughts" c'mon Tracy, you can do it!

Random

We have what I call a "Butterfly" bush here at the Summer house. I'd only seen Hummingbirds at it until I transferred pictures from the camera to the computer the other day.

Elle adequately digitally documented the occasion, and then decided to take a self portrait.

The things I find on this camera.

Jack

New photos of Jack are posted over at Portraits by Kimberly...check it out!

First Day of School

Summer passed us by this year...

First Day of School 2009

Elle, Fourth Grade

Will, Second Grade

Seems like just yesterday we were here.

First Day, 2008

Double Digits

Our little princess has turned TEN. It's shocking to even type the number. This year we decided that turning ten was cause to CELEBRATE!



We started the party at my friend Karen's pottery studio. I think the "Over Thirty" crowd had just as much fun as well, a ten year old!

Working on their pieces..



Finished!

They each made a "personal" pizza.

Cake time!

The gifts - She LOVED them all..

Making the "keep them busy" craft, decorated bags. Kept them busy for 10 minutes. Kept me busy for 90.




Happy Birthday to my little Princess!

Duke

Our sweet little Duke was struck by a motorcycle and killed Thursday.

We miss him very much.

New Item

I added a little gadget to my "sidebar".

We play this little game with the kids at dinner called "Highs & lows".

One of us starts by asking: "What was the best part of your day?" and then,

"What was the worse part?" We go around the table asking everyone.

It's a great way find out what happened to everyone, celebrate the good, and sympathize with the bad.

Leave your Highs & lows in the "fabulous comments"!

*my favorite: a couple of months ago, when Bea was realizing that she wanted to be included in the game, her response to "What was the best part of your day?" she said: "I laughed" too cute.

Camp 2009

A few camp shots-better late than never?

Will was excited to see his buddy from last year, even though he forgot his name.

typical male.

First bell - bye Mom!

Last day picnic.

She stayed four nights this year, and still didn't want to go home.

One old friend...and some new ones!

House Update #4

Week 2 of the stick construction, and we couldn't be happier with how quickly it's going up!

Finishing the second story interior stud-walls and wrapping.

Covering the roof.

Bea, on the roof with Matt, the contractor and Daddy. I had a firm grip on the window...

Bea, in her room with apparently her "gangsta" pose.

The family, on the porch under the dining room window

View from the front.

Friday they started wrapping with the white stuff, and cut out windows so I could "get a feel" for the place - Thanks Matt!

The kids were so excited, they built stairs to the second story. We would not let them climb the ladder up to see their rooms. Looks like a good time - out spot huh?

Will, in his room,

and Jack in his!

I cannot wait to dig this out for High School Graduation!

Finally, the garage!

My Relaxing Saturday

Relaxing. That is what I had hoped for today. Instead, I did the laundry, picked up the house, cleaned the bathroom, washed the dishes and froze a "gator" full of corn.

Ryan had to make a "quick" trip to Ohio, and left me with these two lovely assistants:

Clothing was optional.

Ryan returned home at 10:15 pm, in time to help me cut off the last half of our 33 quarts...

round 3, Sunday afternoon!

The Pod Swaddler Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Pod Swaddler Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Love this site, love this pattern, love to make it for you!

Jack's New Big Thing...

Jack pulled himself to standing this week.

In the bathtub of course...

looks like we need to add salt to the water softener.

House Update #3

August 1st came and so did the contractor, as promised! We celebrated by having breakfast at the farm with our friends.

Monday, August 3rd, 7am!

6pm, Monday.



Tuesday

Wednesday

Friday

All in one week, the crew studded up the basement, main floor, started the upstairs studs, wrapped the main floor, and made steps into the basement from the garage.

We are so incredibly excited...it is so fun to have a 3-D view now!

Fun Day

Yesterday one of Elle's classmates invited just the two of us to his lake cottage for a fun day of tubing.

Elle & Payton getting ready...

All of them, doing tricks. Crazy.

Still doing tricks, only with me on this time...screaming like a girl.



Do you see Joe? not hanging on? just chillin'.

Jumping from tube to tube?

Craziness I say. Craziness.

hmm. where are my pics of Beth? Tracy?? Becky??? chickens.

A big THANK YOU to Kari...

we had a FABULOUS time!