We are so lucky to have found Caroline, all of those years ago. Best babysitter ever.
My Happy Family
Monday, December 30, 2013
World's best babysitter
Caroline came by for a visit yesterday, and it was just like old times. She played any and every game that the kids wanted to play with her, and she loved the photo mug we made for her. After brunch and two hours of playing, she had to move along to her next get-together.
We are so lucky to have found Caroline, all of those years ago. Best babysitter ever.
We are so lucky to have found Caroline, all of those years ago. Best babysitter ever.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Pogo sticks... & living room updates
I think Dave is starting to follow in my thrifty footsteps. He texted me from a local thrift store to tell me that he found a recliner for our new "parlor room" (aka living room), and also found TWO pogo sticks for under $60. Way to go!
The kids are having so much fun bouncing around in our driveway. Thankfully we don't have snow or ice, so they can take advantage of that.
Update: The Christmas tree is down and the chairs are now in the living room. Last night was great - we had peaceful music on, and three of us were sitting in chairs reading while Eva and Liam played on the rug. The room is already being put to good use! We want to either get the white chair professionally cleaned or reupholstered, but I'm not convinced that white is the best color for furniture when kids are around.
Mom, we took your advice and just moved the cedar chest in. You're right - it works there, and also creates more seating.
The kids are having so much fun bouncing around in our driveway. Thankfully we don't have snow or ice, so they can take advantage of that.
 |
| Once the Christmas tree is down, we'll move this to the front living room.. and create a place for the adults to hang out, and let the kids have the family room whenever we are entertaining. |
 | ||
| The smiles say it all... Daddy is the best! |
Update: The Christmas tree is down and the chairs are now in the living room. Last night was great - we had peaceful music on, and three of us were sitting in chairs reading while Eva and Liam played on the rug. The room is already being put to good use! We want to either get the white chair professionally cleaned or reupholstered, but I'm not convinced that white is the best color for furniture when kids are around.
Mom, we took your advice and just moved the cedar chest in. You're right - it works there, and also creates more seating.
 |
| We bought a new oriental rug last night, and I love the colors in it. |
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Christmas 2013
We had such a wonderful Christmas this year. I was so proud of our kids, especially the way they understood the joy of giving rather than receiving. They couldn't wait for everyone to open the gifts that they had hand-picked.
The sibling gifts were all right on.. Liam had picked out charm bracelets and a charm for his sisters, which they absolutely loved. Amanda got light-up monster trucks for Liam... and for Eva, a puppy paint by number project as well as a crocheted charm bracelet. Eva bought a race track and cars for Liam (that she could not wait to give him!) and different colored yarn for Amanda and all of her crochet projects. I was over the moon with my new speaker from Dave, and he got a top of the line knife set that he loved.
The best part of the day was the zillions of hugs that went on between everyone in the family. So much love... As I awoke this morning, I realized how proud I am of our kids... and how much I am looking forward to my vacation time with them.
They are amazing little human beings, and I am so proud to call them our kids.
To steal Amanda's words, "This was the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER."
Here are some photos of the day's highlights:
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
The sibling gifts were all right on.. Liam had picked out charm bracelets and a charm for his sisters, which they absolutely loved. Amanda got light-up monster trucks for Liam... and for Eva, a puppy paint by number project as well as a crocheted charm bracelet. Eva bought a race track and cars for Liam (that she could not wait to give him!) and different colored yarn for Amanda and all of her crochet projects. I was over the moon with my new speaker from Dave, and he got a top of the line knife set that he loved.
The best part of the day was the zillions of hugs that went on between everyone in the family. So much love... As I awoke this morning, I realized how proud I am of our kids... and how much I am looking forward to my vacation time with them.
They are amazing little human beings, and I am so proud to call them our kids.
To steal Amanda's words, "This was the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER."
Here are some photos of the day's highlights:
Christmas Eve
 |
| The Harry Potter and Star Wars Pop Up books were a hit with the girls. Liam loved his Transformer Rescue Bots. |
 |
| Gift opening came to a dead halt after we opened the books from Grandma Jo... |
 |
| Real light sabers in the pop up book!? |
Christmas Day
 |
| Opening Liam's homemade gift |
 |
| Dave hit the nail on the head with this book for Eva! |
 |
| Ready for Christmas dinner: German Rouladen, red cabbage, potato dumplings and the works! |
 |
| Omi made bathrobes for the girls out of the fabric they picked for themselves. |
 |
| A new construction vehicle!!! |
 |
| The men and the kids had so much fun playing Frogger. Eva beat Uncle Jason in every game! |
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Merry Christmas!
The presents are all wrapped, some of which will be delivered to friends' homes later today. We'll open the "Wentz grandparents'" gifts tonight, and then the "Lindsay Christmas" with Dave's family here tomorrow.
 |
| Holiday baking |
 |
| Merry Christmas to everyone! |
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Thanks, Mom!
I love these little lights for flower arrangements! I have never seen these before.
I put some red and gold globe ornaments in my glass pine cone vase... and then stuck some red/gold/brown dried flowers in. I like it, and the lights add a nice glow to the whole thing. I think I need to add some pine boughs before our neighborhood Holiday Open House, but it will add some nice ambience.
Thanks, Mom!
I put some red and gold globe ornaments in my glass pine cone vase... and then stuck some red/gold/brown dried flowers in. I like it, and the lights add a nice glow to the whole thing. I think I need to add some pine boughs before our neighborhood Holiday Open House, but it will add some nice ambience.
Building a Christmas Train
Yesterday at Lowe's, the kids got to build their own Christmas trains. They did a great job of following the printed instructions and hammering their little hearts out. Afterward, we went out for pizza at Poopsie's. What a fun day!
Friday, December 6, 2013
The Christmas Tree is up!
Last night, Dave put up our Christmas tree. It still looks as good as I remember it, and I don't regret getting the artificial tree one bit!
This morning, the kids got to work with the ornaments. I've decided to let them do their own decorating this year, and I will just "edit" where I need to later. They get a kick out of doing it, and I enjoy watching them.
This morning, the kids got to work with the ornaments. I've decided to let them do their own decorating this year, and I will just "edit" where I need to later. They get a kick out of doing it, and I enjoy watching them.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Thanksgiving Weekends projects (with December updates)
Last weekend, we were busy painting the upstairs bathroom, the art room/library, and Liam's bedroom. Ceilings, walls, baseboard, trim, and doors are all finished in those three rooms.
We are very happy with how it turned out! This weekend we will work on painting the hallways.
On Monday, we had cement poured in the dirt floor basement so now we will be able to use that area for storage. Dave put up a few shelving units down there last night. We also had a cement base poured for the garden shed that Dave moved here from the old house. In January, we will have insulation put into the house. I am REALLY looking forward to that!
Here are the before and after pictures from our weekend painting projects. Click on the pictures to make them bigger, and scroll through.
Bathroom
Art room/Library
Everything has now been moved out of the main floor of the barn, and shelved neatly into the garden shed.
We are very happy with how it turned out! This weekend we will work on painting the hallways.
On Monday, we had cement poured in the dirt floor basement so now we will be able to use that area for storage. Dave put up a few shelving units down there last night. We also had a cement base poured for the garden shed that Dave moved here from the old house. In January, we will have insulation put into the house. I am REALLY looking forward to that!
 |
| This is where the garden shed will be put up. |
Here are the before and after pictures from our weekend painting projects. Click on the pictures to make them bigger, and scroll through.
Bathroom
 |
| Upstairs Bathroom: Before |
 |
| Upstairs Bathroom: Before |
 |
| Upstairs Bathroom: After (From tangerine to Bali green!) |
 | |
| Upstairs Bathroom: After |
 |
| Art room/Library: Before (From putty to a light green) |
 |
| Art room/Library: Before |
 |
| Art room/Library: Before |
 | ||||||||
| Art Room/Library: After (You can't tell but this is a different shade of green than the bathroom.) |
 |
| Art room/Library: After (We did an accent wall in a dark evergreen.) |
 |
| Art room/Library: After |
Liam's Bedroom
 |
| Liam's bedroom: Before (I should have taken a picture before we started moving the furniture!) |
 |
| Liam's bedroom: Before |
 |
| Liam's bedroom: After (From gray to robin's egg blue.) |
 |
| Liam's bedroom: After |
 |
| Liam's bedroom: After (We still need to switch the fan blades to white.) |
Update: Here is the relocated garden shed, being built on the new slab of concrete.
 |
| Garden Shed |
And finally, the finished project... all built and reshingled.
Everything has now been moved out of the main floor of the barn, and shelved neatly into the garden shed.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Amanda's Quilt: Made by Grandma Jo
I promised Mom that I would send pictures of the quilt she made for Amanda, so here are a few from different perspectives.
It turned out great, and Amanda loves it so much! The detail, especially in the hearts, is amazing!
Thanks again, Mom, for putting this much time and love into the quilts. :)
It turned out great, and Amanda loves it so much! The detail, especially in the hearts, is amazing!
Thanks again, Mom, for putting this much time and love into the quilts. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)