Friday, January 28, 2011

House Update..and some other tidbits

Wow! It's been almost three weeks since I last blogged. And I was doing so well!

We've had some family in town. My parents came to visit for a couple days then Tommy's mom and grandmother came for almost a week. It was GREAT! I got to sleep in while they took care of the boys, got to get out of the house by myself to run errands, and Tommy and I went out for dinner and a movie. The best part was just having extra sets of hands around to help. Plus H and B love when people come over. I'm sure it's because they get extra attention. It really felt like a vacation to me. It was good for my sanity. I hope they come visit again real soon!

Tommy and I also got to spend a day working on the dinning room while his family was visiting. We built the wall for the kitchen pantry and scrapped all the popcorn off the ceiling. And when I say "we" I say that pretty loosely. I'm really just his assistant. I hand him tools, hold drywall and 4x4s, spray the ceiling with water, and mud and sand the walls. He does all the hard work. I just sit back and watch most of the timewith a glass of tea in my hand and my feet propped up on a stool.  Anyways, we just need to sand one more time then we can paint. Here is the before photo in my last "house update" post. And here it is today.



As you can see we also tore up the carpet as well. It's still in our front yard. Our neighbors LOVE us!

I finally decided on a color. I love green shades in rooms you eat and cook in. In our last house here in Nashville our kitchen was green. I loved it so I'm sticking with green again, although it won't be the exact same shade. Since I want our dinning room and kitchen to flow together, I want to paint the dinning room green as well. Just a slightly lighter shade. Here is a photo of the paint sample. The lighting isn't the greatest but you get the idea.


The dinning room will be painted with the middle color and the kitchen the bottom color. I hope it turns out alright. I'll post more photos once it's painted. The kitchen will be the last room (in our entire house) we update. It will be the most expensive and time consuming room to work on.

So, how are H and B doing? They are crazier than ever! Just kidding. They are great. Growing so fast. I was looking at Hudson the other daywhich I do from time-to-timeand he looked like a 5-year-old kid to me. He just looked so mature! And today while watching Brayden play, he looked like he'd grown a few inches. Time is flying by.

Here are some updated tidbits on each boy:

Hudson at 14 months old: loves to do head-stands, pushes furniture around the playroom so he can climb up onto the couch and steal my laptop, has FOUR molars in (so a total of 12 teeth), likes to pretend to talk on a cell phone, says "og" instead of dog, obsessed with avocados (he'll eat a whole one by himself), loves to climb on top of Titus and pretend to ride him, likes to try to stick toys into the window HVAC in the playroom, chugs milk like it's going out of style, gives great tight hugs, has wild crazy hair that can't be tamed, and stares at strangers like they are crazy lunatics.

Brayden at 14 months old: still loves his paci, enjoys walking back and forth through your legs, laughs really loudly at strangers in stores, still points at everything and says "eh?", has no molars (so a total of 7 teeth), hasn't been liking meat lately unless it's hidden in mashed potatoes, still obsessed with balls of any kind (he's usually carrying at least one with him at all times), screams when his brother steals something from him, still enjoys peek-a-boo, laughs and smiles ALL THE TIME, loves to give Titus hugs, and still very cuddly.

They don't go back to the pediatrician until they are 18 months, so I won't have any updated weight and height info for awhile.

So, what's going on with me? I'm trying to set a daily routine for myself to follow each day. Like scheduling time to workout again. I prefer to run outdoors but it's too cold to bring the boys with me, so I'm not doing much cardio. I have started doing my strength training again and can already see a difference in just a week. I hope to make this a habit.

I saw my new endocrinologist at the beginning of the month and got some interesting news on some blood work I had done. I'll share that info in a later post.

Oh, and Titus is doing well too. Ha!

Until next time,
E

Monday, January 10, 2011

Blizzard of 2011

OK, so it's not really a blizzard. But 5 inches is a lot in Tennessee! And it's the first snow of 2011. Unfortunately, Tommy still had to go to work. Luckily he works only 2.24 miles away (yea...I mapquested it. I was curious).

After breakfast I took Brayden and Hudson outside to play in the snow. This was the first time they actually got to stand/sit/walk in the snow. Hudson loved it! He did pretty well walking through it. Brayden...he just stood/sat therenot sure what to think. At least he didn't cry!

Here are some photos of our morning!














I think we'll go out again once Tommy gets home. :)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Where's Waldo?

More like, where's Brayden?

House Update

We're on to the next room! YAY! We're making progress!

When I last gave you an update we were working on the family room. Here was one of the photos I posted.


We finished painting the ceiling and walls, put the crown molding back up, replaced the rotten floorboard, and got two of the four speakers installed. Here is the what the room looks like today.



As you can see, we still have a lot of junk in the room (and for some reason the wall color looks different in each photo. I blame the lighting.). We moved all the furniture from the dinning room into the family room cause that's the room we are working on next. All of the tools are sticking around until we finish. Flooring will be the last thing we install, but only AFTER we finish the rest of the rooms downstairs.

So, onto the dinning room! Want to see what it looks like today? Here it is!



 
We'll begin scraping the popcorn off the ceiling first. Then, we will mud/sand the ceiling and holes in the walls. Next will be to paint the ceiling and walls (I haven't decided on a color for the walls yet). Then we'll be ripping up the carpet. Hopefully this fireplace hasn't been leaking too.


I'd like to say that's all we are doing in this room. It kinda is...but not...we'll also be putting up a wall where the hutch is to build a pantry for the kitchen (see first picture of dinning room for reference). Our kitchen doesn't have a pantry--and I'd like one. This will be the perfect spot.

Here is a picture taken from inside the kitchen (looking into the dinning room).


We will be cutting an opening where the poster is and install double doors. Big project, but I think it will be worth it. By the way, the stairs to the left of the poster goes up to the bonus room (aka boys' playroom) above the garage.

We are getting so close! I can almost smell the wood flooring! If you can't tell...I've been waiting months to get the flooring installed.

We'll be throwing a "floor laying party" when the time comes. Those living near us...keep a lookout for the invitation. ;)

And just because I can't resist posting a picture of my adorable boys, here they are this morning.



E

P.S. I forgot to give you all an update on Titus. A couple hours after posting my prayer request for him, he starting getting better! The swelling in his paws and ears lessened, he started to eat a little, he stopped shaking, and he was able to go up and down the stairs without difficultly. And today he's back to his obnoxious self (just kidding). He is back to normal. Thank the Lord no surgery was needed. Thank you all for your prayers!

Friday, January 7, 2011

11 Step Program for those thinking of having kids

Read this on Facebook. Now, I don't agree with every point in this program, but it was pretty hilarious. I especially liked lessons 4, 5, and 8. You should see my kitchen floor right now...actually my whole house right now (refer to lesson 4 to get a mental picture). And I go through lesson 5 every morning...X2! Lesson 8 is why my kitchen is a mess.

Apparently, I still have a lot to look forward to. Enjoy!
____________________________________________
Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.


Written by Amy Lawrence

Country Strong

I can't wait to see this movie (and it was filmed here in Nashville)! Just need to convince Tommy to take me.

This song is really sweet. I'm a romantic at heart. Enjoy!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

I bet that would tickle...

epic fail photos - Hand Washing Station FAIL
see more funny videos

Special Announcement!


Tommy and I are officially DEBT FREE!!!!

Minus a mortgage of course. We’re not that good. Just give us another 29 ½ years on that.

The only debt we had was a small balance on one credit card and a few medical bills (from Tommy’s knee surgery and the boys’ delivery a year ago). For those wondering how we did it, we didn’t use the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Plan. We just used all the money we received as Christmas gifts and some stock Tommy sold.

I hope we stay debt free. It’s hard when one person is a saver (me) and one is a spender (Tommy).  We do our best to live within our means. We don’t have a gym membership—even though I’d love one, we don’t eat out very often—even though Tommy would love to, we have basic cable with no Tivo or movie channels, I cut coupons as much as I can, we have really old TV’s—only one is a flat screen and it’s over 5 years old, all of the boys’ clothes and toys we given to me or I purchased them at consignment shops, I only get my hair done every six months and I cut Tommy's hair myself, I don't get manicures/pedicures, and we drive reasonable cars.

These are all sacrifices we’ve made so I can stay home and take care of the boys.

This spring we plan to have a HUGE yard sale. I’m already collecting stuff to include in the sale. The money we make will go towards our continued effort to fix up the house and into a savings account. Which reminds me, I need to post an update on the house. Stay tuned!