ALMOST makes you want to have another...

It's Cold Outside and warm in our house!

This little girl was my cookie making helper this afternoon.

It's cold outside, but we wouldn't know that inside. Our new windows have changed our world. No more running from cover to cover or needing a fire in the fireplace, we are comfy just walking around.

Tonight: Family movie night, James and the Giant Peach. It was a little scary. Campbell left the room, but Conleigh & Alex shared a chair with me and we made it through.

Wordless Wednesday

Barbie convo

The Barbie doll house is now in Campbell's room. Conleigh was using it for storage. I found shoes, socks, garbage, cups and more sitting on the shelves in Conleigh's room. So, I moved it to Campbell's room. It was so sweet tonight to hear her in there with Jasmine and another Barbie talking to each other. They were eating cookies. I loved listening to her.

Soon Alex & Conleigh joined the fun. We have two male Ken's. The kids don't know they are all named Ken. I asked what one of the boys names was and Conleigh said, "It's Nick. Or Ricky for short!" Smile, Smile.

Holding Pattern

No work was done on our house today. Wednesday the plan is to paint. Then the vanities will be all that is left on the project. I've got spring cleaning fever and organzation on the brain. I have to keep reminding myself that it always gets messier before it is better because it doesn't look like I'm trying to clean and organize.

The shelf that had been on this wall of the family room is gone (yay), and I'm going to make it a wall of family pictures. Hopefully I can get my rear in gear and make that happen during this week.

THE Party with THE Dress

The day finally came. The "day I've been waiting for my whole life," according to Conleigh. The Fancy Nancy tea party with her Daisy troop. Last Friday, the girls all went to the troop leader's home after school to set up the tea party. I had offered my (pre-kids) tea cup collection. I think the girls really liked using the grown-up teacups.

Conleigh got all gussied up. She was so serious about how she looked. We did her make-up just right. Of course, I guess wearing the socks with her silver shoes kind of showed her age. :)
We arrived and there was no doubt Conleigh took this much more seriously than the other girls. Of course, they dressed up. They dressed like Fancy Nancy. They looked like Pippi Longstocking. I could tell Conleigh was a little upset that everyone wasn't dolled up in (real) fancy duds. The other girls had make-up on too, but it looked like they did it. It looked like 7 year old make-up.
At the table, Conleigh told everyone, "I know someone who got to drink tea with the Queen of England." Sweet girl. She wanted to live the tea party dream.
Here are the fruit kabobs that we made for the party.
The moms left after some photos but I hear they danced. The other girls were dancing with the troop leader, but Conleigh was in her own world dancing around.

I guess they did a fashion show and got to tell about their outfits. Two of the other girls were wearing their mom's wedding dresses all sinched up in the back. Conleigh happily told about her grandma making her dress especially for this party.

I'm glad she was excited, and I'm glad it is over. I want her to be happy. Sometimes the expectation is so big in her head, the actual event cannot live up to it.

Dusty Progress

Wow! Is our house dusty. I forgot (if I ever knew) how dusty sheetrock work is. The great part is it is done. Now we need to have our paint colors chosen...pronto.
The windows look terrific. I like the tint on the front windows. Today they trimmed them and I like that too.
We also have lights (or a single light for now because one was broken) for the first time on the front of our house. It is amazing the difference it makes.
The shutters that are being built to cover the former windows have been a little bit of a headache. I can't decide on a design that fits our house. It seems like the options are kind of country looking. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll see something new that we like.
The laundry room feels so much larger. The tile work has been completed in there and paint is all that is left for that little project as well.
I think the painting will be done on Monday. We are also replacing vanities in both the hall bath and Alex's bathroom. That will take a few weeks to finish, but a woman came by and helped me select a design and stain color. It will feel so good to have the bathrooms updated too.

Wordless Cupcake Wednesday

LOVE

I love him for many, many reasons but today I love my husband for taking the girls to gymnastics, so I could sit awhile. The house has been loud and it is dusty. Now, it is quiet and I am sitting. It feels good.

I also love him for not saying, "I told you so," regarding the new shutters outside. I thought they needed to be outside the frame. He said inside. They were put outside. He said they looked like a picnic table was folded up into our house. My friend said they looked like barn doors. Today the workers are putting them inside the window frame. I love you Peter!

Progress

Our laundry room feels so much bigger all of the sudden. Today our washer & dryer became a stacked unit and a cabinet that had been in a corner was removed. Wheels were added on the bottom, so we can store it in another part of the room and roll it out if it is too cramped. The new picture windows also went in today. It took them all day long. Getting the glass out was easy. I missed them lifting the big upper windows. They had to make a scaffolding run. The windows were too heavy and needed to go too high to just use a ladder.
Metal everywhere.
Cute kids on scaffolding.
Ahh. Success. The windows have a reflective tint and look terrific. Finishing touches tomorrow.

Happy Blogoversary to me! I've been doing this bloggy stuff for two years now!

Destruction

The end of the windows that face the front walkway of our house: The mess it made on the front walk.
Progress. Awaiting sheetrock and paint. Then we'll have a whole wall in that room. Wow!
The end of the sliding glass doors in the back of the house.
Framing the former sliding doors to make way for three new windows.
Our family room is pretty dark this weekend. It rained all day Friday which was window day, so they boarded up the wall and we'll get new windows throughout the house on Monday! Yay!

The Hardin's learn to Ice Skate

Happy Birthday Peyton! Peyton had her 7th birthday party today at the ice rink. Here are the quotes BEFORE we got there. Name the people who said the below two quotes.

"I'm so scared. I don't want to do it."

"I'm really good at ice skating. Did I ever tell you that?"



It was great fun! Some of our favorite people were there, so that always makes an event great!

Conleigh got right to it, and now can't stop talking about ice skating and how she wants to go again.
Campbell didn't dig it at first, but once Daddy dragged her around the rink, she started to enjoy herself, and Alex was hesitant but then didn't want to stop. I have to give myself some mommy kudos for bringing gloves for everyone. I think that made the difference between a great time and not a great time. Conleigh was pretty wet by the end of it but she kept choosing to fall down.
We'll see what new muscles we know about tomorrow when we wake up. Yowza!

Quote 1: Conleigh
Quote 2: Peter

Hamburger Fun

Granny gave Campbell a play-doh hamburger stand for Christmas. We have been eating hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chips, grapes and rainbow food ever since.

THE Dress

Conleigh talking to Grandma...
I was so fortunate growing up to have a mom that sewed. She sewed a lot of clothes for us - formal dresses and even my sister's wedding dress. Her sewing machine hasn't seen as many projects in recent years besides hemming pants, but ring in the new year!
Conleigh is going to a Fancy Nancy Tea Party with her girl scout troop. The leader said they could wear a nice dress and many accessories. The troop leader is planning to wear her wedding dress from 15+ years ago (wouldn't that be nice to be able to fit in my wedding dress ~ anywho!).
Conleigh is a fancy girl anyway and this occasion brings out the opportunity for her to go all out!!
In early December, I took Conleigh to the fabric store. She caught on quick and found a pattern that she liked. Then we went looking for some fabric. She chose some really nice teal material.
Next step. Ask Grandma if she would consider sewing the dress. Thankfully, she said yes. When grandma & grandpa came to Austin in mid-December, we took Conleigh out of school (can you believe that?) to return to the fabric store and show Grandma the idea. Here we are less than a month later with a VERY excited six year old that looks adorable and so happy in her new dress!


Thanks Mom! It is just beautiful. I think it will be a treasure for many years to come. We love you!

Fire!

We've been enjoying our fireplace this winter for the first time in four and half years! Now, how do we get the smoky smell out of our house? Yuck.

Happy New Year

We celebrated the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 with some of our favorite people. Kathy, Grace, Katie & Henry Golson joined us and even spent the night. We loved it except that they had to sneak out early this morning and we didn't get to say a proper good-bye.





Kathy & Grace











The Hall family also joined us this year. We have celebrated at least five new years together, and we hope there are many more. Cally was into the IPhone this year and Lexi & Campbell played beauty shop together.

Peter put together a champagne tasting. He bought three prices of champage and we tasted all to guess and decide which was the best. Surprisingly, all the women are cheap dates. We liked the $5 Cook's bottle the best. Peter said it gets drier the more expensive. We all liked the sweet, cheap stuff.

The adults enjoyed steak for dinner. We had a nice spread including asparagus, zucchini and squash, rolls, and wine. I made a peanut butter pie for dessert and it was enjoyed by all.
The Ninja Jester

The kids had a fab time playing all evening with a little trampoline jumping mixed in. We had Shirley Temple's flowing for the kiddos and they enjoyed steak, mac & cheese and black-eyed peas for dinner. Later in the evening, we went outside and did some poppers. That lasted all of three minutes. Afterwards, we rang in the new year with the east coast and made ice cream sundaes.
Campbell, the clown

Peter read a book to some tired kiddos and our house was asleep soon after midnight!
All the Best to you in 2010!