Another Project another gallon of paint

After 4 years of living in the house we are finally starting to make it our own. Brad and I hate painting. Since our walls are already painted (albeit, colors we aren't fond of) they are painted, so why do something we hate, right?

The painting of the porch gave me the bug and confidence for another project.

This wall for instance. I hate it. It is a slate colored, suede finish wall, and I underestimated the amount of work it would take to repaint it. 

First, sanding, two jobs of sanding.

 Safety first!

 Then two coats of primer.

 

Two coats of beige.

  

Brad and Chris did the wainscoting for me.   

That took two coats of primer, and two coats of greek villa white.

After that it was time for clean up, which went into the early wee hours of the morning.

 

After a week long of priming, painting, taping, cleaning it was done.

My kids were neglected.

 Seriously, I caught B eating from the dog food bin more than once because she was hungry.

I don't even want to calculate the hours she spent in front of the tv this week (it makes me shudder)

We ate cupcakes, my neighbor girl brought over for us, for dinner one night.

We ate a disgustingly and artery clogging amount of fast food.

Not my proudest mom moments.

 But it is over and I have a beautiful wall now.

And I will never do wainscoting again. 

I can't wait to see my Christmas Tree in the corner of that room.

We go to the farm and cut it down on Friday. 

(This weekend we are making up for a week of neglect)

Yes! I found a Christmas Tree not far from our house that let's you cut down your own tree.

I.am.so.excited.

Blessing Dress

We did a photoshoot this week. B has a sore on her nose and a chapped chin, but as much as I wanted pictures of her the main reason for the photo shoot was her sister.

Two years ago I took B there to have pictures of her in her blessing dress my aunt made for her. They did the picture on this pretty, old fashioned, blue couch. So I went back to have a picture of C in her blessing dress made by the same aunt, on the same blue couch. 

And just a FYI. B was 2 1/2 months old and C is 5 months old in her picture. 

 I love it.

Moab

We went to Moab for a weekend. And we had a blast. Driving home we even saw a shooting star, so of course, I had to say "A perfect ending to a perfect weekend".

Chris bought a nee jeep and built for rock crawling he wanted to test it out. We brought our jeep, and tested it to it's limits. Sure footed as a mountain goat, that jeep is.

Some parts of jeeping were terrifying, and I felt like... well the video below expresses my feelings precisely:

On those parts the girls and I got out and watched.

And some Christmas Card Preview:

Some beautiful scenery. 

I Know Her!

I am not sure how I stumbled upon this youtube video, but I did and I am sure glad!
It started and I said (aloud), "I know her!".

Because I do, but I knew her before she was a reporter, I knew her in college, and I love this lady.


She is now reporting for NBC 5 in Chicago, so Nanny when you go out there watch that news channel for me :)

Here is proof we are friends:

We even follow each other on Instagram.


Here is the story behind the last photo:

"8 years ago (almost exact) I met a girl named Emily on a hour long ride on trax. The next few years we would randomly run into each other. Then 8 years later after our first meeting, at the grand opening of a new mall I run into a Channel 2 News reporter, Emily."

She is my claim to fame, I guess. 

I wasn't kidding

Those are Christmas lights.

That's my deck. 

I took my Halloween spooky decor down and just kept up my harvest decor. 

It required self-control that I had to muster from my most inner self.

I am so ready for Christmas.

 Broccoli is so excited this year

(she can't even say "Christmas lights" without shouting it with excitement).

I am actually prepared.

My shopping is almost done.

I can really enjoy the season. 

Good thing the Christmas tree farm isn't open yet, 

or that picture would not have been my deck with lights,

but a Christmas tree... fully decorated.

Hey! I've seen this baby before!

I recently took a picture of my little Califlower in her car seat.

 I instantly recognized it as another picture I had taken about 2 years priors. 

same car seat

same eyes

same smile

same dimples

different babies

i've been told my babies have a look.

i never had a sister. 

so i think it's pretty cool they get a sister, and they get to look like sisters.

Halloween 2013

 We had a little witch and a little cat this year. (Remember the cat costume from 2 years ago?) 

Maybe a witch wasn't the best for a 2 year old because when the pediatrician asked what she was going to be for Halloween she said, "a bitch". 

 

We had a great day. 

We met my friend for breakfast and a visit to the office

(former office but I will always call it my office), so we got to see Grandma.

Afterwards we headed to the Aviary for the Halloween festivities.
We even got to meet ducks up close to which B thought was the coolest thing in the world.

 

 Prior to the Halloween day, we visited a local farm for hayrides and pony rides.

Also prior, we did our tradition of pumpkin carving and "The Nightmare before Christmas" watching, however, we substituted the movie for "Monsters University" this year.

 And back to Halloween (sorry the pictures are out of order and it's late)

we finished the night with pizza and trick-or-treating.

 This was the first time we went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, 

and I have to say our neighborhood is a happening place to be on Halloween night. 

It is so alive. 

One neighbor makes fresh donuts. Another had "Charlie Brown and the great Pumpkin" playing. Then further down the street I heard Thriller.

 Awesome Halloween. 

Now it's time for Christmas! (Yes, I am one of those).

Helper

Or... Daddy's Shadow.

We "winterized" this weekend.

I wish I had more photos, it wasn't just this.

He had his dirt bike out draining the fuel, she got her little trike out and did the same thing (minus the fuel part).

He was changing the oil on the pressure washer and she grabbed tools and started tinkering. 

Names... nicknames

Nicknames... we all have at least one. 

Some we love, others we hope would be forgotten.

Above is our B and her best friend Soy Bean. 

Soy started calling her Broccoli and well, it stuck. 

I even caught Brad calling her Broccoli. it might be official. 

So to stay consistent with the vegetables, I have nicknamed her little sister...

Califlower. 

I think it's cute. 

It's staying.