11.30.12

I know I've been seriously slacking in my grateful posts. Oh well! Maybe I'll be better next year. Or maybe not.

Today I am grateful for:
1. Finishing a big project
2. Going to book club on Wednesday. The author of the book came and it was fascinating to hear her stories and the joys of being a published author. If you want to read some good, fun LDS books, then check out Melanie's website here.
3. Madeline's friends. They are so adorable!

Praia, Madeline, and Kayleigh

4. Andrew being back in school after a week vacation.
5. Our fitness challenge which gets me out the door to exercise everyday.
6. Visit from Tom's parents and sister.

Christina and Tom

Forrest, Marsha, Christina, and Tom

My little family is capable of all smiling

It's been a good month, although I am grateful it's over! HA!

Before and After

In celebration of my birthday yesterday, I decided to show you most of the changes we've made to our home since we moved in early last year.

Front of Home Before:

Front of Home After:

Changes Made: New Lawn and some bushes

Guest Bedroom Before:

Guest Bedroom After:

Changes Made: Paint and decorate

Guest Bathroom Before:

Guest Bathroom After:

Changes Made: Painting walls & cabinets, new lighting, new mirror, redo countertops with contact paper, new faucet, decorate

Living Room Before:

Living Room After:

Changes Made: Paint trim and decorate

Dining Area Before:

Dining Area After:

Changes Made: Paint trim and decorate

Kitchen Before:

Kitchen After:

Changes made: A couple of new appliances (not much happened in this room)

Family Room Before:

Family Room After:

Changes Made: Painting walls and shelving unit & new light fixture

Bonus Room Before:

Bonus Room After:

Changes Made: Painting walls and shelving unit

Andrew's Room Before:

Andrew's Room After:

Changes Made: Painting, new light fixture and decorate

Master Bedroom Before:

Master Bedroom After:

Changes Made: Painting & new light fixtures

Master Bathroom Before:

Master Bathroom After:

Changes Made: Painting walls and cabinets, new mirrors, new faucets

Madeline's Room Before:

Madeline's Bedroom After:

Changes Made: Painting, crown molding, new light fixture

Kids Bathroom Before:

Kids Bathroom After:

Changes Made: Paint, Contact paper countertops, new light fixtures, decorate

Light Fixture Before:

Light Fixtures After:

Entry Chandelier Before:

Entry Chandelier After:

Backyard BEFORE:

Backyard After:

Changes Made: Took down deck, trimmed bushes back, and put in new sod

 

Side Yard Before:

Side Yard After:

Changes Made: Took out white rocks which were an HOA violation and replaced with hard to maintain ice plants that bloom like this about 3 weeks a year. Still hoping to find a better solution.

What do you think? We've accomplished a lot in the last 20 months, right? Our house is feeling like a home now and I don't ever want to leave it. (o:

The next big projects on our list are:
1. Replace doors on kitchen cabinets and then paint them all
2. Replace banisters (we have to do this one before we can adopt, since our current ones are a safety hazard. )
3. Replace floors in kitchen & family room area.

Check back in a few months to see more improvements. Oh the joy of home ownership. (o: 

11.22.12

Today was both Thanksgiving AND my birthday. We chose to only celebrate Thanksgiving. It didn't seem right to cook and clean most of my birthday, so we will celebrate my birthday tomorrow.

I am thankful for:

1. Celebrating Thanksgiving with a lot of friends. (We had 18 people here)
2. The meal turning out so fantastic! (I spent several hours one day figuring out how to properly brine a turkey. In the end I discovered a pre-brined turkey at Trader Joes and bought that! HA!)
3. Our house is big enough to entertain a crowd!
3. My Christmas shopping is almost done and I never left my house! Thank-you ebates for giving me cashback on all my online purchases!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

11.21.12

I'm not so great at this posting everyday business, but here's today's post.
I am grateful for:

1.A full week off school for Andrew
2.Lots of friends in the neighborhood for my kiddos to play with
3.Putting up the Christmas tree a little early this year (that's what happens when we have too much spare  time before Thanksgiving!)
4. That we didn't take a whirlwind trip up to the Bay area last weekend. When we go, I need to be able to spend more than 24 hours there to see my friends!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

11.17.12

Today I am grateful for:

1. Madeline actually playing soccer during her game. (She normally likes to just sit in my lap and watch.) She is a speedy little player.
2. Andrew scoring a goal during his soccer game.
3. Andrew getting stung by a bee for the first time and not being allergic.
4. An evening out with the family.
5. The long, hard week being over! Alleluia!

11.12.12

I am grateful for:

1. Both kids being sound asleep by 8.
2. Lots of outdoor playtime
3. Madeline saying funny things. Today she asked me if I knew what the word addicted meant. I laughed and said, "What do you think it means Madeline?" Her response was "Clark told me it means something you don't really want to do and you get bored with easily." Hmmm...wonder why he told her that. (o:
4. Andrew's love of the Book of Mormon stories. He did NOT want to stop reading tonight. It was fantastic. He asked me what the work "crucifixion" means. I bet his second grade teacher would be impressed that he knows that word!
5. A new fitness challenge starting on Wednesday. Hope it gets me motivated to get back into shape.  

11.11.12

I am grateful for:

1. How easy my kids can entertain themselves sometimes. I have heard nonstop giggles all afternoon. Currently, they are recording themselves on my phone then playing it back.
2. Starting a family fitness challenge in the hopes I can take off the 10 lbs I've gained the last few months. It was Tom's idea.
3. Having some pumpkin muffins before our fitness challenge starts.
4. Such a wonderful home to live in. I don't know if I've mentioned how much we love our home, but we do, even if it is a nonstop project. (o:

Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

11.8.12

I am grateful for:

1. An early bedtime for the kids
2. A long hot bath while reading
3. Some serious run around play time for the kids
4. FINALLY cleaning the bonus room after our painting job

Favorite quote of the day: "I love rain, because it means there might be a rainbow" said by 4-year-old Praia in a very enthusiastic voice.

Finally, my unrelated note for the day. I have a rebellious streak. Case in point, Andrew's school library books were overdue. The librarian sent home a note that I needed to sign and return. Instead, I sent in the overdue books. Andrew tells me that the librarian still needs a signed note anyways. I say "NOPE, not gonna do it". Am I a rebel or what? Am I teaching my kid defiance towards authority? I hope not. I just do not like completely unnecessary tasks, and I hope I'm teaching Andrew to understand the difference between "obedience" and "exercising power by obedience training." (o:

11.7.12

Sorry this is a political post. If you can't stand to hear another word about politics, then please do not read any further.

Don't laugh at my post today, but I am grateful to live in an area where I am in the political majority for once.We've spent most of our married life in NYC and the Bay area and it's a relief not to hear any gloating today. In fact, I think most of my neighbors feel slightly depressed like I do. On a sidenote, Romney won by a landslide in Andrew's mock election at school yesterday. Our neighbors fourth grade class had 35 votes for Romney and 1 for Obama. Does that say anything about the area I live in? Too bad only 50% of Orange County registered voters actually voted yesterday. Honestly though it does seem kind of pointless to vote in a NON swing state when you already know there's NO chance your candidate could possibly win. I truly hope they get rid of the electoral college someday soon, so all people will feel more motivated to vote.  Anyone with me?

On another happy note, I was pretty happy with how the California propositions turned out. The only big disappointment was prop 32 didn't pass which would've stopped unions from using payroll deductions for political candidate contributions. I have no idea why any person would want deductions from their own paycheck to go to a political cause of the union's choosing. Seems insane, but unions and corporations did spend MORE than $150 MILLION campaigning to prevent it from passing. CRAZY is all I have to say.

That's all folks. I will get off my soapbox now. Glad there won't be another big election for four years!!

11.4.12

I am grateful for:

1. The gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Uplifting Relief Society Lessons
3. My chance to vote soon

I have two awesome ANONYMOUS surveys on the side of my blog that take approximately 1 second. Will you answer my important questions?

11.3.12

I am thankful for:

1. A hot date with hubby! We watched "Wreck it Ralph". It was cute!!
2. Finishing the bookshelf painting project.
3. Getting an extra hour of sleep tonight!

11.2.12

Today I am grateful for:

1. A playdate for Madeline with a new friend
2. We ordered take out for dinner, so I didn't have to cook! (o: I love Fridays!
3. The opportunity to leave my house anytime I want the last couple weeks sans kids.
4. That my dad has willingly sacrificed my mom the last couple weeks, so she could spend time with my family and my sisters.
5. Scrambled with friends. HA!
5. Gratitude month, because I can think of several things to complain about today, but I will happily refrain. (o:

Pics from this week:

My cutie pies all ready for Halloween. I LOVE Madeline's dress. We bought it from a bride's maid shop again. You get a much higher quality costume that way!

Madeline's soccer team

Praia, Madeline, Kayleigh, Sadie

Andrew's soccer team

Andrew playing soccer

Gratitude Month

Can you believe it's already November? That means it's time for gratitude month. Hope you are planning to join in the blogging fun.

Today I am grateful for:

1. Painting our bookshelves in our bonus room with lots of help from my mom and my sister, Heather. Hooray for no more ugly oak!
2. Tom fixed the screen on my laptop. Alleluia! (neighborhood children broke the screen a couple months ago)
3. My mom's been doing my laundry and cleaning the kitchen every night. It's so nice!
4. Perfect weather (I know this is a recurring theme on my blog (o:)

What are you grateful for today?