Sundance

We're off to Sundance.
Happy 4th!

The Family Room

This room took the most work. We ripped out the mauve shag carpet and the dark brown bookcases, scraped the ceilings, installed pot lights, covered the pressed concrete walls with drywall and paneling, put in new baseboards, painted, and put in new carpet. I think this room has come a long way. Instead of being a dark cave, it is now a cozy family room.

before

after

before

after


before

after


before

after

before

during

after

The Heat

"What dreadful hot weather we have!
It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."
Jane Austen, letter of September 1796

A Few of My Favorite Things

This may seem like the shallowest of blog entries, but you will have to forgive me. We are stuck at home (Oliver has been throwing up) and I happen to Love my house (that's right, love with a capital L). Here are a few of my favorite things about it.

our game closet-- because there is nothing more fun than game night

our family room walls-- because Mike and I did them ourselves

the rocking chair in the guest room-- because I got it for my 15th birthday

the fireplace screen-- because I got it at Target for 12 bucks

the table in our front hall-- because I refinished it, and I think it makes our front hall feel more like an actual front hall

our kitchen chandelier-- because it beats the original crystal one by about a mile

our old, but newly refinished piano (sorry, jooj!)-- because it is beautiful and someday my kids will know how to play it

our linen closet-- because it is organized and stuffed

the pictures on the wall in my bedroom--because they contain some of my favorite images (which include my childhood teddy bear, "nosey-nosey," photographs of beautiful cities from my beautiful and talented sister, Jooj, our infamous closed-eye passport photos, and silhouettes of the kids recently acquired at Disneyland)

this and the 7 other Beatrix Potter books that I swiped from my parents' house, framed, and hung in Oliver's nursery-- because they are cute

the walls in Mabel's room-- because they are pink and girly and classic

Boogie

Mabel:

Mommy, sometimes I call boogies 'diapers'. That's a funny word for a boogie, huh.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Mike and I are terrible decision makers. When it comes to small day to day decisions like where to go for dinner, we are paralyzed. Big, life-changing decisions like where to raise our children come a little bit easier, thank goodness. It doesn't really make sense, but I am glad that's how it is. Well, after weeks of searching and agonizing, we finally bought a couch for our family room yesterday. I am relieved-- not because we actually found a deep, sink-y couch that we liked, but that we finally managed to make a decision.

The Writing on the Wall (or Cupboard)

Here is Oliver's first non-paper masterpiece. He knows he is not supposed to color on anything other than paper, and as soon as he did this, he must have felt incredibly guilty about it. He immediately showed it to me, hugged me very tight, and buried his head in my shoulder. I didn't even have to say a word. So we hugged for a minute. Then we reviewed the rules of crayon usage. After some vigorous scrubbing on my part, the art was history and Oliver was back at the kitchen table coloring with Mabel in a ballerina coloring book.

Happy Birthday Mabel!

Four years ago today, I went to see my doctor in Payson, Utah for a routine check-up. I was 37 weeks pregnant. Upon examination, it was discovered that the baby was in a breech position, with her foot dangling out of my cervix. I was immediately wheeled next door to the hospital and an hour later, Mabel Kay was delivered by cesarean section.


She is the most perfect little girl that I know. She is kind, generous, reverent, and silly. She loves dressing up and dancing like a real ballerina. She likes to eat cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast and a turkey sandwich for lunch everyday. She loves anything pink, princesses, reading books, coloring, and hugging. If Oliver is crying, she cheers him up. She is always singing and says she already knows how to play the piano.

We are so blessed to have Mabel in our family!

The Living Room

Here are some more before and after shots of our house. I am sorry if you are sick of seeing these! We just kind of finished the living room. If you are interested, take a look. If not, check back tomorrow for a post dedicated to Mabel on her fourth birthday.

before

after


before

after

before

after

before

during

after

before

after

California

Last week my kids and I visited my parents in California. Poor Mike had to stay home and work. Here are some highlights:

*WARNING: The following post contains LOTS of pictures. This might not be that interesting unless you are actually related to these cute kids.

having fun at Disneyland with the cousins

checkups from Dr. Horn

the girls at the park

at the Mission in San Juan Capistrano
for more pictures of our day, click here

the newest cousin-- Max

Mabel's "pretend" birthday party, since her real birthday isn't until tomorrow
I can't believe she's going to be 4!

Oliver was reunited with "his" chair

missing Andrew, Ethan, and Emma

peek-a-boo!

Audrey kept Mabel entertained by reading her about a million books.
Thanks Audrey!

"bat-boy"

eating the true breakfast of champions-- doughnuts