Not much is cuter...

Yard and Garden April 2012

 

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                                                                                                         this post is mostly for my own record of how things are growing. i'm sure that i'll appreciate pics of the trees and such in 20 years when they are all big and full. also, i know grandma appreciates seeing things like this since they don't get out this way very often ;)  

**GRANDMA: click on the pics to see them bigger!

Upgrades

I've been meaning to start decorating the house for the longest time. We had IKEA clip frames on the wall for awhile, and that just felt really cheap looking. We upgraded frames (still IKEA) and I ordered this personalized vinyl off of etsy. Now we just need new family pics to put in them!





We recently bought a new rug and I upgraded our old storage baskets for table under the TV. I've been searching for some kid-friendly decorations for the empty shelves above the baskets, and found the family sign at Ross for $4. it was an ugly red, so I just repainted it the blue that's in the rug. Now I need to figure out what the whoozie to put in the other spot?





Finally, when ordering the vinyl for the family picture wall, I came across this family rules one. I knew it would be perfect for the huge empty wall above the stairs.





We still have a lot to do, but I've finally got the ball rolling...3 years after we moved in. Hey, better late than never, right?!

*Tif, I hope you aren't sad I didn't have you make these for me. It would have ended up saving me money, but I was lazy and just wanted to avoid the extra steps. I appreciate that you were willing to do it for me, though :D

funnies

out running errands, mama opens the car door for boomer

B: "thank you gentleman"

mama: "ahem...excuse me?!"

B: "OH! sorry. (sheepish grin) thank you gentle ma'am"

he's so witty. just like his daddy.

trendsetter?!

Boomer loves when I ask him to pick Ellie and himself out clothes for the day.

*basketball shorts/tie combo
*4th of july shirt in march+teal+pink and purple striped leggings.

On the homefront

Today we sat down with Larry, the guy who drew our house plans, to discuss an addition to our house. We were told to bring in a sketch of what we were thinking for him to jump off of. We pretty much planned it ourselves and he fiddled with it so everything could be built to code and whatnot. Sooo... the first step in the process is done! Next step is taking some precise measurements to send him, then he'll make the official blueprint plans, then all we'll have to worry about is how to pay for it! aside from actually building it, that is! Pretty exciting!! We will be adding a big dining room off of the back of the house and a decent sized mudroom. Which will mean no more tracking dirt through the house and dirty hands can be washed in the utility sink!!! maybe, just maybe, my bathroom will be clean for more than half a day! And above all that will be a big bedroom. We'll have to switch around the upstairs bathroom a bit to make room for a hallway to the new room, but it's all doable!

In other equally exciting news, for the past few weeks I've been taking Ellie to the potty on a regular basis. I even bought her a potty seat for the toilet last week because she was on the pot so often. The girl is pretty regular, so most the time I can anticipate when she needs to #2 it. Almost every morning she goes. obviously she still goes in her diaper throughout the day, but I make sure to take her to the potty everytime she gets a diaper change and most the time she tinkles while there. Tonight she surprised me and Jason by getting this really panicked look on her face. Jason said to her, "What? Did you just see an alien?!" she was pooping and realized that's not the place for it! We ran to the bathroom and she finished the job there. She was so proud of herself, but we were even prouder. Our baby is turning into a big girl and it's bittersweet.

Little Miss Sassafrass

Just in the past week or so, our sweet daughter has really been finding her voice. At first it was just singing and babbling in her own little language, that turned into her starting to expect you to decipher said language. Which in turn has resulted in a whole lot of tears and most recently... SCREAMING. It is surprising how many more decibels she has in her little lungs compared to boys. The boys never screamed like that. The poor dear is so frustrated with not being able to communicate. I'm getting frustrated too! I think it's time to start teaching her some signs. I never really felt like the boys needed signs. Jax talked really early and Boomer was just totally chill.

Please, for the love of Pete, if you see us out in public and witness the shrieking... DO NOT REACT!!