Re-inspired

Hello there and welcome to our kitchen... We moved our dining room table into the ol' kitchen on Saturday nite and we love it! Our kitchen is a fairly big room, and I gotta tell ya, we feel somewhat like the Waltons. We even whistled the Walton theme song while we made the change. Now our dining room is just wide open, and we're gonna make it into a sitting room. We are also pricing out screening in some of our front porch to use it as a 3-season porch and the other ideas keep pilin' up. Feels really good to feel re-inspired again with this place :)

Down the Road

So... we've made a decision. It wasn't an easy one for me to accept at first, but I'm thankful we know what we are gonna do and will stick with it this time. We are going to pull our house off the market and stay put here in this old farmhouse.

Yesterday I had these feelings of defeat, cause in my mind we were moving this time. But we've mulled it over, prayed about it, talked about it, walked thru it all, even moved some furniture and have decided even though it will be a long list of projects and such, this is our home. Our kids can stay in the same elementary school (which I love thus far), we can still enjoy our privacy and country feel. My 2 biggest obstacles are the busy road and the space (wishing we had more). The road we can't change, but we are gonna put in a pickett fence and some landscaping in the front to set us apart. The space? Someday (hopefully sooner than later) we'll put the addition on the house that we dreamed of 5 years ago. I can't believe it's been that long since the architect drew up the plans! So we are back to dreaming - pondering - and wanting to be here - just as we felt 8 years ago when we first laid eyes on this 100+ year old house. It's a great house, solid structure and modest living. Not too fancy, but hey, look at us? We aren't all that fancy ourselves. Heck, Jack had dried ketchup, black marker and a crusty booger on his face when we went into Lowe's today. (it should be noted I noticed it right when we got outta the truck to head in and I did the ol' "lick my thumb trick" to try to help him out).

Anywho - a decision has been made. Now I can buy address labels when they are way on sale cause I know our address will stay the same :) Lord willing - this is where you'll find us down the road...

Getting Eaten

Is it "eating your own words" or "your words come back to bite ya?" Either way, somethin's getting eaten. I may be eating my words before long - as I've found we all do at times, especially once we are older and realize we weren't always right back in the day :)

In this case, it may have to be eating my own words about our house. Back and forth we have gone, as you all know. Try to sell, pull the sign. Try to sell, pull the sign. Try to sell this third time with a realtor thinking the 3rd time will be the charm. Is it? Or are we right back to where we were the past 2 times when the sign has been pulled...

Fact is - this house needs some help. A few things here and there (that right now feel like a mountain size worth). So do we fix 'em? Do we put more money into it? I don't know. Would we be able to sell the house as is? I'm sure we would, but for what price? And how long will it take? Would it appraise for what it needs to (bear with me, this is my mind talking out loud). Whew... so... what to do.

Fix it and stay? Just bow out and say we'll stay here despite my own words saying "we will keep it listed until it sells this time!" Will the busy road situation change if we stay? No. Can the kids ride their bikes openly and freely in our driveway? Umm not so much. But could we turn our existing home into what we long for? Probably, in time. But that "cements" us here, in this spot. We do the work? We are stayin. We don't do the work and get robbed on the selling price of the house - and move on.

I might be tasting my words before long...

It's Good

I'm feeling all cushy just sitting here on the couch... laptop on my lap... a/c is running... kids are at Granny and Grampa's for the evening and the house is quiet. Too bad the house isn't clean. But that can wait. I'm enjoying just sitting...

I got to join Mikie on his class field trip today - so cute! I love 5/6 year olds and to see how they interact, wondering what they will grow up to be like. I tell ya, teachers deserve SO much credit for their patience!! WOW!

Ahhh, I see Erk just pulled in with Subway for both of us. And the evening just got even better :)!

This Weekend

the bday boy! we celebrated Hunter's 1st birthday with their family yesterday

The kids with Lindsey in their sandbox

Jack was pretty sick on Friday (sore throat, even puked) but now he's feeling better

Since both Jack and Mol were feeling better yesterday (Mol is on the tail end of some crud), we went to see the new Shrek movie in 3D. It was my first 3D movie that I know of. Mol (notice the duds on her) peed on me while sitting on my lap so I left the theater walking like a cowboy with wet capris.

More from the bday party at the neighbors - Jack didn't want to pick up the crazy fish he caught in their pond, so Mikie did to show us :)

Like Mol's boots? RARE! Checking out the fish before they filet'd it

Mol getting a push on Hunter's new "wing" by Lindsay - man, Mol wanted to ride it all day :)

Cute of Mikie with his frosting face

Jack the Fisherman

So he felt the pressure and confidently took on the challenge of finally hold the live (crazy) fish

Still confident, however realizing what he was doing...

Umm, now this is pushin it...

I'm done!!!

Jack's Class Celebration

Jack and Mol enjoying a bday cupcake

"I want chocolate chocolate cupcakes with bright sprinkles," Jack told me. So that's what I made last night for him. He got to celebrate his bday at school today (since he won't have school in July) and it was so cute being in his class!

Jack even got some help from his pal Cam...

Mikie's Class Celebration

From Jack's classroom (literally across the hall) Molly and I headed to Mikie's for his bday celebration. Here he got to pick 6 friends to have act as candles for him to blow out :)

Hi Mikie!

2 precious boys who fell asleep in our bed Saturday night
Typical Mikie!

So funny, I caught Mol mimiking (sp?) me doing a crossword puzzle in my People magazine.

Look at these two! Rock was here for the weekend (left Sunday) but he'll be back this weekend same time, same place!

AFTER
before

before: did a lil' reorganizin' at mom and dad's yesterday :)

I thought this natural progression of Mol drinking Granny's water at t-ball tonight was also funny cause of Jack and Mikie in the background (typical, Jack pickin' on Mikie type stuff)

by the way - thanks Papa for loaning the hat Mikie is (was) wearing - Mikie got his butt chewed (by yours truly) about being responsible for his t-ball hat. Only to find out way later that Jack was wearing Mike's hat and he is the one who actually lost his...

Cute of Jack (in Mike's hat)

Some recent ones

The giant Bulletin Board Mol and I worked on at church earlier this week :)

Toy Story puzzle time...

Bean, you are CRAZY

Hello there

I can't believe I haven't said hello since last weekend!?! What the beak? I probably shouldn't even be on my laptop now seeing as how we have a showing this morning and I should be cleaning :) Erk just took the kids out to breakfast so I can clean and here I am on my laptop (go figure!). I'd better hop to it, but wanted to share this picture with ya, one of the best of the boys together ever I'd say!

Do you notice anything new about Jack? He lost his first tooth last night at dinner :) The tooth fairy even came last night...

When Erk asked Molly to smile, this was her response...

(it was a) Happy Mother's Day

I have had plenty of rest today... thanks to my hubby who let me go back to bed this morning after the numerous early morning wake up calls. The boys, Molly, Rocky whining to go out at 6:54am (roughly). I get up and half out of it yell down to Jack to let "the dogs" out. You know what his reply was? "You are up, you do it!" WHAT?! It's freakin not even 7am on Mother's Day and I get tude already!? Let's just say he did let the dogs out and I'm glad I got a few extra minutes of peace and quiet :)

Erk had made reservations for lunch out at 11:15am so that was nice. Nice to share good solid family time. You know, we are typically camping on this weekend. But not this year, and that's fine - we woulda frozen our butts off.

After lunch we came home and all took naps (I know, like I said, well rested) and then headed to Nanny and Papa's to see Meg and Tony (so great to see them today, nice of them to surprise Mom!) and Nanny and Papa Loo are in town for a few days. Great to see everyone for a few minutes then on home we came so Erk could watch Indiana Jones with the boys (they've been begging all weekend) and I got some cleaning done. Yep, a showing in the mornin. Such is the life of a house for saler :)

I hope you had a truly blessed Mother's Day! As much as I declare it a Hallmark holiday, I do appreciate my kids and hubby making extra efforts to show me they like me a little :)

(this helped my cleaning duties out just fine... :) These loads of laundry, I don't mind foldin...

Meg and Papa Loo

Meg having Mol pummel her while Mikie was crazy (like always)

Auntie Meg playing with Mike and Mousie :)

Today

We've been chattin' about heading to this place, so today... we did. 2 hours of crazy kids everywhere! Mol was pretty tired so she hung close to me (which was good).


she doesn't even have her permit!?