Friday, January 31, 2014

Snow (and Snowmageddon)

We don't do a lot of snow in the Deep South. This week has been quite an adventure! Thankful I learned to drive on ice when we lived in Ohio. The kids and I were at BSF when the surprise snow began falling. We left early and headed for home. Took us a little over three hours to make it to Target, just about two miles away. We stopped there for lunch and to shop a bit. I bought the kids new swimsuits because...why not? Then we headed for home again. Only took another hour and a half, which was not as bad as I was expecting. I got stuck in one spot and was very grateful for the college kids out with kitty litter, shovels, and muscles! The Gent drove part way home from work and walked the rest. In between all that my phone was going crazy! Friends and acquaintances and strangers were stranded all over the city. We ended up with four sweet snow refugees staying with us. We drank lots of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate and they kept my kids entertained for the almost 48 hours we were snowed in. :) Annie and JJ were very excited when we finally made it home and they could play in the snow, though they didn't last long, it was too cold!

 photo IMG_5899_zps152774d6.jpg

 photo IMG_5878_zps3d2a9042.jpg

 photo IMG_5895_zps15a46728.jpg

 photo IMG_5881_zps40d7b96e.jpg

 photo IMG_5857_zps0d746235.jpg

 photo IMG_5893_zpsd01eecdf.jpg

 photo IMG_5866_zps459968b1.jpg

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Link for Thursday

Do the next thing. Love this article by Andree Seu Peterson. You can read it here.

And we survived Snowmageddon. Pictures tomorrow!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Tiny Dancer

Annie loves her little dance class. I'm glad it is fun for her and I get the biggest kick out of watching them. You just never know how a two year old will react!

 photo IMG_5254_zpsb4ef7d1e.jpg

 photo IMG_5252_zpse245b360.jpg

 photo IMG_5249_zps6e2c51a2.jpg

Friday, January 24, 2014

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

This Old House: the updated list

The Gent and I recently updated our house to-do/wish list. The list is definitely a lot shorter now than it used to be! We (with the help of family, friends, and various paid professionals--some of whom were more professional than others) have been slowly but surely working some magic around this old house.

I'm currently getting quotes from a handyman to do these things:
Fix outside HVAC opening
Trim hedge
Rebuild basement stairs
Repair gate

And the plumber is coming by to look at installing a tankless water heater. That's the last thing in our basement. We'd like to move it so when the basement floods, it just floods, and we don't care anymore.

The current list:
Clean out basement
Organize garage and attic
Replace basement door, repaint garage door and window
Seal and paint window boards in basement
Continue work on landscaping
Modify outside playspace and add fence
Build vegetable garden
Scrape loose paint on trim work and repaint
Rewire outside electric
Rewire downstairs electric
Pull out old wiring and remove old breakers
Brace basement beam (when electric finished)
Install crown molding in master bedroom
Install crown molding in entry way
Install crown molding in office
Remove popcorn ceilings and install crown molding in upstairs bedrooms
Paint ceilings
Take down tree behind garage
Renovate kitchen and add upstairs bathroom
Install new windows
Install gas lamps

Monday, January 20, 2014

Are they twins?

Because Annie and JJ are close in age and both blonde with blue eyes, I get asked this question all the time. I usually smile and say, "no, they're just close!" But I'm thinking about trying this answer out instead:

 photo photo-12_zpsf40ef801.jpg

Friday, January 17, 2014

Christmas in Memphis

I think I'm caught up on Christmas after this post. We were in Memphis over Christmas proper and continued to have a wonderful time!

Annie in awe of the tree
 photo IMG_5426_zps9b4624ee.jpg

She's got opening presents down
 photo IMG_5433_zpsfd91fec5.jpg

Bebe, this bow is delicious!
 photo IMG_5442_zps0a18984d.jpg

Happiest baby around
 photo IMG_5478_zpsed6b80a0.jpg

Daddy's girl
 photo IMG_5487_zps2db58c76.jpg

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas with Mama
 photo IMG_5510_zpsdb971150.jpg

Writing a note to Santa Claus
 photo IMG_5515_zps8c580600.jpg

Cookies, milk, and their note for Santa
 photo IMG_5523_zps8d62719e.jpg

Santa wrote back!
  photo IMG_5558_zps06cd0c6e.jpg

Her first stocking. And my girls always get a doll for Christmas.
 photo IMG_5554_zps1438df2b.jpg

Sophie got the hang of this fast.
 photo IMG_5613_zps95e06fad.jpg

Annie got some of Mama's old dance costumes from Santa
 photo IMG_5556_zps794142c2.jpg

What all can she find in here?
 photo IMG_5610_zps865f81f1.jpg

Christmas morning smiles
 photo IMG_5561_zps00be1fcc.jpg

Jesus was born!
 photo </p><p>IMG_5569_zpsa91ff720.jpg

JJ checking out the tree at Granny's house
 photo IMG_5634_zps206be7da.jpg

Cousin Micah
 photo IMG_5638_zps6bd80bde.jpg

Love these crossed ankles
 photo IMG_5645_zpsb4d32391.jpg

Say cheese!
 photo IMG_5646_zps690eef85.jpg

Mama's girl, too
 photo IMG_5655_zpsf01e667d.jpg

Bebe with all her siblings
 photo IMG_5714_zps0b83a088.jpg

Cookies with Papa Rick
 photo IMG_5724_zps01eafb2f.jpg

Christmas is delicious!
 photo IMG_5745_zpsee6bdf7f.jpg

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Cookie Decorating at Honey and Poppa's

Annie and JJ had a blast decorating Christmas cookies. They licked a lot of icing and ate a lot of sprinkles. Sophie was very interested and will enjoy joining in next year!

 photo IMG_5340_zps4a4d8df2.jpg

 photo IMG_5351_zpsa83b6f9d.jpg

 photo IMG_5354_zps53343b05.jpg

 photo IMG_5365_zps40dd762c.jpg

 photo IMG_5370_zps7a116518.jpg

 photo IMG_5383_zps74613857.jpg

 photo IMG_5384_zpsd81d47b9.jpg

 photo IMG_5421_zps9d3124d8.jpg

Monday, January 13, 2014

Christmas at Home

We had our family Christmas a few days early. The kids had so many Christmases this year, and they enjoyed each and every one!

 photo a9490b1e-21ab-4b48-a3f4-6bb621451c25_zpsc0a32d9a.jpg

 photo IMG_5276_zps0e2f90f7.jpg

 photo IMG_5288_zpsf71631f6.jpg

 photo IMG_5296_zps79097b2f.jpg

 photo IMG_5301_zpscd444a76.jpg

 photo IMG_5306_zps6d7bf488.jpg

 photo IMG_5314_zps7062ea36.jpg

 photo IMG_5320_zps11894b44.jpg

 photo IMG_5335_zps099e9814.jpg

 photo IMG_5337_zpsf79eb25c.jpg

Here's what we got for the kids this year:

Annie
Want: doll high chair
Need: swim lessons
Spiritual Growth: And It Was So book by Tasha Tudor (illustrated Bible verses)
Educational Growth: Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, Little Mommy, and Tasha Tudor's Mother Goose

JJ
Want: Tonka dump truck
Need: swim lessons
Spiritual Growth: The Lord is My Shepherd book by Tasha Tudor (illustrated 23rd Psalm)
Educational Growth: The Angus Books, by Marjorie Flack

Sophie
Want: doll cradle
Need: orbit name labels for sippy cups
Spiritual Growth: Poems and Prayers for the Very Young book, by Martha Alexander
Educational Growth: Colors, Shapes, and Numbers by Eric Carle