Happy Birthday, Brooke!!

Can't believe she's three already!!! Brooke is such a sweet little girl. She's so smart and funny and TALKATIVE (when she's not being shy...). Right now I'm listening her "play" on the piano singing "Happy Birthday" to herself. She's a little mommy to Hudson & Hallie and often repeats things I tell them ... "Hudson, we don't do that buddy!", "You're right Hallie...that IS a duck". We sure do love her! I'll put pictures of her super fun birthday party up later -- so many pictures to sort through!!

Just hours old

Sweet One-Year old girl

2 years

3 year old little lady

House update #2 ... kitchen

I've finally gotten the kitchen in a "picture perfect" clean state. Some people have been asking what it looks like after the remodel - so here's your peek! I posted the before pictures so you could see what all we did and where we started!! All the stuff in the before pictures were the guy's things left for us the day our remodel began! We are really enjoying the end result. We still have some touch ups to do. The crown moulding is missing up top, some chair moulding, a few of the holes in the cabinets were drilled crooked so they have to fix that before our pulls can go in and we have to have the nail holes patched. But, all in all it is a significant improvement! We replaced all the original cabinet doors and added about 12' of new cabinets and doors (including the desk area). New countertops, new sink, faucet, light fixtures, backsplash, flooring, back door & pantry door and appliances -- it was an undertaking but we are so glad we did it!!! George just installed the ceiling fan in the kitchen today. I've never been a fan of those, but this is an old house with poor air circulation and it was getting really stuffy and warm in the kitchen/dining area so we decided it was a must have. We are considering putting a matching fan in the kitchen where the pendant light is now... what are your thoughts? Sometimes function overrides the aesthetics, right?

BEFORE

BEFORE - view from our new dining area

AFTER

Haircut

While I was in The Woodlands for July 4th, we took Brooke to get her hair cut at a kiddie cut place in the mall. I was hoping to have it a bit more noticeable - but it ended up just being a trim with some layers around her face. Oh well... it was a cute experience for her and she looked so big sitting in the chair! At the end the lady asked her if she wanted her hair done like a princess... Brooke said "no". We don't really do "princess" in our house - so I asked her if she wanted it done like a big girl - again "no". So, instead of getting the full effect of having her hair done - she left with it straight down and still damp... (I have a feeling we paid for the "princess hair" which we didn't get!!!).

AFTER - you can sort of see the layers in the front
Getting her hair dried

July 4th

We spent the July 4th weekend in The Woodlands with my family while George was still in Uganda. We had a good time with my extended family too for the holiday and they came out and we swam, ate fried shrimp, catfish & dessert!

All 3 kids did SOO much better in the water this time. They went through a period where they seemed terrified to get wet! I'm hoping this lasts because it is no fun to be that mom at the pool w/ the screaming kid!!

Brooke Singing

Living Room - Before & After

Well, slowly but surely we are getting more and more settled into the new house. I have been dying to get pictures up so that everyone who cares can see what we've been up to. But it's taken forever to get settled enough to actually be "done" with a room enough to take a picture. So, the living room is the first room that is basically done. As you'll see in the 'after' pictures there are a few finishing touches that remain. (THE BEFORE pictures are first!! And they are taken with the college guy's things - not ours)

From the backdoor looking in (the open area on the left is the dining/kitchen)
From the dining/kitchen looking in

AFTER

This is the back wall (opposite the fireplace). I'm still not sure what I'm going to put in the blank area on the wall. I have some kids pictures but was trying to limit them to the hallway. So, I've thought about floating shelves, or a large horizontal art piece, etc. Suggestions welcome.... :)

From the kitchen/dining looking in (I'm still going to get some window coverings - probably long panels on either side of the 2 windows)

From the back door looking in.

Happy Anniversary!

Last weekend (June 14th) George and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We were doing the same thing on our sixth as we were on our fifth...moving!! George's parents and sister/brother-in-law and brother were in town after our move, so they allowed us some time to go and have a date. We went to Outback and the best part of that was (NOT the food) that they had the UT baseball game going on one of the TVs. Since we hadn't had our cable set up at the new house yet, it was my only opportunity to catch the game. My wonderful husband even situated himself at the table so that I could see the TVs.... what a guy!! :)

We hope to not be moving for our 8th anniversary!