Traded Glue Gun for Camera Today

Step away from the glue gun

This sweet face has nothing to do with this post. It happens. I have been on pinterest a little too much lately. Greg would have to agree. I only browse a few minutes every couple of days but it is enough to have me knee deep in paint, glue, fabric, home improvement stores, etc. The "to do" list is growing as my creative energy cannot be contained. Spring fever is likely contributing too but I just can't seem to stop myself. It all started with the door. I love it. I really love that robin egg blue. Erin and I chose that color because we have it in a couple throw pillows in the living room. We now have it on bar stools, picture frames and table runners. It sort of snowballed and may be out of control.
Greg is building benches to replace our mix matched dining chairs that are beyond one more repair. Given they were all hand me downs or garage sale finds, we are pleased with our cheap solution. If we were only working on dining benches, Greg would be happy. BUT.... we are also replacing the flooring in our foyer, living room and hallway. That was another project we knew we couldn't avoid much longer but the addition of these little trouble makers expedited it.

It will be another working spring break and birthday for Greg, but I love getting into home improvement with him. We work together planning, shopping and installing. Our dates to the Home Depot are becoming famous.  If you happen to be around for this year's spring break, stop by. I'll feed you after you help demo ceramic tile, remove carpet and move very large and heavy pieces of furniture. An offer you can't refuse? I didn't think so.

Is Shopping a Sport?

Anne and I spent the day shopping for some household needs and a few wants. It ended with a meal we didn't have to prepare or clean up. It was a great day. Our waiter asked us about our day when we both quickly drained our iced tea. Anne said we'd shopped all day and I added that it was like a sport because we both needed Motrin for minor injuries at that point. It counts.

These photos have nothing to do with anything but I couldn't resist capturing my favorite little man yesterday dressed for church. He is just so stinking cute.

In other news, I have apparently lost my mind. The adoption of Woody is due to wrap up this week and I can't bring myself to turn him over. He's grown on me. I have talked with a few trusted animal lovers and learned that Brutus' behavior is normal male dominance and will work itself out with the right guidance. I'm sold. Greg is not. We've had an apparent role reversal around here. Please stand by.....this isn't over yet!

The play "date"

We have a new neighbor who eagerly walked up to the driveway a few weeks ago to introduce herself and her children. I invited her to a play date to get to know her and allow our kids to meet as well. The play date occurred this week. I prepped the house and made muffins. I talked to the boys about manners and how to play nicely with new friends. We were set, until they arrived anyway. Ty was not in the most cooperative mood, to say the least. I repeatedly removed him from the situation to further discuss how we treat our friends. Aiden came over that day in his "I am not going to be happy today" mood and Colby needed a nap. Our neighbor was gracious as she tried to persuade her son to share toys he had just picked up and offer them to Ty to which I responded that he didn't need to because Ty must learn to share....etc.  An hour after their arrival, she declared nap time to her son and made a quick exit. Our date ended with an awkward exchange at the door about calling if I ever need anything, not "we should do this again".  I messaged Anne later in the day and said that a second date would not be in our future. Anne was amused and by that time, I was too. What are you going to do? Of course this encounter came on the heels of the day I looked out back and discovered my son chasing the neighbor boy who happens to be a year and a half older around the yard with a large stick. That poor kid was running for his life. Sigh.

However, we also have moments like these and they redeem my beautiful son and keep me from using the dog crate for more than the dogs.

Colby mastered climbing onto chairs this week. Ty mastered climbing onto stools. They both tackled their new skills with determination. It was nice to see that energy channeled into something positive!

Our little guests have most likely found their forever homes. Mia will be living with my sister after next weekend. We are excited about that placement as we will be able to see her grow up and know she will be a member of a great family. Woody, on the other hand we toyed with the idea of keeping. He is just so sweet and loveable; however, Brutus has shown us that he is not pleased with our arrangement. He is simply too old to tolerate the energy level of growing puppies. As much as it pains Lauren, she knows this is best for Brutus and she loves him enough to put her feelings aside. Someone from our church is in the adoption process with Tracye and if all goes well, will have Woody this week. We don't know that family well but hope to work out some visitation occasionally. 

What's up with this weather?

This morning......

This afternoon......

Procrastination

It's March and we finally got enough snow to actually cover the ground.....four inches in our yard! I've had photo ideas brewing all winter long and only needed mother nature to cooperate to pull them off. Or so I thought. It appears that I also needed the schools to issue a snow day and my teenagers to believe their hair is always beautiful! One actually had the nerve to tell me that I need to plan ahead for photos. Hello! I can't force the weather to cooperate with your good hair days! Sigh. My little ones enjoyed our outing to the park I've had in mind for the perfect snow photos until we discovered it was closed. Lines were pulled across the entrance so we couldn't get into the wooden area at all. Again, sigh.

And these little guys.....they need a home sooner rather than later. Protests of our "temporary" situation are intensifying. Lauren refuses to believe we are allowing them to find permanent homes. Their presence has expedited our need to replace carpet and now that the chewing phase has arrived in full force, they need to go before furniture is also destroyed. As adorable as they are, they've worn out their welcome.

 

I have a serious task ahead of me and I am avoiding it. I am a people pleaser, to a fault. I don't like feeling like I've let anyone down. I have been asked to take on a larger role within our church. Greg and I have been in serious discussions about reigning in our family and getting us out of the rat race we've felt stuck in since August. This school year has been a huge adjustment with the drive that takes up two hours and 60 miles daily. Our church weekend adds another 120 miles just to keep up with everyone's individual services and volunteer hours. We are passing each other throughout the day and evening with barely enough time to cover the "needs attention now" list. It isn't healthy and Greg has felt strongly that it is time to do something to make this madness stop. Seeing that man die at work a few weeks ago really opened his eyes. If we aren't proactive about maintaining healthy family interactions, time will slip away in the busyness. I am not only choosing to not accept the leadership position but I am backing out of my volunteer obligations for a season. It will be the first time since Erin was a baby that I have not been in the classroom with the exception of the period around Greg's ankle fusion and Ty's birth. Our church is in transition so this decision is weighing heavily on me. It is the right thing for our family but hard for me to process as it means letting others down.

Ministry at home comes first and I have lots of little people to love on.

There's no place like home

My day started with a random, out of the blue email from a great friend I had in Ohio. I don't hear from her often, but treasure the little tidbits she shares. Tracy and I met at church and lamented our early parenting years over tea on a regular basis. We were certain we had all the answers until the day her three year old was upstairs yelling out her bedroom window at the traffic below (they lived on a very busy four way intersection) that her mother had her locked up there and never feeds her! That was the day said three year old used a thumb tack to punch the eyeballs out of her photographs of her mother. Let's just say we saw the teenage years with that one as something we'd rather not endure! Tracy's email stated that we were so dumb as to think that because we refused to let our kids watch Sponge Bob, they'd turn out to be good Christian kids with solid heads on their shoulders. She then stated, "they are still rotten"! I love her honesty. I have missed that lady since the day a job relocation took her to Texas, just a year before one brought us here.

I had to pick the kids up during the tornado warnings today. It was stressful to say the least. I was stuck in traffic listening to the alarms, praying we didn't need to take cover as I literally couldn't move. We were fine and our house is fine. Just up the road a few small towns, things were destroyed. Kids were trapped in a local high school for hours. All accounts as of now are that everyone is okay. The same God that was in control last week is in control this week. I repeated that truth quite a bit on the road today.

And tonight, a random text from another church friend in Ohio checking on us. I haven't talked with Lori in a long time either. It was sweet to hear from her as well. When I think about "home", our church is always forefront in my mind. That church was family to us. They carried us in the months that followed Greg's accident, through the trials and joys of life and lifted us from the babies in Christ we started out into the leaders they expected us to be. Even six years later, I still miss Salem. There is no place like home.

Celebrate!

Colby's back and ready to eat cupcakes.....

We got him back on Tuesday and took him to the library to play. He was all over the place, climbing, rearranging and exploring. It was good to see him healthy and strong. As we were wrapping up our outing, another mom told her child to use his inside voice. Colby yelled at her at the top of his! He's back! I didn't stifle my giggle and just enjoyed the moment.

Our little guests are getting big enough to be considering their forever homes. At this point, they are each eating a can of formula per day and working on puppy chow. They are chewing on everything but can't yet do any damage. They are spirited and fun but busy. Lauren is the only one holding out hope that we will keep them. Everyone else is over it. Ty is still rather taken by Mia and continues to call her his princess. He may be on Lauren's team but neither are old enough to vote.