We Have Been Busy!

I can't believe it has been two months since I have blogged.  I can honestly say though...it is not just my blog that I have neglected.  I haven't been on the computer much in general.  I have feared my laptop is about to take its last breath, so I haven't opened it much.  Add the fact that we have been out of town A LOT...and the whole family was sick for over a week. 

Anyhoo... I'm back and have lots to share!

We DID finish our kitchen and I could not be happier with how it turned out. 

To refresh you memory...this is how it started out.

And this is how it looks now...

 

 This pic was taken right after the cabinets were finished, so since then we have added brushed nickel wall plates and I repainted the little wall around the window.  We also replaced the pantry door with a fancy frosted glass door. 

Next up...the basement!!!

We have also been on two trips and had two birthdays since the last time I was on here.

No big deal here...I turned 35!  I am officially in my MID-30's!!  I swear I was just in my MID-20's...oh well...times flies when you are having fun.

My wonderful dad flew to Denver in March just so he could make the drive with us back to AZ!!  The kids, my dad and I left at 4:15 in the morning and pulled into their driveway at 4:15 in the afternoon.  We spent 12 awesome days in sunny AZ.  We got to see family and friends and made lots of memories!

Top down...loving the sun!!

Horseback riding with Papa!  So much fun!!

Finally got to meet Bruschi...these two were instant buddies...or not!

 

12 days completely jam packed with fun.  Tom flew in after we had been there a week...he managed to squeeze in 4 rounds of golf, a night out with me and our friends the Grove's and a yummy BBQ with the Harding's before he made the drive back with us. 

It was a great spring break!!

3 Year Reflection

As with most things I'm sure...being a mom and hindsight go hand in hand.  If I knew then what I know now...well let's just say I probably would have done quite a bit different.  Oh I'm not referring to my parenting...although I'm sure that too could have used improvement.  I'm really referring to all the things I would have enjoyed more rather than wish them away. 

With Thomas I was so quick to wish he would crawl...wish he would walk...wish he would talk, mostly because at each of the stages prior I didn't know how I was going to survive.  Well I'm typing this today, so obviously I survived...so much so...I kept having kids.  I would say that I probably did as much wishing when Taylor was little as I did with Thomas, but in the last 3 years things have been WAY different.  I like to think I have this "mom thing" down!!  Don't burst my bubble...there are plenty of times during my week that I burst it myself.  Things in our house are the best they've ever been.  Oh it's chaos...but I like to think of it as controlled and managed chaos. 

I try hard to stop and listen more...really watch my kids.  All the moments that make me want to pull my hair out or grab for a wine glass pale in comparison to the moments that make me smile. 

Where am I going with all this?

Well I'm not sure I'm going anywhere...just sharing my thoughts, but it all stems from watching Tatum celebrating her 3rd birthday! It was so great...and it didn't take a huge party and lots of people to make it great.  A yummy breakfast...a few presents...and a homemade birthday cake was all she needed.  Oh and SPRINKLES!!  I sat back and just watched.  I watched her excitement and I watched the other two help her.  I loved it and I love that they are my kids!! 

Progress Report

Well I am happy to report that our kitchen update is going great!  Last Friday we had new granite counter top installed.  Who knew just upgrading counter tops could greatly improve your kitchen?  OK I'm sure everyone knew, but wow! 

A little PRE-installation pic!!  My hubby, myself and our wonderful neighbor removed all of the old counter tops.

 This picture may not QUITE show you how great they look, but the next one will.

My hubby and I are trying our hand at installing new backsplash!  So what do you think?  It really is a pretty easy DIY!  We have one more wall to finish and grouting, but after this weekend everything should be done except the cabinets.  We are working on getting estimates on having them painted rather than doing them ourselves.  We shall see...

Knee Deep In Projects

We are knee deep in projects around here.  I am seriously spending each morning cleaning to keep ahead of the dust madness.  Doing home improvements while sticking to our normal routine is challenging.  My hubby started a new job (same company...new job)...which is great, but he hasn't been home for dinner in a while.  It definitely makes for long days and lukewarm meals (for him, the rest of us are eating nice hot meals). 

Anyhoo...

I better back up and tell you what started this ball rolling.  In early December our microwave stopped working.  I know big GASP...you don't realize how much you use your microwave until you CAN'T!!  We took advantage of our Home Warranty and got this great idea to take the payout rather than have them fix it...WHY you ask?  Well you may not remember but our kitchen looked like this when we bought it..

All WHITE appliances!! 

Well...we weren't gigantic fans of the white when we moved in, but it was not top priority to change them...haha..nor was it in the budget.

However...when the microwave broke...I suggested that we start looking at NEW appliances!   And so the kitchen makeover began.

We bought all new Frigidaire Smudge-proof stainless steel appliances!  My only deal breaker was the refrigerator...I wanted a french door refrigerator!  Thankfully my hubby agreed!  As a bonus we bought a DOUBLE oven.  It was definitely not part of the original plan, but boy am I glad we did.  I have already taken advantage 3 times.  I can now broil and bake at the same time!!  Woohoo!

We also decided (well basically my hubby did) to get new counter tops as well.  They will be installed on Friday and because nothing is simple with us...we need to change the backsplash also!!

This is a sample of what we have chosen!!  What do you think?  That tiny little piece of granite is what will be in the kitchen!

AND...

We are painting the cabinets white!!  I am in the process of getting estimates!  To DIY or not to DIY...that is the question!!  Either way we will be ridding ourselves of all that oak!! 

XLIX

Well...unless you live under a rock you know that Super Bowl XLIX ended in a New England Patriots win.  Enter sad face now!!  It was definitely NOT the outcome my household was hoping for, but it really was a GREAT game.  

As soon as we knew the Seahawks were headed to the Super Bowl we decided to throw a party.  AND because I have no concept of low-key...I left no detail to chance! 

We turned our HUGE table into a football field complete with goal posts and end zones!

Of course this was BEFORE I added all of the yummy food!!  

I wanted a statement piece and I think I accomplished just that!  Best part...after the game we just removed the team logos and rolled it up!  Pretty sure I have added ANNUAL Super Bowl to the my list of parties. 

It gave us one last day to wear all of our Seahawk garb before it gets packed away til August!!

We made fresh mango pineapple salsa, fresh guacamole, homemade chili, cornbread muffins, chocolate covered strawberries, candied ruffles, bbq pork, deviled eggs and of course cookies from who other?  My mom of course!!  All was devoured, so note to self...next year add a few items!!

I always forget, but I must give a written shout out to my hubby for all of his help!  He is learning that when I get an idea...like throwing a Super Bowl Party...it won't just be throw out a bowl of chips and a cooler of beer.  He helped me make the table come to life and helped with ALL of the food!  I know it isn't his favorite thing to do, but he does it anyway!

A New Member

The neighborhood bike gang just got a new member!

She hates wearing a helmet...likes to stand up while riding!

She's tall for her age...definitely BOSSY...but super cute!

iPhone Photo Dump

1.  I am working on some photo booth props for a lady...I love a little project that involves using my Cameo, even better...getting paid to do it!

2.  Tatum had to have a little dental surgery on Wednesday...so sad seeing her down and out.  Thankfully it only lasted a few hours and she was back to normal.

3.  My hubby and I are obsessed with Bruschetta these days...we've been fixing it at least once a week, but really I could eat it every night!

4.  So...this is what happens when my hubby and Thomas don't look up from the Xbox long enough to see/hear Tatum getting into the bathroom cupboards...BABY POWDER EVERYWHERE!!  

5. Oh and as if that wasn't bad enough...she dumped the entire jar of rubber bands and the entire jar of Q-tips in the toilet!!  My hubby dug them all out, but not before I took pics!

6.  It is FINALLY warm enough for some bike riding on her new bike! (PS...I'll have lots more pics of that tomorrow)

7.  This pic was taken PRIOR to the game start...it got really ugly before it got A LOT better!

8.  A little half-time fashion show!

9.  A little early (really early) birthday present from my friend JoJo...I absolutely love it!!!! 

iPhone Photo Dump

1.  A little late, but my delicious Lasagna I made on Christmas Day...BONUS...all three kids loved it!

2.  It only took me 1 day POST-Christmas to remove our VERY dead tree!  It only made it to the backyard, but that was good enough for me...now it's my hubby's problem!

3.  The one thing she didn't get for Christmas was a new hat...I found this one on clearance a few days after at where else...Target!

4.  A little glimpse at how I've been getting my workout...shoveling snow!

5.  This stuff was an impulse buy at Costco and it's awful...AWFULLY GOOD!!

6.  Every time I am at Hobby Lobby I see this metal sign and I've decided it will find a home in my basement after we finish it!

7.  I got to walk around Hobby Lobby on Sunday while Taylor was at a birthday party!

8.  We rarely go to the mall, but when we do...the wishing pond is Tatum's favorite part!

9.  Gotta love 75% off Christmas stuff at Joann Fabric...Scored this sign for $7!! 

Strikes, Spares and Gutterballs

My kids agree on very little these days.  Maybe it is the age, but I am pretty sure with my three it's just because to drive me crazy.  I'm convinced they wake up each morning and while I sleep...they plot ways to induce a headache for mom.  Bonus points if they can achieve this before breakfast.

Anyhoo...

One thing they do agree on is bowling!  Thank goodness!!  Because thanks to their Papa it is a pretty cheap activity we can all do...Tatum included!

Do you love her finish?

Waiting for their turn!!

This one doesn't mess around when he bowls!! 

Just waiting to make sure it was a strike...and this time he was right!!

Her favorite part is waiting for the balls to return!  And she only smashed her fingers once this time...yay!!

And since it only seems fitting...let's eat some crappy bowling alley food while we play!!  LOL...I will never understand why when I buy good pizza they barely touch it, yet at the bowling alley they will devour it!

Oh well...we're making memories here people.  So if crappy pizza is what they want...it's probably what they will get!!

Snow Fun

We were looking forward to a white Christmas, but instead of waking up to one we went to bed with one.  Either way the kids were super excited to use their new sleds right away.

I'm going to start off by giving myself a huge pat on the back.  Why?  Well because...have you ever noticed that I have a gift for convincing my kids to smile together as if they actually LIKE each other?  I mean seriously...this don't they look like best friends?  LOL...Nope they are definitely NOT!!!

Their first snow angels of the season!! 

Don't they look like they are having fun?  Don't they look like they could be out there all day long?

WELL

It lasted about 15 minutes and then...Tatum fell face first into the snow and lost it!  Total meltdown!!  So back to the house we went!!  Crying the whole way...snot running down her nose...snow down the back of her neck...gloves falling off!

It took longer to get dressed and undressed than the actual total time she was out in the snow!  Pretty sure I'm not renting a cabin in the mountains anytime soon!

Oh and as if that wasn't bad enough...Taylor removed her gloves while sledding...couldn't get them back on...and proceeded to throw a huge fit at the bottom of the hill.  I mean she literally stood at the bottom of the hill and screamed until Tom drug her back to the house!

Yup...those sleds were a great gift from good ol' Santa Claus.  It's too bad too...it has done nothing but snow the entire break!  I guess my babies are just sun babies!

Finally Feeling Like It

I am not even going to apologize for being a bad blogger lately because I'd be lying.  I just haven't felt like it.  I have actually only been on my computer one time since Christmas...pretty crazy actually.  Life returns to normal tomorrow though!! 

We had a wonderful Christmas and have had a Happy albeit SUPER COLD AND SNOWY New Year so far!!  The kids have spent more time inside the house in the last two weeks than they have in the last two months!  They are getting good use out of all of their new toys!  Tom and I have done a few projects around the house and now have an itch to do more.  An updated kitchen maybe?  Or maybe a new basement?  I'll keep you posted!!

Had to get some pics before bedtime on Christmas Eve!!  YES...I know I dropped the ball on Christmas jammies this year, but oh well.  

The kids wanted to take a picture with Riley...can you tell how happy she was about that?!

 

The night was not complete until the kids wrote their lists to Santa on the cookies Nana sent.  Taylor wrote a little extra note...shooting for extra brownie points with Santa...she could use them trust me!

 The cookies must have worked...haha!!

Christmas 2014 is in the books!!  It was wonderful, but like last year I missed being with family!  I hope one of these years we have company on Christmas!!