Valentine's Party

The boys & I had a little Valentine's get together at our house friday with some moms/kids from church & MOPS. The kids decorated Heart shaped cookies and then enjoyed the morning playing and us moms enjoyed talking and eating yummy snacks!! I never even thought about getting out my camera but thankfully my friend Tate took a few pictures of some of the kiddos decorating...

And look at this cutie...he was mesmorized with all the action going on in our house!! :)

Kitchen {Before} & {After}

So, I'm always nervous posting before & afters.

Some probably like the before better than the after & some probably think we are crazy for always doing little projects.

I like posting these for our moms to see and if anyone else enjoys it, that's a plus.

All I can say is I think I'm finally finding a way to decorate that says "us".

Nothing fancy but just a little hint of pretty.

Never fussy.

Always simple.

So...we had red for a while and I love it but wanted the whole house to flow since it is all open..

then this summer my choice of "gray" looked country blue. not a fan.

{After}
To be honest, this gray is so hard to tell in pictures. I like. not sure I love it. I LOVE the dining room so I might paint it that color some day but honestly, I LOVE the beadboard backsplash so unless I'm looking up, I don't see the color and so for now, it's just fine. It's hard to love a kitchen when you move in and it's not your style but not damaged enough to see it worthwhile to completely redo. So, I saw a blog where she did this and instantly fell in love. I really like my kitchen now! It's simple. It's us.

A rug. In the kitchen. warms it right up and feels so home-y. It's an outdoor rug so we'll just spray it down outside when it gets dirty. Love.

My husband is awesome. Super handy. Always willing. Without complaint.

Thanks, babe!!!

I'd like to do a more detailed dining room post sometime because he rocked it with those shelves!!...

{Before} & {After} Dining Room

{Before}

{After}

We are having a Valentine's Day party tomorrow, can you tell?!

:)

Because {I LOVE him} to the moon and back...

{making the nursery more his}

{Wordless Wednesday}

Munchkin Spoon Review

Mommas...if you have a little one you spoon feed...you NEED this!

My thought on lots of baby gadgets is that you don't need them. Stores like Babies R us...you don't need 95% of what they sell to raise a baby but I am LoViNg this gadget. It ranks up there with this splurge for me. But this...well, it's only $6 at Target ...try it...you'll love! And hey, it's fun, too :) I'd take a video to show you but not sure how well I can do with one hand...maybe I'll try :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A is for...

So, we've been working on the alphabet around here. We sing it lots of times a day...while picking up toys, washing hands, setting the table for dinner and...well, you get the point. We've really only started working on it since the end of January and I was quite impressed that he was getting up to H and knew H is for Henry! But, upon closer listening he was singing...

Henry: Eight, B, C, D, E, F, G, H....H is for Henry!....W, W, Y, Z

Me: Eight? No, honey, it's A...can you say A?!
Henry: Eight.
Me: No, it's A.
Henry: A?
Me: Yes...
Henry: Eight, B, C, D...
(Oh goodness...! LOL)
And any time I hear him singing it on his own it's usually something like this...
Eight, B, C, D, W, W, WWWWWW, Y & Z....

So...Instead of buying flashcards I found a free site so this week we are starting at the very beginning...A.

A is for...Apple!
I think we are finally getting it right!
**
And, on a side note...Henry is in a music class on Sunday night. It's cute. He has brought home some handmade instruments...his favorite BY FAR is a kazoo. Last week one night Kit was in the garage and I was upstairs putting on P's pajamas. Henry went downstairs and got his kazoo. I sat in the stair well just a giggling as he was marching around with his kazoo (I had seen them do this when we picked them up for the class) so I'd say he's really enjoying it! They learn short songs about Jesus and he is proud. He and his friend, Riley, are by far the youngest but the teachers said they are both doing really well with it and of course, they don't have too much expectation for them but they listen and obey and are having fun playing with the other older (k5) kids!
We are thankful!

22 weeks!

I stayed home with Porter while Kit & Henry went to church this morning. I actually had more than 2 minutes to take P's weekly picture so I had a little fun taking pictures while he played this morning. These are few of my favorites!

{5 months}

I really can't believe I am writing about Porter being 5 months old already!

I felt like I just sat down and posted that Henry was 5 months! ha!
Porter. you are as sweet as sweet can be!

You are still a great sleeper and this week you tried something new...baby food!

Green Beans. Peas.
And...

You love them.

cried when the jar was empty.

You now love your cereal.

You love your brother.

You laugh harder with him than anything your Poppa & I can get you to do.

We Love that.

You are a slow roller. If you really need to roll over you will but I think you are just such a "chill" baby that it's not a big deal to you.

You Love the Jumperoo still and I use it several times a day:)

You are in 9 -12 month clothing. Size 3 diaper and it totally depends on the shoe for its size.

Right now your eyes are gray. Not brown. Not blue. A beautiful gray.

Your biggest dislike is the Bumbo. Can't stand it.

So, you are wobbly but getting better at sitting up with the Boppy around you.

You've had a cold this week but you've done so well for feeling so miserable.

We love you to pieces, sweet P!!

Using the Hot Glue Gun & {Sneak Peek}

I love this store and oh yeah, this one too!

But, I refuse to pay their prices!

Ballard Designs is selling these pears for $40.

No Thank You!

So...

Theirs...

Mine!

I used a Pear I had laying around and Natural Jute.
Oh and there is your kitchen sneak peek.

That's right...beadboard backsplash...LOVE IT!!!

Henry & Porter are hosting a little Valentine's Party/Playdate next week...

:)

If you like it...here is this little tutortial that shows you how.

Man Cold No.2

I refuse to get this cold so I'm calling it the "man cold" haha :).

Anywho, H was extremely weepy this morning and I refused to admit he wasn't feeling very good but when he started crying half way through nap time, I had to realize he also isn't feeling well. They seem to have a cough, yucky nose and can only imagine the aches and chills that accompany it. Not to mention this dreary weather makes anyone want to lay around. So... I've got one nappin' upstairs and one chillin' on the couch...and loving every minute of it getting to have his drink on the couch and his stuffed critters downstairs snugglin' with him. He's moping it for all its worth...!

But what can I say...I'm a sucker for those blue eyes!

Help a girlfriend out...

I could use some help... I had H's 2 year pictures done last week. go to takenbytate.com and client on client tab. enter henry (lowercase) for password. Let me know what ya think? Do you have a favorite?

It's hard.

They are so much 'Henry' it's hard to choose!!

Write it in the comments!! :)

Would you ever guess...?

That he has a cold?!

He had a rough night last night but he is handling it like a champ today. What a good lil' cowboy...

sweetest.baby.EvEr!!

What we are up to...

Honestly, nothing much. When it was in the 70s, we spent a lot of time outside but we are back to rainy and drizzly weather so we are in. With this kinda of weather and two small kids, it has to really be something I want to do to take two kids out by myself. So, I usually stay in and right now I am enjoying it because we are doing a couple of projects here and there. nothing too much just...

well, it's hard to explain. One night a dinner conversation went something like this.

Me: I LOVE the chocolate brown in here. I'm SO glad we went for it. I LOVE it.

Kit: Yes, me too.

a few seconds later...

Kit: Well, I did love it. I do love it. But, now that we have this farm table, I'm not sure it all works.

Me: WHAT?! Are you serious?

Kit: Well, It's just that this dining room is already a formal room with the chair rail but I don't want to change that for re -sale purposes but I think the chocolate paint on top and white on the bottom is a formal contrast.

Me: Hmmm.....So what are you saying, we should repaint?! Hmmmm....

That led to the next day me going to the hardware store and buying a couple samples. Then, we decided to repaint our kitchen too because it was just never the right color after we repainted it this summer. So, last week I painted the kitchen and Kit did a little backsplash project for me...LOVE it and super cheap!!!

So...my house is a mess. I love it and hate it at the same time. I love doing projects....short ones with deadlines. I love that a mess of sawdust bits, the smell of fresh paint and a table full mean something is happening...a change is occuring and for the better...well, hopefully.

I decided to paint and next thing you know...Kit said something he's never said before and it made me fall in love with him even more...."Ya know what, I'm kinda bored and ready to do some projects...we haven't done anything since before Porter was born". Okay, can I tell you that it took me exactly 3.75938 seconds to draw up a sketch and bat my big brown eyes. I mean, he said it! I just think while the house is already in a mess....why not...right?! So....he's building me a little something for the dining room and I. CAN'T. WAIT to reveal it to you!!!! That and the kitchen...the kitchen is almost done but I'm waiting on a couple of accessories before I post pictures.

I love doing this kind of thing. I mean, I live here, work here and am so very, very thankful that we can do stuff like this since we own a home! I find that I am happier too to have something to look forward to during nap times instead of continuing with chores or just really wasting time. I need a little down time and putting it to use for something I enjoy is really therapeutic in a way. (WHAT?! Did she just say she enjoys painting?!) I do. In short spurts :).

Well, back to it.

what paint you do see in this picture is primer....

Wordless Wednesday

21 weeks!

To GrAnNy GrEaT...

I wAnT tO sAy ThAnK yOu fOr the cUtE ReD WaGoN. ToDaY iT's aLmOst SiXtY oUtSidE and sO wE tOOk a waLk iN tHe WaGoN. I lOvE it...

...oH, aNd diD yOu kNoW iT cOmEs wItH a liTTle heLpeR tOo?!
LoVe,
PoRtEr

20 weeks!

I {Heart} Him.

Made me smile...

While looking through my new pottery barn kids magazine this afternoon...I had to chuckle. I've seen them use Henry in their room set ups before having the name monogrammed on a pillow, blanket, etc. Well, I had to do a double take today when I saw.....

Porter!

I flipped the page and actually flipped back! I mean, I'm familiar with the name but then realized it wasn't in my own home...in a magazine! :) I'm pretty much obsessed with names. Somedays I think I'd love 12 kids just so I could name them! LOL j/k:)

And this is their "Henry bedding"! too cute!!

Wordless Wednesday

cereal fun

Porter is loving cereal but we are still at the stage where alot more of it is on his face than probably in his stomach. :).

Okay, seriously, he is not just the cutest baby?!?!

Laundry Room

It's amazing how much more fun it is to be in my laundry room when there are such cute faces on the wall!

Cost: $0

Time: All of two minutes! :)

Big Boy Shoes & Family Night

I can't believe Porter is wearing such "Big Boy" shoes! Where, oh, where is my lil' newborn?!
All my boys

Me with the boys
(excuse all the crazy colors of these photos...we were playing with all the settings on the camera!)

We started back in on our "The Cads Friday Family Fun Nights" and we enjoyed a great night of Pizza at a local place & Duck, Duck, Goose!

We laughed so hard because Henry was MeSmOriZeD with the game.

He thought it was the coolest...thing....ever!

Fun Memories!

:)

25 months & 19 weeks!

(remember this shirt from Henry? (click on the name Henry. It will take you to that post.)He was 9 months old when he wore this!)
Porter:It's amazing how one night you weren't sure you liked cereal and just after a week you are crying because I can't shovel it in fast enough! And boy does adding just a little bit of cereal make all the distance. You are now consistenly sleeping 12 hours every night now. (8:30p to 8:30a). You are taking two 2 hour naps and one 45 minute quick evening nap. You are still a delight and sweeter than ever. You are super smiley from the time you wake up and when we are carrying you upstairs for bedtime, you still have your eyes open and are smiling! You don't make a peep when we put you to bed and as long as we give you gas drops, we don't hear you at night anymore! You are enjoying tummy time more and more and you think your brother is pretty cool. As long as you can see him and watch him, you are entertained and just take it all in. You will play in your jumperoo for as long as we leave you in there. You are super easy peasy. You are the biggest boy in your room at nursery and you are the youngest! ha! You are in 9-12 months clothes and I'm having a hard time finding bigger bibs to put around your neck to catch the drool. The "one size fits all" don't work well for you.







Henry:
Has it already been a month since your 2nd birthday?! That flew by! I thought we were just eating cake last week! You continue to talk...and talk...and talk. These past couple weeks has been cute to hear you talk to Porter and I am excited to see your relationship grow as you both get older. You say things to him like, "It okay!", "Only mommas do dat", "You should share with Nenry {Henry} :)" "Oh, Poter...are you stinky?"
You are getting better at saying your numbers 1-10 and the ABCs are still so fun to just say whatever random letter you like (I'm not at all concerned about you needing to know them right now.) You know your colors but now like to act like you haven't a clue what I'm asking so instead you think it's fun to be goofy... You will do anything...I mean anything to 'earn" your vitamin. It's amazing! If you really only knew that it is good for you! You are becoming alot better at eating and have now decided you'll try alot more fruits! You are super helpful around the house right now and I enjoy that I can give you a couple of commands at a time and you can do them thoroughly.
For example:
Me: "Henry, your shirt is dirty from lunch. {I take off your shirt}. Take this shirt upstairs to your room. Put it in the dirty basket and bring me down a new shirt."
Henry: "Okay, momma!"
You will also go to Porter's room and get me diapers/burp rags/onesies, etc.
At Christmas, Poppa brought home some of his old car toys and you love them. You love to line them all up and you load them up in your wagon and take them for a ride. I'm finding them in your pockets and if we go somewhere you want to take one with you. It's a cute boy thing!!

Baby Legs

So...I was not at all open to putting these on Henry but they have really been growing on me! I found this pair of Baby Legs super super clearanced and decided to give them a try.

I am LOVING them!

Not only does it make changing a diaper super easy, I just love his little chubby thighs poking out:)

Kit isn't quite sold on the idea yet but,

Porter....

well, it doesn't seem to be bothering him any!

;)