3,2,1...Contacts

No more glasses. Gem got contacts. She loves them.

Summery Fun

Because we have friends, water, a trampoline and warm weather...

Monopoly Kids

I loved Monopoly as a kid. I had three other friends who did too. We played a lot. We cheated a lot. Cheating was an understood part of the game. If you forgot to ask for your money before the dice were rolled, tough luck. We would stash money under our legs or rear ends to hide our wealth, then spring the trap on an unsuspecting victim. Alliances made and broken was not something coined by Survivor. And finding someone who would be banker was never hard. We were a bunch of embezzling, Fortune 500 nightmares. Ah, such fun.



Now I'm a sobered-up adult and I'm delighted to be playing with kids again--mine. So far, I've found them to be upright players of the potentially shiester-ridden game. I taught them from the rules, crazy me. In doing so, I learned a lot about how far I had wandered from the truth, then repenting, have enjoyed the clean life. Did you know that you have to add 10% to the mortgage price to reclaim a property?

On top of all the good that it has been for me, it has been a great opportunity to apply or learn lots of math, reasoning and strategy for my kids. They're hooked. I love having two kids who can sit down to play a game with a bit of strategy.

And I swear that I've mended my ways. I was even so generous to Shakespeare when he wanted to buy Boardwalk from me for $4000. I let him. I don't understand how he went bankrupt so quickly after that.

She Turned One

I forgot to post the pictures from Sugar's first birthday (April 25). No presents, just cake--and cuteness, of course.

Good First Impressions

My house has never looked "like me". But I was 8 months pregnant when we moved in and I never got a breath between babies and school...until now. Earlier in the year we re-did the master bath. But as summer approached and school drew to an end, I let my mind indulge in thinking about my house--bigger projects in my house. Where to start? Walk-in closets, garage organization, play room ceiling, school room?

I decided that the thing I wanted to change first is the first impression that I get when I walk in my front door. When we moved in I liked the gray walls and thought that framed black and whites would look sophisticated. I never put up the black and whites, and gray is just dark. Also, nothing but yellow, mauve and rust go with it. Bleh!

But I didn't start with the walls. I started by ripping the disgusting carpet off the stairs. That's right, just ripped it right off and hauled it to the trash can. I pulled out the staples and tack strips and filled in the nail holes. Paint, here I come.


Before.

But looking at those naked stairs surrounded by all that drab, dark, gray paint made me move in a different direction. Paint? Yes, still paint, but not on the stairs. Walls.


Protesters. They didn't want me to ruin their sliding fun--footie pajamas and carpeted stairs. Sorry, guys!


After

So I went to Home Depot and bought MDF and had the guy there cut two sheets into 2 in. strips and one sheet into 4 in. strips. Then I bought a nail gun combo that comes with a compressor and finish, brad and staple guns. (BIG SMILE) Then I measured and cut and painted and nailed.


Off we go.


All three colors on the wall.

And now I have an entryway that is white on white board and batten (pictures soon to come). So much more inviting than pencil lead gray. I just have to fill nail holes and touch up.

Next, the 18' stairwell,the board and batten up the stairs, then the stairs.

Maybe I'll get to the garage and the closet and the kitchen by the end of the summer. It just feels good to have the time to focus on this house and finally make it mine.

Documentary of a Stinker

What? I'm innocent, Mom.



But now I have an idea.



See, Mom, I'm just leaning. Are you going to keep smiling, Mom?



If...I...can...just...reach...



Oh, yeah.



Triumph!



That cute, little stinker.

Lego Kid

Shakespeare loves building with Legos. Here's a sampling of his creativity.
It's a chariot.



See that tooth? It is begging to be yanked. He wiggles that dern thing all the time. Soon there will be no wiggly teeth. Sigh.

The Rest of the Story

Yep, we had snakes. Thankfully, we also have Rex! Rex used to work for a zoo and help people handle the snakes. He also worked in the army with animals. So, whenever we need snake removal or a bomb dog, we call Rex. If you don't have a friend like this, I would recommend finding one. To say the least, we were thankful for his unique set of skills.

The snakes were after the baby birds that are in the fern on our porch. The chicks hatched about three weeks ago. Hence, the snake climbing up the side of the house.











Now the black racers (not poisonous) live in another woods!

Thank you, Rex!

What's Wrong with this picture?

Use your "Where's Waldo" eyes and find two things that do NOT belong in this picture.

Beach Bums

We took the motor home to the beach last weekend. Apart from constant wind, it was lovely. No crowds yet, but still warm.

Little man only needs sand to keep him occupied.



Sometimes big men enjoy it too.