the lake, the mummy and the dolls

we promised the kids Splashtown, but Splashtown closed 1 weekend before the lady on the phone said they would so we sold them on lake swimming instead. We were pulling out of the driveway when we stopped and hijacked the neighbors. Cousin Noah was there as well. I love this picture. Forget hand writing analysis, psychologists should study leaping!

New teeth!
New grass!
Same old Grammy! I'm just kidding mom- I love this picture. It's been a long time since you flew me like that- next time.
Discovering grass from the safety of Grandad's arm.
This, truly, is the way the boy sleeps- like a mummy!
He may look surprised, but he gets 1,000 of these a day.
Baby Blue Robert, Max and Baby Ruth
Wrestling the kids- in a leotard none the less
got em!

Random pic.s for grandparents the other two of you

You know those annoying people who think there kids are soo cute and everyone needs to see there pictures... well it's an insult to people like us whos' kids really are soo cute and to you who really do need to see there pictures- don't you think?
When he's straining, like he is here, he gets a red splotch on his forehead like my brother does when he laughs.
Fallish weather! This is a game of hide and seek or big siblings running game on little siblings.
I think that when you get to this level you begin to pronounce it (ka-ra-tay)
Cool dudes hanging by the mailbox playing a game of hide 'n' seek
Maybe you remember the waifishly thin Fiona Apple cd cover--same sort of thing
Max is learning from his big sis how a demure young lady discreetly expresses her displeasure at having her picture taken unannounced.

snaily and "Mo or less"

At what point do you tell your 4yr old that her pet snail, the one that she built a playground for, the one that gets fresh grass and dirt in its bucket each day, is now just a shell. She had two pet snails. They would get out of the bucket sometimes, but not far and then one day this one stopped escaping or moving for that matter. As far as pets go, it's a pretty sweet deal for Kap and me. Maybe in a couple of days I will throw it over the fence and tell her he made a break for it. Does that say something about my moral compass? Their names were Snaily and Mo. Snaily really did manage to escape with his shell. Mo, however, not so clever.

Oh happy day!

When Kap and I first started looking at this house we knew we wouldn't get it. The neighborhood was out of our price range. It was much bigger than the houses in our price range and had been built custom in an older established neighborhood. We would bring our parents and friends over and crawl in the window and I would decorate the rooms, I knew I would never own, in my head. At the time there were two extra rooms, an office and guest room ( Now if you come to visit you are sleeping in a childs room and the office took up the dining room.) I have poured over decorating magazines since we got married. I have loved looking at them and dreaming. I digress- we got the house- After a year of looking we got the house in foreclosure in a neighborhood we couldn't afford for a price we could. It is still the cheapest selling price I've heard of in this neighborhood. So I began to decorate those rooms I had decorated in my head. We were on a budget so I did the best I could. We always have loved our house! I had, however, from the moment we moved in, an image in my mind of what it could be. If you had asked me 7 years ago when we moved in, I would have told you, and did tell most of you, that I wanted the panneling painted white (sorry guys) and a white kitchen. I have collected a TON of magazines over the years and turned down the corners of countless pages- always planning and imagining. When I bought furniture through the years, it was our eventual house not our current that I thought of i.e.- lots of brown furniture in a brown living room. I am happy- delighted really- and greatfull to say that we now have the house I had envisioned for so many years! There are a few things left to finish up (we are having tables built and need to buy a few light fixtures, etc) but now when I am in the checkout line and looking at decore magazines, I am struck that for the first time since I have been in a house or apartment of my own, I don't need them! It's done! As a reward for listening to me rambell I have posted some before and afters. The before pic.s are hideous because they are "in process," but it helps make the point. Enjoy!

Yes, our kids played in this mess- but blocks surely are appropriate at this stage.Did I stage these photos, you ask? If you call running to the backyard to snap greenery for the coffee table and the like staging then yes :)


I love that with a white backdrop, whatever arrangement I put on the island decorates the whole area. It was hydrangeas in the summer.

You cannot believe how happy I was when I found the red and white bowls in the left upper cabinet. I swear I had all of these details pictured before I found them.

When I moved in (like that night) my mom and I began painting the brown kit. cabinets white. I will NEVER do that myself again. The pic. below is always what I was envisioning.
I love our concrete counters and they were very affordable.
A glimpse of the office through the kit. I assure you I will have more for you soon!

1st day third year- she knows what's up...

She picked out this Hannah Montanna bag 1/2 way through the summer, but I talked her into a Care Bear lunch kit. I'm hanging on!

We went yesterday and got her nails done- glittery silver. I took her shopping for a 1st day outfit and we had to walk right out of Gymboree because everything was "horuble." This dress was just right, however, because it was "pretty and cute!"

She soo knows the drill!

Sometimes brothers stink! I think I should get these guys bunk beds and make them share a room!