my little sous-chefs

I bought a couple of Boboli crusts and all the fixin's for the kids to make their OWN pizzas.  I knew that my ultra-organized Katie would lay the pepperoni out in perfect rows, and Carter would spend more time shoveling fistfuls of cheese in his mouth than actually making his pizza :)  My predictions, spot on.  But...we had a blast, and Katie and Carter's pizza was delicious.  Score one for mom!

aunts are like moms...only cooler :)

When I was younger, I remember vividly Melanie always doing my hair....which was very curly and very long.  We would spend hours in the bathroom, my head titled in some horrible position that made my neck muscles ache to the point of cramping....but I was too afraid to move lest I be stuck in the scalp with a bobby pin and suffer permanent brain damage.  Ha, just kidding....kinda ;)  I think my sister knows every kind of braid imaginable.  I love watching Mel play with KJ's hair....whenever I do it, it basically just looks like a rats nest.  I had loooong, thick, curly hair...and while she got my curl, hers is much curlier, like my babiest sisters', and fine.  It HATES any type of adorable ribbon, barette, rubberband etc.  It fights me on a daily basis.  Most days, it wins.  I hope her teachers at preschool know she is at least bathed regularly...  I know that (okay really hope that) when Katie gets older she will love her curls.  Besides, I think she is the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen in my entire life, even with bangs that don't grow and four cowlicks.  Auntie MoMo came over after work and played with the kids while they took a bath.  Afterwards, Mel got to play with her hair and "make it pretty" as Katie said.  It was an awesome moment between aunt and niece.  KJ adores her auntie. 

Thank you, Mel for my childhood memories and my grown up dreams.  You help me every day to be a better mom.  [and most, if not all days, I need that a lot]  Thanks for loving KJ and Carter.  They're lucky to have you.

And so am I.

before and (almost) after...

I suppose I haven't really blogged about this yet, but we are SO excited to be moving in the next month or so...and I am finding myself completely OVERWHELMED with all there is to do!  I definitely want to get all of the painting done before we move in, but am having such a hard time deciding.  Oh, if only I didn't second guess myself every other second.  I decided to start on the kitchen...and I had to swallow my fear as I picked out the color.  Turns out, I LOVE it.

So here's some before and after....

(Before....blah...)

First coat...ahhh...I'm scared.  What you can't really tell from the picture is the chair rail and the neat

ridged (?) wall underneath.  Good, because I don't have to paint the whole wall, and I think that makes the red really stand out (as if it needed help doing that :)

the other side of the kitchen. 

I had to retire for the day this time....time flies when the kids are in preschool...if I only had just a few more hours.  What mom doesn't feel this way?

so...onto Day 2...

What a difference a second coat can make!

 I'm loving this.

a view of the whole kitchen.  If you can't read what that says, I love my new light fixtures.

Very contemporary.

Okay, I'm realizing that you really can't read what I wrote on the picture.

One, the small space between the cabinets was a complete pain in my butt to paint.  It wasn't big enough to use a roller, so I had to paint the trim on the top and bottom, and then use a brush for ALL of the rest. 
a-n-n-o-y-i-n-g.

Second, those curtains are NOT staying :)

just letting you know, lest you were afraid I have NO decorating sense (which I really don't)

A couple more touch up spots and places that I need to put another coat on the trim and I can check the kitchen off my list.  That means I only have Katie's room, Carter's room, our room, the entryway, and the guest bathroom.  Oh my.  I think I need a drink...

making me feel good...

I think someone (namely ME) needed an ego boost today :)
thanks, guys.

just a moment to remember...

My children absolutely amaze me with the things they come up with.  They make me laugh every single day.  I love this part of being a mom.  Who wouldn't?

My daughter is not a huge fan of sleep.  Her mother is not a huge fan of this....  However, it must be said that since I didn't sleep through the night until I was 4 years old (yes, I said 4)...I guess I'm getting what I deserve.  Even on Saturday mornings, we are lucky to get to sleep past 7.  Sometimes we can bribe her to cuddle in bed with us while she watches whatever is on Nick Jr at that ungodly hour. 

This particular morning, Katie was happy to snuggle, I was trying to catch just a few more minutes of sleep...and Katie decides that "it's too bright in here."  So...she crawls over me with her bony elbows and knees, goes into her room, comes back with her Dora sunglesses and snuggles herself back into her blankets to watch cartoons.  I find this completely hilarious. 

Perhaps, it made you smile, too :)

dear mama deb

(mother's day 2009, a family tradition of planting and landscaping)

dear mama deb,

Remember all this hard work you did last year?  The kiddos came to your house last weekend and Katie was thrilled beyond belief to see your crocuses blooming, she loves the purple and white!  The daffodils already have blooms on them, I can't wait to see how long it takes before your garden is awash in all of the colors you planted and tended.  I like to think that you're saying hi and that you love us.

We miss you

So much it's all we can do just to breathe sometimes.

bubbles!

Our puppy, Abby, thinks that bubbles are for eating!! I'm not very good at this video uploading thing yet...but I'll get the hang of it.

For now...enjoy my hilarious dog, the sweet, sweet laughter of two kiddos, and a moment I am forever glad was recorded in time.