…to the Farm Chicks Show!
Will you be there, too?!
home is…a lot excited and a little nervous!
summer list
I planned to make a list of things to do for the summer. I had the idea in my head, but then saw it here, too!
This list is just the fun stuff.
The things we WANT to do.
Here is our 1st Annual Summer List…
I am SOOOO ready for this sometimes sunny, but mostly rainy spring weather to end here in the Pacific Northwest.
We are only one week into summer vacation and I already have cabin fever.
We need the sun and warm temperatures to do most of the things on our list!
home is..waiting for the sun to shine.
thinking. about. it.
We had a great Memorial Day weekend.
I went on an awesome run on Sunday morning through one of the only neighborhoods we would leave our current neighborhood for.
Two houses were for sale…at amazing prices.
We called our realtor, and I went with the kids to look at them this morning.
Do you remember when the little guy said this? It’s like he was psychic or something, right?!
We’ve talked about moving or adding to this house…down the road.
It wasn’t in the plans for this summer.
Although, now we are thinking about it.
THINKING. About. It.
We don’t even know if it is worth it to sell our house.
One of the houses has an amazing yard and is right across the street from a park, but doesn’t have what we need inside.
The other house is great.
Perfect, really.
The only downside is the backyard…nothing compared to our current one that we love so much. And, even with the smaller yard, we would be just down the street from a park. So, there are trade offs.
The house has everything that we want.
It has a great layout. I already have our furniture placed in my mind.
And, really no remodeling to do…just move in!
There is a room that is separate from the main bedrooms that could serve as a guestroom/space for me with an attached full bath that is shared with the family room.
The family room would be a playroom for the kids…it even has a mini fridge and bar area which would be great for snacks, etc.
It also has lower level…something we really want. It would be perfect for Ryan’s home office (he could even enter his office without having to enter the main house) and an exercise room.
It also has a huge unfinished storage area under the main floor. HUGE.
It really would be perfect.
Oh, but do we really need to add this to our plate?!
I asked whoever is in charge to guide us…the universe, God, etc.
I had just decided that I was going to be happy in our current house and just start working on things here. We’ve had estimates for landscaping, painting, etc. To really have what we ultimately want would take a major addition, a kitchen remodel, and a remodel of two full baths. Probably not something we are willing to take on right now.
Moving would be easier.
I think.
home is…the possibility of adding to an already full plate.
bloom where you’re planted
I got an idea for the teachers gifts and I ran with it.
This is what I came up with…
I knew I wanted to use one of the flower crafts that were posted during flower week at jones design company.
I decided to try the button flowers.
I found some adorable Mary Engelbreit mini watering cans at Michael’s that were 50% off.
I put together the button flowers using buttons that I also found a Michael’s for about $6 for a bag that made a ton of flowers.
I put them in the mini watering cans (using florist foam, not playdough…although the thought did cross my mind).
Today we took a trip to Al’s Garden Center and bought gift cards.
I wrote a note to each teacher thanking them for helping the little guy grow and bloom this year.
Voila!
home is…a fun, easy, creative gift for the people who help my little guy bloom where he is planted.
*linking up with Today’s Creative Blog…
{through the lens} bella beach
You may remember my first {through the lens} post.
I decided to use the title again.
I still haven’t gotten to all the photos from the beach.
Here is what I had from my iphone…using instagr.am.
the beach boys
baby girl in big bed
the kids playing in the sand
sand in between my toes
sleepy baby girl in the ergo
fresh halibut
poppa building a fire
getting ready to roast marshmallows
snuggling with puppy
baby girl and poppa
more baby girl and poppa
coast guard helicopter
home is…having a camera in my pocket, again!
last day
The little guy had his last day of school today.
He’s ready for summer break.
Mother nature has not received his memo.
Let’s hope she gets it soon or it’s gonna be a LONG “summer” break for all of us.
I should have done something special for him to celebrate his first year of school.
I didn’t and feel like I should have.
I am looking forward to slower mornings without a reason to be leaving the house by 8:38 am so that we can get to school on time.
I am working on a “summer list”. It’s an idea I read about here.
{By the way, when you visit the site above check out the project she had her girls do…that will go on our summer list}
I worked on a project tonight.
I am new to this school stuff…you know, teachers gifts, volunteering in the classroom, not forgetting snack, etc.
I hope sometime in the next 15-18 years I finally get it down…hopefully sooner rather than later.
Anyway, I was working on some of the end of school year gifts for the teachers.
Better late than never.
I will post about them next week.
home is…being a newbie to this whole school thing.
the little guy said
Little Guy: “Mommy, when will we move to a new house?”
Mommy: “Oh, I don’t know. We may never move to a different house. We might just stay in this one.”
LG: “I don’t want to stay in this one.”
M: “Why?”
LG: “This house is boring.”
boys will be boys
Last night I was getting the bath ready for the kids.
The little guy was running around and baby girl was following and laughing.
At the same time I heard the little guy run into our room and crash into the window I also heard glass break.
Thankfully it was not our bedroom window.
Both kiddos were OK, so I ran downstairs.
Our neighbors have three boys.
Their boys all play sports.
They put a sport court in their backyard last summer.
This spring the two oldest boys are playing lacrosse.
The lacrosse ball slipped past the 5+ ft net that rises above our fence and hit the only window that it could.
The outer pane of the double pane window was shattered.
I waited for the doorbell to ring as I knew they would be over to tell me the news.
Their oldest came over and I answered the door.
He just looked at me…with 14 year old puppy dog eyes.
I said, “I know. I heard it. It’s OK.”
He said, “I’m soooo sorry.”
They came over and cleaned up the glass.
Their mom and dad are making them pay for the window.
Their mom texted me last night and said they also owe us free babysitting!
I went to the front door today after their mom sent me a text that she had left something at our front door.
There was a bottle of white wine and some chocolate chip cookies.
She said it was to make up for her boys.
I told her that they are good boys because they ARE.
They are just boys.
I am sure I will be making up for my boy at some point in the future, too.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
home is…boys being boys and good neighbors
bummer
There is no direct way to fly to Rochester, New York from Portland, Oregon.
And, Ryan’s parents have had to take a very indirect route for the second time.
They are stuck in Chicago.
There are worse places to be stuck.
We got stuck in Chicago flying home from Rochester to Denver one year.
We ended up just making a mini-vacation out of it…stayed at Hotel Monaco, went shopping on Michigan Avenue, explored the museums.
Unless you have the time, money and desire to do it how we did it it is not fun to be stuck.
You have it in your mind that you are going to get to sleep in your own bed.
You make (or had already made) plans for what you will want and need to get done upon your return home.
And then it all needs to be reworked.
While I am at home feeding, bathing, and putting the kids to bed alone (Ryan left town this afternoon, too) at least I am at HOME.
I am sorry that they are stuck.
Hopefully they can get home tomorrow.
And, if not, hopefully they can make the best of it and explore Chicago a little bit (the train from the airport to downtown is so easy)!
I intend to finish my posts from their visit this week.
There are a lot of photos to go through.
home is…being home and wishing others were able to get home, too.
40 years
That’s how long my parents have been married.
Happy anniversary mom and dad!
home is…loving and cherishing.
stephany taddeo 