Schools In

The kids are always excited for the new year to start and it usually lasts a couple of days into the new week. Makayla is in 4th grade, Emma 2nd and Derek is in Pre-school. They all have wonderful teachers and have an exciting year in front of them. The question is am I ready to let them go? The week right before school started gave me a resounding "YES!" They were so good the whole summer and then the last week was rough for us all. We were up bright and early that first day back! They love going and it's a good thing I love having them come home every day!

Coop da' Villa

Back in the spring the grandkids (mostly mine) begged and pleaded with my parents to get chickens. For some reason they agreed and so off to D&B supply they went. They came home with 14 baby chicks and placed them in their new home. A cardboard box. Little by little the chicks grew and needed a new home. My dad decided he would build his own coop by watching U-tube videos and the end result was a chicken penthouse! The coop is amazing with 2 doors, windows, a row of nesting boxes accessible from the outside and roosting bars. He graciously allowed the grandkids to come and "help" with the painting.

Cute little chicks in a box

Makayla is lifting the door to the nesting row where you can get the eggs.

Looking through the coop.

The holding pen.

Painting the penthouse

G-pa with his helpers

Cost of baby chicks- $20

Cost of Coop da' Villa- $$$$

G-pa's adventures-Priceless!!

Painting the Boys' Room

I buckled down and painted the boys' room this past month. I had 3 of the 4 walls painted blue but I wanted to paint the ceiling and 4th wall sky blue and add the stripes. Yes, the stripes took forever to measure and tape off. I saw the idea in a magazine and used some paint from the toy room painting I did. I did have to purchase the bright blue and another can of the sky blue but I had everything else.

The red drapes were already there and red will be used as an accent color when I hang things up.

We still need to add Derek's bed back in but we probably won't do it until Jared is in a bed as well.

The fun Sun light is from IKEA but contradictory to its name, does not provide good lighting.

Scrapaway!!

Earlier this month I got a call from my wonderful, dear friend, Carli Siders asking if I was coming to Scrapaway this year. I had gone a long time ago and I knew it was overdue for me to go again. Because I was going to fly and not make the 12 hour drive, I thought I would just bring my laptop instead of all my pictures and scrapbooking things. Definitely a lot lighter and I wouldn't have to pay the stupid airline fees for extra baggage. 

Scrapaway is the perfect opportunity to have un-interrupted time to blog and put together photo books online. This year scrapaway is held in Colorado Springs at a home in the mountains. The host, Jessica lives here with her family but we have the whole basement to ourselves. There are lots of tables and work spaces, printers and die-cut machines, a tv lounge area where we can watch conferences and the best part is that she COOKS for us! We checked in this morning (Friday) and don't have to leave until 5pm Sunday.

Luckily my husband is wonderful and encouraged me to go so I don't feel too guilty about leaving him with 14 hour work days, piano practice and group class, ballet, soccer practice, 4 soccer games, school picture day, the jog-a-thon, and a very destructive and messy toddler. It's a good thing it's conference weekend and he doesn't have to haul them all to church too. I wonder who's going to get more out of conferences this time??  :)  Thanks honey!!

Jumping on the Blog-wagon

So I have to say that I attempted a blog a while ago but it never took off so this is my second attempt. I give the sudden inspiration to try again to my father-in-law Paul DeBry who made the comment, "I love your guys' blogs (referring to my sister-in-laws). It's like a journal for your family and we all get to enjoy reading it. It is something that you'll treasure forever! Now make sure you find some way to print them off too."

I love reading my family and friends' posts and I figured I might as well start a family journal. There are several events that I have wanted to write about for a while so this will obviously not be in chronological order. Hopefully I'll learn to navigate this thing and keep it going. So thank you to Paul and now my wagon is off and rolling!