Our Fixer Upper

I am about to get started on my newest project of decorating the kid's playroom. I am so grateful to have a room that is just for toys because, to be honest, I am not sure where all the toys would go otherwise. Before Addie was born we just stored everything in Jack's room and in baskets and totes throughout the house. But with the addition to our family also came the addition to our house, therefore providing bedrooms and bathrooms for both kids and a playroom. I absolutely love the "new wing" for several reasons. First, I am proud of my husband's very smart idea to design our house so that it could be built in stages. We laugh because we are the only people we know that built a fixer-upper. But when it was just the two of us we had no need for a four bedroom house...and then we thought it would be 7 years before we would have kids...ha! So now we are officially in stage two with one more stage to go (adding on a massive 4 car garage with apartment and shop attached. I know! Sounds huge and crazy but Levi swears we really do need all that space. I'm not convinced but he deserves it regardless.) The second reason I love our "new wing" is because it is paid for. We didn't have to take out a loan to do it because we saved and saved and saved and it feels sooooooo good. Granted, if the bank foreclosed on our home they would take it all. I doubt they would let us keep the kid's rooms. =) And thirdly, I love the fact that we built it ourselves...with much help from our friends and family (specifically our dads), of course. I am so proud of our home, not because it looks like anything designer or fancy (in fact it is everything but that) but because it literally was built with our own blood, sweat and tears...every part of it. And we did it together...our labor of love. I found some pictures of us working on the house. I remember feeling so old and grown up then because I was the proud owner of a real house but when I look at the pictures I am surprised at how very young I was. What were we thinking building a house at 21 and 23! I was still in college...practically a baby! But we did it and loved every minute of it...well most minutes.

Levi and his tool belt...very sexy. He spent every spare second out at the house working on it. He loved it and was definitely in his element.

I told you I looked like a baby! This door was so important to me. It was a old door someone had gotten rid of and for some reason I just fell in love with it. I sanded that thing for days, maybe weeks...I don't know, it felt like a really long time. Finally, my Daddy took pity on me and finished the job, painted it red, and installed it so that when I came to the house, there was my perfect red front door. I still love it...every scratch, dent, and nick, like I said...perfect.

I'm looking forward to once again putting on my painting clothes (that have every color ever painted on our walls on them), turning up the radio, and spending a weekend stuck in the playroom with my favorite guy as we tape, caulk, and paint...together.

Addie's Brithday Party...Finally

I finally got a second to post these pictures of Addie's birthday party. I have to admit that I stressed way too much over this event. Most of my stress came from the fact that I had ordered this cake for the original birthday party date but when we all got the flu and had to cancel I was stuck with a fairly expensive cake and no one to eat it or even see it. So I took a million pictures of it, wrapped it in saran wrap and stuck it in my fridge praying that it would not sag, sweat, or fall apart like all the experts were saying it would. Amazingly this miracle cake stayed looking beautiful for a whole week and ended up tasting pretty yummy too (at least that is what everyone said.) I felt bad for feeding everyone week old cake but you do what you've got to do.

Picture taken on the original day of the party.

The desert buffet.

I stupidly hot glued this boa to Addie's high chair and I am still plucking feathers off of it.

These cookies were so much fun to make. I got to put all my high school experience of doodling to work.

Party favor table.

I found these little party favors on Etsy. They are individually wrapped packages of sidewalk paint. We tried them out the day after the party and they were really bright and showed up great on our driveway. I plan to order the larger sizes for my kids this summer.



Mommy, Addie and Daddy before the party.

Kisses for the birthday girl!

My hope was that Addie would be walking by her party because her little pettiskirt is just so pretty when she is standing...but she chose to wait until literally the day after the party to take her first steps.

Jack and Dakota hanging out on the tractor doing boy stuff.

Addie and Avery on our merry-go-round doing girl stuff.

What am I going to do about that thumb?

Sweet girl! Of course she has her Cuddles!

Mommy, Addie, and Cuddles

Addie with her Uncle Matt and his beautiful girlfriend Brittney.

Pretty Lorelei walking like a big girl.

All the boys hung out on the merry-go-round. Apparently there was too much pink inside the house.

A precious moment captured between Addie Grace and her Pop. Love this!

I know this part of the party stinks because everyone has to just sit around and watch me open up a gazillion presents. Kids parties are only fun for the mommies I think.

My beautiful niece, Haley helping me unwrap all of Addie's gifts since Addie wasn't interested.

So many gifts! Thank you everyone!

Jack was so excited to be getting new books...in fact he plays with her new gifts more than she does.

Addie pushing around her new Bitty Baby. She's going to be such a good little mommy someday.

Little missy wasn't too sure about all the people crowding around her and singing. She looks so scared. Poor baby!

She didn't care for her cake. She tried a few bites but wouldn't ever dig into it. I was a little disappointed because a pile of cake and icing smeared cheeks always make cute pictures. Oh well.

After the party was over Addie decided to become interested in her presents. (Look at that cute smudge of Cheetos on her cheek. So adorable.)

This is my favorite thing from the party because it is sweet notes from all our friends and family to Addie on her special day. Everyone groaned a little when I made the announcement that I wanted them to spontaneously come up with meaningful words to be put on paper and treasured forever but I really love that we have these special notes of love. They really will be treasured forever

Happy birthday Addie Grace! You are my joy and I love being your mommy. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to paint a whole room pink, buy every bow I see, play with dolls, go crazy with for anything with ruffles, and dress you up in tutus and fairy wings. I look forward to fixing your boo boos, painting your fingernails, dressing up barbies, hearing about first crushes, having long talks, baking with you in the kitchen, having a shopping buddy when the boys do their guy thing, laughing hysterically over nothing,watching you graduate, buying your wedding dress, holding your babies, wiping your tears, sharing coffee, catching chick flicks, and basically watching you embrace this amazing life our God has given you. I love you my little Love Bug forever and ever.

Hot dog buns for breakfast

I am alive...barely, but alive. It happened, I got the flu. But not only did I get the flu but so did Jack and Addie, leaving Levi to take care of all 3 of us all by himself. And I have to brag on my husband for a second. He really rocks at the whole stay at home dad thing. He kept the house clean, the kids and myself clean and fed (even if the kids did eat hot dog buns for breakfast), and was the best nurse (tied with my Momma) that I could have asked for. He walked around with the thermometer scanning all of our foreheads constantly and keeping track of when everyone gets their next dose of whatever. I was the biggest wimp of all and we couldn't get my fever to stay down so I just ached all over, but my sweet, sweet husband stayed up most the night with me and rubbed my back, feet, and hands all night long. Then in the morning, when I was finally asleep, he would get up with the kids at the crack of dawn and take care of them. Today he is back at work and I know he is overwhelmed with emails and deadlines, plus he still has to go to school tonight. Needless to say, my husband is an awesome, self-sacrificing man and I am blessed everyday by him.

So because we were all sick we had to cancel Addie's birthday party. Let me just say that sending out all those emails was so depressing! I had decorated for it 5 days earlier and had everything ready. I just wanted to watch my little girl eat her cake, tear open her presents, and feel loved by all her family and friends. But we have rescheduled for this Sunday. So now I've got to literally scrub and Lysol my house from top to bottom. I imagine my house will sparkle like cartoons do when they want to show that something is clean. So now would be the time to buy stock in Lysol's company because I'm about to buy up every bottle.

One thing that is nice about being sick is the constant reminder of how much you are loved. I think our phone rang nonstop with our friends and family calling to check on us and offering to run errands or bring us something. How blessed we are...even when we feel like crap! ;)