Projects

We decided to take advantage of the break and knock out a few more home improvement projects.

The "piano room" BEFORE:

All one color! Ugh!

AFTER: (now known as the "green room")

Color! I love this room in the daylight.

The pantry BEFORE:

A funny story is that someone actually took all of these

metal shelves when we set them out for garbage pick-up.

AFTER:

The shelves are from Ikea.

Alex painted them with a very dull polyurethane,

then put them together in the pantry.

I love this chocolate color on the walls -

it really makes the shelves stand out.

Quite easily one of my favorite rooms in the house.

You've gotta love a well-organized, accessible pantry!

And not just its contents!

Bikes

Nearly everyday the kids ask if they can go outside and ride bikes. It's been way too cold! But today they got their chance. December in Georgia:

Cranberry Sauce

This is becoming a tradition. Every other year we forego the traditional cookie plate and make cranberry sauce to give to friends. It's very tart (even with all the sugar pictured!) and super yummy!

We're feeling left out

Everyone's getting snow except us. But we can still make snowmen! The kids were quite proud of their creations:

They didn't last very long before Frosty was eaten alive!

wreath

My favorite Christmas addition this year!

. . . the girls will play!

Alex took Justin to his first concert so McKenzie and I had some one-on-one girl time after Josie went to bed. We did something Kenzie loves: posing for the camera! We both had a great night!

the story goes . . .

When I was a young girl (less than 5), my mom ran an errand and left my dad in charge of the kids. We were all outside playing except for the few minutes I slipped inside, combed my hair down in front of my eyes, cut it all off, swept it up and put it in the garbage, and returned the scissors to the closet. When my mom came home and saw the damage, she questioned my dad who, of course, was oblivious to the entire thing. I'd heard the story over and over and never thought it was such a big deal, until . . .

I found the evidence on the floor of the entryway after cleaning up the huge boxes they had been playing in for the past week. At some point these boxes were steam trains and palaces, storage units and race cars. Evidently, they once served as a salon too.

McKenzie took off about 2 1/2 inches right in the front. After a little blending, I quite like her new look!

empty boxes

One way to fill an afternoon . . .

And empty piano room . . .

LOVE after-Thanksgiving sales!

Book of Mormon stories

Thanksgiving weekend we finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time as a family. We started reading five versus a night with Justin when he was I-don't-know-how old. We decided it was important to read the actual scriptures instead of a reader or other version even though he was so young. Most nights, I wasn't sure he was even paying attention but then he would ask a question or make a comment that let us know that he was. Naturally, McKenzie and Josie joined us when they joined our family.

I'm thankful for the Book of Mormon. I know it is the word of God.

I'm thankful for my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm thankful for the family I have to share it all with.

Last year's Christmas present

We bought this house over a year ago and right away set to making it our own (remember this, this, this, and this?) but the stairs were to be our first major project. In fact, they were to be my Christmas present! The goal: rip the carpet off, buff up the oak underneath and replace the white wooden spindles with black iron spindles. Didn't happen. Until now!

Before:

During: Justin got to help Handyman Hill replace the poplar treads with oak treads (James, he can join your team any day - he's already got the shirt!) and drill the holes for the iron spindles . . .

add a new chandelier . . .

and, viola!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Merry Christmas!

First foods

Josie's first go at rice cereal and pears! I think she was hungry . . . she ate the whole thing! She's still a great eater - loves pears and bananas - green beans, not so much and we've even tried a few Cheerios. In the words of her older sister, "Go Josie!"

the end . . . finally

Due to the weather, I think we played soccer a full month longer than scheduled - but it was worth it! McKenzie spent a lot of time twirling on the field this season . . . they still gave her a trophy!

Justin loved the game and played really well for his first season. We didn't get his trophy for another three weeks (kind of anticlimactic) but, nevertheless, he's ready for next season . . . go Crickets!

Halloween

The camera was "acting up" that day, so these pix are from Alex's camera. Look familiar? My kid's are very original, except when it comes to Halloween costumes . . . click here. McKenzie went as a ballerina to one party and a fairy princess to another party, but in the end, the "regular" princess costume won out.

She wasn't allowed to wear a costume to her class party so we hit the Walmart for a suitable outfit . . . what a cutie!

Twinners

Shopping for one girl was fun, shopping for two girls is addictive!

Fire!

The fairgrounds hosted a fire day where they brought out all the big guns for the kiddos to climb all over and do a little trick-or-treating, so we went one afternoon between soccer games.

Justin loved all the cars, trucks, motorcycles . . .

Kenzie rocked the rock wall . . .

And they both digged the face painting, but weren't too sure of the clown . . .

Poser

This kid's just cute!