The bathroom makeover

Remember this? What was I thinking? What was going through my head when I thought this would be a good color for the bathroom?

I never loved the color but figured I had painted it so we were going to live with it for a while. Finally on Sunday I had had enough. I walked by the bathroom and immediately went and asked Rob if he wanted to get paint. I came home and started right in...even though I still had my church clothes on. I was done people! I worked most of the day Monday and got it all done and I am still in shock over the difference. Wanna see?

Drumroll please...

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The coconut

Emily likes to try new things when we go to the store so last week when her eyes locked on a coconut we bought one and brought it home so we could try the fresh stuff.

We got our tools together and I started pounding.

 More than anything the kids wanted to drink the coconut water. It has to be good right? They sell it in bulk at Costco so I figured how bad could it be? I got enough of a hole that I could pour it into a cup. Taylor tried, then Rob and then Emily and they all agreed...

 ...it was gross! Now if I were on a deserted island and I needed water then I would have no problems drinking it but round these parts, where we have good ol' tap water, I think we will be leaving the coconut water to the castaways. 

I finally got it open and it was so pretty. We started digging into it to eat it and, well, living your whole life thinking that coconut comes in a bag with the words "shredded" and "sweetened" on the label doesn't really prepare you for the real thing. It wasn't for us but at least we tried.

no idle hands here

I have been a busy little bee the last couple of weeks making fun projects. The first one is a heart wreath. It was so easy and I just love it!

 The second is a Christmas ball wreath. I found it on Meg's blog and as soon as I saw it knew I would have one by next year. I went to Goodwill and they had all of their ornaments 50% off so I stacked my cart high, ridiculously high, cleaning them out of ornaments. I got 17 boxes of ornaments for $12. This was mid process. It took a loooooong time to finish it. Like 6 hours long but it was totally worth it.

 I absolutely love this one too!

 And last bug not least I made a caddy for my sewing machine to put scissors, rulers etc in so I don't have to go searching for them when I need something.

Christmas

Christmas Eve started with the service at church followed by looking at lights. This tradition is 15 years strong now! We decided to go to Hidden Springs for lights this year. The lights weren't that great but the houses...if I can't live on the east coast then I should at least be able to live here. The mercantile, the service station, the post office, the houses. I can't stand it! Rob had to wipe up a puddle of drool by the time we left. After our tour we went back to Rodger and Terry's for food. Lots and lots of food.

 Before we left Steph pulled up the Santa tracker so the kids could see how close he was. They were mesmerized and so excited. We've never pushed Santa a whole lot at our house but watching that made even me want to believe.

 Emily wanted to leave cookies and milk out for Santa so we let her. Rob needed a bedtime snack anyway.

Taylor and Emily wanted to sleep together upstairs. She fell fast asleep.

 Taylor not so much. It was after midnight before he was out.

 Christmas morning. Yes we took another picture but Emily's eyes were closed in that one too. We had fun being together opening our presents and spending time together. We were spoiled with lots of things but we remember the real reason for celebrating.

 Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.



Emily is 8!!!

My baby girl turned 8 a few weeks back. Man how the time has flown! And just like any 8 year old should, she got everything she wanted.

This is the ipod cake that she wanted her Daddy to make. Not sure why an ipod and not sure why he had to make it but he did. All by himself.

 She received a diary(with a lock to keep snoopy brothers out), a pink ipod and tons of gift cards(which she wanted so she could go shopping herself), among other things. She was spoiled! And we wouldn't have it any other way.

My Girl

I was looking at this girl yesterday and she looked so old. Where did my baby go? My baby girl that I would rock to sleep for her afternoon nap just cause I could. And when I was being really bad would hold her for the entire thing too. Gone are the diapers and the binkys and the baby talk. Gone are the chubby cheeks and little girl curls. I am grateful that we aren't at that stage most of the time but sometimes I long for those days when she drank from a sippy cup and watched Monsters Inc five times a day. She is growing up and that is OK. I am just happy that I can witness it. Here are a few photos of Miss Personality.

She did a comb over on her own and when I went to take the picture she gives me this.

 We got rock band for Christmas and she LoVeS to belt out the tunes. Even the ones she doesn't know which is particularly fun for us.

 I try to put her hair up at night so it isn't ratted in the morning. She got a kick out of this night 'do.

 Captured this one this morning. Still half asleep and not ready to get up for school. I wanted to crawl in bed with her and let her sleep an hour longer.

 Trying to teach herself to braid.