LETTING GO

I recently spent some time cleaning out the drawer below the baby crib and removing all the blankets, sheets and everything that is baby. I have it neatly folded inside the crib waiting for my husband to take the crib apart so that I can get it out of our bedroom and give it all away.

Sounds great.... yet I am having issue with getting rid of it. I have no plans to have more children, two is all I want. For that matter, all I can handle. However I have this fear, this fear that I will part with all my baby things and the unthinkable will happen.

I fear this because I did not plan either of my children. They just happened! The second one I wanted to happen but it wasn't planned when it did. I have placed the burden on my husband to take care of things so we cannot have more children and he has not done this.

I have purged baby clothing and many other things but not the crib. Why am I afraid to send away the crib? I need to get it out of my house for space reasons it needs to go and yet I can't bring myself to do it.

2010's Big Goal

I am behind on my New Years post but better late than never.

This year my big focus is my house. We have outgrown our current house but it requires so much works still before we are ever going to be able to sell it. Each year we say "this year we are going to put siding on the house" and it doesn't happen. First we waited for the roof to be done and now it is just the expenditure of siding a house.

There are several big items that must be done to finish this house:

• Siding (really needed as parts of the wood on the exterior is now rotten)
• The upstairs bathroom (it is a shell with no walls or anything). We have items for the bathroom purchased now we just need to get cracking.
• The downstairs bathroom will require a redo after the upstairs one is functional.
• The kitchen looks like it fell out of the 80's. I painted cabinets and my dad installed a new counter top (all free) when we moved in but we need all new.
• New front door that will be relocated to the concrete porch. This is a must as the porch was added onto and poorly built and really in bad condition. If the door is moved we can remove the old porch and just use the concrete porch.
  

We also have a lot of little things to do:

• I want to add a deck out back
• Add a privacy fence on the side
• Trim needs to be finish everywhere
  
• Lights need to be installed
• Boys closet need shelves and hanging system installed
  

Funny thing is a lot of these things will not cost us anything as we bought materials to do long ago and just haven't done them yet. The siding, deck and kitchen will be our biggest expenses.

Looking at my list I am getting a touch sad because I don't know how all this can happen in a year. My husband does a lot of the work but he can be so slow. Many of the small things I am going to save up money and bring someone in and have them done. We also agreed to pay to have the siding done but I am sure when we get quotes my husband is going say I can do this for half. Yes, he can do it for a lot less money but it will take forever and sometimes we just have to make sacrifices.

I can remember buying this house so excited with the potential it had. I had great visions for this home. Had no idea when I bought this bank repossessed house that it would be such a headache. I also didn't expect to out grow this home in such a short time.

All I can say is I will never own a 100 year old home again. I will not pick a home that is one giant project. The extent of the work in my next home will be nothing more than the paint colors on the walls.

Have you undergone these types of home improvement projects? Are you a DIYer or do you hire it done?

He Turned Seven

Happy New Year!

I really thought things were going to slow down but my entire holiday break was crazy. Way to many commitments that I will not do next year for my break.

My beautiful Luke turned 7 on December 30th. Hard to believe he is now 7 years old. Time goes by way to fast.

Seems like yesterday he was this little thing....

And in a blink he has grown into my big boy.
We had a small birthday celebration at home with us and grandma's and grandpa's and a couple cousins. This provided me with an opportunity to make a trial cake. Luke wanted a Star Wars character and he picked Jango Fett (don't feel bad I don't have a clue either). My husband does not like Fondant so I used icing. Made my own and colored it blue and it was a night mare. First little kids and blue icing is not a good choice. Second I just couldn't get it to spread correctly on my cake that I carved and shaped into a lego character.

Here is the result of my not so pretty cake.
We also planned on Saturday after the New Year a party with Luke's friends at a local bowling ally. The kids had a blast! This was my chance to redeem myself on the birthday cake and Luke changed characters on me to Boba Fett (son of Jango Fett). Good news he isn't blue. This time I used fondant because I was not making an ugly cake twice. Turned out really cool and I got lots of great comments.

Here is the result of my second cake.
Let me just say I live for the comments especially after slaving over that cake for hours on end. I am not a pro at cake decorating but I expect perfection so this causes me hours of work as I do and redo things. This cake I started decorating Friday night around 8:30, went to bed at 12:30, got up at 8:30 and finished at 11:50 just as it is time to walk out the door for the party.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years!

Wow am I glad Christmas is over but now I have 5 days until Luke turns 7 and he wants me to make his birthday cake. Still trying to figure that one out.

I have missed all of you guys so much and I will be making my rounds here soon and life will be back to normal.

First off here are a few of the things that had me really busy this past month. First, I made 4 little girls purses and I have one more to still make. I made them all different and two of the girls that got them were thrilled to get them. The other one was to busy with other things to care and my other niece was not at Christmas this year so I will not get to see her open hers either.

First up... Princes purse #1.
It is exactly the same on both sides.

Princes purse #2
Front view

Back view.

Princes purse #3
Front view

Back view
(oh and this was my favorite of them all)

Princes purse #4
Front view

Back view
This one came out the best as far as sewing goes
but I think I got better with each purse. The 5th
purse I need to make will be like this one.I also made a Mickey Mouse fleece blanket for Thomas.

I have just really started getting into sewing but I have lots of things I want to try and do.

I think the kids had a great Christmas. Luke got lots of Lego's and that is great because he can sit and play Lego's for hours on end.

I also had two sick kids, one with strep right after school let out for the Holiday's and one that ended up with Croop (spelling), really bad cough and fever that started Christmas day. Figures!

I have this next week off and looking forward to putting my house back in order and celebrating my babies 7th birthday and ringing in the new year.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and wishing you all a Happy New Year. If I find time I will get some more pictures of Christmas up soon.

Tree Picking

Went on Sunday and selected our Christmas tree. The boys had a blast running in and out of the rows of trees. Gotta love kids!
Unfortunately, my tree is leaning against the wall and still not in water. This is not good. My husband has been sick and not able to get it cut and into the stand. I am hoping this will happen soon or we are going to have a dead tree.

Don't know when I will get it decorated and Christmas is right around the corner. Makes me a little nervous that we are this far behind this year.

Other updates, still lots to do and feels like nothing is getting done. Sorry if I haven't been around much. I promise I will do my best to make it around when I can and after the New Year all should be back to normal.

Oh and Diane, sorry I had to turn the word verification back on. I am getting spam in my comments daily and I have had enough of it.

Happy Holiday's all!