beach project high chair

Since we were only going to be at the project for a few days we did not bring a high chair. Actually I was not originally coming. It was a last minute decision. Anyway, since we had no high chair we had to improvise.

Yes that is the pac-n-play. And yes it is pretty much in the bathroom. The only redeeming factor is that he is eating fruit.

Well, Papa is getting a horse. He has said it for a while but now it is true. His old boss has an old horse that he is giving him to eat the grass around the pond. We went and saw her the other day. The one Streed is petting is another one. Streed loved it. When he was feeding it he was cracking up. It was so funny. I don't know her name but I will call her Marey. Because she is an old MARE! Aren't I creative.

play date

Yesterday Clara Mae brought her 5 year old nephew over to play with Streed. It was a lot of fun. Streed wanted him to spend the night. He was ready to go see his mom but he called Clara Mae today to see if he could come over. They were so cute together.

new to me

Since we have moved here Streed has met some friends in the neighborhood. Some I care for, some I don't. One in particular wants to play all the time...at my house...of course he is not my fav. He is eight. He does and says lots that is not OK by me. For instance, opens my pantry and fridge without asking, uses eight year old language, argues with my kids and me, is loud etc. I have expressed to Chip that I hate to think about telling his parents that he cannot play with my kids anymore. Chip feels sorry for him because he seems to have little attention from his parents. He said lets just try and influence him as much as we can. I agreed.

Today he took it to another level. I do not want to post what happened but I am going to have to talk to his mom. I already talked to him but it is severe enough that I must talk to her. I dread this. I have lived here for 6 months. I have probably talked to her a dozen times.

Thankfully I got in the word this morning and was already praying for wisdom in parenting. Thankfully too I was in the kitchen and heard what was said. As much as I do not like to have him here, if they are going to play, they will have to play at my house. That is the only way I can supervise.

The Result

After not hearing from the doctor's office I finally sent an email. Below is her response. Thank you all for your prayers. I have been quite peaceful.


Shelley,

The FNA was consistent with a cyst. There were no abnormal cells present.

thyroid update

I had my biopsy Wednesday. It was the most nerve-racking experience. The procedure was painless. It was the idea that I was having a procedure done to determine if I have cancer or not. I love the doctor and PA though. They are great. They were able to drain the nodule. They said the test would probably not find any cells. It just looks like a cyst. They scheduled me an appt for 9 months from now. They put me on a synthetic thyroid pill call synthroid, vitamin D and B-12 because my blood work revealed I was low in both of those vitamins.

I left and it was flat. That night at the dinner table I felt my throat and the nodule was back! I was so mad. I called the next morning and they got me right in. They could not drain it this time and said it was probably a fresh blood clot. He told me to use warm compresses for a few days to see if it will go down. And that if it keeps filling up then we would have to remove it. He said he doesn't want to yet because it will leave a scar. To me that is not a big deal at all. That is the least of my concerns. So, the journey continues. Hopefully I will know the results by Monday.

Third Times a Charm

We finally got Nate's one year pictures made. I was trying to think why I waited so late to do it. Then I remembered that when he turned one I was barely keeping my head above water. We had just moved and I was ultra overwhelmed and underwhelmed. It was a bad time. Since then I have tried two other times but he just would not cooperate. But, it was worth the wait because look at this cutie. We went to Portrait Innovations. I will definitely go back. It was a really good experience.

PS- I have enough pictures for anyone and everyone! So, let me know which one you want.

PPS- Streed and Ella both took their one year pictures in a wicker chair wearing a monogrammed outfit. Nate is wearing a purple and gold ensemble because we moved here the month of his birthday.

finished product

I LOVE IT! It was a little bit of an ordeal but worth it. The first attempt was minus the tamping block. It sagged in the middle. The next day Chip decided he needed to take the bricks up, go buy the tamper and re-do it. I was so glad. I LOVE the pea gravel. That is what makes it. I am proud that it was my idea and my design. Thanks Chip for contributing the muscle and the money!

how we beat the heat...

Everybody please bring your squeaky tricycles inside and ride laps around the house. All while screaming with excitement.

Or like today when Streed had 2 neighborhood friends over. The five year old was squealing to the tops of his lungs while playing with a cars race track. Then somehow Nate's diaper came off and they were all (including Ella) running around the house SCREAMING "naked nate, naked nate"! I guess Nate thought, "It's getting hot in here. I'll take off all my clothes."

It gets better when they all run from Ella into Streed's room and shut the door. Ella then proceeds to beat on the door while screaming "LET ME IN!".

Or after being outside they come in saying they are thirsty and the 8 year old opens all my cabinets looking for cups and almost hopped on the counter to get one. I immediately had to let it be known that this was my house and if they needed something they needed to ask.

Ahhh. We do want our house to be where the kids play. It is just a new phase in life for me. I guess I better get used to it.

more projects

kids vanity before
(I do not have an after picture yet)

my vanity after
(mine was the same color as theirs)

Our bathroom vanities too were quite hideous. I have become a fan of the $3 sample pints of paint at Lowes. Since I usually goof on colors it is better to spend $3 on a sample than $20 on a gallon of paint. I bought a "swiss chocolate" pint for our bedroom. It was way to dark for the walls but was PERFECT for the vanity. I just love it. It only took the pint to paint the whole thing. Since mine turned out so well I got 2 "navy" sample to do the kids' since theirs is bigger than ours. I just love theirs too!

Our vanity tops are marble so I do not want to change them even though they are "slightly" outdated in their color schemes. Ours is a swirl of aquas, off-white and light tan. And the kids' is a swirl of greens, off-white and light tan.

I decided that a dark contrasting color on the vanity base would be fine as long as the wall color was chosen from among the swirls in the top. Eventually the walls in my bathroom will be "Aqua Smoke" and I think the kids will be "Pale Camel". Mine may end up "Pale Camel" too. The "Aqua Smoke is definitely going in my bedroom. My vanity area is actually a part of the bedroom. So, I don't know yet if I am carrying the color in there or making it appear separate. I am looking forward to that day when it is all finished. I have, however, come to terms with doing a little along the way.