What we've been up to

You have probably been wondering if we are still alive. Well we are alive and well. We have had a busy summer of projects and playing. Here is our latest project.... This is our master bedroom, well half of it. It is an enormous room. It was originally two bedrooms, but the previous owner knocked down a wall. I need a bedroom for Shelby, so we are putting it back up. That sounds like a really easy job, right? I thought it would take a week or two. I failed to recognize all the work that needed to be done. The paneling needs to be taken off and the drop ceiling needs taken down. Of course there has to be plaster behind all of that so that needs to be taken out and then we can dry wall and put a wall up. I guess now I know why it has taken me a year to convince Tyler it was time to tackle this project.

Here is our ongoing project...The Yard. We started this in the spring. I know it still looks kinda messy but believe me it is an improvement of last year. We put in a new sprinkler system and took out a lot of grass to make lots of flower beds. I know it is hard to see but I am hopeful next year they will be packed with flowers.

Here is the other project that has swallowed a lot of my time, but is one of my most proud. My Garden. When I put the seeds in the ground I was not expecting anything to come up, but boy was I wrong. I have a garden people! I actually did it. Try not to notice the dead grass at the bottom of the picture (that's next years project, tyler just doesn't know it yet!) I have tomatoes growing on the vine. I have already picked a bowl full of peas, and a bucket full of summer squash (my favorite!). I also have carrots, beans, corn and pumkins. I also planted some cabbage, but got some pretty flowers instead (I swear that is what the package said, CABBAGE, oh well). Having a garden is a lot of work. Lots of weeding and watering and feeding, but I am so excited. The food really does taste better when you grow it yourself!

Shelby is starting to walk. She is such a funny little girl. She is just discovering that she likes to be the center of attention. She is quite the entertainer. She is lots of fun and I can't believe it has been almost a year since she graced us with her presence!

And then there is this wild man. He still loves his dad and counts down the hours til he comes home. He loves his sister and loves having a playmate. I have learned that I can't leave him alone for longer then a few minutes. I was having a primary meeting at my house a few weeks ago and noticed that he was nowhere to be seen. So I excused myself for a few minutes and ran to my bathroom to find him with a sharpie in one hand and my mascara in another hand. It was everywhere, floor, walls, cabinets, mirror, door, shower. I manged to clean most of it off. I thought of taking a picture, but honestly I don't want to remember it. Markers are off limits now.

In June we made a trip to Wyoming for Tyler's class reunion. We had such a fun time. We went to the parade and fireworks. Tyler's parents own a few greenhouses. I was in heaven. They were so sweet to send me home with anything I could fit in my car. I am also super excited about the peonies they dug out of their yard for me. I can't wait til next year so I can see them. I am just praying they come up. I also got a clematis I am so excited about to go over the little trellis/arbor they also gave me. It was fun to see Tylers family, we don't get to see them enough. We keep hoping that one day we will acquire a jet or something to make traveling much easier.

Tyler is staying busy with the cows and our house. He is a goof ball and always keeps us laughing. He is such a good dad and husband. He laughs at all my ideas. The funny thing is, he doesn't even know half of the stuff I want to do to this house. It will be pretty tricky getting him on board.

I ran a 5K a few weeks ago. My friend Annie convinced me I should do it with her. I trained for a few weeks with her and told myself I would just take it nice and easy. Being the competitive idiot I am, I totally killed myself. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I couldn't handle people passing me. I finished in 2nd place in my division with a time of 25.54 I am definitely feeling the pain this week. I can barely walk, let alone run. My kness are killing me, and my ankle swells whenever I run. I am such a dummy. What was I thinking....Not running for nearly 3 years and then running as hard as I could for 3 miles! I thought my competitiveness had died with my college days. Apparently I was wrong.

Where does the time go?

I just can't believe it is May already. And when did my children get so big. I feel like I have blinked and now Shelby is crawling and Aiden is talking up a storm. Here is just a little update on the family and what we have been up to.

Shelby has two teeth and has been crawling for a few weeks. She hates being on her knees and I wouldn't be surprised if she is walking in a month. She can stand without any support for a while until she gets a little too excited. She is a funny little girl and loves attention. She will squeal and sing to anyone who looks at her. She loves her big brother and screams the entire time she is awake while he is napping. She was definitely meant to be the younger sibling. She takes Aidens abuse with smiles and giggles.

Aiden is getting to be such a big boy. He loves to play hoops and run around outside, but his favorite thing to do is "feed tows"(cows) in the "big trutch" (truck) with his dad. It has become the sunday tradition. Aiden is starting to catch on. While he use to scream as I talked about going to church, now he associates feeding cows with church and I am sure that is all he talks about in Nursery.

As for Tyler, I have kept him pretty busy. I had been making plans all winter for my yard. I guess I failed to mention this to Tyler. One day I told him everyone was coming to rip apart our yard and put in new sprinklers. I don't know how excited he has been about the project, but it is coming along. A big thanks to Roger for helping...I mean doing...the sprinklers. And for the past few months Tyler has been faithfully pulling up sod where I want flower beds, hooking up the water, tilling up the garden and about a million other things.

My time is filled is yard work, primary and two kids. I wouldn't have it any other way. Life is good and I can't complain.

New Do

I decided it was time for a change. I always do this. I spend years growing my hair out and then on a whim, I chop it off. Well this time I CHOPPED it off. I can't even get myself to post pictures of it yet. I was going for something like this...
Or even this.....

But instead I got this.....

Funny story....I had just finished drying my new do, and I looked up in the mirror and about had a heart attack, yep...I thought Justin Bieber was starring back at me. I ran into the other room and said to Tyler, "I know who I look like!" He took one look at me and said, "Justin Bieber?" I started screaming and ran into the bathroom and put makeup on and a bow in my hair to regain a little femininity. This morining I found Tyler looking at me funny and after a while he said, "You really need to fix your hair, you really look like Justin Bieber again."

Good thing it is just hair and it will grow back. I am really enjoying how easy it is to get ready, but I find myself raiding my daughters hair bows just to feel like a girl. I guess if you want to see it, you may have to visit in person because I am going to hide from the camera for at least a month.

Kitchen Update

Many of you have been asking about the kitchen. Here it is. It is almost finished. Just some beadboard to cover that pine by the back door, touchup paint and baseboards! I don't know who is happier me or Tyler. It sure is nice and it is exactly what I pictured in my mind.

Picture Update

I can't believe how big these kiddos are getting. Shelby is 5 1/2 months and Aiden turned two in December. They are so much fun. I feel so lucky. I can tell already, they are going to be best buds.