Project #2

The second project I wanted to work on with my dad was painting our powder room or our half bath downstairs.  Everyone out here laughs when I say "powder room."  It must be a southern thing.  It was red when we moved in and while I would normally love a red bathroom, it just felt really small and dark.  I had in my mind more of a sage-y green color but it turned out a little brighter and it has very quickly become one of my favorite little happy rooms.

I thought about my grandfather alot while I was painting the bathroom and while I was refinishing the picnic table.  Those were things that he used to be great at.  He was great with his hands.  He was great at building things.   I probably told my dad a dozen times that I wish I could pick up the phone and call him to tell him what I was doing and ask him the correct way to do it.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him.  I miss him so much!

Anyways, here are a few pictures of my new powder room :)

i am in love with my new painting from Ballard Designs

and i still want to get a different light fixture too.  

Project #1

I had a couple of bigger projects that I was wanting my dad to help me with while he was here.  The first one was refinishing a picnic table.  Last year for my birthday, my sweet friend Sara's dad made me a picnic table for the boys!  It is truly one of my favorites.  But the weather had done a number on it and it desperately needed some help.

So, I borrowed a sander from my brother-in-law and went to ACE hardware and bought the rest of my supplies and we went to work!

here is the before.  i wish i had an up close picture. sorry for the shadow!

aren't you impressed that I'm using a sander?!  :)

all sanded and ready to be stained

VOILA!  Ain't she purdy?!  

I'm so happy how it turned out.  And I used a different "top coat" that should hold up to the weather better.  We've already had a few picnics and are loving it!

Thanks dad for helping me with project #1!  I love you!

Mother's Day

My sweet sweet boys, how I thank Jesus for you everyday!  You bless me beyond belief and I am honored to be your mommy.  Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He gave me you and for that I am eternally grateful!  I was born to be your mommy and I will treasure that responsibility and that gift for always.

I was definitely sad that I couldn't be with my own momma on Mother's day 'cause I miss her beyond belief but was grateful to be with my dad.  She is an amazing mother and I am so proud to be her daughter.

and i had to post these 2 pics...

my mommy and i on the day that i became a mommy!

and this was mother's day last year... so thankful for a different picture experience this year!  :)

Tired...

... looks like this at our house today...

ALL of us are going to bed early tonight!

My dad and the goats

My dad was here all last week and we had just the best time together!  He had been in Vancouver for a pastor's conference and hopped on a plane and came down for about 5 days.  The boys and I picked him up at the airport and we all headed straight to a goat farm in Sebastopol that was having their spring open house.  Mark's parents met us there because they are about to get a few goats themselves for Arista and wanted to check out everything.  We all had a BALL!  The boys were a little hesitant at first but it maybe lasted 2 minutes.

waiting for papa to get out of the plane- they were so excited!

dad flew right into santa rosa which is so great because you can go right out and watch the planes land behind this fence.

look at that smile on my dad's face!  isn't it just the greatest?!  :)

LOVE this picture!!

nibbling on jake's shirt- probably left over french fry grease :)

this was taken in the, for lack of a better word, "maternity ward"- all the goats in the barn were either pregnant or had just had babies within the past week.  i bet there were about 70 goats here!  dad got to test his mad milking skills.  and i didn't go near it.  i figure that i've "milked" enough over the past 3 years that i didn't need to test my skills :)

What a fun afternoon.  We got home and I thought the boys would crash but they attempted to, and succeeded in bringing out every toy that they have ever had to show their papa!  Jake would say, "cwose you eyes papa.  i have something to show you.  you aren't going to believe your eyes!"  Loved watching the 3 of them interact!  The last time they were together was over Thanksgiving so this was an extra fun trip!

Brotherly Love

The other morning I was sitting at the kitchen table and I heard Jake say, "Piercey, you wanna come sit in my lap?"  I quickly grabbed my camera and snapped a couple of pictures.  Of course, about 5 minutes later they were wrestling on the floor...

Sweet little brothers!  Oh how both of them make my heart leap with JOY!

Upstairs home tour

I realized going through my Easter pictures that I never posted on the upstairs of our house.  You may not even care but I thought I'd post them anyways :)  All of our bedrooms are together upstairs-  something at first I was against but with little kids I wouldn't have it any other way.  

Now when they get older...

MASTER BEDROOM and BATH

the curtains will be going as soon as i figure out what i'm going to do.

the master closet is to the right of the vanity- not sure why the picture didn't upload but we are loving a huge walk-in closet :)

JAKE'S ROOM 

(until we put in bunks for the boys this fall- can't wait!)

i'm loving their new kitchen- love that it's wood, love the colors, love the little washing machine, love that they spend a LONG time playing... TOGETHER with it :)

 

BOYS BATH

PIERCE'S ROOM

i changed his nursery a little when i added the rug.  i had to take away all the 'blue' and brighten it up a bit.  i really love it now!

GUEST ROOM that's waiting for YOU... if I know you!  :)

I love the fact that we have a guest room now- no family members or friends sleeping in other places or on palates on the floor (due to Jake's persuasion!)

behind that door is the most interesting room...

currently it is holding all kinds of "stuff" but the possibilities of this finished room are endless... a wine cellar (Mark's wish), a carpeted "play room", a little study, my craft room (ha- just kidding!) but what I would love LOVE to do is put in a bathroom here.  It would take a TON of work with all the plumbing etc but wouldn't that be great?!

So that's it!  That's our home.  Click here to see the downstairs if you missed that post.  I love it and am so thankful to be living here!