Charlies' Closet

Ice Day!

Today we got a lovely robotic voice mail message from our school district saying that school was delayed for 2 hours due to ice on the roads. 

Then 1 1/2 hrs later another harmonious message saying SCHOOL WAS CANCELLED!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Left on the table were the bags packed, until the next day!

What?  I get to stay snuggled up in bed?  Wait, we get to hang out all day with Julia, and Jay, and the Boys? Wait...WE SHOULD CELEBRATE!

I let the boys do whatever they liked, which entailed a LOT of watching wrestling on our TV, and playing a game.  

Whipped out my new griddle out of the box, and Sam and I made some super yummy pancakes

Slathered them in butter and syrup (imitation of course)...

Julia kindly took a 21 week belly shot of me ;)

And it is only 10:22 AM!  I have a potatoes, and carrots in the crockpot for dinner with some beef, and have the best day lined up!  YIPPY SKIPPY!

Hope you enjoy your day too!

Oh, by the way tomorrow is the launch of the Rhythm of the Home Spring Edition, and Julia has WORKED her butt off yet again for our viewing enjoyment.  Stop on over there if you would, and send some love!

Bookcases...DONE!

Yesterday I found that my bookcases had arrived on my doorstep after work!  I was so excited to put them together, but my body had other plans.  My back was paining me in the middle of my shoulder blades, and I was exhausted after 13 hours of work. 

So, paper beat rock, and I went to bed 30 minutes later at 9:30 PM.  

Phewww ;)

The next morning I woke up, readied Sam for school, and set to quick work assembling my two new purchases!

I was originally going to put them behind the couch, like a console table, but I found they were a bit too high, and made other plans for my new lovelies.  

I decided I needed to make the entry way a bit more inviting, and thought a little entry table/shelf unit would be just the ticket!

The second I chose to place in the dining area.  I will use it as a semi sideboard for dinners, and get togethers, and a place to display items I love in the mean time.  I think it adds to the space very nicely. 

This is the outfit I wore to bed last night, and what I wore for my assemble line...LOL

Jay took this photo, and said I looked "LOVELY"...YEAH RIGHT!

Make Room for Baby!

Today, I set to making over my 2 entryways that were in a MAJOR need of a renovation!  Also, with the new one on the way, we needed to clean out our guest room closet, also known as Julia and Eben's room, so that I could put some baby stuff in there.

I employed my trusty, non-whining, super handy, loving sister Julia to help with the, now I say this VERY LOOSELY...handiwork, and Jay was the dragger of all things not needed to the basement.

Front entry before:

After:

Side Entry Before:

After: (Please note our piecemealed, old moulding, rod holders)

Julia took this one, she thought that this one needed a SAD face because it was so shabbily done!  Love it!

Ready for hanging the stuff on!

Hung!

I added a tension rod, and 2 long panel curtains to help define the space.  Thanks Lisa Laporta!  LOL Julia!

All in all I am SUPER pleased with the whole look, and I can not wait for the two Espresso Bookshelves I bought at Target that JUST SHIPPED!  I am going to use them for shoes on the bottom, and hats, mittens, etc on the top shelve with baskets for storage!  So EXCITED!

1/14/11

Today after school the boys dashed into the living room not looking for the game or TV remotes, but for the newest remote to take over our house...THE CRANE REMOTE!

You see, our parents kindly gifted the boys with this MONSTROUS working crane yesterday as a belated Christmas gift, and there has been no other.  

It was a huge hit, and shocker...THEY TOOK TURNS!

After they tired of the crane, then came the dump truck they could run their wrestling guys over with.  

Yup, boys will be boys

Then they wanted a snack.  Ritz crackers, and Merkt's port wine cheese spread was the snack du'jour.  

I decided that GASP...I would actually PLAY...GASP...a game WITH them...GASP!  They were thoroughly elated, and we had a blast.  (Pardon the blurriness of Sam's face, but you get the idea!)

Connect four (Spongebob/Patrick faced edition) was the game of choice.

The final score was Sam 10, Eben 8, me 9.  I did have my fare share of "Oh Darn, you won again (WINK)", and "How come you keep winning (WINK)", and "I didn't see that opening (WINK)".

VICTORY!

1/9/11

Today being my one day off in a 5 day stretch, I woke with a smile!  I successfully managed to keep my %$#@ together, and not become a RAGING %$#%@ when readying the 3 boys for our morning of skiing. I say 3 boys because I count my dear husband amongst the children on days like this.   Usually I am less than patient as I make sure everyone has all the things they need for our trip.  Helmets, skis, poles, underware, turtlenecks, mittens, snacks, etc.  Today. Jay had already laid out his stuff (as I asked) the night before, and the boys stuff was already together from yesterday when they went with Julia.  The morning went off without a hitch, and I did not even once raise my voice!  

That being said, I thought I would share with you my newest gift from my mother.  Fitting don't you think?  Every week has a different little saying, and I must say...I resemble most of the remarks.

We had a fair time skiing, amongst the windy, cold there were smiles, and jumps.  Racing in and out of a free race course, trying to beat each others times, and all of us laughing when Jay fell while getting off the chair on his first run ( he did not hurt himself, just his ego was injured).  I must say that was the highlight of the ski trip. DO NOT TELL HIM I SAID THAT!  The boys think that the baby in my belly made the best time in the gates.  I tend to agree.

I have been on a craft-a-thon for this new babe.  Although, I can not pick gender specific colors, I am content with my greens, and blues, and whites.  This newest blankie is no exception. 

I made it larger than the pattern so it could be a crib blanket, and I am glad I did.  Although it took me OVER 10 hours to crochet, it was an easy pattern, and I enjoy the finished look so much!  I am planning on edging it in a picot stitch in a purple (girl) or blue (boy) as of FEB 17th.  That is right...we find out the gender on the 17th, and I am counting down the days.  

Here is my most recent belly shot.  I have popped over the past few days.  Sam, the other day, patted my stomach and said "Mommy, the baby is growing!"  

I smiled at his cute little face looking at me, and then at my stomach.

  I must say I am loving the belly pop, but I am not loving how my body feels in general.  I feel out of shape, un-limber, and in need of some exercise.  Of course the weather has been less than optimal for outdoor activites, and I am on high alert couch potato duty...BAD MIX! 

 

Even Bear is getting his stretch on...NOTE TO SELF: Get moving!

On a MUCH cuter note: Sam lost that wonky tooth yesterday.  I got home from work, adn picked him and Eben up at Julia's, and Julia calls to me " Come in Eben's room!"  I walk in and I see the 3 of them all sitting together on the side of Eben's bed, and Sam is smiling at me.  It took me a minute to notice his gap, it was a LONG day.  He giggled, and had BRAVELY pulled his own tooth out. I hugged him with all my might!

HOW COULD I NOT NOTICE THIS RIGHT OFF? 

Seriously he is the cutest kid~right?

On another cute kid note: please click on the following link for a wonderful cause. 

Kelle Hampton is a tireless advocate for Down's Syndrome, and a FABULOUS blogger and AMAZING mother of two beautiful little girls. She inspires me with every word! 

For more on Kelle and her world click here.  

Support a great cause, and spread the word!

My Scholar!

So, let me just say this, as a first time mom, first grade has been a huge undertaking.  It is by far not what any of us had expected. I remember first grade being like an extension of Kindergarten, just a bit less play, and a bit more ABC's and 123'S.  Sam is taking everything in stride, and he likes his teacher (although I am not sharing his sentiments AS much) which is great!  He has a lot of friends, and has not turned into someone other than SAM, my love.  His reading was having some issues with comprehension, and he was having problems deciding which + or - symbol to use in math problems  (according to the parent teacher conference in November).  In my eyes he was doing AMAZING!  Of course we all think our children can do no wrong, but as a rational person I took a step back, and looked at what the teacher had said.  By doing so, I did notice that there were definitely things that we could be more diligent in.  So I set, and sometimes my husband set, to work.  It has been just over a month now, and MAN is there a HUGE difference.    

So yesterday, we had a first!  He did every ounce of his homework by himself, including reading the questions on the math papers!  I was beaming, and thought I would share.  

Working Hard...thinking

See that little pink pill?  Yeah that is the bane of my life right now...my pre-natal vitamin, and I HATE IT!

 

While I made dinner, he worked independently.

 

Look how great he did!  Two of these pages, and one math problem page.  ALL ALONE!

(they are learning time too!)

Then as I was signing off on his homework, Sam asked me how I "draw" my name like I do, and I told him it is cursive. Then I asked if he wanted to write his name. I wrote the first line, and then he did his copy cat version. I think he did awesome!

Finally I leave you with a picture of my current favorite thing on my son's body:

This tooth has been edging it's way forward for weeks now, and there is barely a wiggle to it. So funny! I love how he looks with it. Endearing I think is the right word.

Here is to a better parent teacher conference next time, and to a smart, loving boy who likes to make his mama and daddy proud! 

Merry DE-Christmas!

Ahhhhhh...today I woke up thoroughly annoyed by the tree that just last night brought me such joy.

The twinkling lights that once made me smile and feeling happy were mocking now me...like "HA HA, you still have us up, and it is WAY past New Years, you procrastinator! Na na na na na."

Not to be one upped by a tree mind you I set to taking it all down.  Ornament by ornament, light string by light string.  As each one was bagged up, my whole body felt calmer, happier, and more free from the stress of the Holidays.  I was left with needles (synthetic, but needles none the less), and dust, and oodles of cat hair layered under the tree. A quick vacuuming, a little re-arranging, and now I have my house back the way I like it!

Oh, and a de-cluttered table area.  SO NICE!

Since the boys are in school again, I thought it was high time for some Mommy time! I then decided to treat myself to a crochet a thon while watching a little Gordon Ramseys Kitchen Nightmares

It was the one at Moore house for those who follow the show, and I loved it!

 Hope you all have a productive lovely day also~Laura