I wanted to go to Lowe's the other day to pick up some shades for my bathroom light and a mirror for that room too. So while I was getting myself ready,

this is what I found these two doing.

Running around on the table.

Preston is such a climber and Abbi is soon to follow. Strange but it's often the younger one leading the older.

Here is an example. She will open the freezer door just because it's fun but he sees it open and thinks he needs to empty it out. She sees how much fun that is so she joins him. Or she opens the girl's bedroom door and he sees the open door and makes a run for it because he LOVES climbing up their bunk bed ladder. He is so clumsy I know he will flip over the bed railing one of these days.

There is no question why my windows always have finger prints at the strangest places.

Kisses for baby brother if he would just stand still.

Then while I was cleaning up some stray toys, getting the diaper bag ready, and filling the sippy cups. Here is where I found Preston. 

Quick take a bite. I'm coming closer.

I really wonder how he climbed over the chair.

Am I in trouble, mommy?

NAHH!  I'm too cute!

By the way notice all the black and blue marks on his face from falling.

Then while I was taking the diaper bag out and strapping Preston in, Abbi had to do a little rocking.

All in all it takes way too long to get anywhere with these two but like every mom says I wouldn't change it for the world. I love seeing them explore the world around them. I even love how they take time out to do a little rocking, a little breaking of the diet and eating a big fat donut. I ended up going to four stores that day which, I think, is a record.  

Kitchen remodel

Be ready for a boat load of pictures but this project was a boat load of work. For Quintin anyway.

For me it just took a boat load of patience. I don't know how many times this project was pushed off.

Here is a before. We were already starting to tear out the cabinets but this is basically it. Excuse the mess but I was trying to empty out the last of the cabinets.

Everything torn out an repainted. I went with a gray-blue that we already have in our dining room. We added the pendent light a few months ago. The next time the electrician comes we'll get the ceiling fan replaced.

And the kitchen cabinets arrived! I freaked out alittle because boy, were they white!

A lovely picture of the rest of our house in shambles. We moved the fridge, stove, and dishwasher into the dining area. Then moved the table into the playroom area.

And dum-dum-dum-dum!

Our brand spanking new kitchen!

Which I love, love, love!

After months of  second guessing ourselves on the color, I am so glad we went with white.

I love bright kitchens. So that's why I went with

white cabinets

stainless steel appliances

and

under cabinet lighting

We are still planning on adding a back splash eventually but we are in the middle of a bathroom remodel so that kind of got pushed to the side. We were planning on going with white subway tile but I saw this penny tile which I love but I don't think it will fit in our budget so we'll see. Also now that I look back at their post with their big kitchen reveal, I just want to add that I had my dish towel hanging over my stove handle first. :)

Yeah, a spice rack and hidden trash cans.

Anyway, there you go. I feel very blessed to have this kitchen. We tried to do it as cheap as we could by shopping around but we also had to keep in mind that we have little children plus Quintin does have a job or he probably would have helped more with installing the cabinets which would have helped with cost.

We were very happy with the price of the cabinets though and the guy was really nice to work with. Although, he was a little lot skeptical about the color.

Bathroom remodels and cold showers

When we got our kitchen cabinets made we also asked them to build us a new vanity.

So I thought I'd take a few pictures of how it was before because it's always fun to look back.

This is walking into the bathroom.

There is a nice sized closet on the left.

Quintin made the towel holder to the right.

I got the idea here.

Which is not near as cool as theirs but I'm so glad we used the knobs instead of hooks

since the hall is so narrow I think I'd always be bumping into it on my mad dash to the bathroom.

Side note- I also got the idea from their bathroom's bead board ceiling for our dining room ceiling.

On the right is our toilet and old vanity.

Shower on left

And yes I'm fully aware I am not a good photographer :)

I took this picture standing in the back corner of the tub.

Yeah! Goodbye very small vanity With no drawers.

Goodbye yellowed, rusty, ugly, sticking out of the wall

when I'm pretty sure they are made to go into the wall

medicine cabinet.

Actually, I would have been okay with just painting the cabinet but

Quintin didn't really want to deal with it.

This was taken later that evening.

I wonder if the bathroom was yellow at one time. I would love, love, love to repaint the bathroom.

I think the dark chocolate brown makes it look even smaller.

I'm thinking either yellow or gray.

Quintin is not in the mood to paint but he did pick out paint samples at Lowe's so I think I can sway him.

Quintin's job is to do the remodeling

and I help if I'm able which usually I'm not.

Remember, he is slow and steady.

I'm whack, slap get it done.

So I do crowd control.

I keep these little ones out of the way.

We were also dealing with a two week flu.

We bought our light fixture a year or two ago when we first moved here.

Which shows how long we had this project in mind.

It was oil rub bronzed but I think I'm going  with brushed nickel in the bathroom.

I know the new thing is to mix your metals but I'm not sure I'm that cool yet.

So I bought some good old spray paint and went to town.

Or I went to town and bought some spray paint. Ha! Ha!

I first sprayed car primer on it then like seriously ten layers of Satin nickle.

Every time I went outside I sprayed another layer.

I put plastic cups where the shades go because I didn't want paint to get in there.

I think I'm going to go to Lowe's and get new shades.

I also need a mirror and maybe a few new paint samples. Hee! Hee!

Also please, please do not point a spray paint can into your eyes and say, "mom, how do you turn this on?"

I guess she's not ready to take over any home improvements yet.

To bad.

Oh, and for some of you ladies who wish you had a handy hubby like me.

 Picture with me  

Cold showers

brushing your teeth bending over the tub.

standing in dirt while putting your contacts in

or

doing your hair

or

your girls hair.

But I am glad he is handy. Now if we could just figure out how to run our electronics.

He can rip out walls, install toilets, build decks,etc but we usually panic when our computer blinks or sends strange messages.

Now off to Lowe's I go.

After I change a few diapers.

Some more Christmas catch up

SInce I want to slurp this blog into a book,

I'd better catch up on my

Christmas pictures.

For the month of December I wrapped 25 winter books.

With the help of two little ones of course.

Each night Olivia and Madi took turns picking a book out to have read.

They really enjoyed it and if I remember I'd like to do it again next yr.

Books are expensive!

So I bought a few new ones and then

raided our local Salvation Army and Good wills.

And just so you know when you come to my house, I

wiped 'em down really well before letting the children handle them.

I even wrapped some Christmas books from last year.

I like to rotate  my seasonal books.

The Christmas ones go in storage with my Christmas decorations.

Our Easter/ spring books with the Easter/ spring decorations.

Btw I hope that is the last time I got that plaid sofa on camera.

If anyone needs a blue plaid sofa let me know!

What do you get when you add

a one year old

and

a 9 month old

and

hot chocolate mix?

very happy babies!

( this was taken last summer)

Teacher appreciation

You are an AW-some teacher.

Nothing says I like you as a teacher like a

big old bottle of pop!

Madi and Olivia gave them to their teachers.

We had fun making them.

Olivia said her teacher had it on her desk for awhile

before drinking it one day for lunch.

Not sure if she liked it or hated it and finally out of

the goodness of her heart found the courage to drink it in front of Olivia.