Come on in and see what a difference one's sanity makes...

Oh Internets!  You have stuck with me through this horrendous renovation.  You have patiently waited and some of you may even continue to check the blog occasionally in hopes that I have posted pictures of the fruits of my labor and many months of blood, sweat and tears.  Well I did, it took almost as long as the renovation. 

I have lost my sanity through this process, I am slowly gaining it back.  But come inside and see what happened.  Realize that the living room is finished, but I am awaiting additional furniture.  I will post more pictures when it all gets here.  My photography skills are not the best....deal with it.  I also swear that I took better before pictures, but for the life of me CANNOT find them on my computer.  My organizational skills went out the window the day they started with this....

But alas we are finished. Things were not done on schedule, I cleaned better than I did in my entire life due to some peoples inability to use visqueen. And low and behold I survived. I guess I am cut out for that kind of work.

So here is the before......

And the after.........

Again the before.....

And the after....

Looking into the kitchen before.....

Looking into the kitchen after.....

The new brick wall on the living room side.  That mirror isn't staying there, I just don't know what I will put there.

Looking from the kitchen into the living room.

Before......

After.......

Looking toward the stove/cook top with the old island and floors and without the wall.

Before.....

After.....

The breakfast area before.....

After...

(I need a closeup of my new table, it is made from on old door from a house in Nola)

And now just some details.

My new chandelier over the breakfast table....

The new brick floors, I love them.

The new island.  I have bookcases on each end.

My new kitchen faucet.  Sorry it is blurry, but I love it!

The cabinet I had built on the brick wall on the kitchen side.  I use it as a china cabinet.

So what do you think?  Anything I left out you want to see?  My new hardware wasn't installed yet in these pictures, it is now do you need to see that?  Do I need a close up of anything else?  Please humor me, say something!

Preschool Photo Shoot

Today Meredith started 3 year old preschool.  She could not wait!  We have been waiting for this day for weeks.  I thought she would get a little nervous and change her mind, but as you can see..... that did NOT happen! 

What a difference a year makes.

Ready to leave...."Can we go now?"  This was after three outfit changes and tears over what she could wear.

Her cheesy grin....it's what I get when I say smile....or say cheese!

When I told her to pose like a big 3 year old going to preschool, I got this....hmmm.

The obligatory preschool bricks shot, I think I got this last year too.

The I have had enough pictures....seriously mom....my friends are in this parking lot.

Her new classroom.

She jumped right in and played.   I even got a you can go now mom. 

Here she is with Mrs. K! I love her already. I wish Meredith would have taken the time to look, since this is the only picture I got with Mrs. K. Oh well. I have lots of others from today!

Because I love this picture

Recently, my two tikes have become the best of friends.  They finally have gotten to a stage where they will play together for long periods of time.  Inevitably they will fight, but I have lessened my reaction time and have started given them time to work it out amongst themselves.  Meredith is normally doing the working out, she has gotten to be a fantastic big sister.  Noah adores her and loves the attention and soaks it all up.  I know that this bond between them is just starting to form and will grow throughout the years. 

Just found these and had to share...

Remember that beach trip we took in June....yes the 2nd one we took. Well look what I found more pictures.....and I had to share....they were too cute!

Here we are about to ride go-carts This was by far Noah's high-light of the trip!

There was also ice cream on the trip.....all over a certain 19 month old.

but he made such a cute grin....remember I told you he was messy.

The girls enjoyed some too!

We also rode trains, swings, carousels, and a Ferris wheel....when I say "we" I mean everyone under the age of 4.

We played the longest round of miniature golf ever....

even the kids were tired of waiting....come on big people....play already!
Meredith actually made a hole in one on the last put!

And the other highlight riding the wagon to catch crabs...well at least Noah's highlight...he hated the beach....here we go!

the luxurious wagon ride.

Got our nets and lights ready!

My handsome boy and his spike!

Me and my girl.

The sunshine in my life.....my two tikes!

21 months old

Yesterday my baby turned 21 months old. Just 3 months shy of 2 years. And today he pooped in the potty.

"Poo Poo pop-pey"

"Do you want to poo poo in the potty man?"

"uh-huh"

"let's go"

And we did, and he did, and Meredith and I cheered and clapped and scared the shit out of him. Literally. Seriously he thought we were insane and he almost cried, then he realized we were freaking ecstatic and he was too. Clapping and saying yay and saying "bid boy!" 21 months old.....21 months. I guess we are possibly ready to start potty training....maybe.

Big Boy School

Noah started Mother's day out yeserday. He will start going one day a week again this year, however we are at a new school. The days just worked better with our schedule. He will also be doing more acitivities at this new school. He was really excited to get a "ba-pak" like his big sister! He was also thrilled that his "ba-pak" said "RAWWR!"

He is such a handsome man.....don't you think? His sister ready for her first day of dance class and Noah ready for school.

Mom, I can carry this by myself!

Look how cute he is.....ignore the mess around him.

Ready to go!

This was just as hard as Meredith's first day of Mother's day out! sniff, sniff.

Noah did great at his new school. He loved the wagon ride and playing outside. He was fine the teacher said as long as they were doing stuff. I went to pick him up right as he was eating lunch....like a big boy. His face lit up when he saw me and off we went. We will see how it goes again next Tuesday!

Dancing Girl

Yesterday Meredith started dancing school again. This is her second year. We are trying out a different school, much closer to home and with a better schedule. We will see how it goes. My girl is already ready for the recital and wants to know when can she dance on the big stage.

She has come so far from last year.

Showing off her cheesy grin and new dancing back-pack. She gets a canvas tote she has to use at school and so this backpack she had to have is now her dancing bag. Girls!He is going to be so sad when he figures out they aren't going to the same place.

What she says.....Three year old drama

This truly happened....

"Meredith if you keep it up we will not read books tonight......I mean it, we will just say prayers and sing the goodnight song.....no books.....stop throwing a fit or WE WILL NOT READ BOOKS!"

Well lately I realized I am a big ball of threats that are not carried out......the fit continued.

"That's it, no books tonight. Let's go march up the steps....no books"

"BUT I WANT BOOKS.....WAH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Nope, sorry, I told you, you were going to lose books....that's it."

She stops crying, we brush her teeth, she climbs in her bed, I climb in too, she is actually smiling, we sing the good night song, I say her prayers with her, I give her a big kiss and go to leave the room. The wailing starts.

Josh explains..."Meredith, Mommy is not reading you a book, here are your books, you can read them if you want, but you lost that privilege tonight. Do you know why?"

"WAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ.....DAT'S NOT FAIR!"

All of this because I filled a pink sippy cup for her to bring to bed and she wanted the princess one. When I refused to switch and dirty an additional cup she lost it, she never recovered, despite the fact of losing her "mommy reading books to me" privilege. Life is never dull.

Being the Mama to a boy

I have resorted to the fact that Noah will NEVER leave the house clean. Meaning no matter how many times I change his clothes into something nice, new or clean .... he will inevitably get it dirty, stained or soiled before he steps a foot out the door.

When he was a baby and we would leave to go on an outing, I learned quickly to pack another "nice" outfit...because the one he was wearing was sure to be a mess by the time we reached our destination....if it hadn't been already. This outift was in addition to the standard change of clothes/onseie.

It never failed he would have an explosive diaper the minute we pulled out the driveway when he was a newborn. Spit up all over his church clothes as we were walking out, or jam a cookie in his mouth when I was grabbing my keys and all purpose bag only to drool the chocolate chips down his shirt and shorts.

Once I even made Josh turn around less than 3 miles from our house to get a different outfit for him since we were going somewhere nice and he had so many cute outifts hanging in his closet and DAMMIT I wanted him to look presentable for his cousin's party! He was only 3 or 4 months old. However no more....no more I tell ya!

Yes, I am throwing in the towel. I can't help it. Gain freaking loves people like me --- Mama's of little boys. And Shout and I are to the point where we are spooning in bed now, we have become that close my friend. This year I am taking a different approach. I refuse to spend tons of money on cute clothes only to be ruined. So when you see Noah dressed in garbage bags don't say anything. Oh I kid....partly. I am taking the different approach though. The "I don't give a shit" approach.

Noah is what he is, a busy little boy. And I am embracing it. That cute little chocolate stain will be a reminder of how good that cookie was and why none of his clothes cost very much money! I would say I am holding out for a day when he is a little bit older and stays clean or cleaner, but since I throw more of Josh's clothes away due to awful stains even shout can't handle I am not holding out much hope.

So Mama' of boys....tell me are you little tikes a mess too?

School Daze

It's that time of year again....

school supplies, new school shoes, new school clothes, new school bags, the perfect trapper keeper, the anticipation of finding out who was going to be in my class, who my teacher would be, when I would have recess, lunch, gym and all other things I loved about starting school.

As a kid I could not wait to shop for school supplies, new uniforms and even penny loafers.....seriously.

Now I have a kid and I am instilling that same back to school excitement.....and honey she is taking to it.

Today Noah was having an off day so Mimi offered to take care of him and rock him while Meredith and I ran errands. Then it dawned on me she was soon going to be starting school and my days to take her shopping to get the school supplies she doesn't even need yet was starting to run out. So today we took advantage of it.

We went to the dance store to get her new tap shoes and leotards for dancing next week, then we did lunch and headed to Target to get the supplies.

We got crayons, markers, pencils, a pencil box, scissors (or cuts), a princess folder, a princess notebook, white sticky glue, a composition book and a new lunch box. Like I said she doesn't need any of these supplies besides the lunch box, at her preschool I pay a supply fee each semester and everything she needs is provided. Which is nice, but I like new school supplies and my little studios tike does too, so we got some school su-pwies for home too. After all she begs to do homework and write her letters everyday. I think it safe to say they will definitely get used.

Next week I get to crush her heart when she finds out she doesn't get to ride the big yellow bus to school.....she is very anxious to do that and get started.

What she says - Prayers

Last night we were saying our nightly prayers, which I always follow up with by asking everyone what they want to pray with. Meredith has now started that ritual by being the one to ask. She starts with Noah and he always prays for Ta-ta. Then she ask both Josh and then myself. After she is done I ask her...she normally prays for her friends, family, animals, her monkeys and whatever I pray for. Last night was a different story though....

"Meredith what do you want to pray for?"

"Um a little boyfriend, just my size for me to dance with."

That's my girl!

My new favorite thing to love....Onstar

Since we bought that brand, spankin', new gas guzzler from the On Star people, or GM we get On Star for a year for free. For the first couple of weeks I never hit that little, blue button, but yesterday as the tikes and I drove to the beach for the third time this summer I decided to test it out. Josh had to hang home and go to the thing called work, so I was sitting in the front seat by myself listening to the Wiggles since Noah won't wear the headphones and thinking....this may be a long three hours.

With that I hit the button.....

"Hi Mrs (butcher my last name), this is On Star do you need help with directions?"

"Yeah sure"

"Okay it says you are in (name of at town I couldn't hear) and what city and state do you need to to?"

"Gulf Shores, Alabama"

"And what destination?"

"I need directions to the Gulf Shores Surf & Racquet Club"

"Okay Mrs. (butcher my last name again) I'm not finding that, how about the Gulf Shores Resort"

"No, I need them to the Surf & Racquet Club"

"Okay let me put you on hold while I look that up"

No, NO, No, Mr. Onstar keep talking to me, everyone I know to call is busy, I'm bored, please keep talking to me, honestly I know how to get to the Surf & Racquet Club! I could tell you if you can't find it. Just talk to me, how have you been? what's been going on? How are the kids?

"Mrs.(please give up on my last name) we have found it, would you like it downloaded to your navigation system?"

"Sure...why not....guess you are busy"

"Okay have a nice day!"

After that I went back to listening to the Wiggles and the Backyardigans, and then the Wiggles again.

I did have some interaction with what my family calls the "Bitch in the Box" directing me where to go. Needless to say it wasn't the same route I was taking so I often got the...."Oh fine go your way dammit, don't have directions downloaded if you won't listen"....or "Make an illegal u-turn and go the OTHER way....fine I assume you are stopping and getting food since you won't listen." Her and I didn't get along so I eventually turned her off.....damn bitches in the boxes.

But we made it, got here went to the pool, dined at a great beach restaurant, then headed to ride go carts. The kids had a great time, in fact after riding the big go carts, Noah would scream and hold his seat belt when it was time to get out. It didn't matter we had to sneak him on, since he was a good foot and a half too little to ride. Nope he loved it, and I'm not talking about the small cars, but the big fast ones. We let him ride twice once with me and once with his Mimi. Both times he was broken hearted getting off and then as we left he cried the entire way to the car, with real tears.

I have also used Onstar two more times to find destinations that I already knew where they were, once to show my parents how it works, and the other just to start a friendship with the lovely Onstar people, I'm working up to the chatting stage.

By the way, if you need a 2 bedroom condo in gulf shores...let me know, fall rates+ a family & friends discount can apply to you! Just leave a comment for more information!

What she says....favorite quote from the summer

"Dude....step away from dacouch!"

"What?"

"Mom...Dude....step AWAY from da couch"

Can I buy a vowel please?

Last night as we were heading in from playing in the back yard the kids stopped short in front of the television. I continued on to begin getting ready for the bath and bedtime routine. It was a quarter to seven and the tv was tuned to Wheel of Fortune.

My two tikes parked their little fannies in front of Pat and Vanna.....are they even still on their? I didn't even notice. Anyway they parked their rears and stared in amazement, watching the remainder of the show. Every time the audience clapped, so did they. Meredith repeated every letter they asked for and Noah tried to repeat her. The clapping and giggling went on for the full 15 minutes.

Josh and I had to stop and watch them to figure out what they were clapping at, at first. Then we watched in amazement. They were like two little zombies who couldn't resist the show or the clapping.