Emily's New Desk

I don't know why this is, but it seems to me, that most master bedrooms in most houses don't offer a lot of options in furniture arrangement. There is usually only one place for the bed, and maybe a couple of options for a dresser or armoire, but let's face it - moving the dresser or armoire around isn't all that exciting.

But the other bedrooms - there's usually some better options there. Take Emily's room, for example. I have moved it around in at least four different arrangements. And, do you know what I have found? The best arrangement is the original arrangement. But, had I not tried all the other options, I would not know that having her bed on the south wall is best.

Also, because I moved it all back to it's original position, she now has room for a small desk.

Which only means one thing in our house....IKEA here we come.

So, last Sunday, we loaded up the kiddies in the van and made the one hour trek to our nearest IKEA store. I had already checked inventories online of all pieces/parts to the desk before we left - lest not to leave with a very disappointed seven year old. Everything was in stock. YEA!!!

So, we bought her a top, four legs, a chair, a small desk drawer, a bulletin board, AND her favorite thing - her VERY OWN trash can.

She is one happy girl. She is pretty much parked there all the time - either working on her Legos or her latest artistic piece. She made name signs for all of us - I will have to share Eric's in another post - it's pretty cool.

Anyway - enough of the back story - here are the photos:




Also - she is working REALLY hard on the sullen teenager look.....

But, then, her seven year old self comes right out again. (Thank God!)
So, basically, it's just me and Paige now. Eric is in the basement working, and now, Emily is upstairs in her room, creating - with the door shut, jamming out to Taylor Swift on her MP3 player.

Happy 39 Eric!!

We celebrated Eric's 39th birthday today with his favorite meal - beef stroganoff over noodles, a Sam Adams Winter Brew, and yellow cake with chocolate frosting. YUM!!! Of course, only Eric actually had the beer....

Happy Birthday to my favorite 39 year old!! Enjoy your last birthday with those spectacles!!


(He's having his eyes lasered on Thursday!)

Cocaine Chips

Our neighbors have gotten us hooked on a new drug - fresh corn tortilla chips. For five bucks you can get an enormous bag of them from Salsarita's. The only problem is that they are so good it's hard to stop eating them. Once you start you have to have more...cocaine chips! Hey, least it's corn. That's still healthy, right?

Paige sings the ABC's

Oops, I forgot to upload this video yesterday....forgive me?

Sorry for the SQUIRMYNESS. She's TWO. Very two.

Also, sorry about the underwear at the end. She's on the road to potty training, which has been delayed for a month because of circumstances which I cannot discuss on this blog, and LOVES her Elmo underwear. So she wears it OVER her pants.

it may be COLD, but....

...the sunsets sure are pretty.



I have a video of Paige singing the ABC's - will have to upload that one tomorrow!

just because I have to....

So, Friday night, I went scrapbooking. Eric was in charge of the young'ens. He was also in charge of our neighbors kids. He was going to make them dinner - hot dogs, Kraft Mac and Cheese, and some fruit. No big deal.

When I came home, at midnight, the following conversation took place:

Eric: You know, when you tell me to feed the kids Mac and Cheese, it would probably be a good idea to actually HAVE some.

Me: We do HAVE some. It's in the pantry.

Eric: Uh, no we don't. I tore the pantry apart, and it's not there.

I walk into the pantry, look for about three seconds, and find the Kraft Mac and Cheese. I also pull out the Trader Joe's Organic Mac and Cheese as well.

Me: UM, what's this?

Eric: Where did you find that? I looked CAREFULLY. REALLY.

I open the freezer and pull out the large Stouffer's Mac and Cheese.

Me: We had these as well.

Eric: You are AMAZING*.

Two things you have to know - he DID try to call me, but the STUPID cell phone was on vibrate, and I missed all three of this calls. AND, he did make some quasi Mac and Cheese that most of the kids loved. Way to GO Dad!!!

(*yeah, he didn't really say that - but I KNOW he was thinking it. Oh and Linda....all I could think about was that card you gave me for my first anniversary...."Honey, we're out of butter.")


But I digress.

It's been cold, and snowy. But, for the last two days the SUN has been out...making those twenties seem not so bad.

A couple photos from the last few days:



It's winter, it's cold, it's a pain in the butt, but it's only January. We have at least three more months to go. I can't start hating it now. And, truthfully, I am okay with it, for the moment.

the past few days...

It's been pretty boring around here the past few days. And don't get me wrong, I am very happy about that. The crazy of Christmas is almost too much for me, so bring on the BORING and MUNDANE.

Unfortunately, because of the boring, the camera is staying tucked away in it's little nook. Do you really want to see pictures of me doing laundry, cooking dinner, grocery shopping, taking Emily to the bus stop, and going to the gym? Well, even if you wanted to see pictures of me at the gym, you can rest assured...THAT ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

So to go along with the BORING theme....I present, a picture of Paige sleeping:

This was at four o'clock yesterday afternoon. I attempted waking her at 3, then 3:15, then 3:30...no go. She just curled back up like this until we forced her to wake up.

But not before I got a picture of those cute piggies....I am kind of obsessed with little feet. Please don't send me pictures of your feet. Sorry, but big people feet kind of gross me out. But these little ones....so CUTE!!!


And Emily reading in her room while we waited for Paige to wake up. So very EXCITING. I know.

But then today - this afternoon to be exact, something happened.....





I cannot believe that it's already January 7th, and this is our first real snowfall of the season. We are supposed to get between 4 and 6 inches - which is not a lot, but it's more than we have seen in quite a while. Unfortunately, it's way too dry to make anything out of it. But it was still a blast to play in. We would have stayed out longer, but I needed to come in a get dinner started.

Here's to more excitement filled days.....well, just a few. I am still in Christmas recovery. :)