Our "sort of" new house

Ty's Room

Dining Room

This is the first of three posts having to do with the new house. Scroll down for before and after shots of the most drastic changes. I didn't include pics of all the rooms but you get the picture. As anyone who live in a house knows, it is ongoing! There are still things I want to do but am just plum worn out with what we have done to this point. If I did it all at once what fun would that be?! There always have to be future projects to look forward to right?!!! Sorry it has only taken me four months or so to do this. We actually moved at the very end of May. I think we will tackle the trim color and yard in the spring and as I mentioned there are and always will be various projects inside. I am just enjoying the time I can right now. If you haven't been by, consider yourself invited. We love to have guests and chances are there will be a hot pot of coffee to share when you arrive!

Kitchen

Tin Backsplash-not easy to install like the dealer said! Trent and I did it with a dremal bit! Yes, took close to five hours to trim and cut out outlets!!! We are proud of our work and will appreciate it more than anyone!!!

Master Bath and Living Room

Before






After

Entry

Olivia's Room and Play Room

Before



After

FINALLY

FINALLY have a home computer set up. Its on a card table at the moment but I bought a computer armoire on the way home today which will be put up tomorrow in our play room. Had to have something closeable in that room!!! Anyway, finally able to download pictures off my camera. Here are several starting from last May throughout the summer. I will do another one about the new house later. I need to take some "after" pictures so I can show them with the "before". Anyhoo.....

I have taken a short hiatus from blogging! Too much has been going on. Several of you know my Dad was hospitalized for a week. He went in with pneumonia but the night he was admitted his heart rate went dangerously high and he spent the next week on the cardiac floor. I went to be with him last Thursday until he went home the following Monday evening just to return to Lubbock that Tuesday in time for Trent to leave for his last trip Wednesday morning! Whew....
Things are looking good for my Dad. He is still fighting pneumonia but the heart rate is down. I appreciate the love of so many friends during this past week. I was so encouraged by so many!

Ty has been playing for LSA with a team of boys he has been with since cradle roll at Greenlawn! Very fun for all of us. The plus of LSA is we have weekly practices and its four on four for games. SO much better. He is doing a lot better with it but its still frustrating as a parent to watch four and five yearolds just learning the ropes! I have become a yeller- never thought I would be! At the games anyway.

I have been too busy these days but am trying to take charge of that. Glad to have my husband home until spring. This came about through some changes but its all good. I am now focusing on getting my Christmas shopping finished and planning O's third birthday party which is just around the corner- my BABY! What in the world??!! Its sure nice to get into the more fun girl stuff now though. I have to say we are at a very good place with the ages of our children right now and I would not trade it, maybe hold on to it, but not trade it. There are some challenges with almost three but I think that will all be okay now that Dad is around more.

Oh, if you are in Lubbock and free Thursday evening.. I am having a party at my house for my talented friend Kerri, the one who took the pictures. She also makes jewelry, and bows for little girls. She actually makes all kinds of things but these are the ones that will be available. I am hoping it might just be some fun girl time too. You can go to her blog which is linked to the right to view some of the bows and she has a link to Olive Juice too which is her jewelry business. Olivia's bracelets are from her! I am hoping to get more! Hope to see you there if you can make it. E-mail me if you need my new address: lisar_74@yahoo.com

Kids Photo shoot

My friend Kerri is the woman of MANY MANY talents, this is one more to add to the list. Thank you sweet friend.

Pictures I ripped off from Sara from this summer

Someday I will get my act together and upload my own pictures!!

Ramblings...

Just some things floating around in my head....

Have you seen that commercial about Mom's "Taking Back Lunch!!" Amen ladies. I am floored as I am opening some of the kids lunches at school. No wonder we have such over weight children in our country! Let's also wrought their teeth out with two or three desserts just so the are happy with the selection in their little box. Is it seriously that hard to make a sandwhich anymore? Come on people!!! Hot dog and pizza lunchables??? That's a good idea for a pre-schooler, along with their bright blue capri sun it comes with. Hope ya got ya some oxyclean at home!

Speaking of wroughting our teeth, got a 'sweet deal' on some iced oatmeal cookies at Walmart, whole bag for .99!!!! So yummy with my afternoon coffee! Relax, its my only 'treat' of the day.

I have been watching the clock and timing it. Between my two children the longest time between a yell from being hurt or having to go to the bathroom is right at around five minutes. Whew......

Oh, and the restroom issue. I have ALWAYS had a Public Restroom phobia. Can't stand them. I will hold it FOREVER to use my own at home. What a joke these days. Now that I have two that are potty trained, we visit the restroom of every establishment we remotely come close to and at least two to three times while we are there. I try to bribe them with suckers if they will just hold it! Doesn't work.

This is also the reason I make everyone in our house remove their shoes at the backdoor and carry them to their closet... GROSS.

I don't care if people think I am wierd. I am getting my fall stuff down tonight and decorating. I want it to be REAL fall that bad and those items just make me happy :)

I am wish the yard dude would come more often, its getting embarassing. Everyone in our new neighborhood has a fabulous yard. I hope after the next month or so we can be apart of that!

I am LOVING Ladies Class. We are doing discussion tables this quarter and I am a leader to all much older ladies. Pretty intimidating at first but over the past few years these women have become my friends even though they could all be my grandmother! They make me look forward to growing older. What a blessing they are to me and make me laugh til I cry!!!

Why is Sarah (sp?) Palin not running for president???? She would TOTALLY WIN! Why can't McCain be for VP instead, we all know they don't do anything anyway...haha...

Were there protests at the Democratic Covention, I kinda think not.

Do we really need more reality shows? I mean they are kinda getting ridiculous! I saw on the View today (the whole five minutes I had it on) that there is a school that people go to, to learn how to be a reality celebrity. That is funny to me. I am over all that...except for Cash Cab of course!

Okay.... okay. Its off to make grilled cheese. Oh the gourmet cook I am these days! Hey, I still love them- thankfully so does my entire family-as long as there is hot sauce and chips!

Have a great weekend~

First Week back to school...

Wow, first week of school down and we have so many to go! Will I make it?! Of course I will. My coffee maker is in overdrive! Man I am beat though. We only had three days this week, need to gear up for four! My schedule has changed just a bit, doing all day Mon and Wed and just afternoons on Tues and Thurs. Throw some soccer practice, working out, Ladies class, and some other things I won't go all into, it makes for a busy little week! Oh, and T starts travelling again next week!

Kids had a great first day. Ty's class is basically kindergarten. He is in the fours but they are doing everything K does and all the teachers are former K teachers so I am just overjoyed for him. His is one of the most dedicated I know and it just shines in many many ways. I just LOVE our school and feel that God led us there, I don't know how we would have ended up there otherwise! Olivia took a moment to adjust but did GREAT today, absolutely no crying! She was proud to talk about that too!

We started picking up my niece and nephew from BIG (Elementary) school this year and its the highlight of our day. Ty and O love to try to find them and call their names and their time together while we are working out is just priceless. I love that they are able to have so much time with their cousins and love them so much! I always wished I had that.

We are all STARVING by the time we get out and me especially after work out so the convenient cooking has started again! I am ready for another casserole swap and in dire need!

We had an uneventful labor day weekend after some much needed travel and rest time, what I like to call the calm before the storm. No pictures of any of that either, overloaded camera still. Need to get on that.

Here I am dead as a door nail and stayed up late flipping channels and blogging. I caught the middle of Mystic Pizza and had so forgotten so much of it and the lumps that it still leaves in my throats at parts, or maybe that is the tired in me! On that note, I am joining my husband in bed and hopefully won't have to leave it until at least around 7:45 or 8..... cross your fingers for me that Ty is spent and sleeps in!

Sensored Radio

No more Z102 in the car with kids. "Lick That Lollypop"~ nuf said.

Dave was AWESOME. He says to tell everyone hi. I love him "Oh SO Well!"

Well just a few weeks left! I can't believe it! I think this is the fastest summer I can ever remember and I am not sure why. Trent and I had a great time for our anniversary. My inlaws had our kids overnight so we were able to have a nice dinner and even spent a few hours in Barnes and Noble. Sooo peaceful in that store! We will celebrate more in the metroplex soon. It is amazing however the amount I was able to accomplish in a short amount of time without the kids! We are leaving in a couple of hours to head to my hometown to spend some time for several days and then from there to the lake. This will be our summer's end trip! I am leaving with some of my favorite things from this past summer:

Coconut Lime Verbena body splash- feels so good especially after working out! Its my only perfume and has a great summer scent. Apparently lots of others think so too because it was completely sold out at the mall the other day, good thing there is another location ;)

Several trips to Bahama Bucks

LOVE being in my flipflops everyday!

Seeing Ty swim without floaties! Amazing how it just all of a sudden clicks! We never did lessons, just worked with him at the pool, mostly the credit goes to his dad for this! He even swims underwater now! Such a big boy (sniff sniff)

Working out with 0ne of my favorite people, Tina my SIL- such a joy to be around and has kept me on my toes!

Somewhat sleeping in and drinking coffee, taking my time to get going. Usually about an hour, then make beds pick up and get ready to go. I have loved being able to spend these mornings with my T-rent!!!!

Getting our new home in order, we have finally made it 'ours' and I love it!

The unusually cooler temps for most of the season, especially the evenings on the back porch.

Going to the pool! Seeing many friends from school there, and teacher friends of mine!

Having a tan! I used to get ridiculous dark when I laid out everyday of summer in highschool and college. Of course those days are long gone but its nice to finally have a little color again even though its sporatic!

Grilling out for dinner! I don't know why we don't do this most of the year, well yes I do- the time is sort of a factor. I sure love the taste of just about anything from the grill. My favorite this summer has been corn in the husk!

Trent's morning smoothies-yum. He has been making strawberry bannana ones most mornings. I am not a big breakfast person but have had to be with working out so its been a nice alternative to my usual oatmeal. Which by the way I found a great one of those- Quaker Banana Nut Bread, weight control. The weight control is just because it has less of all the stuff that is not so great for you. I am not on a diet but try to eat healthy!

Lots of coke dates and play dates for the kids!

Sleepovers!

Road trips! We have only taken one other but I really enjoy the time in the car with my family. Its where Trent and I have some of our best conversations. I never was a road trip kinda person before him. I cannot sleep no matter how tired I am, unfortunately. Also cannot read, makes me nausious in the car. I'd say Trent is about the best entertainment there is! So nice to have him with us with the kids and be able to each take one to the R/R etc.

Read some great books this summer. I have never been a reader. I started more when we lost our television last year. We have had one since but I have tried to read more than I watch it. Wish I would have started much earlier in my life! I am quite picky though. If I like it I can't put it down and end up doing it in a day or so. If I am not that interested and put it down, chances are I will never pick it up again. I guess I am not giving the author much of a chance! I am starting a book club which is hysterical. I hope to be able to gain more insight from other people in what I have read and to connect with others as well. We will see how that goes!

Although its been a great summer, I am looking forward to the routine of school again and the smell of school supplies! We are getting new shoes and that is it this year but am thrilled to get back in the swing of things, just always have trouble with handing over my husband again. Its such an extreme! We have him ALL the time for three months and then hardly at all for three months! I will be more involved this season though so that will be nice. I have gotten to know the players better too and will be having them over soon for a kick-off. One of his guys got married this summer, I felt old at the wedding! I think I am still like 20 inside this 34 year old body!

Okay, I PROMISE pictures are coming soon. It will be a summer re-cap of them! Have a great last couple of weeks of summer!

Summatime

Yeah, still no pictures. Still working on the computer set-up, eventually.


Things are going well, restful and enjoying my husband while I can.


Saw Mamma Mia tonight, first movie in too long. EXCELLENT. Full of cheese but made me tear up at one point, you mammas will know what I am talking about if you see it.


Been working out for the past month with my SIL, gruelling but worth it!


Started recycling seriously. I know I know....but I have been convicted about it so went with it.


Still putting decorative touches on the home, next is painting the dining room and staining the fireplace!


Will celebrate 8 years with ole T next week, keeping the tradition with going to Dave.


My favorite quote from Olivia, "You make me OH happy!"


LOVING going to the pool.


Finishing up exended education hours for my job.


FOREVER 21 opened in my town!!! This is my all time favorite store where I went too nuts at in New York last December! This makes me OH happy!

I've sort of been into rap music-wierd I know. Z102 has been my favorite station all summer! Too fun to hear my kids repeat, "Get Silly Get Silly...Ughh!"

The fourth was great.... Decided 6 days was too long for my kids to be in a life jacket so stayed in town....went to Hobby Lobby that was completely empty :) then to the in-laws to swim. Me and the kids were the only ones for awhile and then Tina and Hampy and Sara and twins came later. Small and sweet.

I am beginning to realize that things like fire works bring a lot more joy, because the real show is watching my children enjoy them! I think all holidays are better because of them!

Have yet to set up computer.

Have the worst case of pink eye I have ever had!

The latest and greatest....

Well, we are still trying to figure out where we will be putting our desk type items b/c we don't have a desk at the moment. We are still going back and forth on whether to purchase one or do a wall unit with shelving so it could be a while before I have a place to download pictures. They are stacking up in that camera! Maybe Trent will figure something out but in the mean time I will just give an update.

My Dad had a birthday this past week and we got to spend one full day with him a week ago yesterday where we gave him his Father's Day gift as well. It was the only day we were actuallyi in Arlington.

We went to Marshall (East Texas) with the Davis's this past weekend! HAD A BLAST! See Amy's (a former roomate and very close friend) blog for details. She dared me to wear a shirt she picked out for me so I agreed only to be able to select her shirt. If you know Amy, you know why hers is so funny. I spent much time in laughter due to either Brian or Amy and even occassionally little Ellie! My parents kept the shorties so T and I had quality time as well.

Stopped by our friends the Irwins' on the way back to the metroplex. It had been exactly a year since we were there just hours after Bella was born and to get to love on her as a toddler was incredible! She is BEAUTIFUL! Brady, get that shotgun ready! Seriously, she is one of the prettiest baby girls I have ever seen!

We headed back pretty quick to Big L town b/c Ty had a T-ball game that evening, he had already missed one the Thursday before and had pictures at this one so our trip was cut a little short. We will go back in August for of course Dave, and will have more of a REAL visit. We hope to see more friends then. Ty is doing GREAT with T-ball. It started out very frustrating, to us, but he has really caught on and doing great catching grounders and is a great hitter! It is SO fun to watch him out there, bending over with this hands on his knees waiting for a hit... he looks SO big! I have come to realize that is going to be some of the best times watching him in sports and look forward to the years to come.

House is to a point but still lots to do, the summer shall be full of projects in every room!

OLIVIA IS POTTY TRAINED!!!! We are mostly excited about this. She works a lot different in almost every way from her brother but I guess she finally made the decision. She wanted panties like her older cousin Hampy (aka Hampton) so we went full on and only had two accidents while playing. I put her in a diaper at night and for naps because there is no pull up that will fit her tiny body, however they have been dry every last time! She even gets out of the pool to go because she doesn't want her swimsuit to be "yucky"!!! SUCH A GIRL!

Been VERY blessed by some thoughtful friends lately! Lots of fun housewarming treats and priceless visits. I have really felt God's love through others lately!

Both kids are swimming independantly with floaties right now. Believe me, this is a major accomplishment at this point. We are hoping to drop those in a couple of weeks. Ty has made leaps and bounds without them while spending time with Daddy in the pool.

We are looking forward to the drive-in tonight with our friends the Dye's! They have a children's double feature, Kung Fu Panda and Wally! I am so excited as I STILL have not been and have heard so many good things about it from many others!

We will be at the lake for the 4th in Brownwood with the Phillips clan.

VBS is also to come in July. I opted for another church this year b/c ours was last week and in the evenings. I prefer the daytime as does Olivia, my child that sleeps.

Trent is playing a little bit of golf (did you hear the sarcasm as you read?) and will be in a few tournaments this summer. This is the time of the year we are so thankful for the hours his job requires! He is still doing budgeting and recruiting, along with a few other things but by far the slowest time and we are enjoying him to the fullest!

We're in!

K, All of our stuff is here but I wouldn't say we have quite 'moved' in yet! The move was some what eventful but we made it through. Still some boxes and lots of organizing to do. We have made what seems like thousands of trips to Home Depot and I still have some texturing and painting to do, then.. we should be to a point.

It has been crazy windy and hot here lately. We get less dirt from it at this house though because we are a little more sheltered, which is nice. Where we were before there were open fields near by which made our porch, and well everything gross. The great thing about Lubbock is the nights though, especially in the summer. We enjoy sitting out on the porch after kids are in bed, always have. We have been busy working in the new house all day since we have been here but its nice knowing we are not missing anything with all this blow dryer weather! I don't think I would even want to be at the pool in it. We are starting back this next week though and I can't wait. Trent is going to work with Ty in the pool some and then he will most likely take lessons at some point this summer. Olivia has no fear at all this year, which creates quite a bit of fear in me!

Ty had his first T-ball practice Tuesday. Sports at this age are so entertaining. Some of the parents crack me up. I am excited about this one though. We have five practices and then two games a week for a month or so. His team name is the Red Sox. O is such a great supportive lil sis... everytime he is at bat, she notices without us telling her and yells, "Yea Ty!" She is already asking to play. Not just yet little sister, you are my baby for at least one more year!

Some sad news in our family, Trent's great uncle (Gary's Uncle- Morris Turner) passed this past weekend and his funeral was today. The kids and I went for the family meal and then came home for naps while T went to the funeral. I did not know him well but he was known as quite an incredible man. He was a former Mayor of Lubbock and served on City Council and actually built the church we met in today, Sunset. It was neat to meet so much of Trent's family on his grandmother's side that I had not met before. His aunt came in from Tucson as well. Its neat how things like that can bring people together from all over.

Well its great to be out for summer. It seems like we should have more time but its 6 O'clock before I know it everyday! Looking forward to being more lazy soon. I don't even feel one bit guilty about saying that. If you have the desire to texture or paint, come on over! I am typing on T's laptop now but we do have internet service again and as soon as we get our 'real' computer set all up again I will definately post pics from the past month or so.

We're Back

We got back Saturday evening! The girls' came in 6th in the nation! We were all so excited, the goal was top ten and they certainly made it! The trip was fabulous with the exception of some miserable weather that last day but we had a lot of fun and that weather did not even effect those girls game! I will update with pictures soon, but we are closing on both houses tomorrow and will be pretty busy this week. Stay tuned for scenes........... (remember our 90210 days JJB?) HA! Have a great holiday weekend!

Nothing to Fear but 'FEAR ITSELF'

Has anyone seen the previews for the show coming up in the summer entitled, Fear Itself? The preveiws are very inappropriate to be shown before 8 O'clock! This is from the same people who made Saw, and other horror films. It is to be a different horror film each week. They are comparing it to the way the Twilight Zone was- what a comparison! Like the Twilight Zone was ever graphic or considered to be horror shows!

I am just amazed to what is considered appropriate by our society at this day and time. Everyone who knows me knows I have always loved scary movies. I always went to see the latest one in the theatres and loved the excitement and thrill it brought to me. The down side is that I am not strong enough to endure that and not have nightmares and I let it mess with my mind when my husband is away. Trent started traveling quite extensively with Alamosa/Sprint about three years ago. This is when I really realized the effect scary movies was having on me. About a year before that I had felt convicted by the things I was allowing int my mind that were not only NOT Godly but more the opposite! At that time I decided it was not good for me to see them in the theatre anymore, however I still watched things on regular television and a show on discovery about hauntings.

I have a good friend, the first new one I met when we moved to Lubbock, whom I have coffee with every Wednesday. I absolutely love our conversations and our time together. She shared something with me a few weeks ago that really set heavy on my heart. Something about filling our souls with things that de-sensitize us and are sure to come out of us in one way or another. She was talking about 'taking delight in the sins of others'........sound familiar? She meantioned that with the exception of most reality series almost every show on television is about someone being murdered, adultry, and very graphic at that.

I noticed this especially after having childrent b/c there was not much that could be on after dinner that they should be exposed to at such an early age. Another thing I have realized after having children is that if I don't want them seeing it, saying it, or doing it, I sure better not be either or what kind of example am I setting? But, after I put them to bed some of my favorite shows to watch (when I am able to control the remote when Trent is out of town!) are Law and Order, CSI, and Medium. Okay, as you know these are all about murder. They were exciting to me because of that! I think that would be considered 'taking delight in the sins of others'! Yes, of course I realize these are fictional (mostly) but they are things that happen on a daily basis in our world and why do I need to be seeing it so graphically. I am not talking about sheltering myself from reality, but rather not choosing it as my source of entertainment.

So, from that point on- after thinking about it more and the way it effects me I came to the decision to not watch that stuff anymore and go for comedy or old shows and movies instead. As I have mentioned in previous post, we don't watch just a whole lot of television anymore but its still my 'downtime' especially when I am on my own. I have to say I am a much happier person because of it! You are only afraid if you allow yourself to be or give yourself something to be afraid of! Yes, simple concept but it takes me awhile to realize and then put into action on many things.

I share this only because it might be somthing you have not ever thought about before (like me) in quite this way. I don't judge people who do not make the same decisions as I do. I just feel that God reveals things through friends and this is something that was revealed to me and something He would like me to share with the people I care about.

Its STILL Monday in my world.........

Well most of you know our son is and always has been quite the early riser. I think I have mentioned before that we now fix his milk the night before and have taught him to turn the television on himself so that we do not also have to get up as soon as daylight hits his room! Well this morning I woke up to a wet sister, not because SHE had an accident, but because her brother had taken it upon himself to fix them Kool-Aid for breakfast! In his attempt he spilled an entire pitcher of very sticky sugar drink all over my rug and kitchen floor and of course himself and O in the process. I then go to make coffee to jumpstart myself into getting everyone ready and lunches ready but forget to dump out the coffee from yesterday so I get to clean up the floor and cabinets immediately again from an overflowed 10 cup pot! So on with the day.........

Got them off, some errands run and then back for my afternoon class, which went pretty well. It was nice to actually go outside without wind and be warm! After school we come home I start more house stuff, which is being un-done behind me as I go. My house is beyond a wreck at this moment, I don't think it has ever been worse. Sister is also SUPER clingy for whatever reason. I go to start dinner. O is playing in the highchair, I ask her not to as I am browning meat, next thing I know she hits the floor head first. After much crying and a bleeding tongue and bump on the back of her head, she is indeed okay. There are many days that I really wish my parents lived closer, especially days like today- it would be nice to have just a little help occassionally! If not just to cry on if anything else!

Trent leaves to go to Nationals Thursday and I have the blessing and opportnity to join him as of Sunday if everything works out. My Grandad was admitted to the hospital this evening in Dallas - prayers needed there. He is having gastational problems and is in his 80's-everything is more serious with age. Anyway, my parents are suppose to come this weekend to stay with the kids for a week while I am gone and I don't know that they will still be able to do it with the situation with my grandad-prayers also needed there.

I am so excited to get to see my husband in action again. Its only happened two times now. It will be nice to be reminded that there is a reason he is gone so much! Also nice to have some time together away from shorties, every couple needs that! I am looking forward to also spending some time with the girls on the team. When we get back (two days after) we will be moving just 15 blocks north from where we are now, I think maybe not even a mile! THEN...........we will get to soak up our Daddy again for THREE WHOLE MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!! I am excited to spend the time with him as well, but man it will be nice to have someone give me a break every now and again! Although school is out now, he is pretty busy preparing the girls for the tournament among other things.

Mother's Day was great and rather un-eventful. I got a great backrub and spent the day with my family so I felt pretty well blessed. We went to dinner at some close family friends so I didn't even have to cook! We had also had a nice lunch with some of our favorite friends so it was a nice day all around. I hope every mother reading felt joy yesterday. Even days like today, I wouldn't ever want it any different. I remember feeling kind of sad on Mother's Day before I was a mother and so longed to be called one, I thought of many in this situation yesterday and pray that so many get to experience all that goes along with it. All the messes and stress are well worth it!