Olivia Turns SEVEN

 Cita reading one of her gifts to Olivia

 While Pop handled the boys!

My Favorite Day of the YEAR!

AND... back to crazy!!!

The design business is picking up. Mostly the Holiday side but picking up new residential clients as well added to the on-going two I have been working with. I was painting a ceiling medallion Thursday at a client's home. I had to leave because I ran out of paint. I had not eaten anything that day and was going to run home and grab some bread with peanut butter before picking my two year old up at PDO. That is when it alll began.....

I walked into my kitchen hearing water spray and seeing a floor with pooled water in the center. Looked under my sink and water flowed out the cabinets. I thought it was my RO system and called Culligan first. They sent someone out the moment they got my call and then walked me through the valve shut offs. Did all that, water still running. I turned off the water at the wall. HUGE shout out to Culligan man- the valve had corroded and he had the tools on his truck to change it out. He also brought in a shop vac and fan. This was not even their issue. So we thought we were on the way to recovery. Ummm...... NO.

I walked in the living room and as I put pressure of my foot on the floor water came through the grooves of the planks of my wood laminate flooring. It was also running under the wall in common with the kitchen and living room. I called the Culligan man off and had to call in the big dogs.  DANG.

Long story short, they had to rip out all flooring and run 12 industrial drying units as well as 3 HUGE (size of outdoor a/c Units) de-humidifiers that hoses running into sinks in every bathroom.  This lasted FIVE DAYS.

We are now back in our house after a hotel stay, that I have to say was not that hard on me! No cooking or cleaning for FIVE DAYS! Returning home however has made my stomache turn. Everything is displaced. We are living on concrete. Went from no shoes in the house to don't take your shoes off til your getting in bed! It will probably be a month before we have flooring due to the insurance and ordering, getting in, and installing new flooring.

Where I could use your prayers:
1. Was supposed to have a cooking party for my daughter here in two weeks... thinking it will probably actually be better with concrete floors but there is some stress involved there.

2. The place we bought our flooring is no longer here. Matching the old is important because we cannot afford to replace flooring in the bedrooms.  Otherwise it would not matter. Pray we get a fair price for what we lost.

3. This has been especially fun with my toddler who cannot seem to keep his shoes on, and falls all the time. 

4. Prayer of Thanksgiving. This is so much easier to deal with than something like a fire or to where we lost unreplaceable items or someone could have been hurt. Thankful we HAVE insurance that is good. Its a pain and inconvenient but a spec in the grand scheme of things. IT is setting us back financially with our deductable and out of pocket expenses that have to wait to be re-imbursed. We are THANKFUL that we have jobs and can scrape by in the mean time.  We are THANKFUL for family and friends who stepped up and helped us with our kids on Thursday and Friday and for blessing us in areas that I can not share.  God is good ALL THE TIME.

Crazy to Lazy

  Last week was a doozy of one. Was hardly able to work on anything design related and things at our pre-school were not so great. LOTS of illness, with teachers AND kids, a major kid situation, all the while we had Scholastic Bookfair and our big fundraising spaghetti dinner Thursday night, also the night my husband left town for a golf trip in Ruidoso.  Usual afterschool activities and homework left me feeling exhausted. 

  The amazing thing is that everything went rather smoothly despite all the circumstance. Our director was out and the assistant stepped up to the plate and handled everything with a smile and incredible grace.  I managed to keep my cool and find joy in interacting with so many through the fair and dinner.  My house however suffered tremendously. I hardly stepped foot in it except to sleep, and my room to the major brunt of it. Feeling guilty about not fixing that as I type!!  Laundry got done at night but its clean ALL OVER MY ROOM! I am not able to spend ANY amount of time in there with out Levi following me and getting into stuff.  So I leave it and run b/c I don't want it in my living room!

  The best part of my week was last night when my daughter left for a slumber party and my two good girl friends came over to enjoy a pappa murphy's meditteranean pizza ( MY FAVORITE) and a little wine on the back porch with wonderful catch up conversation which was only interuppted a few times from the boys who mostly watch tv in their room.  I just don't get that enough.  I am not one who likes to have a girl's night out so much, but I absolutely adore a girls night in!

  The Design business is taking off slowly. I have partially finished one clients entry and dining and am working online with another and been introduced to several builders who have sent business my way. I am hoping to get involved in holiday decorating and there is a strong possibility I will be involved in our town's Parade of Homes tour next June.  Its rolling and I feel like I have no time!

 I'll leave you with some more fun fall pics and a preview of my shared boys room which is almost complete with the exception of hung drapery and wall art.

This is a friend's table for a party I helped with. She had all the stuff and I just put it together and added ribbons and rafia.

Ahhhh

My parents are in town so I was able to have some time to myself while they spent it with the rugrats! Got some decorationg done, laundry, and projects accomplished. Here are some of them....

I love Fall SO much that I only do Halloween that is easily removed to stay up through Thanks giving. I can thank my mom for all the fun little spider, bat, and owl silhouettes- she got them at Dollar Tree of allplaces!! SO fun! My decorative gene comes from her for sure!

MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!

Design Business!

Well, weirdness... NOW I can post pics again! Well the above is what I have been up to! Started my own Design business.  Background: I went to ACU where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. I worked in Tenant Development for two years and then went on to work at an Architect Design firm in downtown Dallas (WDG) for three years. When we moved out west I worked at a Furniture store doing space planning and then quit to do temp work when I became pregnant with my oldest son who is now about to be NINE! Its been awhile....

I still do the preschool thing twice a week and have been working on building a business the other two that I don't have children with me.  Its only been two weeks but I have been able to do some research and marketing and expose myself to the latest in residential design. I had the opportunity to work on some offices at my husband's company last spring. I have a few things to finish up there and then will have them photographed. I am currently working with a friend on two areas in her home and have done two consultations. Its coming....

I am hoping to do anything and everything from rearranging someone's shelves and putting up seasonal decor, all the way to a full room design.  We are at a turning point to where I need to be contributing more financially to my family. I hesitate to work for someone because of my fear that it will impede on my role as a wife and a mother.  I need to be flexible at the same time in order to be there for those who mean most to me. 

So far its been good but crazy. My house has suffered and projects have been put on hold as well as I am making less in getting started. That is the frustrating part. I am trusting God on this one. I know its either going to be a success or a major life lesson and both will benefit me greatly! I would appreciate any prayers!

I have a portfolio uploaded as well as give discounts and design advice on my facebook page- Lisa Phillips Interiors.
Stop by and 'like' the page if you get a moment! Now that I oddly have the ablility to post pictures again I may do a design blog as well. I am a little hesitant to do that b/c of Pinterest. I do not want to be pinable.  We'll see!

If you are even reading this its a true miracle! I am sure nobody heads this way anymore since I had let it go for so long!

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Testing

HELP PLEEEEEEASE IM BEGGING!

I no longer have the option to post pictures. Can ANYONE help me?? I left a message with Blogger but no response. What are my other options for starting a blog??

Potty Training

It can take over your life. From the moment I found out I was pregnant I was dreading this day. I have a smart little booger and thought it would be a breeze. He has gone on the potty several times before. Just hit or miss. I got the Lori Jensen book from my friend Holly who used it with her little boy and it worked like a charm for her and eventually me. Its a Three Day Training Method. Basically You are by their side 24/7 for three days. FULL ON UNDERWEAR. All positive communication. I explained about how wet or poopy underwear is YUCK and DRY is GOOD! You do not even ask if you need to go potty but instead, are you dry? The whole emphasis is to help them to know their body and when to tell you. You can not leave because you have to catch an accident while its happening and regardless take it to the toilet. My parents kept my older two for this to happen which was a TREMENDOUS help. It was exhausting. I hated it. I thought I was going to die. But here we are on Friday and have had a two days without an accident. Until about thirty minutes ago a poop one. For some reason he has decided he does not want to do that on the potty anymore. UGH. Its a process and there are going to be occasssional accidents but no wet ones in three days! Has woken up dry as well. Here is my week in pictures....

at first we did not have underwear so we used sister's white panties that she had outgrown... dont hate me later Levi!

Soon after this pic he decided he did not like that seat anymore. It actually works better without to point down and he is a good balancer!

He was embarassed when I took his picture. How does he at 27 months old know to be?!

This was actually taken the first day right when we got the underwear. We have now been through 13 pair.

The deal is they are in a tshirt and underwear the whole time until they stay dry. We did a lot of playing outside.

We did venture out yesterday for lunch and play at McDonalds with friends. I was scared to death!!! I packed four outfits with clean underwear! My Mr. Regular now is not and I just knew it would hit there. He told me twice for tee tee and we made it all the way back home dry! I am not looking forward to visiting EVERY RESTROOM EVER.. but it will be easier on the pocket book!

What I am doing on my summer vacation....

Well the last week of school I painted my bathroom an elephant shade of gray.. warm. also known as Better Homes and Gardens Stoney Earthware...

Next up is my first experience with chalk paint. I love it! However, next time I will be making my own instead of paying $35 for a small can of it. Still a great deal since I painted SIX chairs with it and still have a quarter of the can left.. but DANG. I have now distressed four of them and will have to give a pic of the entire room after the mess is clear :)

Next up is the boys room! My projects take FOREVER. I only have a bits of time here and there with having three children at home, and then there is that thing called laundry and they constantly ask to be fed....Anyhoo. Here are some pics of thus far

Chairs before

Bathroom Before

Bathroom After

That last pic, was the inspiration piece for the room. I loved that color in the mat of the frame. The rugs on the floor also have a touch of warm gray. There is another vanity to the right as you walk in that I did not picure. I decided the new color really brings out the richness of the armoire I moved in from our room, as well as that dark red accent color we have going on. and makes all the trim pop. This room is not finished. I would really like to frame out the mirrors in some wood molding. Trying to decide between an espresso color or black. Any input is welcome :) Also may do a dark espresso finish in the creases of the wood on the vanity.

AHS Seniors 1992!

Here we are proud and true, senior class of '92!

Well had my 20th highschool reunion last weekend! I actually contemplated not going b/c I see my friends fairly often. Most of them still live in the metroplex but after hearing that the three that don't would be flying in, I was for sure in!!

We are a random rare little group of people! We got really close by our senior year, which I think we all decided should be attributed to Young Life. We are still in contact with our leaders, who have attended several of our Christmas parties and made it to our pre-party as well for the reunion! We used to take a camping trip together every summer until most of us were married off or had moved away :( Lots of great memories even after highschool!

Every time we get together we revert right back to being about 17 years old again. Never akward, like no time has passed. This weekend was no exception!

My friend Heather, is still in Fort Worth. Her dad is still in the house she grew up in, which is also where we seemed to end up after whatever adventure we had been on back in the day. Her sweet Dad, took off on a road trip and left us his house with a ton of food and nice beverages ;) We all rode together in Heather's mini van from here, should have gotten a pic of that! Then we came back and had a slumber party, guys included, and stayed up until about 4 laughing and watching videos. Our friend Linnea and Thea brought breakfast and coffee to us in the morning and the laughter continued! Her dad also arranged for us to be able to swim at the Elks Lodge so our kids could play together too.

We went to another gathering Saturday night in an area of Ft.Worth that is new to me and SO COOL!!! Man, I wish I still lived in that area! That night we all (girls) made our name tags to read the last name Shaw and decided we would pretend to be Sister Wives with Joel (who also was my prom date) being our common husband! When that gig was up we switched around true nametags. Same old goofy bunch! My friend John had come and gotten me and then drove me around the area to see how things had changed. It was great to have time with just him catching up.

That night I realized there were so many people that I had really not gotten to know of which I had known my whole life! I guess that happens in a big city and when you graduate with over 700 people! Sad none the less though.

The next evening Heather had us once again but minus two travelers Maria and Joel and Holly who had left for YL camp, for fajitas and dessert. We were all a tad more mellow. It turns out staying up all night takes a toll on 38 year old bodies as compared to our 18 year old ones! Here are few pics from the festivities. I hope blogger actually cooperates and posts.

Boys's beds

Scored these twin beds at a community church garage sale close to our baseball fields after a game about a month ago. Paid $40.00 TOTAL! I plan to paint them and coordinate them in a room to be shared by my 8 year old and 2 year old.

Six years is a big difference in age. I did not think I would be going this route. Ty's room was once the playroom until Levi arrived. Levi will be in a regular bed by the end of summer. Both of my other children were out of a crib by 2 years old but Levi is.... different. In EVERY way. He does sleep through the night and takes great naps, which is a HUGE blessing for how active he is. He is just now walking himself to bed and not crying himself to sleep. We may be closer than end of summer but I have a lot to do before his new bed will be ready. Right now he goes to bed at least an hour before the older two. Summer is different though. We usually let the older two stay up later and watch tv.

This room change is especially going to be sad for Olivia. Ty has had a double bed since Levi was born. Ty's room is actually the mother-in-law suite in our house. Olivia sleeps in that bed with him every Friday night and more often in the summer. They are close friends and big snugglers. I love this for them. We also need another room though. For which I will be giving more information on at a later time and NO its not for another baby!!!

After pics to come....

End of the year MAYhem....

Our elemetary school has a play day, as opposed to Feild Day that we had back in tha day! I think its a better idea all around. No stress ALL play! This took place on a Friday. A day that Levi was not able to be at school and a day that nobody was available to watch him. Therefore, our time there was short. I thought he would love it and could participate in the bounce houses, playing with balls and the playground, however all he did was want to run from me while laughing. EPIC FAIL. I did manage to snap a few pics of Olivia and her friends but Ty's class was not until the afternoon and I missed it entirely :(

Ruidoso Pics

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Ruidoso, New Mexico Baseball Tournament

My oldest son Ty (aka on team as Tybo) is 8 years old and on a select travel baseball team. This is our 4th year with the same team, The Lubbock Titans.  Our third tournament this spring was Memorial Day Weekend just four hours away. My parents came and took care of Levi while the four of us took off in Dad's Jeep to the mountains.  The baseball was great, although we turned out third :( , but the scenery was even greater.  Our little family needed this SO badly.  Levi is a precious blessing, however he is every bit of two.  He demands all of my attention when he is awake. This was a wonderful opportunity to focus on the older two and just enjoying nature. Perfect weather, and a perfect weekend! We all, with the exception of two families, stayed at Rainbow Lake cabins. They were just as cute inside as they are out.  The kids got to sleep in a loft! They had full kitchens and a relaxing porch overlooking the pond. Dad did good!

Our entire team took a break Sunday and ran to walmart to purchase some poles and went fishing. Two of the boys caught fish, but all had a ton of fun! 

I have now loaded pictures four times. I guess I will have to edit later :(