Sunday, November 30, 2014

Gobble Gobble

The boys and I are on an extended stay in Pittsburgh visiting with family in town.  Every night things have been hectic and BUSY, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I'll have to post a turkey vacation recap once I have all my photos organized.  For now I'll just focus on the Gobble.Gobble.


Thanksgiving Day was exciting and delicious. A big, HUGE thank you goes out to my Aunt Nan and favorite Uncle Dennis for hosting such an amazing dinner party.  My sisters and I spent the morning baking in the kitchen, apple pie and the most delicious lemon meringue pie I've ever had.  Jules is the best and I love being her sue chef.  Our classic pie squat in front of the oven makes me happy too :)  


After nap time we headed to my Aunts where she and Uncle D had a choo-choo track set up for the quads, which got demolished within minutes, but the fun kept coming.  They trapped themselves, and each other, in closets, consistently climbed after the veggie bowl, ate pie, played the drums on the toilet seat lid and crashed when we got home.  It's totally exhausting being a toddler tornado.


We L.O.V.E. our new hats!  THANKS NANEE!!!

Hope everyone had a delicious dinner and enjoyed some special time with family.  As much as I love Halloween I think Thanksgiving in my very favorite holiday.  I see almost all of my family and for that I am truly thankful.


Friday, November 21, 2014

The Snow Belt


We were warned, by everyone familiar with Northeast Ohio, to be prepared for snow!  After 3.5 years in the bitter frozen tundra of North Dakota we saw A LOT of snow...but not like the snow belt in early November.  The climate there was so dry I'd boil pots of water on the stove to put moisture in the apartment.  The wind was always blowing and without moisture outside to pack the snow down it just blew, everywhere, trapped people inside their homes or on the highway...cause who can see with zero visibility?  Then 4 years in Texas with NO snow....ugh.  My heart ached for the fall foliage and I would feel so sad thinking about my untouched winter gear packed away in the attic.

And now.......

It's SO beautiful!!!!  I didn't expect 2 feet of snow so early on, but it's amazing.  We all have adjusting to do but we are accustomed to change these days.  I'm enjoying the time at home, cooped up watching the snow fall.  We have SO much organizing to do so the mayhem keeps us all busy.  The only problem...I've started to fill my home project plate faster than expected.  There are so many changes we'd like to make, and I wish we could accomplish everything all at once, but reality says it'll take a few years.  As much as I'd love to dig into the crazy bathrooms we have, they need new floors and vanities so badly, I think I'm going to create a mudroom instead!  I just know it's a project I can handle for an inexpensive price tag!  Then putting on snowboots and winter gear won't feel so difficult in a shallow hallway.


Plow Trucks!  I'm sure these will become a favorite this winter.

In other news it's the weekend before Thanksgiving.  I'm so excited to see my sisters, INCLUDING JESSICA ROSE!!! and other family for the holiday.  It's going to be grand!  Plus the quads are going to be together, and that's my favorite!  In two weeks the boys turn TWO, yikes.  Aiden escaped from his crib for the 2nd time this morning, so I'm trying to decide if we are converting to toddler beds.  AND, I'm really looking forward to seeing the boys expression at their birthday present.  I'm staining a small table and chairs for them as an art station.  Only a few weeks away from their party celebration too.  I'm keeping things SO basic and simple!  I had so much fun making their invitation!  Happy days ahead for sure!


Friday, November 14, 2014

Snow Days

Wanted to give a quick update since it's been a couple weeks.

In current events:
We took a fun trip to Pittsburgh last weekend for birthday brunch at my Aunt's house to celebrate cousin Zach!  The boys had a blast with everyone and Kaleb seriously sang Happy Birthday as loud as he could.  It was hilarious.  They also had a great time playing the piano with cousin Matthew and practiced blowing out candles with Uncle Dennis.  My Aunt has a bunch of pictures, I'll have to run an update once I ask her to send me a few.


The house is looking slightly more organized.  The boys room has a new coat of paint, which has really brightened up their space!  It looks so much larger and I'm really looking forward to putting up some special decorations...which are still in boxes.  The kitchen is almost finished.  We still need to find a back splash and I think we'll give the walls a coat of paint to offset the white cabinets.  The boys and I picked up a track light to try out, and a wood worker stopped by this morning to take some measurements for a pantry cabinet (and staircase railing).

Northeast Ohio is getting a BIG dose of lake effect snow this week.  This is the first time the boys have ever seen "dooooooe."  We got dressed up to "play" outside today and the boys just stood there completely confused.  They couldn't push their trucks, tractor or lawn mower.  When they tried they'd hold their cold hands up in the air and cry for me to clear the snow away.  Oh boy.  They'll get there.  Once I teach them how to build snow forts and a snowman!


Happy weekend everyone.  I think we'll stay cozy indoors.  Another blast is on the way.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Our "forever" home

Photo courtesy: Eagle Vision Photography
Portion of the front yard looking back to the culdesac

Truly, we hope this is our final home...but who knows what the future holds.  For now it's perfect for us to grow into and make our own!  We knew right when the house posted on the market it was the one, saw it the following day and instructed our agent to bring the paperwork.  Within 24 hours we were lucky enough to have a final offer submitted and the house was listed as contingent.  The sellers took a couple months to find a new home them selves, so we patiently waited and enjoyed the stress free days of pre-move.  Most of the pictures below are ones the sellers had posted, so furniture all belongs to them.

The past two weeks have been such a mess.  Between the final delivery of our belongings and our current home projects I can't believe I can sleep at night!  So far I've gotten the outside of the house painted, removed some of the bars between the kitchen and living room (same at the ones pictured below looking out from the sitting room/playroom, replaced a couple lights in the kitchen/dining room and the kitchen facelift is still underway.  

New paint color to pull out the darker bricks.  Keith isn't sold yet.  I think shutters will help.
Sitting room/Play room
The boys room (sellers nursery).  Currently in transitioning mode to a toddler/big big room with new paint!
Backyard screened porch.  Hope to eventually turn this baby into a 4season room.  Wish they would have left all that wood outside too :)
Kitchen and kitchenette.  Dining room in back.
In the midst of cabinet transformation.  Prepped for new countertops, sink and faucet (which have arrived)!
The Lowe's employees give us such big smiles every time we visit the store....which is becoming a little too often.....


Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween.  Happy November.