Weekend Fun

Ok, so this is a couple of days behind, but we had a fun weekend. Chris and Parker took advantage of the beautiful weather and slept outside in a tent. Parker thought it was so fun...it took her two hours to fall asleep, but she finally did. Chris and I stayed outside and chatted until it was time to go to sleep.

Parker then had a princess birthday party to go to for her friend Madeline. The mom's decided last minute ( I wasn't one of them, but I obliged) to dress up in "princess" outfits too. I found an old bridesmaid dress and threw it on for fun. Parker thought it was great that we were both dressing up as "princesses".

We're getting ready for a family vacation. I'll post pictures when we get back!

It's Gone

It is with very mixed emotions and tears that I say that we FINALLY sold my car. I have been praying that God would bring us a buyer for this car for so long, that I didn’t anticipate such sadness to hear my husband call me with such excitement in his voice to tell me that it’s gone……I know he didn’t anticipate my shock and disbelief and sadness in my voice…it’s gone….I didn’t get to “say goodbye” I didn’t get to drive it one last time…it’s gone…and I’m sad….really sad…I had planned this great blog post with pictures of the 3 cars that I owned…instead I’m pictureless, since I didn’t take the time to take a picture of me with this car in the 2 months that we’ve been trying to sell it. The finality of selling the car is just that…final…it was the last piece of the life I knew being able to drive, and it’s gone……it’s done and official that I am no longer driving my car. Even though this has been the case months ago it finally feels final…Did I mention I'm sad?....I hope I enjoy my new kitchen floors when they get installed as much as I enjoyed the freedom of being able to drive..Life sucks sometimes…..but I guess that is the tradeoff…car vs. new kitchen floors…

Swim Lessons

Parker is doing really well with the private swim lessons she's been taking. On Tuesday I was SO Excited for her as I got to watch her jump off the diving board for the 1st time!! She did it twice, and was not intimidated at all! I couldn't believe my eyes, and was so thankful that I got to be there to watch it and she was so proud of herself. We couldn't wait to tell daddy when it was all over. On Thursday daddy wanted to come watch and see for himself. The weather was a bit cooler, and nerves must have settled in...as she only jumped once off of the board this time, and the rest were off the side in the deep end to the instructor. She still did great, and we are so proud of her. Grandma was there to witness it as well. Parker can now swim on her back by herself, and can do pretty well on her front too but still needs a bit more practice! We have one more lesson for the season, and then we're done. Hopefully she'll retain it all next summer.

The Girls

As I was downloading several new photos of the girls, I realized it's been a while since I've posted pictures of them. I've got a lot added up, so this is a post of pictures. Daddy's birthday cupcakes were a hit....Parker had a fun gymnastics birthday party to go to for her friend Topher...The girls have had fun playing outside, and lastly, I've got pictures of Parker's swimming lesson last night, yea!!! Enjoy!

Clumsy & Frustrations...

Some days are worse then others…and I only have myself to blame…most of the time at least..sigh….I feel like these last few weeks have been worse. I don’t know if I’m just not paying attention or what the deal is, but it has made me more acutely aware of my limitations…Just the other day I was bouncing a little ball that was Parker's and catching it…I was doing pretty good, and then all of a sudden, I was able to realize the ball bouncing, but not in my view of sight..I knew it was bouncing on the ground but it was in that area that I can’t see..It was a surreal feeling of knowing something is there and what it is doing, but not seeing it, until it reached the height to where I could see it…Then there’s the cabinet doors I leave open, and then consequently run into them a minute later, the dishwasher, toys, the girls, Chris…lately I’m always running into something.

Then there’s the other issue that is slowly hitting home of my new reality. I so want the girls to obviously live normal lives. I want them to be able to participate in extra activities, and Parker is getting to that age of finally being able to! It has been an eye opening experience to try and schedule these activities, and not being able to participate in the getting her to and from discussions, except for to arrange it. Then it is also hitting home that I can’t go and watch her participate because on top of it all, I’m still a working mom, and right now these activities are during the day. Chris, my mom and friends have graciously stepped in for my inability to help, and for that I am so grateful, but I’m also sad. I want to be that mom who get’s to drive her kids all over god’s green earth and be active and supportive.

Parker’s been in swimming lessons this summer and I have yet to see her do this. On the bright side, We are going to do a few private lessons in the evening so I will get to walk her to those and I’ll stick around and capture it on camera! I’ve got Parker enrolled for dance lessons this fall, and my mom has planned to pick her up from daycare to take her, and another mom has generously offered to take her back. It’s only 2 activities so far, and this is how I’m feeling. I know as the years go by it will get easier because it is what it is and I’ll be used to it....or maybe harder…I don’t know.

Before & After

Well our bathroom remodel is finally complete!! We've actually been using it for quite some time, but have been waiting on the mirror to be installed. It was complete a couple of weeks ago. I have several before and after photos. Enjoy!

BEFORE:

This is a shot of the bathroom as you look to the right from the door. It was only a bath, no shower, so for a little over a year, we all had been taking baths only!!

This shot is looking straight ahead from the door. Nothing exciting...there was that wall, and a cabinet way up high, which Chris already took down. He started demo work before I could get in and take the "before" pictures!

This is looking towards the vanity from the toilet and tub area...notice the hanging lights..there was a small oval mirror hanging between the lights, and only 1 sink, so getting ready in the mornings was fun!

This is a straight shot of the toilet/bathtub right when you walk into the bathroom..

AFTER:

This is what you see from the door!! Chris and I were very excited about the walk in shower!

And turning to the right, we have a new toilet! Everything was stripped down to the studs, and is literally new!


This is a straight shot of this area from the middle of the bathroom.

A shot of the vanity area.

A more straight on shot of the vanity area.

Federal (Fed)

Last night was a hard night for me....Today I suppose will be a hard day for Chris...Chris made the decision to put Fed down today....I took a few last photos last night for Brecken's baby book, as I had yet to do that for the page of "my pet". Although Brecken didn't really get the chance to spend a lot of time with him, I still wanted to get a photo of him and her...but she wouldn't really have anything to do with it..this is a pretty typical scene of what you would see...Parker enjoyed Fed, and here is Chris trying to coax Brecken into petting him, which she wanted nothing of, I thought this picture captured it perfectly! I said my good bye's last night not realizing how hard it would actually be. Fed was around long before the girls and I, but he was a great pet, friend to many. He was a great hunting dog for Chris, and I know he will miss him dearly. Fed's is 13 and old...and his legs and body were tired...May he rest in peace...