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I can't believe he let the girls do this to him but I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Poor little guy will usually do most anything if it means that his big sisters will play with him. I just didn't think he'd let it go this far.
Note to self: Include this in the video montage at his wedding.
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The kids have been out of school for almost a month now but we've been busy with summer camps, house projects, lots of houseguests and neighborhood goings-ons. And we're all sad that we're not going to Maine this summer. The first summer in 12 years that we won't be there.
So, I've decided to slow down our schedules, no more summer camps except for the ones in late July that are already on our calendar and just take the next few weeks to relax.
And I think we're going to spend a lot of time at the beach. We are so fortunate to live less than an hour away from beautiful beaches on Lake Michigan and we just don't take advantage of it enough. I'm going to try to get us up there at least once/week for the rest of the summer if I can.
Our first trip of the year was perfect. We got there super-early (by 9am) so that we could have the lake to ourselves for a bit before it started filling up with people and it was a great idea. If any of you local, semi-locals want to join us this summer, just let me know!
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In the past two months, we have moved, said good-bye to neighbors, friends, and the kids' school, had 3 different sets of houseguests, hosted 3 other get-togethers, met a cajillion new friends and neighbors, lost my grandmother, switched to some new doctors, scheduled some minor surgery for both Emily and myself, scheduled Emily's braces, gone to new summer camps, and on and on.
It's been so much change that I'm having a hard time keeping my head on straight. And it's all so overwhelming somedays that it's all I can do to just get through the day. The kids are struggling with all of it, as well, and Emily is emotionally a basket case a lot of the time - it's so hard to figure out where she fits in with new friends and then she heard about gatherings with old friends that she wasn't invited to "because you're going to a new school." Girls can just be brutal sometimes.
So, we're kind of taking the summer day by day. We just need to get through it all and, if that means that we don't get much else accomplished (including much blogging), then that's just going to have to be okay.
In the meantime, we're just hanging out. And still waiting for the crazy puppy's fence to be installed.
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The last photo I took of the kids in their University of Texas gear was when Andrew was a newborn. I thought Tom was overdue for a new UT photo for his office.
Happy Father's Day, honey! I couldn't imagine a better father for our kids!
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If you know us, you'll know that we're pretty much home-bodies. We're quiet, we don't go to many parties or even do large social gatherings very often. We're shy in large crowds and often feel out of place. In essence, we're introverts. Put us in small groups of close friends and we easily hold our own, but large groups of people and parties are not really who we are.
Apparently, that's all going to change. LOL. In the past month, we've had 2 groups of houseguests, 3 large gatherings - dare I say PARTIES - at our house, gone to 3 more neighborhood gatherings and are having another set of houseguests this weekend. Unbeknownst to us, having a new house is a reason for everyone to want to gather and party. Had we known, I'm not sure we would have moved!!! Okay, just kidding, but we are a bit shell-shocked by all the entertaining that we're doing and being invited to do.
We've quickly come up with a set menu list that we just re-do for each gathering. The most fun we've had is with beverages, though.
Some lemonade for the kids.
Some beverages for the men and the teens.
And then some beverages for those of us who like something more fruity. Yummy!!! This is the BEST sangria I have ever had and I can take no credit for it. My friend, Kari, gave me the recipe and it is completely and very dangerously yummy!!! So dangerous that I didn't get any photos of it until it was almost gone. :)
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Overheard in the car this morning as they were talking to a friend we had picked up:
Libby (9 yrs): I think out of the whole family, Dad is the funniest and I'm the second funniest.
Andrew (7 yrs): And Mom is not funny AT ALL.
Libby: Oh yes, she is! When she shakes her butt to music, she's funny. Funny and embarrassing all at the same time. (rolling her eyes)
Andrew: No, it's not funny. It's just embarrrrrrrassing.
So, my new life's goal?
To "shake my butt to music" in front of their friends as often as I possibly can. :p
*******
And THEN. To make it even worse.....
After we had dropped off Libby and her friend, Andrew says to me, "Mom, we really need to get back to doing Jillian's Shred video. You've been eating a lot of Dairy Queen."
And I had to refrain from throwing Bill Cosby's line at him but I sure was thinking it: "I brought you into this world and I can take you out of it."
******
I think I shall leave them at home this afternoon with a sitter and go to the pool and have some ice cream BY MYSELF. Thank you very much.
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I'm frozen with indecision and need some input. You guys have ALWAYS given great design advice so I'm calling on you again. Our master bedroom is the same taupe as the rest of the house (ugh!) with white trim. Our headboard is a mahogany-colored wood and our comforter is red/gold (photo from our old house). We also have large (new) nightstands beside the bed and I just can't commit to the wall behind our bed. As you can see, we used to have a window behind it, so I've never had to decorate an entire wall in a master bedroom before.
I bought 6 burgundy frames and was going to put black & white photos of the kids in them. But, it just feels too black & white. I want to add more color and texture to the room.
I'm thinking about framing paper. Specifically digital papers that I'll print out on textured cardstock. I did a mock-up below.
What do you think? Too goofy? Too arts & craftsy? Boring? Should I go with some art instead? I've seen wallpaper framed and love it. This would be a similar feel. The room is huge so I want something that will make a bit of an impact.
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the beginning of a photo wall on the stairs. still a long way to go and i've already switched around some frames and mats but it's a good start.
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I know I haven't put much about scrapbooking on my blog lately but I'm still doing a lot of it. And I'm still designing for Designer Digitals - I swear I fall more in love with that place every single day. I am so lucky to be one of their designers.
Here are my most recent layouts. They were all made for the All About Me Challenge that I write every other week on the Designer Digitals blog. You can find all of the challenges here: All About Me Challenge.
And, as always, you can find the credits in my Designer Digitals gallery or you can email me with questions. :)
And shhhhhhhhh..........don't tell anyone, but I'm debuting something new on the DD blog later this afternoon. ;)
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I received so many wonderful comments on my request for bedding help. Thank you!!!
I already had this bedding from his old room. And needed to find something that coordinated for the other bunk on his new bunkbed.
I ended up following much of the advice given to me and I'm so glad I did. I bought basic orange sheets for the other bunk with a coordinating orange sham. I also found a navy comforter that reversed to the same light blue found in his current comforter with a matching navy sham. All at JCPenney for under $50!
And then I mixed up the shams and throw pillows on both beds. Here's what it looked like when we made up the bunks for the first time.
His new room is very dark and, therefore, hard to photograph. I'm going to repaint it a super-light blue this fall and that will help. And the only wall to put the bed on is in front of the window which is not ideal.
As soon as we took these pictures, we switched the bedding around, though, and I haven't taken any new photos because we've had so many houseguests lately that it's all I can do to keep the fridge stocked. But, what we did was put the new comforter up on the top bunk with the navy side showing. The striped sham and orange pillow really pop more with the navy than with the light blue. His old striped comforter is now on the top bunk with the navy and orange shams.
I'm trying to come up with more ways to incorporate small pops of orange in his room because I love it with the blue. Shouldn't be too hard with UT fanatics in the house!
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