Blah blah blah...more house pics...

I finally got my herringbone pattern!  It's in the kitchen backsplash. They still have to grout the tile throughout the house and put down the tile flooring.  The fluorescent lights and ceiling fans should be going in today, then wood floors later this week.  They still need to paint the kitchen cabinets as well.  Lots to do but the countdown is on.

And so begins my Christmas shopping so that we can hopefully get moved in and NOT have to worry about leaving the house to go get presents!

The trim is painted a dark brown

This is the girls bathroom.  still needs to be grouted but we put in an iridescent round tile for accent that has light pinks, blues, greens, yellows...  Daddy's idea!!!!

I'm very happy with the backsplash!  it's a limestone tile...nice cool tones

Gymnastics

The girls have started gymnastics and love it!  Well, Avery likes to gripe and groan about going because she has to do the bar (sometimes) and it hurts her tummy and she's afraid to flip over it.  But by the time we leave they are elated and excited to go back.  They started in September and just had their first evaluation.  Both girls are moving up to the next level so they just have a few minutes after the class to present the kids with their certificates.

More house pictures...

This week granite was installed.  Mike can tell you I had a week long nervous breakdown about the kitchen granite. I was worried it was going to be too busy, but it's in and luckily - I love it.  The countdown is on.  Mike is striving for moving in in 2 1/2 weeks!  I'm not holding my breath.

The already small apartment is filling up with house stuff. Yesterday we got 2 large boxes of light fixtures and today, the wine fridge comes!!!!

We've done just a little bit of decorating for Christmas at the apartment.  The girls are anxious to get settled and get our tree up it the house - me too!  That will probably be our first priority of the move.

Front of house

Stone up close - this was my other worry, because really - how do you return 4 tons of stone if you dont like it!?  

Kendall's sink

Front bath

Garage built ins - our trim guys had a lot of leftover so it ended up looking pretty darn fancy for the garage!

Kitchen - cabinets still need to be painted

Kitchen granite - Brown Ice

Master Bath - Kate's side

Mom and Dad's vanity

The Study

Can't tell you how blessed I'm feeling.

Funny Girl

My funny girl Avery.  She and Kendall have so much fun together. I've been meaning to post her "solemn faced" prayer for quite some time.

And...this is what happens when mommy is cleaning and daddy is doing the dishes...

Thanksgiving with the Brew Crew

We spent the Thanksgiving week in Dallas at my parents house and had a great time.  On Wednesday Kendall started drawing Pilgrims and Indians and a turkey on Popsicle sticks and before you know it was hounding me to type up a play for her.  I typed, she talked and created this little play.  They do "Reader's Theatre" at school where the kids each get to read/act out a part in a short play.   Kendall loves doing it so we officially have her first screenplay written and recorded!

Avery had stage fright so I read both parts. Other characters were Grandma, Grandpa and Daddy as the Turkey. The large Diet Coke box is the theater and half of the characters were actually "in" the box (ahem...turkey - Mike under the table with the feather showing).

And here are a few snap shots!

Piper, David, me and Mom

Despite constant appeals/coercion/force/threats we could NOT keep mom out of the kitchen.

And Jack from yesterday...apparently he had a crappy day...

New house pics!

Here's a few pictures updates of the house!  This was done last week.  This week we hope to have the kitchen cabinets painted white, the island will be black, granite installed, tile started, stone on exterior completed.

We finally have finished all of our selections (except carpet - that's tomorrow).  Everything in the house is handpicked so if we don't like it, we have only ourselves to blame.  If you don't like it...uh...just don't tell us.  From the fluorescents to the sinks, to the knobs, to the flooring, to the toilets, every single light, lantern, uplight...need I go on?  There is a budget of course but we could pretty much go anywhere and pick anything so while it seems to be a blessing, there comes a certain point where I just wanted to say "YOU PICK IT ALREADY!!!"

One of our biggest concerns was the exterior stone.  We found a house here in Cinco that we really liked but had no idea of the manufacturer or name so Mike's stone guy just did a drive by and tried to match it the best he could.  Luckily - we love it!  Because really - how do you return 4 tons of stone?  (actual amount may be exaggerated...or not)

Updates on all things!

I know I know I know...it's been 9 months since I wrote anything on here.  Unbelievable!  But life is just busy busy busy so finding time to actually download the pictures that I took onto my computer - well that's just an accomplishment in itself!  So - I'll catch you up on what is going on around there here parts of Texas.

Most of you know we are building a house.  We are so excited and feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity.  We bought an acre a little further west of Katy in a town called Fulshear.  It's a great very small town that is growing and growing.  We put our house on the market last May and after about 5 weeks received a good offer and went with it!  We were supposed to close on June 15th and then leave for Disney on the 22nd so in panic mode we moved out of the house and into an apartment but then the house didn't end up closing for another 5 weeks... but it was good to go ahead and get moved out. 

Construction began on the house in August. Our plan is to be in the house by Thanksgiving - or sooner if possible.  We start sheetrock today and that will take almost all week to complete, then they'll texture, start flooring, put in cabinets...lots to do still!  Here are a few pictures...

 Our lot before construction began

The back of the house when they were roofing.  This is not our whole lot. I took this from the house that is behind us.  

The front of the house - almost ready for stucco

The living room - big windows!!!  lots of light.

Avery is 3 (will be 4 in January) and is still my baby.  She loves to sing - she's always singing something.  And she is the family entertainer.  A total goofball!  She is in preschool 3 days a week at our church again this year and loves it!

Avery helping make daddy's birthday dessert

Avery with her friend Lily on the first day of preschool

Kendall is 6 and will be 7 in December.  Since we will be in the house in the next few months we were able to get her started at her new school at Huggins Elementary so that she won't have to change schools mid-year.   It took a couple of weeks for us to adjust.  School this year starts at 7:45 am so we have to get up pretty early.  I'm not a morning person.  I like waking up AFTER the sun is up and my children are following suit, so that in itself was a challenge but we are starting to get used to it.  Kendall is such a friendly and sweet girl.  She loves making new friends, reading, drawing and dancing.  We just started the girls in gymnastics so I'll try to get a few pictures of that in the coming weeks (or next year). 

 Kendall and her new friend, Kate, at a skating birthday party this weekend.

We celebrated Mike's 35th birthday on September 24th and we went to dinner with his side of the family the night before.

Family picture!  Happy Birthday daddy!

And perhaps our biggest news yet...we're expecting!  Yep - we decided last spring that maybe we were finally ready to add one more kiddo to the crew.  Below is my ultrasound from 7 weeks and as of today I'm 11 (and a half) weeks.  My due date is April 26th - hallelujah for a baby that is NOT going to be born in the holiday season!!!!   The girls are so excited (as is Daddy).   And according to our plans - this will be the LAST baby.  Three is enough!

The baby is the tall thing in the picture. I think it looks like a Storm Trooper standing next to a hamburger.