Fish Day

Since the house we bought is on a lake, we decided to go to this free event in our community. It's the annual fish day. It's a free event at the biggest lake in our suburb. There was live music, food, fun activities for kids, 'green' advice, and all the info we would ever need about the fish in our lakes and where and how to catch them.  It was such a fun family activity for this particular Saturday...and feeling new to the area in a way, we really want to get connected and be involved in what's happening in our city. Unfortunately, the weather did NOT cooperate...but we went anyway and had a great time.

a tank full of the typical fish we could catch in our lake...

Eden actually did catch her first fish here, but only after Briar and I ran off to escape the downpour at the pavilion...WITH THE CAMERA IN MY POCKET!   She was sad that I missed that photo opportunity.


They had fishing poles and free bait for us to use.  Here Daddy is helping the kids...he spent his childhood fishing in the lake in his own backyard so he's the perfect one for the job!  Our kids have really enjoyed fishing in our own lake this summer with Daddy.  



making pictures with fish stamps...

House Pictures

GETTING SETTLED...

the family room

...improving

the kitchen...

When we first moved in, we didn't have furniture for the living room so Briar was using the space as her playroom. It looks a lot better...and neater now but I must say, I miss having Briar playing close by. ...All of her toys have been moved to the unfinished basement.

the sunroom...with a great view of the lake.  Most any morning you will find Q and I in here...doing devotions...sipping coffee...having breakfast...talking about the day ahead or the kids and our latest parenting issues or the finances...it's the best way to start each day.  It doubles as a pretty nice home-office for Q many days too. This is definitely our favorite room.

...this was a major selling point for us. The back yard was so beautiful and private with all the trees and the view of the lake. The kids love going fishing or swimming anytime they want to.

master bedroom





I painted and refurbished this dresser...


...to match this bedding

and for the first time ever...Q and I have our own bathroom.

the kids' bathroom




the girls' room
WANTED: Twin matress, boxspring and frame for Briar.  She was still in a crib when we left for Poland..so now that we've returned she is sleeping on a stack of foam remnants. I guess it's better than sleeping in a crib.






Truman's room



Hopefully FOR SURE we are going to be here for awhile so I have big plans for this house. I've already had so much fun decorating and giving it my own personal touch...but I still have so much to do. I will be sure to post the before and after pictures as I make improvements.

Moving Day!

It was May 24th in Minnesota, but it felt more like August 24th in TEXAS!

IT. WAS. HOT.  To have friends help us move in is one thing, but to have friends actually help us on this day was something else. Everyone looked like they had gone swimming with their clothes on...they were soaked with sweat!  Thankfully, many hands make light work so we had the trailer unloaded in about an hour.

Our stuff had been in storage for a year and a half...it was like Christmas morning opening all those boxes and literally not knowing what I would find inside! I had forgotten about so many cute things.  We are truly so happy to be in our own house for the first time in a long time...but I have to admit it was definitely bittersweet leaving the Anderson's {even though we only moved just-under-a-mile away}.  It was sad...for all of us.

No Sucky Thumby

When Briar was 4 months old she discovered her thumb...and she was hooked! 

at the beach...
on Gramma's lap...

at Anderson's...with big sister...
As the years of thumbsucking {i.e. ingesting the germs from everything she touches and likewise placing her own germs on everything she touches} passed... my appreciation for pacifiers grew and I realized how much easier it was to throw a pacifier in the dumpster than a child's thumb...Eden and Truman both used pacifiers.

in the car...

with Mama...

So when she was almost 4 years old we started talking about quitting and decided that 4 was much to old to be sucking one's thumb. And, she agreed that on her fourth birthday she would indeed quit sucking her thumb...but no sooner!

So we had Eden make a "No Sucky Thumby" chart and we got stickers--which she received one for each 24 hours that passed with no thumsucking. If she could successfully NOT suck her thumb for seven consecutive days she would then get a prize...and so on and so forth every seven days.

...and no, she doesn't get a prize every week for the rest of her life, it sorta just fizzled after about the 4th week.  And that was that! Yay Briar!

"Mermaid" by Briar

Mother's Day 2010