Our new deck!

Old deck gone. You can see the old patio and bricks they had.

Patio and bricks gone.

New patio.

Deck going up.

Done!

Arbor with end cuts

Ta da! We ate breakfast lunch and dinner on the new deck on Sunday with the beautiful weather we've been having!

We are still going to have the concrete stained and have some landscaping to do but other than that it is awesome!

Happy New Year

Every year I make a "to do this year" list and post it in the right column of the blog.

Here was 2010's list

- Paint the kids bathroom - DONE!
- Journey on a family vacation to Disney World - DONE!
- Frame and hang pictures of the kids and family
- Organize the master closet - DONE!
- Have a huge garage sale - DONE!
- Clean up the guest bedroom (which translates to get rid of the old unnecessary furniture and organize my extraneous scrapbook stuff) - DONE!
- Have more date nights with my hubby - Definitely did better this year! Even ended the year on a date night!
- Get Anna to where she can ride her bike on her own (for more than 1 block) while I walk and push Carter in the stroller
- Be financially responsible, meaning pay off my credit cards, make a budget, stick to it, save for vacation and christmas presents, the kids' college, be more "we" oriented with our finances
- Open and use the laminator my in-laws gave me two Christmas' ago
- Wash and put away the foam letters that have been in the laundry room for cleaning for forever - DONE! Sold in garage sale

A few were leftover and will carry into 2011.

So here is the new To Do in 2011 List:
- Scrap December Daily
- Visit my brother in San Antonio and go to Sea World
- Celebrate being married 10 years with a trip to Hawaii
- Paint the guest bedroom
- Finish unfinished home projects including
  - Hang the double curtain rod and valance in Anna's room
  - Touch up paint in the kids bathroom
  - Install the missing glides for one of the baskets in the new closet
  - Hang shelves and framed pictures in Carter's room
- Run three half marathons
- Run 1,000 miles this year

Still thinking if there is anything else I should plan to tackle. May add a few things.

December Daily - Day Thirteen

Well, it's almost half way through December and I haven't scrapped a page. But at least I'll have all my journaling done when I'm ready!

As I suspected Anna woke up sick. 102 fever and a horrible cough. Croup was going around the daycare and I think she might have caught it. Or if not, some other virus. I worked from home. She wrote her Christmas list

1. American Girl doll
2. Littlest Pet Shop
3. Robe

We put it in an envelope and then I had to explain stamps and why they cost money. It takes a lot of work to get that letter to the north pole I explained, gas, people, airplanes, cars. "Ah, I get it now."

Our kitchen pipes have been frozen for a few days. As you can see I really needed to do the dishes. So Kevin found a new use for my hair dryer and thawed the pipes. Yay. Then I got to do the dishes. Boo.

Anna spent most of the day in my bed watching cartoons. I started out in here, but was quickly annoyed with the Dora song and Wonder Pets song and so on and so on. So I switched it to a marathon of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Very early episodes. She thought that was hilarious. That evening she watched The Princess Bride. She didn't eat dinner. In fact she only ate toast, chicken noodle soup and cheese crackers. And motrin. My kids are so picky about the flavors. We have two chewable flavors and three liquid flavors of motrin. She only likes the Original Berry Motrin (that's the one with strawberry and raspberry, not to be confused with Fruit Flavored Motrin which is strawberry and cherry). And she likes the orange Delsym but not the orange chewable motrin - "those are spicy." I can't remember what Carter likes but it's the opposite. My medicine cabinet is full of every flavor they make.

While Kevin was using my hair dryer I tried to change the channel on the TV. It was that crazy show with the obstacle course that's impossible to complete and they fall in the water and everyone laughs and laughs. Carter about flipped out and claimed "Daddy is watching that" when really it was him. Boys. Then Kevin was watching that logging show and Carter had his feet propped up on the coffee table. Boys.

Tassie finally got some love. Kevin has been joking I should call it the 25 days of Baxter because I keep taking so many pictures of him. He's so dang cute! Except for when he pooped on the floor.

December Daily - Day Twelve

Snow! The glittery kind that is dry and doesn't stick and just dusted the ground. With all the wind it built up a few drifts around the front door. The kids wanted to go outside immediately. I got them to wait until about 10 am. I haven't bought any new snow pants or boots this year. We made do with last year's snowpants and tennis shoes.

"I'm gonna make a big pile of snow and then jump in it!" Carter announced before they headed out.

Baxter LOVED his first snow. Pouncing around like a kitty cat, laying in the snow, running, rolling and happy as could be.

The kids used their kid-sized snow shovel and scooped the snow onto the dogs.

Upon coming back in (because they were too cold with very rosy cheeks) Anna said "Off to the hideout" and so they were off to play upstairs and begin the day of sibling annoyance.

Kevin finished the closet and I began putting all the clothes back in.

Looking in from the bathroom.

3 laundry hampers, hidden. 

Ironing board, also hidden. 

To the right, to the right... of the hampers.

My shoes.

My side (to the right of the door as you come in, almost looking back into the bathroom)

To the left, to the left... of the back wall and hampers.

Kevin's wall, opposite my shoe wall.

Carter slammed his door one too many times and lost it. The door that is. I'm sure that happened to me when I was younger but I think I was 11, not 4.

Sunday is taco night. However, it is so cold that the pipes in the kitchen are frozen so I can't do dishes.

I think Anna is coming down with a cold and starting to run a fever.

December Daily - Day Nine

Thursday. My day off!

Dentist day for the kids. Dreadful. Anna was great. She is about to lose her second tooth and I was surprised it didn't fall out during the cleaning. Carter on the other hand still refused to sit in the chair and screamed at the top of his lungs while I held him down and they cleaned his teeth. Then he snotted and spit all over himself and threw himself on the floor. I was embarrassed but not surprised. They kept saying, wow last time we got xrays! and I kept correcting them, no that was when he was sedated. Ohhhhhh. I have hope that someday he will willingly  sit in the chair and quietly have his teeth cleaned. Some day.

After the dentist we ate at Subway. The kids took turns taking pictures with my iPhone.

 

I like this silly one. 

We took Anna back to school and went to pick up pictures for December Daily from CVS. It was here that Carter attempted his first shoplifting. I was paying and didn't see him put a pack of gum in his pocket. We were walking out and some guy in line said, "gentleman" or something. I turned around becuase he said it in our direction but I was sure he wasn't referring to a 4 year old as a gentleman so I started on. Then he said something about not paying for what he put in his pocket. Needless to say we had a little talk. It reminded me of me. I tried to steal a pack of gum one time, but I think I was probably 5.

After we got home I hung the lights and garland around the door since it was in the upper 40's and not absolutely freezing.

Later Carter threw a huge fit as I made him put his dress clothes on to go to his Christmas program. He's been singing his songs all week and his teacher says he is one of their best singers and leaders.

But not tonight. As soon as they started singing the first song he threw himself on his knees behind everyone else. And sat their through the entire program. See him between those kids' legs? 

 I had promised ice cream if he sang, but he didn't, so no ice cream.

Tonight I finished my decal project in the bathroom upstairs. 78 pieces. Done.

Maybe I should have painted the walls a slightly darker grey so it's easier to see the "Quack" but it's done now :)

December Daily - Day Six

Hello, Monday. We meet again. I'm on my own for getting out the door because Kevin was still on his hunting trip. The night before I stayed up organizing the chaos to look more like this in case Kevin comes home today.

Even though I got up at 6:15 I didn't leave the house until 8:15. Ugh. 2 hours. Monday.

At work, this travel mug from my Helzberg client makes me happy. Full of coffee from home.

I go to lunch with one of my co-workers Ramsey to talk about social marketing my own dept within DEG. Panera is our usual go-to.

After work that night Anna has swimming lessons. We have been doing some private sessions to try to get past Level II. I let Carter swim also now that we are a member for the winter.

 Kevin gets home and discovers my unfinished project in progress. I'm pretty sure he's pissed but he doesn't say anything. At least my shoes look pretty :)

December Daily - Day Four (Saturday)

Saturday morning. I need coffee.

Lots of coffee.

I get back to work on the final demo. I removed the left wall of the center shelving unit.

 And had my first moment of doubt when I realized it was part of the floor. I realize it shouldn't show because hampers will be here. And Sam is good with wood working, if I need to have him shim it it won't be a big deal.

I roll paint.

After two coats my parents arrive. We begin hanging the first track. We realize we have to remove the trim to get these flush with the wall. Parts will have to be cut to be reattached later so we keep them in tack (except for one that cracked).

After we get shelves in, Anna and I can hardly wait to start putting shoes back. We get the second track and shelves up.



And the third track on Kevin's side.  But on this side, my dad hung it a few inches too far to the right, forgetting that the right panel has a finished side so we can just move it over to the left because the panel isn't cut all the way through. This one really needs to be shifted to the left a few inches, because otherwise I think the hanging clothes will run into that panel. There is also a vent on the floor. We will probably need to install the toe kick board behind the vent on that section. These will eventually have shelves and drawers.

By then it was 5 pm and my parents had dinner plans. Ok, no problem. We still have the largest part to go in on the back wall. I'll text Sam and he can come help.

Uh oh. Sam had surgery on Thursday on his knee and is on crutches. Scratch that idea. Ok well, I'll just do as much as I can on Sunday. Reality sets in that Kevin is going to have to finish this. It won't have the impression I had hoped for. Oh well. There's no turning back now.

The kids had been so good that I took them to Christmas in the Park at Longview Lake. Carter liked it but Anna thought it was for little kids.

Best quote of the day "Mommy, you have too many projects. You don't need to start any more projects." - Anna

Yes, Anna. Lesson learned. Lesson learned.