kissy kissy...

I was taking some "OMGYOURETURNING1TOMORROW!!" photos of Miss MJ, when of course Bubs wanted to get in on the attention being paid. I told him to get in there and give her a birthday kiss. Now, if you know Bubs, you know that he doesn't kiss. Anyone. Ever. Sure, he'll let you kiss him a million times, but you ask him for a kiss and he just turns his cheek for you.

So imagine my surprise when he actually puckered up and tried to plant one on her! She thought this was TOTALLY hilarious and poor Luke just kept trying to really kiss her! Who knew he loved her so much?! He finally got her!

Yea, Got Her! She started clapping when I cheered for him!

Muy Bueno!

Well- the BIG day finally arrived! Yesterday was the long awaited Dora LIVE concert! Since we knew we weren't going to be able to have a party for Bubs this year since we would be in the big fat middle of moving, we decided to take him and his little buddies (plus thier fabulous Mommies!) to the show! Sadly, our BF Hannah was under the weather and couldn't come! (I'm still thinking of some way to make it up to her, poor baby! Noe sure how hard it would be to make a large paper mache Dora head... hhmmm)

It was actually really fun: the perfect lengh, easy to follow storyline, and there were fun songs and audience participation! We had so much fun at Thomas back in June, and now Dora... I think we might hit up kid productions WAY more often! Here are some highlights from our adventure!
Las Estrellas!Here we go.....Cotton candy, popcorn and Cheezits- Oh, My!The girls at intermission...Shhhh- I've spyed some movie star divas leaving the show!Oh, no! I've been spotted!

ADIOS!

Couch Potato

I don't know why I think this is so cute: But I love when Morgan sits on the couch and eats her breakfast! Maybe because she looks like such a big girl, or maybe because I have pictures of all of my other kids sitting there with Jas (watching golf, of course) and now I have a complete set... Either way- its adorable to me.

Taste-testing her breakfast...

Jas asking her how she thinks Tom Watson will do today...

She thinks this is so fun!

Watching our favorite show, "Olivia"... She clapping at the school play they were putting on- So cute!
(Please notice Mo waiting patiently here at the bottom left. He LOVES when Morgan eats. He will come running at the sound of the 'pop' of a baby food jar, or if we shake the can of puffs! He sits right down next to her, because he knows- whether its the high chair or the couch- he'll be having whatever she's having as soon as she get up.)

Drumroll.....

Okay! So I have been meaning to do this last week, but today I HAD to do it for my darling friend and her hubby, our contractor (Thanks, Cokers!) And so, without further ado....

A LITTLE PEAK AT OUR NEW OLD HOUSE!

BEFORE: Random beams that whack you in the head on the way to the door....

AFTER: Wide Open-ness Entryway!!! Whoohoo!

BEFORE: More beam-i-ness in the "Dining Room"...

AFTER: My new "Office/ Mommy Lounge-y" Space!

BEFORE: Living Room view....

AFTER: God Bless, Clivesden Leather and God Bless, Alyshia for also putting in on our fireplace grout!!! Voila!

BEFORE: Kitchen paint color from hell and wacky pantry...

AFTER: Crisp. Clean. Just the way I like it! Ahhhh....

BEFORE: Good-bye tile that was out to get me...

AFTER: Hello, I-Can-Mop-You -Clean-In-Two-Seconds-Flat floors! See my new pantry?? LOVE IT!BEFORE: Waiting for new appliances...

AFTER: TaDa!

BEFORE: No more laminate counter tops and back splash...AFTER: Loving the new ones and my bead board back splash.... (Decorating) Works in progess:

The Kids Bath:

Our Bathroom:

So! I need to take a minute to thank ALL of the people who made our little Dream Home possible: Jason's Mom and My Mom- We couldn't have done any of this without you! Marie and Royce Coker- Also, couldn't have done any of this without you! Alyshia and Stephanie- For being as House Crazy as I am- from paint colors to counter tops, you gave the best advice! Heather- For watching my "chid-wren" for me for practically two days straight, so I could unpack and not kill anyone! LOVE. YOU. Fan Target and Sarah- For being the best sisters EVER and helping me do everything from paint and to watch my kids. I owe you both. Big. Time. My Dad- Who else on the planet would drive back and forth from Frisco to C-Town 8 times in one day? Uh, yea, no one. Best Dad. Ever. The Speers Family, for letting us break out lease, Christina Lancaster, for watching over our house while we were gone, the sweet cashier at Lowes who we came to know from visiting her about 3 times a day...

Jas and I feel so grateful- for our friends, for our family and for the roof over our head.

We are SO very blessed.

Toying With Us!

Ha! Look what we walked into the living room to find! A funny, cute baby doll in the toy bucket!

She screams and cries when I put her in the big porta-crib, but is all smiles when she's contained in at little 12x12 box?!??! Go figure!

For The Price Of...

...two Iced Venti Nonfat Caramel Macchiatos you can find some pretty serious bargains lately!

Lysh had told me about these precious little red BHG pedestal tables she saw at the 'Mart. It would be perfect for in the corner by my big windows! At the time they were about $25. Which is not too bad...but too much for me to get in the car and race out to get one. (I'm super cheap.) Well- then I had to stop at the 'Mart out here to get some painting supplies the week before we moved and what did I see- sitting in a pile up on the Clearance shelves??? A precious little red BHG pestal table with a red $10 sticker on it! What?!?! SOLD! Love it!Theeeen.... Jas and I painted a large chalkboard calendar on one of the kitchen walls. I knew I wanted to trim it out, so when I was at the HL yesterday, I searched through the 80% off open back frames and found this gem. "Please, oh, please be cheap" I chanted as I turned it over! Yes! 10 dolla's!!! Whoo hoo!!! Fifty-smifty...God Bless, Hobby Lobby and their crazy sales.

And theeeeen.... Yesterday, again at the Mart- I had to run in to get the missing ingredients to my World Famous Chicken Nuggest so I could make them for Jas (poor guy had to close two nights in a row, which meant eating dinner at 9:45pm-ugh!)- Anyway! I am walking in, minding my own business when I see a huge black and white "$10" sign at the top of the end shelf of one of the aisles, and then, like in slo-mo, I realize what they are selling for that smokin' price:

Only the huge hurricane candle holders that I have been coveting, but again- I am super cheap, and kept putting off buying!!! Just to be sure, I checked the glass for a big red sticker, and sure enough, my dream came true!!! As Hannah Montana would say, "Wha-BAM!" LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!

I have become completely spoiled. Seriously. Deal, after smokin' deal! But its making adding the finishing touches to our humble little home that much easier.... A few more days and I think I'll be able to sit down and put my feet up! (cross your fingers)

Fun On The Fourth

This is a little late- but we did have a great 4th this year! We went to Castle Hills to watch the fireworks from the balcony of the golf club- great location, but next year we will get there earlier and grab a table!

Then on the official 4th, we went out to Lewisville with Fan Target. We went down a road that was closed off (such rebels!) and found a great little pond behind a group of office buildings. Again, next year we will bring chairs to sit and in a a cooler for snacks. We did grab SnoCones on the way which totally hit the spot! The show was REALLY good- I'm a sucker for a big finale and this one delivered!

It was great fun, only things now is that every night Luke asks when are we going to see the fireworks! Ha! Waiting til next year doesn't compute in a 3 year old brain...

Jas enjoying his SnoCone...Fan TargetWaitin'... Foolin' Around....Seriously Foolin' Around- Luke tried to drive off in the car!Always his P.I.C., Morgan thought this was hilarious....

Almost There

The house is almost done.
The workers are gone.
The walls have been painted. Twice in some cases.
Pictures have been hung.
Royce is finishing up little things here and there.
There are more flat boxes in the garage then full ones in the house.
Olivia's room is the last one left to be unpacked.
The kitchen table is covered with the most random things that don't have a home yet.
We still do not have a fridge. Or stove. Or a dishwasher.

But we have new floors, countertops, faucets, lights, moldings, doors...
We have a beautiful "new" home that we walk from room to room in and are reminded of the joy we felt when we first got it: When there were just 4 of us and Bubs was younger than Morgan is now. We are reminded of the birthday parties and holidays we celebrated here. We smile at our first attempts at landscaping and the Smurf blue paint debaucle. We look out the drive-way and remember walking Olivia up to school on her first day of Kindergarten. We all grew up alot in this house in the short time that we were here at first.

And now we are back. A bigger family, with more love for each other and for what this house means to us. It is our center. Our "home plate". Our refuge. I have always wanted a home that when I walk in I feel like it is where I truely want to be. Where every room I walk in just feels right. And I wish that for my family and friends who come in as well. That they feel welcome and comfortable, that they want to stay awhile and visit. And its almost there.

Is it possible that the picture of my kids are even cuter when hung on these walls? Do my old curtains really look better over these windows? Does my coffee pot make better tasting coffee when sitting on these counters? Does sitting in the furniture on this patio night make the summer air smell even better? I think so, because in thier own way, they are adding the finishing touches to our Home, Sweet (Old/ New) Home. And we are almost there.