catching up

It's been a while since I have posted so I feel like there is a lot to catch up on...

First, I am no longer sick. Sheesh, how long can I leave a picture of chicken soup up? Anyways, immediately after I got sick, Ricky got sick, then Clair got "sick". I think she's teething. She had a fever and was just generally whiny, which is very abnormal. So, needless to say, my big plans of working around the house and getting lots of stuff done sort of went by the wayside as I nurse-maided a bit and just tried to keep up with dinner. The crazy thing about baby's, though, is that they are wonderful even when they're upset because they're just so darn cute and slightly pathetic with their little tears.

**I would just like to side bar here on cooking dinner. First, the iphone has made my life much easier, in terms of organizing recipes. I would highly recommend an app called bigoven for any of you with iphones. Second, how do people do it with work and kids and cleaning AND cooking...it's ridiculous and I simply can't get it all done. Granted I clean for 8 people but I only cook for 3. I keep thinking it will get easier and it just doesn't. My hat is off to all you cooking moms. I don't know how you do it. It also goes off to my mom...who has been doing all my cleaning. **

We did manage to finish the studio almost on time. I about sent myself to the looney bin, but the new guy is in and he's nice and he likes the place, so mission accomplished. (He did immediately, after all of our hard work, go in there and smoke a few cigarettes. And I was so exhausted, I didn't even say anything to him. Now I've got it hanging over my head that he's in there smoking and we're going to have to rip it all out and do it again when he moves out. Must talk to him about that.) Here are my most recent photos. Ricky got better one's but I don't have them so these will have to do.

Last weekend, Ricky and Cody ran out of gas...I thought I would document it for posterity's sake.

Clair has decided she really likes to play the piano and has quite a knack for banging on the keys. It's great fun to sit and listen to her.

I saw these new additions to the baby's room today and enjoyed them so much I thought I'd take a picture.

I took some time last week, too, taking pictures of some of the things that make me smile in our new life. We spend so much time working on everything that I very rarely take time to just enjoy our life here. Last week I was in the backyard and the yellow flowers on the palo verdes were in full bloom and I realized how beautiful the moment was, all the flowers blooming under a bright blue sky. It reminded me how good our life is here and I took a few pictures of things in our home that just make me stop and smile inside...and sometimes out.

This is a hook that Shawn gave us that I am using as my inspiration for repainting the dining room and kitchen. My mom insists the kitchen will look better with a new coat of paint but I don't know if I'm buying it. Sometimes cheap cabinets just look cheap no matter how you dress them up. However, I am excited about the colors. Should be bright and go with the Americana feel of the house.

This is one of my Grandma's old quilts that I just inherited. It is going on our guest bed (after I fix it up a bit). I absolutely love it. The ladies at the New Troy Grace Brethren Church made it. Totally vintage. Love it.

I really enjoy Clair's room. It is the perfect mix of sweet and youthful, nicely uncluttered (unlike the rest of my house) and has a mix of my old stuff and her new stuff. Her Clair-bear is awesome.

And that's probably enough blogging for now. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. Happy, happy day to all my friends who are new moms and those who have been mom's for as long as I've been alive!

Hope everyone has a great day.