My Man and His Fire Pit

Here is the picture of what was built in our backyard last weekend. I am so proud of Mark- he literally built this in one day, and we have already enjoyed sitting around the fire together.

The next step is to chooose the pavers to put around it and to build out our patio. We hope to have all of this completed within the next month, and hopefully I will be able to find a good deal on some outdoor furniture. We are also going to open up our back porch and have a path going from the patio to the fire pit as well as a pergula in the near future. I can't wait until everything is green and lush again, because it looks pretty dismal right now. But I know that it will look beautiful this Spring once we are finished.

I can't wait to host our first outdoor bbq bash this summer... combine the fire pit with my hubby's incredible grilling skills and some of that Southern sunshine - sounds like heaven to me!

Random Updates

I just checked my camera for this week's pictures, and I realized I have quite a bit of updating to do. First thing first though- before the pictures, here are a few things that have been going in our world:

• God is good all the time, and all the time God is good! I love it when I have a praise to share :) I got a call yesterday from the child care center where Wyatt was supposed to start in January- they happened to have a spot open up in October- yahoo... the juggling might just be coming to an end next month.




• I made a grand total of $265 at our yard sale on Saturday, so the bedroom makeover is in full swing. Pictures as soon as I can get curtains, lamps and accessories-promise :). The bedding came from Pottery Barn, and apparently they ran out of the thread that matched the duvet for my monogram- when it came it was in the wrong color and completely clashed! So... I sent it back and started over. I found a bedding set that I really like at BB&B- plus, the 20 percent off coupons were an added bonus!




• My parents are coming to visit this weekend - they haven't seen Wyatt's walk/run in action, so I am excited to see their reaction to my speedster :)




• My darling, sweet, laid back baby has turned into a curious, mischievous, temper-tantrum throwing... but still adorable toddler- pretty much overnight. It's funny to me to see how much his personality changes so quickly- another one of those unexpected surprises us first-time moms aren't prepared for.

...and finally the pictures:

This is Wyatt eating his very first kids meal. Mark and I were quickly reminded why we never go out to eat with him after this picture was taken. He was only interested in his chicken fingers for all of 2.5 seconds before he wanted to run all over the restaurant. The high chair just wasn't cutting it for our rambunctious child :)

This was actually taken earlier in the Summer. Welcome baby Ellie! my co-worker, Liesa had her first girl- this little one has a lot to look forward to with three big brothers! Talk about a Super Mom- working full time with four kids... whew, it makes me tired just thinking about it.

I can't believe how tiny she is-barely 6 pounds.

Giving Baby Hadley a hug!

and, finally ... our big play date with baby Hadley last week. Kacey, one of my sorority sisters and roommate from college had this precious princess in May, and Wyatt got to meet her for the first time- as you can tell he warmed up to her very quickly- he was quite the charmer as usual.

Thanks for having us over, girls! I am looking forward to watching Wyatt and Hadley grow up together ;)

I hope everyone is having a great week!

2009 Projects Revisited

Since the second half of 2009 is under way, I figured it might be time to revisit the household goals Mark and I set for ourselves back in January. Remember this post? Well... I am excited to report that out of four of our home improvement projects, we have successfully completed two of them! The hardwood floors took MUCH longer than originally anticipated, and cost more as well, since we decided on a higher quality wood. The good news is we are finished (other than some minor detailing) and they are beautiful! We saved about $3,000 doing them ourselves, however... we would never do it again. It was a huge, complicated, frustrating process. I think we will gladly pay an extra $3,000 next time- or just make sure that the next house we buy already has them installed.

Here is a picture of Wyatt enjoying the new flooring, or Mommy's flip flops :)

Since the floors were such an ordeal, we did not get to landscape and add a patio/firepit to the backyard this year. Mark has done wonders with the yard however. When we moved in two years ago, the only grass we had was Crab Grass- and it was UGLY. Mark has transformed our weeds and burnt grass into a beautiful green carpet- complete with the rose bushes beside our bedroom window that he planted in honor of my first Mother's Day. I love that my husband has a green thumb, because I have successfully killed every plant that we have ever had- including the Petunias I bought only a month ago- they are dead as a doornail. Apparently, you have to water them more than once a week- anyways, I digress.

The second project that we have successfully completed was just finished this past weekend. I am ESTATIC to report that the ugly baby-poop walls that the previous owner picked out for the master bedroom, are g.o.n.e. We replaced the poop walls with a beautiful blue-green. I wanted something soothing, and something NOT beige. So, when I found a picture of this color in a decorating magazine... I had to have it. I love it as a bedroom color- what do you think?

Here is the bedding that I have ordered from Pottery Barn... I have been oogling over this forever, and when it went on sale on Friday, I jumped on it...

I ordered the powder blue and I am having it monogrammed. I am so excited for it to come. The only thing I am nervous about is that it is all white. I am going to have to institute a no-dog rule...because Sadie loves to get on our bed. I am also planning on getting a matlisse to cover the bottom of it. Stephanie and I are having a yard sale in a couple of weeks and I am using that money to purchase new lamps curtains and decor.

Here is a picture of Wyatt enjoying Anna's car....we had dinner with friends and their toddlers Saturday evening, and Wyatt LOVED this Little Tykes car. Even when we made him get out and give the other children a turn, he was pushing them around the house. Mark and I both agreed that Santa will have to bring Wyatt one of these this year.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Organizing

Apparently, this week is all about life on the homefront, and my attempt to balance motherhood, new home ownership and the family finances with a full time job. In two weeks, I will have five days off before our long weekend at the beach (it just so happens that the Grandparents are traveling cross-country the very same week that Wyatt's daycare is closed) so, I am using the time I will have at home to make my home a bit more functional- and get some good play time in with my sweet son!

Here is a very boring list of what I am planning to accomplish: (I know you don't care, but I have to have this to refer back to, as I hate having paper littering my house)

• Hallway Closet: Organize gifts bags, wrapping paper and tissue so it is not falling on our heads every time we reach for the vacuum cleaner. Need Rubbermaid Container.
• Pantry- Pack up 4 ounce bottles and level 1-3 nipples, get rid of the 1,791 coozies. (C'mon Mark... do we REALLY need another coozie for you to remember that last turkey/deer/squirrel hunt??) Reorganize Wyatt's snacks and sippy cups
• Wyatt's Room- Store all clothes that don't fit that are still lingering in drawers and closet. If I come across one more 3-month onesie, I am going to scream. Need a bookshelf/storage space for toys and more rubbermaid containers for clothes. Also, search for pack n play- I know it is in that house somewhere, and we really need it for the beach. Also, need to return Ava's jumper and Moms On Call Book. (Lori, I am SO sorry we still have that!!)
• Master Closet- I don't even know where to begin. I have already cleaned it out once this year, and it still makes me stressed every time I walk into it. Yikes.

We will see how much I get done! I will be back with before and after photos :)

Daddy's Little Helper

This weekend we began the Project #1 for the the year 2009 at our house. We decided to start with the biggest project first, and then move to the smaller ones. So, Saturday Mark and his Dad began installing our hardwood floors. We are do-it-yourselfers, and I love this- we are saving $3,000 by installing the flooring ourselves, and although it takes a little longer, and our house is a construction zone right now, I am so proud to be able to say it is something we did. This is one of the many reasons why I love being a homeowner- the satisfaction we get from improving our house is like no other.

Anyways, the hardwoods are going to be beautiful! We are about halfway done, and I think in one more weekend, we will be able to finish them. This weekend is Steph's wedding, so Mark is going to try to do a little bit every evening, and then finish them the weekend of the 27th. We are extending out the hardwoods in our foyer and dining room to cover all the living areas and hallways, and then next year we are hoping to replace the carpet in the bedrooms (Is this a bad move with a toddler??)

Here are some pictures of Wyatt helping Daddy and Grandpa. He even got his tools out for the occasion.

Next up for the spring is the exterior- Mark is building a stone patio and a firepit and opening up the current covered porch and painting it, as well as the back door. Cheers to Bob the Builder!