MAKING A HOUSE A HOME!!!!!

When we rented this townhouse, there were pleated shades in all the downstairs windows. Two were broken when we moved in, the third one broke after we moved in. We tied the blinds up and put up inexpensive curtains. I got curtains for all four windows for $56 - that includes the curtain rods. Such a deal. This whole house is beige: the carpet, walls, ceilings, stair rails and doors. Just too much for me - I love color!

DEN BEFORE CLOSED:


DEN BEFORE OPENED:


DEN AFTER:

LIVING ROOM BEFORE: notice broken shade.


LIVING ROOM AFTER:


LIVING ROOM FROM THE TOP OF THE STAIRS:


I also rearranged our bedroom. No pictures of that - it is the same furniture, just rotated.

Zachary & Elyse were given a HUGE horse barn and stables set. It is like a doll house, only for horses. They have one building put together. They have been playing with it for the last hour (and no fighting - a miracle). Just wait until they get it all put together - it will take up half the room. Such a blessing (and free).

Zachary & Elyse's room finally has light! I bought a lamp with five shades (similar to Erin's that she got to go to college). It is very bright in their room now. No more using the closet light to play in their room.

We are finally getting settled in, can you tell?

Next job - making banana bread (the awesome one we tried at Emily's house).

SNOW & DOG!!!!!

Before we left Emily & Dan's, the kids wanted to prove that they got George to do "stick 'em up." Here is the proof.


Prediction: 6-10 inches of snow. Does this look like they were right...not!

The trees are so pretty. This is out our back door. The tree is at the edge of our patio.

BTW, I love our new couches. You must come see them and sit on them.

MFEO and BFF!!!!!

Nanno-nanno-nanno!!!!! I told you I could do it!!!!!

Cool Joe!

Do you think these two will survive without each other? We leave tomorrow. I hope they both learn to live without their companion.

GUESS THE CAPTION!!!!!

What would you call it?

OUR FINAL WEEKEND IN MICHIGAN!!!!!

Zachary's birthday is February 9th. Since we are living at Emily's house, we decided to include them in the birthday celebration and Friday night was the only open night. Zachary chose pizza, ice cream and root beer for his dinner choice. Just as I was getting ready to make the pizza, Emily stopped me and said they were taking us out to eat for MY birthday (which is February 18th).

Dan & Emily took us to a mexican restaurant that was to die for. We demolished the first two bowls of chips and salsa, so they brought two more. Then we ordered and had much more than we would want to eat (although, most of us finished our meals). Elyse ordered a children's meal, which wasn't enough for her to eat. She finished Zachary's adult meal and two of my tortillas. We had a fun time eating scrumptious food.

After dinner, we let Zachary open his presents. His first one was a box of "Cinnamon Toast Crunch" cereal. Remember last year? He asked for "Frosted Flakes." I guess this boy is hungry for junk food (we have to stop making that healthy stuff). George helped unwrap his present.

Not to cheat him out of his gifts, he also got a "Nerf Dart Tag" set for two players. Zachary & Elyse have been shooting each other since. We haven't lost any darts yet, but we came close.

If anyone wants to get shot, let Zachary know.

Saturday, we made Zachary's birthday dinner at lunch time. We made homemade pizzas. Besides sauce, we put mushrooms, green peppers, sausage, and pepperoni on it. It was very good. For dessert we had ice cream with chopped candies on top (Heath bars and Butterfingers). For our drink, we had root beer (some of us had leftover Vernors - we ARE in Michigan now!).

It has been a GREAT weekend so far!

Dad will be going back to VH on Sunday. Z, E & I will be going back on Friday (as soon as Dad comes back to get us).

THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF.....!!!!!

Lacey wrote such a fun blog about how her day goes! Emily, Zachary & Elyse wanted me to do the same. It won't be as much fun as Lacey's was, but you can see how much we do in a day. If you are like us, after reading it, you will be exhausted.

6:30 – alarm goes off for me only, get up, shower, have devotions

7:00 – check emails, blogs and weather

7:50 – wake up kids

8:00 – start school while waiting for Dan & Emily to get up for breakfast. School at Emily's house is in the spare bedroom. Zachary sleeps on the floor, Elyse sleeps in the twin bed. In the morning, we have to put Zachary's make-shift bed on top of Elyse's bed in order to have room for the school table.

8:30 – breakfast, clean kitchen (here's our lovely crew with our mouths full - we are eating yummy banana bread)

8:50 – brush teeth, comb hair, get coats on

9:00 – drive Emily to work (one hour away)

10:00 – drop Emily at work, head to grocery store

10:45 – arrive at grocery store

11:15 – head back to Grand Haven

11:45 – arrive at Grand Haven, unpack groceries

12:00 – finish school (Elyse likes to read her Bible on top of both beds - it is a real balancing act).

While Emily & Dan are at work, we take care of George. George likes to do school with Zachary.

That is George's favorite soccer ball. We are tempted to throw it away, he has learned to squeak it and it is very annoying (thanks Titus and Rogue).

12:30 – pack for weekend in Vernon Hills.

Even George takes in a reading lesson or two.

1:00 – make lunch, clean kitchen again

1:30 – check email

2:00 – run to Walmart (to get things Meijer’s didn’t have)

3:30 – go get Emily at therapy

4:30 – arrive in Grand Haven, make dinner

6:00 – eat dinner, clean kitchen again

7:00 – relax, read, play table games

9:30 – get ready for bed, read for awhile until I fall asleep

Now wasn't that boring? At least you can see how much driving we have to do each day. Thankfully, Emily got Dan, Luke and friends to do some of the driving. Or there would be more driving instead of getting other things done. Thanks to Luke, Dan and Deb for helping with the driving.

And finally, our new living room! We have a new couch, loveseat, two end tables, two lamps and two pillows. Do you like it?

Zachary, Elyse and I are home for the weekend. We have LOTS of sorting and putting things away. We are THRILLED our new couch and loveseat has arrived. The living room shrunk while we were gone (lol).

We will be at Emily's until the 19th. I won't be updating another "day in the life of" so you won't have to be bored again. Thanks for reading!