I bribed them with candy...

and this was what I got.

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before and after: playroom and kid's bathroom

My out-of-town family (which is all my family) has been bugging me about posting pictures of the progress on our house, so here's a start.

This is a before picture of the dining room.  It had not-my-style wall paper, boarder and a paint job. 

Here are a couple after pictures of what is now a playroom.  I've always wanted to have an african-themed room, and the playroom seemed like a great place for it.  Bryan's mom and aunt painted the walls and ceiling.  We swapped out the light fixture.  The art on the wall is a genuine mud cloth -purchased off ebay : ).   We also bought the large area rug to make the room more inviting for toddler-play!

Naturally, with a foreclosure, there were no window treatments, so they are all new as well.  This picture also shows the foyer with our new door and grey wall.

Still to do in this room is some more wall art and I'd like to get some african baskets and an authentic african drum - but I don't trust my kids with them yet.  Also, in the long-term future, the hardwood floors need to be refinished.

Here is a before picture of the kid's bathroom.

And after:  I found a whale shower curtain on clearance and went with it.  This is the first room where we started to paint the popcorn ceiling, and after one swipe with the roller, decided to scrape it off!  The walls are chocolate, and I made the simple valance.

 I'm planning to have the kids do some "whale" art and frame it for the walls.

In the future, we want to replace the fixtures and floor. 

five things I love about fall

I love fall almost as much as I love spring!

1.  Fall colors- the leaves, apples, pumpkins, orchards. 

2. Sweatshirt weather and hot beverages.

3. Birthdays!  We have tons of them in the fall, including mine, Lydia's and Brett's!

4.  Halloween - what could be more fun than getting candy for dressing up in silly costumes?

5.  Football.  Well, not really, but this year, it's keeping my husband happy!

The only thing I don't like about fall is what comes next...but hopefully we have a couple more months before we have to start thinking about c-c-c-cold weather.  In fall, I appreciate every 60-degree day to it's fullest!

school days

Last week, Brett finally had his first day of school!  (He was dead set on wearing his Packer's shirt and cap!)  It was a day that he and his mom were both looking forward to.  Brett was looking forward to it right up until the bus pulled up to the house.  I was missing him before I got back to the kitchen to refill my coffee cup.

And on the second day of school, Brett got his first phone call home.  It was not a good one.  The Momma Bear in me wants to come to his defense, and say, "You just have to understand Brett, and how he operates!"  And I did...as gracefully as possible.  I want to protect him, and yet I have to let him experience a world that does not always understand him.  There must be a balance between making excuses for him and having unrealistic expectations.

I just hope this week goes better.

time-out...again...

circus

3 year ago today...

Brett's adoption was finalized.

"And after lots of looking for just the right family, God sent you to me.

And I'm so glad he did."

-Just in Case You Ever Wonder, by Max Lucado

picture post

 How nice of blogger to make it easier to upload pictures.

What's up, Doc?



Brett made his pancake a smiley face!

Cute today.  Leverage in 15 years (uncropped!)

What's wrong with this picture?



swingset

Our kids are officially spoiled.  Over Labor Day weekend, Daddy built them a beautiful new playset.  They excitedly watched for 3 days from when Daddy came home with a carload of lumber until he hung the swings and said, "You can play on it now!"



Reggie loves the sandbox!



Lydia loves the swings!



The "whirl-n-spin" is perfect for our sensory-seeking child.

"I did it!"

Daddy had to add one final touch to the fort.  When Bryan bought a huge Packers' flag in Green Bay, I made it clear that it would only hang in our front yard on gamedays (after all, we don't want all our new neighbors to think we're crazy!)  He found a place to "keep" it on non-game days!

free zoo

There is a free zoo in our city.  Considering that it's free, it's a nice zoo.  It is always very busy, because it's free.  I have learned to stay away on weekends and will rarely venture there on nice-weather weekdays - it's too hard to navigate the crowds with the kids.  I thought maybe the Friday afternoon of Labor Day weekend, with the state fair going on, and school starting, and weekend plans, it was worth a try.  It was perfect weather, the animals were out to play, and there were only a few people around! 

So the kids got their maps and we were off to see the monkeys!



We stopped and said "hi" to the grizzly bears.



After a picnic dinner, we had mini doughnuts with the sealions.



Reggie was there too!



brothers

Peeked in on the boys before I tucked myself in, and this is what I found: