Lauren wanted me to take a picture of the "callerpitter" she made to show everyone. Here goes:

From Sucky to SWEEET!

It was about a month ago that the "Floods of '08" caused our NEVER wet basement to seep water. This ruined our carpeting, drywall, paneling and created a major pain in the behind. It displaced Bailey, since her bedroom was probably the worst-hit. She has spent the last month bunking with Grant. Have you roomed with a 9-month-old lately? NOT FUN! She's been a trooper though. Last night she was able to return to her room for some peace & quiet.

It doesn't look anything like it did before....and we only managed to move the bed down last night - no clothes, furniture, etc. She isn't happy with the "old lady" bed cover....but it looks nice and as with everything lately.... it is to sell...we'll worry about what we like when we get in our new place.

For anyone interested, the wall color is called Sagey from Sherwin-Williams...and then darkened 150% I believe. (and I love it). The floor color is a porch/cement paint by Behr and is called "Gathering Place." I'm SOOO happy we went with the wainscoting (Thanks for the great idea again, Stacy!). I found some nice 5x7 area rugs at Nebraska Furniture Mart Outlet for $16.99 (yes - you heard it right!). I bought 4 and will return one. I will also be returning the $70 one I bought at K-mart on sale. I bought 4 for the cost of ONE on-sale rug at K-Mart! Love me a bargain.

Before (after the water damage but before rennovation):

AFTER!!!!!

Summer TV is horrible. Lots of re-runs and horrible filler shows. Usually I just don't watch.....until THIS came along. I love this show! Those Japanese are all sorts of crazy. Mix this with my love for reality TV and we have a winner! If you haven't seen it before, you must give it a try. Take a handful of Americans, tell them they will be part of a reality show where they will compete for $250,000. Then surprise them by putting them on a plane to Japan....where they will be contestants on a Japanese game show! Now, if you are unfamiliar with Japanese game shows, they are CRAZY! Love it! Here's a clip:

CONGRATULATIONS Jami & Robert!!!!

My sister is engaged!!! And from the looks of it.....I think the ring weighs more than SHE does. Absolutely huge.....and wonderfully gorgeous! Welcome to the fam, Robert!

On June 27, Grant reached the ripe old age of 9 months. We were on vacation, so I had to wait until we returned just a few days later to snap his picture in the same chair with the same giraffe. I don't think he aged TOO much in those few days.

So, usually I write a little about how much I love him, how he lights up my life, etc. All true still. But today I'm a little weary of writing all of that because the girls are both on my very last nerve! One is the definition of terrible two....the other....well let me just remind you that she'll be a full-fledged teen later next month. So, I will resist writing all about how Grant is my absolute favorite child today - that he doesn't steal lotion out of my purse and smear it all over the carpeting and younger siblings; he doesn't roll his eyes at me; he doesn't stomp off when I ask him to do something; he doesn't kick and stomp and scream when I say it is time to leave or turn off the TV or take a nap, he doesn't turn up his nose at the dinner I've prepared. No....he just gives me giant nearly-toothless smiles that completely melt my heart. He just softly touches my face and looks up at me lovingly as he sucks on his pacifier or bottle. He reaches for me - WANTS me - LOVES me in only a way a 9-month-old baby can do.

I'm sure his time will come. He too will make me want to pull my hair out. But for now - he is the perfect medicine for a mother's bruised feelings and exausting perserverance with discipline. My only son - my respite from the girl-drama. I love you!

Here's where you are at 9 months:

Height: 28 inches (50%)

Weight: 19.4 (50%)

Head: 44.5 cm (50%)

* Eating soft table foods

* Working on sippy cup

* Sleeping through the night (AMEN!!!)

* You have 2 bottom teeth and are SOOO close to the top teeth pushing through

*Crawling fast

* Pulling to stand

* Climbing 2 stairs (yikes!..where are those gates?)

* Waving

* Patty-Cake

* Big belly laughs.....and an awareness of what's funny and when YOU are funny.

* Moved into a bigger car seat (still rear-facing...for now). Too long for the baby carrier!

* Babble, babble, babble - ma ma, da da, ba ba

* LOVE to make noise...hitting things to make noise, yelling to make noise...just love it...the louder the better

* Playing with Lauren - chasing her with a fast crawl, trying to copy her, etc.

* 2-3 naps per day

* Sticking out your lower lip in the saddest face EVER.

I love you, "buddy" - more and more each and every month. What a gift you are in my life.

Love,

Mommy

Lauren at the parade

Grant's First Fourth

I'm thankful today for my freedom. It's so awesome to be an American....a good gear-up for the Olympics. Seriously - I LOVE the Olympics! I'm bummed that I'm too old and fat and untalented to BE in the Olympics (always a dream of mine when I was younger...swimming....breast stroke). Anyway - pride in my country swelled today...just like it does when I'm cheering my country's athletes on. Sure, we're flawed (don't worry - not turning this political) - but we are SO blessed to be Americans.

We enjoyed the town's 4th of July parade this morning. Mark marked our spot at 7 a.m. this morning and it was the PERFECT spot! In the shade and just a couple blocks from our front door. (Thanks, honey!)

Lauren has "potty prizes" til she's 5 I think. She has a giant bag full of candy. I'll be hiding that! Grant was a sport and so was his Dad for letting me decorate his boy's shirt with Obama and Harkin stickers (of course!).

Here's a peek at our morning:

sorry - had to.....so completely and totally and wonderfully IOWA...

Haircut #2....and it's a doozie

No, she didn't cut it herself - although I fear that is coming. I've caught her TRYING a couple times this week. Hide the scissors!!! Anyway - here's the new 'do...

Before: DUH! I forgot! Beautiful long blonde hair (past her shoulders) that covered up her eyes....styled beautifully this morning in a ponytail and barrette...by Noon that was all ripped out as usual and it hung in her face.

After: SHORT! I like it though. This really fits who she is....a wild child that won't sit still long enough for me to comb through her hair, let alone style it correctly. Plus I can still pull it into pig tails or a partial ponytail. I think it was the right choice.

We're Baaaack! Sorry for the blog-cation....went back to Illinois to spend some time with Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and my sister. Since we arrived back home we've done nothing but more home improvements (pictures coming soon). I haven't had time to do anything but paint, unpack and do a little laundry. The house is a complete disaster, I still have to post about Grant's 9-month milestone and sort through the 200+ photos I took while in Illinois. But in the spirit of "Wordless Wednesday" (I started typing this last night) I won't feel guilty about not writing much today - my first post since vacation...instead I'll leave you with a few pictures (stories to follow in the coming days). It's good to be back. I hope my two readers are still with me after that break.

Darn photogenic kids! They're expensive!

The three muskateers

Bailey, 12

Lauren, 2

Grant, 8 months

Don't tell Grandpa W.....but Grant's a Cubs fan!

After a good nap, I took Lauren up the street for what I believe to be her first snow cone. She was so excited! She announced to the cashier at "Tropical Sno" that she wanted a Bwuuuu one! Regretably I didn't get a before picture - but here is what was left of the GIGANTIC snow cone after Bailey AND Lauren ate it.



And here are some shots of 'Lil Miss Blue Lips. I'm not sure if she had more fun eating the snow cone or looking at herself in the mirror afterwards. Sticking her tongue in and out, admiring its blueness in the mirror.


It wasn't long afterwards that I noticed that her THUMB was blue too. ha! I better check her ponytail too. (sucking her thumb and twirlin' that pony).



High fructose summer fun!

Operation curb appeal is 99% complete. All that is left is the outdoor lighting sitch and possibly a new screen door...still trying to decide about that. I am pretty sure I'm going to go sans awning. Here ya go.

Before:

AFTER!

Hey, Good Lookin'.....What 'Cha Got Cookin'



So cute to see them "playing" together.

Helping Flood Victims

An Iowa Mom is one good-hearted woman. She's set up a new site to help Iowans in need following the Floods of '08. If you want to help or if your family needs help, go here. Lots of families have MINOR inconveniences like a little water in the basement - but nothing like the muddy, filthy river water or sewage backups that have absolutely devastated many Iowans. Thanks to Iowa Mom for taking the initiative to DO something. Let's all visit her site and see what we can do to help.

So sweet. So innocent. So LITERAL!

The other day we were shopping here. I had Lauren AND Grant in the front of the cart (they should make all carts like this everywhere!). Anyway, as we were shopping, Lauren spotted a few kids in a cart down the aisle from us. For those of you who don't know Lauren, she is a FREAK about other kids. She LOVES THEM! She calls all of them her "best friend." Love and excitement just rush from her pours when she sees them. Unfortunately she doesn't quite have all of the social rules down yet, so she tends to invade their personal space and freak them out in-general. They wonder who this crazy girl is that is approaching them at warp speed with a crazed look in her eye. Yup - that's my girl.

Anyway - she started pointing and bouncing up and down in the cart - so excited to see the kids! "Look! Kids! My Friends!" she shouted. Bailey was mortified. She quickly told Lauren "Don't point, Lauren - that's rude." Lauren didn't say anything, but when we approached the cart with kids in it she said:

"Hi, Rude!" "Mommy! I talkin' to Rude!"

Bailey and I about peed our pants. So funny.

PROGRESS!

Hopefully by tonight I'll be able to show you the before, during AND the after! They are hoping to finish up by tonight. YAHOO! Right now it just looks like a big dock shooting out from the house, but by nightfall it should have nice railings, steps, lattice....everything but the flowers and 4th of July bunting on the front. (sorry, Mark - must be done). And....buh-bye gross awning!

Before:

During:

ALMOST AFTER: Darn....not done yet! But so close. They will be back in the morning and finish it up. (they need to finish the rails, put up the side rails on the stairs and finish the lattice underneath.

Now - please picture white shutters on top and bottom.....and three deck planters that hang over the deck rail filled with more purple/white/pink petunias. Now picture a new white screen door and a new light fixture. Ok - so now that you have that pictured I have a few questions.

1. Should the new light fixture be directly above the door or on the side like it is now?

2. Can we do without an awning? I am kind of thinking it opens up the front door without one.....but if you think we should have one....what color?

3. The mailbox. We can get the flat kind that flush-mounts to the deck - the kind without the flag to put up when you have mail...or we can keep a traditional box and just post-mount it by the stairs. What do you think?

What do you think, improved? Kinda make you wanna buy it???? =-)

NAUGHTY!!!



Setting: Ten minutes after I put her down for nap time. The house is quiet...Mom is thinking about maybe finally making herself some lunch and enjoying a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Plot: 2-yr-old thinks sneaking out of bed to play with mascara and a toilet brush would be way more fun - oh - and stripping off her naptime pull-up and exchanging it for a swim diaper.

Conclusion: Mother YANKING that toilet brush out of her hand, scrubbing her hands with soap three times, washing her face and throwing that naughty child back in bed with a severe warning about what would happen if she dared to get out of bed again.