I forgot to call it "Project Time"...

See below. ;)

Growth Chart

I have always thought the idea of recording your childrens' height as they grow was a fun idea. I have seen a lot of people do it on a wall somewhere in their home, but when I saw this growth chart over at Cozycottagecute, (http://www.cozycottagecute.com/2012/04/diy-growth-chart-tutorial.html), I loved it. I can also take it with me, if/when we move on to another home. I made mine a little different, but I basically followed her tutorial. I don't have a fancy camera and so my pictures are really lousy, but you get the idea.  It is really tall. I made it six feet, so that I can measure the boys even when they enter teenage years. :)

I haven't figured out where I am going to hang it yet, but I will show you when I do.

And just for cuteness...

Update and an idea

One of my mini-goals this year is to update the blog more often than 4 times a year, even if it is once or twice a month, that would be better than my current record.
Over the last few months we have had the pleasure of going to Las Vegas and Utah to spend the holidays with family.
I was so grateful for all the snow we received while in Utah, as I do miss having a white Christmas, as much as I love CA.  We were able to take the children sledding, build a snowman, have a snowball fight with my dad, make snow angels, have a lovely dinner with good friends and visit Temple Square, have a play date at my sisters' homes, read books with Papa and Grandma, and visit hub's family in Moab for a couple days.
We received some really great gifts this year, and some very creative and thoughtful ones. I got a tiny    little vacuum from my in-laws, that is perfect for a home with all hardwood, and my larger one finally gave out a few months ago, so I was pretty thrilled. The boys love to take their turn vacuuming the rugs. My bro- and sister-in-law made me these kitchen towels with hand prints and drawings from the kids embroidered on them, that they had them do while we were together for Thanksgiving. I love them so much! The girls also received handmade dolls from the same sister-in-law that look like they came right out of "Little House on the Prairie", complete with period clothes and bonnet, yarn hair and a family ancestor name embroidered on their stomachs. She also gave us a family tree for each doll to see who each doll was named after in my hub's father's family! Why can't I have ideas like these?
Hubs also surprised me with a quick get-a-way to Anniversary Inn to celebrate our 9th year of marriage.
In other news, we have been keeping busy with school for the girls, teaching Joy school for older son, piano lessons, and fixing up the house. We are anticipating oldest daughter's baptism and birthday party with friends this next month. She wanted to have a fancy "tea party" birthday party, so my mother-in-law is graciously letting me borrow her mother's china, as well as napkins, napkin rings, table cloths, serving dishes and pitchers. She loves to have a pretty table for meals and so is well-stocked with everything I needed. Thank you!!

I had an idea for the blog I think I might try. I always love myself a project, so I thought I would do a post once a week (or every other), called "Project Time" (or something cheesy like that), in order to help me blog more often and to keep interested family members updated, since I am the Lone Ranger in my side of the family, away from Utah.  I will try to do my first later this week. One of my favorite aspects of the blogging world is seeing what other people create, and I really enjoy the good ol' before-and-after posts. Sine we are doing major work on the house, it will be fun to show some of the transformations.

Well, I have rambled long enough, so good-bye.

Starving

We were driving home from Las Vegas the other night, where we spent the Thanksgiving holiday at hub's brother's home (it was an awesome vacation!) and decided that we would take a break to stretch our legs and get a bite to eat.  The girls were keeping an eye out for a good restaurant and this is the conversation that followed:

Younger daughter: "That looks like a good restaurant over there (pointing out the van window)".
Older daughter: "That is a restaurant for grown-ups."
Older son: "I'm a grown-up."
The girls laugh.
Younger daughter: "No, you're not a grown-up, you're a sibling."
Parents laugh.
We explain what a sibling is and explain to the kids that they are "children".
Older son: "Oh, yea. We are not grown-ups because we are starving."
That makes sense. :)

Christmas Wish

Me: "What do you want from Santa for Christmas this year?"
3-yr-old son: "Presents!"
Me: "Well, what kind of presents?"
Son: "Like green, blue, yellow, purple, white..."
Me: "What do you want inside your presents?"
Son: "How about...treasure!" (With a big smile on his little round face).

In-between

 One of my favorite things about our "new" old house is that we have a play/family room.  It is so nice to keep the toys out of the main living area (except for the baby toys because we can trap our littlest guy in the living room), and out of the bedrooms.  This room faces the backyard and is connected to the kitchen.  It also leads to the downstairs bathroom, laundry room/garage entrance and spare room.

The kids use this table for crafts, coloring, puzzles, toys, etc.

The frame above the couch was left here by the previous owners and I attached a few strings of wire and some clothes pins to it to hang up the kids artwork and other things they want to display.  Rather, they like to hang things up themselves. :)  The wire basket thingy hanging on the right is where the girls put their papers from school when they get home.  The stacked baskets on the left house diapers and wipes on top, and dress-ups on the bottom.

This used to be in the girls room and I love having it outta there!!

This dresser holds all of their craft/art/coloring supplies, paper and coloring books.

The green box on top is younger daughter's homework box, where she keeps her homework folder and supplies.  Older daughter keeps hers upstairs in her "secret" study area, which I will show sometime.  The white basket contains the library books so they stay separate from our books.

And this is what little man and I enjoy doing while the two oldest are at school. :)

This room is obviously in its in-between stage.  Like the rest of downstairs, except the spare room, we need to paint it, put in crown molding and new base boards, add trim around the sliding glass door,  and some kind of window treatment.  Lots of fun!

New Chapter

We are officially home owners. 

...And yes, that is tan bark covering the front yard. :)