So, I Wanted a Basement

When we moved here, I had a couple things that I wanted in a house.

1- Garage- check
2- Wood Floors- Nope (but coming soon)
3- 1800 square feet or bigger (1800 on the dot- so check)
4- 4 bedrooms or a basement- Nope

I couple weeks ago, I posted about redoing our shed... which at the time was serving the typical shed purpose. 

The before and after pictures are similar angles from the shed. 

Before

After

painted the plywood floors with Lowes Restore paint.  It is expensive, but needed a thick paint to fill in some of the imperfections in plywood. 

Before

The storage thing is what is now the bar

After

love the dark stain on the beams. 

Before

After

Before

After

Our "I Love Me Wall"...  Since both Chad and I played our sports in college and earned some awards while doing so, I dug around in the attic to unearth them.  Ha.  I get a chuckle every time I look at this wall.  Good times!

And some additional views from after.  

 

 

Ignore all the wood on the side of the shed.  That all came from inside the shed. 

The boys and I love this added space to the house.  This little project cost us a little over $600.  My budget was $500 but I went ahead and decided to upgrade the tv now instead of wait so technically I came in under budget... right?  ha.

I figure it is a steal to add a room to a house for $500- $600.  We will add a small heater unit out there for the colder months and will play it by ear for the hot summer months.  All in all, so glad I conquered the shed. 

Cost Breakdown
Paint / stain/ supplies- $160
TV- $170
Fridge- $220
Rug- $35
Cork Boards- $35
Pictures- $12
Futon- Free from parents basement... thanks.
Bar Stools- had them
Table/ chairs- had them
Bar- already in shed... took it out of wall and painted it
Shelf- already in shed... just modified
TOTAL - $632

A Picture

Sometimes, you are lucky enough to take a picture that just makes you smile.  That can turn a really crappy day into a good one.  That can throw all your priorities right back into order. 

The boys and I were jumping on the trampoline a couple days ago and I managed to coral them to sit for a "just a second" to take a selfie with all four of them. 

And this is what I got. 

This is my life.  Mischievious eyes, big silly smiles, wrinkles forming on my eyes, blue eyes everywhere except when I look into the mirror. And I love it all- even the wrinkles (kind of.)

Random Tear-Up

I don't often get sentimental however, I caught myself tearing up today.

Ashton capturing a Bennett/ Mommy love fest.  He is giving some incredible hugs now.

Hunter needed a hair cut, so I took the clippers to it.  Easy.... been cutting his hair since he was Bennett's age.

It then hit me that Bennett could use a haircut. Now, I have trimmed his hair up a time or two but not really cut it cut it.... as in, take off the fine baby hair.

But, without too much thought, I took the clippers (with a big guard) to his fine little baby hair and mid way through realized what I was doing for the last time.  My last baby hair was strewn on my garage floor.  He looks older now.  I notice his mischievous little grin more.  His eye even seem to sparkle a little brighter without the excess hair. 

His hair isn't thick, so maybe this cut will help it me in a bit thicker.  Regardless, he is forever my baby.

Before- from yesterday



After:  The new Bennett

 

 

 I have mentioned the book, Let Me Hold You Longer, before.  This is another great example to all of us moms out there to not forgot about "every precious little last."

 

 

School Pictures

 

 

It's that time of year... the annual School Picture Compare.  Why do I love looking at these comparisons?  I guess it just makes me realize how quickly these kids grow and how they are truly but on loan to me. 

Hunter-  From left to right- K5, 2nd grade, 3rd grade (no 1st because of homeschool).  The first two things I noticed were his face is not quite as round and his hair is dark!



Ashton- K5 and 1st grade.  He is definitely a cool kid and looks the part in his 1st grade pic.  Love his crooked little grin.

These two are having a great year so far.  We are in full swing with soccer practices and games, Chad's football stuff, Hunter is taking guitar lessons and then of course nightly homework/ reading.  It is a full life. 

When I Dont Blog

You guys know that when I don't blog for over a week, then I am knee deep in a project.

I wanted to just touch base with the ol' blog. 

For the last week or so I have been in my shed.  I have grand plans for this shed since we moved in.  And, it is time to change it into an extension of our house.  I moved a TON of crap/ yard stuff and did some minor demolition.  And then paint, paint, paint, new fridge, used  futon, and eventually a new/ bigger tv and maybe a foosball table and I hope this room will be a place for the boys (or me) to escape.

Here is the shed before. 

No after pics yet as I still probably have another week or two until it is to my liking but I am getting there.

So excited to see the finished product.

My Shep conquers Day 1

My heart to stay at home became a reality with the birth of Shepherd.  He has been with me...me... since day 1.  No daycare, no Mother's Morning Out.  Nada.

PreSchool!

I don't say that for kudos or a pat on the back.  But merely, he is my man.  He has been my constant chatter during the day for the past 4 1/2 years.  And, today, he started preschool 3 mornings a week

 

Love this!  2 of my boys

He said he wasn't nervous, but I could see he was cautious.  Yet, he has also anxious to get there.  Thankfully, he knows two of the boys in his class as we go to church with them at night.  He met his teachers yesterday and I know he will have a great time out from underneath my wings. 

Thanks Jay for the picture.

But, man, I will sure miss that flighty little boy during the morning.

Moses photobombs the picture

On a sweet note, Bennett noticed Shepherd was not in the car and looked around saying Shepherd's name in only the way Bennett can say it. He will definitely miss his big brother too.

On Shepherd's school days, Bennett will only get an hour nap.... this is the result of a school day for a 4 year old and a hour nap for 1 year old

In the car line to get Thing 1 and Thing 2

Shep had a really good first day. :)

The End of Summer

Though we technically have a few weeks left of "summer", it feels like summer has come and gone.

As the boys and I were outside the other day, I realized that I had not even posted an update on my garden. 

In the picture below, the beans are on the left, the open space beside them was squash (already pulled it up), and then directly behind me is okra (with tomatoes and herbs behind it), to the right is the biggest watermelon plant ever!!!

 I am so happy with the garden this year.  The only failure was the beans.  And though it was a beautiful plant, I did not get one bean from it.  Thankfully GrandmaDean and PapaHub got plenty so we got fresh beans  multiple times.

The okra plant and watermelon were the best.  I have probably 10-12 bags of okra frozen (some of that came from Hub's yard) and I am still getting cuttings from the okra though it is finally slowing down.  I have probably 15 watermelon still on the vine- no way we will eat all of them.

Munching on some melon

 

The watermelon plant--- only one plant--- it goes all the way to the blue chair

Even Moses is getting in on the eating action

Speaking of Moses--- such a handsome boy

And happy. Run Moses Run

Bennett and his dogs.  He loves these animals and they love him.

Getting some Molly love

So, now it is time for soccer and football.  The older 3 boys are playing soccer.  they are all in different age brackets... U10, U8, U6.  So scheduling is a bit more complicated.  I am also coaching the U6 team... my arm was twisted to do it.  haha... U6 is a different creature.  I am co-coaching with a friend though and I think it will be fun. 

It was a good summer... but bring on the fall.