The Befores

My bloggy friend Lucy and I are at very similar stages in our life right now.  Although she is quite a bit younger than me (shhh, don't tell!), we are both preggo with our second babies and we are both due within a week of each other--right around the end of June or beginning of July.  And we are both just crazy enough to throw in a move during that time.  But very unlike me, she has been very good about posting to her sweet little blog and earlier she posted some pictures of their moving/new baby adventure progress.  That inspired me to finally get motivated and post some pictures here too. 

All these before pictures you are about to see are for those three or four loyal readers I might still have out there.  'Cuz I figure that's about all I have left (aside from family of course!) after these past few months of really sporadic posting.  

BUT, just in case you are new here to these parts, here's a fast little recap of the last two and a half years of our lives.....

1.  We moved away from our HomeTown in the early fall of 2009 for Hub's job.

2.  In HomeTown we owned a home and because we knew our move was only temporary (even if about two years temporary), we decided to rent out our home, because we WERE going to come back at some point.

3.  Fast forward two and a half years and three sets of tenants later, and we finally had the opportunity {read: Hubs was able to transfer!} to move home.

4.  Due to some timing issues, we moved back in with my parents temporarily while we gave our current tenants notice to vacate. Then, while the house has been empty, the opportunity has been taken to get some projects done on our house.

So that is where we are today....getting some projects done on our house.  Please don't be mistaken.....it hasn't been me (unless of course you count stressing out a project) getting these tasks done.  No, it would be my hard working husband, my hard working Dad and Mom, and some very gracious and generous extended family members and friends pitching in where ever needed to help move things right along. 

So far the entire interior of the house has been painted (so please keep in mind the colors you see here are all the befores).  This includes all ceilings, walls, and about 75% of the molding.  I know from most of these pictures you can't tell that paint was needed, but trust me.  After us living in the house for nearly five years and then having three different tenants/families living here, a fresh coat of paint was needed!

Badly.

Most surfaces (closet and pantry shelves, blinds, windows and window tracks, screens, kitchen cabinets and counter tops) have been cleaned.  The old carpet in the living/dining room and bedrooms has all been ripped up and hauled away and new carpet will actually be installed tomorrow.  All of our belongings that were in storage have been moved into our house and either are sitting in the garage or family room area, awaiting the new carpet.  Last, the floor in our entryway, laundry room, and main bath have all been ripped up, where new tile will be laid in it's place.  So far, the entryway tile is entirely done, the main bath has tile down, but still needs to be grouted and the laundry has most of the tile down, with just a few to go.  Let me tell you, I have a really nice Dad--yes, he has installed all the tile for us.  For free.  Let's just say that if we had to pay for the labor, there is NO way we would be getting new tile floors. 

So there you have it in a nutshell.  Or at least the part of where we've been and where we are headed.  Once the carpet is installed and the tiling is all finished and complete, I of course, will have some MAJOR nesting to accomplish in the next several weeks.   Things like moving the rest of our belongings (NO, that part won't be me!), unpacking, rearranging, and settling in to this new chapter of life. 

I am apprehensive.

I am excited. 

I am blessed. 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Oh, and I promise to also get up a blog post showing the afters soon. 

For reals.


 

Another Month and a Half?

Can't hardly believe I am already at 34 weeks and have only about a month and half to go!   I keep thinking this little guy is going to early like his big sister, but he may totally surprise us and be late....but that might be fun to have a little Independence baby anyhow, so we will see!

I have been feeling well, aside from being tired (with some crazy back aches!) and having some swollen feet.   I keep reminding myself this is all temporary and we get to meet our little love so, so soon! 

 

SUCH a Great Day

I had such a lovely Mother's Day....did you?  That is, of course, assuming I have any readers left out there....aside from family.  'Cause ya' know, my posting has been a little um, sparse, shall we say these last few months?

The morning started out with Peanut giving me a precious little hot pad she made in her preschool class.  She brought it home on Thursday all wrapped, where upon arriving at home, she hid the gift (I still don't know where she put it--but it's not like I went looking for it either) and then asked me each morning thereafter if it was Sunday yet so she could give me my surprise.  Seriously?  She did it just as her teachers told her.  It just doesn't get much better than that. 

She even did the same with a cake that she decorated for Grandma the day before at the grocery store.  We put the cake in the cabinet where we knew Grandma wouldn't find it and Peanut went and found it all by herself Sunday morning to give to Grandma.  She was SO proud of herself!

Peanut and I went to church a little later on Sunday morning where she made a sweet little craft that had her hand prints on it and it said, I love my mommy because..........she makes me yummy food.  The bold words of course, are straight from Peanut's mouth.  So cute and even a little flattering as well. 

Even though my track record for the past few months has been less than stellar. 

However, that would be a post for another day. 

I had planned on making my mama a nice meal because I haven't been able to celebrate Mother's Day with her for the last two years.  Then late last week, we decided to switch it up and celebrate with my uncle and aunt and cousins.  The forecast said it was supposed to be gorgeous (it was--a little hot even!) so we had a big old barbeque and made a day of it.

It was glorious.  

And the icing on the cake?  My dear, sweet, hard working husband even got off work a little early (an hour and 15 minutes early!!!) and made it home to celebrate the rest of the day with us.  My friends, that was such a wonderful present for all of us--especially for the Peanut and I. 

We ate some amazing food (what family gathering is complete without good food?) and the ambitious ones even had quite the horseshoe tournament going.  No, I would not be one of those ambitious ones.  I have no hand eye coordination whatsoever, and quite honestly, no desire to work up a further sweat in 89 degree heat.  Plus, as with my first pregnancy, I have officially joined cankle-dom once again, so I took full advantage of the opportunity to put my fat little feet up on Sunday. 

 
It was a wonderful day.  







 

So Proud

I was so honored to attend my favorite (can I say that?!?!?) cousin's college graduation today.

I cannot even begin to tell you just how proud I am of this girl woman.  It just seems like yesterday she was my ever present shadow during our family camping trips and she was my partner in crime while we stayed up late at Granny and Grandpa's for sleepovers.  Now we are all grown up and both mothers (can't even believe that!) but more importantly, she is my friend.  

L~ I am SO proud of you.  

Congratulations!