Busy Bee

So, yesterday was D's Birthday, Happy Birthday Hun!!
O.k., now on to the good stuff. We have had a very busy month. We finally got the new windows that we so desperately needed. I can't believe the difference we feel as far as the temperature in our home. I don't know if I mentioned last summer what happened to our sliding glass door in our family room. Well, I'll tell you. While D was weed eating he flipped a rock up and shattered the outer pane of the door. So, all winter long we've had a single pane on one of the biggest windows in the house. Let's just say it was very cold. I'm trying to be very energy conscious and not crank up the heat all the time, but it's hard to be that way when your family is cold all the time. So, now I can say with full confidence that we are as energy efficient as we can get. In addition to new windows we also beefed up the insulation in the attic. Not to mention now is the time to get this stuff done. Questar and Rocky Mountain Power offer rebates for both the new windows and insulation. We'll also be eligible for the tax credit for buying energy efficient windows on our next return. If I've figured correctly, we will be paying a little more than half of the actual cost out of pocket, not to mention the energy savings for the rest of our lives in this house. That is a no brainer!
My most favorite thing that happened this month is our new bedroom set. We have been married for almost 11 years and have been using the same dresser I had as a kid (can you say small?) a bed just on the frame, and two tiny nightstands that I bought on clearance when Fred Meyer closed. Now, I'm not saying anything is wrong with having just that, I personally thought our bedroom looked pretty o.k., but the driving force behind this new purchase was a dresser for Punkin. She really needed a dresser, and the one we've been using has always been destined for her. I have just been looking since she was born for a nice bedroom set that didn't break the bank, that was sturdy, that would last a lifetime. I'll be honest, I hate buying furniture. So I took the day off on Thursday and drug my sis-in-law, Melody with me to the furniture stores. After a long day, I found the perfect set at the very last store. The drawers have rollers, it's oak, and it's gorgeous. Here are some pictures because I know you're all dying to see.

Below is the before. Not terrible, but not grown up either. Notice the cute little lamps on the cute little night stands.

This is the after. Can you say WOW! Can you see the drawers at the end of the bed. Yes! Storage!!! The squares on the headboard, footboard, and mirror are slate. It really looks good next to the rusty (orange) venetian plaster walls.This is our new dresser. Eleven drawers total. They are not even full yet, I have more things to buy I guess. Please ignore my jewelry armoire to the right. We have yet to rearrange some things.
I so love the nightstands, but now my tiny lamps look even tinier. What do you think?
Saturday my mom and I dropped some stuff by the DI and decided to drop in to look for bigger lamps that I could revamp. I had no luck in the lamp department but I did find this super cute little leaf dish for $.75. I do love leaves. :D

I'm totally thrilled with our new room, it feels so much more grown up. I think a couple of new lamps and throw pillows will finish it off nicely.

Oh, ya, I also picked up a new sofa and love seat for the family room. We have loved the heck out of our 15 year old Teal set that mom and dad passed onto us, but it's time for something new. They will be delivered the day before my cruise. I'm so super excited!

Happy Day!!

I know a lot of you have seen these on Facebook, but I thought I'd better post them for the benefit of D's grandma. And I really love these videos.

Our Merry Christmas

This year has certainly had it's ups and downs. The last couple of months have been on the upside thanks to my husbands new found sobriety and love for our family. I honestly was a little worried about how our Christmas would turn out. D came through as he has been for the last little while. Slowly but surely he is determined to show me what kind of husband he can be.
I had taken Wednesday off of work to spend with the kids and for a little mental health. D had found out earlier in the week that he would be getting off early and asked me to stay out of the house until about 3 pm. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong. I had the girls out since 8:30 am and Peanut with no nap until 3 makes for a not so fun day. We went to the daycare to see Santa, delivered Christmas gifts to my coworkers, hairdresser, and nail lady, had lunch and then hung out at my parents house for a little while. D finally called and let me know when I could come home. I was a little miffed only because we were all tired and I knew I had a lot to do at home since I had been gone all day. So we finally get home and he walks outside to help me with the kids, or so I thought. He told me to go ahead and go inside first. I walked up to our door in the garage and there was a card and a big red bow on the door. I read the card and then went in. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. The best Christmas present I've ever gotten from my husband in the ten years we've been married. I was in complete and utter shock and my jaw hit the floor. It was really more than my senses could handle. The smell and sight alone would send anyone into a tizzy. Would you like to know what I had been kicked out of my house for? He cleaned the house! THE WHOLE THING!!! I know what your thinking, a guy cleaned the house, so what, he shoved things in a corner and vacuumed and maybe did the dishes. NOPE! We are talking scrubbed the showers and tub, cleaned off the whole desk, dusted, vacuumed, mopped (even the bathrooms), cleaned up the kids rooms and made all of the beds, washed all of the bathroom rugs, did the dishes and cleaned the entire kitchen. Yes, he even cleaned the basement bathroom that I hate going into, that I never use other than to use the washer and dryer. It's HIS bathroom and it only gets cleaned when he feels like it. I was so thankful and when we got the kids in the house and settled I stood in the kitchen and looked around trying to figure out what to do. I just looked at him and said, "I have nothing to do". Just then Punkin asked me if we could do the Christmas activity book I had bought her weeks ago. I happily said yes. I was able to say yes because D had given me the greatest gift of all, Time. I laid on the floor in the family room next to Punkin doing her activity book with her, without a hint of guilt thinking that I should be doing something around the house. It was the best Christmas present I've gotten in a long time.
So with that said, the rest of our week has been so enjoyable, only because everything was caught up and I was able to enjoy our Christmas weekend to the fullest. Christmas Eve we went to IHOP for breakfast, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed, then out to a couple of stores for last minute items. Then we came home and hung out for a while and then made a nice dinner, went to Willard to see the lights on the Bay, we came home and opened our Christmas Eve PJ's and bathed the girls. Then we made a gingerbread house, sprinkled our magic reindeer food, and put the girls to bed. D and I were up till about midnight playing Santa. We really had the great time that I've been longing for in our family forever.
Christmas day was very exciting for all of us. Punkin and Peanut got so many nice things from us and Santa and Grandma and Grandpa and also their Aunt and Uncle. Punkin received a Leapfrog Tag System from Santa that is really the neatest thing. She has shown so much interest in reading but Punkin and I both lack the patience for her to actually learn. Tag is making it fun for her and I don't have to be so involved. She also got a toy guitar, a littlest petshop daycare, a 12 cd set of stories and nursery rhymes, and some much needed clothes. Peanut got the Leapfrog My Pal Violet from Santa. Now, let me tell you how stinkin cute this little pup is. You can plug it into your computer and upload songs and certain details that pertain to your child including their name. She loves it and I loooove it even more. She also got a snap n style doll, a baby with a stroller, and a huge Mr. Potato Head package. They received some super cute joint gifts too. My ultimate favorite was the little table and chair set that Santa picked up at Ikea along with and Igloo tent. My dear hubby was daring enough to buy me some clothes that I so badly needed and he got some clothes and truck accessories as well. We really had a great Christmas and we are looking forward to so many more like this.
I can't tell you how grateful I am that the year is ending on such a good note for me. It was by far not looking so hot about half way through, but if I had to go through that much bad to get the great things I'm receiving now I'll gladly accept it. I thank God for trials and blessings that I have received this year and hope I can continue to learn from them.
I hope you all had as wonderful a Christmas as I and an even better New Year.

Future Rodeo Queen

Today we ventured up to Willard to have Punkin go horse back riding. She has a new obsession with horses right now and we luckily have a good friend who has horses. We went to my friend Brookes family's home where we spent a couple of hours watching her truly enjoy herself. Brooke has the most welcoming and hospitable family. Punkin jumped right onto the horses with absolutely no fear. She was so happy and it was great to see her smiling face with every pass. Peanut even got in on the action, but only for a moment. She was a little intimidated and was just as happy to play in the dirt. There are a lot of pictures to see, so hopefully you'll have time to enjoy them.

Good Times

Tonight, I'm sitting here at the computer reviewing this bizarre week and just looking at all of the fun pictures my friends have posted of the recent happenings in their neck of the woods. I'm wanting to have all of those feel good feelings when I look at my own blog, so I'm indulging myself and posting some pictures that just make me smile.

These first five were taken last weekend while Punkin was napping. Me and my little Peanut, goofin around.

These next few are of Punkin and her antics. Oh, they are the reason I live.