7.24.2012

A long time comin'...




I think, for me, what makes a home is the chatter... the pounding of feet {although it drives me crazy when people are trying to sleep}, the constant songs being sung by little ones.  The "MAAAAA" being heard every ten seconds - that is followed by a BIG hug and kiss by a little 18 month old.  The word "mooooooom!" I do get tired of by 4pm.  But I am sure one day I will miss that too.  The inability to go to the bathroom, as all moms know, without an audience.  I love the morning,  well most mornings, when I get up more than an hour before the kids.  There is the heavy breathing and the dreams being had in each of their rooms.  Their faces are full of safety and softness.  It is home.  And, yes, sometimes I want to run away for a couple hours... but most times when Spencer offers to put them down and have me go - anywhere... I don't want to.  I don't want to leave even in those crazy crazy moments.  Yes I am nuts and no I don't know why?  But it is the truth.  I love to be home.

So - although the spirit of the home is what makes a home; we have been doing a little physical altering - well to each room to be honest.  But, this post is about the family room, and the facelift it received.  By the one and only Spenny B.  Who is magnificent at most everything {if not everything} he does.  This room stands as a testament to his endless talent.  Yes I do help... in some minor details, but all the labor talent/credit would go straight to Spence.

Here we go.....

Room last fall... Spencer heard there was to be a baby shower at our house, in ahem two weeks from that time, and started tearing all the brick down.  I just sat there with a lump in my throat thinking "here we go".  How was this going to be done!?!  
You guessed it, it wasn't - but it was cleaned up for the party.  




Nasty shag carpet was torn up next... 

This next shot was probably how it looked for about three months.  Only b/c Spencer was boxing out the ceiling and installing hook-n-groove {bead board looking} planks.  Picture of that below.






After the ceiling was installed and touched up... we moved onto the mantle.  Do you know how much mantles cost?  Close to 2 grand!!!  We just laughed.  After Spencer heard that, he was onto his next project.  Building a mantle.  Some serious skills need to be have.  Plus a few long nights... but the outcome is exactly what we wanted.  Simple and clean.










Installed and here you have the mantle...


The next picture is posted to show the ceiling with the mantle at this point.  Isn't it amazing what white/lighter colors do to a room.  Well, specifically a room that was full of brick and dark colors.  It makes it look twice as big.  Which is always a good thing.
  



The man himself.




Now - here is where we are at today... there is still a little bit more to do.  But, the "big" stuff is done.  It is the editing, and decor that now is going to be the next step.  aka: pillows, drapery etc.


Family Room:




Pictures make a home warm.  I love black and whites... as you will see... I do love color - but for some reason I can't seem to make it work in my house.  Boring.  BUT, with the decor I will hopefully bring some color in.

The two pictures below I love.  The one on the left is the San Clemente Pier.  Full of good good memories, the one place if offered - we would drop everything and move to.  But who wouldn't?? The one on the right is one of my favorite prints of Christ.  I love how honest the picture is, and not so "in your face" does that make sense?  I love subtle. 





 Boxed out television.  I love how this adds so much to the mantle and the room.  
To me it makes it look "finished".











 There you have it.  Quite a project indeed.  Homes sweet home

Paint color: Benjamin Moore : Wind's Breath 


No, I do not rent Spencer out.
:)















Posted by Whit at 3:34 PM 14 comments

7.10.2012

Kindergarten is a thing of the Past



My little/big man is done with his first "real" year of school.  Onto bigger and better things.  He is such a love {with a bit of sass/back talk lately.  Gotta love "learning" how far to push mom moments}.

He is one of the most tender human beings I know.  With an honest laugh & sincere laugh.  I sometimes walk into a room before a funny part of a movie just to hear him laugh.  It is sweet and addicting.  I enjoy watching him grow, almost as much as I don't want him to grow.  :)  It truly is a bitter sweet thing; to watch your child grow and learn knew things.  In that moment you realize what a smart and capable little being they are becoming; and then on the flip side how much they don't "need" you in those moments.  So - not sure what I like better.  Depends on the day.  Although, I am enjoying his ability to get himself a snack or drink.  That I do like.

To date the picture below may be {yes it is} my FAVORITE picture of him.  My cheeks hurt at the end of this day, because I smiled so big and so much from looking at it.  


Is he not one of the most adorable boys alive?  I know I am his mom, but good work was done here.  ha.

This school year & Hudson - at the beginning of the year he was {and still is, we are ironing out these wrinkles} very competitive.  Almost to a fault.  He had a really hard time making friends.   He was so worried about what they were doing, tattling and winning at all games... that most boys didn't really hang out too much.  He has worked so hard at explaining his frustrations and emotions, trying to not win - or care as much.  He did what his friends wanted to do when they came over.  He played and shared well.  He learned how to play team sports, and was awesome in all.  He "graduated" from three years of speech!!  Yeaaa!! He is more of an artist now then ever.  He takes time, and is patient with his work.  He has been able to hurdle the challenge of reading.  Which was really difficult for him.  Tonight we pulled out "go, dog, go" and he read all of it without a hesitation.  That may not be a big deal for some, but for Hudson it was beautiful!  Reading was one of his scholastic challenges this year.  He compared himself, non stop, to all the avid readers in his class; and would get down on himself.  Which, would then result in frustration and not wanting to even try.  So, it may have taken all year at trying, but he has done it... and we are so very very proud of him.  Not to mention the amount of pride & confidence he has in himself.  Kindergarten was a good year for Hudson, but he is way excited for 1st grade.  For cafeteria lunches, the big play yard... seeing his older friends and mom not having to truck everyone out of the car into the school to drop and pick him up - or maybe that is what I am most excited about?!?

I can't believe he is onto 1st grade.



 {Last day of kindergarten}


Hudson and Mrs. W.  
{his kinder teacher}





The day before school was out aunt Rachael came to visit.  Hudson was so excited he could barely sleep.  He put this sign on the door the day she arrived.  He is always asking when Rachael is "coming home".  
See, he is ubber sweet.  

How grateful I am that we had last year with Rach.  They {all of us} miss her and love her to no end.  She is a little bit of home for them.  They will always hold a special place, just for her, in their hearts.  Rach is always so worried that they won't remember the time she spent with them.  And they may not remember the exact things that happened on a daily bases; and they probably won't remember all of it.  But they will remember the feeling they had with her.  The love they felt from her.  That is something you never forget; it doesn't matter how old you are.  You remember.  And so they will.



Posted by Whit at 11:20 PM 5 comments

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