Out My Back Window

items of discussion

I bet you've been wondering what we've been up to.  Downloaded this picture from my new "easy/quick" camera (#5, my favorite easy/quick camera appears to finally be dying) and thought it covered enough topics to be useful.

1.  Kids' Christmas tree -- still up.  We spent most of the holiday busy with other major household projects (declutter/install upstairs wall unit/new lighting/storage unit clean-out/garage overhaul) that I didn't quite get to that yet.  I did at least get my Momma tree taken down.

2.  Ryan got the upstairs wall unit/entertainment center finished and assembled.  He's pretty proud of it, since he designed it and built it himself.  It is impressive.  We still have to add crown moulding and paint and all, but for now it's functional.

3.  The girls got some new "dress up" make-up.  It included a charcoal eyeshadow.  Delaney thinks it's interesting to look like a zombie.

4.  Laundry.  Thank goodness for my front loader!  I would like to take a moment to note that all of my kids are in a PE class that swims each time (bathing suits, towels, work-out clothes), 3 are in dance classes (leotards, tights, shorts) and 3 are in Y basketball (more work-out clothes + jerseys).  Factor in that girls seem to need to wear at least 2 different outfits a day, item #3 above which requires smearing of makeup onto towels and wash cloths, and my kids seem to prefer hand towels to paper towels for their constant kitchen messes ====> lots of laundry.  Whew.

our brand of housework

laundry + phonics + tickling =

I'm gaining wisdom every new day

For example, today I learned that Saran Wrap will begin to cook somewhere around 300 degrees.  Make a note.

the day momma made rolls

Yesterday was a momentous occasion -- I made crescent rolls from scratch.  It was the first time I've ever made homemade bread without a bread machine (besides drop biscuits), if you can believe that.  I made the roll dough out of my new freezer cooking book, and it was really easy and SO GOOD!

Sadie helped me (she was standing on the step stool I finally bought so I can reach the top of my cabinets).

 

One pan of rolls rising under a towel, the next pan ready for a towel, too.

 

Eating the finished product and a miracle -- Denny was home for dinner!

wordless wednesday

 

 

today's quest

My current project has been unpacking (finally) and sorting and {gasp} purging homeschool materials.  There is never enough room for all of the school stuff I want to keep.  Oh well!

(I actually couldn't get all of the stuff into the same frame, so there is more than this even shows!)

 

The girls decided to decorate their new "boats."

 

That's also Delaney attempting to get some work done.

The purge is good because I've discovered a few things that I've been thinking I wanted to buy and use for next year, but had forgotten that we already had.  :-p

catchin up again

(We got our pictures from last fall on CD yesterday, love how they turned out -- aside from the fact that the girls' hair was all slicked back from a dance performance earlier in the day!  Photographer is Lesley's SIL, Sandi Linder.)

Time flies, doesn't it??  The other house should be on the market this next week -- new paint in and out, new carpet, etc, has kept us busy.  The girls had their birthdays, too.  I have always had a complex about the fact that Sadie & Delaney's birthdays are six days apart, how to handle it.  The method this year of everybody getting separate days, etc turned into everybody getting two or three separate days and it was starting to feel like a month-long celebration!  They will definitely be consolidated next year!

 

The girls got musical jewelry boxes from Grandma and Grandpa, and those were a big hit.  Ava is hoping to get one for her birthday, too, Grandma!

We ate at Chili's for Sadie's birthday.  Ben's family came along as well as some friends from church, William & Amanda (my friend Terri's kids).

 

 

Sadie in her new birthday outfit.  Ironically, we've always joked that her dad should stay in the '70's, and here Sadie demonstrates that she really loves the return to the '80's that has been in style lately.  ;-)

 

Opening presents from Mee Mee & Don:

 

 

And another round of blowing out the candles!

 

We went to Fazoli's for Delaney's birthday dinner, then came home for heart brownies.

 

And then there was also the birthday sleepover with their girl cousins!

Whew!  I do love those girls and all, but that was too much birthday for me!

In other news, Momma has a new baby.  My girlfriend Misty found this super duper deal on Dysons (half off!) and though I did have to haggle with Lowe's to get it, it is here!  I love it every bit as much as I thought I would.  Actually, I love it even more because if I had paid full price for it, I would've cringed every time I looked at it!

 

We've been havin' fun doin' lots of other random stuff that keeps us busy, like babysitting cousins,

and playing with our new neighbors/old friends.

 

 

{mermaid Barbies have to swim, even if it's cold outside}

However, this winter has been long and COLD and rainy (and heinous as far as I'm concerned), and has kept us from having as much fun as we usually like to.  I cannot WAIT until those hot summer days are here and we're chillin at the pool again!  We have decided that we're taking a road trip to San Diego for Spring Break, so the kids are getting really excited for that.  Ryan is working on a huge project at work and logging some long hours for that, so the break will be good for all of us.  Delaney's first dance competition for the year is next weekend, so I'll have some pictures from that to share soon.

Finally, I've been doing some more on the scanning project (hoping to get all hard copies of the family photos in digital format before I die).  I was a pretty darn cute baby, eh?  ;-)

{me with my Aunt Pam}

happy 2010

Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope to be on here a bit more as we get back into our routine next week.  We had a wonderful Christmas in our new home, but now we're busy cleaning up both houses and getting the "old house" ready to sell.  This next year will be great, can't wait to share it with you!

Christmas is coming!

We got moved into the new house over the weekend.  Moving is about as fun as . . . hmm, nevermind.  The kids are over the "new" feeling of the house and are ready to proceed with the Christmas fun!  They are old enough now that all they need is for the tubs to be brought out -- they'll take care of the rest!

Josh sets up Mom's snow globes:

My Christmas book collection is ready to go!

The tree is upstairs this year, looking out over the entry.

"school" doesn't look like a real word to me anymore

Happy Thanksgiving -- here's what we're workin on this week!  (Movin' next weekend . . . )