Nothing exciting, just what I'm up to

This is late, but I still feel the need to mention that I'm sad Danny was voted off. I love Kris, him being an Arkie and a worship leader and all, but I just wasn't a fan. I've been a Danny fan from the start. I'm tired of Adam. But, I will say Tuesday's show will be a lot more exciting with Kris and Adam than if it were Kris and Danny. I wouldn't much care who won in that case. But, I will be cheering Kris on come Tuesday :)
TODAY was busy. But things are winding down. We had the dedication of the new building today. David had to get out to the high school early so I took the kids to school then finished getting ready in the car until I could drop Elijah off at 8:30. Went to school to get my room ready (I moved to a room in the new building, but the actual choir room is part of phase 2... we've just done phase 1)... they waxed the floors yesterday so I had some setting up to do. Then rehearsed my students who were singing in the ceremony... outside. Praise the Lord for a clear day of no rain, but I was H.O.T. Ceremony went well. Then had the usual Friday activity of selling pizza for the Junior class. Then took students from my other high school group to the church to rehearse for Baccalaureate/Graduation. We left later than I wanted to due to the different schedule b/c of the dedication... so that rehearsal was very rushed.
Tonight I went to a Premier jewelry show and got some cute ear rings... exactly like what I was wanting
TOMORROW I have to be at school at 9am for the Great Arkansas Talent Search and might go to the Greek Food Festival later. Sunday is of course church, then Baccalaureate at 3, and the children's choir is singing that night at church. Monday is ultrasound :) graduation that night and the last week of school. But then life should slow down a bit :) I'm ready for a break.

I've had a sudden burst of desire to get things done. I don't think it is nesting since I am only 17 weeks... but that things are winding down at school and I don't have some other project taking up all my time. Yesterday I sorted thru all the art/craft stuff on the bottom shelf of the pantry. I moved it to a mudroom locker that was emptied when I put all the books on the bookshelves. And now the stuff is out of the reach of little tyke. And tackled the playroom. I do not understand how that place gets so bad considering I never see the kids actually playing in there. The past several times, they've picked it up. Which means... they make it appear picked up. I was worn out just from picking up. I was reminded of how bad it was when I was pregnant with Isaac. Abigail was 2, Noah was 1. There was no playroom, so picking up was a 3 or 4 times a day activity. Bending over with a hard mid section isn't easy. So, I'm grateful I don't have to do that anymore. I'm grateful I have little people I can direct when they are home.
The playroom is also the guest bedroom. It isnt' much of one. I got rid of the daybed that was in there b/c the trundle broke (from someone jumping on it after being told not to... hmmm, wonder which child that was) and so did the ceramic balls that used to decorate the posts. I went to the trouble of making new ones in the ceramic room at church... only to have them break too. So I gave up. Now I have two twin mattresses on the floor. I don't have to worry about things breaking or kids jumping (and landing on some spikey post with no ball on the end). But I do hope to make a cover for them. I was looking for a good stretch cotton in purple, but found this instead.
The curtains are purple toile. Odd combination, but it would certainly say "Guest Bedroom/Playroom." I really like the orange fabric.

My shelves

These are the shelves I've been trying to put together. I had put the center section up when they first arrived, but so many of the other shelves arrived damaged so that is as far as I got... until yesterday. And again... these are taken with the bad camera...

This is the area at the top of the stairs. I was going to keep it open to the foyer below, but once I realized just how small the area would be, I decided to floor it. It has contained a drawing desk, bins for toy storage, and various other things (JUNK), but I cleared it all out today. David brought my grandmother's chair up from the garage and took the writing desk down. Hopefully the extremely heavy tote of old magazines will go to the garage tomorrow. I moved them to the top stair so I could take a picture.

The center set has a little desk in the middle rather than a shelf. I may still use it as a shelf, but for now it is cleared off.
I also raised Isaac's bed up on those lift things to make some room for storage, though nothing is stored there yet... and cleared out the mudroom... though that area still needs work. Got all the winter shoes out of the shoe bins though...that helped a lot!
And you know what? It was the exact kind of Mother's Day day that I wanted- I wanted to get stuff done and I did! I sat in my chair and read a little "Shepherd of the Hills" when I was all done and sweet Abigail sliced some cheddar cheese and brought it to me with a coke :)
David got me a necklace and some earrings... which I love... I just really don't like getting gifts. I know I'm weird. Especially ones like that. I'd rather have a cast iron griddle! ha I've been looking at them but I had told David not to get me anything so I left no hints. But I do like the earrings and necklace. I wore them to church today. Abigail helped him pick them out.
I made a summer dress yesterday too... I'll take a picture of it when I find the better camera. I've got another one to make, but am going to line that one and am thinking of making it bubble on the bottom...

Happy Mother's Day

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love My Mom
by Noah

1. One of the best people I've met in my entire life.
2. A very, very, very sweet person.
3. One of the best directors in all of Arkansas.
4. The best female singer I've ever known.
5. She is a very, very nice person to all citizens of Arkansas.
6. Always generous to the public.
7. She is always prepared for something.
8. She has a great mind.
9. She always loves me.
10. She is a really great mom and teacher.


I had to share those. I thought they were really sweet, but some of them made me laugh, especially the wording. I have no idea where he came up with them.
I hope all of you have a great Mother's Day!

Show Us Where You Live-Updated

I missed last week, so here are a couple pictures of my kitchen...
Junk and all...

And the family room (our living room is the office)
I've since found something for the hole beneath the crosses, but I took this picture a while ago...


I need to take a picture facing the fireplace... maybe I'll get to that tomorrow (ha, with the week I've had with Elijah, that isn't likely, but one can hope)
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I did get to take pictures, but not with the good camera! You can see the massive ottoman we bought a while back... VERY clearanced. Love it.


I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture of the mantel. It was undone for the longest time after we painted last summer. I knew what I wanted it to look like, but just couldn't get the right things together. Then I found the clock in the middle (on clearance at Hobby Lobby :) and it made all the difference. The busts to the left were my grandmothers... and so were the silver pieces to the right. The hurricane candle holders were a Christmas gift from my MIL. They didn't look right with votives, but I love how they look as vases.

I got the curtains on clearance at an outlet in Pigeon Forge. I was looking for 96" curtains but didn't want to spend a fortune... I found a matching pair in a clearance bin at an outlet mall in Pigeon Forge for $13 each. I think these were the only matching pair AND they were my colors. I was one happy camper. I still need a valance though. I don't usually have them open this much, but I needed the light... and Elijah enjoyed looking outside :)

This rug was my grandmother's. We tried several others before hauling this one out of the garage in desparation. I thought the pink and blue would overwhelm, but with all the red I have in the room... the dark mauve pops out and you hardly notice the rosy pink (not that it does in this picture...).

And here is the "Believe" metal piece I found to fill in the hole. This alcove serves as a changing table right now (I normally have a pad on top of the mattress) but it also is a great place for extra seating and is the size of a twin bed for overflow guests :)

I've got to do something...

This is the first time for me to have a toddler in a house that can't contain him. When Abigail and Noah were toddlers, we lived in a tri-level. I had a gate at the bottom of the stairs. Up half a flight of stairs was the kitchen, which overlooked the living room. So, it was very easy to watch them in the living room when I was in the kitchen... and that was the only room they had free reign in. We were in an apartment when Isaac was a toddler. It had 2 big master bedrooms, one upstairs and one down. The one upstairs was a playroom, with a gate. (the kids all slept in one bedroom downstairs... nothing in it but beds, and we were in the other master). THIS house... none of that is possible. I could gate off the playroom, but it is at the back of the house, other side of the mudroom. I can see in there from the kitchen... but I'm not thinking he'd be happy in there. Of course, the other kids had each other. Its not like they were ever alone anywhere. I'm going to have to try it though. This week has been crazy. I WAS able to put him in a play yard and turn on Sesame Street. He was happy and I could get some stuff done. NOT ANYMORE. He naps at preschool while I teach... so I really have not been able to do a thing. I have found a few moments when he would eat cocoa krispees in the high chair (nice time consuming task) but not enough.
I really wanted to get my shelves up this week, but all I had time to do was unwrap them from the bubble wrap! These are the shelves I originally ordered in February or so... but most of them were damaged. After MANY weeks of emailing customer service, I finally got the replacement shelves. And boy did they ever make sure they arrived safe and sound. I have enough bubble wrap to ship many sets of china. I couldn't bring myself to cut it off, so I unwrapped it and rolled it up. I have about 8 rolls that are over a foot in diameter.
So for Mother's Day I'd like to get these shelves put together so I can have ALL the books in the house in one spot. And some additional help to get this house in shape. :)

Free Giveaway and...

It has been crazy around here. Elijah is everywhere all the time. He used to sit and watch Sesame Street... but no more. I'm going to have to clean up the playroom to make it REALLY Elijah proof and put up a gate or something. I can't do anything... and he's broken his fair share of things.
SO no time to blog now that he's asleep, but I did want to share the free giveaway here:
http://www.wearethatfamily.com/2009/05/lovely-huge-dayspring-giveaway.html