A Final Remodel

So we finally did a small remodel to our living/dining room. For those of you who remember, we have that really LONG room with no separation of the two rooms. We had always said we wanted to somehow divide the room without it being awkward or making the rooms feel too small. Well, we found a carpenter and described to him our idea and this is what he came up with! Two half-walls with a column that ties in to the ceiling! So we moved the piano to the play room which is perfect since it was bouncing off the wood like crazy and so loud. Now it is on carpet and the sound gets absorbed which has made a huge difference in our evenings with kids practicing. And this is the end result, not painted, of course. I will post what it looks like later since we did finish painting. It is amazing what a small project and some crown moulding and a chairrail will do to a room!!! Pretty cool ......

Ahoy, Ye' Mate!!

Jack had pirate day at school. Friendly pirates, of course. They got to go on a treasure hunt that led them to the cafeteria for a surprise lunch. Jack was very persistent in me getting him a patch, an earring, a bandana and a sword. So I had to take a picture of him so you could see the end result which was the cutest pirate in the world!! He even let me add the "lip/chin hair!" He is going to be such a little heartbreaker .....

ALL WE NEED IS RIBBON!!

Let me start with I'm not complaining. I got up to find Scott had made lunches. I was out of sandwich bags and had not made it to the store. So when I went into the kitchen and saw this on the counter, I couldn't help but ask him, "Do you want some ribbon to go with those?" I can't tell you what he said to me :) But he had carefully wrapped their sandwiches and chips and then twisted them up and used scotch tape to keep them closed. I mean, really. Look at them! All they needed was some ribbon and a few of those curly-q ribbons to finish them off, don't you agree??!!! Actually, we both got a big laugh out of it and I ran out that morning to get sandwich bags ..... no need to give him any ideas for the next morning, huh???!!!!!! Honey, you can pack those lunches any way you want ... I appreciate you doing it!!!!

A NEW PROGRAM

So last month, we attended our FIRST ever kid's program that we did not have little guys climbing all over us while trying to watch Erica or one of them! This was the 1st/2nd grade program that they do at school. It was so neat to sit and watch both of them in this. Even though life is getting harder instead of easier, which by the way, all of you oldies that told us that and we thought you were INSANE when we were in the middle of diapers and bottles, you were right. I'll say it again. You were right. Emphatically now, YOU WERE RIGHT! We should have taken more time to relish in their inability to talk, mediate, negotiate, twist, mince, backtalk WITH attitude and be a victim in every situation possible!!!! Oh what I would give for diapers and bottles and crying about now!!!! Even if that meant me in it instead of them!!!!

We aren't sure what happened to get this mouth open expression from Spencer. Jack was on the front row in the green shirt ..... doing all the motions and yawning at one point! My how they are growing ..... and growing ..... which brings me to the jeans I bought Spencer about two months ago and now they look like he is expecting a flood .... I think he has worn them five times maybe? They both have shot up in the last month .... it must be their birthdays coming ..... another birthday, another growth spurt. Spurt. Is that how you spell it? It just doesn't look right. Spirt. Spurt. That must be it. ...... what time is it??!!!!

Counseling Session 1 of 6,587,301

Well, today is Super Bowl Sunday. Is this weekend over yet? I do believe this has been the longest and I mean, LONGEST, weekend of my entire life. You might be wondering what the first counseling session of 6 million might be so I will let you in on the session.

This counseling session isn't for me, though I am sure I could use one after my weekend. It all started Friday morning, February 1st. It was a very normal morning. The kid's woke up fussing before their feet hit the ground with one another. I was in the kitchen when Spencer came in looking for Scott. He wanted Scott to take him to breakfast for pancakes. Scott looked at me and I said, "sure, we'll be fine." I moved back to my room to shower and get ready. A few minutes later, Erica came back to my bathroom asking where Jack was. I said, "He isn't in there?" Her response was no and we decided Jack talked Spencer and Scott into letting him go. I finished getting ready and we packed our stuff, talking in the kitchen and left to go grab coffee before I dropped Erica off at school.

I dropped her off and headed to Target to pick up a few things the kids needed and a few items I had run out of at home. My cell phone rings and I look down to find my neighbor, Martha, calling me. I answer and she says to me in her sweetest NC accent, "I found the cutest little boy in your front yard." And I said, "Martha, did Chip get out?" thinking the kids had left one of the gate doors open and Chip, the dog, was in the front yard. She said, "Honey, I'm not talking about Chip. I'm talking about Jack." Yep. Gasp. I think it was at that moment that the smoke alarms in Target went off because my hair caught on fire. Jack was at home. Like a bad Home Alone III movie or something. I ran to the car and Martha assured me he was fine and hanging out with her. I got in the car and I don't remember most of the drive there. I called Scott. Gasp and I think there was yelling. I sobbed the whole way home. I was crushed for him. I wondered what he must have thought. It was the longest 8 minutes of my life.

I got home and found him and Martha hanging out on the sidewalk. He had sad eyes and this little smirk on his face. He said he walked outside and my car was gone and he couldn't find me inside. So when he walked outside, he saw Martha going down the street on her morning walk. So he went back inside and waited and played with Chip and then went back outside to wait for Martha to come back around on her walk. When she approached, he was sitting on the swing alone and crying. I know ... it is terrible, isn't it? But thank God for a wonderful wise neighbor who explained that sometimes Moms and Dads miscommunicate and it happens and he is okay.

So I hugged him, cried some more and said, "Jack, where do you want to go for breakfast?" So .. we went to Cracker Barrel for pancakes, looked at the toys, drove to the mall, got a new Webkinz, went to the Pet Store and had them get a puppy out to play with, took Erica to lunch who died when she found out we left him at home because she didn't see him sitting behind the computer armoire doors, went to the park and played and rode bikes and then went to pick everyone up from school!!!

My weekend was the pits pretty much ..... I shared my story with several other women and they all assured me they had left at least one child by accident at home or church or stores ... they were either really great liars or they meant it .... either way, I don't think I have ever felt so low in all my life. And I find myself double checking just to be sure they are in the house at all times, in the car and in their beds ...... and no more breakfast runs in the mornings!! It throws me off too bad :)

In the end, I was thankful for a wonderful Godly neighbor, a safe neighborhood, an incredibly brave and smart little boy that knew to wait and loves our neighbor, an incredibly forgiving little guy and a God that protects and loves even when His children (me) makes a mistake. I'm so thankful He sent a Son to live a perfect life for me so that I don't have to because I can't ... And Jack assured me next time we call his name, he is going to answer the first time. And we assured him we won't ever leave the house again without yelling his name just to be sure he isn't in here!!