Sundays are the Best

Gina plays the drums at church each week so that means we have to be there an hour before Sunday School begins. So once in a while I take the kids outside to get some energy out. This was one of those mornings. :)

A New School Year

This week the kids started 2nd grade, 4th grade and 10th grade. Our house was full of excitement! I think they were all ready to go back. There is plenty of fun to be had at school.

All of the kids have there own lockers at school. It is kind of a cool concept, I think. Lots better than the open cubbies where things tend to walk away.

Bad lighting in this pic, but it captures day 2 of the new school year.

And, I even got Maddy in the 3rd day pic! :)

House Progress August 2011

I have had a few people asking for photos of the house after move in so here are some. I still need to buy window treatments and a few area rugs, etc... But, for the most part it is finished.

The inside of our house almost feels like a house in San Francisco because it appears to be a huge long rectangle, but on the other side of the great room are halls that lead to the office, bathroom, laundry room and master suite. I fell in love with the floor plan the minute I saw it. The only thing I'd change about the house would be the landscaping. I'd love more red oak trees, flowerings trees and ummmmmm a pool. Did you know pools in Texas cost much more to build than they do in California? Not that we have or would spend the money on one since there are five in our neighborhood, BUT, I'm just sayin'. I think the higher cost is due to the dirt being more like clay.

Any how, below are a couple pictures of the great room.

The couch seats the entire family when all 6 of us are here. That was our goal for movie nights! Love the huge comfy couch! However, I'm not so in love with the southwest style pillows!

Poor pictures, but a couple of the kitchen.

The pantry is huge and uses all the space under the stairs! Every ounce of space in this house is used which is the first time we can say that about any house we've lived in.

The wall below is what you see when you walk through the back door. To the right is the couch/family room and to the left is a hall to the master suite. Sorry no pics today as it wasn't tidy enough. The parentals are on restriction. LOL

Below is the hall to the guest bathroom (left), office (straight ahead) and the laundry room/garage to the right.

Below is a pic from the formal dining room looking towards the doorway to the kitchen.

Next is the guest bathroom.

Formal dining room and our meager attempt at something modern. We are so hopelessly traditional.

Kids bathroom is neutral. I'm not so fond of the typical kiddy bathroom decor and the kids don't seem to mind.

The kids' family room is probably the best room in the house! Upstairs all you'll find are the kids' fam room, their bathroom and their bedrooms. There is no need for the parentals to go upstairs except to make sure it is being kept clean. Which, as you can see from these impromptu pictures, is handled pretty well by the kiddos.

The power cords from the television and cable go through the wall, BUT now that we have FIOS, the ugly cords show! I need to fix that and get curtains and hang some pictures for this room to be complete.

In the kids' family room is a dining room table where they can do puzzles, play, games, color, create, and once in a while do homework. All of the boxes you see on the half wall are the puzzles that Sophia completed last week. She asked me for some that are more challenging like 500 pieces or more. LOL

Below is one of Zack's "book shelves". This kid is naturally organized.

The rooms in this house are large which is nice. When Josh is here on Saturday nights, he sleeps on the bunk bed that also has a trundle. So actually when Josh is here, all three kids sleep in Zack's room and fall asleep watching movies.

Sophia's room is exactly how she wanted it EXCEPT her walls are not pink and I have not hung her glittery curtains yet. They are sitting on her shelf, and she reminds me daily. =D Yes, she loves Justin Beiber, and yes, I allow it. I figure that if I got over Shawn Cassidy, she will get over Beiber.

Sophia's room for the most part is tidy, but it does not come by her naturally. She knows she can't go out and play unless it's tidy, and it looks like that does the trick.

To the opposite of her bed is an armoire where she keeps her dozens of stuffed animals and various other Diva garb.

And lastly since I did not take pics of the master suite, office or laundry room is Kenny's room. I need to buy curtains for his room too. On the other side of his room is his television and entertainment stand. All of the rooms also have walk in closets so there is plenty of room to "put things away".

Kenny and Sophia are a lot alike. Their rooms are typically tidy because they know they won't have much freedom if they're not tidy. So, this is what you see when you open the door, but don't you worry. They all have drawers and closets where they keep this and that and the other.

If anyone has ideas where I can get house plants, curtains, rods and area rugs at discount prices, please let me know.

August Morning in the Park - 8AM 92 Degrees