Belated

This weekend my parents had us over for our birthday meal.  My girls went over early to help cook food and decorate.  Great fun was had by all.

New Room

Back over Christmas break we finally got Aaron's upstairs room finished.  Since the 2 older girls moved into the room that we gained from the addition, Aaron got their old room.  It was fun to turn it into a little boy's room.  He loves having his own space and it's MUCH easier to keep clean than any of the girl's rooms.  They just have so much more stuff!

The thing that tickled me about this room was the we spent hardly any money on it.  Most of the things were items that we already had or I had gotten from yard sales.

I also really wanted to do a blue room but was very afraid of the bright color.  I looked at color samples for weeks and finally narrowed it down to my final b/c of the name!  I like the sound of "Atlantic Schooner".  I am very happy with the color, it's exactly what I had in mind.

My dad made these shelves for my 2 older girls when they were born.  They got repainted and used here.  I want to paint the big A a bright yellow/orange but haven't gotten there yet.  The old wooden car (you can only see the front of it) and the little train with his name on were made by my grandpa.

Fire truck coat rack, handmade by daddy.

White lamps: yard sale!

Book shelf: yard sale!

I LOVE what Steve has done to this closet.  It used to be a huge closet with most of it being pretty useless space b/c there was no door in front of it half of it.  He closed that half off on the inside and made it into this little cubby and drawer.  It will eventually get doors, but for now it holds Aaron's toolbox and the extra paint!  And I love my little $1 yard sale laundry basket.

Bed and frame: neighbor's sale.  I'm not a huge fan of his headboard, I think it's a little feminine, but it's working for now!  Bedding and sheets: yard sale!  The sheets were brand new.  Score.

Nightstand: old wooden box from yard sale!  Our friend from church (Mr. Bueche) made Aaron this special little truck at his work (he's a shop teacher).

Steve's mom got this rug for Aaron's room when he was a teeny baby and it works great in his new room!!

Trouble

Love this

Work Day

Knowing that today was going to be a beautiful day and always being at least 5 steps ahead of me in the "work-to-be-done" department, Steve decided that today would be the day that we mulched our place.  As usual, we didn't order enough and will need to get another load, but we got everything weeded, cut back, raked, and mostly mulched.  It looks so nice and fresh.
The kids had a great time playing outside and worked very hard to help us.  Everyone even got a little sun-kissed.  Early in the morning, the girls each found a frog/toad (I do not know the difference).  They had so much fun playing with those crazy things.  The poor frogs, I think all the attention they got may have bordered on animal abuse, but they were still breathing in the end.
Aunt Becky, you may want to cover your eyes for the following photos.  I know how these things make you squeem!!!

Greta was not a fan.

The frogs even got their own names

...and their own little habitat, though that didn't last very long at all seeing that they jumped right out of the box.

I got these boots for Aaron for 50 cents at a yard sale.  They have contributed largely to his masculinity.  He loves to wear his work boots when helping daddy.

Doggie Roast

Last week a dear couple from our church invited our family over for a doggie roast in their basement.  Richard and Lois Sensenig are an older couple who also have Mennonite roots.  They knew my grandparents and lots of my family.  It's always fun to be with them.  The kids had a great time roasting dogs and marshmallows over the fireplace.  What a fun afternoon we had with them.  I am SO MAD that I did not get a picture of my kids with them (though you can see both of then in the background of both these pics).  We talked all afternoon and had to scurry away and I totally forgot.

April Fools?