circus


Sunday, February 20, 2011

You just can't beat 77 degree days in February. It even smells like spring around here. We've taken full advantage of the weather to go to the zoo, start our garden, and to hang out with friends and family.All evidenced below...
Zoo








Games

Vin's favorite game right now is Hide and Go seek. He seems to hid in plain sight but as long as his eyes are covered up he "hiding". Here he's hiding under his bathroom stool.
Garden
We started our garden this weekend and James helped us till up the soil.

Dinner

Aunt Tara moved into her new house this weekend. It's only 5 minutes away so we plan on seeing her a lot more often. She, Cary, Shayla, Leslie and James all came for Saturday night dinner. Lots of wine, lots of laughing and smores!



Emma 2nd Birthday Party










Thursday, February 17, 2011

Conversation

Tonight in the bathtub, while Vin was playing with his sea creatures I asked…

Kam: Vin, do crabs live in the ocean or in the mountains.
Vin: In the sea.
Kam: Do shrimp live in the ocean too?
Vin: No, they live on my plate.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Valentine !










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Monday, February 14, 2011

Save NPR and PBS


In a budget proposal made public on Wednesday, House Republicans announced plans to zero out all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit responsible for funding public media including NPR, PBS, Pacifica and more.

If the Republicans are successful, it would be a tremendous blow to the entire public interest media sector.

I don’t think I can live in a world without Sesame Street, This America Life, the Splendid Table, Fresh Air etc. etc. etc.!!!!

I just signed a petition telling Congress to fully fund NPR and defend public service media. You should too. Click below to take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/dont_defund_npr/?r_by=16482-2336916-6BQiPDx&rc=confemail

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

New Windows for Vin

Up until last week, Vin's windows were not on the project list. His crib was on the other side of his room and the sunlight from the windows did not bother him but now that he's officially moved to a big boy bed I needed to address the sunlight.
However, there had to be an affordable solution. Since the first of the year we've had a few surprise expenses and a few planned ones too.
So between the new car, the major plumbing problem, baby preparations at the Dr. and the new computer that arrived on Monday after last week's power surges blew mine out -whew!!! there's no room left for fun projects.
Wood blinds are expensive and I didn't want him to have access to pull strings. I thought of just sewing a curtain to cover the window from top to bottom but didn't want to block out the light during the day.

My solution came from a Great sale at Home Depot on ugly white vinyl pull shades. The regular price was $17.95 but they were on sale for $2.80!

I bought some brown linen fabric and used spray adhesive to glue the fabric to the shade.

Then I dug out his vintage cowboy curtains from his baby room and - Voila! Two windows for about $7.00 each!
Before: Ugly vinyl shade with fringe bottom. Yuck!

After: He loves his curtains and keeps asking about the cowboys and what they're roping.
Close up of the linen fabric.


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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Utility Room Redo

I always like to have a January project. Ok - I just always like to have a project going - but in January I have the luxury of not working until about the 15th and so I have plenty of time to devote to a BIG project.
Last year I did my kitchen and this year I chose the utility room. Up until late summer it still had the ugly backerboard for the flooring and the rooms potential was not being utilized (get it?? ha ha). When we first saw the house it was a small room with a pantry closet contained within it.In fact, there was no door way from the utility to the back hallway by our bedroom. Luckily Jadi realized that the hall closet could be knocked out and a doorway could beadded to make a larger room. Can you imagine the hassle of always having to walk from our back bedroom all the way around to the front, then cutting through the kitchen just to get to the laundry. Bless you Jadi!

So... we knocked out the pantry and the hall closet to make the laundry room. Early on we added the left over kitchen cabinets and a nice L-shaped counter. We've used this room for the buffet for many parties but I always felt uncomfortable about it being unfinished.
So during the fall I began to really consider what I needed this room to do. I wanted it to be pretty but functional and Teri just asked that it match the kitchen so it flowed.

I searched and scoured magazines and websites to develop what I needed, wanted and could afford. This is what I got...
First off I wanted wallpaper to make a statement. This plaid matches our kitchen perfectly and thus Teri was satisfied. I used the left over yellow paint from the craft room to save money.


Then notice the laundry baskets. This was once the kitty litterbox area but I added a shelf and it can hold 4 laundry baskets at a time, although only two are shown here.



For decoration I moved a picture from our hall and then bought some new flowers for the washing pitcher and vase of Patty's. I like the pitcher/flower vase. I think it fits in with the "laundry" but Teri thinks the flowers need to be reigned in a bit, she may be right but there's nothing wrong with "wild" flowers in there.


A close up here of the decor.

This room is also known as De Leon command central. I had an entire blank wall to work with and so I chose to put up
1. A stained glass window that I use as a dry erase board.
2. A dry erase calender to keep up with Teri's ever changing travel schedule
3. A bulletin board I made out of a $3.00 frame, a card board box and some fabric Dororthy gave me.

This is the bookshelf from the living room. It was originally in Grandpa Vincent's tool shed and it was our bookshelf for many years but now it serves three purposes.


1. (pictured above) I added a magazine rack to the side using larger hooks so I could utilize them for other things (pictured below). I've found it handy to hang my robe there when I get hot in the morning or I hang reusable sacks there after unloading the groceries.

On the shelves I used boxes with labels to help keep us organized. If I was a rich woman I would have used baskets, but they are soooo expensive so I used Ikea boxes, covered them in butcher paper and used a linen look paper label with orange polka dot or striped ribbon. Teri, Vin and I all have our own boxes so when mail comes in or random things are hanging around the house they now have a home.
Other boxes are labeled as -Mail, Library, Cards/Gifts, & To be Filed

These are subject to change as we adapt but for now they are working. Plus, Vin thinks it is a treasure box. Yesterday I stepped over a sheep in the hall and put it in his box. This morning he said, "Let's see what's in my box.... It's a sheeeeeepppp!!!"


The third purpose of the old bookshelf is to hold my ironing board and iron. There is a plug just behind and easily accessible.
Lastly, I added a hanging bar above the washer/dryer. I realized I was gathering clothes from several rooms, washing and drying them. Putting them in a basket, to take to my room to fold/hang then redistributing them to their home.

With a clean counter to fold on and this bar I've cut out two of the four steps and saved a ton of time. Plus, with the four basket shelf, I can hold clothes to be folded until I get time and therefore our bedroom is not covered in half finished laundry.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Snow Day Activities

Vin is sandwiched between Max and Noah. He slide twice and then begged to go inside. You could tell he that he couldn't figure out why everyone was outside.


With Zen inside.

The perfect snow day lunch... grilled cheese and tomato soup

Baking sugar cookies.


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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Buzzards come to Texas

Travis and Meghan made their way to Spearman from Utah, Patty headed up from Llano and Vin and I flew in from Dallas for a weekend visit.

The weather was absolutely beautiful and sunny. No jacket required and we all made it out before the cold blast hit.
Travis, Patty and Vin headed toward the barn.

Checking out the horses. For the first time in long time the barn is really being used. It was such a nice feeling to have it cleaned up with horses, donkey's and cows living there.

Vin on Grumpy's horse.
With Larry the Donkey
Riding with Geri Ann.


Horse reigns hanging from old metal coffee cans. These must be at least 40+ years old.

Barn "art"

At the Hansford County Stock Show

Riding concrete deers at Ivy's Hungry Cowboy

More stock show
Sugar Mania! Eating a brownie at the stock show.

Enjoying a sucker on the airplane while reading his new book about Rodeo Armadillo's (thanks aunt jan!)

Picking out his candy of choice at Farmer's Ag

Blue lips from his peanut M & M's