0 for 3

I was 100% sure Sammy was going to be a girl.

I felt really really REALLY strongly that Katie was going to be a boy.

I was reasonably certain I knew what this baby was going to be, too. I was wrong. Again.

Don't take it for granite...

That granite countertops are out of my price range. At least when the counter area is small enough that you can get away with a remnant! I found a really cool one yesterday.

They are supposed to come measure tomorrow, and should be able to install it in about 2 weeks. I am VERY excited!

Urgent: Today's MSNBC Poll

Here's your chance to let the media know where the people stand on our faith in God, as a nation. NBC is taking a poll on 'In God We Trust' to stay on our American currency. Please send this to every Christian you know so they can vote on this important subject. Please do it right
away, before NBC takes this off the web page. Poll is still open so you can vote.

Basement

It's sooooo close. We have 3 weeks until we get the next houseguests. Can it get done? (Well, it could if it would get worked on consistently. Or for more than 3 hours at a time. But don't get me started. I am pregnant have no patience right now!)

Baseboards are up in the bedroom closet. We still need shelves in here. (Not sure why the blue walls look purple.)

Closet door up in the bedroom/craft room. Border is up too. Still need baseboards, trim around the emergency tub pump access panel, and to build the drawer unit into the hole. And put in the window stools. And put the door to the hallway up.


Bathroom tiling is almost finished. Still needs grout. And then that needs sealing. And a door. And then the plumber needs to come install the fixtures, etc. And a mirror picked out and hung. (Yes, this room is supposed to look purple.)


The hallway. Needs baseboards. And cleaned out!



The big room. Needs rest of the cabinets installed & trimmed, countertop (picked out and) installed, window seat built in, mural on the kids' wall, window stools, baseboards, shelves built and installed. And a mini-fridge picked out. And the plumber to intall sink, fixtures, garbage disposal, & the nasty loud upstairs dishwasher (so I can get a quiet one up there that actually cleans dirty dishes and not just pre-scrubbed ones!). And it obviously needs a MAJOR clean! Oh, and the stairs still need carpet ripped off, sanding, painting, and glueing on the laminate to the treads. And the handrail put up at the bottom.




Then we need the sound/wiring guys to come put our "home run" in and do their top-out.

Oh, and blinds for all the windows.

Then, I think, we will be done.

I am not sure how much of this is not necessary for final inspections. But I will find out, because I just don't think all this will get done in 3 weeks. And we need to have it inspected before we have people staying in it!

Silly!

Katie made herself a nest the other day. (There is a row of boxes of stuff that belongs in the basement behind the couch, stacked as high as the back of the couch. It is her favorite place to be. Or jump from.)

Reptilian Friend

We've been having a lot of rain lately, and the other day I noticed this little guy in the basement window well. I have no idea what he is (a salamander maybe?). I assume he's poisonous because he's so bright. We didn't let him in, but the kids sure did have a good time looking at "the big lizard" through the window.

Lots of Happy August Birthdays and Anniversaries

So I'm way super-late with this one. But what can I say? Sleep is more appealing that computer time at this point.

Happy belated b-day and/or anniversary to

• My mom (1)
• My Fly-Buddy Myra (1)
• Me (2)
• Todd & Amanda (2)
• My aunt Donna (3)
• Sarah (4)
• Erin & Garry (4)
• Sleepyhead and Sheryl (5) (I was the flower girl in their wedding oh-so-long-ago)
• My brother (7)
• Kwamai (8)

And coming up...

• David and Stephanie (14)
• Our cousin Cole (21)
• Trampas & Jamie (30)

If I missed you, it's because I don't have your dates in my Outlook calendar. Please send them over. (I like to pray for people on their special days.)

Please keep...

... FloridaWife in your prayers as it is her first day back at work after maternity leave. She is the breadwinner and Raffy is super-lucky to have Daddy instead of day-care!

We are home

It was a LOOOOOOOOONG trip. As usual, I got pretty sick in Louisiana. Sorry if I missed you there (but only if you actually responded to my request to get together. Those of you that didn't get a big stinking raspberry!) I have pics to share. One day. After I've slept a week or so.

Memory Meme

Stolen from Mommy to Ander and Wife to Box

1. Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.It'll be fun! I tag all of y'all!

Wow!

I have to say, after almost a decade of infertity, I never in my life imagined I'd see this day. Thank you God for all your blessings!

6/27/08


(P.S. If you're catching me on Google Reader, go to my real page and check out the new widget.)

Happy Anniversary to my sweetheart!

As usual, we are in different states for our anniversary. But our hearts are in the same place. I love this man more every day. He is an awesome father, a fantabulous husband, and one of the best friends I have ever had.

Lots of birthdays

Happy belated birthday (yesterday) to my cousin Joshua.

Happy birthday today to Kerry and to my dad.

Happy birthday tomorrow to Katie's best friend (& Kerry's son) Zachary!

6 Quirks

Marie at Naru Hodu tagged me for the Six Quirks Meme

The Rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged me


2. Mention the rules on my blog


3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of mine


4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them


5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

My Quirks:

1. I tend to use parentheses way too much. (I mean WAAAAAAAY too much. Like every 2nd or 3rd sentence unless I go back and edit them out.)


2. Although I am not generally very adept at or noticeful of the cleaning/household arts (especially dusting), I can not move a piece of furniture until the floor over which it is going has been thoroughly swept/mopped or vacuumed. And the wall and baseboard behind it if that is visibly dusty/dirty.


3. I find it very difficult to make any important decisions without asking the opinion of at least 3 or 4 people I know well, love, and/or respect. I don't necessarily follow any of their advice. But for some reason, just knowing it seems to be helpful in my ability to come to a final decision. (This one drives my husband crazy. Because one of his quirks is he thinks he is always right, and gets highly offended if I don't follow his advice. He isn't [always right], but life is generally easier when I can let him think he is.)


4. New electronic toys excite me way too much. To the point that I will waste time online reading about them/drooling over them when I know I can't afford them AND don't need them.


5. I can not follow a regular timed schedule. Despite the last 6-7 years of desperately trying to. And all the mental beating-up I and the rest of the scheduled world subject me to over this inability.


6. I despise disposable plates. They totally ruin the eating experience for me. Plus there is the guilt of putting it all in the landfill, just because someone was too lazy to stick a few extra plates in their dishwasher.

I'm tagging

1. Kristy at Giftie Etcetera


2. Elle at elle, phd


3. Kerry at whiny baby tales


4. Aunt Sharon at Shawkin


5. Frog at Random frog thoughts...


6. Mamaebeth at Mamaebeth

Family Portraits

We had McKenna Hubbs of More Than One Moment Photography photograph us this year. It turned out much nicer than last year, trying to rush from behind a self-timed camera and having nobody to get the littles' attention.

Mom & Dad


Our family; John's family


Jena's family (missing Greg & Paige), Julie's family


Group photo, Grandkid photo


Kid photo, Grampy and his dogs

Visiting friends

While we were in TX, we got to visit my old high school dance-partner-in-crime, and also college roommate for a while, Katharine. (Everytime I would say her name, Katie would yell "I'm Katherine! I'm Katherine! I'm Katherine!) She has 3 kids. Ameer is 4, Halah is almost 2, and Adam is just 4 weeks old. We were really happy to visit, even though it was really short. But they only live about 20 or 30 minutes from Grammy & Grampy, so we will hopefully see them again when we pass through there. Here are some pics from the visit.

Off on another great adventure

We're leaving DFW and heading south to Austin to party with Aunt Chicken & her family. I have photos to post but every time I've had 10 minutes to do it, my brother has been playing poker on my computer. Hope I can get to them soon...

Happy belated birthday to my mother-in-law (6th), her mother-in-law (7th), and her daughter/my sister-in-law (9th).

Family

We are having a great time here at Grammy & Grampy's new house in Euless, TX! The whole family (except TJ) is here. It is crowded, but very nice. John's family is staying with Jena, who is all of 5 minutes north of us. We are staying at Grammy & Grampy's. Julie lives about 45 minutes from here. She is working this week, but will be with us this weekend and next week.

I am usually too busy having fun (or helping unpack) to remember to take pictures, but here are a few that I did manage to take:

Katie loves to show off her photo album to anyone who will look at it. Here she is showing it to Uncle John, and then Grammy. (She previously avoided Grammy, but I guess showing off her pictures was more important than playing shy.)



Grammy & Grampy have cable. The kids are excited to be able to watch NickJr on a real (big!) TV instead of a little square on a computer screen. And to watch Playhouse Disney shows instead of just playing the online games.



Uncle John's kids, cousins Jonathon (14), Jenna (12), & Rachel (10)



Grampy at his new computer station



Sammy took this picture of Daddy (who is about 2 weeks past badly in need of a haircut!). Pretty good aim!



Brooke, Lance, Rachel, Jenna, & Sammy playing our new Ladybug Game



I guess cable is not so great after all. Sometimes what you want to watch isn't on when you want to watch it. Lance and Katie watching Dora the Exporer on my computer.



The newest cousin, baby Lilly, almost 6m old (and only about 4 lbs lighter than Katie)!