The Paint Is On...

Back before Thanksgiving, we started renovations on Children's Church. Vicki offered to paint. This was supposed to be quick. Two weekends at most. Seriously.

Once we got into it we realized that some work that required carpentry skills far above our poor power. Mistake #1: We started this thing during deer season. What were we THINKING!! Then the holidays...Thanksgiving...Christmas...New Year's. Took forever to get everything done.

Since November, we have had Children's Church in Aunt Patsy's Sunday School room . She very graciously invited us to move in. But you know, we just all need a place to call our own, right?

So this weekend (a three-day weekend for Vicki), we started painting. Friday Robbie, Carsyn, and I went to get paint, rollers, drop cloths, brushes...all the "stuff" we would need. And Saturday morning I met Vicki there and we got our paint on. We got it on the walls. We got it on the floor. We got it on ourselves. And the place looks good!!! It looks even more amazing after we went this afternoon and put the second coat on. Who knew the second coat would go soooooo much faster!!

The painting marathon was not without excitement. I'll share a little:

There is a staircase going down to Children's Church that really needed some tender loving care. We decided to paint those walls. We didn't think about that the highest part of the ceiling would be at the lowest point on the stairs. We had one pole to extend the roller, but still we couldn't quite reach. So we used a little stool on the stairs. Hush. We know now that was stupid, but we were desperate. First I was on it and Vicki was below me on the stairs. I can honestly say that I only wanted to reach just one.more.inch. And WHOOP there it is!! The stool flew out from under me, my feet went flying, I don't know where the brush went, and Vicki put one hand out --not sure what she was doing but it was the thought that counted.

So Vicki decided to climb up. Judging from previous experience, I decided to stand behind her and hold on. Sure enough, here she went! But no worries--I had such a tight grip on her t shirt that she practically bungee jumped. You know, she just rebounded. I'm telling you, it was the one more inch thing both times!

We are both so glad Lauren wasn't there to witness either mishap. She would have had to go to the emergency room, and that would have prolonged this thing. Poor thing, Lauren just cannot handle seeing a fall. It just sends her into gales of laughter!

We are far from done, but let me tell you and the universe I AM HAVING CHILDREN'S CHURCH IN THAT ROOM NEXT SUNDAY.

Unless God has other plans, of course.

Which I will, of course, try to talk him out of.

Somehow.

The Pappy Is Gone...Now Here's How We Go to Sleep!

Carsyn has been devoted to her pappy. DEVOTED!! None of us were OCD about getting her off it at a particular moment in time, but we thought she would probably talk more if she didn't have it. We also thought (and prepared ourselves) that the experience would be ...ummm...traumatic. But lots of prayer and a reading of the Farmer's Almanac and some rather miraculous cooperation on Carsyn's part, and..........it's gone!

I'm not even going to try to convince anybody that she doesn't think about it. Occasionally she just has the sweetest look and points straight to her mouth. She'll even ask for it. In desperation, she even stuck a tiny, hard, baby doll pacifier in her mouth for a moment of relief. But even with all that sweetness, she has really done well giving it up -- COMPLETELY!

Now she's on to other means of satisfaction. This is her newest one:

Yes, the doll wears a size larger than Carsyn does. All I know is, she loves that doll.

In other news, Kaylee turned 4! She's such a pretty little girl, and she bosses those boys around like crazy! She had a Hello Kitty birthday party. Here's a candy bowl I made for her table:

AND... I got the Christmas tree down. You have no idea how hard that was (with baby help). Robbie even said, "You didn't have Carsyn today? You did? How did you get the tree down?" Ha! Never underestimate the determination of ZiZi!! I had lots of help, but she mostly wanted the tree back UP.

She worked sooooo hard to get those lights back on!

Finally, just because it is just beyond adorable, I want to show you  a precious birthday outfit. One etsy customer went out of her way to get her little girl a snowflake birthday suit. I found snowflake legwarmers, and Vicki and I put the tutu together while the machine hummed away.







And this outfit was born!!! How cute is that!

That is all. The End.

Is It 2012 Already??

Well, the Christmas holidays are over (I need to host the family for a meal again and let them take down the trees), and the New Year has arrived. I remember, when I was little, knowing for sure the world would not be here by the time we had to write 2000, and here it is 12 years later! Wow!

The year 2011 was such a huge variety of emotions and events:

• I decided to take some time off school to help with baby sitting and because I felt a need to be more available for Pam and Kenny.
• Kenny moved to the best of all places.
• Our gymnastics team (level 3) placed 1st in the state meet.
• My sewing business took off like CRAZY (thanks goodness).
• We were able to spend lots of time with all our babies (older and younger).
• Both sets of our parents had a wonderfully healthy year.
• All our children  and grands had a wonderfully healthy year.
• Santa Claus came even though I thought I was going to sew straight through Christmas.
• I found out that holidays are still hard (Every day is, actually. Miss my BoBo soooo much).
• We started some renovation work on Childen's Church (It's amazing how much I have missed that basement).
• We opened CHRISTMAS presents OUTSIDE on the arbor in 77 degree weather-- and the weather dropped to below freezing for the next two nights!
• I made Sugar Cookie Truffles and Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookie Truffles, Rolls, and Peanut Butter Bites BY MYSELF!!!

I can't possibly remember everything, but I AM making  some New Year's resolutions:

• Blog more often
• Shop earlier
• Get more organized
• Save more money
• Be healthier
• Clean more effectively (must be linked to Get More Organized)
• Go on more "dates" with Robbie
• Create something -- or some part of something-- every day
• Pray more
• Read more
• Be a positive influence
• Build a better relationship with my stove

Happy New Year!!!

**Additonal News and Resolutions:
1. I got the tree down--WITH Carsyn "helping" (putting the lights back on as fast as I could get them off).
2. I resolve to remember to hit the PUBLISH POST button (been several days since I wrote this post!)