Ode to the House Whisperer

For the past 6 weeks my house---more specifically me KITCHEN---has been in quite a disarray. You probably noticed the big shipment of boxes in the background of our super boots dress up---that was all in preparation for our kitchen MAKEOVER.

We have been REALLY needing some more storage space, and everytime I talked to Court about getting new cupboards he would say that this just wasn't the best time for that. Sometimes he would pretend to be budging a little bit, and I actually went and talked with some cabinet guys on design and what it would cost to redo our kitchen, but the price tag was a little too much to swallow (and it was, I can admit that). Well Court has a friend name Jim (who regularly refers to himself in the 3rd person as 'Jimmy'---just like Seinfeld) who really is a Jack of all trades. He is really good at what he does, but he doesn't necesarily go into a project with all the details worked out, and so his wife has dubbed him the 'house whisperer' and it really does fit. He starts the project and lets the HOUSE tell him what needs to be done. Ü And along the way there are ALL sorts of different ideas coming out of the house whisperer as to what could be done or what SHOULD be done--in Jimmy's perfect world of course. I am so glad that he had the vision to take what my basic wants were, and come up with a cost effective solution that looks FANTASTIC. (Didn't hurt that along with his mad skills, he has a family painting business to boot!)

So without further ado, here are the results of the house whisperers hard work (along with some of Court's help, Court's money, and some very nice workers)

Brand new cabinets? Who needs them! Use what you got and then add some in to be able to fill up the ENTIRE length of the kitchen. Along the way, switch where the dishwasher sits. Don't get me wrong it wasn't as easy as just filling in the blanks. There were two cabinets total that actually stayed in the same place (happens to be the upper AND the lower to the left of the microwave)

My island has completely new cupboards---that are ALL big drawers...I LOVE THEM. But the cupboards that were on the island are now being used in other part of my kitchen. VERY COST EFFECTIVE.

While we were at it the house whispered that we should add some variety to those uppers and get some varying heights....much more interesting.

Cabinets Before....

That big white splotch on the wall USED to be window. But Court's brother Dan filled that in for us---no problem.

Cabinets After...



Do you also notice the trim on both the top and the bottom of the cabinets? You will be able to see that once the stain hits it.

But that is not all, no that is not all. First came the white paint. And that day was a NIGHTMARE. There was a huge plastic scrim literally enclosing my kitchen off from the rest of the house while everything got sprayed. My goodness the FUMES were insane. You could SEE them (the fumes) piping out a small opening and out my back door. I apologize to all of my Let's Play Music classes that happened during this week of painting, becuz it was pretty stinky in here. An especially heartfelt apology goes out to the three piano students who were actually in my house DURING the painting. After the 2nd lesson, NONE of us could breathe any more, and we had to pack up and go to their house just to finish for the day.


This was a very NON-FUNCTIONING kitchen. Everything was in my living room, and Court's office, and the garage---ay carumba! The funny thing was that every single day they would put my kitchen back together with such care so that I wouldn't go ape crazy on them or something. So countertops were placed back on top, tables and chairs were put back in place, I think they even managed to put my clutter back exactly in the same place. Ü
After the white coat came the staining process. They would wipe this dark, dark stain on my cupboards and then immediately wipe it off. It turned the white into an antique white, and every single groove suddenly popped out with character...

The wainscotting on my island ESPECIALLY took a liking to the staining process.

Throughout the process we slowly began replacing the appliances as well---that was part of the deal of reusing our existing cabinets was that the money we saved could go towards stainless appliances. Things were really starting to look snazzy, but we were missing that final element of the countertops to finish it all off. Finally on Tuesday the house whisperer installed those as well---he really did EVERYTHING. Including the new undermount stainless sink and faucet!

The FINAL product...


and here you can see those mouldings a little better...


So HUGE shout outs to Jim Stewart, Stewart Painting, Manny (a.k.a 'Handy Manny), and yes even Courtney. I have never felt so organized in my ENTIRE life---I actually have a few cupboards that STILL do not have anything in them--- Thanks boys!

(...and thank you to Jenny Stewart for lending her husband to us for the last month or so! Many a Saturday and some Monday evenings as well, were spent at our house to help get this thing done and we really appreciate it)

Bruiser

She fell off the cupboard---OFF THE CUPBOARD! I was negligent enough to leave the container of pink nesquik on the counter. Remember the old days when you would eat straight kool-aid??? She is the same way.

Well it must have fallen off the counter as she was trying to break into it and after she went. I swear she landed on her head first , but after the initial cry she didn't seem to care anymore. The rest of the day we were stuck with this huge pink circle...

Friday Night Fun

Court is seriously the best daddy on the planet. He has so much more patience then I do. Friday night he rounded up the kiddies to help him make his famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. With both milk chocolate chips and an actual Hershey bar grated into the batter, you know it is yummy! Plus, with the oatmeal it is TOTALLY healthy for you right? Ü

Daddy makes sure everyone has a chance to pour certain ingredients in, or be the one to turn the bosch on to mix in the latest ingredient. Their were a few temper tantrums, but the end product was so worth it.





Thanks Daddy!

Life is SO not Fair!

I was actually sitting here right at the computer when I hear Waverly crying down the hallway. She sounded the way she does when she is tired out of her gourd, and Laetner is bothering her and she is just MAD! The odd thing is as I head down the hallway, that I can see her in Delainee's room all by HERSELF. To what did we owe the honor of this sad face....

or this one...


Well you actually have your answer there in that last photo. See little Miss Wavee Jo loves to play outside in our little mini coupe (in fact you might recall how she almost ended her life in an accident at the cabin) Well she took one look at those Barbies and Dollies and she just KNEW they were having fun that she was wanting to have her self.

At first she tried taking the toys out, but they were kinda stuck, and then she tried to put her feet in with them (as if she could actually take a ride in the thing) but that didn't work to well, darn it. She then took to swiping at everyone involved (car included) becuz it just wasn't fair.

I didn't quite know what to do for her. She just kept getting madder and madder, and I finally just had to take the whole car (ladies included) and put it up on a shelf so she couldn't see 'THEM' having fun without her.

Life is so unfair when you are 18 months old!

Are you Kidding Me?

So I am walking out of the gym this morning, with Waverly on my hip, when I check my cell phone and notice that I missed a text whilst I was sweating all over the treadmill (you think I jest! Ü)

The text was from my one and only (who is still in Hawaii), and I quote, "Does your latest blog [post] mean that you don't miss me or need me anymore"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

I truly apologize, my darling Courtney, that you would ever misconstrue my previous post into meaning that I don't miss or need you anymore! It made me want to cry right there on the spot, that (while I know you were joking) you could even think it just a little.

Perhaps you did not fully understand my little statement of : "not until this JULY did I ever actually get OVERWHELMED with him being gone. Man alive, I felt like I was in some sort of funk and just couldn't get out of it."

Perhaps becuz you were not here, that you didn't understand that when I haphazardly say I was in a 'funk' that I was REALLY having a hard time mentally, and emotionally and somedays really worried over the mortality of certain children for that day. (Mortality that would be ended by ME!)

Perhaps you thought my short-temperedness with everyone and everything (including YOU) was just the latest faze I was going thru?

No my darling, I will happily admit that I can't stand it when you are not here. No one makes me laugh like you can (you are indeed one of the top 5 funniest people). No one makes me cry like you can for that matter either. No one cooks like you can. No one cleans like you can. No one loves/plays/and spoils our children like you can. No one is as fun to watch T.V. with. No one works as hard as you can. No one makes me feel as safe as you can.

All's I am saying, is that now that school is back in session (and all the busy-ness that goes along with it) that I finally feel like I am coming out of that funk that I have been drowning in as of late.

And for that I am greatful!

Greatful

I am so stinking greatful that school is back in session! And it isn't JUST becuz Delainee and Laetner are BOTH at school ALL day long---although that is pretty dang cool, I must admit!

No.

More than anything I am greatful to be BUSY. Greatful that we have to get up at 6:30 a.m. everyone morning to begin the process of breakfast, teeth brushing, getting dressed and practicing piano. Greatful that since I am already up that I have no good excuse not to head to the gym for an hour or so and get in a good sweat before starting the day. Greatful that my days are full of preparing Let's Play Music lessons, and 'advising' all my fun Let's Play Music teachers with all of their excited questions as they begin to teach. Greatful that since the Let's Play Music semester has started, that I have all sorts of interesting 'trading' that I get to cash in on this year. Greatful that I can go to the grocery store to do my coupon shopping with just ONE child to deal with. Greatful that almost EVERY day these past two weeks, I have had some sort of workers in my house, tearing up my kitchen, and stinking up my house with all sorts of crazy stains, paint, or glaze smells! (just wait til you see the finished product)

When Court first started traveling for his work I thought it would be really hard to have him away--and don't get me wrong it IS hard. But not until this JULY did I ever actually get OVERWHELMED with him being gone. Man alive, I felt like I was in some sort of funk and just couldn't get out of it. But I now realize it was becuz we had nothing to do BUT sit around and realize that he WASN'T here with us.

Soooo, I am just so greatful to be back on a schedule, and feel like there isn't enough of me to fit in all the things that need to be done in the day. Cuz then I don't have time to sit and mope about the fact that I haven't had an 'adult' conversation in over a week!

I think I forgot to mention that within a 14 day spread I will have seen my husband for three days of that time?---the poor baby is off to Hawaii AGAIN!

But like I said, we are so 'greatfully' busy that we are honestly doing OKAY!

Is it wrong to actually almost be better off when living in crazy-ville??

I must say, though, that I will ESPECIALLY be greatful when he comes home this Saturday!

SERENITY NOW! Ü

While Mom was Away

Today I had to run to a Teacher Advisory Lunch for Let's Play Music. I asked Shelby if she could watch Wavee for me, and she said no problem. After I picker her up and headed home, I noticed some e-mails from Shelby's house with the words "While mom was away" as the subject heading....




MELT MY HEART! Ü

Last Ditch Efforts

Meet the teacher was Thursday night. Court was out of town, so I braved it with the three kiddies and 4 bags of school supplies to drop off. We had already gotten a letter from Laetner's teacher (happens to be Delainee's same teacher that she had for kindergarten) so when we showed up that night he walked right in, no fears, no nothing! He plopped right down and began coloring like he was 'old school'! Ü

Delainee, on the other hand, had to go into the experience blind. We had no idea who our teacher was until we got their that night, and even then did not know who she was. We had gone to Laetner's classroom first, so by the time we made it to Delainee's classroom there was hardly anybody in there. Taking a quick look around I pointed out to Delainee who I figured her teacher must be. She took a quick look--sizing her new teacher up---and whispers to me, "She's cute like me [meaning herself]!" Do I have a vain daughter, or what? I am hoping she meant she looks like me since they both have blonde hair, but I kinda doubt it.

So after walking around the school, it really set in that summer is OVER! We figured we better do some last minute summer things before our time was officially up!

So we headed outside to play on our tramp in the sprinklers....

And we headed over to the splash pad at San Tan mall...

Waverly was NOT happy with the little puddle that was completetly ATTACKING her!!! Ü

We met up with our little cousin Parker and he immediately went to work trying to plant some smooches on poor Wavee.


After the mall we decided to do a little dress up. Meet THE SUPER BOOTS!


Striking terror into the hearts of all evil doers EVERYWHERE

(especially Waverly, apparently)

This is what Baby Super Boots looks like when she is MAD!

Don't make her angry---you won't like her when she's angry!

Aaaah, this is more like it!


With all the fun things to do in the summer time, we are still ALL so happy for school to start!

She's Comin' Out

Da-da-da-duh!

Who is that peekin' out of my pantry?



Here comes trouble!

She's thinking, "Let's get this party started!"

Swimming with Miss Sharisse

Since Delainee was 18 months old, every single summer we would always go to Judy Brown for swim lessons. We love Judy. She is amazing! My kids even refer to her as grandma judy. So in April when we bagan to hear the rumours that she wasn't teaching swim this summer we were devastated. Ü We never can start swimming until July every year, becuz of my working at MCC every summer, so we had a little extra time to try and find someone to replace Judy.

Thank goodness a lady in our ward had someone to refer us to, and they taught RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! The first day or two, I was a little apprehensive that we wouldn't be getting worked as hard as we were used to. But then she started whippin' my kiddies in to shape. Laetner especially had a special bond with Miss Sharisee, and acted like her teacher's assistant or something. I now know why his school teacher referred to him as the 'little professor' becuz he is ALL about staying on task. If Miss Sharisse tried to change ANYTHING he would remind her of something they had not done yet that day, or that the order was wrong. But I think she appreciated that over the kids that completely ignored her rules or threw complete fits. Let's just say I was VERY proud of the way MY children behaved this summer. The very last day of the first session, Miss Sharisse brought a slide for the kids to play on during class. Everyday of the next TWO week session, Laetner would ask when the slide was coming back. We were promised the last day again, so we made sure to bring the camera, AGAIN...



Thank you Miss Sharisse for teaching my kiddies some very important life saving skills! Ü