The many faces of Mike... part 2

Almost three years ago, I wrote a blog post about how my husband Mike has many faces for me when I take pictures. 

When we had our family pictures done on my birthday this year by my fabulous friend Valerie -- we laughed when we saw all of Mike's expressions.  Now, I'm no stranger to husbands hating picture time at my photo sessions that I take -- and while Mike didn't "hate" our photo time -- his funniest expressions came at the end of our shoot.

Enjoy a few photos that show Mike at his finest .... :)

Now you have seen the bloopers ... here are the REAL gems of our shoot!

 

Being grateful and showing it on paper

I was going through pictures in my bedside table on Friday night.  Going through some of my favorite photos, favorite momentos that I saved of the girls when they were born -- their hat, their arm bracelets while in the hospital.  My favorite articles I read from Dear Ann Landers when I was a teenager.  My teenager photos. 

At this time, I had finally found the picture I had been looking for for years of my grandpa holding Katie when she was still a little wee one. His dog Buddy was looking at Katie, studying her. 

I did come upon four pieces of papers.  Seeing my grandpa's handwriting on them brought tears ... I miss him.  His two year anniversary date of passing away on Thankgiving is coming up. 

I had forgotten about these papers until that night.  Years ago (like 8-9 years) I had made all these papers with everyone's name on the top of their paper.  Everyone in the family had to go around and write something they were grateful for or loved about that person. 

All I could think was "what a great activity this was..."  What a great way to share things in ways that we may not have normally said to each other.  Plus here .. I have it in writing.  :)  (Love Miss Katie's handwriting and spelling?!)

So if you need a "Grateful" project -- try this activity. 

Decorating a teenager girls room ...

At first I think I was dreading decorating w/ a teenager.  I figured I would have had to title this post "How not to kill your teenager while decorating their room" -- but in reality, it was a piece of cake really doing this project w/ my teenager!

Katie has in her mind how her new bedroom should look.  We have the walls painted her color of choice.... some of the bedroom furniture still needs to be painted black .... and it's time to get the walls done!

She was in a hurry to get a comforter, and instead of WAITING for her dream comforter (it was a beautiful grey comforter, I loved it too...) -- she ended up making a drastic change in choice, and so therefore her "dream" bedroom was altered big time.  She wanted a grey bedspread -- but that particular weekend we started looking, she decided she was NOT going home empty handed.  (talk about stubborn children who regretted their choice a week later and begged to take so called bedding back to the store).  So now her bedroom is turquoise & brown.  We decided it was still OK to incorporate some more color in her pictures -- b/c after all... bedspreads can eventually be changed out.  Eventually.  Like in a few years.  Or so...

She wants to make a heart collage out of pictures, to go over her bed.  So we bought the canvas for those (we'll do 5x7 sizes).  Now to pick out the pictures and get them ordered.  So more posts to come in the near future for that!

However, the opposite side of the wall, we were able to do this weekend!

Katie & her BFF Madison painted the edges of her canvas different colors -- orange, yellow, lime green, burgandy, grey.  Then, after those were done & dried, she & I mod podged (I can't believe that's a word) the canvas & the pictures.

This is the end result!  We both love it!! 

She really loves these printables we found on the internet -- and the song "You are my Sunshine" ... my mom used to sing that song to my girls when they were younger.  We added in a few of her favorite pictures and ta da!  We have a fun wall!

stay tuned for part two of "decorating a teenager girl's room!" .... now on to start on "how to decorate a tween girl's room.  Starting with yarn balls.  Wish me luck!

 

We have a Piglet & a Barbie ...

I very rarely buy costumes for my kids.  If I can find a darn good price on a costume, then I'll buy it and save me a headache.  But in the past 5-7 years, my girls had to come up with a costume --HOMEMADE.

Our good friends came to our neighborhood like they did last year -- we have the best neighbors who give good candy!!

This year Maddie went as Barbie.  Katie straightened her hair, applied heavy blue eyeshadow & blush to her face.  Let her wear her silver heels .... and she carried a big silvery glittery bag like Barbie always has.

Katie & her BFF Madison went as Piglet & Roo.  I made the ears & the tail -- and we did buy a light pink shirt that was on clearance for $3.  I'm such a tightwad.  (I know Mike... I know...)  She & Maddie made her nose the night before. 

After walking half of a block, Maddie had to change shoes.  Ha ha... I knew that would happen and told her to take comfy shoes.

 

Before we left though -- I tried to do something cool for dinner.  So I made mummy pizza!  Very simple -- and very easy.  Add in veggies with ranch dip, and some orange pop -- we were set!

and yes ... I'm embarrassed to be walking around with 14-15 year olds for Halloween....

Fall... at the cabin

A few weeks ago we all took a quick trip to the cabin.  Mike went up with Maddie on Thursday night, and spend Friday through Monday at the cabin.  I had to work on Friday & Monday, so Katie and I hopped in a car right after I got out of work on Friday and drove the long distance to the cabin.   We came home on Sunday afternoon.  Fastest trip ever.  :(

It took us FOREVER to get out of San Antonio -- due to a car pileup (people don't know how to drive in the rain here!) -- which meant we made it in time for rush hour in Austin!  I was so hoping to avoid this ... by the time we made it to Round Rock, we had been in the car for almost 3 hours -- it should have taken us an hour -- maybe an hour and 15 minutes at the most.  So, I was itching to get out and walk around for a bit.  We rented a small car b/c my Explorer is not the best at getting good gas mileage -- but man alive it was a pain to drive with my long legs!  LEG CRAMP!

So, we stopped at Ikea.  :)  Katie met up w/ a friend she met at EFY over the summer -- yes, a BOY.  Cameron & Katie hung out for a bit while I walked around and picked up a few things I needed.

After an hour, we got back in the car and drove like a maniac.  Katie promised me she wouldn't fall asleep.  But she did.  Thankfully before she did, she inserted a CD and it was a "Dirty Dancing" CD ... so I sang my heart out to all those old songs.  Finally she woke up and put in a different CD.  Madonna... the Immaculate Collection.  She fell back asleep.  Listened to that CD twice.  Ugh.  Woke her up again and told her to change it out.  So she put in .... the WIGGLES!  She groaned -- and I was a happy little camper b/c I was seriously dragging butt and trying to stay awake.  Thankfully we made it to the cabin at 11:30 that night -- and fell promptly asleep!

On Saturday Mike rented a small tractor & a brush hog to clear off some land on his neighbor's property -- so he could hunt. I told him too bad the tractor wasn't green -- per the country song "Let's take a ride on my green tractor" (or something like that). 

My usual trip to Walmart took place... twice that day.  :D  This is the only time I will go to Walmart -- while at the cabin.

Mike & Katie went deer hunting (since it was the kids weekend to hunt for deer).  Had to buy Katie a new camo jacket b/c Maddie outgrew hers, and used Katie's old camo jacket.

Our friends were at the cabin with us that weekend, and Sarah made a huge pot of chili -- so yummy!  Perfect for the cool weather! 

I noticed these berries when I drove in on the property == bright purple berries.  They are all over the place, and I have NO clue what they are.  Sure are pretty to look at though!

Mike also took Katie driving for the first time.  Better him than me.  She drove like a little old lady.  Took 5 minutes to back the car out so she could go on the road.  A few feet at a time!  But Mike said she did good -- hugging the curb very well!

I noticed by the septic tank ... we have a sink hole.  BOO!  Mike said that was the area in which he dug a HUGE hole and deposited trees/brush, etc when he first started clearing the land.  Probably the heaviness of the tractor caused it to sink.  Thankfully it won't impact the cabin in any way -- b/c Mike has the cabin supported by huge cement pillars that goes way down in the dirt/sand.  I forget how many feet... is that suprising?

 

 

Then it was time for Katie & I to leave.  :(  We got stuck in another traffic jam outside of Waco -- took forever for us to make it through.  We went maybe 2 miles in an hour.  So, after much encouraging, Katie popped in the Veggietales CD.  Sung our hearts out for the length of the CD.  Good memories... good times.  :) 

 

We finished up our trip to Buccee's!  Katie had never been -- and so had to get her mug shot with the famous Beaver?  Woodchuck?  What is he??

 

 

When it rains.... we play!

It rarely rains here in Texas.  We miss our good midwestern thunderstorms!  The rolling thunders, the lightning shows, and the smell of rain.

Here in Texas... we very very little rain.  So, when it poured buckets (and I mean bathtubs of buckets), Maddie wanted to play in the rain.  As long as there was no lightning.. I said "go for it!"

So, she and her friend had a ball playing in the rain for a good hour or so!

Here Maddie & her friend are running down the street... and towards the drainage pipes.  SCARED ME TO DEATH!  I envisioned two little girls being swept off by the water -- it was raining THAT much!

 

So after I yelled and ran after them to come back and staying in front of our yard...they pointed the finger at each other in the blame game.

 

The newest addition of our home....

Mike was able to build a wall in our sunroom (sorry for no pictures of that ... it's on my other camera, and Mike has that camera w/ him!) -- and so we cleaned up the room, unpacked boxes... set the table up, clean the windows (goodness gravy, they were DIRTY!), and Mike hooked up the elliptical.  I know... an elliptical in the dining room?  Yeah... that's how we roll.  :)

I have to say, I think now that it's all set up, this is definitely going to be a favorite room of ours!  Plus, I'm envisioning the room for my newborn shoots!!

This is looking from the sunroom into my living room .... I have my clock up!  Sadly, it stopped working.... boo!

 

This is looking from the living room out so you can see our mini backyard.

(yes.. that's a futon on my porch.. but it's not ours)

 

I love this tree....

Mike hates this tree...

I love the hot pink color...

Mike hates the hot pink color and berries that falls off it...

 

And since I had to break out my other lens to capture some pictures ... here is a larger picture of my kitchen

 

and in the living room... it's a mess, and we were watching General Conference on the laptop