Kitchen Cabinet Update

We finally got around to the kitchen! Painted the walls, had someone paint the cabinets, and got new hardware for the drawers.

4 day weekends

Friday we went skiing (Ryan's first time staying with us and not going to a lesson). My boys are getting so old!

Saturday Ryan had basketball
Sunday we went three hours south to Buena Vista CO to some hot springs.
It was super cool, Ive never been to something like that.

100 days of school

 Half of Ryan's class was out sick with the flu

GG sent her famous Valentine's Day cookies, made for some happy boys

Upgrades

We seem to go in waves of upgrades to the house. STILL working on taking the house from 1996 to 2018.

We had originally painted the nude wood cabinets white in the laundry room. I do not recommend the "Cabinet Kit" from home depot. We wiped down cabinets, taped, did multiple coats of paint and have been unhappy with the results for the last 2-ish years of living with the white cabinets. The paint quality was just garbage. Knowing that the kitchen cabinets are being painted in March I thought it would be a good idea to test out the grey paint color I was thinking for the kitchen island by painting the laundry room cabinets that test color.
Sherwin Williams Dorian Grey for the cabinets, walls are repose grey in the kitchen

BEFORE

AFTER

THE KNOB THAT WE ARE USING IN THE KITCHEN

Chandelier 1 of 2

BEFORE

AFTER

 I painted the wood trim around the ceiling inlay white, it has been raw wood and was I think the final piece of trim I had left to paint in the house (yay, happy dance)

Belive, by Connor Moorman

You may or may not know that Connor wants to be a song written when he grows up. Originally it was all for the idea of making it rich. He has though over the years written a few good ones.

He has been working really hard 7 days a week at his advanced math program, Kumon. Last night he said that he had come up with a song that he sings to himself when he gets frustrated at Kumon. I asked him to write it down for me and here is what I got. I might have gotten a little teary eyed.

*PS he would be mortified if he knew I shared this.

Believe

I believe I believe

I believe in you

I believe you can do it 

Believe you can do it

Don't be sad

Don't be mad

Just believe

You can do it

Schedules

Today in the bath instead of relaxing and enjoying the 5 minutes to myself this was my thought pattern;
Monday: Kumon (connor's advanced math tutoring), Homework, Practice Piano
Tuesday: Kumon homework, school homework, Practice Piano
Wednesday: Kumon, Piano, Homework
Thursday: Kumon homework, Piano, Homework
Friday: Kumon homework, Piano (drive to the mountains for ski weekend)
Saturday: Basketball, Kumon, Piano

Ahhh we are too busy! Good thing I have a day planner. Ahhh this our "down season" when soccer starts up (in march) we will have soccer 4 days a week for Connor on top of Piano, Teniss & Kumon. Ryan will have tennis 2 days a week.

I think I'm running all these things in my head as "too much" from the mere fact that we had a wonderfully lazy and family oriented 3 week off over Christmas time. The lack of hustle and bustle is THE BEST!


CHRISTMAS PHOTOS:

 We got to hang with Sawyer for a whole week!

 Heather's wrapping job was AMAZING! Goals for next year!

 We got a quick day trip to Cleveland in (Emma Clare is running away from me in this picture) Aunt Kerry got the boys "boy journals that lock" that was a huge hit!

 Let's fly home. **On our flight out Ray & I got upgraded to first class with 98 Degrees singer Justin Jeffe

 Christmas Eve picture (thanks to the tripod) 

 Ryan's hair is going through an awkward phase as we grow out a bad haircut

Connor with his first love. These two are getting so old. Look at Izzy rocking a chocker, lol!

Piano With Connor

ConnorRita has been filling the house with holiday music this season. 

Christmas Time

Yay it is almost Christmas! Both boys had Holiday class parties this week, we had our big white elephant party a few weeks ago, our holiday lights outside are THE BOMB.COM, Christmas Jammies for the boys have been purchased, Christmas Cards went out and we are READY to fly out to Ohio on Christmas Eve to see baby Sawyer and drive up to Cleveland to see Jordan and Emma Clare.

 Ryan making a gingerbread house

 Made the nativity scene because it was 68 degrees out and I wanted to stain a piece of wood in the sun

 took two girlfriends to see Bad Mom's Christmas while the kids were at school

 Easy and cheap little gifts for school staff

Sawyer all set for Christmas

Sawyer John

My adorable newest nephew was born on November 28th, 2017. The night before he was born I read his parents, Travis & Cynthia this delightful and festive rendition of twas the night before Christmas that I had written.

Twas the Night Before Sawyer

The onesies were hung in the nursery with care

In hopes that Baby Clark would soon be there

Ezra was nestled warm in her bed

While visions of night feedings danced in Cindy’s head

And Cindy in her nursing top 

and Trav in his Apres Cap,

Had just settled their thoughts for a quick nap

When down in Cind’s lap their was a loud splash

Trav asked what that was, then took out the trash

What to their wondering eyes should appear, 

but a pile of water and a look of fear

I knew in a moment Baby Clark was to be born

Contractions had started and to Trav she had sworn

More rapid than Braxton Hicks they came, 

and Trav shouted out the list of 3 names;

Bartholomew, Sawyer, or Hudson

To the top of the parking garage,

to the top of the hospital floor

Dash Cindy up 

Dash Cindy up

3 pushes more

As the baby crowned and came rather quick

Cindy was happy the epidural she did pick

With the nurse’s arms full with the Baby

I heard in the hall 

the cheering of Grandparents and many a phone call

As Cindy drew her head down to look at her Boy

her mind and her heart were over come with joy

he was dressed in a swaddle

from his head to his toe

and his clothes were only a blanket no girly bow

His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples so cute

his cheeks were all rosey, his mouth it did root

His drool-ey little mouth was drawn up like a bow

His chin covered in spit up as white as snow

Baby Clark spoke not a word, but went straight to work
And filled his little belly, then turned with a jerk

Then laying his finger on his Mom’s boob

they circumcised him and added some lube

He sprang to his incubator, to the medical team gave a toot

then away the team flew, Aunt Heather had given them the boot

I heard the Doctor exclaim as he walked out of sight,

Don’t worry Travis I sewed her up tight!

Ray & I travel back to Ohio for a quick 24 hrs for a work holiday party, but in reality mostly to meet the newest Clark!

Future Self

Today for school you had to "dress as your future self" and do a little presentation on what you will be when you grow up. If you know me at all then you probably know that all our feel good memories come from the summer at the lake. No surprise to anyone Ryan wants to be a fishing guide when he grows up.