Big Girl Bedroom

I'm sad to report that after three months of living here we've almost completed only ONE ROOM IN OUR ENTIRE HOUSE. I'm am happy to report, however, that said room has turned out super duper cute (if I do say so myself).

We have basically been living out of functionality - as in, whatever we need to function is unpacked and the rest: still in boxes (I'm not kidding...even a little bit). So... now that I've admitted to being a total slacker - here is how hideous the girls room was before. Tim started disassembling the toddler bed where Kennedy was sleeping before I took the picture so please don't think that functional = forcing my 5 year old to sleep on the floor. Thankfully my sister had some black out fabric that we tacked over the windows in both of the kids rooms to tide us over until real drapes were purchased but we did install their light fixture pretty early on because the box it was packed in was taking up an insane amount of room.

The Tinkerbell door hanger deserves an explanation - "she" is a Christmas decoration that was given to Kennedy as a gift last year and oh how excited she was to hang "her" up this year. Thankfully we packed her back away once we started on the room. Until next year Tink!

I definitely don't want to sound like a whiner here, but honestly there has been no time to paint or work on projects around the house. During the week I'm completely absorbed in Mommying and or house management (meals, cleaning, errands, bills, etc. etc. etc.). When the babies are napping, I'm either doing home school with Kennedy or playing one on one with Kennedy. I keep staring at piles of things that need to be unpacked or walls that need things on them and when I start to feel suffocated by it I try to remind myself that I'm spending my time doing what is most important and the rest can wait. It will get it all done at some point...right?

 

Thankfully, Tim's Mom was willing to come back with us after the holidays so that we could devote a weekend to getting the girls' room finished. Most of the time when we attempt to work on projects, it requires dividing and conquering (one works on said project while the other "man's the kiddos) but with her help we were able to work together on their room and it was so nice.

 

So anyhow, thanks to Pinterest - I knew I wanted to do chevrons in their room but wasn't sure of much else until I saw this particular design and pretty much fell in love. Without my husbands master mind I would have NEVER even considered tackling something that would require this much measuring but alas I married a man who does things like this to prepare:

So...first we painted our base color - pink, of course. After our base coat dried, Tim got to measuring. I would give you more detail, but this part was ALL him so I have no detail to share sadly. I do know that a yardstick, pencil and level were involved but that's all I got. ha! how crazy is this tape job?

Next up - the stripe/chevron colors were added. I seriously couldn't wait to pull of the tape - It's always so exciting to get to the finished product part of any project, am I right?

Voila! I am super happy with the finished product but I will say that I wish we would have chosen a different brand of tape. Our lines (though  you would never know unless you were looking) are a little fuzzy where there was a tiny bit of bleed through. After that amount of work you just want perfection, you know? The girls weren't allowed in the room until we were totally done and they both LOVE it. Avery is obviously now in a big girl bed and it's gone pretty well. We had a few little incidents (Praise God for bed rails because that girl is a CRAZY sleeper) but she seems to be adjusted now.

 The bedding, hanging flowers, and even the picture frames were in my niece Maggie's room but when Catina re-did her room she was gracious enough to offer the old to us and we gladly accepted the offer. I think it's perfect for the girls! I found the drapes (brace yourself) in the clearance bin at Bed Bath and Beyond for $4/panel y'all and they are even lined with blackout fabric: score! Their little bookshelves are from Target and they each have their own at the end of their beds with their books in them. The little flower lights beside each of their beds (so darling) are from Ikea and Avery sleeps with hers on each night - she just loves it.

One last thing (a close running for my favorite thing in their room next to the stellar chevron wall we worked so hard on) - soon after moving in, we realized that although there was plenty of space for them to share a room the closet was going to be a whole other story. My sister Melissa had used a company called Closets by Design to install systems in their closets and her closets looked so awesome that we decided to use them to re-design the girls' closet too. I honestly LOVE their closet. They now each have their own well defined areas and I know right where to get stuff. As they grow we can move the bars and the shelves to accommodate their clothing and I just couldn't be happier with the finished product. I wish we could afford to have this done in all of our closets.

Our next project (when we have time) will be Grey's room. I just keep repeating in my mind "It's a marathon, not a sprint". Maybe by the time Kennedy goes into middle school we will be almost done. You know, just in time to re-do their room again because it will probably be "so little girl" by then. Sigh.

Wrappin' it up!

I want to go ahead and put out a MASSIVE disclaimer - there are a bajillion pictures in this post but I'm totally ready to wrap up my Christmas blogging and move on down, move on down the road. Y'all feel me? Ok, let's move on!

I stole a page from my big sister Angel's playbook and we got a little crafty with our packages this year. Kennedy is majorly in to all things crafty so she loved every moment of this craft and the packages turned out precious!  

The only items needed were white craft paper (on a roll just like wrapping paper), cookie cutters, craft paint, a paper plate and adorable "helper" and voila!

We had quite an interesting start to our Christmas vacation. Avery was sick on Thursday of that week...like throw up sick. Her sickness was completely random though, she threw up one time and then seemed to go on about her merry way. The kids had all had a bit of a cold so I honestly thought maybe Avery had coughed herself into gagging and then thrown up?!? Anyhow, Friday morning I was questioning our plan because the last thing I wanted was a road trip and holiday away spent with three sick kids you know? Well, Avery acted completely fine all that day and so Saturday morning we loaded up as planned (all three kids, the dogs and us) and were WV bound. The trip went well and the kids did great but after coming through the mountains I was sitting in the back seat with Kennedy and she let me know she felt sick. I'll spare you the details but lets just say I was super thankful to have just finished emptying out a ziploc bag - shew! I honestly figured Kennedy was carsick because of the twisty turny mountains and she seemed completely fine after throwing up. Once we arrived at the Taylors we had been inside for just a few moments whenever Kennedy said she felt sick again. Oh brother...looks like it was a stomach but but what could we do - we were already there? Kennedy was fine by the next morning and the rest of us were too so we went ahead and went to church, but Kennedy stayed in service with us just in case she was contagious or anything. Thankfully we got a few pictures following the service, but I laughed when I got home and looked at them because of all the kids I figure Kennedy knows to smile but instead Greyson's grinning and Kennedy just looks mad: ha! I guess I should cut her some slack, she was sick the night prior.

 

 

 

I love these next two pictures...smitten Grandparents and the kids that adore them so!

 

 Unfortunately the virus was working it's way through us because Greyson began throwing up on Sunday and bless his heart he just couldn't stop. The rest of us tried to carry on as usual:

The girls and Tim went to the Christmas Eve service without Grey and I because he was still so sick. Apparently Avery was quite the stinker for picture time and she refused to let go of Nana. I'm glad we have a few pictures of them in their sweet little matching dresses.

Oh my big sweet girl:

A singing card can rival any gift, any day, any time: it's really funny!

Oh these kids are blessed beyond measure. There were so many gifts we decided to let them start opening on Christmas Eve in the hopes that Christmas Day wouldn't be completely overwhelming.

Our "big" gift to Nana and Pawpaw was this plate we made at the local pottery place with each the kids foot prints - it really did turn out so very cute.

Avery will likely want to kill me later for these pictures but they are so stinkin' precious I can't help myself. This girl loves Minnie Mouse. We do not have the Disney channel, but Melissa and Steve did and when we were living there it was and still is THE ONLY show she will actually sit still enough to watch. We are on the verge of potty training so Nana and Pawpaw gave her some Minnie panties and she wanted them on right away.

oh.my.word.

Although there's not much you can give a baby, he got some cute litte toys and despite being sick and just up from nap during present opening time, he played with this little cupcake rattle while Nana cuddled him.

Sadly after we all went to bed that night, Tim's Dad was woken up with you guessed it: the virus that the kids had brought to WV. I would venture to say he and Grey had it worse than anyone. Poor Grey's trouble just lingered and lingered but Dad's was just violent. So on Christmas Day Dad was throwing up and in bed all day and within an hour of being awake Tim followed suit. So...Tim's Mom and I and the kids basically had the holiday and the holiday fixin's all to ourselves. We kept joking that we needed a camera because the table was all set and food was in the midst of being prepared yet it was only us.

 

Even though the boys couldn't join us we went ahead with the day as planned. The kids played with their new things and we prepared the meal.

fake nails - a big hit!

This outfit bit the dust not long after I put it on him due to throw up but I figured we'd snap a picture before it did and I'm so glad - isn't he a cute little Santa wearer?

The girls at the kid table feeling all grown up eating on fancy china at their own private corner table :). This is pretty much what Mom and I looked like at the main dining table. We were facing each other on opposite ends...I kept saying we needed candle light because it was like Christmas dinner date. I mean, we had to laugh or else we'd have cried!

One of the worst parts about having sickness in the house was that Grandma and Great Aunt Kathryn weren't able to join us for supper because they couldn't afford to get sick. Thankfully, Mom at least took the girls over to see Grandma, take her some food and open their gifts from her. I love the way Avery is looking at her here.

She adores my girls and they bring her so much joy.

gotta love a smiley boy despite being sick!

Avery pretty much got all things baby and baby accessory. Kennedy pretty much got all things crafty. Here they are making good use of the baby gifts:

She's a good little Momma to her baby's.

By Wednesday the guys (including the littlest guy) were feeling better so Grandma came up for leftovers and to visit and open her presents. The first thing she wanted to do after arriving was hold Grey because it was her first time meeting him and he is extra special since he holds her late husbands name..Ross.

In the Taylor family it is tradition to read the Christmas story from the Bible before opening gifts and Ross used to do it and then Rod (Tim's Dad) did it but now when we are there Tim does it. I LOVE that tradition so very much...it just sets the tone and your heart and mind on what we are truly celebrating.

You know, it's hard to shop for Grandparents - they really don't lack for anything, you know? We decided to make Grandma a Stepping Stone/Garden Maker with the kids hand prints and a little mosaic design in it. I think she was excited but it was hard to tell :).

On Thursday, before we made the trip home we stopped by the assisted living facility where Kathryn lives so we could love on her, exchange some gifts and let her meet Greyson. I adore both Tim's Grandma and Great Aunt Kathryn, I just wish we had more time with them. Whenever we are with them I make sure to take pictures no matter what the kids are doing (thank you for crying Avery) because I want to treasure and remember those times of fellowship with both of them.

Both Kathryn and Grandma just adore the kids and I of course adore that about them!

So it was a bit of a stressful Christmas with the sickness and it wasn't at all what I had hoped it would be obviously but it was still nice to get away and be around those we love so very much. Amidst the cleaning up of throw up and tending to the sickies needs, I was able to still find moments to be still and to think of Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus and all that their lives have done for us and I was and am thankful.

 

Whoopdeewhoo - it's a Christmas wrap! Hallelujah!

This should be my next to last

Christmas post - can we say someone took too many pictures? Hmmm.....guilty! Moving right along - my Mom (aka "Honey") was in town visiting the week prior to Christmas. Mom and "Big Jim" were helping out with Declan that week so we got together to take the kids to a really neat event that Melissa had told me about.

 Honey with the kiddos...they adore her - there's not enough of her to go around!

 You can see the Bearnstein orchestra in the background - so cool! Typical Avery - such a turkey!

I didn't really know what to expect, but these bears were so very cool. They talked and moved and sang and played instruments. I'm thinking when I was a kid I would have thought they were the coolest things EVER!  

 

The little ones had to be chased around quite a bit but I went prepared with snacks to keep them still and it worked!  

 We got comfy with our snacks and enjoyed the 45 show of classical music + Christmas songs = so neat!

 After the bear show we went to meet Melissa on her lunch break and the place where we met was having a Christmas festival. This sweet woman was walking around making balloon hats and other Christmas things for kids. Kennedy requested a Santa hat and she made it happen. I'm so impressed with these types of talents and oh the joy it brings, you know?

 These kids were at our table and their hats amused me: a penguin, a candy cane and an elf. Ha!

Since Kennedy had a had, Avery wanted something so she made her a snowman - how cute is that? She just whipped it right on up as it if were the easiest thing ever.   

 Sweet Declan getting some Mommy snuggles and rockin' cousin Kennedy's balloon hat.

 That evening we did Christmas with Mom since she was here. Loved Declan's Christmas PJ's!

 My little Santa Baby:

 some dress up shoes for Kennedy which Avery now calls "click clack shoes"

 a latching puzzle for Avery

 Aunt Melissa and Uncle Steve did well in purchasing this My Little Pony coloring book for Kennedy.

 Obviously happy:

 A couple pictures of the bobsey twins - they are so precious together!

 

It's always nice having Mom here but always sad when she goes. I am happy to report that she is FINALLY retired, so hopefully that means we will continually see more and more of her (hint, hint Honey!). All in all - a fun filled day with family!