I Baked Cookies

I baked cookies today. For most of you this may seem like a small feat. And for me it used to be. Lately, however, it is truly a treat to bake cookies..........or keep the laundry caught up....... or run the vacuum more than once every two weeks. The house renovation has completely consumed our lives. I know it will be worth it in the end when we sell it but for now- I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I think I am just tired. Physically and mentally. As the project grows closer to completion I am bombarded with several decisions. Small things that now seem like huge deals. Paint color, trim finish, counter top style, carpet color, style, weight.............the list goes on and on. Not only do we make these decisions but we do the work too. We have been working on this flip house since early February and we are trying to have it completed by the end of April. It is down to the detail work now which always seems to take the longest amounts of time.

There are some nights when I feel we have been doing this forever and yet other nights it seems like we just started. The nights get longer and our time at home seems shorter. I don't even want to total up the hours we have put into this project. Right now I stay busy totaling up receipts and balancing the budget. I will say though- I am glad I am not the one writing the checks for all of the renovation. It makes me sick to my stomach looking at the pile of receipts quite frankly. Maybe it is worse knowing it isn't my money. I don't know. With all the budgeting and working on the house life keeps moving. It is hard to find a balance..........and enough sleep.........but we keep going with or without either.

Cali is changing and growing so much! She learns something new everyday it seems. She is trying to crawl right now but enjoys scooting and wiggling and rolling to get to where she wants to go. She also has something to show you..................


New teeth!! She now has 4 teeth! Two on top and two on bottom!! She does this thing where she wrinkles up her nose and wiggles it and she looks like a little bunny. It is the cutest thing.

Kyle can now tell anyone, in detail, exactly how a furnace or hot water tank works. Really. And he has a new love for broccoli! Yeah!!

Bella now has to have a mountain of friends in bed with her. I love this picture- it reminds me of ET when he is hiding amongst all of the stuffed animals. We did receive a diagnosis for Bella a couple of weeks ago. She has what is called PFAPA. I will do a post about it soon (hopefully) but if you type PFAPA into a search it will come up with a ton of information. She still has to go back to her Ear Nose and Throat Specialist to see about her hearing loss and what is causing it.

Here is what we have been up to at the house. I really loved these ceilings from the first moment we saw this house...............

But while I was painting them I decided I didn't like them so much anymore.

You see that ladder?? Yeah, it's like a 10 foot ladder. See how high above the ladder the ceilings still are?? Have I mentioned how TERRIFIED I am of heights??? Yeah.

I don't know what we were thinking. We painted the entire first and second floor in less than 4 days. Two days and two evenings after work to be exact. Are we nuts or what?!?!?!? When I say paint I mean: paint every ceiling, prime every wall-two coats, paint every wall-two coats. 4 bedrooms, two hallways, living room, kitchen, bathroom, stairs. NUTS!!!! It looks good though!

The crown moulding is now installed on the cabinets...................

My Dad came up last Saturday and helped hang the doors and trim (Thanks Dad! You are the trim King!)

We used 5 inch baseboards which look amazing! All white trim, six panel doors, baseboards, etc. The only problem here?? Well, we had planned on spraying all of the trim and doors before installing them. Needless to say the sprayer did not work, it was SO cold in the garage we could not paint...................so now I am left with painting all of this now that it is installed. EEEEKK!!

Bella is an amazing little helper- especially when there is a broom involved!!

What is that hole in the basement floor you ask????

We are adding a bathroom in the basement where there was not a bathroom before. A full bathroom.

Yes, we have a ditch running through the basement. Let me tell ya- the kids are having a ball with this! We have to strip them as soon as we get home at night because they are covered in dirt!!! LOL!! Poor little Thomas trains though- they are working very hard in those ditches!!! :)

How in the heck am I supposed to clean up that mess?!?!

Well, that's it for now. I would like to promise that it won't be this long between posts next time, but honestly.......... that is a call I just can't make. I miss posting every day. I miss visiting my blogger friends. I miss getting all of your comments in my inbox every morning. I feel like a part of me is missing right now and I think that is it- I have fallen from the blogging world............. a temporary hiatus I guess. Maybe in May I will be back on top of my game!

Miss you all!!

~Heather:)

PS: IF YOU HAVEN'T Checked out my Sister's new blog you have GOT TO go see her! She is so much fun! Super Talented! And not quite as long winded as me!! hee hee Whimsical Ways

A Letter to Calista

My Dearest Calista Kay,

As we anxiously await your arrival as a new member of our family I thought I would share with you a little story.
A week before Christmas Daddy and Mommy got the surprising news that we were going to have another baby. Although we wanted more children we didn't expect it to be so soon. At first we were very scared. But we realized that God has His own plans for our lives and in His own timing, He saw fit to bless us with another child. We felt overwhelmed and honored that God trusted us with another one of His children to raise as our own.
Fear and joy was replaced by worry when, in January, Mommy got so sick that nurses had to come to our house and hook me up to IVs and give me special medicine so that I could eat and drink to keep you healthy and safe. It was a very hard time but we got through it and by March Mommy started to feel better. We were relieved when we got to have an ultrasound and found out that you were healthy and growing as you should be! Mommy and Daddy both cried when we got to see you floating around inside my belly, kicking your legs and closing your fists!
I have watched as my belly has gotten bigger and bigger and when I first felt your little kicks from inside I was immediately overwhelmed with joy and tears of happiness. Your kicks have gotten stronger and stronger and I have become more and more excited about meeting you, welcoming you into the world and holding you in my arms for the first time.
I am sure that you know Daddy's voice very well by now. You get so excited and move all around when he talks to Mommy's belly or reads you a story. Your big brother Kyle is so excited to meet you too! I am sure you have heard him sing to you and felt his kisses and hugs. He has to kiss Mommy's belly at least a hundred times a day! Kyle has already told Mommy and Daddy that he wants to hold you, read his favorite books to you and teach you how to play with his trains. Your big sister Bella may not quite understand that she will be welcoming a new baby sister but I know that she will be very excited when you arrive. I think you and Bella will be very good friends. You will be playing dress-up and having tea parties and someday will paint each others fingernails and do each others hair. You may fight with your brother and sister from time to time but always remember that they love you and will also be the first ones to come to your aid and be there to support you.
Your clothes have been washed and lovingly placed in your dresser drawers. Your bed has been made and awaits your tiny little self to lay there and dream. Mommy is finishing up a quilt that we will wrap you in and bring you home from the hospital. There are so many family members and friends that have so much love for you already and can not wait to meet you.
You are coming in to a family that loves you already and has since the moment they heard about you. Our entire family believes in the importance of family, support, and unconditional love. Our ties to the Lord are strong and He is the center of our home and our lives! He will be with us to guide us as we raise you so that we can give you the best possible life that you deserve. Now I will tell you that your Mommy and Daddy are not perfect. Far from it actually......but we work hard everyday to be better. Just as you will grow, learn, and make mistakes- so will we. Mommy and Daddy will be learning everyday, right along side you. It is so very important to trust in each other, forgive each other for our short comings, and continue loving each other- unconditionally- no matter what. That is all part of being a family.
Your Daddy and Mommy have so many plans for you and your future. We hope to give you the guidance, the love, the support, the encouragement, and the tools for you to make your own decisions and be successful in whatever makes you happy. We pray that you will be healthy and that your heart be filled with joy. We pray that you will have good friends, be a positive influence to those around you, and have the courage to follow your dreams. We pray that you will know your worth- in our eyes, in God's, and in your own, and that you never let anyone make you feel less than amazing.
Jeremiah 1:5 says "I knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb; before you were born I sanctified you and appointed you as my spokesman to the world."
You have been beautifully and wonderfully made Calista!!!!! You have been formed by the gracious and loving hands of God- and that alone makes you incredible! Do not let anyone ever try and tell you any different.
Almost nine months ago I was worried about how I would care for you. If I would have enough love in my heart to share with you. But just as God has expanded my belly to allow you to grow inside of me..........He has also expanded my heart to allow me to love you as you deserve to be loved. It is amazing how I can rest my hand on my belly and feel you move and be so overwhelmed with love for you already. A big part of me wants to keep you inside so that I can continue to protect you and keep you safe. But a bigger part of me can not wait to bring you into this world, hold you in my arms to nurse you, kiss your sweet soft skin and look into your eyes as you discover so many things for the first time. I am anxious to see you play with your big brother and sister, watch you be carried on Daddy's shoulders, playing in the swimming pool, taking your first steps, sucking your thumb, throwing your peas across the table........... and someday to be there for you when you have a fight with your best friend, learn how to drive, help you ace that English test, and give you a shoulder to cry on when you get your first broken heart.
No matter what joys and sorrows life may bring you I want you to always remember that Daddy and Mommy love you very much and we will be there for you no matter what. You can fall down and make mistakes and we will be there to pick you up, dust you off and help you learn and try again. We are here to love you, guide you, support and encourage you. We will love you regardless of your successes or your failures because you are our child and we all must succeed and fail in order to become who God wants us to be.
We can not wait to meet you Calista Kay! We can not wait to welcome you into our family and be your guides through this wonderful and sometimes crazy life! We are praying that God brings you to us safely, healthy and whole. We will see you soon my little angel.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

I wanted to give a very special thanks to Rhonda at Scooterblu's Whimsy for hosting a virtual baby shower for Cali and I and for all of you who are participating and to those who stop by and leave comments. I am still overwhelmed that Rhonda would do something like this. My eyes fill up every time I think of how sweet it is! I have been blessed with wonderful friends in the "real world" and NOW in the Blogging World. Words could never express how grateful I am for this beautiful sentiment and the wonderful opportunity to get to know fellow bloggers more- and meet new friends as well. Thank You so much! I am truly touched.

Love to All of You!

~Heather :)