Now What, Supermom?

You've seen it.  You've probably thought about trying it.  Well, today, at my wits end, I tried it.  The Get Along Shirt.  You see, my boys have started digging my grave.  And it's time for school to start.  Ask me two weeks ago and I would have nearly been teary-eyed at the thought of my time off with my precious boys coming to an end.  Not any more.  They be bad.  Real bad.  So I tried it.

 Aren't they cute?  Well, probably because that, my friends, is not a picture of my heathens.  That is some other Supermom's heathens.  This Supermom didn't think of taking a picture when I first put the shirt on them.  And, no, I didn't take any special craft time to neatly write anything on the front of their cutesy shirt.

 Our shirt started out looking like the other Get Along Shirts, and ended up looking like this.  And do they appear to be getting along any better?  I didn't think so either.

But then, this!  They found a use for the Get Along Shirt.  And this "getting along" lasted all of about 2.3 seconds. 

So, Supermom, I'd like to know what brilliant idea I should try next.

We Bought a House!





We finally found a house WE BOTH AGREED ON.  It goes back to the basics of what we originally wanted.  A ranch-style house, 10 acres, on pavement, and close to town.  It was considerably cheaper than everything else we had looked at, but needed some updating.  So, here are the before pictures and demolition has begun!

 

 

My dream front porch.

Side view

Back view

Sunroom

Sunroom

Livingroom.  Will have new flooring, new doors, and a 2-foot higher ceiling.

This wall between the livingroom and kitchen is coming out.

Diningroom will have new flooring and my pantry access will be here.

Kitchen will have new flooring, the cabinets will be re-finished, and new countertops.

Bodey's room will have new flooring and paint.

Love his double closets.

Booker's room - same changes as Bodey's.

Guest bathroom will have new flooring and countertop and I will refinish the cabinets.

Master bedroom will have new flooring, fixtures and paint.

Master bathroom will be totally different.

The hallway laundry closet (left) will become part of the master bath and laundry room will move.

We are finishing the basement that will include a bedroom, bathroom, rec room and living room.  You also can't see it in this picture, but there is a utility garage down there too.

The stairs are currently in the garage and will be moving inside.  This area will be my mudroom.

This is my office.  Part of it will be gone to accommodate moving the stairs inside.

 

Our backyard - to the trees!

Slipping Away....

Our summer vacation is slowly slipping away.  They start school in 5 short weeks already!  THEY start school.  As in, my 71 month old baby starts Kindergarten!!!  Neither of my kids have ever been really clingy or attached to me.  Until, of course, it's time to let go of my baby and let him go to school.  Now, within the last month or so, Bodey has become extremely attached to his mama.  He just loves me and wants me all the time.  We had troubles dropping him off at his church class a few weeks ago.  I fear this is only a preview for dropping him off at the big K.  More times than I can count in a day, Bodey will come up to me and say, "I just love my mama" and close his eyes and pucker up for a big kiss.  Every night he just wants to snuggle with me on the couch.  This is all new to me, and I'm totally soaking it in, but our upcoming separation worries me.  Only time will tell.

Swim team will officially be over Thursday.  Today was prelims to qualify for Championships.  I have been extremely worried for Booker.  Not that he's not good, but he's a first year 7-year old swimming with a lot of 2nd or 3rd year 8-year olds.  And a lot of them!  I thought his chances of qualifying were pretty slim.  And I didn't want to tell him that his little brother qualified for Championships and he didn't.  Today started out with freestyle.  Bodey took 3rd and qualified.  They take the top 12.  Booker swam his tail off and I thought there could be a slight chance he could come in 12th, but he didn't.  That crushed him.  I thought it had ruined his whole day and he was too bummed to try hard in his other events.  But he came around and ended up qualifying in back (11th place) and the 100 IM (5th place).  I couldn't be more happy for him!  And Bodey took 3rd in back and qualified for that as well.  I'm so super proud of how far they've come this year.  I wish they understood how awesome it is to even qualify for Championships, because placing there is going to be tough!  I just keep trying to drill it in their heads that it doesn't matter what place they take, as long as they try their hardest and have fun.  That doesn't go over well for a competitive 1st born, prize-driven, people pleaser though.  :(

For the last 5 weeks of summer, you can find us cooling off at the pool and probably an occasional movie.  Oh, and we get to go to Phoenix at the beginning of August!!!  Then, back in the grind.