Show Us Your Living Room

Today I'm linking up to Show Us Your Living Room at Kelly's Korner!

Welcome to our living room, the room where we spend most of our time!

We've been in our home about 2 1/2 years now.  This is what our living room looked like when we moved in.  We love this room, but it has definitely been a challenge to decorate.  The previous owners added it on.  If it had been me adding it on, I would have placed the doors differently and made the about 8 feet wider.

What the room looked like when we moved in...

And the view from where I sit on the couch:

Toys have taken over our house.  I'm sure in front of the fireplace is where everyone keeps their lawn mower, right?!  The monkey, football player, and Buzz Lightyear can usually be found relaxing in the wingback chair.

 An up-close shot of the mantle.  It changes frequently, but right now I'm going with the less is more look.

The view of the other side of the room.  The room is longer than it is wider, and blocking the french doors is what we've found to be the best placement of the couch.  I love, love, love my curtains.  I'm an amateur seamstress and sewed them myself.  I found a picture on Pinterest (where else?) and got busy.  It was much more geometry than anything else.

 The pink chair is from the reading center in my classroom.  I brought it home for the summer, and Eli loves to sit in it.  ... speaking of, notice the cute little boy watching Elmo!  : )

The view from the kitchen - looking to the left

The view from the kitchen - looking to the right

 My husband's ugly, albeit comfortable, papasan chair.  : )

The view coming in from the carport.

There's still several things I want to do to this room like add/change some of the things on the walls, possibly exchange the wingback chair for something a little bigger and with an ottoman.  For now though, I'm pleased with the progress we've made!

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer is Here!

We are so glad that summer time is finally here.  I can't believe I've just put my 5th year of teaching in the books.  Also, the husband got tenured this year, which of course we're very grateful for!  I'm sooo glad to be with my little guy all day long.  His friends and teachers were sad to see him go for the summer, but he'll be back all too soon.  Speaking of the little man, look how much he's grown this school year!

It hasn't taken any time for us to adjust to being summer bums.  We spent the weekend at Nana and Puddin's house.

Uncle Z was in town for a wedding, so we were thankful for time to play with him (I forgot to get a picture...oops!).

We've already attended our first weekly, play group get-together of the summer, and have several other play dates scheduled!

I have already managed to read 3 books, and have several others lined up!  I've also made a fourth of July door hanger, have started another door hanger, and begun working on Eli's 2nd birthday party!

We love summertime!!!

Touch A Truck

Wesley's dad, Pops, came up for a visit last weekend.  Saturday morning we decided to head to Opelika for their annual "Touch A Truck".  A coworker told me about it, and on a whim, we decided to take Eli!

Basically, they have ALL KINDS of trucks, vans, buses (which of you know my little man, you know he is obsessed...), even a helicopter (which unfortunately had not landed by the time we left), for kids to climb on, honk the horns, etc.  These are just some of the pictures we took.  Even though he was a little young compared to a lot of the kids there, Eli had a blast!

Pops and Eli in the American Red Cross truck.

Inside the Big Green Bus.

Daddy and Eli exploring a moving truck.

Eli's favorite...the school bus!!!!

Daddy can drive a bus and so can Eli!

Daddy, Eli, and the random kid who got in our picture too....

As long as you're in the front and not the back, Eli...

Eating the candy he got at the UPS truck!

Mother's Day

I really had good intentions of getting this posted ON Mother's Day....but you know, life happens.

For Mother's Day Eli and Wesley gave me a session of family pictures.  Our friend, April, took them down at the River Walk.  April and Matt were fantastic with Eli and the pictures are sooo good!  I don't know how I will ever narrow down my choices...I want them all!

You can click here to see them.

My parents came up last Saturday for the day.  They bought me another knock out rose bush and a hydrangea.  I love the flowers and having some things to spruce up the yard, and Eli loves to smell the flowers!
 

The Thursday before Mother's Day I went to a Muffins with Mom brunch at Eli's school.  I loved getting to see my little man during the day!

He gave me his Mother's Day school project then too.  : )

 Eli also came home with flowers from school.  I'm so thankful for this little guy who makes me a Mommy.  : )

On Mother's Day I woke up to fresh bread being made, flowers, and cards from my two guys.  They also treated me to lunch at Fuji, my fav!  Eli was not so sure about all of the fire and knife tricks.  He didn't cry, but did spend the entire meal in Mommy's lap.

It was the perfect Mother's Day!  Not only am I thankful for my little man and the blessing of being his Mommy, but also for my own Mom and MIL who have (and still do) show countless acts of selfless love.  I love them both dearly!

Ears

 Tuesday afternoon we had a follow up concerning Eli's ears:  to check to see how his tubes were growing/adjusting as he grows.  (I'm embarrassed to say I missed the appointment by two months.  I have no words for this.  So not like me.)

Eli enjoyed flipping through pet magazines and barking at all of the dogs in them while we waited.  : )

 Dr. M said everything looked perfect!

Now if we could just say the same for Mommy's eyes....note the glasses.  It's been a long spring.

20 Months Old

In my regular fashion, I'm so late posting this!  Forgive me.

Eli, you are so big.  Sometimes I really miss you being my baby, but I love you being my big boy.  You do so many cute things and keep Daddy and I laughing all day.  You make us so proud and bring infinite joy to our home.  To hear you say love you just makes us melt.

News headlines: A-day at Auburn (we didn't go this year), 1 year anniversary of AL tornadoes, Mitt Romney becomes presumed Republican nominee

Milestones:  Your vocabulary and volume of speech continues to increase, also two word sentences are becoming very common - "bye daddy" "hey momma".   You love to jump and hop.

Measurements:  Size 4 diapers, size 18-24 mths clothes, size 6 shoes, 30"+ tall

Favorite toys/games:  You love to sing, read books, and throw balls.  You love to play chase around the dining room table and race from the laundry room to the back door.

Words:  Several.  You no longer just ask for juice.  You ask for "ah juis" (apple juice).  You say the words "dooogeee" and "BUS!" at least 100 times a day, each.  No exaggeration.

Challenges: Using a fork, learning to listen to Mommy and Daddy and not throw a fit when it's time to come in from outside : )

Our Days:  You sleep until about 7 and we get you up.  Daddy usually gets you dressed while Mommy finishes getting ready.  Mommy takes you to school and then picks you up in the afternoons.  We play and unwind from our day, and eat supper.  Bedtime is about 8:30.  You get a bath about every other day, unless you're just too dirty from the day.

Funny/Favorite Moments

Mommy's Favorite:  Family hugs and Squirmy kisses.  I also love to hear you say "I duckt" (I stuck) when you can't get out.

Daddy's Favorite: To hear you tell the ducks at the lake, "hey duckt, hey duckt!!!"

Upcoming Events:  SUMMER!!!  Also, Mother's Day and seeing Uncle Z and Amber soon.

Here's the out-take from your photo shoot.  This one makes me laugh.  Eli was being so silly and kicking his legs around while he laughed.  My little man looks so long and lean here!

Books & TV

From time to time I like to share what I've been reading lately, so here goes!

I've never downloaded books on my iphone until just a few days ago.  I've downloaded several samples, and read those, but I'm honestly too cheap to download the book.  $9.99 still seems pricey to me, and when it's downloaded to my iphone or ipad, it makes it harder to share with others!  Plus, I get hand cramps trying to hold my phone for hours while I read.

I finally bit the bullet and downloaded a book I've been dying to read:

Kisses From Katie

Incase you haven't heard of Katie Davis, she is originally from Brentwood, TN, but now lives and serves the Lord in Uganda.  She followed God to Africa after her high school graduation.  Her deep faith and love for the Lord and His people are so encouraging.  I think she is around 22 or 23 now, and has adopted 14 orphans!  This book is a quick read, but speaks so deeply to me.

After that, I think I'm going to download and read What Women Fear by Angie Smith.  I've followed Angie's blog, Bring the Rain, for years and read her first book, I Will Carry You.  I love her style of writing and her love for the Lord.

What I'm watching on TV these days:

The Biggest Loser live finale is tomorrow night.  I'm so pumped.  I watch that show every season.  I really don't have a preference on who I'd like to win, but I will say that Conda has most definitely grown on me.

Have you heard of the new show Melissa and Tye?

It features Melissa Rycroft.  She was the Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, turned Bachelor (who was dumped on live television after being proposed to), turned Dancing with the Stars contestant.  She's now married to Tye Strickland.  There's only been two episodes, so you haven't missed much.  They are hilarious though, I'll definitely be watching this Friday night!  She also has a book coming out in June, My Reality.

Normally I don't read things like this, but I am really looking forward to this book coming out!

So what are you reading and watching?  What should I add to my lists?

(Just 3 more Mondays until summer vacation!)