The Summer of Amy

 So, every summer I create a giant to-do list of all the things I am going to accomplish during the summer and every summer I do like three things on the giant, overwhelming list.  This year was no different, except for the fact that I was determined to accomplish EVERYTHING that was on the list.  I divided the list into two colums- work and home- and got to work.  I am proud to say that I have accomplished everything on the list...and there were FIFTY things on this list!  This is a major accomplishment for me and I will probably have to do multiple posts on the projects I did.  These are in no particular order.

I blame/thank Pinterest for all the ideas too!  One thing I had to get down was get the artwork/keepsakes/random stuff the kids have made organized.  I saw the crate idea on Pinterest, as well as the scanning the artwork into the computer and make a photo book idea.  I scanned one million pieces of work and saved some to (if it had a handprint, fingerprint, or picture that was for sure saved).  I filed everything by year and even used the binder rings to put all the cards together!  They have an organized keepsake crate with artwork in their closets and I also have a box to put all artwork in until I have the opportunity to go thru it.



The next thing I did was tackle the kid's closets (and bedrooms, but I am waiting on furniture to arrive so that will be a later post).  I have cleaned these things out a million times, but never to my liking.  This time I got them completely organized.  I ordered the hanging racks from Land of Nod and I have to say, I love them! I went through closets, drawers, the attic, etc. and got rid of anything that didn't fit.  I saved a few of the special things, but have consigned or donated anything else.  Everything in their closet fits and they play with.  Ahh, I love it!



One of my most challenging projects was the playroom.  The space is interesting and I could never get it right or get the toys organized in a way that I thought would work.  I love that they have a playroom, but honestly they never used it.  Since I got it organized this summer, they have played up there everyday! 

The dress up clothes needed some sort of organization, so I got two racks from Land of Nod and hung the clothes up and then hung buckets to put the accessories in.  I moved Madelyn's kitchen upstairs too, because they both love to play with it.

I had this wooden frame that I painted white and hung, then used chalk paint to make the board.  I hung the bucket of chalk using an old curtain hood.  I love to diplay the kids artwork, so I got some clips to hang it on the wall.  I saw the sideways bookself with baskets idea on Pinterest too.

I have had these shelves and bins since Andrew was tiny, but they never stayed organized and they took up more space in the playroom than I liked.  I moved them to the landing area upstairs, where our desk used to be (more on that in a later post!) and it works out well.  I labeled each bin with a tag that has the picture of what goes in it.

I had made bookshelves using rain gutters, but my kids would rip them out of the wall, so I splurged for new book racks!  I cut the rain gutters and moved them up higher on the wall and use it for stuffed animal storage.  I have artwork framed with painters tape on the walls.  Genius, pinterest! 

I got these shelves and bins from Land of Nod.  I love how colorful they are!  I labeled them too.  I realized that the majority of the kid's toys were downstairs and the toys they don't ever play with were upstairs, so I got rid of the stuff they don't play with and moved what they do play with upstairs. Plus, I left some room for new toys- as Christmas and Birthdays are coming soon!  I did get a new table for them too.  I needed something cute, that matched, and they couldn't break!  This is a view of the entire playroom.  I think it's completely done!

I started this project in the fall, but just got it done over the summer.  We have a weird hallway that I just couldn't get fixed right.  I had pictures hanging, but the frames didn't match and it just was irritating to me (yeah, I know how it sounds).  We had family pictures done in October and I still hadn't ordered them, because I wanted to have all of them.  I love the Bloom frames, but come on, I can't frame 15 pictures with those prices!  I used a link from Pinterest for a guy that makes them.  All of these frames were less than one of the large Bloom frames.  The quality is great, I just had to paint them, but I actually enjoyed doing that!  The largest frame holds a 20x24 and the smallest holds a 5x7.  I had everything printed on matboard so I didn't have to buy glass.  I know we aren't going to have fancy family photos taken every year, so I love that I can display all of the pictures. I have a couple in the dining room, but I can't decide if I like that yet!  The dining room wasn't on my summer list!

So that covers just a few things on my list, but The Summer of Amy will be continued!  



Great Wolf Lodge

We took the kids to Great Wolf Lodge in Dallas last month.  We had a wonderful time!  It had a huge indoor and outdoor water park, so we spent most of our time there.  They also have tons of kids activities inside the resort.  We stayed for two days, which was the perfect amount of time.  Here are some of the pictures from our trip.

It took Madelyn a little while to decide she enjoyed the water.  I think there was just so much to do and so many people that she was a little nervous.  She loved this though, you turned the wheel and the water would spray.  She kept saying "I want to go shooting!"

 Andrew, on the other hand, had no problem adjusting!  He loves the water!

Madelyn enjoyed the water sprayers.  That thing behind her is a small mountain with a wolf on top.  When the wolf howls, the mountain becomes a huge waterfall.  Everytime that wolf would howl, Madelyn would run out of the water!

 Family pic.  I honestly think this is the only family picture that we have taken all year!

 The indoor water park  was awesome!  They had so many different activities.  The little kid area was great.  They both enjoyed riding the wave runners and shooting the water.

Madelyn having some fun!

 The Great Wolf characters, Wiley and Violet.  We went to breakfast with them one morning.  The kids really liked them!

 Just chatting with Wiley and eating a giant do-nut!

 We went to the Rainforest Cafe on night.  The kids were scared to death of the animals!

 They really didn't want me to take this picture, but I thought it would be cute.  They were a little cold after being in the pool all day!

 Having fun with Dad.

 Snow cone break.  Andrew later spilt the melted snow cone all over the concrete.  Some poor worker spent forever trying to clean it up. 

 Andrew with Wiley and Violet.  Madelyn didn't want to get her picture made with them!

 Andrew and the frog at Rainforest Cafe

 The water park is the perfect place for Andrew.  He can run and be as loud as he wants!

There were several big water slides that Andrew went down.  Jason and I went with him, because he was not quite ready to do them by himself.  He loved it!

We had a great trip!  The kids keep asking when we are going to go back to Great Wolf Lodge.  I am hoping that we get to do it again soon!

Here We Go Again!

 It's been a while since our last post.  A LONG while!  And I don't really even know where to begin.  So here are a few significant events:  There was Thanksgiving and we were thankful and ate a lot of turkey. Jason and I took a adult only trip to NYC.  Christmas came and went in all it's glittery glory- while not forgetting the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate with all that glitter anyway!  We rang in 2012...in our sleep!  We wished for snow days that never came.  Madelyn became a regular at the many baby showers we've attended this spring.  Andrew has strutted his stuff on the soccer field.  I graduated my THIRD class of Pre-K 4 kiddos.  Jason continues doing things the "Wal-Mart Way." We welcomed summer and have offically become pool bums.  And everytime I think that we have almost achieved this "work-life-balance" thing...I wake up and realize it's only a dream!

So, at the ages the kids are now-2.5 and 4.5- it's hard to do the milestone thing, because they really don't hit those like they did when they were really little.  Maybe that's why I haven't blogged in so long, because my kids are not babies anymore.  So I have decided to do the top ten things that Andrew and Madelyn are up to these days.

 They have a really sweet brother/sister relationship!  She adores her "dudu."  That's right, she calls him "dudu" and we do too.  It's hystarical and he has no idea that it means poop.

 We are officially "pool people." We've been there everyday since it opened. 

 All About Andrew at Age 4.5

1. He is really, really, really, really into superheros.  This all started with the boys in his class at school.  He introduces himself to people with this...in all seriousness, "My name is Andrew Batman Robin.  But people call me Joker." 

2. He definitely has my coordination.  I've seen him on multiple occasions get his feet stuck in the soccer goal and trip and fall.  (Yes, I laugh at him.)

3. He is kind of bossy and likes to let us know when Madelyn needs a spanking (and just how many she should get).

4. He is not into the fine motor development, alphabet learning, letter/sound/number/color recognition.  He can do it- when asked by the right person, at the right time, and if he has nothing better to do.  Otherwise, A is occasionally Q, J, P or 6.  Even though he knows that is the first letter in his name and he can write it.  It drives this former kindergarten teacher CrAzY!

5. He is still very much into cars and trains.  He also likes building with his legos.  He is very imaginative when he plays.  Always coming up with something elaborate.

6. The boy NEVER.STOPS.TALKING.  I mean, never!  He just keeps going and going and going and going.

7.  He is friendly.  He will introduce himself to whomever he meets and will strike up a conversation with you (only if you are interesting, of course)

8. His arm is a lazer and he knows how to use it.  We really are working on controlling our lazer and only using it when absolutely necessary.  Not on random old men in Wal=Mart.

9. He makes me laugh constantly.  Which is good, because I like to laugh.  Example:  Tonight we're at the pool and he says "Mom, I'm all tuckered out."  That's right...he said he was tuckered out. 

10, He has the sweetest little heart.  He cares for others and wants to make sure people are not hurt or scared.  He tries to do the right thing and wants to make people happy.  He genuanly feels bad when he does something wrong.  (not that it always stops him, he is still only 4).  I love this little boy so much!  

Miss Madelyn at 2.5

1. She is a Momma's girl.  She picks me over anyone (even Mimi) 90% of the time.  Problem is, I allow this behavior and so she's a little bit rotten because of it.

2, She loves shoes.  Loves to try on other people's shoes, loves to change shoes throughout the day, loves to match and line up her shoes.  Currently her shoes of choice are Andrew's pirate flip-flops (which he hasn't had a chance to wear) and her hot pink Build-a-Bear sandals. 

3.  She has a tender heart for animals.  She loves our dog and cats, loves Mimi's dogs too.  She walks around saying "Ally loves me, Gracey loves me, Bear Bear loves me." 

4. She is really coming into her own when it comes to talking.  I can understand about 75% of what she has to say.  She also talks nonstop, but isn't as friendly as Andrew.  She is a bit shy.

5. She has good corditation when it comes to throwing, catching, and kicking.  I'm anxious to see what she does with that talent.

6. She doesn't eat much, but when she does, she eats a TON!  She also is like her momma in that she'd rather snack throughout the day then eat a big meal. 

7, She is SO observant.  It's funny, really.  (She gets this from me, because I have a weird memory.  In that I remember names, faces, clothes, and I see trends).  The other night at dinner they played the National Anthem and everyone put their hand over their heart.  When it finished a few seconds passed and another song came on.  Madelyn looked at me and said "like this" and put her hand over her heart.  Funny how she noticed that!

8. She can do everything ALL.BY.HERSELF. she can dress herself, buckle her seat belt, feed herself, pick out her own clothes, etc.  I like that she is showing her independance, but don't like the fit that is thrown before she gets to exert said independence.

9. She has been having a difficult time transitioning to her own bed at night.  Which is weird, because she never had a problem until recently.  She says "I want to sleep with you guys" and will cry and cry until we get her out of her bed and put her in ours.  She falls asleep within minutes and then goes back, but it's a weird phase for her, I think.

10. She is so happy!  She just has a good attitude most of time time and is smiley and she likes to make you smile.  She also knows what she wants and will do what it takes to get it.  Sweet and Sassy all at the same time!

I am going to attempt to do better at this.  I have been doing a lot of work around the house, although there is not a finished project yet!  I am working at work a lot too, trying to get our quality accreditation done and refuel for next year, as well as our summr program that starts next week.  Life is busy!  But I don't think that's going to change for a little while.  So I am going to give this blogging thing another go!