Gingerbread Houses

Last week, my library offered a DIY, Do-It-Yourself Night on making gingerbread houses for families. Emily had dance so I signed me and the boys up. I rarely spend time with just the boys. What a fun evening. They are funny, fun and quite creative, my boys.

Casey said, "Take my picture mom!" They are so used to having a camera in their face that now they ask for it! Ha!

There was an extra pre-made gingerbread house, so it was sent home with me for Emily to decorate!!

It was only an hour, but it was an hour of sweet fun!!!

Happiness is....

Happiness is....
Getting nice big windows in your new home....

Playing in the snow...

Decorating cake balls for Christmas parties...

Green frosting....

Having enough chocolate leftover to eat by the spoonful! And having a mom that lets you!!!

Lastly,

Happiness is being the one who doesn't have strep throat!!! Poor Casey is home with strep throat right now. Maybe we have another tonsilectomy in our future???

The Holidays this year...

Have been more stressful than usual...I must have procrastinated more than I usually do because for the past week and a half I have been frantically trying to finish my yearly calendar gifts that I give and throw in 3 new photo books since they are 67 percent off and you have one crazy schedule on top of everything else! So no I have not forgotten about my blog, it's just been a bit pushed back.

The house is now all enclosed so that no more snow can get it!! Yea!! Al had to clean out one 4 foot drift already. Whew!!
We have had concerts, shopping, playing in the snow,...all kinds of fun!!! I'll leave you with a few pictures of our Christmas tree this year. The last one for this house...It's an original. For the first time ever, we were able to use all of our toppers on our tree.

I hope your holidays have been fun and relaxed! Now I have to get shopping and wrapping because Carter is worried that he doesn't see any presents under the tree and it is only 8 days until Christmas!!

Non Sequitor

Warning: The following items are non sequitor!!

Last Sunday Al rolled his ankle....

This is the job to have. He is putting rafters on my house as we speak!

Max, the poopy puppy, who is currently eating a hole in my garage: out of boredom.

Finally, my new home with rafters! It's a beautiful thing!

Windows

Have I ever told you that I am not a very visual person? It drove Al crazy trying to talk about building a house and design things and I can't always "get it" until I "see it"! Case in point: Windows. Our designer and Al assured me I would like the windows, but on paper they just seemed small.

We finally have walls up and voila! I can "see" the windows and they are huge and awesome!!! Love it!!

This one is a view out the window above my sink of that willow tree the kids love! Maybe I'll actually like washing dishes with a view like this?? Doubt it...

These two are in our living room and are as wide as a sliding glass door: each! (they just don't go all the way to the floor) AWESOME!! I love light!

Here's just one window pointing out the front of the house and the driveway!

We get rafters this week!! Woo Hoo!!! I can't wait!

On Building a House....

Is building your own home on your "bucket list?" It seems like it should be. To build your own house, to design every little detail, to make it flow just exactly the way your life does instead of making a house fit your style, to make it everything you ever wanted....What's not to want? Funny thing about building houses....

Al says, "Building your own house doesn't give you everything you've ever wanted. I've had to compromise more on this house already, than I have in 14 years of marriage!!"


Still....

Rooms are taking shape along with dreams of what they will look like when it's all done...

Life is kinda like building a house. You can make it everything you ever wanted...it just takes a little compromise along the way.

House Updates

Look!!! A Walk Out Basement and some walls!!!

OOOHHHH!! And a well!! Be still my heart!