Grandparents Day!

Mikayla's school had an invitation for the grandparents to come and see the kids at school.  My dad was available to go and oh.my.gosh!  It was a huge success.

The day started with church and Papa got to sit with Mikayla, during mass, she poked my dad and whispered to him "this is the best day of my life"......   AWWWWWWWW (right then she could have gotten anything in this world she wanted....)

Then there was a reception in the school and they took this picture (they being the school.... my dad is NOT the paparazzi...I am the mamarazzi....just saying he didn't take ANY pictures.....).

Then he left for awhile while she finished up her school day and since it was an early dismissal - they had the rest of the day to play!

She had the best time!!!  He had the best time!!!

They went to see a movie, did some shopping, played, read...ate... you name it, they did it!! 

Best.Day.Ever!

Then I picked her up from his house and she and I had our Little Flowers Club meeting...and as much as I razzed him about not taking any grandparents day pictures.... um..... I forgot to take Little Flower pictures...WHOOPS I was just in the moment with all the girls as we learned about St. Cecilia and Piety.... :)

I'm so happy that Mikayla is blessed with the best grandparents ever!  They are both so involved and I know some really great memories are being made. 

Days to treasure!

We started out our weekend with an amazingly fabulous sail boat ride!!! 

Then as we got closer to the bay.... well....in rolled the fog, we drove through a lot of fog getting down there, it was clear in the marina...but not so much out here..... 

It was so cool!!  I was a bit nervous at first but being that we didn't end up hitting anything - I was feeling pretty good! 

Then it started clearing up again!  WOO HOO!

 Naturally little miss wanted to drive - she does a really good job.

When we looked the other direction- oh wow...there were a bunch of boats out that we had NO idea were there in the fog.... LOL  but again - so happy we didn't hit anything! 

Then we have officially started our garden.  All of us are ridiculously excited about our little area to grow some fresh fruits and vegetables.  We put out some tomato cages just as "place holders" so we knew where we wanted them to go. 

Mikayla loved putting out whatever this kind of bug be gone stuff she's squirting in there....

My dad is having just as much fun!!!

Oh.....wow, I'm growing something in my garden already.....what is that?

OHHHHHHH it's a Mikayla tree :)  my favorite kind ;)

We planted some sweet Texas onion, lettuce, radishes, turnips, spinach, broccoli and carrots to start with.  We're at the tail end of lettuce and spinach season but we should get at least one picking :)

AHHHHHH I can't wait - I told Mikayla that she's not to pull up the plants to see how big the food is getting - I may have to tell myself that too HA!!!

7 Year Pictures!

Well what can I say, we tried a new photographer this time for Mikayla's 7 year pictures (thanks Jessica) and WOW!!!  I am so excited about how they came out. I know it would be ridiculous to want to print a canvas of them (nor do I have the wall space) (but it doesn't take the wanting away). 

Mikayla is very much into dressing up and dressing up her doll.  Naturally for her pictures we had to do both.  This is exactly who she is! 

The day we went to the park was a balmy less than 50 degrees out but WOW I am just blown away. 

I just can't believe she's 7 already (and has been for a couple months)!!  Where has the time gone.  It feels like it's going too fast.

I love the "sassy" she's sporting in the picture below!

Um.... 7 right?? 

I love the fresh new look of this type photography.

Her eyes!!!!  wow!!

How do I try to formulate how incredible this little girl is.  She will probably never know what an important part she has played in our lives.   She has such a tender heart. 

She knows she is loved and cherished, please let me never take it for granted.

Right now she is very into her kindle she got for Christmas, she is reading soooo well and seems to enjoy it.  She has started picking out harder books than she was.  (yay!!)

She says first grade is the worst grade ever, it's so hard and why on earth does Ms. Harper have to be so hard on them all...they're only 7 years old, for Pete's sake.

She loves singing - she goes really high and wavers her voice like a professional.

She dances and sings and cheers and does cartwheels every single day.

She loves playing XBox (even though we only know how to get to 2 games....).

She is so sweet with little kids.  She will be a great role model for them someday.

She is VERY into her American Doll.  She has started saving up her money for her next doll and some more accessories.

One of her most recent funny questions was "Mom, do you have to take your clothes off to kiss.....".... um...... "NO... NO we never take our clothes off.... ;)" 

We can no longer S.P.E.L.L. words out we don't want her to know, she know how to spell what we're saying. (DRAT)

I'm just going to say it, she's a GREAT kid and I'm so blessed to be her mom!!! (isn't she beautiful though, some of these pictures wow'd me into silence).

Some more house updates - faucets baby!

Well here are Bob's GOLDEN faucets that were in both bathrooms upstairs. (sorry picture is upside down...)

ICK ICK ICK.... I hated the tarnished and nasty!

It is now a brushed nickel.  We bought two faucets online - not knowing that they wouldn't fit...so we bought two more faucets from Home Depot in order just to be done with the plumbing.  So I still have to return the originals I bought, or sell them, anyone interested?  They're awesome faucets but in order NOT to have to rip out the walls to change the interior, we had to buy mohen.... sure wish I had known that from the get go......

Here is Bob's oh so beautiful GOLD!

AHHHHHH hear the harps?

Super hard to get the lighting right ha! 

Bob's Roman Tub in master 

Again - harps (note to self...get updated picture)...

Bob's Powder room, the pedestal sink is what we replaced.





Our project list for this little room is to paint it (someday), hang the pictures (they're just hanging out (not up LOL) for now) and we'll call it good but in the picture below, you can see the new vanity.... I love love love it.  Kirkland's has the best vanities!!  yay team!!

 

Plumbing list

Four new overflow protection toilets - check

Three new sink faucets for upstairs - check

Two new tub/shower combo sets for upstairs - check (twice...)

New vanity in powder room - check

New master roman tub/shower/two sink faucets - check (sink faucets twice)

PHEW!  The  plumbing is DONE!!!!

The American Girl Store

Mikayla loved the critters in this car (pictured below) she wanted her picture taken with them HA!  Of course you know I'm willing to take pics anytime, anywhere! 

See what's in the background?

You guessed it!!  The American Girl Store!!!  WOO HOO.  Mikayla saved up her birthday money, Christmas money, tooth fairy money and earned some too.  She had over $80!!

We were going for some very specific McKenna items, well...... uh oh.... they were 100% sold out!!!!  OH DEAR!!!!  well we walked around and around and around the store.  Mikayla had picked out a couple of outfits for her doll and she wanted some of the shoes.  So when I was walking around looking for the shoes - I spotted a set of crutches (for the doll) (and that is what she REALLY wanted) they don't belong to the McKenna line but she doesn't mind....she got some crutches (to go along with the story) the day was saved!!!! WOW!!!  You wouldn't believe how many people were in there, it was AMAZING!  No recession in that store for sure!

It is such a treat to come here!  I enjoy looking at this stuff as much as she does (I'll bet that surprises you huh)  LOL

One of these times, we'll be able to eat there, you have to have reservations and right now they're booked until April but we'll make it!! 

Good times!!!