4 weeks left to nest

The first phase of our kitchen re-do is complete and it will take a miracle if Ben still has phase two in him. however, he has definitely earned some saturdays without plowing through my to-do-build-paint list.
What he's been up to...before and after pics:



What they've been up to: cornstarch clay. i was impressed with how fun and easy this was to make.
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/3 cups cold water
2 cups salt
mix 2/3 cup water with salt and boil. in another bowl, mix cornstarch with 2/3 water and stir. turn off heat. stir in cornstarch mixture with salt mixture. stir until a thick dough forms then set on a cutting board to cool.




What i've been up to: mostly just growing a little baby.

but also loving the time with my two girlies. doesn't get better than snuggling in bed.

preschooler or mini-teen?

today was day one of preschool. after some tearful reservations about the program due to a bland orientation night, thankfully, my fears that she would have 3 hours of playing with mr. potato head were put at ease.





on the drive to preschool...blessed 4 minute drive...she melted my heart by telling me she was going to "miss me like crazy."

after picking her up and while we were walking to the car, my little love bug said, "i didn't miss you at all, mommy." the feeling was not mutual.

Work Zone

third time around, nesting is bringing out some seemingly irrational behaviors. i call it extreme nesting. rather than simply cleaning and organizing i am taking it to new heights. thankfully, ben is also in a nesting phase because his handyman skills have been put to use. every night after work. bless him.

it all started with a wall. we have never had a rail or anything in between our kitchen and the room below. when they were babies, both my girls have crawled off the edge and i almost lost my mother-in-law during dinner one night. we finally decided to safeguard our third-born by building a wall. one thing has led to another and a full kitchen renovation is underway.

the wall is now complete and many many other projects are in process.

ben's project: before and after.




my project: my little work station got a makeover. first, i sewed a curtain to hide all my things. for years, i've had my eye on a run-down oak chair in my parents storage room. after some sanding and painting, it fits in quite nicely.



the ladies project: scratch & sniff paint. the girls picked out some koolaid packets and mixed each with 2 tablespoons of water. it made awesome paint and the house smelled delicious.




our other projects are either in progress or soon to begin. to be continued.