Transformation Tuesday

Our Living Room BEFORE...

(This is about how it looked for two whole years)

...and AFTER We can't take credit for the great paint job; that was already done when we moved in, but it's amazing what a little furniture will do! It could still use a few finishing touches, but it's getting there.

As we mentioned before, Bryan hit the jackpot when he found the couch and chair at a garage sale. After much searching, we finally found a coffee table that we liked (and didn't cost a fortune!) at a local furniture store. The lamps and rug were from Overstock.com.

(Have I mentioned I'm in love with my rug?)

I wanna crawl SO BADLY!

This is hard work!

My Boys Have Some Sweet Moves

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100 Things I LOVE

(in no particular order)

Fall leaves - especially my neighbors' tree
lemon desserts in the spring/summer
pumpkin desserts in the fall
The Rocky Mountains - I miss them!
Hannah's smile
Logan's eyes
Andrew's curls
Bryan's hugs
singing in a good group or choir
dancing
Ju-Ju-Be
Ann Taylor Loft
finding online deals
window shopping
alone time
pedicures
new haircuts
my old Skechers flip-flops
pasta!!!
Mexican food
chocolate covered pretzels
talking on the phone with my Mom
my Dad's voice - makes me feel little and safe
photos of my kids
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
babywearing
being outside at daybreak - cool, fresh, and dewy
walks in the Fall - cool crisp breezes and leaves crunching underfoot
driving through "tree tunnels"
taking my kids trick-or-treating
going out to eat
dates alone with Bryan
Disneyland!
Pixar movies
planning parties
cake stands
The Office
a good day at church - when I can actually listen
cinnamon
The Salt Lake Temple
breakfast foods
my new living room rug - I am in LOVE!
reading , reading, reading!
B&BW Peppermint lotion
Burt's Bees lip balm
watching my kids learn and succeed
hearing my kids sing Primary songs
sweaters
the first flowers in the spring
4th of July in Delta, UT
wearing skirts in the summer
yoga
Niagara Falls
a clean house - rare!
visiting a farm in the Fall (hay rides, apple picking, pumpkin patch)
fresh pineapple
farmers markets
Christmas music
craft fairs
rain
lightning/thunder storms
board games
reading to my kids before bed
Pottery Barn catalogues
musicals
my ever-changing favorite color - right now, it's GREEN
soft baby skin
re-discovering holidays through my kids
Snowbird in October with my family
cruises
Harry Potter
home-grown tomatoes
funny things my kids say
being crafty
chatting with a few girlfriends
living across the street from Andrew's school/playground
the comfort and peace that comes from the Gospel
a baby snuggled up on my chest - the greatest feeling in the world
Rascal Flatts
"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"
the smell of a clean baby after a bath and Baby Magic lotion
receiving packages in the mail
home decorating
lists
campfires
scented candles
reminiscing about childhood with my siblings
the Internet
praise after working hard on something (who doesn't love that?)
hot showers (or cool ones on really hot humid days)
ice water
my Grandma's china
when my kids get really excited about something
my Mom's homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Bryan cheering me up with his goofiness and Nesquik
open windows
blogging
new bedsheets
sunshine coming through my window
toddler giggles

The Checkout Line Entertainer

Yesterday, we were waiting in line at the grocery store when Logan turned to the lady behind us and said, "We got grapes." The lady politely smiled and nodded her head.

A minute later, he turned to her again. "We have a baby sister. Her name's Baby Hannah."

"Oh," the woman relplied. Logan could tell she was going to be a tough audience.

He thought for a moment then held up his hand out in front of him, fingers spread, "Look at my hand. It's a grown-up hand!" That time he got a chuckle out of her.

I guess he didn't get quite the reaction he was hoping for, so he sat down on the floor, took off his shoes, and raised both feet up in the air. "Look at these feet!" he exclaimed, "They're grown-up feet!"

That did it! The woman (and everyone else in line) was laughing out loud. He was pretty proud of himself and laughed along, still on the floor with his legs in the air, basking in the attention.

When I finally got him off the floor and out the door, he said, "OH! I forgot to tell them about my owie!"

Farewell, summer!

Not me, silly, the season! The temperatures are cooling down, the leaves are starting to turn, and sadly, Thorton pool is now closed. The pool is a lifesaver during Cleveland's hot summer months! Several families from Lomond School and our ward have season passes to the pool, so there is almost always a friend or two to splash and chat with (for kids and Moms alike).

Andrew and Logan loved their new goggles (thanks, Grandma A!) and being able to see underwater!

Hannah was adorable in her strawberry ruffle-bum swimsuit. By far, Logan's favorite place to be was in the Lazy River, riding a noodle. This face says it all! He was so proud of himself! He kept shouting to me, "I'm doing great! I'm doing great!"

Logan also liked getting soaked on the Spray Ground!

Andrew was thrilled to relinquish his life jacket to his little brother! Now that he can touch the bottom in the "big pool," he wanted NOTHING to do with the "baby pool!" Here he is practicing his cannonballs with his friend, Noah.Of course, since Andrew only wanted to swim in the big pool, Logan did too. At the beginning of the season, I had a difficult time taking care of three kids, ages 6 months to 6 years, in the big pool. I even got in a little argument with a lifeguard over it (It's a long story; I won't bore you with it). After a week or so, I invested in a Solarveil pouch sling to wear Hannah in. That solved all my problems! It must have been pretty comfy and soothing too, because most days, Hannah would end up fast asleep in the pool!This was also the first year that Andrew took swimming lessons. He had a really fun time! I was so proud of the way he literally "jumped right in" and wasn't afraid of any challenge his teacher gave him. He even jumped off the diving board into the deep end (9 feet) with no fear! Great job, Andrew! He told me, "Mom, I really think water sports are my thing!" He loved watching the high-divers during the Olympics this summer, and one day he surprised me by doing a front-flip into the pool. "Am I just like those guys in the Olympics?"

Yep, just like them!

Farewell, Thorton Pool! We'll see ya next year!

Anderson's Picture Atlas of Wounds & Injuries, 1st Ed.

Since Logan's latest injury (putting his hand on a piping hot cooking griddle), I've joked with Summer that we could create and publish our very own picture atlas of injuries. From Logan's last week alone, we could show abrasions,

reactive erythema from multible insect stings,

and even partial-thickness burns.

Today, Logan felt it necessary to add "laceration" to the list. He was going up the stairs and his foot slipped on the second-to-last stair on the way up. He fell forward and hit his forehead squarely on the edge of the new tile floor.

The cut was fairly deep (at least deeper than what you can see in the picture), so we decided to take him in to get it stitched up. Fortunately, the wound fit together nicely, so the doc was able to derma-bond it with glue. It actually came together quite nicely, and hopefully won't leave much of a long-term scar.

Anyway, at this rate, I figure I should have enough material for my book by the time I finish residency!

This Has NOT Been Your Week, Logan!

Yes, it's Logan again! This morning, I plugged in the electric griddle to make breakfast. While I was whipping up the eggs, Logan reached up and... yeah, you know where this is going...

His poor little fingers! He was so brave and didn't even cry, though I could tell it was really hurting him. I held his hand under cold water for a while and then tried to give him ice to hold. He refused and said, "I just need to lay down on the couch...with a blanket...and watch TV."

Once he was all settled, watching Dora the Explorer, he said in his sweetest little voice, "Thanks for feeling me better, Mom."