Special Blessings

Our sweet little Johanna received her First Communion today.   So happy and proud of her.

Here she is looking at the rosary I made her.   Isn't she beautiful!

Being a grandparent is the best!

Too many flowers.

All of you know me and I love flowers but enough is enough.  Oh and I don't like roses.  There are so many flowers and they are in the most inconvenient spots.   Working on getting it more manageable.  First order of business, getting rid of a rose bush that was about 6' tall and growing right next to the
house.

Karen 1 - Rose bush 0

It also had this hideous fence that it had grown around.  

There are some really pretty flowers too that I definitely plan on keeping.  Maybe just transplanting.

And mom was there helping and cheering me on the whole time!

Sheetrock hung!

Another thing that can be checked off the list.  The sheet rock has all been hung!   

They have also closed in a closet that was in an awkward spot. This will allow for a larger shower in the master bedroom! 

Woodwork Refinished

The house had outdated woodwork throughout and you don't want to have a pretty house with old orangey looking woodwork, so I made the executive decision to go ahead and have the contractor refinish.    I was going to do it myself and got realistic and realized that would hold up the entire process.

It turned out beautiful.  some of the pictures make it look darker than it actually is but I couldn't be happier with the results.

Top boards are the original color, bottom are the refinished.  

Again, it's not as dark as the photo is showing!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom......big time daughter failure here, no picture with mom.  :(    Well we did get together,  all three of us girls and the best son-in-law she has....I promise.  Just no proof.

Here's a blanket I did for mom.  Embroidered all the names of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including spouses.

I know, don't judge me.   Mom's 85th birthday and all I have is a picture of a blanket.  

Happy Easter

Beautiful Easter weekend and enjoying the eggs the Easter Bunny hid.

Happy Birthday Johanna

Fun filled weekend for the birthday girl.

Jo told the chef he was a bad shot!

Little sisters trying too.

Sammy exhausted from the days adventures.

Spring is in the Air

And you know what Spring means, that's right baseball!

Both boys getting to walk to first!

Best Friends Forever

You know that old saying BFF, Best Friends Forever.    Well I am one of the luckiest gals in the world.  Three of these ladies I've known since 3rd grade when I moved to the school.  The rest I've known since Freshman year of high school.   How can I be so luck?

Red River

What a hidden gem.  We had so much fun in Red River.   Girls had a blast skiing, not so much with the tubing.   I had fun relaxing and enjoyed watching them so much!   
The deer were fun to watch and see so close.   

Here we are looking out the kitchen window at the deer.

Grandma, quit taking pictures!

Slowly but Surely

Doesn't look like much but so much progress on the house.   

They have raised the floor in the laundry room so the kitchen and laundry are the same level.  They have also extended the wall about 6" so that the washer and dryer don't stick out past the wall.

All new electrical in the kitchen.

Another thing they had to do was put supports in the attic since we removed quite a bit of the wall and they have framed in the bar that goes into the kitchen.  That also required adding supports in the attic for the wall that was knocked out.  It makes the area so open and looks bigger!

End of the Season

This is what a Champion looks like!   2nd place in basketball.  

Way to go Attack!

It's demo day!

Spent the last 4 days working on demo.  The contractor is ready to go so he of course is now waiting on me. 

First of all, I had some pretty special helpers.  Joanna Gaines has nothing on me.   

It's Demo Day!

This is how day 1 started.   Lots to do

At the end of the day!   Cut out of where the bar is going.

Kitchen gutted and ready to be rebuilt.

Start of day 2.   This tile and cast iron tub is going to be fun.

That tub was no match for us!   Room 2 ready to be rebuilt.