Spring Break

Brookelyn's first school Spring Break was great! We didn't go anywhere exotic or new--we stayed HOME! The kids "slept in" (to around 7:00) each morning, I made them big breakfasts, we watched TV, and just enjoyed each other! Daddy was away on business most of Spring Break, so we had no schedule to follow, which was kind've fun too--although we missed him of course! Here are some pictures of a few of the fun things we did:

I decided to attempt to teach the kids to swim. There was a great site online that gave me lesson plans and videos to follow. We managed to get in three 40 minute lessons. They both did great and definitely improved! Here they are before their first lesson:

It was cold and rainy the ENITRE break, so the pool wasn't all that warm. After each lesson, the kids and I would go sit in the sauna to warm up! I think they might have enjoyed the sauna more than swimming! Here they are lounging in the sauna:

We have been wanting to take the kids to Crystal Bridges for a while now, and with the rain, I thought it was a perfect time to go. We spent three and a half hours looking at all the artwork, doing crafts, and going on a scavenger hunt. They LOVED it! This picture is a little deceiving if you haven't been to the museum yet. They are actually standing in front of a huge glass wall inside the museum:

One afternoon I let both kids splash around in the bathtub (and eat cookies as you can see) for over an hour. They had a blast!
Then, on Wednesday night Braedyn woke up throwing up. He was sick Wednesday and still felt yucky on Thursday. So, we rented a bunch of movies and all curled up together. Here is my little man sleeping off his sickness:
When he was feeling better (on Friday), we got out a kids' yoga video and practiced their moves. Here they are in the rainbow pose:
Friday night Daddy was back home and we got to enjoy Brookelyn's first t-ball practice of the season. She did great, and Allen was a very patient teacher!
It was an awesome Spring Break! Looking forward to Brookelyn's next break in May!

My Latest Home Project...Redoing the Stairs!

Allen left for a week long work trip (aka vacation--I mean how can it be work when you get to go to quiet dinners at restaurants and eat with both hands, pee by yourself, and sleep all night long uninterrupted), so I decided to tackle another DIY project (and not tell him)! The stairs have always bothered me because all the molding in our home is painted off white, but they are wood. I would have loved to paint them ALL like the molding, but the carpet prevents me from getting in all the nooks and crevices. So, I decided I would just do the posts and the rails. Here are the before shots:

Before looking down the stairs:

It took A LOT of taping (and that is an UNDERSTATEMENT) because I had to protect each of the iron spindles! Here is a shot after everything was taped and the primer was on:
After lots of sanding and two coats of paint, here is the final product:
After looking down the stairs:
And, a side shot:
It was so much work--mainly the taping and the tricky painting angles--but I LOVE the outcome. I think it looks more modern and flows better with our decor. My hope in the long run is that when we replace our floors with darker wood, to have the wood on the stairs sanded and stained darker.

Now, the big question, is will Allen even notice?! Last time I painted the cabinets after THREE days of not noticing, I finally told him. Anyone want to place a wager?!