The Remodel

I've had visions of remodeling our two-story entryway pretty much since we moved in.  Or at least since we first heard the kids' screams reverberating off the wood floors from all. over. the. house.  :)  Well, this was the year.  We went for it.  Our biggest remodeling project to date.  Eeek!  Oh, and by the way, this was NOT a do-it-yourself project.  Maybe if Tony and Cindy lived down the street.  But this is way out of our league.  We hired professionals.  And, true to the rumors I'd heard, they took about twice as long as they'd originally promised.  But they did not go over budget.  AND I am so happy with the work they did. 

THE BEFORE PICS

From the front door, looking up.

From the hall closet, looking up.

From upstairs.

Another shot from upstairs.

IN THE MIDDLE PICS

THE AFTER PICS

From the front door

The new upstairs loft area,
complete with new carpet and chandelier.

A lot of people have asked, "What are you going to DO with the new space?"  Eventually, I think we'll have a TV up there with the Wii.  But that involves buying a new TV for downstairs.  And I'm not ready to go there yet.  So, for now...

it's the perfect place to practice head stands...

and build some pretty awesome forts.

Family Easter Pics

I am completely obsessed with taking family portraits right now.  I did a photo shoot for some family friends which was really fun.  (And I hope they like the results!) And when our family was all dressed up in our Easter best, we decided to head back to my favorite corridor of trees and take some pics.

B blowing a kiss

10-year-old cuteness

I chopped off Caroline's hair!

She likes it.

I hope I do, too.

THAT is a good looking man.

The whole fam

Cute girls running

Now walking

One of Andrew's favorite shots.

I love it, too.

Easter kids.

Me and my hottie.

Decided to break out this classic from my closet.

It's a vintage 1995.

Also, I THOUGHT I liked that bracelet.

Until I saw it in the pictures.

It looks like I'm wearing a hospital arm band!

So, just in case anyone else thought the same thing,

No.  No hospital admittance for me lately.

The silly one.

B's idea:  An Easter train

Beautiful almost-ready-to-turn-8 Whitney

Phineas and Ferb: LIVE

Sometime last fall, I got an e-mail from ticketmaster letting met know that a live Phineas and Ferb show was coming to town.  I immediately grabbed my credit card and bought tickets.  Woo hoo!  I told myself they would be part of the kids' Christmas gifts.  Then I forgot about them.  Oops.

So....I told myself the kids would get a REALLY great Valentine's Day surprise.  But, once again, when the holiday rolled around, I dropped the ball and mentioned nothing about the tickets.

Well, what was a mom to do?  Give the kids a sweet St. Patrick's Day gift?  Nah.  I decided we would just spring it on them during our weekly family council, five days before the show.  Much whooping and hollering followed the announcement.  But it wasn't nearly as fun as having something to look forward to for a good long time.  I wouldn't recommend it.

Finally, after months of anticipation for me (and a mere five days for the kids), we got to see the show!  And it pretty much rocked.

Anxiously awaiting the start of the show

Laughed at some of the hilarious souvenirs.

Way too cheap to actually purchase any of them.

Phineas and Ferb!

With Isabella and the Fireside Girls

Baljeet and Buford

With Candace

Dr. Doofenshmirtz

Agent P

Care Bear was dancing in the aisles.

The grand finale!

Curtain call

Three VERY satisfied customers.

The show was filled with classic Phineas and Ferb sarcastic humor.  There were lots of laugh out loud moments.  We LOVED it.  I wish it would have been a little longer and that they would have wrapped up the plot line a little better.  For other P&F fans, I HIGHLY recommend it. 

What March looks like