We're for sale!

Ok so here's the deal, I really wanted to start this post off with a sweet shot of the sign in the front of our yard - but it's not there yet :( We are official, we are for sale, but the sign just didn't make it here today. So instead, I had to show you that we are truly safe now that we have a fireman living with us! So after much anticipation here are the after photos! We worked hard, and I mean hard, and we got it done. Don't get me wrong there's still a lot of major cleaning to do, but we got the main work done to get the house out there! Now St. Joseph pray for us!

I decided that I wouldn't waste to much of your time by showing you every angle of the each room, but I wanted too I really did. I mean really once you put so much work and sweat into something, you really want to show it off!! But I know you all have real lives and better things to get back to

It's funny how we are finally at this place, the place that we have talked about for at least a year, and now I don't know what to do with myself!

I have this tendency in my mind to really bore you all with my thoughts on all the wonderful memories we've made here - but then again, I'll wait until we sell the house to do that!

I do remember though how this room was once the only room we used when we first got married...... and now look at us!

Ahhhh, the nursery I love this room!

blahh blahh blahh, the kitchen, who hasn't seen one of these before

I keep thinking I should tell you a funny story while you read through this, but then again I am so tired, I just don't think that's going to happen tonight!

I might be tired, but I am happy and so grateful for all the help that got us through this past weeks and months! Thank you Sheena, Grandma, and Lauren for watching Stephen for me so that I could get this house done! :)

I still can't get over the fact that two days ago this entire room was full of boxes to go to the storage unit; yippee - I think I need some flowers in that vase!

Stephen was watching a movie so we could sign the paper work :)

Look there he is!

Ok last one! Love you all, please, please, please pray for us to get this sucker sold quick! Alan really misses Augie! :)

Last day until the unveiling of the house

So today's the last major day of work on the house! Most if not all projects are done as of now; but the clean up must begin! Here are some teasers for you - say a prayer that I can finish my coffee, get off the computer, and start getting this house looking nice! I have one day until the Realtor is here to take pictures and put this sucker on the market!! That's right everyone it's happening tomorrow weather we want it or not!

we want it of course! (these first pictures were uploaded backwards, this is the after)

So I was so excited before I went to bed - the last bit of paint had been put on the walls; I even learned how to caulk (s/p) around the tub and make the spare bathroom look a little nicer (not the best room in the house, but we are so done with remodeling!) I even touched up that nasty backyard and it actually looks really nice, I want to go out there and drink my coffee....instead I'll have a beer out there tonight! So all that done, and guess what - I woke up this morning and walked downstairs and the light over the sink decides to fall. Well, the cover over the light falls, but won't go back up - I AM NOT SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY ON THIS HOUSE! So we'll see how we can fix that today!

Keep us in your prayers, and keep posted for the unveiling of the house!

Great idea....in theory

My mother is a very, very creative and artsy woman - I only wish I had an once of her creativity! So when she called me and was like - bring the kids over, we'll eat pizza and carve pumpkins; I jumped on the idea. First pizza is one of the very few foods that Stephen will eat, second Abby will eat anything, and third....I don't think there's a third Off we went; Alan worked late :( So it was just me and the kids off to have some serious fun at Mimi's house

Things seemed to be going good at this moment; Stephen had shown some dislike to the inside of the pumpkin by immediately saying "that's icky mama, that's poo poo" We thought that was a funny thought and tried to explain to him that it was seeds.......

Then he started making these faces......laughing stopped, clean up began; Stephan has a weak stomach

The moral of the story; pizza + icky pumpkin + a 2 yr old fireman = a big clean up! God Bless!

Marley's cousin

Have you ever read the book "Marley and Me" - or seen the movie? In my opinion the book is much, much better; but aren't they all. I diverse, Alan and I decided to "listen" to the book on tape before the movie came out last Christmas. We had heard about it and some people had even referred to our dog as Marley so we wanted to know why. Throughout the book, Alan and I would laugh together b/c our Augie wasn't just like Marley, but really the entire book was our story so far....

We were a young married couple, new house, new job for me, a whole world ahead of us. Our one desire was to have children and raise them for Christ - I never wanted a dog! We always had dogs growing up; well I should say my brother and sister always had dogs growing up; I had cats. I love dogs, but I know how much of a responsibility they are!!!! So Alan started talking about dogs right after we got married. Then the subject was taken off the table in my mind.....we got pregnant!

8 weeks along I had a miscarriage and we headed off to Atlanta for a weekend away with dear friends. I love these people with all my heart - but what happened that weekend changed our lives forever....Stephany and Mack are dog lovers!! They have two dogs - buddy and Wiley (there are some good stories about me and Wiley, but those are for another day). I remember it so clearly, we were sitting at their kitchen table talking about dogs - Alan was saying how much he wanted a lab and I said no way! Then Stephy chimed in, and went on and on and on about how dogs are great, we should get one, we will want one when we have kids - so forth and so on

The next weekend we were out looking for dogs; not any dog - a yellow Lab that looked white. Alan saw an add in the paper and we headed to Mississippi to find our new dog. I thought we were just looking; little did I know Alan had the cash in his pocket to walk away with a new little puppy! I have to admit; I was sold the second I saw these cute little cuddly puppies!!!!! Alan took his time, picking the perfect one........

I would like to introduce you to Marley's cousin - Augie! Now I do love this dog, but from day 2 (b/c I was so in love and he was in such shock on day 1 no one saw what was to come) this dog has caused me stress! You name it, he ate it; peed on it, licked it.... and still does. Lab's are very hyper dogs, that don't grow out of it until 2 or 3 yrs (something Stephy and Alan forgot to mention to me). Have I also mentioned we don't have a backyard?
Well it's been 3 years and Augie has calmed down - I still scream his name multiple times a day (If I ever talk to you on the phone you know that!) He has an obsession with baby socks; and now that's it's getting cold I could really use the ones he's eaten.

But I don't want to fool you to much, I do love this dog! His beauty saves him! And the fact that if you ever want a dog that's good with children a lab is the way to go! Augie was a little curious when Stephen first came home, but he never hurt him! He knew from the first moment that he saw Stephen that there was something special about him and that it was his job to now protect him - he also wanted to know what little babies taste like when they're licked; still does to be honest! So this morning I had to say goodbye - except Alan left before I was done feeding Abby so I didn't get to. Since the house is going on the market by the end of the week we decided that Augie shouldn't be here while we try and sell it. To much hair, mess, all that plus tax. So Alan's mom so graciously is letting him stay with her - hopefully it won't have to be to long. Thank you so much Shirley!

But it is a bit sad for me; when I came down stairs hoping to see him waiting at the door for me, he wasn't - he will never sleep at this house again.....I have many moments of dislike for this dog, but right now I miss him already!

A first

So you might ask - what's a first? Well, remodeling, selling, and then buying a home :) For those of you who might just be joining this blog; Alan bought our house about 5 months before we were married, after the amazing day of May 13, 2006 I moved in and it became our house. From the day we returned from our honeymoon until today we have been remodeling this home. We didn't think it would take this long, we thought a little paint here and some new floors there, what's the big deal. Well it became a big deal, that's ok, but we're done. Technically we're not done yet, but we are emotionally done for sure. And with Stephen and Augie running around we're ready for a backyard for sure!!!

So here are some teasers for you; these are all "before" photos. That's right folks I found them. I've been looking for them for ages, and I finally found them tucked away in a obscure folder from back in the day. So enjoy, this is the house during the inspection, gotta love Fr. Hay!

Since you're taking the time to read this blog, I'll go ahead and tell you the story of our home!

On Nov. 6 2005 Alan proposed to me :) We set the date for May 13 2006, Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. As you can imagine planning began immediately, non-stop planning for six months; all the while I lived in Colorado and Alan was in Mississippi - did I mention we were getting married in Alabama :)

Part of that planning was - where are we going to live? At that time Alan lived at home with his mother to save up some money to buy his first home.....then I came along :) So off he went house hunting, and house hunting, and house hunting; but for those of you that aren't from around here those dates mean that Katrina had just hit and house prices around here had sky rocketed. Then one day Alan got a phone call from our dear friend Sonja (the lady who introduced us) and she told him about this house for sale, he drove by a few times, called Sonja, called the realtor, and went inside. Compared to all the housed we'd been looking at this house was huge! It had so many rooms - with space, and potential. Neighborhood pool next door, no yard but we didn't need one then, and a HUGE master bathroom.

So Alan gave me a call, I was actually in Fort Collins going to a Christmas Concert, he told me all about it and I said -PUT AN OFFER ON IT NOW!! It was such an exciting time for us; our first offer on what could be the house we start our lives in!!

So what was it that sold us on this house; it was a few things, but when Alan walked into one of the rooms upstairs and opened the closest, there was an Altar! Fr. Hay was a retired priest, therefore he still said Mass everyday at that Altar!!! That room was immediately made into our nursery.

So that's the story, the offer was accepted, Alan moved in that January - two kids later, a lot of paint, sweat, and long weekends, and we are ready to move on.

We'll be a little sad - Stephen took his first steps here, Abby started crawling here, you get the point.

But at the end of the day, I'll be so happy to just open up a door and watch Stephen and Abby, and Augie run out into the backyard and start playing, in grass, in the sun, and no car was involved!!!

So keep posted for the finished pictures, and please say a prayer for us to finish strong this week and get an offer immediatly!

The joys of nap time...........

So I really look forward to nap time - who doesn't? And the other day we were just having one of those days and nap time couldn't come soon enough. Everyone was fussy (including mommy) and I needed a shower. So I didn't see the harm in putting everyone down a little early so I could get cleaned up and some food in my belly for round two...... well Stephen didn't' like that idea to much I could hear him upstairs in his room the entire nap time - I even went up there a few time when I knew he had gotten out of his bed and was playing with toys. Then things got quite for a while - finally! So after 2 1/2 hrs of being upstairs I heard more noise and I went to get him up and this is what I walked into....

With the biggest smile ever he looked up from his Mother Goose book and said "I'm just reading mama." I couldn't help myself, I died laughing, of course rushed downstairs to grab the camera and then continued to laugh and tell everyone I ran into about Stephen.

So what makes this story really funny - take a look at the picture above. You'll notice another book by his feet, you can't see it but there is another one somewhere else on his bed, and on the right side post of his bed you will notice something hanging there - that's a sign that used to be on his door and we had it on his dresser. He likes it better on his bed I guess. How did he get all this stuff onto his bed you might ask.....

I guess we shouldn't have his dresser right next to his bed!

Pure JO-y

There are just some moments in your life that are pure joy! Sometimes, well most of the time around here, it has something to do with a child.
Stephen is such a joy, he has this way of being a crazy 2yr old and then in the same five minute Span start making me laugh uncontrollably.

Just last night Stephen did it again. We were having a "moment" with him as he refused, once again, to eat his food. I tried everything I could to get him to eat, but he just wouldn't; and before I knew it he was playing with his fork.......What are you doing Stephen? And then he started using his fork like a phone and talking into it - "hey Stephen who you talking to?" he didn't even look up at me, had his shoulder up like he was using it to hold his phone to his ear and said "I'm just talking to Jo Jo." That's Aunt Jo Jo my sister! And then he just sat there and talked to her through the fork for about 5 mins! I love that kid, and I miss my sister

Save the Ta-Ta's

Two Sunday's ago while Alan was watching football I noticed a lot more pink on the field then usuall. I knew that particular Sunday was Pro-life Sunday, but my mind took a moment of blankness to what was going on.....and then I remembered, it's breast cancer awareness month! We should all be concerned about this, cancer is horrible!

So since I know I can't say it any better than my friend Trisha can, I will direct you to her blog: www.coraggiofiglia.blogspot.com Take a moment, read this - it could save your life! Just incase you are reading this after she has posted something else, the title of this particular post is "Think Pink Doublethink"

God bless you all!

The Mem

I would like to introduce to you my Grandmother, known to most as Memere. This is an amazing woman, and this post is for her. My Memere is 87 years old an in those 87 years she raised 10 children, has 13 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren (#8, 7 days past due), and she is still traveling around the country! This is truly a Strong, beautiful, faithful woman! And now she is back in Alabama. After leaving here in May she traveled to Indiana, then New Hampshire, Rhode Island, back to New Hampshire, and now here - all trips to visit children and grandchildren, and of course great grandchildren!

Some fun facts: out of 7 births she never once made it to the delivery room!! One birth, my grandfather didn't even know she was in labor until the baby was born! She has been in town for both of my children's births (leaving two days after Stephen was born). And well, I love her very much! :) I can't say enough about her, but I can say this is a woman I want to be like one day; she raised 10 children all together and loved all of them with all of her heart, taught them about Christ, The Church, has spent the last part of her life doing all she can to spend time with her grand and great grand children, loves Our Lord and you can see that in all she does!

So thank you Memere for coming back down here to be with us, I am so grateful that my children will know you, and always have memories of you!

No teeth, No problem

I've said to from the moment she was born - she and Stephen are night and day! There's just no doubting that - yes the both cried after birth, but who wouldn't cry if they were taken out of a warm cozy cocoon. I diverse, after that there's just no comparison! Abby has been a power nurser from day one, she would just hang out and chill throughout the days (Stephen had a rough go from the start), and now it comes down to food! I don't want to say that Stephen hates food, but he certainly doesn't love it! I can't get him to eat anything, he won't even think about eating meat -unless it's bacon or peperoni (who wouldn've guessed.) So this past week, once again Stephen wouldn't eat his dinner - spaghetti and meat sauce, and Abby was getting a bit aggravated herself. So as I was tending to Stephen I guess I moved my plate just a bit to close to Abby, and bam she reached out and grabbed a handful of my spaghetti and gobbled it up! I couldn't believe it! So now, I think we're done with baby food. Then again, I'm starting to think Stephen will start eating what's on his plate if Abby's eating it - who knows!