Big Girl Bed

It's become apparent that our little girl is in need of a Big Girl bed.  So when a friend offered her bunk bed to us for free we jumped.  Now I know what you're thinking a bunk bed for an (almost) 2 year old.  What kind of parents are we? We most definitely do not plan on her having access to the top bunk.  So the quest began to find out what we could do with this bed to make it fun and lair for any little princess to lay her head. To Pinterest  (follow me) I went. And honestly I was hoping for some ideas than what I came up with. However I found one that I really love!

And I totally think my talented husband could pull this off...but right now he's building a shed so who knows when he'd have time. 

So now I'm thinking some sort of bed canopy.

(Source)

Then the thoughts on color schemes...because I totally want her to have a sophisticated room...and we're moving out of the baby stage so I could see whatever we chose to last until she's like 5...right?

Apparently I'm thinking some sort of blue hue for her. I'm making this my summer project and I'd really like to have it complete before her birthday...so basically I have two months and 2 weeks! Yikes! Guess I better be getting busy.  If you have any ideas for that bunk bed contraption I'd love to hear them. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go!!!

Congratulations!

Today is your day

You're off to Great Places! 

You're off and away

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decided where to go.

~Dr. Seuss

Not long ago I found this pin (though I can't find it now) to have each of your child's teachers sign this book and then give it to them for high school graduation.  I instantly fell in love with the idea! And being the fact that Dalton was in the midst of his Kindergarten year I felt as if it was a project I could tackle! I'm proud to announce that yes I...Tiffany Evans actually went through with it too! Let's hope I can keep it up for the next 12 years...and do it for Sophie as well!

Today is the last day of Kindergarten for Dalton {Insert Big, Big tears}.  It's been a great year.  A learning experience for all of us.  I'm proud of the him and the way he has grown through out this year.  He was the kid crying everyday for the first month of school when I dropped him off...but now he's the big kid who has his seatbelt unbuckled and out the car door before I barely have time to tell him goodbye.  He was the kid who could care less about learning letters and numbers and writing his name...but the smile on his face when he wrote to 100 for the first time and got an Applebee's gift card from his teacher was priceless. He's sounding out words and reading to his sister, counting everything from the fish in the pond to the days of the month.  He's officially a BIG kid and so excited about what first grade has to offer!

I'm so excited to watch him morph through the years and see all the places he'll go!!!

Fall Fun and I'm Super Mom (not)

This past weekend was really kind of a short one.  I had like half a day to get the house clean, get ready for a garage sale and spend some quality time with the kiddos since Sunday involved a long all day trip to the Central part of the state for a family baby shower.  So I got up went to work for a few hours came home and Dalton and I worked on sorting through all of his toys to get ready for the garage sale.  We successfully cut the toy population in half after decided which toys he had outgrown and were ready to pass on and the ones that had broken peices and could be thrown away.  Whew...that took us all afternoon lets just say that kid is LOVED.  So now the toy boxes are ready for Christmas and his birthday 10 days later.  By that time it was late and time for dinner.  Somehow it became 9 o'clock and the promise of a family movie night was pretty distant in my mind.  Sophie was in bed and Rocky was heading that way.  Dalton was begging to carve pumpkins and since Rocky was going to bed I thought it'd be perfect time for some one on one time with my little man. 

I handed him some spoons to clean out the pumpkin while I cleaned the kitchen.  It did a great job, no complaining and very little guts left for me :)

I was pretty impressed with my mad carving skills and even went to bed telling Rocky I bet he was jealous that he didn't get in on that quality time.

 The next morning before Sophie and I hoped in the car Dalton and I painted our toast...I'd seen this on pinterest and thought he might find it fun. 

Just mix a few drops of food coloring into a cup of milk and use paint brushes to paint it on. I've seen people post that they popped these into the broiler, I just put them in the toaster and I forgot to take an after pic but once it's toasted it really enhances the color. Def. will do it again.

After a long day in the car and a fun baby shower Soph and I were suprised when we got home to this

Dalton and Rocky carved 5 pumpkins so pretty much take that mom you thought you were cool...

Hope you all had a fun Halloween weekend.



Blue Eyed Beauty

We are moved and unpacked and just as soon as tball isn't consuming my life any longer I'll give you a tour...In the mean time Sophie and I had a day to ourselves Saturday...so nice to have the downtime. A few years ago for father's day when Dalton was 2 I believe I made a collage like this for Rocky and he mentioned he'd like something like it from Sophie. So enjoy these shots of my beautiful blue eyed girl. I just can't get enough of her sweetness!!!

Ready or Not Here We Come...Kindergarten

And just who's idea was it to let this little boy grow up anyway? Tuesday we took him to Kindergarten roundup KINDERGARTEN PEOPLE!!!! He did fabulous! We walked in one of the teachers asked if he'd go with her while his parents filled out paper work and.he.went.WILLINGLY! He passed his testing that they did with him only forgetting to put the O (his favorite letter) in his name and was confused on his address...I'm pretty sure he gave them his phone number. But letters numbers counting standing on one foot...they say he's ready. I know he is...but am I? Am I really ready to say I have a "big kid"? A kid that wears a backpack to school everyday and can choose to eat a school lunch or take a lunch...a kid that will bring home homework and learn naughty things from his friends. Nope I don't think I'm ready. I mean August it will be kindergarten, then 1st grade, middle school, high school and then he'll be moving away!!! Ok maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself! All I know is that I'm gonna love and cuddle and snuggle with him all I can until he goes to school and realizes his mom isn't cool anymore.

Look Who's Half A Year Old!!!

5 years

How can it be that they've gone by soooo fast. Sleepless nights with you...teething...first words...potty training they're all just a memory. (sniff sniff) You, Dalton Lyle make me so proud to be your mommy! You are no longer a baby, a toddler, even a preschooler, your a little-big kid. You count everything...know your letters...and even ask me how to spell words (mostly girls names...sigh). Your vocabulary amazes me everyday and they questions you ask make me realize you know more about this crazy world than I give you credit for. You love to work on projects with daddy and take things apart to see how they work. If there was a demolition derby for little kids you'd be the first to sign up cause that's one of your favorite things right now. You're all boy kiddo and I love that.

Your teachers tell me all the time that even on a bad day you're smile can make the day a little brighter (and I totally agree). That smile is extremely contagious and I hope you keep your positive outlook forever. You are friends with everyone and that's awesome. I have this feeling you'll get your heart broke a few times over the years...just because you're such a nice kid. Keep it that way...it'll pay off in the long run!

This year when you found out you'd have a little brother or sister you were very excited...asking almost daily how much longer until the baby gets here. Ever since we've brought your sister home you've been a great help and most mornings I don't know how the three of us would get where we needed to be without your help. I know sometimes you probably wish that all of the attention was on you again...but you share it well. I can tell you love your sister so unconditionally and it makes my heart melt that you feel the need to hold her multiple times a day...read her books and just play with her. She loves you too!

Happy Birthday bud! Keep being that same awesome kid you've always been. And please don't mind that I'll probably cry when we sing you Happy Birthday tonight...and at your birthday party this weekend and when you start kindergarten in August...let's just say...get used to my tears