3 months old

I'll let the pictures do the talking except for one comment...don't you just want to eat those cheeks up?

maps as art

At the end of a post on the guest bedroom three years ago I was contemplating using a National Geographic map as art in that room.

Well, that never happened.

But I did use one for art in my room recently.

It was a total spur of the moment thing.

I was walking down an aisle in Target and *bam* there were three largish frames on clearance for $10 each.

I got them, not knowing what I'd use them for, but knowing I liked them.

After I got them home Curt reminded me of the map...awesome.

Cut it in thirds, popped it in, popped them up.

Done.

some new hardware

For Christmas I got new hardware.

Now for some girls, that might mean new jewelry or something, but for me it means making my dressers more my style.

Here are some horrendous before pictures.

Really, I don't know what I was doing, the lighting stinks, they're blurry, my house is a mess.

But I guess they give you the idea. 

The old handles weren't terrible.

They were good quality, heavy, and not bad to look at.

But I wanted something better.

Enter better:

{to me...I know not everyone will agree}

...and I don't think that these pictures convey just how good they look.

I love them very much.

And for just over $80 for 33 pulls, it feels like I got a whole new dresser set.

Des turns 2

Desmond's birthday serendipitously landed on President's Day this year.

Meaning we were able to have Curt home with us all day.

"cool, candles" | 'blow' candles out by scrunching nose | get help from Dad | high fives

We took a morning trip to the University of Michigan's Museum of Natural History.

Des had a blast jumping and pointing out the animals he knew.

We ended the day with some true two tantrums.

Despite those, Des is really a good kid and we love seeing him grow and hilariously imitate us.

Bring on this next year.

right now...

I used to blog a whole lot more before I had kids.

Which is a shame because blogging is my journal and I find myself wishing I had a better record sometimes.

So, here's a little bit of right now...

Curt: 

-finishing up the last two classes of his MBA at the University of Michigan

{he'll be done February 26th...time is tricky, it feels like it's taken forever yet flown by too}

-at church he's serving as the executive secretary, one of the organists, and a stake auditor.

-work deserves and will get its own post...later

Carmen:

-still staying at home with the kiddos.

I feel like I'm on top of the whole 'having two kids' thing when I am home.

The concept of going out somewhere with just me and them though is still slightly terrifying.

-finished the basement.  still savoring that.

-at church I'm serving in the stake young womens presidency

Desmond:

-turning two next week

-he's looking like a little boy now, he's lost that baby chub

-currently is loving letters

{he knows all of the capital letters and their sounds...when driving he's calling out everything he sees}

-he also cracks us up constantly with his ever expanding vocabulary and the sentences he strings together

-is OK with nursery now that the new year came and all of the older kids went to sunbeams

Evie:

-is almost 3 months

-has gained her chubbers rapidly, was 12.5 lbs at the two month checkup

{which equals very kissable cheeks}

-lights up with a smile most times you look at her

-is very vocal with her own form of 'talking'...sounds like a cat to me

-has cradle cap something fierce

-still has red hair

{please forgive the blurry/cut off head...I want pictures with me and the kids, but am far from adept at the self timer as of yet}

Basement Update: Finished

When I last updated you on the progress in the basement (back in October), we had just had the drywall hung.

Well, in between then and now we had a baby and Curt had school, kind of putting a damper on the progress.

But Curt got down there and installed a floor and a toilet and after I physically got back up to speed I got down there and painted, tiled, plumbed, and did trim and other miscellaneous items galore.

And we're done.

Phew.

{If you want to review the whole basement project: plans, pre-insulation, drywall}