Strawberry picking 2012

 We usually go strawberry, blueberry, and apple picking every year. The kids have a great time. Last year we skipped the summer picking due to adding Nairi to the family and moving and all that. The season began early this year so we went picking yesterday am. Keira and Israel  enjoying picking berries ( and eating them) and Mike made his fabulous strawberry pizza http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/02/fruit-pizza.html

 Israel was confused about the leaves and at first popped the whole berry in his mouth!

 Feeding the goats

Preschool Graduate

Keira is officially finished with preschool and a Kindergartner. Crazy stuff! I can't believe she will be in school full time next year. When you are in the thick of family life and baby care the days and nights and needs of small children seem endless. But now that she is 5 and starting her journey of school it seems like it went by so fast. I remember her as a happy, easy baby that slept great, as a babbling toddler, and as a imaginative toddler.  I wonder what she will be like as a school aged kid?  ( When did I become so sentimental?:o)

Keira turns 5/ Dear Keira

 Opening presents from us after breakfast. She got all natural nail polish, a toy cash register ( to play store), stickers, art paper, markers, shoes, and a new stuffed sheep

 Nairi watches the present opening

 Nail polish

 Israel says " My birthday is in the fall!" as he contemplates when its his turn to open presents

 Sheepie! Love Ebay. She has this exact sheep but the stuffing is falling part so we found the exact same one on Ebay and bought it. Of course I doubt she will throw the falling apart one away but at least we have a second one.

 It comes with a mini sheep that Nairi likes

 Excited at the pretty table all set for her friends. We went with an ice cream cone theme

 Lots of little ones

 Singing Happy Birthday

 Mike did a fabulous job as always making these cake cones that look like ice cream cones but are actually cake with frosting.

Dear Keira,
Today we celebrated your 5th birthday. It was everything a little girl party should be. Lots of pink and fancy and friends. We started planning your party at least 3 months ago. We talked endlessly about what the theme would be, what sort of plates and cups we would get, what games we would play, what kind of cake you should have, what should go in the goody bags for your friends, and what food we would eat. You changed your mind a half a dozen times at least. You found it all so exciting and we couldn't help but indulge you for your special day. We let you plan it all and have a say in everything from what kind of food we ate to the color of the sprinkles on your cake. I can't believe you are 5. You are so imaginative. We find you talking to yourself or playing your own games in your head. You can pretend anything. Daddy and I still marvel at the time while waiting for dinner you folded napkins into a nativity set and calmly pointed out to us Mary and Joseph and all the animals and of course the baby Jesus. You love art anything and spend hours at your little art table making endless pictures and cards for us and everyone else. They are always folded and covered in stickers and marker art. I keep alot of them because I know some day soon you won't make me art anymore and I will miss your fancy cards and drawings that are messy and fancy and so you. No matter what you do you make a mess. Eating or drawing or painting or playing in the sand you are so messy. You are happy and easy going and social. You aren't at all afraid of going to a new school next year- you embrace change so well. You still love books and still spend lots of time sitting next to a stack of books making up stories or reciting them from memory. You have a fabulous memory and can recite books, prayers and songs accurately. You are so joyful all the time. Yes you have tantrums and throw fits sometimes but you wake up happy and are happy most of the time. You can be bossy with your siblings sometimes though but I think part of that is just your ranks as the oldest!
You are the ones that made us parents for the first time. So far you have kept your standing in the family ranks as the easiest baby and the best sleeper in the house hands down.  I know you are growing up but I want to remember how you love fancy things, love pink, love frilly things, love dresses, love books, love to play pretend, love to ride your bike, love to talk, love special treats, love school, love friends, love art. We love you so much!!!!

Bikers

Israel finally grew legs long enough to pedal a bike. He has been begging us for a bike for a long time but he has such tiny legs every bike we tried his legs were not long enough to pedal. He wants to ride like his sister. We have a balance bike that he figured out and zips around the neighborhood on that but we were able to find a 10 inch bike that he can pedal and he is in HEAVEN. He rides it as much as his tractor.

Summer

Fresh berries- a favorite summer time treat!

This weekend's project

http://betterdiy.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-garage-entry-door.html

Before/After next to each other.

Tile Spacer - $2.97
(2) Supply Lines - $8.92
12" Floor Tile (60 sq. ft) - $106.20
(5) Fittings (2 I broke) - $50
P-Trap - $19.14
New Hallway Mat (destroyed by Thinset) - $18.97
(3) SpectraLock Grout - $21.18
(3) SpectraLock A/B Mix - $53.94
Paint - $25.17
Thinset - $27.43
Sealant - $17.08
(4) TileBacker - $34.56
Screws for TileBacker - $7.16
Grout Sponges - $8.99
Windleton White Vanity - $422.10
Windleton White Mirror - $69
Light - $80
Tile Saw Blade - $50
Plumber - $100 (Install new drain piece on sink)
Painter - $150 (Paint bathroom, ceiling, trim)


Total Cost = $1,272.81

Bathroom reveal. Its finished!!!!!!!

 New paint on walls, trim color changed from almond to white, new tile floor, new light, new toilet, and new vanity. Nicely done Mike! The pictures don't really do it justice because A) I am a bad photographer and B) it was night time.

 Ignore the missing light bulb and the blue tape on the faucet. Mike was still doing finishing touches.

 Below are the old pictures just in case you forgot how it looked before

One bathroom down and 2 more to go..... :o)