The Dollhouse Revealed!

Allie's birthday is tomorrow, but we couldn't wait to give her the dollhouse!  OK, so it was mostly Mommy who couldn't wait.  Brian and I had the boys keep her upstairs while we set it up in the living room.  Then they brought her downstairs.  She was pretty excited!  Get ready for a lot of pictures, but I knew Grandma and Nana would want to see the final result!

How to wrap a dollhouse

This picture taken mid-scream

Checking it all out

First thing Allie did?  Make the Daddy go potty!

The boys are in on the action

Brother's room with a bookshelf, play table, and Imaginext toys like Allie's real brothers!

Sister's room - see the "closet" and bookshelf?

Hello Kitty!

Bathroom

The master bedroom - Dad is already exhausted from all the playing!

A wedding picture in the master bedroom

Time to watch Dora!

The boys are just as excited as Allie

Some of the kitchen pieces are like ours

This will be the nursery one day... I predict the Mommy may have a baby around Christmas!

Happy early birthday Allie!

When the Camera is Kidnapped...

...there's no telling what you'll find upon its return!

 

Girls' Getaway!

Allie and I had a great time on our trip to Colorado!  We enjoyed visiting with family and meeting our newest family member!  Allie adores her new baby cousin!

Allie meeting her little cousin

A birthday cookie for Allie!

What color icing was that?

Excited that we could visit the neighborhood park!  That doesn't happen much during the summer at our house.

After a little coaching, Allie was allowed to hold the baby

Our visit to the big rocks (Garden of the Gods)

A rock just her size

What a fun girls' trip!

That's Weird

Spence:  Look how fast I can run with this band-aid on my nipple!
Mommy:  Wow!
Then as he raises up his shirt...
Mommy:  That's your belly button.

And coming soon...  Pictures of Allie's trip to Colorado!  They aren't weird, just totally cute.

Sweet Prayers by Allie

Thank you for Daddy's toe not hurt any more

Thank you for Spence's toe not hurt any more

Thank you for Nana

Thank you for Poppa

Thank you for Maestro

Thank you for Daddy

Thank you for Mommy

Thank you for Grandma

Thank you for Grandpa

Thank you for Allie

Thank you for going to Colorado and see BABY RYLAN!

Thank you for macaroni and cheese and green beans

Thank you for my ABCs

Thank you for somebody I know

Thank you for Colorado and see BABY RYLAN!

Rent-a-Spence

I'm thinking I might start renting Spence out for special occasions.  He provides so much entertainment for us around here that I feel the need to share him!  His footwear of choice for the last few days has been a pair of snow boots.  He has worn them to the gym, to Sam's, and to church where I'm sure all the other little 5 year old Texans enduring the 91 degree temperatures were wearing flip flops! I can hear him clumping around the house right now!  He's a hoot!

Spence has also been a little feisty today.  We've had several instances of pushing or kicking.  Allie came down stairs crying and told me that Spence hit her.  This is what I found out about that situation:
Mommy:  Spence, did you hit Allie?
Spence:  Well, she knocked over my game.
Mommy:  Does that make it okay to hit her?  What are you supposed to do?
Spence:  I wasn't going to hit her, but my brain is so small...

So, how much would you pay to have him for the day?

A Total Fashionista

Our Allie is such a fashionista.  I see her setting trends!  Who else would pair a swim top with pajama bottoms, or think to finish off a Spiderman ensemble with a stethoscope?  New York, London, Paris... watch out, here she comes!

Outfit #1

 This outfit was pieced together mostly from items in the "sentimental clothing box."  The boys both wore the David Carr Texans jersey, the hat was the first one Spence wore to the pool as a baby, Allie came home from the hospital in the pink socks, and Coleman affectionately called those shoes the hedidah shoes (they have helicopters on them).
 

Outfit #2

  This outfit combines color coordinated sleep and swim wear.  Where does she get her inspiration? 
 

Outfit #3

 If you haven't heard, hand-me-down Halloween costumes paired with medical equipment is all the rage right now!  Add a touch of girl with a pink flowery hat.

Outfit #4

 What this outfit lacks in originality, it totally makes up for in adorability!  Allie picked this dress out to wear to church Sunday.  I snapped this picture right before we walked out to get in the car.  As soon as she sat down in her seat to get buckled she wanted to take it off!  Thank goodness, because I have no idea how I would have gotten her in that car seat!  It was sweet while it lasted, but it didn't quite capture her spunky personality.  Oh how I love this girl!

What Lives Under the Sheet in Our Garage

I can't even tell you how much fun I'm having working on Allie's doll house!  I stayed up late almost every night this long holiday weekend wallpapering, printing artwork, spray painting, hot gluing curtains, and making furniture.  Brian's been busy also - building and attaching a base, fixing the exterior, and cutting boards for me!  Let me say, I should spend this much time and energy on my real house!  Here are a few pictures:

The house!

How could I dream of leaving this contact paper on the walls?

Ripping out the kitchen paper

The new kitchen wallpaper

I still need to wallpaper several rooms, but looking better!

Hmmm, how to make a washer and dryer?

I think I'll cut the doors open so she can put clothes in!

Some of the furniture and art:  a couch, Mom and Dad's bed, chair (I didn't make this, just spray painted it), a flatscreen TV playing Dora, wedding photo, and painting

I absolutely cannot wait to play with this!  I mean, see Allie play with it!

Fun Run

A few weeks ago Coleman's school had a fundraiser called the Boosterthon Fun Run.  I know, "fun" and "run" aren't two words that go together to me.  But running is one of Coleman's favorite activities!  He ran all 35 of his laps and could have done more!  Thanks to the grandparents for supporting him!  Here are a few pictures from the day:

Coleman's class getting ready to go!

He's off!

Coleman's teacher ran with them!

Spence and Allie cheering Coleman on

Summer... What? Already?

Let me just say, Spence and Allie finished school before I switched into summer-mode!  I feel like I've been running around trying to get ready for some coming things and I've been dragging them with me.  Thankfully Nana came for a day and I was able to get many things done!

For Allie's birthday (which will be here all too soon!) Brian found an awesome doll house on Craigslist that needs a little touching up and redecorating.  We're even going to try to make some of the furniture.  Can't wait to get some pictures of it.  Right now it's hiding from her in the garage under a sheet.  It's 3 feet tall and at least that wide!  But searching for doll house items has been the biggest challenge with Allie out of school, since I don't want her to see what I'm buying!

Another thing that's keeping me busy is getting ready for our church's summer kid's ministry.  I'm so excited to be leading that, and have been blessed with some great volunteers, but it seems like every day I think of something else I need to do or go get!  Please keep us in your prayers as we minister to kids this summer!

I realize that I have pictures of baseball, football, and pool parties that I could post, but I just can't right now.  I will however leave you with the cutest thing Allie told my mom the other day.  Brian and I were leaving to go look at doll house accessories, and Allie was sad that she couldn't go.  Mom said she cried and cried and cried after we left.  Then Mom distracted her.

Nana: Let's go walk around the block.  
Allie:  Okay.
She settled down as they walked along the sidewalk.
Allie:  They're all over my neck!
Nana:  What is?
Allie:  My cryin' things!

Our Graduate

  

How time flies!  I can't even begin to understand how my sweet little Spencey is already graduating from preschool.  Here are a few pictures from the program tonight.

My Little '80s Aerobic Instructor

The other day Allie was at Target with me and I asked her to pick out some clips or bows for her hair.  She just had to have a multicolored pack of elasticy headbands.  It should have occurred to me that she would never wear them as intended!  These pictures were taken at the baseball game last night.  Several people told me she reminded them of the movie Flashdance!

Trying desperately to bring back the 80s!

Why would I keep it on my head?

Close enough!

Earlier this week I was invited to a Mother's Day Tea by my favorite 5 year old!  Isn't he sweet?

Mother's Day Tea

And Wednesday was spent with our good buddies Paul David and Judson, and of course their Mommy!  We always have soooooo much fun together.  Hope we get to hang out a lot this summer guys!

What a bunch!