WHATS NEW….

Lots been going on in our family.  House projects, losing teeth, drawing class, and a new family member just to name a few.

We finally painted.  Or realistically finally found the color we both really liked.  Took forever and lots of samples.  The perfect grey is not that easy for us to find, too purple, too blue, too dark, too light, too brown oh what were we thinking.  Our living room now has its fourth and last, hallelujah, coat of paint.  I must say it looks great.  Being the cheepo I am I like to find the best deal or get the cheapest product.  I found after painting a few times lot that quality and higher priced paint and brushes are the way to go.  Lesson learned!  Valspar is the best paint we have found.  This color is granite dust.  Our goal was to have the house painted by the girls’ birthday.  We crushed our goal and completed it and more by 2/7/2015! 

We decided that our door needed to pop more.  We had left over red paint from when we bought our house (this is the same color as the exterior door color and some exterior molding).  We love how the three colors really compliment each other. 

Moving on…

oh these evil, but amazing,  25’ ceilings that have plagued us for 2 1/2 years unpainted and so gross brown/beige half painted walls.  Ahhh that’s better.  We also really like how Olaf (the name the girls gave Shawn’s elk skull) and the boards behind him look against the grey we have longed for. 

The girls’ craft area…

One of the many things I absolutely love about our house is the builder really used every possible nook and cranny.  This wall was just screaming for attention.  Initially I though some built ins would look really good.  But then I really liked the thought of how chalkboard paint would look.  I wanted to get magnet paint behind the chalkboard paint and get the girls some magnet words to help them put together sentences but I was hesitant how well the magnet paint would work.  Plus we already had some chalkboard paint from a previous project so it wasn’t an added expense for this look.  I knew I wanted to hang their art work, forbid I throw anything away, but didn’t want to spend the money for ikea wire and hooks.  So we improvised with small nails and string both of which we already had. Score!  I really love how it came together.  Again, not to sound like a broken record, I like the grey against the black.  On the other side of this half wall is a frame for the girls chores.  I implemented the chore list last week.  Its crazy how much they love it!  They come home from school and can not wait to check off what they have accomplished for the day.  Phew! Something worked.  Right now just marking the board is all the motivation they need.  I foresee rewarding them with stickers, playing at the park, or even spending money will be in our future.  Whatever works though Shawn and I really want them to know life isn’t just going to come to you, what you want you have to go get it! 

Shawn and I wanted to continue with the rustic chic look in our house.  I came up with the idea of putting pallet wood above our cabinets.  Love how it turned out!  Side note taking pallets apart was a lot harder than we thought. 

closer look

Meet Charlie

We had a tortoise from Shawn’s parents that they found in their yard, the girls named him Tiny Tim.  Shawn is convinced a bird came and snatched him out of our yard, how sad!  Either way Shawn being the farm boy he is (he wants to grow corn and have chickens,cows, and pigs.. you name it he wants it)  and Adisyn crying because she missed her turtle. Day after super bowl we’re searching for a turtle.  We found Charlie and surprised the girls when they came home from school.  All Shawn had to say was “girls we have a surprise for you in the backyard”  they knew it was a turtle.  The girls threw some names around and we they came up with Charlie. 

Quote from Ava…

Mom: “your nails grow so fast”  Ava: “ that’s because I water them”.  May be biased but they are just the cutest twins ever!

The tooth fairy is going to go broke in this house not only from the tremendous amount of food they consume.  Ava has lost three teeth and Adisyn has lost two.

I found some really cute pillows from Etsy.  They love them!

Welcoming 2015

As the New Year approaches I always have mixed feelings.  Happy and sad.  2014 brought us some difficult challenges so I am happy to see it go!  To welcome 2015 we hung out at home yet again and I’m okay with it!  We made our traditional surf and turf meal.  It was delicious as usual.  We enjoyed our dinner, played with sparklers and sound makers then relaxed on the couch.  I wake to find we all four fell asleep.  I picked up my phone and it was 11:59.  I woke Shawn and showed him my phone just as it struck midnight.  We kissed and then went to bed.  On New Years Day we had our champagne toast.  Better late than never! 

Later that day as I was browsing social media and the girls couldn’t help but get excited to see all the snow up north.  Shawn and the girls convinced us to take an impromptu trip to the cabin.  We headed up Friday after Shawn got off work.  As we reached the canyon the sign read chains or 4x4 recommended.  We had no idea what we were in store for.  Surprisingly it wasn't bad at all.  It was the cutest thing to see the girls light up with excitement once they started to see patches of snow.  What a breathtaking view it was.  Finally we made it the cabin and we bundled up and headed to play in the snow.  The kids couldn’t get enough of it.  We had such a great time hanging out together.  The last time the girls were in snow was two years ago.  They said they didn’t remember so snow days will hopefully be apart of a yearly memory for them from now on. 

 

Sadly these are the only photos we have to remember the trip.  Right after I downloaded and deleted what photos we had our laptop died. 

So excited to see what 2015 brings us!

Remembering 2014

Here are a few of my favorite memories…

Girls Turn 5

San Diego

Disneyland  

Fossil Creek

Natural Bridge

Girls start Kindergarten

Easter

4th Of July

Halloween

Thanksgiving

The Polar Express

Christmas

CHRISTMAS VIDEO

3 from Shannon DeLeon on Vimeo.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Like years past we were consistent with some of our Holiday traditions.  Visiting Santa at Bass Pro, gingerbread house, cookies, and time with family and friends.  The girls were more excited this year than they have ever been.  They made some of the cutest ornaments at school and were easily persuaded to behave because Mr. C knows when your naughty or nice.  They made this Christmas the best yet for me personally. 

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

COOKIES

The day had arrived, one that so many look forward to.  Shawn’s Parents annual Christmas Eve party.  Seemed to be smaller attendance this year but still such a great time.  We got to meet the newest member to the family, Scarlett.  We also played some games and received gag gifts from Santa.

Shawn and I were surprised to see that Santa and his reindeer Abby ate All of the cookies and carrots. 

CHRISTMAS DAY

Of course the girls were beyond spoiled.  Here’s a photo after Santa arrived.

Tons and tons of Frozen stuff

Before the girls started their Christmas break from school we gave them some money to buy presents from school.  Adisyn picked out this deer statue for Shawn.  So cute! I got a few rings and a marker and we both got handmade ornaments. 

Christmas morning we enjoyed Sleepin in omelets with side of bacon and then headed my Parents’ house.   

The girls were lucky enough to get these doll houses.  They LOVE IT!!!

Brock got this train set.

Then it was onto Stacy and Dylan’s house for dinner.

After dinner and more fun and presents we made our way to Shawn’s parents to open even more presents. 

The day after we spent some time cleaning up what looked like a small tornado that came through.  The girls played with their favorites Barbie's, doll house, frozen dolls, and their “pad” from Nana and Papa.