Cuteness

I may be a little biased, but isn't Daphne going to be the cutest flower girl? Ever???

Shopping IKEA Style

When my parents were here, my Mom and I finally got to go off and do something that I have wanted to do since March 12th, 2008. Go see the new IKEA store!!! Before anyone harps about how ridiculous that sounds, you must understand that IKEA is not only a store but an experience. It's 344,000 square feet of coolness. It is 48 decorated rooms and 3 completely decorated homes (albeit very small). It is organization to the nth degree wedded with cool, chic style. This is now the 3rd IKEA I've been too - Pittsburg, Houston, and Cincinnati. I have their catalogs dating back a few years too (even though I can't buy stuff from the old ones). For a person who loves to pour through decorating magazines, go to home shows and watches HGTV religiously, IKEA is the mecca of housewares and ideas. Afterall, it's where a lot of the designers on the HGTV shows go shopping anyway. It makes me believe that even all the stuff we have amassed can be organized.

After 4 hours and a minor dent in the credit card, I walked out with a really cute table for Daphne (see the post where she's playing on the computer) a new cushion for our famous Poang chair (just like the one IKEA was giving away free on the day it opened in Cincinnati) to go with my new blue color scheme in the living room and organizers for our desk - which were actually requested by Kevin and some other cute and cool odds and ends. Now, I just have to put the labels on the all the organizers - thank you, Kim, for my awesome labelmaker.

So, IKEA, when are you going to come and decorate our home or just a room - I'd be happy with some help in the kitchen!

Ride, Sally, Ride

I was going to try and get a picture of Daphne riding her new bike. It's pink and purple and so girly and cute. It has streamers off the handlebars and a matching horn. Isn't that what every little girl would want? And it has training wheels and a handle for an adult to push her in the back. Well, this is how it went the other day...

Inside the house, I asked Daphne if she wanted to ride her bike. She said yes, we scrambled to get our shoes on (and to find the camera) and she ran to the door to go out. We walked out to the garage where her barrage of riding toys are - stroller, wagon, Cozy Coupe, doll stroller, toddler ride-on toy and yes, her BIKE. She heads straights for the doll stroller. I ask her again if she wants to ride the bike and she just goes about her way and pulls out the doll stroller. So, we start a walk with the doll stroller and she makes it down the driveway and onto our sidewalk for about 10 feet and then she looks up at me and asks, "bike?". So we turn around, head back on the sidewalk and up the driveway and put her doll stroller away. Then, she points to her bike and I pull it out and ask her "Do you want to ride it?" to which she shakes her head and starts walking down the driveway. I try to leave the bike in the garage, thinking that she may want to just walk. But no she won't walk unless I am pushing the bike. She keeps pointing to the bike, until I take it and follow her. You may think that's an easy thing to do, but the bike doesn't steer well unless you angle it so it's doing a pop-a-wheelie while you "drive" it. So I follow her and frequently ask Daphne, "Do you want to ride your bike?" to which she shakes her head and constantly points to various rocks and cracks and grasses and flowers and asks, "Whassat? Whassat? Whassat?" We walked our entire street with bike in my hand and Daphne walking. Good news though, the second day we did this, she hopped on the bike twice and rode it for about two sidewalks each time (that is - two sidewalk cement slabs) and then demanded "Up! Up!" It's a good thing I was out with Daphne and not Kevin because he won't pick her up now unless she says "Up, please!" I guess I give in too easily. And that's why there are no pictures of Daphne on her bike, yet.

Although Daphne is home for the summer with Kevin, she will be going back to "School" (daycare) in the fall when Kevin goes back to school. The daycare owner loves kids and really loves Daphne - maybe because they share a birthday. So, Daphne was invited back for the daycare's water days. Kevin and Daphne have gone twice and the daycare has posted pictures on their website. Kevin says she's a little timid about going up and down the slides but she is enjoying the pools. You can check out pictures of Daphne and Kevin on their website. http://www.tlcacademy.com/2008-07-11/index.html

And, yes, Kevin, you can critique this blog with its dangling participle and prepositions without objects and probably other poor grammar examples, but this is written in my words and you aren't my teacher! So, just enjoy.

Happy Birthday Daphne

2 Years of blond curly toddler giggles. And the best part is ice cream.

And Daphne playing on her laptop, just like her mommy.

Independence Day

A fun (and cold) trip up to Cleveland for July 4th. We got to see my parents and my brother and his family and even more family. Kera and Daphne had a great time together when they weren't taking each other's toys. How blessed I am to have a wonderful family.

And a prayer for Grandpa Sensel.....

Bathroom redo

So, having the wedding shower this past weekend, finally motivated me to finish up the bathroom. Well, not quite totally - I still have to paint the molding. Overall, it looks fantastic!!! I dug up this old picture of the bathroom from when we first moved into this house in 2004. Yucky blue flowered wallpaper (man, I despise wallpaper), peach sink and toilet, turquoise floor and mineral stain and rust in the sink and faucet. You could wash your hands while sitting on the toilet! What a novelty.

Before

Now, the colors actually match and there's crisp white beadboard and a new sink and toilet. At least now, you have to stretch a little if you want to wash your hands and sit on the toilet at the same time.


Apparently, I told my mom at that time that this bathroom would be the first room to get a facelift. Well, now it's been 4 years and 8 other rooms done before this one. I eat my words. This might be my most favorite makeover of all the rooms. Kevin and I did a lot of work on it, but the biggest thanks goes out to my Dad for all his expertise and hard work on putting it together. Thank you Dad!!!

In progress

Wedding Shower

For Kevin's Sister Kim! This past Sunday was Kim's shower. Janet and I had a lot of fun planning the shower and I think that Kim (and everyone else) had a lot of fun at it. In fact, it was so fun that I forgot to take a lot of pictures after everyone came. We had a Vegas theme - in light of Kim and Scott's honeymoon choice. We found the cutest favor boxes (although they aren't Vegas themed) and chocolate that looked like dice, playing cards and dice. We found gumball slot machines but it was too late to get them - I didn't realize there were so many options for Vegas-themed showers and weddings. And where are the pictures of Kim and her Grandma or Kim and her niece? Sometimes having a good camera doesn't mean I have a mind to get all the good pictures. I'll get some at the next shower.

Our weather has been a little out of sorts these last few days. I think we even hit a near-record low last night. And this means we can go outside and play and not sweat, which, by the way, I don't mind. Bring on the heat!!! But Kevin minds and so he was enjoying some time with Daphne. This picture is even more surprising because Daphne hurt her foot on Saturday and being the worried parent (not the smartest nurse), we took Daphne to have her toe x-rayed on Saturday. She had tripped on the floor, like she does quite frequently, not even 2 feet away from me. Next thing I knew, she was bleeding from a cut under her toe and wouldn't put any weight on her foot. Thank goodness it is just a bruise - no fracture. I don't want to be known as the person who breaks infant's legs or feet. (if you don't know the story, don't ask). She's doing much better now, but still likes to point out her boo-boo!