www.LORIENDEVON.blogspot.com

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2012-03-12T09:17:00.005-04:00

Anatomy and Physiology...

It's a class I've always wanted to try, so this semester I loaded my- haven't taken a college course, cracked a text book or taken an exam in 10years- self in my minivan and signed up for it! And surprisingly enough, I'm loving it! Next week, when we get back from our Spring break, a meeting with Mr.Cadaver is on the schedule. Good times.

Not sure how soon I'll be able to put all this knowledge to use, but I would love to point out your sternocleidomastoid. Tell you how to spell it, even. Because incorrect spelling deducts half a point- wouldn't want that!

{images from pinterest}

If you ever wonder what I'm doing between the hours of 8:00-11:00p.m.{oh, and I know you do:)}, while my little people are snoozing soundly under their covers. Imagine this Mama reading, highlighting and cramming information in. With an occasional smile, because..."What would you do if you knew that you could not fail?" It's all about the doing and attempting new adventures this semester, my friends.

Hope you all are well,

December 22nd...

2011-12-23T19:37:00.000-05:00

Sounds like a perfect date to begin ripping into all those presents, don't ya think? Well, these kids sure didn't need any convincing. C'mon already!

Wait! First we need to sing some Christmas carols and Papa must read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2, but not until we find him a LARGE print Bible and his glasses.

We're all listening, Dad.

Well, most of us are anyway...

But there are those fantasy football numbers to check, right Tom? Here is a little video. Just remember, I cannot be held responsible for whatever damage is done by watching him do whatever it is he is doing to his wife's arm at the end of this clip.

Hahaha.

Presents were exchanged

Some gifts looked better on certain people

Than others...

Uncle Dana and Aunt Molly made sure to get in on the present action even though they were spending Christmas in paradise {Catalina} without us.

{Molly made that owl. Isn't it adorable}

And they sent us this huge, inflatable ball that the kids climb into and cause all kinds of mischief and damage! And damage is pretty much what they've been causing all day.

Thanks, I think;)

Granny completed her gift by taking us all to see Arthur Christmas at the movie theater. Fun times! And more to come, for sure.

Christmas: from our home to yours

2011-12-23T10:20:00.000-05:00

You may or may not know that my beloved camera was stolen out of our car on Thanksgiving morning. Stink! I was bummed. so very, very bummed:( I've been hoping that it would miraculously reappear, along with the thief begging for my forgiveness. But this has yet to happen, so I'm left to reluctantly snapping photos on my iPhone as we go through this Christmas season. Not the same, I'm afraid, but a memory saved. And that's good enough for me.

We spent the evenings project{ing}, baking, sipping hot cocoa from our favorite Santa mugs, and watching Christmas movies.

Little {but clean} fingers helped to make puppy chow, peppermint bark, and toffee for those we love and are thankful for this Christmas season. Yumm!

Gifts are beginning to "pop-up" throughout the house

{Ben made this for me out of reclaimed crate wood}

and collect under the tree,

but this holiday season we are especially grateful for each of our friends- both near and far.

{Can you find your card?}

And striving daily to remember the greatest GIFT of all...

The kids play with this nativity set often, and it appears at the moment as if baby Jesus is missing! I'll get right on that:)

Merry Christmas, Friends

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2011-11-11T13:49:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday, Papa Bahl!!!

My sister had the brilliant idea to throw an impromptu birthday party at 11:11a.m. on 11-11-11 in honor of our dad who died when we were young. Dad would have been 58 years old today.

I think about him often, wonder if I'm like him in any way. Curious as to whether or not his hair would have turned white like his dad's did.

Brennen asked me today if I knew what genes he got from his Papa Bahl:) Ummm, I guess this is a question one should expect when anatomy and physiology was the topic of science last year. I said I wasn't quite sure, but that he was a handsome man.

We lit sparklers, sang happy birthday to the sky at the top of our lungs, and ate molten chocolate cupcakes. We're a crazy bunch, but I think he already knew that:)

Mom tells us that dad was a hairy man who could easily grow a mustache at a moments notice. She said that he would leave on a trip with his facial hair one way and come home days later sporting a whole new look. Much to the delight of his young children, I'm sure.

Love you Daddy...I hope we are making you proud.

The past two months in 10 pictures...

2011-10-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Do You think I can do it? Actually sum up the craziness that has stretched over the start of the school year and beyond in ten pictures? Well, I'll give it a shot.

Family parties! Yep, we're still having them and savoring every bite!

Choosing the newest member of the family, Titus.

Smothering Aunt Molly with some niece/nephew lovin'

Apple picking with Nana and Pops in the mountains of Charlottesville

Field trip to the Frontier Culture Museum to live like colonist for a day.

Tour of Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello.

We had our very own guide on our tour of the gardens. She loved the kids and let them sample some of Jefferson's favorite veggies.

And the trip would not have been complete without a taste of "Monticello Root Beer"

It looks like it took me 12 pictures, but I'm thinking you'll forgive me:)

We are finally finding a school year groove and our daily schedule is falling into place nicely. I stay busy. But busy is good, I guess. Striving daily to be thankful for the time God has given me with my little people.

"Enjoy the little things in life... for one day you'll look back and realize they were the BIG things." ~Brault

Hope you are all well, my friends

Family Pictures 2011

2011-09-18T21:20:00.000-04:00

Forgive me for posting too many pictures {is that even possible?}. This Mama had the hardest time narrowing it down to just a few, so please let me share my favorites with you. We will start with the group shots.

{This one cracks me up}

Now... The boys

{Tate}

{Tilden}

{Brennen}

{Happiness: My three loves}

The Girl-Girl...

Some of just us~

{All because two people fell in LOVE...}

{Ben says it looks like we sent the kids to the time out bench while we smooched on the blanket. Haha}

Thank you, Chani, for so beautifully capturing this time in our lives for us to look back on and remember. We truly have so much to be grateful for, and I am.

2011/2012 School Year

2011-09-05T19:26:00.001-04:00

K-5

Our official school year starts in full tomorrow morning. In addition to the basics taught at home {by yours truly}, the kids attend a co-op once a week for Science and American History. The big boys will continue taking cello lessons and begin a Spanish class next week. All four of the kids will play soccer this fall and participate in AWANA. Whew! I'll be one busy mommy, *but I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing, so bring it on!

Yes, these pictures are from our family photo shoot, and I'm anxious to share the rest with you. Check back later this week. Until then, I'll give you a sneak peek at my favorite family shot. Since I like ya:)

Awww! Thank you Chani for making us look lovely and put together.

*Unfortunately, laying on the beach all day is not really an option:(

The new and improved Lorien Devon...

2011-08-12T08:38:00.001-04:00

{Yay!}

A blog face lift! Isn't she lovely?

Thank you L.C. graphic design for giving my blog a fresh new look. Lauren was a pleasure to work with, and she even assured me {more than once} that I was not making her crazy with my countless requests and indecisiveness. Maybe I was, but she's just too sweet to tell me the truth. Probably.

AND...I just scheduled a family photo session with my sister this Sunday. That means fun and exciting pictures of the kids will be coming soon! Yahoo! Ben and I are still trying to figure out a way to have family pictures taken without the two of us in them. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.

Oh, and if you read my blog you should "follow" me, 'cause then I'll know that you do and it will make me happy:)

Help!

2011-08-09T21:18:00.007-04:00

I am swimming in the sea of curriculum choices for our 2011-2012 school year. Please send in reinforcements. Here is a sneak peek at my rough draft. And for those of you who care {other homeschooling mamas}, I'll post the finalized list later this week. Because I'm giving myself a deadline and decisions must be made. The end:)

School room redo...

2011-08-04T12:17:00.002-04:00

Ok. I have four children to teach this year. Wait! Let's all have a moment of silence, take a deep breath, and repeat after me...I can do all thing through Christ. Thank you. So, yeah, while this whole homeschooling thing is the real deal and difficult at times, Ben and I feel strongly that this is what God has called our family to do this year. So with happiness in my heart, I'm preparing our family and home for the year ahead.

B and T are starting 4th grade. {Don't even get me going on how impossible it is that my babies are in 4th grade already} Tate is a 1st grader and Lane will officially start K-5. That's a lot of learning going on, to say the least! So one sunny morning, I woke up and cheerfully announced to my loving husband of 13 years that the "only" way his crazy wife would survive the year ahead was if he knocked down a wall. Ummm, excuse me? What!?! Don't get me wrong, Ben is always up for knocking down a wall or two and is rarely shocked by the ramblings of a crazy woman {me}; he just didn't know that's how he would be spending his day off. Change of plans, baby:)

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore that man? Well, I do. And here is a look at the work in progress around the Puckett homestead.

The doorway into the room before. Yes, I realize that my 9 year old spelled his name incorrectly. When I called him on it, he said he was running out of room and something had to go; he thought the second N was his best choice. Ha. This room was basically useless before, and more often than not we would close the doors completely. Not anymore!

{*My parents have lost their minds completely*}

See... Great idea! Looks good, right? I'm not really crazy am I?

We still have lots of work to do, but here is where we are at.

I fell in love with this light, brought it home and here is what happened when we {Ben} installed it and turned it on.

Ha! Our very own big tent circus, without ever leaving home. I'm still loving the light, though. I'll be covering the inside of the slats with some sort of heat resistant paper/fabric and all will be well.

{Built in desk. We are going turn the wall behind the desk into a large cork board for display of artwork by the kiddos}

{our principal: always keeping his eye on us}

{Outdoor lighting, indoors. My fav}

{a well organized closet. My second fav}

{Piles of curriculum and running magazines mocking my name. Not my fav, but I'm working on it}

View into the second half of our school room. It would be impossible for me to teach without a couch and coffee table nearby. I am typically perched right there with a book in my hands and a child or two or three right next to me reading. The thing I love most about homeschooling.

{and look! No chords. Hidden within the drawers are all things ugly: Wii, DVD player, remotes, controllers and other such nonsense}

So there you have it. A little tour of our school room redo journey to this point. I'll try to post pics as we get more work done. But until then we have a few more weeks of summer to capture and enjoy.

My baby turns FIVE!!!

2011-07-26T10:26:00.001-04:00

{A whole hand of fingers proudly held high in the air}

If you know my Lane you know she is a piece of work, our little firecracker. So with this in mind, when we saw the 4th of July fireworks cookies on the MS living magazine cover, we knew that would have to be the design for her birthday cookies. With a slight color adjustment requested by the birthday girl herself~ pink, purple and teal~ of course.

At her 5th b-day celebration Aunt CC braved the heat, not to mention the dangers of fireworks in the hands of children under the age of 10, to give the kids a little firework show of their own.

{Chani won the "fun mom of the night" award}

We love our Girl-Girl more than words can express. She has brought pink and spunk into our world. She spends her summer days rotating through a wardrobe of bathing suits and pajamas, always sporting a somewhat messy ponytail on the side of her head and a perpetual glimmer in her eyes that makes you wonder what she will come up with next. The day I became "Mommy" to this little girl was a day I always longed for and will forever cherish.

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, my sweet.

Year in Photos~ Week 24,25,26 & 27

2011-07-07T22:54:00.004-04:00

So if at this point you are still checking my blog to see if I've added anything fresh and new, then you are either related to me or like me a whole lot, and for that I thank you. Sorry for my absence, but this whole summer thing is really throwing my schedule for a loop and I'm still trying, with little success, to figure out my days.

WEEK 24 of 2011...

My Mom's sister, Aunt Nisa, came into town for a visit with her son, daughter, daughter-in-law and adorable granddaughter. And in typical fashion, we threw a party including great food

{Doug's bacon wrapped scallops. Yumm}

and a hefty dose of kid chaos.

{hee hee;) she really was a perfect baby; I think she just wanted out of the chair}

{I took 20 pictures that night and didn't get a single shot of all of them looking in the same direction, much less at me}

We love you guys and are so happy you took the time to come out and see us.

WEEK 25 of 2011...

I spent the week shopping and packing so my family of six could go on a week long vacation to Chicago... WITHOUT a washing machine. Guess what I was doing on Week 27 after returning home from said washing-machine-free vacation? You guessed it!

WEEK 27 in 2011...

Was spent with me trying desperately to return my laundry room to its before vacation condition.

There it is, folks. A glimpse into what I've been doing with myself ALL week. A for real shot of my laundry room on this Thursday night. Riveting, I'm sure. But trust me when I tell you this is a major improvement from how it looked when two huge suitcases filled with dirty clothes were dumped on the floor late Saturday night.

The laundry is never really done around here, only maintained. I'm a laundry maintainer, it's what I do.

WEEK 26 in 2011...

We had a fantastic time in Chicago, and I hope to get up more pics before too long. In the meantime, I'm remembering my greatest joy of the trip: wrapping my arms around the neck of my sweet, 95 year old great grandma.

{Isn't she adorable?}

{The kids with their great-great grandma}

You never know how many chances you'll have for times like these and I cherished the moments we had together.

Funny story~ As I was leaning down with a smile on my face to hug great gma one last time before leaving, she looked up at me and said, "you have dimples." My Aunt Terri, who was standing beside me said, "Well, yes." "She's had them all her life." "Don't you remember?" With a mischievous glimmer in her eyes, my great gma said, "I remember them on her cheeks, just not those cheeks!" hahaha;) I laughingly assured her that THOSE dimples were still with me as well. Love it!

Happy Graduation Day, Anna!

2011-06-17T09:33:00.002-04:00

My niece graduated from high school and just received her cosmetology license. In celebration of her big day my sis in law and I put together a yummy dessert buffet, 'cause we loves her. Anna is a sweetheart, every room is brighter with her in it, and I can't wait to see what wonderful things God has planned for her future.

{Thank you Darla for making the lovely food cards}

{a chocolate fountain: messy, but oh so good}

{A raspberry almond ruffle cake-I've been needing an excuse to try out this design}

{Molly whipped up an amazing flag banner}

{My sis who just started her own senior portrait business took these stunning shots of Anna}

As you can see, it took a group effort to pull off, but I think it turned out lovely. And by the looks of things, I would say that all our friends enjoyed it.

Wouldn't you agree?

We love you Anna Girl...

Year in Photos~ Week #23

2011-06-14T09:52:00.002-04:00

Yep, that's about it people. A pile of library books is all I have to show for my 23rd week in 2011. Not that a trip to the library is all we accomplished, I'm sure there was something else noteworthy happening... I just can't remember it. Ben started a new job last week, so that meant day shifts and odd evening shifts for daddy. Lane spiked a fever and the boys were stuffy from a mild cold. Fun times.

AND

I'm having a terrible time trying to figure out our summer schedule. Slowing down from the constant busy and productivity of our school days is throwing me for a loop. I'll get it eventually. But until then we are READING around the Puckett house. My goal this summer is for my always active, I'd rather play outside boys to learn to LOVE books. Tate will continue on his reading journey, and I hope to get a jump start on K5 and teach Lane to read this summer along with the brothers. Wish me luck.

I have other summer goals as well; becoming reacquainted with my long lost friend is on the top of my list.

My friend makes me a hot, sticky, sweaty mess, and honestly I'd rather not pursue this relationship. however...I must! I think you get the point;)

My niece is graduating from high school this week and I've been on a baking spree preparing a little something special for her party. Check back later this week for pics. It should be fun.

Year in Photos~ Week #22

2011-06-08T08:36:00.002-04:00

Summer swim league started this week, and the kids are beyond excited. So is mommy, 'cause the pool is a great way to get out all the energy that seems to be taking over our summer days. Here they are pulling one more stunt before loading in the car to swim.

These four fill my days with crazy, chaos and noise, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Mostly;)

Happy 6th Birthday, Tate!

2011-06-03T09:18:00.002-04:00

To celebrate we took a BOY day trip to Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore with our two favorite cousins. We went to pick up Drew, and Lane burst into tears because she did NOT want to play at the beach all day with "stinky boys." Her over dramatic ways paid off; Chani took pity on her and her tear stained cheeks and let little miss stay and hang out with the girls for the afternoon. Oh, the drama!

Our day was filled with collecting treasures, swimming, climbing rocks and a minor foot wound.

{sorry, Buddy} :(

Tate is the best. He always adds a bit of joy, laughter and sunshine to our days. And not only is he six now, he has also just lost his very first tooth. And in our house, when you lose your first tooth, the tooth fairy makes a special guest appearance to congratulate you in person.

We love you Tate-Tate and are so very glad God gave us YOU!

Year in Photos~ Week #21

2011-06-01T12:29:00.001-04:00

Memorial Day work party at Uncle Dana and Aunt Molly's house.

They both tell us they are leaving next month, moving ALL the way to Tennessee. With the baby. None of us believe them, but we'll help them get their house market ready in spite of our denial. Reluctantly.

What are we going to do without our Molly and Dana around? Who is going to make all the phone calls for family parties? Who is going to keep Mom and Dad in line?;) Who is going to fact check all the made up information we throw out continuously? And they are insisting on taking little Zeke with them. Who is going to light up our days with their bright blue eyes, curly hair and toothless grins? *sniff, sniff* Oh, we are going to miss those guys intensely. Good thing they have promised us a plane trip home to visit at least once a month. Right? Right? Before I go and get all sentimental {let's save that for another time, ok}, I'll show you a few more shots of family fun.

{Kali and a slight wardrobe malfunction}

{Hannah sweeping off the branches left after the storm}

Hope you all are well, my friends.

Year in Photos~ Week #20

2011-05-27T10:44:00.001-04:00

I realize this week is pretty much over and I have not yet posted last weeks photos, but I'm feeling confident that I have a good excuse this time. We had a terrible storm hit Tuesday afternoon that left us without power until Thursday morning. And as much as I hate to admit it, the absolute WORST part of losing power was going without my morning cup of coffee. Pathetic, I'm sure, but it's true. I was dying. I know Starbucks is right up the street, but without my coffee I didn't have the energy to load four kids in the car, drive, unload four kids and wait in a crowded coffee shop.

Eventually, I called my sis-in-law in a no caffeine induced panic. She saved the day and had a pot waiting for me at her place Wednesday afternoon. She also let all six of us take hot showers, and we were feeling human-like in no time.

This weekend (before the power outage) Ben's Grandma and Aunt came to visit from Idaho. We haven't seen them for many, many years, so our time together was cherished.

We had an 80th birthday celebration for Grandma complete with swing dancing instructions from our friends, Lauren and Jed Rieke. You'll notice I'm taking pictures, NOT dancing. Ahem.

We ended the evening with a little cello duet action from two barefoot great grandsons...

And her four grandchildren sang a beautiful song in church Sunday morning. Grandma told us more than once how touching and special that was for her to hear.

Sunday lunch was followed by family photos and never ending, crazy antics of young boys.

Puckett Family 2011

Strawberry time!

2011-05-19T19:36:00.001-04:00

We took a much needed escape away from all the testing and end of the year crazy to go out to Pungo and pick ourselves a mere 42 pounds of strawberry goodness. Apparently, we got a bit carried away with the whole picking thing. Who knew that turning 2 adults and 4 children loose in the field would result in 42 lbs. in less that 40 minutes. Give or take the 2+ lbs. consumed while picking. But who's counting, right?

We made 5 batches of freezer jam, packaged some to share with neighbors and family, and sliced the rest to store in Ziplocs and freeze for smoothies later in the year. Yummm!

And today while scanning recipes, I just so happened to stumble across chocolate-strawberry thumbprints. I couldn't stop myself; I whipped up a batch right then and there. Don't judge. You know you would have done the same thing:)

I have plans this weekend involving strawberry cupcakes of some kind for Ben's grandma's 80th birthday celebration, so if we're all looking a bit "pinkish" I think you'll understand why.

2011-05-18T14:44:00.001-04:00

This is why I have been a bad blogger lately...

Please forgive me. My life should return to its normal state(whatever that is) shortly:) Hope you all are well.

Year in Photos~ Week #19

2011-05-17T08:27:00.001-04:00

We did it! We finished another year of school-3rd grade and Kindergarten are complete. Yahoo! No, really. Can you hear the excitement in this homeschooling Mama's voice? Yahoo!!!!:)

{co-op friends}

And we took a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg to celebrate all our hard work.

{Brennen}

{Tilden}

Tip of the day

2011-05-11T09:28:00.002-04:00

If you need to wrap the cookies you made for the teachers who taught your children, but you have no time or energy left in your day to run to the store and buy the fancy, clear bags made for the job. Just do what I did and improvise. You'll be happy you did.

Take a clear storage bag and hack off the top.

{best cookies ever}

See. Works perfectly. I don't think their teachers will ever know that I was being lazy and took the easy way out, do you? I hope the extra large GLAD across the top doesn't give it away. Haha. Maybe I should go back now and cut it off? Okay, you talked me into it; I think I will:)

All packaged and ready to go out to the co-op teachers who loved on and taught my children this year. What a special group of ladies. I couldn't have done it without them.

Year in Photos~ Week #18

2011-05-10T20:37:00.001-04:00

Okay, so this might just be the longest year in photos post yet, but we had a super busy weekend. Friday night the boys played in their first ever cello recital. To begin with, I need to apologize for not having any pics of the boys actually playing the cello. I used the video mode on my camera hoping to capture it on video rather than in photos. Big mistake. It came out a blurry mess. Apparently being able to snap photos does NOT qualify one to take video. Sorry guys. They did a terrific job, but I guess you'll have to take my somewhat biased word for it:)

{here they are with their cousin Chad, who also played that night, convincing me that they are ready}

{a shot with their teacher, Mike Daniels, after the recital was over. Can you see the relief on their faces?}

{Just some of the cheering section}

And on Mother's Day my boys were baptized. What a gift that was to this Mama's heart.

{Brennen}

{Tilden}

Ben is leading the group in the song When He Cometh.

Little children, little children

who love their Redeemer,

Are the jewels, precious jewels,

His loved and His own.

Two young men declaring to the world that they are followers of Christ. I couldn't have received a better gift this Mother's Day. May you always remember this big day, my boys.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom...

2011-05-08T16:29:00.001-04:00

Just one of the many reasons why my mom is

GREAT!!!

Thank you mom for all the meals you have cooked, strangers you have loved, creativity you have sparked, and the example of Christ you have been to your children and your children's children.

We love you

Living room makeover for around $130.00

2011-05-02T11:40:00.002-04:00

Our living room has desperately needed attention for some time now. The problem was just that~ TIME. But this past week I decided to tackle the task by rearranging furniture and accessories I already had in my home. Read: spend little money.

I knew I could do it, but I also knew I had to take my WHITE chairs out of their safe haven (my bedroom) and subject them to the sticky, dirty hands of my four children. Shudder.

As soon as I put the chairs in place in the living room, I knew that oxi clean and I would become fast friends over the next few years. 'Cause I love having them out where they can be used and I can stare at 'em all day long. Truly, as lovely as they were in my room, I never really sat in them. Who has the time? And the children and I are already having lessons on how NOT to touch the chairs every time we walk by. Bribery may or may not be involved:)

Okay, so it all started with the purchase of three dressers from my sister. I'm not really adding this purchase into the room total, because I only used one of the dressers in the living room. The other two were badly needed in other areas of the house. Rationalizing? Probably.

{This dresser is painted and now living in Lane's room}

{living room dresser being painted}

{finished}

Next, I painted a black cabinet we purchased years ago in the AS-IS section of our favorite store. If you look closely, you will see that it is missing a glass panel on the side, and has been for ummm... probably 5+ years. Embarrassing. We're working on it.

{almost finished~it still needs glass, hardware, and scraping}

Years ago my mom gave me a round table from my childhood that we have incorporated into the room. I still remember eating oatmeal at this table when I was seven. You know, about 20 years ago. Ahem.

{Table top mid sanding}

{sanding the base}

{finished table}

{$10.00 for the plant-hope I don't kill it}

{mirror I previously had in the room- I popped out the oval mirror and painted it white}

{Ben made the bench for my kitchen table. I'll probably have to move it back eventually, but for now I'm lovin' it here}

{Succulents on the coffee table-$20.00}

{two awesome stools dad found in the trash- Free!}

{8x11 herringbone jute rug $99.00}

With a little white paint, hard work and a bit of cash we now have a living room that feels welcoming and complete, like a breath of fresh air when I walk into the room. I wonder if we will now be able to move people out of the kitchen and into the living room when we have a party. I'm not betting on it, but if we can, they better wash their hands first!:)

Year in Photos~ Week # 17

2011-05-01T22:14:00.001-04:00

{David Bahl born April 25, 2011}

Happy 34th Birthday Week, Ben...

All together now~ Deep breath

and Blow!!!:)

He's Here!

2011-04-29T18:29:00.000-04:00

David James Bahl was born on Easter Sunday at 10:42am, weighing in at a hefty 9 lbs. and 22 inches long. He made his grand entrance at such a speed that the family couldn't make it to the hospital in time, and only mommy and daddy were able to witness his birth. This made for a sad group of aunts, but we were grateful for a quick and safe delivery and have already forgiven him for it. Mostly:)

Dee was a trooper, laboring much of the time at home and only spending 45 short minutes in the midwifery center before birthing a N.I.N.E pound baby without any pain medication. That's right. Tiny Dee Bahl gave birth to a nine pound baby! Amazing.

We have all had a chance to meet him and have fallen completely in love.

I think you can see why...

{Dee says he has a little hair swirl just like his daddy}

Congratulations Doug and Dee. We love you and your sweet family.

Bounce House Fun

2011-04-27T10:27:00.000-04:00

Lydia

Tilden

Brennen

Elijah

Kara

Tate

Drew

Lane

Grateful for the joys of growing up with cousins.

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

Easter morning was a whirlwind of crazy. Around 8:30ish, right after opening our baskets, we received THE call we had been waiting for. My sister-in-law, Dee, was in LABOR!

Don't worry, I'm working on the post of sweet baby David, but wanted to get out a few pictures of the kids in all of their Easter loveliness. Because I know you care, right?:)

That's it! Not a single picture of the entire family together. Ben was off singing and preparing for the morning worship service,

while I was wrangling the kiddos and anxiously checking my phone for word on Dee's progress. More on that to come...

Hope you all had a terrific Easter weekend.

Lori:)

Year in Photos~ Week #16

2011-04-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

Easter 2011

Before and After

2011-04-21T18:13:00.003-04:00

My personal shopper, Chani, went to the thrift store, spotted a mirror perfect for my bedroom, sent a picture text to confirm my interest in spending $24.98 for said mirror, and delivered it to my home all within a few short hours. Score. I could get used to shopping this way.

The mirror was a tacky shade of metallic gold, but the shape is just right, don't ya think?

Next day, feeling cooped up and needing out, I decided to take a shopping trip of my own to see what treasures I could find.

I came home with two picture frames for the bargain price of $.75 each. One to replace the frame on my picture wall that has already crashed to the ground and another to paint and have on standby for when the next one falls. Because we all know it's bound to happen eventually.

I also found this neat bottle for $3.98, marked down from $6.98. Not sure why I feel the need to tell you the price, but I do. Maybe y'all enjoy a deal, too?

{it says~absolutely pure milk: the milk protector}

With the help of a good scrub and a bit of white paint...

the after

For those of you wondering about the two mirrors I painted dark gray last week~ don't worry. I still have them. Little stays the same for too long around here.

I've fallen in love with this mirror, though. I think I'll keep her.

In other news, we are still "patiently" waiting on little David Bahl to make his grand entrance into the world. Our family nurse is working tonight, so crossing our fingers.

Contraction watch...

2011-04-18T15:49:00.000-04:00

Baby boy #3 of 2011 was due on Saturday, so the family decided we all needed to get together and stare at Dee, you know, to help get things moving along and put her into labor. Sorry to report that staring doesn't work. We tried.

However, I was able to snap a few last photos of that glorious baby belly.

And a few shots of what it takes to maintain that belly;)

It is important to note that none of the above photos were in any way staged. I glanced over and saw her working on her THIRD cupcake and ran to grab my camera. We all got a good chuckle out of it, but only because Dee is all of 100 lbs. when not pregnant. We love that girl! Truly, Dee is a gift, perfect for my brother in every way, and we are grateful to have her as a part of our family.

There they are, ready to become the parents of 3. I can't explain it thoroughly, but knowing that my brother will soon be "daddy" to a little BOY has me all sentimental. A boy who will carry the name of our father who passed away when we were young. David Bahl. I can't wait to meet him, see his little face, kiss his pouchy lips.

Any day now...I sleep with the phone by my bed and my camera battery charged.

A Year in Photos~ Week # 15

2011-04-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

Happy 60th Birthday, Pops!

Bedroom remodel~ complete

2011-04-15T22:23:00.002-04:00

It all started with two chairs, two hideously ugly chairs that I decided to take a chance on and recover in WHITE fabric. My sister in law at the industrial cottage did an amazing job recovering them, and the second they were placed in my bedroom I knew that the entire room needed to become white as well. Peaceful, tranquil white.

{I love, love, love the chairs. Thank you Molly}

Ben and I have been slaving away this week, trying desperately to finish the bedroom so we can move on with our lives:) After almost three months of work we are D.O.N.E. with both the master bedroom and bathroom. Yahoo! If you need a reminder of the painful journey you can see the before here.

My job this week has been to put together a picture wall. Weeks ago when Ben built my treadmill closet, it left us with a huge, blank wall directly in front of our bed. Lovely. He suggested that I fill it with family pictures as a way to remember those we love. Sounds easy enough, right? Well... sorting through old photos, painting frames, and placing items on the wall ended up turning into quite the task. But the end results brings tears to my eyes, because each and every picture is far too special to keep hidden in a box.

My baby girl in her ballerina skirt, 2 shots of sister love, and an old turn buckle we stole from our papa's shed to help us remember.

A picture of my father who died when I was three, and under that my big sister with her arm around me at Christmas time, in the box, a photo of my grandma as a cheerleader and my grandpa in his football uniform taken when they were still in high school ~ Each photo is priceless and cherished.

I could go on and on about each and every one of the pictures, but I'm sure you want to see the rest of the room because I worked really, really hard on it, right? Thanks;)

{Treadmill closet}

{Middle section}

{sliding closet door}

{walk in closet}

{My sister in law, Dee, painted this for my bathroom, but it was too beautiful to put where it wouldn't be seen. That's it above the dresser in the next shot}

There you have it, friends. A garage turned bathroom/bedroom right before your eyes. Mr. LORIENDEVON says we're done with projects for a while. And if you know Ben, you know a while means at least a few days:) Thanks for following along.

A Year in Photos~ Week #14

2011-04-11T09:17:00.000-04:00

A weekend of parties surrounded by FOOD, mountains of delicious food...

{Susi party}

{Happy Birthday Teresa party}

I'm beginning to see a trend. It would seem as if there's an abundance of eating and project"ing" going on in my life thus far in 2011. Hopefully, I'll be able to post a few photos of newborn bliss before too long. My sister in law, Dee, is due with her first SON this very week. EEEEKKKK! So exciting.

Lori:)

Project Day

2011-04-07T20:47:00.001-04:00

I needed a mirror for over the dresser in our newly renovated, almost done bedroom (yay!), and I needed it to be free or nearly free. You see, around the Puckett house we are in what we like to call no spend April, which is kinda turning into spend less April, but who's counting anyway, right? Ha. I kid. After finishing the bathroom and bedroom remodel and adding up the countless receipts, we decided it was time to STOP paying Lowes every penny we earn.

So to the local thrift store I went in search of a deal. I found these two little beauties stacked against a back wall, totally neglected, and not living up to their full mirror potential. I took pity on them and purchased each for the bargain price of $8.98. Oh yeah.

As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing a little paint can't make better. Perfect example right here, don't ya think? After a fresh coat of paint, the mirrors were looking quite lovely, but they still needed something. I remembered that I had a sample size amount of blueish paint that might just make that center portion stand out a bit more.

Taking full advantage of today's gorgeous spring weather, I rallied the kids together for "art class" outside, and we all painted away. I worked on the mirrors, while they experimented with thumbprint drawing. Can you tell from the picture that's what they're doing? Don't worry, neither could I. That's why I told ya.

Beautiful! We took them inside, and I must say that they fit right in and are perfect for the space. All for under $20.00! On second thought, I just might be able to survive spend less April after all;)

I'll leave you with a shot of me and my love~ taken when we were both still in high school, 11th grade. Look at the two of us in that smaller picture; we were just babies! I loved him then, but I love him so much more today.

Evening Fun

2011-04-05T08:50:00.000-04:00

Four baths later. They were each smelling of Suave's splashing apple toss 3 in 1, the body wash we have used to scrub away the kid dirt for years around here. The smell I will forever associate with their childhood.

She put on her "daddy's flower girl" jammies, the ones Nana gave her for Christmas two years ago that somehow still seem to fit. I knew I needed to capture the moment. Hold it close. I did what any mama with a camera and a bad memory would do: we had ourselves a photo shoot.

Apparently, this is how she thought one should stand during a photo shoot. Watch out Gisele, she's coming for ya!

Never wanting life to remain too calm or collected, the brothers jumped into the action with a few of their own predictable moves.

I take photographs as a way to remember the piles of freckles scattered across noses, the blueness of eyes, and the way their endlessly long lashes clump together. And, because, let's face it, they probably won't be humoring me with photo shoot evenings or allow me to bury my face deep into their apple scented necks forever. I'll keep trying, though;)

The bedroom redo is still happening, slowly but surely. Check back later this week for a few pics of the progress. Hope you all are well.

Lori

A Year in Photos~ Week #13

2011-04-04T08:44:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday sweet Kara!

My Gifts

2011-03-31T10:33:00.000-04:00

I'm learning that it's joy in the small things that makes life large...

Thankful for:

~Little ones born in the Spring

~Grown men zipping down lines with the joy of a child

~Babies mimicking the adoring crowds

~Ordinary rocks becoming treasures

~Nana on her special day

~The gift of growing up with cousins as best friends

~Reliving the happiness of races run together

~An afternoon in Target with Sisters, Slurpees and Starbucks

"With every grace, He sings, "You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you." -Voskamp

Remembering:

"When the laundry is for the dozen arms of children or the dozen legs, it's true, I think I'm due some appreciation. So comes a storm of trouble and lightning strikes joy. But when Christ is at the center, when dishes, laundry, work, is my song of thanks to HIM, joy rains. Passionately serving Christ alone makes us the loving servant to all." -Voskamp

A Year in Photos~ Week #12

2011-03-28T16:47:00.000-04:00

We threw a goodbye barbecue party for Uncle Charlie and Aunt Claudia Canby. They just HAD to leave chilly Virginia and head back to their home in paradise. ~Catalina Island~ We were all trying to find a way to sneak into the luggage, but there was something about a weight limit. Sheesh.

Important Notes:

~I'm counting 16 and 3/4 children and 14 adults in this picture.

~Charlie and Claudia are not our "Uncle" and "Aunt" technically. When Molly and Dana married, Hannah asked Claudia if she could call her Grandma. Ummmm?? We decided Aunt was a bit more fitting. Little did Claudia know. She WAS in fact a grandma in a mere 10ish months:)

~I think my brother was hungry.

~Not sure what happened to the faces of Taylor, Zeke or Brennen? Sorry, kids.

~The food was scrumptious!

SEE!

So much to be thankful for

2011-03-25T09:24:00.000-04:00

I'm reading this book...

I stumbled across Ann Voskamp's blog more than two years ago, back when the word blog sounded strange and unfamiliar to me. I have read and reread her words, printed them out and hung them on the walls of my home. A constant reminder to find the joy and have gratitude through the long days of my homeschooling/mothering/life journey. I'm so grateful to have her book. After only a day of reading and 250ish highlighted and tear stained pages, I'm praying that God will help me to become a woman of thankfulness.

Ann was given a dare to write down one thousand things that she loved and was thankful for. "A dare to name all the ways that God loves me." She says, "Giving thanks for one thousand things is ultimately an invitation to slow time down with weight of full attention."

Isn't that what we all want as moms: a chance to SLOW time down and savor the moment without all the senseless running around? With FULL attention?

"How long does it take your soul to realize that your life is full?" This question hit home for me and with tears streaming down my face, I realized again that my life is SO, SO FULL. And I want to gather up the moments and give thanks to the ONE from which all blessings flow.

So my blog friends, this place I have here will be a way for me to journal a few of my "one thousand gifts." Maybe the small things in my life for which I give thanks really matter little to you, but I need a place to keep them, so here we are.

Please, if you would like to, follow along with my occasional posts of thankfulness, who knows if I'll ever get to 1,000, but there can be no harm in trying, right?

1. The man I love sleeping soundly after a long night of work

2. The evening hum of the dishwasher and washing machine in a quiet house

3. Whip cream and sprinkles on cookies

4. Knowing that my family is just steps away if I should need them

Lori :)

What keeps me going when the days get LONG...

2011-03-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

{a breakfast of champions: coffee and frosted mini wheats}

{the occasional handwritten love note from my kids}

{amazing lip balm~ my favorite}

{a magazine. I only need to carve out a 5 min. block of time, which is good, 'cause that's all I get}

{have I told you about my 3:00 coffee break yet? And this creamer is so yummy}

{AND...knowing that I only have a few more hours till this man comes home and all will be right in the world once again}

What tricks do you use to make it through your long days?

Zoo Day

2011-03-21T10:11:00.000-04:00

Uncle Charlie and Aunt Claudia came all the way from Catalina just to see us. OK, OK it was probably to see their sweetness of a grandson, but we always like to think it's all about us;)

{he has yummy cheeks and doesn't mind at all when Aunt Lori smooches them often}

Friday was a perfect 70ish degree day , so Molly suggested a trip to the zoo. We were on it. My four little monkeys were getting restless and needing a break from reading, writing and math, while Ben and I needed to STOP the plaster, painting and trim. If only for a moment. Thank you very much.

{Three generations of Canby men in the wild}

The animals were lovely, I'm sure.

But we came mostly for the humans.

Ummm...? Excuse me? Will you please take a moment to look at the belly. When did that happen?

This little one is going to be a BIG sister in a few short weeks.

I think she'll be ready.

Sorry, I just had to find a way to sneak this picture in. Adorable, right?

The last exhibit that day was full of loud and rowdy animals who begged us to free them and take them home. We agreed. Reluctantly.

A Year in Photos~ Week #11

2011-03-19T10:44:00.000-04:00

SHAMROCK 8K~ 2011

WE DID IT!!!

Some lovely for your day

2011-03-15T17:32:00.000-04:00

I found a design blog that I adore and wanted to share a few dreamy inspiration pictures with you. When I need a moment for a deep and cleansing breath during my messy renovation reality, I glance at them. Maybe they will make you happy as well.

{The white chair cemented my decision to go with white fabric on mine, and the artwork~ahhhh!}

{the sliding barn doors have me thinking of my closet}

{I want my sister to copy this painting for my house. Please, Chani?}

{just love it, not sure why}

{we have almost the exact setup for the stairs in our bedroom. This gives me hope}

{I want to move in}

{perfect reading nook, don't you think?}

{all pictures courtesy of greige}

I feel like I've just looked at ten of my favorite magazines in all of three minutes...

Enough of that, though; I better stop daydreaming, break out my work clothes, and return to scraping plaster off my bedroom floor with a hammer;)

Here we go again...

2011-03-14T15:46:00.000-04:00

The bathroom is finished. And since nothing else is going on in our lives(HA!), we've decided to keep the ball rolling and move ahead on the bedroom redo. We MUST get the bedroom finished while the weather is still yucky and before summer vacation. Because we've got plans, people. None of which include plaster, paint or plumbing. Yahoo!

Closets. We needed closets. So this week Mr. LORIENDEVON built me two. One for clothes and the other for my enormous-hideous-always in the way treadmill. After weeks of deliberation in my own little head, I've come to the conclusion that although I hate the way my treadmill looks, I cannot live without it. Or should I say that I couldn't button my pants without it? Whatever. You get the point.

I told Mr. LD that I wanted a long closet big enough to hold only the treadmill with a TV hanging on the front wall and a fan in the back. He made it happen. Loving him. Here is what we've come up with so far.

{closet area before}

{walls going up}

{very, very beginnings of a closet}

{Treadmill will be hidden from sight behind this wall}

{bedroom side~treadmill side}

Sorry for more ugly remodel posts, but that's truly our life lately. Work on remodel-make a mess, Clean the mess-have a party, school the children, work at real job (because it pays the bills) then do it all again next week. Kinda exhausting, but hopefully worth it in the end. We'll see. Thanks for following and your encouragement along the way. It means the world to me. More to come.

Lori

A Year in Photos~ Week #10

2011-03-12T08:41:00.000-05:00

{family party: where the company was better than the food, but just barely. Menu~Crab cakes with roasted red pepper sauce and avocado, spicy bang bang shrimp and yummy pork tacos}

Seriously!?!

2011-03-09T08:37:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and had to step over last night's reading material sprawled out on the floor.

Even in my early morning grogginess, I still had to chuckle. Nothing says you've got issues like a bedtime reading selection like this...

Really? Who does this?

I've got problems, friends. Please send help.

Oh, and I'm feeling a food post in the very near future, 'cause there are some yummy looking recipes in that book. Bang bang shrimp from bonefish grill. Oh yeah! Scrumptious.

The magazine was ok, too. If you're into that kind of thing. And I am- just not like I'm into the other. Sadly.

Let's do dinner. I need a good excuse to cook.

Lori

Bathroom Remodel~ After

2011-03-08T08:04:00.000-05:00

The time has come and I am thrilled beyond words to share the after pictures of our bathroom redo. It is never easy to completely tear apart a room that is lived/slept in, but the mess, work and money were all so worth it in the end. We are loving it.

If you need a refresher, take a walk down memory lane here and here but only if you're feeling brave. Alright, enough of the chatter. Here we go...

{sink area is all refurbished furniture from our old school room and was FREE!}

{linen shower curtain and roman shade made by my amazing sister in law at the industrial cottage}

{looking down into the bedroom}

{outside of closet}

{inside of closet}

{fancy jewelry display trick I stole from my sis, Chani. brilliant}

{potty area. My other famously talented sister in law, Dee, is working on a painting even as we *speak* for the space above the toilet}

{my make-up/hair area}

{close up of mirrors~ 'cause I HEART them}

{under the sink storage}

{beam}

There you have it, friends. Thanks for joining us on this painful journey. You're all invited over for a nice warm soak anytime;) In fact, I could use one of those myself right about now.

Lori

The neighborhood's going to the birds

2011-03-07T08:25:00.000-05:00

Some worry about crime rates and school systems when considering a neighborhood. 'Round here we're just concerned with run away chickens...

Roosters giving you the evil eye...

Watch out! He'll get ya!

And the little ladies who'll steal from the bird feeder your kids left outside the kitchen door.

Do you think this is a problem? Chickens eating bird seed? A bird's a bird, I guess. Sounds logical to me.

For those of you who were hoping to check in on the promised bathroom pictures and are finding yourself disappointed by the chicken post, forgive.

The bathroom is D.O.N.E done. But it appears as if I have exceeded my stored photo limit on this here blog, and I must wait on the brains behind the operation to come home from work and help me upload the pics to prove it. Details.

Oh, and thanks for the advice on my hideous chairs. I've decided that I'm ready to take the white fabric plunge.

da da da daaaaa....

While browsing a design blog this weekend and falling in love with all the light colored fabrics used, I finally made up my mind. I'm doing it. With my clorox pen in hand.

'Cause I like you, I even saved a few inspiration pics to share. Not that I'll ever be able to afford any of it, but the photos make me oh so very happy. You never know when creativity will strike and we can copy their overpriced interiors for a fraction of the cost.

Happy Monday Y'all,

Lori

A Year in Photos~ week #9

2011-03-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

{our first-ever AWANA grand prix race}

Hideous chairs

2011-03-03T09:40:00.000-05:00

I found two wingback chairs in the AS-IS section for a steal. They were banished to the back of the store due to the fact that they are covered in a horrendous fabric that would pretty much look TACKY in any interior. That's a deal breaker for the typical consumer.

I, however, fell in love with their shape and the number scribbled on the bright red clearance sticker. And since I just so happen to be related to the best slipcover maker on the planet, I was able to look past awful and see potential.

Did I mention I made this purchase THREE years ago? Staring at their ugliness and moving them around and out of view for this long is getting to me. Now seems like the time to have them recovered, because the next room to tackle around here must be our bedroom. There's a small area right next to our bed perfect for the pair. So we're moving on it. Finally.

Sorry if it seems like I'm throwing another project at you before I've shown you finished pictures of the last. I might have a disease and my therapist might lovingly refer to it as project ADD. Bear with me. I'm working on it;)

{Promising shape. chunky legs and cushy arms}

Not me, the chairs. ha.

{close up of the fabric. Yuck.}

Inspiration pictures I found while scanning google images.

{small box pleat. adore}

{I want to move in, but I bet they never have pasta and red sauce on the menu}

I knew I was drawn to the box pleat look on the bottom with the legs exposed, but I thought I wanted a chocolate brown since the dark color would hide all stains my family brings. Every picture I found that I dig uses light fabric, though. What...light colors? In my house?

But now I'm thinking... The chairs would be in my bedroom, mostly away from the chaos. A slipcover can easily be removed and washed in the event of an unfortunate spill or such. And I'm loving the look. So I need your input.

I'm thinking a nice twill for the fabric: cheap and durable.

This is the fabric of my duvet cover and pillows~

Here are the fabrics I'm considering~

Two somewhat dark chocolate browns

Two lighter browns

Or WHITE...the horrors of it all.

It would bleach.

Help! What color/style do you like?

Thanks. If I continue to do this blogging thing, maybe I could just fire my designer and my therapist! Y'all are that helpful:)

A bit of finishing work...

2011-02-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

After the stomach bug that knocked us off our feet for a few days, we had a for real week of finishing around the Puckett house. Like...

finishing the mocking piles of laundry that somehow grew exponentially in spite of the fact that we didn't change out of pajamas for days at a time. I'm sure you are all painfully aware, as I am, that laundry is never truly finished, just maintained. I'm a laundry maintainer, it's what I do.

We are also moving closer to DONE on the bathroom redo. So close, in fact, that I hope to write an after post this very week! Happiness! Until then, I'll tease you with a few of the finishing projects in the works.

After no less than 17 trips to the fabric store, I chose this yummy floral print for the roman shade and a natural linen for the shower curtain. Mrs. Industrial Cottage helped me with *read made* the roman shade and shower curtain. They are AMAZING, and I love her for it.

Mr. LORIENDEVON installed a BEAM! that runs the length of the space. And while it is not reclaimed wood from an old abandoned barn in Vermont, a sledgehammer, ax, stain and some muscle turned ordinary Lowe's wood into an affordable beam to be proud of;)

This is the before and you must check back for the after. If I say that loud enough, then I'll stay motivated to actually finish it ALL.

Hope you are well. And thanks so much for your heartfelt and thought provoking comments on my last post. My eyes filled up with tears just reading them. You're the best.

Lori

A Year in Photos~ week #8

2011-02-28T10:22:00.000-05:00

{wrapping up the bathroom remodel}

Life???

2011-02-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

Maybe I should just go ahead and do a blog post using the pictures of my messy house like I thought I would. Or maybe I should post the pics. of baby Dave taking a bath in the sink, because that would be easy and make everyone smile, and I wouldn't have to go "there."

But I guess if I'm gonna do this whole blog thing, I better be true and honest with what I'm feeling. If people weren't interested, they wouldn't be reading my blog anyway, right?

You may all stop reading now;)

So I'm 32. *gulp* I've been thinking lately about myself at 22. I was pregnant with the twins and three years into my marriage. I have a few things I want to tell my 22 year old self, and I want her to listen...

I want to tell her to STOP and do the hard thing. I want to tell her that it's gonna hurt like...a lot, but it will be OK. You WILL be OK. I want to tell her to trust, love and forgive no matter what. Slow down and savor the moments. I want to assure her that there WILL be a time when you can actually sit down at the dinner table or park bench, sleep through the night, and have a real conversation with an adult that involves eye contact. I want to say that while having four kids in four years seems like a stretch now, one day you will watch them all experience life together and you will not be able to imagine it any other way. And this whole buy a house and fix it up thing is going to work out. I know the place looks like a disaster now, but he'll make it a lovely home for you and the kids. Promise. Kiss them longer, hold them closer, and smell them more deeply. Oh, and by the way, you truly shouldn't gain SO much weight when you're pregnant, 'cause stretch marks are ugly and they stay with you basically FOREVER. Thanks for that one. Ha.

With that in mind, I could seriously use a good heart to heart with my 42 year old self right about now. I think she'll be a somewhat insightful lady, and I have many unanswered questions running through my mind these days. I could use her input on HUGE issues like family size, adoption, homeschooling and careers. And her input on small things like whether or not running now will make my 42 yr old knees ache? What kind of moisturizing cream is best? And how much money I should be saving for retirement, really, 'cause I've got kids to feed and bills to pay now, you know? Should I let the boys get the dog that they've been begging us for, or is it more work than I really need in my life? And don't you think it's a good idea for our family to buy a house on the beach in Catalina and run away?

Just kidding...

I think;)

Well, as lovely as this conversation would be, we all know it's an impossible dream. I think that's why they say you learn as you go, praying and asking for godly advice along the way.

So I'm asking you, not really to answer any of my questions, but rather to share something you have learned along YOUR journey in life. Please share, even you young ones. I truly care and would love to learn from your experiences.

Oh, and don't worry. I'll get to the messy house, cute baby in the sink post eventually;)

Lori

We got our Hairs Cut...

2011-02-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

Yahoo! A mommy~daughter date, a chance to get out of the house and away from all those BOYS!

Lane says, "we're going to get our hairs cut and you can't come with us."

Not the least bit interested in hairs or cuts, I think the boys were thrilled to see us go.

{not daddy, though. He snapped our pic. as we left.}

Laney's hair was shoulder length, and she's been telling me for a while now that she wants it to grow REALLY long like the girl in the movie tangled. She says, "maybe then it will light up when I sing." I can assure you that while it has never lit up, this hair of hers has managed to fall into cereal, yogurt, gum, glue and any other sticky substance that happens to be nearby. Making this mom of hers quite crazy. But I rolled with it, telling myself that she wants to be a princess with glowing hair and I shouldn't squelch her four year old dreams;)

When I mentioned in passing that I had an appointment for a haircut and color with our friend Mrs. Olivia, she nonchalantly and in all seriousness asked if she could have her hair colored PINK.

"Probably not, my girl, but maybe I could ask if Mrs. Olivia would cut your hair?" I optimistically suggest.

"Ummm?...OK," she says.

"What about tangled?" I ask.

"No, Mom, I changed my mind; I want my hair short like yours."

Awww. Sweetness.

Well, that was painless enough. Let's hope she's this easily talked out of pink hair when she's 16.

{some long hair smiles in the car before heading into the salon}

Scary, right? And sadly this is the last picture I took of myself that day. So you'll have to trust me when I tell you my haircut came out great and my brown was not turned pink.

{could she get any cuter?}

{Oh, wait. I lied. There I am. See, still brown}

Even though your hairs may be shorter, you'll always be a princess to me. A tangled little princess.

A Year in Photos: #1-7

2011-02-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen the "a year in pictures" concept where a photographer snaps a photo every day for a year. This idea has always been intriguing. However, I think EVERYDAY is a bit too ambitious for my hectic, mom of four, cleaner of the house, feeder of the children kinda life. So...I've decided to embark on my own version of the game.

I will try to capture one(or sometimes two if I can't help myself) picture that best represents our WEEK for 52 weeks and in the end have a snazzy reminder of 2011. Good idea, right? Well, the only difficulty is, I'm exactly 7 weeks behind. So I've gotta work quickly.

Don't worry, I have a master plan for making it all happen. With the help of my day planner, blog and the 800+ pictures I have stored on my computer; I should be able to remember my life so far this year, don't ya think?

I'll give it a shot...Sorry if you've already seen the pic. In the future, I'll try not to double up. New and fresh material from here on out;)

WEEK #1

{my big boys turn N.I.N.E.}

WEEK #2

{Baby Dave joins our world}

WEEK #3

{Baby Zeke follows four days later}

{and...The plumbing in our house completely stopped working hours before Zeke's coming home party! Yep, that's Ben with his head practically IN our septic tank fixing the problem. Oh, how I LOVE that man}

WEEK #4

{family vacation to the Goodnight Moon}

{proud Papa hands holding both of his newborn grandsons. favorite shot}

WEEK #5

{bathroom remodel is in full swing~digging a trench to bury the waterlines}

WEEK #6

{AHBC Valentine's Banquet}

WEEK #7

{School on the trampoline~ a much appreciated, sunny day in FEBRUARY}

A year in photos will be a simple post happening around here each weekend. If you care to join us, I would love to have you follow along.

On a sad note~ four of us were VERY sick this weekend with some sort of a horrendous stomach bug and had to cancel all of our planned fun.

The good news~ as of this morning, I'm thinking the Puckett family just might LIVE to see another week. Things were a bit iffy there Friday and Saturday;)

Hope y'all are doing well

Stream of Consciousness...

2011-02-17T23:38:00.000-05:00

{Because, really, shouldn't every post begin with a picture of Batman at your kid's 3rd birthday party?}

Baby girl is still running a fever. Which pretty much means I spent the bulk of the day attempting to school my offspring and maintain the chaos all while holding a clingy four year old. As perfectly lovely as that may sound, I did occasionally glance down at my yoga pants and slippers wondering if perhaps I might get a chance to slip into something more presentable than the outfit I wore to bed the night before. Didn't happen.

I need a shower curtain and a window treatment for the new bathroom, but that would require I go to the fabric store, pick out fabric, find my sewing machine and sew. All of which sounds like a lot of work if you ask me. Rather confident the neighbors would appreciate it, though. Tonight I had to prop an extra sheet of drywall in front of the window before I hopped into the shower. That's a sure sign a fabric store BETTER be in my not so distant future.

I'm a diet failure as of late. However, I'm convinced the problem lies with the food and not with me;) It just tastes so stinking good. What's a girl to do? But I've vowed to do better with my running and eating. All I know is it's a good thing I've got an 8K I'm running with friends coming up in 5(ish) weeks. Oh, and then there's the dreaded weekly email hanging over my head. (You know, the one where I have to confess to my eating sins and give a total of weight lost or gained) Yeah, THAT email! It's keeping me humble~ that's for sure.

On a positive note. Have I been negative? Sorry. Tomorrow should be sunny and warm. Maybe we'll throw open the windows and send our sick germs out into the neighborhood. We have get togethers planned with friends this weekend. And I have an appointment for a much needed haircut next week. Yahoo! Don't you just love a good haircut? It might even inspire me to shed the old yoga pants and actually get dressed for the day. One can hope;)

What are your plans for the weekend? I'd love to hear...

Bathroom remodel: During

2011-02-16T14:32:00.000-05:00

This is my sick baby girl at 10:00 this morning. Right after throwing up her breakfast, she crawled into my bed and fell fast asleep. Poor thing! I can't tell if I'm catching it also, but I'm feeling a bit like climbing in myself.

The only problem is, I don't have time to get sick! We are having parties this weekend and the bathroom redo is getting oh so close. We MUST keep moving!

Thought I'd share a few of the during pictures, since you were kind enough to bear with the before pictures from a week or so ago.

The floor is in...

We chose a laminate due to weight restrictions on the space. Frankly, I also can't handle the mess and work of backer board, tile and grout at this point in my life. Call me lazy, I'm OK with that.

Lighting is in...

Toilet is in...

I even have a toilet paper holder. Yahoo! It's the small things in life, people. However, looking at this picture, I'm sure you can see we still have our work cut out for us with the whole painting of the trim thing. We're working on it!

The half wall was installed next to the potty. And... LOOK. A small section was left next to the window. I begged my contractor for a makeup/hair station. You know, an area just for ME. He agreed~ he's nice like that.

No, I don't have a problem with MY space being RIGHT next to the toilet. Why do you ask?;) I take what I get around here.

We just so happened to have the exact amount of counter top needed left over from our kitchen. Love it.

The sink area is coming along nicely...

Yep, you've seen this design used before in our home. Hey, when you find something that works, stick with it, right? We had two cabinets left over from our old school room, so we put them to good use once again; they look terrific and were FREE.

If you're curious, both paint colors are from Restoration Hardware- the Flint collection. Many failed attempts over the years at picking out paint colors have taught me to leave it to the professionals.

I'm convinced the colors change when you take them home and apply to your walls. It's the paint company's way of making a buck off of clueless consumers such as myself.

Often magazines will list the paint colors they used. If you like the way a room looks, remember the color. It'll save you money and headaches in the end. Promise.

The lightest, Pumice, is what I have on the walls. It's a lovely gray with just the right amount of blue. I love a hint of blue in a bathroom. It is peaceful, calming and reminds me of the ocean. Ahhhh!

The sink cabinet is painted the darkest color {not pictured}, Flint, which we already had and have used for a pop of color throughout our house.

Progress is happening. But in case you think we've got it all together, I'm showing you the last two trouble spots.

Closet: a complete mess and nowhere near finished...

And then there's the loft area that looks down into the bedroom. The man I've hired for the project;) has mentioned more than once that he has no idea how it's going to turn out in the end. NICE! I'll get back to you on this one...

So there you have it! Thanks for following along, friends.

Random Ramblings

2011-02-15T10:08:00.000-05:00

For Valentine's day Mr. LORIENDEVON gave me plaster, a half wall and trim. Love it! Oh, and we had a romantic afternoon rendezvous in the Lowe's parking lot. Awwww! That man really knows how to warm a girl's heart. We're getting closer on the bathroom redo; he said I need to think about paint colors. OK-I will...HELP!?!

Tate's bottom two teeth are wiggling around in his mouth! WHAT! NO! He's my baby boy. My sweet smoochy poo who just yesterday was asleep in my arms. He cannot lose his teeth! My heart can't handle it. Stop. growing. up. children!

On that note, I saw the most hilarious commercial yesterday. A mom was reminiscing of the time when her kids were babies, while the big kids are running around in the background reeking havoc on her house. She says, "When my kids were little, they were so cute, I just wanted to eat them up." *pause* "Some days I wish I had!" Ha! love it. Isn't that how we feel at times, and then they go and wiggle their teeth for you and you break into TEARS! Figure that one out. It's called MOTHERHOOD!

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. And LOOK, an entire post without a single picture. I didn't think I could do it, but I did! Sorry. I won't let it happen again:)

Hope you have a super day, friends.

Love Fest~ Day # 10

2011-02-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

I HEART food and friends...

Friday night was the annual Valentine's Day Banquet at our church, and somehow my mother, who was in charge of the whole shebang, was able to use her skills of persuasion to convince me and my lovely sisters-in-law to host a table for 10.

We served a scrumptious {if I do say so myself}
crab/shrimp boil with all of the fixins. Yumm!

I'm confident you all would agree that the ONLY thing better than a good meal is a good meal surrounded by great friends!

Friends~ as abundant as the crab legs and calories consumed!

Love is in the air....

Sing with me now...Oh, oh, oh

This post could not possibly be complete without an opportunity for a glimpse at the 5 contestants in the male fashion show competition.

While each of the men were delightful in their own way, none could compare with the winner of the evening.
May I please introduce to you...

The DAPPER, the SHARP, the STUNNING
and slightly DISTURBING~

Mr. Valentine.

That's right, folks!

My DAD...At pretty much his finest hour!

And I've never been more PROUD!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hoping your day is filled with happiness, loved ones, and chocolate.

Lots of CHOCOLATE!:)