Madeline's New Pet

When we purchased our home almost 7 years ago, it was fully decorated.

Curtains, throw rugs, wall paper...

That all had to go.

The one room in my house that I made almost no changes to was the guest bathroom.

I loved the coral walls, and the fish theme. 

I did swap out a few items....

But I kept the waste basket.

I hide it in the cupboard in my laundry room.

I keep a small trash bag in it, and that is where I keep my lint.

Tonight, I was emptying the trash in the laundry room.

and I left the trash can on the floor.

Tonight was the first night that Madeline has ever noticed it.

And it was hilarious.

Because the bathroom was Fish inspired, the trash can has water and fake fish that swim at the bottom of it.

Madeline wandered over to the can.  She looked at the side, and then slowly looked in...then back at the side, and then back in.  Her shoulders stopped her from putting her whole body completely into the can.

She ran back over to me.

"Mommy!  Feeeesh!"and ran back over to the can to point out her find.

"You found fish?  How many are in there?"

She put her finger right up to the plastic bottom and started to count.

"Tooooo, Treee, Tooo, Fo!"

"You see four fish?"

"Yes!"

Then she shook the can to make the fish swim.

"Uh Oh Maddie!  They might get sick!"

She stuck her head back in the trash can.
 

"You Kay?" She asked the Fish very concerned.

"Are they okay?"

"Yes!"

"Do you love the fish?"

"Yes!  Feeesh watch Calliou!"

And she carried them downstairs.

Jack was not as impressed with Madeline's new "Feesh".

So..

Madeline has her very own pets.

Guess I'll have to find a new trash can for the laundry room

Hello My name is Heidi....

And I'm a Hoarder.

Now....

I wouldn't start contacting A&E just quite yet....

But I would say I have a teeny, tiny, very minor Hoarding problem.

I didn't quite realize it until we started cleaning the garage.

Here are the facts:

#1. I have a very hard time saying no to hand me downs.  I always say yes.  No matter what it is.  If you are giving it away, I will take it.  Mostly my hand me downs are items for the home. Old televisions, book cases, dressers, cookware, home appliances, the list goes on.  Clay and I just had to purchase our first television this year.  That's 13 years of hand me down TV's.

#2. I have a VERY hard time getting rid of clothes.  For these simple facts.  Fashion repeats itself.  Over, and over and over again.  Mark my words, even Overalls will make a come back.  AND no matter my size, I will be that size again...or fear that I may be that size again.  It took me FOREVER to get rid of my "Fat" clothes.  But I finally did.  It also took me until last week to get rid of the last of my Maternity clothes....but  I finally did.

and...

#3. If there is ANY sentimental connection to ANYTHING I keep it.  I don't know why.  But if a memory is attached to it.....It goes in a box, or a drawer....just for a later date, so sometime when I'm shuffling through boxes and I may come across something that will throw me right back into that time in my life where that item is from.  I didn't realize how truly bad this portion of my Hoarding was until I came across the following items:

*****Before you read on let me just say, I already know I'm crazy AND most of these items had their last memory fling when I took their picture and are now in a final resting place at Allied Waste.*****

I have the bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 I consumed the first night I ever got intoxicated. Strawberry Rose.  One bottle.  All to myself.  I can even tell you exact date....... But that might incriminate me.  I will say that I was an a adult.  I cannot confirm I was of Legal Drinking Age.  Let's leave it at that. (Mad Dog 20/20 Really?  What was I thinking.....)

I have the ticket stub from my first professional baseball game. Ever. 

(I can't believe it was the A's.....but nevertheless A Fan was born that day.  A Baseball Fan.  Not an A's Fan.)

I found my Walkman AND my portable CD Player, complete with my copies of Hootie and the Blowfish and Madonna Like a Prayer (a Christmas gift from Uncle Joe)

Letters from Friends and Family in Colorado who missed me when I moved back to Cali, and the Button  the singing telegram my friends had hired for my 16th Birthday gave to me when he sang to me during lunch Sophomore year. (the letter shown is from Benny in 3rd grade...and it's Awesome.)

My Freshman Student Body card, my Senior Schedule (that's right, I had bowling first period, and it was DAMN challenging I'll have you know!)  and...a stolen book from My High School library.

My employee manual and name tag from my Job in 1996.

(this one even shocked me when I found it)

Fun pictures, and good times with Friends.  (That is the invite to Laura's baby shower for Dominic!  He's driving now!  God we're old!)

I had the Booklet from my 10 year high school reunion.  Complete with Senior Picture.

Look at those curls, and frosted lipstick.

Hot. Stuff.

(okay...this one is BAD.)

This is the pack of smokes that Clay smoked the first weekend we met when we spent the whole weekend together.  I had his stuff in my purse, and at the end of the weekend...there it was....and I kept it.  Okay.....maybe somebody should start dialing the show....  This is definitely my worst hoarder moment.

I found our Marriage Certificate!  I thought I had lost it!  Turns out...We're really Married!  And Legally at that!

  

Oh....and I found....the receipt from the day we got married. 

Let me bring it in closer for you

Two things.

We did not get the Chapel even though it says Chapel- we got married in the waiting room, because the Chapel was $75 which was WAAAAAAAY out of our wedding budget.

and

How awesome is it that we were married at "Loves" Wedding Chapel?

(which has unfortunately burned down since)

There was more.

So much more.....

But these were my favorites.

Here is my promise.

I promise I will not Hoard anymore.

Actually....

I promise I will try and not hoard anymore.  I definitely will say NO to hand-me-downs we don't need.

I feel better already!

Thank you for being my support group and for not calling any Cable programs on me!

Welcome to the ManCave!

On August 1st we started a "little" project.....

The Garage.

aka

The ManCave.

Clay has always wanted a space where he can keep his tools, play video games, watch Sunday Football and keep up on the History channel.

Now...

He could probably do all of those things inside of our home, but he wanted a space that was his.

So that's what we did.  

We turned our black hole of a garage into a ManCave.

This was no small process.....

This has been every weekend *except last weekend* 

Since we started the First weekend of August.

And this isn't a process we can do all by ourselves....

We had

Lots

And lots

and LOTS....

of help!
(There may have been a few child labor laws violated...)

Thank god for amazing friends.

Casey came over and helped me clean out the garage.  We FILLED a HUGE trailer with just crap.  Our garage had an abundance of trash.  An embarrassing amount.  We are very blessed and had it hauled away by Clay's brother Justin.  So nice!

We then textured and mudded the garage walls.

My Good Friend Mary, Her daughter Sarena, her Best Friend Mackenzie, My Brother Ben, Clay and I then painted the ceiling and walls.

It took forever.

And I hate painting.
( I don't think there is anything I hate more in this world than painting walls.  I believe when people are sent to Hell they are handed a paint brush and told to start painting, and the only time they are allowed to stop is for Hot Dog Breaks.)

But we finished.

Today we finished laying the carpet tiles.

And it's done.

We have a little bit to finish up.

But it's livable.

And Clay LOVES it.

He has an Entertainment area, complete with Wii, Playstation, Blue Ray, VHS, Surround Sound, Flat screen and storage for games and movies.

Now I know I said this was Clay's Space...

But..

Part of the ManCave deal was that I could still keep some of the cabinet space, which is very generous of my husband

And....

the kids could have a play corner....I mean come on...we had to have somewhere to keep our newly acquired Elmo chair. (Thank you Auntie Mary)

I painted our old cabinets with Magnetic Chalkboard paint for the kids to keep their toys in.  I also plan on converting the inside to a dress up closet with costumes and hanging a mirror on the inside panel.

We bought a new cover from Ikea for our old couch, and our neighbor was getting rid of her old Pottery Barn Coffee Table.  Thanks Neighbor!!

Clay really wanted to have a place for all of his tools.
Lindsey put together every cabinet you see here.  (Mary helped too)
I call them my second Husbands.
Also....
We replaced our old Sink that was in the garage.
And when I say "We" I mean Mary's Husband Shane.  Thank God for Shane and Mary!  They are always there for us!
(on a side note...when the new sink was installed, Mary had mentioned to Shane that my kitchen sink faucet was terrible.  Both were replaced the same day as a surprise!  SO NICE!!)

Clay also needed a place to store his Golf Clubs (Benny has benefited from the ManCave too. Clay purposely purchased a holder for two sets of Clubs....just for his partner in crime....) He bought this rack with his gift cards from Golfsmith.  This among other things since it's his favorite store.  So if you happen to have gifted a card to Clay for his Birthday this year, above is part of your gift to him.  So thank you for your contribution to the ManCave!

No ManCave is complete without a Full Bar.  This Bar was Clay's Grandfather's and he loves it.  It slides open for more serving space and the center is Slate.  It's going to be perfect for our ManCave Parties.  And we plan to have a lot!!

So it's done.

Thank the Lord.

Happy Birthday Mimi!!

Happy Birthday Shan!!!

By now you all know my MIL.

AKA: 

Mimi, Shan, Shannon....etc.

Well today is HER day!

She is currently somewhere fabulous celebrating her special day with her amazing Sisters, but she should know..where ever she may be today, I'm thinking of her, and hoping her day is FANTASTIC!

It's no secret that she is a wonderful Grandmother.

My Children adore her.

It's also no secret that she is DEFINITELY  the Mother of my Husband.

(Same eyebrows, same smile, same laugh...the list goes on...)

We are so blessed to live as close as we do to my In-laws.  They help us in so many ways.  They are always up for an impromptu visit from their Grands, and I love that!

Shan has always been very hands on when it comes to Jack and Madeline.  She is SO good with them.  So patient, and thoughtful.  She will get right down on the ground with them and dive right in to whatever they are playing with.  My kids can't get enough of their Mimi.

She is already shaping Maddie into a mini-Parisian 

When they wave good bye, Maddie says Au-revoir!

I believe they have a trip scheduled in 2022.

:)

Shannon always has a fun time up her sleeve.  She's always inviting me to some exclusive event, brushing me up on my etiquette, teaching me new decor terms, and how to bring life to the greatest antiques.  And I keep her current on the latest jeans or hottest shoes, and of course my favorite recipes. 

We share a love for cooking, time with our friends, decorating, a love of catalogs, a nice ladies lunch, Antiquing, traveling, and being a great wife, mother and daughter.

I am very lucky to have her in my life!

Thank you Shan for all you do!

We love you!

And HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

And just like that...

Wedding weekend is over...

:(

It all happened so fast!

Friday started early with a quick drive to Tegan's house in Sacramento to help with set up.

Table Seating....

Ribbon sewing..

Flower arranging...

And then off to Rehearse!

I do not have one picture of the Rehearsal or the dinner.

 Not. One.

But my bet is Laura does!

Before we knew it, it was Wedding time!

I have very few ceremony shots....here is the best I could do:

....waiting for our close up..

One of the only pics of Clay and I

First Dance

Cigar Bar

Fans for the Guests

We were Table#1

(of course)

Candy Bar

A Full Bar

Sensible shoes....

For Everyone

(Bet you can't guess which ones are mine!)

Fun

Hair Accents

Yummy cupcakes

Table Service
:)

And Lots and Lots of Fun:

Happy Wedding Tegan!

Thank you for letting me share in your special day!

I know you and Matt will have a lifetime of happiness together.

I love you!!!