All grown up!

Last night Rachel graduated!!!

I haven't been able to think too much about it because it makes me so emotional- I was very surprised I didn't cry last night! Got tears here and there but held it together. :) I'm so, so, soo proud of her!

She is so sweet, smart, caring, beautiful- I could go on and on. She's exactly the type of person I want Rian to grow up to be. Love her so much.

The day Aiden's induction started was her first day of high school. I remember when she came to visit that night, thinking about how strange it'll be to have an almost four year old when she graduates... and now we're here. Doesn't seem possible! I just can't believe she's about to start college. In a few years she could be married and maybe even pregnant- augh!

I need to stop writing before the tears start.

Congrats baby sister!

Mother's Day/Removing the tile

My Mother's Day wasn't so relaxing. Saturday night Steven tried out the tool he rented- it was SO LOUD. Rian was able to sleep through it though.

This is how it looked when we went to bed that night- yikes!

We spent a little less than 6 hours working that day. It was such a dusty/hot mess. The amount of dust on us and in here was nuts! [I'm still cleaning it.] I felt bad for the kids, having to hang out in a hot, gross house basically all by themselves. Next time we'll take them to one of our parents' houses.

Happy it was basically all up!

It looks like a construction zone in here. Steven still needs to chip at the higher pieces of concrete, hard to do when he only has two free days a week. After this we'll be able to level it. Funny, we thought we were going to have to level the other side because thats where it went up but with the way this tile ended up coming out, we're now going to level this part. Its like walking on rocks and more and more dust just keeps coming up.

So yesterday Steven's dad dropped off the carpet they just ripped up from their house. They just put in new flooring, we're actually going to get the same one. I love what they picked but didn't want to get the same one so our houses looked different. We picked three that we also really loved but after reading reviews, we're going to get it the same one. I'm happy with it. Can't wait!

My babies on Mother's Day.

Steven got up early and brought home breakfast burritos and got me an iPad! Eek! I've been wanting  one or a laptop but I never would've bought one. I felt a little guilty at first but I looove it- I'm using the heck out of it so it'll definitely be money well spent!

Kitchen redo pt. 1

Before I do the house update I have to say: Last week Rian pooped on the potty! And she's done it FOUR times this week! Finally. Picking up peeing right away was sooo awesome but these last three months have been no fun. So happy its clicking... and just in time- she went from having little poop balls to nasty mush. GAG. Hopefully this is the end of her also having poop troubles and getting plugged up. Anyway...

Last week I painted the cabinets [well started, I'm not technically done.] I still have to do the island the cabinet doors above the stove, also under the range but that's getting replaced so I'll paint them when that happens. Such a HUGE difference! I wanted to add chicken wire to all the top cabinets but opted to just do two for now. One day they'll be replaced with glass but its not a priority right now. I love the look of the chiken wire.

And as you can see by the floor- we did a lot more than paint the cabinets!

Steven ripped up the kitchen area tile- it came up so easily. Seriously, it took him like 10 minutes.

But when he got to the area where the kitchen was extended into the "dining area", it became way too difficult. Of course.

Tomorrow he's renting some tile thing- [looks like rug doctor but removes tile] so it should hopefully all be up by the end of the weekend. I knew this floor would be a lot time and work but its driving me crazy already! I need to just breathe. We found the flooring we want to get. Everything is being delayed by this floor- mostly the part thats making me nuts.

We also knocked down this little wall- yay! I've been wanting a bigger opening forever. It was one of the first things I wanted to do.

More space. :)

So its been a little nuts around here but I better get used to it. This is going to be a long few months!

Laundry room pt.2/bay window

Last week I hung up a couple of things in the laundry room:

My mom gave me those knob things [I love crystal knobs, wish I could have them for every door in the house] and J made all her bridesmaid's this awesome hangers last year- perfect!

I added lace to the front of the shelving.

Last week on Pinterest, I don't even remember what I typed in the search, but I came across the most perfect laundry cart/basket:

I had to have it! It came in today. Its $150 at Pottery Barn but the seller put it up for waaay cheaper because it was "defective"- it was missing the liner which I didn't even want and one of the bottom spokes is broken, not a big deal. Awesome find for me!

Today I planned to paint the bottom of this bench area because it was so gross and ended up also painting the framing around the window. I wasn't planning to do it, but I've been wanting to do it since the second we moved in! This wood look is everywhere in the house- can't wait til its gone.

I need to find out if this chandelier works so it can be one of the new light fixtures in the main kitchen area. It needs to be painted too!