Bathroom Makeover

For a long time now, Russell and I have talked about giving our bathroom a facelift.  In Russell's words, "it's just so blah."  So this past August while strolling around in Target one evening when Aunt Rissa was in town watching Haven, we stumbled upon a shower curtain that we both loved and the ideas started flowing.  We decided to go for it.  Unfortunately due to lack of time and money, it took us 5 months to complete.  But we did it! 

We painted the walls, stripped and stained the cabinets, spray painted the fixtures, added a frame for the mirror, and installed a new faucet.  I say "we", but the only thing I helped with was the painting.  Go Russell!  :)  Ideally we'd like to do new countertops, new tile for the shower, new fixtures, etc. but for now I am so excited to get moved back into this new and improved bathroom!

Here we go with the before and after pics!

Ta-da!  Thank you to my sweet husband for all the effort he put into this!  I love it!


 

A Sentimental Date

Once upon a time... When I was 15 years old, a 17 year old boy named Russell from my church youth group (who I had an extreme crush on) asked me on a date.  He intended on us seeing a scary movie (you know so he could comfort me when I got scared lol), but the movie would have gotten out after my curfew.  So we decided on Monsters Inc instead. 

I sat next to him in the movie theater with my hand lingering on the arm rest where he could reach out and grab it if he so desired.  I honestly didn't remember much of the movie b/c I was so incredibly nervous of the possible hand-hold and completely still in awe that this boy would ask me on a date.  At some point, he did grab my hand and I practically melted in my chair.  We left the movie theater holding hands and held hands all the way home as we rode in his white mini-van.  Yes, you just read that correctly.  I was crushing hard on a boy that drove a white mini-van.  He was so gorgeous that I could have cared less what he drove, people! 

We didn't start dating immediately.  He was about to go to college and that just seemed silly.  But 2 years later when he visited church on what happened to be my birthday, the spark was reignited and we have been together ever since.  It will be 9 years in April!

So now that you know our back-story... we had one of the best dates ever last weekend when we got to go see Monsters Inc in 3D at the same theater where we had our first date 11 years ago.  It of course didn't phase him one bit, but I was constantly reliving the old memory and hanging on to every sentimental detail. 

This is when I realized I didn't actually remember much that happened in this movie b/c I was so nervous all those years ago!  So I think I actually enjoyed it a lot more this time.  We also loved it on a whole new level b/c of this little girl...

She is roughly the same age as Haven in the movie and it was cracking. us. up.  She could say a few words, but had the most adorable babble.  She would make funny faces and giggle all the time.  She would go from throwing a fit to laughing again in a matter of moments.  She reminded us SO much of Haven that it was unreal.  Here I go getting sentimental... but what an awesome thing it was to have a new-found appreciation for this movie b/c of my daughter whose Daddy is Russell that asked me on a date when I was 15.  Love, love, love.  The End.

 

The Leg Trick

Haven has this leg trick... and she does it all the time lately... most often when she is proud of herself for something, excited to see someone (mostly Bozzy on Skype), or wants to scratch her head with her toes.  Yes, I just said that.  It is too funny!  She seriously does it all the time!!  Check her out!

 This girl is flexible!  She loves showing off too!  Future dancer on my hands?!  Fingers crossed! :)  We love you silly girl!

 

Bridal Show!

My sister got 4 free tickets to the OKC bridal show a couple weekends ago which worked out perfectly for her and us 3 bridesmaids!  We had SO much fun looking at all the different vendors, trying out photo booths, taste-testing cakes, watching fashion shows, and enjoying each other's company!  It was just what I needed after not getting to spend Christmas with my sister this year!  We also got to wear pretty sweet stickers...VIP Bride, MOH (me! yay!), and Bridesmaid ones so be sure to look for them in our picture.  I wish I would have taken more pictures... particularly of the crazy saxophone player from the 80s, the caricature Marissa had done of her, and the model that walked like a giraffe.  I am a terrible person.  Haha!  But it was an absolute blast!  I can't wait for more wedding planning fun when my mom comes to visit in a couple weeks!  Wahoo!!

Her very own chair!

Thank you Gran and Grandpa for Haven's very own hot pink recliner!  She loves it!!!  She was supposed to get it for Christmas but then the weather prevented G&G from making the trip.  We gave it to her last week and she loves it!  (We have since taken our Christmas tree down, just fyi lol). G&G are coming in town this weekend and I can't wait for them to see her in it!  She loves sitting in it and reading books, watching tv, etc.  I love this girl!

The Energizer Bunny

Yes, Haven is the Energizer Bunny.  She keeps going, and going, and going...  Let me just give you the play by play of the day... and if you are a mom reading this, I'm sure you will appreciate it even more.

Breakfast
Watch Bozzy ref basketball game
Run errands
Lunch
Car ride to airport (30 minute nap)
They won't let Gammie come back with us even though Bozzy has done this before...
Flying standby and don't get on the 4:30pm flight
Next flight is 7:30
Back out to find Gammie in the lobby
Dinner at airport
Find nice guy that let Bozzy go thru security before and he lets Gammie go now...
Kill time at an airport with a 19 month old...
Anxiously wait to hear our name, and we get on 7:30 flight!
Land in Dallas at 9 - no nap (or tears) on plane.  Nothing but a happy traveler.
Walk around airport with stroller, hoping for a nap... nope.
Play at airport, run around everywhere b/c no one is there, Mommy exhausted.
10:10 flight delayed to 10:45.  She is STILL awake (and happy! gasp!).
Empty seat next to us on plane so she sits like a big girl, buckled and everything.
Happy, talkative, giggly girl all the way home.
Land in Tulsa at 11:45.  She cries when we have to get off the plane.
The energizer bunny finally gives in and sleeps in the car on the way home.

Are you exhausted reading that?  B/c I was exhausted living it.  But Haven was seriously a perfect angel.  A happy camper.  Full of hugs and kisses.  What could have been the worst traveling experience was probably our best one yet.  Go Haven!

Proof of her happiness at 10:00pm in the Dallas airport...

Thank you sweet girl for being such a trooper!  I love you!!!

From Memphis to New Orleans!

On New Year's day, Russell drove back home while Haven and I rode back to Bozzy and Gammie's house in New Orleans!  It was a yucky, rainy drive but we made the best of it with lots of movie-watching!  Haven really likes Tangled! :)  We enjoyed a very relaxed visit just hanging out at their house for a few days.  Bozzy and Gammie had to work during the day, so Uncle Spencer, Haven, and I got some quality time together.  Haven just loves him!  Check out these sweet pics...

Haven enjoyed lots of play time at their house!  This horse was actually mine when I was little!  I just love that cheesy smile...

She did lots of running too...

And when Gammie & Bozzy got home in the evenings... forget you, Mom!  It was time for horse rides around the house, foot rubs with lotion (she is my child after all), rolling around and giggling with Gammie on the bed, splashing in the bath, and all kinds of Gammie/Bozzy fun!

We watched old home movies and Haven's favorite was when Spencer was almost 3... she was captivated!  I mean, who wouldn't be though... he was a super cute kid. :)

Lots of laughs this trip!

And Uncle Spencer even taught her how to pound it!

We also got to go watch Bozzy ref a basketball game!  Haven was blowing him kisses as he ran up and down the court. :)

We left from there for the airport which becomes a story in itself!  I'll save that for another post... Thanks Bozzy, Gammie, and Uncle Spencer for a wonderfully relaxing visit!  We so enjoyed it!! 

 

Memphis Children's Museum

Haven is still a little young to be able to fully explore a children's museum, but we still decided to give it a shot!  We all had a lot of fun!

Bozzy and Haven checked out some little birds on our way into the museum...

My little dancer enjoyed performing on the green screen and watching herself on tv!

 She played Operation with Uncle Spencer and made music with Daddy...

She explored the fire truck with Gammie and Daddy while Uncle Spencer was all about the motorcycle...

Then she spent some time in the kiddie play area with Bozzy while the rest of us watched...

Then Daddy thought he'd have his own fun... rock-climbing and car-designing!  Ha!

Up next was grocery shopping... she liked this a little too much!  She did not understand why we couldn't open things and eat them, nor why we had to put things back when we were done.  But it was still so fun watching her push a cart around and pick out things for her cart!

She looked so tiny up against the exhibits...

...but then again so did Bozzy at times...

We had such a good time!  I love my family!  Thanks for the super fun outing, Gammie & Bozzy!