My New Floor

Long story short...I hated my bathroom floor.  Yes, the floor I installed a few years back.  We could have gotten cheap tile laid by a pro or really nice tile laid by me.   So obviously the answer to all my problems was to install a new floor...myself.  Why hire a "professional" when you have YouTube.  Seriously there is a wealth of information out there on tiling. 

Plus if you let a kid watch enough HGTV they will actually want to help...

 I really tried to do things "the right way"...a philosophy that my husband embraces.  And the "right way" is really hard.

 I actually had to ice my knees after this.

 

Almost Finished...

 

As of now I have most of the molding installed but I still have to paint it.  I also have to get some new cabinet doors and eventually I will re-paint the walls.  But overall I am happy with the result.  Either way I will not be re-doing it any time soon. I'm tired. 

Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas with the grandmas and the grandpa but I didn't take a lot of photos.  Actually my new phone has a less than awesome camera and so many of my photos are blurry.  Why iPhone...why did you have to modify your OS and refuse to provide a larger screen for my ageing eyes...

 

I would like to draw you attention to the red velvet cheeecake...which I can't eat anymore.

 

Of course there were presents...

Dad even got a few...

This tree has seen its last Christmas at our house....notice the prominent light vs. lack of light in various places.  Next year I am seriously considering cardboard...or maybe just painting a tree on the wall....

My mom doesn't really care for dogs...especially dogs in the house.  Ha ha ha...I have three...and they watched poor mom eat every bite of her meal.  And she didn't share a crumb.

 

I guess we will do it again next year.

 

Hunger Games

My children are fans of the movie so we took advantage of the awesome opportunity to do a very special Swan House tour to see where some scenes from the Hunger Games Catching Fire was filmed. 

Quick Fact: Our favorite farmers field was used to film some parts of the third movie...

I am also including a few photos of the Christmas Celebration that took place about a month before but at the same venue.

This awesome story teller got the audience involved.  I have the whole thing on video...my son was insistent. 

This is supposed to be Katniss Everdeen..not even close

 

 

In Presidents Snows Office (which was actually filmed in the morning room which is downstairs)

No question these kids could lead a corrupt dystopian society.

Nights of Lights

This year we tried something new and it was pretty wonderful.  Initially the kid didn't want to attend this walk through light display but they were won over by the end (smores helped).  I'd like to make this a Holiday Tradition...and when we win the lottery we might.  Nights of Lights will set you back a pretty penny especially when you add in drinks from the Glo Bar, and smores kits and more drinks....

Cookie Party

I still can't decide whether or not to make this an annual event.  It's a lot of work and a lot of fun.  I always make enough so we can have all the neighborhood kids over after the initial wave of kids leave.  I might be more inclined to do this every year if my son would refrain from making graphically inappropriate gingerbread men (not pictured).

Scout Hiking

Oh I love hiking on a beautiful day in the fall when absolutely NO ONE else is around.  I mean I think I would love that...but unfortunately on a beautiful fall weekend day half the city heads for the mountains and chaos overcomes the tranquility.

 

 

It was a beautiful day

It would be fun to say we found this guy on the trail...but he is actually a long time rescued resident of the park.  It is interesting to note that while he may look stoned, he is actually blind (or so they say).

 

 

That's right...the boys came too.  Because if I have to suffer a hiking trip, they aren't getting out of it.