DIY Home Improvement Time!

So I came home from a Bridal Shower Sat. evening to find a new window in my living room and new siding on the house. We have been working on the East side of our house all summer, but I was surprised when there was progress made while I was gone. Well we continued working all weekend with the help of Nathan's mom and Dad and brother we got both of our new big windows put in and quite a bit of siding done as well. We just keep plugging away at it, but boy what a difference it makes. Once you see the color of my house before you will understand! The first pictures are from Colton getting his hair cut. Us "ground crew" ladies took some time out to cut his hair, well mostly my MIL did, but "assisted"! He thought it was so FUN to sit on the saw horse to get his hair cut!

This picture was taken before the second window was out and they were still tearing things apart, but you can see how ugly that green paint is? It is actually much worse in person!

This is the after picture from the bottom picture window they just put in, gorgeous!

I am posting this for A Soft Place To Land's DIY day! Go here to visit!

Kristin

Vacation

Vacation has come and gone. This was Colton's very first vacation and the first one for me in a long time. Colton and I tagged along with my parents for a vacation in the Black Hills. We had an amazing time, although we missed our dad/husband! We stayed right across the street from the Flinstone Park, and the first night there Colton was sure the "monsters" (huge cement Dino) was going to get him. We did a lot while we were there.....Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, 1880's Train Ride, Bear Country, Storybook Island, Alpine Slide, Horse Back Riding, Flinstone's Park, and of course swimming. I was amazed at how well Colton handled the 8 hour drive, but he did not ask once either way if he could get out of his car seat. He loved everything we did, and was WAY upset when he wasn't old enough to go horse back riding or we didn't let him go down the alpine slide. But enough of me writing let's look at pictures! The first is of the the two of us eating homemade ice cream at Wall Drug, in Wall, SD. (It was great to have my mom along to talk to some pictures of the two of us, usually its me taking all the pictures.) MMM mint chip my favorite!

This is Colton "rock climbing"! He kept saying, "Get Dad's Ladder!" This was in Custer State Park.

My Dad and Colton looking at "Guys on Rock" (aka Mount Rushmore).

Colton and I on the 1880's train eating our second box of popcorn, one for each way (I guess).

Colton and I at the Badlands on the way home. Colton kept saying, "WOW!"

Happy 4th!

Kristin

To the Park!

Last night with Nathan going to his second job at night I thought Colton and I should have some fun on our own! I had intended to take him to the park on my day off Monday, but of course it was rainy and cold, so we went last night. And boy did we have a good time for an hour and a half. Grandpa even joined us for a few minutes when he got off work and before he went home from supper as his place of employement is right next to the city park! So here are a few picture highlights from our recent adventure! The first is of Colton saying Mom really pictures again!

This is Colton going down the "BIG" slide or whee as Colton would say. You don't think he enjoys it do you? He only went down it 2 million times!

This is a picture of Colton climbing up a ladder "thingy" to get to that "BIG" slide! He thought I was absolutely silly for "hidding" behind the ladder. (Don't tell him but it was actually to get a really cute picture, and it worked!)

So there you have it a night of fun at the park. We topped it off with a trip to the local gas station for a "cold pop" (juice) and some twizzlers nibs! Gotta love me some summer!

Kristin

Iowa Annual Conference

I have returned back from the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church! I left last Thursday and was back Sunday afternoon. It was 4 days of voting, debating, worshipping, and meeting up with friends I only get to see once a year.

Perhaps I should explain a little about why I get to go? Each Methodist pastor in Iowa "gets" (has) to go to annual conference, then each church elects a delegate to go from their church. As you might imagine there are some church's that have more than one pastor and some pastors in positions besides serving a church well to make the total number of clergy and lay equal the districts (there are 8 in Iowa) elect what are called equalization members. I have gone the last two years as an equalization member, and I have to tell you it is a very eye opening experience as to how our church is set up and run!

I didn't take a lot of pictures but I did take a few that I wanted to share with you as well as one awesome video! This video was taken at the opening worship and it is the African's Children's Choir! They are the cutest and most spirited young kids I have ever seen, by far the highlight of all of the worship times we took part in while we were there! The above picture was taken from my seat at conference, and as you can see we were pretty close to the stage this year. The stage is where our Bishop (Bishop Trimble) sits with his people and they run the whole thing. So you can get an idea of how big of an event this is there are around 1200 people from across the state that attend annual conference each year. Well that's a pretty good summary (I think!), but if anyone out there in the blog world has any questions please feel free to leave that in the comments section, or if you attend annual conference let me know that too!

I Heart Faces, I'M BACK!!!

I didn't a lot of great pictures this year at Colton's birthday, because well I was too into the unwrapping and the eating and being a hostess to actually remember to get some good shots. But this one makes me laugh. Partially because Colton is being SO inpatient about getting his toy out of the box, and partially because the person he wanted to open the toy was in a cast up to his elbow and was having a heck of a time opening it. Funny moment! Oh and by the way that's my husband's cousin who is opening the gift for Colton and just happens to be one of Colton's very favorite people! So this is my entry for this week's I heart faces contest, their theme being birthdays! So go and visit all of the other lovely birthday faces this week!

Lewa's Designs

I love reading A Soft Place to Land and today Kimba has the best deal ever! She tells about her new sponsor Lewa's Designs, and of course there is an amazing giveaway! This amazing dandelion vinyl art that is 5' tall! Crazy cool...I love me some vinyl art!

This is a really cool store so please go visit and please visit A Soft Place To Land as well!

Outdoor Makeover!

What a busy holiday weekend we have had here! We were prepared for it to rain the entire weekend, but actually I don't think it rained a drop! We were pleasantly surprised. We started off the weekend by jumping into an outdoor project I had started a few weeks ago. That was getting my flowers around the house looking nice, getting rid of the awful looking mulch that the dog had sat in all year and that had blown all over the yard. I had 4 ton of rock delivered earlier in the week and so Sat. we sat out to make my flowers look pretty! I must remind you that we are living in a fixer upper if you will, and the ugly greenish paint color of my house will eventually change into a tan siding, but since all of the windows need to be replaced we are only doing one side of the house a year. Of course the side that is done has no flowers for me to show you! Any whoo! This first picture is actually the after picture (I can never guess right the order blogger is going to upload pictures!) I am trying to line my flower beds with vintage looking plates and saucers, of course I ran out. The ones pictured I got on an auction for 2 dollars!

This is the before picture..we leveled the dirt a little bit and put the rock and a fabric barrier down. Oh and pulled the multitudes of trees and weeds that were growing.

Here is another after picture...mostly lilies in this picture!

This is a before picture. You might also notice the sad looking basement door? Well as I speak I mean type the husband is outside creating a brand new door to take the place of this ugly looking thing. In the bed we planted a couple more flowers purchased from Wal-Mart the night before and added the rock!

And after! What a difference a little finishing touch makes! You'll notice the new door on the basement as well...looks good!

Friday night I scavanged at my husband's cousin's house and found this old washer, and I just knew there needed to be some flowers planted in it. So I picked up some wave petunias at Wal-Mart (these are the awesomest flowers!)

And isn't it fantastic in front of my house! It will get even better as the flowers spread out over the entire tub!

Well that's our Saturday, but it sure does feel good to get something accomplished and be that it was something beautiful makes it even better! I hope everyone else had a great holiday weekend as well!

Kristin