Happiness is...

Our daughter's report card consisted of three A+'s, two A's; and two B's.  So very proud of our Emma.  Good Job Baby Girl!!!

Someone who wants to work

Our house needs a lot of little things done to it to make it feel more like "ours". The main updating of major things like electrical systems, etc have been done. But, the decor has been described to me as, "Um, Karianne, 1983 called and it needs it's wallpaper back." So true.

Chris of course, can barely handle any of this on any given day, so right after we signed for the house, he tackled his bathroom. Now, he doesn't have the time to really do anything around the house, but his bathroom is painted. He removed the wallpaper using minor industrial products
and took down the fixtures. S L O W G O I N G.

I hired a friend of mine to paint the main bathroom and trim. It looks gorgeous and she only charged us $100 and that included the paint. HEAVENLY!!

But the best is that she called me tonight and said that while we are away on a little trip in the near future, she could come in and re do our kitchen cabinets! I'm over the moon about this. Don't worry, I'm taking photos to share before and afters with you all. I hope that it turns out as great as we think.

Happiness is...

Having three referrals for kiddos all at the same time and two of them within driving distance of Karianne so we might get to meet sometime soon.  I cannot wait to meet this special friend!

Happiness is...

My baby girl taking 2nd place in dance competetions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXG8cCXbPY4

Such a pround momma!

Personal Touch

When Joel got home last night from work, I was watching The Golden Girls reruns the We channel. As he was getting ready for bed, some silly commercials came on for wedding shows about bigger is better junk—stuff I would never watch. A few seconds later Joel said, "I really liked our wedding."

Me too, babe. Me too.

I think "personal" is way better than "platinum" any day.

Being Healthy

Oh my! It is spring, and I'm ready to enjoy it. They say that to truly enjoy one extreme you must experience the opposite. Well, I've been sick for close to 3 weeks. I promise promise promise promise that when I get healthy I'm going to enjoy every second. Happiness, come free me.

Being genuine

This morning I was laying in bed with Ivy, listening to husband and both sons in the next room interacting. Chris has one genuine laugh that I love to hear. Mostly, I hear it when I'm not around. The laugh that he uses with me is more dramatic, less so than the laugh he uses with his brother, but still I feel like it is more for attention or show than joy (kind of like he is forcefully using his laughter as a fat burners for men
. But there is a laugh, more like a giggle, much more quiet that he uses with the kids. This morning I heard that laugh over and over while he watched the boys play. My ears and my soul were so happy.

Ivy's Encouragement

Ivy chose a drawing book at her school's book fair. We have been doing the exercises and drawing pets all weekend, along with doing a new skin care routine for me.
While I was drawing the ears on my chihuahua I said that I was having a hard time getting it. Ivy tells me, "That's ok Mama. You are still an artist." How flipping cute is that?

I feel a plan forming

Chris has been focused on redecorating his bathroom for several weeks. Kind of like I focus on quick weight loss JK
During his planning, he will ask me, things like if I have thought of a light fixture for my bathroom (which is also the main bathroom of the house). What paint I'm considering. flooring? I ask him maybe not so calmly to leave me alone, I haven't thought of it yet. And to get off my back and focus on his own stuff. (Can you tell I'm kind of uncomfortable with this kind of stuff? I'm sure no one who reads this is surprised! )

We used a beautiful color in the bedrooms in our old house. I adored it. I have decided to have my bathroom painted in that same color. (The painter comes on Monday)

Well, as soon as I decided on a color, things started to happen. I found a beautiful vintage mirror in an antique shop last week. Which reminded me that my ma gave me an etched mirror that was used in my grandma's house while my ma was growing up. I picked up the mirror today and went to show it to my ma. I told her my deco plan. She then gave me an early bday present and gave me a vintage mirror that she found in the basement of her house when she moved in 13 years ago. :)

I had all of the mirrors strung with wire at a framers this afternoon. I hope that it works out like I'm thinking.

Happiness is...

Friday night
pay day
don't have to work the weekend
going to the movie Valentine's Day w/ my hubby & daughter
popcorn and a diet coke
going to my daughter's dance competition tomorrow
sitting on two solid adoption referrals

Life is good!!!

Stolen continued

* If I were a tree, I’d be a willow.
* If I were a tool, I’d be a paintbrush.
* If I were a flower, I’d be a peony.
* If I were a kind of weather, I’d be snowy.
* If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a harp.
* If I were a color, I’d be periwinkle.
* If I were an emotion, I’d be peace.
* If I were a fruit, I’d be tangerine.
* If I were a sound, I’d be the ocean.
* If I were an element, I’d be wind.
* If I were a car, I’d be an a mustang with additional term life insurance quote
.
* If I were a food, I’d be brownies.
* If I were a place, I’d be a spa.
* If I were a material, I’d be embroidered.
* If I were a taste, I’d be overpowering.
* If I were a scent, I’d be nag champa.
* If I were an object, I’d be a flannel comforter or a pillow.
* If I were a body part, I’d be a hand.
* If I were a facial expression, I’d be contemplative.
* If I were a song, I’d be Copacabana.
* If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be sparkley flip flops

I stole this (intro)

I stole this from Katie, who stole it from the lady at from moon to moon blog. Here goes:

* If I were a month, I’d be September

* If I were a day of the week, I’d be Monday

* If I were a time of day, I’d be 1000 pm while deep conditioning my hair with vitamins for hair
.

* If I were a planet, I’d be Venus.

* If I were a sea animal, I'd be a seal.

* If I were a direction, I’d be west.

* If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a chaise.

* If I were a historical figure, I’d be Margaret Sanger.

* If I were a liquid, I’d be vodka.

* If I were a gemstone, I’d be a moonstone.

I love hearing

the sound of either the dishwasher, clothes washer or dryer running. Especially at night after everyone else is in bed. It makes me feel efficient and indulgent. Like I have a personal staff of help that works even when I'm sitting down playing with toys. When I think of washing dishes and clothes by hand, I wonder how housewives had time for anything else when my nana was raising her kids. I feel very lucky to spend my time writing on the computer, or watching television instead of finishing up those chores.

Happiness is...

a referral for a sibling group of two today.  Girl (7) and Boy (5).  We have read their 200 pages of doucments and are going to ask to be further considered tomorrow.  OMG - OMG -  OMG!!!  More to come...

SPRING!

I'm happy to say that Spring has come to Texas! Yippee! Perhaps we will have one final cold snap. It always seems to happen in March. However this morning was gorgeous, and I walked outside to meet a friend for lunch. So beautiful!

The days are getting longer, and I'm already getting more energy. It sure makes me long for free summers though. I can't believe I've been out of school for almost 10 years now. Crazy.

Speaking of field trips...

My cousin called and reminded me that we are supposed to take Ivy to Camelot tomorrow at our beautiful, historic downtown theatre! Ivy's dance recitals used to be held there, so she knows how pretty it is and she enjoys being in the space. This will be her first play. And one not geared to kids.

homeschool week one

Well, today will be our 3rd homeschool day for this week. The afternoons have been Monday, Thursday and Friday. We have had only 1 major breakdown which is a huge success compared to the 3-6 we normally have. She hasn't been "sick" or got sent home either. There have not been any naps, in fact, her energy and appetite are much better. We haven't needed to install our home security systems yet, as she and I seem to be home quite a bit now. Don't worry though, I'll be throwing in some field trips soon.

Her projects have been a blast and she has learned a lot and so have I.

Many things to be happy about in this situation.

Happiness is...

our homestudy being mailed out today to all those inquiries we have made in the last week.  I just know that our child/ren are not that far away.  YAY!!!