What I Did On My Summer Vacation....

Technically it is still summer, and technically this is my week of vacation. Although like I explained before, over here, this vacation is a bit different that usual.

Steven and the boys went packing for their camping trip on Wednesday morning. I had hoped we would do some fun whole family things the first part of the week, but it just didn't work out - we had the car in the shop (our only vehicle) most of the day Tuesday and Monday was a wash. So anyway, the boys left yesterday after Huston's preschool class and headed down to Branson, MO where they are camping at Table Rock Lake and heading for Silver Dollar City during the day. I miss them, I miss that we aren't experiencing all of that together, but I know that taking the little ones camping would have been quite an ordeal...and a headache that I wasn't wanting to deal with.

So what are we doing? Well, without a vehicle, we aren't doing much - but I did get a big birthday present from my mom - a painted kitchen. I picked the color, she bought the paint and came with our friend Mel on Wednesday night and we painted. My mother-in-law, Gloria came to help corral the youngins while we worked and my husband has no idea that this has happened. Think he'll notice?

Here are the before pictures- Avery is the model for these shots...the wall color was not white, but close - it was a very light peachy kind of color - a lot lighter than I had hoped when I picked it out 4 years ago.

This shot is from the kitchen into our dining area, the opening to the left goes into our living room...


and this one is from the dining room area into the kitchen...


Here are the painters - my mom - great with the trim work....


and Mel, trying to reach those hard above the cabinet areas...


Now here is the final product - the color doesn't come across well on the camera - its not that overwhelmingly orange...and even this evening it seems to radiate less than it did this morning - after we were done painting the room almost seemed to glow - I wasn't going for glowing....but as it has dried and I have returned the furniture and stuff, it has settled down quite a bit. Lillie is the model for the after pictures...the color is called sahara sun - its a warm, creamy, rosie color with an slight orange tint to it.


So other than the painting I don't have much else to report about my vacation. I was able to borrow my grandma's car for tomorrow, so I think we will be working at the church some, but we may be heading to the library or trying to do something fun as well. The best part of it all is that I get some good alone time with these two little ones - who are growing way too fast...Miss Lillie will be half a year old tomorrow and Avery will be 3 in a little over a month.