Mark and I have been blessed to have a date night just about every week this past year. On one of our date nights this past summer, Mark asked what would help me get things done both on the computer and at home. We brainstormed and both decided that a few hours outside of the house to re-charge and work on stuff on the computer (blogging, ministry things, schoolwork/planning) would really help. We started in July. Ya’ll, it has been a definite attitude changer for me To have a weekly time to get away and focus on God first and then the other things I need to do has been nothing short of a blessing.
Mark had two Sundays he had to work this past summer. He has worked at the same place for over 16 years and this is one of a few times he has had to work weekends. His job is good but his co-workers are awesome. Anyway, so those two Sundays I loaded up our tribe by myself and headed to church. While in worship, I started taking notes on how our younger kiddos were “listening” and decided to help this listen better. We drove to church for several weeks after that going over the things we should do and the way we should act in church and then I made up these sermon notebooks. The little kids have a place to draw a picture about the sermon but can also check off key words our pastor may say. The bigger kids also have a space to draw or doodle (which is how I learn…visual learner trick that works for me) but they also have more space to take notes. Our pastor tries to print out an outline and there is plenty of space in their notebook to copy it out. I think I did it so that one notebook is for a full year…we’ll see (I really can’t remember). Anyway, I made a pdf of the notebook and sent it to Office Depot to print (because I have a good teacher discount deal. Thanks HSLDA membership!). I have them put the clear cover on the front and spiral bind it. So far it is working and eliminating a lot of distractions that they were having with each or others around them. If anyone would like a copy of what we use, I can send it to you! Just leave a comment or shoot me a message with your email.
Art in progress. Malachi and Bryant agreed to a vintage train motif. We opted to paint both boy bedrooms the same colors to simplify. Just different decor.
I used one of our cube storage shelves and turned into a quick diaper changing area.
We moved our rocker to their room temporarily (it’s usually in the living rooms). Beside the rocker is Tobin’s clothes box. He was going through clothes so fast the first six months that there were usually clothes hanging off of it. Each kid has three baskets with their clothes and these boxes stack fairly well.
It’s sticking. To the van. And the leaves. For a few seconds.
We did food prep.
Mark and his dad got the carpet pulled up. All of us worked to get the linoleum up.
Mark worked one Saturday for eight hours. A couple of weekends later,our pastor/friend came over and worked with Mark making the process go a lot faster.
This was after the first night and my first panic attack.
Zoe and Ace were invaluable! We figured out the underlayment and they were my backbones to get it installed. Then when we worked big spaces, we quickly came up with a routine on how to lay/cut/install while Silas ran planks between us.
Rearranging furniture brought in more organization for me.
See the pantry door? I figured out…on my own…how to work around it.
The dining room went fast but we still had to get quarter round down and then realized we had to paint the trim…my trim looks brand new now though!
Dining room/School room all done. Now to get ready for school 2017 to 2018!
Mark got the quarter round around the island painted a few days before Tobin was born. Now, I can officially say our island is done!
Everything is finished!
We bought the cabinets and Mark started the planning process
Demo day. Mark got the bar granite removed while I was away but I got to watch the rest of the island come down.
Bye, bye crazy island set up.
Putting the cabinets in place.
We did very little moving of the plumbing and Mark built a box around it to make it easy to get to if needed. Saved us thousands of dollars in plumbing re-location. One of the joys of a concrete slab.
Since I know next to nothing about how to construct things, I got to paint. See, I’m the visionary and Mark is the one who makes it happen.
The night before we tiled the counter, was spent arranging, rearranging and sending pictures to friends for approvals and ideas.
The next morning, we go to work. I did most of the tiling. Mark did a lot of the cutting.
My new red lockers. It took about six cans of spray paints and about four primer spray paint cans. It was worth the time it would have taken to hand roll all of these.
Mark painted while Emmie was at an appointment.
We painted the girls beds but the girls’ were ready for their new layout before the beds were ready. 
The girls’ new bedding came with a pillow that didn’t really match. Enter matching fabric that I used to cover the pillows.
And the vanity chair. Actually, Zoe did the chair. She didn’t want to paint it, preferring the shabby shic.
I found some really cute vinyl decals we put up on the long wall.
I also added the fabric to to the top of the white curtains.
We added shelves for some storage.
While Mark worked on our chosen designs to carve, the kids got to work painting baby pumpkins.
While he continued to work, they started rolling down the hill.
I mustache you if this was a cute pumpkin!
