Bailey Family

I have a 'full length' version of this (it's like 13 minutes!) with Carolyn's full explanation of the house...with lots of details. (The playroom was filmed first, so after that I got her to explain less - or it would have been an hour!) And...I took several days to film b/c I could only film the rooms that were clean, which is about 2 rooms at any given time. :) If you want the full version, I can email it or post it later...assuming Will comes over to help me figure out how to make the computer cooperate with me to publish the full length video. Enjoy this 'double speed' version of the house! (some things are even sped up twice)

Mom's blog post pretty much covered the weekend, so here's the big deal for the weekend to add to it! Seth's part for the primary program: Because we had to make up the part after the first sentence with an example, he was a little fuzzy on it (I took about half his practice time to write something with his help), but he could read his during the program since he knows how to read, so he did fine in the program. Carolyn's part for the primary program: She was SO cute being able to say her entire part from the first practice until the program - and with the bigger words in there, she sounded so grown up. Of course, you could tell she's 4 when you watched her for the rest of the program - perhaps we should feed her something without sugar for breakfast before next year's program...?! Kaitlyn and Natalie wanted to be filmed too, but obviously didn't have parts (they'll still be in nursery another year and won't get parts for 2 more years), so I let the...

Well, this is about as clean as it's going to get (this is right after the nightly cleaning/weekly vacuuming). It was easier to film rather than explain in pictures... TO DO: put up pictures, drawer fronts on craft drawers, book ends for the scrapbooks, cover the fireplace better (plus some rubber around the brick edges), remove the 3 grey boxes, and one day replace the paneling (probably when I reclaim it as a family room) For Christmas, the girls are getting a little kitchen (well, that's the plan - Rob's gotta find the time now to build it!) - it will go where the grey boxes are now. I have no idea where my sewing machines/table are going? I've filled up all the space in the house - too bad I can't remove the useless fireplace! Here's a shot of 2 out of 3 craft drawers (the other has really messy stuff in it - glitter, wooden stuff, craft paints, chenille sticks, beads, etc) - we probably won't be venturing in that drawer much in the next 6 months! Man, I...

OK, OK, forget the mopping – that’s the joy of this color vinyl – you can’t tell how dirty it is! The overall kitchen: The left cabinets (newer):  (laundry area through door to the right) The right cabinets (older): I like the base cabinet depth all the way up here – I can put those lesser used things up high, but still reachable with a stool – rather than digging through the back of some corner cabinet! And the looking through to the playroom is kind of cool. The blank spot on the right of the sink is where the microwave will go (we had to order one to get the countertop size I wanted – can’t fit an over-the-range model in this kitchen). Overall – I’ve gotten used to the layout and really like some of the cabinets. I could use a little more pantry, but it has a ‘kitchenette’ by the inlaw suite (which I’ll use for food storage, baby bathing, and extra pantry cans, etc). The stovetop is flat like I like (white is harder to keep clean, but I knew that). Don’...

Seth’s room: Starting at door, and circling around… to do: put up shelf for decor, instill constant cleaning habits, eventually paint blue (his choice) Our room: standing at bathroom door - It’s a little small (it’s comparable to apts we’ve lived in, but we wanted the girls to have the bigger room so we could stuff them all in one! and we like the shower here better) Can’t fit the baby’s playpen/basinet in here, so I’m not sure what I’ll do in November? TO DO: get a remote on that fan, valences for windows, put laundry elsewhere! And our Bathroom: It’s a little small, and I don’t like the toilet and vanity, but we Love the shower, and I think the light fixture is pretty. To do: replace toilet seat, add storage shelf, get taller vanity/different faucet, add bathroom vent/fan, paint with non-flat paint (one day…) unfortunately, we’ll be using the short-person vanity for a while b/c the other two bathrooms the kids use need more immediate work. Oh well...

Dining room (Mom will help us put up pictures) to do : put up pictures, get a dark (maybe pizza-sauce-colored!) RUG, replace ‘leaning tower’ of bookcase before it falls on someone, eventually replace carpet with something kid-friendly GIRLS’ ROOM (aka – girls’ dormitory) These are in order as if you walked in the room, looked to the far right corner and circled around to see the rest The doorway down the short hall goes to the bathroom ; to the left of the stroller is the exit. The baby will be added to the dormitory when she moves up to a toddler bed in a few years. to do : connect fans to switch, paint walls pink & decorate, update bathroom to include tub and decent vanity/faucet, fix bathroom walls, fix closet walls/rods, make drapes/valences for windows Seth’s room is organized too now, but it hasn’t been clean when I’ve been ready to take pictures. (The girls’ doesn’t stay clean – we cleaned it for the pictures.) If you find postings of each c...

Well, first, we packed: Beds, dressers, everything! (Thank you Blythewood Ward!!) Goodbye to a garage… Then, West Columbia Ward helped us ‘dump’ all of our stuff into the new place…(the stress of selling/buying is over, but oh! the overwhelmedness of all that stuff to unpack and organize!) My brothers came moving night and helped organize the den (ahh, breath) My friend Cara the next day came and cleaned the bathrooms while I worked on the kitchen…I finished that later…breath some more! (in progress) My brothers (esp. Will) continued to come back and help set up more furniture and unpack when my ankles wore out each night – yea for brothers!   (Seth’s bed is a pain!) The kids just stayed in the way…she looks so cute and innocent in this picture And the playroom…finally done (well, at least the toy part of it!) OK, they need to clean up the blocks and Rob’s gotta put drawer fronts on the kids’ craft drawers, b...

I wanted to make a cute post this week, but honestly I don't have time...so here are some highlights: 1. I have lost complete control of my household while packing and dealing with the legal stuff! 2. The kids are possibly as stressed as we have been. I forgot to check Seth’s bookbag, so he did his homework on the way to school. I left 10 minutes late, passed a wreck, and got Seth to school about 25 minutes late (just in time for the firedrill).  He asked on the way to school if we could just turn around and go home and I could teach him today. The girls will watch tv all day today (with short breaks to make a mess or undo some organization) because I packed all their toys yesterday. Natalie can’t find her dresser (it’s in the den on its side). She nearly had a meltdown last night b/c she didn’t have shorts for her pj’s – I dug them out. Carolyn keeps checking the garage and my bag for her silky (like I packed it!) – I didn’t touch her silky. 3. We are mak...

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ ALL THIS, JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURES – THE LONG TEXT IS MOSTLY FOR CERTAIN FAMILY MEMBERS. Yesterday we went to our favorite park (probably for the last time in the house). Today, “summer” ended (at least in my eyes, maybe not according to science)… We went to see his classroom and meet his teacher last night. (frogs again! – just like his kindergarten class last year) :) 1st DAY OF SCHOOL Yes, he needs a haircut – we ran out of time. Carolyn HAD to have a new outfit too. (I guess you could say she’s doing “preschool at home” after we move. :) She also got a few “school supplies”, and the twins got some new crayons and their own safety scissors.) Thanks to the twins, we had a more rushed morning than I’d planned… We had to drive ALL the way across town to Seth’s new school (about 30-40 minutes). So, the plan was, let them wake up whenever (they’re always up by 6:30), change the pullups and GO! They woke up lat...

And running around between agents, lenders, and inspectors… Here’s what else we’ve been up to in August. Seth begged until Rob showed him how to build a house of cards: We found a dying butterfly outside on the driveway, so we took it to the flowers (in hopes that it could eat whatever they get from the flowers). (The sun burnt it later. The kids were really sad.) Yes, I actually picked the thing up. yuck. a little more outside time (not much – it’s so stinkin’ hot in August!) Finished 15 books so everyone got medals (and an iron on, free frosty coupon, free book at the library book sale coupon, and some other junk) NOTE: Seth read all his 15 by himself (not read to him like the girls) Went to the zoo with Kristen, Chloe, and Savannah (Kristen’s niece)   I think this was Chloe’s first zoo trip – I don’t think she cared – although she did fuss about the heat a little. And for rainy days…a little splashing (which ended when Carolyn and S...