Remodel Continued - Small Spaces

In my quest to declutter, simplify, and modernize our home I sold our living room furniture. Including all the storage for the girls stuff. We moved the vacuum, the folding chairs, the cleaning supplies, and over-sized serving ware out from under the stairs. We than added magnetic paint, chalkboard paint, and little tables to create an "art studio".

The food in the adjoining pantry was relocated to shelves in the garage. We used metal shelves and bins for all our games, toys, dress ups, craft supplies, and family homevening materials. Now that everything is in one place, we are actually using it. It is amazing what you can fit into a small space.

Tooth Fairy

Miss. Kira lost her first tooth.

In typical Kira fashion it was very dramatic. She wiggled it out at school. Her principal gave her a special Tooth fairy box to keep it save. On the bus ride home she was showing one of her fellow passengers when the bus hit a bump and her tooth went flying, never to be seen again. She arrived home in hysterics convinced the Tooth fairy would never pay her a visit. Luckily we have an in with the Tooth fairy.

Kira is delighted with her shiny new quarters. We are delighted that she has permanent teeth under those babies. We were starting to wonder.

Alyeska Christmas.

We spent part of our Christmas At our favorite, local Ski Resort (ok ok, our only) local ski resort...Hilltop doesn't count, as it's not actually a resort..A place must have more than one chair- lift to qualify...

Still...

Alyeska is unique, where else can you view the ocean while skiing? Kira has really taken off this year. She doesn't like to turn much as "going fast" is her favorite part, I truly can't keep up with her as going fast is not my favorite part. Not "eating it" is my favorite part.

Sadie is still anti-cold so we have had a challenge getting her really excited about going outside. The garage to the car is about as far as we make it without trouble. She was happy to spend her time at the pool.

Brielle doesn't care what we do as long as she is in charge. She brought all her new Christmas prizes with her and spent the bulk of the time hiding them around the room...We are still finding parts and pieces in all sorts of interesting places like: luggage, boots, gloves, etc...

While we had a fantastic time, we missed our dear friends and family.

Thank you for all the generous gifts.

We hope you had a wonderful Holiday.

Carpet

Ok, our house is fabulous...more than a gal could want, I know....Still, the pink carpet...ouch...No matter how many area rugs you throw on it, Pink it is. I've been quietly suggesting we upgrade since we moved in 5 years ago, and with each suggestion Bob would respond with "it's going to be a lot of work".
Work, Smirk how hard could it be...
Mr. darling reluctantly agreed, I ordered before he could change his mind and During the Christmas break we (He) got to work.

I imagined that since we were paying someone to install the stuff, it would be quick and painlesss. Take the kids to MickeyD's Playland for an afternoon and return to clean, fresh as new home.

Imagine my surprise when the installer called. The conversation went something like this:
installer: "I'm calling to confirm that there is no furniture in your home".
me:"um, what do you mean"?
installer: "Is the house empty"
me: "no, we already live here"
Installer: "yes, but have you moved everything out yet".
me: "no we aren't moving, the carpet is for us".
installer: "ma'am, the carpet cannot be installed until all the furniture in the house has been removed"
me: "What"?
installer: "ma'am, the furniture needs to be out"
Me: "Can't you just move it to one side, lay the carpet, than move it to the other side"?
Installer: "no ma'am"
Me: "where does it need to go"?
Installer: "a moving truck, storage facility, garage, shed, where ever you have room for it"
me: "um, we have a lot of furniture".
installer: "yes, and it needs to be removed".
Me: "don't you do that".
installer: "no ma'am
Me. "We have to move out of the house"?
installer: "just for 3 days".
Me: "THREE DAYS"???

And that my friends is why Bob is always right and I am always not-even-close when it comes to remodel jobs.
It was a huge amount of work to install carpet! HUGE... We had to move out, remove doors, pull up transition strips, seal, sand, then move everything back in again. well, Bob had to do all that... I had to find a place to hang out with girls for three days..

Master Bedroom:


Living room:


Kitchen:


Master Bathroom:


Hmmm. has anyone seen my.....

Sad

OK guys,

Sad story, Oh so Sad - prepare yourself.

After the weeks of preparation (searching, shopping, buying, backcombing, glittering, painting, sewing, gluing, fake eye lashing, you get it..) the works... my little ladies were fit for the ball, aka: Huffman Ward Trunk or Treat.

Alas after snapping oh so many great, Fabulous, EXTRA-ordinary pictures, I realized we were experiencing a technical glitch...no,NOT my new CanonElf..no please no, oh but yes, it is officially broke.

I'm just letting you know the deal before you question why I would post Halloween pictures in May. We should be recovered from our first dress up session to try it again.

REtake

School Pictures are stressful for me. You get one chance - just one - to produce a permanent record of your child for the entire class to refer to for years to come. Imagine the panic when I realized I would be out of town for Kira's school pictures this year.

Thank you Retakes!

I woke up early just to get to it. The twist curls needed to be just right..and getting an even inverted french braid in the front with bangs that have been hacked with fingernail clippers proved tricky.

In the end I though to myself, whew, that was well worth the effort. I think this might just be my finest work...Oh yes, very nice.



Too bad that the re-take paperwork packet that I had magneted to the fridge never left the all to obvious spot. Apparently the photographer has some silly rule about not taking pictures of children without permission.

Blah.

This year's school picture really would have been a stunner.

And the children should lead them.

Kira and I had the most interesting conversation as we drove around Costco looking for a place to park.

Kira-Wow, the parking lot is really full today. That's because Barrack Obama is our president and he is giving everybody money. I wonder why they are spending it all instead of saving it.

Mom- Hmmmm that my girl is a really great question. Why do you think our President is giving everyone money?

Kira-Because he has lots of money.

Mom-Where do you think he got all that money?

Kira-He makes it?

Mom-Not exactly, more like he takes it.

Kira-Oh, like Robin Hood - He takes from the rich and gives to the poor.

Mom-Kinda, but who do you think the rich are?

Kira-The mean guys?

Mom-Well, he actually takes money from dad. Is he a mean guy?

Kira- What??

Mom-Uh huh!

Kira - That's why we should have got Sarah Palin, right?

Mom - WOW honey, you are smarter than half the country..
Oh if only children could vote.

Flattop

Bob and I climbed Flattop for our Friday night date a few weeks ago. The views were stunning.


I'd love to make it up one more time before the snow flies.

Fresh

As the leaves turn from green to amber, I too am in transition. This Winter marks the Morehead's 11th year in Alaska, yes,over a DECADE. I feel that I have given Alaska the best years of my life..I loved my twenties. So to mark such an important anniversary I do what I do best...Re-decorate...
I just posted my original living room set on Craigslist..from the Classic (slightly outdated) Couch and love seat to the lovingly (worn) entertainment console.
Now the adventure begins..If anyone finds a good deal on a butter colored leather sectional, please let me know.

Fishing at Hope

We took Grandpa Keith fishing in Hope. The water was thick with Pink Salmon. The fish were so abundant that kids were scooping them up with nets.

The girls were hysterical to watch. Kira likes to fish but is reluctant to get too close to them once they are out of the water. Sadie is not as interested in fish as she is to throwing rocks in the water. Little Brie on the other hand can't get enough, first in the water and last to be dragged out. She is absolutely fearless.

She wanted to hold this little guy in the car on the way home. She was quit upset when we told her no.

Fishing in Alaska, makes the little lake trout I grew up with pale in comparison.

Cast-away.

Grandpa and his girls

Sadie and Daddy.