Fresh Paint

I've been known to pay a traveling "salesman" to paint our address numbers on our curb before and Carl hasn't let me live that down. Especially since it was a sloppy job. It was $10. Well, our new curb needed new numbers and I decided if that man could do it, I certainly could. So I took my cues from Martha. She is clever, that girl.

http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/paint-your-house-number-on-a-planter

Modifying it to work on a concrete curb, here is our end result:

I'm sure snow or a big tire will smudge it someday, but for now, we've got the newest numbers on the block!

17 Months

What a difference two months makes! Gracie is turning into a rather picky eater. She shakes her head no at most everything and will fling it off her high chair tray if she disapproves. The dogs certainly don't mind but we do. This pickiness is coupled with a fierce demand for independence. She's started using a fork and or spoon and likes to feed herself.

Her vocabulary is expanding. She's been saying maMA with sort of a French accent on the end or she'll even say mommy. I've waited so long to hear that sweet term of endearment! She says puppy but sometimes it sounds like boppy or pah-pe. We think she's been trying to say Ellie (our dog) but it comes out ay-ya or ay-ye. She says bebe for baby and loves to sway side to side with her doll.

Often times when she wakes up in the morning and is having her diaper changed, she will demand to have a hair bow put on her head and will giggle with delight when we put one on!

Music definitely moves her – to sway, head bang and twirl! She likes upbeat fun songs! She has a great obsession with keys, cell phones and remotes. She is always busy. She has no fear for stairs, dogs, etc. and has her daddy's sense of adventure! Bath times and walks across the bridge by our house are favorite things right now.

She's graduated from the nursery to the toddler room at church...a sure sign she's not a baby anymore! Happy 17 months, sweet girl!

Pumpkin Patch

A few weekends ago our little family of three went to a pumpkin patch! Lots of fun. It was hard to pick just one pumpkin, but we got some great photos!

Kitchen Remodel

We have a beautiful new kitchen!

Before...

After...

Come visit and we'll cook you a meal!

Busy Little Bee

Gracie is 16 months old today! She finally gave up her goofy little crawl and is officially walking!! Took her first steps without any coaxing from us on September 7th. Now she is everywhere! Nothing is safe. She has ten teeth, loves to swing and go down the slide with assistance. She is certainly expressing her independence more and more. Favorite foods include grapes, macaroni and cheese, and all kinds of green vegetables. (Funny, huh?!) To her Nana's dismay, she is not at all into mashed potatoes! Other than that she usually has a great appetite. Her words include hi, dada, mama and hot. She blows her nose in tissues when asked (sometimes), blows on her food when it's hot, shakes her head no, and can sign "all done." She has an ornery side...wonder where she gets that from? Tonight we enjoyed this cool weather and went on a walk to Price-Harris...Carl explained that it was Mommy & Daddy's elementary school. Grace will be going to school before we know it!

Crystal Cove

We went on vacation to California to visit Carl's dad and wife Peggy in the middle of September and had such an amazing time! One of the highlights was a photo shoot at Crystal Cove with Peggy's photographer daughter, Katy. She is SO talented. Grace was SO grumpy the whole day. I was so disappointed and worried we were A) wasting Katy's time and B) not going to have any great photos. Well, have no fear, Katy was here! I will post more pictures of our California adventures soon. For now, enjoy Katy's magic!

Chocolate Chip

We are currently remodeling our kitchen and one of the last things I made before the old was gone were chocolate chip cookies! Grace has not been exposed to too many sweets, and yet somehow she absolutely knows what cookies are and knows that she must have one. NOW! I'd say by the looks of it, she thoroughly enjoyed our last batch of cookies. Can't wait to make more in our new kitchen!