A Peek Into Our Home

We are very proud of our new paint color. It was well worth the 28 plus hours that we put into it. I can only imagine how much time the previous homeowners worked on their color-washing technique. Jason and I can't get over how much difference the new paint has made. We are definitely loving it. I really appreciate ALL of the work that Jason put into making our house our home. Love you baby!

Living Room

Living Room

Kitchen

Back of our kitchen looking over into the playroom

Mantle in the playroom

Playroom

Playroom
(I plan on making a collage area in the playroom to display the kids' artwork soon.)

I'm Just Not As Good At This Anymore!

59 words

Speedtest

I want to know what you all score, so let me know! I am not that proud of mine, but I thought that I would put myself out there. So, don't leave me hanging....


Teaser: We finally finished painting/hanging/cleaning our living area. I will post pictures sometime tomorrow. Don't expect anything too extravagant! I'm not that creative with decorating.

Our New Game and Conversations with Three Year Olds

Joshua and Abby Kate have come up with a new game. It's called, "What letter starts with ____________?" They absolutely love asking what letter certain words begin with. They are both fascinated with their letters. It is amazing to see them making connections with what they already know.

For instance,
"What letter starts with pantry?"
"P"
"P, just like PawPaw!"
"What letter starts with snowman?"
"S"
"S, just like sky and shoes!"

They both get so excited when making the connections. I am one proud momma!

These questions can go on and on and on. Last week we made a trip to the doctor's office (20 minutes, one way) and I was questioned the whole way there! Abby Kate would ask, then Joshua, then Abby Kate, then Joshua, then Abby Kate, then Joshua........

I finally had to give in and say "that's enough, already!".

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The other day Jason and I decided to turn the tables and ask Joshua and Abby Kate some questions. I love hearing their answers. I always wonder where they come up with the stuff that they do.

We found out that Abby Kate wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She wants to have 4 children and only have 1 of those to be a girl.

Joshua wants nothing more than to be a "really, really, big, baseball fan"! He wants 5 children. I think that he wanted them all to be boys!

New Look

I am so excited about my new look! Let me know what you think. My new look was created and designed by Hilary. Check her out! I really love what she did. Thank you so much Hilary!!!

Painting By The Numbers

14 hours of priming, taping, and moving furniture

14 hours of painting two coats

4 movies that the kids watched

2 days of painting

3 rolls of painter's tape

27 light switches and outlet covers

1 trip to the paint store

2 (will be 3) trips to The Home Depot

2 days of removing tape, rehanging pictures, and moving the furniture back

4 days of living in a very messy house

4 total rooms painted (foyer, living room, play room, and the kitchen)

3 kids in the house the whole time

This weekend, Jason and I finally started painting our living room area. We have lived in our house for almost a year now. When we moved last March, I was pregnant with Jackson and did not feel like I should paint. Slowly, but surely, we have been tackling one room at a time. Our living room was by far the biggest and most time consuming project.

Here are some pictures of the way our living area looked before we began painting. As soon as every picture is hung and my curtains are put up, I will post some pictures of the finished project. I am so pleased with the way that it all turned out. However, I don't think that Jason will ever lay another finger on a paint brush again! (Should I tell him that I would still like to paint the kids' bath, the dining room and the study?)

Close up of the color-washing technique that the previous homeowners had done.

One of our many walls

Our little helpers getting their tools ready.

Big sister Abby Kate helping out with a not too happy Jack

Trains and Theology

Today I took Joshua and Abby Kate for their dental appointment. Abby Kate was a bit unsure about the whole thing and gave everyone quite a problem. (I should have known the day that we had ahead of us. Last night when I told her where we were going the next day, she started crying and said that she only wanted to stay home. The same thing happened this morning.) Joshua did great, as he usually does. Since I take them both in at the same time, I usually go back and forth between their two rooms. As I was going in to check on Joshua, I overheard him talking to Ms. Scarlet. I got so tickled listening to what he was telling her.

"Hey, do you know that I have a train in my mouth?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, do you know what he says? He says, CHOOOOOOOOOOO, CHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Joshua was very concerned about Abby Kate. She was crying and he asked Ms. Scarlet what was wrong with her. She kindly told him that she was probably just a little nervous, but that she would be okay. He looked up and told Ms. Scarlet that "God will be with my Abby Kate. He will make it all better." Isn't that just the sweetest?

Joshua has been asking me a lot of questions about God. I absolutely LOVE the opportunity that I have been given to answer his questions. The other day, he asked me if we all die. And then he later asked me if God wants him to come and live with Him in heaven. I pray that I will be the mother that my children need me to be.

Jackson at Eight Months

14 pounds, 12 ounces, 27 inches

I can sign "eat".

I can clap.

I can sit "totally" unsupported.

I can feed myself puffs and cheerios.

When Mommy holds out her hands, I pull myself up to a standing position.

I make raspberries all the time.

I have started sleeping between 8-9 hours at night.

I love to talk.

I love eating!

I love to play in my basket of toys.

I will not give up trying to get something that is out of my reach. I am very determined.

I've started rolling over and sleeping on my belly at night. I love to snuggle up to my bumper pads.

"Baby, You're The Greatest!"

Randomness

Abby Kate and Jackson have been fighting a bit of a bug around here for the last week and a half. Abby Kate stayed home from school on Friday and Monday and will be staying here tomorrow as well. On our way to the drug store this evening, she asked if she could go to school tomorrow and I told her yes. Well, when I was unloading the 3 kiddos out of the van to venture into CVS, I noticed that Abby Kate seemed a little warm. After taking her temperature when we returned home, I told her that she did in fact have a temp and would have to stay home tomorrow. She was pretty bummed, but was fine when I gave her some medicine. (What can I say, my kids love getting medicine!)

Here are a few stories from the last couple of days...

Yesterday morning while playing with Jackson and Abby Kate in the den, my front door blew wide open!!! It scared me silly! My heart was racing as I feared that someone had just kicked in my front door! Abby Kate had played with the door a little earlier in the morning and I really did not think that much about it. Apparently, she somehow unlocked the front door and a huge wind gust blew it open. Nothing like a front door being blown in to get your heart pumping!

I took Jackson to the doctor yesterday evening. Abby Kate came along for the ride and was a big helper. Jackson has a viral infection that might possibly be the flu. We are just treating him symptomatically for now. Jackson's iron level was low, so he is on an iron supplement twice a day and will be rechecked at his 9 month appointment (I cannot believe that in a little over a month, my baby will be 9 months old. It just does not seem possible. This time is flying by!) When the nurse came in to get Jackson's blood, Abby Kate stood there and watched very intently. It always takes a while to get a baby's blood from his finger and as the minutes clicked on, Abby Kate started feeling sick. I actually thought she was going to pass out from seeing the blood! Her face turned red, she got really hot, and she complained about her tummy hurting. I quickly gave her a wet cloth to put over her face and had her sit in a chair. When the doctor came back into the room, she was as white as a sheet! As a kid, I passed out once when I stubbed my toe into the end of a hoe. I have also passed out many times when giving blood. She clearly takes after her mommy when it comes to blood.

I got an awesome deal tonight at CVS. If anyone is needing a chocolate fix, CVS has their 14 oz. bags of M&M's, 2/$4.00 with $2.00 in ExtraCare Bucks. I bought my two bags, gave the cashier a $1.00 off coupon, paid $3.24 and got a $2.00 in ExtraCare Bucks. So, when its all said and done, I got TWO 14oz. bags of M&M's for $1.24!!! Don't you just love a deal!!!

Check out what Jackson can do now!

Mrs. Bybee Goes Back To School

"Whatever you do, DON'T let your teaching certificate expire!"

I've heard these words from pretty much every educator I've known here in Alabama. It seems that once your certificate expires, it's a whole lot of work to have it re-instated. I've been told by everyone to do whatever it takes to renew my certificate before it expires.

Naturally, my teaching certificate expires this year! In order to renew, I had to have three years of teaching experience. I taught two years at Madison Academy, and before that I taught one year in Tennessee. I sent off all of my paper work at the end of last year hoping that my year of teaching experience in Tennessee would help me out. Unfortunately, since that year of teaching did not happen in the last five years, it doesn't count. Because of that, I will be returning to school!!! Yep, that's right, I'm going back to school.

In order to renew my teaching certificate I have to take a 3 hour course at a state approved university. Seeing as how the spring semester is now underway, it looks like I will be applying for summer school. I have been on the phone with several universities in the area and I've made my decision based on cost!!! I tried to have the school that I chose mail me my registration forms and enrollment forms, but they told me that I could do everything online! My, oh my, how times have changed.

I must admit, I am just a little bit intimidated about returning to school. Its been 9 years since I've been a student! The ironic part is that Jason graduates in May. Here I was thinking we were done with all of this school stuff, and now I'm the one that has to go back! I'll be sure to keep you all informed on my progress. I guess it won't be that bad: the class is an undergrad course, junior or senior level. But I have to admit that I'm dreading adding "student" on top of all of the other hats I wear (wife, Mom, etc.)! Pray for me!