more home

the living room.

just about anything that happens in our house happens here, so it's in lots of my pics. but i'll include it in the "tour" anyways.

this is the front room of our little domicile. it was red for so many years, nearly seven, but i repainted it last year.

i love color and textures. i got this rug at Target and it makes me happy. that green throw on the couch has been around for so long that i can't recall where i got it. i still like it, even though it's starting to lool rather shabby.

and i always love to have a vase of sunflowers in here. sunflowers aren't my favorite flower, but they sure look good in here.

i did away with any window treatments because i love an open airy look.

again, sorry this is so dark, but i'm no photographer. this is a portrait that my grandmother (the one talked about in a previous post today) painted of my mom when she was about 15. i love it because i think it shows how much my mom and i look alike. the weird metal work thing is a piece of artwork Margaret did at school. it used to be a man playing a guitar, but somewhere a long the way it got bent out of shape. i keep it out still because it kind of adds some cool to this otherwise classic room. this is a thrift store chair that i have recovered too may times to count. i love the current fabric because it goes so well with the rug.

we keep flip flops in this red box. it was something my mom was getting rid of, but i rescued it and painted it red.

we have so many books in our house that they get stacked everywhere. this stack on the coffee table has some of my favorite picture books - U2byU2, Pat Green's Dancehalls and Dreamers, and the Shiner 100th anniversary book.

my grandmother gave us her piano last year. we weren't sure where we'd put it at first, not having a lot of wall space, but it seems to be perfectly happy in this spot by the front door. after painting last year, i was hesitant to hang too much on the walls. our wedding pics got stuck here and just kind of stayed. i think i like them here. also, there is a piece of artwork by Margaret, rendering of one of Rembrandt's paintings, i think (Anna the Prophetess, maybe? i can't remember).

i love plants inside the house and out. i got these matching copper jello molds at the thrift store and thought they made cute little planters to go on each end table. sadly my 2 bamboo plants don't look so great.

 and here is another chair covered in the same fabric as the other one. this one was one that someone had set out by the side of the road. as i was picking it up to load in the back of the suburban, the owner came out of the house and asked if i needed help with it. it was none other than a guy i had gone to youth group with as a teen and who took me to his senior prom! LOL. so the chair is not only cute - it has some cool carving in the wood that doesn't show up in the pic, but it has a funny little story to go with it.

and that's the old marriage certificate, in case Brian and i need to be reminded. and under it is an oil pastel that Margaret did in 3rd grade, i think.

so that's the living room.

home tour continued....

the boys' room

it's hard to find this room tidy, what with three boys sharing it, but somehow i caught it half way decent today.

kinda dark, but here is where John-John sleeps. i love the big bank of windows in here. Samuel and William have the bunk.

if there is a theme to their room, i guess it would be the ocean, though i haven't really aimed toward anything, it just seems as if things have sort of fallen together.

this is a print of a painting by my stepdad's brother, entitled "Matthew". Cal wanted to give us a framed print as a wedding gift, and asked us to pick of several of his works. i chose this one. at the time, i always envision us having a son and naming him Matthew. funny how that hasn't been one of the names on our list.

the boys have had the same Tommy surfboard sheets and red and white duvets from IKEA for so long that i feel like i should replace them, but they've worn well, that it seems like a waste.

i'd like to paint their beds, but that is kind of far down the list of things to do. their room was a peanut butter color for several years, but i painted it this wedgewood blue last year and have been really pleased with it.

and all those marks you see on the ceiling aren't dirt, they're glow in the dark stars and planets. i love that they have those, just as i did as a kid.

weekend recap

it's been a pleasant couple of days. yesterday i met my mom and aunt Lucy down at South Austin hospital. my grandmother has been in the hospital with a gallbladder attack. she was scheduled to have it removed yesterday afternoon and i wanted to see her beforehand. Mama, Lucy, and i ate lunch together out under the trees outside the hospital. Lucy had brought us subway sandwiches and we had such a nice time visiting together. we then went up and hung out with my grandmother awhile. she kept us laughing the whole time as we waited for the nurses to take her away to surgery. here she was getting ready for surgery and she wanted to put on lipstick and perfume. =) my grandfather came a little while later. he hasn't been married to my grandmother for years, but, because of a strange set of circumstances, he is still her step brother. yeah, weird. what happened is that several years after my grandmother and grandfather married in the 40's, they each lost a parent - my grandmother's mother died, and my grandfather's father died. well, after awhile, those each decided to marry. get it? my grandmother's father married my grandfather's mother. yes, it was all legal and above the board. so, even though my grandparents are now divorced, they are still step brother and sister. they've been married twice (to each other) and have both married others, but have remained friends over the years and are always at the same family gatherings. my grandmother hasn't been married to anyone for years, but my grandfather is currently married.
so he comes up to the room and joins Mama, Lucy, and i who are visiting with Memee. because there was no seating left, he decides to sit on the end of the hospital bed. well, Lucy pipes up that she might have to tell Karen (my grandfather's current wife) that he was in bed with Memee. i guess you'd have had to have been there to appreciate the humor of it. =)

last night we went over to Central Market. the kids ran around and played the whole time and Brian and i had a chance to visit, almost like a date.

this morning we had a lazy start. i made homemade buttermilk biscuits and gravy and peppered bacon. mmmmm. i love a southern breakfast!

i went out and walked my miles this morning before it got too warm. Margaret and i worked around the house doing yard work and cleaning house, and also went grocery shopping. we had a lot of prep to do to get ready for the neighborhood potluck for this month. we volunteered to host this time, the first time in our 8 years of living in Windsor Park. 'bout time, huh? i mowed, edged, and cleaned up the yard of toys and sticks. it was so nice to have the yard all tidy again. i made several pans of king ranch chicken and one chocolate buttermilk cake. the house smelled delicious and thanks to Margaret, was sparkling clean. and it stayed clean because Brian and the boys were away at baseball games and practices for most of the day.

we had a modest turnout, maybe five families, but it seemed just right. everyone brought something to eat and some brought beer and some wine and we all had a jolly time around the table while the kids ran and played in the yard. it is always good to hang out with the neighbors.

sunday morning we went to worship. afterwards i had my sunday school to lead/co-lead. it was the last sunday of the semester. i'm now done with all my childcare duties (other than my own kiddos) until the fall. i'll miss all those little guys.

Meredith finally had that baby girl. she was born on saturday though i haven't heard all the details yet. the Evans cousins go down like stair steps - Claire - 12, Margaret - 12, Thomas - 10, Samuel - 10, William - nearly 9, Patrick - 8, John - nearly 7, Tommy - nearly 6, Aili - nearly 3, and Baby Evans. our little one will be 7 months younger than this one, and then it will be left to Brian and i, i think, to decide if there will be another cousin. it is so fun that we all live in the same city and the cousins have grown up together as best friends.

well, it's monday and i've got a lot of monday chores to do.

lots of this and that

it's been awhile. i have just been too busy and weary to blog these days. not so weary physically, just mentally and emotionally. the past couple of weeks have been rough. we're really having a hard time with William. it is so hard to see him struggling so. it is hard to accept, but from what we've read, it seems he may have early onset bipolar. this is heartbreaking. he is such a precious child, but seems so held back by these unseen forces. we're looking for the right doctor to take him to, and praying for answers.

Margaret's birthday was last Thursday. i can't believe that she's 12 already. that beautiful, tiny rosebud of a baby has grown and is such an amazing bundle of creativity and life!







Margaret left after school on Thursday to go too Fredericksburg with her girl scout troop. there is a GS house there, and the girls went to stay for two nights. Thursday night we went to Redeemer's Maundy Thursday feast. it was beautiful as always.

on a side note, since Brian decided to go through with the officer training and became a deacon, our perception of Redeemer has changed. we feel more connected and feel like this is where we belong. it's been good. we're thrown ourselves in with renewed vigor.
on Friday i took the boys to the Zilker Botanical Gardens. the enjoyed running here and there. then we went to lunch at Taco Cabana. we're never out to lunch together, just me and the boys, and it was fun. Friday night we went to the Good Friday service at Redeemer. it would have been wonderful but for the fact that the only row left was on the second row, right behind an opinionated elder who is also a very well known criminal defense attorney in town. and William was have allergy problems, snorting his head off. the guy kept turning around and giving us "the look". i was mortified and wanted to melt into the floor.

we had one of Samuel's friends over to play all day on Saturday. i worked on making cupcakes for the Easter get together at my grandfather's house the next day and for Daddy's birthday. cupcakes are the new cake for me. i've been making them a lot lately. i have this delicious cream cheese frosting recipe that i've been using. mmmmm.

Margaret got back from her outing Saturday afternoon. we took her out to dinner at El Arroyo for a belated birthday celebration since she was out of town the night of her bday. i really enjoyed shopping for her birthday presents this year. i got her some clothes, some cute flower clips for her hair, some cute sheets for her bed, Jars of Clay's latest cd, some toiletries, a hat (she collects cute hats), and a James Avery chain and cross. we also got her a cell phone. we wanted her to have one before she goes off to middle school. she's growing up. i can't believe we have so few years left with her. so few years to teach her all we need to teach her.

here we are outside of El Arroyo looking like a pretty motley crew.

after our dinner there we walked the 3 mile loop at Lady Bird Lake. it was like old times when we used to go down to eat dinner down town and walk afterwards. we need to do that more often.



Sunday was glorious, celebrating the resurrected Savior! i didn't get a picture of all of us together in our Easter finery, but everyone looked cute. at least i thought so.

we stopped in at Daddy's on the way down to my grandfather's house, but he wasn't in. i left him some cupcakes since his birthday was the next day. we had lunch at my grandfather, "Dader's" house. there was a big Easter egg hunt with all the cousins, and then the kids swam in the pool. Meredith still hasn't had that baby. her due date is tomorrow.

we have home and i napped for an hour or so. there was an incident at the get together where one of my kids was falsely accused by someone else, and it was really bothering me and sort of soured the rest of the day for me.

yesterday after i took the kids to school, i went over to the Shoal Creek Greenbelt and walked several miles. i used to do that all the time when i was pregnant with Margaret. it brought back some sweet memories. i spent the rest of the day working around the house. i mowed and edged the yard and worked in the garden. i realize that being pregnant takes a lot out of me and i can't just go on forever. i was worn down by the afternoon and just wanted to nap the day away.

i made a ton of pizzas last night. i've been craving pizza constantly lately! pizza is one of my favorite things to make. so many options!

here are some pics from last week.

Tuesday the boys had the pinewood derby races at cub scouts.

William was ready to go home and go to bed.



and finally, a tummy pic.
12 weeks, and i lust about have something to show. thankfully i inherited good abs, at least that's what the nurses say, so i'm still able to "suck it in", though i can definitely tell that my figure is changing.

i'm meeting Brian for lunch at Chipotle. need to get a few things done before then, so i had better get a move on. i'll try to be more consistent about keeping up with this thing.

yesterday didn't turn out as i had planned. i ended up not making it to the midday service at church. i had so much work to do around the house it was enough to make me want to cry. actually it did. i haven't done a good job of teaching my kids, particularly the boys, to put away things after they use them, and so i spend a good portion on my day picking up after them. nerf guns and darts everywhere. clothes and shoes in all sorts of places. sketch papers and pencils on every table in the house. sigh.

i think i'm finally turning a corner in this pregnancy. i was able to wait up for Brian to get home from his deacon's meeting which lasted past 10 pm. and actually carry on a conversation with him before we fell asleep. i did wake up at 3 am., but fell back asleep and didn't wake again until the alarm went off at 5. that's huge since i've been getting up before 4 every morning for a few weeks now because i can't go back to sleep. i also feel more energetic and not so nauseous. i'm not used to feeling bad, so this has been really hard on me, not just physically, by mentally and emotionally. i guess God knew i needed to rest, so He made me lame for awhile.

after dinner last night we went over to Mueller for the kids to play a bit. i got in some walking while the kids scrounged up some school chums to play tag with. Brian left for his deacon's meeting around 7:30 - his first since he finished his training and got voted in. anytime he's gone in the evening, i realize what a wonderful husband he is. he always takes charge of getting the kids to bed, especially lately as i've been going to bed before they do. we got through the showering process, which took extra long since i had to send all three boys back in there to shampoo their hair since they'd neglected to do it the first time. i had Bible time with them and started reading Anne of Green Gables for our readaloud. I've never read the series to them, and i think they'll all enjoy it.

i don't know if i mentioned this before, but i've been working through this study called Becoming a Woman of Excellence by Cynthia Heald. it's been so good, just what i've needed at this time. i love her studies - she has written so many and i want to order some more once i finish this one.

and now for a few pictures

the kids playing tag with friends at "the wedge" last night

a recent walk to the Windsor Park library -

 William and John's baseball team

cousin Aili at the boys' game last Saturday

Margaret and Samuel deep in discussion about the The Redwall series books while heading over to toss the baseball. these two have become buddies again, just like they were when they were little.

 *****

i picked up three books when we walked to the library the other day.

i've finished A Long Fatal Love Chase and thought it very silly and disjointed. but that's just my opinion. it made me think of the tragic, melodramatic stories that Anne Shirley attempted to write.

i'm in the middle of both Slaughterhouse Five and Hard Laughter so i don't have much to say about them yet.

i must go water the garden. we're praying for rain down here. we desperately need it.





sunday am.

woke up again at 3:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. i waited until nearly 4 to get up because that seemed more respectable. i don't know why i keep waking up at these crazy hours!

Friday was a full day. i lay in bed on Thursday night wrestling over how i was going to get all the things done that i needed to get done, but somehow it all worked out. just as it always does.

Brian and i met with Maplewood's assistant principal and Samuel's teacher first thing on friday morning to discuss how Samuel has done this year with the 504 accommodations he's been receiving for his ADD. he has to be evaluated every year to see if changes need to be made in the strategies and methods being used. we all concluded that most of the things that his teacher has been doing have been good and should stay in place. he's made great strides academically and socially, but still has a lot of emotional struggles. he needs to learn to take control over his feelings and not give in to them. all in all, it was a positive meeting. he has a wonderful teacher who has been really good for him, i think, and he's done much better this year than last.

after i left the meeting, i went and bought a ton of groceries for the weekend. while i was unloading the groceries at home, two women came up and wanted to share "words of Jesus" with me. i assured them that i was a Christian and really appreciate their concern, but i was in a big hurry, needing to get to a doctor's appointment. they asked if they could give me some literature. i saw that it said they were Jehovah's Witnesses, and i told them that i was pretty sure my beliefs about Jesus differed from theirs. despite my efforts to hurry with the groceries, we somehow got into a discussion about salvation, etc. they assured me that they believed that Jesus was God's Son and the only hope for salvation and the only way to God, just as i did. since we seemed to be in agreement, i said that was great, and told them to have a wonderful day. later i called Brian and asked him what exactly do Jehovah's Witnesses believe? i've always thought they were similar to Mormons, but these women assured me that they weren't. i guess i need to read up on it so i'll know better how to talk to them...next time.

i had to hurry to make it to my OB appointment on time. Dr. Love's office is connected to St. David's, so i have to park in the parking garage, which is always so hard to find a parking spot in, especially for my big suburban. i circled for ten minutes.

the appointment went well. i haven't gained any weight, so my goal this month is to work on that. the nurse, Janine, who has been checking my vital signs and measuring my tummy for years, said she wasn't sure if she'd be able to pick up the heart beat with the Doppler since i'm only ten weeks, but she'd give it a try. she found it right away! it's such a wonderful sound, one that i have been waiting to hear. when you're not showing yet, you start to doubt that there is a little person down there. that little heartbeat was music to my ears. i left the office feeling elated! i ran and got me some lunch at Taco Cabana, the first step in trying to gain some weight, then drove to the AISD central office on 6th St. to drop off Margaret's transfer request. i wanted to deliver the thing in person just to make sure the process got started. the woman in the office was able to answer a lot of my questions and told me that i'd be hearing back next month on whether or not her transfer was approved. that's good news!

from there i went down to Lady Bird Lake and enjoyed a 3 mile walk. it couldn't have been a more beautiful day! 

i made a mad dash back home to bake some strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, clean the house and water the garden before picking up the kids at school.


Brian's parents were here for a short visit. they got here Friday afternoon. we went to Central Market that evening, that being the place that Margaret wanted to go to celebrate her birthday. the food & music were both  good and there were a lot of familiar faces from school.

we had two baseball games on Saturday. i didn't go to the second, but stayed home with the younger boys and rested. Brian's parents left Saturday evening, but not before we'd made big plans for a week-long beach trip in August. it will not be in Texas since we want it to be convenient for Michael and Jana to join us, too. most likely in florida, mississippi, or alabama. after the inlaws left, i went over to Mueller and walked my 4 miles. despite feeling terrible, i somehow manage to get in my daily walks. getting outside like that seems to help me out.

celebrated palm sunday at church, then taught my sunday school class. after we got home and had lunch, i went to bed and stayed there all day. i felt like i had hours of sleep i needed to catch up on. i took Margaret and Samuel over to the park and they played with friends while i walked my 4 miles. i was feeling better, but i still found myself back in bed about 8:45.

monday

this morning i helped out at the school, first shelving books in the library, and then monitoring 6th graders in the computer lab. now i'm home with a to do list that seems a mile long. after the weekend there is always so much cleaning to do.

our church is having a noonday service every day this week. i hope to attend most, if not all of them. they're also have a maundy thursday meal and a good friday service. i'm so excited about all these opportunities to gather with the saints!

wednesday, april 13

this morning i helped out at the school for a bit, overseeing 6th graders working on research projects in the computer lab. same drill as the other day, two girls worked on their project, and two others emailed friends and read celebrity gossip. i bucked up this time and said i'd have to tell Ms. Neal if they didn't get working on their project. i think i lost my status as the "cool mom".

after i left the school, i ran home and grabbed a snack. seems i can't go past 9 am without eating a second breakfast these days. i was starving. that's what i get for getting up at 5.

i met Brian at Lamar Middle School where we had a tour scheduled for 10. when the person in the office told me over the phone the other day that a student would give us a tour, i was a little annoyed. i was hoping for an adult. but theses 8th graders that took us around were so mature! i was totally impressed by them. i wasn't like that in 8th grade, that's for sure. i liked the school. it was real similar to Maplewood, located in an old 50's era building in an old neighborhood, and with similar diverse demographics. it's big on the arts, which really appeals to me. i can picture all our kids there. both Brian and i went away with a good impression. i filled out the transfer request and plan to mail it out tomorrow.

i had to run directly to Meals on Wheels after that. i love this mid-week gig. i generally have about 12 clients, and they're all elderly folks living in a "55 and better" apartment complex. my clients are in 2 different buildings. i take the stairs to get extra exercise, which is tough at first, carrying 12 hot meals and 12 cold bags, but gets easier as i make my drops. these people are so sweet, and i really come away feeling awfully blessed by making their acquaintance.

my whirlwind day continued, as i rushed over to Subway to meet back up with Brian and grab a quick lunch. we chatted about the school options and last night's baseball game (Samuel's). all too soon it was time to go our separate ways.

i came home to clean house real quick, then went over to Mueller to walk a few miles. back to the house to clean myself up and then over to Maplewood for kid pickup. phew! busy day, and it's only 4! thankfully we don't have anything on the agenda for tonight.

friday, april 15

it's early on friday. i've been waking up around 3 every morning and tossing and turning for a long time. i decided to get up around 4:30. i've got so much to do today. this morning Brian and i have a meeting at Maplewood to discuss Samuel's 504 designation. this has to do with his ADD and other issues. it's a label, but it helps the school have the freedom to alter his education to fit him. it has to be reevaluated every year, to see if the methods that are being used are making any difference. i am real curious to see what his teacher has to say. we haven't heard any feedback from her in awhile, though we have heard from his music, art, and PE teacher, and the reports haven't been that great.

i also have a OB appointment this morning. i hope they're able to pick up the heart beat this time. i read that a good Doppler can at this point. i've now ten weeks plus a couple of days. i didn't get around to taking the wednesday tummy pics this week. i'll try to get that in later today. no pooch yet, but i can feel my waistline shrinking. i can't wait to start showing more. right now i just feel like Dolly Parton.

i worked my last day for the ladies' Bible study for this semester. i guess i'll be back doing that again in the fall. the money is pretty good - better than my other childcare job, and it inspires creativity in my, having to plan a lesson each week.

Brian and Samuel have three baseball games this week. i can feel it wearing on all of us. last night Margaret and i took William, John, and Partrick to their practice while Brian and Roger were coaching Samuel and Thomas' team in their game. we have two games tomorrow. i think that we've decided to take a break from organized sports after this season. playing sports is great and i love all that the kids learn. especially through team sports, but it keeps us from being able to do stuff together as a family, to go camping, and go visit grandparents, etc.

i've got to head down to AISD's student services office today to drop off Margaret's transfer request. i'd rather drop it off in person than mail it. hopefully we'll get a quicker response that way. Brian and i both have a good feeling about our school choice, the first "good feeling" i've had about a middle school in all our searching.

that's all i have time for this morning. hopefully i'll be back later with some tummy pics and garden pics.