introducing MAYA

after church today, uncle mark & aunt jennjer took the kids to the park while i went to the grocery store (feeding a family of ten requires some strategic couponing!).

when my cell phone rang, i could tell something was up when i heard mark's voice. my IMMEDIATE thought was that someone had gotten hurt during their outing. instead, he began to tell me about the dog that they just met at the park. a dog that was accompanied by an SPCA volunteer. a dog that was in need of a good home.

after lots of questions on my part, lots of begging on my children's part, and lots of assurance from mark that he'd help with the training, MAYA came 'home.'

she's already made herself at home and is behaving like she's been here forever. here's hoping the coming days are as easy of a transition as this evening was!

the crowes have landed

it's been a little crazy here and i haven't blogged in quite some time.

but this week, the big news is that the remaining crowes have arrived! they're already off and running (literally) as today is alexis' very first track meet! GO LEX!

christmas 2008

here and GONE. we had a fabulous day, filled with lots of love, surprises & food. what every holiday SHOULD be, right?

the gift giving started christmas eve with the annual 'new jammies' present. can you tell which of my kids is the handful?

this picture just CRACKS me up:

and here are some pics from christmas morning.

hudson saw this dog at the store one day and fell in love with it. i figured he'd forget about it but a few days before christmas, when asked what he wanted, this was the ONE THING he said. panic set in as the original location didn't have them anymore but persistence paid off and he was thrilled:

and JUST IN TIME for christmas dinner:

chuck, stacey, rowan and luke joined us for our first dinner in our 'new' home. i've never cooked such a grown up meal before :) between what i cooked & what stacey brought, we were all STUFFED by the end of the evening:

we baked a birthday cake & the kids sang 'Happy Birthday to Jesus.'

merry christmas to all of you. and thank you for making this christmas so special! xoxo.

oh what a glorious christmas eve!

we are H.O.M.E.

thank you GOD.

thank you ERIC the house fixer (as hudson calls him LOL).


there are still things that will have to be done after the holidays but that's just fine. and all my furniture (except the kitchen table) is still in the garage but again, that's just fine. because WE are in the house and WE are so glad to be here.

here are some updated pics (some with flash, some without) and a picture of our bargain tree we bought today since we couldn't get to ours. it is decorated with all of the pinecones that hudson and carson collected from our yard after the hurricane! this tree has a HISTORY :)

merry christmas to you and yours. may you FEEL as BLESSED right now as WE do. GOD IS GOOD!

i didn't send christmas cards out this year...

my address book is somewhere in our packed belongings right now. maybe i can do a new year's card? or a happy valentine's day greeting?

in any case, here's a virtual MERRY CHRISTMAS wish for all of you (circa 2007 :)

inch by inch, task by task

we're getting closer to coming home!


the walls are painted a lovely shade of golden ecru, the gorgeous granite countertops are installed, and last night the travertine backsplash was set in place.


the feelings, the emotions of watching this come together are a little overwhelming. bobby and i stood in the kitchen last night with the contractor...just in awe.


to look back @ how we purchased this home...that in itself was a MIRACLE! there was just something about THIS HOUSE that felt 'RIGHT' to us...even though i reeeeeally had some things about it that i didn't care much for...and then to experience HURRICANE IKE in all his wrath...but come out the other side with such an ENORMOUS blessing. it's still not completely settled, you know?


today they are going to finish the island (the brown portion is just primer right now). i 'think' the appliances may be put in today as well? monday the floors go in, tuesday the carpet will be installed in the study & wednesday we should be here to celebrate christmas eve.


here are some updated photos:

we couldn't ask for a more amazing christmas gift!

now, sing with me, "i'll be home for christmas..."

:)

what's new in the hood

hee hee.

L@@K!!! we have a hood above the space where our cooktop will go :)

and doors & drawers on the cabinets.

getting closer. can i get a 'wahoo?'

these are pics from this afternoon (notice it's starting to get cleaner too. that deserves one more BIG 'wahoo!').