Growing up.....

I know it is alot to ask of my kids, but why can't everyone at least smile and look at the camera for one shot.

Breakfast at the Sheltons

There are very few things that are tradition at my house.....but one thing that we hold dear to our heart is breakfast at the Sheltons on Christmas morning. Over the years the house has changed to different locations, the guest list has varied, the kids have increased and gotten older, but one thing remains the same......the menu and the cook except for this year. Tim had to work Christmas Eve and then go back out again on Christmas morning due to the weather, so Papa Reese and Michelle had to fry the bacon and cook the biscuits. I am so thankful to have all of them. Here is a picture of "our" kids and the cooks.

Christmas 2009

Waiting to turn around to see what Santa brought.......sorry Baylee for posting a "first thing in the morning" picture!

My house was really blessed this year at Christmas....everyone was well and able to enjoy spending time with each other. Mother, her best friend Mary Jane, the kids and I went to Disney on Fall Break and that was "our" Christmas, but Mom and Dad still had some gifts for everyone to open even though they were not supposed to.

Here is a finished picture of my floor that my dad and I were able to create. I am so proud of it and I dare anyone to spill something on it.......

Getting the green vinyl up posed a slight problem because I think that the good ole boys who put down the green in the 1960's era must have dumped the entire pail of glue on top of the hardwood floor and just smeared it around because it took 2 sandings with a power sander to get it where I could stain and poly in the dining area.

The kitchen area was a different story because the wood was not a good quality wood when it was first put down and it looked terrible after the vinyl and glue was gone. The simplest and more expensive thing to do would have been just get someone to put down more vinyl, but I usually do not take that route.....I am more of a hands-on do-it-myself (as long as my Daddy helps) kind of girl. Soooooooooo.....after much research i decided to paint the floor in a tile pattern to give it a cottage type look so the flow of the house would be consistent. The first thing I did was paint the entire floor in cream using Lowe's Valspar Floor and Porch Paint which is oil based and takes some time to dry, but it is well worth it after the finished product.

I am going to post some photos of my kitchen in its varying stages. My entire kitchen remodel began with a tiny tear in the vinyl flooring almost a year ago. I thought to myself that I would just see what was underneath the creamy dingy once white vinyl and I found green....lots and lots of green. Ignore the hoochie momma in the picture and look at the nasty green floor.

This Old House

I bought my house in the summer of 2007 and knew before buying that I would want to make some small improvements....well, small improvements turned into BIG improvements and I know my Daddy is ready for all I have started to be finished. Pictures will be posted shortly....