The goings on at Holly Hill

Jackson Turns 2!!

"I ride my horsey, Mommy"

Visiting Stephens family in Alabama!

The kids LOVED it, I thought it smelled bad.

She wanted us to but a chicken on the way home to live at the house!!

Being Silly!

Jackson's Very small birthday party :(

Anna and I have made it a habit that when I get off from work late, we go up and check on the progress of the house...I usually get off at 11pm, or 1 am....she likes her quality time with me ;)

This is Grant, my sister's "horse"....Madeline painted him.

Madeline also painted my sister....this is why it takes so long to get anything done....I love them!

For our anniversary, Stephen surprised me with a overnight stay at the Ellis hotel in Atlanta, it was the hotel that burned in the 40s and many people lost their lives....I wanted to stay and take a nap, but we went out anyway;)

I love him.

Our good friends, the Striplehoffs and their kids helped paint the house one day, when we were gone....when we came home, this was painted in our kitchen...too sweet!

The new mantle in the kitchen

The outside of the house...cannot wait till Landscaping time!!

Today was madeline's second day of pre 4 and jackson's first day of pre 2!! They are getting so BIG...it is sad, yet wonderful. I am so proud of them.

Daddy and Jackson on his big day!!

In the new house!!! My plan is to take their picture every year here!!! This is the staircase going up to the addition.....i am going to take some nice pics of the house, and post before and after pictures.

Hard to get one with them both smiling! The inspector comes today for the final....as soon as was pass that, we can move in!!!! So exciting!!!

Pictures!!

So....an update...the bank pushed back the merge date to june 29th. Praise the Lord. God is always looking out for us!!! See...that is what happens when you listen well!! So, right now we are putting in hardwoods...we wish we could find some skilled carpenter to work for us the next few weeks full time...hard to find though!!! Mom and Pa chillaxin on the porch!

Mads last day of school was circus day..she was a clown!!

What I usually find when I come home from work...this was taken about 2am...My cup runneth over.

The sweetest thing I have ever seen!!! My boys.

Madeline's graffitti..I need spell check..is that right?

On the good ole lawn mower

My pretty house from beck's porch

It is painted now, I need to take new pics!!

We wanted to find brick to match the old brick, and couldn't, so we bought plain red brick and stained it with red, black and brown stain to make it match....This is the fire place on the porch with the new brick...If you look past the porch to the right you can see the old brick...Did a good job, eh??

So....just living in chaos now...literally. I was thinking about asking a doctor to prescribe some xanax or valium for these last few weeks...It is wild!!

I PROMISE to post updated pics!!

Can't sleep

Not being able to sleep is very unusual for me. I am the type of person that can sleep anywhere, anytime. I have recently started working 3p-3a shifts, which is probrably why I cannot sleep. Plus, I have a meeting at 7am. Gonna be a rough day tomorrow!!

Stephen and I had a meeting with the president of our bank today. They are merging with another bank June 1st. Problem is, the new bank does not do construction loans. So....house HAS to be done by May 31st. Stephen's first official time he told me we would move was March...then April 1st..then "hopefully May, babe". Well my Aunt Cile told me a few months ago, "tell your self June 1st, then you wont be disappointed." She said that when the projected move in date was April. So, good job on the prediction Aunt Cile.

So, Stephen is gonna be bustin' it up there now. As if he wasn't before! I picked out cabinets today, finally. That was about the hardest decision I have ever made!!! I may have put more thought into those then I did naming my own youngins.

Gonna try to sleep...I will leave you with some pictures of my kids, and will take some of the porch this week , and post another blog!!

It wont be like this for long...

Stephen and I say this to each other far too often. When we move into the house, the babies will sleep better....when we move into the house, we will be organized again....when we move into the house things will calm down...you get the picture, right? The fact of the matter is that while we have been saying this, a WHOLE year and a half has passed us by!!! I cannot believe it. Jackson was 6 weeks old when we moved in here!!! When Stephen and I had babies, we made a pact that we would raise them together as a team. Often times, the mama does most of the childcare and the daddy works. Not in this little family. We have always made it a point to see each other every day...well, except every third day when he works!

Lately, in ALL the craziness of our lives, I work full time now and he is up at the house every waking moment, we have become almost accustomed to just "passing by"one another throughout the day...handing the babies off while the other goes to work. It has been a hard adjustment this past few months. An example of how rotten I am and how dependent on the man I am...he stayed home for four straight weeks when I had Mads!! Now It seems we hardle have time to sit and talk.

A few weeks ago, we started our day with a sweet moment I'd like to share. Stephen had gotten off work from a 24 hour shift, he normally sleeps about 5 hours on a good night, and had gone straight up to the house. I had gotten up, fed babies, dressed babies, forgot to dress self, got kids in car, drove them to school, then went straight to starbucks for my daily love affair. I dropped off the dry cleaning, vaccumed the car out, and was headed back into the house to straighten up and do mounds of laundry, when I saw my good lookin husband standing outside of his new home just looking up with a smile on his face. I drove the good ole mini van up the hill and had the best conversation I have ever had.

S: Hey babe

B: Hey honey, you doin ok? Sleep last night?

S: Nope, you ?

B: Nope.

Stephen is leaning his arm in the window, and I have my head resting on his arm. We are now looking up at this massive house we have built up. ( We didn't mean to make it this big..seriously we didn't)

B: That right there is a house.

S: Yep that is a house alright babe. That is our house.

B: Mmhmm...our house.

Stephen looks at me and smiles. Then he leans into my used mini van that I swore I would never drive. And he kisses me. Kisses me like I have never been kissed. I felt like a fifteen year old again. I kinda wanted to vomit from the butterflies in my stomach. And for about 20 seconds, in my mind, I was showered, my teeth were brushed, I had on my wedding gown , and I was the most beautiful woman alive. Our house.

So, in the next few months, while we continue to say, "when we get into the house", I will remember that moment, and remind myself...It wont be like this for long.

Why I hate to blog....

As requested, I am posting new pictures of the house and babies. Of course I have already messed it up, because three of the pictures are sideways. Why is this so hard?
Babies at good ole Kroger...like a free field trip on a rainy day. They are so cute!!

Apparently it's the law to have a Port-a-potty in the yard when you renovate a house like ours. It is a great way to potty train, cause it is just so darn interesting to them.

The front porch (side ways) see the cut out above the front door? I wanna put a stained glass window that says something along the lines of "welcome to holly hill". That is what the land and home were called way back in the day before they had "real" addresses. I have to come up with a color to paint the addition. Any suggestions?? Maybe white to match my red front door??

Mads helping Jack use the facilities in the yard.

Mads went to the dentist and had three cavities!!! Apparently she chewed on her lips and gum while her mouth was numb. It was shockingly swollen and still is four days later. Thankfully , no one has called DFCAS.

So, the second level with the three windows is bare. Shutters wont fit, so I was thinking of putting up old timey casings around each window. I need a decorator, is what I need. However, I am too poor, so i am counting on friends to help :)

Stephen's other wife. The tractor.

Entrance from the living room to the kitchen....still have a ways to go.

My sister, me and Stephen...Isn't she pretty!!

Before the siding....It is coming along. I have stopped guessing when the move in date is cause it just keeps getting pushed back.

As for us, we are all great. Stephen is still with Atlanta FD, still getting furlowed, so I put on my big girl panties, and went back to work full time at Kennestone. I dont even whine about it, cause i know i wont have to work forever, (I think). Our babies are wild. Madeline is learning all sorts of good stuff at school. Takes gymnastics on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She is quite the little gymnast!!! Jackson is a wild animal. He is 19 months and thinks he is ten. Rotten as they come.

We are happy folks over here on Allgood Road. We have a great marriage, happy healthy young-ins. A big ole house to fill with more babies, eventually. Jobs, Security. Clean water. Food on the table. And our house is filled with laughter! And crying ;)

We continue to thank God everyday, and pray that we are doing what his plan is for us. I have stopped trying to "guess" what God's plan is for me. Instead I am waking up every morning with a good attitude, a smile and a willingness to listen to where He guide's us and follow as best I can.

I am seriously gonna update more. The picture may be sideways. But that is better than nothin!!

Till next time......Hugs.

Whoo hoo....looks like a house to me!!

Okay..let's see if I can do this without sweating or crying, or throwing the computer!! LOTS has been going on up the way on Holly Hill!!! I have taken pictures and plan to give a tour via blog in the coming days!! Meanwhile, here are some pics of the past months... Ooops!!! STUCK!

Yeah for a house!!!

That is not really gonna be the front door...i am gonna have a red front door!!

Cleaning up pulled ceiling...dirty, dirty work!!

Wouldn't you like to get this in your suitcase??

Jackson Fire Department....where Sarah lives.

I love him sooooo much!!

Stephen holding his new neice...she is darling!!

She loves me, already!

Hope everyone has a Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!!! I know we will!!!