Post Precursor: I’ve ALWAYS wanted herringbone floors, but now that I finally do, EVERYONE has them! Whatever…
After we did the master bathroom a year ago I got the itch to redo the kids’ bathroom. It was super dark and they didn’t take very good care of it. K, that’s a lie. They took terrible care of it. Half of my intent on redoing it now was to give them incentive to keep it cleaner. I’m happy to report that it’s working! Granted, it’s only been a few weeks, but I’m (foolishly) optimistic that this will be a long-term change for the better.
Rob convinced me to let him install a light above the shower (I was unnecessarily unsure of his electrical abilities). It’s always been really dark in their tub so Cara always insisted on bathing in ours because she was too scared of hers. Now her fear is gone and so are the piles of toys in our bathroom!
Back to the floors. Pretty, huh?! I can’t say enough about how great a job Rob did installing these beauties. Sometimes I love being married to a perfectionist.
Okay, so let me explain the cat situation we’ve got going on here. Obviously, the last thing I wanted was a cat-themed bathroom. However, my kids insisted so I went to work and made it as presentable as possible. Trust me, this is quite toned down from their ideas! I do have to admit that it turned out pretty cute. They helped to choose this picture of their very own beloved.
For extra credit points, I surprised the kids with this super silly little decal. They were thrilled of course. Man, are we cool over here or what?
Is it weird that, other than the floor, my favorite things in here are the wooden hooks? Hence the two pictures of them. Natural minimalism at its finest.
For the hardware, we went with a curved shower rod, paw hooks, and curved cabinet pulls.
Whenever I redo a bathroom I insist on a new toilet flusher. You have to admit that it makes a huge difference in the look and feel of the entire room. Another insistent…a toilet paper roll holder that is open on one side. I hate the hassle of squeezing that annoying plastic springy thing which just asks for the toilet paper roll to inevitably get set on top of it instead, which then falls and unrolls all over the floor. What…this just happens at my house?
I even like how the room looks with just the one light on at night.
My only BEFORE picture from when we moved in:
Thanks to Rob for both the hard labor and the encouraging words whenever I got stuck down the rabbit hole of decor decisions.
It’s somewhat of a tradition of ours to drive up to Provo River Falls on Labor Day each year. It’s beautiful and so much fun to play on all the different levels of water. I think this will be a tradition we’ll all always cherish.
Snow Canyon State Park
We got away for a weekend in September and drove to our namesake canyon for a little nature r&r. We love the quiet beauty of this area and are always happy to come partake of it.
During the morning and evening hours we:
Played in the dunes
Hiked a small slot canyon
Explored the lava fields and climbed down into a lava tube
Found an arch
Climbed to the top of the rocks
We escaped the heat of the day by:
Walking the labyrinth and drinking Italian Cream Sodas at Kayenta
One story…Rob and Nate brought their bikes but during a campsite move, Rob leaned his disconnected bike wheel up against the front bumper of the car. We drove to the trail to drop off the boys but when Rob went to get his bike down, he realized he left his wheel back at camp. When we got back there, his wheel was still there laying on the ground but, without realizing it, we had run over it and bent it too far out of shape for repair.
Snow Canyon, we love you. Never change and please always be there waiting for our return, because we shall.
It's about that time...time to post an update on what the kidlings are up to these days. I tell ya, they're fun. These ages (11, 9, 7) are super easy and Rob and I are revelling in it while it lasts.
NATE
He is almost 12 so we bought him a suit. Snazzy! I feel like I should win the Best Mom Award when he puts that thing on. Today was wear #2 and he came home from church covered in dirt and ketchup. Boys.
He is hilarious. He is so witty can rightly pull off sarcasm, puns, inside jokes, body language, sophisticated humor, and anything else in order to gain a laugh. He's more of an introvert though, so it's mostly us who gets to see this side of him but we relish it. Here is a fake movie trailer he made this morning. Rob and I laughed out loud so many times while watching it. Here is the link.
He is doing well in school. He is still off the charts in reading and science. His handwriting has vastly improved. He has learned how to better handle his frustration when he doesn't "get" something and is getting better at staying focused rather than letting his mind wander so much.
He worked hard over the summer, earning enough money to buy a used xBox. He's learned how fun it is to have his own purchasing power.
He and his sisters have "Sunday Fort Day" every week. They first come up with a concept and a name for it. Past examples include animal sanctuary, haunted house, no giants allowed, carnival, etc. After they do this they draw up plans and execute. It's a giant mess. Furniture gets moved, toys come out, and pillows and blankets from the entire house are gathered. But...it keeps them busy for a couple of hours and it's amazing sibling bonding time. I'll take it.
MADELEINE
She is a solid 9 now and what a little lady she is becoming. She's pretty mature and just seems to "get" whatever there is to get. She's beyond the age of letting me buy her clothes without some serious input because this girl has her own taste and I can never seem to capture it.
She is observant and a very quick thinker. Her reasoning skills are unmatched. She will try her darnedest to win any disagreement and confidently makes the twists and turns required to succeed. Behind her pretty freckled face is a brain that is pretty unstoppable. Her memorization skills are one of her spiritual gifts. I'm not sure how that gift will be used in the future, but I'm positive it will somehow be a great blessing to her and others.
She has been exploring her feelings and emotions lately. Her natural tendency is to bury anything negative deep down and pretend they don't exist. We are working on making her feel comfortable and confident enough to acknowledge them, feel them, and work through them. She doesn't love it, but it's brought her closer to me and Rob.
She is participating in Ballroom dance class at school twice a week. She is game for anything in the performing and creative arts. She has never been into playing with toys, even when she was little. All she ever wants is art or craft supplies. She keeps herself busy on different projects just about every day.
CAROLINE
She just turned 7 and lost her first top tooth tonight. She buried it under her four pillows and made a sign pointing the tooth fairy in the right direction. We tried to get her cavities filled this week but fought off the laughing gas like a champ and screamed and flailed her way out of it.
She is a good little student. Her teacher told me how quiet and obedient she is at school. They aren't working too much on math yet but she loves it and has gone way ahead in her book. It's pretty cute seeing her sit at the table all studiously and working through it quickly and surely. It reminds me of how her dad looked when working through his math problems in school. Good for her.
She has started dance lessons at a little neighborhood studio and just loves spending the time with her friends and doing something on her own. She is naturally so strong and flexible that it all comes incredibly easy for her. She is still a strong singer. I only wish she'd sing in public the way she does at home.
She is a giggly girl. Whenever she is with her bestie cousins or bestie friend she turns into a crazy person, laughing so hard she can barely stand. She just thinks they are all so hilarious and she can't physically handle it.
SCOUTS
My kids now read this blog every so often and they'll be so happy if I take a moment to write about their beloved cat sibling. So here it is...
He's super aggravating with his excessive meowing every morning at 6 am. I'm guessing daylight means nothing to this animal. He also hates this time of year when it's getting cold outside and he doesn't want to go out when it's offered. Then he meows to go out. Then he doesn't go out. Then he meows to go out. Then he doesn't go out. On and on every morning from 7-9am and every evening from 9:30-11:30pm. It drives the adults in the house absolutely crazy.
He still lets the kids snuggle right up with him, carry him around all over, dress him up, play with him, and any other whim they come up with for him. He's gracious and selfless and couldn't be more sweet.
