Introducing Ms. Veda Mae

Back on board. We have had a year from hell (Ill depress you with details later) with the exception of our newest Larson addition. Welcome Ms. Veda Mae! Born October 29th 2010 weighing in at 7lb 12oz and measuring 19 in long. We love you baby girl, we needed you this year more than anything. Because of you 2010 was worth it!

Uno! Dos! Tres!

"Nolan, what would you like on your cake?"

"Two eyes and Happy Birthday Boy"

Grandpa's Toys!

We're Going on and Egg Hunt! We're Gonna Catch a Big One! What a Beautiful Day! We're Not Scared!

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Some exterior views just for my mom

I think it could use some shutters on the windows or something? Other than that the siding is brand spankin new!

AND HERE IS THE LOVELY BARN! I THINK I WILL NAME IT "BARK RIVER"

Back by Popular Demand

All I can say, at least I was able to sneak one post in in March! Woo Woo. With all that is happening there should be a post for every day. I think Ill get straight to some major happenings. First off, we ditched the house we have been waiting ever so patiently for it's redemption period to end. Something bigger and better has crossed our path. On Feb. 8th (give or take a few days) We signed papers to an excepted offer on a new house!!! So lets see, I think that leaves us at looking for a new house to buy for almost hhhhmmmm 10 months! I'm still not trying to get too excited about it because we haven't yet closed on it. Its a foreclosure so all the happenings have been through Mickey (our wonderful agent hehe) and the Bank and or its agent. Mick is amazing and had done more than what any real estate agent could ever do! You sure are a smart cookie! Love you! Ok so details, its an old farm house probably only about 800 sq. feet. The previous owners added on to this house, completely gutted it, and then unfortunately or if you are us fortunately foreclosed on it. Currently its about 2500 sq feet, 4 bed, 3 bath. Now the impressive part about it is the price, and the land. Its on nearly 37 wooded acres with about a 1/4 mile (something like that) river frontage! Now the best thing about it, we get to finish it! Its like having a blank slate to do as we wish! Kitchen, bathrooms, tile, carpet = brand new house! The plan is to blog the refinishing from start to finish, so I'm going to start by posting some before pics. They aren't the best but you'll get the picture!

Introducing The Rusty Kitchen Ranch!

Master bath, we will be rearanging this and adding a walk in tile shower (micks favorite part)

Looking out the patio in the master, closet to the right

One of two closets in the master , the other is a large walk in


THE UPSTAIRS (without pics of the full bath up there :( sorry dont have any yet

Standing in the loft area looking down stairs

The boys walk-in closet only other pic of this room, wish there were more. This is the largest room in the house! They are going to love it
Awww perfect for a nursery!

event the upstairs has valted ceilings, I love that part!
Closet in need of some doors and trim

If only the boys could have had this room! Gotta make room for baby!

THE LIVING ROOM>>>>>>>>

Standing in the living room, looking at duel staircase

French doors to what ever patio we build, and coat closet

The Corner
Side of living room (opposite of stairs)

The woodstove platter....we will be downsizing and relocating this to "the Corner" in the above pic

Also that TV whole,....going
AND LETS NOT FORGET.....THE RUSTY KITCHEN!

Me and Phebes. In the gourmet kitchen
Standing in the kitchen, 4th bedroom (office) and half bath also part of duel staircase


Standing in what will be the kitchen looking out front of the houseThe beautiful kitchen.....ooo la la!

Another view to show ceiling height Where the table will probably go


Standing at the front door looking at living room and out back of house

I still missed a few areas of the house but I hope you got a good view! I cant wait to dump some $$$ into it and make it a beautiful home! To be cont..........

Better late than nothing at all, Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day Everybody!

And We're In!!!

Its official, we are in house number ???? Oh who's counting anyway!?? Things are good and the overall move was alright as well. Ask Mick and he may tell you differently. Lets just say he was up a bit late that final moving day. He said he'll never move our stuff again! I guess we will be able to see if he's lying in exactly 6 months! So the stray cat that inhabited our last pad, well he wasn't going to be left behind. The cat suddenly appeared at the new house. Turns out he climbed into the back of the Uhaul and made the journey on over! I guess this cat was truly meant to be ours, UHG!!! The boys are adapting well. Nolan is a bit concerned about leaving some things behind and taking along unnecessary stuff. For example his bed, he reminded me mult times not to forget his bed!!! He was also insisting that I leave our fishing poles behind because there is no water (old house was on a river) at the new place. During the process of moving he was insistent that "the bears" ate all the food at the new house because the refrigerator was empty. Ever since reading,"We're Going On a Bear Hunt" he blames everything on "the bears" He too damn cute! Ky's biggest worries are learning the new exit off of I96 and seems to think this house is "rusty" because it wasn't built yesterday. Typical Ky! Mick and I, we are just happy to be done with the move!

Time out VS Roll out

Ear we go again.....another Childrens Museum!

So we started off the day.....well I started off the day at 5am on my way to work. Got to work, got sent to PICU and then got sent home. Thanks a lot, get my butt out of bed on a Sunday and forget to cancel me. So anyway here I am on my way home and its only 730am. Its a rainy (but warm, 50 degrees woo woo) so I am planning on taking the boys to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. All is going as planned when Kyan starts complaining about his right ear again. He had been complaining about it for the last few days so I scheduled his well child for Monday and was trying to hold off on taking him in until then. So the complaining got worse and I figured the "attention pain" may just actually be real pain. So now we are off to urgent care. We walk in and the place is somewhat empty but they tell me ALL the rooms are filled in the back so expect to wait. Another family walks in the door with two kids a little boy around 4 and girl around 1.5. We keep hearing a squeaking noise. Something like a really loud annoying dog toy. Ky finally says, "Mom that noise is annoying me" I hush him because I think its the little girls toy and didn't want him to offend anybody. So the squeaks keep happening over and over and over. Now I am annoyed. Turns out, the little girls shoes squeak every time she takes a step!!!!!! OMG who the heck takes there kid to an urgent care where they will be sitting (or if your the little girl, running around) for hours, with those types of shoes!!!!!!?????? I am pretty "squeak squeak" sure that family is lucky "squeak squeak" to be alive by the looks of everybody "squeak squeak" in the waiting room, including the staff!!! I think the mom finally realized her purchase sucked! She now decides to hold her very active child so she begins to scream her head off. OH GAWD!!!!!!!!! So now Ky looks at me and says, "my ear is better, lets go" Over my dead body! We just heard this little girl squeak and scream for an hour! We are staying!!!! The MD sees Ky and asks him how his ear is feeling. Ky replies, "It got better while I was in the waiting room" And it sure did! The doc said his ears looked great. RRRRRR KYAN! This sympathy pain stuff has got to end!!!!

We still end up going to the Children's Museum for Pies sake NOT for the kid who cried wolf! But I do have to say the kids were absolutely wonderful little boys for the 2hr. we were there! The Grand Rapids Childrens Museum from my opinion puts the Ann Arbor one to shame. This place was so much fun. And so like like for the kids. To sum it up, its an adult world on a child's scale. They had so much fun. Everything was so life like, from the grocery store, to the post office and bank, a little ice fishing and tending to the chickens hatching eggs. OK, OK I think I had a blast! We will definitely be going back soon! Thursday nights, only $1.50 admission!!!!!

Hope you did some coupon clippin' kid!!!

Pop Bottle Fun!

Amazing!

Our Trip to Wisconsin

I took the boys to Racine and Kenosha this past week to visit an old friend from Ann Arbor. Melissa and her son Gavin flew from Salem OR and we couldn't let them be so close without having a reunion. The boys had a blast! Here's a few clips of the events........

Skate Town.

The Jelly Belly Factory Tour

Gazing at the Mirror Ball at Skate Town.

"Home Boy" meets "Cooker Man"