GWEN Updates

The GWEN sat untouched for most of the summer. My boys really are not fans of being hot. Well, unless they are in the pool. But with some cooler temps, they headed out to the GWEN to give it some TLC and a few updates!  Mostly furniture and weapon storage, because BOYS. Its become the new favorite hangout! 

 Man, what I wouldn't give to have this space when I was a kid!! I love that they have this space to make lots of wonderful childhood memories!!!

A New Walkway

I wish I had taken better BEFORE photos of our house and the projects we've done along the way! This was one project that had been in the works since we moved in and we just now got to! The stone stairs leading from the driveway to the backyard. They were old flagstone stairs that probably once looked beautiful, but I can't tell you how many times I've scraped my shin because a stone came loose. Dangerous! So early this spring, I was running errands and came home to see that Levi had demolished them, and left in their place was a pile of rubble. Fast forward to now- where we have beautiful stone landings and a sturdy step in between, all done with Levi's bare hands!!!

A small glimpse into the rubble and mess that it was after Levi took a sledgehammer to it!

Then he poured the first pad. 

The next day, he poured the second slab....

 And we made our mark on it!

 The next weekend, he made a step in between the slabs and a new retaining wall to the landscape and we now have a beautiful walkway from the driveway to the backyard. 

But that's not all....he also dug up the 97 rocks that were practically buried underground (again, no before picture) and made a brand new path from the new stairs to the pool area!

Here is the best BEFORE picture I got....

 And the AFTER! I can't believe all those rocks were under the grass, waiting to be used again!!

Many more projects to come from this summer...

Thankful!

I love this view out the backyard!!!!! :-)

One of Those Nights

Tonight was one of those nights where I wish I had a button to make time freeze. It was one of those nights that my heart was so full of joy I couldn't stop smiling. It was one of those nights that I couldn't stop saying, "Thank you God! Thank you God!"  

Perfect weather + Happy children = LOVE 

 You can take the gymnast out of the gym, but you can't take the gym away from the gymnast!

4th of July Bike Parade

Our neighborhood is so awesome!!! We love it here so much!! We weren't involved in anything around the neighborhood last summer, since we just moved in and hadn't started school yet. So when 4th of July was approaching and there was talk of a bike parade, I got so excited!! We used to do something similar when I was young and those are such fun memories!!! A few days prior, we went over to the Scalise's and had a bike decorating party! They really went to town and decked their bikes all out!

 So the morning of the 4th, they got their patriotic clothes on and hit the streets! We all gathered at one of the intersections and seeing everyone's bikes all decorated was just so much fun!

 Then, all the kids took off lightning fast! The walkers made it a few houses down before the kids were already on their way back down the street!

 So we decided to make an entire loop down Long St. At one point, Wyatt rode back towards me, as I was walking, and he was in tears because his legs were so tired! He kept trying to catch up with the Hoskins and hitch a ride on their golf cart, but he just couldn't quite make it. So for a while, I pushed his bike while his little legs got a rest from riding. It was alot of riding for such a little guy!!

I loved this man in his tractor bringing up the rear of the parade!! 

 Once everyone made their way around the loop, it was time for Bomb Pops!

A bunch of us headed up to the school to play at the playground and baseball field! It was such a fun morning surrounded by friendly neighbors and having some old school patriotic fun!!!! 

Swinging, Sliding, and Flipping

The clubhouse Levi built is probably the best thing we could've ever given the boys!! It got so much use in Oklahoma, and just as much use here in Kansas! As they get older, its funny to see them use it in different ways!!!  And the addition of the trampoline just makes the backyard even more of a hit!! They spend quite a bit of time swinging, sliding, and their newest favorite- flipping!!! I have a feeling once Levi gets home, they were will be new additions made to the clubhouse that includes more gymnastics activities!!

Our New Old Bathroom

I said from day 1 living in this house that all the walls must be painted!!! And while some rooms are more daunting then others, I figured it was high time to paint the hall bath. This is the main bath that guests use while visiting, and the main bathroom the boys use before and after schools and before meals. Its probably the most used bathroom in the house! And the pink sponge painted walls burned me eyes each and every time I walked in there. It was just gross! So I told my mom that I was ready to paint!! She came to help, thank goodness! I had the room all prepped and the supplies were ready, and just about the time we were ready to roll, Levi called. So I chatted with him for a little while and came downstairs to say, "I'm ready!" and my mom says, "I'm about done!" She'd already rolled on the first coat as was onto edging! If I knew it was going to take that long, I would've done this- oh the 2nd day we moved in!!! But I'm glad it is finally done! I had a rug I liked already, and after a failed attempt to spray paint the existing mirror, I bought a new mirror, artwork, hand towels, and towel hook and we are all set!! We just love our new old bathroom! It sees twice the size without the dark pink walls and the humongous towel bar taking up the whole wall! I added a bigger mirror too and that really made a difference!! Makes me want to tackle the next paiting project...hmmmm...

Basement Playing

Our basement is one of the biggest blessings in our house!!! For the majority of the time, all the toys stay in the basement! And it gets MESSY!!! But that's what its there for!! I can shut the door at night and not even know its a mess!! And it always is, but that just means that lots of fun has been had!! Usually, most of the toys don't stay in the actual playroom part of the basement! Grant has been setting up Star Wars battles all over the basement! No surface is safe- although I haven't found any Star Wars guys in the bathroom or kitchen down there...yet!! It just a big wide open space for their imaginations to run wild- and they usually do!!! Here's a tiny glimpse of what our basement can look like on a normal day...