The conversation leading up to this project went a little like this:

Me: "Rob - Noah's Ark Night is coming up for Awana. You get to dress up as any kind of animal you want!"

Rob: *GASP!*

Me: "Yeah! So, what kind of animal would you like to be? A lion? A doggy? Maybe an alligator?"

Rob: "Hmm. I know! I know what I want to be! A HIPPO!"

Me: "...you sure you don't want to be an alligator?"

So, I scoured the internet, found a pattern, purchased it, and with five minutes to spare (got back-burnered because I was sick this week), I made him this Hippo Hat. He was THRILLED and everyone at church got a kick out of it. I aim to please.

Source: Etsy

And a shot without the hat. Such a good little model, now. Pictures like this make my heart smile.

Impromptu Shoot Times Deux

Drew's turn! Much trickier to catch, but I think I captured him perfectly.

Impromptu Shoot

Room Updates

Just an update on a couple rooms. Ever since the big changes have stopped and we're now moved in, the updates have been lack-luster. We're just working on making our house look more like a home. I think we're making pretty good progress for only being here for a little over two weeks.

The boys' room. I love the checkered flag banners! Thanks to Cher's quick thinking in snagging these at a party, the boys have some fantastic decorations that really set off the whole racing theme.

Yes, that's a blanket in their window. Temporary until we can afford more blinds.

Our cozy living room. We just LOVE our sectional! And at $250 ($100 of which we actually paid), it's even more perfect for us. I think I need a blue chair, now.

From the dining room side. All the boxes are finally off of the window seat, allowing the beautiful morning sun to shine through. Love it!

That's all I have for now. Been super busy keeping up with this household and still cleaning the apartment, which I completely dread. I hate that place.

Window Sittin'

They love sitting in their window seat to watch the cars go by.

The Soup That Saved The Day

I know I said that our home has been a happy one so far, but yesterday it wasn't. Everyone was having a rough day.

It started with rain and gloom, which always makes it tough to roll out of bed. Eventually, I did. I wish I hadn't. The boys' behavior was awful and I couldn't throw them outside because of the cold, wet, and mud, so they were cooped up inside and driving me batty. While battling their boredom, I was battling the urge to just go back to bed. I just couldn't get motivated to do anything. Did a load of laundry and unpacked some things, but just didn't want to do much. Getting more and more impatient and frustrated with things, I decided to get on Facebook to try and zone out and cool off for a bit. It was there I figured out I was stuck in the nursery for Awana that evening - something I was less than thrilled about. "I don't want to be stuck in the minnow tank," I grumbled. (Our currently nursery is small and has a window looking out to one of the classrooms, so it reminds me of something of a fish bowl.) Matt had a rotten day at work, too, so when we all came together, we were all quite surly.

Only one thing seemed to fix it, though - hot potato soup with biscuits! I don't know what it was, but when we all sat down for dinner and dug into that warm bowl of comfort, the mood instantly changed. Thank God for the little things in life!

We all survived the day, unscathed, and had a good time at Awana. Nursery wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, thankfully, and I had non-toddler company to chat with, which was nice. Robby earned his very first award for memorizing all his verses thus far - talk about one proud Cubbie! We ended the evening with a little playtime, put the boys to bed, and then I got to curl up with my love and a bowl of popcorn and some TV. Definitely a good end to a bad day.

Moving & Settling

Well, we're here! We officially moved in on Saturday and have been happily living in our new home. It has been exhausting, but an immense blessing. Words can't describe how much happier we are here. This house has such a happy, peaceful vibe to it and it's really lifted our spirits. I wake up in the morning to my beautiful, calming room, I happily make my bed, I toddle off into the kitchen, where I'm greeted by the morning sun through my window, and begin a new day with a thankful smile on my face. A fresh slate. A new life. I'm happy to do my chores, reaping the benefits of a clean house (minus the boxes), clean laundry, and less stress overall. No more crowded rooms filled with endless clutter. Space and storage is ample here and we are thoroughly enjoying it. It is comfortable and bright and it's hard to be in a bad mood here. Matt says it's kind of like visiting family's homes - it's comfortable, but still very foreign. Thankfully, we don't have to leave at the end of the week and we can't wear out our welcome. There has been much joy in this house so far.

I can never say thank you enough. Thank you to my family for helping us in a way we will never forget. Thank you to our church family for all your prayers and support. Thank you to Matt's boss for allowing us to borrow a truck and a handcart. Thank you to our Lord for hearing our prayers and blessing us beyond measure.

It's as if this house was built just for us.

Some pictures from this week: Moving & Settling