I know, I know... it's been forever since I posted! It seems like the holidays just swooshed upon us with a huge blast and I have landed on the other side with a big ole "thud"! Mom and Dad came from Arkansas for Christmas and truthfully, if it hadn't been for their arrival I am not sure how I would have made it through the Christmas season! Mom dug out a Christmas tree the day before Christmas and got the kids to help her decorate it. I know, I am a terrible mother to not get a Christmas tree up until December 24th - but it's still up! Does that count for something? No, I didn't think so - unfortunately it is just a sign of the chaos my life has become!
Due largely to our stinkin' (and that is a NICE word for them) insurance company, we STILL are living in only about half of our house - it has come to the point where it is making me absolutely NUTS! I am ready to hang sheetrock myself - if we could just get the funds released to do that! First they sent a check to us for a part of the repairs (only
part, mind you...) but put the mortgage company on it too. But that mortgage company was paid off over six years ago - we no longer have an account with them! I won't go into all the grim details, but I am just right disgusted with the whole deal! Anyone want a damaged house for real cheap?
Work is keeping me hopping. We typically like to have a doctor in the room when a baby is born, but sometimes that doesn't happen. When a baby is born without a doctor's hands on it, it is referred to as a
precipitous delivery - I got my first one on New Year's Day and it was the first baby born in Katy! It was truly a rush and everything went well (to my great relief). I am happy to report Mom and Baby are both doing well!
Melissa is now enrolled in ballet and will be dancing in
Swan Lake in March and a recital in May. She is so excited! She still remembers a lot of what she learned last year when she took two semesters from Dance Fun. This is a much more structured school and I am hoping for a more "classical" training style for her. She is so young, but just loves it and really wants to do it. I guess we will keep it up as long as she likes it - and when she doesn't like it anymore, we will look for alternatives.
I have been sewing some on my days off since Mom was here for Christmas. I don't know what it is about being around her that puts me in the mood to sew, but I have made two jumpers and a pants/top outfit for Melissa. I found a great website with good children's patterns from Europe and that makes me happy... I have found the mainstream pattern companies are largely disappointing these days in the children's clothing department. When I was young we sewed because it was cheaper - that is no longer true! I sew because I enjoy it and because I prefer the unique over the common. As soon as I can get my laptop to cooperate with me, I will post pictures of Missa's new wardrobe.
I have been writing this between checking on a very sick patient so I need to go check on her again. What are ya'll up to these days?
Formal dining room. For some reason I couldn't get the camera to shoot a clear shot of this room - maybe lighting? Anyway, it is a warm chocolate color with red accents.
The art niche as you walk past the staircase into the living room.
I have an antique sewing machine behind the sofa. Sofa is at a diagonal in front of the grandfather clock.
More Uppercase Living on the wall. The photos in the montage are from a trip to Galveston two years ago. The words say "Loved you yesterday, Love you still, Always have, always will."
The fireplace. I have a black wrought iron cross hanging by a black velvet ribbon over a mirror. I have the window treatments down and new ones in the works - I will post more photos as I get them taken. Next up: the kitchen!!
And this is after. For some reason I am all into the warm colors! Most of my life I have always loved the cooler colors: blues and greens, but for some reason I am drawn to the warms now. I have taught myself to change the light fixtures out - we are getting rid of the old 80's lookin' stuff and after a friend and her husband came to help with this one over the table, I decided I could do it myself! I have changed the one over the sink (the lil' button glass globe is gone and a pendant to match this one over the table is gracing that spot now) and the one in the formal dining room - see pic below. 
This is the formal dining room now. The flooring is not down yet - we are waiting on the insurance company to some some inspector things and send the money - but the walls, ceilings and new light fixtures are all done! I still need to paint the living room once the furniture is out. Also need another coat of paint in Melissa's room, need to paint Brendan's room and the master bath as well as the halls downstairs. We hope to have the new flooring done in the next few weeks - hardwoods downstairs and carpet upstairs. Ya'll wanna come help move furniture?
