so when i said we havent been busy....

so while i might have said its been slow around here, i guess i meant relatively. bc there have definitely been some goings-ons and happenings...just in that sluggish summer way.

we have

• visited the fire station with our playgroup.  thankfully my sis came along and helped monitor bennett as, even in the early morning, the thermometer had reached epic heights and this preggo lady was sweltering {as was everyone - this playdate didnt last long!}

fussy face means: time to go home mommy!!!!

• finished up both mothers day out and "camp" at the place where bennett is starting 3 yr old preschool in the fall.  on tuesdays this summer he continued at the same MDO church he has been going to since he was 9 months old, and on thursdays he went to a little "summer camp" {that is basically like structured MDO with crafts and themes each week like "camping", "our community" - where bennett said he wanted to be a fireman when he grew up ;), and "under the sea."}.  he will be going to this new place on tuesdays and thursdays this fall, actually starting in a couple weeks.  i cant believe hes old enough for preschool! well, actually i guess technically he isnt, BUT hes going nonetheless so my baby's "real" first day of school is sooner than i thought it would be! *sniff*  

• had rose and her new little sister marianne over to play {which always works out great as it seems this is the only way us mommies get to have real-life conversations.  so it was a playdate in a sense for me, too!}

giving hugs - rose and bennett style:
bennett reading to rose:
and marianne {who i like to call the milkman-baby bc i dont know WHO she looks like!!!} peacefully slept through {nearly} the entire thing!

•  finalized the ridiculously long two month claims process with fedex for destroying a sewing machine i bought.  summary: i bought it, it arrived damaged but repairable, i had bought insurance, i file a claim, they come pick up the machine to inspect it and say i will get it back in 5-7 business days, after 5-7 business days i call and they inform me they have shipped it BACK TO THE SHIPPER bc they prefer dealing with the shipper in these situations, the shipper rejects the package when it arrives at her house bc the sewing machine is FALLING OUT OF THE BOX and {in her opinion} completely destroyed, the shipper graciously helps me with the rest of the claims process {the part that takes one and a half months to complete} which involves insane numbers of phone calls, breakdowns, and fits of rage, the claim gets settled but fedex insists on sending the shipper the money, which they then send to a random wrong address, they finally get it right, and i finally get my money back.  and THEN i order another brand new sewing machine {shipped by USPS thankyouverymuch} and it gets here and i cant get the feed dogs to raise high enough to catch the fabric {all settings are correct, all "normal" remedies tried and failed} and finally my dad comes by and says "so this piece wont stay up?", gets me to hold it up and he turns the dial and it is fixed {bless my real-life macgyver father}.  so FINALLY, after much blood sweat and tears, i have a brand spankin new sewing machine that works and i am head over heels in LOVE.  with a machine.  judge away...

•  used said sewing machine to start chipping away at the pile that has accumulated over the past many many months ive been sewing-machine-less.  and since i failed to post pictures a couple posts ago, here are some peeks: 

 

im kinda bad at revealing things before i have the finished product, so ill just let you glance at the above things and ill leave the explaining and more detailed pictures for when i have more completed and more to show.  OR i might work up a little finish board-type-thing of all the parts of each room {emorys and bennetts} to show how everything will go together.  just cause i think it reads better that way and its hard for lots/most to visualize it unless you see everything as it relates to each other {why finish boards come in handy!}.  and i dont have all of emorys "things" yet...still hunting for a welting accent fabric for her bumpers.

• continued work on my biggest project to date, and to say im giddy is an understatement.  i just cant wait the month or so left on this job so here are some pics of the progress:

new kitchen cabinets, in the process of being painted {the same color as my office - hey, when a color works, it works}, and new hardwood floors

enclosed back porch with new doors and bar furniture i designed at the end of the room

a beverage refrigerator with cabinet panel will be on the left, while an ice maker with panel will be on the right {in those blank spaces}
we were originally going to go with a stain on the furniture, but then we decided to go with a distressed look to better flow with the rest of her furniture in the house {and to make it not "pop" out too much in the room, which will be painted a neutral white}.stone top and beaded board backsplash yet to be installed.

one of the master bath vanities, painted same as kitchen.  we wanted to go with a unified color pallette throughout the house so we painted all the cabinets the same color as well as the walls in the rooms they are located {same as each other, not same as cabinets}.  alabama white marble countertops and tile on floor - straight lay border with 12x12 diagonal in the field {yet to be laid}
subway tile shower

a close up of the applied cabinet foot design and thumb mold - were working with a new {to me} cabinet maker and if ive told him once ive told him a million times - he is my new best friend.  he was able to take my drawings and give me exactly what i had imagined and worked up in my head {a sometimes daunting task ill admit}.  it was refreshing.  his work is superb and i am SO thankful to have found the craftsman ive been looking for. {am i getting sappy?  ok.  well these are the things i get sappy about ;)} 
more to come!!!

• went to play at meryls who, as bennett informed a new client and me today, he "loves."  he just said "i love meryl." just out of the blue.

 
 you see who wears the pants in this relationship: {sorry b}

so, yeah, i guess we have been a little busy. 
but like i said - this heat is turning my brain to mush and my body to linguini.  ...that is everywhere except my belly which is under constant extreme pressure, as it hasnt seemed to grow much in the past four weeks according to my doctor visits.  that being said, emory is getting HUGE and running out of room {already}.  i need another belly-growth-spurt or i think i might burst.  


thank you to all you loyal and loving people who are still reading this epic tale of randomness. 
i guess its just how i roll!

xo