Dress it Up, Show it Off

Our celebration of the recent Friday the 13th was our very own house warming party...we have a knack for throwing ourselves parties lately.

There are a lot of projects to do around our house. Unfortunately, that is not all there is to life and we were not able to finish many of the projects we had hoped to complete before the party. Sadness. Hopefully none of the guests noticed. In final preparations, though, we did complete this:


That was our list for the day of. Well, it was actually 11 lists, 7 each for individual rooms, then the basement, outside work, get ready for the party, and the "It would be cool if these things got done but we don't really expect them to" list. I am happy to report that, after starting at 6:30 in the morning and working literally non-stop until the first car pulled up for the party, we completed all but two things on the list: sweep the basement and remove the lists from the fridge (they are still there even today...). We didn't finish the "cool if" list, although two more things have been checked off since. Yay for Chris!

We kept this as a family shindig, knowing that between the two of us, we had enough relatives to fill the place up.


We have parents...


and siblings...

and grandparents...

and aunts and uncles and cousins...

and a nephew who likes to sweep...

and a couple of kids who were invited by default because they live in the house, too.

Megan really, really likes watermelon.

Thank you to everyone who came! We were especially (and pleasantly) surprised by Tom and Cindy showing up from Wyoming. Yay! And sorry--I know I don't have pictures of everyone who was there. We still love you.

But now, what is a party with us without some, drum roll please,

Car repairs!

Chris's grandparents' brakes were fit to fall off, so Chris ditched out on the few lingering guests to replace them. It took longer than anticipated, as car repairs generally do, but I was glad. Then Jackie stayed longer and helped me clean up while Amy (no car troubles reported) kindly put my kids to bed. Thank you both.

To end the evening, once all guests were gone and children were asleep, Chris and I took advantage of a gift my Grandpa Phillips and his wife Georgia brought for the girls.


We began our block collection with a small hand-me-down box from a teacher I worked with. We bought a few more of the same type for Jane's last birthday. We have now more than doubled that amount...I don't know if we'll ever have a box that will actually fit them all.


Who says kids get to have all the fun? (P.S. Christopher, I think you're cute.)

My house is still basically clean, aside from the normal day-to-day clutter, and besides the kitchen, which I just haven't felt motivated to clean all week. Chris and I do occasionally walk down into the basement, though, to enjoy the complete clean (as long as you don't look at the floor too closely). It's amazing how clean a space can stay if you never, ever use it!

And here are a couple pictures of my family just because I like them. My family, I mean. And the pictures, too, I guess.

P.P.S.

Happy 5th Anniversary, Britta and Matt!

and

Happy Birthday, David!