A kitchen remodel. YIKES!!!!!

Tonight we started our first big remodeling job. The KITCHEN!! I will miss our plastic white backsplash, curtains and matching wallpaper trim, the stove from 1934, and most of all I will miss the plastic-like white counter tops that stain with everything it comes in contact with. Ryan and his dad ripped out the cabinets, fridge, and dishwasher. The bad news is Ryan will not get any homecooked meals by me for at least 3 months. The good news is he never got any meals cooked by me to begin with so we won't be missing either!

Before

After 4 hours

Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day we planted 18 trees! Thanks to our friend Tim who sent us 10 apple trees and the arbor society who sent us 8. Right now they aren't much to look at but possibly in 30 years they might be 5 feet tall!!!

Watering

Can you see that little stick in the mud? Yes, thats a tree!!

A weekend with the Deadmonds

Ryan left for Reelfoot this past Thursday to go fishing. Jason, Jenna, and baby Alex came to keep me company and to go to a wedding in Carbondale. I took tons of pictures but with my 35 mm camera because Ryan took our digital one. So I have to get the film developed before I can post. Wow, what did we do before digital cameras! Alex smiled and cooed the whole weekend. Jason and Jenna are definetly lucky parents to have such a wonderful baby. Thanks for keeping me company guys! We miss the sounds of that little 4 month old already! Here is the only picture I took that I can post right away.

Here he sits in the little chair Ry and I thought he had to have!

Thanks Aunt Barb

While my Aunt Barb was here visiting from Washington she brought me a hydrangea plant. It started blooming last week. Thanks Aunt Barb! It's my favorite plant in my flower bed.

Sunday

Boy oh boy we've really been partying it up this weekend! Falon and Tobey cooked Sunday lunch after church today. Another day for the kids to play and me to take 1,000 pictures of them. The dads played baseball with the kids while us girls tried to get rid of glaring white legs and arms.

Caden was contemplating on whether or not to eat the other half of his PB&J so he could get a cupcake. He contemplated for about another 30 mins.

Sophia having a Sunday picnic

Sophia and Nate

I love this picture. Vance wanted to come out sooo bad. He settled for looking out at Sophia.
He got his wish!

Caden practicing for his upcoming T-Ball season

Merrett hit the ball!

Friday night at the Simpkins House

Friday night we went over to Nate and Tobey's and had a great time! All the kids were in attendance but Caden. We missed him greatly! As always the kids are our entertainment and it always turns into a dance party!! Vance is now walking so that was fun to see! Vance, he doesn't look so much like a baby anymore!
Sophia and her mermaid spying goggles
Preston actually wanted his picture taken. I guess he has learned that I'll just chase him around for it anyways. So he just sat still for it.
Merrett is definetly growing up!
Vance thinking about letting go

The dance party begins!

"Preston said, "Hey watch this!"

Flips, somersalts, and some massive head knocks on the wooden floor were all observed at this dance party. We ended the night all watching the "Good Night Show" and all was well.

Good Night

Happy Birthday to Aunt Bill

Ryans Aunt Bill turned 90! Her family threw her a big birthday bash! Happy Birthday Aunt Bill with many more to come! Miss Charlotte
Charlotte, Brother Aiden, and Dillan
Brylan
The table with all her girlfriends
Her Family

Ryan and I

Madalyn Grace arrived this morning

Madalyn weighed in at 7 pounds and 2 ounces. 2o inches long. Her pictures can be found on Courtneys blog which you can link from my homepage. Warm and well wishes to the new Dunning family. Can't wait to hold her!

Ahhh..... Spring

I picked up these flowers today at the store. I just couldn't help sharing the beautiful colors with everyone. I can't wait to actually feel spring weather. Rain and cold weather just aren't cutting it!

I know I know......

Everyone is telling me I need to update my blog. But the problem is that life is sort of at a stand still right now. 14 days to go (or sooner) until Madalyn Grace arrives. I'm sure after that my blog will be brimming with lots of new photos. Ryan and I are gutting our kitchen soon. Once this rain decides to stop! It was this time last year when we were about to move in. Time flys by so quickly. Right now my Aunt Barb is home from Washington and we are just enjoying her company. I promise that once something super exciting happens I will post lots of exciting pictures to go along with it! Stay tuned.........

The Farleys in New York

Hello all.... I am sitting in the Newark Airport waiting for my flight and I thought that I would post pictures from when Ryan visited. We had a blast! The first pictures I've posted are from our Sopranos tour that we did. It was so fun! The other half are of the city. On Saturday night we saw Avenue Q on Broadway. It was hilarious! Imagine Seasame Street for Adults meets Rent. I laughed until I cried. I highly recomend it.

The hospital where "A Beautiful Mind" was shot The Resturant where the last scene of the Sopranos was shot
This is obviously the booth where the last scene was shot. They let all 40 of us take turns and sit in it and take a picture. Tony also ate onion rings in that scene and they had onion rings waiting for us.
Our booth shot
The Famous Bada Bing strip club. Yes, we went it! It was apart of the tour!!!
Alright, this is for Ryan. Only Soprano's fans would know what this means. This is behind the Bada Bing where "Ralphie" killed his stripper girlfriend "Tracie". He beat her head in on this guardrail. Nice picture, right?

Look at this narrow hotel!! Seriously two rooms wide! In the city. "Vito" came to our tour and signed autographs
Of course we had to get a picture
Great shot of the skyline from our tour bus
The pizza place that is in the opening credits of the show
Ryan had two things he wanted to do. The Sopranos tour and eat at Papaya Dog. Anthony Bourdain from the Travel channel featured both of them on his show.

I'm really second guessing this place

He loved his sauerkraut dogs but the papaya shake, not so much.
One of our only shots in the city together
The Famous Naked Cowboy, in Times Square
Me in front of the church by the World Trade Center memorial
The foggy city. 8 million people come in and out everyday! Hard to believe isn't?