The Kitchen - Part 1.8

I am calling this part 1.8 because it's not quite to stage 2 yet. Adam and his dad worked on putting up the back splash today. There were some last minute changes to our plan. Originally we were not going to go all the way up w/ the back splash, but changed our minds yesterday. It was a good decision. So, the tile is up but still needs to be grouted and face plates installed, thus the not quite stage 2. We are going with stainless face plates and I am shopping around for drawer pulls because the naked cupboards and drawers really need something. You can also note my super awesome sink and faucet that were not installed as of the last update. What you can't see or hear is my quiet as a whisper garbage disposal. 

A close up of the tile. I think the grout is really going to make it look nice. 

The Leaning Towers of Wolny

Ben and Nick decided to build towers this evening. Ben used the wooden blocks and Nick used the Mega blocks. Ben built a few pretty impressive towers. He then went to help Nick, who's tower was a little top heavy and did want to stay up. 

Hop & Pop Whale

Auntie Dre, Uncle Kevin and Eva got Nick a Hop & Pop Whale for his birthday. It's an inflatable whale that you place a ball into the blow hole then jump on the fluke and the ball pops out. Nick thinks it's the best thing since sippy cups. He cracks himself up when the ball pops up in his face. It combines his two most favoritest things - balls and jumping. It's a 2 year old's dream come true. 

An Audience

Sunday night we had a Skype birthday party with my family. In order to prep for this party, Ben and Nick emptied Ben's room of all blankets and stuffed animals. They were the audience to Nick opening up his gifts. They were all lined up and ready to watch. Nick had to sit on the brown blanket in the center of the room to open his presents. I don't know where they come up with this stuff...

Perfect Way to Spend Your Birthday

The boys spent about an hour yesterday afternoon playing outside. I guess they were pretending it was summer time. Ben came inside telling me that he needed 'shade clothes' which were defined as clothes you wear when you sit and relax in the shade and have a drink and put your feet up. They ended up literally rolling around in the sand and dirt. They were a wonderful mess when I finally dragged them inside. 

Blowing Out The Candles

My Baby is 2!

My baby is 2 :(  But I will still refer to him as my baby. 

Saturday we headed to Milan to celebrate Nick's birthday. He is obsessed with coloring right now so I made him a crayon cake. The color was not exactly what I was going for, and it's a well used crayon, but it's all good. Someone either swiped their finger or something across the cake before I could take a picture. 

We were at a loss to find birthday candles, so we improvised. Thank goodness he wasn't turning 10 or something!

Ugh, so cute

Nick got some great gifts including a new truck, chalk drawing place-mats, sand toys, a fun Hop & Pop whale, a wheel barrow, a Thomas backpack and a new play kitchen!

Ben's 'Sleeves'

When you hear your child get up at 6:30 but then he doesn't come immediately to your room like he normally does, there is trouble brewing. In this instance, Ben went all Jesse James and gave himself some tat sleeves. They got all the way up to this elbow on this left arm.

Elmo K'Nex

Ben got out the Elmo K'nex set the other night. He put together Elmo all by himself by looking at the image on the box. I had to work much harder to put together the dog, following the instructions!

Just Look at that Face

Just ignore that piece of food on his lip. But hey, that's real life.

So Studious

Nick loves to sit at the coffee table and color. Here he is getting serious - even putting his feet up. I wonder if that is hereditary. I work my best with my feet propped up, too.

The Kitchen - Part 1

Adam and I decided it was finally time for some new counter tops in the kitchen. Well, everyone knows that once you start, you don't stop until your finished. So with new counter tops we are also getting a glass tiles backsplash, new faucet, a new stove and drawer pulls. Horizon 2 will be lighting and horizon 3 will be floors. 

The before. I would like to note that my counter tops have not been this de-cluttered since the day before we moved in.

Prepped for installation. Adam and his dad had to level all the cabinets last weekend and install the brackets on the island. From Sunday thru Thursday, I had a sink (no counter tops on either side), the island and the opposite side counter top. The rest was left bare.

When the installation guy came in, he said, 'Wow, those really are some brackets'. Apparently someone went a little high on the safety factor when he purchased these. 

And...Taa Daa!! The granite counter tops! The stone is sapphire brown. They are very pretty.

The huge, deep sink! I think Nick could lay down in this sink.

Next up - new faucet and garbage disposal (haven't had one of those in 8 months) back splash (not until next weekend, though) and drawer pulls. And probably a new stove. Not that there is anything wrong with our current stove, it's just not pretty. Sorry stove. Kitchen - Part 2 will be posted at the next progress mark.

Concerto de Wolny

Music provided by the Wolny boys

Where Ball Go?

Totally obsessed with balls lately and couldn't figure out how to get the ball...

Oops! Lost Mardi Gras Celebration

Due to some memory card mix-a-roo, I had forgotten about these pictures. They are from two weekends ago, before Mardi Gras.

I made these little mini King Cakes for Ben to take to daycare. (they are a cheat - cinnamon rolls twisted into a mini cake, but still tasty!)

Adam picked up packzis, too. Ben tore into his after dinner. He ate all of it after eating all of his dinner. And then he had a second helping of dinner after eating the packzi.