Home Makeover: Shutter Edition

Nesting is in full swing at our house.  We've taken on a number of projects to (hopefully) complete before mid-July when the baby comes.  Last weekend, we replaced the shutters, and by we, I mean, I held the ladder while JD replaced the shutters.  Our old shutters were quite faded as  you can see in the below picture.  You can really tell if you look at the bottom left shutters.

 Here's a close up view:

 

What a guy!

 Isabel is measuring the ladder to make sure it's safe:

You can really tell the difference here.  We also decided to switch from the louvered style to the paneled style shutter, and I really like them.

Oh, it looks so much better!  Now, if I can just get my front door painted red...

Thanks, babe, for risking life and limb on the ladder in 90 degree heat.  The results are fabulous!  I love you!

Madelyn's Piano Recital

Madelyn started piano lessons last fall and has really enjoyed learning and playing.  Her recital was last Friday night, and I recorded her performance.  Thanks to Mom, Dad, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law, Sarah, for coming and helping Madelyn feel special.

Pierce's artwork

 A few weeks ago, Pierce's preschool class went to the National Art Gallery.  The trip inspired them to make an art gallery of their own, and his class worked on two projects based on ideas they had from the gallery.  Here are Pierce's:

I think this one is so pretty.

This is a self-portrait in the style of Picasso.

Mother's Day photo shoot

 I've had a great Mother's Day-church this morning followed by a low-key afternoon.  JD has been extremely generous for our month of celebrations (both of our birthdays, Mother's Day and our anniversary).  We've just completed a partial renovation of our master bathroom.  Nothing extremely major, but it did involve shattering a large mirror and rewiring the lighting.  I'll post pictures of that soon.  We're also going to install new shutters.  I'll post before and after photos of that, too.  When we got home today, I asked the family to humor me with a family photo shoot.  I played around with editing on some of them because the lighting wasn't great but I took the best of what we got.

Me with our newest additon

Supermom

Mother's Day Weekend Hide and Seek

Have you seen Mom?

Oh, there she is!

At 30 weeks pregnant, there's not much hiding anymore.

Happy Birthday, Babe!

 JD's birthday was yesterday, and we had a small celebration once he arrived home from work.  We made a cake, posters and enjoyed opening presents and tried to get  a few pictures with him and the kids.

34 and getting better every year!

Pierce's poster

Madelyn's poster

 

Getting ready to blow out the candles

  

Pictures with dad, take 1

Take 2

Take 3

 

 

 

 

 

Happy birthday, Babe!  We all love you and are so thankful for you!

Who has two thumbs and spunk?

This kid!