A New Mood

When we first moved into this house, almost 4 years ago, I wanted something new and bold.  I was tired of living in rentals with all white walls.  We still rent, but from good friends who are laid back.  The husband is an artist himself, and when we moved in, the walls throughout the main living area and dining room were a Hot Pink/Red color.  They told us to paint whatever walls we wanted, whatever color we wanted.  How much fun!  I've always wanted to do that!  Since moving in we have repainted EVERY wall and more.  

One of the first things we did was cover up the Red/Pink with Blue.  I copied a friend of mine down in Albany.  We painted all the trim white.  We got our awesome furniture set on Craig's List (total score!  FYI - our whole house is furnished with used furniture.  It is all Craig's List and Hand me downs.)  

I have LOVED the blue.  I get tons of compliments on it when people visit.  It has been SO much fun.  

About a year ago I started to feel a little bored with the blue.  Maybe this is because we have moved every 1-2 years since me have been married.  I like change in my environment.  I am always wanting to change and improve my space.  Sometimes that means moving.  This is by far the longest we have lived in any home.

I started to fiddle with the idea of yellow walls.  I wanted something 'warmer' and 'cozier'.  Choosing the right yellow was HARD!  I needed my mom's help.  She is an artist and decorator extraordinaire!  She chose the color appropriately named "Fortune Cookie."  

While I was upstairs recovering with Theo in my room, Jason and my mom went crazy, and painted over my blue walls with Fortune Cookie.  After that was done my mom decided that she should refurbish my old hand me down 1970's China Hutch.  I LOVE what she did!  

Working Hard

 

 The After

 

 

My Sad, Old, Outdated Hutch

Before

My New, Updated, Gorgeous Hutch

After

We all LOVE the new look.  The color has really been a great mood lifter!  Glenn said that when ever he is feeling blue all he needs to do is come to the Living Room. 

Funest Grandma, Best Mommy

We were so very blessed to have my mom here for two weeks to help out when Theo was born.  

Honestly two weeks was not nearly enough time.  

When I had baby #1 she came for one week.  I'm the oldest of 7 children, so when I had Glenn my mom had a house full of little kids herself.  OH!  And she was serving as a Relief Society President in a huge ward.  (Stupid me had Lily just 16 months later when mom was still RS president and still had a houseful of little kids.)

When she left after that short week I balled my eyes out.  I really had NO clue what I was doing.  I had NO clue how to care for a newborn.  I was really scared.

When I had my other children I loved her coming, and was not so scared when she left....

Until now.

Watching her leave after #6 was scary.  She no longer has a houseful of little kids, or is serving as RS President, so she stayed for two weeks.  Our family drank in every moment, and worked her ragged.  When it was time for her to leave, none of us were ready for that.  We considered paying the extra money to extend her stay. Jason was the one who really wanted to do that.  That tells you how awesome she is, and what a good mother in law she is.  

When we dropped her off at the airport Bennett became hysterical.  I was super sad, but fine until he lost it.  Then I lost it.  Bennett and I both cried all the way home.  Glenn kept asking, "What's wrong?"  "Why are you crying?"  "Be quiet Bennett!"  Harrison every time would respond with, "They're just sad that Grandma left us!"  Poor Glenn can be so clueless.  Harrison got it though.

Here are a few pictures to show how much fun we had with Grandma, my mom.

The day I gave birth - Jason left in the afternoon with the boys to take a break and pick up the younger boys.  I was extremely nauseous, and throwing up all that day.  I couldn't keep any med's down.  Good thing I still had the IV in so they could give me morphine for pain.  I was also very groggy.  As I was dosing in and out with the baby in my arms I heard LOTS of giggling.  I noticed my mom and Lily on the couch together doing who knew what.  Several days later, when I was more coherent, and the pictures were uploaded, I figured out what they had been entertaining themselves with.

Grandma was a HUGE help with helping Bennett to adapt to the huge change in his life.  Bennett was very scared and nervous of the baby in the hospital.  He wouldn't sit by him, or touch him for more than a second.  If I was holding the baby, he wouldn't even sit on my bed with me!  He was most scared of the babies strange belly button.  He kept saying, "Yuck!" every time he saw it.

My first night in the hospital my mom and Jason took to the kids to dinner in the cafe in the hospital.  I purposely deliver at this hospital because the food is so dang good!  The kids remembered how good it was from when Bennett was born, and they were really looking forward to eating there again.  Thanks mom for taking these great pictures of Jason and the kids at dinner that night.

Every morning after getting the older kids out the door to school, she would bathe and care for Theo so I could sleep some more. 

Who are we kidding - She LOVED doing this job.

Bennett really liked to help with this job.

A couple days after I was home from the hospital I came down stairs for a break from my bed and found that my mom and Jason were redecorating!!!  My blue walls are GONE!  My walls are now a 'fortune cookie' yellow.  I LOVE IT!!!  They worked super fast.  The transformation was complete in less than 24 hours!

We all really loved his 'S' the most.  He kinda has a hard time with them.

(More pictures of my new decor coming soon!)

Growing up my parents bedroom was a favorite place to be.  We have lots of pictures of all of us cuddled up in their bed.  I'm glad to say that our bedroom is the same way.  When my mom comes she joins in, and my kids LOVE it.  We are a bed family.

This is just a glimpse into my mother's stay with us.  She was so involved in everything we did.  My sister Brooke and I have joked for years that the best reason for having a baby is that mom comes to visit.

I am SO grateful for her love and support.  She is an amazing mother, mother in law and grandmother.  Whenever anyone tells me I am a good mother, I think it is because of her.  She is my greatest example.