Dear Spandex

Dear Spandex,

Thank you for being created! You have helped hide a number of unsightly fashion flaws over the decades. But today, I would like to thank you for getting me back into a size jean I was pretty sure I wouldn't see for a long, long time.

Ok, so I'm sure the make-up of these little capris is like 70% spandex 20% denim, but I'll take it!
I've had these pants for at least 5 years, and they fit!
Hear that world! They still fit!

Spandex, thank you again for reminding my derierre of the size it should aspire (or should I say, perspire) to be ALL THE TIME!

Your pal,
Leanna

The Great Kitchen Makeover

Hallelujah! That's all I got to say about that!

Since we bought the house a little more than 3 years ago, we knew we had to do something to the kitchen. The floor had these rockin' porcelain tiles with green and pink roses, there was a drab dark wallpaper on the walls. But the counters, I thought were pretty cool, they were a green and white tile. I liked it. Then I lived here. And I didn't like them any more.

The wallpaper and tile floor were changed within weeks of purchasing the house. Woohoo. But counters, counters are a lot of money, and I thought I could live with it. However, when you scrub and scrub and still know they are not clean, it begins to eat away at your sanity (and who knows what else!).

So this Christmas season, Joe and I gifted each other with new counters and backsplash.

We went to Home Depot and purchased the counters knowing Joe and awesome helper-dad Jim would do the tear-out. When the girls left to go to a baby shower, we let the guys go at it, thinking it would be about finished on our return.

OF COURSE NOT!

Whatever dufus put up the stuff to begin with used all the wrong things. The only way to get it out, was to cut it out. So when we came home from the baby shower, things were down, but not quite in the way I was hoping. We then had to re-Sheetrock the giant holes in the wall (sorry, I don't have pics of this because I was crying on the inside). Sheetrock leads to dust everywhere...then countertop dust...ugh...everything was covered in dust.

Next time, if there is a next time, we're boxing stuff up.

So the counter install, they arrived and worked swiftly while Owen and I were just there. Joe came home a bit early from work to oversee things too. Thank goodness! The smell of the cut silestone was getting to me, along with whatever they were using to clean up. So, I took Owen and ran to his parents. Joe stayed and actually caught the counter was not level by almost 5/8ths of an inch! YIKES! The smell from the epoxy and cleaning chemicals was so strong we weren't able to go back home for 3 days/2 nights. WAAAHHH!

Then we started the backsplash and decided we'd go big and go with a glass tile background called Tea Leaf. After a lot of hard work by Joe and a lot of cleaning by all, we NOW have a beautiful kitchen.

Really.

I hope you enjoy and can't wait to show you in person!

To my Pals

To my pals I hold so dear, this made me think of our relationship. Fun, irreverent and crafty!

You can grab a print here! =)

Morty's Migration

Mortimer the Moose joined our family this Christmas. He is Owen's moose. They are friends. It is great.

However, a few weeks ago, Morty heard it was supposed to snow. Being a moose, he likes snow. So, when mom was out the day before he wandered out into the backyard looking for the coming snow. Supposedly he migrated on his own, at least that's what the red one is telling me.

Poor Morty was discovered the next day, when it did, indeed, snow! Though it seems his trip wasn't quite what he had planned and seemed to have run into several hardships.

So, Morty was rescued and brought in to thaw by the warm, toasty fire.

We'll see if Morty plans any more solitary migrations, or if he'll just choose to travel with his pack.

Just had to throw this pic in of Owen and Joe enjoying O's first snow! Love that little guy!

Kitchen Nightmares

So, have you seen that show Kitchen Nightmares? I feel like I am there.

Ok, so I don't have a surly Englishman cussing at me, or scary food around I wouldn't feed to a rat, but I am there.

I have no counters. I have no sink. I have no microwave. I have no dishwasher. And the last doesn't help a bit...as ALL of my dishes are coated in drywall aftermath.

It all started with, "I want new countertops."

Stupid, stupid, stupid Leanna!!

We had these horrible tiles on the counter and wall. The grout was a nightmare to clean, it was dark and it made me sad. So for Christmas, Joe and I gifted each other with new counters, a stainless sink and backsplash.

Enter back in horrible tile. The dumbbutt that put it in used all the wrong materials, so the only way to get it out was to cut out the wall. Waaaahhhhh!!!!

Then you have to put up new Sheetrock. Ok, fine. I even got to help. BUT THEN, you have to sand. WAAAHHHH! I just gave up.

So, I KNOW I will be in love with it when the counters are in and I have a sink again and the power is back on in my little kitchen. I can live without a backsplash for a LONG TIME.

Publish Post

But, for right now, until those men are installing, I am in a Kitchen Nightmare. Please pray for me!

Please.

(pictures coming later...sorry, I missed getting a pic before we put the drywall back up.)

2010: A Year in Review

2010! What a Year!

January:

We announced to the world that O'Baby O'Brien was on his or her way!

I had a super 28th b-day.

Ryker ate his dog house that Joe just finished..blah.

February:

The Groundhog saw blue - O'Boy O'Baby O'Brien made his presence know, and the elusive quest for a name began!

It snowed glorious, beautiful snow!

March:

We made a quick 11-hr road trip to NM to say goodbye to Joe's Grandpa O'Brien. He was a wonderful father and grandpa, and we miss him very much.

I got to take a trip to Palestine to see my buds, Lydia and Caleb and finally get to see the blooming Dogwoods.

My sister and I enjoyed all the beautiful flowers at the Dallas Arboretum!

April:

Not much to report in this month...just making it through pregnancy and taking pictures of the cutest dog ever.

May:

Enjoyed another month, but so tired of being pregnant.

Had a beautiful shower with family and friends to celebrate still unnamed O'Baby!

Finished the nursery with the help of neighbors and Joe's wonderful mom -- complete with custom dresser that was NOT from Pottery Barn!

Read some books, celebrated Jennifer's bday, and did some other wonderfully interesting stuff that I can't quite seem to recall!

June:

I had a fight with the vaccum cleaner, and at 9 months pregnant, that's NOT what you want.

We found out that O'Baby was a wee bit on the large side, and we decided to schedule and induction.

Owen Daniel O'Brien (who's name was decided when we saw him) was born June 15th at 3:05 p.m. after a hard delivery.

We then went through a little health scare with Owie and he hung out a bit in the NICU.

Joe's Grandpa Williams passed away after a long health battle, but not before getting to see a video and pictures of his first great-grandson, and gave a great smile.

The rest of the month, was a blur...

July:

Owen grew and changed so much in one month

On July 4th, he celebrated his first holiday!

We began to adjust to a family of 4...yes, I count Ryker.

August:

Ryker turned 3

We celebrated our brothers-in-law's birthdays

We watched Owen grow!

My dear friend Lydia welcomed her second son, James Elliot, into the world. (and all our hearts grew 3 sizes that day!)

September:

Owen learned to flip over - something he doesn't like to do anymore

I confessed to the world that I ran into a van while trying to read and ride a bike

October:

My friends, Hillary and Jeremy, took some beautiful photos of our family, which I will forever cherish that we got back this month!

We visited the pumpkin patch with the O'Bear and the Colvins.

November:

Owen got cuter and fell in love with jumping in his bouncer

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the O'Brien Family

December:

Owen turned 6 months

We prayed for Sweet Baby James and his family as he underwent heart surgery

We celebrated Christmas in Kingwood with the O'Bear

We celebrated Christmas #2 and New Years in Coppell with the O'Briens

We fell more in love with our son!

Here's to a new year and new adventures! Cheers!