Show Us Your Home: Bonus Room

I'm linking up with Kelly again, and today is show us your bonus room or play room.

Our bonus room is more of an extra living room.  This is where the kids play their video games, watch movies (they usually prefer to watch them downstairs though), play on their computer, and host their sleep overs.

 The door leads into Gracie's room.  She has the only bedroom upstairs.  When we'd built this house we only built it with 3 bedrooms.  2 weeks after we moved in, we realized we were expecting Emma.  The girls shared a bedroom for a long time, and then we eventually added a room on upstairs.  It used to be one big open area upstairs until her room was added in.

In the back corner there are a couple of doll houses and a box of legos.  There are two doors... one leads to our storage room and the other to an unfinished bathroom.

I am thankful that we have the upstairs for the kids to hang out in, but it's also a place that drives me crazy.  The kids like to sneak food and drinks up, and if I'm not constantly checking it, it looks like a tornado went through.  Someday it will stay picked up, and then what will I do with all my spare time?  ;)

Here is the schedule for the rest of the home tours.  Only 2 weeks left... kitchens and back yards.

Below are links to the other rooms that I've shared.

Living Room

Dining Room

Master Bedroom

 

 Kids Bedrooms

Home Office

 

This summer has flown by.  I hope you're all taking advantage of it, and that you all have fun weekend plans.

XOXO

Thursday Confessions

I've been wanting to link up with Leigh for awhile, so today I decided that I was going come up with a couple of confessions and share them with you all.

~ONE~

I am awful at applying make up.  It probably takes me a whole 2 minutes to use what I have.  The thing is, I'm actually okay with it.  Yes, I'd prefer if my complexion was clearer looking, my lashes were longer, and my eyes were a bit smokey on occasion.  But that requires me spending more of my day learning how to apply it all, and then it takes time out of my daily life doing it.  I have a lot of other things I'd rather spend my time doing.

 ~TWO~

I hate mushrooms.  I can usually eat most foods, even if I have to gag them down.  Heck, I've eaten reindeer heart in Finland.  But mushrooms, not a chance.  It's not even so much the flavor as it is the texture.  Before we found out Gracie was gluten free, I used to cook with creme of mushroom soup, but even those tiny little mushrooms could not be eaten.  I picked each one out of my food.  I know they are supposed to be really good for you, but my thinking is... mushrooms are a fungus.  Nobody should have to learn to like a fungus, right!  ;)

~THREE~

 I miss driving a vehicle with a stick shift.  All through high school, every vehicle that I ever drove was a manual.  I think I miss that it gives me something to do while driving.  Driving can be so boring.  At least if you have a stick shift and the clutch, you're always doing something.

~FOUR~

I love living in Montana, but I often wonder what it would be like to live somewhere else.  If I had to pick up at this very moment and pick a new state to live in, I think I'd pick Texas.  Who knows if I'd even like it, as I've never even been there to visit.  Do you all ever wonder where else you'd live if you had to move.

I hope I don't scare too many people off, by flying my "freak flag."  ;)

XOXO

What's Up Wednesday

Today is the last Wednesday of the month!  What???  This makes me so so sad!  I am not ready at all for it to be August.  How did this even happen!
 

With that being said... I'm linking up with Shay, and Mel to share my What's Up Wednesday post.

 

 What we're eating this week

I've been trying to recreate the cheese dip that I love so much from one of our favorite restaurants.  I'm close, people.  I'm close!

What I'm reminiscing about

Nothing really.

What I'm loving

I'm loving that the weather has finally gotten nice, and we've been able to play on the water.

What we've been up to

 Boating.

Tubing.

Camping.

Jeeping.

What I'm dreading

I feel bad saying it, but I am dreading volleyball, soccer and school all starting up.  I feel like summer just started, because of our funky weather this year.  This has been the weirdest summer that I can remember.  Their school doesn't start until the 29th of August, so we have a bit more time there, but Gracie starts two a day practices for volleyball here in 2 weeks, so that will instantly limit our time to play and do what we want.  :(

What I'm working on

My tan!  ;)  Does that count?

What I'm excited about

I'm excited for a month or two of nice weather.  I want to be sick of the heat before Fall arrives.  I plan to do my best to make sure that happens.  ;)

What I'm watching/reading

I still watch Friends every night before bed, and I'm still love watching the Bachelorette every week as well.

Right now I'm reading, Always Dakota.  I've just started it, so I'm not sure how it's going to be.  Time will tell.

What I'm listening to

I just bought a book on cd that I have barely started.  I'm hoping it will be good and that I can get used to someone reading to me.  I would prefer to read it myself, but with all the driving back and forth that I do, I decided I'd rather listen to a book than the same music over and over again.  

 

I'm hoping to purchase an audio bible as well, but I need to check with my Dad and see which one he likes.  I guess there are certain audio's where the reader doesn't pronounce the names or places correctly, and it drives my Dad crazy.  I don't want to learn to pronounce them wrong, so I want to make sure I get the right person reading it.

What I'm wearing

Now that Summer has decided to stick around, I'm all about tanks, shorts and sandals.   3 months out of the year is not enough.  I've got to take what I can get, and make each day count.

What I'm doing this weekend

We have family coming into town from Washington.  I'm hoping we can play some pinochle and maybe play on the river a bit.

What I'm looking forward to next month

School supplies.  I'm a nerd, and I fully admit it.  There is just something about new pencils, notebooks, and backpacks that I love.  It must be the fresh start to everything... a clean slate, so to speak.

Also, Emma turns 9 next month.  I'm excited for her.  Birthdays are so much fun when you're little.  It's fun watching them count down the days.

What else is new

A few Nordstrom purchases that I picked up during their sale.  Unfortunately only a couple of them have arrived so I don't have pictures yet, and who knows what I'll end up keeping.

I hope you're all having a great week so far.

Be blessed

A Day In The Life

I've been wanting to do another day in the life post for quite a while, and I finally decided to document yesterday. 

I slept in until 7:00, and then laid in bed reading my daily bible.  I've found that I do much better at reading it, if I just start reading before I do anything else.  Otherwise I seem to get too distracted.  

I stumbled in and got a load of laundry going.

And finally,  my morning coffee.

I took it and went to sit down at my desk to catch up on a few things.

 
 I switched the laundry a couple times while I worked on blog posts, checked the news, etc.

 And then ran through the shower, so I'd be ready for the day.

I got the dishwasher emptied...

and moved more laundry.  My kids are big enough now that I wash and dry their laundry, and then I pretty much tell everyone to come and grab what's theirs and to put it away.  That way, nobody has to sit and sort it all out.  They search through the pile, and then hang it up or put it in their own dressers.

I watered my flowers before it got too hot outside.  Me and my black thumb have managed to keep a couple plants alive still.

By 12:15 I started yet another load of laundry and then Emma and I headed into town for her piano lessons. 

 I sat in the car waiting for her while she was inside practicing.  I'm trying to listen to this book on CD.  I'm having a hard time, because I'd rather just read a book than listen to it, but I'm hoping I can get used to it.

We got back home, and then Jesse went to play at his cousins house, so I took the girls into the pool and dropped them off for a bit, while I met up with my friends for a late lunch.

I didn't eat good, but it was so worth it.  It tasted amazing!

After we were done, I headed back up to the pool to pick up the girls. 

By the time we got home it was around 4:30.  The girls showered and cleaned up and then by 5:45 it was time to run Gracie into town for volleyball open gym.  After I dropped her off, I ran to the grocery store.  This was all I needed since we're taking it with us.

I put fuel in the car, so we're ready for this morning and planned to go home and start dinner.

Thankfully, my sister invited us over for taco's, so I didn't have to make dinner.  Yay!

We ate, and then I hurried and got everyone packed, while Dan ran back to town to pick Gracie up.

 These two were finishing up a show before bed.

I said goodnight to the kids, and headed to bed with a glass of wine, and turned on the Bachelorette, and then turned out the lights at 10:40.

It was a full day for us.  I loved getting to see my friends for a bit over good food.  The kids ran and had fun.  I wish I would have taken more pictures of them, but honestly at this age they are usually off doing their own thing.  Whether outside or in their rooms.  They've become pretty independent, which is very bittersweet for sure.

I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into our daily life.  It's nothing overly exciting, but it's ours, and we enjoy it.

Have a great day friends. 

XOXO

A Weekend At The Lake

Friday after Dan got off work, we headed up to the lake.  Dan's parents have a house on Flathead lake that we get to enjoy during the summer. We had dinner with his family, and then they all headed back up to Kalispell, and we sat and enjoyed the weather.  There was a bit of rain and thunder, and we ended the night with this view from our bedroom window.  This is a hard view to beat.

The next morning we got up and enjoyed our coffee from the deck.  I would pay big bucks to wake up and enjoy coffee like this every morning.  It was so peaceful and relaxing.

I taught Dan and the kids how to play Domino's.  They love it and they're all hooked.

By 10:30 we were out on the boat.  Saturday was a bit cooler but Sunday was really nice

Dan pulled the kids on the tube.

Then a little while later he submarined them.  Ha!  They were not too happy about it.  They said the water was freezing. 

On Sunday I asked if Dan or the kids would try and take a picture of me.  I've been wanting a new profile picture that isn't a selfie, but I never like how any picture of me turns out.  This is the best that I got.  I laugh because I look all posed.  I am a million times more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, and it shows!  Ha!

Dan snuck in for a couple of shots.  I sure love this guy of mine.

 Then he proceded to lick my face.  Jesse was taking the picture, and said, "Eww, Dad.  Stop!"  Haha!  And that was the end of picture taking.  :)

 Jesse and Emma were wanting a little henna design, so our Sister-in-law put these on for them.  They love them, and are wishing they were permanent.

Saturday night we went into Big Fork and watched Shrek the musical at the theater house.  Sunday was spent hanging out and visiting and then we headed home in time for bed.

This morning I've been busy getting laundry caught back up.  The kids and I, plus my niece and nephew are headed into Missoula tomorrow for the next couple of days.  The big girls have a volleyball camp.  I must be crazy taking 5 kids to a hotel by myself.  #sendwine  #ormarjaritas  ;)

XOXO