Where do I Start??

Howdy from southwest Kansas. .

It's been another few weeks since I have checked in. .

I know. .

because my mother keeps reminding me that I have been missing!!

And the rumor is. .

that my back-home family. .

starts to ask around if we are OK when I don't check in. .

I will try to do better. .

But for another few weeks. .

You will have to trust that we are ALIVE. .

and SURVIVING!!

We have all been doing a lot of road tripping it seems. .

And we are definitely on the tail end of it!!

So life might resume a little bit of normalcy soon.

This past weekend found me and the two little ones picking up my mom and heading to Topeka to hang with my sister and her family!! Kristi, mom and I drove up to the far northeast corner of Kansas to go to the outdoor flea markets held in Sparks and White Cloud that weekend. .

It SOUNDED like the thing to do. .

And we have been planning it for a couple months, though not finalizing any plans until last week. .

Unfortunately for us, Mother Nature was still throwing a temper tantrum. .

And we found ourselves fully engaged in a cold, rainy, and blustery field trip!!

My mother even stopped at a booth and bought an extra pair of socks for herself!!

Despite the FREEZING cold temperatures (high was 43 with wind. .and some drizzle. .and did I mention it was breezy??) We enjoyed GREATLY our outing. The countryside was really green and pretty. There were many vendors that never untarped their tables. .

and some that didn't even show up. .

But we enjoyed browsing through the selections!!

I took my camera. .

but only took 2 photos. .

because it was sooooo cold and bleak, I flat didn't think about it!!

The picture above was for the benefit of my friend Robin. .

There were tables and TABLES of antique costume jewelry!!

You would have LOVED it!!

I was looking for some vintage baby dresses and women's hats to use in decorating our bedroom when we finish the remodel. .

I was a score for those. .

I also spyed an old Red Cross poster in the BACK of some guys van, that hadn't even been unloaded. He had bought part of somebody's collection. .

And was willing to make a STELLAR (His words) deal on them. .

Which, I'll admit. .

He did!!

So. .

I am also the proud collector of 2 new-to-me Red Cross posters to go with the 2 that I had already. .

they range in years from 1918 to 1931 (I think)

My AWESOME hubby will frame them for me really soon!

You might have noticed that my pickup ended up REALLY loaded down. .

A little stop to Lowes garden department. .

as well as a digging trip to mom's flower garden at the farm ensured that I had plenty to do when I got home Sunday!!

All the shopping and play time with the cousins took care of these two campers!!

I couldn't resist the photo op!!

Everyone else in our house has been plenty busy too. .

The guys went to a weekend race a couple Saturday's ago. .

Tristan was pretty pumped up to get TWO first place trophies in the high school racing division. .

Uggg. .

I'm afraid that the bug has bitten him good now. .

and I assume it will become a big hobby for him as well!

And Grant can hardly stand it until he turns 16 next year. .

Which means HE will be old enough to race!

Tristan and Grant have both been busy with golf meets too. .

Devin has been drawing out plans to a go cart that he wants his dad to help him build in their spare time. .

We have also picked up some new chicks that Devin is caring for. .

Sunday we couldn't resist bringing home 2 barred rock babies. .

which I have since learned, are great chickens for kids to raise because they have very docile personalities. Devin is pumped because he has been waiting a year to take chickens to the county fair!!

And Cami. .

has become a very proficient bike rider. .

She is getting ready to go to Kindergarten round up next week!!

I think that all of them are ready for school to be over for the summer. .

which will occur before we can even blink our eyes 3 more times!!

In other big news. .

Our remodel is nearing completion!!

We have been sleeping in the bedrooms for about a week now. .

Which, after 6 weeks in Grant's room. .

Has been BLISSFUL!

And every evening finds us unpacking a few more things. .

Last night (after I took photos) Jeremy helped me hang some things on the walls. .

I picked up this door from my friend Lisa under the pretense of using it for the door going into my closet. .

Jeremy and Kelsey were LESS than impressed by the idea. .

And Jeremy was sure that it was going to fall apart the first time we shut it (which could have been a true story, based on the number of finish nails we shot into to continue holding the wobbly parts together). .

So. .

His idea was to cut the cool window and the ornate trim OUT of this door. .

and insert it INTO a sturdier door. .

To which I quickly replied "FORGET it". .

I would just make a full length mirror out of it. .

And we did!!

It is at home in the corner of my new bedroom!

The baby dresses are now hanging on the wall off of a piece of old crown molding that I put antique wire hooks on. .

I am LOVING the french doors. .

And so far, the sun entry into the room hasn't been as bad as I had anticipated. .

 since the doors are facing that eastern morning sunshine!

The photos were taken rapidly. .

And I didn't bother to pick up the clothes hanging off the bed :-)

The closet door is at the right top of the photo. .

I can now walk INTO the mess. .

And shut the door on it when I am done!!

LOVE IT!!

Here's my big bare sunroom!!

My mom was down a few weeks ago and got to see the paint colors. .

But the flooring wasn't down, nor were the windows in!

They finished up most things in there last week. .

And cleaned up the tools and equipment from the floor.

I moved a couple things into this room last night. .

I can't wait to find a smallish oak drop leaf table to set in the corner window area. .

Which I plan to sit at and look out of. .

just enjoying nature!!

I saw a couple I liked at the flea market. .

but it was simply too cold and wet and muddy. .

And I just wasn't in the mood to mess with it!

All in good time. .

All in good time!

One of my favorite things is this old door!

We ran across it at a huge antique barn near my mom's when we picked up the wardrobe (which is currently being finished off this week too. .can't wait to show you!!)

I really wasn't looking for a door like this when he showed it to me. .

But my gut just kept nagging at me. .

I finally decided that we could use it as the outgoing door from the room. .

But ended up putting the door inside the house. .

separating the laundry room from the sun room. .

Jeremy used some fiberglass and filled a couple dings in it. .

And took out the brass mail slot that was right under the window. .

He sprayed on some paint that I had laying around which was bought for a different purpose. .

Finally, I used some antiquing glaze to finish it off. .

It makes me smile every day. .

One of the coolest things is the design in the middle of the glass pane!

It was definitely a fun addition.

And of course. .

Miss Thing's room was also remodeled. .

Lath and plaster came down. .

Termite ridden boards from 30 years ago were removed. .

Insulation was inserted. .

Energy efficient windows were added. .

And topped off with a lovely lavender paint. .

chosen by the diva herself. .

She is lovin' it too!!

And best of all. .

she was glad to get her bed back. .

And quit sleeping on the loveseat!!

This week finally looks like spring. .

AND feels like spring. .

The grass got mowed. .

The plants transplanted. .

A greenhouse of starts that need to be put into the garden. .

And some more moist, drizzly weather to settle in those new plants!!

I have a gardening weekend planned. .

I am excited to get the veggies out. .

And planning the landscape design around the new addition. .

Hope to be able to show some more photos soon!!

But for now. .

Enjoy your day!

Thanks for stopping by!