tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45644360512778884692024-03-14T01:00:26.305-07:00Baum SheltersYour front row seat to the blood, sweat, and tears of home renovation.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-40508361196866283072012-12-05T13:30:00.000-08:002012-12-05T13:37:49.085-08:00Milestones: 2 Months and 6 years<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gal and I on Thanksgiving Day</td></tr>
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Sometimes I wonder about this blogging business. It can take up so much of my time (if I'm posting regularly). But then I read an old post from my old blog and I'm so glad I have a record of our lives. But there is no way I can keep up 2 blogs. I love remodeling my houses and reading other house blogs but the season of life I'm in now requires 98% of my time. The season of 5 children and a husband. I would still like to post about all the work (the indescribable amount of work) we have put into this house but also expect to see a lot more of our family life here. I will change the blog title if that makes you feel better. ;) With that said......<br />
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Elijah is 2 months old! We have hit the mark in time when I can no longer keep track of his age in weeks. So sad. He already is so predicable and consistent. We feed, change, sleep, and repeat. I love him.<br />
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And Ezra turned 6 last month! We were in St. George, UT for a Baum family reunion on his big day. He is the sweetest kindergartner. He is so practical, safe, stubborn, hard to impress, helpful, smart, and handsome. I love his calming presence. I heard him on my iPhone the other night, asking Suri when his Dad would be home from work. He really wants to play the piano. He loves his younger brother and I often catch him staring, smiling, or talking to Eli. <br />
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We love you kiddo. Happy birthday!<br />
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p.s. You know what is way cooler than facebook and way easier than blogging? Instagram! Catch more of us on Instagram, username: lindbm.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-92039066860639041432012-10-16T15:46:00.000-07:002012-10-16T15:47:54.860-07:00Milestone: 2 years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I never knew what the big deal was. Two babies in diapers. How hard could it be? Whoa.</div>
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I swear that's all I do all day long. Change diapers. Happily.</div>
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This little lady turned 2 on Sept. 21st. A week or so before the baby came. And she is exactly that. A two year old. <br />
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We laugh at her talking, her singing, her dancing, her book reading, her cat loving, and screaming all day long. I admit she is at times hard to be mad at, even when she deserves my full wrath.<br />
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She has had her world turned upside down, these past couple weeks. She had no idea where little Elijah came from but she was sure glad to see him. She has not stopped kissing and loving on him. I am grateful she decided not to take her <strike>anger</strike> confusion out on him. We are working on her sleeping in one bed at night - most of the time it is with her sister, Macy.<br />
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I find myself counting to 5 a lot lately. And shaking my head. When and how did this happen? Amazing. When did my life go from busy Mom to just flat out crazy?</div>
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Was it when Mikael came?</div>
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Was it when we took on this giant remodeling project? Or the ones before this one?</div>
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Was it last March, when Jace purchased the other plumbing company? And our lives changed drastically? I'm drowning in paperwork and he is working hours we haven't seen since we were first married. Gratefully.</div>
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And what will a sweet baby named Elijah do to my sanity? How will I ever have the time?<br />
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Well, so far he has been nothing but sweet. I am grateful he has forced us to slow down and enjoy this chapter. There are certain moments in the day, when my lap is full of babies that love me, that I love being home - I love being their Mom and Jace's wife. I just wish that was all I had to do - sit on the couch and love babies. I'm probably going to have to tell Jace to hire another secretary and maid.<br />
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<br />The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-7579178939691886772012-10-05T20:26:00.001-07:002012-10-05T20:27:33.165-07:00He is here.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><i>We will call him </i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><i>Elijah Lewis Baum</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><i>Sunday, September 30, 2012 8:21 am</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><i>9 pounds 0 ounces 21 1/2 inches</i></span></div>
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Much to my delight, labor started last Saturday night, one week early. It was my best delivery yet. I am always amazed, no matter how many times I do this, how incredible the experience of giving birth is. I fall in love instantly and wish I could spend all day doting and staring at him. He is a quiet, content baby. It is like he knows and was saved to be our #5. He patiently endures his siblings fighting over him, poking him, breathing on him, and his older sister Mikael's screaming fits. He can sleep thru it all. He was born on my Dad's 60th birthday. His middle name comes from and in honor of my Mom. Lewis is her maiden/middle name. Our lives have changed again at the Baum household. Some of us are adapting to the change better than others. I will write more on that later. We are so thankful for our healthy, beautiful boy.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-84268890101145505912012-09-16T10:23:00.000-07:002012-09-17T13:36:55.042-07:00100 yard dash <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mikael and Livi - 4th of July 2012</td></tr>
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There is a story told in my family. My Mom still wants to cry when she recalls that day. It was spring 1983, my Mom left her 4 little girls in a running van and with heavy steps made her way inside her Dad's house. She was 9 months pregnant with #5, who would later be known as Addie. Back in that world of no car seats, 2 year old Lindsay made her way to the front seat, and somehow managed to take the van out of park. The van that was now in reverse was headed for a nearby ditch or beyond. When my Mom noticed the now moving van - She ran for her life. The van beat her to the ditch and stopped. I have heard her describe the terror she felt many times. I can only imagine. Her girls survived, without a scratch but my Mom was in bad shape. She had to be picked up and hauled into her Dad's house. She could not walk. Her pregnant hips had given out on her after her 100 yard dash. Two grown men hauled her to the bathroom and sat her on the toilet. My Mom was on the brink of hyperventilation, extreme humiliation, and imminent labor.<br />
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Labor did not come that day. Or the next. Addie would arrive on her due date a couple weeks later and my Mom's hips and pride would eventually heal. I would assume that my Mom caught a glimpse that terrifying day of how much her life could and would change with the birth of her 5th child. I'm sure she contemplated her predicament. I'm sure she wanted to take me out and beat me. I'm sure she cried to my Dad that night. 5 babies would be a lot of work and worry. And maybe, just maybe running after that van that day would not be the only time as a mother that she would feel like she was in the sprint of her life.<br />
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And so now, here I am, 9 months pregnant with my 5th child. I'm at times terrified. Hyperventalating. Eating humble pie. And sprinting toward the finish line. (The finish line less than 3 weeks away)<br />
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So please excuse my long absence? <br />
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And please excuse the following photos. They have nothing to do with this post. Here is just a glimpse of what we have been up to:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mikael - Milwakee airport June 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noah - Lake Powell July 2012 - Was quite the wakeboarder this year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fpOkfp-G6cU/UFYQnmWmbKI/AAAAAAAACDI/XrN3X1RWffs/s1600/mikaelcat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fpOkfp-G6cU/UFYQnmWmbKI/AAAAAAAACDI/XrN3X1RWffs/s640/mikaelcat.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mikael's "baby" - That cat has a special place in heaven for putting up with her</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JaVqyiEr90k/UFeIpjXunpI/AAAAAAAACDc/Bpael9Vu1DE/s1600/familia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JaVqyiEr90k/UFeIpjXunpI/AAAAAAAACDc/Bpael9Vu1DE/s640/familia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Pic on Pioneer Day 2012 (some of us in costume)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mikael and Ezra bike riding on the newly poured concrete</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Vo4Jl3NFF4/UFYNwMmdOgI/AAAAAAAACCQ/IaNYjb5KWmk/s1600/DSC07631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Vo4Jl3NFF4/UFYNwMmdOgI/AAAAAAAACCQ/IaNYjb5KWmk/s640/DSC07631.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st day of school 2012 and a house still under major renovation</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NjMoa0X8Q0A/UFYN4NW5GNI/AAAAAAAACCY/F0Z0a9yhmmE/s1600/DSC07643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NjMoa0X8Q0A/UFYN4NW5GNI/AAAAAAAACCY/F0Z0a9yhmmE/s640/DSC07643.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mikael has a slight obsession with books right now</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZcks4DVPb0/UFYOHO8ieyI/AAAAAAAACCg/p1G2gk9nBcM/s1600/DSC07667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZcks4DVPb0/UFYOHO8ieyI/AAAAAAAACCg/p1G2gk9nBcM/s640/DSC07667.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jace's favorite past time - breeding. Anything. Me. The llamas.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XEX3EQr564o/UFYOTnAqtII/AAAAAAAACCo/g-QzxEDQxFk/s1600/DSC07673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XEX3EQr564o/UFYOTnAqtII/AAAAAAAACCo/g-QzxEDQxFk/s640/DSC07673.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do not like sheep. Jace does. They get out of their pen every time Jace leaves town.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DrCy5ecSqn0/UFYOkCZt9HI/AAAAAAAACCw/R2n_Ce5LNOA/s1600/DSC07676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DrCy5ecSqn0/UFYOkCZt9HI/AAAAAAAACCw/R2n_Ce5LNOA/s640/DSC07676.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jace buried the trampoline this summer. That baby can help herself to a few jumps whenever she feels the need. It's fantastic.</td></tr>
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<br />The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-36561656077456951282012-04-15T18:58:00.000-07:002012-04-15T18:58:31.697-07:00This past week.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9izQykocTAk/T4t5r0drpII/AAAAAAAACBo/MKOR1vRLsnk/s1600/DSC07332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9izQykocTAk/T4t5r0drpII/AAAAAAAACBo/MKOR1vRLsnk/s640/DSC07332.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We managed to get all of us in one Easter picture. All looking in the same direction. This is a huge feat people. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLnrJJMu58k/T4t51swuo8I/AAAAAAAACBw/-Obt9siuB28/s1600/DSC07387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLnrJJMu58k/T4t51swuo8I/AAAAAAAACBw/-Obt9siuB28/s640/DSC07387.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also weaned this 19 month old baby this week. I know what you are thinking, "that's not normal." But I'm here to say that it is very normal at the Baum house. Macy was weaned at 16 months and my boys at 19 month and they are nothing but perfect gentlemen. <i>(Ahem.)</i> I'll admit that this time around I was thinking it was never going to happen. And my sisters were going to be able to give me crap at every family party until Mikael went to kindergarten. But we have made it through this week, me and Kaels. Baby steps. That's how we do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also had a major urge to spring clean take over this week. I vacuumed. I mopped. I dusted. I organized. I washed all the winter wear and put it away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then it snowed yesterday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hoping that urge strikes me again tomorrow morning. Either that or a cleaning lady knocks on my door.</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-46067075972439424152012-04-08T10:54:00.000-07:002012-04-08T10:54:35.394-07:00Smells like spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqA1ldHyENk/T4HLyfn7QOI/AAAAAAAACA4/8x5f7ONGIU0/s1600/DSC07295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqA1ldHyENk/T4HLyfn7QOI/AAAAAAAACA4/8x5f7ONGIU0/s640/DSC07295.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We have been practicing with our sprinkler system. Turning on every zone. Checking for broken sprinkler heads and even coverage. The smell of wet dirt has made my heart so happy. We weren't here last year for the all the fruit tree blossoms and the sight of them has me so excited at the prospect of trees hanging heavy with fruit. I am reminded why we bought this old place. The potential is amazing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyC9KjLZvZE/T4HLzNWuySI/AAAAAAAACBA/rKOIo-aMYhg/s1600/DSC07298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyC9KjLZvZE/T4HLzNWuySI/AAAAAAAACBA/rKOIo-aMYhg/s640/DSC07298.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
One of the local hardware stores where we have an account has recently made the mistake of selling baby chicks, feed, and other exciting products. As I was inputing bills this week for our plumbing company, I noticed invoices with material named "Pearl White Chics" and "Chicken Stratch" feed. Not exactly what plumbers need to fix clogged lines and such. That Jace. And he says I am the sneaky online shopper.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fLXX_v35eMA/T4HLzwJFaEI/AAAAAAAACBI/tqGG8bHz_-8/s1600/DSC07304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fLXX_v35eMA/T4HLzwJFaEI/AAAAAAAACBI/tqGG8bHz_-8/s640/DSC07304.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Good thing its Easter. I stopped in town yesterday and bought a new skirt for the occasion. Now we are even. He said his Easter present will bring us eggs and happiness for years to come. I told him my new skirt will bring me and my closet happiness as well. Who cares if you can't eat it, right?<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8lUj08_-xc/T4HL02ELd2I/AAAAAAAACBQ/xyueZ9l5eq8/s1600/DSC07315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8lUj08_-xc/T4HL02ELd2I/AAAAAAAACBQ/xyueZ9l5eq8/s640/DSC07315.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The baby chics were ready to move out doors today on this Easter sabbath. The air is warming up and small, soft feathers now line their small bony bodies. Jace rounded up a couple chicken wranglers to do the job.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uJxvWokmHz0/T4HQuAOgUaI/AAAAAAAACBg/hnbXfdgGM2E/s1600/boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uJxvWokmHz0/T4HQuAOgUaI/AAAAAAAACBg/hnbXfdgGM2E/s640/boys.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Happy Easter! I'm so grateful for this time of year and the opportunity we have to start anew. I hope there is a dust storm of commotion at Mi Casa in the coming weeks. We need a new roof and a new septic tank by June. New windows would be lovely as well as new exterior paint, planted grass, and shiny, white baseboards. Not too tall of an order is it?The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-64526071054100967982012-03-20T15:47:00.000-07:002012-03-20T15:47:47.782-07:00Project: LifeSometimes there just isn't a lot to post about on the home remodeling front. Sometimes life is paramount and by life I mean birthday parties, sick babies, crappy weather, and laundry. There have been behind the scenes negotiations between husband and wife about combining the 2 blogs for simplicity sake. Some seasons of my life require all my energy and time and little is left to worry about paint colors and which way the toilet should face. Here is a few pictures of my life in the past month.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyFNRoGWzfA/T2j_1LGUXSI/AAAAAAAACAA/l3DEmJFlhbA/s1600/DSC07190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyFNRoGWzfA/T2j_1LGUXSI/AAAAAAAACAA/l3DEmJFlhbA/s640/DSC07190.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Noah turned 8 last month. He constantly impresses and surprises the pants off his parents. We love him and wish we had 4 more just like him.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhZfP5Ot7Z4/T2j_9qwPT0I/AAAAAAAACAI/d--A4zYNudM/s1600/DSC07237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhZfP5Ot7Z4/T2j_9qwPT0I/AAAAAAAACAI/d--A4zYNudM/s640/DSC07237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
At our house, when you turn 8, it means we plan another big day for the baptism. Lots of family, lots of food. All Noah wanted for his birthday this year was a black "sweater" for church. "You know the kind with the secret pockets..." He wears his new suit coat proudly every week to church. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcd8TvSyErM/T2kAG0Di7PI/AAAAAAAACAQ/byydZMyL5OE/s1600/DSC07242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcd8TvSyErM/T2kAG0Di7PI/AAAAAAAACAQ/byydZMyL5OE/s640/DSC07242.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And here we have Mikael. Doing what she does best - playing "office". And since my office is right off my front door, I have lots of explaining to do when guests come knocking. She can have my desk cleared off and on to the floor in about 2.5 seconds. Don't even get me started on what she can do with a basket of folded laundry. This baby was sick this month. Throwing up and diarrea for 7 straight days. I felt horrible for her but thought I was going to lose my mind. Thankfully, an antibiotic took care of whatever was causing it. But it has literally taken weeks to get my house and life clean and back in order. Sort of.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WxCiVM7kk20/T2kAPk26eWI/AAAAAAAACAY/H1tH26ufiaQ/s1600/DSC07247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WxCiVM7kk20/T2kAPk26eWI/AAAAAAAACAY/H1tH26ufiaQ/s640/DSC07247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace did manage to get a few house projects done without me this past month. Fixing steps, repairing sheet rock, moving toilets, and installing our new/permanent appliances. And have I explained the turquoise table in the middle of the kitchen? It is obviously a temporary island. It covers and semi hides the water and electric pipes coming up out of the concrete floor. One day a custom island will replace our turquoise table. Soon I hope. We literally eat 75% of our meals here. It is quite comical trying to fit all 6 of us around it.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLwQDXW2uMg/T2kAWyC3GWI/AAAAAAAACAg/Rz51etG-e-E/s1600/DSC07249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLwQDXW2uMg/T2kAWyC3GWI/AAAAAAAACAg/Rz51etG-e-E/s640/DSC07249.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And while I love the look of my new stove, I'm sorry to say my other stove worked better. Dang it. I have almost burned the house down 3 times and melted the babies high chair tray. The front control touch screen is <i><b>sensitive</b></i>. And I don't think I have ever mentioned my finished concrete countertops on the blog. For $180, we are pleased with the result. We learned a lot and we are enjoying them. Now, I just need to make up my mind on back splash tile and find a better hiding spot for the microwave.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yb2UIsNPen4/T2kAgiBbzaI/AAAAAAAACAo/-TVQk6bEQzw/s1600/DSC07255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yb2UIsNPen4/T2kAgiBbzaI/AAAAAAAACAo/-TVQk6bEQzw/s640/DSC07255.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My new counter depth fridge. Can't say it enough. If you are contemplating spending the extra cash for one - do it. I can't believe how much nicer this fridge looks, than my older fridge that was regular depth and stuck out like a sore thumb.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rS31n0NEuUM/T2kAoAkefoI/AAAAAAAACAw/12BKrRn2rZU/s1600/DSC07257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rS31n0NEuUM/T2kAoAkefoI/AAAAAAAACAw/12BKrRn2rZU/s640/DSC07257.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And wait I lied. I did do one decorating project. It took me 3 weeks to get Jace to cut and then trim it to the right size but I'm loving the cork board in my black ikea frame.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spring break is around the corner. I have told Jace we are headed to the valley with or without him. Hopefully with. 4 kids are much easier to manage with him. I am ready for a break from this wind (and snow storms!) and my dirty house. I need a trip to Ikea and Target. Thats all I ask for and a little sunshine.</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-41952071265380900652012-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:002012-02-14T16:14:15.858-08:00Valentine's Day is for lovers; Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QXMCooj8_-0/Tzr0MvVb_9I/AAAAAAAAB_4/B8c9In5vt58/s1600/DSC07194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QXMCooj8_-0/Tzr0MvVb_9I/AAAAAAAAB_4/B8c9In5vt58/s640/DSC07194.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace came home late one afternoon last week. He found me sitting in the window sill of the above pictured dining room. I was in my grubby clothes and was even wearing an apron. The paint was still wet in my hair and on the walls. Jace was chomping at the bit to share with me his great find of the day. Llamas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M79taUWw9WM/Tzrz2SeRMFI/AAAAAAAAB_o/2dDs9uZ24js/s1600/DSC07166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M79taUWw9WM/Tzrz2SeRMFI/AAAAAAAAB_o/2dDs9uZ24js/s640/DSC07166.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Llamas??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"What do they do?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"They spit."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Oh. Do they bite?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"No! They spit."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Can you ride them?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Well, maybe. Well, no but that thing reared its head back today and then spit! Like this...."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Insert Jace spitting like a llama.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Oh."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He pauses for just a moment here. Looks around. Sniffs the air.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Have you been painting? Did you repaint this room? The room we just painted with chalkboard paint? You tick me off. We just spent $ on paint and now we are doing it again?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I stop. Look him square in the eyes and say,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"I have one word for you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Llamas."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zwWX2qUB558/Tzr0CKH6I8I/AAAAAAAAB_w/_tlBXZKAkDc/s1600/DSC07173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zwWX2qUB558/Tzr0CKH6I8I/AAAAAAAAB_w/_tlBXZKAkDc/s640/DSC07173.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that is how it works around here. Jace loves the new paint. I can't wait to see those llamas spit. It makes no sense at all but that is how Jace and I love each other dearly. Happy Valentines Day!</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-8458558385828144372012-02-14T11:12:00.000-08:002012-02-14T11:12:11.272-08:00Valentines Day is for Lovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dmC8n_VfY_Y/Tzqngo_dQyI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/KljSdRt-f-s/s1600/DSC07194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dmC8n_VfY_Y/Tzqngo_dQyI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/KljSdRt-f-s/s640/DSC07194.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A mysterious car sat in front of my house this morning. I saw balloons flying out the back seat window. I smiled to myself. That Jace. He is the best. I hurriedly put on my pretty face. I did not want the maker and deliverer of my Valentine's surprise to think I was not a deserving wife. I was still putting on my deordarent as I ran down the stairs to open the door. Except, there was no one at the door, so I waited. I checked my other doors - maybe she was confused as to which one was the front door. No one. No flowers. No balloons. But there sat the mysterious car. Perhaps they would like me to come fetch my own gift? The weather <i>is</i> treacherous today. So I bound out the front door, make my way to the mysterious car, stand at the window and smile. The confused driver looks my way, looks to the back seat, then rolls down the window. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qoavlCFI4ec/Tzqnrnys8WI/AAAAAAAAB_g/JP8DuuLJW3M/s1600/DSC07195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qoavlCFI4ec/Tzqnrnys8WI/AAAAAAAAB_g/JP8DuuLJW3M/s640/DSC07195.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"I saw the balloons. Just making sure she didn't get lost on her way to the front door?" A head pops up from the back seat. "No, I'm not lost, just trying to untangle the balloons." She then gives a nod to what must have been her husband driver and says, "Give her her flowers in the back." I sheepishly take my flowers and head back into the house. 10 minutes later - a knock at the door. Finally! I answer and put on my best surprised face - "Balloons! More Flowers!" He hands them over and leaves in his mysterious car. The balloons that had caused us so much grief this morning turned out to be for my baby Mikael. That Jace. He is too much. I love that guy. God bless all the flower deliverers on this wretched windy day. And in case you are wondering, the correct protocol is to wait inside your house for the knock at the door. Don't hassle the flower people. They will get to you. In due time.</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-35613676659069248972012-02-02T19:50:00.000-08:002012-02-02T21:06:13.751-08:00A little Arizona InspirationWhen Jace and I were just babies having our first baby ;) we lived in a tiny apartment in Gilbert, AZ. I worked in an office in Mesa, AZ. On my lunch break I would walk the sidewalks on old downtown. One of my favorite places to stop in and dream (notice I did not say shop) was a store called Domestic Bliss. I used to dream of a house full of upholstered furniture and frilly linens and wish that I had thought of that store name 1st. Our first baby, Macy's nursery was patterned after a corner of that adorable store I would visit on my lunch break. Well, today I found some pictures of that store owner's recent home remodel floating around the internet. Take a look:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMUz7r6ScUI/TytLaM_vHFI/AAAAAAAAB-A/pM8pHIBmaMU/s1600/room_inspiration_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMUz7r6ScUI/TytLaM_vHFI/AAAAAAAAB-A/pM8pHIBmaMU/s640/room_inspiration_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfpkgmbvqmc/TytLbeVeZ5I/AAAAAAAAB-I/NGsEP9mk-vs/s1600/room_inspiration_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfpkgmbvqmc/TytLbeVeZ5I/AAAAAAAAB-I/NGsEP9mk-vs/s640/room_inspiration_2.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I asked Jace tonight how hard it would be to make saw horse legs for a table or two. Surely, this could be pulled off without paying over $1,000 retail. Ya?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNxCkR9f_7k/TytLd-7Lu2I/AAAAAAAAB-Q/N85weJP2F4M/s1600/room_inspiration_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNxCkR9f_7k/TytLd-7Lu2I/AAAAAAAAB-Q/N85weJP2F4M/s640/room_inspiration_8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPvju_jLELU/TytLgyK11II/AAAAAAAAB-Y/qe2hGZUNSCM/s1600/room_inspiration_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPvju_jLELU/TytLgyK11II/AAAAAAAAB-Y/qe2hGZUNSCM/s640/room_inspiration_11.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Did you see the drapes? Hello.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fWyLblRsWQ4/TytToxMRATI/AAAAAAAAB-4/hXRZcZvTuWo/s1600/room_inspiration_26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fWyLblRsWQ4/TytToxMRATI/AAAAAAAAB-4/hXRZcZvTuWo/s640/room_inspiration_26.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ah those signs.</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKJf52yJEAM/TytLmUgPpaI/AAAAAAAAB-o/njkz8FOPtb8/s1600/room_inspiration_25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKJf52yJEAM/TytLmUgPpaI/AAAAAAAAB-o/njkz8FOPtb8/s640/room_inspiration_25.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Doesn't this picture make you want to slap some wall paper on your kitchen walls? And a couple chalk boards?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MKh6gvqc3M/TytLlAn3yKI/AAAAAAAAB-g/28k_0ndVpBQ/s1600/room_inspiration_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MKh6gvqc3M/TytLlAn3yKI/AAAAAAAAB-g/28k_0ndVpBQ/s640/room_inspiration_12.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my favorite - the bathroom. I love the gray wall in the background and that chandelier.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--JdiJt4fxL8/TytLXTZJGjI/AAAAAAAAB94/HvM1nW_AUtk/s1600/blogboard32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--JdiJt4fxL8/TytLXTZJGjI/AAAAAAAAB94/HvM1nW_AUtk/s640/blogboard32.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all above images found <a href="http://foundbydomesticbliss.blogspot.com/">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And judging by the picture above, the store is still a dream come true - for the wealthy. ;) I am slightly obsessed with the light fixtures. Expensive? Yes. Inspiring? Absolutely. The best part is, I don't even have to work in Mesa anymore to drool over the store's inventory - it is all <a href="http://foundbydomesticbliss.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am ready to go to work. I love when a single image gets me going again. I found this image stored on my computer yesterday, in a folder labeled "Good Ideas" yesterday. I haven't been able to stop thinking and scheming on it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZmo_j6uxF4/TytPm2YBv5I/AAAAAAAAB-w/yhoSgDx2EKM/s1600/img90l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="576" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZmo_j6uxF4/TytPm2YBv5I/AAAAAAAAB-w/yhoSgDx2EKM/s640/img90l.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image found <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sometimes I could just kiss myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>It is apparent from that last statement that I'm having a better week this week.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">;)</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-3073046033268447432012-01-28T13:53:00.000-08:002012-01-30T08:22:30.251-08:00The writing on the wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vUp27edf9s/TyRjkQqvAnI/AAAAAAAAB9g/ebLX-PeCE_U/s1600/Photo+406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vUp27edf9s/TyRjkQqvAnI/AAAAAAAAB9g/ebLX-PeCE_U/s640/Photo+406.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We celebrated 11 years of wedded bliss yesterday. We are so old and wore out that we yawned our way thru dinner, ditched out on the movie, and then fell asleep next to each other mid conversation. I am not even sure Jace noticed I had chopped me some bangs yesterday morning. He is so sweet.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGYXmlpCwHs/TyRjlVWFdDI/AAAAAAAAB9o/rWOr3RvS8ek/s1600/Photo+415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGYXmlpCwHs/TyRjlVWFdDI/AAAAAAAAB9o/rWOr3RvS8ek/s640/Photo+415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have had one of those weeks. I have had this inner dull ache begging for some change. I was talking dramatic all week. Making threats that I would cut my hair off and/or buy expensive dining room chairs. And I kept finding gray hairs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And to explain how I was feeling this week a little better, I share the following story:<br />
The only shopping in my small town is done at thrift stores. I am a frequent customer. I don't have much luck but it feeds my need to buy something. Even if it a .50 Harry Potter book. Well, after all that loyal patronage, the thrift store manager reminded me this week that I should no longer be trying to buy clothes off the size 6 mannequin, "because the mannequin has really thin arms." </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I cried the whole way home. </div><div style="text-align: center;">My children could not make heads nor tails of what just happened.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I still haven't told Jace this story. The wound is still too raw.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm boycotting the thrift store.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Probably until this coming February.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_8G8OUNfMlA/TyRjjKaLNmI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/9iAQ1dnGiHw/s1600/DSC07151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_8G8OUNfMlA/TyRjjKaLNmI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/9iAQ1dnGiHw/s640/DSC07151.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My new dining room is large. And empty. I gave Jace a couple options, explaining that the dining room was going to put me under this week. We had to do something. Anything. And fast.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uERLOT0c69w/TyRjR-I2tEI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/sbLf636fjD8/s1600/DSC07150.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uERLOT0c69w/TyRjR-I2tEI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/sbLf636fjD8/s640/DSC07150.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He hated the velvet Ikea drapes and said no to the blue shutters. And that is where the black chalkboard stripe entered my life. Have you ever painted with chalkboard paint? It doesn't erase. It is causing me some anxiety. So I'm not sure what direction the stripe is going to go but it does change things up, now doesn't it?<br />
<br />
4 people snubbed me at the swap meet this morning. I must be unrecognizable. It must be the new bangs. And <strike>my fat arms</strike> all this new change in my life.<br />
<br />
p.s. Tell me my thirties are going to be a little more sexy. And exciting! We have kind of got off to a rocky start - me and my thirties. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-19678825076654265132012-01-19T17:19:00.000-08:002012-01-29T07:16:55.688-08:00Holiday Tour<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LpTGYO1LR5A/TxieonOWxbI/AAAAAAAAB5A/S8qz12f4ox8/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LpTGYO1LR5A/TxieonOWxbI/AAAAAAAAB5A/S8qz12f4ox8/s640/snow.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holiday Fun 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table>How was my holidays, you ask?<br />
<br />
Eh. I've had better. <br />
<br />
And let's just leave it at that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ys0-RxeH_1k/Txij4bd6eII/AAAAAAAAB6A/kfTWk6WyCm8/s1600/DSC05770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ys0-RxeH_1k/Txij4bd6eII/AAAAAAAAB6A/kfTWk6WyCm8/s640/DSC05770.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen - Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Over the holiday break, the original owners and builders of my current residence came for a tour. Whoa! I was so excited. Finally, someone who could appreciate all the work we have done. I pictured us reminiscing about funny stories that happened at my house, hugging, then promising to have <a href="http://lds.org/family/home-evening?lang=eng">FHE</a> together once a month. I just knew they would be thrilled to see my sweet, little family here living and working together under the same roof they raised 9 children under.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI9qkve2GQQ/TxipNIs70_I/AAAAAAAAB7A/UQibD1BUv9M/s1600/DSC05771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PI9qkve2GQQ/TxipNIs70_I/AAAAAAAAB7A/UQibD1BUv9M/s640/DSC05771.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen - before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FrDCJbJ8G2U/Txi4S_1Ek8I/AAAAAAAAB8o/aHKz7TFxqpA/s1600/DSC07128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FrDCJbJ8G2U/Txi4S_1Ek8I/AAAAAAAAB8o/aHKz7TFxqpA/s640/DSC07128.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen - After (not completely done)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Their cabinets had been ripped out, rearranged, and painted. The linoleum floor had been scrapped up and the concrete stained. Which can be a confusing concept for some. I think they were wondering when the flooring was going to be installed.<br />
<div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wdZ2OIba_g/Txi4aFuK77I/AAAAAAAAB8w/ZCxcmqJM5no/s1600/DSC07129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wdZ2OIba_g/Txi4aFuK77I/AAAAAAAAB8w/ZCxcmqJM5no/s640/DSC07129.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen - after</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M4AQi849zHE/Txi3vvOYciI/AAAAAAAAB8I/OhbHPPRNTx4/s1600/DSC05786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M4AQi849zHE/Txi3vvOYciI/AAAAAAAAB8I/OhbHPPRNTx4/s640/DSC05786.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bathroom - before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lights that used to hang in their master bathroom, have been spray painted and given a new life in the office.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0bl253Rk0eg/Txi4JtrwefI/AAAAAAAAB8g/L2PujNtHCNg/s1600/DSC07122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0bl253Rk0eg/Txi4JtrwefI/AAAAAAAAB8g/L2PujNtHCNg/s640/DSC07122.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">office - after with the old vanity lights</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The master bathroom was almost unrecognizable to them after the renovation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8kkqHQGqcxQ/Txi4DKroaYI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/7SbI0AgSIcw/s1600/DSC06692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8kkqHQGqcxQ/Txi4DKroaYI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/7SbI0AgSIcw/s640/DSC06692.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bath - after (and not complete yet) </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">No more carpet in the bathroom. New vanities, tub, and walk-in shower.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGnZJlxmLAg/Txi35lg4SNI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/Ci_PIyWE6lI/s1600/DSC05793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EGnZJlxmLAg/Txi35lg4SNI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/Ci_PIyWE6lI/s640/DSC05793.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macy's bedroom vanity - before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that fancy bedroom vanity upstairs? Gone. They were disappointed. I kind of was too. It was a battle I lost to Jace....he won a walk-in shower....which I kind of love too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NXwLCDGE-wo/Txi4vPkImuI/AAAAAAAAB9I/BtwgwNIkmTs/s1600/DSC07144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NXwLCDGE-wo/Txi4vPkImuI/AAAAAAAAB9I/BtwgwNIkmTs/s640/DSC07144.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macy's vanity - after</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Painted furniture and mirror was a poor substitute.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iH08mUDXtEU/Txi4oVRwBdI/AAAAAAAAB9A/51c9Y-dgOXw/s1600/DSC07138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iH08mUDXtEU/Txi4oVRwBdI/AAAAAAAAB9A/51c9Y-dgOXw/s640/DSC07138.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loft - after (furniture less)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They wondered how and why the beams were white. I think this was the biggest blow. White beams.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They never got past the beams to tell me how they loved the new light fixture in the loft.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5cN1r8TAR3A/Txi4gBzjxzI/AAAAAAAAB84/-UYeblSJzm8/s1600/DSC07133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5cN1r8TAR3A/Txi4gBzjxzI/AAAAAAAAB84/-UYeblSJzm8/s640/DSC07133.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dining room - a work in progress. It's really killing me, this room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Their last comment was, "Well, maybe when you get your artwork on the walls." Their comments made me chuckle and made me realize just how much more work we have to do. Seeing my house through eyes that once knew this house in all its glory humbled me a bit. We probably bit off more than we can chew with this one but this wouldn't be the 1st time the Baums swam in that pool.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I told Jace about the tour later that night in bed. He asked if I thought they would have been more impressed, had they known our remodeling budget would have fit in Ezra's piggy bank?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I said, "Naw, I don't think so."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jim....Dixie.....we love you and your old, beloved house. You are invited back for another tour. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In 10 years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">;)</div><br />
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p.s. Know that it is killing me to post after pictures that aren't quite done or perfect. One day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div></div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-8974063939498917732011-12-22T21:13:00.000-08:002011-12-22T21:13:25.419-08:00I'm not mailing you a Christmas card.Can't do it this year. If you live nearby you might get a package of cookie dough with a poem included about how the Baums hope the neighbors and Santa don't mind milk and cookies - the unbaked kind. Don't be jealous that you have a kitchen stove and you don't get to write catchy holiday poems about the cold, blank hole in your kitchen wall.<br />
<br />
Some of our highlights this December (and reasons you aren't getting a card in your mailbox this year) are as follows:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8rCwdiK9awg/TvP-A2a49sI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/eBBDjRSad48/s1600/DSC06896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8rCwdiK9awg/TvP-A2a49sI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/eBBDjRSad48/s640/DSC06896.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Ezra - bottom left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have been attending preschool Christmas programs.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FgwFUOCp7n0/TvP-IkZLE0I/AAAAAAAAB2g/tq423Yh8vcY/s1600/DSC06904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FgwFUOCp7n0/TvP-IkZLE0I/AAAAAAAAB2g/tq423Yh8vcY/s640/DSC06904.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have been rearranging furniture to make room for our new dining room table and <i>not</i> mopping the floor but lets focus on the table here. My Dad made it for me for Christmas. Jace found the carved post legs buried out by our barn when we bought the casa last summer. Pretty sweet, eh? It was exactly what I had envisioned. Love it when that happens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HKnsWSZot5s/TvP-OQuegVI/AAAAAAAAB2o/lY4JkUnWpfc/s1600/DSC06911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HKnsWSZot5s/TvP-OQuegVI/AAAAAAAAB2o/lY4JkUnWpfc/s640/DSC06911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mikael has her daily lunch date with the kittens, dogs, and peacocks at the back door. And that white stuff on the ground is not going away. Looks like a white Christmas here in Snowflake, AZ.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_G55DYBy1p4/TvQDgEL-uEI/AAAAAAAAB30/WZnEMoS8dPY/s1600/DSC06917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_G55DYBy1p4/TvQDgEL-uEI/AAAAAAAAB30/WZnEMoS8dPY/s640/DSC06917.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A cold, snowy December and 3 wood burning stoves has given our kids lots to do. They make about 15 trips a day, down the hill, with the little red wagon full of firewood. I love it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HiEWP1rZT3E/TvP-V-1sWhI/AAAAAAAAB2w/Vsf8mWeynbc/s1600/DSC06937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HiEWP1rZT3E/TvP-V-1sWhI/AAAAAAAAB2w/Vsf8mWeynbc/s640/DSC06937.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Count those fingers. This lovely young lady turned 10 yesterday.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8w6E1ie8EL4/TvP-dy_N-FI/AAAAAAAAB24/i6VpujO9skY/s1600/DSC06941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8w6E1ie8EL4/TvP-dy_N-FI/AAAAAAAAB24/i6VpujO9skY/s640/DSC06941.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What a stinkin' doll.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--lL9I4J2yt0/TvP-lQUS3jI/AAAAAAAAB3A/GNLPOdqZYO4/s1600/DSC06943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--lL9I4J2yt0/TvP-lQUS3jI/AAAAAAAAB3A/GNLPOdqZYO4/s640/DSC06943.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She is my shadow, my babysitter, my fashion consultant, and my reminder of how I want to live my life. Jace and I hit the lottery 10 years ago with one Macy Baum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And because I'm in a holiday spirit tonight, I'll show you what else we have been doing but not before I remind you what it used to look like:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThYCfrs2adM/TvQIT8WccdI/AAAAAAAAB4A/R2i0M4qsTt0/s1600/DSC05774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThYCfrs2adM/TvQIT8WccdI/AAAAAAAAB4A/R2i0M4qsTt0/s640/DSC05774.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my new office:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54JdHCrzc7Q/TvQIyueqccI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/wg2V5X0yUlk/s1600/DSC06951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54JdHCrzc7Q/TvQIyueqccI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/wg2V5X0yUlk/s640/DSC06951.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There is more to do and more to see in this new room but so far it is my favorite (warm) hangout.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The wood paneled entry before:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bi-lonqkzEI/TvQKBnPh4vI/AAAAAAAAB4s/x6ZKXxTj5UA/s1600/DSC05775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bi-lonqkzEI/TvQKBnPh4vI/AAAAAAAAB4s/x6ZKXxTj5UA/s640/DSC05775.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eSf8SVTFAw/TvQKxsoMa_I/AAAAAAAAB44/DQreI3YCsWo/s1600/DSC06954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_eSf8SVTFAw/TvQKxsoMa_I/AAAAAAAAB44/DQreI3YCsWo/s640/DSC06954.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ignore my attempt at being crafty. Those glitter words spell "Cheers." But the new wood floors, stair railing, paint and light fixture didn't turn out half bad, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Merry Christmas!</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-7068113831966138272011-12-08T19:06:00.000-08:002011-12-08T19:06:40.337-08:00Peace out girl scout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puBsT2Z1__c/TuF0XRH3fsI/AAAAAAAAB2E/GZihnNKb-1M/s1600/DSC06873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-puBsT2Z1__c/TuF0XRH3fsI/AAAAAAAAB2E/GZihnNKb-1M/s640/DSC06873.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a goal this morning when I woke, that I would be done decorating for Christmas today. I was so tired of looking at all my Christmas boxes stacked in my entry way. The season is half way over - I'm well aware. I've had other boxes that had to be dealt with first - like toilet paper and baby clothes from 2001.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g2qkktu15uE/TuF0NT2B0UI/AAAAAAAAB18/tnAOqt3d_1k/s1600/DSC06867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g2qkktu15uE/TuF0NT2B0UI/AAAAAAAAB18/tnAOqt3d_1k/s640/DSC06867.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This girl scout is happy to report that my entry way is Christmas box free tonight and my lights are plugged in and shining. I love Christmas. A part of me is real tempted to photoshop these pictures. I could refinish the front door, fix the broken doorbell and broken lights. Paint. Ah, if only it was as easy as clicking a button. With all this remodeling talk, have I told you we haven't even started on the exterior yet?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0N64GvES2Rg/TuF1hWR7OFI/AAAAAAAAB2M/zE2CdNBGXrA/s1600/DSC06880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0N64GvES2Rg/TuF1hWR7OFI/AAAAAAAAB2M/zE2CdNBGXrA/s640/DSC06880.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Santa,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Will you bring me new windows? Lots of them. A new roof? A stucco crew?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And one of those fancy Shark steam vacuums?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And maybe stuff a new pair of new boots in my stocking?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Along with a legal sleeping pill for my 14 month old?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Am I asking for too much?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I promise to cut down on the swear words this coming year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yours truly,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lindsay</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-31109582420552424622011-12-03T21:37:00.000-08:002011-12-03T21:37:54.892-08:00Slump Flump<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfBn77HTbA8/Ttr_FyVd3CI/AAAAAAAAB1M/WOeKEIpWZh4/s1600/DSC06814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfBn77HTbA8/Ttr_FyVd3CI/AAAAAAAAB1M/WOeKEIpWZh4/s640/DSC06814.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Jace told me today, "We are in a slump. Just a little slump." We have had a bit of bad luck lately. Someone has it out for me. I just can't get a break. I say it every time but this move has definitely taken the cake. Remember Thanksgiving at our new house? The Thanksgiving without a kitchen stove? Well, in this season of being thankful I have to record the blessings and highlights of the day. Jace hung swings in our trees.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irtDUgU-77I/Ttr-0sfZnNI/AAAAAAAAB1E/TS49Ys-P6Qs/s1600/DSC06799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-irtDUgU-77I/Ttr-0sfZnNI/AAAAAAAAB1E/TS49Ys-P6Qs/s640/DSC06799.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was adorable.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HEQCkszIACw/Ttr_NtT5MwI/AAAAAAAAB1U/Ztfi-EKbWP8/s1600/DSC06822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HEQCkszIACw/Ttr_NtT5MwI/AAAAAAAAB1U/Ztfi-EKbWP8/s640/DSC06822.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the weather was completely cooperative.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vMn0fBny2bY/Ttr_XMPTT2I/AAAAAAAAB1c/-NrE93fYuDo/s1600/DSC06824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vMn0fBny2bY/Ttr_XMPTT2I/AAAAAAAAB1c/-NrE93fYuDo/s640/DSC06824.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was mandatory everyone take a ride on the big swing.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lS6va_R0Trs/Ttr_f9AS8tI/AAAAAAAAB1k/7KDKLjiVT4I/s1600/DSC06844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lS6va_R0Trs/Ttr_f9AS8tI/AAAAAAAAB1k/7KDKLjiVT4I/s640/DSC06844.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm pretty sure that is Jace in the back ground checking to see if the swing had exceeded it's weight limit.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSuPIsg5oB4/Ttr_m9_gc2I/AAAAAAAAB1s/DWmoxKpO_Vk/s1600/DSC06853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pSuPIsg5oB4/Ttr_m9_gc2I/AAAAAAAAB1s/DWmoxKpO_Vk/s640/DSC06853.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kids and I had the stomach flu the day before and even I knew that all of us having it on the same day and not on Thanksgiving day was a blessing. And Jace is a blessing for making everyday fun and making me laugh when I want to cry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx9GHfvcQMQ/Ttr_tKZT1qI/AAAAAAAAB10/G9KhsrjiHUE/s1600/DSC06863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx9GHfvcQMQ/Ttr_tKZT1qI/AAAAAAAAB10/G9KhsrjiHUE/s640/DSC06863.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We don't pay for T.V. Haven't for years. It is a blessing. Except when no one around you gives you the weather forecast. We were a little thrown off this week when all this snow showed up. We were out of electricity for 17 hours. I cooked lunch on our wood stove, while Jace bounced around town in his backhoe clearing the driveways of some of Snowflake's finest citizens. I told you he is a blessing. He's going to heaven and I will still be whining somewhere else about my poor life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the slump continues:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Found 2 roof leaks in the snow storm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dishwasher broke today. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(My kids thought doing dishes in the sink was the funnest thing tonight, so maybe blessing? For a day or two?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Still no kitchen stove. I'm officially calling this "camping in the new house."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mikael and Jace took a turn with the stomach bug this week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When the power goes on and off in the middle of the night, the ipod downstairs blasts music at full volume. Can you say pee the bed? Very freaky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">School was cancelled Friday. The school called and texted our cell phones 12 times starting at 5 am. Someone owes me another snow day....the kind where you are free to sleep in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm contemplating posting some house progress pictures. Maybe some before and afters. Right after I unpack and right after I decorate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Right after this slump ends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-46128483122938159202011-11-25T22:07:00.000-08:002011-11-25T22:07:38.347-08:00Ya so we moved.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhi1tdWRIFY/TtB9L_KVUDI/AAAAAAAABzc/LF8a9v0iWd8/s1600/DSC06760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vhi1tdWRIFY/TtB9L_KVUDI/AAAAAAAABzc/LF8a9v0iWd8/s640/DSC06760.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We made it here.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--X5-UNM6iaU/TtB9ViInJwI/AAAAAAAABzk/LET4EJlsZm0/s1600/DSC06762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--X5-UNM6iaU/TtB9ViInJwI/AAAAAAAABzk/LET4EJlsZm0/s640/DSC06762.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And it ain't pretty. Our dinners are coming out of Doritos bags.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I swear I will be unpacking until Mikael goes to kindergarten. It is physically impossible to move, blog, attend soccer finales, celebrate birthdays, sell houses, and get kids to school on time. Bear with us.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Oh ya.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And just in case you weren't feeling just a wee bit sorry for me - Jace made me do the whole Thanksgiving thing for some of his family. At my new house. <i><b>With no kitchen stove</b></i>. Bet you didn't know you could make mash potatoes in a turkey fryer. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Burn.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>p.s. And a child that should remain nameless managed to crack the screen on my laptop and ipod, all in one week. I told him he owes me $690. He told me he doesn't have it. So I really have no idea what my pictures look like on this post or if I noticed all the yellow highlighted mispelled words due to the big black spider covering my screen.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-50001164237621676292011-11-04T20:07:00.000-07:002011-11-05T11:11:15.868-07:00Countdown: Day 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ3lyi3bJCw/TrShVP_xGcI/AAAAAAAAByg/hUoBeykhBUE/s1600/DSC06725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQ3lyi3bJCw/TrShVP_xGcI/AAAAAAAAByg/hUoBeykhBUE/s640/DSC06725.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We have reached a new chapter in our lives. Pig tails. I laughed every time I looked at this baby today. The pig tails just might be the key to a better relationship with this little gal. Most days I'm not laughing at this child. She is a difficult one. If your mother ever told you that you were a difficult baby - go apologize. Right now. I mean it. Jace and I were blessed with a few really sweet, calm, fat babies and then.....Mikael. She is cute and sometimes sweet but wow, she has changed my life. I should probably publicly apologize for rolling my eyes (in my mind) whenever another mother said "My baby cries all the time." Or the popular, "He's teething." I had not a clue what sleepless nights or a teething baby was until Mikael.<br />
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But the pig tails. They single handedly took down the wall around my heart today.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JUolM9mylcY/TrShQKnXIHI/AAAAAAAAByY/wkP0FzBN1PI/s1600/DSC06713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JUolM9mylcY/TrShQKnXIHI/AAAAAAAAByY/wkP0FzBN1PI/s640/DSC06713.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pig tails after the nap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ezra told me her pig tails weren't cute just small.<br />
<br />
And that sweet 7 year old Noah managed to entertain her upstairs today while I cleaned downstairs at the new Casa. The entire time. Huge deal. In fact I had so much time there today, I started hunting for <a href="http://baumshelters.blogspot.com/2011/06/de-nuevo-casa.html">2 of the wooden, original chandeliers</a> that came with the house. I had decided that with a little elbow grease and a coat of shiny green spray paint they would have looked vintage modern instead of hideous/dark 1970's vintage. Wasn't it such a great, thrifty idea? Can you just picture them in your mind? Well, I couldn't find those lights anywhere.<br />
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Jace took them to the dump. Just 3 days ago. Crimeamny.<br />
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My lighting budget just went from sad to depressing. Tomorrow I'm going to scrounge through the lights that did not make it into Jace's dump trailer to see if I can make anything else work. That guy. I'm thinking about gluing a couple pig tails to the top of his head tomorrow.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-6472827346787443592011-11-03T19:56:00.000-07:002011-11-03T20:01:05.993-07:00Countdown: Day 10<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-loailg4k7rA/TrNGukdiXZI/AAAAAAAAByA/oM93OfUEB8o/s1600/DSC06700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-loailg4k7rA/TrNGukdiXZI/AAAAAAAAByA/oM93OfUEB8o/s640/DSC06700.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun is going down and the season is changing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Moving is like childbirth. Sometimes the anticipation of it is worse than the actual event. (If you believe in epidurals.) I have been walking in circles. Lying awake at night unable to convince my brain that we will be able to survive this. Again. There really is no way to prepare for it except to tell yourself - "The ball is already rolling and there is no way to stop it now. No turning back. Now breathe. Breathe."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Childbirth? Really Lindsay? Really. It's a bit dramatic but maybe this time of year when the season is changing I am reminded where I was last year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DpBcm5Fz-T0/TrNO7fwiJUI/AAAAAAAAByI/lS13RSmnacc/s1600/Photo+298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DpBcm5Fz-T0/TrNO7fwiJUI/AAAAAAAAByI/lS13RSmnacc/s640/Photo+298.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept. 21, 2010. Anxiously awaiting Mikael's arrival in a hospital bed.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Giving birth. And I'm telling you - it feels the same. Except my hips don't ache when I waddle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace and I met up at the Casa this afternoon. I followed him around the place with a broom and trash can as he caulked, installed shower trim fixtures, scraped windows, adjusted the new furnace, and set toilets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On the car ride home I said, <i>"There is no way we are going to make it. We still have so much to do.</i>"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace replied, "<i>Funny cuz I was just going to say we got so much done today. We are so close.</i>"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Funny how a husband and wife who are seeing the same thing can have such different perspectives. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bit like childbirth, no?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Now a word or two about my last post.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I love Jace. He works his tail end off for us. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>He bought 2500 pounds of rough lumber from a local sawmill for $19.74.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>He was thrilled beyond words. He told everyone he saw about his purchase.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>How could he not build his chicken coop? Right now?</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>When it was all said and done his coop costs us $9.87. Or something like that.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I'm thrilled for him. Well, now that I have had time to think about it - I'm thrilled for him.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b>And</b> he wins the most handsome soccer coach ever award.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>And as for my priorities?</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Word on the street is I have been decorating our downtown house for Thanksgiving.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tPNVPBECmo8/TrNTZSyIeeI/AAAAAAAAByQ/l0y20HlKTTw/s1600/DSC04694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tPNVPBECmo8/TrNTZSyIeeI/AAAAAAAAByQ/l0y20HlKTTw/s400/DSC04694.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>So that I can take it down in 10 days. Put it in a box. And hang it back up at the new Casa.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-83738692978229441912011-11-02T19:21:00.000-07:002011-11-02T19:21:42.869-07:00Priorities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are suppose to be busy finishing a house. The house we are moving into next weekend. But things keep getting in the way. Some of the things cause me to stomp my feet and growl when I talk. Like the new chicken coop for example:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K42bp9EPA4M/TrHejC-8VVI/AAAAAAAABwU/r77GN5llk1A/s1600/DSC06668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K42bp9EPA4M/TrHejC-8VVI/AAAAAAAABwU/r77GN5llk1A/s640/DSC06668.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4LiKa57j3Dk/TrHetTmy0MI/AAAAAAAABwc/s-xYLkkBDPA/s1600/DSC06674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4LiKa57j3Dk/TrHetTmy0MI/AAAAAAAABwc/s-xYLkkBDPA/s640/DSC06674.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remember when the chicken coop use to just be the kid's tree house? And it looked like this?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wWaviksz5a0/TrHfJFWLPYI/AAAAAAAABw0/nlQlWEmnzmc/s1600/treehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wWaviksz5a0/TrHfJFWLPYI/AAAAAAAABw0/nlQlWEmnzmc/s640/treehouse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sometimes I may not know when to pick my battles. And this is not one of those times. I know you will all agree with me that my bedroom should be completed before the chicken's. All of you except Jace and the other crazed chicken sympathizers out there. The saddest thing of all is that 4 year old Ezra thinks Dad built him 2 tree forts now! Who is going to break the news to him that this newly constructed "fort" is for our feathered friends only? Not me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Distraction #2:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kRODXuDvO4I/TrHeIRXd99I/AAAAAAAABvs/I8jMUjm_atg/s1600/DSC06631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kRODXuDvO4I/TrHeIRXd99I/AAAAAAAABvs/I8jMUjm_atg/s640/DSC06631.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jace gets a little Phil Weston on us every Saturday morning. He loves to win.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjUCyNmW7Rw/TrHeM3l9oAI/AAAAAAAABv0/Om21rRFcv1g/s1600/DSC06634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjUCyNmW7Rw/TrHeM3l9oAI/AAAAAAAABv0/Om21rRFcv1g/s640/DSC06634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He is the only coach in the league running up and down the field with his players. Yelling. It is pretty fun to watch.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOriO_iUckM/TrHeSGroSKI/AAAAAAAABv8/g2LUzsuhhLc/s1600/DSC06640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOriO_iUckM/TrHeSGroSKI/AAAAAAAABv8/g2LUzsuhhLc/s640/DSC06640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">And this little guy is so fun to watch. He has had another great season. Our Noah never fails to surprise and impress us. Another reason I love this kid? Check out his Obi-Wan Kenobi</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> costume below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8ibmLFItWo/TrHeXilCL2I/AAAAAAAABwE/TQ2mmFFa49k/s1600/DSC06653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I8ibmLFItWo/TrHeXilCL2I/AAAAAAAABwE/TQ2mmFFa49k/s640/DSC06653.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All that he needed was a robe. He wasn't worried. He told me after the trick or treating that "<i>everybody knew who he was."</i> Sweet, because his older sister had just a few wardrobe meltdowns. <i>"Everyone thinks I'm a pirate!" </i>And I don't even have to point out what the younger sister thought of her piggy costume. She. Was. Not. Having. It. And Ironman there in the middle was a repeat of last year. Love that.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3gSlcQX6ufI/TrHece65uMI/AAAAAAAABwM/k92_L5X00pc/s1600/DSC06658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3gSlcQX6ufI/TrHece65uMI/AAAAAAAABwM/k92_L5X00pc/s640/DSC06658.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remember those boring tile pictures I promised?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAsFBJrzods/TrHex6vqMDI/AAAAAAAABwk/2JObwwFfO7o/s1600/DSC06692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAsFBJrzods/TrHex6vqMDI/AAAAAAAABwk/2JObwwFfO7o/s640/DSC06692.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Master bath. I tried to talk Jace into doing the entire bathroom in the white marble. As you can see he didn't think that was one of my best ideas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNx8KKNf0sw/TrH32lBpw9I/AAAAAAAABw8/AxHnMSdtauw/s1600/DSC06702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNx8KKNf0sw/TrH32lBpw9I/AAAAAAAABw8/AxHnMSdtauw/s640/DSC06702.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But I don't mind the beige tile he picked. It's kind of growing on me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fbzLQBGh7vg/TrHe2YgyFHI/AAAAAAAABws/eysbHN7mRRs/s1600/DSC06698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fbzLQBGh7vg/TrHe2YgyFHI/AAAAAAAABws/eysbHN7mRRs/s640/DSC06698.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kid's bath. Was hoping for dark brown subway tile. But white will do. It will do. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-74134241571295397682011-10-25T22:35:00.000-07:002011-10-26T08:09:25.712-07:00Wanted:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9pyEGC29v6U/TqeZah3OYTI/AAAAAAAABuA/LoxxvMNoAts/s1600/DSC06376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9pyEGC29v6U/TqeZah3OYTI/AAAAAAAABuA/LoxxvMNoAts/s640/DSC06376.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My only full time helpers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Help.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Extra hands.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Extra hours in the day.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Extra patience.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Less full time jobs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We are tiling. Have I told you I hate tile? I really do. To me it all looks the same. Brown, beige, blahness. Maybe because is reminds me of all the track neighborhoods in Arizona. Brown stucco houses that sit just a grout line away from the next brown house. Eh. I'm over it. I have picked the tile and now I am going to live with it. Forever, Jace says.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pictures of my boring tile coming soon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our downtown house deal fell through. Then we sold it again. We are still moving in November. And we are thankful. Very thankful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Please refer to the line under the title of this blog.</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Blood, Sweat, and Tears" people. That is what it says.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's mostly been tears lately. Well ok, a few cuss words as well.</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the worst part. The final push.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stick with me. The cheerful version of this blog is just around the corner.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-27870007191625267112011-10-11T14:40:00.000-07:002011-10-11T14:40:40.489-07:00An End In Sight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oML1SJoCcjo/TpSu2DnrFiI/AAAAAAAABtQ/YAfne0XhjUY/s1600/DSC06434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oML1SJoCcjo/TpSu2DnrFiI/AAAAAAAABtQ/YAfne0XhjUY/s640/DSC06434.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pardon our absence. And our photos. We went to Utah last week. My hands are constantly busy whether at home or out of state. All photography responsibilities have fallen upon my 9 year old - we didn't get one photo while in Utah and our house photos have been lacking lately. We were in Provo for Jace's <a href="http://hosting-17907.tributes.com/show/mariann-baum-bradbury-92441573">Aunt Mariann's funeral</a> last week. I loved this woman dearly. She was the best Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, ect. You never heard a negative word come out of her mouth. I was reminded how I want to be. When I die, I want people to remember how kind I was, not how skinny I was or how well I decorated (I am neither skinny or a decorator - just in my head but you get where I going with this right?). </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4BV8VURNY8c/TpSu81wJW8I/AAAAAAAABtY/quX1BLnMC2E/s1600/DSC06451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4BV8VURNY8c/TpSu81wJW8I/AAAAAAAABtY/quX1BLnMC2E/s640/DSC06451.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We now have an official move-in date. Veteran's Day. Our <a href="http://baumshelters.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-downtown-house-on-market.html">down-town house</a> sold while we were away and if you were stalking our Bobcat skid steer on ebay, I'm sorry to say it sold last week as well. Darn it for you guys. But ya for us! Maybe we should leave the state more often. Those Bobcat auction proceeds sure bought some purty wood floor in Salt Lake City.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nl7TEXeQVIE/TpSvBa_5gmI/AAAAAAAABtg/mW_U3xm_cTk/s1600/DSC06481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nl7TEXeQVIE/TpSvBa_5gmI/AAAAAAAABtg/mW_U3xm_cTk/s640/DSC06481.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">See that concrete. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, "Man, that is clean concrete." Yes! Yes it is! I have been cleaning up concrete for what seems like weeks now. Jace grinded the top layer of concrete and the whole house was covered in concrete dust. I swept, vacuumed, rented the "Ninja" machine to wash the floors, vacuumed some more, then mopped 4 times. My right arm is still numb.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All that hard work is paying off. Our concrete floors are stained and being prepped for sealer tonight. Pictures coming soon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are so close. The end is here. We have enough time for one more big push. Any bets we make it to tile? Or is Lindsay moving in with 1970's linoleum floors in the bathrooms? </div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-62347989555343687102011-09-20T14:12:00.000-07:002011-09-20T14:12:30.888-07:00I see it in your eyesI wish I could tell you this past week was been fantastic. Or different. Or productive. Or something. But besides a couple hail storms in the afternoons, we are singing the same ol' tune. Work. Work. Work.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGtTz059EP0/Tnj3d7PhNkI/AAAAAAAABsA/ehjjPG9CQ6A/s1600/DSC06309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGtTz059EP0/Tnj3d7PhNkI/AAAAAAAABsA/ehjjPG9CQ6A/s640/DSC06309.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5RdALZLeco/Tnj33MA4ajI/AAAAAAAABsU/sMe4faC1gwI/s1600/DSC06306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5RdALZLeco/Tnj33MA4ajI/AAAAAAAABsU/sMe4faC1gwI/s640/DSC06306.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Sunday night we saw Jace's parents. They live in Mexico and farm chili. Random, I know. We usually never see them this time of year because they are busy picking chili but on Sunday night we found them on our doorstep with some friends from Mexico. These friends are peach farmers. We loaded up all these farmers and took them out to our new Casa. Jace's parents were impressed with our progress. The peach farmers on the other hand, were stumped. <br />
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The 1st question they asked when they had walked thru was "Why?" <br />
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Jace and I glared at these foreigners suspiciously. <i>Why? What kind of question was that?</i><br />
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As my Mother-in-law and I discussed paint colors, furniture arrangements, and the how-tos of concrete counter tops, I continued to notice a look of utter confusion on Mrs. Peach farmer's face. She couldn't figure it. She did not seem to understand what was going on. <br />
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I explained that this was all Jace's idea and I just have to follow him around the country remodeling dump houses because I have too many children that need a father.<br />
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And he is good looking.<br />
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Cue the crickets.<br />
Awkward silence.<br />
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Apparently Peach farmers don't think I'm funny.<br />
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Monday night our neighbors came out to the new Casa for a cook out and to see what all this hubbub was about. They have warned and pleaded with me for months not to take my children away from our friendly street. I may have even shed a tear or two recently just thinking about moving away from these nice people, so when one of my neighbors stood up tall, looked me right in the eyes at the end of the tour and said, "Lindsay, you're so smart." I choked on my trail burger. <br />
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She explained, "We will miss your kids so much but there is no question your kids will be happier out here. This is going to be so great for you guys."<br />
<br />
I most of the time think that all this moving and child rearing has sucked all intelligence right out my ear. And I sometimes wonder if I have the wrong <a href="http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/443-S-2nd-St-W_Snowflake_AZ_85937_M25656-78535">house for sale</a>. This past week especially. But then all I have to see is that look in someone's eyes that they get it. They get what all this crying, and moaning, and work is all about. They have caught the vision of what the house <i>could</i> be.<br />
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Oh, and it is going to be great.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-80561615768433534812011-09-12T09:20:00.000-07:002011-09-12T09:21:57.621-07:00Monday Morning Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> We had an exciting weekend. It was full of eletrical work, thunder storms, belly aches, and pizza. Jace returned from a week of working out of town. I gladly handed over all baby calf bottles, antibiotic shots, and feeding responsibilities to him. Those baby cows were glad to see their real "mama" return.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1i9QJSsQ7g/Tm4sBwzqYzI/AAAAAAAABrw/J7juV5bSUiY/s1600/boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1i9QJSsQ7g/Tm4sBwzqYzI/AAAAAAAABrw/J7juV5bSUiY/s640/boots.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thunderstorms + calves with bellyaches = mud</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And a deal I have been working on for almost a full year finally closed on Friday! Congratulations to Jace's cousins Hal and Elisa! They bought Jace's parents old house in Heber. YEA! for owning their very 1st home and YEA! for buying the house next door to where they are living - moving day should be a breeze. And YEA! for commission checks.<br />
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With all my new wealth ;) I'm dreaming of new wood floors, curtains, and light fixtures. Here is some Monday morning inspiration featuring a Spanish style house in California. Celebrities swap houses and husbands faster than I change my underwear but see if you can keep up. This house belongs to Reese Witherspoon, who recently got hitched on the property. But the house is for sell. Some of these pictures are from the local MLS. But I believe most of these pictures are from when Kathy Ireland owned the house and it was featured in House Beautiful. Regardless of who is actually living there, I love it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JCqqxRn2hwY/Tm4mrxpUg9I/AAAAAAAABrg/kerEuqsVPts/s1600/reesehbspread8.jpe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JCqqxRn2hwY/Tm4mrxpUg9I/AAAAAAAABrg/kerEuqsVPts/s640/reesehbspread8.jpe.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I need dark wood floors. And I need them to be on clearance somewhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go ahead and throw in that green office chair too.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1hhorP384g/Tm4ms8Urj9I/AAAAAAAABrk/a8VeNEfQxz4/s1600/reesehbspread14.jpe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1hhorP384g/Tm4ms8Urj9I/AAAAAAAABrk/a8VeNEfQxz4/s640/reesehbspread14.jpe.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love the white walls and bright pops of color.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAZX8X6Xjsc/Tm4mtnUq-jI/AAAAAAAABro/bnaDcSrfEks/s1600/reesehbspread16.jpe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAZX8X6Xjsc/Tm4mtnUq-jI/AAAAAAAABro/bnaDcSrfEks/s640/reesehbspread16.jpe.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White stucco exterior with green painted beams.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22Sin3P4Tiw/Tm4muYL8mrI/AAAAAAAABrs/O0PkHqaCrUE/s1600/reesehbspread17.jpe.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-22Sin3P4Tiw/Tm4muYL8mrI/AAAAAAAABrs/O0PkHqaCrUE/s640/reesehbspread17.jpe.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The shutters! That tree! And check out those plain black asphalt shingles. Jace and I have been discussing for sometime how this kind of roof would look on our Spanish style home. Could we replace our wood shingles with asphalt shingles? I think so.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j08GG9D3sNc/Tm4mrUOArZI/AAAAAAAABrc/Xbk_rBif-F4/s1600/Reese-Witherspoons-house-MLS-photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j08GG9D3sNc/Tm4mrUOArZI/AAAAAAAABrc/Xbk_rBif-F4/s640/Reese-Witherspoons-house-MLS-photos.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Happy Monday! I have a to do list a mile long. I'm going to give it my best shot. What are you accomplishing today?<br />
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*all house photos found <a href="http://hookedonhouses.net/">here</a>.The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-57379710201961970842011-09-04T21:10:00.000-07:002011-09-04T21:10:46.055-07:00This is not my 1st rodeo but you wouldn't know it.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rofY2Vj1IU/TmRFDydQbcI/AAAAAAAABqg/i5YTPeb6aNA/s1600/DSC06190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1rofY2Vj1IU/TmRFDydQbcI/AAAAAAAABqg/i5YTPeb6aNA/s640/DSC06190.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiddos at last night's ranch rodeo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Oh, I'm a mess. I have the attention span of my 11 month old. I often lose sight of the vision I had for this Spanish style house and constantly second guess my decisions. A quick trip to the computer to check a bank account turns into an afternoon of scouring house blogs. I just can't figure it.<br />
<br />
Jace has been quoted lately saying things like "this is the last house". The pressure! How do you all do it? I mean, most people purchase house assuming there will be there for awhile and most of you stay there for awhile! What a concept!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pMsI5Ba5uk/TmRHAYsZ3ZI/AAAAAAAABrA/KosNdue5KHY/s1600/DSC06166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pMsI5Ba5uk/TmRHAYsZ3ZI/AAAAAAAABrA/KosNdue5KHY/s640/DSC06166.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blame his Father for this outfit: batman shirt, cutoff shorts, 10 gallon hat, and snakeskin boots.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am shaking in my boots (and the pants I wear with my boots). This is new territory for the handsome contractor and me. I have always known that we were never sticking around very long, so go for it - try a little white paint here or this roman shade over here, surely it will all come together. And it did. But this time round every decision I make during these next couple months maybe with me for a <i>looongg</i> time.<br />
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And here is the rest of my reality: Jace and I do not own a property with a money tree on it. I live approx. 200 miles from the nearest Ikea, Target, Home Goods, or fabric store. Online shopping you say? Please refer to sentences 2 and 3. I haven't hired a nanny to watch the children or an interior designer (though dreamed about both). My house will <strike>probably</strike> never look like the houses we read about online and in magazines. <br />
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And that's ok.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyqdCXe0PlM/TmRJKNCdd5I/AAAAAAAABrE/cUa3TL3yme8/s1600/macy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyqdCXe0PlM/TmRJKNCdd5I/AAAAAAAABrE/cUa3TL3yme8/s640/macy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unless you count Macy, I'm nannyless.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am officially taking the pressure off. I liked this house business better when I allowed my self some room for errors and took risks.<br />
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This blog just might have officially become another one of those "decorating on a dime/budget" blog. As if you didn't already have enough of those to read everyday. But if you want, we can call it:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"The blog of those poor people who live in Po Dunk, AZ, who furniture shop in their Uncle's junk yard and dream of making the neighborhood a purtier place". </span></b></div><br />
Ya. I think that's got a nice ring to it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rEX-WumnZA/TmRG1QZZilI/AAAAAAAABq8/sM8Wxud6c-8/s1600/DSC06192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rEX-WumnZA/TmRG1QZZilI/AAAAAAAABq8/sM8Wxud6c-8/s640/DSC06192.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ye Haw.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4564436051277888469.post-88986317328918494162011-08-31T16:23:00.000-07:002011-08-31T16:23:23.004-07:00We're still at it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-73WfUeTM9AU/Tl66582f-9I/AAAAAAAABqE/sqr_pBCEfYE/s1600/DSC06139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-73WfUeTM9AU/Tl66582f-9I/AAAAAAAABqE/sqr_pBCEfYE/s640/DSC06139.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There has been some argument between the spouses. The caulking job should be for the tallest man on the job site. Am I right or am I right? It is like my favorite pastime to watch that tall guy work. I seriously just sat on 3 bags of concrete and watched all day yesterday. And did you notice? The beams are white. Jace said it was the <strike>cheapest way </strike>best way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_lWZ-7ypR8/Tl66_XzgeRI/AAAAAAAABqI/AzIKPr0FpG4/s1600/DSC06145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_lWZ-7ypR8/Tl66_XzgeRI/AAAAAAAABqI/AzIKPr0FpG4/s640/DSC06145.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">So, I choose to put the original, vintage hardware back on the kitchen cabinets. The main reason being the 4 holes the hardware left in the cabinets was going to be hard to match or fill. Let's take a vote. Nevermind let's don't. The hardware is staying.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ybnUWRI_-s/Tl67F_FZ1NI/AAAAAAAABqM/KsiRpcGVJDc/s1600/DSC06148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ybnUWRI_-s/Tl67F_FZ1NI/AAAAAAAABqM/KsiRpcGVJDc/s640/DSC06148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The black covered coffin on the ground is actually my new concrete counter tops. Will you say your prayers for the next 10 days that our $180 in material will set up and turn out to be a really great, cheap counter tops? The cat is a new addition. He doesn't mind when Mikael mauls him. Who needs a dog anyway? BTW, has anyone seen Mille? She ran away. I'm trying not to take it personal. And the roller skates are the best $3 I spent at a thrift store lately. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_bzL4y7ebEI/Tl67LduEoHI/AAAAAAAABqQ/HNj9ftrnoBM/s1600/DSC06154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_bzL4y7ebEI/Tl67LduEoHI/AAAAAAAABqQ/HNj9ftrnoBM/s640/DSC06154.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This blue paint is still keeping me up at night. I have a vision. Or I had a vision. Sometimes the vision is a little blurry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKP7Mp5-z2g/Tl67QLSBXtI/AAAAAAAABqU/xJ46LW8T0PU/s1600/DSC06159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jKP7Mp5-z2g/Tl67QLSBXtI/AAAAAAAABqU/xJ46LW8T0PU/s640/DSC06159.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gray bricks. White trim. We are getting there.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jace says move in day is sometime in the next month.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I say baloney.</div>The Baum Squadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04552948608479549812noreply@blogger.com1