I have an issue…

I call it train wreck TV.  And if it’s on, I cannot turn away.  

I will pretend to listen to you if you are talking. I.am.not.listening.

I will stop doing whatever more important thing I was doing (and let’s face it, everything is more important than this type of TV).

I will waste an hour or more of very valuable time that I would much rather be spending doing any number of things.

But I cannot stop.  

Last night, we had our cable hooked up in the new house.  We have gone 5 days without TV and I didn’t even miss it.  I let Lily and Gracie watch an episode of Octonauts after bath time and before bed while I got a bottle ready for Gracie.  When the DVR ended, I turned on the very end of Toddlers & Tiaras somehow the TV defaulted to TLC.  This was the order of shows that train wrecked me:

Toddlers & Tiaras

Sister Wives

My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding

I had never watched the last two and have only seen bits of T&T prior to last night.  If this is what is on TV, I am thinking maybe we don’t need cable.  Horrible.

I had to make Jeff turn off the TV so I would go to bed.

Horrible.

Sweet Bella Bean

 

We all have our routines in the morning.  When those routines get out of whack, it can really make for a crazy morning which usually involves someone, if not everyone, being late and feeling a little frantic.  

When our alarm went off this morning and Gracie started fussing I knew it was going to be one of *those* mornings.  Normally, when we are ready to feed and dress her, we wake her up.  She is a good sleeper and rarely wakes up before 7am.  This gives me the opportunity to get ready first.  Not so much today.  But it was hard to be mad at that smile when I picked her up and she nuzzled in for a hug.  She does this almost every time I pick her up… *sigh* love.

Gracie Belle – I call her Bella Bean (I wanted to name her Bella, but agreed to a nickname of Bella instead) is six months old today.  She is such a sweet, sweet baby.  She sleeps through the night.  She smiles all the time (unless she’s hungry).  She loves to snuggle *sigh* and she is just such a blessing.  

Bella loves to be held.  If she can see me, she wants me.  She is so different from her sister who was always too busy to be held.  Lily is very independent and has always wanted to do things her way on her terms, even from the beginning.  So I indulge Bella.  She needs me and I need her.  This is the last time I’ll have a little one and it is simply going too fast.  We’ve just started using the wrap-sling-thingy so I can “wear” her and make her happy while still getting things like cooking and dishes done.  It makes me happy too.  This morning, I did my makeup with Gracie in the wrap.  I may have dropped a lid of bare minerals powder, but I didn’t even mind.  Instead of this morning feeling hectic because it was not our normal routine, I was able to enjoy it… it was nice to have a little extra time with my baby today.

Lily finally woke up and we got her dressed.  Normally, Lily doesn’t want to hold Gracie let alone take pictures with her.  I think I have one, maybe two of them together.  I told her this morning was special because Gracie is six months old today and that she is two and a half today as well.  I asked her if she would be willing to take some photos for mama with Gracie in her chair.  Karma must be in my favor today… this is just some of what I got…

Lily looks 16 in this photo
Gracie is always touching Lily - love...

that look... she really does like her sister :)

I cannot get enough of the crinkle nose smile

Today is a good day.

shades of green

Picking out paint colors for an entire house is so much fun... and so incredibly hard. 

we have swatches of color everywhere...
samples are definitely the way to go

We have a large open foyer/great room/kitchen area in the new house.  We have the perfect short wall to use as an accent wall.  However, we are considering using the dark green on the walls of the great room and foyer - yes all of them.  

Yes, that is a lot of green, but there are also a lot of white high ceiling to balance it out... well not technically white - it will be "picket fence."

The kitchen will be a very light neutral-y green called endive and we are happy with that choice.  I would include it here, but the internet version is not even close to the real life version.  Choosing between the dark greens is proving to be torture.  Care to weigh in?

Of course these look very different in person, so I am not sure how helpful my plea for help really is.  Feel free to come over and see them in person... We will be deciding tonight after work.  You're reward for your valuable opinion is a beer.  Thanks for the help. :)