My Birthday Present

About a month ago, Zach asked if there was anything I would like him to build me.  He said that he wanted to build me something for my birthday.  I let him off easy because what I wanted didn't require any building at all.  I asked him to make me a growth chart for our hallway. 

The hallway before

He started with a 1 x 8

He stained it espresso

Then he painted on ruler marks and stenciled numbers

I also wanted letters to go with the growth chart.  He made me choose the letters and the paint colors, but he did the painting.

I chose three colors that we already had in the basement

On Wednesday night, we hung the growth chart.

Then we added measurements for Monroe at birth and one year. 

I am waiting to do year two for another couple of weeks.

Then, we hung the letters.

 As most of you know, Zach and I are not in a huge hurry to add another baby to our family.  However, after doing this project, I told Zach we need to have a baby soon.  I want to add marks to the growth chart, and I would like to fill the empty space under the M.  I'm thinking this feeling will pass quickly, but it does make me excited for the future.  

Before                      and                      After

I would say that our hallway has definitely been upgraded.  Thank you, Zach, for the wonderful birthday present!  I love it!

Newell funfest

Every year in March, my school hosts Funfest.  Funfest is a night of games and prizes for the students and families.  This year, I was excited to take Monroe because she was old enough to do some of the games.  On the morning of Funest, I arrived at my classroom and found this:

Don't worry, it wasn't crime scene.  

My room is used for the hair design, so the PTA parents made sure no colored hair spray or glitter would get on my stuff.  Thanks!

It was a hot day, so I was excited to put Monroe in a summer outfit for the evening.

When we got there, we played a few games before meeting all our friends for dinner.  After dinner, the kids ran and played.  They did a lot of Ring Around the Rosy.

Then, we went and played more games. I didn't get many game pictures.  She liked the bouncy house, the sucker tree, and the toilet paper toss the best.

The night wore everyone out.  We had a great time!

Kansas City Trip

On Thursday, I went to Kansas City with some girls that I teach with.  We planned the trip for the last part of our spring break.  

We decided to gamble and get our hotel on Priceline.  Zach and I have done this a number of times before, but it is always scary.  We ended up getting an apartment-style hotel room for only $58 a night. On the door of the room, the price was listed as $249 per night.  What a steal!

As soon as we got to KC on Thursday, we got ready and went out.  

We took a shuttle downtown and had the driver drop us off at a fancy restaurant.  Apparently our idea of fancy is different than fancy in KC because the food was crazy expensive.  We actually ended up leaving and going across the street to another restaurant to eat.  The food there was delicious.

After dinner, we went around the corner to the Power and Light District.  We started at Tengo.  Most of the girls there pranced around in fluorescent tank tops and shorts with their bodies painted.  We didn't stay there long.

Then we went to Howl at the Moon, a dueling piano bar.  We loved every second of it.  The musicians were extremely talented and the music had a great variety.

At one point, I texted Zach that I wanted him to send me a picture of my family.  This is what I got.  Notice Zach in the corner.  It was so sweet!

On Friday, we got up and got ready to spend the day shopping.  After hours of shopping, we left the mall with lots of full bags.

Then, we got ready to go out again.

Night number 2.  

Before being at the Power and Light District, I couldn't picture it at all.  Here are a few shots of the outside.  There were bars and restaurants on all four sides.

Back to the piano bar

We got photo bombed.

Hayley and I ordered fun drinks

The second night of the dueling pianos was a lot different than the first.  Being a Friday night, the place was packed.  We still loved the music, just not the the other people at the bar.

It was so nice to get away for a few days with the girls.  I was definitely excited to see Monroe and Zach when I got back though.

Weekend in North Platte

 On Friday night, Zach, Monroe and I drove to North Platte to spend the weekend with my parents.  One of the purposes of our trip was to help my parents hang their headboard.  Last fall they brought two doors home from my great grandma's farm house.  They painted them and wanted them hung on the wall as a headboard.  For my mom's Christmas present, we told her we would come hang the doors.

The first thing we did was frame the back of the doors with 2x2s.

Then my dad painted the edge.

While the paint dried, we screwed 2x2s into the studs in the wall.  We also put the face plates and knobs on the doors.

Then, we hung the doors and screwed them in place.

 Here is the finished product with the bed in place.  It looks great in the room!

Monroe had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's.  Although she asked about her cousins often, I think she enjoyed having my parents all to herself.  She liked rocking her baby in Grandma's chair.

We took Monroe for her first wagon ride while there.  She loved it!

Monroe and Grandpa

On Monday morning, we went to the park to feed the animals.  Monroe had no fear of the animals and let them take the bread straight out of her hand.

 After feeding the animals, we went to a playground to play.

Grandma and Monroe

While in North Platte, my mom and I went shopping at an antique shoppe.  I have been looking for an old dresser that we could redo for Monroe's room.

I found this dresser, and fell in love with it immediately.  We got it for only $45.

We don't need the dresser until Monroe is potty trained, so we plan to start redoing it this summer.  

We plan to do something like this with the dresser.

Going to North Platte was a great start to our spring break!