Pantry Before and After

Before I began, my old pantry looked like this. Wooden deep shelves and I could not find anything or seem to keep it organized. So I got a crow bar and a hammer and out came all the wood!


The old was not so good!

After ripping out the old wood shelves and braces, I painted the pantry to match the rest of the house.
Here's the pantry all painted and ready to go!

Now, for the shelves! This is a SUPER EASY project. One that a girl can do all alone if you are just a little bit motivated. Plus, it made me feel good to do it myself!
These shelves came from Lowe's. They will cut them to size for you and everything. Of course, I didn't have it that easy. We found two long sheets of the mesh metal shelves at a garage sale and got them for FREE. I spray painted them becasue they had a few rusty spots and they were as good as new. And FREE!!! Then Lance helped me cut them and sand down the edges.
Shelves going in!

And, the result is this....

I love these little baskets that I installed! They are so neat for small items.



And, that's it folks a new pantry in a day!!! It's so much nicer than the old one and now my husband can see why I complained about the other one and just exactly what I wanted when I kept telling him I wanted to do this. I'm a happy girl with my new pantry!

And, guess what ya'll? I found my apron!!!

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14

17 months, Part II

Momma's silly boy!!!

Kaden has a HUGE new vocabulary. He says "Me, me, me, meeeeee...." when he wants something! It's pretty cute, but can be annoying when he is throwing a fit for something! He dances and makes monkey sounds and arm motions...also VERY cute! He still loves eating mandarin oranges. He will go to the pantry and pick them out and bring them to me and say, "angies" (long a) "angies, momma." Probably my favorite thing he says right now. He says "bye, bye" as he leaves a room or when I pick him up after work and he is immediately ready to leave. He loves calling "By-per" and "Yad-die"(that's Piper and Sadie). And he calls spot the donkey every time he goes out side, "bot!" He also makes the most hilarious donkey call. He demands "malk" (milk) every morning now. He says Grand daddy very well these days and it sounds just like it should, Grand daddy. Kaden can say all names he wants to, Jacob, Emmy (Emily), Mae Mae (Chloe), Nae Nae (Chandra), Chan-da-ler(Chandler), Keith (says it perfectly), BEE! (Aunt Vicki), J.J., Momma, Daddy, Lance (with a long a, and drops the sound of the ending ce. It sounds like "LAN". But, he certainly calls his daddy by Lance if he doesn't answer Daddy the first time. Pretty funny! He of course, calls Nana and Papa all the time. He says Chance and Chase with no problems. He really loves berry, berry! He eats all kinds of berries including strawberries, blueberries, and cherries. He loves watermelon and bananas still.
Climbing up to the slide...


Down he goes...


And off we go to do it all over again and again and again...


Kaden can not get enough outside time, he cries when we have to come in the house. If it were left up to him, we'd be outside all day, heat and all! He loves water whether in the bathtub, pool, or ocean. He LOVES to slide and play in his little bug car outside. He points out Mommy's van, Daddy's truck, and Angus's car. He will not say Kaden, but he will say "A-gus!" (long A) He loves to point out big trucks and say Daddy when he sees them. (18 wheelers) When his baby food jar is empty or his juice cup empty he says "gone, gone!" (trying to say all gone!) He also goes to his drawer with spoons in it, opens it and says, "poon!" These are just a few things he says right now that I want to remember. Everyday he has new words!
Helping mommy hang the pants out to dry...


Kaden has recently started trying to put two pacifiers in his mouth at once, I scream out, "crack paci!" when he does this. He laughs! Not sure what to do about paci, not ready to try to wean him just yet, but starting to think about it more and more. He HAS TO HAVE 'Ba Bu' and 'Pa Pa' (short a) Blue Bear which he says bear blue and paci, he calls pa pa. He's pretty partial to both items, especially at nap and bed times.
This is Kaden talking on a calculator like it was a phone, he loves to talk on the phone, he says, "lo!" For Hello.

Daddy, Kaden and I all went for BBQ one day at this great little place...

These little desks are the tables...was fun to hold Kaden in our laps and try to eat with these little tables! Always new adventures with a little one.
My counter tops have been covered in these little beauties for weeks now. I've been canning, making salsa, guacamole, etc.

Daddy and Kaden got to make a wish somewhere over the rainbow...

Isn't that sweet?
Kaden's great grandmother Mabe turned 100 on July 5th and we went over to her house to celebrate! Here is a four generation shot of Vivian Mabe(Lance's Grandmother), Larry Mabe(Lance's Father), Lance Mabe, and Kaden Mabe.

And here's J.J. and Granddaddy and Kaden at the party!

The baby llama needed a new home because Mommy couldn't bottle feed it for six months with her new job. So, this sweet lady came and got baby llama and is raising him. Look at this! This has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen. This lady rode home with him in her lap while driving!!! (Only in Texas, ya'll!!!)


Ok, these pictures that follow are from Kaden's 15 month photo shoot, and he's almost 18 months now, but I have to share these!!!






[IMG]http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww267/khouse7/Kaden15mthsJCP18.jpg[/IMG]

Hope everyone is enjoying this HOT summer weather!!!

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." Isaiah 26:3

Corpus Christi Bay

Kaden, Nana, and I just returned from an exciting week at the State FFA Convention in Corpus Christi, Texas. Thankfully, Nana travelled with us so I could bring Kaden along for the week. Thank you Nana!
This is on the first day of our time in Corpus, we ate breakfast at the city diner. It was yummy!
Nana thought Kaden needed to be cool to impress the high school kids...ha! Look at our little napkin head! Kaden LOVED this!




Then, we drove out to the USS Lexington, a must visit when in Corpus Christi.




Kaden looking up at a seagull, he was fascinated with them...

Nana and Kaden leaving the Lexington...

First time to walk on the beach...


Kaden LOVED the water!!!







Nana and Kaden...

Talking to Daddy and giving him kisses over the phone! So Sweet!


We drove out on Padre Island one evening to swim and hang out. Kaden had the BEST time.


First splash into the water, not toooo sure...

Looking ahead...

Getting excited!


It was all over once he squatted down and got wet! He lOVED it!


He was chasing the birds, wanted to catch one!







Kaden loved his first visit to the ocean and we can't wait to go back with Daddy next week to Galveston Island! I will be attending the Vocational Ag Teacher Association of Texas Teachers Conference during the day and Lance and Kaden and I are all going together and making it into our first family vacation. We are really looking forward to it.
Over all, I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know some of my students. I loved being at the FFA convention each day and mingling with fellow ag teachers and old friends. I know great things are coming with my new career as an ag teacher, I am so excited about the school year to come.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. -Psalm 119:105