How Much Can Really Happen in Two Weeks...?

After several weeks of chasing contractors, painting, re-painting, ordering missing parts and returning extras, we finally have an updated utility room!  I don't have a before shot but, if you recall, the walls were the same shade of blue as the cabinets, there was only a long, skinny rug in front of the sink, and there was a butcher block in the middle of the room that one little Indian (Tate) had ruined by putting stamps all over it.  Here is mid-progress, and you can still see the cream Formica counter tops and backsplash and the old sink.

and AFTER... 

(the rug doesn't photograph well - it looks neat in person)

New paint on the walls, new pendant light fixture above the window (that was just a recessed light), white quartzite counter tops, subway tile backsplash, enameled cast iron farmhouse sink, commercial grade faucet, rug, and baskets...

not to mention the fan, lighting, and plugs installed by my handy hubby!

Thanks to KDP for helping me re-do yet another space in the house. I LOVE it! 

Baca came in for a short visit to spend her fifth Grandparents' Day with Cole

and her first with Tate!

She took the boys to C's piano lesson, the movies, and bowling all after the Grandparents' Day presentations at Brook Hill. Best Baca Ever!

The day before Grandparents' Day was the annual Pre-K Thanksgiving Feast.  I helped organize the Feast for Tate's class, and here is our Little Truthful Tate Pilgrim himself.

Mike works so much that he isn't able to make it to the school often, but he was at the Feast and Tate was thrilled to have lunch with us. Perhaps more thrilled to have cupcakes and cookie cake at lunch, but I'm sure he was happy we were there, too. ;)

Back off, Ladies. These are my men!

Mike took his first selfie with three of the cutest boys I know when we visited the Leevers in Houston for Tyler's second birthday a couple of weekends ago.  Little turkeys, all of them!

Last Friday, I was able to sneak away for our Fourth Annual Girls' Weekend in Dallas. We stayed at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, shopped, dined, laughed, and got all gussied up.

Cori, me, Kelley, Natalie, Destiny, Ashley

We actually stayed for two nights this year, and went to Javier's the first night before a full day of shopping and pampering.

Those are not all MY bags. I swear.

We also went to the Dry Bar at Northpark and had our hair blown out, and then had makeovers at different make-up counters at Nordstrom before our fancy night out to dinner on Saturday. 

Kelley, Nat, and me with our driver, Sam, who has been driving us around Dallas for years. We love Sam!

We ate at FT33, a fabulous farm-to-table restaurant in the design district. If you have not been there, you must go. It was wonderful with hand-crafted cocktails, a storied wine list, and a changing menu of New American cuisine. I had braised short ribs with vanilla-lemon mashed potatoes and root vegetables.  My fave first course was oyster risotto, and the pear tart with champagne sprinkles made me want to go back and kiss the pastry chef! 

Now, as a I sit at my desk upstairs, finding any reason not to work the day before Thanksgiving, I am grateful for that weekend away.  Mike is out of town, I'm "working" and cooking, Dad is making a mess of the kitchen frying homemade tortilla chips, the dogs are digging up the back yard, the boys are piled up in my bed watching a movie and spilling popcorn kernels between the sheets, I have to leave soon for the fourth grocery store run today to get the sugar we keep forgetting, and four more are on their way! 

Merry Thanksgiving from the FAM-O-LEE!