Our bedroom makeover

This was a while ago, but I thought I'd share.  This is our new bedroom.  The bedroom used to be a pale butter yellow color.  The gray is so much better!

The time is set for when we got sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Cheesy, but there you go!

Kaylin turns 7

Time is flying too fast.  I can't believe our baby is already seven. 

Fun Kaylin facts: (Beware, I will be bragging)

• She is now reading chapter books.  She has read a Junnie B. Jones one and is on her second "Magic Tree House" book.  She's doing really well but still doesn't love to read. 
• She got her report card and got all S+ in her subjects (except Computers and PE which I think the highest grade is S).  Her teacher is great and she seems to really enjoy school.
• She started piano last month and is already doing well.  She loves to be taught by mommy and practices on her own usually which is nice (and I hope it lasts, but I know it won't.  I'll have to nag eventually).  She's going to play in my May recital which will be cool.
• She loves to play with her brothers and watch shows on Netflicks.  She recently discovered Sher-ah (sp?) that I used to watch as a girl.  She loves it, I just hope that she never wants to dress like her.  Yikes, some of those outfits are a little risque.
• She's a wiz at Angry Birds
• She loves her classes at church and has taught a FHE lesson a couple of times and does a great job.  She ends it with her testimony.  She is a sweetie pie.

For her birthday this year, Phil and I took her on a little date to BJs (our favorite restaurant) and she got to order a gluten free cheese pizza and for her little birthday treat, they brought her out a gluten free chocolate chip cookie pizzookie.  It was awesome for her to be able to eat at a restaurant totally gluten free.  Then afterwards, we took her to JCPenneys to buy a dress with her birthday money.  She found a dress not in her price range so we ended up stopping by the competitor, Target, and found a cute maxi dress that was Hello Kitty.  She loved it and it was the perfect price.

The next morning she had a morning birthday party.  Three of her friends came at 9 AM in their pajamas and had breakfast and got to be primped and pampered.  It was fun to do hair and nails.  She had a great day!

Jan/Feb pictures

We finally got some snow.  We were in a bit of a winter drought, but it finally snowed and the kids were excited.  They built this little number.  We built a bigger one last week, but didn't photograph it before some punk kids decapitated it.  Seriously.

Daddy's birthday with the kids.  Mommy and Daddy went out to BJs and then we celebrated with Peach Crisp on Sunday with the kiddos.

Jared is just cute!

Zachary is cute and wild!

Jared knows now to avoid his brother when he is throwing a porcelin jewelry box at his eye.  I strongly believe Heavenly Father watches over our children so that they don't kill each other.

Kaylin before bed

Horsing around before bed.  They are good buddies!

Laundry Room makeover

We've been wanting to re-do our laundry room for a while.  In November we were going to expand it and make a mudroom and it would've been awesome, but it didn't happen.  My brother-in-law Jay, who is the builder in the family, got in a roll-over accident and was pretty beat up while he was here for Thanksgiving, so no construction project.  We got a few toilets fixed, but that was the extent of "Jay the Builder" doing stuff to our house!  So this last month, I figured since we still had the laundry stacking thing, that we could still do a mini-laundry makeover.

Here is the progression of our laundry room.  The first picture is when we first moved in.  Boring white/creamy color.

Then we painted it this Peanut Butter made-up color that had a hint of blush pink in it.  I was over it really quickly!

Now, Lime green is bright and cheery.  I painted the whole room this bright color and then I painted all the trim, including the rubber baseboard, bright white!  It looks awesome!  We stacked the washer and dryer, which I LOVE and then Phil and I set out to strengthen our marriage through construction.  Let's just say, we are not divorced, but we won't be doing any "marriage strengthing through construction" again anytime soon.  But we built a table for our laundry room and it is awesome!  I'm so proud of us.  I looked up on-line how to build it, got all the materials and sanded them and then Phil was the muscle and put the screws where we needed them.  We put only two legs on the front of the table and the back of the table is bolted into the wall.  It is not going anywhere! 

 And voila!  A cute, adorable, functional laundry room.  I love having the dryer on top so that I don't have to bend over to fold or get clothes out of the dryer.  The table top and shelf I painted a darker green color, which creates a really cool contrast.  The rug is from none other than JCPenneys!

We went on a cruise!

I am finally getting around to posting this on the blog, so here it goes.  Phil and I went on our first ever trip sans kiddos.  I call it our "Honeymoon cruise" since we never had a honeymoon.  A bed and breakfast with an owner named "Buffy" did not count as a honeymoon!  Anyways, we took a 4 day cruise to the bahamas on Royal Caribbean, "Majesty of the Seas."  We went to Nassau, Bahamas; CocoCay, Bahamas (Royal Caribbean's private island) and Key West, Florida.  We had a great time.  Read some books, ate lots of yummy food and sat around a lot.  It was wonderful!

 Unlimited ice cream on the ship.  I was in heaven!

Yes, he is reading "Eclipse" and yes, he did enjoy it.  And yes he finished "Breaking Dawn" and yes, we rented the movie and although cheesy at parts, we liked it.  What can I say, my husband is awesome!  Did I mention we've also been watching "Downton Abbey"on PBS Masterpiece Classic and are LOVING it!  (Phil's worried about his man-card by me posting this so keep the comments positive! :)

 All the government buildings are pink.  At least the Bahaman men are secure in their manhood.

 Statue of Columbus

 This was formal night at dinner.

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas from the Walkers

We’ve had a great year full of fun visits from family and a trip to Disneyland and the Gollaher Family Cabin in Utah.  After these trips and all the crying, hitting and screaming in the car, we’ve decided that we need to start saving for a minivan so that the kids are not so smushed in together.  Phil and I read Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Makeover” and are on our way to our minivan goal.  

At our Ugly Sweater Party this month

Phil’s busy at work in the Packing department for JCPenney.  Thanks for all the orders to jcp.com, but please stop them so he gets the day off for Christmas Eve!  Get your shopping done early!  Phil completed his Green Belt Project this year which was big and got to present it in Kansas.  He also did some training in Connecticut and did some sight seeing in New York while he was there.  He continues to teach Gospel Doctrine at church and is excited to teach Book of Mormon next year.  He was “Phil the landscaper” this summer as he put in new sod, cut down 7 trees with the help of friends, built a swing set and dug a lot of holes for sprinklers.  He was amazing!

This has been the year of books for me.  I made a goal to read 50 books this year, and have read 66.  We actually got rid of TV this summer and so I’ve had a lot of time to read at night after the kids go to bed.  I’ve done some home improvement projects this year redecorating Jared’s room and Kaylin’s room.  I’m still in Primary and loving it.  I also do a book club and have hosted a number of parties this year.

Kaylin (6) started first grade this year.  She loves her teacher and is doing great in reading.  I volunteer every other Friday and it’s been fun to see Kaylin with all of her friends at school.  She’s a great big sister and has fun playing with her brothers.

Zachary (4) is still doing preschool with 5 other kids.  The moms take turns teaching and he’s having fun with his little group.  He is slowly, but surely learning how to sit and pay attention and he is even doing a better job tracing letters.  It’ll be fun to have him start kindergarten next year.

 

Jared (2) has really grown up this year.  He has full on conversations with you (half of which we have no idea what he’s saying).  He is starting to get along better with Zachary and just loves hanging out with Kaylin.  He loves to sing songs and pretend he’s a dog.

We are looking forward to next year, especially our anniversary cruise this January.  We hope everyone is well and has a great Christmas and a happy new year.

Love,

Phil, Rebecca, Kaylin, Zachary and Jared Walker

Halloween

 Kaylin was a "spring fairy" this year.

 Zach-Attack was super strong superman.  I just had to put all his pictures in here because he is just such a ham!

And last but not least, our little DUMBO.  He was so cute and such a trooper trick-or treating.  He LOVED it.  He went to almost every house and shouted with the rest of the kids.  It was so cute!

Ok so I love this one of Jared.  He's like, "I'm in between these two crazies and I'm bored or just tired.  I'm not sure which!"

 Getting ready to trick-or-treat with our neighbors.  We were out for 2 hours and the kids got lots of loot!