It's Monday...

...and I have quite a bit of ground to cover since my last montage post.

FIRST--Casa Doyle's makeover

Chris and I spent about two months researching and deciding on carpet.  We considered all different kinds and colors and spoke with sales people at several places.  I brought home panel after panel of carpet swatches before we finally made a decision.  

BEFORE:

AFTER

The carpet is a low pile frieze.  I've never had frieze and it's definitely a different look than your standard plush carpet.  It's more broken-in looking and makes more of a statement.  We all really like it.  AND, it's comfortable to get down, roll around and play on--a very important feature of any bedroom floor for our gang.

We had our first Doyle dame piano concert of the year.  After dinner Friday night, the girls got gussied up, chose two songs each and performed.  Mia started us off with America before she played her two other pieces.  Sophie is new to piano lessons but has already stolen Miss Lita's heart for being so quick to pick things up.  As for me, I'm trying to take a page out of Tiger Mom's book and raise the bar in terms of practice times and mastery of songs.  I am also enjoying the beautiful live music I hear daily.  Piano has definitely been one of the best investments we've made as a family.

In other activity news--Grace took her first horseback riding lesson

I wasn't sure what to expect but Grace's instructor Kim is terrific and if Grace sticks with it, she will be learning to saddle and care for the horse before and after her lesson as well as riding.  She loved it and I came home wanting to find a way to pay for lessons for all the girls.  And buy a horse or two some day.  I'm still thinking....

Jes gave us this CD right before we made the trip back from VA.  We had only packed about five other CDs so Wicked got a lot of play.  Or a few special songs got played.  Or maybe just two songs.  I know every word to Popular and Defying Gravity.  I mention this because, back home, we moved on to other musicals.  We watched The Sound of Music and then listened to the sound track, and Mommy singing the sound track, and Madeleine singing the sound track, over and over.  Even better, I brought the Camelot sound track along on a long car ride a week ago and told the girls the story between songs.  I was truly in heaven.  The only thing I love more than musicals is sharing them with my babes.

It's been fun going to the mailbox lately.  These are some of the post cards we've received from my mom and dad who are off camping across country braving bears and bandits and having a ball.  I love it.  I think they are very cool and quite a bit braver than I am.  I would enjoy driving from one rather nice hotel to the next....Actually, we will be camping with them for a few days when we meet in Kansas in October.  I have been a bit stressed because the timing is not very convenient.  So many things to do.  I think this is a time to be a Mary instead of a Martha though.  I want to share a bit of their adventure and see them out of their roles as dueños of Camp Kreitzer.  (You should have seen them in Spain :)

One of the children who shall remain nameless spoke disrespectfully to me in front of her dad.  He issued sentences.  I got a bit scared when I saw them later.  What do you think a "resect-ion" feels like?

Madeleine and Mia are taking photography at our home school schools (oxymoron?) this fall.  Madeleine has been playing with the aperture priority mode.  We like this pic.

And last but not least--we saw Toy Story 3 outside in the middle of Kingwood Saturday night. It had been a long day for all of us.  I went to a women's day of reflection downtown with a friend of mine arriving home at 5:00 PM, Chris escorted the girls to a three hour birthday party and Madeleine worked for Grandpa Doyle all afternoon.  I would have been happy to stay home.  The kids would not and were looking forward to seeing Woody on the big big screen so off we went.

Wrapping up another Monday.....

Goodbye for now from five Doyle dolls and one very smily dude named Alex!