Never Boring!

We continue to keep busy as this fall weather has been AMAZING in Des Moines! Payton, Halley, and I have enjoyed many trips to the park when Halley gets home from work. It is a great way for us to spend some good quality time in the gorgeous weather we have been blessed with!

Payton loves to go on the swings while we are there, and we have even let her go down the slide all by herself which she really enjoys too! Although her favorite part is being able to see all the dogs we run into!

After two and a half years of living in our house, I can FINALLY say that our basement is now FINISHED! Halley and I have been saving and trying to decide on exactly what we want for a long time now, and we are so happy with the outcome. Halley likes to call it his "Man Cave", but we all know it is another family room, since Payton's toy box and several of her toys are always out! We painted the walls two shades, replaced the carpet, got a nice red (Husker) sofa, and my favorite, a gorgeous leather recliner that we got on clearance! Framed Husker posters and memorabilia are of course a necessity in this room!

Halley was super creative and made a footstool for the couch out of his old Nebraska jersey. It looks great! This was our last project on the room (I hope!).

Payton enjoyed "riding" on the footstool (it is actually from her rocker) that Halley was working on. It was so fun to see her climb up, swing back and forth, climb down, and do it over and over again. She kept quite busy!

Halley and Payton are hard at work here. This picture is so great, as they both are intently working on their own things (Halley the footstool and Payton was picking up bolts with her magnet).
She loved that fact that she was "helping" Daddy!

Payton is such a joy, and loves helping us in tons of ways. She has conquered going up and down the stairs, and is now starting to help pick up her toys (although it is fun for her right now!). We can't believe that she will be one soon! Time sure does fly!