New Skill

I have developed a new skill that I am completely proud of. I have moved exponentially up the rungs of the great parenting ladder. You ready? Here it is. Last night I held a bucket in front of me and a second bucket in front of Jules as we simultaneously vomited. Yup. I know you're impressed. I expect to to hear a lot of praise for this. I'm pretty proud of myself. : )

The Good News and the tiny bit of bad news

The Good News:

The mover's descended upon our house yesterday.

The Bad News:

We wanted them to come on Monday since my mom was in town to help and since she was leaving Wednesday. Oh. well. We got a lot done anyway.

The Good News:

It feels really great to have all of our stuff back. So far the only casualty is a lamp shade. We are experimenting on room arrangements, etc. This is fun. It's like Christmas getting all of our stuff back. The girls are having so much fun opening toy boxes. Everything is new for Ava. : )

The Bad News:

The girls have the stomach flu. Ava started early Wednesday morning and Jules started about 4:00 pm today. And, I don't think I will be much behind. Ava seems to be getting back to normal. But, I am a little worried about her hydration. So, we are off to the store to stock up on b.r.a.t. and fluids.

The Good News:

Neither of the girls seems to really freak out about throwing up like I would have when I was young (and even sometimes these days).

Cute note: Julianna has a new favorite phrase: "Oh man." She has (unfortunately) used it quite a lot today.

Don't grumble that roses have thorns, be grateful that thorns have roses

Far to near...peach blossom...

Stopping at the fountain before entering the nursery.

In the greenhouse Julianna discovered a fountain and koi pond.

This is a photo of Ava squealing and laughing at the fish.

A planted holly tree.

More shrubs planted by yours truly and Chad.

Holding on to the last bits of winter...

...Looking to the beginning of spring.

Home Stretch

Into one of the girls' rooms.

View from foyer into dining and kitchen and hallway to girls' rooms.

It's coming together!

Testing the sprinklers out back.

A little dusty...but you get the idea.

Breakfast area and bar.

For right now I am thinking we won't use the breakfast nook in the traditional sense. We will eat our meals in the dining room and use this space for the girls' kitchen set and some toys. I've really liked having a playroom off the kitchen in our rental house and would like to keep a similar set-up. If it doesn't work...we'll change it. : )

View to breakfast nook from kitchen

Master Bath

Master Shower

Girls Bath

The past few weeks have been exciting and stressful. The house is nearly complete with only some minor finishing touches. To Do List: hang bathroom mirrors, planting shrubs, deliver appliances, clean, clean, clean... I actually gave the guys a little hand this weekend. I swept the floors for about 1 hour on Saturday. I was just really wanting to get a better look at the flooring. Initially, I panicked because the floor had come out a bit (okay more than a bit) too red. The samples I had gotten from the store were more brown with a slight hint of red. So, I freaked out. To put it mildly says Chad. Of course, all's well that ends well. I love the floors. They are perfect. I am really, really pleased. And slightly embarrassed. Hee. Hee. heh. eh-hem. It's just that when you've been staring at concrete for months and then all of a sudden the whole floor is brown/red it takes a few days to get used to it. And, it takes some lighting and sun and well, you have to think of the big picture. : ) I tell you. Building a house teaches you about yourself. The good and the bad.

Peter the Pumpkin Eater

Odds & Ends

• My wonderful hubby turned 31 today! Happy Birthday Sweets!


• Chad entertained Julianna and Ava tonight by pretending to talk on the phone. Julianna would make the phone "ring" and Chad would pick it up. "Hello...You want to talk to my daughter...NO boys calling allowed! Good-bye!" They thought it was hilarious. Of course Chad had many, many versions of how such a phone conversation would go. He's getting an early start on his practice.


• Chad also entertained the girls by creating his own rhymes. It was cutting and pasting at it's best. "Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater had some food that he couldn't feed her and he kept his garden very well." That was my personal favorite.


• We did yard work today. Chad really. We are hoping to ward off our landlady (arg) from docking us points (aka, dollars) on move-out day. We have this darn oak tree that drops acorns upon acorns upon acorns. All in all we've been very good to the house and we shouldn't have any problems with landlady. But that doesn't mean we won't.


• Our closing date is just around the corner...yahoo! Mom is coming to help with the girls...yahoo! (I am also hoping she makes her awesome spaghetti again. I am not sure what she did to it last time...but it was SO good. She's the best, best, best cook I have ever known. There is nothing she makes I don't love.)


• The girls got new car seats last week and are loving them to pieces. They are super comfy. We were in sore need of new ones! Thank You Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa!


• One of the reasons I am anxious about getting into the house is because I feel like I have been neglecting the education portion of my parenting. I know my kids are 1 and 3...but still. I have been fairly lax about teaching anything really. They've been super-troopers as I've carted them around to the lumber yard, the brick store, the paint store, lighting, etc etc etc. I can't wait to have some normalcy.
• Also on that note...I've been a little worried about Ava's walking. She has almost no interest in it. Climbing? She would climb up a tree if we let her. But when I stand her up to walk...she's just not comfortable with it. When I hold her fingers to help her steady, she walks but looks fairly akward. All her milestones are tracking wonderfully. And I know that it is perfectly normal for kids to wait as long at 15 to 18 months. Still. You know how it is. : )