So, a few weeks back I was basically a Walmart Widow. That meaning that my husband was so swamped with a project at work that he literally ONLY came home to sleep a few hours and bathe. And even the sleeping part was iffy, because he was still getting calls in the wee hours of the morning to deal with stuff. Anyways, the week before last, he worked 90 hours. Yeah, you read that right...90 hours.
Obviously, that was a very trying week for him...and it was tiring for me too. But in all honesty, the kids (aside from a rough patch here and there) were pretty stellar. Especially considering that the Monday of that crazy week, that they were stuck in a conference room (a glorified large gray pod with a few windows to the other outside gray pods and a door, a cheap table or two and a lot of electronic devices; no frills at WMISD, folks...remember, they save money so you can live better!) for FOUR HOURS while their dad and his team worked. I had to teach, and had I known they'd be stuck there that long, I would've probably attempted to take them with me...but it worked out. Aaron said they were really good. I dropped them off with lunchboxes full of Chick-Fil-A and their Leapster Explorers, so apparently they were kept entertained and their bellies were full.
Thank the Lord, I think we are past the super crazy part of the project. The part where program issues are constantly popping up, and new fixes present new problems. I might as well just mention that they're working to install a new membership program for Sam's Club. This last week, his schedule has been a little more normal. He's actually at work right now, 10:25pm on Wed. He came to church, and then went back to deal with some stuff.
Sure it stinks when he has to work that much, but I'm not going to complain about the job that provides for me and my kiddos.
Okay, so lets fast forward to this week! Spring Break! Now, my sister thought that she was going to have several days off in a row this week, and was planning to come with my neice to spend a few days with us...but that fell through. She ended up getting scheduled right in the middle of the week. So, that was a bummer, but we're still planning a little get together on Friday. Here's how our week has gone so far.
Monday: A nice slow cozy morning sleeping in. Kids joined me in bed as usual somewhere around 7:30. We snuggled, snoozed and watched Disney Jr. a while until we were too hungry to stay in bed anymore. Kids helped me clip coupons, and I sat debating whether or not to go to Walmart for a long time. For one, we were out of EVERYTHING. For two, it was going to be a full blown "list a mile long" shopping trip. For three, it was raining, and about to get worse and storm for several days. Aaron encouraged me to go while the rain wasn't too bad, before all the worse weather settled in.
Now, I always make sure to do my big shopping trips when the kids are either in KDO, or on the weekend when we can go as a family, and have two carts. I have friends with twins who use two carts or a cart and a stroller, pulling one and pushing the other...but that sounds like a pain in the rear to me. For a while for small trips, I've been putting one in the seat and one in the big part of the cart (when there aren't any double seaters). But lately, they don't want to be in the cart period. One wants to ride in front of me while I steer and one wants to ride on the back. My fear was that if we did that, they'd continually be disengaging themselves, grabbing everything on the shelf and throwing random stuff into the cart, thus causing our trip to last 5 hours.
Well, you know what? A little of that happened...but I was pretty chill about it. I managed to keep my cool, and they were actually really good little helpers. They really wanted to help me find the stuff on the list and put it in the basket. We managed to get done in an hour (which is good time for me alone ha!). While in the produce we found a wad of cash on the floor, so we ended up taking it to customer service and turning it in. It was a $5 and five $1s. Not a lot of money, but we were at the Springdale store, where many families shop with food stamps (I know they're not called that anymore,) and I just kept thinking, "this could mean a lot to someone," so we took it to the counter. Even though I'm pretty sure the lady I turned the money in to was stoked that she was going to pocket it, I kind of felt like I should use that as a teachable moment with the kids.
Then we went to McDonald's to eat and play. They earned it.
Tuesday: stormy all day. Didn't go anywhere. Just chilled at the house. Watched some movies, did some puzzles. I did manage to come up with a little activity/craft for us to do. I did some light cleaning and laundry. A low key day.
Wednesday: stormy again, but we had a playdate with the kids twin friends, Casey and Lundyn to go to Boingo Bounce. Its an indoor arena full of bounce houses, slides, etc. They love it there. It's the one thing the kids begged to do for Spring Break. The place was packed! Not surprising being that it's Spring Break and rainy. Had a blast and then went to Sonic to grab lunch before we ran to Sam's for the rest of the groceries we hadn't gotten Monday. Home. Nap. Church.
Just got a txt that it's gonna be a long night for Aaron. Poor guy. One of these days when you get a minute, you're going to read this post, honey. Thanks for working so hard! We really really appreciate you!
So, what's in store for Thurs/Fri? Well, if the weather changes, we'll try to hit the park. Gotta go to the library for sure. Friday, Aaron is taking the day off (which hopefully is still a possibility) and we're going to meet my sister and Kylie at the Tulsa Zoo. Weather is supposed to be nice by then.
Hopefully, I'll be back with some zoo pics! Well, this was a long one. Thanks for hanging with me on this one!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Pray Without Ceasing
I hate that I have become a "once a month" poster. I write this blog for friends and family that don't live close enough to get the scoop on the "everyday stuff." But I also write it for us...to look back on and remember the "everyday stuff."
The week before last was a BIG week of prayer for me. We are doing a thing in our church where we are focusing on one scripture or passage of scripture weekly. They've made key fobs with the verses for us to have handy. The scripture for that week was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. It was very appropriate.
The first big thing that I was praying for was in regard to my friend Natalie. She is a good friend from OU and a Bible-believing Christian and she has a daughter A&E's age and a son a little younger. Some bloodwork from a routine physical showed that her platelet count was very low, and long story short, the doctor thought that it was most likely leukemia or aplastic anemia. Both would require chemo. It took a long time to get results, and many people were interceding for her. I was praying that it would be neither...that it would be something they hadn't thought of, and just for the preservation of her life.
The second big thing I was praying for was in regard to my friend V. She is expecting and has been having a rough time with nausea and some other complications, and was put on bedrest for a little while. So, I've really been praying for Baby Cano...Honeybadger, as baby has affectionately been nicknamed...because baby doesn't really care how it makes Momma feel! And praying for V too...that the next trimester will bring relief!
The third big thing was for Aaron. A while back, he was asked to consider an eldership position in our church. We were both kinda like "huh, elder?!" Our board of elders is short, and so I believe the board has been looking to add one or two more men. Aside from the fact that at first we were both thinking that elders should be a bit more, well...elderly (or at least more seasoned, with more life experience, or something like that), we were also thinking "shouldn't we be waaaay more spiritual?" Yes, I said we. I said we because if he's to be an elder, and we are "one," then I, as the elder's wife, must also assume the charge and responsibility in some fashion as well. After talking to all of the elders and the pastor about the responsibility, etc...and after a LOT of prayer, examination of the scriptures regarding eldership, and realizing that he was asked for a reason...we've finally made a decision.
So, how do all of these stories unfold? Well, my friend Natalie got the results that we were hoping for...NOT CANCER! Doctor has no idea why her blood is the way it is, but it's not leukemia OR aplastic anemia. She will see a specialist to make a better determination.
My friend, V, is off of bedrest and I'm continuing to believe for a healthy, more enjoyable pregnancy.
Aaron decided that he is willing to be an elder, and I think we've both really felt confirmation from the Lord about it. When it comes down to it, we both care very much about our church, the vision God has for it, and its direction. We both care very much about our church family. And we both care very much about God's plan for spiritual growth for both of us. And I really feel this is another way that he can serve and use his giftings. He will have to be voted in by the membership at our next business meeting/election. So, we shall see how that turns out.
These obviously aren't the only things that I've been praying about. They just happen to be a few of the things that really received a timely answer and were pressing. I'm glad that God gave us prayer, a way to communicate with him, to thank him, to ask of him. So glad that he wants to have a relationship with me, and wants to hear what I have to say!
The week before last was a BIG week of prayer for me. We are doing a thing in our church where we are focusing on one scripture or passage of scripture weekly. They've made key fobs with the verses for us to have handy. The scripture for that week was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. It was very appropriate.
The first big thing that I was praying for was in regard to my friend Natalie. She is a good friend from OU and a Bible-believing Christian and she has a daughter A&E's age and a son a little younger. Some bloodwork from a routine physical showed that her platelet count was very low, and long story short, the doctor thought that it was most likely leukemia or aplastic anemia. Both would require chemo. It took a long time to get results, and many people were interceding for her. I was praying that it would be neither...that it would be something they hadn't thought of, and just for the preservation of her life.
The second big thing I was praying for was in regard to my friend V. She is expecting and has been having a rough time with nausea and some other complications, and was put on bedrest for a little while. So, I've really been praying for Baby Cano...Honeybadger, as baby has affectionately been nicknamed...because baby doesn't really care how it makes Momma feel! And praying for V too...that the next trimester will bring relief!
The third big thing was for Aaron. A while back, he was asked to consider an eldership position in our church. We were both kinda like "huh, elder?!" Our board of elders is short, and so I believe the board has been looking to add one or two more men. Aside from the fact that at first we were both thinking that elders should be a bit more, well...elderly (or at least more seasoned, with more life experience, or something like that), we were also thinking "shouldn't we be waaaay more spiritual?" Yes, I said we. I said we because if he's to be an elder, and we are "one," then I, as the elder's wife, must also assume the charge and responsibility in some fashion as well. After talking to all of the elders and the pastor about the responsibility, etc...and after a LOT of prayer, examination of the scriptures regarding eldership, and realizing that he was asked for a reason...we've finally made a decision.
So, how do all of these stories unfold? Well, my friend Natalie got the results that we were hoping for...NOT CANCER! Doctor has no idea why her blood is the way it is, but it's not leukemia OR aplastic anemia. She will see a specialist to make a better determination.
My friend, V, is off of bedrest and I'm continuing to believe for a healthy, more enjoyable pregnancy.
Aaron decided that he is willing to be an elder, and I think we've both really felt confirmation from the Lord about it. When it comes down to it, we both care very much about our church, the vision God has for it, and its direction. We both care very much about our church family. And we both care very much about God's plan for spiritual growth for both of us. And I really feel this is another way that he can serve and use his giftings. He will have to be voted in by the membership at our next business meeting/election. So, we shall see how that turns out.
These obviously aren't the only things that I've been praying about. They just happen to be a few of the things that really received a timely answer and were pressing. I'm glad that God gave us prayer, a way to communicate with him, to thank him, to ask of him. So glad that he wants to have a relationship with me, and wants to hear what I have to say!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Superstars
Everyday at KDO, one child receives the coveted SUPERSTAR award. Alec earned this award the very first day of school. Then he earned another one before Christmas. Then he earned another one last Monday. Of course, this is fantastic, and I am so so proud of his sweetness.
Now, it can also be a little tricky when there happens to be a twin sister that is in the same class and has watched brother earn the superstar award three times, and has yet to earn said award. Emma has asked me when she would be the superstar. And I would always say "one day you will, sweetie. You are my superstar everyday!" And we even made superstar necklaces for her just like brother's. (because she is often very sweet and helpful and does deserve a superstar award from me.)
Now this is not a rant about how all kids should win and all kids should get the trophy, award, treat or whatever. I fully believe that kids need to experience a little bit of a let down every now and again because that's just life. But I have to say that I felt for the girl. She was very nice about it when Alec won for the 3rd time. She encouraged him and said she was proud of him, and told me all about the sweet things he'd done...but I could see the sadness in her eyes. She really really wanted to be a superstar too.
So, I was THRILLED on Thursday to find out that Emma earned the SUPERSTAR award for the day. I was honestly over the moon, because I knew how bad she wanted it. And she was so proud to show me her star necklace and to give me her sweet list.
The sweet list is the list that the teacher gives the parent letting them know all of the sweet and helpful and kind things that the child did to earn the award. So, without further ado...here are Alec and Emma's sweet lists from last week.
Now, it can also be a little tricky when there happens to be a twin sister that is in the same class and has watched brother earn the superstar award three times, and has yet to earn said award. Emma has asked me when she would be the superstar. And I would always say "one day you will, sweetie. You are my superstar everyday!" And we even made superstar necklaces for her just like brother's. (because she is often very sweet and helpful and does deserve a superstar award from me.)
Now this is not a rant about how all kids should win and all kids should get the trophy, award, treat or whatever. I fully believe that kids need to experience a little bit of a let down every now and again because that's just life. But I have to say that I felt for the girl. She was very nice about it when Alec won for the 3rd time. She encouraged him and said she was proud of him, and told me all about the sweet things he'd done...but I could see the sadness in her eyes. She really really wanted to be a superstar too.
So, I was THRILLED on Thursday to find out that Emma earned the SUPERSTAR award for the day. I was honestly over the moon, because I knew how bad she wanted it. And she was so proud to show me her star necklace and to give me her sweet list.
The sweet list is the list that the teacher gives the parent letting them know all of the sweet and helpful and kind things that the child did to earn the award. So, without further ado...here are Alec and Emma's sweet lists from last week.
In case you can't decipher:
Alec's Sweet List:
1. Alec helped clean up after craft time.
2. Helped his friends put their books away.
3. Helped with nap mats.
Emma's Sweet List:
1. Helped put nap mats away without being asked.
2. Helped clean up.
3. Was kind to her friends.
Friday, January 20, 2012
January Weather Wonders
So, you may recall from the last few years, that we have experienced some pretty brutal January and February weather. The ice storm of '09, the ice storm of '10, and the 2 ft snow dump of Feb 2011 were enough to drive me right back to South Texas! But for some reason...so far, our winter weather this year has been pretty mild. And yes, I realize that I'm totally jinxing it! I fully expect that we could end up with a few heaps of snow and ice anytime before April 15th. But I'm also enjoying totally basking in the fact that I've been outside with my kids with no coats for the last two days. And that is nothing short of miraculous for January. Here are some pictures of our adventures today.
We spent about an hour and a half in the backyard. We played frisbee, soccer, tee ball, and pretty much every imaginative thing that could be done with our playset (sans big slide- since it was broken by a neighbor...and we weren't going to replace it till the spring. You know cuz we figured we'd be stuck indoors for at least 6 months.)
Anyways, we had a blast. And I did cherish every minute with my children who have been angels the last two days. (Please refer to previous post if this is confusing.)
We spent about an hour and a half in the backyard. We played frisbee, soccer, tee ball, and pretty much every imaginative thing that could be done with our playset (sans big slide- since it was broken by a neighbor...and we weren't going to replace it till the spring. You know cuz we figured we'd be stuck indoors for at least 6 months.)
Anyways, we had a blast. And I did cherish every minute with my children who have been angels the last two days. (Please refer to previous post if this is confusing.)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Parenting is hard.
Today I read an article that I really needed to read. I needed it because yesterday was HARD. I took the kids to dance class at 10:30 as per usual on Tuesday morning, and I was pretty much appalled by their wild behavior and inablility to control themselves and listen to the teacher. Most of the time, they behave pretty well in class, and love what they are doing, and have tons of fun. But they both just wanted to run around, do their own thing, and just generally not be attentive. I sat, watching the monitor, for 20 minutes before I couldn't take anymore. I went in, and called them out of class...to tell them that we were done with dance for the day because they couldn't behave. Well, then two wild fits ensued...which was pretty much aweseomely disruptive, and awesomely embarrassing in front of the other moms. Within a few minutes, the class was over and Miss Rachel came out. I made them apologize, and off we went.
When we got home, they were disciplined for the misbehavior and for the fits. And they spent the day without tv and without their handheld games.
As a parent it stinks when your kid misbehaves...for one because you want them to act better/know they can act better...and for two, because often you are surrounded by people who may or may not be judging you on your capabilities/inabilities as a parent. Training up a child in the way that they should go is kind of like training for a run. You have to be diligent and disciplined every day, or things start to slip. It is a fantastically wonderful challenge, but some days are just really hard.
So, today I was grateful to read this article that a friend had shared on fb. I appreciate the honesty and candor. I hate that as moms it's like an unwritten rule that you can't ever admit that you've lost a battle, or that you were flat out defeated...or you could be labeled as one who is doing it all wrong.
Here's the truth that I live. I have two amazing kids. For the great majority of the time, I am full of joy and gratitude to be doing what I am doing as a SAHM. But the reality is also that I have two 3 1/2 year olds. And some days that gets down right rough. And I'm doing the best I can, with what I get each day.
Here's the link to the article. I know some Mommies who might just appreciate it as much as I did!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html
And just for the record...today has been a much better day. :-)
When we got home, they were disciplined for the misbehavior and for the fits. And they spent the day without tv and without their handheld games.
As a parent it stinks when your kid misbehaves...for one because you want them to act better/know they can act better...and for two, because often you are surrounded by people who may or may not be judging you on your capabilities/inabilities as a parent. Training up a child in the way that they should go is kind of like training for a run. You have to be diligent and disciplined every day, or things start to slip. It is a fantastically wonderful challenge, but some days are just really hard.
So, today I was grateful to read this article that a friend had shared on fb. I appreciate the honesty and candor. I hate that as moms it's like an unwritten rule that you can't ever admit that you've lost a battle, or that you were flat out defeated...or you could be labeled as one who is doing it all wrong.
Here's the truth that I live. I have two amazing kids. For the great majority of the time, I am full of joy and gratitude to be doing what I am doing as a SAHM. But the reality is also that I have two 3 1/2 year olds. And some days that gets down right rough. And I'm doing the best I can, with what I get each day.
Here's the link to the article. I know some Mommies who might just appreciate it as much as I did!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html
And just for the record...today has been a much better day. :-)
Monday, December 26, 2011
We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
Well, again, here I am trying to play catch up on the blog. In a Nut(cracker)shell...this fall was ridiculously busy. Busy to the point that I found myself wondering just about everyday if it was worth it. Nutcracker was so much work. Mentally and physically, and many days emotionally exhausting. Working with 5 other people on an in some senses completely new production, and not really knowing the ropes with all of these people was really a feat. In the end, I was very pleased with my party scene. I was very pleased with the dancers that I was blessed to work with, and the Drosselmeyer that stepped in for me when my original Dross suffered a shattered foot injury. In the end, the show hit the stage, and ended up being a very nice production.
The very second that Nutcracker was struck, I was fully engaged in Angel Tree. I had 10 days from Nutcracker till the Angel Tree party at our church. Now, Angel Tree is also a fair amount of work...but with Angel Tree I know that I am doing something with truly lasting significance. Yes, Nutcracker is a wonderful holiday tradition, and many young dancers are affected by participating, BUT Angel Tree is God's work. And at the party, watching all those kids (43 this year and 22 families, compared to 14 families last year) open gifts- and honestly, the only gifts they will receive for some of them- is an absolutely out of this world joyful experience for me. And 2 things made it even more special this year.
The first was that our church really really took ownership of this ministry this year. Often it seems like only a small percentage of the church population really embrace any given outreach opportunity. But I was blown away by the response from our members this year. We had so many attend the party, love on the families, and just dive in to do whatever needed to be done. And that was a great help to Jess and I. I was especially blessed by several new member families that got really involved and were excited to help out.
The second was the fact that my children were really involved this year, as opposed to being stuck back in the nursery "not getting into anything." This year, they really helped me in a variety of ways with the set up, decorating, and even at the party. It did them good to have a part in giving gifts to the other children. And while they noticed some of the toys and commented about how they liked them...they didn't whine about needing a present to open. It's a good thing for children to experience the joy of giving.
Our Angels got gifts and Bibles and our caregiver families were blessed with giant boxes and bags of TONS of food from our food pantry. I got a lot of hugs and a lot of gratitude from some very overwhelmed peoople.
A few days after the party, the kids and I got to play Santa and take the gifts and food to 3 families that were unable to attend the party. And I actually love getting to do that, because at the party I'm usually running around like a crazy person, and don't get to engage with the families as much as I'd like.
So, here we are. We made it to Christmas. Oh...well...there was Thanksgiving. I managed to completely leave that out, didn't I? Thanksgiving was fantastic. I cooked for a week. And then I roasted my 2nd turkey ever. My family came to our home for T'giving, and we had a really great time. The kids had a blast with their cousin, Kylie. We did a little Black Friday shopping (to replace two tv's. Yes, I said two tv's. One was an old tube tv from our bedroom that was going out. The other was our nice living room 47" Aquos that Alec cracked by throwing a wooden block at. Yup. Life with small children.) But the good news is that we landed a great flat screen led 3D tv, dvd, and glasses bundle AND a new flat screen for the bedroom ALL for about half of what we payed about 5 years ago for our other big tv. So, the burn wasn't TOO bad.
Okay...now we made it to Christmas. We are currently enjoying a wonderful holiday with Aaron's family. We had a lovely Christmas yesterday. The kids got some really nice gifts. They both got what they wanted more than anything: for Alec, a spiderman talking action figure and for Emma, a Buzz Lightyear action figure. Hey, it's kind of a doll! They haven't put them down since they opened them.
We are looking forward to seeing more friends this week, and then on to another "Christmas" with my family. The best gift for me is just getting to enjoy down time with our families. I don't have to cook, or clean. I don't have anything to organize right now. I have a moment to blog and drink a nice cup of coffee. My kids are happily playing with their new toys and the people they love. Life is good.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, my friends!
The very second that Nutcracker was struck, I was fully engaged in Angel Tree. I had 10 days from Nutcracker till the Angel Tree party at our church. Now, Angel Tree is also a fair amount of work...but with Angel Tree I know that I am doing something with truly lasting significance. Yes, Nutcracker is a wonderful holiday tradition, and many young dancers are affected by participating, BUT Angel Tree is God's work. And at the party, watching all those kids (43 this year and 22 families, compared to 14 families last year) open gifts- and honestly, the only gifts they will receive for some of them- is an absolutely out of this world joyful experience for me. And 2 things made it even more special this year.
The first was that our church really really took ownership of this ministry this year. Often it seems like only a small percentage of the church population really embrace any given outreach opportunity. But I was blown away by the response from our members this year. We had so many attend the party, love on the families, and just dive in to do whatever needed to be done. And that was a great help to Jess and I. I was especially blessed by several new member families that got really involved and were excited to help out.
The second was the fact that my children were really involved this year, as opposed to being stuck back in the nursery "not getting into anything." This year, they really helped me in a variety of ways with the set up, decorating, and even at the party. It did them good to have a part in giving gifts to the other children. And while they noticed some of the toys and commented about how they liked them...they didn't whine about needing a present to open. It's a good thing for children to experience the joy of giving.
Our Angels got gifts and Bibles and our caregiver families were blessed with giant boxes and bags of TONS of food from our food pantry. I got a lot of hugs and a lot of gratitude from some very overwhelmed peoople.
A few days after the party, the kids and I got to play Santa and take the gifts and food to 3 families that were unable to attend the party. And I actually love getting to do that, because at the party I'm usually running around like a crazy person, and don't get to engage with the families as much as I'd like.
So, here we are. We made it to Christmas. Oh...well...there was Thanksgiving. I managed to completely leave that out, didn't I? Thanksgiving was fantastic. I cooked for a week. And then I roasted my 2nd turkey ever. My family came to our home for T'giving, and we had a really great time. The kids had a blast with their cousin, Kylie. We did a little Black Friday shopping (to replace two tv's. Yes, I said two tv's. One was an old tube tv from our bedroom that was going out. The other was our nice living room 47" Aquos that Alec cracked by throwing a wooden block at. Yup. Life with small children.) But the good news is that we landed a great flat screen led 3D tv, dvd, and glasses bundle AND a new flat screen for the bedroom ALL for about half of what we payed about 5 years ago for our other big tv. So, the burn wasn't TOO bad.
Okay...now we made it to Christmas. We are currently enjoying a wonderful holiday with Aaron's family. We had a lovely Christmas yesterday. The kids got some really nice gifts. They both got what they wanted more than anything: for Alec, a spiderman talking action figure and for Emma, a Buzz Lightyear action figure. Hey, it's kind of a doll! They haven't put them down since they opened them.
We are looking forward to seeing more friends this week, and then on to another "Christmas" with my family. The best gift for me is just getting to enjoy down time with our families. I don't have to cook, or clean. I don't have anything to organize right now. I have a moment to blog and drink a nice cup of coffee. My kids are happily playing with their new toys and the people they love. Life is good.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, my friends!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Ready, Set, Chaos!
I kind of feel like we've been living in a slight state of chaos over the last week or two. Sunday before Halloween, Aaron started demolishing the tile in our foyer. Remember that because of the 8 year leak in our formal dining room, (that was finally fixed last year, but we needed a year to really really believe that it was truly fixed) we needed to replace the flooring in the great room. We decided forever ago on hardwood, and it's just taken this long to decide on which one and when to actually break down and do it.
Aaron wanted to leave the tile in the foyer, at first, and then decided, along with me, that it would look nicer to have all hardwood in the foyer, dining, living room and hallway. It's just that it was such a monumental pain in the rear. Seriously, I don't think I can ask him to do any other "honey do" work for a really really long time. He had to borrow a rotary hammer and chisel away at the tile and mastic. It took days. It was loud, it made the house ridiculously dusty, and it was downright HARD work. I got in there one day, and worked on the adhesive with a cold chisel. I worked an hour and cleared about 3 sq feet. Good grief.
Our friend, Wes, a contractor/builder/knowshowtodoitaller, came last Thursday and started cutting into the wall in the hallway to frame up two new closets. Yeah, that's right. Our builder didn't give us any storage/coat/linen closets in the hallway. Now we're getting two. Oh, I can't tell you how exciting it is to have two new spaces to store clutter! Seriously stoked about that! Friday and Saturday the guys laid the floor, after the foyer was FINALLY cleared of tile crap. I helped Aaron prep the subfloor, pulling up carpet, vacuuming dust, etc.
It is done now, and it looks so so awesome. I'm thrilled with it! We haven't moved back into the living room yet, because we need to touch up the baseboards, but we're almost there. Wes will come Monday to finish the closets with doors and shelves. Drywall is up, taped and mudded. I'll paint this weekend. Here are a few pics of all the fun!
Aaron wanted to leave the tile in the foyer, at first, and then decided, along with me, that it would look nicer to have all hardwood in the foyer, dining, living room and hallway. It's just that it was such a monumental pain in the rear. Seriously, I don't think I can ask him to do any other "honey do" work for a really really long time. He had to borrow a rotary hammer and chisel away at the tile and mastic. It took days. It was loud, it made the house ridiculously dusty, and it was downright HARD work. I got in there one day, and worked on the adhesive with a cold chisel. I worked an hour and cleared about 3 sq feet. Good grief.
Our friend, Wes, a contractor/builder/knowshowtodoitaller, came last Thursday and started cutting into the wall in the hallway to frame up two new closets. Yeah, that's right. Our builder didn't give us any storage/coat/linen closets in the hallway. Now we're getting two. Oh, I can't tell you how exciting it is to have two new spaces to store clutter! Seriously stoked about that! Friday and Saturday the guys laid the floor, after the foyer was FINALLY cleared of tile crap. I helped Aaron prep the subfloor, pulling up carpet, vacuuming dust, etc.
It is done now, and it looks so so awesome. I'm thrilled with it! We haven't moved back into the living room yet, because we need to touch up the baseboards, but we're almost there. Wes will come Monday to finish the closets with doors and shelves. Drywall is up, taped and mudded. I'll paint this weekend. Here are a few pics of all the fun!
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| This first one is of the kids in their Halloween costumes. Spidey and Supergirl. They just so happened to wear these costumes the whole time the work was going on in our house. We went to Lowe's twice dressed like this! |
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| Left of bathroom; Closet will have shelves. |
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| Right of bathroom; closet will be a coat closet. |
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| The foyer and dining room all tarped up. |
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| What a mess! |
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| Daddy's got SKILLS! |
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| DONE! |
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| LOVE IT! |
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| Alec and Emma watching a movie with popcorn whilst all the construction was going on! |
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