I work very hard to model the behavior I would like my children to embed in their delicate little psyches. My success at this endeavor will be weighed largely by how much of their savings goes toward therapy rather than college. However, in spite of my natural swaggering rhythm and rather tense facial expressions, I feel like I'm gaining ground in general. Sure, there are things that seem to hinder this process, but in general, they are delightful little boys who live for two things: the ultimate laugh, and to please us.
So today, when all three boys left their wee brains in their room as we headed out the door, I kept calm. I quietly nudged, whispered, guided and directed. This was modeling the behavior at its best, and by golly, it was good!
It was good for the first thirty, possibly forty incidents. Then I found my vocal chords tensing up a bit, and my lips began to do that weird terse, pokey thing they do when I'm trying very hard not to lay into someone. This is the second day in. a. row. that I've experienced the vocal constriction response, so you know, I was pretty primed.
But I ask you, how long does it take before one realizes that you do not STOP in certain places? You do not stop in the middle of a doorway. You do not stop in the middle of any heavily trodden egress. You do not stop in the narrow, crowded section of a grocery aisle. You do not stop in the middle of the crosswalk. You do not stop and loiter in the little entrance to the cashier's cubicle. There are places to "go" and there are places to "stop", and to be honest, they're all pretty well defined.
But, if the consistency of it all isn't a dead giveaway, how about the adults milling about, staring at you, mouthing words in that foreign language your mother swears you ought to know by now? The man said, "Excuse me, boys," but what, what is it that the boys heard? Their blank expressions gave me neither hint nor glimmer of an answer. *blink* *blink* More nudging, guiding, breathing deeply. We'll be okay if we can just get. to. the. car.
As the boys, in unison (the only time they do anything with a unanimous consensus), stopped directly in the middle of the exit doors at the market, I lost it. The pointy lips began flapping wildly as a stream of unintelligible words came frothing from my general direction. The jist of the lecture being that you know how to behave in public, and I know you know. There are simply some things you don't do, and while you DO know that, if you cannot figure out how to implement this information, then perhaps you need to stay home and I will run errands in the middle of the night, when your father can keep guard at the asylum. Sheesh, these are simple, common things, boys.
"Yes, ma'am." They piled into the Suburban while I, lips still flapping wildly (but really, was I ever talking to anyone but myself?) began to unload the cart into the back.
That's when I felt something on my shoulder. I shrugged, thinking it was just the post-partum mange. But still, something on my shoulder. Sort of tickling. So I looked down, and there, mere centimeters from my eyes, is a spider with a body the size of a US Quarter. Crawling ON my skin. Crawling TOWARD my face.
You know the liturgy of well-defined things you don't do in public? I broke every single one of them. And while I was there, cussing like a sailor, flailing madly and backing away from wherever the monster might be crouching after it's death-defying flicking from my body... I happened to catch a glimpse of something shiny out of the corner of my eye. And I looked up to see...
A man and his wife sitting in their car, in the driving lane, waiting patiently for the insane swearing woman to stop dancing in the lane so they could pass.
Um... yeah. Maybe it's best if we all stay home for a while?
Yeah, I kissed those babies. Very humbling, indeed.
~Dy
Thursday, July 20
Wednesday, July 19
Forever Home Photos - The Living Room
The before photos have been lightened to show detail. It was actually quite a bit darker in there. The wall between the kitchen and living room came down, and that's now where the island is located. The changes opened the place quite nicely, but they also hogged out a lot of the actual "living room space". Then, in addition to moving the "dining room" into the other end of this room (it was originally one long stretch of living room, and the original dining room was what will one day be our school room/reading nook - it's the last room left to do), that left us with a very tiny space for a living room. That's when we started hearing voices, but that's another post.
This is the room as it appeared when we first looked at it. The long, scary hallway is to the left (that door's gone now, and it's just a hallway again). The kitchen/laundry space is to the right, on the other side of the built-in bookcase. That door against the back wall leads to steps that pretend to lead down to the back yard.
A basic shot from the entry, looking in. On the other side of that wall is the kitchen and the washer/dryer set up.
This wall came down pretty easily...
But then there was "the wall of fear", which also, incidentally, came down easily. But it wasn't such a warm and fuzzy feeling when it did. This is the back, exterior wall. The one that sits there, looking so innocent and solid in the first shot. We pulled the paneling and found this:
That is exterior brick peeking through, my friends! There's nothing there but snake sheds and a few unfortunate squirrel remains. Oh, and an old fireplace. (Remember the stove in the basement with the myriad pipes? They led to what was left of this chimney!)And just in case you need a closer look...
We rebuilt the wall, framing it out and jamming it into place. (See the pretty, new white wall there, on the right?) Then, since it was December and as you can see, there was no insulation, we brought up and installed the behemoth stove. The living room stayed like this for quite some time:
This is what nesting looks like when you're renovating. It's not a pretty sight, I know. But if you wanted to know how easy it is to texture walls, well, there ya go.
And now, the living room is about 85% finished.
The space above the back door will be trimmed with a rough hewn board, to give it a litle architectural interest, as well as delineating the change in "spaces": kitchen, living, dining. (We'll mirror that on the opposide doorway leading into the hall.) The door, painted. Eventually it'll be removed, and that opening will be widened to extend into a family room. The space is much easier to use now, and it acts as wonderful overflow seating when the kitchen fills up.
And this one, taken from the entry again. Look, Ma - No Wall! The picture's a bit fuzzy, but you can see the finished paint on the kitchen window. What a difference nice trim makes! Yes, it's frustrating, and yes, I will be complaining about it again in the near future. But when all is said and done, it is worth the effort.
Still a lot of work to do, but it's come a long way toward feeling like Home. Hopefully, I will be able to get the bedroom before and after shots posted before the end of the month. And someday, when we're old and decrepit, we may get to working on the exterior of the place!
Thanks for taking a look!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
This is the room as it appeared when we first looked at it. The long, scary hallway is to the left (that door's gone now, and it's just a hallway again). The kitchen/laundry space is to the right, on the other side of the built-in bookcase. That door against the back wall leads to steps that pretend to lead down to the back yard.
A basic shot from the entry, looking in. On the other side of that wall is the kitchen and the washer/dryer set up.
This wall came down pretty easily...
But then there was "the wall of fear", which also, incidentally, came down easily. But it wasn't such a warm and fuzzy feeling when it did. This is the back, exterior wall. The one that sits there, looking so innocent and solid in the first shot. We pulled the paneling and found this:
That is exterior brick peeking through, my friends! There's nothing there but snake sheds and a few unfortunate squirrel remains. Oh, and an old fireplace. (Remember the stove in the basement with the myriad pipes? They led to what was left of this chimney!)And just in case you need a closer look...
We rebuilt the wall, framing it out and jamming it into place. (See the pretty, new white wall there, on the right?) Then, since it was December and as you can see, there was no insulation, we brought up and installed the behemoth stove. The living room stayed like this for quite some time:
This is what nesting looks like when you're renovating. It's not a pretty sight, I know. But if you wanted to know how easy it is to texture walls, well, there ya go.
And now, the living room is about 85% finished.
The space above the back door will be trimmed with a rough hewn board, to give it a litle architectural interest, as well as delineating the change in "spaces": kitchen, living, dining. (We'll mirror that on the opposide doorway leading into the hall.) The door, painted. Eventually it'll be removed, and that opening will be widened to extend into a family room. The space is much easier to use now, and it acts as wonderful overflow seating when the kitchen fills up.
And this one, taken from the entry again. Look, Ma - No Wall! The picture's a bit fuzzy, but you can see the finished paint on the kitchen window. What a difference nice trim makes! Yes, it's frustrating, and yes, I will be complaining about it again in the near future. But when all is said and done, it is worth the effort.
Still a lot of work to do, but it's come a long way toward feeling like Home. Hopefully, I will be able to get the bedroom before and after shots posted before the end of the month. And someday, when we're old and decrepit, we may get to working on the exterior of the place!
Thanks for taking a look!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Tuesday, July 18
Dining Room Photographs
Well, here it is, the dining room. This is, perhaps, my favorite room. Not that I'm knocking the bath, which was our first encouraging hint that we would not, contrary to our most terrifying nightmares, still be living in a half-baked shack for the rest of our natural lives. I still love the bath. But I really like my spring-grass green walls in the dining room now. It's about as far from the color of mold as you can get and still be green. This is the abridged version of the visuals, mostly because it's late and I haven't the mental integrity to come up with captions for all of the images that belong to this montage. (That, and I just don't want to relive it right now. I hope you understand.)
So, without further ado, I give you The Dining Room:
This was what it looked like when we bought it. Remember, that carpet is supposed to be platinum white, not, as mere visual input would indicate, taupe. Ew. Low ceilings - not much we can do about those. Light-sucking holes there at the end. And you can't see it in this photo, but everything was fuzzy and the smell - if I could somehow get the smell put into a scratch-n-sniff sticker and sent out for everyone to use as they read. Well, I wouldn't. That's just wrong.
And yet, we fell in love with the place... it still boggles the mind. So, we took to gutting it while the weather was still nice enough to keep the children outside. Here it is, as we rip out the walls.
And here, with the source of the smell, all piled up into one stench-filled pile. Have I mentioned that I hate carpet? I mean, I really, really hate carpet. At least, now I do.
I think it was about mid-November that we had the new subfloor in and Zorak found the table. We could allow the children inside the home, now. (Note how incredibly brown Smidge is, there in the middle. That's what happens when you live outside for two months. James is not brown because you must have pigmentation in order to turn brown and he, evidently, has none.) However, everybody can eat inside now! Yippee!
And then, *poof*, *poof*, *poof*, two Federal holidays and one additional child later, we finally have the dining room relatively finished. Still lacking a floor, trim, and a little detail work. But just look at the difference the paint made on those windows! (Imagine what they'll look like when I get around to cleaning the storm windows and screens.) This shot was taken from about the same place as the first image.
This next image is a slightly closer shot, to show off the two little photo-helpers who helped out. Also, to point out that when the dining table and that corner hutch are refinished, they'll be close to the same color as the curtain rod. (Zorak wants me to mention that he does know the rod needs to be trimmed, but that zany wife of his was literally jonesing to hang the curtains now-now-now when he brought the rod home. I've mentioned it.) Also, I'd like to mention that John dressed himself, and I had nothing to do with the sock selection for today. Thank you.
I'll post the living room shots in a separate post. It's late and I have a TON of sleep to catch up on. One of the wonderful things about photographs is that they can help you regain your perspective, and remember what you've done, and why. I think this is true of many things: loved ones, favorite places, and special times; the things and parts of our lives. There is so much beauty to soak up in each area of our lives, but sometimes we need a little reminder about the things that are beautiful. The things that motivate us. The progress we've made, and the growth we've experienced. So while the paint and the drywall and the safe wiring is one thing, I've got to say that this last picture is a better descriptor of what motivates us and makes us smile.
Kiss those babies! And thank you for sharing our Forever Home adventure with us.
~Dy
So, without further ado, I give you The Dining Room:
This was what it looked like when we bought it. Remember, that carpet is supposed to be platinum white, not, as mere visual input would indicate, taupe. Ew. Low ceilings - not much we can do about those. Light-sucking holes there at the end. And you can't see it in this photo, but everything was fuzzy and the smell - if I could somehow get the smell put into a scratch-n-sniff sticker and sent out for everyone to use as they read. Well, I wouldn't. That's just wrong.And yet, we fell in love with the place... it still boggles the mind. So, we took to gutting it while the weather was still nice enough to keep the children outside. Here it is, as we rip out the walls.
And here, with the source of the smell, all piled up into one stench-filled pile. Have I mentioned that I hate carpet? I mean, I really, really hate carpet. At least, now I do.
I think it was about mid-November that we had the new subfloor in and Zorak found the table. We could allow the children inside the home, now. (Note how incredibly brown Smidge is, there in the middle. That's what happens when you live outside for two months. James is not brown because you must have pigmentation in order to turn brown and he, evidently, has none.) However, everybody can eat inside now! Yippee!
And then, *poof*, *poof*, *poof*, two Federal holidays and one additional child later, we finally have the dining room relatively finished. Still lacking a floor, trim, and a little detail work. But just look at the difference the paint made on those windows! (Imagine what they'll look like when I get around to cleaning the storm windows and screens.) This shot was taken from about the same place as the first image.
This next image is a slightly closer shot, to show off the two little photo-helpers who helped out. Also, to point out that when the dining table and that corner hutch are refinished, they'll be close to the same color as the curtain rod. (Zorak wants me to mention that he does know the rod needs to be trimmed, but that zany wife of his was literally jonesing to hang the curtains now-now-now when he brought the rod home. I've mentioned it.) Also, I'd like to mention that John dressed himself, and I had nothing to do with the sock selection for today. Thank you.
I'll post the living room shots in a separate post. It's late and I have a TON of sleep to catch up on. One of the wonderful things about photographs is that they can help you regain your perspective, and remember what you've done, and why. I think this is true of many things: loved ones, favorite places, and special times; the things and parts of our lives. There is so much beauty to soak up in each area of our lives, but sometimes we need a little reminder about the things that are beautiful. The things that motivate us. The progress we've made, and the growth we've experienced. So while the paint and the drywall and the safe wiring is one thing, I've got to say that this last picture is a better descriptor of what motivates us and makes us smile.
Kiss those babies! And thank you for sharing our Forever Home adventure with us.
~Dy
Well, goodness.
I owe someone a "Thank You", but I don't know who!
Have y'all seen the Blogs of Beauty Awards? I've seen the logo around. You know, on other people's blogs. Very lovely, and pretty. They are like gentle paintings, or nice wall sconces - something I'd love to use to adorn my home (virtual or otherwise). But with the construction dust, the herding of cats, the mental exhaustion and the occasional drizzling sarcasm, (not to mention the fact that I don't think I've ever posted anything that really called for accompanying Scripture), I felt very confident that it would take, oh, someone else doing my blogging for me before Classic Adventures was ever mentioned in those circles. Well, then tonight I saw two links over here from over there. Hmmm, being the naturally curious creature I am, I popped over to see how on earth anyone could get here from there.
And there it was! Classic Adventures, nominated for best encourager (general) and best meet for a mocha. I didn't win in either category. Wasn't even a finalist. (The winners are some truly fine bloggers, by the way, and there are a number of great blogs in general. I found the site two hours ago and just got done cruising about!) But what a sweet delight to find our little spot mentioned.
So, to whomever nominated Classic Adventures, thank you! I'm glad you are encouraged here. (I also think it's totally cool that someone would like to meet me for a mocha! How'd you know I like chocolate? Or was it the caffeine?) And I do have one niggling little question - how'd you filter out the Nicene Creed thing? I can't remember mentioning it here, ever, and of course my latest reference to church included referring to our elders as the Spanish Inquisition (which is totally tongue in cheek - our elders are awesome, wonderful men!) Either way, thank you. I don't know who you are, but I hope you see this. You really made me smile this evening.
~Dy
Have y'all seen the Blogs of Beauty Awards? I've seen the logo around. You know, on other people's blogs. Very lovely, and pretty. They are like gentle paintings, or nice wall sconces - something I'd love to use to adorn my home (virtual or otherwise). But with the construction dust, the herding of cats, the mental exhaustion and the occasional drizzling sarcasm, (not to mention the fact that I don't think I've ever posted anything that really called for accompanying Scripture), I felt very confident that it would take, oh, someone else doing my blogging for me before Classic Adventures was ever mentioned in those circles. Well, then tonight I saw two links over here from over there. Hmmm, being the naturally curious creature I am, I popped over to see how on earth anyone could get here from there.
And there it was! Classic Adventures, nominated for best encourager (general) and best meet for a mocha. I didn't win in either category. Wasn't even a finalist. (The winners are some truly fine bloggers, by the way, and there are a number of great blogs in general. I found the site two hours ago and just got done cruising about!) But what a sweet delight to find our little spot mentioned.
So, to whomever nominated Classic Adventures, thank you! I'm glad you are encouraged here. (I also think it's totally cool that someone would like to meet me for a mocha! How'd you know I like chocolate? Or was it the caffeine?) And I do have one niggling little question - how'd you filter out the Nicene Creed thing? I can't remember mentioning it here, ever, and of course my latest reference to church included referring to our elders as the Spanish Inquisition (which is totally tongue in cheek - our elders are awesome, wonderful men!) Either way, thank you. I don't know who you are, but I hope you see this. You really made me smile this evening.
~Dy
Sunday, July 16
And now, it is quiet...
I've got lesson plans set for the morning, then we'll break for some play and exploration time. When it gets hot out, we'll come in and pay homage to this:
The late morning is targeted for a thorough cleaning and sorting on the house. I'm tempted to do something like this:
But we've worked so hard, that it seems a bit rash. *grin* So, instead we'll just put things back in order and get moving again. Ward's bedroom needs texturing and priming, the cabinets need to be put back in order, and that poor little linen closet is patiently awaiting a final coat of paint. Should be a productive day, in all.
Oh, we should probably work on the deck, too...
Ignoring the paneling along the rail (the posts are too far apart to prevent certain toddlers from attempting an aerial assault on the drive below), that limb just didn't do the deck any favors when it performed a triple-axle with a half twist from the top of a tree. I think that's the next project, hopefully this weekend. But it could use some cleaning and prep work first.
Granny and the rest of the gang headed out this morning. They left shortly after the children and I left for church. That seemed to soften the blow a bit for the boys - all the hugs and kisses were shared, and then, before anyone had a chance to really start crying, it was hustle-hustle-hustle into the Suburban and off to Sunday School, which is always a treat. By the time we returned home, there was lunch to be made, adventures to be had, and a trip into town to see friends.
Now, it's quiet. A slightly lonely quiet, but honestly, I think I'm ready. A little routine. A little normalcy. Vacation is wonderful, but I don't think I have the energy to live on Vacation Time all the time. The boys were in bed by nine-fifteen and out cold by nine-thirty, a full hour and a half earlier than any night the last two weeks. Funny how they didn't fight it, either. I think they had a glorious time, but don't think they'll fret much over getting back to our Normal Time. (I misplaced the camera the last few days of the trip, so no photos until somebody takes pity on me and uploads from their cameras.)
And on that note, it's time to hit the hay. Sunup will come far too early, but I've got to get a jump start on the morning before the boys are up!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The late morning is targeted for a thorough cleaning and sorting on the house. I'm tempted to do something like this:
But we've worked so hard, that it seems a bit rash. *grin* So, instead we'll just put things back in order and get moving again. Ward's bedroom needs texturing and priming, the cabinets need to be put back in order, and that poor little linen closet is patiently awaiting a final coat of paint. Should be a productive day, in all.
Oh, we should probably work on the deck, too...
Ignoring the paneling along the rail (the posts are too far apart to prevent certain toddlers from attempting an aerial assault on the drive below), that limb just didn't do the deck any favors when it performed a triple-axle with a half twist from the top of a tree. I think that's the next project, hopefully this weekend. But it could use some cleaning and prep work first.
Granny and the rest of the gang headed out this morning. They left shortly after the children and I left for church. That seemed to soften the blow a bit for the boys - all the hugs and kisses were shared, and then, before anyone had a chance to really start crying, it was hustle-hustle-hustle into the Suburban and off to Sunday School, which is always a treat. By the time we returned home, there was lunch to be made, adventures to be had, and a trip into town to see friends.
Now, it's quiet. A slightly lonely quiet, but honestly, I think I'm ready. A little routine. A little normalcy. Vacation is wonderful, but I don't think I have the energy to live on Vacation Time all the time. The boys were in bed by nine-fifteen and out cold by nine-thirty, a full hour and a half earlier than any night the last two weeks. Funny how they didn't fight it, either. I think they had a glorious time, but don't think they'll fret much over getting back to our Normal Time. (I misplaced the camera the last few days of the trip, so no photos until somebody takes pity on me and uploads from their cameras.)
And on that note, it's time to hit the hay. Sunup will come far too early, but I've got to get a jump start on the morning before the boys are up!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, July 14
Um, hi!
It's almost noon, and I've not had nearly enough coffee just yet, so this may be a bit disjointed.
Zorak and his brother spent the night on the boat the other night. They moored halfway between the bank and the channel (thus avoiding the unpleasant event of being awoken by a barge slamming into the boat at five in the morning, yet still getting far enough off the bank to avoid a good portion of the 'skeeters.) The next morning's run was hectic, but everybody loaded onto the boat with muffins and jams and strawberry cider for breakfast while Zorak drove me into town to the dentist.
Ow. I completely underestimated a tooth removal. Somehow, I'd had it in my head that it was similar to a root canal. Funny, funny Dy. Um, no. But all went well and I've got to go see another torture professional next week for the replacement parts. The swelling should go down someday, and thanks to Miss Emily's diet, the narcotics offered to me weren't an option. Tempting, but still not an option. We went back to the ramp and met the boat around noon. I laid down and slept peacefully to the rythmic thump and thud of small children leaping from port to starboard. Once in a while, I had to scootch about a bit to get my head back out of the sun, but that's not bad. Life on a houseboat sounds rather appealing...
Mid-afternoon, we pulled into a neat little cove, where everyone swam and explored. Zorak cooked up a pile of various things on sticks, and everybody ate their fill. By five o'clock, the palest folks had tested the outer limits of the 40SPF sunscreen, the smallest folks had run off their energy reserves, and the older folks, well, we were just plain pooped. So we docked the boat and came home for showers and... and I don't know what everyone else did, but Miss Emily and I passed out around six-thirty.
Since we pretty well fried the girls yesterday, and would like to avoid their mother's wrath as much as possible, we decided they'd best not to go swimming today. So, everybody's going to see the latest Jack Sparrow flick this afternoon. I wanna go, too, but somebody needs to stay with the wee ones. Smidge, Miss Emily and I are going to go visiting with friends and relax a bit in the relative quiet.
Should be good stuff.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Zorak and his brother spent the night on the boat the other night. They moored halfway between the bank and the channel (thus avoiding the unpleasant event of being awoken by a barge slamming into the boat at five in the morning, yet still getting far enough off the bank to avoid a good portion of the 'skeeters.) The next morning's run was hectic, but everybody loaded onto the boat with muffins and jams and strawberry cider for breakfast while Zorak drove me into town to the dentist.
Ow. I completely underestimated a tooth removal. Somehow, I'd had it in my head that it was similar to a root canal. Funny, funny Dy. Um, no. But all went well and I've got to go see another torture professional next week for the replacement parts. The swelling should go down someday, and thanks to Miss Emily's diet, the narcotics offered to me weren't an option. Tempting, but still not an option. We went back to the ramp and met the boat around noon. I laid down and slept peacefully to the rythmic thump and thud of small children leaping from port to starboard. Once in a while, I had to scootch about a bit to get my head back out of the sun, but that's not bad. Life on a houseboat sounds rather appealing...
Mid-afternoon, we pulled into a neat little cove, where everyone swam and explored. Zorak cooked up a pile of various things on sticks, and everybody ate their fill. By five o'clock, the palest folks had tested the outer limits of the 40SPF sunscreen, the smallest folks had run off their energy reserves, and the older folks, well, we were just plain pooped. So we docked the boat and came home for showers and... and I don't know what everyone else did, but Miss Emily and I passed out around six-thirty.
Since we pretty well fried the girls yesterday, and would like to avoid their mother's wrath as much as possible, we decided they'd best not to go swimming today. So, everybody's going to see the latest Jack Sparrow flick this afternoon. I wanna go, too, but somebody needs to stay with the wee ones. Smidge, Miss Emily and I are going to go visiting with friends and relax a bit in the relative quiet.
Should be good stuff.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, July 13
Hey, it's a 2AM blogging!
We're having a fantastic time with our company. Particularly, I believe, when you consider the mind-boggling logistics of navigating around the schedules, preferences, and communication patterns of eleven people. We're doin' pretty well.
I really love blogging in the middle of the night. The house is quiet, the children aren't being neglected in order to gain computer time, and the coffee pot is mine, all mine! (That, and I have some strange disorder that will not allow me to just turn the pot off and go. to. bed. No, if there is still coffee in the pot and nobody else is going to drink it, I cannot leave it there. Just can't do it, sorry.) So tonight, I was going to spend a good, lengthy time recounting all the interesting tidbits that have transpired the last few days.
However, the phone just rang - yes, at two in the morning - it was one of the girls, calling to say they can't sleep.
Now, it's not that our nieces are strange young ladies who enjoy phoning relatives in the middle of the night to share their insomnia. It's just that we rented a boat today and the girls thought it might be fun to camp out on the river. Seems the 'skeeters thought that was mighty generous of them, though, and the girls have decided perhaps it's best to run for the shore while they still have enough blood left in them to think straight. Zorak just pulled out to rescue them - he may stay on the boat. Miss Emily and I may slather on the 'skeeter repellent and join him. Then, too, he may just tie the thing to a stump and pray for calm weather 'til after breakfast! I guess we'll know in a little while.
One benefit of having a house full of engineers: all your broken things get fixed! So far, between Ward, Creighton (brother-in-law) and Zorak, our coffee pot no longer leaks, the handle on the cooler will once again retract, and we think we know what's wrong with the Suburban. It doesn't get much better than this. I may just do a round of laundry for everyone tomorrow - on me! (Hey, when you don't go to a bar, you make do.)
Our nieces, who, by our recollections, ought to be a mere four and six years old, are actually quite enjoyable fourteen and sixteen year old girls - and we're so enjoying them. They're a little quiet, and I sometimes wonder just how badly we may rattle them with our noise and antics and unrepentant giggling over admittedly sophomoric bodily functions. Probably won't do any long-term scarring, at least. That's good. But we're enjoying them a great deal.
And I do believe I hear a car pulling up the drive, so I'm off to find out the status of the situation. Will talk to y'all later~
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
I really love blogging in the middle of the night. The house is quiet, the children aren't being neglected in order to gain computer time, and the coffee pot is mine, all mine! (That, and I have some strange disorder that will not allow me to just turn the pot off and go. to. bed. No, if there is still coffee in the pot and nobody else is going to drink it, I cannot leave it there. Just can't do it, sorry.) So tonight, I was going to spend a good, lengthy time recounting all the interesting tidbits that have transpired the last few days.
However, the phone just rang - yes, at two in the morning - it was one of the girls, calling to say they can't sleep.
Now, it's not that our nieces are strange young ladies who enjoy phoning relatives in the middle of the night to share their insomnia. It's just that we rented a boat today and the girls thought it might be fun to camp out on the river. Seems the 'skeeters thought that was mighty generous of them, though, and the girls have decided perhaps it's best to run for the shore while they still have enough blood left in them to think straight. Zorak just pulled out to rescue them - he may stay on the boat. Miss Emily and I may slather on the 'skeeter repellent and join him. Then, too, he may just tie the thing to a stump and pray for calm weather 'til after breakfast! I guess we'll know in a little while.
One benefit of having a house full of engineers: all your broken things get fixed! So far, between Ward, Creighton (brother-in-law) and Zorak, our coffee pot no longer leaks, the handle on the cooler will once again retract, and we think we know what's wrong with the Suburban. It doesn't get much better than this. I may just do a round of laundry for everyone tomorrow - on me! (Hey, when you don't go to a bar, you make do.)
Our nieces, who, by our recollections, ought to be a mere four and six years old, are actually quite enjoyable fourteen and sixteen year old girls - and we're so enjoying them. They're a little quiet, and I sometimes wonder just how badly we may rattle them with our noise and antics and unrepentant giggling over admittedly sophomoric bodily functions. Probably won't do any long-term scarring, at least. That's good. But we're enjoying them a great deal.
And I do believe I hear a car pulling up the drive, so I'm off to find out the status of the situation. Will talk to y'all later~
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, July 10
Welcome to the Family
This Sunday, Miss Emily was brought into the covenant family.
Pastor didn't pour water three times over her, as was done with the other boys. Just once in this ceremony. When I mentioned this at supper, my brother-in-law (father of two wonderful girls, himself) said that's because boys need the extra washing. ;-)
We did a quick scramble to get all the ends tied up nice and quick so that she could be baptized while her namesake could attend. (Can you tell they're enjoying one another?)
And here she is with her GodPapa, Mr. Ward.
The boys were proud to be there, and we had a heck of a time keeping everyone facing somewhat forward for pictures. I'll have to edit some, as our neices are in most of them and I don't have their Mama's permission to post their images. However, here's a cute one of Miss Em and Her Guys. (Note how both boys made sure they are touching her. That's our pastor, holding Emily.)
We're having a lovely visit, and got some great pictures to share, but the computer is still in the guest room and that means there's no two AM blogging. It's way too busy to blog during the day (right now my online banking isn't working, so I'm goofing off on allotted time *grin*), but am thinking of y'all and hoping everyone is having a Very Nice Summer Week.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Pastor didn't pour water three times over her, as was done with the other boys. Just once in this ceremony. When I mentioned this at supper, my brother-in-law (father of two wonderful girls, himself) said that's because boys need the extra washing. ;-) We did a quick scramble to get all the ends tied up nice and quick so that she could be baptized while her namesake could attend. (Can you tell they're enjoying one another?)
And here she is with her GodPapa, Mr. Ward.
The boys were proud to be there, and we had a heck of a time keeping everyone facing somewhat forward for pictures. I'll have to edit some, as our neices are in most of them and I don't have their Mama's permission to post their images. However, here's a cute one of Miss Em and Her Guys. (Note how both boys made sure they are touching her. That's our pastor, holding Emily.)
We're having a lovely visit, and got some great pictures to share, but the computer is still in the guest room and that means there's no two AM blogging. It's way too busy to blog during the day (right now my online banking isn't working, so I'm goofing off on allotted time *grin*), but am thinking of y'all and hoping everyone is having a Very Nice Summer Week.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, July 8
Visiting Time
Visiting Time runs differently than Regular Time, or School Time, or even Christmas Time (which, we all know, runs at one speed for adults and at another for children - truly, the most unique time of all!) But Visiting Time is different altogether than any other Time.
Mornings linger longer and then vanish completely, seemingly without warning. There is no steady progression of time from waking to noon. Days become somewhat superfluous, as if today being Thursday or Saturday really mattered to begin with. Meals seem to anchor the days, and aside from the late night dragging of bodies to bed, become the only time to gauge the actual passing of time.
Visiting Time is a slower time. A pot of coffee may disappear in the blink of an eye, but an entire morning will pass before anyone thinks to head out or be productive. The gaunt expressions of the children generally trigger a quick time check... and breakfast.
Visiting Time is a time for sharing stories. Sometimes the stories are new. Often, they are old favorites, retold for newcomers to the porch, or shared again simply for the warmth and humor they impart. They become more interesting when told through two or three perspectives, the convolutions growing deeper and more insightful as the story progresses.
Visiting Time is a time to sit back and really watch your children. Since there is no schedule to keep, you sit back and see them through the eyes of your visitors. And you realize that these little people truly are just as neat as you thought, but sometimes forgot. They're also bound to surprise you with some new trick, or comment, or behavior, now that you're paying attention.
Visiting Time is a time to share favorite recipes, call in requests for new ones, and break out the good china. Or the paper plates. It really doesn't matter, because it's not about the things; it's about the time.
Visiting Time goes way too quickly, when your visitors are wonderful.
Mornings linger longer and then vanish completely, seemingly without warning. There is no steady progression of time from waking to noon. Days become somewhat superfluous, as if today being Thursday or Saturday really mattered to begin with. Meals seem to anchor the days, and aside from the late night dragging of bodies to bed, become the only time to gauge the actual passing of time.
Visiting Time is a slower time. A pot of coffee may disappear in the blink of an eye, but an entire morning will pass before anyone thinks to head out or be productive. The gaunt expressions of the children generally trigger a quick time check... and breakfast.
Visiting Time is a time for sharing stories. Sometimes the stories are new. Often, they are old favorites, retold for newcomers to the porch, or shared again simply for the warmth and humor they impart. They become more interesting when told through two or three perspectives, the convolutions growing deeper and more insightful as the story progresses.
Visiting Time is a time to sit back and really watch your children. Since there is no schedule to keep, you sit back and see them through the eyes of your visitors. And you realize that these little people truly are just as neat as you thought, but sometimes forgot. They're also bound to surprise you with some new trick, or comment, or behavior, now that you're paying attention.
Visiting Time is a time to share favorite recipes, call in requests for new ones, and break out the good china. Or the paper plates. It really doesn't matter, because it's not about the things; it's about the time.
Visiting Time goes way too quickly, when your visitors are wonderful.
Thursday, July 6
What a great feeling!
We actually got the house down to 72' yesterday evening. While that was a bit too chilly, even for us, it felt good to do it, anyway. The inside of the Forever Home is now a climate-controlled 79', and the difference is amazing. Not just the temperature, but the humidity! Our new little condensate pump is earning its keep pretty pronto! Yay!
The boys set off fireworks in the front yard with Zorak and Mr. Ward (boys and big boys, I suppose - something about noise and fire that speaks to the very heart of many generations of men). Granny kept to the living room with Miss Emily and Balto - both of whom were none too thrilled with the noises, lights, and smells of fireworks. (Melora, I think Balto would've loved to have had some of Bo's stash of nerve-calming goodies! Poor nervous little thing.) I took some pictures, but mostly just wandered into the house... ahhh... back out onto the porch... back into the house... ahhhhh... back out... in... ahhh... I think I walked twelve miles last night. And you know, it felt wonderful to come inside every. single. time.
Today, we've all had more energy than we've had in ages. The house has been tidied, meals prepared and eaten, wash done (and dried! woohoo!), and yet nobody's coated in a salty, dried-sweat crust. Miss Emily's hair, what little she has, is quite pretty when it isn't encapsulated in sweat beads. It's actually fluffy! Mr. Ward keeps teasing me that now I'll be getting all uppity, since I have a washer and a/c. Admittedly, I do feel pretty darned spoiled, but I figure I'll whip up a tasty supper tonight and a cool, homestyle dessert to quell any rumors right away. *grin*
That means I, erm, need to go buy some meat at the market, and um... yeah. Better get on that!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The boys set off fireworks in the front yard with Zorak and Mr. Ward (boys and big boys, I suppose - something about noise and fire that speaks to the very heart of many generations of men). Granny kept to the living room with Miss Emily and Balto - both of whom were none too thrilled with the noises, lights, and smells of fireworks. (Melora, I think Balto would've loved to have had some of Bo's stash of nerve-calming goodies! Poor nervous little thing.) I took some pictures, but mostly just wandered into the house... ahhh... back out onto the porch... back into the house... ahhhhh... back out... in... ahhh... I think I walked twelve miles last night. And you know, it felt wonderful to come inside every. single. time.
Today, we've all had more energy than we've had in ages. The house has been tidied, meals prepared and eaten, wash done (and dried! woohoo!), and yet nobody's coated in a salty, dried-sweat crust. Miss Emily's hair, what little she has, is quite pretty when it isn't encapsulated in sweat beads. It's actually fluffy! Mr. Ward keeps teasing me that now I'll be getting all uppity, since I have a washer and a/c. Admittedly, I do feel pretty darned spoiled, but I figure I'll whip up a tasty supper tonight and a cool, homestyle dessert to quell any rumors right away. *grin*
That means I, erm, need to go buy some meat at the market, and um... yeah. Better get on that!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Tuesday, July 4
Not Dead (yet)
Hello, hello!
Well, the company we expected to arrive Saturday evening called from the corner market in the morning. That slowed us down, but we had a great time visiting, and had an extra set of hands to help get the place ready for our company arriving on Monday.
Until, that is, they pulled up Saturday evening!
So, we've done a lot of visiting and working, but not much downtime the past few days. The ductwork wasn't completed and ready for HVAC Guy to pick up until yesterday afternoon, so it will be tomorrow before we get the a/c hooked up. Talk about trial by fire: we've peaked 100' at least once since our company arrived! Boy, does that feel inhospitable. But thankfully, our company is gracious and has borne the discomfort without much fuss.
You've never seen three happier children, though, than when Granny climbed out of her car Saturday! We were out in the yard, enjoying the cool evening breeze. The boys had their bikes out. Smidge was doing his best to keep up on his little trike. Mr. Ward had the air compressor out and was running pit crew. Balto just ran from boy to adult, basking in the head rubs and energy. Then a strange car pulled up. And Granny got out - that's when chaos hit full steam!
John just about killed himself trying to get off his bike - first, he tipped it over, then he got his foot caught trying to get up. He finally extricated his foot, but left his boot behind. By the time he got himself put back together, she was halfway across the yard.
Smidge was so excited, he didn't know what to do. He'd run toward her, screaming, "Granny! My Granny at MY home!" Then it would hit him, and he'd run back to the porch to tell us that his Granny was at HIS home. He'd do a little dance, then realize he hadn't hugged her yet and off he'd go, making it part way across the yard and then back to the porch. The whole time, giggling and yelling and announcing that Granny was actually HERE!
James wanted to show whomever it was that had arrived his new bike tricks, so he was way at the top of the upper meadow before she got out of the car. Once he started down, he realized who it was and, well, that kind of excitement will sure mess up your ability to steer. Straight into the swing set, he went. He had an easier time of it removing himself from the wreckage, but was about as conflicted as Smidge as to whether to salvage the show and greet her with an impressive display, or toss it for now and go hang on Granny.
In the end, it was a wonderful evening, filled with lightning bugs and biking, iced tea and good company. It was the kind of thing we wanted this house to offer, and it does.
We'll be heading out to a party at church here in a bit. The boys are out with Granny, buying fireworks. (That's a lot like sending me to buy tomatoes and beer, but she's been a trooper about it.) Zorak and Mr. Ward are putting the finishing touches on the HVAC system so it will be ready to roll in the morning.
Sears called to confirm our "Special Delivery" tomorrow - they'll be here in the afternoon. I may wash things that don't even need washing, just for fun!
Have a splendid and wonderful Fourth of July! Give thanks for the blessings in your life, and as always, kiss those babies!
~Dy
Well, the company we expected to arrive Saturday evening called from the corner market in the morning. That slowed us down, but we had a great time visiting, and had an extra set of hands to help get the place ready for our company arriving on Monday.
Until, that is, they pulled up Saturday evening!
So, we've done a lot of visiting and working, but not much downtime the past few days. The ductwork wasn't completed and ready for HVAC Guy to pick up until yesterday afternoon, so it will be tomorrow before we get the a/c hooked up. Talk about trial by fire: we've peaked 100' at least once since our company arrived! Boy, does that feel inhospitable. But thankfully, our company is gracious and has borne the discomfort without much fuss.
You've never seen three happier children, though, than when Granny climbed out of her car Saturday! We were out in the yard, enjoying the cool evening breeze. The boys had their bikes out. Smidge was doing his best to keep up on his little trike. Mr. Ward had the air compressor out and was running pit crew. Balto just ran from boy to adult, basking in the head rubs and energy. Then a strange car pulled up. And Granny got out - that's when chaos hit full steam!
John just about killed himself trying to get off his bike - first, he tipped it over, then he got his foot caught trying to get up. He finally extricated his foot, but left his boot behind. By the time he got himself put back together, she was halfway across the yard.
Smidge was so excited, he didn't know what to do. He'd run toward her, screaming, "Granny! My Granny at MY home!" Then it would hit him, and he'd run back to the porch to tell us that his Granny was at HIS home. He'd do a little dance, then realize he hadn't hugged her yet and off he'd go, making it part way across the yard and then back to the porch. The whole time, giggling and yelling and announcing that Granny was actually HERE!
James wanted to show whomever it was that had arrived his new bike tricks, so he was way at the top of the upper meadow before she got out of the car. Once he started down, he realized who it was and, well, that kind of excitement will sure mess up your ability to steer. Straight into the swing set, he went. He had an easier time of it removing himself from the wreckage, but was about as conflicted as Smidge as to whether to salvage the show and greet her with an impressive display, or toss it for now and go hang on Granny.
In the end, it was a wonderful evening, filled with lightning bugs and biking, iced tea and good company. It was the kind of thing we wanted this house to offer, and it does.
We'll be heading out to a party at church here in a bit. The boys are out with Granny, buying fireworks. (That's a lot like sending me to buy tomatoes and beer, but she's been a trooper about it.) Zorak and Mr. Ward are putting the finishing touches on the HVAC system so it will be ready to roll in the morning.
Sears called to confirm our "Special Delivery" tomorrow - they'll be here in the afternoon. I may wash things that don't even need washing, just for fun!
Have a splendid and wonderful Fourth of July! Give thanks for the blessings in your life, and as always, kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, June 29
Ahoy!
Jill mused a while back about the naval theme that her family has taken on, and it made me chuckle. The boys, naturally, asked what was so funny. And there, true to form, we wandered off the deep end - thus accomplishing nothing on the house, but engaging in fun forms of ship-speak for the next hour or so. Last night at supper, I heard, "Mom, the dressing stands by you." I looked up to see an impish little grin, and what could I do but laugh? (Well, and then explain to Zorak what we were giggling over.) We love to hear things like this pop up in their dialogue, as it's more proof that they *do* listen. After all, what are our children picking up when we aren't taking the time to be the ones talking with them?
And this delightful life of ours is about to crank up the pace for a few days! TONS of stuff to do: wiring, texturing, cleaning, hanging, sorting, nailing, trimming, and general readiness prep. Miss Emily won't sleep (teething tablets to the rescue!). The boys are thoroughly enjoying their lessons... to the detriment of any actual scheduling attempts on my part. Zorak's feeling a bit under the weather, and scratched his eye doing who-knows-what. (Safety goggles, Love! Sexy as they are, they're not just a fashion statement!) I go in tomorrow for a follow-up visit with my doctor (to show her that, no, I'm not suffering from some parentally-induced malaise, and yes, I still love and care for *gasp*, all four of my children.) Balto dog is due for more Frontline (ew!) so he goes in at two tomorrow. Sheetrock goes up tomorrow morning, and then it's texture-texture-texture like the wind! (I don't believe I've mentioned how bizarre it feels to walk out of the bathroom now and see, not plastic sheeting and dark, lurking forms behind it, but an open doorway and subfloor - and the window! We haven't seen that window since Christmas! Zorak and I both cringe involuntarily, then relax visibly every time we pass that doorway.)
And, it's really kinda still warm out. (Euphemism alert!!)
After a two-day wait with no call back, I called Sears again. Nobody knows anything about the missing return call, but the lady I spoke with said the laundry center isn't even scheduled to arrive in Huntsville until the wee hours of the fifth. *sigh* At least I have an answer, now. But that's okay - it's less than a week away! Yippee!
Our lessons today went quickly - we did them in our room, where Miss Emily could roam the bed without getting rug burns on her forehead and the boys could curl up and enjoy some snuggles among the phonics drills, Latin chants, and encyclopedia entries. I think James did his math under the couch cushions, or at least that's what it looked like. All I could see were his legs. John did his under the dining table. So, math, Latin, and earthquake awareness; check! Sounds like a good day, to me.
And now, everyone has been fed. Again. We need to knock out Smidge, put up some laundry, and then James and I hope to play our long-awaited game of chess (he's going to cream me). Hopefully, we can get a dresser this weekend and deal with some of the clutter. Yes, the same dresser we've been hoping to purchase for a month, now. Don't hold your breath. We only prepared for two children, so we're winging it on pretty much all fronts at this point.
Tonight's blogging will probably be a little light on content (as opposed to the deeply thought-provoking, content-rich blogging I've been doing lately *snort*). I need a little fun brain-break for a bit.
So, kiss those babies (and talk to them)!
~Dy
And this delightful life of ours is about to crank up the pace for a few days! TONS of stuff to do: wiring, texturing, cleaning, hanging, sorting, nailing, trimming, and general readiness prep. Miss Emily won't sleep (teething tablets to the rescue!). The boys are thoroughly enjoying their lessons... to the detriment of any actual scheduling attempts on my part. Zorak's feeling a bit under the weather, and scratched his eye doing who-knows-what. (Safety goggles, Love! Sexy as they are, they're not just a fashion statement!) I go in tomorrow for a follow-up visit with my doctor (to show her that, no, I'm not suffering from some parentally-induced malaise, and yes, I still love and care for *gasp*, all four of my children.) Balto dog is due for more Frontline (ew!) so he goes in at two tomorrow. Sheetrock goes up tomorrow morning, and then it's texture-texture-texture like the wind! (I don't believe I've mentioned how bizarre it feels to walk out of the bathroom now and see, not plastic sheeting and dark, lurking forms behind it, but an open doorway and subfloor - and the window! We haven't seen that window since Christmas! Zorak and I both cringe involuntarily, then relax visibly every time we pass that doorway.)
And, it's really kinda still warm out. (Euphemism alert!!)
After a two-day wait with no call back, I called Sears again. Nobody knows anything about the missing return call, but the lady I spoke with said the laundry center isn't even scheduled to arrive in Huntsville until the wee hours of the fifth. *sigh* At least I have an answer, now. But that's okay - it's less than a week away! Yippee!
Our lessons today went quickly - we did them in our room, where Miss Emily could roam the bed without getting rug burns on her forehead and the boys could curl up and enjoy some snuggles among the phonics drills, Latin chants, and encyclopedia entries. I think James did his math under the couch cushions, or at least that's what it looked like. All I could see were his legs. John did his under the dining table. So, math, Latin, and earthquake awareness; check! Sounds like a good day, to me.
And now, everyone has been fed. Again. We need to knock out Smidge, put up some laundry, and then James and I hope to play our long-awaited game of chess (he's going to cream me). Hopefully, we can get a dresser this weekend and deal with some of the clutter. Yes, the same dresser we've been hoping to purchase for a month, now. Don't hold your breath. We only prepared for two children, so we're winging it on pretty much all fronts at this point.
Tonight's blogging will probably be a little light on content (as opposed to the deeply thought-provoking, content-rich blogging I've been doing lately *snort*). I need a little fun brain-break for a bit.
So, kiss those babies (and talk to them)!
~Dy
Tuesday, June 27
So Close We Can Taste It
HVAC Guy worked from nine until almost two. In that time, he accomplished quite a lot: the units are set, the lines are run, and measurements are taken. (OK, it doesn't look like much in writing. Maybe I've left something out - to be honest, we didn't bone up for the test on this part because, well, we didn't have to! Kind of nice for a change, to be honest.) He left a list of things we do need to get done before he comes back with the fabricated parts. But the good thing is that he said it may be the end of this week. Wouldn't that be heavenly? Of course, operative phrase is "may be", but I'll go with delirum for a thousand, please. I'm good with that.
It's so interesting to see the difference in working with him vs. the other people we spoke with - not only in that he is a small business owner rather than an employee for a larger corporation, but in that he saw the house last fall, before we bought it. He's almost as excited as we are about the changes. :-D I think I'd rather spend a week in a room of angry two-year olds than have to do an entire remodel using contractors for every step of it. But the few times we've had to work with someone, we've been fortunate to have great ones on our team. He has worked with us, and our schedule, and our poor communication skills *ahem, cough, cough* without ever getting snarky or raising the price on us mid-stream.
I called Sears today to find out if our laundry center will be in the vicinity before the fifth. If it is, then we'll go ahead and pick it up rather than wait for the fifth for delivery. We're using our own power cord, so they won't install it, anyway. Why wait? After thirty minutes on the phone with Sears, being transferred to random departments throughout the store (including women's apparel and tools), the verdict was that "Jennifer", presumably from appliances, will look into it and call me back to let me know. Never heard back, but I have hope. And that hope makes me giddy!
Zorak's Mom and Brother will head our way in a few days. Brother will drop her off with us, then head to PA to get his girls and bring them back. They plan to stay for a week or so. Looks like it's time to slip back into Host Mode, which is always a nice treat. They'd like to see the Caverns and the Gardens, and we'll probably do the boat excursion. Granny loves to hit the junk shops (and the boys, I am proud to say, have mastered the fine art of knowing when it's a "junk shop" and when you really ought to call it an "antique shop" - Granny will be so proud! *sniff*) The boys will be thrilled to have Granny at hand again. We cannot wait to see the girls. They're 14 and 16 now, and although in our minds they are still just 4 and 6, they've grown into fine young ladies who are a joy to be around.
I talked to the Aunts on Sunday and they said Gram is doing wonderfully. She's home, recovering, and growing stronger each day. Gram was resting when I called, and I'd planned to call back in the afternoon to talk to her, but I hate disturbing her rest. Even if she's just laying down, she's getting some rest, and she's probably going to need a lion's share of it over the next week or so. In the meantime, however, it's so encouraging to know she is recovering so well!
Tomorrow starts our church's summer Wednesday program. Looks like fun, and it's scheduled for the hot, hot afternoon hours. Ohhhh, twist my arm, folks! I get to hang out, in an air conditioned building, for two and a half hours while my children enjoy fellowship and all that crafty, energetic stuff I can't quite pull off? And there'll be snacks? What a delightful idea!
Kiss those sweet babies!
~Dy
It's so interesting to see the difference in working with him vs. the other people we spoke with - not only in that he is a small business owner rather than an employee for a larger corporation, but in that he saw the house last fall, before we bought it. He's almost as excited as we are about the changes. :-D I think I'd rather spend a week in a room of angry two-year olds than have to do an entire remodel using contractors for every step of it. But the few times we've had to work with someone, we've been fortunate to have great ones on our team. He has worked with us, and our schedule, and our poor communication skills *ahem, cough, cough* without ever getting snarky or raising the price on us mid-stream.
I called Sears today to find out if our laundry center will be in the vicinity before the fifth. If it is, then we'll go ahead and pick it up rather than wait for the fifth for delivery. We're using our own power cord, so they won't install it, anyway. Why wait? After thirty minutes on the phone with Sears, being transferred to random departments throughout the store (including women's apparel and tools), the verdict was that "Jennifer", presumably from appliances, will look into it and call me back to let me know. Never heard back, but I have hope. And that hope makes me giddy!
Zorak's Mom and Brother will head our way in a few days. Brother will drop her off with us, then head to PA to get his girls and bring them back. They plan to stay for a week or so. Looks like it's time to slip back into Host Mode, which is always a nice treat. They'd like to see the Caverns and the Gardens, and we'll probably do the boat excursion. Granny loves to hit the junk shops (and the boys, I am proud to say, have mastered the fine art of knowing when it's a "junk shop" and when you really ought to call it an "antique shop" - Granny will be so proud! *sniff*) The boys will be thrilled to have Granny at hand again. We cannot wait to see the girls. They're 14 and 16 now, and although in our minds they are still just 4 and 6, they've grown into fine young ladies who are a joy to be around.
I talked to the Aunts on Sunday and they said Gram is doing wonderfully. She's home, recovering, and growing stronger each day. Gram was resting when I called, and I'd planned to call back in the afternoon to talk to her, but I hate disturbing her rest. Even if she's just laying down, she's getting some rest, and she's probably going to need a lion's share of it over the next week or so. In the meantime, however, it's so encouraging to know she is recovering so well!
Tomorrow starts our church's summer Wednesday program. Looks like fun, and it's scheduled for the hot, hot afternoon hours. Ohhhh, twist my arm, folks! I get to hang out, in an air conditioned building, for two and a half hours while my children enjoy fellowship and all that crafty, energetic stuff I can't quite pull off? And there'll be snacks? What a delightful idea!
Kiss those sweet babies!
~Dy
He's HERE!
HVAC man is here! There are two beautiful, shiny new units being set as I type! Oh, JOY!
Dy
Dy
Monday, June 26
Day... whatever, I've lost count
The children and I stayed home (again) today. We waited. And waited. And waited. No HVAC guy. hmmm. Well, alrighty, then. Zorak did get through to him in the late afternoon, to find that he plans to be out tomorrow morning. (As opposed to this morning, or Saturday morning, or even last Friday morning... well, I'm not saving him any coffee. He can durned well bring his own.) To be fair to HVAC guy, Zorak's not the most detailed conversationalist when it comes to hammering out plans. Great engineer, wonderful husband... not so much on the communication end. About the only thing I can say with absolute certainty is that I will never know what happened.
Lessons are moving right along with all the fluid motion you can expect with four children. Yes, some days it's choppy like a lake in a storm. Today was relatively smooth. We did Bouncing Narrations, which are always fun. I read. They narrate. For each accurate point they make in their narrations, I let them bounce off my bed. This is why we never rented a second-floor apartment!
Smidge has become quite a list-maker, and self-proclaimed organizer. So, while I'm bringing water to the table, he's shouting, "Pray! A'er cord! Juice! Raymoose! ROOOARRR! Straw! ROOOARRR! A'er cord! Ooo, ooo, ooo JUICE!" (To translate the less-than-clear bits: "a'er cord" is "AllerChord", the drops the boys all take; ROOOARRR is "vitamins" - they're shaped like dinosaurs, of course.) It's like being dictated to by a drunk. A really, really cute drunk.
Oh, and things I overheard today from the other two:
John: "Watch out, Smidge! I'm about to impress Emily!"
James: (after a particularly loud crash) "No, we're good. Nothing's broken. Well, we need a new plate for the scale. And this time, use the two-ton epoxy."
They make me smile.
The house is nearly ready for company, which is good, because a friend of Zorak's leaves Arizona tomorrow to come look for a home. Yeah, tomorrow. Coming our way. Nothing like a good head's up that company's coming, right? (Again, I'm looking closely at Zorak for this - how do you fail to mention when out-of-state company will be arriving this week? Oh, well, at least I've got tomorrow to get the guest room ready. You know, while we wait for the HVAC guy...)
Tonight calls for a little music, a little coffee, and more cleaning! So, while I'd rather stay on and play, I suppose I'll go do something productive. The boys requested oats for breakfast, and chai tea. So at least there's nominal prep work for the morning. I love that they can formulate menus they enjoy, and that the foods are mostly identifiable and provably edible. This is one of those things I've come to appreciate on a deep level.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
(Yes, I know "chai" means "tea". When they change the sign in Arizona that points to "Table Mesa Road", then I'll care. Until then, the box says "chai tea" and that what we're calling it.)
Lessons are moving right along with all the fluid motion you can expect with four children. Yes, some days it's choppy like a lake in a storm. Today was relatively smooth. We did Bouncing Narrations, which are always fun. I read. They narrate. For each accurate point they make in their narrations, I let them bounce off my bed. This is why we never rented a second-floor apartment!
Smidge has become quite a list-maker, and self-proclaimed organizer. So, while I'm bringing water to the table, he's shouting, "Pray! A'er cord! Juice! Raymoose! ROOOARRR! Straw! ROOOARRR! A'er cord! Ooo, ooo, ooo JUICE!" (To translate the less-than-clear bits: "a'er cord" is "AllerChord", the drops the boys all take; ROOOARRR is "vitamins" - they're shaped like dinosaurs, of course.) It's like being dictated to by a drunk. A really, really cute drunk.
Oh, and things I overheard today from the other two:
John: "Watch out, Smidge! I'm about to impress Emily!"
James: (after a particularly loud crash) "No, we're good. Nothing's broken. Well, we need a new plate for the scale. And this time, use the two-ton epoxy."
They make me smile.
The house is nearly ready for company, which is good, because a friend of Zorak's leaves Arizona tomorrow to come look for a home. Yeah, tomorrow. Coming our way. Nothing like a good head's up that company's coming, right? (Again, I'm looking closely at Zorak for this - how do you fail to mention when out-of-state company will be arriving this week? Oh, well, at least I've got tomorrow to get the guest room ready. You know, while we wait for the HVAC guy...)
Tonight calls for a little music, a little coffee, and more cleaning! So, while I'd rather stay on and play, I suppose I'll go do something productive. The boys requested oats for breakfast, and chai tea. So at least there's nominal prep work for the morning. I love that they can formulate menus they enjoy, and that the foods are mostly identifiable and provably edible. This is one of those things I've come to appreciate on a deep level.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
(Yes, I know "chai" means "tea". When they change the sign in Arizona that points to "Table Mesa Road", then I'll care. Until then, the box says "chai tea" and that what we're calling it.)
We Made It
Or, to be a bit more specific, We Very Nearly Made It. We got up, dressed, fed (albeit lightly - smoothies, fruit and toast make for a lousy breakfast - we would die off, and be quite grouchy about it in the process, if we were forced to become vegetarians!) and out the door in time to make it to Sunday School. The Very Nearly part comes in because, technically, the boys' classes were doing their Opening Ceremonies thing when we arrived. BUT, they had not gone to their 'age appropriate' holding pens yet, and so, that totally counts! SCORE!
About three minutes into class, Smidge announced (to everyone in the room) that he had to pee. Now. Let's go! We shuffled off to the nursery (aka - nearest facility - I know better than to try to make it down thegauntlet, uh, hallway festooned with classroom art.) I handed Miss Emily off to Sweet Tiffany, who works in the nursery on Sundays, and bolted to the facility just in time to prevent Smidge from starting a streaking career. Dancing, high-fives and general happiness ensued.
As we washed our hands, Smidge spied a toy he wanted to play with. Um... well, yes, you can play with that, but you'll need to play with it in here. We can't take it out of the room. "OK, Mama. You go. I'll play." As this strange alien changeling took the toy and plopped down on the floor to play, Tiffany, Nice Mrs. B, and I stared after him as if none of us knew who this kid was or how he got in. Wow, that's new! I did a quick head count: three adults, and only three children. "Um, would it be okay if Miss Emily stayed for Sunday School, too?" :-) I slipped out, kept my ears perked (our class meets in the room adjoining the nursery), and enjoyed the study tremendously. The pace of the class seems much slower when one isn't also tending to two children.
When the boys and I retrieved Smidge, Miss Emily was sound asleep. I think Tiffany is the one person in the nursery I'm comfortable leaving the children with, which had a lot to do with the next step I took. However, there was also the decadent thought of sitting through the service with only three children... it was like the siren's song and there was nobody to lash me to the mast! We ran for it, enjoyed snack and fellowship and then the four of us slipped quietly into the sanctuary. The service was wonderful. It was good to be able to spend time instructing the boys on the liturgy, the order of worship, and the whole point of the service. Miss Emily was up and happy when the service ended, so there wasn't any residual guilt stuck to me as we left the building.
The rest of the day was laundry, cleaning, laundry, and a nap that I tried very hard not to take.
Smidge ate the cheese off his chili at supper, then turned his nose up at the rest of it, so we got ready for bed before the boys and were able to spend extra time reading Smidge-Speed books. We took our time finding all the buildings in Geoppolis. We talked about moles and tugboats with Scuffy. We looked at spiders. But mostly, we cuddled. We smiled. We shared eskimo kisses and head 'nuggles. By the time the boys were ready for a story, Smidge was out cold, his little heart all tanked up and happy.
We are revisiting The Borrowers. I was pregnant last time we tried, and although I loved the book when I was a child, it pretty much knocked me out last fall when I tried reading it to the boys. Two chapters in, though, and I think we're going to make it!
James just finished Owls in the Family and asked for more books by Mowat. He's collected quite a list of authors he'd like to read more of this summer. I suppose it's time to go pay the late fees we owe the Madison County library.
John got a little extra attention and grace this weekend, which seems to be exactly what he was needing. Rather than being a BIG BROTHER, at the moment he's feeling quite mired in MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME. It's rough to be standing in this chaos we've built, let alone standing in it with one foot in the "young man" realm and the other foot still dragging heavily in the "little guy" realm. We spent some time reassurring him - through actions moreso than words - that it's okay to be in the places inbetween. You don't have to heave yourself up onto the next step of the ladder in one bound. We love you, and we've got your back. I think we all need that reassurrance once in a while, but we don't always know how to go about asking for it.
And Miss Emily has a new nickname: Girlzilla. The boys made it up. She's discovered the joy of knocking down towers. Or, rather, I suspect she's discovered the joy of making her brothers laugh. That they build things for her to knock down is simply a handy avenue through which she can achieve that goal. They'll build something just within her reach, then stand back and watch with anticipation. She'll knock it down, then immediately look at them and raise her eyebrows expectantly. They'll roll with laughter, and she'll squeal and start chewing on some part of the structure until they gather the parts to do it again. What fun!
I'm going to put Girlzilla back to bed and get some rest, myself. Tomorrow will, hopefully, be a Very Busy Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
About three minutes into class, Smidge announced (to everyone in the room) that he had to pee. Now. Let's go! We shuffled off to the nursery (aka - nearest facility - I know better than to try to make it down the
As we washed our hands, Smidge spied a toy he wanted to play with. Um... well, yes, you can play with that, but you'll need to play with it in here. We can't take it out of the room. "OK, Mama. You go. I'll play." As this strange alien changeling took the toy and plopped down on the floor to play, Tiffany, Nice Mrs. B, and I stared after him as if none of us knew who this kid was or how he got in. Wow, that's new! I did a quick head count: three adults, and only three children. "Um, would it be okay if Miss Emily stayed for Sunday School, too?" :-) I slipped out, kept my ears perked (our class meets in the room adjoining the nursery), and enjoyed the study tremendously. The pace of the class seems much slower when one isn't also tending to two children.
When the boys and I retrieved Smidge, Miss Emily was sound asleep. I think Tiffany is the one person in the nursery I'm comfortable leaving the children with, which had a lot to do with the next step I took. However, there was also the decadent thought of sitting through the service with only three children... it was like the siren's song and there was nobody to lash me to the mast! We ran for it, enjoyed snack and fellowship and then the four of us slipped quietly into the sanctuary. The service was wonderful. It was good to be able to spend time instructing the boys on the liturgy, the order of worship, and the whole point of the service. Miss Emily was up and happy when the service ended, so there wasn't any residual guilt stuck to me as we left the building.
The rest of the day was laundry, cleaning, laundry, and a nap that I tried very hard not to take.
Smidge ate the cheese off his chili at supper, then turned his nose up at the rest of it, so we got ready for bed before the boys and were able to spend extra time reading Smidge-Speed books. We took our time finding all the buildings in Geoppolis. We talked about moles and tugboats with Scuffy. We looked at spiders. But mostly, we cuddled. We smiled. We shared eskimo kisses and head 'nuggles. By the time the boys were ready for a story, Smidge was out cold, his little heart all tanked up and happy.
We are revisiting The Borrowers. I was pregnant last time we tried, and although I loved the book when I was a child, it pretty much knocked me out last fall when I tried reading it to the boys. Two chapters in, though, and I think we're going to make it!
James just finished Owls in the Family and asked for more books by Mowat. He's collected quite a list of authors he'd like to read more of this summer. I suppose it's time to go pay the late fees we owe the Madison County library.
John got a little extra attention and grace this weekend, which seems to be exactly what he was needing. Rather than being a BIG BROTHER, at the moment he's feeling quite mired in MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME. It's rough to be standing in this chaos we've built, let alone standing in it with one foot in the "young man" realm and the other foot still dragging heavily in the "little guy" realm. We spent some time reassurring him - through actions moreso than words - that it's okay to be in the places inbetween. You don't have to heave yourself up onto the next step of the ladder in one bound. We love you, and we've got your back. I think we all need that reassurrance once in a while, but we don't always know how to go about asking for it.
And Miss Emily has a new nickname: Girlzilla. The boys made it up. She's discovered the joy of knocking down towers. Or, rather, I suspect she's discovered the joy of making her brothers laugh. That they build things for her to knock down is simply a handy avenue through which she can achieve that goal. They'll build something just within her reach, then stand back and watch with anticipation. She'll knock it down, then immediately look at them and raise her eyebrows expectantly. They'll roll with laughter, and she'll squeal and start chewing on some part of the structure until they gather the parts to do it again. What fun!
I'm going to put Girlzilla back to bed and get some rest, myself. Tomorrow will, hopefully, be a Very Busy Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, June 24
In The Summertime
Yes, I've had the Mungo Jerry song in my head all day long. Granted, that's kept a little lift in my footsteps (not to mention the workout my neck muscles have had from bobbing about all day), so I suppose it's not all bad, right? As an aside, I had no idea he's been so busy all these years!
Weather.com is wonderful. I can gauge just when to hang out the wash in order to have it dry before the rains come! Technology, both primitive and state-of-the-art, working together to bring us fresh garments. What a delight - and three loads down today!
The boys' windows are nearly finished. The purple one is done (just had to do the apron today). The yellow one is nearly done now - the trim, stoop and apron are now done with two coats. It needs just one more coat of Irish Mist on the bars and muntins. The yellow looks particularly bright and airy, but I've got to say the purple isn't bad, either. Certainly not what I'd have picked, but then, neither is the grey in our room. Go figure. It is a good thing we didn't find the circa early-1900's (or older) home we were hoping to find, as there is no way I'd feel good about slapping these garish colors on "good wood". These windows, however? A-okay, in my book. And it made the boys smile. How could I not love that?
We had rain today - glorious, cooling, cleansing rain. The boys wanted to run out and play in it, and my knee-jerk reaction was, "no." But why? Are we going somewhere? Is there a tornado heading for the yard? Am I concerned the creek will rise up and release crocodiles? No, on all counts. You know, I don't mind growing up, but I do have to guard against growing weary in my soul - so go, run, play, dance. As a matter of fact, I'll grab Miss Emily and we'll sit on the porch and watch. It was delightful. Miss Emily, Balto-dog and I sat on the porch and laughed along with the boys. The boys were muddied, exhausted, and drenched, but happy.
Four made-up games, three hours, two showers, and a bath later...
Zorak had prepared a delicious mystery concoction of potatoes, pork chops, onions and miscellaneous other things. The boys set the table. We ate and talked, played and tidied. Then we popped popcorn and enjoyed a family movie before story time. We were productive today on many fronts, but the most important front was time spent with the children. By the time everybody had been tucked in and kissed, Zorak and I looked at one another, smiled the smiles of the truly blessed, and said, "This is good. This is really good."
HVAC guy didn't come today. He said he'd tried to confirm yesterday and couldn't get through (we were home all day, though, and I had even paged him in the evening), so he'll be out Monday, at any rate. Lag time between setting equipment and fabricating the remaining parts looks to be about a week. Thankfully, next week promises to be about ten degrees cooler than the past week. Yay. However, then it looks like it's going back up. So my poor Mother-in-Law may have to tough it out for a day or two in the sweltering, marrow-melting heat. But, if she survives, just think how comfortable she'll be when we kick on that new unit! (She's so brave - she must really love us!)
The delay until Monday does buy us more time for duct repair (there was a lot of it!) and perhaps we can get more trim up and finish the closets in the War Room (aka - erstwhile master bedroom, temporary guest room, future Smidge/Miss Emily room. It's been a busy room.)
And tomorrow is another opportunity to make it to church on time! (We were late for our own wedding - and then late to the reception, as well. I don't know why it surprises me that this is a struggle now.) So, in honor of that, I have two minutes to get to bed before midnight and I'm going to jump on it!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Weather.com is wonderful. I can gauge just when to hang out the wash in order to have it dry before the rains come! Technology, both primitive and state-of-the-art, working together to bring us fresh garments. What a delight - and three loads down today!
The boys' windows are nearly finished. The purple one is done (just had to do the apron today). The yellow one is nearly done now - the trim, stoop and apron are now done with two coats. It needs just one more coat of Irish Mist on the bars and muntins. The yellow looks particularly bright and airy, but I've got to say the purple isn't bad, either. Certainly not what I'd have picked, but then, neither is the grey in our room. Go figure. It is a good thing we didn't find the circa early-1900's (or older) home we were hoping to find, as there is no way I'd feel good about slapping these garish colors on "good wood". These windows, however? A-okay, in my book. And it made the boys smile. How could I not love that?
We had rain today - glorious, cooling, cleansing rain. The boys wanted to run out and play in it, and my knee-jerk reaction was, "no." But why? Are we going somewhere? Is there a tornado heading for the yard? Am I concerned the creek will rise up and release crocodiles? No, on all counts. You know, I don't mind growing up, but I do have to guard against growing weary in my soul - so go, run, play, dance. As a matter of fact, I'll grab Miss Emily and we'll sit on the porch and watch. It was delightful. Miss Emily, Balto-dog and I sat on the porch and laughed along with the boys. The boys were muddied, exhausted, and drenched, but happy.
Four made-up games, three hours, two showers, and a bath later...
Zorak had prepared a delicious mystery concoction of potatoes, pork chops, onions and miscellaneous other things. The boys set the table. We ate and talked, played and tidied. Then we popped popcorn and enjoyed a family movie before story time. We were productive today on many fronts, but the most important front was time spent with the children. By the time everybody had been tucked in and kissed, Zorak and I looked at one another, smiled the smiles of the truly blessed, and said, "This is good. This is really good."
HVAC guy didn't come today. He said he'd tried to confirm yesterday and couldn't get through (we were home all day, though, and I had even paged him in the evening), so he'll be out Monday, at any rate. Lag time between setting equipment and fabricating the remaining parts looks to be about a week. Thankfully, next week promises to be about ten degrees cooler than the past week. Yay. However, then it looks like it's going back up. So my poor Mother-in-Law may have to tough it out for a day or two in the sweltering, marrow-melting heat. But, if she survives, just think how comfortable she'll be when we kick on that new unit! (She's so brave - she must really love us!)
The delay until Monday does buy us more time for duct repair (there was a lot of it!) and perhaps we can get more trim up and finish the closets in the War Room (aka - erstwhile master bedroom, temporary guest room, future Smidge/Miss Emily room. It's been a busy room.)
And tomorrow is another opportunity to make it to church on time! (We were late for our own wedding - and then late to the reception, as well. I don't know why it surprises me that this is a struggle now.) So, in honor of that, I have two minutes to get to bed before midnight and I'm going to jump on it!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, June 23
Ahh, sweet end of day
There is, perhaps, no softer, sweeter feeling than that of getting a few minutes one-on-one snuggle time with each child as you tuck them into bed. Somehow, that quiet time of touching base makes the whole unruly mess of the day recede into the background, making way for the hope of tomorrow, and the unending comfort of unconditional love. It goes both ways, and it is oh-so-good.
Had a busy day, but everything seemed to go wrong. Just plain wrong, from beginning to end. We went to the wrong park for playdate, and that's just the culminating fiasco in the whole getting-out-of-the-house saga that hallmarked this morning. This afternoon, we bought veggies and that was about it. Had more to purchase, but it wasn't going to happen today. Nope. I may have to start shopping online, although that will require a bit more proactivity on my part (ie. planning ahead).
While I'm thinking of it, I found two sites this week that I thought were worth noting. I've just left them up all week, because my bookmarks are a hideous mess and although I don't ever buy much online, I wanted to remember them. So, here ya go (then y'all can remind me that I blogged about them when I'm pondering their actual existence in a year, okay?)
Do It Yourself Pest Control. Saw this site recommended on the WTM boards, and blew two full nights checking it out. (Gee, I wonder why it caught my attention? *grin*) Not only is it informative, but the lady who recommended it said she's been quite happy with her business dealings thus far. Worth looking at!
Make Your Own Stamps. Zazzle is a site that I could easily get so lost in that it would take a full-blown rescue operation to help me find my way back again. Stuff you didn't know you needed, stuff you didn't realize was possible. This particular link looks particularly neat, and someday, when I actually mail out Christmas cards, I think it'd be nice to have specialized stamps made. These stamps are authorized postage for the USPS, so have fun!
Oh, oh, oh! Smidge is on DAY TWO of staying totally dry. Totally clean. Totally not eating good foods because of all the potty treats he has consumed. WAH-HOO!!!
Let's see, what else is there? Didn't do much on the house today. Well, *I* didn't. I just cleaned up my mess from yesterday's work. Zorak, however, got the main vent cleaned and about half the runs to the registers cleaned. That, after working a full day. He is my hero.
We had a nice, cool supper: grilled chicken, rice, applesauce, and cucumbers (sliced, then soaked in salt and vinegar/water, chilled - WONDERFUL on a hot summer evening!) I was going to serve iced water and iced tea, but somebody - probably a boy whose name begins with "J" - used all but five ice cubes from the freezer while giving the dog water tonight. So the dog has a mountain of deliciously cooled ice to nibble on this evening and we drank lukewarm tap water. That part wasn't so refreshing. But did I mention the cucumbers were nice?
Tomorrow, more windows, more trim. I'm sure reading about painting is about as much fun as watching it dry, so I'll try to think of something slightly more scintillating to write about. The HVAC Guy is coming, too, I think. I should see if he'll pose for a picture.
Whew, and I'm going to hit the hay before it's suddenly tomorrow already!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Had a busy day, but everything seemed to go wrong. Just plain wrong, from beginning to end. We went to the wrong park for playdate, and that's just the culminating fiasco in the whole getting-out-of-the-house saga that hallmarked this morning. This afternoon, we bought veggies and that was about it. Had more to purchase, but it wasn't going to happen today. Nope. I may have to start shopping online, although that will require a bit more proactivity on my part (ie. planning ahead).
While I'm thinking of it, I found two sites this week that I thought were worth noting. I've just left them up all week, because my bookmarks are a hideous mess and although I don't ever buy much online, I wanted to remember them. So, here ya go (then y'all can remind me that I blogged about them when I'm pondering their actual existence in a year, okay?)
Do It Yourself Pest Control. Saw this site recommended on the WTM boards, and blew two full nights checking it out. (Gee, I wonder why it caught my attention? *grin*) Not only is it informative, but the lady who recommended it said she's been quite happy with her business dealings thus far. Worth looking at!
Make Your Own Stamps. Zazzle is a site that I could easily get so lost in that it would take a full-blown rescue operation to help me find my way back again. Stuff you didn't know you needed, stuff you didn't realize was possible. This particular link looks particularly neat, and someday, when I actually mail out Christmas cards, I think it'd be nice to have specialized stamps made. These stamps are authorized postage for the USPS, so have fun!
Oh, oh, oh! Smidge is on DAY TWO of staying totally dry. Totally clean. Totally not eating good foods because of all the potty treats he has consumed. WAH-HOO!!!
Let's see, what else is there? Didn't do much on the house today. Well, *I* didn't. I just cleaned up my mess from yesterday's work. Zorak, however, got the main vent cleaned and about half the runs to the registers cleaned. That, after working a full day. He is my hero.
We had a nice, cool supper: grilled chicken, rice, applesauce, and cucumbers (sliced, then soaked in salt and vinegar/water, chilled - WONDERFUL on a hot summer evening!) I was going to serve iced water and iced tea, but somebody - probably a boy whose name begins with "J" - used all but five ice cubes from the freezer while giving the dog water tonight. So the dog has a mountain of deliciously cooled ice to nibble on this evening and we drank lukewarm tap water. That part wasn't so refreshing. But did I mention the cucumbers were nice?
Tomorrow, more windows, more trim. I'm sure reading about painting is about as much fun as watching it dry, so I'll try to think of something slightly more scintillating to write about. The HVAC Guy is coming, too, I think. I should see if he'll pose for a picture.
Whew, and I'm going to hit the hay before it's suddenly tomorrow already!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
More remodeling work
While we wait for the HVAC guy and the bush hog guy (the bush hog guy was supposed to come today, but the barn still looks more like Bag End than a full-size barn, so my money says he didn't show), we turn our attention the detail work that we have been avoiding... um, well, yeah, avoiding.
We've decided on the closet layout for what will be Smidge and Miss Emily's room. It has two tiny closets, one of which we made even smaller by building a chase in it to run the vent for the water heater up and out. Ah, okay... it doesn't look like a good idea, but it was. At least, it was the best we could do with what we have (what with those pesky codes and all). And we will continue telling ourselves that in ten years, when our youngest children lament their lack of closet space.
So, the littlest closet will get wire shelving, top to bottom. Won't that make it look mighty and useful? We hope so. The other small closet will get two rods with wire racks, but we'll splurge and get the rods with the swoopty things so the coat hangers can slide all the way across. I'm sure that will make a world of difference to the Small Ones.
I got the second coats of paint put on the *one* window in the boys' room. (The other one looks significantly worse now, although I didn't touch it, I swear!) And the tape is OFF. BEEYOUTEEFUL! Next, curtains, perhaps? Mmmm, normalcy... Also got the first and second (I think second, but I don't remember. We'll see in the morning, I guess) coats on the one (and only) window in the master bedroom.
The boys felt a bit neglected after their lessons were done, so they set to making themselves feel better. By yelling at one another. I guess this was an attempt to help me out, so I wouldn't have to do it, myself? I don't know, but by the time Zorak called to see if I needed him to pick up anything on his way home, I was trying to paint with one hand, the hot, sweaty, screaming baby cradled in the other hand, and all three boys were relegated to their beds (but not allowed to fall asleep - nooooo, not at five-thirty, you don't!) It was a lovely phone call, but he refused to bring me horse tranquilizers and rum. Pfft. What'd ya ask for, then?
He did set up the crib for Miss Emily, though, and she is now safely ensconsed in her own wooden cell. Safe from marauding two year olds. Shielded from the pull of gravity. And not sweating profusely against my torso. Life. Is. Good. (I'm all for co-sleeping, under the right conditions: neither parent is a drunk {well, since somebody didn't bring me rum tonight, check}; it doesn't interfere with the parents' private activities {by the time you have four, you've learned to get creative, so 'check'}; the home is somewhat climate controlled to prevent said co-sleeping arrangement from causing undue sweating - and sticking - and a fear that someone will mildew before morning {ehhh, no go on this one, hence the crib}.)
Tomorrow we have a playdate with one of the homeschooling support groups we'd signed up with ages ago. This is our second try with this group. They have a rule that says you must attend X number of functions within 60 days of joining or you get the boot. It's an attempt to keep the predators away, and I certainly appreciate that. It's just that... well, I'm bad about getting out of the house. And even less excited about getting out of the house to go sit at the park and glisten for two hours. Still, we've wanted for a while to go to something and meet some locals, and it won't always be this hot. Right? Right?!? (Quick, someone remind me that it's going to cool off eventually!!!) Thankfully, tomorrow's activity is swimming! I think we can hang with that.
Oh, and Zorak bought an air-mover. We set it up in the hallway and took turns standing directly in front of it. That was better than a weekend pass to Sea World!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We've decided on the closet layout for what will be Smidge and Miss Emily's room. It has two tiny closets, one of which we made even smaller by building a chase in it to run the vent for the water heater up and out. Ah, okay... it doesn't look like a good idea, but it was. At least, it was the best we could do with what we have (what with those pesky codes and all). And we will continue telling ourselves that in ten years, when our youngest children lament their lack of closet space.
So, the littlest closet will get wire shelving, top to bottom. Won't that make it look mighty and useful? We hope so. The other small closet will get two rods with wire racks, but we'll splurge and get the rods with the swoopty things so the coat hangers can slide all the way across. I'm sure that will make a world of difference to the Small Ones.
I got the second coats of paint put on the *one* window in the boys' room. (The other one looks significantly worse now, although I didn't touch it, I swear!) And the tape is OFF. BEEYOUTEEFUL! Next, curtains, perhaps? Mmmm, normalcy... Also got the first and second (I think second, but I don't remember. We'll see in the morning, I guess) coats on the one (and only) window in the master bedroom.
The boys felt a bit neglected after their lessons were done, so they set to making themselves feel better. By yelling at one another. I guess this was an attempt to help me out, so I wouldn't have to do it, myself? I don't know, but by the time Zorak called to see if I needed him to pick up anything on his way home, I was trying to paint with one hand, the hot, sweaty, screaming baby cradled in the other hand, and all three boys were relegated to their beds (but not allowed to fall asleep - nooooo, not at five-thirty, you don't!) It was a lovely phone call, but he refused to bring me horse tranquilizers and rum. Pfft. What'd ya ask for, then?
He did set up the crib for Miss Emily, though, and she is now safely ensconsed in her own wooden cell. Safe from marauding two year olds. Shielded from the pull of gravity. And not sweating profusely against my torso. Life. Is. Good. (I'm all for co-sleeping, under the right conditions: neither parent is a drunk {well, since somebody didn't bring me rum tonight, check}; it doesn't interfere with the parents' private activities {by the time you have four, you've learned to get creative, so 'check'}; the home is somewhat climate controlled to prevent said co-sleeping arrangement from causing undue sweating - and sticking - and a fear that someone will mildew before morning {ehhh, no go on this one, hence the crib}.)
Tomorrow we have a playdate with one of the homeschooling support groups we'd signed up with ages ago. This is our second try with this group. They have a rule that says you must attend X number of functions within 60 days of joining or you get the boot. It's an attempt to keep the predators away, and I certainly appreciate that. It's just that... well, I'm bad about getting out of the house. And even less excited about getting out of the house to go sit at the park and glisten for two hours. Still, we've wanted for a while to go to something and meet some locals, and it won't always be this hot. Right? Right?!? (Quick, someone remind me that it's going to cool off eventually!!!) Thankfully, tomorrow's activity is swimming! I think we can hang with that.
Oh, and Zorak bought an air-mover. We set it up in the hallway and took turns standing directly in front of it. That was better than a weekend pass to Sea World!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, June 22
Home Remodeling Tip #237
Paint the darned trim before the weather turns hot. Even if you're tired of painting trim. Even if you are burned out on paint, period. Even if you must do it hunched over like Quasimodo, with three children and a baby hanging off your dangly bits. Yes, do it. It's not going to get any easier before Halloween, so just get it over with.
*whew*
Got the topcoat put on the bars and muntins of *one* of the boys' windows. Got most of the window trim painted purple (yeah, that was intentional). Have to wait to paint the stoop and the apron because they'll be yellow. No blue on the windows now, as we're moving all-things-blue to Smidge and Emily's room next month. (A pink and blue room - how cute, yet painfully cliche!)
Textured the linen closet. Will prime that tonight and paint it in the morning. Yay!
Went to Sears today and purchased THIS. It will be here July 5th. Can you feel the joy emanating from your monitor? I'll yell you, if my mother-in-law wasn't coming a few days before then, I'd probably put a moratorium on all things clothing related until then. *grin* I'll spare her the grim task of witnessing that, though, and at least try to keep up in the meantime.
Zorak has all the ventilation runs removed and ready to clean. That has been, to put it mildly, a disgusting venture. I'd rather do laundry!
And... I think I'm supposed to be cooking supper right now, but this is the first time that particular item has managed to wriggle its way to the forefront of my mind. Guess I'd better go figure that out!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
*whew*
Got the topcoat put on the bars and muntins of *one* of the boys' windows. Got most of the window trim painted purple (yeah, that was intentional). Have to wait to paint the stoop and the apron because they'll be yellow. No blue on the windows now, as we're moving all-things-blue to Smidge and Emily's room next month. (A pink and blue room - how cute, yet painfully cliche!)
Textured the linen closet. Will prime that tonight and paint it in the morning. Yay!
Went to Sears today and purchased THIS. It will be here July 5th. Can you feel the joy emanating from your monitor? I'll yell you, if my mother-in-law wasn't coming a few days before then, I'd probably put a moratorium on all things clothing related until then. *grin* I'll spare her the grim task of witnessing that, though, and at least try to keep up in the meantime.
Zorak has all the ventilation runs removed and ready to clean. That has been, to put it mildly, a disgusting venture. I'd rather do laundry!
And... I think I'm supposed to be cooking supper right now, but this is the first time that particular item has managed to wriggle its way to the forefront of my mind. Guess I'd better go figure that out!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
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