Updates

Pretty crazy past couple of weeks. We have been so nuts trying to get everything ready for the house while maintaining our jobs and being parents. I am so ready to lay down for an entire afternoon watching movies with the kids. That sounds like a dream.

House update:
We are offically moving on Saturday. The carpet was laid in the house yesterday and it looks gorgeous. It just totally changes the whole look of the place. Mom went over ALL day yesterday on her day off to clean while I was working at the Bell's. She and dad have blessed us so much it is unreal. She washed all the nasty windows, washed all teh cupboards inside and out, polished all the woodwork in the bedrooms upstairs, and cleaned the hardwoods too. Among other things. We have seemed to work every night over there with them taking the kids home for us. And then Corrie calls yesterday and offers to take my kids on Saturday when we move everything. So sweet. I need to get over there with my camera.

Family update:
My brother called about a week and a half ago to tell us he is getting married on June 22 in Denver. A little bit of a shocker. He has been dating Renae for six weeks now and they are getting hitched. He says that she is the one for him and has known since their second date. He said there is no sense in waiting if God has brought her into his life and she totally agrees. Can't argue with that. I've really never seen him so happy and I'm happy for him. Still haven't seen a picture of her yet or talked to her. Gavin has told me all about her though and she seems great.

Gabe update:
We went to Gabe's first softball meeting the other day and he is so excited to play. He asks me everyday if today is the day for his softball practice. ALl he wants to do is practice batting in the backyard. So cute. I have heard of so many people whose kids try a sport and don't like it and they never play again. I just wanted him to find something that he likes and stick with it. Hopefully this will be it. We may do fall soccer too, but summers seem easy right now to start with. We went to Gabe's school and registered him for kindergarten. I thought it was some wort of dream or something. How could he be going to kindergarten? It seems like I was just nursing him the other day and he was a baby. He is stoked to go.

Ella update:
We found out that out next door neighbor at the new house has a little girl. Her name is Elsa. Ella looks for her everyday, but her mom must work fulltime because she isn't around much. Ella is getting ready for her new room. She is finally used to the idea of hardwood floors in her room. SHe has been quite upset to this point that she was not going to have soft floors like Gabe. Her new favorite phrases are "What's up with that kid?" when she sees someone doing something out of the ordinary and "What's the point!?" when Gabe is not doing something that she wants.

I'll leave you with some Easter pics that I have meant to post for a couple weeks now.

Ella's song

I'm just learning how to do all this stuff, but here is what I got when following the instructions on how to post a video. I guess I still have some work to do. But if you click on the box with the x (your mouse arrow turns into a hand if you are over it) it will bring you to the site and show you my little beauty singing her favorite song. Yes, it was right after breakfast in the morning so her hair isn't done and she is still in a t-shirt and undies. And it was also right after I got back from a weekend at the Bells so my stuff is all over. But it is cute anyway.

Oh Dolly

Okay so I saw this stinkin cute little mini album of a little girl and her dollies and thought I would do my own version of it. Gabe and I gathered up all of Ella's dollies this morning and we also found all of their clothes. He helped me get them dressed and we got Ell aready for her photo op. I took a lot of pictures. I took about 50 pics of her with the dolls and then the dolls by themselves. There is even my moms first doll, which she plays with, and also my first doll in there. She was so proud of them all, but was a little upset when Jordy (her favorite dolly from Aunt De that is right next to her) wouldn't stop touching her! She did NOT want her arm on her. Who knew a little girl could, and would, fight with a baby doll.

House update

Here we go. This is for everyone who keeps asking me for an update on the house. The whole house is such a mess. Stuff everywhere from being in and out. Garbage just waiting for a dumpster to arrive. Excuse the mess. Progress is being made though. I'll give you a tour...

This is the living roomn just to give you an idea of the color. Kind of a golden butterscotch. It will look good with the light carpet we will be putting in. I've also painted all the ceilings in the house. I painted them just a flat ceiling white. They were the same yellowish color as the walls.
Here is the bathroom. We tore all the tile off the walls that went halfway up. We have decided to put beadboard over the top up about 6 ft. or so. I'll paint it a sort of off white and then glaze it. This pic also gives you an idea of the tile Micah has put in. We have decided to put a mosaic in front of the tub. I got these beautiful glass copper tiles that are one inch by one inch. So great.
Micah ripped out the shower tile and sheetrock to put in cementboard for the new tile surround. We picked out some four inch tiles for in there with a little border that is yet to be decided on. The plumbers came today and put the shower plumbing and faucet in. Micah built this half wall up to the ceiling.

Here is around teh front door. Micah did this tiling on down the hall and of course into the bathroom. WE have yet to grout, but we will do all of that at one time. he did such a great job with the tiling and making it straight and even etc. It was quite the job. He has done a couple bathrooms before this, but this was by far way more challanging. Someone blessed us with borrowing their wet saw though. So great.
Here is the tile down the hall. I also painted this the same color as the living room.
The kitchen. Micah took down the cabinets that were dividing the dining and kitchen. I primed the paneling that was on the bottom of the dining. Since this pic I have painted it dark brown and the top a creamy color. I just finished this morning while the plumbers were there. It looks awesome and I can't wait for the curtains.

Here is Gabe's room in the basement. Dad has framed it all and then he and Micah have sheetrocked since this pic.
Here is from in the family room. The family room is pretty big after putting that wall up. I think it will be so cozy once the carpet goes in. I am also going to paint that paneling on the big wall.
Here is in the closet in Gabe's room. It pushed into the crapbook/storage room, but left plenty of space.

So there you go. I'll take some more pics of all the updated stuff. Maybe a couple more weeks and we will be able to move some stuff in. Just have to get the tape and mud guys over there next week to finish the sheetrock. Then I can paint the basement. Micah will finish the bathroom in the next couple of weeks. After all this is done we can move in and start the work on the outside! ha! It's only just begun.