BEFORE:
AFTER:
As you can see, the walls aren't quite dry yet and we still have some drywall clean up to do (in the center of the room). Hopefully we're on a roll now!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Project Priming Begins
With our drywall taped, and the basement somewhat clean, it was time to begin the priming section of our project. We took Monday to clean and last night we ran out to pick up a HUGE bucket of primer. After William went to bed, we were able to get the office primed!
BEFORE:
As you can see, the walls aren't quite dry yet and we still have some drywall clean up to do (in the center of the room). Hopefully we're on a roll now!
BEFORE:
As you can see, the walls aren't quite dry yet and we still have some drywall clean up to do (in the center of the room). Hopefully we're on a roll now!
Easter Trip to Minnesota
We had been planning on going to MN for Easter, but weren't sure about the dates due to our health problems and the ongoing drywall project. Friday morning, I made a stop at our favorite place lately, the Urgent Care. Turns out William and I have matching sinus infections! So, now all three of us are on antibiotics! Weeeeee! Just before noon on Friday, we left for MN with prescriptive medications in hand.
This was, by far, the worst trip with William ever. He cried/screamed on and off for close to 3 hours of the trip. Nothing could distract him. We planned the timing of the trip around his nap time (and trips to the Urgent Care). William apparently did not arrange his schedule around our trip. Yuck. We made it to MN in time for dinner at Valentino's. The pictures and some video from the trip at home are below!
Sledding on Easter? Only in Minnesota! Here we are sledding before easter on Friday.
We went down a couple of times on the hill Grandpa made for us!
Sledding on Saturday, too!
On Saturday, Aunt Megan came and we all colored eggs. Grandma thought it would be fun to have William hold some eggs. Guess what he did? At the end of the video, you'll also hear him say "Bang". Listen closely!
After the cracking...
Everyone coloring eggs (and William cracking them). The 2008 sign is because we can never figure out what year some of our pictures are from when are trying to sort them into albums (yes, we know that we could put them in albums more than just every 10 years - where is the challenge in that?)
Saturday night we had a family dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Megan, Kaye and Scott. Despite the snow, Grandpa fired up his grill and we had steak! Yummy! Earlier in the day William poured an entire cup of water on himself, hence the outfit change. This is one of his favorite shirts because it has a "Brmmm, brmmmm" on the front of it. William was in heaven because Scott played cars with him for a long time! (Mama was in heaven because she didn't have to play cars!)
Easter morning, William was playing with his cars in the kitchen while I cleaned up our breakfast dishes when he found this! He knows that anything is a can is good and you need to say "Ahh!" after every drink. Here he is reaching in for a car and saying "Ahhh!"
He finally got one out of the box - "Ahhhh....!"
We all got dressed up in our Easter outfits. Grandma was watching William while I got dressed. He figured out where in the kitchen she keeps the treats!
William's first cookie - John's favorite: Duplex Cremes.
His reaction? Mmmmmmmm...
It was easy to get that cookie away from him!
Then we loaded up and went over to Grandpa Heidt's house to visit with William's cousins! Here they are "playing" together. Okay, they are all kind of looking at each other, but none of them are crying!
I was pretty impressed with how gentle and nice William was with the babies (aren't they getting big? They are so SO cute and so SO very sweet!) Here he is sharing his truck with Alex.
Alex playing with the fire truck while William watches.
And...that is enough sharing. Alex's turn was about 12 seconds. We'll have to keep working on the sharing!
After a nap, we watched some video of William (will share some soon, I promise!). William was captivated by himself on the big screen. Nothing could get his attention while he admired himself!
Looking good!
Most of the time, even the chair was too far away from the TV. But he fits perfectly into Aunt Megan's old chair!
The trip home was much smoother. William slept for close to 3 of the 6.5 hours. What a relief! We got back home in time for dinner on Monday evening and started cleaning up. Over the weekend, the dust in the air had more time to settle and we could finally clean! It had kind of bothered me to drive away from our house so very messy and dusty, but it is what needed to happen! But, boy was I happy to get things cleaned up again!
Happy 14 Months!
14 months old and I swear we're starting the 2's early. Does that mean we'll get them over with early too? Something tells me no. We're onto antibiotic #2 for William as we still have the green nose going on strong. We're also onto night #2 of Mama sleeping on the couch as we left our baby monitor in MN. Monitor should arrive tomorrow in the mail (*crossing fingers*).
PS Please keep checking back. I'm working on a trip to MN/Easter post too, but it isn't going to be the first post at the top.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The House of Plastic and Tape (& Dust)
We are 75% done with the taping process. Progress has been iffy due to the amount of rain we have been getting this week. Damp air= uncertain mud drying time. Every fan in the house is on which means I haven't had a quiet moment (or a coherent thought) in close to three days. The fan noise is making me irritable and crabby. Good thing John finds both of these moods charming. Our Easter travel plans rest on the drying of mud and sanding progress that will take place tomorrow. Reservations at the Motel McGarry have been made tentatively for Friday through Monday morning.
Tomorrow we begin with the sanding, which is supposed to be the messiest piece of the taping. Not looking forward to this as there is already a thin, white film of drywall dust coating all objects in the house. This evening, John and I spent a romantic two hours building a dust blocker out of plastic and tape. This was a huge challenge with our open staircase in the atrium portion of our house with 7 fans blowing things around. However, the dust blocker is much needed due to the openess of our floor plan, it is difficult to keep the dust in the basement where it belongs. The cats' litter box, cat food and door access have all been considered. Now all that is left is to see how an evening alone at the mercy of our cats impacts the structural integrity of our house.
The house that John and Kelly built
If you look carefully in the window on the left behind the plastic, you can see Mango plotting his moves.
William continues to be thrilled about his kitty siblings. They continue to tolerate him and have started letting him pet them on occasion. Although he does do some pretty enthusiastic patting, he also loves to pull their tails.
Cat tail pulling picture #2
That is enough for this cat!
Tomorrow we begin with the sanding, which is supposed to be the messiest piece of the taping. Not looking forward to this as there is already a thin, white film of drywall dust coating all objects in the house. This evening, John and I spent a romantic two hours building a dust blocker out of plastic and tape. This was a huge challenge with our open staircase in the atrium portion of our house with 7 fans blowing things around. However, the dust blocker is much needed due to the openess of our floor plan, it is difficult to keep the dust in the basement where it belongs. The cats' litter box, cat food and door access have all been considered. Now all that is left is to see how an evening alone at the mercy of our cats impacts the structural integrity of our house.
The house that John and Kelly built
If you look carefully in the window on the left behind the plastic, you can see Mango plotting his moves.
William continues to be thrilled about his kitty siblings. They continue to tolerate him and have started letting him pet them on occasion. Although he does do some pretty enthusiastic patting, he also loves to pull their tails.
Cat tail pulling picture #2
That is enough for this cat!
The Pink Bubblegum kind
Yesterday it had been 10 days since the runny nose and cough started. I considered canceling the appointment as William was running circles around the house. However, the coughing fit that left him breathless had me doubting myself again. So, off we went to the doctor's office. He sat absolutely still during the exam - so much so that our doctor commented about how good he was. Just seconds before she walked into the room he had been a wriggling, noodley monster. Funny how it works out. The verdict: an ear infection and sinus infection. Bring on the pink bubblegum medicine.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy St Patrick's Day
Well, the leprechaun got into the fridge in the middle of the night and turned a few things green, including John's breakfast shake. I called him this morning and said "Happy St Patrick's Day". Only then did it dawn on him that there wasn't something terribly wrong with his shake. It's okay, he gets up really early.
Tonight we had some green cake to continue our celebration. However, it is nothing like what we used to have at home:
Today was also the big day that the Super Amazing Guy came out to start taping our drywall. We worked really hard this last weekend to get the area/s all cleaned up - which I apologize lead to no video or audio clips being posted as promised. They are coming.
Doesn't look very exciting, but it is! The Super Drywall Guy (SDG) arrived at 8:30 this morning and left at 5pm tonight. It was a full day! William was not happy that something was happening in the basement without his participation. He would play for a few minutes at a time and then run to the top of the steps and yell things at the SDG like "Dadadada....DA!" Luckily the SDG has a grandson about a month younger than William and thought William was pretty cute. Otherwise, it would have been annoying. Although on second thought, it probably was annoying. Just maybe not right away.
Something springy is blooming in my backyard!
Always the little helper:William folding laundry.
Pretending to wash the floor with a washcloth
Timber!
Tonight we had some green cake to continue our celebration. However, it is nothing like what we used to have at home:
Today was also the big day that the Super Amazing Guy came out to start taping our drywall. We worked really hard this last weekend to get the area/s all cleaned up - which I apologize lead to no video or audio clips being posted as promised. They are coming.
Doesn't look very exciting, but it is! The Super Drywall Guy (SDG) arrived at 8:30 this morning and left at 5pm tonight. It was a full day! William was not happy that something was happening in the basement without his participation. He would play for a few minutes at a time and then run to the top of the steps and yell things at the SDG like "Dadadada....DA!" Luckily the SDG has a grandson about a month younger than William and thought William was pretty cute. Otherwise, it would have been annoying. Although on second thought, it probably was annoying. Just maybe not right away.
Something springy is blooming in my backyard!
Always the little helper:William folding laundry.
Pretending to wash the floor with a washcloth
Timber!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Are you considering having children?
This is an e mail forward, but I thought it was funny. Especially the part about the grocery store.
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Are you considering having children? To determine whether you are truly prepared for the experience, we suggest you take this set of simple tests...
MESS TEST:
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Now rub your hands in the wet flower bed and rub on the walls. Cover the stains with crayons. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST:
Obtain a 55-gallon box of Legos. (If Legos are not available, you may substitute roofing tacks or broken bottles.) Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream (this could wake a child at night).
GROCERY STORE TEST:
Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST:
Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST:
Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a stout cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal (such as Fruit Loops or Cheerios) into the mouth of the jug while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST:
Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8 to 12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 8:00 PM begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 PM. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 PM. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 AM. Set alarm for 5:00 AM. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for five years. Look cheerful.
PHYSICAL TEST (WOMEN)
Obtain a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10% of the beans.
PHYSICAL TEST (MEN):
Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training, and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run riot. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you considering having children? To determine whether you are truly prepared for the experience, we suggest you take this set of simple tests...
MESS TEST:
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Now rub your hands in the wet flower bed and rub on the walls. Cover the stains with crayons. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST:
Obtain a 55-gallon box of Legos. (If Legos are not available, you may substitute roofing tacks or broken bottles.) Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream (this could wake a child at night).
GROCERY STORE TEST:
Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST:
Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST:
Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a stout cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal (such as Fruit Loops or Cheerios) into the mouth of the jug while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST:
Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8 to 12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 8:00 PM begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 PM. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 PM. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 AM. Set alarm for 5:00 AM. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for five years. Look cheerful.
PHYSICAL TEST (WOMEN)
Obtain a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10% of the beans.
PHYSICAL TEST (MEN):
Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training, and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run riot. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
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