CELEBRATION!!!

So after more years than I have been alive my Mom graduated with her bachelors yesterday! I am so proud I can hardly keep from shouting it to the world. I only know a fraction of the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into this accomplishment. She is the first one in my family (dad and siblings) to complete it! There were a few of us that were slightly jealous because we aren't there yet. What an example. My kids went to the graduation ceremony, what a great example of life long learning. It is never too late to complete a worthy goal.
















Grandma with all her grandkids (at least for the next few weeks, twins and another baby are due in May)














We are missing the youngest Craig. We wish Des and Craig could have come but they are getting ready to have their first baby. Sarah finds out next week when these twins will get here. I think it is totally unfair that she looks so good. I swear I was that big with only one baby and we have pictures of my Mom when she was preggo with Craig and she was competing with Sarah's size.










We learned an interesting tidbit from Grandpa about how he traded a pig to pay for the hospital bills when my mom was born. Grandma was there with us even though physically she couldn't make the trip. We missed you Grandma but we did take pictures and a video.

on to finish work...

Well the door were mostly hung yesterday. I was helping hang the doors until Justin joked that my hourly rate was $3000 and household duties took over. The tile started today. The shelving will go in tomorrow and the doors left will be hung. Next step will be finish trim, base boards, beadboard. Crown molding for the rope lighting in the theatre room still needs to be ordered because it accidentally got left off, I guess it is a good thing because Justin will probably have more of an opinion on that. I picked up the caulking and painters putty because that is my job, meet the painter...aka me and some friends and family and once that is done, watch out here comes paint. I have the colors picked out and approved! Carpet will be delivered and installed May 4th and completed May 5th, Happy Birthday to me!!!! I can't believe it is finally coming together.

a beautiful day to

run a 5k! Seriously it was so perfect and the other fantastic thing was I jogged the entire way. And even better I beat my personal goal by 3 minutes. I was watching the half marathoners come in and was green with envy. So I guess I will be researching one of those for the summer. 10k is next on the list at the end of May. Dustine was the best running partner. Thanks girl for motivating me to sign up and go for it! The one regret I didn't have a camera small enough to pack with me, we looked fabulous even at the end. Though the girl that was putting on the liploss while she was walking up the hill and ran a few steps around the corner and started walking again really made me laugh. St. George marathon in the near future (this fall please)???? We will let fate decide, (I have to get in first).


update: I got the official time and I finished 5 minutes better than my goal!!!!!

popcorn popping

on my weeping cherry tree! Yesterday it was green buds and today blossoms!

drywall taped

Thank goodness for warmer weather. Hopefully that means it will dry faster so we can get on with texturing. It takes two coats so dry dry dry dry. Finished carpentery is being delivered on Friday and some will go up if dry wall is finished and dry. I spent Friday afternoon at Burton lumber with our builder and my three kids. I think they were glad to see us go. But it made it so much easier with me right there to answer questions and make decisions. I don't think I could ever survive building a house from the ground up. So remind me I LOVE my house and I never need to move or build new.

easter egg hunt

Well this is the best we could get...seriously trying to get a decent picture of these crazy kids was impossible. To think this is my kids and my nieces and nephew and it will grow by three in the next 2 months.

drywall is hung

look who's 6

I can't believe my baby girl is 6! Seriously I remember waiting forever to get her here and now 6 years has gone by??? On the eve of her birthday before bed, she said, "Mom I don't want to turn 6. I just want to stay 5." I reply, "Why sweetheart?" M, "Because then that means I get older and then I become a Grandma and they don't look so good." I really tried to repress the laughter but couldn't disagree aging doesn't seem like something we look forward to unless you are coming up on your sixteenth birthday.

framing is complete

They are insulating as I post this. The first thing L will show you when touring our basement is "see the dirty tub." He is very intrigued by this and thinks it is yucky. Thankful I think that means that my other tubs don't resemble this. Whew!











Here is the the wall knocked out and the stairs opened up. It is better than I could have hoped for. My kids are already excited about the understairs play area. I am going to have my mom paint a mural in there. I am debating between a bistro or marketplace feel.













The entrance into the theatre room is turning out awesome. Justin wanted a curved wall and it gives the perfect touch. I can't wait until it is finished.

pockets

The discovery has been made.... "Mom I have pockets!" It doesn't get much cuter than a little boy with curly hair and a hoody. Of course, I am completely biased. I just want to eat him up. He does taste pretty good too, just take a bite of his cheeks and you will understand.



ps where did my baby go? he looks so grown up in these pictures :(

give a boy a hammer...

and tell him to hit a wall??? really I CAN? A timid wack....until finally he is going to town and has the mean face with it and everything. Luckily the little one was asleep for this or else all of my walls would be resembling this. This wall was meant to be knocked out. I will take some more pics tomorrow. Because next week...dry wall!!!!!