Men at Work

Keith at work

Allan and Chico

Allan and Eric mudding

Jack leaves his mark before the drywall goes up

Evidently, Dark Wing couldn't find a cigar

How many guys does it take?.........

Allan and Chico still at it!

After working all day (and into the night) Friday and Saturday, the guys hung up their tools belts to return to Ohio on Sunday morning. I can't speak for them, but given the amount of laughing, drinking and cigar smoking that went on, I think a fun time was had by all. Of course, Allan and I will be eternally grateful to these guys for coming and helping. Not only did they get a lot of work done, but it was great seeing everyone and being together.

Help arrives!

Hallway looking into the bedroom

From the play room, looking into the bathroom

Taken inside the play room toward the back of the room at the storage closet

Wah hoo!  Five big and burly men arrived late Thursday night to help us with the basement project.  Allan's brothers, Dennis, Terry and Jeff and nephews, Eric (E-rock) and Keith (K man) got here at midnight.  After enjoying a BIG bottle of "Old Bastard" beer that they made for Allan's birthday, they hit the beds for a short sleep before getting to work the next morning. 

They split up into teams of two and worked off a punch list to get a few things done before starting to hang the drywall. They finished most of the ceiling on Friday before hanging up their drills.  Everyone was back at it early Saturday morning!  They finished hanging the ceiling just a couple of hours after the drywall lift was due back at Home Depot.  Are they awesome or what?! Truth be told, they are blaming it on me, saying that I was cracking the whip to get it done by the return time.  Does anyone REALLY think I have any influence over these guys?!   

After lunch on Saturday, they really rocked and hung the drywall on all of the walls and mudded most of the walls.  There are a couple of closets that still need drywall, but wow!  I just can't say enough about these guys!  They do tend to chatter a lot, but in the end, they get a LOT done and they do a great job.  Since I am being a bit sappy, I have to add that it is really an incredible sight to see so many brothers (and their sons) working together and having a great time doing it.  My appreciation and admiration cannot be put into words right now. Not only do I have an awesome husband, but he comes from a great family!

The above pictures are from BEFORE the weekend started.  Next, check out the AFTER pictures.......

Nana Visit

Last week, Nana decided to make a trip down with her new addition, Bandit!  The kids were thrilled to see Nana and to finally meet the new puppy. Hands down, Emma was the most smitten with Bandit.  Will came in a close second.  Jack was less than thrilled and is still complaining about the bites that he got when Bandit was trying to play. I thought he was adorable, but was less than thrilled with the behavior that goes along with being a puppy.  Thank goodness for hardwood floors!  To our surprise, Bandit took a liking to the dirt in my plants. Not even the plastic wrap deterred him from digging and sending dirt across the floor.  Along with dirt, Bandit also has a fondness for shoes.  There was a benefit to this though as it caused the kids to put their shoes in the closet immediately!  That lasted for, oh.....about 3 days after Bandit left. 

As it rained nearly every day out of the 7 that Nana was here, we didn't do many fun things.  We were able to get some sewing done.  Nana made Jack a pair of Kermit sleep shorts, I made a floor pillow for Emma's teacher and I also started an adorable skirt for Emma using Amy Butler fabric.  I can't wait to get it done!  Unfortunately, the only thing I've done since Nana left was make bias tape.  What an adventure that was!  It turned out great though and I can't wait to post the final product. 

In case you're wondering, Will took the goofy pictures of me and Nana.  He told us what to do and we complied.  The funny pictures are the end result! 

Thanks, Nana for a great visit with lots of quality time! I'll let you know when Allan starts asking about your next trip down.  :)

Jack is GROOVY!

Well, his teeth are anyway.  After a visit to the dentist earlier this week, we found out that Jack's molars are extremely "groovy".  So what? you say. Well, this, combined with his regular intake of sticky prunes, has resulted in two cavities.  I felt sick. I feel that I am somewhat of a Nazi-mom when it comes to brushing, food selection and regular dental visits. My kids are not allowed to eat those ever-so-popular fruit snacks.  I rarely give them juice.  Like chocolate milk, it is reserved for "special" occasions. I THOUGHT the prunes were a smart choice to combat his bowel issues.  Looking back, I just wasn't thinking at all.  Prunes are sticky, sugary (albeit good for the digestive system) cavity producers. Well, to be fair to the prunes, he does have those groovy teeth, but who knew?! 

To conclude my ranting, I have to end on a positive note.  Jack, the rock star, went marching into the dentist office, without me and had both cavities filled at the same time.  Not a tear was shed and if you ask him, he will tell you that he was BRAVE at the dentist today.  What a guy!  He even scored an ice skate key chain.  This was a rainbow ending to a previously cloudy day.

 

Emma's New Bag

Last Saturday, we actually had a free day with no scheduled activities.  Allan and I took the opportunity to file our taxes (wa hoo!) and during breaks, I made a new "girly girl" bag for Emma. I had a ball making it and it turned out quite cute.  I used Amy Butler fabric which, in my opinion, makes ANYTHING look cute.  Emma liked it so much that she carried it around the rest of the night and all day Sunday.  It was so easy and fun to make that I am planning to make her a bigger one to carry things in when she visits friends. 

Sign of the Times

This is what I saw when I walked into my bedroom the other night.  Do I really seem like the type of girl who would sleep with a light saber beside her bed?!  Evidently, Will thought I needed it during the night, wanted to play with it while he was sleeping and couldn't or just left it there inadvertently.  Any of these options are feasible, knowing Will.  

Not only did this sight crack me up, but it also reminded me of how precious our children are.  I know that the day will come (all too soon) when I will be wishing there were toys in our bedroom again.  But for now, I will giggle at the sight and then fuss at all three of them for leaving their toys in our bedroom where they don't belong. 

Happy Birthday MJ!

Happy birthday to my friend, Mary Jo!  Can't wait until we can have a birthday drink together.  Enjoy your day!