ABCZ

We have been wrapping up a lot of LITTLE projects lately; things that seem to go slow for their relative size and scale, but fortunately make a BIG difference in our ability to LIVE in this mess.

Project #1: The kitchen pantry.
Our one, small, kitchen pantry got deeper in the remodel, to accommodate the hallway wall. But, in the meantime, we had to empty it, which means we haven't seen our kitchen nook for several months now. My mom had the bright idea to go ahead and finish that now, so that we could get our kitchen back - because the rest was pretty much unchanged. BRILLIANT! So, we moved the electrical that ran through it, finished framing, drywalled and taped.

Then Curtis had a business trip for a few days. I told him that I might try to build the shelves for it while he was gone, and he LAUGHED AT ME. (OK, in his defense, the shelves had to be cut from a full sheet of 3/4" plywood, that SHOULD have been done on the table saw, not with the skill saw. He said he was envisioning me trying to maneuver THAT on my own, which, would have been VERY funny.)

Anyway, I DID IT!! I cut all of the shelves myself (relatively straight even). Cut the supports. Mounted them all and covered all of the shelving. Voila! We have our pantry! My mom came over and helped me organize and clean. It was SO good to have a functioning kitchen again! I owe it all to Curtis and my dad anyway for teaching me everything I know about power tools and woodworking. (Which actually isn't THAT much - but enough to get the job done, huh?!)

BEFORE:


AFTER:

When I dropped Anna off at pre-school this morning, I told her teacher, Miss Jenny, that I would be happy to help out in the class if they ever need volunteers. She said, "Actually, I could use some help later on today, if you can make it!" Cool! I have SUCH fond memories of my mom always being there when we had special projects, parties, crafts, and stuff.

(OK, except for the time in the 5th grade when the teacher was introducing all of the kids to my mom, and when she got to my crush du jour, Taja Hamilton, my mom made this wide eyed little smile and drawled, "I've heard ALLLL about you." I could have died. Really. Just sunk into the floor and died. Except for that time, it was great. Not that it scarred me for life or anything. Just for the last 21 years. But I've had therapy, and we're working on it. But I digress....)

Anyway, I got to go help with the science project. Each kidlet had a ziplock bag with their name on it. Miss Jenny put a scoop of blue jello and a scoop of yellow jello inside. (WAIT - this is MY PART!) *I* got to tape the top of the bag closed, to avoid jello carnage on the clothes and floor. Then, the kids mushed it up with their hands to see what NEW color blue and yellow make when mixed together. It was very cute.

It was so fun seeing all the kids, and watching them. They are so sweet. I'm not sure, if I had that job, if I would laugh all day at the cuteness, or want to hide in a quiet dark room at the end of the day. Maybe both. Anyway....that was my first day at school. Very fun stuff.

(Except for the back aches, blisters, sprained ankles, cursing, etc., etc.) We filled in the hole where the step used to be with concrete this weekend. Anna even helped out with her 'pink' tool box and a special handprint while we poured the concrete. Next, we'll build steps back in where they need to be. Another weekend....

Well, after waaayyyy too much time had passed between building the playhouse, and decorating the playhouse, Grandma & Alisa agreed to take on the task while they were watching Anna (which they have generously agreed to do on weekends while we are working on the house). And, you'll probably be surprised to learn, that Anna decided that everything should be PINK!

So, the playhouse is now painted inside. In fact, if you lean your head out the nearest window right now and look at the sky, you'll see a pink glow. That's from the walls of Anna's playhouse....I'm sure you can see it WHATEVER side of the globe you're on. It is partway decorated, and it still needs the white trim paint, but here are some inprogress shots. She is thrilled beyond belief already!

Thanks, Grandma & Alisa!

What a milestone. Our baby started school today. There were tears, anxiety, happiness and fear, some uncertain moments. But, in the end, I got through it and didn't let Anna see me cry. (I saved that for the parking lot afterwards.) She was all smiles. She asked why we were leaving, and we told her it was time for the mommies and daddies to go so that school could start, and she said, "OK" and ran back to play some more. Curtis and I are so proud of her. She just ran right in and made herself at home, just as we suspected she would. It's a great place, and it will be wonderful for her.

Here are a few pictures of this morning. Of course, Anna was decked out head to toe in her signature color. If it touches her body, it HAS to be pink. I love my 'girly-girl'.

(Could also have been titled DING DONG THE STEP IS DEAD!")

The cost of building this simple, concrete step in 1971 when our house was built.....$32


The amount of time Curtis and I shed blood sweat and tears trying to rip is out last weekend, and only got this far.....13 man hours.


The cost of the jackhammer rental from Hertz Equipment Rental....$63


The time it took Erik to get the step out with the big ass jackhammer....52 minutes.


Having a friend who shows up to your house to do ONE project for you (awesome) but stays to take over another as well.....PRICELESS.

With all of the house excitement, I haven't posted as many Anna-isims lately. But trust me, they still occur with frightening regularity. She is so darned SMART. She just amazes me sometimes.

This morning, the first thing I heard from her was (peeking through the blinds over her bed):
"Mommy! It's MORNING!! And it's really foggy outside today."

We've been getting these little string cheese sticks with riddles on them. Yesterday's was, "What kind of room has no doors and no windows. A MUSHroom." Ha. get it? Mushroom? What, you don't think that's HILARIOUS?! Well, then you obviously haven't heard Anna's delivery, because everyone she's told so far has laughed...HARD. It might be her stage presence. It usually goes something like this...
"What-has-no-doors-or-windows-a-mushroom-AHHAAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!!" (you'll have to picture the arms thrown up in the air from laughing so hard at her own joke.)

Lately, everything that she denies us, is followed up with a "but I DO still love you."
ME: Anna, can I have a bite of your apple.
ANNA: No thank you.
ME: WHAT?!!
ANNA: But I *DO* still love you, Mommy.

To my mom, on my cell phone while we were on the way to visit Grandma.
GRANDMA: Are you coming to see me!
ANNA: YES!
GRANDMA: All by yourself?
ANNA: No, I'm bringing your daughter with me.

Grandma told Anna that she could only bring her popsicle into the living room if Mommy would be responsible for the ensuing mess. Anna said to me:
"Mommy, will you be res, resp, that word that Grandma said, so that I can have my popsicle?"

Anna doesn't like driving in the truck because it doesn't have a DVD player in it. (Don't get me started....'When *I* was a girl, we didn't have....'). But we've been doing a lot of switching back and forth because we need the truck to do house projects. So, every morning this week, when we went outside and hound the VAN there, Anna kept saying,
"That Daddy of mine is such a sweetie. He's so sweet. He left the van for us. What a love."

Anna has decided that she is the mommy of her stuffed kitten. More frightening, is that she has decided that Kyle is the father of her kitty, because he makes a "really good Daddy." Not that Kyle won't make a GREAT father some day, I'm just not ready to talk about the father of ANNA'S children yet!!!

No. Seriously. Well, if you count the ceiling in the hallway as "sky", it is. That's what we came home to yesterday (there was actually a big stick propping up the remainder when this pic was taken). The drywall portion of the hallway ceiling had collapsed while we were out. When we removed the other portions of walls around it, I guess there wasn't much left to support it anymore. It wouldn't have been THAT messy, except for that DAMNED blown in loose insulation up there. It was a freakin' mess. Everywhere. Again. *sigh* Thank heavens for the shop vac.

Our mantra....

This will all be worth it.
We're having fun.
We DO still have our sense of humor.
This will all be worth it.
We're having fun.
We DO still have our sense of humor.
This will all be worth it.
We're having fun.
We DO still have our sense of humor.

[Funny note. Spellcheck suggested "foreskin" as a replacement for "freakin'" above. I don't know why, but I find that very funny, in a grade school sort of way. ]

One wall off
one wall on.
Diddle diddle dumpling
my son John!

That how it goes right? Hey - feel free to stop by. Just let yourself in; the wall is open. (Don't mind the 210 lb mastiff and the wicked pomeranian in the house - they don't usually do PERMANENT damage. Mostly.)

It's kind of like camping around here lately, except dirtier, and our camper has central heating, which our house does NOT right now. So, in my book, THIS is roughing it. We do have better plumbing than the camper (port-potties suck), but no wall in the house bathroom - so that one is a toss up. Since the walls and windows are open, the bugs are a draw too. Our shower is better, if you can get past the "no wall" thing.

Dear Curtis,

I don't really know where to begin, so I'll just say, I'm sorry. Truly sorry, from the bottom of my heart. I know that you are going to be disappointed in me. I know that we have talked about this before, and promised eachother that we would never let it "happen to us" - but it has.

When we decided, 4 years ago, that I would be a stay at home mom, I truly felt that I would be good at it, and enjoy it, and that it would be the best for our children. Today, I think I have failed. You KNOW that Anna's well being is of the utmost importance to me. And what happened this morning was inexcusable. I did call the urgent care line at Kaiser though, and I talked to her pediatrician as well. Although they understood my panic, they said that they think she should be fine, as long as we're sure that it never happens again. I'm so sorry. I think she's going to be OK, but I do realize that this is a very serious situation.

I'm not even really sure how it happened. I turned on "Dora the Explorer" for her, and started doing some work stuff on the computer. I just lost track of time. I did notice she was quiet, but I didn't notice WHY until it was too late. Gosh - when I saw what she was doing, my heart just stopped.

I hope we can get past this, someday. I know I will have to earn your trust again. I'll do whatever I have to. And from this day forward, I make my most solemn vow to you, I WILL NEVER, EVER LET ANNA WATCH BARNEY AGAIN. It makes me shudder to think that she almost saw an ENTIRE episode.

I hope we can work this out. After all....I love you. You love me. We're a happy family.

Love,
Bek