Rudolph

I know that it is past Christmas, but I was fairly impressed that she knew all the words anyway, so...  Happy Rudolphing :)

Bathroom Continuation

Remember I came home to a rather large hole in the floor?  Thankfully, hubby corrected that situation rather quickly, as I was a bit concerned that the kids might forget that they didn't have a bathroom to go to in the middle of the night.  So, now we had flooring.

 This solution was my rather ingenious idea.  We blew in insulation before the first summer we were here, and I don't regret that, even knowing there was some work to do.  However, we wanted to remodel the bathrooms without loosing all our hard work, so we decided to leave the drywall on the ceiling and just re-drywall over it.  When we took the walls down, the width of a 2x4 needed to be covered to keep the insulation from falling down.

 We didn't want to have to take down the covering again, so it needed to be thin.  I didn't want to use up all my good printer paper, so I had the kids get me some of the pages they had already finished from their coloring book.  And, since we are leaving it up, I figure it is a time capsule kinda thing :)

 Not all construction has to be hard work.  Dylan thought this spot fit him perfectly.  And, I will say, if it was much smaller, he would have been in a heap a' hurt.

 This is the finished framing and electrical.  (Both of which are difficult to get perspective on because the space is so small, but notice the functioning light). 

 The wall that makes the space into two different bathrooms, some electrical on the right.  We also replaced all the insulation in the walls, because some of it was moldy, and the rest was just stuffed in there, so it needed to be replaced anyway.

If you check out the ticker on the side of the blog, it says that I have something like 24 days left, which would be true if you were counting down to my due date.  However, we have scheduled the c section 10 days early, so I have exactly 2 weeks from today, 14 days, to get it as functional as possible.  This weekend we finished the drain lines, as well as the water supply lines (which I need to take pictures of) so hopefully this week we can hang drywall, and get to tiling the floor next weekend.  Here goes nothing!

Cemetary

Even before we went to the funeral, we had some discussions about cemetaries recently.  There is one that we pass on the way to the Dee-pot, and with as often as we go there, the kids have noticed the flowers all around.  Kaitlyn asked why there were flowers in the ground, and if we could pick them, to which I responded "Sorry, but no.  Those flowers are for people who have died."  We got into a few more things, but now, when we pass, both Kaitlyn and Dylan say "Thats where people have died."

Kaitlyn also described her understanding of cemetaries to me.  "When I get too many numbers on my birthday, I will die.  Then I will turn into flowers."

I guess it is healthy for them to be learning about this stuff now.  Maybe they won't be bothered by it later?

Penny Project

Before the Christmas break, Kari had an extra credit project she decided to take part in.  The kids had to find a penny for every year since their birth, then tell something that happened in that year.  They could add pictures if they choose.

 I think it is important for her to do her own projects, but it is difficult for me to stand back sometimes and not arrange things the way I want them to be.  She picked out her own pictures and started taping things on before I had the chance to "suggest" she dry fit everything first.  She also didn't take the bar code off the poster board, but, that is something that would only bug me.

We eventually found all the pennies we needed (which necessitated searching through every piggy bank we had, both cars, and even a trip to the bank).  I am very happy that for 2 of the years, she choose to include when her siblings were born.  It turned out to be a great project.  I am very happy she is little miss independent.  She helps me let go a little bit too :)

True Story

Remember how I like the perspective of the laying down pictures better?  How you can see the growth better than just looking like I am fat? 

Well, I laid down to take this picture and because it was a hard wood floor, and because I am so far along, and because there was some kind of weird pressure on my back and hips that caused pain, I couldn't get up.  It hurt to roll over, and I have no abs to speak of to be able to just sit up.  So, I called hubby (who I happened to know was already on his way home from work) to find out how much longer he would be, and waited until he could come home and could pull me straight up, without much pain or effort on my part.

True Story.

For this pregnancy, I have been using Kari as my photographer and artist. She writes how far along I am across my belly (which she thinks is cool because she gets to write on me) and then takes the picture. Since it is a digital camera, we can take as many as we need, or crop and zoom as desired.

After this picture was taken, we had the opportunity to skype with the grandparents, and no lie, this is exactly how the beginning of her conversation went.

"Hi Nana and Pop.  Mommy has stretch marks."

True Story :p

A first for me

Today I attended my first funeral.  Somehow, growing up, I managed to never go to one.  When I was little, they kinda scared me, and I asked not to go.  When I was a teenager, I always had "something else to do".  Whenever family would pass, we rarely had the ability to fly all 6 of us out to Utah, so usually whatever parent's side it was, would fly out.  However, hubby had a great uncle pass over the weekend, and I felt like I needed to go.  To be there for the extended family, who I love. To be able to represent the family sort of, because hubby was out of town and unable to go.  And because, being 2.5 hours away didn't seem like a good enough excuse to not attend.

I was a little concerned about taking the kids.  I didn't know if now was an appropriate time to expose them to something like this or how they would behave.  Thankfully they did just fine.  Dylan, being not quite 3 and definitely not understanding, was his cute little self.  He sat still most of the time, didn't make too much noise, and looked awfully handsome in his shirt and tie.  Kaitlyn cuddled with Pop most of the time, not really understanding why the occasional tear escaped down his cheek.  Kari had a few insightful questions to ask, but was willing to wait until a more appropriate time to discuss them.  None of them seemed bothered by the body, and all of them were sensitive to the grown ups who were sad.  The girls even prayed for Uncle J's wife (without being prompted) tonight at bedtime...  Very touching.

Going to the funeral made me think a bit, though.  About when I grow old, etc...  A few things I think I know about myself at this time: 1) I don't really care if I have a funeral.  I don't really feel the need to be remembered forever and ever after I die.  So long as I leave my children raised to the best of my ability (because I hope to not have to leave before then), I am not really worried about having something named after me, or having multiple people who will say "She was the best person ever."  Just not a bit deal to me.  2)  I honestly wouldn't mind being cremated.  It is cheaper, for sure, and I am not so concerned with grave site keep up, or which casket to use, etc. Just seems like a lot of trouble to go through, and I am not really inclined towards that much fuss over myself.  3)  The only thing I was surprised to learn about myself is that I do want my loved ones to be able to have their last physical memory of me being in good condition.  Not "she weighed 120 lbs, and had curves like a dream".  Just, that if I were to pass in some horrible accident, I would hate for them to have a maimed physical representation in their minds, for however long they choose to remember it. 

Eh...  *Shrugs*  It was nice to sit there, with my huge occasionally dancing belly, and my small children, and be reminded that the circle of life goes on, and hopefully we will all see each other again someday.

PS-  Sorry for the heavy.  Writing this late, after the day I had, makes me turn introspective apparently.... :)

The "Incident"

Yes, my little Gold Fish, this is for you :)

So, we came back from our Christmas vacation in time to celebrate Kari's birthday at home and to work on the bathrooms just a bit.  We also came back in plenty of time so we could be at church on New Years Day.  I had an early morning church meeting (which is complete blasphemy :) and was teaching the Sunday School lesson that day, as well as conducting.  It was a busy day for me :)  I was in the mood to kind of dress up, so I wore a cute navy blue cardigan over a (non maternity, just zipped up as high as it could go) grey skirt, accessorizing with those hip, new tights and some ballet flats.

Yes, my legs and torso look exactly like this...  The ONLY difference being that I wore flats ;)

The early morning meeting went fine, and I proceeded to the Primary room, prepared to teach my lesson.  Around here, most children didn't have to be back in school until Jan 5 (at the earliest, Kari didn't go back until the 9th), so our attendance was sparse.  I think I can safely estimate that almost 3/4ths of our children were not there, as well as a few of our teachers.  I started the lesson, thinking how quiet it was with so few children (who were probably halfway asleep from the holiday's excursions and adventures anyway) and continued for several minutes. 

About 3/4s of the way through, as I was standing by the podium, I suddenly noticed a warm sensation around my feet, and that my legs felt slightly chilly.  My brain took a while to process the problem before it finally presented me with the solution:  My skirt had fallen down.  Not slowly gotten lower and lower, to where I should have just hiked it up again.  No.  All the way to the floor.  In a sudden, give no warning, kind of way.  I have always wondered how those people on America's Funnies Home Videos had no idea that it was coming.  Now I know.

I stood there for, probably about 3 seconds, at which point, I bent over (which is somewhat of a feat for an 8 month pregnant woman anyway) picked it up, and continued with my lesson.  Again, my brain was full of moss or something that day, and it took a bit to process what had just happened, because after a few more words I burst into a small giggle.  I closed my mouth, composed myself, and began again.  People say when they blush, they feel the heat rise from their neck on up.  Apparently I have never truly experienced a blush until that moment.  I could feel my neck getting warmer.  Then my chin, cheeks, nose, etc, until I felt like my face was on fire.  I continued to struggle through, saying a few words, busting into an hysterical giggle, composing myself, then starting all over again.  By the last minute of the lesson, I was in control of myself and turned the time over to music, excusing myself out into the hallway.

I can safely say that is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me.  In my entire life.  Hands down.  But guess what?!?!  The story does not end there.  Oh no!  There's more!

I went out to the hallway, where I was accosted by one of my dear friends and counselors in the hallway, with a Primary related question.  I did the best I could to answer her question, and focus on the matter at hand, but in the middle of speaking to her, I again burst out in this weird laugh.  The only way to describe it is, well, kinda completely hysteric and desperate.  As well as laughing, I suddenly began to cry, but, as with the lesson, I pushed forward to try to continue to answer her question.  At this point, she had no idea what to do.  She was not in the room at the time, and had no idea what happened.  All she knew what that the pregnant lady's hormones had gotten the best of her, and she appeared to have finally gone insane.

I calmed down enough to choke out "My skirt fell off!!!"  And between fits of giggles, several tears, covering my mouth (you know how people do when they are nervous) and wiping my eyes, I managed to tell her the whole story, miming my reactions and all.  By the time I finished, we were both in tears, laughing and crying so hard that my the secretary came to see what all the fuss was about.  At which point, I repeated my story to her.  All three of us caused such a disturbance we had to walk away from each other and calm down.  I finally got my hysteria under control.  It seemed that the telling of the story, plus the outburst of crying/laughing/etc, had gotten it completely out of my system, and I was then able to continue with the rest of the day.

Ironically, none of the children said anything about it.  At all.  I don't even know if they told their parents.  None of the teachers really even laughed, though some smiled and kinda giggled.  And, looking on the bright side of things (as I, the eternal optomist, always do) it was not actually a bad time for it to happen.  All of my male teachers weren't there, we had extremely low attendance numbers, and I was wearing tights, so they didn't even see my underwear.  Plus, my cardigan was on the longish side as well. 

So.... 

That is how my New Year started: with me, dropping my drawers in the middle of church.  Is that some kind of omen?

Birthday Celebration

This year was a bit of a departure for several reasons.  One being, this is the last year that Kari will be adding to her car and clip collection.  The colors were getting more and more difficult to find of either the car or the clip (this year it was nearly impossible to find a pink car) and the colors were only going to get more obscure (brown, black, etc).  Being the collector she is, I was concerned she wouldn't give it up easily, but, honestly she hasn't played with the collection for quite a while, and she has so many other things going on, she actually acquiesced quite easily.

The other difference this year was that Kari decided to go with a princess cake instead of a fruit cake from the years past.  This was kind of nice for me, since I didn't really have the chance to make one (what with bathrooms, etc going on).  We also celebrated her birthday over the course of 2 days, because we wanted to have the chance to celebrate while everyone was here.  We started the day before with the cake and a few presents before S & M left.

The princess cake:

 She appears pleased :)

 We sang.

 She blew.  And all was happy :)

 S & M gave Kari the final piece to her most recent collection: Bullseye.  She now has Buzz, Woody, Jessie and Bullseye.  And plays with them daily.  Thanks S & M!

 Nana and Pop gave her some wuggle pets.  They are very similar to build a bear, in that you get the outer covering, and stuff it with a stuffing machine.

 She also got a SpongeBob watch from aunt K (which she wears daily also).

 By the next day, she had already stuffed 2 Wuggle Pets.

 From Mom and Dad she got some kinda disappointing presents (judging by her face).  This is her new alarm clock.  She actually really likes it because it has a star light up thing on the top when it goes off.  Mom really likes it because I can set it to go off with music instead of an annoying beeping sound, and lets Kari know when to get up and start getting ready for school.

 She had also grown out of almost all of her dresses, so she got 4 more for her birthday.  Again, good thing she got all the cool gifts from the rest of the family, because the ones from mom and dad....  much more practical.

 Aaaaand a new coat, as she had grown out of the old one.

Now, the fact that Kaitlyn had also grown out of her old one had nothing to do with it.  A good time was had by all, and she did officially turn a year older.  When did I get this old?

My Big Girl

I know it is almost 3 weeks past her birthday, but I haven't gotten around to loading her birthday pictures yet, and today was her well checkup, so...  I'll just have to be late.

 This year was a pretty momentous year for Kari.  She started first grade, lost a tooth, spent lots of time with family and found out she was going to be getting a new sibling.

 Today at the doctor, she weighed in at 51.4 lbs (which, according to their chart, is right at 50%).

 She measured 47.25 inches tall (again, right at 50%).

 But she is anything other than average to me.  She loves to read and is an excellent speller, loves to do math and science, and is very athletic.  She is gaining more and more responsibilities each day, and she is a fabulous helper.

 Indeed, there are days when I am not sure what I would do with out her running abilities (since mine are so much worse off than hers are).

 She loves to make things, and she loves to help.  I need to get better at that, in fact: allowing her to help instead of doing everything myself.  I am sure there will come a time in the not so distant future when she doesn't offer, so I should accept all I can now.

 This year she also moved up to Senior Primary (big kid Sunday school).  I know, I know, it really isn't all that different, but it is a rather large milestone for me.  I now have a big girl.  Yikes!

 And boy do I love her :)

Floors

There was still some major demo to do after the wet walls.  First being the flooring, and then the walls that would move.  And, as you can see, it was still quite a mess.

 But on with the work.  The floor, like the walls, was broken up with hammers, then carted out in buckets.

 While Pop and Uncle Map worked on floors, hubby dismantled the old electrical and some more plumbing in preparation to take the the walls down.

 With all the concrete dust, they broke out the masks.  And, can I just say that Pop looks super happy to be doing the back breaking work? :)

 Minus flooring and walls.

 There was some water damage underneath one of the tubs.  We knew this when we bought the house, but weren't aware exactly how much it was.  Nor did it seem all that important, since once again, this was the only original project for the house.

 For such small bathrooms, I have to admit I am surprised there was so much trash.  This was the second dump load, and there was one more of bathroom debris, plus another from the shed out back (we'll get to that later).  It was nice to have helpers for that too.

 Our local dump.  Isn't it beautiful? :)

And that, in essence, is my bathroom.  The trailer being empty at that point, and the debris all over the dump.  Looks like quite a mess!  Good thing I don't have to clean that up!

 They cut out the most damaged parts of the floor.

 Hi honey! :)

 But ended up taking out pretty much all of it, because it was easier to get the plumbing out that way.

  And, this is what I came home to.  Doesn't it just look great?!?  Sometimes it is hard to get excited about messes (or in this case, technically, a lack there of), but at least this was real progress.

 After the night I had had, it was nice to see something.  Kaitlyn developed her first ear infection about 3:30am that morning, while Dylan had a cold and couldn't breath.  I guess it was good that hubby wasn't with me, because I wouldn't have had room for him in the bed anyway. I waited until the doctors office opened, and called for an appointment (remember, the pediatrician I love is 45 minutes from my house, but on the way home from Pa's).  We hurriedly loaded up the van (which, is quite a feat, considering I had Christmas stuff, plus an extra child (my niece) and Nana).  We made it to the doctor, stopped by Walgreens on the way home for a prescription, then came home to one functioning bathroom and a huge hole in the floor.  After visiting and getting caught up, Kaitlyn (now with prescription and pain killers in her system), climbed up on the couch and fell asleep on Pop.

It was quite cute :)

Christmas Elf Roundup

I wrote a quick blurb about accidentally seeing the bag of our Christmas Elf and worrying that we would get in trouble for it.  Thankfully, he did not give up on us, and continued to shower us with generosity and kindness.  I don't know how much they spent, or how they came up with the fabulous gifts and poems they left us.  And you know what else?  I will never know.  He/they never told us who they were.  In fact, they told us they weren't going to. 

One of the days before Christmas, he left a request (in poem form, of course) that if we were going to be out of town, to let them know so they could double up the gifts, etc....  I wrote back a short little ditty that thanked them (to the best of my ability) and told them when we were gone.  Problem was, I was so off schedule by then, I told them the wrong date... Doah! 

So we left on our Christmas break, and just had to have faith that whatever they left would still be there when we got back.  Hubby got back late, and didn't even think about it when he walked in the door around midnight.  The following night, in the midst of a well earned dinner (after some also well earned showers) the door knocked, and what to his wondering eyes should appear, but the rest of the nights worth of gifts and no one there to say thank you to, or to catch in the act.

So, if you are out there Christmas Elf Person, thank you so much for being so lovely and nice.  The children looked forward to the knocks nightly, and to the things in the bags.  Kari loved to read the poems, while Kaitlyn and Dylan liked to fight over who would get to open the door.  Hubby and I marvel at how much time and preparation went into it, as well as the generosity involved.  It was a wonderful gift enjoyed by our whole family, for which we we ever be grateful for your Christmas Spirit!  Thank you so much also for refusing to reveal who you are.  It will haunt me for the rest of my days.   :)

Wet Walls

Whilst we ate breakfast in masks, the mess continued at the homestead.  After the drywall came down, the wet walls (i.e. tile going up the walls) were next.  This proved to be a bit more than we had anticipated, in that they didn't exactly come down without a fight, and when they did, they made quite a bit of a mess.  Here is Uncle Map taking out all his frustrations on the wet wall.

And this looks like the beginning of a bad joke.  "How many men does it take to..."  Unfortunately, I can't really think of an ending to that joke, so feel free to leave something in the comments :)

 And here are some of those wonderful action shots...  check out that form :)

 

 The resulting mess.

 Carted out in buckets.

 Lots and lots of back breaking buckets.

 And thus ended the first trailer load to the dump.

And the project manager was happy.