NO REST FOR THE WEARY

So, Papa keeps at it! He just demo'd the front of the garage, so that we can add 2 flip doors. The prior owners removed the 2 doors and added stucco to make it a living space. He'll frame it this weekend, then we'll hire someone to build the doors.


This was Aaron's SECOND dumpster at this house to fill...completely......single-handedly....and hopefully the last.


The beauty of this is that the table saw that has lived in the yard this entire time can now go INTO the garage. AND, we can start beautifying our pitiful back yard. This will be a project!


We're also currently getting gutters added and some landscape drainage because there was water pooling under the house. We're chipping away at that "pre-baby #2 check list"!

THE NEW KITCHEN FLOOR

So, on 12/29, Aaron moved us completely out of the kitchen and laundry room. And, by 1/9/10, we were ready to move back in. He pulled up the old sub-floor and tile and demo'd the bar b/t the kitchen and the dining room.

In 1.5 weeks.....hhen he put in new sub-floor and tile, grouted and sealed the tiles.....and also added sheetrock to several areas of walls, sanded and mudded the walls, painted the ceiling, painted the laundry room, added new new thresholds, added baseboard to the laundry room. He even built a temporary cabinet to go to the left of the stove. There are so many steps involved, it's crazy.

It is so nice to have the fridge in the kitchen, rather than the dining room! And to have a new floor! Happy New Year to me.

Now we're ready for laundry room doors, new door thresholds, new cabinets, new countertops, new wall paint and new windows. He can do this in stages.....while keeping the kitchen functional. Brilliant. We can't decide whether or not to put in a new bar (shorter, with legs rather than a solid base). It sure is nice having such a big opening into the dining room.

BYE BYE KITCHEN FLOOR

All this in a day's work for Papa. Bye bye green kitchen floor tiles. Coffee maker in the bathroom. Microwave in the dining room. No laundry services. No stove. Amazing neighbors show up with dinner last night...once again.

REJOICE

This MUST be some of the sweetest little sounds. Rejoice. Rejoice. Pax has fallen in love with 'Joy to the World' and 'O Come O Come Emmanuel' this Christmas. Several times a day, I hear his little voice say "rejoice, rejoice"....or "joy, mama...more joy, mama" which means that he wants me to play that song on his CD player.

NEW WORK BENCH

GOES RIGHT HERE

DUCKIE

Not too eventful of a post, but here's the boy in action.