September Wrap-Up

I took some "before" pictures of some of the spaces that are going to be changing. The couches are shrink-wrapped because the PODS is in the driveway, and we are ready to load it up! Exciting movement towards getting started!!!

The Formal Living Room (most everything already packed up in boxes)

The Kitchen (nothing packed in boxes from here - I'm waiting until I get the "we're ready to come inside" warning. Hopefully about 2 weeks away.)

Another Kitchen shot

The original Formal Dining Room that we changed to our office/play room (most things packed or moved to another space)

I took those pictures, then we waited awhile longer before anything happened...

Wyatt

School has been great, so far! His teacher is wonderful, and I notice a lot of her curriculum is very similar to what I used to teach. It's pretty cool! He is beginning to take on the responsibility of homework. It's a tough road to hoe...I'm working on him understanding "putting in the time" and getting it out of the way, so the rest of his time is free. And that you have to work before you can play. Nothing about what he has to do is hard for him. This week is the first week that it looks like he might be getting it. Mrs. Donovan, his teacher, gave him a great compliment last week. She said he was such a wonderful, well rounded kid. He makes us very proud!

I think our neighbor, Mr. Carter, may have lit a little fire in Wyatt about playing the piano. Mr. Carter happened to be outside last week, when we were getting ready to go to Wyatt's lesson. When we told him where we were going, Mr. Carter gave Wyatt a stack of old piano books. Wyatt was excited to take them to Mrs. Raaum, his piano teacher. There was also a Pokemon recorder book in the collection. Very random, but when Mrs. Raaum told him he could play anything in there b/c of knowing the notes from piano, Wyatt was ecstatic! Such a random event to make him be more willing to practice, but I think it has!

Wyatt's enjoying soccer. Last week I had to take him from practice early, and he was so bummed! He is loving the games. Matthew is one of two assistant coaches, to the head coach. His team's name is the Galaxy, just like last year. He likes the goalie position a lot! 

Matthew also took Wyatt to a water polo practice last week. Matthew said Wyatt jumped right in there as if he were 12! No hesitation. He swam laps for 30 minutes, kept up with all the drills, made a great pass and had a ball! It's a push b/c he gets home late, but I think he really loves being with his Papa, and he loves getting in the water with the older kids. When I asked him if he liked polo or soccer better, he said polo. When I asked why, he said, "because you're in the water!" All smiles, of course!

We visited the orthodontist last Friday. He said it's way too early for braces b/c of roots not being fully developed, but he did suggest a retainer to try to even up his two front teeth. Cosmetic reasons aside, the one tooth that is sticking way out front is vulnerable and unstable. If hit or bumped just right, it could break. So, we're headed back for x-rays and impressions, to have a retainer in early November. It'll be worn 24 hrs a day for 6-8 months. He can eat with it in, so hopefully we won't be replacing it...cross your fingers! 

That's Wyatt with his hands on his hips.

My Boy! Can you believe he just keeps growing and growing??

Ummm...yeah...Daph, entertaining herself at the soccer game! Always a hoot!

9/23/10

And then they CAME!!!! One guy came to work on the chimney! The funny thing is, he came on a Thursday, got a chunk taken off, then didn't return on Friday! Sounds like he had some sort of transportation problem....let's hope that doesn't happen too often!

And, who knew? Who knew that this ugly octagon window at the top of the stairs would be such a great asset?! What a great place to view the work that's going on on the roof!!!

10/1/10

More of the roof has been torn away. The plan is to open up the roof, remove the chimney, put in the beam and supports (that will be "exposed" from the inside), close it back up and re-roof. This is because we are afraid of uncertain weather. We want it to be all closed back up and secure before they head inside for the rest of the work. Also, it was ridiculously HOT this week. Go figure...

Annabelle!

Oh my gosh...this little girl! The one who loves school, loves to sing and dance, loves to play with ALL her toys in her room and has a hard time cleaning up, loves playing with her friends, LOVES drawing and coloring. She does a number on my heart!

Annabelle hasn't missed a beat in kindergarten. She really, REALLY wants to read like some of the other kinders in her class. I keep telling her very soon she'll be there, not to get upset. Yet, she does like some drama, so she will throw a little, itty bitty tantrum and pout. It's kinda cute, actually. She is eager to do her homework. It works out really well for her to work on it after the girls have lunch and Daph takes a nap. I can sit down with her and give her all my attention, and I think she really likes it! I'm loving it, too! 

When she disappears to play on her own, she is often found in some sort of get-up (one she's really favoring right now is a little concerning - a silk scarf of mine wrapped around her chest, with nothing else on her top, with some sort of skirt or shorts. She really likes things "off the shoulder". Yikes!!!).  She's often in front of her mirrored closet, dancing and singing, watching herself! Oh boy...

She loves to color and draw. Many mornings, as soon as she wakes up, she's hits the kitchen table with markers and paper. She draws and draws and draws. It's so fun to watch. I'm going to suggest  that her inability to clean up has to do with her creative mind! Hee, hee...

She's loving soccer, and has scored a few goals! They don't have goalies this year, but still! She gets kindly aggressive in there and loves running around with her friends. The girls are so different to watch as compared to the boys. They are almost polite about it all. It's cute to watch! Annabelle's team is called the Thundering Princesses. Matthew is an assistant coach for her team, too.

Cutie Pie!

She's directly right of the flag, in a white jersey.

Hand up, wanting to be chosen to kick off, I think. Look at the beautiful back drop to this field!

And, here's sweet Daph!

After the game snack is still the best!

Pretty girl!

10/4/10

After a crazy-windy night that blew the tarps up and down and kept us awake with the noise, the workers' job was tedious today. The roof is wide open, but had all kinds of loose insulation above the ceiling. One guy held a trash bag while the other scooped insulation into the bag. It took about 3 hours to do the front part! Then they removed more bricks from the chimney and took out the center pieces of beam structure. At least the temperature was pleasantly cool for them today.

See the broom - it is lying on the above side of the ceiling. 

Here's our boy. He'd be perched here ALL day if school didn't get in the way! ;) Daphne's pretty interested in seeing it, too, but more because she is scared silly by the noise and likes to see where it's coming from!

Cute picture of Wyatt, but also you can see the dwindling chimney!

I know I've left Daphne's details outta this post, but will aim to get something up for her in the next week or so! There's lots to share!