I LOVE how it's all coming together!!!

I've been carrying around a hunk of granite, shards of tile, 8x10 cabinet samples, a block of black walnut, a hunk of hammered copper and sometimes a huge plank of hardwood!

The pieces are coming together and it is taking my breath away Every. Single. Time. I walk thru the kitchen. I love it all! It is so scary putting these pieces together, spending a lot of money and time, and not being 100% sure that it's going to be perfect, but it IS!

The last two days have been crazy here! For feeling like things were creeping along the 2 previous weeks, it's a whirlwind of activity now! Julian the Bulgarian tile guy is here working (is it weird that his WET tile saw is set up in Daph's new room?!). Our stairs have been ripped off and the new ones have started (2-3 saws set up on the back patio for this crew, and 3-4 guys working just on the stairs). The carpenter - Paul - is diligently working away on whatever he does (he micromanages a lot, and gets stuff done in between - he's a great guy, though!). Two guys had a saw out front for working on the entry. The electrician was here today, too! That is a house full!

So, here's how it looks today:

I LOVE every part of it!!! Yay!

On this 8th Birthday...

I don't have words for it all...
8 years ago on Monday (2/28/03) we put an offer on this house. Now we have an 8 year old, an almost 6 year old and a 2 year old and are nearing the end of a major remodel. I can't believe our kids are growing the way they are - bright, thoughtful, fun, pushy, argumentative, sassy - all of it wrapped up into their maturing selves. I can't stand it, and I love it, too.

It was a great day, full as always. The 5 of us went to the doughnut shop for Birthday doughnuts.  We took Wyatt a ham sandwich from Subway (his request), and his class celebrated his birthday with chocolate dipped rice krispy treats. When Matthew got home from work, we opened presents - Daphne was beside herself wanting to help! We went to The Dog for dinner (I think this is the 3rd year in a row with this as his choice for his b-day dinner) and then to Baskin Robbins for dessert (we'll have cake on Sat. with his buddies). Matthew had to leave from there to go coach. The kids and I came home, put Daph to bed and then Annabelle, Wyatt and I played a new game Wyatt got, called Creationary (imagine Pictionary except you build the picture with Legos! It's not as simple as it sounds!).

It was so much fun doing all things just for Wyatt. Everyone else has to suck it up and just know that this is the other's day. Wyatt went to bed with a smile on his face and I'm pretty sure had a great day.

I'm really trying to get away from the big bash birthday parties, so Saturday Wyatt is having 5 friends come over for about 4 hours to just play. They can play Wii, Legos, play outside, eat snacks, have pizza and sing Happy Birthday, and that's it! I'm hoping they enjoy just having time to hang out and enjoy each other. We'll see how it works out!

Happy Birthday Wyatt!!! We love you!!!