Friday, 24 August 2007
BIRTHDAY BOY!
Our little toot is ONE! What a fast year it has been. He started his party in a bit of a grumpy mood, but grew cheerier as it went on. Isn't he a neat eater for a baby? Thank you to everyone who sent him presents! He loves all of his new toys.
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Best Birthday Present!
I have always wanted silhouettes of my kids and this year, Mitch very kindly obliged me. They turned out wonderfully and I know they will always be family treasures (at least to me).
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Any Potter Fans Out There?
Deathly Hallows is officially my favorite Harry Potter book, now. So many poignant moments/revelations. Harry, Ron, and Hermione venturing outside the confines of Hogwarts , finally able to use what they'd learned the past six years was refreshing. And they MAKE MISTAKES... they are still kids, after all.
Some touching parts to me were:
~ the fate of Dobby and its effect on Harry
~ finally learning why Petunia was so bitter toward her sister/Harry
~ when Harry, Ron, and Hermione (or was it just Harry?) discovered the mural on Luna's ceiling. My heart ached for her.
~ don't know why, but Kreacher becoming "good" really satisfied me
~ Snape
Anyway, I just read that JK Rowling is working on a detective novel at her old haunts in Edinburgh (though I'm sure it's just not the same- from struggling single mom to billionaire). I'll read it- I prefer that genre and I think she is a good writer. I'd be interested in the differences between her writing style for "children" vs. that for adults.
Any thoughts... Sil? Kim?
Monday, 13 August 2007
~NEW PERSIMMON HILL UPDATE~
This weekend was chipper-shredder weekend! The picture below is some of the cedar that was condemned to mulch. And Mitch got through it all! The homesite is cleared, ready for various contractors to visit for estimates.
We (well, Mitch and his friend Bill) figured out how the house will sit on the hill, and it was done so that NO (desirable) trees will have to be cut down (especially the persimmons! what would become of the name if they had to go?).
We've gotten materials bids from two places, though comparing the totals is like comparing apples and oranges since they don't contain exactly the same materials. I have found out that windows are incredibly expensive. Who knew?
Like I said, I guess next up is getting the concrete guy, electric co., septic co., etc. out there.
On the homefront, I just need to finish in the bathroom, then do the boys' room and the master bedroom. I am valiantly attempting to keep the rest of the house clean. I think it's going well, but I want to get this house up for sale SOON because all of this horrible real estate talk is starting to get to me. Luckily, Austin and San Antonio are still hot markets, so we have some breathing room.
More later!
We (well, Mitch and his friend Bill) figured out how the house will sit on the hill, and it was done so that NO (desirable) trees will have to be cut down (especially the persimmons! what would become of the name if they had to go?).
We've gotten materials bids from two places, though comparing the totals is like comparing apples and oranges since they don't contain exactly the same materials. I have found out that windows are incredibly expensive. Who knew?
Like I said, I guess next up is getting the concrete guy, electric co., septic co., etc. out there.
On the homefront, I just need to finish in the bathroom, then do the boys' room and the master bedroom. I am valiantly attempting to keep the rest of the house clean. I think it's going well, but I want to get this house up for sale SOON because all of this horrible real estate talk is starting to get to me. Luckily, Austin and San Antonio are still hot markets, so we have some breathing room.
More later!
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Been Awhile!
Hi, Dear Blog Readers,
It has been almost 2 weeks since I last wrote because I have been having trouble with my camera. I'm sure I was missed dreadfully! Since then, most notably, I turned 33. Yippee.
Anyway, I am just going to post some random pictures I have taken in the past 11 or so days.
The boys have been banned from video games due to fighting, so, Horrors! they had to break out the Monopoly.
Pete loves to bang on the piano.
Pete eating corn on the cob and... glue.
Christine's birthday cupcakes ready for us to decorate!
Some of the finished cupcakes.
Pete's new shoes for nursery school!
It has been almost 2 weeks since I last wrote because I have been having trouble with my camera. I'm sure I was missed dreadfully! Since then, most notably, I turned 33. Yippee.
Anyway, I am just going to post some random pictures I have taken in the past 11 or so days.
The boys have been banned from video games due to fighting, so, Horrors! they had to break out the Monopoly.
Pete loves to bang on the piano.
Pete eating corn on the cob and... glue.
Christine's birthday cupcakes ready for us to decorate!
Some of the finished cupcakes.
Pete's new shoes for nursery school!Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Persimmon Hill Update... No Pics :^(
Well, since this blog was set up for chronicling our Persimmon Hill progress, I have been terribly lax in providing news on that front. So here is what's been going on:
Mitch has continued to cut cedar on the property, and has even devised a way to take Pete out there so I can have more free time to devote to the house. He has hung Pete's swing from a big cedar tree and charged Andrew with swinging and entertaining him. A great help!
So now, he is ready to tackle some of the huge brush piles he has made. We briefly considered buying a used chipper shredder from craig's list, but we finally decided to rent one instead. He hopes to get out there this weekend with a friend and gobble those up while reserving the big cedar logs for various projects.
I am slowly, I mean slowly working my way through the house, mercilessly flinging old school papers, plastic toys, outgrown clothes, etc. into a big plastic bag to be sorted and disposed of. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are done, yet not done. What I mean is that each day before I work on the particular room that is my current project, I make sure the kitchen, dining room, and living room are immaculate. Then and only then can I work on the new room. That is why progress is so slow, but I think my strategy is effective because the rooms I have totally finished cleaning are tending not to get out of hand again. I am currently on Christine's room. Who thought so much junk could be collected by a little girl in a 12x12 room?
Today was my target date for putting the house on the market. The best laid plans blah blah blah.
Mitch has gotten a materials bid from one supplier and I think we are going to another this evening to detail what we want so that they can bid. I am learning that I am going to have to make compromises in some areas, and honestly, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would, considering I have had my "dream home" pictured in my head for most of my adult life.
Well, I think that brings us up to today. Though frustratingly slow, I think we are steadily building upon each accomplishment toward each little goal.
Mitch has continued to cut cedar on the property, and has even devised a way to take Pete out there so I can have more free time to devote to the house. He has hung Pete's swing from a big cedar tree and charged Andrew with swinging and entertaining him. A great help!
So now, he is ready to tackle some of the huge brush piles he has made. We briefly considered buying a used chipper shredder from craig's list, but we finally decided to rent one instead. He hopes to get out there this weekend with a friend and gobble those up while reserving the big cedar logs for various projects.
I am slowly, I mean slowly working my way through the house, mercilessly flinging old school papers, plastic toys, outgrown clothes, etc. into a big plastic bag to be sorted and disposed of. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are done, yet not done. What I mean is that each day before I work on the particular room that is my current project, I make sure the kitchen, dining room, and living room are immaculate. Then and only then can I work on the new room. That is why progress is so slow, but I think my strategy is effective because the rooms I have totally finished cleaning are tending not to get out of hand again. I am currently on Christine's room. Who thought so much junk could be collected by a little girl in a 12x12 room?
Today was my target date for putting the house on the market. The best laid plans blah blah blah.
Mitch has gotten a materials bid from one supplier and I think we are going to another this evening to detail what we want so that they can bid. I am learning that I am going to have to make compromises in some areas, and honestly, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would, considering I have had my "dream home" pictured in my head for most of my adult life.
Well, I think that brings us up to today. Though frustratingly slow, I think we are steadily building upon each accomplishment toward each little goal.
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