I'll Be Home For Christmas

Looking good from the road. We are all bricked up, and there are just a few tiny details left to finish the outside. Brad really likes the dumpster out front. He thinks it would be convenient for taking out the trash. Maybe we'll keep it, if Laura can work it into our landscape design.


The front door (which you can't see because it's open) still has to be painted. We haven't chosen our paint color yet, but it will be something warm that goes well with the brick.

This is the girls' room. We have sheet rock and putty done. Next comes painting, cabinetry, floors, and lights.

This is a view of the living room as you are standing in the kitchen. You can see our gas log on the wall and the entrance to the hall that leads to the bedrooms. I am very happy with the custom blinds I ordered for this room. We are putting tile and a mantel around the fireplace. I will be picking out the tile tomorrow, mantle's already chosen.


And here is a view of half our attic. This room will remain unfinished. It will be furnished with an elegant light bulb that you turn on by pulling a string. It may not be beautiful, but it will hold a lot of boxes of Christmas decorations and old baby clothes.

That's all for now. They are supposed to paint and put down tile next week, and the cabinets should be in soon, so I will have some really fun stuff to post then.

Beach

Wow. I can't believe it's been so long since we posted an entry. Our lives are incredibly busy right now. In a day or two, I hope to have some more pictures up of the house. I need to take some new interior pictures to show the drywall, and we need some of the finished exterior. Right now, I was going to leave you with a picture of Ben and Anna playing on the beach with Auntie Karen. We spent the last week at Garden City (Myrtle Beach) with Brad's family. This year the annual trip included Brad's parents, Karen, Samuel, Mick, Rachel, baby Keith, Rachel's parents Tony and Vicky, Rachel's brother Daniel, and his fiancee Katie. Plus us.

Quotes by Ben

Well, I am waiting until a good portion of brick is up to do my next house update. I may be able to get some pictures tomorrow. Until then, I think I'll fill the void by leaving you with more words of wisdom from Ben.

"...and dear God, thank you for my poop."
- last night's bedtime prayer addendum

"Why do we have two hands?"
"It would be very hard to do things with only one hand. For example, how would I wash my hands if I didn't have two hands to rub against each other? And how would I pick up very large and heavy objects with just one hand? And how would I be able to drive with just one hand?"
"Daddy drives with one hand."
-recent conversation on the complexity of the human body

"Ben, in this picture the little boy is eating his breakfast. What do you think he is going to do next?"
"Take his vitamin."
-response to a Highlights magazine article

"Wow, Ben, look at all the suds in the washing machine."
"Yeah, I put three more (pumps) in."
-conversation between me and Ben, on my return from the bathroom
to find Ben staring down into the agitating washing machine

"Is God in there?!"
-accompanied by a violent yank, and subsequent examination of my forearm

"Take your fingers out of your mouth."
"It's ok, Ben, Emily can chew on her fingers."
"Why?"
"It helps her teeth come in."
"Yeah, Emily needs to grow some teeth so she can eat treats and chew gum."
-Ben, showing us where his priorities lie

And finally...

Ben: "I need a VCR.".
Me: "What?! Why?!"
Ben: "That spells SNACK!"