A Project Completed!

Our powder room bathroom had never been complete, until today. (what's the rush?) I had been collecting all the pieces for a certain look. The sink is an old enamelware basin, featuring rust spots and a few worn areas. FINALLY, everything is in place and I think I'll be sleeping in the bathroom tonight. Wanna come over and wash your hands?

Scott was eager to help me with this project - wallpapering the ceiling - UGH!!! Well, it's more like I helped Scott. I know wallpaper is out, but I thought this looked vintage in a good way.

The green is not as green as it looks in this picture

Insulator in the basement. Maybe I could master these stilts under
some long skirts and I would look tall and lean?!

Scaffolding in the living room. The kids are enjoying this in-home play structure. We are fixing the ceiling fan, dusting the logs, and washing windows in those impossible to reach places. Next blog post will feature casts and concussions.

Aaaah!

I stumbled onto a memory stick that contained some older pictures today . . . I guess time flies while you're busy doing laundry and wiping snotty noses. It makes me a little frantic, wishing I could just stall the clock for a bit now, and "freeze" these incredible little people (one who is taller than me) that are getting older by the day. boo hoo . . .

The puppy he had long dreamed about . . . love at first sight

One of my all time favorite pictures of Scott - he ABSOLUTELY DID NOT want a dog and we kind-of (well we definitely) went against his wishes and got one anyway. This is the first moment he held Danner and despite the gnarly look on his face, his heart had already melted.

Fun at the lake

Some cooperation at the studio - I must've bribed them with ice cream, donuts, and a trip to the zoo!

They were grumbling about this one and Sten couldn't figure out why the girls were wearing "ugly nightgowns" as he put it . . .

Old Fashioned Fun

I had the kid's pics taken from a crew that passed thru town, taking these old style pictures. I think they turned out cute - they were really dragging their feet to participate in this foolish venture, but they got into it once they dressed up . . .

The girls and I were laughing hysterically at Sten during this one, but he was a good sport . . .

Goodbye to Gramps

Scott's Grandpa Lester passed away on Thursday morning of complications from pneumonia. He was 94. He was a very special person, and we were thankful that we were in Oregon to share in his last few weeks. He is the one pictured just a few weeks ago, making the mashed potatoes. He will surely be missed, but we feel it is a blessing that he has gone on to his reward.

He founded Sweet Home Sanitation in 1947 - and the garbage truck followed the hearse to the cemetary. Some might think it odd, especially to take the picture - but it was fitting.


All of our Grandpa's are now gone - with the passing of one generation, it makes you realize that it's high time to grow up and take responsibility - those are some big shoes to fill. (a little chit chat to myself)

Forward Progress!

The construction assistant - Maren comes in from school about noon and checks on progress - she comes up from the basement looking filthy, right down to her toes.

We installed a half wall in between the kitchen and living area of the basement. Dad thinks this is a crummy idea, but he did what he was told! I'm thinking that I will cover it in rusty corrogated metal.

Maren's closet - all framed in. Mr. J built this rustic door a few years ago as part of a hair-brained project that Mrs. J and I were doing. I think it will work just perfect as her closet door. Dad was a little concerned that it was a little shorter than a standard door, but we determined that it probably won't be an issue with Maren.

Wanna come over?

In Scott's newly domesticated life, he has decided to take up bread-making. This is his first loaf and it was delicious - not a big fluffy loaf, but a crusty rustic bread. He ran into HIS kindergarten teacher in the grocery store and she told him about this no-knead recipe from the NY Times. Give it a try - it's yummy! Please note, he looks a little scruffy because he's apparently taken a grooming boycott. This is Milah, getting ready in her bathroom. Before we left for CO, she was too small to operate the shower on her own, so she is very excited to have her own space and she is keeping it immaculate. No comments please on her choice of footwear with her nice outfit.
Milah and Maren were playing school, and I had to snap this one - take an extra look at the word, "correctly".
We had a little Colorado weather here in Oregon! It didn't stick around long, but I sure hope we get some more.

You Can't Beat This!

We went to the kid's favorite restaurant for lunch today - Gramps and Wilemina's. They think she makes the best food around and she served her specialty - fried chicken with homemade chocolate cake for dessert.

Her handy sous chef - whipping up the spuds - his designated duty

Getting a lesson on the logistics of a bolo tie

The skilled hands of a 96 year old - an amazing and incredible woman. The wooden spoon she is holding in her hand is one of her treasured possesions - she thinks that she got it about 1935. WOW! I always tell her that on her death bed, we will be gathered around with a pen and paper, asking her the details and directions to all her yummy recipes.
Grandma Patty was there too, with 3 of her 10 great grandchildren.

Construction Under Way

Installing brackets around plumbing and electrical systems in preparation for sheetrock
Enjoying a siesta and a laugh before dinner. A few of Ryan and Jessica's things still hanging around. They will spend their first night in their own home on Saturday. We have had an excellent time living and working in tandem with them. We've enjoyed babysitting, eating meals together, and helping pack boxes and paint at their new house. It's going to be strange to be here without them- a little lonely I think.

Milah was having an enjoyable time as the assistant until Maren spoiled her routine. As you can see, she was pleasant and cooperative about the ordeal, and notice the determined look on Maren's face. Determined to irritate her sister as much as possible.

Grandpa and Milah getting to work

Home for Good with Load #3

After another 1200 miles, Scott is home safely. He had stretches of bad weather to contend with on this trip. To all our Colorado friends - please notice the GREEN grass!

Does this look like a summer job for a teenager? As of last week, Sherman became the proud owner of some hay equipment and has a hay crew all lined up . . .

The Sights and Smells of Home

Load #2. Scott had a "back haul" to Colorado. My Uncle purchased this boat in OR, and needed to get it to his home in CO. What perfect timing as Scott was heading that direction. He is loaded up now and hoping to head West today or tomorrow - hopefully managing to dodge the pending snow storm.

The view from our house - Mt. Jefferson is in the distance. At our house in COS, we could see King Sooper, a hospital, and Lowes from the kitchen window. After being home for a day, Maren mentioned that she couldn't see any hospital from our house - probably because it's about 20 miles away!

It's going to take some adjustment for me - going back to rural living. It was a squeeze to corral these country bumpkins in a subdivision for as long as we did, but - you might hear me whine a bit from time to time . . .

The back of our house - we can't wait to tear into some projects now that Scott is going to be home for a few months. One of the bigger ones to tackle is finishing the basement and organizing our heaping mounds of stuff that we seem to have accumulated.

Appearing out of the fog . . .

Grandma Patty. Wow - it's great to be back with the relatives- they have to like you whether they want to or not! Poor Grandma Patty fell and broke her pelvis this Fall - but she's getting around pretty well.

We're Here!

1200 miles and a deep breath later . . . we have the dirt of 4 states to wash off our rigs.

Scott will head back Monday morning to get the last trailer-load. This load got some odd stares with the 3 four-wheelers standing on end. One man went around the block and came to take a picture of Scott's creative hauling technique.

When we reached our driveway, we let Danner out of the car and wondered if he would remember where "home" was. He immediately raced ahead of us and headed up the hill just like he used to. He found the kid's pool and got a quick sip and then rolled and ran and frollicked. I think I could almost hear him laughing.

Ok, enough of this Boo Hoo-ing . . .

You might wonder where Sten and Milah are in this moving process? They escaped the driving portion of this trip by flying to San Diego to spend a few sunny days with Aunt Shelly. Hang at the beach and get spoiled rotten or be cooped up in a car with a dog, a parent, and a sibling? They will fly to Portland on Wednesday, and start school on Thursday.

We stopped to say goodbye to my Grandma in Delta. She has just recently moved to an assisted living facility that is incredibly clean, cheerful, and bright. It was so nice, I would really have liked to cozy up in her bed for a snooze. She loves any chance to cuddle, so she didn't complain when Maren snuggled in her lap.

Hello and Goodbye!

We had a chance to say hello to August Tyler on the day we left! We were so bummed that we might not get to meet him, but he made a timely appearance on Wednesday -Hooray!!!!! We think he's a lucky little boy to have Darren and Kassi as parents - congratulations!

Jim was our beloved next door neighbor - Maren would rush out of the house if she saw him on his way to the mailbox or saw him working outside. He said he would miss us because we were "entertaining". Hmmm, don't know if that's good or bad?!

When we first moved to the Springs, I couldn't find Maren one afternoon - and I was about to be in total panic, when I spotted her in Jim's yard, sitting on this bench with her arm around this little girl. She was probably giving this concrete gal an earful.

Saying Goodbye to School Friends -

Milah and Mrs. Tucker

Milah's good Buddies - Ben, Derrick, CeCe and Sophie

Maren's Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Holiday

It was Maren's 1/2 birthday on her last day - thus the crown

Maren's Class