lately . .

Just a couple of photos from the week.

Brushing their teeth together. Sharing the room is going better each day:)

Driving a train.

Oh the pleasure of play-doh options:)

engrossed in making pumpkin pie

Dissecting snakes:)

Two happy boys: priceless

Getting two happy boys to smile at the camera at the same time: IMPOSSIBLE!

big boy bed

We made it! Last night was the first night we had Hans sleep in a big bed. He slept in the bottom bunk and Ethan slept in the top. It went well. It took them a while to get to sleep, but once asleep, they stayed asleep.

It only took Hans 30 seconds to climb out of bed and try to open the door and find us:) Later, once Ethan was in bed, he got out of bed, climbed the ladder to join him and started taking stars off the ceiling:) Ethan came and got us saying "Mommy, Daddy, I need your help!" Later in the evening, after more Hans escapades, Ethan told Jeremiah, "I just wish you would put Hans crib up here so he would stay in bed!" Things settled down after that.

Today we get to figure out nap time. Yippie skippie!

Martin visit

Last week my family came to visit us. It was a lot of fun. The boys are still talking about it:) We spent a day at Cathy and Al's cottage, which was a lot of fun, even though it was cool and cloudy. Fortunately the rain held off till the night so we got to enjoy plenty of time outside. The camp fire felt especially good:)

Ethan hurrying off to somewhere!

busy and focused

Jeremiah and Dad

Michelle, Elizabeth and Jourdan

Elizabeth and her lily

"what's that???"

Jourdan helping with dinner

"ride a duck?!"

Renovation: present condition

Here are some more recent photos of the remodeling. Jeremiah is painting as I type this, so it is already different. This is how it all looks with the walls and drywall in their proper places.

Our bedroom, entrance

Our new bedroom door

Hallway, with our door next to Ethan's door

New Truck

About a week and a half ago Jeremiah was rear-ended on his way home from work. He was waiting to turn onto our street when a teenager in a pick-up truck hit him going about 45 mph. Jeremiah is fine, except for some achy-ness the next couple of days. The red car was totaled (moment of silence for the trust worthy red car that is no more) and we were in need of a vehicle. The very next day Jeremiah saw what he wanted on the way to work. All has gone smoothly and Thursday he signed the papers and is now the happy owner of an '04 Chevy Colorado.

ta da!!

Why am I so tired ?

I really don't need to ask. It has been a full, busy week so far (a doctor's appointment a day and after mine today, another added for Thursday, blech!). This morning proved that there was some extra SOMETHING in the bagels the boys ate for breakfast.

Example:

Hans repeatedly bit Ethan during the course of the morning (does someone needs some attention?)

Ethan, when told to pick the gold fish crackers off the floor after snack, promptly put them all down the heat vent in the kitchen.

Both boys, when given a fly swatter to entertain them, discovered the joyous noise a fly swatter makes when stuck in a fan. Hans could repeat the noise alarmingly well.

OY!!! I hope tomorrow is a calmer day!! I am off shopping in the morning . . . BY MYSELF (thank you John). Hopefully that will have the desired effect of bringing some peace and calm.

Otherwise we are all well, just enjoying the warm days and finding plenty to do besides sitting at the computer:) Have a happy week.

remodeling

Here are some photos to give you an idea of the remodeling Jeremiah is doing in our upstairs. I will post some more recent photos soon.

In Process: this is what it looked like while I was in PA with the boys.

View from our room into Ethan's room

hallway: this is our new bedroom doorway

our room: you can see into the hallway and Ethan's room

Ethan's room, looking into our room thru his new closet doorway.

Before the process began:

our new closet

The wall and old closet opening in Ethan's room

hallway

Reptile Land

Last Monday, on our way home, we stopped at Reptile Land for a little bit. It was fun. The boys enjoyed it. We learned that Hans does not yet have the patience for shows:) It was a great break in the trip.

Ethan and the peacock

Tortoises

alligators

petting the snake

Ethan in the butterfly house

our family

week at Mom's house

The boys and I spent last week at my mom's house in PA. Jeremiah joined us for the weekend and we all came home on Monday. While the house was vacated, Jeremiah worked on some remodeling upstairs to prepare for our little girl (32 weeks, all is well and growing larger:) The work he did looks great, but more on that later.

Ethan and a water gun

Jourdan and Ethan

Ethan playing with the sprinkler mat

Hans wasn't so sure about this

Mmm, water!

Hans loved Elizabeth's bunny

I think he was trying to get it out:)

Jourdan and Ethan showing off their muscles.