Moving and Remodel Update

Moving Day came and went. It was a little harder than I expected, to leave our house after 7 1/2 years. I loved living there!

The remodel turned out to be amazing. I hope the new family loves it as much as we did.

We did a little painting at the rental too.

After the wallpaper is gone...

The house we are renting has a great backyard. It has a huge tree that will be great for a couple of swings and a few apricot, peach and apple trees. Also there are two current bushes that are almost 100 years old (no pressure trying to keep those alive!) And I am pretty excited about the pomegranates too!

We where up till midnight making huge batches of apricot jam. We made cooked jam for Chris and freezer jam for me.

This house also has more storage than I could possible imagine!

Ryan loves it, he calls it the vacation house. Hopefully he will feel the same way about it after school starts!

Remodel

No air-conditioning for two and a half weeks (except in our bedroom), giant holes in our roof, insulation gently falling like snow- everywhere.  And the dust: in. on and under everything!  Oh, and I fell through the ceiling- in front of an old high school friend.  He and I where talking and then I disappeared from sight!  Actually it was just one leg that went through, but it is black and purple!  ( I would show you a picture, but some things are left better to the imagination!)

Other than that everything else is going really well!  

We are packing up boxes and going to all of the end-of-school events.  Life is busy, but good!

Tree, from point A to B.

The day we had a big pine tree transplanted was exciting.  Now if we can keep it alive.  We are adding it to out our collection.  Seven trees have been moved to the lot.  

It had to be moved because of our impending remodel.  

We can grow things!

So far so good.  The garden is actually a success- so far.  

We did find a little visitor.  We had "Bungy" stay a couple days with us before we let him go.  He was really cute!

Seven

This is the best kid ever.  He is so hillarious and I love to 

be with him.  He is really easy going and is just a fun kid!   I love you, Ryan Mcflyin!

Mom's Suprise Birthday Party

I don't think my Mom could have more surprised... the picture says it all!











Emily, Zach and Connor flew in from NY. Clint and his family came from California. We had 13 people in our house for a few days! Every time Mom would call on the phone we had to pretend we where at our designated places on Earth. It got pretty crazy. I didn't realize how much of our day-to day- lives our Mom is involved in until we had to keep it from her!











We had the best time planning the party and loved that she had NO idea! Dad scored big points by pulling this off!











Love you Mom! Hope you had a great birthday!

Sold!

Papers are signed and it is official.... we have sold our house!
The best part is - we love the family we sold it to. And since we are staying in the neighborhood- that's big!

We have even found a great rental just a block away. Everything is falling into place.

Another Day, Another Party.

The only way I can get people to come to my house for a party is to promise that Chris will cook something amazing.  

Claire

18 months! She loves to talk... A LOT! Her favorite treats and almonds, bananas, cheese sticks and Chris' cookies. Claire has a special talent for emptying drawers in nothing flat. She loves to draw, jump on the tramp, be outside with the big kids and her baby. I love this little girl!

Theirs and Mine

Pottery barn has this great print, soooo I decided to make my own.  

Theirs

Mine

Cheese!

Claire is eighteen months and a total cheese ball.  

She is very busy!  She has started to climb anything and everything.  She loves to brush her teeth and she talks-a lot!  

And she loves it when Chris squirts whipped cream into her mouth!

Valentine 09'

I asked Ryan if the girls chased him because he is cute.  He said "Yes, but I sometimes go on the girls team because they need someone to protect them!"  He makes me happy!

12

Today my Haley turns twelve.  

The party was a lot of fun.  

The girls went on a Bigger or Better scavenger hunt.  (When  my brother did this once he came back with a pair of skis.) 

I sent each team out with a bar of soap and  they went to five homes and traded the items that they got at the previous home for something bigger or better.

I about fell over laughing when one team came home with an AB Lounge and a Chocolate Fondue set.   (Just for the record: that blows skis out of the water!)

I can't believe that 4 girls hauled that huge thing about five blocks!

Each girl got a pedicure.  It was so funny to listen to their conversations as they soaked their feet in the water.  

Happy Birthday Haley Jane!  We love you!