Going in Dads old truck

Going in Dads old truck
Originally uploaded by allenandcindy.

School started today (8/23) and we are gonna see if Dad's old truck can make it another year. Quickly approaching 140K miles and getting quirky. Need to occasionally add transmission fluid, and should park with nose downhill to hold fuel in line overnight, no A/C, and I think the exhaust is leaking. Anyway, the important thing here is school has again started. Carly is in 2nd (1st communion year) and Matt begins all-day kindergarden. Both are excited, and the morning ride should be ok as long as everyone remembers 'Dad controls the radio!'.

Counter Tops installation

Kitchen Tops
Originally uploaded by allenandcindy.

The countertops started to be installed, then like any good sub contractor, promptly left to 'come back tomorrow and finish'. It has been a week now. In the mean time, we have had Peg paint some more, and thought about how nice it would be if we could have someone working on the house so we could move in. Frustration level starting to build as we are starting to drive kids to school again.

Hold on!!

No Training Wheels
Originally uploaded by allenandcindy.

Carly started summer wanting to eliminate training wheels, but after 2 passes by the house, that was enough of that business and the wheels were requested to be reinstalled. At least she tried. Now we have to keep reminding her to try again. With Jack, Mom doesn't get outside with the kids as often as she would like, but when they are out the make the most of it with bikes, football, hula hoops, etc.. With the new house we will be more apt to leave kids outside with mininal supervision as they have to go pretty far to leave that yard, and the road is over 650 ft away.

Whatcha doin' Carly?

Margaret, Carly, and JAck
Originally uploaded by allenandcindy.

Carly loves to hold Jack, and Margaret was so amazed at him when he first came home. Everyone loves to play with Jack. Matt has the ability to make him smile every time, Carly like to hold him, and Margaret has to be watched as she like to give him kisses, hard kisses. Jack is growing quickly and it is just a matter of time before he start wrestling around the house with Matt. Margaret will finally get some relief.

CABINETS ARE IN!

Matt/Carly/Margaret
Originally uploaded by allenandcindy.

The cabinets are mostly installed in the house. Still waiting on a few items, but are very happy with the way they turned out. Whenever we go to the house with the kids, they are turned loose in playground with ever changing toys. Once, the liked walkin through the studded walls, then hide and go seek when the drywall went up, and then riding bikes in basement when I was working on shelves. They still like to show everyone their own rooms and explain why their color is the best. Won't be long now and they will be out there every day.

No new pictures as I never seem to have time. However, an update on the house progress. The last 2 days have been up and down. We have all trim Casement and Baseboard stained and varnished. We have other plywood and tounge/groove for porch ceilings painted and ready to go up. The tractor is here and has already mowed our 5 ft tall weedpatch to a 4" weed patch, which is very dry now that we took off the shade. The doors showed up and (here is the down part) they were wrong. The difference between Mission style 6-panel and Raised 6-panel. The doors were from WoodPort (you can see them at www.woodport.com) in Wisconsin and may need to be reordered. That means when we move in, we will have no doors. Might want to remember that if you need privacy in the restroom, go before you visit us.

Carly is ready for 2nd grade, and Matt is reluctantly looking forward to Kindergarden at the same school. It will be interesting to see how Matt handles all day school without his nap. Margaret is turning into quite the comedian, and Jack just takes it all in with a smirk.

Hope to get pictures of house up soon with all painted walls, kitchen cabinets, etc... It is really starting to look like we have a house. Still hoping to move in August or early September.