Wow, where do I start?

A major recap is necessary from this seriously slacking blogger. The first step is downloading 1159 pictures from multiple memory sticks - check! The second step is to actually log back in and start writing - check! The third step is to remember what has happened since February 28th - uh, I'll give it a go.

 First things first - the remodel is DONE! Completed around the first of May, we are LOVING our new space and continue to make adjustments and additions - next up is recovering a boring plaid chair in zebra print!

A couple views of the new family room...

And now, the kitchen...

and last but not least...the 1/2 bath and mudroom

...and one final shot with my photo shoot director at the bottom of the frame!

We thoroughly enjoy this new space and feel blessed to have it :)

So, in other news, the kids are growing fast than ever.  Spring and summer brought with them lots of outdoor play...

a dance recital (Emma LOVES Ms. Sharon!)...

a visit from the Clendening cousins in May....

a trip to Branson with the Krueger cousins...

Fall has been filled with school, leaves, pumpkins and friends.

at the zoo....

at Faulkner's Ranch for Daddy's company party...

Emma turned 5 October 16th...seems impossible that my 8lb 9oz bundle has grown into such a chatty, independent, bright, intuitive and joyful 5 year old! She is beginning to read, loves math, games, coloring, teaching her brother "this is how you do it" and last but not least...all things Peter Pan.


Emma and Charlotte had a joint birthday party with preschool friends...

Birthday Breakfast!

Presents from Mom and Dad...

A cake to celebrate with Nana, Papa & my Bolivar cousins...

Finally, Halloween brought friends and neighbors to our backyard for a fun time! Peter Pan and Captain Hook rehearsed their roles for nearly two months so all participants were quite comfortable in their costumes!

Halloween at Key of See (aka Gant Sisters)

Peter Pan!

Captain Hook and a "are we going trick or treating yet?" Peter Pan

A few of the ghouls and goblins that joined our festivities!

And a final update to wrap this ENTIRELY too long of a post...

Emma and Tanner The Wonder Dog are out in full force to celebrate....

EVAN'S BIG BOY UNDERPANTS!!!!

Hope to see you back much sooner than 8 months from now :) Thanks for reading, for those of you who actually made it through!

Progress!!!

So, there is progress! There is drywall back on walls and ceilings, a new side door, hardwood floors and a glimmer of hope that we may be done in 4ish weeks!!!

Before....

During.....

A view from the dining room looking toward back of house....

Before & During note new window & new doorway to side hall/bath!

Looking from fireplace back toward kitchen and sidehall...

The view from my (phantom) kitchen sink (minus the post in the foreground of the picture)!

So hard to see in pictures, but thought I'd try to give a before and during look at the project...will take some pics of drywalled rooms tomorrow!

We are counting the days till we can gather friends and famioy for food and fun times in our new space!!!

Bedtime Gigggles!

So this is how we burn energy and entertain ourselves in our penthouse living situation... here is a peek at the energy level running through our house these days! And no, it isn't really 1030 at night - clocks are all off due to power interruption during construction!

Nothing like brotherly/sisterly love! Enjoy!

A Public Health Announcement!!!

SO .... you think you are covered by vaccinations? Don't be so sure. I in fact became a statistic to the Kansas Health Department today... I in fact have Pertussis (Whooping Cough). Symptoms were nothing compared to what I would expect them to be - really just like a cold + my normal "sick" asthma cough (though little relief from rescue asthma meds).

I apparently am contagious 21 days from onset of illness (I think it started about 2 weeks ago, improved, then quickly worsened 1 week ago), but am now considered not contagious after 5 days of super duper antibiotics. Ummm, good thing my last day at work I was wearing gowns and masks all day anyway. WHO KNEW? I even had a DTaP booster 3 years ago (I believe every 10 yrs is recommended).  Of course Evan has a barking cough now too, so we are in solitary confinement for the next who knows how many days until he either gets treated or tests negative (my lab work took 6 days).  We head to the doctor in the morning.

We really are functioning as normal - no bedrest going on here - so I don't share this as a sob story for all the illness in our house, rather as a public health announcement to be aware IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!! God forbid I've come in the path of someone who contracted this from me and isn't strong enough to fight it......

Must Be Wishing For Sunshine

As most know, KC has had a bit of an old fashioned winter - cold, snowy and gray since our White Christmas. In my attempt to fight the winter blues, we've found our way outside to build snowmen, shovel, sled and get FRESH AIR! SO... as I excitedly announced the opportunity to play in the snow this week, Emma declared, "Mom, when is it going to be summer? I want it to be summer so I can fill up Mimi's fishy pool and swim". SIGH...how to explain to a 4 year old that those days are seemingly light years away? Realistically, we all know that we will blink and be suffering the discomforts of humidity and hot summer nights, but again, to a 4 yr old it seems worlds away.  Though the novelty of "playing" in the snow has long passed, I can still muster some enthusiasm from the troops to get out into the elements by allowing a little time to "make snow footprints" before loading in the car to school,dance,tumbling,etc. All the while I'm turning more blue each day, afraid that our bright yellow friend might not find her way back into our skies!!! Who isn't pining for a decent day (is 40 degrees and sunny to much to ask?) to at least go to the park? 

Perhaps the cabin fever is compounded by our renovation/upheaval/unending respiratory illnesses/cancelled ski trip, yada yada .... but it has been slightly remedied in our escape to Mimi and Papa's for home cooking and a dust-free place to play/breathe.

Having reconciled my winter blues with the thought that March is really only a few weeks away, I coincidentally returned from the grocery store this evening with 2 items in tow that are quite uncharacteristic of my grocery runs.... LEMONADE AND LEMON MERINGUE PIE!!!! It wasn't until I was home unloading groceries that it dawned on me....I MUST BE WISHING FOR SOME YELLOW SUNSHINE!!!

No turning back now!!

The beginning.....

Demolition is in progress....its a wild experience to watch this come to life!

The view in our garage after day 1!

The view from our new side hall entry.

There will be bannisters with spindles on either side of the stairwell to the basement.

The wall is gone! This was taken standing where my old kitchen sink was looking toward the dining room.

The start of removing the family room/living room wall!

The view from "behind" the future island (minus the post in the middle of the picture!)

Its coming along! We are settling into life in our "penthouse apartment". The top floor has become our home as the basement ceiling will need to come out...along with the family room and living room ceilings.  We've continued to pack and clear the way for our crew in the basement.  Whew...I never imagined it would require this much work to prepare for this project! Moving IN will be much more fun! Stay tuned for more updates!

A couple pics of the kids just for fun!