Robin Came for a Visit...

'Tis the season for dressing up in costumes. Jack hasn't worn a "full"costume for some time and so I was excited t0o see Robin crawl out of our basement. I felt very safe while Robin was in the area....

This costume fit last year, but Jack has obviously done some growing. (remember Buzz Light year from last year..)

Robin jumped to the rescue...

...and landed with perfect form....

...on the look out for bad guys. (costume a bit tight and a bit short)
You can see a ladder in the middle of the window...the exterior of the house is being painted. One painter walked by while Jack was standing there...the painter gave Jack a wave and a thumbs up. You could see Jack's back get a little straighter...or was that because of the snuggie...

A Little Secret...

So, I am doing important computer work the other night and Jack wanted me to play a game with him. All I needed/wanted was approximately 15 more minutes with the computer. So here's my confession, I gave him a sharpie marker (because it was in hands reach) and said, "Here, sit beside me and you can give me a tattoo on my leg!" I KNOW...I was desperate and that lead to desperate measures. He did a really nice skeleton on my leg (because Halloween is just around the corner) and then I needed about 5 more minutes...so I told him to sign his name...in his best handwriting ...because I know that will take a little longer....Don't worry, I did play a game with him right after this picture...and you can see he was very proud of his work.
And before you judge, remember back to when you needed just 10 more minutes and what YOU did to preoccupy a little one for those much needed minutes!!

Wrapping it up...

We are wrapping up our remodeling...we only have the stairway left to complete on the inside along with the alcove and doorknobs on our cupboards. Outside needs to be painted and our light fixtures installed.

The painters started on the outside of the house today and should be done be Friday...WOW!!

Here is a photo of our new bay window from the outside...

We did the trim with the panel look...we have the throughout the house...

This paint job, on the pillars, was completed by me...in about 10 minutes
We wanted to get a "feel" for the color. We also have a new front door!!

Here is a wide shot of the front of the house...it really is looking fabulous. Jason and I are very pleased with the results!!

Go, Sam, Go...

Sam had a football game on Sunday and he had a ball...he was totally into the game...keep in mind that they are still playing flag and not tackle...though I do think these boys are ready to rumble!

This picture cracks me up...the yellow boy is obviously pushing with all his might and it doesn't even seem to phase Sam...he is looking at where the ball is going...

Towards the end of the game Jason told Sam to go all out and Sam did. He had a big part in stopping the other teams offense...here he is pushing a yellow player into the other yellow player who has the ball...

Going all out again...

After the game Sam had mud on his face and all over his legs...he said "THAT was fun Now I need to hit the showers!" Unfortunately, Sam's team hasn't won a game, but they boys are really enjoying themselves...and that is what it is all about!!

An Official Katie Kitchen...

It is now an official Katie Kitchen...
The other night I was making the boys dinner...french fries and fish sticks. Yum. I should have know it wasn't going to be good when jack said, "I can't have that...I had that for lunch." Right then, I should have stopped the making of dinner...but Sam needed to eat before football practice so i kept on going.

I heated up one of the fabulous ovens and then Jason ran into the house from work. "Come on Sam, we gotta go!" I had forgotten practice was at 6:00 not 6:30, so Sam wasn't going to be eating my gourmet dinner that night. Made him a quick sandwich and sent him out the door. Another sign i should have stopped, but NO, I put those frozen breaded items into that new oven!

Then my painter called and wanted to know what areas on the outside of the house should be painted what color...so, being a visual person, I went outside to tell him the color placement. I had just hung up with the painter and Jack came to the door and said,
"The bell keeps dinging!" UH OH! The fabulous dinner...once again, burned to a crisp...very evenly burned this time though!

(I think I need a new baking sheet...I think I have over used the Pam on this one!)

I walked into the living room and said to Jack,"Well, what would be your second choice for dinner?" He reminded me that he really hadn't chosen fish sticks and french fries as a choice and that it was a good thing that he ate some of these crackers...He had just opened that bag of crackers when i got on the phone with the painter...and i wasn't on it for no hour!! "Why did you eat half a bag of crackers???" i questioned him..."Mom, they are just so darn good."

What could I do. I asked him if he wanted to share an apple (get some nutrition in the kid) and he said, "mom, I would love to share an apple with you." Everything was all better then...over a delicious Honey Crisp apple (mine and Jack's favorite apples of all time!)

Later, when I was dong important computer work and Jack was playing legos, he built me a few little men. The guy dressed in white (half baker half medic) is my baker...he will bake dinner for me (YEA!) and the other guy (dressed in black) will bring me my drinks.

Then Jack turned around the baker man and explained, "and this is the baker when he burns the dinner."
Enough said...

In the Home Stretch...

Wasn't that last post awesome! That is what you call a started post, interrupted by family and forgot to go back to finish post! So now for the finished post....

We are in the home stretch of having our remodeling completed. I know this because Waste Management came the other day and took away the large trash bin and did not leave a new empty one! So, I am thinking we are about two weeks out of having our house back. A tour of last weeks "finishings..."

Appliances are now in and working! (yea, Jason can cook now!) the columns that are holding up our entire house (which my dad just doesn't understand or believe is possible) just need to be stained. Love the crown molding at the top.

Here is another view of the kitchen. The pillar under the island table in and now we can eat around our new "table."

We love having two stoves...we can cook two things at once!

We gave them the true "Belding Boys" test. Our first dinner was chicken nuggets and french fries. The ovens cooked them fabulously...evenly cooked and crispy! A thumbs up from all boys!

A close up shot of the refrigerator and the built in pantry around it...

All the pantry drawers roll out. In the other pantry, one drawer has electricity for charging our cell phones, i-pods, etc. Now all that "stuff" won't be (cross fingers) on the counter!

Here is a view of the inside of the island. The microwave is on the left. Love that it is hidden and Jack can look right into it...that might do something to his eyesight!!

On the other end of the island is our dishwasher. It is up higher so i don't have to get an achy back bending over when unloading it! You can see how the island continues out to make a table. We won't have our dining room table until phase 2 of the remodeling (adding on the addition) Which may be a year or two, so this will be our eating area for some time...

(and now an explanation of what you have been looking at for three days!)

We have TWO garbage cans!! One for garbage and using the other for recycle!

This is another cool drawer by the stove top (OH! i forgot a picture of the stove top!) It will hold spices and Pam..so burnt items won't super stick to the pan!

(Side note: saw a card that said " All pans are no stick when you no cook in them!!)

Our new bay window, painted walls and new closet. Right now the closet is a great place for hiding during a game of hide-and-seek!

Still need to finish my alcove, change out the banister and get new carpet up the stairs. Just a few "left-over" things I like to refer them as...

The exterior painting is beginning on Friday. WOW!!

Here is the stove top. It is a gas stove. I've never cooked on a gas top and I really like it...so far. It heats up quickly and I made some amazing grilled cheese sandwiches this week!

Here is an shot of the stove area towards the fridge. I love how the corner cupboards open. I also opened up the fancy rack drawer by the stove...notice on the second shelf is Pam!!

What I am really excited about are the drawers. The are extra deep and pull out all the way!

And then I was exiting the kitchen area when this caught my eye. On our new refrigerator is the Minnesota Vikings 2010 schedule. I guess we can say it has the official Jason touch!

Holding...

Sam had his second football game yesterday, It was rainy, misty, windy and cold. But, there was one exciting point in the game...


Sam (55) right in the middle, was blocking number 75. Sam blocked 75 with all gusto... which allowed his teammate (far right) to get the ball and a great run...

Sam kept a HOLD on 75...his teammate took off with an awesome run...

Sam continued to HOLD onto 75...his teammate is long gone...

Sam continued to HOLD 75...and what is that flying through the air? The yellow flag...guess what Sam got a penalty for...HOLDING! The ref walked by Sam and said, "You can't do that (hold)." Sam had to go to his coach and ask him what was holding...he explained it to Sam and Sam thought, yep, I was holding....

Sam's First Football Game...

Last weekend, Sam had his first football game. This year he wears pads, a helmet and gets to block, but no tackling yet. He was excited about his game, but he was a bit nervous. Overall, he did really well, "played tough" as one of he coaches told him (not his dad) and he really enjoyed the game!

Here he is running...(thank you Mr.Oobvious!)

A little pep talk and an "atta boy" from coach dad.

Lined up on defense (his favorite position!)

Standing on the sideline looking like a football player and so grown up....sniff.

I love this picture. It was after one of his teammates ran in for a touchdown...they were all so excited and Sam was walking back clapping for his teammate...isn't that what it's all about!

Then my soft hearted kid took this boy down! Sam is in the red on the right and he just threw down number 4?, who is on the ground. "Oh my," was all i could say and his grandma Sharon just giggled!

Jack entertained himself during the game. His Army men were in the desert that afternoon!

Sam and his buddy from football. Sam told me he was giving me his football look....

A Small Request...

Jack and I were at the library yesterday. I was on one side of the aisle looking at books and he was looking for books on the other side of the aisle. I asked him, "Hey, baby, are you finding any good books over there on your side?" He stopped looking at books, turned to me and said, "Mom, will you please stop calling me baby in public." I was speechless. I really didn't know what to say. So I said "ok." and then went on to mumble to myself, "I wasn't calling you baby like a baby...I was calling you baby like honey or sweetheart...." Oh, they grow up too fast...

Framing your Picture...

At my Maggie Holmes photography class, she suggested to use "natural" items to frame your subject. I took her suggestion...

Update...

Things are really coming along...

The wood floors have had two coats of stain put on them. It wasn't so bad not being able to walk on the floors, because they were dry by evening. I love the way the wood grain "pops!" We also have a one coat of dark paint applied to the walls.

While the floors were being stained, the only way we could get to the second floor, was to jump to the landing by coming through the front door (on the far right.) Which would work well IF the floor guys hadn't locked us out when they left. No, we did not know off the top of our heads where our house keys were....we always use the garage door. Anyway, our main worker guy was still here and he used a crow bar to get us in. I told him I was ok with that...we are getting a new door anyway, but if he got in less than 30 seconds, i would be concerned what his other job may be.

On the outside, we "beefed up" the pillars and added a bay window. We really are pleased with both of these decisions! We still have lots of things that need to be1 done, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel...some days