Monday, September 21, 2009

Oh, the Life...

My dad arrived here late Friday afternoon for the weekend, before him and Art headed off early this morning for a short, 2 day golfing trip. The plan was to get to work on the playhouse, and have it all framed by the end of the weekend....

Here's what happened:
Friday night: "We should go to town to get everything we need for the playhouse, so we can get on it tomorrow..." They leave at 6:30 ish, and arrive home around 8:30 pm.

Saturday, noon: "We need to go to town to get a couple more things..." They leave around 1, get home around 2:30

Saturday, 3 pm: "We need to go to the city to pick up some windows" They arrive home by 6, just in time to eat dinner, and then work outside until dark (for about 2 hrs.).

Sunday morning: "We forgot lag bolts! I'll go to town (Dad) while you guys are at church". We get home around 2 ish, then the boys must have a nap from their strenuous weekend, and then they worked on the swings for about 2 1/2 hrs.

Don't ever let men tell you they don't like to shop.....! As long as it's what they want to shop for, they love it. And it's a good thing they left for a mini-vacation.....it was quite a busy, packed weekend.... Needless to say, the playhouse is NOT framed! (but the floor is on, and the swing set is put up, with no swings....)

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Another New Project

I posted last about the 'wall ripping out' going on in our house....and now, I write about the 'wall going up' in our yard.... For quite some time, Art has been wanting to build the Girls a tree fort/playhouse. Well, he picked up the posts on the weekend, and had a friend (thanks, Darcy!) come and help him dig the post holes and get started on the whole project....he even wrote Art up a material list. Yes, my husband is a woodworker, but he is not a (play)house builder! We spent a good chunk of the weekend outside, getting started. My poor husband.....on Sunday, there were 7 (mostly little) women watching him work, and adding our comments, while he was the only one actually doing anything! Anyhow, on with the story....
Last night, we were putting away laundry, getting caught up on some tidying up. We had mentioned to the Girls that we were going to use our "bottle money" to pay for the playhouse. They argued that the money in the bottle was our "fun money", but we told them that this would be fun. Then, Hannah asked how much this playhouse was going to cost. We told her what we thought, and she immediately seemed a little bit off. A little while later, Art got the bottle to dump the $$ out of to separate and count. I counted the bills, and him and the Girls did the change (suckers!). A little later, after all had been counted, we found an extra $5 bill on top of the pile of bills. It turns out, our sweet Hannah had gone into her piggy bank, and taken her last $5 to contribute to "the Fund". Her and I were talking later, and I asked her what was wrong, as her big beautiful eyes were quite watery....she (of course) said "Nothing." I asked her why she looked like she was going to cry, and she fell into my arms, crying away. Her answer, when pushed a little bit as to why she was crying, was, "Why does the playhouse have to cost so much? Why is wood so expensive?"

When Abby saw Hannah crying, she ran over to Hannah, put her hand on Hannah's arm, and was very concerned as to why she was so sad.....

I felt very blessed and I witnessed this little interchange between them. I pray that we are teaching these little ladies to be sensitive to the needs of those around them.

Later, as Art and I were talking about what had transpired that evening, Art asked if I thought we should have told the Girls how much this playhouse was going to cost. I said "Yes!" I hope that by involving them in some of the details of our lives, they will have a greater appreciation for the things they do have. We shall see.... However, at the end of the day, I do love those little ladies!

Monday, September 7, 2009

The end is in sight.....

....until we decide to tackle another project! As most of you know, we've spent the last 2 years renovating the main floor of our house. So, we are almost done - the only thing left to do is the trim work (which really, let's be honest....will that ever get done?!), which cannot be done until the doors are replaced. On Saturday, Art spent a good part of the day taking out the old doors, and putting in the new ones (minus handles, of course....I'm still looking, and trying to find some that I love). While he was doing that, he started thinking about our laundry/mud room down the back hall and entrance to our garage. He decided that he was going to pull out the wall when you first walk in the door to make that space a bit bigger, and more suitable for our family. So, as I sit here, on my butt, these are some of the things I hear: the sawz-all, going nuts, cutting into the wall; a bit of grunting, as Art gets the headers out; perhaps an expletive?! He stepped on a nail, while wearing his oh so safe, and I'm sure Alberta Health and Safety approved CROCS (and pajamas....but that's for another day); the crowbar, with it's high pitched noise that it makes as you pull wood apart; and now, finally, the vacuum, because my man rocks! He makes a mess, and (usually) cleans it up!!

I've forgotten how much mess and dust drywall makes.....ahh, the mayhem.....here we go again!!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Quiet

Today was the first day that Hannah AND Abby went to school at scope, the program here that we love. The Girls are in school for 2 days a week, and home for 3. It's a really great compromise between homeschooling full time and school full time. Hannah was in the program last year, and now Abby has joined her. I dropped them off in plenty of time, and helped them get set up, and then I started the process to leave. I said my goodbye's, along with hugs and kisses, and as I walked away, I took a look back at Abby. She was sitting in her desk, her eyes big and a tad bit watery....she gave me a little wave and said goodbye.

Now, I am at home, and the 2 little girls are playing outside. I have much to do, but I keep procrastinating..... it's quiet here, and I'm not quite used to it. Only 2 girls for lunch today. I thought I would love it, but, truth be told, I love my Girls, and miss them on the days they are gone. I should be weeding my garden, or get caught up on my books..... but maybe, this afternoon, I will read a book, and count down the minutes until I get to go and pick up my little ladies...