Life over the last few months

Well, now that our basement is finished (Huge sigh of relief) our lives can finally slow down just a little bit, well, at least until March. We started the basement in February of this year and finished it the week of Thanksgiving. Can I just say these last 9 months have been the longest 9 months of my life. Other things have obviously contributed to those long months, but the basement has been torture. We did everything ourselves with the exception of the HVAC stuff. Which is odd to me because HVAC is basically sheet metal and Chris does that for a living on base, but couldn't do it in his own home? Go figure. I didn't find out that little detail until we already had it done or trust me, he would have done it!

Looking back it is interesting to think about all the pointless skills I have learned how to do that I will probably never use again in my lifetime. For example: Framing, hooking electricity up to an outlet, drywalling, mudding and sanding the drywall, and crown molding. Can you see now why I say I will probably never use those skills again? But at least I can feel special in knowing I know how to do them, right?

I must say it has been a very rewarding past month being able to sit downstairs and enjoy our hard work, and hopefully the boys have learned the value of working hard for something, and they will work harder to keep the walls undented and the carpet unpainted. (Okay, it's a long shot with the dents, but one can always hope) As rewarding as the finished product has been I can honestly without a doubt say that WE WILL NEVER FINISH A BASEMENT AGAIN!!! If we ever move, IF, the basement will either be finished or we will hire it out. I would recommend to anyone that they have this experience at least once in their life, but I just have no desire to repeat it.

Anyway, here are a few random pictures of what our lovely boys have been up to these past few months to keep themselves busy while Chris and I have hybernated downstairs....




I guess Brendon and Jayden wanted to join in the fun of mudding and decided the holes in their outlet in their room needed to be filled. They also mudded a fire station toy they have, but I have since cleaned it off.



Obviously the "no shoes in the house rule" doesn't apply to Ethan, because every chance he gets he has to try on every shoe in our entry way and model around in them. He does make a very cute model though, if I don't say so myself.

The boys have now learned how to make paper airplanes thanks to their plane obsessed father. However, they can never make just one. Usually once they start this is the result that follows, and I find them around the house for the next week. Thank you so much, Chris, for teaching our boys such a fantastic skill. I guess I know who to send to the store when our computer paper runs out!

So I guess Jayden got bored one day and decided to get this life jacket down from the top shelf of Ethan's closet. (He had to climb pretty much on top of the dresser to reach it) Thank goodness it is a 12 month size life jacket that he couldn't get off and maybe next time he'll think twice before he climbs on the dresser to get it down and try it on!

Ethan has always loved baths. Yeah, um, well, he recently learned how to strip down to nothing and I can't tell you how many times I have been busy doing something and heard the water in the bathroom running. Of course, I knew every time what I would find when I opened the door. It's just too bad he knows how to make the water warm to his liking. If it was freezing cold he might not do this, but then again, he'll climb in the shower before the water has warmed up and it doesn't seem to bug him one bit. So basically, I'm just doomed to attempt to keep him away from water.


I am so sad to report that my 2 1/2 year old has now learned how to climb out of his crib. I know, I'm lucky it took him this long to figure it out, but once you've been spoiled with a child that loves to go to bed at night and take naps during the day it is heartbraking when you realize it is over.....

However, some days I luck out with the nap thing and this is what I find once he has stopped crying and banging on the door...

At least he can take care of himself when it comes to his blankets. Why are they so gosh darn cute when they're sleeping but when they wake up not so much?

Anyway, that's a little bit of what we have been up to lately. I'm sure you will all agree, there is never a dull moment when my boys are around, I will give them that. I love them to peices, but I must say how extremely extatic I am to be having one of the "other kind" this time around. However, I reserve the right to take back that statement if she ends up extremely emotional and moody. Yeah, don't do so well with that. So this should be very interesting.....