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Sunday, May 29, 2011

New House Owners

As most of you know, Luke and I closed on a house this week.  We are so excited about the opportunity that stretches out in front of us.  It's a big house that's been terribly neglected.  We bought if from a bank as it was in foreclosure.  The neighborhood and location are great and the house is laid out in a manner perfect for us. 

We've spent the last two months researching, getting bids, talking to banks, contractors, and engineers, researching some more, yes then talking to more contractors, and on and on until last Thursday we signed the papers at the bank and found ourselves in possession of a hole-y wonderful house.

There is lots of work to be done and we will be documenting that adventure most likely in a separate place.  I'm kind of addicted to reading house blogs and can't resist starting our own.  More details as we get it developed, I promise.  This way if in person we start yammering on and on about all kinds of house projects you can just say, "Oh, yes, I read that on your blog." (regardless of whether you did or not...) and we will (probably) stop talking and ask you something about your life instead.  Everybody wins!

Thursday night we had a 'Before Party.'  About 30 of our friends and family came over to eat hamburgers and look at the mess we had just purchased.  The kids raced all over the big empty rooms then climbed around in the back yard full of hazards.  Wheee!  Everyone made it out in one piece and next year when we host the 'After Party' I'm sure it will be a much safer affair (steps that aren't crumbling, zero poison ivy, no broken glass).


Grandpa and Gran with their arms full of cuteness.


Our guests helpfully brought camping chairs.  Next year we'll have seating for them.  Even better, next year we'll have operable bathrooms for them.

Levi and some of his best buddies.

On Friday we commenced with demolition.  While Luke was working to get rid of the moldy materials in the basement, I was out front with the boys.  Milo likes landscaping.

Surveying his new domain.

"One question, Mama: two days ago I was wearing shorts and today we had to bundle up.  What is with this Kansas weather?"

No furniture in the house means lots of room for boys to play.  Here they are in the dining room.

This little guy loves tools already.  When we are at the hardware store he practically lunges out of the cart trying to get his hands on the merchandise.

Levi found a worm.  Then he requested I take its picture.  The worm refused to smile for the camera.

I told him not to stick the shovel in his mouth.  He did it anyway.

The boys love riding in the truck.

We've cut cow's milk out of Milo's diet and he has been a lot happier.

Rolling around in fresh laundry.

Papa, you might want to hide this picture from Nana.  After seeing it she may just drive to the Providence airport and buy the first ticket out to KC.

He's generally been in good spirits with occasional grumpy stints.  Today we discovered why: part of his molar has come thru!  He's not quite 15 months old and doesn't even have the rest of his non-molar teeth.  We were surprised to see it.

He climbed into the shoe closet to apparently enjoy himself by spilling soy milk and getting his mitts on Levi's helmet.  That is a usually closely guarded object.  Milo seems pretty  excited to have it in his possession.

Somersaults were going on while the helmet was being pilfered.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Flashback Friday- What a Doll

Me and Grandpa Rush.  I appear to have front teeth in this picture so that would make me a second grader, I think.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Pics from the Week

Milo is much more of a climber than Levi was.

HUGS.

I am so outnumbered.

Levi talked me into climbing in here with him.

It wouldn't be too bad except that once inside Levi doesn't sit still.  He flails and flips around.  Heel to the face!  Knee to the stomach!  I'm out of here...

Milo loves these pictures his Gran painted.

Maybe he'll be an artist like her?

Lucas, human jungle gym.

My friends, Gwen and Claudette- taken at Claudette's baby shower last Saturday.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Thursday

It rained most of the day here so aside from a trip to the Y, we stayed inside.  Levi still enjoys playing with the dried beans.  Milo is old enough now to enjoy them without trying to stick a fistful into his mouth everytime my head is turned.

These dried beans are endlessly entertaining- at least to my boys.  Levi spent a good five minutes painstakingly filling up his sock with them. 

Of course not much time passes before they feel the need to sit amongst the beans.  Once one dives in the other is sure to follow.

"Scoot over!"

"Ooof.  Ugg.  Arggh!"

As you can tell by the amount of pictures I snapped, I found this whole exchange quite funny.  Have you ever been in a situation where you are outnumbered by people who aren't making sense but since you are in the minority no one but you understands the strangeness of it all?  Levi kept saying things like, "There's not enough room in the beans.  Get Baby out of the beans!" and I'm looking around realizing that I'm the only one in the room not understanding the allure of bean sitting.

Milo says, "Yes!  I'm ruler of the beandom!"

We put the little tent up on Levi's bed and he happily read books in there during rest time.

Later we made cookies.  Here he is caught on camera sneaking a taste.  Don't worry, no eggs had been added yet as we got most of the recipe mixed up before realizing we were out of eggs.

After baking, Levi went straight in to craft making not even pausing to wipe the flour off of his face.

Milo had to sit out craft making.  He tries to eat the crayons and the glue sticks.  Instead he got some crackers.

He informed me that he had spelled out his name. 

After hole punching, googly eye glueing, and a questionable spelling exercise, QLR moved on to painting.
It was a good day but I was still counting down the minutes until Luke walked thru the door.  We've already grown accustomed to being outside in the spring weather.  It's hard to keep active boys inside all day.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

More Farmpark

We had another outing to the "Farmpark" today.  What can I say, it's one of our favorite places.

Milo had his sixth tooth break thru yesterday.

He's got his tongue in the Concentration Position.

Trying something new.

Wheeeeeee.

Milo being joyfully reunited with his special Ruby.

Kisses and hugs.

More kids on a swing.  I cannot resist photographing them like this.  While eating snacks was the only time they sat still.  They may have been more squirrely than the squirrels that were running around.

I must kiss this face!!

He tried so hard to climb up on the ledge like the big kids.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Socialness

We spent some time with cousin Alison on Saturday.  Levi is so sweet to her.  He speaks to her in a high pitched voice and gives her lots of kisses.

Alison playing with her pantsless cousin (don't you just want to pinch that chub??  so cute.)

Today at the farm-park.  Levi checking up on the duckling's growth while wearing his superhero cape.

We met our good friends there.  It was quite sunny today, can you tell?

Daniel and Micah are two of Levi's best buddies.

Little Daria wanted in on the action.  Shortly after this I put Milo on the swing, too.  Sadly I didn't get a shot of that, too much going on!