Home Improvement projects

We have been plugging along with our home improvement projects. The basement is nearing completion, just in time for Josh's mom to take up residency with us so she can start a new job on the east coast! Hopefully Dana will be able to follow soon and the boys can have all their grandparents close by. My dad has been tirelessly slaving away helping us save thousands of dollars in labor costs. I am pretty sure we owe him our lives and first born son...and maybe the second one too. :) I have promised him if we ever move it will be in to a house that already has all this stuff done. It has been fun, exciting and totally overwhelming tackling all these projects and the decisions that go in to making them happen. I can honestly say I know my way around Home Depot and Lowes way more than I have ever wanted to. We have one more project going on upstairs in our half bath, but it isn't too exciting, so I will just post pics when it is all done, but thought you might enjoy seeing some pictures of our progress on the deck and basement.


Check out Rowan in his hard hat. I swear I don't put him up to this. He sees Pa and Josh doing work and he frantically gets his tool belt, tools and hard hat on so he can go to work. He cracks me up.
This will be the "mud room" side of the basement, right off the garage door. We still need to add a bench seat to the bottom cabinets, knobs and hooks, and maybe bead board, haven't totally decided. These were my bargain purchase at Home Depot for 50% off.
Josh's office will have french doors to let in some light and make the space feel a bit bigger.

Gram's room.

Full bath.

My dad as a baby

My Aunt recently brought a box of old pictures of my dad to our house and my mom is convinced Eli looks just like him as a baby (I think it is all the chunk). After further inspection though, I think Rowan might have a stronger resemblance. I guess we will just have to wait and see when they grow up :)

I am not sure how old my dad is here, but it can't be any older than 6 months.

Rowan at 5 months

Eli at 3 months

Eli is 4 months old!

I love this age because they don't just smile with their mouth, they smile with their whole bodies. They wiggle, squirm, squeal with delight and can make you feel like you are the most important person in the room and in their world. I think it is a little gift from God so you don't get so angry at 3:30 am when they haven't slept through the night in a week but are just delighted to see you, even if you are blurry eyed. Eli is now weighing in at 15 lbs and is 25. 5 inches long! He is starting to show a bit of personality and starting to object if you make him do something he doesn't want to do. Like sit propped up on a chair...

This is the best picture up on the chair that I got of him, because every time I sat him him, with in a split second he would arch his back and wiggle down the seat laying almost horizontal. After about 5 attempts with the same result I gave up.
And switched positions.

Rowan and Eli at 4 months

They definitely have their own look, but you can tell they are brothers for sure! Eli also has about 5 pounds on Rowan, so it's hard to get a real comparison.

Rowan at 4 months

Eli at 4 months

Family visit

My dad's family came for a visit and the kids had a great time playing together. Cinjin and Rowan were fast friends and Ziciah was so sweet with both boys.
Cinjin and Rowan playing cars in the crawl space at my parents house. At one point they were holding hands, adorable.

Eli is almost as big as Cinjin, so this didn't last long.

Working on the deck

We have so many projects going on at the house right now, my head feels like it might explode. While we are waiting on the next step for the basement (the painter is dragging his feet :) ) my dad is starting the deck. Rowan was so pleased today to wake up from his nap and go out and help.



This is the face I got when I asked him for a "nice smile". Thanks Rowan.

Baking cookies

What's the best part about making cookies? Eating the dough of course!

I love this one

Cute little bear

New sweater and hat

Gram showered the boys with gift when she arrived yesterday and many were hand made. She made Rowan this beautiful fleece lined hat and sweater. Rowan loved them and was happy to wear them playing outside today. They are thick wool and toasty warm so I won't have to worry about Rowan getting cold this winter. There are plenty more gifts to document but here are several from our time outside today. Thanks Teri, I LOVE them!