2012-2013 school year

So we are finishing up another school year. It was a most excellent one. Both kids had great teachers and really enjoyed their new school. I'm so thankful for new teachers and seasoned teachers - new teachers who have fresh ideas and lots of spunk and seasoned teachers who have tried and true things that work. And even a record player! I admire them greatly. Mrs Shadle (Sophie's teacher) has been teaching preK for about 15 years and then younger grades for many years before that. God bless her! Seriously, anyone who teachers a classroom full of 4/5 year olds deserves a million dollars. Ms. Roadman (Ted's teacher) has been teaching for about 3 years and so sweet. Lots of great ideas and fun things. We were so blessed with both of them.

2012-2013 School Year

Ted - 1st Grade

Sophie - PreK

Sophie & Mrs. Shadle

Sophie & Mrs. Hawley

Ted & Mrs. Roadman

AND JUST FOR REFERENCE:

2011-2012 School Year

Ted - Kindgergarten

Sophie - Tuesday School

 

2010-2011 School Year

Ted - PreK

 

sophie's 5th birthday

This little lady turned 5 on Tuesday. I'm having a wee bit of a hard time with it. She's just getting so big. I love this kid so much. She makes us laugh and she loves so hard. She's a real heart melter, that's for sure. This was by far our best and most fun year!

We went to Dairy Queen for her birthday dessert (we save cakes for Doh). These lovely ladies from Chestnut Ridge's DV8 were there having a fun dress up outing thing. We enlisted them to sing happy birthday.  I know only really know one of them!

We were at Uncle Andy and Aunt Courtney's this weekend. We had birthday cupcakes.

And Sophie, Courtney and I went to the mall to get Sophie's ears pierced. Note to all you "going to get your ears piercced people" - do your research. That ain't cheap. And it's not something that you can back out of when your kid is sitting in the chair.

She did great. No tears. She's in love!

Sophie picked roast, carrots and mashed potatoes for her birthday dinner. Which is quite a complement to me because I have just recently started making good roasts. Anyways, we all shared some things that we love about Sophie. 

- she gives lots of hugs and kisses

- she loves a good snuggle

- her love of lip gloss, jewelry and high heels

- and as much as she loves all those girly things, she loves the dirt and being outside too

- she laughts a lot

- she has very good manners

- she sees when someone needs a hug and a snuggle from her will do a body good

- she is a good friend

- she is kind and considerate

- she is very funny

Some of the highlights of year 4:

- starting preK and loving it

- writing her name

- going on a cruise

- taking gymnastics and playing soccer

- riding a training wheel bike

- doing the zipline at camp

- Fridays with just the 2 of us

- acquiring a shared love of starbucks hot chocolate

Tonight I was laying in bed snuggling with her. We laid face-to-face, nose-to-nose. I rubbed her back and she rubbed my face while sucking her thumb. Love.

 

It's been a big week - 5th birthday and PreK graduation. Happy 5th birthday, Sophie! I'm so proud of you. You're a big kid now.

the sunroom - part 1

Back in the winter, I asked my dad if he would put in a new back door for us since the old one pretty much did nothing to keep out any sort of cold air. That lead to a new front door, new deck railing and a new sunroom! I'm sure you see the connection! 

This is our progress. I should make note that this was once a porch. Someone closed it in with 7 windows and particle board. It had an old, falling apart porch ceiling and cement floor. No heat or cooling source. So it was hot in the summer and freezing in the winter.

This the room when we looked at the house. Eh.

We painted the particle board (real classy) and bought a cheap carpet remnant. The previous one was pretty much thread bare.

And then it became the room where the car and the rest of the house overflowed to. The only closet space in the house is 3 small closets upstairs. So we hung our coats on hooks on the wall. We used it for playing, working, storage and exercise space. And Millie's personal lounge.

So Dad pulled off all the walls and took out 5 windows.

Put in a new front door and storm door.

And re-sided where the windows used to be.

Dad's personal assistant.

He put up drywall.

And made a closet. Hallelujah!

Then he left for a week. Our "homework" was to finish all the drywall and stain and polyurathane all the trim. Who remembers the "homework" on the TLC show "Trading Spaces"?

This was the laundry I wasn't folding . . .

While I was burning brain cells in the garage staining and polyurathaning all of this.

My goal was to get the room and ceiling painted before Dad got back, but it just wasn't in the cards.

Sophie didn't have school last week, so she was Dad's assistant a couple of days while we worked. 

So, we're almost done. Dad created a vent for heat and AC. Put up all the trim. New door. New siding. All that is left is for me to get the doors to the closet stained, new carpet to be put in, and storage box in that little nook for more storage space.

This is so great and such a much more liveable space. My Dad has a vision for things, that's for sure. The best part about him being here for 2 weeks? The time he got to spend with my kids. They had a great time having Gary Pap here!

to do list

We took Ted to his first Pirate's game on Monday night. The regional YL staff went. Always fun to see everyone. 

 Mary Berg & Ted - I could go for an arranged marriage.

It was a bit of a May cold spell. 

So we got home really late and threatened Ted that he better get up cheery and ready to go to school on Tuesday. Instead,  he got up complaining of a stomach ache. I gave him zero sympathy. Until he started puking. Oops! Ben stayed home and bore the brunt of the illness. By the time I got home from work he was chipper and feeling much better. He even ate tacos (his choice - I offered him much more puking friendly food) for dinner. In the middle of the night he was randomly puking again. Not cool. So i stayed home today and worked from home. I got out my post it notes and made my to-do list. Ted took that queue and made his own to-do list for the day . . .

watch a movie

throw up

watch sophie's movie

eat lunch

play

dinner

play

go to bed (written on the back)

All day he checked things off his list. Except one. I'm cool with that. I may have created a to-do list monster.

home improvment

Thanks to my Dad, we've been on quite a home repair kick around here. Well, mostly him. It all started in January with a couple of sub-zero degree weeks and a back door that essentially let the cold air flow right into our house. And from that the projects just keep on a comin'.

 Old back door - very quality doggie door covered by a steel plate.

My own home improvement with a big piece of insulation stuffed in there. Not super effective. You can see why we need my Dad's expertice.

 New back storm door

 New inside door (painting the kitchen, dining room and living room are on my summer project list).

So this is what siding looks like when you don't protect it from the paint when you're spraying it on. (Previous owner, not us!)

 

This is not a super great picture, but Ben and Dad repainted the siding. I can't believe what a difference it makes! They only painted up the side to meet with the porch roof. You can't even see where they stopped painting. And a repaired and replaced screen in the window.

 

 
Sophie helped with scrubbing down the front siding one Saturday.

And helped with bagging lots of leaves, which left her like this. This may be the 3rd time in her entire life she's fallen asleep outside of her bed or car seat. 

One of my projects this late spring is to have some high school kids that need money for camp repaint the back deck. The railing was a little rough . . . 

 

So one day while we were at work, Dad replaced it.

 So some kids are coming over in a couple of weeks to paint. In the meantime, I need to get my hands on a power washer.

 

So one request for the installation of a new back door led to this and more . . .