Basement Update

The Pool Table is in Position!

And, it wasn't pretty...

October 30, 2009

Kendall had her Fall Party today, with a costume parade and songs, and a gym full of craft and activity tables run by the moms. It was tons of fun. Grandma P's costume (lamb) was a hit. However, the dress drew so many compliments! Kendall and I ran errands all afternoon and everyone we made eye contact with had something to say about Kendalls halloween/Hello Kitty dress. It was just too cute!

Mark took today off to start on the main part of the floor. He wants to move the pool table back into place yet tonight since we're renting the dollies. The first picture was taken at 5pm. The second picture, from about the same perspective, was taken at 8:15pm. He has the rest of the weekend to finish: the playroom, storage/bedroom, and down the hallway. He's doing a great job! I've got the easy job: feeding him and keeping his water cup filled. :)

October 29, 2009

Soo many pictures! We rented dollies from Mason's Billiards and Barstools to move the pool table out of the way. It was kind of scary seeing it hoisted up like that. We should have cleaned up Mark's jack for the photos! :)








Then the kids and I carved our pumpkins tonight. I actually bought a pumpkin carving set with the little knives and scoops. Oh, my goodness! Why didn't I do that years ago! Carving and cleaning out the pumpkins was a breeze! I even did one of the design patterns that came with the set and carved a cool cat on Kendall's pumpkin. We lit the pumpkins up to "test" them out and the kids were thrilled. Halloween can't come soon enough!

October 28, 2009

Mark is anxious....he's supposed to wait 48 hours to let the laminate get acclimated to the environment. Well, I guess he just couldn't wait any longer!

Kendall had picture day at school. Jacob and I surprised Mark with a visit at his work. We then shopped both Gymborees in the area looking for particular things on behalf of Kim for Kennedy(and Kendall and Jacob!) and ran into relatives: Uncle Euie and Aunt Sally and cousin Linda. :) The lady who came out and measured 10 days ago for carpet and countertops finally stopped over this afternoon with her estimates (that's the last we will be seeing of her). A neighbor girl (Izzy) came over to play for a little bit. Fixed a good pork chop dinner. I had a great time at book club tonight.

It was a busy, fun day. We'll see what tomorrow brings...

October 27, 2009

Well, I borrowed Dad's big pick-up truck and went up to Adrian to purchase our laminate flooring! Good thing Dad's truck is 'Heavy Duty'....it was filled up! And, it was very nice of Dad to show up, unannounced, just as Mark was getting home from work to help carry it all down to the basement.

I picked up Jacob from school (but couldn't find him - long story). Then, we had an impromptu photo op. in our leaves. The kids had a blast burying each other and jumping into our little pile, over and over! What fun!

October 26, 2009

Jacob had an eye exam this morning. He failed the vision screening twice at school, so we were notified by the school nurse of a potential issue. Yes. He needs glasses. He is +4.50 in one eye and about perfect in the other eye. That is what is called having a "lazy eye" (refractive amblyopia). He gets this from his mother, who gets this from Grandpa C, as well. We picked out some eyeglasses in the afternoon.

Jacob just thought he was pretty cool to wear special 'shades' while his eyes were dialated! :)

October 25, 2009

Yesterday brought us Jacob's last soccer game - and it was the first that he didn't score at least one goal. Way to go, Jacob. It was such a fun season to watch Jacob improve and get aggressive.

Yesterday afternoon was Uncle Les' memorial in Pittsford, MI. We mingled a bit with family (why don't we get together more often?) over desserts at the church.

On the way home, we stopped at a large flooring outlet in Adrian. We brought a bunch of samples of laminate flooring home to see what matches the best.

Today, Grandma & Grandpa P came over and we just lounged. I've been fighting a cold and have felt yucky, so Mark actually did the "necessity" grocery shopping. What a guy!

The kids had fun helping clean and organize in the basement (photo).

October 23, 2009

Today was uneventful. The weather was dark, dreary, rainy, cold. I cleaned the house and did lots of laundry. Leftovers (the delicious pork roast) for dinner.

Mark laid the laminate pad down the hallway and in the bar/eating area tonight. I did get a call back today from Megan's uncle who installs granite (not laminate!:) ) and worked up an estimate for us. Of course, it's a lot of money. Of course, it would look beautiful. Of course, we will continue pricing other options. Still waiting for Perrysburg Floor to call back with pricing....hmmm...

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

October 22, 2009

Mark started laying the underlayment pad for the laminate floor in the basement today.

The kids and I went over to Grandma & Grandpa P's. While we were there, we made a side trip to the flooring place that they have used recently in all their renovations. I got some prices on carpeting and a general range for the laminate. For some reason, we haven't heard back from the woman who came out on Saturday to measure for carpet, laminate, and countertops from Perrysburg Flooring. She mentioned that she would get back to us with a price by Tuesday. Maybe she's taking her time, working up a REALLY good deal! :)

October 21, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM! (my wonderful SIL)

Both kiddos had school today, I tried to catch up on some laundry and straighten up the house. The weather was beautiful, so the kids played outside after school - it felt so good. Tonight was bunko, which I forgot about as I put a pork roast in the crockpot this morning. I didn't eat the whole meal, but the roast was sooo tender, it cut and melted in your mouth like butter. I have yet to figure out why some roasts cook up like that and others are like a sole of a shoe...one of life's mysteries! :)

I was off to bunko....Michelle always hosts the October bunko because she goes ALL OUT at Halloween....fully decorated to the hilt. We were to wear a costume and I went as the Swine/H1N1 Flu. Kendall colored my pig ears for me.

October 20, 2009

It was a beautiful day today - perfect for pumpkin picking! I DID find that farmhouse (Co Rd C (aka Archbold-Whitehouse) & 5-1) and bought all our pumpkins for 10 cents/pound. Now, he didn't have huge ones, but they were just fine for us. The largest weighed 22 lbs. The kids had fun picking them out. Oh, and I must retract from my earlier post: the owner has a full set of very nice teeth, just a little scruffy!

Aunt Bev called before we left and invited us over for lunch with her and Uncle Jim in their newly remodeled kitchen. Perfect timing! Kelsie was there, too. The sloppy joes and other goodies were delicious. The kitchen was fabulous. And the kids gobbled up their ice cream sandwiches. Thanks, Aunt Bev!

As we returned home, Grandma & Grandpa P. were just walking up to our front door. Perfect timing, again! Grandma P. brought over Kendall's Halloween costume that she made: a lamb. It is adorable. Kendall had it on tonight and looked very cute. Thanks, Grandma!

I also purchased a used laptop on eBay tonight. Oh, my! Now, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it's a good one....it was $80 less than the average selling price of 42 laptops I have "watched" on eBay over the last 5 days. Hmmm....we'll see how it is when I get it! Again, fingers crossed!

(I also fixed the photos on last week's post of Kendall's field trip...the pictures were erroring.)

October 19, 2009

<---Photo of Jacob's drawing. It looks like the car is running into the guy, but he says, "No, the man owns the car." I helped in Jacob's classroom today. It went well and was very interesting to observe the children, the classroom, the teacher.

It was our turn to "boo" the neighbors tonight. Kendall was sooooo excited and couldn't wait for it to get dark (at 7:30pm, I'm sad to point out). I had to peel Jacob away from Guitar Hero (he was playing with Mark). We all had fun sneaking up to the 2 houses, leaving our treats, ringing the door bell, and RUNNING! Kendall was especially good at this....the kept hushing Jacob so that we would be quiet and not get caught. However, her light-up sneakers were kind of a give-away! :)