August 2010 Tidbits

Tess is loving her time with "Dipsy's Papa" (aka "Papa Murdock"). Their favorite games (as of today): vigorous tickles on the bed and an elaborate bubble-blowing routine where Dad blows a bubble, catches it on his wand and then Tess pops it with her nose.

Ry thought Tess was just being silly when she asked for "chop-chop" for lunch. Nope, that's just how she says "ketchup." What's a girl got to do for condiments around here?

Today we drove by a mosque. Tess' comment: "Other people's temple, Mom."

This morning Tess asked me (Ryan) if we could dance. I said, "Sure, Tess." I stood up and began to dance. Tess looked up at me with a quizzical look and said, "What are you doing, Dad?" Tough crowd!

Dust Bunnies

Someday our house will be dust-free.  Not today.  But someday it will. 

Ry and I tackled round two of sanding the drywall patches today.  With the first round we seriously underestimated the engulfing pervasiveness of drywall dust that resulted from the sanding.  Dust EVERYWHERE!  We’ve been wearing masks and waking up at the crack of dawn to get the job completed and cleaned up before Tess gets up.  It is a messy, messy, messy job.

Dad left yesterday after taking on a marathon day of drywalling.  And I mean MARATHON!  It was not an easy or fun job, to say the least.

The walls are coming back together.  They could probably use one more round of patching and sanding before we paint, but I don’t know if we (or our vacuum, for that matter) can take it.

Getting there.  This wall looks pretty good.

Ceiling still needs work.  It's the most awkward to patch and sand.

Hall closet.

Bathroom wall.  As soon as this wall's finished, we get to have the toilet reinstalled.  Simple pleasures.

The most impressive part of this picture is that the washer and dryer are hooked up after a week of no laundry.  I tried to hook up the washing machine drain hose, only to realize the plumber failed to knock out the hole leading to the drain pipe in the new valve box.  The plumber is closed today and I need to do some serious laundry, so I got out my chisel and knocked it out myself!  If you want something done right....

In other home improvement news, we are really pleased with how the shower turned out.  I did a great job of picking out matching grout, and it really made a big difference in finishing it off.

I really love how it turned out--I think Dad and I did a great job on it!

I'm 7 months pregnant tomorrow.  Can we say "nesting"to the extreme?

Not for the Faint of Heart

Is this a sight that strikes fear in your heart?  

No?  How about this?

So, Dad's been out a for visit this week.  Can you tell how much he loves me? 

He loves me new "water-vapor barrier" much.

And new "cement board" much.

And new "thinset" much.

And lots and lots of new tile much.  Lots of it.

It's been an exhausting, dirty and sweaty few days as Dad and I slaved away on this much needed new shower.  Tess has adapted to her life as a Pingu orphan by day and mermaid by night.  (There are functioning showers at the pool.)


Has your blood pressure stabilized at all yet?  Have you ever wondered what it would take to replace all the plumbing in your house?  Oh, your pipes must not be polybutylene.

Plumbers tackle the job over two days and then we'll get to sheetrocking.  

Yep, that's a big hole behind the couch too.

There's a huge cut in Tess' wall and more ceiling and bathroom cuts to come tomorrow.  I was worried that Tess would never fall asleep tonight with her room torn up.  I covered over the gash in her wall and her only concern was that her seashells on her wall from the beach were missing. 

Copper is starting to shine forth in place of old gray piping.

I will get through this week.  I will get through this week.

Sweet Baby Caroline

Tess has a new cousin!  Caroline Ann Hoopes was born August 30 and weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz.  For some darling baby pics, visit http://www.bellababyphotography.com/, click view photos, and enter the following password: 0830carolinehoopes.

We're so happy you're here, Caroline!  Congratulations Laura, Nathan, Brooke and big brother Andrew!