Fixing the basement

We're fixin' ta move the kids downstairs. Its about time because I'm due for an induction on Sunday (30th). These pictures are from Wednesday. This is our family room downstairs. It looks soooo good. Sterling did such a great job. Here, the kids are helping him put together some new food storage shelves. I'm so excited for them. I didn't feel like doing much more than sit on the couch because I've been sick. But that's a whole other story. Anyway, everyone was working hard to put the basement together.

Here Parker is testing out the roller system for the food storage.

I asked Sydney to walk around and take pictures of the basement. These are the pictures she took. Her closet, her shelf in her room and her bed. Can you tell she's excited about her room?

Funny happenings around here

The other day we were driving to visit family and Rachel pipes up in the back seat, chanting, "I don't like my mom and dad." over and over and over again. It was so funny. We tried to get her to say, "I like my mom and dad" or "I love my mom and dad" and she would say...

Major accomplishment in the basement!!! THREE wax rings later...

a flushing toilet. Yipee!

And I have to admit, I'm really enjoying doing my laundry lately. It might have something to do with the fact that my washer sings me love songs...

Look and See!

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR BASEMENT THIS WEEK!!!

Slow and Easy

Have you ever wondered what a "man-style" shopping list looks like?

That shopping list was compiled to help install this...

...our new FIREPLACE. I'm very excited about this one. Rachel calls the little white stones in front of the logs "icecubes." Too cute. Now we are getting ready for our insulation inspection before we can sheetrock. We have literally loads of insulation in the basement right now. It makes me cough.

The girls have enjoyed perching on top of it. They are eating sheets of ice they found outside. I don't know where exactly they found it. I hope its...ahem...clean. And they took about 5 kitchen washclothes outside to help with the ice harvest. I'm pretty positive that most of those washclothes did not make it back inside the house.

Rachel has really enjoyed riding the wiggle car downstairs. She's pretty fast, thus the blurry pictures. She just doesn't stop.

And FYI, for my own sweet memory sake,

... if I never see another ounce of this fire-wall-proof-foam- JUNK, I will die happy. Ster had to insert it everywhere, it seemed like. I'm glad we're finished with that. Yuck.

So the basement is coming along. Slow and easy, especially since Ster is so busy with the legislative session right now. But that's alright. At least its coming along.

More pics of the basement

Most people put up walls when they finish their basement. Sterling tears them down.

This is the new entry way to the basement in before and after shots. Lots of open space. I love it!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

OUR BASEMENT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

I'm beside myself with excitement. Here is a wall near the bottom of our stairs. (terrible picture because Rach dropped my camera and now it won't focus. bummer)

Here is the same picture - minus the wall - adding a weight bearing beam. The water heater has also been moved. (and I'm using a different camera. Not a new one, just a different one)This is where my washer and dryer used to be.
Soon they will be hooked up right here. See the plumbing, do you see it? Plumbed for a nice big sink too. Yippy!!!

THANKS A MILLION COUSIN JUSTIN!!!!

We are really seeing progress now and I can't wait. I know we still have a long ways to go and lots more pictures to document it all...but we're on our way! We're making it our own. Then we'll have a big party. Karaoke maybe.

Tearing down walls

Construction has begun on our basement. Pipes have been moved, new concrete laid, walls are up, bathtub is in, pocket doors have been hung. Progress is being made. The latest is removing the wall and door around the stairwell.
Parker's first experience with power tools. He is removing the screws so Sterling can take the wall out.

Sterling - looking at his mess.

A job well done.