Is The Basement Done....YET??

This week at Kindercare it is 'Wild Animal Week'. They are talking all about wild animals and Friday they are having a healthy foods party to celebrate the special week.  Eric was the lucky one who got to get all this paint off of Maddox's face while I was working late last Friday....he said she looked like she had been in a coal mine all day after his first attempt!!

So this is sort of a 'tricky' post because the basement if 99.9% done but I"m not putting on any pictures. Most of you have either seen or will see the basement in it's finished state at Kennon's party!!  It is SUPER nice and we are just waiting on a couple of details.  We are SOOOO thankful to have it done and now just need to commission a little help from our friendly neighbor to get some of the furniture down there so we can start enjoying it a bit, or at least have a place to sit down. Never fear...for those of you who live far away ( JODY:) I'll post a few more pictures after we get it officially set up and some pics on the wall.  

The kids are doing well. Sleeping well, napping well and overall in good spirits.  Maddox finishes her last dose of antibiotics for her ear infection and then we will just wait and see what happens. We have spent numerous minutes/hours in the last several weeks 'chasing' scoops around the neighborhood. They are on every corner it seems in Bettendorf....so much building going on. Last Thursday on the way home from Kindercare I got to hear the below conversation between Maddox and Kennon

Me: Alright guys are we ready to go home?

Kennon: No, I wanna see scoops!

Maddox:  No, I wanna go home

Kennon: No Maddox I wanna see scoops!!

Maddox: No Kennon I wanna go home!!

Luckily they were both in their car seats so they couldn't be physical about their argument :) They were both very emphatic about what they wanted to do. We compromised and just went to see a couple of scoops instead of driving aimlessly around Bettendorf before going home. Phew...easy solution for that one!!

Kennon is a talking machine. He is very good at stringing together 4 to 5 words with fairly good annunciation. I took him to get his 2 year old pictures today and he did really well. He is sure growing up and is an OUTDOOR MAN!!  The kid would sleep outside if I let him.  Every night it is a WAR to get him to come in. He LOVES to mow the mulch with his mower ( the grass is just too thick this time of year )  and run back and forth up the berm in the backyard.  He is very fast ( seemingly faster than Maddox) and a bit more coordinated than her especially related to throwing balls. Maddox isn't quite as happy to be outside but if there are kids out she surely wants to join in. She got so excited the other night when the sort of 'older' girls asked her to play. SHE is VERY much into getting included with the older kids in the neighborhood.  We have been spending a lot of time outdoors with our new neighbor Priya who is 3.  Maddox is very quick to mother her.  In fact today was her last day at church school :(  They sent a report card home and advised they wouldn't be surprised if she grew up to be a teacher as she LOVES to act as the teacher and read books to all the kids. That along with picking out the smaller/younger kids in the classroom and mothering them here and there. She tries to do the same thing to KTK too but he isn't having that. 

The Wentland camp at the Multiple Sclerosis walk on Saturday

 One of my best friends/co workers was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few months back. While Eric went to work Saturday morning the kids and I joined her for the local MS walk. It was 3 miles long and the kids did very well. KTK hung in the stroller while Maddox was in and out walking along with Megan and her family and friends and some of my other co workers. We had such a nice time and were happy to support the MS Foundation in finding and CURE!!  Megan is a fabulous gal and we hope her symptoms continue to allow her to lead her normal active life as a physical therapist and mom of 3 young boys. We love you MEGAN!

KTK enjoying the bags game in the kid's area at the walk. 

Nash and Maddox


Nash is Megan's oldest. He just turned 5.  I think Nash and Maddox are adorable together :)  Anyhow the kid's area had little give aways...stickers, bracelets, rings, coupons for free ice cream cones...etc. Just as we were getting ready to leave Nash insisted on going to the kid's area to get Maddox a RING!!  As she trotted along behind him her little pink skirt started to slide down ( a hand me down from the sweet girls across the way...a little big yet).  Eric and I and Nash's Grandpa and Grandma were watching the scene all play out and Eric was witty enough to say 'keep your pants on Maddox...just because he's giving you a ring doesn't mean you have to let your pants down'. We all started cracking up!! 

Nash and Maddox and their rings!!

Eric going to town on the gutter project.  Grandpa Jim supervising. You can see from the 'little bag chairs' that Eric and Grandpa  Jim had some help from the little people. 

This project seemed rather 'easy' shall I say on paper....it was a bit more labor than we ( well I should say Eric) bargained for!!  We have HARD CLAY under our nice sod, no thanks to the developer of this and several subdivisions around her for stripping the nice top soil and selling it for a pretty penny grrrrrr. Thank goodness Grandpa Jim was available and willing to help....as well as provide lots of great suggestions for the project.

Lots of pipes and connections.

We love you Grandpa Jim!!

Maddox leading the way into the sanctuary for the Teddy Bear Tea Party worship

Mr. Piotter, the pre school director's husband who leads/plans all the music at the preschool. Maddox  is in the front row about 3 from the left. TO the left of the girl with the cow boy boots...I know terrible pics...darn iphone.

We were SOOO excited Grammy was feeling good enough to make the trip over for the Tea Party. We didn't tell Maddox she was coming so it was quite the surprise.  Papa Dick stayed home to chaperon Kennon which allowed Mom and I just a bit of alone time and more importantly made the day a little more special for Maddox.  Grammy looked great and Maddox and Kennon both took almost 3 hours naps that afternoon.  It is safe to say Grammy AND the kids were all worn out after the morning festivities. 

Grammy Maddox and her Teddy Bear

On the back side of her bear is her picture and her hand print. OSLP is very good at laminating and using body parts as time stamps for their projects!! I LOVE it and am so excited for KTK and MLK to go new year.  It really is a fabulous place. 

The finished project!!  White cap to the left is the clean out.  The pump in the middle is the sump pump discharge and the gutter to the right. All three are connected in the ground and empty into one the large long pipe. 

This little green guy pops up when the pipe fills with water to allow the water to drain out.  PERFECT!

Too many fun activities to find a 'good' title for this post!

Enjoying ice cream at Great Grandma Reta's retirement living dining room!! 

KTK, Grandma Jean and Grandpa Jim

Great Grandma Reta, Kennon, and Maddox. 

Playing the piano in one of Great Grandma Reta's community rooms.  My kids' first experience with a piano!! FUN!!

Riding Grandpa Jim's 4x4 and John Deere tractor. Right up KTK's alley. 

Grandpa Jim and KTK

So two weekends ago Grandpa Jim was supposed to come to our house to assist Eric is burying our sump pump discharge hose and one of the gutters on the front side of our house....but with all the rain we've been having we had to 'ditch' that plan so we loaded up and headed West for a visit to their house instead.  We had a nice time hanging out at Great Grandma Reta's apartment. She lives in a retirement community that has independent living, assisted living, community restaurants and dining rooms as well as a nursing home. Her apartment/facility is beautiful, complete with an elevator and a self serve soft ice cream machine ( which is a common item....I run into these machines a lot in my work travels). The kids loved the ice cream, piano and Great Grandma Reta's neighbor's dog Harper. After our visit with her we headed out to the Knowles homestead and had a great lunch, played with all the cool toys and Deuce, Grandpa and Grandma's big black lab, and then headed outdoors for a little riding toy experience.  We had a great time!!  

Finally warm enough for pig tails. 

Pink polka dots, pink skirt, and pig tails....off to church school. 

Leaning in to give Great Grandma Berg a hug

Sunday, Mother's Day, we spent the day up at Grammy and Papa Dick's after I completed the 1/2 marathon I'd be training for. The day was a bit breezy and chilly but I ended up having a great race and got to spend some good quality time with my running buddies. We then loaded up and headed East for the Berg homestead. Grammy looked great and had good energy. She and Papa Dick and even Great Grandma Berg got in on some hugs and toy playin' and ipad watchin'.  We had a nice lunch and most importantly it was nice to spend the time together as a family.  

Ipad time and Grammy rest time

Not sure why KTK has his mouth hanging open....the kids were on the bed almost motionless for almost an hour....a record 

So we are almost at the finish line with the basement.  Everything is basically done they are just touching up some paint issues and making final adjustments on the cabinet doors etc. We are REALLY happy with it.  I can't believe it is almost done.  

The new bathroom.  We haven't quite hung up the shower curtain as the paint hasn't cured yet for the rod, but ya get the idea.  We arrived at this curtain after searching at MULTIPLE stores right Eric??? :) 

Just missing the mirror for above the vanity. Should be here in the next week or so.  

Our new STORAGE closet at the foot of the steps.  Mostly shelving for supplies/stuff and a little hanging room for out of season coats which we desperately needed. 

Our new super duper double sump pump with battery backup!! We take so much pride in this thing that it gets it's own nice wire shelving :)  I didn't realize the carpet was going to completely surround the sump. Gives it a nice and clean look.

Treadmill still covered with plastic.  There are a few imperfections in the paint the painters will be back to touch up so we haven't uncovered it as of yet. 

The contractor has happily agreed to order 3 new doors and re stain them as there are 3 doors that don't belong with the others ( hmmmmm that reminds me of some IPTV kid song). I'll let you decide which 3 doors we are not happy with :)  We are glad he didn't put up a fight and wants us to be happy with the final product. All the little white tape spots have been ear marked by the contractor for the painters/dry wall guys to come back and fix up. 

Don't need a caption for this one.....!! We love it.  Art supplies in the drawers on the left and garbage in the cabinet on the right....wine to be store in the 'X' above the sink!! No need for explanation as to what goes in the fridge..... :) 

The new playroom!!  

Already in use.  I love this happy blue color.  

The kids have been doing well.  Kennon is a talking fool when he gets on a roll which is usually daily post a meal and while we are playing.  Tonight he said 'Daddy put lotion there'.... pointing to his leg!  He is getting very good at telling us what he wants AND what he doesn't want! He loves to be outside and lets the neighborhood know when we have decided it is time to come inside.  Today he found the mud puddle between a couple of our neighbors houses and fell down in it and was completely COVERED in mud and sidewalk chalk before we ended up making him come in.  His jeans came off right at the laundry room.  Maddox barely had a lick of chalk on her....such different kids.  She is doing ok.  I actually took her to see Dr. Delessio, our new pediatrician as Dr. Anderson is retiring :(   today. She started complaining her right ear was hurting early this AM.  She just got over an infection in her LEFT ear about 2 weeks ago.  Sure enough though, Dr. Delessio said her right ear was infected. So this will actually be the third infection since about mid to late February. She advised sometimes this happens with preschool age children and if she got another infection in the next 6 months we'd be visiting the ENT.  Kennon went for his 6 month check for his tubes last week. The tubes are still in place and functioning well. No plans to remove them at this point in time. Maddox only has 1.5 weeks left of church school. Then she will be off for the summer. She is signed up for several camps including a dance camp at the Children's Museum which she is VERY excited about.  Tonight the tractors were moving about the farm to the East of our house. Maddox was very quick to TEACH ( as she does so often) Kennon all about tractors. She said very educationally 'the tractors go down the row in the field to spread the corn so that it turns into flowers'....eh??  Not sure how she got the flower part but it was super cute how she telling Kennon and I all about how the corn and tractors work.  KTK is still a construction fool.  He knows what roads in town likely having scoops, construction equipment and gets upset if I don't turn the van onto the particular roads. 

The playroom closet. Shelving on the left for toys and a hanging area on the right for when we actually turn it into a 5th bedroom in the future. 

The closet under the steps.  Eric put in these nice wire shelves for paint/supplies. This is a solid door rather than a hollow door. We have designed this to be our storm shelter and will have a bin with a weather radio/supplies/flashlights etc.  Never can be too sure with all the crazy weather we have been having over the last couple of years.