Around the House

SO... I realized that I haven't posted many pictures of the inside of the house since we have moved in...Since there isn't really any finished rooms, I haven't really felt like posting any pictures. I recently stumbled upon a blog where the author has been posting some before and after pictures and it has inspired me to post pictures of the now and then the after will be more dramatic, right?

 Oliver's Room looking at the windows. Still needs a new bigger rug, a toy box and his dresser finished. Also new windows & his closet door fixed.

 Looking at his bed and dresser.

I love the robots but I thinking of just limiting it to one set of Robot decals...

 Here is Henri's Room with some Blue dot decals on the one wall and finally some curtains (which have yet to be hemmed as you can see...)

This room is one of the 2 bedrooms that has to have the bad Sheetrock pulled down. It was put up over the the plaster and I have heard it crumbling while hanging our wedding photos in the hall. His windows are also probably the worst with Oliver's a close second.

Henri's Christmas Owl.

I have loved these owls, sold at Japanese grocery stores for so long. I finally gave in and got it for him this year. It is purely ornamental. Solar powered. His head turns from side to side. The brighter the sun, the faster his head turns...

This is one corner of the playroom where Oliver's play kitchen is. He LOVES this to death and would probably spend the entire day cooking... 

The paint needs to be finished as you can see. Originally the whole room was going to be blue and then Graham told me after I had already painted the ceiling that he didn't want it to be. I am thinking from the picture rail up will be a soft yellow. The other corner of the room has Oliver's easel while other 2 house the computer and a pile of stuff that I just haven't found places for...I am jonesing for a Ikea trip to get the final organizational pieces and thinking of painting the 2 brown shelves white to match the large cabinet and computer desk...

 This was my birthday present from Graham.

We picked it out at Rejuvenation in their clearance section which is the only way we will ever be able to afford something from there!

 The paint test for our bedroom ceiling. I had planned on it being the color of the playroom/Oliver's walls but that was nixed. I think I like this green better. It doesn't really matter much since this is the other room where the walls have to be torn down and put back up.

The dresser...Needs something, i just don't know what yet...

 Another Rejuvenation find.

This is from their blowout sale at the beginning of the year with items up to 70% off! I purchased the Rose City fixture and this shade which was being discontinued. Oh and this is the kitchen...

That's what I have for now...We have some big plans coming up this spring and summer. Since Graham will have some time of in March, we are hoping to use part of our Fed tax return to finish some projects around the house. i.e. Install the bathroom sink, build a cabinet in the bathroom and hopefully install bead board and the baseboards...Also building a mantle and possibly the bookshelves on either side with reclaimed leaded glass doors. I would LOVE to get a new water heater...the majority of the money will be going to putting on a new roof this summer. We had 2 estimates last week that were over double what we were hoping. Lucky for us we have some able bodied friends and family as well as the experience and contractor deals...fingers crossed it will all go smoothly!

A few months back, I applied for Weatherization through the county and we were approved. Now we wait on a list until we make it to the top. Eventually a energy audit will be scheduled and done to see where we need the help. If deemed necessary, (which it is...) we could get all new windows and insulation added to our home at no cost to us! We will also be applying for a grant through the city in August for money to redo our kitchen. With that, you can either pay it back very slowly or the amount borrowed will be put as a lien on the home and paid off upon the sale of it. Either way, we could have a new more functional kitchen by Oliver's 3rd birthday! Well, maybe...

:)

Spring?

It has been spring here in the Willamette Valley the past week. It is supposed to turn to rain tomorrow, so  we have been taking advantage as much as possible. The boys and I were going to the park everyday, some days with our neighbor Megan and her 2 month old Amelia, but after Thursday and the soreness in my knee, I was told to lay off for a couple of weeks.

Today the boys and I played in our new yard for the first time and it was so much fun...

Fence!

We finally have a fence!

Thanks to Mom & Rick and our 4 year wedding Anniversary, we were able to get the materials last Tuesday and the fence started on Wednesday. Graham worked everyday after work from Wednesday to Sunday to get the fence and gate complete. He may have actually had 1 day off but my days run together so I can't remember. Oh yes, it was Friday, he got home after dark and a really bad day at work (the next day he gave his 2 week notice! only 2 more weeks at that dreaded place and awful hours...) It looks as though he will have time off the 2nd week of March which coincides with Poppa J's birthday. Maybe we will be able to actually make a trip down for a day or two to visit? What a concept!

Anyway, here are photos of the progress...

The wood.

The last pictures of my beautiful car...the accident was just mere hours after these photos were taken.

:(

Doing what he hates most in this world...good thing he only needed to dig 2!

The post and it's concrete.

Creative post support.

The other post.

This was yesterday afternoon. Graham got the rails and all the boards up Saturday night after work, working well past sun down. Turns out he can build a pretty mean fence in the dark!

the front side...

99% done!

What is still needed:

Posts trimmed & capped

Decorative trimming over the gate

A latch

Sealing.

We also realized last night that we have about a 2 foot space behind the house that needs to have a little fence build to keep little children and dogs from escaping...I am so so so happy with it. It is exactly what I wanted and imagined. We already had a little taste of what the rest of the Spring and Summer will be like this afternoon.

Gun Shy

I didn't realize how Gun Shy I would be getting back behind the wheel.

My rental car is a Prius. Don't hate me. I feel like a poser, the people I make fun of for being what I have deemed, the Eco Chic. Those that are "green" because it is fashionable, not because it is the right thing to do...anyway, I'll save that for another post.

Dad came up yesterday afternoon and chauffeured me around. First to get the rental car and then to keep me company at Urgent Care. If it wasn't for wanting to have documentation in case something gets worse in the future (and wanting to get a referral for Chiropractic) I would have stayed home and followed Graham's advice/knowledge of bad bumps & bruises. 2 hours in the waiting room for 15 mins of time with the Doctor. I got a clean bill of health, advice & a prescription for a muscle relaxer that I have yet to take  (didn't want to mix it last night with our Anniversary champagne...)

The Driver was arraigned yesterday, she has 3 charges, DUII, Hit & Run & Reckless Driving. As far as I know she is still in custody. Monday I will maybe give the DA's office a call to see what is happening and if it is going to trial. She lives close to our neighborhood and I bet that we even shop in the same store, we could have crossed paths before and may still again in the future.

Monday also marks when I should be hearing back from the Claims Adjuster about what the situation is with the car. In the meantime, I am researching what is out there. I really loved my car so I am hoping to find something just as good or even better! 3rd row of seats? yes please! Leather interior? yes please! Ha Ha. All in all, I am grateful for what I have so all that is just icing on top of the cake.

Hit & Run

I was in need of a much needed Girls Night out and headed to a birthday dinner for my good friend Karen this evening when I was t-boned in an intersection. The driver and passenger of the other car ran from the scene leaving myself and numerous witnesses.

I sustained a bruise knee and was quite shook up, but overall am fine. I am very thankful that the boys were not with me and I was not hit on the driver side. This is my first experience being in a relatively major car accident, only fender benders before. Mom & Rick graciously drove up to watch the boys while Graham took me to Urgent Care, which was closed. I will be making the trek tomorrow after he gets home on the MAX. 

I don't know how much I should say here, but an ID was made of who is believed to be the driver and taken into custody. I have been instructed by the police to call the DA in the morning and press charges against them.

I will keep everyone informed of anything new comes up.

I am mourning my girl time and my beautiful car but so very thankful for much more.

Bitten

The beginning of the month marked Oliver's first ever bout with the flu. 

He woke up early in the morning, 4:30 to be exact and had thrown up in and all over his bed. Luckily, Graham hadn't left for work yet so I had a hand to help me clean him up and wash his hair. The poor thing couldn't keep anything down and just wanted to lay on me or be carried around. Graham left for work and Oliver and I snuggled on the couch for awhile. His temp rose to somewhere between 100 & 101. I called Graham and he was able to leave work and get home by 9am so he could go get us some provisions for a boy with the stomach flu. He recently purchased Morimoto's cookbook and decided he was going to make us some Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner. He made lists of all his ingredients and then headed out to the store. After 8:30 Oliver was able to keep down eye droppers of water and Gatorade as well as melted popsicles. All day he asked for Mac & Cheese (his latest love...) I think I made it for him two or three times, each of which he didn't actually want any or try to eat it.

He took a long nap on me a few times throughout the day and wouldn't tolerate being moved to the couch or his bed. It was a gorgeous day so we decided to bundle up the boys and take them to the park for some fresh air.

this was an amusing sight of a mom in her high heel boots. She had climbed up to help her son and it was so cute that Graham had to take a picture...

getting my angles.

a rare picture of both boys in focus...

Crash and burn.

Our computer crashed last week. Two weeks before tha our new to us lap top ( after a slip out of my hands...) we found out today that both hard drives are dead. Kaput. Luckily we have a majority of our data still on our old hard drive, but have lost all the original images from our new camera. I am super bummed as I had some amazing new pictures of Oliver that are now lost forever.
:(
so, with that said, we are without a computer until Thursday when we will be getting the lap top back and in working order...
Until then, ta ta.