Happy, Happy Birthday, Cam!

So, my big sister is turning 40 today - March 26th. We were supposed to be celebrating this milestone in Italy, but somehow it didn't pan out. I'm sure that turning 40 in Kirkland is every bit as exciting as turning 40 in the Cinque Terra! (Push play below for a birthday video!)

For those of you who don't know her, Camerin is the kindest, most fun and wonderful friend/sister that you could hope for. I feel so lucky that she is mine! (But let's not try to fool anyone - she has a wicked mean streak and I'll show you the scars to prove it if you don't believe me!)

Some fun Camerin memories from when we were little: Playing "Bouncy Ball", her getting a slug stuck in her hair, going to bed together on Christmas Eve at Grandma Nana's house (this was the one time of the year that she was consistently nice to me!), staying up late and watching Love Boat while eating soggy Pizza Quick pizza on white bread when Mom and Dad weren't home, Roller skating in the Jones' basement with a Kool-Aid bar, her and the babysitter convincing me that my feet would fall off if I slept with my socks on... Good times, good times!

And some fun more recent memories: seeing her daughter Avery being born, getting ready for my wedding together, the first time she met Kaylie, locking her keys in the car the day they moved to Kirkland, watching her hide behind the refrigerator when she farted at the cabin, laughing so hard I almost wet my pants at the Quail's Nest... I could go on and on!

I hope your birthday is wonderful, Cam! May it be the start of your very best year yet! I love you so very much!High School - she was a supa foxy cheerleader (Go Woodway!) with great fake ID! Ask her about the time she was in the liquor store buying booze with her fake ID and my dad walked in!

Isn't she beautiful? When we were young, she would get so mad when people would think that I was older than her. Bet it wouldn't make you mad anymore, Cam!

What's Kaylie been up to?

Goin' potty in the big girl potty...Finding her Easter Basket...

Doin' Nakey Dishes...

Drinking Hot Chocolate...

Coloring Easter Eggs at Grammy's house...

Playing with Cousin Braeden...
Dancing herself silly...

Painting with Katie Havers...

Celebrating birthdays with Keira Moorhead - frosting their own cupcakes & having a tea party... & hanging out with Mom...

More progress

This was taken this morning. The grout is done, the hood/fan removed from above the stove (notice the nice green paint that was behind it), and Mark built us a windowsill - Dang, he's handy! Had the window measured to be replaced (of course it's an odd size - why can't anything in this old house of ours be a standard size?!?!), and am still looking for a stainless dishwasher. I can't wait to see how the room will open up once the cabinets above the stove are gone. Maybe this weekend?

This was last weekend. We walked into the kitchen and found Kaylie "helping". Why yes, she is whacking things with a hammer. She climbed in through the bottom drawer opening.

Kaylie's new use for Pull-Up's.

Grouting

The tile is up!

We were up until midnight, but we finished laying the tile. Once we got our system down (Mark cut tiles and layed the adhesive & I set the tiles) we moved pretty quickly. We ran into two problem spots where the walls were not even close to being flat (gotta love an old house) but it's really looking great - it actually looks much better than the pictures!

This week's punch list: grout & seal tile, resize & replace drawers, run gas to stove

Next projects: kitchen window/window sill, remove cabinets above stove, looking for new dishwasher...

This was right AFTER I shocked myself with the outlet. Mark says I've been initiated.

Kitchen Counter Update - Night 147

This post is for you, Mom! :-) Much progress was made this weekend! As with all house projects, it's taking much longer than anticipated, and it's snowballing into more (and more) projects. After many, many hours, Mark installed the new counter tops today with help from Mike and Tony. The new stove and downdraft vents are in place but not completely installed. Next to come: the tile back splash, run the gas to the stove, & remove the cabinets above the stove, and install the new kitchen window above the sink. We're getting there. It looks great and I couldn't be happier. After having the pleasure of scrubbing pots and pans in the bath tub this week because I didn't have a sink, this feels like heaven!End of the night, late Sunday. New counters, sink & stove! The kitchen is a disaster with tools, sawdust, and tarps, but we're getting there.

Making the first cuts on the laminate in the living room, using the old laminate as a template.


Mike, Mark, and Tony - Not sure if the goofy grins are because the laminate is in place or because they'd been breathing in the contact cement fumes for so long. Thanks for the help, guys!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today, March 11th, is my gorgeous Momma's birthday. I love you so much, Mom! Happy, Happy Birthday!

Kitchen Counter Update - Night 2

It may not look much different, but here are the counters at the end of night 2 - after Mark sanded them for 4+ hours. Ready for the next step tomorrow!

Camano, Visit II

We spent another weekend at my parent's house on Camano last weekend. We all had a great time, but it was Josh who was really in his element. He would have stayed out at the beach all day long and has already asked if we could go live with Grandma and Grandpa. We decided that for next year's Christmas card, the entire family would go out and cover themselves with mud. (I think it was Camerin who thought we should do it naked - now there's something to look forward to!) Next time you see Josh, ask him why Grandpa Bob nicknamed him Log Monkey!

This handful of mud was aimed at me. Luckily the monkey has pretty bad aim.

Josh would run as fast as he could, then throw himself into the mud. Sometimes he would roll, flop, and flip, other times he would just lay there laughing like a crazy maniac.

Isn't he gorgeous? :-)

These are Austin's hands on his way back in from the "near death experience" where Dad, Keith, Austin, Malia and Avery all got stuck in the mud - with the tide coming in at their feet and filling their boots. The way we heard it, it's miracle that any of them lived. In all reality, Austin was more concerned about his sweatshirt than his life.

Not even Keith could stay on his feet. Well, that's what he told us anyway.

After a few glasses of wine, Mark showed Keith what he really thinks of him. Take that, Lender for Life!

Austie Bob Lashley

Malia and Avery were inseparable the entire weekend. This could be the furthest they ever got from each other. Can you say t r o u b l e ? ! ?

SBK - not sure what she was doing here, but she sure is cute!

This bath was taken right BEFORE the trip out to the mud. You might have thought that between the parents and grandparents, someone might have suggested that baths wait until we come BACK from the beach. Nope. Wonder who put all the shampoo in the bath while the jets were running!?

Three sudsy monkeys

Malia

The girlies playing twister.

Kitchen Counter Update - Night 1

We decided to update our kitchen counters by replacing the laminate and back splash. Here is the progress from night one.















Stove is out . . . . now for the sink.















Thanks for the heavy work Mike.















SBK loves to help her dad.















Laminate is off, time for ice cream!