Renos starting to look good!

I just found this post that I had never finished, with a nearly-finished room after the renovations. This monster couch took us ages to find and select, but we're so very pleased with the result. We really love having movie nights and being able to fit everyone comfortably in our space together. It was well worth the effort and expense.

 The completed hearth which no longer takes up so much space in the room. Andrew did all of the tile work.

Note that in the family photo, Meredith has the remote....she likes being the one in control, but what's amusing is that when she doesn't take charge of the remote, the rest of us are at a loss! We got her a magic wand for Christmas which works as a pretty cool remote control.

Summer is gone and nearly forgotten....nearly

Time seems to slip past us faster and faster. I remember having more time to do things when the kids were little. I think I actually made better use of my time when they were small, even though it felt as though I never got anything done. Our time together as a family is nice and we manage to enjoy each other when we are together. Olivia is more to herself and quiet than the other two. She becomes a chatterbox when you have 1 on 1 time together. Findlay is just always a chatterbox.

Some pics from the summer, so we can remember that we had one now that there is white stuff on the ground!

Findlay sidelined for a while longer...

We're hitting that stage as a family where we have been in our home for so many milestones and the kids even recall things that make them seem like old sages. One of the most beloved parts of our front yard is the maple tree. The kids have always referred to the tree as 'Molly.' They have all spend lots of time in the tree, and I was obviously too comfortable with their climbing capabilities, because one night in October, Findlay fell out of Molly, breaking his arm in the process.

He was very brave and survived the trip to the emergency room quite well. He recently had his cast removed after 4 weeks of wearing (and missing hockey). I think this is one of my favourite photos of him, because he was so worried about getting the cast off. The night the cast was put on, the doctor ended up cutting a bit to relieve some pressure and in the process, cut Findlay's arm. He said that the cut hurt more than the broken arm. His level of trust for the fellow charged with removing the cast was not high, and I think we all held our breath while the cast was being cut off....The verdict...another three weeks to heal and then he's back in action!

Reno Adventures

We have always been keen to do most projects around the house on our own. Our latest undertaking, or should I say, Andrew's latest undertaking has been the basement family room. The hearth had always been somewhat of an eyesore for us (when the kids were little we had it covered in blankets all of the time to protect little noggins), so we wanted to get rid of it. It dominated the room. So here are some pics showing our progress. It has been slow going as there is always something else more urgent taking the work crew's attention, but it is really taking shape in the last couple of days.

 Tools in hand....

Larger (and noisier) tools required.

 Laying new tile (assistant sniffing supplies)

 New light fixtures....it no longer feels like a dungeon!

Axel loves the new space, although I felt like renaming him Swiffer, because he's so dusty all of the time!

Spring has finally sprung for 2011

 Meredith's birthday is always a good marker for spring arriving. I remember the year she was born the temperatures were as hot as summer. This year we haven't been so lucky. In fact, the rain has been entirely depressing. We have had little glimmers of sunshine to keep us hopeful, but everyone just keeps saying what a great summer we will have based on this terrible spring. I really hope that is the case. I've included some images of Meredith testing out her new Ripstick. It's a caster board which is a bit of a variation on a skate board.After some initial challenges, she now looks like a pro.

 I'm also including this image of a cake Nanny made for my niece Samantha's bridal shower. It looks so colourful and makes you feel festive when you see it.

I have neglected the blog for so long, and I can't even claim being busy as my excuse. Another entry will have to address what went on this winter, but for now, I thought I would get this post up to keep things a little more current!