Jeannette and Glen's Family: September 2009

Around our house many projects are started . . . few are finished. I suppose I could blame it on my husband, but it's not always his fault. Other projects begin to take precedence, life gets crazy, kids get in the way. Whatever the reason, things remain undone. We started painting the house about a year and a half ago and the kids bathroom, my bedroom, and my bathroom have yet to be finished. The problem is now the other rooms all need to be touched up as well. In February we started another large project, the floors. We had carpet in the dining room and it just wasn't working with four small children (can't imagine why). For a couple of years I had been wanting to take it all out and put down laminate flooring and we finally did it. Well, Glen did it and he did a great job, but like most projects, it remains slightly undone. It's just the baseboards and the transition strips, but I look forward to the day when a project is done completely. Though not finished, I absolutely love the floors and we put them in just in time. Preston now feeds himself and one-third of his food always ends up on the floor. It was interesting teaching piano lessons in the entryway while the floors were being worked on, but I managed. Here are some slightly unfinished pictures and hopefully some day soon I can put a completely finished picture. Of course there are still the curtains I need to get, the accessories, the . . .

The before picture. It's hard to see, but there are stains, everywhere!
Light carpet + Kids = Disaster

Pulling everything out and realizing that we are going to have to put in a sub-floor to match the kitchen and entryway.

The kids thought it was a blast, except for Preston who was confined to his high chair most of the time.

Glen was hard at work pulling up the linoleum, that stuff can sure stick!

Great job on the sub-floor, Glen! And the floor is coming along!

The almost finished project! We love it!

Is it just me or does life seem to be flying by and I'm holding on with the tips of my fingernails? This summer was too short and crazy, but I'm actually glad that school is back in. I feel like I'm better organized when the kids are in school and consequently I have more free time rather than less. Weird. By the way this post is especially dedicated to my darling cousin Cara who keeps reminding me what a slacker I am. Hee hee, thanks Cara. OK, so here's a quick update because I have the Kindergarten carpool today and it's early day out. Glen is alive! This may sound weird, but he has been pretty sick lately and it's been quite the medical mystery. After multiple cat scans, ultra-sounds, a colonoscopy (fun!), an endoscopy, and lots of blood tests, they think there's something going on with his gallbladder, but it's going to stay in for the time being.
I'm back with all my piano students, plus some new ones. I'm up to 15 now and I'm hoping I can manage. With two little ones at home still and all the running around that accompanies kids in school, soccer, and dance, I stay very busy. I do find some time to read, play the piano, and hang out with friends and Glen which is nice. I have a new friend from Chile and I've been able to dust off my Spanish and surprisingly it's not quite as bad as I thought!
Isaac is in the second grade and loving school again. He still loves playing with friends more than school and homework is just not fun, but he's doing well. He continues to be an amazing reader and speller.
Ella started Kindergarten and she loves it! She loves drawing, coloring, and playing with new friends. She loves writing her whole name and other random letters that she likes. She's still in dance and says that dancing all day is her favorite thing to do.
Ammon is a little lonely with Isaac and Ella in school, but he tries to play with Preston. His trains are his ultimate toy and we have train tracks going down the hall on a daily basis. He is still very forceful and energetic and yet very sweet too.
Preston is getting bigger, although he is definitely our smallest kid. I think he might have hit 20 pounds finally at 13 1/2 months. He has quite the little personality and loves to make people laugh. His big brown eyes draw the attention of many strangers and I think he really likes the attention.
Check out our latest pictures! These are in no particular order.