Looong Day!!

WHOA HARD WORK! We started bright and early this morning lucked out with weather today on the "patio". The kids were underfoot and busy as could be while we finished digging out the area we needed to and then I started on the foundation trench for the wall that we need to build. Excuse me while I toot my own horn for a second - I have a hidden trench digging talent! While I dug, Kyle brought back rock and block so we could set the foundation. It was slow steady work but hopefully tomorrow we can make some upward progress now that the outline is official and the foundation is set. Lincoln and Nora finally caught on to the fun of a wheelbarrow once they saw how one is used and it became the second favorite activity of the day...

It's hard to compete with a dirt mountain! We all survived the day - dirty as could be but with patience somewhat intact and children all in one filthy piece each.

Dirt Diving

A giant wall of dirt beside a hole...who needs a pool when you can just jump onto the ground. Thus far only one twisted ankle and it hasn't phased her much.

When she's not playing in or on the dirt she's "helping". She's made friends with all the guys on the crew and is extremely attentive to their hydration needs - providing Gatorades to all of them. Today during the irrigation work she tagged along while lines were placed and set with "blue glue" and she oversaw the process of installing pipes under the driveway. She'll be ready to join the crew by the end of this project and they'll be ready for a break from her! And what does Lincoln do during all of this you ask? Toddle around outside chitter chattering and making me chase him so he's not in the way too. Busy days outside for this mama right now - it's exhausting!!!

She's Loose!

While the sod cutting was going on yesterday I managed to keep the kiddos contained on the porch. Today however, there was dirt, and activity, and a bobcat...and Nora could no longer be kept inside - the need to "help" is strong in this one. She grabbed her rake and asked Mr. Joe if she could help him. Thank heavens these guys have proven to be patient so far. The bobcat and the guys cleared A TON of over grown underbrush and the patio area is dug out - well, not enough, but it's a start. Kyle's out shoveling to get us down to where we need to be for pavers. Anywho...here's where we stood at the end of work today!

Everything was all nice and graded and then the irrigation trench digging commenced. Progress here on the moon!

So Long "Sod"

Today's step was "sod" cutting. This was the first "worth watching" step for the kiddos as they pushed the sod cutter around and then the other guys raked and scooped up all the old dead grass and weeds and tossed them into our handy dandy blue dumpster. Our yard is now looking even more moon like - if that's even possible! This week is supposed to be a busy and progress filled one, so what's up next!

Be Mine?

Ah, Valentine's Day. I spent my morning into the afternoon at the dentist, again! Only this time they were hard at work pretty much the whole 3.5 hours I was there. UHG! As if it's a consolation I was complimented on how most people couldn't have handled doing all that they did at one time - ya know like 2 or 3 appointments worth. All in the name of less meds/numbing and growing belly time crunch. Miserable. Kyle hung out with the kiddos and then the rest of the day was spent playing in the dirt. Lincoln is really starting to like getting dirty - something up until now hasn't been of interest to him. So, all and all, not a very romantical Valentine's day but that's ok!

A Day at the Office

Phew, it was an up and down one today! I'll share the good but for perspective's sake, let's not forget that all coins have two sides and I was challenged past my patience today - always room for improvement on all fronts - right!? That said, after school today Nora finally got to go to Kyle's office to see where he works. She's been asking a lot of questions about his job and office lately and wanting to know more about Finfwock. Needless to say, she was pretty excited - not just to see her daddy but also to drop off her picture for Mr. Horvath, one of his co-workers. Unfortunately she didn't get to see him, they just had to slip it under his door. WeepWah.

In other parts of the day both kiddos did some Valentine's themed activities. Nora finished her valentines for school just in time and then got to spend some more QT with Kyle before bed tonight while Lincoln got to play with the light pad. Still have to figure out what all's on tap for tomorrow. With the way Nora's coughing in bed right now she probably shouldn't go to school, but she worked so hard on making her cards...what to do!

Happy Wet Day!

That's what Nora considered it anyway, which is fine because her and her zainy ideas like playing in a chilly pool on a high 70's degree day kept both kiddos occupied while Kyle and I actually accomplished a lot. While he finished dismantling and cleaning up the shed and area around it, I was able to get one coat of paint on all 4 walls in what is currently the guestery, of sorts. We're liking the color a lot and have high hopes for saving the shed too. That said, tomorrow is another day that depends entirely on how the kiddos do.