Built-ins Update

I know you all are anxiously sitting on the edge of your seats in anticipation of an update on the family room custom built-ins. Oh, you're not? Too bad: they are a lot of work and we are documenting it, darn it. So you'll just have to read about it.

Erik has been gone for a couple weekends and weeks here and there, as well as a "feast or famine" flight schedule that has been more on the feast side. So things were delayed for a bit. I requested that at least the base cabinets were complete this month and they were, save for the doors. Hubby's been workin' hard!

I do help now and then.

My view every time I open the garage door.

In progress with toys inside - can't wait to hide it all behind doors! (Disregard random hanging decorations leftover from a baby shower)

Cabinet doors in a queue, ready to report for duty!

This has become a much bigger project than anticipated, but I guess we did anticipate that in some ways. Life doesn't give you level floors and plumb walls by default. Plus Erik is struggling with his inner woodworker zen of doing things with hand crafted woodworking techniques versus pushing through and just assembling the damn things. He has spent some time continuing to reclaim our old hardwood floors; this is a bit of a time suck since it requires pulling out nails, planing and jointing boards, etc. But it gives him warm and fuzzies and it gives me more shed space as he whittles down the pile we have out there. 

Old flooring boards... the material for those doors in previous photo!

Clamps galore.

Standby as completion is slated for end of October!

Hallway Photo Solution!

We have had a blank wall when you walk into our house for months. I put my little mod 70's sewing table there, but the space above it was yearning for a mirror or photos or... something. It just needed something.

I looked at some mirror options for a while and then came to the conclusion that mirrors aren't my friends these days (enter: frizzy hair, bags under eyes, unknown substance on shirt, etc). Next option of course is photos of my family. They're cute, right? I think so. But those boogers grow quickly so I wanted something that was easy to change out.

Solution: I found an open frame at the local antique mall for a few buckaroos and some burlap strips. Staple to back of frame. Paperclip photos. Mirrors avoided. Voila.

Anders Three Months!

Anders hit the three month mark over the weekend and he just continues to be my little angel baby. So far I think he is a pretty chill personality and he's fairly simple to decipher when he needs something. We're rockin' a more consistent schedule these days so there is so much more confidence that comes with that (i.e. "You are starting to cry around 12:30p? Oh, check it: it's your naptime, yo!" Done and done. Mom of the year.)

A boogie woogie, I'm 3 months!!!!!!!

His current likes and dislikes haven't changed much since last month - likes lounging and pooping, smiling at friendly faces (including big brother!) and like most men, he enjoys boobs. We've hit a nice milestone where he only nurses once during the night, although now that I've written that, I've sealed my fate to be up three times with him tonight.

Here are a couple of my favorite pics I got of him this month as well as his usual monthly portrait on the couch.

"Oooh."

"Whatchoo talking 'bout, Willis?"

"No, seriously: what are you talking about?"

"I'll do a partial cry and it will come out looking like a half smile and my mom will be content for this session."

Smiling... and Other Functions

How can someone so cute be so gross at the same time? Warning: this video is not for those who look down their noses as scatalogical humor. Well I guess you're good up until the 42 second mark or so.

So proud of himself.

Besides emitting wet fart sounds that are worthy of a Family Guy or South Park episode, he's pretty cute, right? Right?!

Oh, The Places You'll Go...

As Erik proceeds through the RAG, we are coming closer to the point where he will attach to a new squadron shortly after the new year (or something like that - you know how the Navy loves consistent and stable timelines). Options and details are constantly in flux but he posed a question to me recently of would I rather...

A) go back to Japan or

B) have him go to a squadron that is planning to go on a 10 month deployment next year (with a 4 month work up which essentially means a one year deployment in some ways).

I chose B and he seemed a tad surprised so we played devil's advocate a bit. My thinking is that Japan was a lot of fun when we were "single" (aka no kids) and I could easily visit him in ports and fly home to see my family when he was gone for months. Although the deployments aren't long, they are short and disruptive; I think this could be a bigger toll on the kids than if we just concretely said, "Daddy will be gone for a while." Plus it is very very far from family. Although Erik had a great counterpoint that those are the situations in which we add to the arsenal of best friends we call our military family. But in the end that doesn't replace the fact that the kids would have less access to the grandparents, aunts, uncles. I don't know - we'd make the most of it if it happens, but... I don't know.

There are other squadrons to consider, but those are the two he has presented to me for now. Options will change next week, and the week after that, and the week after that...

Skeptical Dogs

I love the "meme" movement that is littering my facebook news feed and pinterest pins these days. Everybody needs a laugh and these things are far more entertaining than what an acquaintance from high school ate for lunch. Or political posts. [To each his or her own, but seriously: I'm not trying to review debates on Roe v Wade while I eat my bowl of Special K in the morning.]

Anyhoooodles, here are a couple favorites I saw this week. Hope you get a giggle out of them on this Monday Funday.

Einstein

This photo captures Landon well. He does something pretty amazing like completes a puzzle in twenty seconds and stacks blocks like he's planning a city... aaaand then walks around the living room with a box over his face. I feel bad because he actually stubbed his toe pretty bad right after this shot. Buuut that's what walking around with a box over your face will do to ya. You will learn, little grasshopper. You will learn.

Thanks! I Think...

I see a trend forming in all of our videos in which Landon and Anders are interacting: something really cute is happening ("Get the camera! Get the camera!") and we are dutifully praising Landon for his gentle behavior when... things change. Video ends abruptly.

I'll give credit where credit is due, though. L has been doing much better around baby brother these days. Do I leave him on the ground unattended when L is in the vicinity? Heeeell no. I think it will be months before I even consider that. Until then, Anders rules the roost from his bouncy chair on the kitchen counter.*

**

*Yep, I know it's against every warning printed on an infant chair. I'll let you in on a little secret: every parent does it. 

**Stop looking at my baby's wiener.

Sunday Afternoon

The Great Built-in Build of 2012

A guest post from Erik - yippee!!!

From the moment we saw the living room in our house, we both immediately thought "wow, built-in bookcases would look really nice around the fireplace."  As we got settled into the house and the projects started piling up we basically tabled the idea of such a large project so close to the Anders arrival and my busy work schedule. 

Built-ins would look nice, right?

But the more Landon and Anders' toys started piling up (spoiled rotten!), the more appealing the idea of some extra storage sounded.  So we figured what the heck? How hard could it be?

Using a combination of Google Sketchup and an assortment of books on cabinetry, I came up with the following design that was approved by The Boss.

The lumber has been purchased, the dimension have been checked and double checked and we are all set for construction to begin.  Hoping to make some good progress over the holiday weekend...that's if the boys cooperate!

Wish us luck!  Check back for updates!