The continuing saga of Home Improvements

Before

After!

Today I had lynch carpet in replacing the carpet on the staircase to the bedrooms. This was planned before the pipe incident, as part of the new floor project. I had wanted to continue the hardwoods, but Jerry was concerned about safety for the girls and I concurred. So in went the carpet and it sure looks nicer than what used to be there! The floor received its last coating of polyurethane this morning, and tomorrow it can be walked on. 

The fireplace guy is coming to give me advice in the morning, and then hopefully I can make my final decisions and get things ordered.

Jake pulled all the carpet in the basement in preparation for the new carpet down there, as a result of the pipe issue. I hope to get an estimate on the ceiling and lighting in the next few days. AARGH! Not on,y is the polar vortex back and we are housebound again, but the house I am bound in is torn apart!

Take me back to Pijnacker and my ultra modern concrete floored house!

!

Winter break

Danny finally got his solo day off on Monday.  He slept in a bit, but the flooring guys came to make our second attempt at staining and polyurethane. This involved sanding machines and really stinky smells, so it was not a problem to get him up! We ditched the house around 10am and went to home goods.

Danny has such good taste and always helps me find good stuff. I bought a rug to try out on the sun porch when I can put things on the floor. I also found a couple of pillows that have all the colors that I like and I can use to choose paint colors,etc.

We then headed to Shawne's to pick up Leah and Sophie and then went to MJR. We saw the Lego Movie and really enjoyed it. I have a new theme song, "Everything Is Awesome!" Danny and Sophie then worked on their music for their solo piece for the competition later next month. The day was relaxing and enjoyable.

Cassie fun!

We had a wonderful Saturday and Sunday with Cassie! She dressed up in her new warm up suit from Uncle Donnie and Aunt Catherine and helped Dzadza coach the pink Panthers. No surprise, she was a hit with all the athletes! Lots of playing and mass rounded out Saturday. Sunday uncle Danny helped Cassie bake cookies for a visit from our friend Nic. And everyone else enjoyed them too. She also played outside, enjoying trooping around on the snow and poking it with a stick. She didn't enjoy Harry constantly grabbing her stick(in his defense, he thought it was his stick!)

Fun as always, but please let the spring come...waiting to get out of the house!

Story time

Well the whole crew was home today, Danny on his mid winter break and the girls on a ice day. We needed to get out though, and headed to the library at 10am to go to story time and pick up books.

 All Join In was wonderful, miss Anne had loads of great songs to sing. Molly came to the class while Charlotte browsed and Danny read. Then I dragged them to the carpet store to pick out carpet for the basement(done!) but I made it up to them by taking them to Leo's for lunch. Jerry joined us and we all had fun. I ran to kohls and Costco and then stopped at DSW with my $10 certificate and bought a pair of Wellies. I have always thought I would never wear these, but with the melt coming our way this spring, I know I will get my money's worth! And now for the weekend!!

Figure skating!

I love watching the ladies do their thing! Of course I am a nervous wreck the whole time, holding my breath while they jump. Who cares what country they are from. And the way NBC tells the little stories...Carolina's dad was on the Italian hockey team in 1984, Mao Asada's mom has died, and I am crying through every one.

Gracie Gold, Carolina, Adalina, all so fun to watch!

Their Moms must be so proud!

Speaking of proud moms, we all went to Danny's pre-festival band concert tonight. The festival is 3/1amd they use this as a dress rehersal. Danny sounded great as did his band mates. After the seventh grade was done and waitng to exit the stage Cassie called out "great job,uncle Danny!" It was adorable! He heard her and smiled and blushed. Another thing she said "I am a good talker!" Cute!

Danny has off tomorrow and Monday, not sure what the plans are. We will take Cassie to story time in the morning and take it from there.

Go team USA, Go World!!

Getting the Irish on

My half Irish boys kicked it off tonight at the Filmore in Detroit with their pal Alex. They are chillin to the Drop Kick Murphy's. I am so happy that Jake has come back into Danny's life at this time, for both of them. Danny has a great big brother to depend on,to ask advice, to hang with and learn how to play video games from. Jake gets to be a mentor to an amazing kid, and it wouldn't surprise me if he is getting mentored right back, 

Showing off the concert t-shirts!!

Okay- SO done with snow!

This morning while waiting for the insurance adjuster to come, SNOW starts falling! REALLY?? As if we need more snow! How I used to talk about the beauty of huge snow as it fell....well, no more, now you just yell at it! things like "Go Away" and "Not you again!" So tired of shoveling, so tired of salting, so tired of worrying about molly falling on the driveway. ENOUGH!

Friends-so important for my girls

Coach Michele, not only a great coach and a beautiful person, but a true and intuitive friend. She is someone who understands that people with intellectual disabilities of ten do not have the social outlets others have. That they are not invited out with friends to celebrate their birthdays, or off at college having their door decorated by their roommates. The social isolation is very difficult to watch as a mom.

Well Michele feels that I guess, and invited Charlotte to spend the afternoon with her today, to celebrate her birthday. I dropped Charlotte off at Target to meet Michele as she got off of work at 12:30 

and boy was she excited! As I left to head to work the two of them were queuing up at Starbucks to grab a latte before heading out!

Then it was off to the beauty school to have manicures done. Charlotte was excited and nervous about this, but she did well! She chose a startling blue color and was geeked to show it off. The girls then went out to lunch at Wendy's and stopped by the library to show off their nails. Charlotte was sparkling!

It reminds me that I need to be sensitive to the needs that people around me may have that I may not be seeing. As Saint Maximilian Kolbe said "I can do more"

Thank you Michele for seeing this and giving of yourself!!

Birthday Girl

Charlotte is 21 today! She loves to hear the story of her birthday. 

The snow falling gently as I woke up to labor pain around 5:30am. Nana coming down the stairs and being told that she would be babysitting all day because the baby was coming. Heading to the doctor in brighton and being told to head to the hospital. Stopping by the post office to mail the nj mortgage payment and the old man backing up into the car. Jerry patiently comforting him and telling him not to worry, while I peered out into the snow thinking"let's go! I'm having a baby!" Finally making it down to Ann Arbor and being told by the resident in the ER that he needed to determine if I was indeed in labor. I mentioned it was my third baby and he brushed that away. Then when he examines me and freaks out because of how far along things are...told you young man! Checking out the jacuzzi tub in the labor room, meeting the doctor who would deliver the baby for the first time while sitting in the tub.our beautiful girl arriving at 1:19pm with a sweet round face and reddish hair. Molly's reaction to meeting her new sister.."aa dah!" And jake beaming at being a big brother to two sisters. The nurse asking to use Charlotte in the " how to bathe your baby" demo for the new moms because she was so quiet and calm. Dressing her in the cute mint green outfit from susan to travel home over the snowy roads. And every moment since!

We enjoyed a kick it boxing class this morning after feasting on heart shaped donuts. Jerry and Charlotte then headed to Ann Arbor to cheer on the U of M men's basketball team. Although the team lost, Charlotte and Jerry were shown on TV and Molly saw them! Cool! Charlotte and Jerry stopped in to visit the Mavrons and got to meet Christopher and Pilar's two girls. Then we all met up at 5pm mass and thanked God for our girl. The evening ended with charlotte's choice for dinner of autumn chowder and bread,chocolate cake and ice cream. Shawne and the girls joined us and made it feel like a party,

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

Well, we made it

The restoration companies truck has just rolled down the driveway and peace reigns in the house again. In their wake is dried out carpet and floor, ceiling tiles down,and mess everywhere. While Jerry took the girls to the Brighton basketball game and jake and Danny headed out on a Boy Scout  winter camp out, I grab the vacuum and commence; shop vac and regular, upstairs and down,along with a wet rag to wipe up sawdust and grime. I don't know what he upshot will be, I haven't heard from the insurance agent yet. I am assuming that she will get her report from the clean up guys, and hopefully I'll gear on Monday. The flooring team will be back late  next week to look things over and see when they will be able to start the staining. The family room tv is in my bedroom now, and we have been curling up in my bed to watch the Olympics. Which has actually been quite nice, and as one who has always turned up her nose at bedroom tv's, I may have changed my mind!

Selfie! Olympic men's figure skating time!

SOMIWG

That was the cool hashtag that I was asked to use when tweeting at the winter games last week in Traverse City! What a fabulous games it was. The snow was gorgeous and the skiers and snowshoers were very happy. The skaters reported that the ice was fine, and they each own gold and silver medals.

Coach Jake was very proud of Nick, who moved up to level 3 during the time trials and then took 2 Gold medals in the snowboarding competition on Thursday. The cold was a bit of an issue though no events were cancelled. On Thursday we were out most of the day, and Charlotte had her last race at 4pm. By the time she was in the slot and ready to run, her left hand had turned whitish gray and was shaking uncontrollably. yikes! I asked her if she wanted to run and she said yes. She ran to a gold medal and then was taken off to medical, were they diagnosed mild hypothermia. She took it easy Thursday night and was excused from outdoor activities for the weekend, but has recovered well. Molly had a great 400- got a gold, and a pretty good 200- got a silver. She enjoyed dancing with Sargent Paine of the MI National guard, getting a massage, doing crafts, and dancing like a mad thing in the My Chance To Dance. 

Our team was tight, our rooms great, our chaperones helpful, it was just a perfect games. I am extremely proud of my girls, and all the athletes of Livingston County Special Olympics.

Trying to load more photos! Look for them soon,

Monday,Monday

Well, after the weekend I have, Monday is the mopping up day, literally and figuratively. Mopping up the leak in the basement pipe, returning rented fans to Home Depot, engaging a plumber, talking to Brian our insurance agent about a claim, scheduling the clean up company. 

And tomorrow I have the floor man and Dave arriving at 8:30am to begin staining and polying on the floors, plumber,etc at 2 pm. Oh, and did I mention that Cassie is here....and I have no car?!

Good gracious!

Miss you Dad

Happy birthday dad! I hope you are having a fabulous rare steak, a baked potato with butter and sour cream, a Johnny walker black and that the waiter has a HUGE pepper mill! I miss you every day. Donnie sent me a beautiful picture of you, and in my mind I see you...holding my hand as we walk up 7th ave to the ocean, clapping for me during all of my choir and play performances, smiling and teasing me as you walked me down the aisle at my wedding, holding all the babies when they were new born, and always holding their hands whenever you were with us. I see you playing in leaf piles, riding big wheels, laying on the floor to be examined by budding doctors, watching movies,playing UNO and Risk! Admiring art projects,good report cards and Special Olympics medals,first houses,first cars and first rhubarb pies, with the same great smile and crinkley eyes.  I could write all day about my memories Dad, and I am so happy to have every one. You are a great Dad, and you are missed!

Polar Plunge 2014, Brighton, Michigan

A busy and wonderful weekend

From construction prep to Super Bowl dip we did it all. And don't forget shoveling, our new daily activity! 7 inches of snow fell Saturday, while we were out playing in a basketball tournament and skating our hearts out. And when we returned at 1pm we needed to get out the shovels and commence scooping. The snow is so deep we have to shovel out a little circle on the lawn so Buddy can poop! Danny and I grocery shopped and Jerry and the girls went boxing. 

Sunday we had Taylor ham egg and cheese on bagels and lots of coffee. Then we shoveled some more. Challenge is being able to lift the shovel high enough to throw the snow on top of the giant piles that line the driveway. Jerry,Molly and Charlotte went to boxing at 11 and I ran some errands. I needed to get paint samples for the sun porch,though my painting will wait a bit. I spoke to Dave my contractor and he said to wait until the new floor is down to paint because if I get any drips it will wipe right off. That is good because with winter games starting Tuesday, fitting in painting was going to be tricky. Mass at 5 and then off to an exclusive Super Bowl party! Mine! Guest list--us! I made meatball pizza and a hot buffalo chicken dip, and then served Danny's venison sausage with cheese,crackers,veggies and chips. I enjoyed watching some of the commercials but I mostly watched HGTV--call me UN-American! My favourite commercial was the dober-wawa dog breed one, the Doritos one, the Go Daddy spray tan and the Tim Tebow no contract phone commercials. Which ones did you like?

Ready to hit it hard!

Charlotte and her coach/mentor Anna

What a good brother!