Family Updates!

Summer will be coming to a close soon. I still don't feel like it even started. Where are my long weeks of 90 plus degree weather. This year was very cool. I think I wore a tank top twice but wore a light jacket several times. I'm a little bummed but not much I can do but pull out my boots, scarf and gloves and make sure I know where the shovel is. AH! Time for a family update:

Jodi (me):

This has been by far my busiest summer. In part because I did more weddings this year then any year before. Right now I'm booking Senior sessions left and right. I was wondering if I'd get many this year, but wow these last few weeks and I'm booked up. I believe my last Wedding for the year will be the first weekend in Nov. and I'm very happy about that.

I'm hoping to get some family pictures taken with my trusty tripod. Lets see if Miss Emily behaves, she doesn't like to sit still.

I'll be really pushing the working out once work calms down a little. I am proud of myself for continuing to work out at least three times a week through the summer even though I was very busy. There were many times I didn't want to but did it anyhow. I am not proud of myself for my continued addiction to ice cream. I need to go to a support group for this. Luckily it's usually a summer thing so hopefully the cravings will go away soon.

Jim:

Has been super busy at work. I'm proud to say he has received three spot awards (small cash awards for jobs well done). He's done really well this year and feels comfortable with his abilities. Because of these spot awards we now have brand new carpet in my back fire place room and new doors and trim through out most of the house. He has been busy at home with these home projects. He did have time to play on one of Whirlpools softball teams (they lost a lot) ;-) Now he's working on finishing up the half bath drywall, adding in a new pedestal sink and then I'll be painting. This will be our early fall project that will hopefully be finished by the end of Sept. Jimmy has been super supportive continuing to be my partner photographer at all weddings. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and we enjoy spending the time together.

Kaylee:

Turned ten this summer (scary). She's excited to start her LAST year in elementary school (5th grade). I am not as excited. We finished up her school shopping, she's into picking out things she likes more this year then last but would still wear a dress every day. I'm pretty sure she's a princess out of a fairy tale. Kaylee has spent the summer riding her bike and scooter, reading, swimming lessons, playing with her sister to help mommy out and doing some minor chores around the house. She makes her and Nathan's lunch every day, knows how to load the dish washer and folds and puts away her own clothes. She also enjoys watching movies (Hairy Potter) and playing her DS. She had a lot of time at the beach this year, enjoyed riding the waves in on her tummy.

Nathan:

Turned eight this year and will be going into 2nd grade. He's not as excited about going to school as his bigger sister. He also is done with school shopping and didn't get into finding good deals like his sister did. He did however enjoy the Olive Garden Lunch he got after the shopping and the assorted chocolates his daddy bought to share. Nate has spent his summer riding his new bigger bike and scooter, swimming lessons, playing with Mario toys, cleaning his room over and over and playing with his little sister. He helps Kaylee make lunches and knows how to put the clean dishes away and fold and put away his own clothes. He recently enjoyed going to Johnna's wedding and blowing lots and lots of bubbles at everyone. He also enjoys playing his DS but isn't a big fan of movies. Nathan has really improved his swimming skills, we are very proud of him for working so hard to over come what used to be a fear.

Emily:

Is seriously nonstop. She keeps everyone in this family hopping. Emily has really developed her imagination. She spends a lot of time pretending she's a kitty wearing Kaylee's old tail from past halloween. She crawls around the floor meowing and rubs her head against legs. Lately she has been a bunny as well, hopping around. She enjoys reading about Biscuit the dog. Those are her favorite books. She speaks in mini 3-4 worded sentences. One I hear often, "no Nathan stop, mommy help me" or "I hungry, cereal please" and "car ride please". I think she says that last one when she's sick of being in the house and is hoping I take her to see Nana. She doesn't use many single words but groups them now. She loves to dance and jump. She just recently surprised me by jumping up off the trampoline at Nana's house. I couldn't believe she could get air, she was up at least a food. She's been able to jump up off the ground but I didn't know she could jump on a trampoline. She loved it and kept telling Kaylee and Nathan that it was "Emily's turn" She will be turning two on the 17th of Sep.

Well that's about it for our family update. We are going to miss summer but will enjoy our usual fall activities, going to pick apples, hay rides, pumpkin patch, corn mazes, apple cider and fresh doughnuts.

House updates!

It's been awhile since I've blogged. I think I start all my blogs off like that, ha! We've been pretty busy around here. I've had a lot of Weddings and really photography in general plus balancing family time with work and play doesn't leave me with a whole lot of extra time for anything. This past weekend was free, I planned a much needed break but a break we did not take! We spent the weekend putting in new doors and trim through out the house, my dad came up on Saturday and put some fabulous carpet in the family room for me. Love you lots dad! Today we finished up some more of the trim and did a little painting. I'll need a few more paint days to put a final coat on the trim but that will have to wait until things slow down in the fall. All that updating inspired me to look up our original home pictures we took when we first moved in and then post comparisons. So check out the befores and afters, I think we've done pretty good so far.

basement, putting up studs:

drywall:
mostly finished:

Hallway when we first moved in:

Hallway now:
Dinning room when we moved in:
Dinning room now:
looking through kitchen into dinning room, before:
Same view, after:
living room before:
And now:
back room when we first moved in:

And now:

love my fire place:bathroom before:and how it looks now:

Things done:

New carpet in most rooms. New flooring in bathrooms and kitchen. Basement drywall, paint, trim, carpet, lights. Kaylee's brand new bedroom in basement, drywall, trim, doors, paint, carpet, ceiling, lights everything in her room but the kitchen sink. Paint on all cabinets in bathrooms and kitchen. New doors, new closet doors, new trim. Back room panel removed, drywall, paint, new carpet, new trim, new backdoor, ripped out fireplace brass ugly thing. New toilet in both baths, new sink in half bath, new hardware in bathrooms and kitchen, new light fixtures through whole house. New windows through the whole house, partial landscape in front yard, every room repainted, some trim repainted, new closet organizers, new wiring, new light switches and covers, kitchen cabinet above bar ripped down.

I think thats most of it that I remember right now.

Oh there still is a list of things to do a mile long! But slow and steady wins the race.

Future projects:

New bathroom counter and sinks and facets

New front door

More landscape work

Deck in backyard

New slider door in family room

New counters in kitchen (and cabinets if I win the lotto)

Ceiling in basement

Finished stair case in basement

New driveway

Finish other bathroom (it's a hot mess right now)

Overhead lights in family room

fix the weeds I try to pass off as grass outside

Well thats all I can think of off the top of my head but it's still a lot.

That was a fun walk down memory lane! Wonder what will be done in another couple years....