Random Calls

I love receiving random calls from Julia. 
She called me from BYU to let me know she just got out of her harp lesson and is working on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and heading to Biology Class.

She has the sweetest roommate ever - Mikaela M.  I hope they can figure out how to room together in the Fall/Winter.

Takin' a break - Jenna

While working on moving into her newly finished room, I found Jenna lying on her bed listening to her iPod AND watching something on her computer.

"Jenna, we have a lot to do around here."

"I know Mom.  I'm taking a brest".

I had a good laugh.  She takes after me.  I have been known to combine words to create an entirely new word - usually when I'm tired and my mouth and brain won't work together - which seems to be more often than not.

Break.  Rest.  Brest.

To Christian

Julia is great friends with a funny family. 

In this funny family is a very loving Mom.  Her name is BEUTIFUL (aka Beautiful or Wendi) - please read here to understand ... especially for this post!

In that funny family is a really funny boy.   This funny boy just graduated from high school ... just like Julia.

Julia wanted to send something special to this funny boy.  And the perfect idea crossed her mind.  Perfect for this silly boy.

We were cracking ourselves up all of the way to the mailbox.

Happy Graduation Christian!

And then we sent him a "real" card.  We love you Christian.  Thanks for letting us enjoy your moment too.

The notes:
I (heart) Kendall ... from Kendall

Christian,
Here's our REAL card to tell you CONGRADUATIONS!  Haha that was nerdy.  I'd write more but I'm hoping to see more of you soon, so there's no need. (smiley) Julia

Christian,
We hope you enjoyed our first card (smiley).  We figured you would use that $ wisely so this time, have fun with it.  Can't wait for Julia to be closer to you guys!  xoxo Corin

Carpet install has started!

Yep ... the tack strips are going in ... as I type this.

Our list of what needs to be done has gotten shorter.  A lot shorter.  We still need to finish the bar area tile.  We were just too pooped out to do it - we only have 75 sq ft more to do.  After 4 nights of 4 hours of sleep (we were up until 2:00 a.m. each night working on getting the basement ready for carpet), we needed a break.  I was wiped out on Saturday after having 4 hours of sleep and then having to go officiate at a 5 hour swim meet (in the sun .... stroke and turn judging .... 2 shifts).  I was so tired that I fell asleep last night at 6:00 p.m. and woke up this morning at 5:45 to finish up sealing the concrete floors.  The carpet installer was shocked to see how well prepped the area was for him this morning.  He saw the basement Saturday afternoon when he dropped off the pad and carpet.

Why the rush?  We want to move the girls into their own room, but not just that, we are hosting my side of the family reunion in a couple of weeks.  I've teased a couple of them that if they want to use the bathrooms attached to their rooms in the basement, they will need to install the toilet and shower fixtures.  They might have to use buckets for their sinks; I'm not sure if we will have found vanities by then (my deal finding hubby is looking for a great deal!).

By the end of this week I hope to have Jenna and Jaley out of the front room and one of the master bedroom closets and into their own!  I know they can't wait to move in too!

And shorter

Crunch time now.  Carpet comes on Monday.  Yahoo!  (Although the theater carpet is stuck in a crate in Europe - so we will have to patient).  We have someone helping us with the 2 bathrooms - shower wall tile.  Seeing how labor intensive it is (mosaic tile mixed with  6 1/2 inch square tile), we would have taken several weeks to complete it.

John and I were up until 2:00 a.m. this morning installing the tub in Jaley's bathroom (it looks really nice!), taping the trim, etc.  I taped last night for 5 hours.  We have a lot of door frames and windows.

What we need to finish by Monday:
Repaint Jenna's door - it ended up having some drips.  It is sanded and ready to go!
Paint the door and window trim
Finish the tile in the bar area and grout it
Tile and grout the floors in the small linen closets.

We will put off painting the theater room since the carpet isn't here.  We can use that room to store the doors we painted and some odds and ends in the basement.