Remodel - Week 10

The Summer is flying by and the renovations continue to delight me as it enfolds! While it may not seem like it from the pictures, we are really in the final stretch...maybe only a month away from completion?? I told him he has to be done by Sept 1st as my parents are coming and I don't think the poor guest room can handle anyone else!

This past week....a new roof for the entire house!! It looks terrific! The cost to replace the whole roof with an architectural asphalt roof was equivalent to the cost of just doing the addition in a slate roof to match plus the slate of the remaining house was not in the best condition.

From the back.

And side.

The girls bedroom. All that is left is painting and floors!

The master bedroom. To deal with the load bearing wall that had to stay Matthew built a built-in bookcase and my personal favorite (and idea I might add), the built-in window bench (radiator cover).

From the other side looking into the hall/closet/bathroom.

Closet. Another bar will be hung over the lower one, but we decided to go very basic on the closet and then Joe and I can customize later. The money to customize the closet went into the bookcase in the room instead.

The bathroom, really just a giant mess.

Matthew will be taking vacation soon and so worked all weekend in the bathroom. Shower floor tile...

Wall tile! One of my favorite things! I found this tile and based everything else from it! It doesn't look like much in the picture, but trust me, it's beautiful! Well, at least I think so. Joe indulges me!

This week the painters come. Final decision on colors were made last week, a very daunting task for this indecisive girl! And Matthew continues the tile extravaganza! It should move right along now! Can't wait until this is all finished and we actually get to enjoy it all!

Uncle Pete and Kay visit

This weekend, my Uncle Pete and Kay came to visit. It has been almost a year and a half since we've seen each other and it was our first time meeting his wife Kay. Needless to say, the girls took to both of them almost immediately, especially Hannah!

Kay had never been to Boston before so we decided to give her an abbreviated tour of the city. As much as a few hours, high temps (in the low 90s), and 2 kids would allow...

Walking down our street to the bus.
First stop...the cemetery where Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, and a few others were buried.

Next was a walk through Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market and voila...a carousel. Where did that come from? Hannah immediately wanted to ride it while Emme was a bit more hesitant. After a few times around, she decided she'd rather be in Daddy's arms than on a horse.

We continued our walking tour along the waterfront and into the North End where we went to dinner at Lo Conte's. Delicious as usual!

Chipmunk girl. Typically we don't encourage this type of behavior, but it was pretty funny....

All full...a picture of the group minus Joe.

And then Joe joined us too!

Somewhere along the way Hannah found a pink carnation boutonnierre and took quite a liking to it...and then somewhere along the way we lost that boutonnierre (Mommy set it down while Hannah was using the rest room and forgot it)....quite a scene ensued. Hannah actually wanted that flower back more than she wanted ice cream for dessert...now that's crazy! Anyway, Joe found a replacement flower and that worked like a charm. The ice cream didn't hurt either. Just in case we lost the new one, we took a picture to remember it!

After a few more stops in the walking tour, we made it home...a great fun day in Boston! And then today we just hung out around the house with Pete and Kay.

Playing horseshoes in the backyard...

Emme climbing the wall...a newfound trick!

Uncle Pete, Kay, and Hannah! Such a great visit!!!

Remodel - Week 8

As the house continues...

They are still hard at work, not always doing things that I notice are done (if that makes sense).

The tub was in and is now hanging out in the master bedroom. A view from the bedroom into the bathroom.

And from the bathroom into the closet and bedroom.

Insulation has gone into the outside walls and ceiling (and the sheetrock was delivered today)

The girls room.

From the outside. Most of the siding is complete.

The rest of the house...

I never really thought of where all the extra furniture from the displaced rooms would go...the answer is in our living room.

Our lovely quarters for the Summer...our guest room filled to the brim with beds. It is really not all that bad as there is plenty of room to walk around everything and the girls have done great.

Joe, Emme, and my clothes (at least weather appropriate clothing) managed to fit into the guest room closet and dresser, but Hannah's are in the hallway in toy bins along with the clothes hamper. Somehow it just all works.

Emme apparently not realizing that her team just lost the World Cup.

Visiting with Grandpa Katkin

Every other week or so, we drive to Lancaster (45 min away) to visit Joe's Grandpa Katkin in his nursing home. For those keeping track, Grandpa Katkin is now 102. We usually visit with him in the lobby where the girls can run around, eat a snack, color (Hannah brings a small backpack of entertainment for her...she often draws/colors Grandpa a picture to keep), etc. and he can just watch and enjoy. He really enjoys seeing them and we really enjoy bringing a smile to his face!

The girls were so cute sitting together in one of the chairs in the lobby...I think Hannah was actually the one who suggested taking a picture. I should also note that Hannah did her own hair and was very proud of that...and of course we thought she looked adorable!

So then we thought it would be nice to get a picture of everyone with Grandpa Katkin. Unfortunately, Emme was still wanting to sit by herself in a chair and wasn't too happy about Daddy holding her.

Saying good-bye...one more try for a picture! Hannah giving Grandpa hugs...Emme still not really interested...oh well...still a really nice visit!

4th of July Weekend

For the 4th of July, we headed to camp to celebrate! Hannah wasted no time and came prepared already dressed in her bathing suit to jump in the water! Emme on the other hand is not the biggest fan of the water or of getting too dirty in the sand. And as she found out, she didn't like the taste of the sand either!

Night 1 at sunset.

Night 1 of fireworks. Brad didn't think he'd stay for the night of the 4th fireworks so he put on a great show on the 3rd for us too!!! All prepared!

Waiting for the show to begin! Hannah set up the chairs for the show...stadium seating. And the show was terrific!

Hannah and her friend, Mr. Lobster!

Sorry little fellas!

All cooked and ready to eat! We always enjoy our lobster feast! Delicious! Emme missed the lobsters as she was napping.

Time for tubing with Daddy! All ready to go!

And off they go! Hannah liked it for the most part, but she said it hurt her back when they went out of the cove and it got really bumpy.

All smiles afterward.

Emme playing on the chairs. This was her typical activity of choice and she had so much fun.

Hannah and Mikayla! Hannah just loves hanging out with Mik, she follows her around everywhere she goes and Mikki is such a good sport!

Mommy and Emme on Emme's first (and possibly last) boat ride of the season. While she didn't cry, she definitely didn't love it. Most of it might just be that the life vest is very uncomfortable, but necessary.

Great Nana and Emme! Emme was so proud of herself that she could climb up into the chair all by herself!

Sparklers before firework show #2. It was a little early but we were trying to pass the time to keep Hannah awake and more importantly happily occupied until it was dark enough to start. She stayed awake both nights until 930ish to see the fireworks. We didn't think she'd make it the 2nd night as she didn't take a nap, but she did. Getting there at times wasn't pretty, but she was a champ in the end and loved the show.

Second night the firework show was put on by Daddy and Mikki. It was spectacular! 2 great nights of fireworks! Hannah was so tired, at one point she even asked to go to bed. I kept her busy during the lag time by taking pictures of us making silly faces. That seemed to do the trick!

Always so much fun at camp!