The end is in sight...

I feel like the last two weeks have been centered around the kitchen...  and most of my nights after the girls are in bed are consumed with prepping or painting.  Woot.  But.  Progress is being made. 

 

"Take a picture of me on the step stool!"

 Oh you know, just chilling in my highchair.

 So before we ripped into the kitchen I was starting to feel very overwhelmed with everything that needed doing.   So I asked Mom if she would come play with the girls one day so I could get some work done.  She ended up coming the day that the mulch was delivered. Dad needed to go to Pekin so he dropped her off and then when he was done he helped me mulch.  It was much appreciated.  It was also hot and humid.  What happened to lovely June days?  Anyway, while Dad and I were sweating and working soooo hard, Mom and the girls were going for a walk, and running through the sprinkler....  for the record, my mother never ran through the sprinkler when I was growing up.  Ever. 

We didn't get completely done before they had to leave so Bob helped me finish when he got home from work.  And he got to push Cecily higher on the swing.  She wants a swing set so badly.

 Uppers done on one side, moving on to the next section. Notice the not painted over new range hood! 

 They love the sandbox. 

 And the mini slide.   Check out that lovely mulch job in the background!

 Last Saturday, Mom decided that Cecily needed to come to Lena and Michelle's garage sale and the farm.  So off she went and we got lots of work done.  Or something.  Bob got the turtle pool down from the attic and we filled it and Emmy climbed right in.  She was sooo cold but she loved it. 

 She's teething and grumpy.  (Unless she's outside or eating.) We've had some rough days. 

 Ready for sanding the lower cabinets! 

Cecily came home from Grandma's with a kite, cotton candy, four stuffed animals, and a guitar purse from Rita.  We attempted to fly her kite on Sunday before the storm came through; she mostly just ran around the yard with it.   
Blackberries!

 On Tuesday I dropped the girls off at Bob's parents' and headed for Champaign.  Lori, Kandace, Carli, and Cliff rode along with me to Ned's recital.  For his Masters in Violin.  Yeah.  He's good.  It was pretty amazing.  I'm not up on the violin, but there was one part where he was sustaining a note with his bow and playing different notes with his fingers- craziness!  He played about an hours worth of music- from memory.  So incredible.   

I had to tease my parents a little bit.  His recital was in the same room as my piano recital- that they didn't come to.  tsk.  Haha. (If I remember correctly, I told them about it but didn't really want them to come because I was so nervous I was going to mess up since I'm really bad and I was the only non-music major in the group.) 

Anyway, it was good to walk the hallowed halls again (albeit briefly).  A picture to prove I was there:

 While I was gone Bob and his dad trimmed the overhang off of the drawer fronts so we can attach the new fronts eventually.  They look so funny sitting flush with the cabinet boxes.  It's not a big color change; we're going from yellowish cream to a creamy white.  And I already sanded those drips out.  (This. paint. is. so. drippy. It makes me twitchy.  But it's awesome when you paint things flat on the ground...) 

Somehow we've still managed to eat regular meals with the kitchen looking like this. 

I just have to make multiple trips to the living room.  Good times

Bob went on a walk with the girls on Thursday... down to the carnival.  Cecily got to ride the 'horses' and she really wants to go back and drive the cars.  *sigh*   

Today the girls and I went to "That Bob's" visitation.  So sad.  When we were younger and Mom and Dad would drag us to Gridley we'd have to make the rounds of the relatives...  Aunt Dorothy, Joyce, Aunt Carolyn, Susan.... then we'd have to go over to the men's side and get to Uncle John, and 'that Bob.'  He always remembered my name- "and how's Jenny?"  I'm glad I got to talk to him out in the hallway at Jesse's testimony. 

The girls did pretty good in the line, although Emmy neeeeded to pick the flowers.  Then we came home and went to the turkey fest for supper.  It was hot and humid.  yay. 
Blessings.