Construction zone

Two days in and we've gone from this:

To this:

And from this:

To this:

The more they tear out, the more I can visualize what the end result is going to look like. I've never been so happy to see such a big mess.

Here we go!

The work on the new house started today!!! We had a final planning meeting with our contractor on Friday and the dumpster arrived this morning. The demolition has begun. I'm so excited-nervous-thrilled! The clock is ticking – two months to get it all done. It's so easy to feel confident on day one...

Supporting our zoo

Today was the 5th annual Henry Vilas Zoo Run Run! It's a great course with a kid friendly crowd and the proceeds support the zoo – our favorite free thing to do in Madison. I walked the 5k route with some friends while Walter and Nate explored the zoo. They were waiting at the finish line to cheer us on, too! Next year, I think we'll let Walter participate in the kids event, the Roo Run Run. He might as well get his race t-shirt collection started early.

Rock climber

Mmm...flooring...

I took the day off to get some things done for the new house. We looked at cabinets, siding, windows, doors and flooring. We gathered all sorts of information and got lots of ideas. And I think we've actually made a decision about our wood floors. It's been a challenge to find something that fits our style, fits our budget and is environmentally friendly enough for me to be satisfied. The winner – Mesquite! The same stuff that gives barbecue that yummy, smokey flavor is now used for flooring too! It grows in Texas and grows quickly and easily. It has great character, beautiful color and is super durable. It will stand up to just about anything a dog and a kid can do to it. I'm so excited that we found it. Now, only about ninety-seven more decisions to make...

Weekending

Just a few shots from the weekend. We spent plenty of time outside playing and working. And when it was rainy, we spent time inside, organizing the dinosaurs. Hey, somebody has to do it.

Welcome to Madison, Mom!

It's official! Facebook official, even. 

My mom has moved to Madison! We've all been waiting and counting down the days. She has finally retired from teaching and has shipped my little brother off to college. (Gasp! How did he get so old?) We're so happy to have Mom, Ed and their dog, Ozzie, so close by. A five minute car ride is SO much better than a four hour one!

Little fish

He might be a crummy sleeper, but he's a great swimmer! We just started swimming lessons again and Walter is loving it. He's so much fun to watch in the water. He's all smiles and he's got some good skills. He floats on his back, kicks his legs, and jumps in with no fear – as long as Daddy is there to catch him. This little guy is going to be swimming in no time.

1, 2, 3, jump!

I'm still here

Please forgive the infrequency of posts here lately. We've been having some naptime/bedtime battles that make it impossible to get anything else done. I keep reminding myself that he won't be two forever. This too shall pass. Or should I say, this two shall pass?

Even though he's a stinker at bedtime, he still keeps us laughing.

And Molly is, as always, a good sport.

Kitchen ideas?

The renovation of the new house includes a new kitchen. And by "new kitchen" I mean, what is now the dining room will become the kitchen. We're taking down walls and moving things around and basically reconfiguring the whole first floor. We've figured out a pretty good layout for the kitchen. I think it will be a great workspace. But, any great plan can always be made better. So, my question for you today: What do you love about your kitchen?

Happy, happy!

Why is Walter smiling? 
Because we have a buyer for our house! It's such a relief. It's so nice to be able to relax and not worry about showings anymore. And now we can focus on fixing up the new place. We have a December deadline and there is so much to be done – so many decisions to make. I can't wait to see how it's all going to come together. We have a very busy few months ahead of us. 


Why is Walter really smiling? He found our pond frog again. He named him "Saturday."

Movie night

It was a really long week, so we decided to have a movie night. Curious George was our entertainment. I got to spend 1 hour and 28 minutes snuggled up on the couch with this little cutie. Perfect.