Surprise!

Emily's class went to the Wonder Lab in Bloomington on Friday for a field trip. Her thoughtful teacher, Aunt Heather, texted me and suggested that if Katie wasn't busy in a class she should come and surprise Emily. After about a 15 block walk in wickedly cold weather and hauling her backpack the whole way...Katie made it. She walked up behind Emily and gave her a big hug. Talk about surprised! They attended a lab together and then went on to an area where they got to do some climbing, etc. I'm sure it isn't exactly what Katie planned on doing with her Friday "down time" but it will be a memory that Emily will always treasure. How cool is it that your big sister who is away at college surprises you on your fieldtrip?? Gotta love it!

Tons of thanks to Susie & Evan, Mark, Ariane, Megan and Sarah for all the great painting at the house yesterday. Extra special thanks to Susie & Evan, Megan and Sarah for making back today for round two of painting!! David has the sound system almost finished so now we can play tunes while we work. He is making great progress on switching all the outlets and covers - but was sidelined for awhile today with a sudden migraine. He's back over there right now trying to get back on track.

Still plenty to finish painting and have to change the bathroom flooring before I can have the carpet put down....but at least we are finally putting it back together and making changes that someone can see and appreciate.

New Skills

First I have to say that I have an awesome family! I'm sure that none of them want to be spending so many of their nights and weekends doing what we are doing at the Kensington house. Just to give you a perspective of how much work there is to do ... I had contractors out to give us an idea of price(s) to get the house back in shape to get it on the market ... and it would be over $24,500.00. Yes, twenty-four THOUSAND plus! Just to get it back to being acceptible. This doesn't include replacing the range, ceiling fans or putting can lights in the kitchen - which we are also doing. It's not like we're redoing the bathrooms or kitchen cabinets and counters. This is just to get it back to liveable! How can three people do so much damage (oh wait "hard living" is what the insurance company called it when they said it wouldn't be covered by my rental insurance) in only three and a half years? There wasn't a surface in the place that didn't need work. Needless to say, we didn't hire the contractors to do the work. But I did hire someone to re-do the mudding and taping in the basement. Amy's church had graciously hung drywall down there after we got it dried out from the flood. But all their good intentions didn't make it acceptible work. On the main floor Megan, David, Susie and I took up all the carpet, tack strips and staples because they were rusted through from the urine. The padding under the carpet in many places had disintegrated so badly that we had to scrape the subfloor with putty knives. After going over it with a disinfectant we used a bleach solution on them. AFTER all that Mark rolled a heavy layer of Kilz on all the subfloor. Although it helped, all the smell wasn't gone so we've gotten Justin to pull up parts of the subfloor and replace it. What a workout our Lowe's card has gotten! The best part of the first week was Susie & I learning to use a power washer. I WANT ONE!!! It was so exhilarating to see the mold stuff coming off the back of the house! Yes the inside of the place wasn't the only thing neglected. One of my other new skills is replacing deadbolts and door locks. David is in Boston all week - but we have been there every night but Tuesday working. (stayed late at the office and it's piano night!). Katie even came home last weekend to help out. Emily & Sarah tried to help, but that's a story for another day. They've been really good about being responsible for lots and lots of extra stuff at home (like laundry and cleaning!) Mark started painting ceilings last night while Megan & I finished up washing all the woodwork in the house so that the painters tape will stick. I don't think any of it had been touched since the last time I washed it while living there! Found another few spots that her pets had "hit" while doing that as well. I'm sure that once we get finished with bleaching the basement there will be no hint of pet smells left! Evan & Susie have found all the nail holes, wall dings, etc and gotten them spackled. This weekend we are going to paint the rest of the ceilings and walls. Anybody that wants to join the fun is welcome! Next week should be replacing bathroom flooring, putting up trim and doors in the basement and hopefully carpet at the end of the week. Still need to find an inexpensive range and have David finish up some electrical work. Hoping for a break in the weather to be able to get to cleaning up the landscaping next weekend. After that it should be a good scrubbing of windows and bathrooms and painting of exterior doors, etc. and we'll be finished! But as I said - we've got an awesome family and they are a blessing!

Special Moments

Tuesday night, before the girls went to bed, they announced yet another 2 hr delay. Being the smart mom that I am (muhahaha) I didn't tell the girls. I figured they'd be bouncing off the walls and it would take forever for them to calm down and go to sleep. Since I don't want them to wake up in a panic thinking they are late in the morning, I usually wake them gently before I go to bed and tell them about the delay. I'm one of those lucky people whos kids will roll right back over and go back to sleep if I have to wake them in the night.

I gently moved the hair off of Sarah's face and softly whispered that they had the delay. She gave me an angelic smile and told me 'ok'. Then she reached up and caressed my face just like she used to do when she was a little. I instantly flashed back to many a night staring into her adorable little face only to have her awaken and give me a sleepy grin as she tried to stretch her little arm to stroke my face. When my kids were little and couldn't sleep I would soothe them by snugging in and gently stroking their faces. It always calmed them and helped them to get to sleep. Or if they were fitful in their sleep it helped to soothe them.

I wondered it she was truly awake so I asked her what I had just told her. She answered correctly. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and was starting to pull away when rolled to her side and put her arm around me to pull me in closer. Does this kid know how to melt my heart?? I stayed there for a few seconds just breathing her in - - and she never let go. She was cuddling me like one of her stuffed animals. She gave a contented sigh and went back to sleep with her arm still around me.

It's moments like this that I will always treasure. When they are at their most vulnerable and you see what kind of person they really are. Not that she's not loving and caring during her waking hours - - it's just at this age they test their wings and sometimes aren't the most thoughtful with their words or actions. But moments like this are what you have to remember when they are not at their best. I think this one will be one I think back on for years to come to gather strength.

More snow & a two mortgages

It took me over an hour and a half to get to work today. Normally it is a 35 minute drive. Guess what - more snow! Can you hear the glee in my voice? Yesterday we had another 2 hr delay. I was so freaking excited this morning when the snow hadn't started before the bus came! Sorry to complain about the snow, Kathy. I know you Minnesotans are hardier stock (even if you are a transplant!).

Now for some good news/bad news stuff!

Good news - The house finally got cleaned (really, really good news!)

Bad news - Amy (to whom we were selling our former house on contract) up and moved out and left the keys in my mailbox sometime Sunday. No warning - just here are the keys, I can't afford to do this and my credit is too bad to ever get the home loan I was supposed to.

Good news - the kids went back to school yesterday and today! (small bits of my sanity have returned!)

Bad news - Amy let her 2(+?) dogs and 4(+?) cats use the carpet as their litter box. It STINKS in there! We're talking 1 bazillion gallon of Kilz between the wall and the floors. That is after we assess the damage to the subfloor and patch up the mutiliple holes in the drywall.....

Good news - our old neighbors are going to be thrilled to see someone take care of the house again.

Bad news - who's got the time or money to rennovate?

Good news - I've been addicted to those rennovations shows for years so now I'll be able to try and put it to good use.

Bad news - I'll probably mess it up like the ones you always see that look so confident at the beginning. Budget - $5.00; time frame - 1 day...... six months and $50,000 later.....oh shit!

Good news - I'll have stuff to blog about for awhile and make you all laugh!