Today they are starting the work on the outside of our house and I'm SO EXCITED!!! I needed something positive going on to even out the basement disaster we have. No more water down there, but a big mess to clean up. We have to scrape up ancient plastic tiles, then mop w/bleach water. We've already cut out the wet dry wall and will probably be replacing it with wainscoting (great idea, Stacy!). Then we have to (hopefully) find more of the tiles we put down in the basement recently - they are peel & stick but absolutely look just like ceramic! I think we might do the entire basement (minus the laundry area) in these if it works out cost-wise. Then we need to tear down a wall of paneling so we can dry out the studs and then either re-panel or drywall. Ugh - tired just typing it.

Anyway - the good stuff! They will be starting our front steps/porch/deck thingy this afternoon. YEAH! Perfect timing too - no rain, beautiful day and the concrete that is there now has started to crumble away - so perfect timing for something new and fresh. I'm not sure when they'll get to the new shutters, removing the awning and replacing a piece of siding on the garage....but it'll be soon I"m sure. The back deck has to dry after the power wash and then they'll be sealing it with a color-tinted seal - should look GREAT!

Sorry I skipped the Father's Day post...I'll get to it later...promise. Hopefully Mark felt special - because he really is a fantastic husband and Dad.

Before pics of front steps (yuck):

Back deck pics after the power wash but before the sealant:

Oh - and I have a lily blooming! LOVE IT!

More rain yesterday.....and last night.....more water in the basement. If I never see a wet/dry vac again in my life I'll be happy. Great invention - just absolutely and totally SICK OF USING IT!!!

I'm so tired from working hard since Sunday on clearing out the basement. I'm so depressed that we have been set back so far now on the selling the house goal. I'm so impatient with the kids because of the previous two things, and I'm so frustrated by this never-ending rain!

I'm still thankful that it is clean water and not sewage. There was rumor that the city's sewer system wouldn't be able to handle the additional rain and that back-ups into people's homes were anticipated. Thankfully that didn't happen, although I spent yesterday afternoon clearing off all remaining items that may come in danger if that happened.

I think we might have to re -drywall one room down there - not sure. I know for sure we are already looking at paint and new flooring. The thought of this additional time/work/cost makes me just want to bawl.

We were spared tornadoes last night though. So tragic what happened a couple hours West of here though - especially because it happened to children.

Speaking of children - I need to spend some time with them. I'm ashamed at how much TV Lauren has watched since Sunday. And I have GOT to find time to work-work today!

Hope all of you out there (you know - the one person reading) have been spared from the flood waters and saturated grounds. I wish you working sump pumps, dry basements and high ground.

The Zimmers ROCK!

Here's to The Zimmers, a British rock band with over 50 members....all elderly. (Lead singer is 91). The oldest member is 100! Read more about them here. I'm so excited to share this video with you! There is a middle finger at the very end - but other than that - safe to show the kids. Oh - I sincerely hope I'm like this when I'm older (with perhaps better dance moves). Thanks to Ron for pointing me to it!

I found the phone list...and called not only the next person up on the list - but the next one after that. I waited til 5:15 a.m. to call - lucky I did because they were unaware. (not a real organized process). I arrived at the airport at 6 a.m....to be told they wouldn't arrive til around 7. I had fun talking with other "punchy" parents who had also been up the majority of the night. She's home now - EXHAUSTED...and sleeping. She had a wonderful time - but said the 100+ temps out there really put a damper on the experience. More later.

UPDATE!!!

I would post the update here - but then you wouldn't know what I was talking about because you haven't read the next post yet....so go read that...all the way to the end....it'll entertain ya....or at least make you glad you aren't us. I promise.

After a LOOOOONG day filled with more of the shop-vac, more moving furniture, cutting carpet and boxing up basement crap, I headed to the airport to pick up Bailey. She was due in at Midnight. I checked flight status before I left the house - cuz I'm smart like that - and she was in-flight from O'Hare and scheduled to arrive just 5 minutes later than planned.

I found myself there about 15 minutes before she was due to land, so I busied myself with chit-chatting with all of the other parents. Midnight came.....and went.....12:15 a.m., 12:30 a.m......12:45 a.m. - but still the arrivals board said on-time. Of course there is NO ONE to be found working at our big "International" airport at that hour...so we waited....and waited....and waited. Finally around 1 a.m. the board announced that their flight had been diverted to Kansas City due to weather initially (yeah - super super mega jumbo giant doppler told me no more rain til Thurs. - LIES! ALL LIES!) So where was I...oh - yeah....the storms....well they cleared...but then the crew had reached their maximum number of hours or something and so off to Kansas City they flew.

Next announcement confirmed this and then said we were to talk to a United ticket agent for more information. And do you know what that sounded like? (crickets chirping). The ticket desks are DARK....and EMPTY at our "INTERNATIONAL" airport. So there we are....100+ sets of parents....wandering in circles with blank looks on our faces because we are old and not used to being awake past Midnight. (sad...so sad).

Parents are frantically trying to call their children (hey wait a minute - it said no cell phones allowed on the trip!). Someone gets ahold of a chaperone...confirmed that they'd landed in KC...no other info. More waiting.

FINALLY it is determined that they'd be spending the night in Kansas City (I better not be paying for that)....and that they'd be flying back to Des Moines in the morning (it already IS morning you creeps). I didn't catch the flight number....actually I did - from another parent. She said it was flight XYZ and would be arriving at Noon. Well when I got home I wanted to look it up - and you know what? flight "XYZ" isn't valid. So here I am...it is pushing 2 a.m.....and I have absolutely no idea what flight number she'll be on tomorrow. I guess I'll just show up around Noon.

Whatever. I'm tired - and frustrated. Totally ticked off at Mother Nature....HATING my basement situation.....and mad that I wasted $3 on parking and made a totally unnecessary trip to the airport tonight. Oh well - gas is ONLY $3.87/gallon for the cheap stuff. Grrrr.

UPDATE!!!! It is now 2:20 a.m.....and I just got a PHONE CALL from the guy in charge of this whole trip. He was calling to inform me that they were NOT flying back to Des Moines in the morning to arrive at Noon....apparently the airlines gave out wrong info. (nice). Instead they are getting ready to head out on buses so they could "get back earlier"...umm....is that REALLY doing anyone a favor? The kids have GOT to be exhausted....I JUST went to bed and now you are telling me I have to get up and be at the airport again by around 6 a.m.? YOU SUCK! This whole cock-a-mamey plan sucks! And then - get this.....he asks me if I have the phone tree....the phone tree that he handed out at drop-off....ummm...you mean something you gave Mark on Thursday? I have no friggin' idea where that is! And it is 2:30 in the morning! I"m supposed to call someone in the middle of the night? Awkward....and worse yet - I can't find it....so I guess the phone tree is broken here. Sorry kids that are going to be stuck at the airport! Not MY idea to drive you back in the middle of the night on buses (not likin' it I tell ya). And hey - if you are going to stick them on buses in the middle of the night - how's about dropping them off at the SCHOOL!!!!! You know - the one that is - oh - 1.7 miles from my house? The one that doesn't charge for short-term parking?

Ok - someone's cranky and needs to go to bed....or should I say take a nap? cuz I think 3 hours is a nap - not hardly a good night's sleep.

I'm shaking my fists at you, Mother Nature!

For weeks now I've been overhearing conversations about water in basements. Boy was I feeling lucky that we have NEVER had water in our basement - not the entire time we've lived here (6 years). I was feeling so relieved that we are on high ground and not prone to such disaster. Now, let me tell you, it has been a WET spring here in Iowa...and yesterday was no exception. It POURED...and I mean POURED for over 2 hours. I was completely drenched after church and couldn't wait to get home for a relaxing rest of my Sunday. WRONG!

Here's what we found:

Please know our basement is not always this messy - you are looking at the result of throwing everything off of the floor on to whatever surface we could find. Mark made a plastic bin run yesterday - first Target was OUT! (tell ya that we aren't alone, here?) We bought 20....$$$$$...hate that!

And Bailey comes home tonight....and she now has no bedroom. I'm just sick about this most of all. I think we are going to move her mattress into Grant's room and then have him in a pack 'n play in our room.....for now. I'm just sick. What must people PRONE to water in their basements be facing? They must be knee-deep! Go away, rain!

It seems I always make 2 steps forward toward getting the house ready to list....and then 5 steps back. For any potential buyers out there....be assured that this is a FLUKE! Everyone on our street - heck - our whole neighborhood has water in their basements....and we usually...almost ALWAYS do not. We have just had SOOOO much rain that the ground can't take it...and it has to go somewhere I guess.

We're back at it today - shop-vac, cleaning, washing towels, packing stuff up to move to storage....makes me turn my thoughts to this:

Bailey left this morning for Washington D.C. She had to be at the airport at 3:20 a.m. for a 5:00 a.m. flight to D.C. (via Minneapolis). Guess who took her? Not me! (duh - no pictures to post).

Honestly I was too afraid of crying - didn't want to ruin it for her (....embarrass her). I'm so excited for her, but am constantly thinking about her. I'm wondering if she made it there ok....if she's lost her money or iPod yet...if she's too tired to enjoy anything this afternoon....if she changed out of her flip-flops into more comfortable shoes (doubt it....especially since I nagged and nagged on that one). I'm wondering if she's taking pictures - and if she'll take pictures of the landmarks and museums she'll be visiting or if she'll come back with 2GBs full of goofy teen-posed pics.

Anyway - I miss her. It is undescribable - that feeling of putting your first-born on a plane without you. I know she's old enough for things like this - but I'm just not very ready for it. I'm pretty sure I'll need therapy when it comes time for dating and college.

With the caucuses and primaries behind us (unless Hillary has invented a new one that must be counted or no-fair because I'm a woman and you're just sexist....), I'm turning my sights to November again. If you remember my caucus post, you'll know who I'm hoping gets on the ticket with Obama. I haven't read or heard if this is even being speculated, but I can't think of a better person for the job. Experience, wit, Latino support, guts (YOU try to tell Hillary that you're not backing her even though you worked for Clinton #1 - kahunas, I tell ya!) Yep - my boy would be a good 'un. So here it is - my top choice (so far) for the November ticket:

**note....I do not hate Hillary. Not in the least. I do disapprove of the sore-loser type behaviors I've seen though. And don't even get me started on the Michigan/Florida debacle. Ok - just one thing....they broke the rules....there were consequences - PERIOD! You don't get to go back and try to change the rules just because it didn't work out the way you wanted it too! Feels a little like playing Candyland with a 3-yr-old. Alright - done.

I'm thinking about extending that paint color from yesterday - up the stairs and into the upstairs hallway. I'm thinking of leaving the stair ceiling white and the closet doors in the hallway upstairs white. thoughts?

So today I"m going to touch up the painting from yesterday. Now that it is dry I see a few spots that need another coat. And then I guess I'll start taping off the stairs.

Also planned for today is a quick...QUICK trip to Target to get Bailey a waterproof watch for her trip. Since cell phones aren't allowed, I thought it would be nice if she knew what time it was....and since they'll be going to Busch Gardens one afternoon, I thought waterproof would be good. We're going to keep it cheap though...lost? ruined? not a problem.

I also need pillows. ALL of the pillows on our bed are crap. I hate pillow shopping. Paying more for a pillow does not equate to a more comfortable, better pillow. But the trouble is - you don't know if you'll like a pillow until you try it out, am I right? Well...you can't exactly return a pillow after you've used it. So - I'll probaby just buy 4 or 5 inexpensive ones from Target and figure on replacing them in a few months. Miserable sleeping when your pillows suck though - I've been feeling like I'm at a hotel and need to call Housekeeping for a few more of those flimsy suckers.

Alright - back to laundry and then off to Target.

Today I busied myself by buying paint and conquering the front entry hall. It was previously a yellow color (never liked it). I like yellow - but the room you walk into after entering our home is called "fig" - basically a brownish color that takes on a greenish hue in certain lights.....yellow next to that just looked off. So I headed out to Sherwin-Williams and purchased two shades lighter for that front hall (very small area). Again I forgot to take before pics - but here are the semi-after shots:

Our contractor/handyman dude filed for the permit with the city yesterday for our front deck/porch/entry thingy. It is supposed to rain all week here - so I'm thinking by next week they'll probably start on that project. We are also having them take down our yucky awning, install four pair of white shutters (currently we have only 2 pair on the upper level and they are an off-white), and power wash and seal the back deck. I'm very excited about the home improvements (and hopefully so will a potential buyer down the road....when we're ready to begin THAT chaos). I'm even more excited that I earned over $500 at our recent garage sale - so that paid for the shutters and then some!

Our neighbor is having a garage sale THIS weekend - and she advertised (I was too cheap to do that)...so I'm going to throw open the garage door again and see what else I can sell! (let the kids think they're next....Dave Ramsey). I'd like to earn enough to pay for a new screen door on the front of the house and who knows - depending on the earnings - maybe a new awning, too!

On another note - here's Lauren's plate from last night's dinner. I realize it was a lame dinner to begin with - a hot dog and watermelon....but just look at the fun she had with that watermelon! "I diggin' for seeds!" she said. What a mess. Only one bite of that darn hot dog....and I don't think she took more than two bites of the watermelon. Toddlers! I tell ya!

Bailey leaves this Friday for her Washington D.C. trip. She's so excited! We are off this morning to look for travel-size sunscreen, travel-size Tylenol, etc. Then we begin the packing process. I'm so excited for her - what an awesome opportunity at her age! I am also worried. To put someone so important to me on a plane....at the age of 12 (yes, almost 13)...without her MOTHER.....to tromp around Washington, go to Busch Gardens (not thinking about freak accidents involving limb amputation...not thinking about it...not gonna do it....).....where cell phones aren't allowed.....I can't help but worry!

Ok - off to Kmart....because it is closer and I hate Wal-Mart.

I've been TAGGED! I feel so honored - because that means that someone - at least one time - actually read my blog! Bloggity-blog-blog! That makes me happy! And...by the way...it wasn't just anyone who tagged me...it was THE Heather Ann... gardener, cook, ridiculously awesome movie-night planner, downtown-workin', digi-scrappin' Goddess, photographer, decorator, adorable kid-maker, cute haircut wearer, Kaboodlin', cupcake maker EXTRAORDINAIRE!

Ok - here goes:

Four jobs I've held:

Activities Director at a campgrounds (I also cleaned rental cabin toilets - bluk)

Cutco Knife Sales Person (what a scam...ad said "marketing" and I believed 'em...good knives though)

Program Coordinator for the county's DUI 1st & 2nd offender education program

Customer Service Rep for Yellow Freight (now Yellow Transportation)

Four movies I could watch over and over:

School of Rock!!!!!

Office Space

Annie

Elf

Four places I've lived:

Freeport, IL
Sheridan, IL
Norway, IL
Riverwoods, IL

Four TV Shows I Like:

The Office

Brothers & Sisters

Boston Legal

The Bachelor/Bachelorette (can't help it...like a train wreck)

Four People Who Email Me Regularly:

Mark
Stacy
My Brother, Jason
Flylady (doesn't she know I quit? I failed...dropped out....all it does is make me feel bad 'cuz I've done so many 15-minutes and my house is STILL a disaster. hmph...someday.)

Four Things You Do Almost Every Day Without Fail:

Laundry
Sing
Lose my patience (sad to type that...but YOU try Lauren for a whole day!)
Read Blogs and/or Blog

Four Favorite Foods:

Potatoes....any way, shape or form - love 'em!
Scotcheroos!
Pizza (sausage, cheese, mushrooms....the fresh kind)
Did I already say potatoes? Oh, darn...well then....nothin' beats a good cheeseburger

Four Places I'd Rather Be:

Already sold, moved and unpacked and settled into our next home

In Bed...asleep....for more than 6 hours in a row

Somewhere where Spring actually means temps over 55 degrees, please

At a 5-star, all-inclusive resort overlooking an AMAZING ocean beach...the kind with a swim-up bar.

Four People I'm Tagging:

Krista
IowaMom
The fabulous lady over at More Than Enough - she saves me so much time and MONEY!
Laura who also motivates me to clean out cupboards, plan meals and buy more baskets!!!

Thanks so much for inviting me to play, Heather!

It's Hell being the only boy...and the youngest to boot. (I think Grant & his uncle Jason as well as his 2nd cousin, Kyle are going to get along great...kindred spirits those guys.)

Grant - 8 months

Yesterday Grant was 8 months old. I'll spare you the "I can't believe that much time has passed" mantra....but seriously! He's really a fun baby these days as his personality continues to develop and his skill set grows. He can play "patty-cake," he can "crawl" (more like a forward movement with his arms and a pull motion while his back legs drag behind. looks hard). He is trying to pull himself up to a stand in his crib (time to lower the mattress!). He fake coughs and thinks it is a game.

He is eating Fruit Puffs, hasn't met a baby food he doesn't like, is taking 3-4 bottles a day - ranging from 5 - 7 oz. He usually takes 2-3 naps a day. A mini power nap shortly after he wakes up (hey - wouldn't it be just as easy to just STAY asleep a little longer???) He loves both of his sisters, although that middle one - she loves - and I mean LOVES to take things away from him, tell him "no, no Buddy....you can't have that." Poor baby.

Let's see - what else is Grant up to....We're working on waving and "so big" but no luck yet. Still no "Ma Ma" yet either...unless it just happens to slip out in between babbles. He sits up like a champ - refuses to sit and play with his thousands of toys though - just has to drag off into forbidden territories. I can see how this is going to go once he's REALLY mobile. eek!

He talks a lot - and oh! He SINGS! If you are singing or if the radio is on....he starts to sing! hilarious! I think he really thinks he's great, too. Look out David Cook! (never commented about that by the way - was NOT happy. Sure, Cook is talented...but I just don't like it...can't put my finger on it. I voted for Archuletta 12 times).

Back to Grant....he loves bouncing, he loves dancing and rough-housing (is that how you spell that?). He loves his family and he loves his reflection in the mirror (just like his little narcissistic siblings - ha).

When Lauren was a baby I got her portrait taken each month through 1 year. I usually just went in with my free 8x10 coupon - maybe bought one additional sheet and went on my merry way. It was a fun way to document the first year because they just change so much! I tried this with Grant too....but I missed 2 months....and now I've missed 7 months. Such it is when you are the third child I guess. I don't love him any less though!!!

I enjoy him more and more every day - it is so fun watching him turn into a little boy slowly....but surely.

The Official start of summer brought much tragedy to a portion of my state. Tornados are just part of springtime in the Midwest, but rarely have I seen it take out a town like this. Mostly you think that sort of thing is reserved for Kansas and Oklahoma....but not Iowa. A sad, sad story. Our thoughts are with that town today.

On a happier note - pools opened this weekend around here. Although the humidity inspires a dip in the pool, the temps aren't quite up there enough to equal warm enough waters for the little kids....but that didn't stop us from letting them tromparound the house in their swimsuits. Lauren has been swimming and pretend diving on the carpet and Grant just looks too darn cute - a little man in his big boy swim trunks. Too cute!

As for me - still haven't ordered a swimsuit....have to do that soon. Here's the winner of the pick my swimsuit event (if it is still available, that is). Thank you to everyone who posted their opinion!!:

MUCH cuter are the kid's suits (Lauren's came from Target and Grant's suit is by Old Navy....from a garage sale....50 cents....hat from Children's Place - clearanced for $3.99). And here they are...my faux-bathing beauties:


Mark & I are going to try to catch THIS MOVIE today - what's a holiday without a little entertainment, right? Then it is back to work....getting things ready to list the house again....SO MUCH WORK! (sigh).

Mark took the day off of work yesterday to make a long holiday weekend. Bailey had school, so it was just the four of us. We headed to the nice mall in town to let the little ankle-biters burn off some energy...I mean...to spend some enjoyable quality time with our little angels.

Lauren LOVES anything if there are other kids there...or as she calls them..."my friends." She only cried once when another kid accidentally stepped on her foot. Otherwise it was a VERY enjoyable morning for her. She giggled, she climbed, she ran, she hopped, she hid from us - pure delight.

Even Grant had a great time!

He squawked at the other kids (thinking they could understand what he was saying, no doubt). It was fun to watch him bounce up and down, smile at HIS "friends" and just see that glint in his eye that said "I'm a big kid too!"

We had a lot of fun together and brought home two VERY tired kids. A good start to a busy holiday weekend.

I've had three children and never...NEVER have I nested like this. I swear - if I didn't know it was absolutely not possible I'd swear I was ready to go into labor the way I've been digging into cupboards and cabinets - like a crazy woman about to give birth! I blame Laura over at org junkie....she'll motivate ya, I tell ya!

Before:


After:

Blogging about Bailey....

Just in case there is someone out there (besides me) that is keeping track of my blog posts - making sure I'm posting equally about all three of the kids....let me tell you why I come up short on posts about Bailey. SHE HATES IT! See? Just typing that much is going to make her mad if she reads this. Sure, she likes that I'm proud of her and everything...but heaven forbid if I post the wrong picture. Like this:

or this:

or this:

Would it be too much to ask to - you know - SMILE for a picture? What's with EVERY picture being a goofy face? Or the faux gangsta look? (LOL - that'll send her through the roof too....her Mom just said "gangsta"....how totally embarrassing! ) And the self-portraits? I've seen tons of her friends doing that too - no idea why. I guess she should enjoy it now...because someday....like when she's older....she'll hate pics of herself. (unless miraculously she escapes that normal woman-behavior).

Anyway - just wanted to post that I love Bailey just as much as the other two monkeys...it is just hard to post without embarrassing her. She'll be 13 this summer (WHAT?! A TEEN?#$!~) So embrace it, I say! =-)

Sweet & Innocent? YOU be the judge:

Bathtime fun

I was so excited to finally get a picture of the two little ones in the tub together! I recently found an adorable yellow frame that is matted and perfectly matches the yellow in the bathroom rug/shower curtain/hand towels....it was $1 at a garage sale (score!) SO....I"m going to print this puppy and hang it up in kids' bathroom! Don't ya just love my photo editing skills, by the way? I try...really I do...but that's the best I could do. At least I'm covering him up.

Prayers for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family.

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How many bottles of cleaner, cleanser, polish, etc. does it take to still have a messy house? A little ridiculous - but now that I"ve actually cleaned and organized this area - maybe I'll be able to SEE what I have and not buy something new? I should have taken a picture BEFORE I pulled everything outta there - it was bad, folks.....bad.



BEFORE:



AFTER: