I'm Back!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent working on my parents' new house! This is the view. They are downsizing from the big Ranch that held all us kids to a space that will be just perfect for them. I can't wait until we get it done to come home to this new home! It's actually an existing home, but we are renovating it with them and anyone willing to lift a hammer or paint brush - namely them, my husband and I, my brother and my cousin so far. Conveniently, it's right next door to the house they live in.

We got lots done and lots we didn't expect doing as is usually the case when doing home improvement. My mom's sewing room is painted top to bottom and the outlets and switch plates were replaced, the window was caulked, my brother patched all the cracks he could find on the cinder block exterior, the drop ceiling in the kitchen was removed and then we tore down the ceiling above that (an amazing mess!), my cousin installed a window in their new bedroom (converted from the garage), B put up beams to hold the new ceiling in the bedroom and kitchen, new light fixtures are being wired into the kitchen, and I'll be putting new linoleum tiles in the closet and starting on painting the living room when we return.

We hope to finish before snowy weather sets in, but there is LOTS to do. Next weekend my husband will install the new furnace while I work on the pretty-ing up stuff. He taught me how to replace the outlets and switches though so I get to do that small electrical project - woo-hooo! I love knowing how to do things.

My dad made sure we were fed everyday (a delicious homemade roast, pizza, apple cinnamon pancakes and bacon, A.J.'s Texas Hots - my favorite take-out - and homemade sweet and sour chicken and various Schwann ice creams for dessert), and even though it was hard work, it was satisfying and even fun.