"Candy! Candy!......blah, blah, something-something"

While, admittedly, Lili has made awesome progress with the language skills, there are times when I still just stare at her blank-faced, smile and nod like an idiot.

I am quite impressed, however, that she's such a great little jump roper. She said that she taught herself at recess and I believe it. If she sees someone doing something, she'll try her darndest to learn it and do it too. That's been the greatest thing about this school year. Her language skills have improved 10000% this year because, well, she has to do it because everyone else is. While I have to admit I will not be quite so thrilled about this when she's a teenager :) her tenaciousness and strong spirit amaze me.

Lili and "The Grudge"

Seriously C.R.E.E.P.Y.

Lili gets such a kick out of doing this, we almost don't mind how hideous it is. almost.

....and you thought Lili was all tutus and glitter.....

Periwinkle Princess

Spring has officially sprung----for this weekend anyway.

We had some seriously warm temperatures the past 3 days.

We spent a lot of time outside jumping on the trampoline, jumping rope (jumping rope on the trampoline), and just generally singing and skipping around.

Fun stuff.

I have lots of videos of all our springtime activities. Just need to upload them at some point.....

We've got lots of activities coming up.

We're going to Brett's new middle school next week for parent/student info. night. We have a wedding coming up, some free passes to a theme park, LOTS of delicious looking auctions, and Jeff and I are going to a Cubs game with some co-workers of mine from the school!

WE HEART SPRING!

Getting Ex-siding!!

Wasn't planning on checking on the house this week, didn't expect much noticeable progress. Jeff and Brett didn't go up there, Just Lili and I.

I knew that they would be secretly hoping I checked and asking me if I did. Lili asked me all day "We go house now?" So how could I disappoint?

So glad I checked!

They got most of the siding up as well as the cornices above the windows and some of the shutters and the porch columns. You can also see the wiring for the porch lights.

We didn't go inside, but saw that there was plastic on the windows which means that the insulation is done or almost. We also saw what looks like the drywall stacked inside in front of the windows.

The siding is actually a darker gray than it looks in the pictures. It's more like this: GRAY

50 more days till June 16th!!!

House Progress...

Saturday we did our weekly 'visit the house and buy things for it' excursion.

We took some pictures, but nothing looks much different than last time.

They had all the electrical stuff done, the garage door installed AND all the locks on all the doors. (Jeff had to slip in through the basement window---NO ONE can keep that one out)

We met our construction manager for our 'pre insulation walk through' yesterday.

The meeting went well. He said that there aren't any issues and that things are progressing even better than they could be.

He told us that the insulation and drywall will go up in the next 2 weeks, at the same time they'll do the exterior concrete (driveway, sidewalk) and start siding. Then it's the painting, trim, cabinets and flooring.

He gave us a completion date: June 16th.

That's exactly around the time that we estimated from the get-go. Jeff and I do think that the house could be done sooner than that, so maybe they're giving themselves some extra cushion so they look even better if it's done sooner.

Whatever. We'll take June 16th.

We're CHINA ADOPTERS. We know how to wait!

So, that's that. We may not go visit the house for a couple of weeks.........

yeah, we'll see how that pans out. I, for one, just can't stay away.

Although it is getting harder and harder to leave . Now that it's an actual shelter, we just want to move in. They can work around us. We can handle the construction mess and noise. That's all we've known for the past 11 years!!

Brett and Lili are doing well, by the way :)

They have 26 more days of school. Brett is very excited about that and Lili, of course, doesn't know a thing! Life is just one surprise after another for that girl.

Busting my Buttons!

Just had to share some awfully cute Lili art.

I just LOVE how the Easter Bunny looks like SpongeBob.

You never realize how the words you say everyday, off handedly really sound to someone else until you live with someone who's trying to learn english by mimicking you!

Case in point: "witch" sounds to Lili like it should be spelled "wech", "wind" like "wend", etc.

yeeeks, I guess we need to start speaking very, very C.L.E.A.R.L.Y.

OK, I don't know why this is turned sideways, but it's my favorite thing ever. Really, really worth you craning your neck to get a good look at.

I have never been more proud of my girl (and that has NOTHING to do with the fact that I'm A#1, really)

I love how she calls her friends "MY Kaleigh and MY Jane".

I just am amazed everyday by how much progress Lili has made in the 20 months she's been with us. I was completely and utterly against all-day kindergarten, but I have to admit, it's been wonderful for her. We only have something like 31 or 32 days of school left.....even though it's like FEBRUARY out there, 30 mph winds, 40 degrees for DAYS.....

unbelievable.

In other news, we got an email from our construction manager today. He wants to schedule our "Pre Insulation Walk Through" early next week so they can

insulate and get the drywall up.

Weee!!

I really think I love them.

Easter Lili (hee hee. Cracks me up every time)

Lili in her Easter dress.....tried an Easter bonnet, but her head was too big.

Think Laurel and Hardy.

Lili is quite the little photographer, no?

Easter Family Portrait

House Update: Week 5

We went to check on the house Friday (even though the picture stamp says January 9th...of last year---need to fix)

We were happy to see the electrician there, and he was happy to see us. We were able to get our 'electrical walkthrough' done right then and there, rather than having to wait until next week.

He said he'd be DONE with the electrical work by Wed/Thurs. That means actual walls may not be too far behind!!

Look at all those lovely blue electric boxes!! (view from the fireplace into the kitchen)

The house pretty much looks the same, other than that. They did finish the rough plumbing, installed the fireplace box, and got the garage and basement concrete done.

Yippee!

Our Relationship Is Now Old Enough To Be An Adult

Today marks EIGHTEEN YEARS that Jeff and I have been together. I feel old.

On April 6, 1991, Jeff went to the Drive In with our best friend Rob.

I was out with my friends riding around in my convertible with the top down wearing shorts. at night! This April 6th brings us wet, sloppy snow. grrrrrr....

We met up 'in town' and went to a party together. After we left the party, Rob, Jeff and I decided we were hungry and went to a truck stop at 4 am for biscuits and gravy.

Yee haw! Do we know romance, or what?

A 3rd person, a truck stop and biscuits and gravy=true love forever!

Anyway, Jeff and I had known each other for awhile, but we didn't get together until we were both out of school.

We didn't really have a "first date". The party and truck stop were it.

Since we had already known each other, we just kind of started hanging out together more and, voila, here we are 18 years and 2 kids later.

So, I guess it really doesn't matter how you start off, it's how you end up.

Happy 18 years, big guy!

House Update: Week 4

Thursday 4/2: Woo Hoo! We have a shingled ROOF!

Saturday 4/4: Woo Hoo!! We have WINDOWS!

View of the back of our house from down the road (4/2, before the windows)

Living Room window looking out to the backyard

Back of the house

We were very pleasantly surprised and pleased with the progress on our house this week. It was another pretty good week, weather wise, and it looks like they took full advantage of it (thank you!)

They also started on the plumbing, got most of the pipes and junk in (whatever...)

Next on the list is finishing the plumbing, garage concrete work and door and somewhere in there, getting the rough heating and electric.

We're so relieved that the house is all enclosed now. I think it only got rained on (in) one day.

Especially relieved since it's supposed to SNOW tomorrow. Holy crap, weather, don't you know it's APRIL? C'mon, seriously.

Today marks just one month since they starting digging. I can't believe it. HOPEFULLY, we'll be in the house in 90 days like they estimated.....so far, so good :)