Countertops

I was going to post pictures of the countertops that were mostly installed last Friday but Cora seems to have run away with the cord at some point.  After 10 minutes of searching I am not much closer to finding it.  Cora is an expert hider so there is no telling when it turns up again. 

The plumbers are coming tomorrow to finish up the plumbing.  I'm so excited because it finally looks like a kitchen.  We've put some of the pulls in place and tomorrow I will try to move stuff over.  The fridge will be moving over tomorrow and I'll probably start cooking there as well.  I only have two functional burners because we never fixed the broken grate thing after the drywallers broke it.  That will move up on the to do list.  We also need the granite people to come out and finish the job.  We have had a lot of drama with them.  They hate me I think as much as I hate them.  I wish they would just finish up so we never have to deal with each other again.  

Buddy claims that Cora behaves very well for him when he takes her to the store.  I find that hard to believe because she doesn't do great for me.  She stands in the basket despite the buckle.  She wants me to hold her or she wants to get down and run away.  We saw a 16 month old at the store tonight that was nicely following her mother around while she browsed.   Cora, in the very same store, likes to run away.  I'm zero for three on little toddlers that will stay close.  Cora is definitely the worst since she is so mischievous.  She thinks it is funny.  On Saturday we went to a lighting store and Lowes so Buddy was able to see first hand that Cora behaves horribly.  He says that she only does that with me.  Perhaps that is true.  Maybe I am doing something wrong.  Or maybe he just hasn't had her out often enough to experience this.  Sometimes she does fine for me also but not every time. 

I was reading the blog entries from three years ago to Bohdin and Nyla last night so they could see what Nyla was like at Cora's age.  Cora is entering the age where she wants everything that Nyla has.  If Nyla is drawing, she wants the marker that Nyla is using and not any other.  If Nyla is playing with a doll, she wants that doll and no other.  When I explained the situation to Nyla she seemed incredibly mature about it.  We'll see how that works out with her temper.  Anyway, I noticed that I used to write the things Bohdin would tell me and I don't do that much for Nyla.  Right now Nyla likes to talk to me about Nina who is her imaginary fairy friend.  Maybe friend isn't the right word but I can't think of a better one.  The other night we talked about Nina's surprise party the next day at our house.  Nyla told me about Nina's house and her mother whom I would meet soon.  This past week has been mostly Nina stuff which is vastly better than the previous fairies who would want to visit.

The neighbor girls came over last night and Buddy and I were not excited.  The last time they were over about two weeks ago they left the basement a mess while doing art.  I thought making Bohdin and Nyla clean up their mess would keep them from wanting them over again but it didn't work.  Those girls really wanted to come inside but we wouldn't let them.  They had to play in the yard which didn't work out either.  One of them broke Bohdin's plasma car within moments of getting on.  Those girls are crazy so I'm glad winter is coming.  We won't see much of them as the weather cools. 

Interview with Nyla

I did both of these interviews over the course of several days last week.  Despite Nyla thinking that we adore granite places that is not true and we are so done with that.  Also, Buddy does not watch baseball ever.  I don't know where that came from.


1. What is something mommy/daddy always says to you?

mommy - You always say that you love me and I'm your special Nyla.
daddy - He always say I'm a silly.

2. What makes mommy/daddy/ Nyla happy?

mommy - Me?
daddy - Cora
Nyla - By laughing

3. What makes mommy/daddy/ Nyla sad?

mommy - By missing me 
daddy - Me going
Nyla - You leaving

4. How does mommy/daddy make you laugh?

mommy - Funny stuff
daddy - Tickle me

5. What did mommy/daddy like to do as a child?

mommy - Play around with me
daddy - Play with you

6. How old is mommy/daddy?

mommy - Um I don't know.
daddy - Um I don't know

7. How tall am I?

mommy - Um.  I don't know
daddy - I don't know.  Taller than you for sure.

8. What is mommy's/daddy's/Nyla's favorite thing to watch on TV?

mommy - Um.  I don't know. 
daddy - Baseball
Nyla - Dora

9. What does mommy/daddy do when you're not around?

mommy - You try to find me
daddy - He goes to work or watch football

10. If mommy/daddy become famous, what will it be for?

mommy - I don't know
daddy- I don't know

11. What is mommy/daddy/Nyla really good at?

mommy - Cooking
daddy - Working
Nyla - Making people laugh

12. What is mommy/daddy/Nyla not very good at?

mommy - Um.  Touching the ceiling.
daddy - Getting pictures hanging up on the ceiling.
Nyla - Getting cereal in the pantry

13. What does mommy/daddy do for a job?

mommy - cooking
daddy - working for a new kitchen

14. What is mommy's/daddy's/Nyla's favorite food?

mommy - Um. I don't know
daddy - The one that we had at his birthday party.  (Pork and sauerkraut)
Nyla - Cereal.  I mean a chocolate sandwich

15. What makes you proud of mommy/daddy?

mommy - Um.  The kisses you gave me
daddy - I don't know

16. If mommy/daddy were a cartoon character, who would I be?

mommy - Um.  Ours.
daddy - Ours

17. What do we do together?

mommy - Hug! and kiss
daddy - Tickle me

18. How are we the same?

mommy - We're not the same.  Hey!  Our teeth are the same.
daddy - Cora's teeth are the same and daddy's teeth are the same.

19. How are we different?

mommy - Our hair color isn't the same
daddy - Our hair color isn't the same.

20. How do you know mommy/daddy loves you?

mommy - Because you always tell me that
daddy - Because of tickles

21. What do I like most about daddy/mommy?

mommy - All the hard work he does
daddy - You.  He likes you.

22. Where is mommy's/daddy's favorite place to go?

mommy - Science museum.  I mean the granite place.
daddy - Um.  The granite place
Nyla - the Science museum

http://buddyhelen.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-with-nyla.html

Interview with Bohdin

1. What is something mommy/daddy always says to you?

mommy - I love you.
daddy - Hmm. (One minute later) Hmm.  I don't know what.

2. What makes mommy/daddy/ Bohdin happy?

mommy - Being with her Bohdin
daddy - He likes sleeping
Bohdin - My birthday

3. What makes mommy/daddy/ Bohdin sad?

mommy - Cora's crying
daddy - Not getting enough sleep
Bohdin - When Nyla hits me

4. How does mommy/daddy make you laugh?

mommy - Jokes.  You do pretty good jokes.
daddy - Tickling me

5. What did mommy/daddy like to do as a child?

mommy - Hmm.  Being with your brother?
daddy - Hmm.  I'm not able to think of an answer.

6. How old is mommy/daddy?

mommy - 35?
daddy - 63?

7. How tall am I?
mommy - Wait.  I know.  I'll be back. (He runs downstairs but comes back up empty handed) I'll just have to guess.  Fifteen feet and 3 inches
daddy - Let's see.  Twenty feet and 10 inches.

8. What is mommy's/daddy's/Bohdin's favorite thing to watch on TV?

mommy - The news
daddy - Football
Bohdin - I don't know.  I have a lot of favorites.  Okay, it's Wild Kratts.

9. What does mommy/daddy do when you're not around?

mommy - Misses me?
daddy - I don't know.

10. If mommy/daddy become famous, what will it be for?

mommy - Because of your temper?  (I asked him what my temper was and he said I was nice.)
daddy- Because of how much money he has?  (We wish)

11. What is mommy/daddy/Bohdin really good at?

mommy - sewing
daddy - Playing instruments
Bohdin - Running.  I know another thing I'm good at - picking my nose.

12. What is mommy/daddy/Bohdin not very good at?

mommy - Fighting
daddy - Flying.  (Nyla is listening and says that daddy is very good at lying.)
Bohdin - Digging with a shovel.

13. What does mommy/daddy do for a job?

mommy - Take care of everyone
daddy - Go to work

14. What is mommy's/daddy's/Bohdin's favorite food?

mommy - I don't know.  Okay I'll guess.  Soup?
daddy - I'm going to guess.  Noodles?
Bohdin - Chicken

15. What makes you proud of mommy/daddy?

mommy - You are one of a kind and I love you.
daddy - Daddy is one of a kind and I love him too.

16. If mommy/daddy were a cartoon character, who would I be?

mommy - Dora because you have the same hair color.
daddy - The Man in the Yellow hat because he is a man and he has hats.

17. What do we do together?

mommy - Play games
daddy - Tickling me

18. How are we the same?

mommy - We both have jobs.  (Bohdin says his job is playing)
daddy - We're both boys.

19. How are we different?

mommy - The color of clothing we wear
daddy - Our skin color

20. How do you know mommy/daddy loves you?

mommy - Because you always tell me
daddy - He tells me

21. What do I like most about daddy/mommy?

mommy - Daddy?
daddy - You?

22. Where is mommy's/daddy's favorite place to go?

mommy - The fabric store?
daddy - Work?  I know.  The military.
Bohdin - Granite America.  I also like Toys R Us.

Here is a link to last year's answers.  http://buddyhelen.blogspot.com/2010/10/bohdin-interview.html

Mouse

We've had mouse issues the past few weeks but numerous traps have failed to catch any mice.  This morning when I walked into the new kitchen to help Nyla with breakfast I saw a glue trap with a mouse on it.  I have a very strong aversion to mice in my home and wouldn't go anywhere near it.  Nyla went close, waved, and said hello.  She thought we ought to let it go so it could be with its family while I was thinking we ought to put it on a pike outside the garage as a warning.  Cora and I were in the old kitchen getting her breakfast when I heard loud squeaking.  It was an unfamiliar noise so I went to investigate.  When I asked Nyla if she was making the noise she said that it was the mouse.  The mouse had been completely still earlier and appeared dead so I was uncertain.  Nyla went to look and there were now two mice on the glue board.  I went upstairs to wake Bohdin up since we had to leave for Lego League in 10 minutes and tell him what was going on downstairs.  While he dressed himself I went back down.  Nyla wanted me to look at the mice so I went closer and saw only one.  Another mouse was slowly crawling away.  The sticky glue was making it difficult.  We went into the kitchen and grabbed a large plastic container.  I shoved it at Nyla and told her since she was the brave one she needed to catch the mouse that was trying to escape.  She said no so I told her I would pay her five dollars if she caught a mouse.  She grabbed the container and went to find the mouse.  We took too long and the mouse had disappeared.  The first mouse was still on the glue trap and was trying hard to escape.  Bohdin was down by this point and I told him I would pay him five dollars to get rid of that mouse.  He picked up the trap, put it in an old oatmeal container, and threw it in the trash.  He thought it was an easy way to make five dollars and I didn't have to do it myself.  It was a win win situation.  This evening Bohdin set up five more traps.  I will gladly pay him to catch more mice.  They have come into the basement as well and the thought of them walking all over my stuff really creeps me out.  I hope I'm paying Bohdin more money tomorrow. 

Runaway

It sounded like there was some surprise that I would return a gift given to me by my children. They originally wanted to get me a new sewing machine which was an awesome idea. However three weeks ago Buddy vetoed the new tv idea they had for him because it was too expensive, so in fairness I declined the expensive gift as well. Buddy was concerned about the money we are spending in the kitchen right now and thought it would be better to wait. So I reluctantly said no to the sewing machine. The night before my birthday they went to the supercenter to look around. The plant was the best thing they came up with although it sounds like a fish was in the running. I returned the orchid and bought the soundtrack to Wicked instead. I had checked it out from the library in the spring and we all enjoyed listening to it. When I asked them a few minutes ago how they felt about that they both said I made the right decision. The music was a better present and Nyla said the songs reminded her of me.

Cora is beginning to play outside with Bohdin and Nyla more. It is both good and bad. It's good that she is getting older and more independent but on the other hand she is my least trustworthy baby. Her new idea of fun is running into the street. We have to close the back gate now to keep her in because Bohdin has had issues trying to get her off the street. This weekend we left the front door open without thinking and soon I heard Nyla making a lot of noise. I ran out the door to find Nyla trying her best to drag Cora out of the road while a car was passing. The car saw them so was going quite slow. There are teenagers in the neighborhood that are not so cautious so we are lucky that it ended well. Nyla used to like playing with Cora on the front step but they can't do that until Cora is past this phase.

In the backyard our little daredevil has found a new source of fun. Cora climbs into the stroller with Nyla and then Bohdin lets go as they go down the slight incline toward the tree. Sometimes Bohdin catches them and stops the stroller but Cora likes it better when Bohdin lets it go and they run into the pile of wood with a bump. We had to put a stop to that. I can't imagine what the next thing will be. I know Cora wanted to play with the lawn mower a lot last week and tried to tip it over. When I took her for her 12 month checkup I told the doctor if I ever have to call poison control for a kid it will be Cora. I stand by that statement. She looks for trouble.












Buddy has funeral detail this month and brought home a bugle for today's funeral. Bohdin wanted to try it and did better than I expected. I didn't think he would be able to play a note at all but he sounded like a beginning bugle player. It seems that he has been interested in musical instruments lately. He wants to get a piano for his birthday. I'm going to start searching craigslist for a decent and affordable digital piano. That would probably be his Christmas present since I have actually bought his birthday present. He doesn't know it yet but I found a deal on the Denver craigslist for a Playmobil engine. Paul was kind enough to help me out with one of the biggest scores I've had. I was able to get it for one third of the price of the same thing on Ebay. He's a lucky kid because it was the only
way he was going to get one.

Birthday

My birthday started off really well when I slept until almost 9:30 with Bohdin and Cora.  Nyla woke up before 8 but miraculously did not wake everybody else up.  She had breakfast with Buddy and then watched a lot of tv.  We laid in bed talking about the present they had wrapped the previous evening.  I knew that it was alive so we talked about a lot of things it could have been like a puppy or cat.  At one point I said that I hoped it was not a baby and they assured me it was not.  Bohdin then asked if I wanted another brother and Nyla loudly interjected "Don't tell her what the present is". 

We went to Costco to get a cake because I didn't want to spend the time to make one for myself.  They had orchids for sale and the kids told me that it was my present.  When Buddy came home I told him the kids had spilled the beans when they saw the orchids at Costco.  I went on to add that they were selling hideous blue ones.  A minute later I opened up my very own hideous blue orchid.  I had thought it would be a different color.  I don't like real flowers that are dyed unnatural colors.  It was okay with everybody that I exchanged it for something else.  The greeter at the grocery store couldn't believe I was returning such a beautiful plant. 

After Nyla finished dinner first, she was very insistent that we do the cake right then.  She struggled to wait patiently as everybody else finished eating.  She was excited to sing Happy Birthday and sung it very nicely.  Cora sat in her seat and gave us all dirty looks.  It's a skill she has been perfecting this week.  Right now it's pretty amusing but at some point it will just become annoying.  Tonight at dinner she wanted Buddy's cup so he handed it to her.  Cora looked into the empty cup and then gave Buddy a not very nice look.  Who needs to speak with such expressive eyes?

Buddy has a four day weekend and has made a lot of progress on the kitchen.  I took pictures but the camera is downstairs.  The laundry room has a cabinet and door.  There is dead space in one corner of the kitchen that now has two narrow stacked wall cabinets for my cook books.  The island cover is cut out and almost everything has a door.  We need to make one more trip to Ikea for additional pantry doors.  

Art Festival

Saturday afternoon we went to the St. James Art Festival which is supposed to be one of the best in the nation. I don't really have anything to compare it to. It was quite large and we didn't come close to seeing everything although after a while the booths became repetitive so perhaps we did sort of see everything. Bohdin liked the pictures below that changed based on the angle. The very best thing we saw and the only actual piece of art instead of crafts was the chair made of various pieces of wood. It was incredible and unique.




We're mostly just waiting for the countertop for the kitchen now so we tackled the laundry room over the weekend. Buddy tiled and we painted. It's not complete but it has come a long way in a few days. I am enjoying the tile floor much better than the plywood floor. There is still more work in there but it is staring to look more finished. The next big step would be a door.

Cora writing. She sees us writing all of the time and will not be left out. She is also standing in the chair because she prefers that to her
high chair.



I had to stop at the granite place on Monday to lay out the templates. Afterward we stopped at the science museum. I didn't realize they close at 5 so we just had 30 minutes inside. After it closed I let them play at the giant mirror outside which they love. A three year old girl came out and she and Nyla were soon playing together. Nyla had so much fun with this little girl. Unfortunately they live in Virginia and were just here visiting. I invited them to join us hiking the following day but they never called. Nyla really really wanted to see her again and insisted that I call and invite them camping. (Nyla has been in the camping mood recently) She also made her some art yesterday and wanted me to call her this morning.




We were supposed to go on a hike yesterday but we never made it. Nyla was tired and grumpy in the morning. Since she is the one who motivates us to get out of the house it just didn't happen. We'll try to make it up later this week. The weather has been gorgeous and the kids have spent a lot of time playing outside. Bohdin is finally old enough to use his plasma car well and he rides that a lot. Nyla tries but she is either too young or too light to do anything but roll down the ramp. She prefers her bike. Cora joins them outside as well and putters around. Her recent goal has been to run into the street so we have to keep the gate shut.