What all the Fuss is about

What is all the smiling about?







What are all the fancy outfits celebrating? (mind you, each of these was completely Eva's idea)





What is she looking forward to?



What is all the fuss about?



Well, let me tell you about it....



I got to meet it about five weeks ago, but just this Monday we talked again.... all it said was "lub-dub" about 160 times per minute. Mom and Dad seemed pretty excited about it. They said I should be happy about it too because come the end of November/beginning of December I won't have to ride in the back by myself any more. So it's all pretty good news.... I am worried about Mom though. She says she has a baby growing in her stomach.... :)

Second Hand Store Find

Several months ago we found this great highchair/childs desk with chair at Bill's Second Hand Store, a wonderful little place, a building painted bright pink, just down the road. I think the pink is meant to make a lasting impression, and it works. Anyway, this desk folds up from how you see it here to be a highchair and has a tray. Eva loves it and so do I. She has even learned to climb in, though getting out is still a somewhat dangerous affair.

And do please notice the braids. Weston said it must be the best day of my life to be able to put braids in Eva's hair. Well, it is not the BEST, but it may be close!!!

Weston's Handiwork

Weston, aka plumber, electrician, and carpenter, has out done himself on this project. I couldn't be more pleased. We worked together on the tiling, but besides that, this is all Weston. Thanks Honey!

Here is the old kitchen.


This is front room.



Drum roll please....

Notice that the doorway between the front room and kitchen is now double wide.


Notice that the far kitchen wall is now gone.


The only thing that we didn't replace in this kitchen is the sink. Besides that, it is all new and we somehow managed that for a very decent price. I love the hickory and how all the tile came together, which was a real blessing since we got all the counter and back splash tile for $30 at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.


I do miss the old shelves and fancy wood work by the window. They reminded me of my Grandma's house. We had originally planned on putting new hickory shelves in, in the same fashion - but time is short and projects are many, so that little sub project got cut. Oh well. It still looks nice, if not quite as quaint.


We tiled the counter top. I like how it turned out.

Weston built this banister.


A view into the front room, which has also received a face lift since we moved in.


Well, if any friends and family out there want to see it first hand, be sure that fresh home cookin' will come with it.


Once again, the old kitchen....



And the new.....

Hawaii - take two

So this post will show our vacation a little out of order, but it just happens to be in the order the pictures are being gone through. These pictures are from the last day of our vacation when we hiked to some falls. It was so beautiful and just cool. Plants can do the coolest things and in an environment like this, they do it in the big, green, and showy way.

Hawaii - take one

It feels nice to post something on my blog called "oh the places you'll go" that is actually about a place that we went! Oahu, Hawaii. All my life I have said that the one island paradise destination that I didn't really care if I went to or not was Hawaii. I think it just didn't sound exotic enough for my romantic adventurers heart, but I am pleased as can be with that island paradise now. We choose that destination for our big vacation for two reasons - one, we (I) wanted a place that was warm, yet a little more controlled than our last vacation spot (Jamaica) so that I could relax and not worry so much about being in a car accident. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I though the sound of a vacation rather than an adventure sounded nice, especially with a little one in tow. Second - we could get some sailing lessons there for cheap, through the military bases. So Hawaii it was. Besides, our second choice, Spain - to go on a walking vacation - was a little beyond our budget. So Oahu it was and goodness was it beautiful. And relaxing? - yes, it was just that. Just what we all needed. The only thing that would have made the trip better would have been an extra week to spend on another island and see some volcanoes!! Well, We'll just have to do that another time. So here are some pictures from the first four
we were there. I haven't had time to get to the rest of them yet. Enjoy.

On the first day there, we just got settled and then drove up the windward side of the island. This little pen had two piglets in it and was located behind the restaurant where we ate lunch.


Right outside our cabana window (which was actually some renovated barracks on a marine base) was beach and the Kaneohe Bay. It was wonderful to sleep and awake to the sound of the surf. One of the things I loved about Oahu is that there is no fishy smell anywhere. This is due to the fact that the tide does not change the water level much, leaving no smelly seaweed behind. So being right on the beach was, well, delightful.


This is actually the beach on the air force base. We tried to get in some sailing lessons this day - but due to high winds, we just got some beach time. Eva loves the water. She was in it every chance she got and didn't let a little chill stop her.




On Sunday we drove to the west side of the island, looking for Turtle Beach. We didn't find it that day, but did find this lovely spot.




On Monday we took a whale watching cruise. It was also delightful - good food, nice ukelele music, lai making,... and WHALES!!! and yes, the water really was this blue....











More later.....

Hair

I love my pets, but they all possess something that has become my waking, and even sometimes sleeping, nemesis. Hair. And lots of it. The cold of northern Montana has put us all in rather tight company and I suppose when in such close quarters one should get used to sharing things. Still, I really wish they would keep their hair to themselves. It looks so much nicer on them! Oh, I know, the baby wears it quite nicely as well..... Okay, I know some of you are going to say - love the pets and forget the hair. Some of you are going to say - get rid of the pets and get rid of the hair. Well I say I'll have my pets and conquer the hair... someday.... the battle wages and the freezing cold weather has returned....

Here are the culprits in order of least offense.

Loca. She is our Georgia alley cat. Natural selection has given her a thin coat. Better to battle the Georgia heat with and not SOO bad in the house, although I do have to vacuum her sleeping spot more often than I'd like...


Mowgli - ah Mowgli. He is the product of generations of loved and adored house cats. We call him our arctic snow cat. His coat is thick and luscious and everywhere! Mowgli is the most laid back of cats and he's a keen hunter, a skill he first honed on bumble bees. A true jungle boy at heart - the cold weather just kills him. He wanders around the house crying and, yes, shedding.


Does he look guilty? Choteau is our Montana pup. Why didn't anybody tell me border collies shed so badly? I don't suppose it would have mattered if they had. He stole our hearts away first lick, but my oh my oh my... the hair, the four inch long hair.... is everywhere. My new years resolution was to vacuum more often. I didn't realize that would mean more than once a day! It's a good thing he is such a good dog and so wonderful with the baby.



She, by the way, adores them all.

Mama Did a Bad Thing

These were the words that first came out my mouth when I saw Eva. "Oh no, Mama just did a bad thing." Yes, and I had, because I knew Eva had the pen. I knew Eva could take the lid off said pen. I had put her in a room by herself with said pen. Yes, indeed, Mama had done a bad thing - well not soooo bad. It was water based ink!

Morning

Eva one morning, waking up. Oh my goodness, how I love this child.