In the House and Out of Doors, Scrubbing Pots and Sweeping Floors...

Our kids helped us a lot this morning. "Moving" is still a work in progress, but with the kids generously pitching in it has lifted the load. They are eager to spray cleaners, water, air freshener, perfume, anything in a spray bottle. This afternoon they did lots of school with Marc, and tonight when I came home at 9:15 they were still at it! All curled up together on the couch reading about Ancient African history wayyy past bedtime, but we have to keep reminding ourselves, 8:00 bedtime for us just doesn't exist. At 9:15 we had not even eaten supper yet. 

We certainly do keep weird hours. 

We finally have our bathroom cabinet handles! So I put everything away in the bathroom today- it feels great to have that done. Amber loves cleaning this mirror. She helped a lot today. Actually all three kids did cleaning and help with dishes because we wanted things to look nice for when Joel and Amy came over to see the house for the first time and have lunch with us. Which they did. My brother came in the house with a loud "OH, NO!" and spent the next 15 minutes telling the kids how AWFUL and HORRIBLE our new house looks, which they really appreciated. (VERY bad. Even the doorknobs were just TERRIBLE. BOO to the doorknobs! Good thing the kids know their Uncle pretty well.) 

And the laundry room is painted, but in real life it's NOT this yellow. I don't know what the camera did to this color, but it's not this bright! I am glad it's not, because I'd get a headache doing the wash! But this shows you at least that the paint job is finished. 

It's hard to believe I'll be teaching here tomorrow! This makes me think about what a big day tomorrow is going to have to be to get it together. Uncle G came over again and really put some work in my lighting in the studio. I have a new track lighting and the little lights are beautiful. In case you are wondering, Uncle G stands for Uncle Genius. Also Uncle Generous.

 This is an example of the track light head he installed. Marc enjoyed hearing him talk shop with the lighting guys and the Home Depot guys when he described the difficulties with the broken arm of the track light. The substitute was far less expensive than the replacement. And it was done today!

This is in the kitchen, a special memory of Belgium.

It is SO good to finally have a clean room!!! And hey, new faceplates! All the downstairs plug and light switches are replaced and have new face plates as well. This is a new feather in Marc's construction cap.

 And our house got its face washed, too

 The kids enjoyed taking pictures of their dad doing ladders. I always forget how dangerous it looks until I see him do it again.

These two put in a lot of work around here today!
And tomorrow the oven and the new dishwasher come. We had an installation date for the 28th but someone cancelled and they moved us up. Was I ever glad. I have been only handwashing dishes (or paper plates) and stovetop meals. Marc took a tour in the kitchen tonight and started laughing. "We have a Maytag fridge, a Blomburg dishwasher, a Whirlpool oven, a KitchenAid range top and an Emerson microwave! If someone has to ask us what our appliance package is we'll have to say, uh... got 20 minutes? It's pretty eclectic around here." AND TOMORROW THE PIANOS COME. NO MORE COMMUTING!