This is my dining room painted Mayflower Red. It's the colour Kev and I chose and we are loving it! It's very warm and because the room is so big, it makes it cozier. We have a floor now and I have a little bit more painting to do. My fride is in place and clean now, the stove is clean and our countertop will be ready on Tuesday! I started cleaning out the dust in the cupboards last night and will continue that tonight so I can start placing stuff back in. I'm very excited and am sure I will rearrange things a couple of times. I think by next weekend, I'll be in our new kitchen!

First day of school 2007. Don't they look totally thrilled? They were all ready and out the lane, probably waiting 10 minutes for the bus. It is tradition that I walk out with them on the first day, after that Kevin always walks them out because he's heading to work then anyway. It started this way when Sam started kindergarten and I had 2 little ones at home, so Kevin would take her out in the morning and I would meet her after school. We can't see the road bacause of the bush so it makes me feel better knowing someone saw them onto the bus. Now after school, they just come in by themselves. I try and watch if I'm home. I find that after school, they just want to veg. Suppertime or bedtime seems to be the "chatty" time. All is going well so far and they seem to be ok with their teachers and classmates. Not much homework yet but that will come.

Summer...now just a memory.

Here are a few photos from summer, activities we did. Of course, not all our memories are recorded...just a sweet few.

Getting there.....

Well, we are getting somewhere now! I have odds and ends of painting to do, the trim will be on soon and Kevin plans to have the cupboards done tonight. Tomorrow I'm planning on getting flooring, a bit more paint and the tiles for the mudroom. My guess is in a couple of weeks I'll be moving back upstairs. Before we move back into the kitchen/ diningroom, I will have to clean and vacuum everywhere. We decided to leave the laundry room for now, it's not necessity to have it done. I can still do my wash.
I love the colours I picked out for the walls and look forward to washing dishes while watching the sunset out my patio door. We have a long way to go with the outdoor cleanup but that will be something to work at over the next few years. We did a lot over the last 10 years making changes, so maybe we'll work the next 10 making more.
My sister Karen and niece Kalli were here last week with the little boy they babysit. They hadn't been here since we started so it was quite a surprise for them. It was a quick visit because Owen had to be back for his afternoon nap. He was blowing bubbles with Katrina and he thought Josiah's trucks and tractors were pretty cool.
Well, I need to go help the guys load truck. Even though it's holiday Monday, the truck still has to take plants to Toronto. After that I need to go home and find lunch pails and thermoses, etc, for lunches tomorrow. I can't believe school is here already. I always have mixed feelings about this day. I love having them around but it will be easier to clean and get the organizing done in the house. It always scares me a little that we entrust our kids to total strangers for 8 hours every day. The teacher sees them more than we do! I am not willing to homeschool though so I must accept this decision we have made but attempt to get involved with the staff and be a teacher's "helper".
My goodness, I really need to go now. I wrote more than I meant to.