Day 4: 7 boys to 1 girl

Chloe and Ryan are involved in a play group with some friends at church.  Chloe is the only girl in the group and LOVES it.  She thrives on it, in fact, but then she's always played better with boys.  She can be a bit bossy (okay, that's an understatement), but boys tend to take it better than girls do so I guess it works.  One of her favorite things is to get all dressed up and pretend the boys are princes coming to rescue her.  Whether or not they actually play along is a mystery to me, but at the end of the day everyone still seems content and that's the important thing. 

Today I hosted play group.  That's right.  8 children under the age of 6 ran around my house for 2 1/2 hours!  It was chaotic but a lot of fun.  Here are {several} shots - 12 to be exactly - which I captured in the midst of the madness.  So much for a 'picture a day'.

Chloe certainly played her round of rowdiness.  But she also found time to color me a pretty picture.

The shot on the right is the only successful one I got of all 8 kids together. My other attempts failed miserably. Fun times.  But I'm glad I don't have to do it again for 5 weeks!

Day 3, Part 2: Chloe's pink balloon

I have a confession to make.  The photos I posted last night of Ryan were not actually taken yesterday.  They were taken last Thursday.  The truth is I barely touched my camera yesterday, but wanted to make sure I stayed on top of this 'Picture a Day' thing.  So I posted those shots of Ryan and called it a day. 

As I was heading up to bed last night, I stopped in the kids' rooms to check on them, as I do every night.  Both were passed out and looking as precious as ever.  But when I walked into Chloe's room I not only sighed at her preciousness, but chuckled when I noticed the pretty pink balloon floating above her.

We ate at Red Robin for dinner with Steve and Natalie and the kids got balloons on our way out.  Apparently Chloe was really attached to hers. 

So this is Day 3's official photo since it was actually taken on day 3, unlike those few of Ryan.  I'm not normally a cheater, but aren't you kind of glad I cheated this once?  After all, you got 4 pictures out of the deal when you normally would have only gotten 1!  :)

Day 3: Trains and football

I realize Ryan has pretty much dominated this 'Picture a Day' challenge thus far, but I simply can't resist sharing these today.  I promise to do something different tomorrow.

What can I say?  He loves his "tains".  And his "boo-it bahl" hat, which he rarely leaves home without (thank you, Dayna).  I am so happy I get to spend my days with this little man.  This morning he came in my room bright and early and crawled into bed with me.  With blanket in tow, he made sure we each got some of it.  I can still see him gently placing one end of the blanket over my shoulder while softly saying, "Here go, Mom."

Day 2: Who needs drawers?

And here's how I found Ryan after his nap today!  He was quite pleased with himself. 
When I walked in his room he smiled, pointed to the pile of clothes on the floor, and said, "Oook, Mom!" 

Only moments prior to my discovery that Ryan was at it again, half of these clothes were neatly folded on top of his dresser.  And the other half was already put away in the drawers.  So not only did this crazy son of mine shove the pile on top of the dresser off of the dresser, he then proceeded to empty all 4 drawers out!  I suppose this makes one wonder, who needs drawers?  Apparently Ryan doesn't.

January in a nutshell

Now that February has begun and before it ends, let me catch you up on January's events. 
That's right.  I'm keeping up this year.  Well, so far. 

Uncle D's Visit
So we spent New Year's Eve at Scott and Heather's as mentioned a few posts ago. New Year's Day, David came and hung out with us. We really didn't do much, but it was great relaxing and catching up. These days we see so little of each other, so I was especially grateful he took the time out of his crazy schedule to come hang for a couple days. I'm sure by the time he left he was exhausted from all the attention the kids gave him. Chloe especially. She just wanted to show off in every possible way, whether it be her knowledge of the story line of a movie she happened to be watching, her ability to do a somersault, sharing her wide selection of games and asking Uncle D to play, or even just fluttering around in her princess attire, waiting for his reaction. It was annoying and cute at the same time, and sadly, while I wanted to tell her to just leave the poor guy alone, I couldn't help but think back to when I was her age and did the exact same thing when we had company. I wish I'd gotten a picture of David and Chloe. Just one of those things you don't think about until after the fact, I suppose. Here are a couple I did get of David with Ryan.

And here's a great NOW and THEN for ya:
David and Ryan (26 months) playing around in photo booth.

David and Chloe (24 months) playing around in photo booth.

When I saw the one of David and Ryan, I had to share both!
 

Grandma Jill's visit
My mom flew in on January 3rd.  Her trip overlapped with David's by one day, which was a lot of fun.  Unfortunately I had just come down with a cold, and was sick the entire time she was here.  As a result, we didn't venture out too much.  It was still great having her though, and while I wasn't much of a hostess, Chloe and Ryan filled her time plenty.  I always love it when my mom comes.  There's just something about having her around that makes everything a little better.


The kids were obviously not neglected!


And, for those of you who give me grief about never posting pictures of myself, well, here you go!

My mom flew home on the 8th.  On our way to the airport we stopped at the Oakland temple to grab a picture. 



This temple holds a particularly special place in my mom's heart as it's the temple where she received her endowments in 1998.  It was also the temple in our district growing up (before the Sacramento temple was built), so I went here a handful of times for youth baptisms.  It's so unique and beautiful.  I'm glad we were able to stop by, even if only for a minute.  I can't wait to go on a session there!

Chloe sobbed at the airport when we dropped Grandma off.  She does not do well with goodbyes at all!  I felt so bad for her.  I wish she could see more of her grandparents (both sets!).  She is so tender hearted when it comes to family and loved ones.  Just tonight, in fact, she said to me, "Mommy, why can't all of my grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles live close to us?"

Another Project

Now, moving right along, what would a month in the Andersen household be without a project of some kind?  Neil's latest undertaking: overhead lighting in the upstairs. 



The guy amazes me.  How he makes a trip to Home Depot for needed supplies, cuts holes in the ceiling, climbs up into the attic to play with wires, and finally flips a switch to satisfy his accomplishment, I just don't know.  But he did it, and we now have overhead lighting in our office and play area.  Our bedroom is also wired for a ceiling fan, and the kids' rooms aren't far behind.  What builder doesn't do overhead lighting?  Shouldn't it just come standard with a newer home?  We've been asking ourselves that a lot over the last 3 months!  The downstairs is going to be a royal pain since Neil can't crawl up into the ceiling and will inevitably have to cut out dry wall and patch it up again.  Another project for another day!

Ryan's Latest
Not much has changed with Ryan.  He is still the destructive boy we've known for two years now.  He climbs onto counters, his dresser, in and out of his crib, the dining room table, the piano, the pantry shelves, you name it.  He helps himself to the fridge and pantry, plays in the toilet, jumps on our bed, changes out DVDs and CDs to his own pleasing, samples the toothpaste when I'm not watching, scrubs himself down with shampoo, puts on my makeup, you name it.  He's unstoppable.  Sometimes I feel like his sole purpose is to undo what I've just done.  A more detailed post on both Ryan and Chloe is in the works, but for now that's about where we're at.  He loves chocolate milk, loves his trains, loves Toy Story 3, has finally started putting words together and is doing a beautiful job of it, and most recently, shown interest in potty training.  Looks like we'll be tackling that fun stage very soon!

Chloe's Latest
Not too many updates on Chloe.  She's still full of personality, never running low on energy or her voice.  She is always talking.  Always.  ALWAYS!  Even when we play the game, "Let's see who can be quiet the longest", we still hear her whispering to herself.  The kid drives me nuts, over-explaining everything, questioning everything, socializing with everyone!  She has a definite mission on this earth!  There's no doubt about it.  While she makes me want to pull my hair out a fair portion of each day, I will have to say she's grown up in a lot of aspects too.  Tonight she'd gotten into trouble for not listening, and after I'd had a chance to cool down and gather my thoughts I went into her room and plopped her onto my lap.  As I rocked her, I confessed that motherhood is hard.  I confessed my weaknesses as a mother, and my lack of patience.  I promised her I was going to try harder to work with her if she would try harder too.  It was really neat seeing where the conversation went and hearing how responsive she was to the things I said.  I didn't have to candy coat anything or use simple, basic words to express myself.  I was just talking to her like any other human being and she was getting it!  About five minutes in, this dawned on me!  We were having a heart-to-heart about life!  Wow.  She is so smart, and truly absorbs more than I probably give her credit for.  She's a good girl, all in all, and just as her mother is, trying to be a little better every day.



This was taken about a week ago.  She came downstairs in her chef's uniform (which now fits Ryan better than it does her) asking to take Neil's order.  She then proceeded up the stairs and back down again with a plate of play food.  She loves playing "restaurant" and "house" and "princess" and every other imaginative thing she can come up with.  She is the only girl in her Primary class, the only girl in playgroup, and absolutely, positively thrives on it.  More on that later.
 

Resolutions

I resisted the whole New Year's resolution thing as it seems silly to set so many goals for yourself that you're so unlikely to keep.  Perhaps my attitude about that is a result of previous years' attempts at making resolutions only to quickly disappoint myself.  I will admit I did some serious reflecting in December (mainly as a result of my recent back issues) and, taking into account my normal tendencies, set some realistic goals for myself.  3 things on my list are as follows:

- Finish what you start

- Be in the best shape of your life by August 24th (30th birthday)

- Experience a runner's high 

I'm not really sure what inspired me to crave that runner's high, nor did I ever dream I'd have the desire or drive to start running.  But guess what?  I've been at it for over 2 weeks now, and well, I just may be hooked.  Running has honestly helped me on so many levels.  By nature I am the type of person who will start a project or form a habit, be pumped and dedicated at the beginning, giving it my all, but quickly give up when it becomes too hard or inconvenient.  So lame, but that's just who I've always been.  During our move as I was going through stuff and came across at least 4 unfinished craft projects, one of which I started 3 years ago, I just got fed up and decided it needed to stop.  Well, strangely enough, running has allowed me to see the light.  Already, I've crossed over the first big hump and proven to myself that it really is possible to run.  I used to pass runners on the road while driving and think to myself, "Crazy person!  Why would you want to run?" followed by, "I could never do that.  Even if I wanted to, I'm just not cut out for running."  Now when I see a runner I find myself thinking more along the lines of, "You go girl (or guy)!" and "I wonder how long s/he has been running, how far s/he has gone, what brand of running shoes s/he is wearing, etc..."  I don't love running, but I love the feeling I have after I've run - both physically and mentally.  I'm beat, which is great, but what's better is knowing that I accomplished my goal; that I'm maintaining a healthy habit and proving to myself that I can finish what I started!  One of these days, too, I'm bound to feel that runner's high.  AND, I'm bound to finish those craft projects I started!

I took my first run on January 15th.  I ran/walked (okay, mostly walked) just shy of 2 miles.  2 Fridays ago I finally made a goal of running half a mile without stopping.  I honestly didn't think I had it in me, but I just kept telling myself to keep going.  And I did just that.  Last Monday (Neil's birthday), I really shocked myself and ran 1.5 miles.  Last Thur, 1.6 and Fri, 1.7.  Monday I surprised myself once again and made it 2.4 miles without stopping.  Tomorrow's goal: 3 miles.  As difficult as it still is, I've found that running is just as much mental as it is physical.  Sure, there comes a point where you feel as though you just might drop dead on the road, but if you tell yourself to keep going, that you can do this and that you need to do this, suddenly it becomes possible.  The mind is a powerful aid when it comes to running, and has ultimately gotten me where I am now.  I still have goals I want to reach, but every day I gain more confidence that this is something I am going to stick with.  My left knee started bothering me a little over a week ago, and I've worried since then that I may just not have the right knees to run, but strangely, after Monday's run, the discomfort went from a "on the verge of an injury sore" to an "utterly exhausted sore", so I'm hoping that's a good sign that my knees are simply building strength and will start cooperating with me soon.  I've had a couple friends already ask me if I'm planning to train for any races.  Definitely not getting ahead of myself, and frankly, I have no desire to run even a half marathon.  Perhaps that will change in time, but for now, I could definitely see myself doing a 5k.  Part of me is tempted to sign up for one coming up in March (here in Ripon) because then I'll really have to commit, but I'm not sure I'm there yet.  I think I'll know in the next couple of weeks.



So other than some wonderful visitors at the beginning of the month, Neil's birthday at the end of the month, my getting-into-shape endeavors, installing overhead lighting, kids enjoying their new playroom and Ryan showing interest in potty training, it's been a pretty uneventful 31 days.  Let's see what February holds, shall we?

Picture a day for 28...

My friend, Courtney has inspired me.  She started a blog at the beginning of the year titled, Picture a Day, where her goal is to take 1 picture each day of 2011 and post it on her blog with an accompanying story.  The idea is to capture the little bits and pieces of life which we might otherwise forget or not take the time to cherish.  I absolutely love this concept, and while it's unrealistic to think I could do it for an entire year, I can definitely handle a month.  Especially February, which only has 28 days!  So I'm taking on Courtney's challenge!  Through the month of February, I will post one picture each day with a title and story.

Day 1: Ryan's Nap Accommodations

Truth be told, this is exactly how I found Ryan when I went to get him after his nap this afternoon.  Exactly.

How the poor child can sleep with all those silly trains, I haven't a clue!  But he has to have them - all 14 of them - before he's willing to settle down at nap or bed time.  I sure do love my crazy, train-obsessed Ryan.

p.s. Thanks for the jammies, Grandma Jill!  We love them!

Happy Birthday to Neil!

Neil's birthday was last Monday, the 24th.  I had planned an afternoon of bowling followed by burgers at Five Guys in Stockton, until Neil lovingly brought to my attention the fact that his finger was still in no shape to bowl and that it wasn't necessary to drive clear to Stockton just for a good hamburger.  So we scratched my original plans and went to Chevy's instead.  Our friend, Natalie drove down from San Ramon with her cute kids to help us celebrate (we missed Steve, who was out of town).  It was a simple birthday for a simple birthday boy.   

And now, for each year Neil has graced this world with his presence, here's one reason I love him!

1. He is a boy at heart.
2. He has the ability to make me laugh at myself.
3. He has a cheerful, optimistic nature.
4. He is generous with his time and talents.
5. He is fun to look at.
6. He is a worthy Priesthood holder who values and practices his beliefs faithfully.
7. He supports my hobbies and interests.
8. He refuses to hire out jobs he knows he can figure out on his own.
9. My memory of the expression on his face when he saw me for the first time in my wedding dress.
10. He is silly with the kids and makes them laugh as hard as I've ever seen a kid laugh.
11. He waited until our third date to kiss me. It took some serious will power, from what I hear, but he did it!
12. He completes the projects he starts.
13. He holds high respect for his mother.
14. He is slow to anger.
15. While extremely competitive, he always shows good sportsmanship.
16. He makes me feel safe.
17. He eats whatever I place in front of him.
18. He is the father of my children.
19. He is brutally honest but still tactful in the way he approaches me when something needs resolution.
20. My memory of witnessing his first moments as a new father.
21. He has an incredible sense of direction.
22. He is driven to succeed and perseveres to the end!
23. He has always supported my desire to be a homemaker and mother.
24. He is practical and easy to please.
25. He does not care what other people think.
26. He picks up after himself.
27. He has a contagiously beautiful smile.
28. He rarely complains.
29. He is confident but not arrogant.
30. He rough houses with the kids, takes them on dates, and makes them feel special.
31. He always has a smile on his face, even when he's mad.

32. He has never forgotten the anniversary of our first date.

I sure do love you, birthday boy!  Thanks for being born!

Amen to that!

"Nothing is more silly than silly laughter." - Catullus

Ringing in 2011

With less than a week left of January, it's probably time I start sharing some events of the month.

We spent New Year's Eve at my cousin, Heather's in Pleasanton.  She and her husband, Scott hosted a party and hired some of the best bay area jazz musicians to entertain.  My brother, David flew in from Salt Lake to complete the band, and it was one groovy night!  Seriously, they sounded amazing!  And I'm not a lover of jazz music.  Here are some shots I got throughout the night.

David Halliday (saxophone), Andrew Emer (bass), Alan U'Ren (drums), Wil Blades (organ) - not pictured

The kids provided entertainment between sets.  They were quite amused with themselves.

Ryan got this toy saxophone for Christmas from "aunt" Heather.
These photos speak for themselves.  It was a priceless moment.

And here's a mish mash of other shots taken throughout the night.

The music came to a close at 11:59pm.  After counting the last 20 seconds of 2010, kissing at the drop of the ball, and saying our goodbyes, we were on the road headed home by 12:06am.  Exhausted we were, and the kids BOTH stayed awake until we left!  Needless to say, January 1st was a sleeping in kinda morning!  Thanks again, Scott and Heather!  You guys know how to throw a party!

Random photo

In an attempt to feel more on top of things, I've been going through and organizing my 2010 photos.  So far so good!  Here's one I wanted to share with you from last January.

 

This was taken at the park just around the corner from our house in Colorado.  It was a bitter cold day.  One of those where you look out your window and see the sun shining, then convince yourself that it can't be that bad only to get outside and realize you've been deceived by the sun and are now about to freeze your tush off!  This is frequently the story with Colorado Januaries. 

See the snow in the background?  I miss that.  I don't care what any of you say about how miserable snow is.  I miss it.  I knew I would when we moved away, and I do.

I love the hazy sunlight in this photo coupled with the expression on Ryan's face.  It really sets the mood.  And it's so Ryan.  Calm.  Cool.  Content.  I love this boy.

Another forgotten post: So long, Primary...

Wow, another forgotten post!  What is with me?  I wrote this one in September shortly after I was released from Primary.  Again, months later and I'm just now getting around to publishing!  And from the looks of it, there are a handful of other posts from that same time waiting to be shared.  In my defense, September was an extremely busy month for me, and I think I just got into a habit of writing when I had the time, saving my work to "perfect" later, and never getting back to it.  Anyway, here goes.

Originally written 12 September 2010
I feel like I've said a lot of goodbyes lately.  Ultimately that's been a good thing because it's meant I'm that much closer to living the life of normalcy again (under the same roof as my husband).  Still, having to say goodbye to loved ones is never easy.  On August 29th I was released from the Primary Presidency in our Colorado ward.   As I've pondered life without Primary for the last couple weeks, I've quickly realized the things I already miss.

Primary music
It is impossible to work in Primary and not be touched by the songs - especially when sweet little souls are singing them.  One song that I have grown to love over the months, which is also probably the most known and frequently heard Primary song of all time is 'I Am a Child of God'.  What simple power and truth its words convey.  I cannot think of a more beautiful sound than that of children singing - or rather pleading with their Heavenly Father to lead them and guide them and walk beside them; to help them find the way; to teach them all that they must do to live with Him some day.  'I Am a Child of God', in my opinion, sums up our desires, goals and needs in this life.  It sums up the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have really grown to love and appreciate it, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to hear the sweet children sing it over and over again.  For if I hadn't, I'd probably still just consider it a somewhat boring Primary song that is sung way too often.

Teaching Sharing time
Never thought I would say that!  Being the perfectionist that I am, it wasn't uncommon for me to spend 8 hours preparing a Sharing Time lesson.  Drove me nuts!  Especially when my lessons still didn't quite go as planned and I was left feeling discouraged and unfulfilled because I didn't think I'd gotten my message across.  I will say that each month got a little easier, and with that my confidence grew.  Despite this challenge of getting up in front of all these children and leaders, I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.  The basic gospel truths that I not only learned, but grew to appreciate and love more than ever, hold priceless value.  Even if it's a familiar topic I'm teaching, there's always a new way to understand or appreciate it.

Watching Chloe blossom in the gospel
To see the innocent and boundless love that her tiny little (almost) 5 year old being already holds for her Heavenly Father and Savior is one of the greatest rewards I could ask for as a church leader or mother.

Working with 3 incredible women
It's always an interesting dynamic putting 4 women together, each of whom has come from a different walk of life carrying different qualities and strengths.  I think what stood out to me most about our presidency is that we supported and helped one another without question and without fail.  I loved laughing with, learning from, and building friendships with these women.  It was a beautiful connection and one I'll miss being a part of.

Camille, Amy, me and Susan (apparently I missed the B&W memo)

Today Camille pulled me into Primary one last time so the children could say their official goodbyes.  They presented me with a pink packet containing these precious drawings and thank you notes.  I was so touched by their thoughtfulness and only wish I could have uttered the right words to truly express how much they meant to me.  Hopefully my tears helped get the point across somewhat.  :)

My testimony certainly grew leaps and bounds in the 15 months I served in this Primary presidency.  I feel honored to have worked with these children.  I am certain they taught me more than I ever taught them, and that God intended it to be that way.  I have seen the strength and will power of this generation, and it's no wonder they would be placed on this earth right now!  While I am afraid for them, I am also confident they will have the strength to carry on the work of the Lord, and overcome the evil things thrown at them along the way.

From the mouth of Chloe

I haven't been the best lately about documenting the funny things Chloe says, but here are a handful of treasures I have managed to get on paper.  Some of these go back 6 or more months. 

"Mom, if you needed to put me in time out for 4 minutes, I would be just fine.  If you put me in time out for 60 minutes, I would not be fine."

"On your market, get set, ready, go!"

During a prayer, "Bless that our strength and bodies will help us stay alive."

Chloe: "Is my daddy allowed to cook?"
Me: "Sure!"
Chloe: "But he doesn't know how to?  Because it's too hard for him?"

"Mommy, I'm full.  It's all the way up to my tummy!"

"Dad, maybe when you're a little bit very stronger you can do it!"

After writing a '2' on a piece of paper, "What happens if you have a 2 this way?" (rotates the paper sideways)
"It'll be a N!  And what happens if you have a N this way?!" (rotates the paper further)
"It'll be a 2 again!  Pretty funny, huh?"

"I think I like salad and lettuce now.  I like both but not tomatoes.  I don't like those yet.  Not 'til I'm a grown up."

While watching the scene in 'The Slipper and the Rose' where Cinderella and the Prince get married, "This part makes me have tears."

A forgotten post : Ryan's prayer

In perusing my draft folder I came across this post, which I wrote on September 8th of last year.  For whatever reason I never got around to publishing it.  It's too cute not to share, even if it is 4 months old.  So, here goes.

Tonight there was much giggling at the dinner table.  Especially when it came time for the blessing on the food.  Ryan's vocabulary and desire to speak has exploded these recent weeks, and while you still can't make out a lot of what he says, you can tell he's trying.  Due to his growing desire to talk like the rest of us, he and Chloe often argue over who gets to say the prayer before meals or at bedtime.  Tonight was no different, and, well, Ryan won.

First off, Ryan never lets us forget to bless the food.  The minute we sit down at the table he immediately folds his arms and then looks around to see who is following his lead.  It's priceless.  Anyway, here's how his prayer went - with mommy's help, of course.

Me: "Dear Heavenly Father.."

Ryan: "Ehhh dyyyyyye.."

Me: "Thank you for this day.."

Ryan: "Ehhh dyyyyyye.."

Me: "Please bless this food.."

Ryan: "Ehhh dyyyyyye.."

Me: "Bless Daddy.."

..pause..

At this point, I heard Ryan gulping his milk.  Apparently all that praying was making him thirsty!  Still had one arm folded while the other supported the sippy cup he was now drinking from.  This is when Chloe chimed in and repeated, "Bless daddy..?"

...to which Ryan replied, "Ehh dyyyyyye.."

By now both Chloe and I were giggling, which then made Ryan start to giggle.  Then I peeked over at Chloe who was trying her darnedest to keep her eyes closed, but was peeking over at Ryan whose eyes had been wide open throughout the entire prayer. 

Seeing that our food was no longer hot, I figured it was time to finish things off so we could eat! 

Me: "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." 

Ryan: "Unn!"

I love my children.  And I love the simple moments like these that remind me how precious it is to be the mother of little ones. 

A job well done!

As mentioned in a previous post, Neil has been hard at work in the garage for the last several weeks preparing for Christmas morning. Santa gave him quite the assignment this year: 3 bookcases and a train table! But Neil, being the hard worker he is, conquered his task like a champ. Even with a slight interruption, which I'll talk more about in a minute, he met his deadline a day early, and Christmas morning the kids were presented with a much better functioning (and looking) play room!

Around mid-November, as we were examining our loft, we decided the first thing it needed was some kind of storage system. The toys and books had no shelves or bins to call home, and Chloe was using a large tupperware container as her coloring/"restaurant" table. Classy, I know.  Besides that, the area was just huge and needed some space fillers. In our last house the kids' toys were scattered between their bedrooms, and it worked just fine. But because we had a designated play area in the new house, we really wanted to utilize it and keep all the toys there.

After some searching, I tracked down some bookcases and a train table I liked. Neil looked them over in the store, drew up plans in his head, and made a Home Depot run for wood and supplies.  By Thanksgiving, he had made decent headway with the bookcases, and was on his way to finishing everything well before Christmas.

Then, he did what he does every Thanksgiving morning: played football with the boys.

About 5 minutes into the game, this happened:

He caught his right ring finger in someone's pocket, and CRUNCH!  Pretty much shattered it from the knuckle down.  He thought he had just dislocated it, so he stood on the side lines for a few minutes while the guys started playing again, trying to pop it back into place.  After a few more minutes he concluded the pain was not going away and he needed to call it a day.  I felt so bad for him when he walked in the door only 30 minutes after he'd taken off to go play.  He was tough though, hardly complained, and simply wrapped it up against a popsicle stick.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of it those first few days.  It was pretty ugly, swollen and bruised.  I guess it just didn't occur to me since Neil wasn't making a big deal of it.  Well, a week passed, then another.  The finger wasn't getting any better.  He couldn't even begin to bend it, and it was still hurting a lot.  Finally, he went in for an x-ray to see what the trouble was all about.  Within 48 hours, he was scheduling surgery!  Crazy.  And all because of a harmless game of Thanksgiving flag football.

Surgery took place December 10th (my dad's birthday).  They actually had to put him under for it, which he wasn't too thrilled about.  Here he is shortly after he came out of surgery. 

The surgeon told us that he had to re-break the bone because it had started fusing back together on its own. Apparently Neil went a little longer than he should have between the initial break and the surgery.  Ouch. The surgeon also placed 3 pins in the bone to ensure it would heal properly.  Double, or should I say triple Ouch! (1 for each pin - get it?).  Neil went back last week to have his stitches removed, and goes back again next week to have the pins removed.  They are underneath the skin, so I'm sure that's going to make for a fun doctor's visit.  It will probably be a while before things are completely back to normal.  Neil says what drives him the most crazy is that he can hardly bend his finger.  He has been working at it, but it's definitely going to take some time and patience.  Especially considering the break was on (and just below) the knuckle.

So back to this Christmas assignment!  This finger business naturally slowed Neil down.  But I was really amazed at how quickly he was back out there working, despite his fat, dysfunctional finger.

Here are some pictures from along the way.

These were taken December 1st, just before Neil's surgery.  The bookcases were fully assembled minus the back (beadboard panels), which Neil didn't screw on until just prior to the final coat of paint.

December 4th - Neil started the train table while I sanded down the bookcases.  What a job that was!  Thank goodness for an electric sander!  Thank you, Dad and Mom Halliday for the early Christmas present!

December 23rd - Neil adding the back paneling to the bookcases.  You can see the train table in the back.

And then below is sweet Ryan inspecting Daddy's work while enjoying a sugar cookie!
 

We did the second and final coat of paint that same evening.

Thank goodness for a sprayer too!  That made this process so much easier (and faster)!  And the finish couldn't have been more perfect.  We did a little research before starting the project and found some very helpful tips for achieving that smooth, professional finish.  It really worked!  They turned out so beautiful!

So here is the finished product (inspired by this).  I am planning to break up the monotony of toys and books with some baskets, and I'm envisioning a canvas United States map up on the wall centered above the middle bookcase.  Thoughts?  I'm not a decorator by any means.  It's just what I have in mind.

Here's the train table (inspired by this).  Ryan has been glued to this thing since Christmas morning.  He is absolutely, positively smitten.  And I love it.  I get so much pleasure out of watching his excited little face beam as he pushes the trains along the tracks while repeating the same 3 things over and over again:  "Tug, tug!" (chuga chuga), "Too too!" (choo choo), and, my personal favorite,  "Ahh-bort!" (all aboard).  He is most certainly a boy who loves his trains.  And that is exactly how it should be!

Neil did such a wonderful job.  He has no idea how much his efforts and hard work have meant to me.  I am so blessed to have a husband who not only has these amazing skills, but who actually enjoys putting those skills to work to create something so beautiful and useful!  And to think of how little we paid compared to what we would have spent had we purchased this stuff at Pottery Barn!

So this is what the loft is looking like now.  It doesn't feel complete to me yet, but these additions went a LONG way to help!  Do you like the red and blue slide?  I think it's a bit of an eye sore, but the kids love it, and there's certainly room for it in there. :)    

There are still a handful of things I'd like to do to complete this room (throw some color in, window treatments of some kind and something for the wall), but we'll get to it in time.  Chloe has a play kitchen that she has loved and used faithfully for over 3 years.  It has seen better days, but has held up really well overall.  I recently had an idea to build an extension of hers since we have the space and since it's been such a popular "toy" for both her and Ryan over the years.  As I got to searching around online, I fell in love.  Just look at this!


photo and creation courtesy of Crafting Chicks.

and THIS!

photo and creation courtesy of Blue Eyed Yonder.

Aren't they both adorable? I'm kind of leaning toward the second, though I love them both.  Believe it or not, I'm planning to tackle this one on my own!  Found some plans for it online, and it's a reasonably inexpensive project.  Neil says he'll help.  Should be interesting.  Not sure when we'll get around to it, but hopefully by summer.

Anyway, hats off to Neil, who truly outdid himself with all of this.  I really am so proud of him, especially given the circumstances with his finger.  Thanks again for a job well done!

Merry Christmas!