Update

I have been forgetting to blog lately! We have been sooo busy, but we have our house back! Except for some window treatments, stain on the deck handrails, and a few pieces of furniture, we are almost done.

Here is our new fireplace. The space of above the mantel will be for a T.V. or artwork if we don't like the T.V. up so high. We had to build the fireplace all the way to the ceiling to vent it since there is a bedroom on the other side of the wall.



This window used to be a fireplace. It totally blocked our view. We wanted to put in a six foot wide window, but we would have to restructure the entire two story wall. Wasn't going to happen! So we settled for four feet which is what the fireplace had been.



We were very happy with our contractor. From the back of the house you cannot tell there was ever a fireplace where the middle window is. It stuck out 18 inches on to the deck. The two side windows were enlarged one foot taller as well.



Our deck used to end after the third window. We couldn't even fit our table on it. The extension came out great!



Tomorrow we are leaving for California to celebrate Avery's first birthday! It's a Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday party. This is one of my all time favorite children's books.

Anna had her yearly developmental evaluation a few days ago. She will definitely qualify for free preschool where there will be speech services. But they also noticed, and I have wondered, that her sight may not be great. She gets really close to pictures, she likes to wear my glasses and she is pretty clumsy. It may be nothing, but I'll take her to a pediatric eye doctor next Friday. She would look cute in glasses!

While we are in California I'll also meet with a wedding planner for Becky's wedding and spend a few days at my mom's house. It will be nice for the kids to get to know one of their grandparents a little better.