Remodel Day 2

So day two started off with a little frustration then day one. We had to cut the power off and shut off the water to the sink and dishwasher. The counter was a pain in the neck since it was all one piece. We were able to remove two free standing cabinets before the troubles started. I took a deep breath and helped dad as much as I could. Once we were both on the same page we were able to complete the gutting of the kitchen. Yes after two long days the kitchen is gutted and now we are just waiting for the new kitchen to arrive and be installed.

Checking the counter top to for the next step.

Dishwasher and counter removed and out of the way.
Cleaning up the mess from cutting out around the plumbing.
The empty kitchen.
Waiting for Home Depot to deliver the new kitchen and then come and install. It's been fun to gut the kitchen but I am ready to head back to Michigan to my kiddos. I am missing them at this point. I am also going broke eating out for dinner every night. Not having a kitchen and a diabetic dad makes it hard to eat right. I will be ready for a home cooked meal on my new stove.

Remodel Day 1

After spending a week in Michigan with friends and family it was time for me and my dad to head back to Tennessee to gut my kitchen. My dad has remodel his kitchen a few years ago so he brought a few tools that we would need in the process. He also brought along not one but two ladders. As we began our process I noticed two things. The first being our redneck tool box. A five gallon bucket. This is what my dad brought down from his own tool box back home. Then I noticed one other thing. We did not even go out to get either ladder we decided to use the redneck ladder as well. Yes you guessed it a kitchen chair. I guess when you work in the south you have to make things simple or things will not be completed. We made lots of progress today. We were able to get all the wall cupboards down and ready to be loaded in the truck to take them to Habitat for Humanity. Tomorrow we will continue with the lower cabinets and counter tops. My new cupboards and cabinets will be arriving by the end of the week and then keeping our fingers crossed Home Depot will be able to come and install them on Saturday or Monday before we head back to Michigan for a BIG birthday party. Below you will see the before pictures of my kitchen along with some action pictures of what we accomplished today.

Redneck toolbox Dad using the redneck ladder.
Before
Before everything was taken out.
Dad started with taking down the these cupboards.

I climbed on the counter top (redneck ladder 2) to cut the seams from the paint job that was done before we bought the house.I then took the crowbar to pry the crown modeling from the cupboards and ceiling. This was the fun part that made a big mess. I was able to use a little muscle.

After showing my muscles with the crowbar. Dad handed me the drill to take out the screws that held the cupboards to the wall.

This is what my kitchen now looks like. We did get that last cupboard down too but we had to cut the power to the hood. But my kitchen walls are naked and waiting to have their new "clothes" put up. It's going to be great. I can't wait.

Tomorrow will bring new pictures and new emptiness to the kitchen. This process has gone very smooth. I have to say thank you to both Grandma and Grandpa Ringman and Nana and Aunt Mimi for taking care of my two kiddos while I am here with Papa. This process would not be going so well if I had to watch two little people. So "THANK YOU" it means a lot to me to have family you to help when needed.

Family Fun (Part II)

On Sunday we went to yet another family reunion. This time it was my grandmother's (mom's mom). There are more children who attend this reunion then the first so they had lots of toys and things for the children to play. Pinata time was great. But where are Riley and Brenden. Not at the pinata candy. Lets try the next game.

The fish pond. This has been played forever at this reunion. I remember going fishing and receiving some great toys. But who is that fishing? Too big to be Riley and too girlie to be Brenden. Where are those two cute kids?
I found them. They are at the local swimming pool. Riley took one look at that pool and she could not wait to get her swim suit on and get into the water. We were able to have lunch first before we went but that was about it. The kids enjoyed the pool. It was two feet deep and Riley could walk around and she learned to kick her feet while hanging on the edge of the pool. The other little kids in the pool played well with Riley and Brenden. We all had a great time.

Me and Brenden walking around the pool. Amy took this picture and cut off my head.
Riley waiting for the break to be over so she could jump back in to swim.
She loved that she could be free and walk around all by herself. It was great to see her with so much confidence.


We did not spend much time visiting with all the family members but the kids had a great time swimming and playing in the water.

Family Fun (Part I)

Who do I look like?

My mom thinks I look like a country singer. When she tried my western cowboy hat on me in Wal-Mart she laughed and Nana had to buy it for me so I could fit in with the other cowboys at Nana's family reunion. My mom and Nana had two different choices to who I looked like so I would like you to tell me who I look like and we will take a poll. Leave me a comment and we will post the results and my mom and Nana's thoughts later.

This picture might be a little more helpful. You can see my face. But don't I make a cute cowboy?
Saturday we had a wonderful time at our family reunion. It was my grandfather side (mom's dad). They are all a little crazy and wild so we have started to have themes has we celebrate. This year was a Western theme and we all had on cowboy hats. Some were dressed up a little more then others but its all in good fun. The kids had a pony race with a stick pony. As soon as Riley and Brenden found these ponies they both picked a favorite and we ended up taking two of them home with us. They both enjoyed their "new" toy.



Brenden riding his pony. He thought it was so funny to ride his pony like sissy. He was walking and laughing and then he let go with one hand and was waving it all round. Sandy was Brenden's pony's name due to the sand color. It was the cutest thing.

Riley posing with her "new" pony Sparkles. A white pony with a purple main and red sparkles in her hair. She picked this pony because it matched her shirt that day.

Riley loved her pony so much that she fell asleep with her pony that night. In fact when she woke up "Sparkles" fell off the couch and she had to remember her that she was to sleep on the couch. It was so funny to listen to her talk to "Sparkles".

Best Friends

Today Riley and I had a rought start. We were out this morning and had to leave because of her attitude and behavior. She was crying and screaming. So we left and came straight home. I was so upset with her that I began to cry in the truck. She then decided that she was done with all the nonsense and rode quietly. I took a time out away from her for a moment and then we had a wonderful talk. We talked about what happened today and why she was so upset. I told her that she needs to use her words and not act in that manner again. She looked at me and said ok, I'm sorry mommy, and gave me a huge hug. Then she tells that I am her "Best Friend". Riley is my best friend even if she is only three years old. After a conversation like this one I can see why I love her so much. I know that she has her moments like the one this morning but she can make it up to me just a quick as she brought it out. We are truely mother and daughter and our relationship is going through the same bumps that my relationship with my mom did. It's crazy and I am sure she is loving but I know that in the end we will all be great friends and have a very close relationship.

Thank You

Thank you Aunt Andi for creating a new look for our blog. It looks great. You did a wonderful job. If anyone else is interested in having a new look for their blog feel free to go to Scrappin Blogs by Andi on my side bar. There you can see all the other headers and blog pages she has help create. Thank you again, Aunt Andi.

Independence

Both Riley and Brenden are very independent. Not sure if this is a good thing yet or not. While playing at the park Brenden does not want anyone to help him do anything. He can do it himself. Not that I am too far away because he would just walk right off the edge and onto the ground. He does not care as long as he can do it by himself.

Here is is trying to turn the red handle to make the gears inside turn.

Brenden has learned to climb up steps without much trouble. So don't help him or you will get yelled at.
Little Miss Attitude
While at the park she likes to explore and play with the other children. Since she no long goes to day care she enjoys this time with other children. I allow her to play as long as she can see me. If she can't see me then she is too far or she needs to have me come along. There is usually lots of people at this park or I don't Riley were I can't see her. Riley has a great imagination. She can play with her babies and retell stories and act them out.
Mom, Riley and Brenden
Getting the kids around for a picture is not the easiest task. So when we have the chance to get a photo taken we take it. This was one of 5 pictures that my sister-in-law took for us. Thank you, Jen for taking pictures.

11 Months Old

I can't believe it Brenden is 11 months old today. Where has the time gone. My baby is growing up. He is very busy learning new things everyday. He is a pro at sleeping.

Day dreaming about something.
In the past 11 months Brenden has learned so much. It's amazing to me to watch him grow.

• Eating finger foods independently
• Crawling
• Standing
• Sitting
• Walking a few steps between items
• Talking more and more
• Playing with Riley
• Cutting Teeth - only two but working on the top two

In just a few short weeks or one month my son will be the BIG ONE.

WALKING!

Well here we go. Brenden is starting to walk. It did not take much for him to walk between to trusting adults. He started by taking just a few steps before falling and he is now willing to walk to Riley and turn around and walk back to mommy. No he is not walking to the kitchen and around the house just yet but he is willing to walk if he feels safe. He looks so cute. We have to get him to slow down before he will be walking around the house independantly. He thinks he can run already and he just took his first steps.

Brenden walking to his mommy.

He is really the short fat kid on the block. Everyone knows that kids because of his size. That is Brenden. He is so round. We were shopping and an elderly lady looked at Brenden and said, "Looks like he missed lunch." I laughed and said ya I don't want him to be the fat kid. She smiled and said that he was cute and that he will be walking all the off in a couple of months. Not knowing that it would be in just a couple of days that he would start walking. Enjoy the clip below of Brenden walking. He is doing a great job and we are all in trouble when he is on his own.

July 4th Visitors

The Poling Family came down to visit us for the 4th of July. We had a wonderful week of events that the kids all enjoyed. Here we are a the Freedom Fest on post to enjoy the fireworks. They were canrival rides and food there too but it was so crazy busy that we went just to see the fireworks. I thought since the guys were all deployed that it would not be so crazy but I was wrong. The kids all enjoyed the fireworks.

Riley, Jackson and Brock waiting for the show to begin.

Here are a few pictures of the show we seen. It's very hard to take pictures of fireworks where you can see the explosion. We had many pictures that were of the dark night sky.

This was Brenden's first fireworks show and he loved it. I am not sure what he liked more, the fireworks or people watching. As you can see he sat very well has his Uncle Homey took pictures too.
This is how Riley watched the whole show. She had her hands over her ears because it was too loud for her. She loved to watch as she is pointing for me to look at what is happening behind me. She asked when it was over so she could uncover her ears.

More pictures to come of our wonderful time with Uncle Homey, Aunt Jen, Brock and Jackson.

Eating with a Fork

Brenden is learning how to use his fork and spoon while eating. He is not all the talented at getting the food onto the fork just yet but does know that if he hands it to mom that I will put a bit on the end for him to take off. He does a better job eating using his fork then his fingers. He ends up playing and throwing his food when he uses his fingers to eat. Which cause a big mess for mom to clean up later.

Waiting for his fork.

Trying to find that BIG mouth.
Found his mouth with a smile.
Successful.

He is pretty good at finding his mouth on the first try. Other times like here we like to goof and play to make everyone laugh. Then its back to eating.