Busy Weekend

This weekend proved to be another busy one for us. Kaylynn competed in the East Central Indiana Science Fair competition on Saturday morning. After registering, she had to stay by herself for 2 hours and endure multiple judges visiting her and asking questions. Although we could not stay for the awards, we have been informed that she won 2 special awards and was 2nd overall for her elementary division. We are so proud of her!

Then it was off to a basketball tournament in Hartford City. Our St. Paul team had 2 back to back games on Saturday and one today. Although we lost both, the team played incredibly well. All the parents are so proud of the improvement the girls showed as we ended the season.

We came home to enjoy what remained of our weekend by putting up our new television and setting up the entertainment system with it. It will be good to get our house back in order after a week of trying to find a place for everything. The only catch has been when Eric and I tried to move the old corner entertainment senter out and it won't fit through the doorways. How did we get it in here?

Well, March is here and hopefully we start to see some spring weather. Kaylynn has ISTEP this week, the first week of two this spring. Wish her well. We are now officially in between sports seasons while still preparing for soccer and doing judo. Garrett is headed to Illinois next weekend for a tournament - so wish him well! We will keep you posted. I will try to post pictures and/or video soon. Take care!

Construction Continues

This past Sunday, the kids and I joined mom and dad at the farm house working on taking out walls. The upstairs (sorry no pictures) is gutted, along with the ceiling. The pictures that follow show the downstairs - the bedroom is done, the living room nearly completed and the kitchen and bathroom started. The kids could not wait to rip out the kitchen cabinets. Enjoy - and think about what you have been missing - did I mention that the kids and I are enjoying sore hands and arms today?

Kaylynn destroys the cabinets.

Garrett sure is strong!

The time they have waited for arrived.

All grins with his success.

Clean up is part of it.

Mom tears off walls from what was the living room.

Looking from what was the living room area toward the former bedroom.

This was the closet in the bedroom.

From the bedroom out to the living room.

Look at the hard wood floors - they will be great after refinishing!

Bathrrom destruction has begun.

Now that is an outhouse!

(Picture courtesy of Garrett.)

The main pile of rubble keeps growing!

Snow Much Fun!

Well, we have survived a week of snow adn more snow and wind and did I mention snow?! School was delayed every day this week except for Monday. The kids did not have school today as it was already scheduled as a winter break. No school Tuesday and the kids and Eric (yes - he was off work) had an amazing day with the snowmobiles and a sled. Eric pulled the kids on a sled over the snow hills in our yard. It was so much fun they dented the new metal sled! After a quick nap when I got home, I joined them and we got both snowmobiles out. After Eric and I went for a short ride down the road, Eric and Garrett rode one and Kaylynn and I rode the other. It was an enjoyable time. Then the wind picked up and it was a good thing Eric decided to give a snow fence a try - saved his plowing needs the next morning.

We are headed skiing - or least the kids and Eric will be skiing - tomorrow. Us along with 2 other families will hit the slopes tomorrow at Swiss Valley and are planning to toboggan at Pokagon State Park on Sunday. Pray that we come home with everyone in one piece. I will try to post pictures after the fun! We are enjoying the Olympics opening ceremony now and then to bed for an early rise to head north.

Oh yeah - I got an injection today in my right knee - the first of 5 total. It was to put more joint fluid into the knee in hopes that it helps it to move smoother. So far just a little odd feeling in it. We will keep you posted.

It's Science!

January has come and gone - way too fast! We have survived Catholic Schools Week, enjoyed Garrett's basketball season and are finishing up Kaylynn's basketball season. Hard to believe soccer season is just around the corner, especially when you look outside and see the waist high drifts in our yard. Okay - I must admit that you can see grass in most of the yard - but we have numerous waist high drifts from the Friday snow. Kaylynn has her first individual science fair project due tomorrow and we have worked for a month or so on it. She studied how rockets fly and did an experiment to determine the change in the launch time of a film canister due to the size of the antacid tablet used. Tried to upload a video - but no luck. I will try again later as I am finding myself quite tired and am heading to bed. Hope everyone is well and staying warm!