Whirlwind

Things have been C-R-A-Z-Y here and I will try to sum it up in a snapshot:
Discovered we had a slab leak about 2-1/2 weeks ago (I think). Plumber came and tore up a wall and the floor to find it, but find it they did. Insurance company came and said "we'll pay, and, by the way, you have more water damage under the hardwood floor than you realize, and since we can't match it, we have to replace the entire floor." Of course we said - yikes, but can you do it and have it all done by the 26th when our kids get here? They said they could and the fun began. Packers came and hauled away most of the downstairs furniture (not the carpeted area of the living room, but everything else). Demolition crew came the next day and tore up my beautiful hardwood floors. It took a few days to finally get the crew out to lay the new floor (and while it's fine, it is not as beautiful as my old one, but I couldn't find anything like it - I'll adjust). That took two days. And then yesterday (the 26th) the packers came and unloaded everything just in time for us to go pick up Nick, Jamie and the babies. Things are still a bit crazy. But to add to the overall drama, when all our furniture got packed out, we noticed water damage to another wall and part of the floor in the family room behind where the big TV hutch had been. On closer examination we discovered that the satellite TV installer who had put in our new receiver two years ago had installed his cable directly through the black PVC pipe that was the waste water pipe from the upstairs bathroom!!! Fortunately a call to Dish Network brought quick results (and I'm sure they were happy that they escaped paying for a new hardwood floor because it was definitely damaged). So while it created new and additional drama, it was also a blessing to discover something that was a nightmare waiting to happen (or was happening already in secret).

Anyway, it is for this reason I have had limited computer access at home (no internet) and so I sit this morning in a Starbucks (free internet) having breakfast on a day off while Nick gets me back on line at home. I have a couple of hours of homework to do before I can really get down to the business of getting the house ready for everyone. I have grocery shopping to do and some cleaning to do and bills to pay. Skyler and Sarah surprised us with the announcement that they were coming to spend the long weekend with us (although I know it's mostly about playing with Andrew and meeting Sadie!) So I am planning on selfishly monopolizing my entire family for a few fun days to get my fill of having the entire family together.

And yes, school has started back up. Yuck! On to homework . . .

One more down

Semester that is. Have to take one course over the summer AND I have to rev up on my research project so I don't get to rest much. But the light is definitely at the end of the tunnel. After this summer course is over, I will have no more didactic courses - it's all just my capstone project!

I actually sewed this weekend. First time in I can't even remember when. It felt great. I do have a "to do" list I need to work on: pack up Skyler's bedroom in preparation for Nick, Jamie and kids, and rearrange the sewing room to make it safe for "ditto."

Kitchen is still not quite done. Undercounter lighting still needs to be done, still waiting on the end panels (false fronts), and there are a few little finishing touches that need to be done - a paint dab here and there, things like that.

Skyler and Sarah are in Provo right now for Skyler's internship. He let me know today that he has been offered a 6 month contract! He is trying to see if he can make that work with his school; it would mean some good money and benefits, not to mention a good resume builder, so he is hoping he can make it work.

Natalie has been getting quite a bit of massage work lately. Chelsea and Trenton are close to the end of their semester and already planning their summer school schedules. Working hard!