Need Demolition Crew?

Funny thing that happened this week - We started removing the linoleum from our bathroom, in preparation for tile. Mama enticed Underfoot and Hurricane by offering them 1 dollar if they scraped the floor clean.

Hurricane decided it was so much fun that he started removing the linoleum from the kitchen. We weren't planning to do the kitchen until after the bathroom was complete ... meaning that we'd removed everything and installed the new tile.

Hurricane has a way of motivating us.

Today we attended church in our new building for the first time. How wonderful it was! Yesterday was the open house. We spent several nights this week knocking on doors and inviting neighbors to come see the inside of the building.

Hurricane helping with the refreshment shopping.

Mama was tasked with providing refreshments.

In all some 300-400 neighbors toured the building. We can now walk to church in less time than it previously took to drive. I am seriously considering riding bikes with the boys. Mama might still take the car, but bikes could be fun.

With the new building comes a new schedule on Sundays. We now meet from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., which means mornings are busy but then we have the afternoon. Mama is taking a Sunday afternoon nap for the first time in years.

Just a random picture

Underfoot and I played a round of Settlers of Catan, which is my favorite board game. Underfoot is a little young to play, but he is learning quickly.

Hurricane and Underfoot have 5 Saturdays left of Soccer. It is fun to watch them play. The games are held on Saturdays at the same field. Mama coaches Hurricane's team, so she is coaching Hurricane while Underfoot is playing, so I always watch Underfoot's team. It is interesting to see how some parents are far more concerned with winning than we are.

Mama painted the frame of a mirror in our entry area this week.

Before

The new frame is black, which matches the other frames in the entry room and the whole front room. We have a picture family tree and all the frames are black.

After

It is something she's been stewing over for the last 6 months. She is sometimes slow to action, unlike Hurricane.

This week Mama saw the orthopedist to get the prognosis on her ankle. (She had an MRI done back in December.)

It turns out that she has a genetic condition called talocalcaneal coalition, which in plain English means she has arthritis in her ankle and two bones are fusing together when they should not be. They never developed as two separate entities. This means she will like never run again, at least not on a consistent basis. She can swim and bike because they are both low impact, but running is out. She is very sad about this, as she had the goal to run a marathon. At least we now know what it is, and how she can manage it.

Underfoot's personality continues to develop.

He is learning how to tell jokes appropriately, how to work the punch line, and how get others to laugh.

It is fun to watch.

Mama and the boys saw a random rainbow during the week.

They stopped so Mama could snap a picture on her phone. It is amazing how simple things can mean so much to a 5 and 7 year old.

Here are 2 pictures that don't have a story but happen every night at our house.

Underfoot picks out a book and reads on the top bunk.

Hurricane and Sweetheart read a book together. They usually laugh about the story they are reading.