Monthly Archives: February 2019

February 14-28, 2019

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We had our first ever kid-free vacation! Kevin was in San Francisco for the week for work, speaking at the IBM Think! Conference. He flew out super early Monday morning and I flew out on Thursday (Valentine’s Day) to join him for a long weekend sans the kids. Jim and Pat were gracious to watch the boys for us for those five (!) days. We are really grateful and the boys had a fun time with Grandma and Grandpa!

This was the first time I’d flown alone is a super long time. I had a short flight to St. Louis, a short layover there before heading on to San Francisco. Southwest served free drinks for Valentine’s Day so I enjoyed a mimosa while I chatted with my seatmate, a lovely lady who was traveling to San Francisco with her husband for a conference (not the one Kevin was at though, lol). She lived in Nashville and this was the first time they’d left their kids in about 5 years so we had some things in common to chat about. It was an easy flight, thank goodness! Once I landed I took an Uber to the swanky Stanford Court Hotel in the Nob Hill area of downtown San Francisco where Kevin greeted me in the lobby. We exchanged valentine’s gifts (the heart bracelet, below and super good cookies 🙂 I think I received the nicer gift) and then we headed out to meet up with two of Kevin’s coworkers and friends. We spent the next Friday and part of Saturday doing all the tourist things exploring San Francisco. We had a delicious breakfast at Taylor Street Tavern and then walked all the way out to the Ferry Building, stopping to browse here and there along the way. We rode the metro electric street cars up to Pier 39 and enjoyed drinks and appetizers while taking in the view of Alcatraz and the bay. We walked by the seals (oh my, I forgot how t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e they smell!) on our way to Ghiradelli Square. We stopped at the San Francisco Brewing Company and then onward via cable car back to our hotel.

Before we headed out of town towards Healdsburg, we drove down Lombard Street. It’s not nearly as pretty in February as it is in the summer when all the plants are flowering! It was a cloudy and from time to time rainy drive up to Healdsburg, a fun little town in Sonoma County. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on our way. Once we arrived, we parked and just wondered around the downtown area where there are restaurants, bars, tasting rooms, and shops. We had a fun afternoon going from one place to the next. 

Sunday morning we ventured to a few wineries for tastings. Our first stop: Mill Creek Winery, a cute little family run winery with a small tasting room. Yvonne was great at explaining all of the wines as she poured each sample. We really enjoyed our visit there and left with a few bottles and a wine club membership, ha!

Our next stop was Geyser Peak Winery. We had another great experience there with a bubbly lady who really loved talking about each wine and the various “notes” they have. 

Our quick trip came to an end and when we arrived at the airport and got to our gate, Kevin was A1 for boarding on both legs of our flights home. What are the chances, lol? So I captured his picture which he didn’t love, but Finn enjoyed the photo as we were at gate 28, his bus number.

Grandma and Grandpa sent us this picture of the boys at bath time having so much fun! Our flight back was delayed a few hours departing St. Louis so we arrived home at 1 am, rather than 9 pm. We were super happy when we got back and I couldn’t wait to check on the kids. 

The rest of the month just seemed to fly by. I’ve been trying to take pictures that capture the boys personalities, rather than always taking posed pictures. And I’ve posted some videos too that aren’t really anything fancy to watch, just everyday things I want to remember! I wish I could figure out why and how Reid ever learned to have such crazy table manners. I often sit him in his high chair while I make dinner. The result is that he stays put while I’m making dinner, but as soon as we sit down to eat he’s ready to get up! And he just says “done” and “down” over and over, pushes his plate away (or dumps it) and often launches his silverware across the counter or room. No joke. It is entirely frustrating and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. But, I guess that’s what life is like at less than two years old?

Sir Reid is also quite the climber. He’s climbed out of his crib a few times with me in the room (my back was turned so I didn’t even know he was doing it until I heard chuckling) and once with a sitter! We’ve gotten the door covers that go over the knobs (as he can also open the round door knobs and escape from any room) but he’s already figured out how to get them off the door. This boy is gonna be trouble. 

The boys have been enjoying outside play time with Cole, Cooper, and Abbie lately. One day I arrived home to a front yard game of football with Griffin, Georgia, Ella, and Abbie. 

After church on Sunday, Griffin and I went on a lunch date (we’d gone to church solo) to First Watch. He tore in to his plate of chocolate chip pancakes and we had a nice time together. Daddy and Reid were home napping and catching up on sleep. Reid continues to explore in the pantry and currently loves to stack coffee k-cups. Griffin completed his blue sight word book and received his certificate that included free custard at Culvers. Great job, Finn! 

Millcreek is getting busier with production as we prepare for the spring shipping season. On one of my ventures out of the office this week I snapped some pictures of plug trays that are about ready to be transplanted. It’s like walking through a green tropical rain forest in the conservatory this time of year. 

While we were in San Francisco both Lily and Brutus vomited a time or two. Lily seemed to also really be struggling with her walking, so I made an appointment and Kevin took her in to get looked at. Dr. Mansfield says it is just arthritis, even though it seems her back left leg is the most hobbly. She ran a full CBC of bloodwork, the results of which showed increased levels of the pancreas enzyme as well as a liver enzyme. That along with her decreased appetite, Dr. Mansfield recommended an ultrasound of her abdomen to look at the liver and pancreas. On Thursday the traveling vet from OSU performed the ultrasound and Dr. Mansfield called me with the results. They saw some “very concerning” changes in the thickness and lining of Lily’s stomach. She mentioned the “very concerning” at least three times. It is likely one of two things: severe gastritis (ulceration and irritation of the stomach) or stomach cancer. The only way to know for sure is to do a biopsy, either by endoscopy or surgical procedure. Given Lily’s current health status with her struggling to get around well, lack of appetite, she’s lost 7 or 8 pounds, and he vomiting I wasn’t sure a big medical procedure was the best thing for now. So we’re treating it as severe gastritis and she’s on a myriad of medications (12 pills a day) for the next couple of weeks to see if her appetite improves and she maintains her weight. The also ran a full set of x-rays, which revealed that her arthritis is “significantly” worse than it was just 2 years ago. My sweet Lily girl, I was heartbroken when Dr. Mansfield listed the possibilities of what’s wrong with her. She’s had a tough adult life – tooth extractions, torn ccl surgery, terrible arthritis. It seems Reid was able to tell she’s not feeling well as he’s been all about Lily (yih yee) lately. He sits right up next to her, hugs her, lays next to her and she just takes it all in.  o

February 2019 ~ New Windows!!

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We got new windows!! After years of not being able to open many of our windows (and me complaining) we took the plunge and replaced all of the windows in our house! The kitchen bay window at our new sink was replaced when we remodeled 4 1/2 years ago, but every other window, including those in the garage, are now brand new! The back door near the bay window in the kitchen was also replaced. We have not replaced the glass doors to the porch for now.

We went with Pella Architectural Series 400 windows that are white on the inside, white screens, oil rubbed bronze hardware, and a putty color outside (same as what was put in the kitchen bay window other than those were brown screens). They are wood windows with aluminum cladding on the outside. We have all brand new screens and in some rooms new blinds, other rooms just bare windows for now. All of the wood trim was replaced but remains unpainted as of now. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to open the windows!!! And each of the rooms looks so nice, even though they aren’t yet painted. We plan to paint them white which of course brings up the issue of our oak stained trim and doors everywhere. At some point we’ll likely get everything painted white – perhaps over a period of time as that will be a huge project.

Here are some room by room before and after photos. From the outside it can be hard to tell, but the old windows are the paint color and the new ones are a tan-like putty. Sadly I guess I didn’t get a full view of the front of the house before, only after. In any case, you’ll notice Brutus modeling his statue-like behavior as I went from room to room taking before pictures :).

BEFORE

AFTER

I took Griffin and Reid to the zoo the first day of the window project. It was in the mid 50’s and sunny to overcast. Right as we were arriving home they were tossing his window frame out and we were able to snap a pic of it coming out. Pretty cool!

In the loft, they did a really great job taking out the wood trim and then putting the same trim back. You can really barely tell they did anything other than the window is now white!

We’re also making some improvements to our screened in porch. A couple of years ago when we got a new roof, we had two skylights put in the roof. The ceiling, however, was a flat ceiling so you couldn’t see the windows. Brett is opening up the ceiling, putting in a couple of beams, some lighting, electrical (including controllers for the skylights that will open), a new window on the north peak. As it turns out when either Pella or Lowe’s slightly screwed up the window order and the two side windows in our master bath bay window were the incorrect size. The ended up giving us those for free! We were going to use one of the windows that came out of the house but instead ending up using a brand new window in the north peak wall of the porch. We’re putting in windows in the porch as well, but they aren’t in yet. I’m really looking forward to having more of a three-season room that stays pollen free 🙂 These pictures are the beginnings, it’s still a work in progress.

February 1-13, 2019

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Here I am at the end of March, trying to find time to post about life back in early February! I guess that’s what pictures are good for, eh? Stirring up the memories. We had gotten a good amount of snow and school was cancelled on the day of bookfair setup at Tyler Run. I was off that day from Millcreek and Jim and Pat had stayed the night previous so thankfully I was able to leave Reid at home with them while Griffin and I headed in to school to do some setup. As always, he was a great helper setting up the room. We also enjoyed some warmer weather where Griffin and Cole were coloring on the driveway in the sunshine 🙂 Early February started out with our window replacement for the whole house – but I’m going to make that a separate post!

This one. He is so, so curious and observant. So stubborn and independent. And a risk taker. He’s cute and sassy. He looks at you with a smile when he knows he’s doing something he shouldn’t, and then he gives a little shriek or giggle of joy. 

Our childcare situation has been challenging since the first of the year. We have signed up with College Nannies and Tutors for now to get help finding someone. We interviewed a girl who was to start on Monday of this week, and on Sunday night at 10 pm I got a call that she wasn’t going to be able to be here. He car was repossessed (despite her having called me herself at 7 pm to say she was excited to begin the next day, I guess this happened after that). I was scheduled to be off Monday and Tuesday anyhow to be home and get her started, so I decided to make lemonade out of lemons and just enjoy the day. I took the boys to the zoo and they had a great time exploring. Reid jumped in all the puddles and came home soaked (after a huge 5 minute fit, where he wouldn’t let me buckle him into his seat in the car – joy!). Griffin loved running all around and expending his energy. When we arrived home, the window guys were popping his window frame out of his room on the outside and we were able to watch it all happen from the stop sign (but you’ll have to read the window post for that).

I signed up with my friend Claire to help chair the PTO Book Fair, which is a week each February at the school. I was able to see Griffin with his class, making their Gingerbread houses in the the main hallway one morning so that was a sweet surprise. He continues to do well at school and is mastering his sight words. I must say, I’m not very good at the nightly review (or even a couple times a week review). Seems by the time I get home from work and we do dinner, it’s then time for bed and it’s totally slipped my mind. But this kid gets them down in a short bit of time – thankfully!

Here are some scenes from the bookfair. This years theme was dinosaurs. A mom from the school makes all of the decorations and she does a great job! I didn’t get one of the hallway, which was really neat. 

Before I left for San Francisco I left work early and attended Griffin’s Kindergarten Valentine concert one afternoon. The kids sang various songs and demonstrated how they use their voices when playing different games. It was really cute. Then, to my surprise, they called three kids up to read why they love someone – and one of them was Griffin! It’s in the video below. Afterwards we went to Graeter’s with the Dennie’s and then I got in a quick run to the store before I went home.

We were able to find a different nanny within a day or two and she began with us later that week. Her name is Haya and so far things are going well. She is working 4 days a week and a girl from church is working one day a week (all to avoid overtime which is outrageous!). 

One Friday night Cole was over and he and Griffin were playing together. At one point they were painting, they also wrote some comics, and then they were playing in the basement. All of a sudden around 5 pm I hear screaming and crying and the kids run up the stairs as I was running to the basement and Griffin’s mouth is covered in blood. I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from, I figured he’d banged his mouth and lost a tooth – but after some looking around and cleaning out his mouth it turns out he poked the roof of his mouth (thankfully the hard palate) with a green building stick – when he landed on the floor after jumping off the 4th step. He was crying terribly and bleeding a lot but luckily the bleeding stopped fairly soon. It could have been so much worse…..and he now understands not to put things in his mouth, nor jump off the stairs!

I took Brutus to the vet for his regular shots and to get more medicine for his allergies. We’ve been doing daily pills rather than shots for now and since his vet is out of town for the next month we’re gonna stick with that. He was a really good boy this time – eventhough he gets very unsure and nervous there – no muzzle this time and not a bark or growl the whole time. Progress!

I was leaving for San Francisco the next day so on this night we had a silly time at bedtime. We were being all goofy and giggly and it was a lot of fun. Griffin took the picture of Reid and me 🙂 The next morning was Valentine’s Day, the day I was leaving, so I had the kitchen all setup for when the boys woke up. Thankfully they each woke up before I headed out so I got some good snuggles. Haya brought cookies for them to bake and decorate and by the time I landed in San Francisco I had a video and some pictures from here.  They were having a good time 🙂

We’ve gone around about what kind of stained glass Dad could make to have in Reid’s room, and we finally chose a cute fox. Dad whipped that thing up in no time and we were super excited to see it! We’re waiting to put it up until the new windows are done – but it is the perfect fox and the colors are great! Thanks Dad!

Kevin needed some new profile pics for work purposes so at out monthly dinner (this time lunch) with the Bethune’s Amy took Kevin’s photos. They turned out super great. 

And check out this throwback to Griffin, when he was a little older than Reid is now. Lily and Cammie are so young. And his crazy long hair!