Whew! What a Week!

Ben was still at camp for half of this week, but Allen proved to be worth his weight in gold. We worked on the wall together a lot, but when I was working solo he was either watching the little ones for me or doing the house work to make up for me not doing it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, "I love having an older child to help out with the younger ones!" It was also cute to watch him get behind a tape measure and a drill. Just makes a mom say, "Awe, precious!!" (Well, this mom, anyway!) He also enjoyed grabbing my camera and taking pictures of our progress. (It's usually a "no touchy" item.)

Allen marked the walls for the new outlet boxes (This counts as extra math!) 1-26-09

So, anyway, Ben and I talked on the phone and decided to put drywall on the wall adjacent to the one I built last week and cover up the already filled in window (what an eyesore!).

Here is the nasty thing before sheet rock. Getting that window out of the way was a bear, but with God's help I won the battle! I also realized that I would like to have electrical outlets in the new wall. So this week our task was to re-wire the existing outlets in the walls instead of in the floor moulding and then run new romex wire through the new wall and install outlets there too.

Allen taking off the old cover to the wiring (power's off!) Lucky for me Ben's little brother, Evan, is an electrician and was able to answer a couple wiring questions over the phone about this mess! Thank you, Evan!!! Cutting a hole for the new outlet box. (Shaelynn and Charlie were troopers through all this again! They liked to hand me tools I didn't need and hide the ones I did need.) Shaelynn waiting to be fed and loved Charlie wanting to be held

Shaelynn poking the sheet rock with screws

Charlie practiced his perfect artistic circles on the wall with my pencil. Silly faces help to get it done right (just ask Michael Jordan).

Almost done!

I ran out of daylight! Power's back on!

Well, then Allen helped me by filling the holes from the screws while I bathed the babies.And after they were in bed I sanded the dry side of the new wall. (Allen got to stay up)

Ben got home from camp on Wednesday and brought me flowers because it was our 4th anniversary! Yea! Flowers! Thank you honey! I love them! Love them! Love them!The next 2 days Candice (our wonderful neighbor) watched our kids so we could go out of town. We went to Kartchner Caverns near Benson. It was a really cool thing to see. 1-29-09I drove us back to Tucson and I got a ticket because I was talking on my phone and not paying attention to the speed change. Ugh! We had a nice dinner at Olive Garden and stayed the night in Tucson. On the way home we stopped at Home Depot and picked out some paint for our living room, kitchen, and the ceiling and the beams. I can't wait to get it on the walls and get my house livable again.

On Saturday Ben watched the kids for me while I did some church stuff and I came home to find that he sanded most of the rest of the walls! The kids took naps so he pounced on it. I guess he's as eager to get the house back to normal as I am.

The heap of furniture in the center of our living room

Saturday night I watched Candice and Scott's boys (cause we SO owed them) and they played in the backyard the whole time. The big boys jumped on the trampoline and played on the slide and swing set.

Charlie, Quaide, and Ben 1-31-09

Sahelynn and Jarrett followed each other around babbling and laughing at each other. It was so cute that I just had to get some pictures.

Some day they'll be big enough!

Tomorrow we hope to finish sanding, texture and paint and wrap this project up. (Tuesday we pick up the base cabinets).

We also are looking forward to Shaelynn's 1st birthday!

Until then!