The Merry Month of May

We left for Spencer and Brooke's place on the 9th of May. We had wind, rain, snow and sleet until we got to Denver and then the rest of the trip was pretty nice. We saw a huge avalanche going through the mountains before we got to Denver. It had stopped just short of the freeway. We arrived the day before Abby's pre-school program and last day of pre-school. Here she is after her program in front of the church where she went to pre-school. She loved school and will miss it. Now it's off to kindergarten.

Abby had been waiting since her birthday in February for us to get there with her birthday present. We told her it was too big to mail, so then she was really curious. She and grandpa spent one whole afternoon putting it together.

Grandpa had a productive visit. Carter asked Grandpa if he would help him build a doghouse, so they did. They don't have a dog. Spencer thinks maybe Carter is trying the theory "...if you build it, he will come." However, it was a great little project. Abby and Carter did all the painting. Before we left, Dennis put the door on with a hinge and a handle. The three little humans were the ones playing inside it. Spencer and Brooke's new home is lovely. Their blog pictures make it look great, but even they don't do it justice.

We took the southern route home and detoured to Lubbock, Texas for a visit with Bishop and Sister Curtis. We enjoyed catching up on things with them and got in a session at the Lubbock Temple. I intended to take some pictures, but forgot until it was too dark. I had never been to Santa Fe or Taos, so we came home that way. We spent the afternoon walking around the old downtown and found it interesting. This is a statue of the first native American woman to achieve sainthood by the Catholic Church. The cool rainy weather caught up with us again in Santa Fe.

We walked around the state offices and state capitol building. I just thought this was funny. The ivy apparently does not always stay attached to the walls. This was probably 25 feet tall before it bent over.

We looked all over downtown and finally had to consult a map to discover that this was the New Mexico state capitol building....very unassuming.

Except for the distinctively southwestern architecture, we weren't particularly impressed with Taos. It seemed very much like a Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Park City....very artsy, very touristy and lots of high-end shopping. This was Kit Carson's home/now museum.

About ten miles west of Taos, you cross a bridge over the Rio Grande River. The gorge was impressive. I was astonished to be crossing the Rio Grande. I've always associated it with the Texas/Mexican border and didn't realize that the headwaters are in the Colorado Rockies.

We were driving along in this very remote part of New Mexico and we come upon this lovely little Mormon Church. I wrote down the name of the little branch somewhere, but can't find it now. They were part of the Santa Fe stake and even had their own satellite dish! The drive through the mountains to Durango, Colorado was beautiful. (I didn't know there was anything that pretty in New Mexico!) We got in a real blizzard though. Spring is having a hard time arriving in this part of the country.

We got back home in time for Nathan's pre-school graduation. He did a great job on their little program. Nathan asked Grandpa if he would come to all his graduations. Dennis said he'd sure try. Nathan said, "Good! My next one is Haydn Peak." Haydn Peak is the elementary school where he will start kindergarten next fall.

Nathan with Mrs. Hermansen, his teacher. Nathan got to keep his cap. We thought it was perfect for pre-school--especially the fruit loop tassel.

Ahhh...back in the kitchen

Okay, this post will make a lot more sense if you start at the bottom and go to this picture last. I always think I'll remember to do it the right way and then I forget. Senior moment?... Nathan is trying his hand at t-ball this year and stopped by our house right after he got his uniform. He was so anxious to try it on, we had to get a picture with grandpa. He hasn't had a game yet due to lousy spring weather, but maybe today will be the day.

This is some of the lousy spring weather I'm talking about. This was what we woke up to on April 2nd and we've had more since. Fortunately it melts quickly and sure makes our lawns green.

Alexis' eleventh birthday fell on Easter this year, so we celebrated Easter, Alexis' birthday, Andrew's first birthday and Lara and Melanie's (Oh, no, it can't be!!) 40th all on the same day.

Great anticipation for the annual egg roll!! Melanie and Daniel were the finalist. In his excitement Daniel leaned on his egg and broke it, so he got a new substitute for the last roll, but Melanie took home the "coveted" trophy.

The grandkids had an egg hunt in the backyard. After the hunt, they held up letters spelling out HI LIANA to our dear Liana in Armenia.

The two littlest, Daniel and Andrew, got a head start on the bigger kids for the hunt. Daniel, however, didn't need a head start. He was an adept egg finder.

Cute little Andrew at his first egg hunt. He was very content with the first one he found on the grass.

The valance above the sink and our fancy new faucet. I was aghast when I saw how much faucets cost nowdays. This wasn't the most expensive one in the store, but we like it and it works great. Some temporary Easter decorations are on the shelf, but I haven't decided what this space needs. Any suggestions? We had all the family who could come here for Easter and tried out all the new appliances. I found out that the double ovens work better when you leave them both turned on. It's all a delightful adventure getting used to new locations for everything and new appliances.

Little corner shelf that the cabinet guy suggested. I love it. Grandma Miner's cookie jar is on the top, for now anyway and our Greek vases are on the middle shelf.

Appliances are finding their niches--though apparently not the dishtowel...sorry about that.

Crown molding is done, hardward is on and counter tops are installed.

Progressing nicely!

The installers were so fast. We thought they did such a good job and had it all done in less than two days.

We have cabinets....boxes and boxes of them sitting on our new tile floor waiting to be installed.

What we've been up to...

Wow! Guess we haven't posted anything for a while. Our all-consuming job right now is redoing our kitchen. I was going to take a picture before we started, but forgot, so this is how it looked after we took out the upper cabinets.

We removed the suspended ceiling frame covering the florescent lighting. Not too pretty without its cover, is it?

Looking a little bare? It's kind of echo-y.

The best tearer-outer/remodeler you ever saw! Wires dangling everywhere that used to run through the soffit.

Going, going---now the soffit's almost gone. It was a little airy looking up through the edges of the kitchen ceiling seeing into the attic. We could see right out to the hexagonal vents below the gables. It was pretty chilly for a few days. Dennis had spent time in the attic prior to the tear out and moved tons of insulation, so it wouldn't all fall on our heads.

Now the pantry is history! Do you love the suspended light switches that used to be on the pantry wall? When you come in the kitchen now, you'll find them on the south wall.

There's one way to access your attic!!

New can lighting after the electrician's first day on the job.

Just thought you might get nostalgic looking at the old floor. Is it old enough to be retro yet?
The first redo came off easily, but this one is a bear. We're still at it, but will give you updates. The dishwasher, sink and faucet have found a new home at Habitat for Humanity. RCWiley hauled away the old stove.

The walls and ceiling with their new unmatched sheetrock. Still a little work ahead.

Very handy for snacking while watching TV. The refrigerator has taken up residence in the family room.

This is the new living room look. What do you think? Everything in the house is pretty much covered with dust--sheetrock dust, insulation dust, 32-year old dirt-behind the cabinet dust, flooring stuff dust.... We hope it's all for better things to come. Wish us luck!!