Settling

Still working on figuring out how to add pictures to the end after starting a message. But here is our weekly vegetable delivery for this week: cauliflower, broccoli, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, flowers, onions, radishes. See more below about how we are eating them.

What a whirlwind week! I had three days off this week and we did do some fun stuff, but we also worked extremely hard around the house. The next few pictures will show all the hard work:

1. The "emptied" garage! Yes there is still stuff in it - wish I had taken a before picture. We had so much stuff to get rid of that about 1/4-1/3 of the third car garage was full. I donated the stuff to someone having a garage sale so she could sell it. Then the old sleeper sofa that doesn't fit into our house found a new home too! Yay, we have our third car space back for storage and exercise equipment.

2. I rearranged the end tables and got some new rugs. This picture is more for Matt to see the new layout. Nothing earth shattering. The rug in the bottom right of the picture I decided we needed because that carpet is going to wear quickly when walking between the hardwood spaces. The fun purchase of the week was the play rug for Stephen. I even put out some matchbox cars. I didn't tell him it was there, but he knew. When he came into the house he ran right to it!

3. The nursery! Making progress on getting it set up. The crib is out of Stephen's room. Debby worked so hard this week (thank you!!!) washing, folding, sorting, and organizing the girl clothes that we had. Notice that all those boxes from the previous post are gone? Her closet is even organized and my craft stuff is downstairs in its own closet and much more organized. Still some craft stuff to move out of the closet to empty it, but what a difference.

4. Stephen's bathroom got a makeover too. I got decals of fish for the wall. Bathtime was completely different last night. He said "Fish" so many times and enjoyed watching me put them up.

5. Our loft area. Again, wish I had before pictures! And again, more for Matt to see the difference. Have moved stuff around and organized the bookshelf. Stephen is now getting his play area up stairs made bigger and toys are finding their spots.

So you ask, what did we do fun? We went to Anchorage and saw a photo-video (photos put into a slide show with music) on the aurora. Amazing photography. We took a self-guided partial tour of downtown anchorage. I am seeing things I have driven by or walked by and not even noticed before. It is fun exploring the area. Ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant with a great lunch special!! Then we had to go to the mall and get something to get the parking validated. Well, we all got something! John, Debby, Lauren, Stephen, and baby each left the mall with items. Not a cheap validation! It would have been cheaper to pay the parking. It was fun shopping though.

We have been eating wonderfully! Debby is a delicious cook, and her salads are super yummy. She is putting our vegetable delivery to good use each night. All the veggies in the picture get incorporated every night. Stephen is enjoying some pretty delicious foods, but really likes grapes, blueberries, cheese, and peas. He does try a lot though. He has recently started "pre-tasting" his food. He will stick out his tongue and try to taste it before the food gets into his mouth. So funny!

This week will be big, grandma and grandpa come. Plus it becomes August - one month closer to daddy coming home! Hopefully we will find out soon his projected date to come home. It will make us all feel better and put a light at the end of the tunnel.