Remodeling Round-Up: Buh-bye 70's Basement!

Yee-Haw! I'm joining in the Spring Round-Up over at RemodelingGuy today! Having a "remodeling guy" of my very own, we've done several projects in our 1950's home in the last three years. Today I'm sharing our most dramatic remodeling project to date: the basement family room.

This was the picture included with the house listing. I know it's tiny, but I wanted you to see it as we saw it when we first toured the house, with all the gory details. I know, there are no words.

Here it was when we moved in. I think the carpet was my favorite.

How long were those pictures up on the wall?!! Here's the rockin' avocado green wet bar! Can't you just imagine the parties back in it's glory days? (Try to ignore the light switch cover of a golfer with a strategically placed switch - CLASSY!)Our first day in the new house, I mentioned to my in-laws that fixing up this room was going to be our first priority, when we had the time and money. You know what they did? They started rippinh down the paneling within the hour! (That's just the cool kinda people they are!) That weekend, they not only helped us move in, but also helped us tear down the paneling (and yes, the wet bar), demolish the floor, and got us started on the drywall. (THANKS Carl and Nancy!)
We finished the drywall, primed......and gave it a nice coat of blue paint (we're going for a country Americana theme here). Hubby replaced the fluorescent light fixtures and added some creamy beadboard wainscoting and crown moulding. He also built me this amazing mantel. From scratch. Yeah, he's pretty awesome.

We replaced the carpet and turned the wet bar corner into a computer corner. (missing a piece or two of crown moulding there.)

The worst room in the house is now one of our favorites. We LIVE in this room! It's a playroom, computer room, TV room, game room, reading room, party room, etc. We love it!

slap chop

He works hard for the money!

Our conversation about budget and finance during Family Home Evening:

Me: So what can we use money for?
Andrew: To buy things.
Me: Like what?
Andrew: Like things we want, and toys! And we can pay bills, and we can pay tithing.
Me: That's right. And how can we get money?
Andrew: By getting a job and working. And by losing teeth!

(He has been visited by the tooth fairy at least three times this year!)

Out of Hibernation

Irish Demolition

Logan the Artist

As I mentioned in my last post, Logan loves to draw! Give him a piece of paper and something to draw with, and he'll be content for quite a while. What is so interesting to me is how slowly and carefully he draws. Nothing he draws is a scribble; each line and each circle is thought out and meticulously placed. Even filling in a shape is a methodical and deliberate process. It's fascinating to watch.

Today, what started off as a name writing practice, quickly became a major doodle fest! He did write his name for the first time (shown directly under my letters, beginning with the backward letter 'L' - so cute!), but decided to move onto more exciting things after that.

As he drew, he told me the story of his drawing. Each person he drew had a made up name (Punky, Lunky, and Dunky are just a few that I remember) and unique characteristics like one eye, no hair, one leg, etc. Some were happy because they were good guys and some were sad because they were bad guys. The only "real" person in the drawing was Hannah (his all-time favorite subject to draw), wearing her signature piggy tails. He said they were all running to get in the door because it was snowing (see all the snowflakes and snowballs flying?). Then he drew party hats on everyone and said that there was a birthday party inside the door too.

Happy 4th Birthday, LOGAN!

Name: Logan Mac Anderson (Logan says his middle name is Anderson. When I tell him it's Mac, he says, "No! I don't like that name! It's not a name!")
Age: 4
Primary Teachers: "Brother Smith and Teacher Smith"
Best Friends: Gavin and Brigham
Favorite Foods: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, applesauce, Spaghetti-Os
Favorite Sayings: "When I was a baby...(then tells a story from six months to a year ago)" and "I hurt myself."
Logan also has some great pronunciations that we love: "so-co" (circle), "to-daey" (today), "sko" (school), "go" (girl)
Favorite Activity: Playing the Wii with Andrew, drawing, playing with Star Wars figures
Favorite Song: (Logan singing) "Oh here we are together, together, together. Oh here we are together at our preschool day. There's Logan, and Brigham, and Gavin, and Wesley. Oh here we are together at our preschool day!"
Favorite Movie: Madagascar 2
Favorite TV show: Phineas and Ferb
Favorite Color: red
What do you want to be when you grown up? "No. I won't be a grown-up."
Do you feel different now that you're four? "No. I'm not different. I'm just four."

This morning, when I told Logan he was four, he said, "Yes. Can I drive now?"

You make me happy every day, Little Buddy! I love you!

Chicago

Bryan had an anesthesia conference this weekend in Chicago, so we all tagged along and made a short vacation of it.

While Bryan presented at the conference, we hit the Shedd Aquarium. The sharks and sting rays were a big hit! (notice how Andrew and Kimball are holding hands until they realize they're caught on camera! HeHeHe!)

Shedd Aquarium Sharks from Summer Anderson on Vimeo.

My FAVORITE photo of the trip: Andrew's first glimpse of a shark at the Aquarium. I love his expression! We bumped into the Shupes at the Aquarium.

Logan, Kimball, Lakely, Andrew, and Gavin

The BeanMillenium Park Fountains

The kids loved splashing in the fountains. And yes, Hannah did fall and bonk her head pretty good at the end, but she's okay!

Millenium Park Fountain from Summer Anderson on Vimeo.

Hi Paiton!
The view from the top of the Sears Tower

Andrew and Bryan thought it was pretty funny to tease Logan with this toy. I know - mean!

ScaryToy from Summer Anderson on Vimeo.

Hannah and Daddy at the Hershey Store

Bryan was so excited to see the American Girls Store!Really, he was just excited to make fun of me as I oohhed and aahhed over all the dolls. (The Hershey's hat is a nice touch too, don't ya think?)Kirsten -my favorite! I received this doll for Christmas when I was around 10 years old. She's packed safely away in my parents' basement waiting for Hannah to be old enough to love her.

After such an action-packed day, the kids had had it by the time we made it to TGI Fridays for a late dinner. Our meals had barely arrived when Hannah and Logan both had meltdowns! There was a birthday at the table next to us, and when the servers finished singing to him, Logan burst into tears and sobbed, "People were shouting!" We left shortly after that. Hannah was asleep on my shoulder before we made it into to the hotel, and the other three crashed as soon at we got in the room. What a day!

Logan, Andrew, and Paiton, camping out on the hotel floor.

They're Back!!!

Look What Andrew found at Wal-Mart yesterday! It must just be a springtime thing! ...Or MAYBE my letter worked!

Easter Traditions

Saturday night egg dying
Finding hidden Easter baskets in the morning - Andrew's in the drawer of the coffee table

Logan found his basket behind the dining room door
Hannah's basket was behind the couch Both Nana and the Easter Bunny gave Hannah My Little Ponies. I thought she would just love them, but she was more interested in the Little Pony purse.
The Easter bunny likes to bring us "outdoor" gifts like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and sand toys. The beautiful wrapped Easter gifts, "breakfast foods," and treats were from Nana and Papa. Thanks!
Dressing up all matchy-matchy for church. Enjoying a yummy Easter feast with friends.
I was dreaming of a beautifully laid table with pastel tablecloths, matching dishes and glassware, fresh spring flower arrangements for centerpieces, and handmade placecards but...
that wasn't exactly in the budget. So we had to make due with the red apple vinyl tablecloth I already had and mismatched dishes and plastic cups. (sigh) At least the food was yummy.

The Kids' Table - what a group!

At the Easter egg hunt, Andrew seemed fairly satisfied with his stash this year. At least I never heard him complain that it was "the worst Easter ever!"
Hannah didn't really get the egg hunt concept, of course, but she did look dang cute sitting in the grass with her new Easter basket, handpainted by Nana (thanks Mom)!
These last three pictures were from my friend, Meghan. So sweet! Her camera is much better than mine, obviously.

One of my favorite talks this last General Conference was an especially powerful message from Elder Holland. It seems very appropriate to share this time of year:

"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. "

--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

HAPPY EASTER!!!