Projects

In addition to all the Christmas decorations, we have been a pretty productive bunch around here. It's been really fun. And, of course, not just fun...it's all very practical stuff. I'm pretty impressed with my handy husband. Some of the wood he used for his projects that you will see below was leftover scraps from the bunk bed (all of the highchair was leftover bed wood) and some was given to him at Asas after some construction was done. The other pile of scraps he got for about 1 buck at a wood shop nearby. Pretty resourceful furniture we now have (and he's not done...toyboxes are next). Anyway, enjoy the pictures...

The kids made Christmas presents for all the grandmothers...Granny (Madden), Grandma (Ebersole), Granny Hough, and GramAlta (a.k.a. Grandma Martin). People reading this in Ephrata, PA, shh!!...Grandma's placemats are still in the mail. I got a laminator before we left (every mother should have one...I'm serious), so the kids painted pictures and I laminated to make them placemats. The kids had a great time. The placemats made it there in record time (a week) and I know at least the Grannies on my side were able to use them on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for the big family celebrations. Nice for our kiddos to still be able to have a presence there, even though we weren't physically there.
Joel was about to start on all of his wood projects. He had some little odd pieces though that he put together to make this cute little plane for Grady. He loves it of course.
Joel had a few helpers. They love to help Daddy in his "shop." Here he is getting started on a highchair.
The weekend before Christmas we made some "Christmas cookies." We had no actual fun Christmas things like cookie cutters or red and green sprinkles or whatever. I did find some red food coloring so we just colored our cookie dough red. We made choc. chip cookies and sugar cookies. It was a fun time.
Joel also made a handy little step stool. It is now in front of the toilet for Hadley, but before it made it to the bathroom, the kids had to try it out as a little booster seat at the table...a shared one.
Joel even snuck out for a bit on Christmas day to work on the highchair.
Eissa getting a little sneak peek of what it's going to feel like. Then the other kids had to try it out too...


Eissa in her new highchair. She didn't like that restraining bar at first...we LOVE it. She would always climb out of the other chair we were using. Thanks Kristin and Steve, by the way, for the use of that chair for the last 6 months.
Hadley had to try it out too. You can raise the restraining bar and have a seat for others, even adults. Pretty cool.
After the highchair was done (literally right after he finished), he went right to work on the next project...an activity table for the kids.
The kids helping Daddy with the table yesterday to get the job done.
And the end result (it's not completely done, but Joel has to wait on some tools to get here...it's usable though), in their playroom with the kids playing, excited about their new table. I asked Grady what he thought about it and he said, without looking up from his activity, "It's wonderful. It's the wonderful thing in the world." As in, "it's the most wonderful thing in the whole world." :-) Love his expressions these days.
Eissa is a major poser these days. Can't take the camera out without her looking and smiling BIG. Really funny.
And this is what the playroom looks like now, after everything found its place. Very cute little playroom.
The reading area needs some work, but guess what the next project is after the toyboxes? Yep, a bookshelf...book display actually (like the ones you see in libraries), but we might hire out for that one.
A result of the playroom being set up today was this. We had to move some of the stuff in the playroom to the room off our bedroom, which is technically the owner's office...we were using it as Eissa's room. So, now that room is again an office/future new baby's room. And, yes...Eissa got promoted to sleeping in the big kids' room last night...a new year, a new room for Eissa. :-) Although she doesn't look too happy in this picture, I think she will love it. She was SUPER tired (didn't have her afternoon nap) and just wanted to go to sleep when her annoying Mama was taking pictures. :-) It's a cute set-up though...and she just fits.
We moved some shelves out of their room, so now all the pictures and stuff are on top of the closet. It's cute.
Then Grady needed a picture taken.
And Hadley too. :-)