Annual leaf romp!

Tree finally started dumping its leaves so it was time to rake them up for the annual leaf photo shoot.  Anneliese was noncooperative choosing not to look at the camera ever.  Daddy got inspired to give the sandbox in the back yard a makeover by staining the wood and Ethan helped out with the lacquer.

Click here or the album for more November photos!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Liz and Kids in Michigan

While Daddy was busy renovating the floor, Liz and the kids went to go visit Oma & Opa.
Liz' plan on a peaceful red eye flight backfired as Anneliese cried the entire time. 

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Wood floor!

With Liz and the kids gone for a week to visit Oma & Opa in Michigan, I set out to install new flooring.  I'd done plenty of floor leveling and undercut the door jambs over the previous weeks. Pépère volunteered to stay for a few days to help get me started. After more prep work and much deliberating and measuring, in a hard days work had three planks laid!  Liz was full of disbelief at the report.  We spent much of the next day fiddling with techniques to end the floor at the bedrooms without using transition for a cleaner look.  Again with the second progress report, Liz was underwhelmed.  Pépère picked up the pace the next day while I was at work and made it past all the bedrooms.  I managed to finish things off and get the furniture moved in an hour before having to get the family at the airport.  Ethan loves it because now his cars fly across the room and he can configure giant train tracks without having to worry about the squishy carpet causing problems.

Termites!

Well, shortly after our neighbors had their house tented for termites, we noticed that we had signs of drywood termites at the entry to our garage.  We decided to bite the bullet and call the professionals.  Turns out we were also being attacked by subterranean termites under our master bedroom!  Sweet.  So, while Liz was off with the kids visiting her folks I packed up all the food in the house and stayed at a friends for the night as the house was wrapped up and bombed.  You have no idea just how much food and toiletries you have stored up in your house until you have to get it all out!

Happy Halloween 2009!

We had lots of fun this month culminating in a few Halloween parties for everyone including Daddy who reprised his role as Wolverine for work after growing his hair out a few extra weeks and not shaving.  Liz got them cute costumes for dirt cheap at Old Navy.  On top of that, she found great dress up gladiator and robot outfits at the local Dollar Tree store.

Ethan was in charge of designing the jack-o'-lanterns this year.  Amazingly enough he drew up plans ahead of time, replicated them on the pumpkins, and I carved away.  They turned out pretty cute!

Click here or the album for photos!