Um ya...

...so it's been a while. Jackson didn't get a "My baby turned 4 post". Life happens. The babies, though normally easy to care for and good natured, have started channeling the devil (not really, but we've had ear infections for a month). I also noticed they were each cutting at least 2 teeth. As it stands I am the last man standing at home. I'm the only one not sick and I hope to stay that way.

The babies have hit climbing mode (no not stairs, that’s old news and normal). I don’t remember this with V and J, but O and A climb tables, cabinets…whatever. Nothing is sacred. I have had at least 1 new full box of Cheerio’s dumped and a full pitcher of Kool-Aid. V’s home school assignments have been written on. I left briefly one night and Jonathan left them alone for 3 minutes. I came in and busted them on the kitchen table with V’s markers (washable) writing on things and each other. Say it with me class…FUN!

Here we go on the Jackson front. His 4th birthday my mom, sister's, Michelle's boyfriend and J's parents came to B'ville. We ate pizza at a place that no one can argue has the best pizza...period...no you can't argue until you've tried it...stop now...you can't convince me. Then we unloaded "THE GIFT" (a SQUARE 13 foot trampoline). Michelle and Steve picked it up at Sam's. It was in 2 HUGE boxes (I think coffins are smaller) and it was heavy. I used to sell appliances at Lowe's (I've loaded refrigerators with no issue and these boxes I thought had anvils in them). If you look at the box for the enclosure and trampoline (14’ round) at Wal-Mart those 2 boxes together are smaller then 1 of these.

The boxes were set in the kitchen and we brought Jackson in. He looked and said, "I wanted a robot!" Hmmm, we didn't think about the fact that he'd never been on a trampoline before. My mom did buy him a Transformer, so we were saved. It was very cold out so I threw on my coveralls and we assembled it. Did I mention this detail...it was cold. He now loves it.

We have been very busy since we got the trampoline. Other neighbors have the swing sets with the forts and play houses, but we have the ONLY trampoline. We are very popular now. The boy next door (Matthew, he's 12) likes to play with V and J. We know some of his friends (they wanted to help when we moved in) and he's brought them over to see if they can play. It's been fun, but busy.

Other recent activities have included, a foot of snow (a huge fort and snowman) Jackson started speech therapy and we gutted V's bedroom down to the studs and are in the process of remodeling it. We've been busy.

So far in V's room we have removed over 2000lbs of plaster, and unknown amount of lathe and trim. We have rewired which required some attic tear up (we still had a little knob and tube wiring), we have insulated the dinning room downstairs with blown insulation from her room and we've added rolled insulation to her room. Her room has been sheet rocked, taped and had a coating of joint compound put on. 2 more coats of joint compound sanding and sanding will leave the walls ready for me to paint. We also have patched her closet floor, now we need to sand and varnish. Then it will be down to the details like trim (which J builds) and me finding what I want for curtain material so I can make them. V is sleeping in the laundry room (no it isn’t as weird as it sounds).

There is your update from the land of the R family. I hope this finds you well, warm and not windblown.