Big Green Construction week 2 and first part of week 3

Today we are day 12 and seeing great progress. (I can see an end to it---well at least until the summer)!!!

Last week they dug the rest of the crawl space out, made forms, poured the concrete and brought in a truck full of rocks (and probably many other things that I do not know about!).  

Today they started framing and laying the sub-floor. 

The only crazy thing that happened today was--they lifted up part of the floor in the bathroom and now my grout is cracked on the floor and also my wall!!! (They have given us many small projects!!!)

(Look I have a door in the wall and not outside in my yard and I can walk to my room!!!!!)

Big Green under construction

Some of you know that we had a foundation issue that we noticed after we moved in.  

Well, we thought we would fix the problem.

It is quite crazy!!!!

They said they would only have to dig from underneath and they probably would not have to come in the house (only the worse case---Well we have it)!!!

After digging a couple of hours they figured they would have to come into the house and get rid of all the concrete.  

   

 Right before they started taking up the floor, sub-floor and whatever else is down there.

 After day 2 inside (or maybe 3)

Look at the huge crack.  And why would they leave a spot where there was no concrete!!!

What it looked like before.  

I loved all the flower pots with the brick.

Well, they are all gone and we have mud everywhere.

 After day 2 of digging.

Since they started this project it has rained and rained and rained (I think it has rained a good 7")

Day 4

They made a ditch going from our house to the driveway!!!!  It was really deep and they had huge pipes!!!

Day 5 (of digging, jack-hammering and so forth)

They have gotten out all the concrete and thank goodness, it is a sunny day and they are able to dig out the family room!!!

Their digger is really cool!!!

Tomorrow, since it is Saturday, we all are going to get chairs and watch them dig all day long!!!

Big Green

Happy Thanksgiving.  I love this holiday!!!!

Well, we have been in our house for a couple of months and I think we have adjusted now.

Maggie had the hardest time but she is back to her normal crazy self.  We have had to pay extra attention to her lately!!!! 

 '

The first couple of days Maggie would hide underneath my bed.  She was really sad.  

I kept telling her, aren't you glad you came with us and we didn't leave you.

We have lots of new cats in the neighborhood.  Lizzy would take her outside so Maggie could check them out and let the cats know there is a new dog in the neigborhood.  

Maggie still has lots of windows to look out (probably even more then before)!!!!!

 Grandma and Grandpa Shaw came out for a week and helped Chris and Thomas build a loft for his room.  Doesn't it look nice.  No one wanted Thomas' room (because it was the smallest) but now everyone wants his room!!!!!

One of Maggie's favorite thing in the new house is she comes upstairs and listens to stories when Lizzy goes to bed.    

Fall

The fall came and went before I really could get a grasp on it (as you can tell, I haven't blog in a couple of months).  

Henry's 11 year old scout troop (and Thomas) decided to work on their Biking Merit Badge.  Boy was it intense.  (Henry did all the requirements twice!!!!)  It seemed like every weekend the boys were again biking here and there.  Henry was able to bike the 50 miles in 6 hours.  

 First day of school!!!!

Lizzy and Chris went to the Daddy-Daughter-Dance in September.  

This year the theme 50's!!!!

Lizzy was the champ at hula hooping.  She even learned a trick while she was there (She can hula hoop while bending up and down!!!!)

Lizzy wanted to be Nancy Drew for Halloween!!!!

I think she looks the part.

Lizzy and Thomas both had birthday in October.  They were pretty causal this year!!!

Lizzy got Tug the 53" bear and Thomas got a loft and a lamp for his birthday!!!

Head of the Elwha

It had been awhile since we decided to hang out somewhere else then our house.  We decided to check out the "new" beach.  Since they have taken out the
Elwha Dam all the sediment that was block off is now going downstream and has made a new sandy beach.  It was a cold and windy day but it was great to get outside and smell nature.

Swimming

Henry is really enjoying swimming.  His favorite stroke is the butterfly.  

Henry was finally able to do a meet this past Friday.  

He decided to do 2 butterfly races.  

He did an awesome job (especially since he did two butterfly races within 5 minutes of each other).

He got around 44 seconds on a 50 meter race. 

Doesn't he look like a swimmer!!!!!

Cross Country Season

Thomas joined the cross country team this fall.  He really enjoyed running and being part of a team.   During 7th and 8th grade they run from 1 to 2 miles (depends on the course).  Thomas was able to improve his mile time greatly.  His fastest mile time is 5:54 (He has the Shaw gene of being fast) !!!!  He ran his fastest race on the golf course in Sequim.  He ran a 12:06 for a 1.8!!!!  It was really fun to watch him run!!!!

Well, you cannot see it really good but Thomas is the last one in that line!!!!

Within a 100 meters Thomas proceeded to use the Damstedt's kick and beat all those boys.  

It was great to watch!!!!

Thomas ended up getting 5th overall at the cross country champ race.  

YEAH, for Thomas!!!!

California Dreamin'

This past week we were able to head down to California and to enjoy some sunshine even though I brought the rain and some cooler weather!!!!)  We enjoyed hanging with Grandma and Grandpa Shaw and the North's.

We hung out with the North's at their pool.  They all played for hours and hours and always wished for more time.  

We braved the beach with the wind and the cool weather (low 70's--high 60's but the water was warm--70 degrees so that made all the difference).  

The waves were not big but big enough for the kids to enjoy.  It took awhile for them (and me) to figure out how to handle the waves without being tumbled to the ground. 

Proof that I was there. . . . .

. . . . . .and actually went in the water!!!! 

 I needed to keep track of Lizzy.  Once she figured out the waves she could have swam forever!!!

Funny picture of Lizzy!!!  Why she thought of this pose is beyond me.

 This is what summer is all about (soaking up the rays enjoying a good book).  

Thomas read 2 or 3 books during our trip

Back to the beach with Grandpa Bob. 

 The third day at the beach was windy and not really good to hang in the water since there was no waves.  We hung out on the beach and searched for sand crabs (which they found one)

All the cousins (except for Curtis)

We had a wonderful vacation hanging out!!!!!