March and house pics

I can't believe it's already March... and almost April even! I really do feel that these days (and all the days) are long, but the years (and months) are short. Hendrik, Gramps and I went to watch McMaster play in the quarter-finals of Nationals (in Hamilton) on Friday night, and I ran into a friend whose kids were younger than ours the last time I saw her. Her two oldest are now playing university volleyball - !! I think about this all the time, especially when Jordan is climbing all over me and or is being extra needy, or when Hendrik or Alana want to talk or do something with me; these days are numbered. 

And on the numbered days train of thought, hopefully our renovation days are numbered too! We've been at this for a lot longer than we thought we would be, but the end is in sight. Most of the work in the house is finished; stairs were stained this past week, the island got some much needed kick plates and trim, and we have sheers up! No more staring right into our neighbour's living room (she never ever closes her curtains). The addition is coming along - windows and insulation are in, and the fireplace and drywall happen this coming week (I think/hope). I was hoping to post a few pics of the progress, but I think it's sealed off so I can't get in there! Next blog post. 

We're wrapping up March break here today with some time in the gym for a volleyball tourney here in London. Hendrik's team is playing and Steve is still in Hamilton for Nationals, so it's me and the other two kiddos hanging out and getting things ready for a full week of school and work and activities. We spent a few days in Bowmanville which was fantastic, as always! The kids love it there, and I do too. There was crafting, puzzling, bickering (I don't love this part), great meals, coffee with family, Wii games, outside play (despite the cold weather), and our outing to Hamilton on Friday night too. Alana, Hendrik and I hit the slopes at Boler mountain earlier in the week, which was awesome. Skiing has been a popular choice this winter, and I'm thinking that maybe I should get my own equipment for next season. I'm sort of dreaming about getting to a legit mountain... Boler is great, but the runs are pretty short. Now we just have to work on getting Jordan out there! What I'd really like to do is get out to Kelowna to see a friend I haven't seen in way too long, and then get some skiing in as well. Maybe this plan can work for next winter, but that seems so far away! Anyways, even though the weather has been a bit weird (not consistently cold), winter - with activities like skiing - hasn't been too bad.

I started this afternoon and will finish this post tonight - I have volleyball updates! Hendrik's team came fourth in their tourney, and that's competing in an older age division (his team is U13, tournament age was U14), so they have lots to be proud of. McMaster also had a successful evening in the gym, besting Alberta in straight sets to win bronze. It's likely that this will be the last year Steve helps out there; the longtime head coach Dave Preston is retiring, so I suppose Steve will have to see who is filling those shoes before he commits to another season. Until club volleyball wraps up, I'm sure we'll both stay busy enough with work and parenting - time to get ready for tomorrow!

playing retro Clue - great thrift store find!

K'nex are SO popular right now. Pieces are everywhere!

a new back door into a new, solid addition

sheers are finally up!

Visiting one of Hendrik's teammates' house - Alana LOVED the animals!

feeding sheep 

Alana (left) and a friend skiing at the local hill

Is Hendrik taller than Aunt? It's close!

Steve made this fireplace and mantle for friends - he did such a good job!

farm archery

hen holding :)

January & December ... and house pics!

It's been a few weeks that I've had this on my list, but reality talks; blogging once a month is my new max frequency (I guess). We had such a great winter break and I could fill several posts with news from the week we spent in Bowmanville (yay for time off!), so I might miss a thing or two. We're all back in the swing of things after a very restful time with Grandma and Gramps, and I'm already looking forward to the next extended break from work and the hustle bustle of weekdays. 

I'll start with photos from Christmas and New Year's where highlights included presents and a stocking from Santa, a walk up at Long Sault Conservation Area (which was a very long 5km in the snow for the kids... they almost didn't make it), skating, a night with Hugh Pops and Michelle (for me and Steve), swimming at the new-ish rec centre in Oshawa, a browse at Best Buy (so much tech!), lots of board games, playing on the Wii, puzzle time, and the incredible meals we shared with family, both on Christmas Day and New Year's day (hello appelflappen and oliebollen!). We get so spoiled when we go to Bowmanville.

showing off their new drones to Justin

NYE platter - great food, great company!

We were hoping to come back from our week away to a more finished house, but no luck there. People were on vacation and/or sick (or I forget what the reason was); painters came the following week and since then we haven't seen too much progress inside BUT have do a foundation! We could not believe the amount of dirt that was carted away to make room for the addition's concrete footings. I'll add that they found a wooden cistern back there and while they were breaking that up, the sewer connection was crushed (on Friday afternoon), so we had emergency crews here all day the following day. While they were at it they cleaned out the clay pipe that connects to the main at the street; it was full of tree roots so there was lots of noise and digging and clearing out. 

playing Mille Bornes (with wrestle breaks)

Hendrik's team won their first OVA tournament - it was amazing to watch them play! Great group of kids and coaches too!

 

new fave game - Throw throw burrito 

skating at Victoria Park with friends - so fun!

playing (and getting along!!!!!!) Monopoly

Activities are in full swing once again. All three kids are doing swimming lessons, Hendrik has club volleyball (and is loving it), school basketball (their team isn't very strong but they're all working hard), and he starts indoor baseball soon - that alone sounds like enough for us all! Alana is also doing soccer, and because Jordan refused to participate in his city-run soccer program, swimming is his only organized activity, which is fine (of course). We're getting out to go skating and skiing too, and I'm playing women's league volleyball still - fun. Steve has hockey on Sunday mornings and is helping out at McMaster still, so we're keeping busy I'd say. We're thankful for the help we get from family and friends to make it all work. Here are a few more photos of what's been finished so far at the house. I definitely need to do the side-by-side before and after, even though we're not quite at the "after" yet. Can you believe it's almost February! I can't!! 

window to go in above the sink! SO much more space in this kitchen than before.

looooove this bathroom...

stairs went up the other way behind a full wall here - it's great having it more open and not quite so steep!

December: Back in the house!

We are back in our house! We spent four months in two rental houses and a very small portion out west in BC and Alberta (way back in August), and that time has flown by. We moved in two weeks ago with quite a few jobs still underway - we had plywood on the windows for a few days (some are still boarded up) and temporary railings on the stairs - and there are still lots of smaller jobs to be finished (trim, lighting, painting, and backsplash, to name a few). That being said, most days I get home from work to notice changes and movement towards the finish line. Our contractor told me this afternoon that they'll start excavating for the addition during the first week of January (!!), so I'm hoping that this means most of the existing interior jobs will be finished by then. We still have to pick the kitchen backsplash (grey or off-white?) and stair runner, and then many more decisions to make with stage two. This will get us another bathroom, a laundry room and a family room in what used to be a very decrepit and deteriorating part of the house (the former addition)! We are SUPER happy with everything so far - having a bigger and more functional kitchen is amazing! The stairs are also so much more functional and it makes more sense both downstairs and upstairs with things being more open. And I haven't even mentioned the bathroom! The second floor bathroom is a million billion times better, not to mention a million billion ZILLION times more beautiful. We have a huge shower, in-floor heating, a double vanity... the list goes on! There aren't any mirrors up yet, but it's gorgeous and we love it. Last but not least, the attic is insulated. No more freezing winters on the top floor! Our plan is to convert it into a master bedroom, but with so much going on elsewhere in the house (and taking our $$), we're not tackling that quite yet (I don't think). Here are a few of the latest house photos I have, and I'll be sure to do a before and after post eventually:

We only have one more week until the winter holidays, and everyone in the family is ready and excited for a break from school and work. Most activities will be on hold, though I'm not sure if Hendrik's volleyball continues? Anyways, he's enjoying being on a team that practices and competes throughout the year, and it sounds like there's a good group of kids and coaches too (including Steve!). Winter ball hockey is a go this year, and he's playing with a few kids he knows so will get a good run in on Saturday mornings - up and at 'em as my mom would say! I was finally on the ball with the sign-up time for swimming lessons, so all three will get back into the pool with lessons come January. Alana wrapped up her low-key, once-a-week volleyball last weekend and will keep doing soccer after a pause for the holidays. And that's mostly it for the kids' activities! It sounds busy, but they need physical activity (and we need to tire them out)! I'm back to playing women's league volleyball and am loving it, though it means no more basketball as they run on the same night now (boo). Steve plays hockey once a week - early on Sundays - and I think he's enjoying that too. Work is good and days are busy (6 or 7 40-minute classes fly by). With volleyball all wrapped up there's no more coaching there for me, so I have some more time to get work done. School is good for the kids, though it sounds like they're busy there too. Hendrik played on the boy's volleyball team, is trying out for the basketball team, and is part of band and chess club too apparently! They need an eat your lunch club so the kids have time and make eating their lunches a priority! Most of these clubs and teams are only open to grade 7s and 8s, so hopefully Alana and Jordan will be interested too when the time comes. 

And big news for Hendrik - he got braces! His smile is as great as it's ever been, and he's way less uncomfortable now than he was a week ago. Sporting Maple Leafs colours (of course), he was a total champ getting them on and there was minimal if any complaining about any of it. 

I'm sure I have more to write about (Hendrik's birthday, what I'm reading, what the kids are reading, Christmas and holiday news and plans, car stuff - we got it fixed! and more) but that will have to wait until next time ... which might be next year! Happy holidays to everyone!

Halloween & House updates

I called my parents this afternoon and was surprised to see them in semi-darkness amid the November gloom that had settled on Thetis Island. I shouldn't have been surprised, because that's what November can be like in BC! We have had such lovely weather here that it was a bit of a surprise. I was in a t-shirt on the porch and the sun was warm warm warm... it was amazing! I rode my bike to work twice this past week, and Steve and I both find ourselves thinking that each beautiful day will likely be the last really nice fall day before it starts getting cold. A neighbour was telling me that it's going to snow next week so one of these warm days really will be the last one!

We are in the home stretch of life at the rental house, and things are moving along at home. Flooring was going in this week, there were some kitchen cabinets in, and the bathroom upstairs is being tiled; we picked out baseboards this morning and are finalizing the countertops tomorrow - things are happening! The only thing that is not happening (yet) is the addition. It has long been demolished, but nothing has happened with it's reconstruction, unfortunately. I think that the focus is getting us back in the house, and with limited time to do that, all efforts and attention are focused on getting everything ready to have us move in by/before December 1st. I can't believe it's almost DECEMBER! Sheesh. Here are some photos of recent progress:

No more kitchen door!

It's like it was never there! Same kitchen door spot.

upstairs bathroom progress

kitchen cabinets are going in!

We are in full swing of school and fall activities, and the weekdays (especially) are busy. Hendrik is playing volleyball for his school team and has been having a good time. I'm coaching the girl's team at my school and it's also been fun - the girls have improved so much AND we won our very first game last week!! Incredible. Hendrik's also playing club volleyball (which means two evening practices a week), and Alana does soccer on Thursday nights with some of her friends, with me as her coach. She's also doing Sunday morning volleyball with me and that's been fun too! Jordan tags along to some of the activities and pals around with other siblings, some of which he's become friends with. I'm hoping I don't miss the next swimming sign-up so he can get going with something (and by that time school volleyball will be over!). Steve is still trying to fit in some trips to Hamilton to help out at McMaster, but with all of the kid's sports it has definitely been a challenge. Work has been good for me, though with the CUPE strike here in Ontario I'm hoping that they can negotiate a fair deal so that we can get back to school and the regular routine on the double. Teachers were encouraged to work from home today and the kids were home, so it felt a bit like the mid-pandemic online learning model... I'd rather be in-person! And so would they, I think. School is going well for all of the kids too; they like their teachers and their classes and are generally happy to go to school (though Hendrik might say otherwise).

Halloween 2022 was another smashing success. Despite the rain, everyone trick or treated for a few hours (Jordan didn't last quite that long) and came home with more candy than anyone could eat. I always love seeing the kids dump out their bags and ogle over the variety, volume and, of course, the full-sized bars. It rained on Halloween, which meant an earlier return home which was perfect for a Monday night. Tuesday wasn't as much of a struggle as I thought it would be, but that's probably because of the earlier night (phew!). 

That's all I've got for now. Happy November!