The Making of Man Land

I mentioned last week that the guys were pouring the concrete slab in the basement,

an achievement that Dr. Nails has been super excited about for a really really really long time.

I guess hanging out in a gravel pit just ain't all that it's cracked up to be : )

(though of course i haven't a single pic of what the gravel pit used to look like, let's just say it wasn't pretty)

As you can see, the smallest man loves it already, and I'm pretty sure the big man does too : )

At long last, Man Land lives!

My Island in the Sun

Remember how our house used to be itty-bitty?

Well, while the rest of the house has expanded exponentially, the kitchen has remained the same.

Small that is.  Tiny.  Teeny-weeny.  

See that little spot next to the microwave in the corner?  That's all the counter space i had. 

That's ALL.  Until our favorite carpenter came to the rescue.

(ahem, when he finally got fed up with trying to make lunch while i was trying to make lunch too ; )

Before:

After:

He spent a sunday whipping this island up for us.  Yup, just a day.  My oh my.
Eventually the back part will be very useful for storage.

Right now the bins are full of someone's toys, someone who likes to be underfoot play with them while I'm trying to cook supper, but at least I know where everyone is : )

In my head i have dubbed it the command center, or maybe headquarters, i guess i haven't decided.

But i can see the rest of the house and keep a watchful eye on those who need to be watched. 

(um, everyone?)  The best part?
 it's on wheels, so whenever the mood to dance strikes, it's no problem : )

All You Need Is A Lazy Boy

I have a dog who's hanging to go for a walk, an itty bitty nose that won't stop running,

 and a cough that won't quit.  But dammit, I've got this:

What on earth else do i need?

{ This or That Thursday }

Wordless Wednesday

What's not to love here?!

Dear Doctor....

It's been a bit of a whirlwind, 

what with building a big addition and having a baby and all...

but the past 3 ( yes, only three! ) years have been my favorite so far.

And it's all because i finally found me someone who brings me flowers : )

This or That & Texture Thursday

If i point this nail gun at you...

...will you stop taking pictures of me?

Oh this poor man.

Carpenter by day and by night, this guy's got way too much on his plate.

Here's the back of the house where Dr. Nails has been working:

lucky lucky lucky me

to have a man who's so handy

He. is. awesome.  

and so is this amazing house he's building for us.

It's a Canadian Thing

I have only one thing to say:

Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He Hearts His Hammer

So while Jake and I have been hamming it up for the camera,

Dr. Nails has been hard at work outside on the shingling.

The tap tap tap is rather soothing I think...

Slowly but surely our l'il shack is looking sharp!

So might I add is Dr. Nails, in all his glory!

Oh it's a funny funny little life indeed....

A Mystery and a Moment

We came home yesterday to find this:

( the toy, not the baby - he was with us I promise! )

It just magically arrived, 

so I'm thinking our little Jakey here has a secret admirer.

Thank you, whomever you are, he totally loves it;

and I wanted to say thank you to all of you out there who have given 

him so many wonderful and amazing things.

He is a lucky, lucky boy to have so many people care about him

and we are grateful indeed...

We are also lucky and VERY grateful for sunny days,

and hope winter is gone for good!

Happy Spring!

Trim it to win it

I think Dr. Nails must be feeling excluded these days,
 what with all this talk of wild men and advanced babies,

little laundry and the joys of motherhood.

Not that he would EVER admit it, mind you.
So I think it's time to pay him some much deserved attention...

Despite the fact that we haven't been talking much about him,
he has been hard at work on the finishing touches.

The windows look amazing with the trim up,
almost rivalling the beautiful view they frame.

And after a hard day's work the boys take a well deserved rest.

Yet another example of our dear Doctor's great skill.

He never ceases to amaze me, 

both in talent and his astonishing ability to look like a member of a 70's rock band.

And don't I love those 70's bands....

Shake it up

I have decided to mix things up around here.
Mind you, due to my wonderful and amazing kid,
 I am making this decision at a strange and ungodly hour.
Perhaps it is a rash one.
Sometimes it's hard to think straight when it's still dark outside.

I hope you like the changes to the blog.

Change is good.

But this, this is better:

 Dr. Nails. In love.
As good as it gets, I'd say.

Under Foot

Despite the title, this post is not about the Hannah Dog.

 Although come to think about it she often does get in the way,

usually around suppertime when she lies in wait for me to drop something delicious.

I'd be a liar if I told you I didn't,

though most of the time it's not on purpose. 

I swear.

Anyways,

this is not about that.

This is about what is REALLY underfoot,

aka, new floors!

In case you weren't here to witness the state of our floors,
we have been living with bare concrete in our living room for a few months now.
I dug this photo up from the archives to show you:

Note the big crack in the floor where the old wall used to be,
and that beautiful chair under the window.
Remember my on going dispute with that van seat?

After listening to me bemoan the perils of an infant falling on hard,
unforgiving concrete for the past few months,
our carpenter friends decided it was time to get'er done.

The result?
Pretty nice I think.

I am particularly pleased with the couch situation.

It is much improved.

This is the floor Jake will hang out on.
I can just hear him and his dad tearing across it,
with the Hannah dog hot on their heels...

pitter patter.

Enough about us,

Let's talk about Dr. Nails.

Things have been different around here since The Boss arrived.
Yes - this is indeed Jake's shirt:

What with the steady stream of Jake's adoring fans and an endless list of baby needs,
it's often been difficult to get much accomplished.

Let's face it,
priorities have changed and things like working on the house seem less important.
Dr. Nails has been picking away here and there though,
and slowly but surely things are getting done.
Like the insulation and vapour barrier downstairs
( so not worth a photo - but definitely a worthwhile endeavour )

And on nice days he has managed to get outside to do some shingling.

For those of you in other parts of the world besides Atlantic Canada who have not witnessed the
phenomenon of cedar shingles, let me tell you, it is a process like no other.
Each shingle has to be positioned just right,
perfectly level and in line with the shingle next to it.
Then - "tap tap tap". "tap tap tap"
I think it's therapeutic for our dear Carpenter.

Whatever you want to call it, it looks pretty damn good.
And in black and white it looks perfect.
As always, nice work Dr. Nails.
One wall down, four more to go...... or is it five?

Why Daddy, Why?

I am not a toy.

I repete, I am NOT a toy.

Pink is definitely not my color.

I do not dance.

And I have no idea what you are talking about.

But I certainly do have a beautiful belly.

And despite all this,

I certainly do love my dad.

Awwww : )

Tuning in Tuning out

They say once a baby is born it will respond to certain songs or sounds it heard in utero, 

such as the theme song to say, Desperate Housewives.

I guess it makes sense, seeing as those sounds remind it of when it was 

tucked in safe and warm in mama's belly.

Dr. Nails has been onto this theory for some time now, 

playing an interesting array of music for the baby including - but not limited to - 

Metallica, Steve Earl, and Rage Against the Machine.  

Now, while I may occasionally appreciate a rousing rendition of 'Guitar town' or 

'Tweeter and the Monkey Man',  I can't help but wonder what sort of long-lasting effects this 

kind of music may have on our unborn child.

Poor Baby.

So, in an attempt to salvage the poor things ears and perhaps it's taste in music as well,

I have finally decided to take matters into my own hands.

An experiment gone awry?

Perhaps, but I guess only time will tell, 

we'll see what this kid is like as a teenager and then point fingers.

In the near future though I think I may insist on music a little more age - appropriate, 

something more along the lines of Neil Young, or maybe Tom Petty.

We just might even have to re-learn the words to 'the wheels on the bus'.

Or is that a song you just make up as you go?

( I don't think the baby will care about the words anyways : )

Editor's Note:

For those of you upset about the positioning of the dresser drawer in the previous post,
my apologies, I was not really aware that there was a protocol to that sort of thing,
I just figured on the bottom the baby wouldn't have as far to fall....  

Up against the wall

While I've been slaving away at retirement,

Dr. Nails and his trusted helpers have been hard at work, 

making these rooms actually look like rooms.

This is our beautiful master suite:

 Can you picture a rocking chair down by those windows? 

( yep, me too )

A view from the master bath through the walk - in closet:

  I like to refer to that middle area as 'wardrobe / hair & make up', like I'm in the movies.

( Hey, it's as close as I'm gonna get.  Dare to dream )

And a look at the front corner of the family room:

This room is the connecting piece, on the same level as the current house. 

( Which I like to call the 'piece de resistance' )

It's all thanks to this guy and all of you other guys out there who know who you are.