One step closer!

Today the fireplace was installed!!  Tomorrow they finish the rocks!  We are so excited!

New (wider) gas line!

The install!

All in!

Hana likes it too!

Even the dogs are enjoying the new fireplace!

Happy Easter!

This morning Hana did her very first Easter egg hunt!  She did really well for a newbie!  :-)  Then she and dada were surprised with Easter baskets!  Cheerios-filled eggs and a new "big-girl" toothbrush for Hana, many chocolate bunnies for her daddy! Meanwhile, I roasted veggies for my gluten-free quiche and am making deviled eggs too!  Dinner with the family in a few hours!

Later in the day, we went to Karina and Marvin's house for a big family dinner!

Hana got more presents and another Easter egg hunt! (spoiled!)  :-)

Hana's 2nd time dying Easter Eggs!

Ok, maybe Knute did most of the dying!  But Hana had a little more fun this year!  Or at least she was more interested!  Maybe next year she'll get to dye some of them!  :-)

Ok, the brown eggs turn out ugly and not "Tiffany box" colored, as I was told!

The Renovation Begins!

Well, it kind of already started with the kitchen cabinets getting a coat of black paint and Knute installing the hardware on the doors!  But now, the new fireplace and rock wall are going up!  Slowly but surely, it will get done!  (Hopefully by the end of summer the whole project will be completed!!  All the walls and floors, etc!)

The OLD and UGLY!   Goodbye!

The fireplace is opened up and the mesh is going up!

This will be closed in (again) but with a modern new fireplace insert!!

This mesh will hold the stone!

Saturday UPDATE!

Not done yet!  The fireplace will go in next Friday and then they can finish the stone and add the corbels!

BUT, we are so excited and happy with the progress so far!

My First Flat Tire! (Yesterday, actually)

Oops!  I guess I drove over something!  But it had to be close to the house, because when I pulled into the garage (Knute swears it wasn't in the garage or on the driveway!) the tire made a big pop and then it sounded like a loud drill.  I ran inside to ask Knute if he was drilling something ("ah, no!") and then we went out and it sounded like a balloon letting out all the air and the tire went flat right before our eyes!  :-(

With Knute's help (OK, he did most of the work and all the heavy lifting!) we switched the tire!  I did pump up the car, and it's really surprising just how HEAVY tires really are!!  I guess I really will finally get 4 new tires this fall!! Yippee!!  :-)

WHAT IS THAT?!?

Learning how to jack up my car!

Bad news!

All better!

Hana enjoying her new Blackberry from Jen!

Oh yeah!  Knute got TWO pair of glasses (driving and reading) the other day!

Glad to see he's wearing them!!!

Another park adventure!

Today we went to a different park and Hana rode/played on new and different things!  After practicing many times, she could run across the swinging bridge like a pro!  She actually leaped off the end one time!  Brave (or foolish?!?) child!!  She is definitely an outdoor-loving Colorado girl!!

We moved the "Junior Grand" to the living room for Hana!

Getting in some "practice" before the park!

Swing!

SO much fun!

Whoa!  Running down the flexible bridge!

Dirt!

Playing with the sand with Hana!

"I think I need to ride this again!!"

Love it!

Waving to the guy driving by!

So much fun!

Back to the bridge!

 Falling/rolling down the bridge!



Ok, time to climb off again! (Instead of jumping off the taller end again!)

Hana loves playing with the sand!

Ready to go after dumping out the sand!