Still Without

We are still without Internet service. I have been using my cell phone to update this blog. (Please forgive any typos as a result.). We hope to have some sort of service out here by the end of next week.

Water Leak

The other day I mopped. Today I noticed that some of the grout lines inbthe kitchen were still wet looking. This made no sense to me. About an hour later it dawned on me that the sink might be leaking. (The grout lines are about 6 ft away from the sink.). About an hour I figured out that the sink must be leaking! I unloaded the cabinet and found water. The water was in the cabinet and I could see standing water under the cabinet through the little hole they had to cut out to put the pipes through. This was BAD as there is no way to get to that water. I put a little fan in the cabinet, however I don't think it helped much. Johnathan took a look and discovered that the plumber forgot a clamp on the dishwasher. Therefore everytime I ran it, (which was at least once a day!) when it would drain...it would drain into the cabinet and down the hole! Fortunately Johnathan is a jack ofcall trades. He went to the hardware store got the clamp and fixed the leak!

98% Vacant

We took the house off the market so that we could empty the remaining things out and patch and paint the nail holes throughout. We hope to get it back on the market in a week. Our realtor says the peak selling months are February to April...that's only 30 days away.

Christmas Day

This morning we woke up at my parents and quickly packed up to head out the door. We were supposed to leave Mom and Dads at 8 so that we could eat breakfast at 9 with Johnathan's family. We finally loaded up at half past 8. The girls had a great time opening all the gifts. Jadie really got the hang of ripping off the paper. You have to watch her because she will unwrap ANY gift (including other peoples gifts too.). Typically we leave Tommy and Pattis and drive to Deer Park for Christmas at Great Grandma H.'s. However, she wasn't feeling well so we stayed at Johnathan's parents and enjoyed a big lasagna lunch. After lunch we drove to MaMaw and PawPaws to wish them a Merry Christmas. We left around 4:30 and drove back to Beaumont. We had to take down the tree because the pool table was scheduled to arrive first thing in the morning.

We truly are blessed to have such wonderful family and friends. We wish everyone the best this Christmas Season.

We Have Heat!

Today, the AC guy came back and connected the gas to the heater. WooWho! We have had hot water for a few days...after many hour long conversations with Centerpoint Energy and 28 days without hot water and heat.

Christmas Eve

This morning we woke up and finished wrapping presents. The girls and I drove Johnathan to the old house so he could shower and get cleaned up. We left around 12:30 to head to my parents for the evening. At 7:30 we plan on going to Christmas Eve church service with my brother's family and my parents. After church we will come back to Mom and Dad's house and open gifts together.

Waiting for Utilities and Amenities

Brrrrr. The new house still has NO GAS. Therefore....No Heat...No Hot Water! We are getting awfully cranky and stinky over here.

The problem is Centerpoint! Another Monopoly. We requested a Gas Line on November 24th, and here we sit 29 days later....and NOTHING HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED!

We are supposed to have gas on Friday the 26th. We aren't holding our breath.

As far as the phone line, it is working, however, the conduit was either bricked over or never placed. This is a major hick-up. Who knows when that will be fixed.

On a positive note...we do have Water and Electricity!

We Moved

It's Official. The address has officially been forwarded, the phone number has changed, the beds have been moved, and the clothes are on their way!

For security purposes I am not going to post our new address, but we will be sending out our Christmas Cards....(AFTER THE NEW YEARS) and it will include our new address and phone number.

Dad Recovers in Beaumont

Since Dad's surgery, his post operative instructions state that he can't lift anything over 10 pounds nor can he drive for a day or two. So him and Mom drove to Beaumont to help babysit the girls while Johnathan and I did some final packing. I guess Dad figured since he was just going to be sitting around the house, he could do that at our house too! Little did he know...we were still going to put him to work! Thank you Mom and Dad for ALL your help!

Dad's Surgery

My Dad went into Surgery today for a heart catherization. We got word that he is doing fine and has 25% blockage. This means that he doesn't need to have a stint or any further surgeries. He also doesn't need any medications...just a diet change and add more exercise to his daily life. Thank you for all of you who said a prayer for him!

A Fun LONG Day

The girls and I woke up this morning and headed to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast. We stayed and played for half an hour. Then we headed to Orange (a 30 min drive), to approve some granite. While there I felt like I wasn't getting the whole story, (which meant I would have to drive to Houston to find out for myself).

Since I had promised Ashlyn a surprise...we headed for the mall. (The mall is in Beaumont...another 30 minute drive). They have a train there Ashlyn loves to ride, and of course Santa!!! I've been wanting to take her to find out what she wants him to bring her. (It has been changing everyday). She asked for a trampoline. I've only heard her say that once before. Fortunately she says it has to be a small one so it can go down the chimney!!! So we are looking for an excersize one. I know she'd be thrilled if it were BLUE! This picture is literally a picture of a picture....(reason for it being so blurry and black and white). My scanner isn't hooked up right now, so the original will have to wait. Clearly you can tell that Jadie was not enjoying being so close to Santa. However, she loved him from afar. Blowing kisses, waving, and screaming BYE-BYE as loud as she could when we were leaving.

So after Santa...we stopped by the cookie company. Ashlyn picked our a BIG bite Double Doozie! Jadie got a little M&M cookie...of course she just licked it and played with it! Believe it or not...she doesn't like sweets like most kids.
After the mall we piled in the car...headed to the property (20 min drive) to pick up some tile samples. Then we headed to Houston to look at granite (an hour and 15 minute drive.) They didn't have what I wanted so we went to another granite place an hour and a half across town. (I'm so thankful I don't have to deal with Houston traffic). Fortunately, they had what we want! So we started back to Beaumont! We stopped at Denny's for dinner which the girls enjoyed! I think they were just glad to be out of that car! I knew I was. It took us almost two hours to get home. Jadie cried the last thirty minutes of the trip. Poor girl just kept asking for milk!

Night of Work

After John returned home from the property, I put on my paint clothes and headed out to the property. I spent the evening puttying and caulking some shelving in the master closet that John built. They sure will be nice when I finish them. I have to still prime and paint them....all before Thursday when the carpet is planned to be installed. I didn't get home till 11:30 last night...I hope I don't have to work that late again!
This morning, Jadie woke up severely congested. She has such a nasty little cough that wakes the entire house up. I haven't taken her temperature yet this morning, but Johnathan and I are pretty sure she has a fever. She feels really warm when we pick her up. I hope she shakes this cold/virus sooner than later! I want her to feel better. It's been so long since she has been at 100% it seems.

Jadie Threw Up Again

Jadie just threw up again. I'm hoping it was a result if some bad milk she got. However, we are watching her closely as a result!!!

Grandpa W. Helps

Tommy came over this morning to help Johnathan move something out to the new house. They loaded up and moved just about all of John's big tools, the deep freezer, our mini refridgerator, two oversized love seats, the girls toy chest, a small cabinet, our two outdoor swings, and quite a few boxes I pulled out of the attic yesterday. Thank you Grandpa!

It SNOWED!

It snowed in Beaumont Wednesday Night. Ashlyn had been sick all day, and was feeling better as night approached. We woke her up at 1:30 to tell her it was snowing. I even got her out of bed to show her. I aksed her if she wanted to go outside and play and she told me she was too tired. So we all went back to sleep. At 3:30am I felt a tap and heard Ashlyn whispering. She wanted to go outside and play in the snow. At this point it wasn't snowing as hard as it was. In fact, the only way I knew it was snowing was by looking at the pictures.

She had a sleeper on, so I had her put on a jacket and a pair of shoes. Her and I went outside. She made a couple of snowballs and threw them into the street. She also attempted to make a "snow castle" but stopped because her hands were too cold. (I never gave her gloves or mittens....bad mama.) We stayed outside maybe 5 minutes and then she decided it was just too cold to stay outside any longer.

House of Sickies!

Well our household has caught The Virus. It was a nasty stomach bug. Thursday morning, I woke up and knew something wasn't right. An hour later I was worthless. I'm so thankful that Ashlyn is so mature for her age. She did a great job taking care of her sister. She fed her breakfast and lunch all by herself. She also did a great job of taking care of me...bringing me water. My mom came into town again to help with the girls. I literally couldn't function. I'm so glad she was able to come.

This morning (4am) Jadyn woke us up throwing up. She continued about every 10-30 minutes until 8:30am.

My mom stayed home with Jadyn, while I took Ashlyn to school. Mom and I worked on cleaning the germs out of the house. My mom left at 12:00. Jadyn and I took a much needed nap, before heading back to pick up Ashlyn from school.

When Jadie woke up at 2:00 (the vomitting had ceized) she had developed a fever of 102, so I took her to the doctor. He again confirmed that she has the virus going around. He gave her a shot of phenegren. She has been asleep ever since. Her fever hasn't broken yet, however, the throwing up has stopped. Now we are working on getting her to drink more fluids, as she is reluctant to drink anything.

CVS Strikes Again

Ashlyn started throwing up at 8:22pm on Tuesday night and wound up throwing up 21 times before we went to the doctor. He gave her a shot of Phenergan which knocked her out until evening time. Doctors said she was on the verge of dehydration. I'm glad she is getting bigger which keeps her from deyhdrating so quickly.
Luckily my mom was here to stay with Jadyn while I took Ashlyn to the doctor. Thank you Mama for all your help!

My Mama is Back to Help

My Mama came back in town today to help me paint some more. We still have closet shelving to get painted prior to our move in date. We also worked on touching up the trim around the baseboards where they have laid the tile. My mom also made us temporary curtains to give us privacy on the front of the house. Thank you mom!

Permanent Power

We Have PERMANENT POWER!!!

Dad Has a Blockage

My Dad will have surgery December 17th to remove a blockage in his heart! From what I understand it is supposed to be a day surgery. Please keep him in your prayers on that day.

Tentative Move-In Date

Saturday, December 20th.

Evening at Home

After the girl's bath each evening, I always put Jadie in her bed while I go and help Ashlyn get out of the bathtub. This is how I found Jadyn when I came back to get her. It won't be long before she starts climbing out!!!

Jadie just stood there and smiled as I fussed at her for trying to climb out. What a Stinker! We are going to be in BIG trouble in a few years!!!

Jadie has figured out how to put this hat on. She was quite tickled with herself.In this shot, I asked her to put her hat back on so I could take another picture of her. She threw the hat on the ground and gave this little cackle.Jadie absolutely loves books. Here is our book enthusiast enjoying the Itsy Bitsy Spider...(it's upside down.)I let Jadie out of her crib and took her and her hat into the living room to see if I could get any cute pictures of her. I found this cute. She walked into the couch. Fell down...said "Boom" and giggled.

Jadyn decided she had had enough of the pictures and decided to run away! I love how she runs. Both arms....straight back!Ashlyn saw the attention Jadie was getting and decided to find a hat and dress up so I could take pictures of her! Both girls get quite envious of mommy's attention...but are both very jealous when their daddy is giving the other one attention.Here is Ashlyn's new smile. "CHHHHHEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz"This is my favorite one of her that I took this evening. She is such a pretty little girl! Inside and Out!Take a Look at Jadie's Shirt...What is Missing?

THE PACIFIER is GONE

I dropped her off at school on Tuesday. It happened to be picture day. I didn't want Jadie to take a picture with her pacifier clipped to her shirt, so I took it off and put it in the backpack. I didn't want to tell them to remove it, and her throw a fit prior to her pictures. I told them it was in there for her after her picture was over. When I picked her up...they told me she didn't nap at all. I didn't realize until after I got her home...that her paci was not attached to her as usual, nor was it in her backpack. The pacifier was gone! Now I know why she didn't sleep at nap time! It is Thursday night, and she hasn't had it since. We have had a few break downs...but she is sleeping well at night. Tomorrow will be the test at school when all the other kiddos have their paci's and hers is missing.

Ashlyn was really getting into me taking pictures of her this evening. I only wish it wasn't 10 minutes before bed at this point. It's been a long time since she has wanted me to take pictures of her.

Ashlyn wanted me to take some pictures of her moves! This was the only one that wasn't blurry. The lighting was too dim to capture her in motion. Ashlyn loves her Sally Dog!Ashlyn drew doggie ears so she could be a puppy like Sally.

Here are some bribery pictures for later in life. I hadn't seen Jadyn in a while why I was taking pictures of Ashlyn. I found her in the hallway...working on something. Enough said.

Still Working!

Tile 70% Complete

The tile is about 70% complete. Today they grouted the tile in the kitchen, laundry room, half bath, and living room. They are still working on the masterbathroom shower and the girl's shower surround. All the floor tile has been laid and is just waiting to be grouted. The kitchen granite is complete. They are currently laying the backsplash, and hopefully will grout that by Saturday. We have asked for carpet to come next week. Therefore, we are hoping all flooring will be complete by next Friday the 13th.

Johnathan says they should be putting in the septic tank tomorrow.

I know our electrical crew was out there yesterday digging a huge trench to the temporary power pole.

The plumber is supposed to be at the property tomorrow to set the master bathroom tub.

I am having some issues with the granite in the master bathroom. We chose a granite that was brown and cream...and received a slab that had less brown and more yellow. As a result it makes the tile have a pinky...peachy hue. We are going ahead and completing the tile work, and will take a look one more time prior to them grouting it. What we may do is remove the granite and just tile the tub deck and the bench seat and window sill in the shower. I hope it doesn't come to that...but as of right now...it just looks okay...and for the amount of money we are paying...johnathan and i don't want it to just be "okay!"

Shopping for Gifts

Yesterday, I spent the day shopping while the girls were at school. I bought Aahlyn her blue soccer ball, a fish game she has been asking for, and some arts and crafts stuff. I bought Jadie some color wonder markers (since she lives to draw on walls and herself.). I also got her the set of cars that were on her wishlist. Tomorrow I will spend some more time shopping.

New Shampoo

This evening I fed the girls dinner. About an hour later, Jadie came up to me saying "Eat!" So I told her to get in her chair (which she surprisingly did!) and I handed her a spoon and a container of Cottage Cheese. (They make little individual serving sizes...it's about the same size as a yogurt container.) I went and sat down on the couch with Ashlyn. It wasn't a minute later, I could hear Jadyn's spoon hitting the table, which usually tells me she is dumping food on the table. I asked Ashlyn to see what her sister was doing. Ashlyn got up to see. She turned around and said..."Mama, you got to see this!" I asked Ashlyn if she had made a mess. She wouldn't say...she just kept saying...."You just have to see this!" So, I got up and found Jadie.......

So What Have We Been Doing?

MASTER BEDROOM
MASTER BATHROOM

Johnathan's Side
MASTER BATHROOM
My Side

MASTER BATHROOM

Doorless Shower

MASTER BATHROOM

View When You First Walk In

MASTER CLOSET
STAIRWELL TO BONUS ROOM NO. 2

JADIE ANN'S ROOM

HALF BATHROOM

LAUNDRY ROOM

Standing Inside

LAUNDRY ROOM

Standing In Doorway

GUEST BATHROOM

Standing In Doorway

GUEST BATHROOM

Standing Inside

GIRL'S BATHROOM

Standing In Jadie's Room

GIRL'S BATHROOM

Standing In Ashlyn's Room

ASHLYN'S ROOM

Standing Inside

ASHLYN'S ROOM

Standing In Doorway

FOYER

MAIN ROOM

Standing By Master Bedroom Hallway

MAIN HOUSE

Standing By PantryMAIN HOUSE

Standing in Game Room

GAME ROOM
GARAGE with UPSTAIRS BONUS ROOM NO. 1

Taken From Porte-Cochere