Remodel Update

The great remodel of 2011 has picked up the pace in the last couple of weeks. Things are actually getting done, and we have proof of this. Below is a picture of the washer and dryer. I've only had this set a week, but I'm in love.
The cabinets and counter top are now installed. We still need baseboards, trim paint, sink hooked up, and outlets. The carpet is scheduled for installation on July 6.
As for the contest, you people must really know what procrastinators we are. Our friend Jessica was over on Monday and was giving Barry a little grief about his "two month project". As of now

Lisa - August 6
Mary- Aug 27
Matt- Sept 1
Marlene- Oct 1
Amber- Nov 1
Any other takers? Post here or let one of us know by Friday.

Meet Skippy

Skippy is the newest addition to the Bean household. Skippy serendipitously found his way to our home on Sunday. We had talked in the past about getting a dog like this, and our neighbor had one she was getting rid of. Barry made the executive decision that Skippy would come home with us.
Skippy is a smart dog and we are working on straightening out a few bad behaviors. Namely, his selective listening and his ability to run full force through the electric dog fence. He is starting to show promise as an irrigating dog, but I think my dad would beg to differ.
The other dogs are a little unsure of his presence, but everyone seems to be adjusting well. Sprout loves that he is her size and likes to play with her.

16 Months

Elena has reached the 16 month mark. She is learning new words and phrases, her recent favorites being "kitty" and "meow". She is a constant babbler, loves playing in the dirt/outside, and still loves taking a bath. She is developing the fine art of tantrum throwing and testing boundaries.

Contest Update

It has been brought to my attention that I need to set an entry deadline for the blog contest. Therefore, entries must be received by Friday, June 24th.

Another Sunny Day

Today started off overcast and raining, but ended up sunny and pleasant. Elena enjoys being outside and one of her new things is to bring you her shoes/hat/coat along with your shoes. This indicates that she's ready to go out.
The fun is just starting because she can out-run me these days. Lisa finds it hilarious that a 15 month old toddler with dislocated and dysplastic hips is faster than I am. At this point I'm not very amused.
Elena enjoying her tricycle.
Our garden has been fairly productive this year. We've been eating lettuce and radishes most recently. Our weather has been anything but summery, so we'll be lucky to have tomatoes by September.

Weekend Update

Barry left for his conference yesterday, so it is just us girls for the week. We enjoyed the nice weather yesterday and spent some time outside.
Here are a few pictures of Elena enjoying the grass. She also enjoys playing in the rocks, riding on her trike, and trying to chase chickens.


Now for the remodel update. Barry sanded the floor this weekend before he left, and I painted the floor yesterday. The lighting isn't very good in this picture, but it's a medium brown color. So far Amber has selected Nov 1 for the completion date. I really hope that it won't take that long. Any other takers?

BLOG CONTEST!!!!

Here's the deal: be the person who guesses closest to the completion date of the basement and you win a $25 gift certificate to the retailer of your choice. Entries will be accepted via blog comments, email, or personal contact. First come first served. I will update this post with everyone's entries as well as our progress. Good luck!

Here's what's left to do:
Utility room cabinets (already ordered, to be installed by Nampa Floors)
Utility Room base boards - install and paint
New washer and dryer installed - requires minor plumbing changes since we moved them to the other side of the room.
Refinish utility room floor. Sand and stain.
Install 2 doors (including trim) in the basement.
Install carpet in basement (Nampa Floors)
Electrical finish work - outlets, switches, covers, etc.
Finish installing furnace (Luis - this one is a wild card!!)
Finish landscaping around egress windows - move about 1 yard of gravel.

Other commitments/distractions:
Barry is out of town June 5-11, 21-24, and July 18-27. Karen has a broken toe, and Sprout has surgery July 12. Also, Barry is defending his thesis this fall and working in the field most of September and October.

Here are the entries to-date:

Matt - Sept. 1
Nana (Barry's Mom) - Oct. 1
Amber - Nov. 1

Sprout Needs Surgery

Sprout has bilateral hip dysplasia. Basically, the ball part of her hips aren't totally in the sockets. She goes in for surgery on July 12. They may not actually have to cut into her hip joint, but she will be under a general anesthesia. The recovery is the rough part, as she'll be in a SPICA cast (full body) for 12 weeks. Our doctor was very reassuring and told us that kids recover really quickly and adjust to the cast pretty well. We'll keep everyone updated as things progress.

If you're interested in hip dysplasia and the treatment, click here.

We would really like to thank our friends and family who have committed their support for this ordeal!

Ouch!!!!!

Today Karen called me at work around 3:30. I was in Ralph's office, so I silenced the ringer. Meanwhile, I thought it was odd that she was calling me from the home phone while she was supposed to be working. I listened the voice mail about 30 minutes later, and it went something like this, "Barry, I got off work early and I broke my toe. I mean REALLY broke my toe. Gasp....Sob..... I need you to come home." Later she told me that she was calling people for help while attempting to crawl as fast as Sprout was running away in order to catch her. I guess Sprout thought this was a really awesome game. Here is a picture of her dislocated (and possibly broken as well) little toe after she tried to fix it herself (she said it was at a 90 degree angle before she pushed it back). She later had one of her co-workers put it back in place for her. It's worth noting that one of the first things she did after trying to get it in place was to grab the camera and get a picture for the blog. Way to go Karen!