New Kitchen

I wanted an updated kitchen for a long time.  We got a quote from our usual contractor, and we just could not do that much. I was sad. Mark talked to someone he knew, and it was supposed to be a surprise for me. He was going to have it start the day Lon and I were going to leave town.  Well, it did not quite work out that way. They could start early and get it done over three Wednesdays. SO they did!

The old kitchen, as I am starting to take things down. Worn out cabinets and counter tops.

The fridge got pushed out of the way, and the cabinets are coming down!

The cabinets are gone. He noticed some water damage behind the dishwasher, Jim took the damaged dry wall out to see if there was any real water damage. Luckily, there was none! He put in new dry wall.

Jim and Bob working hard. Bob also painted the kitchen. It looks so bright and shiny!

New cabinets are coming in nicely

The new cabinets are in!  The new over the stove microwave is in!  The under cabinet lights are in! The fridge is where it is where it is supposed to be! We have cardboard for counter tops, no sink and no stove. The dishwasher is in, but not hooked up to water. The counter tops and sink and stove will be another week.  I missed the sink and water most of all.

Counter tops!  They are very very heavy! Two Russian gentlemen put them in.  They did a great job.

Monday, the back splash I picked out is in! Sort of, they ran out of tiles. The sink is in, the counter tops are ready.  Grouting will wait till the glue really sets. On Wednesday.

Wednesday, at 8am, the Russians were here to grout. When I got back from dropping Lon off at school, Jim and Bob were here to finish everything else. Attaching the sink, dishwasher and new GAS  stove. Jim put in a real working vent over the stove. The previous vent was just for show.  I have to rehang the pot rack and put everything back into the cabinets.
I love my new updated look in my kitchen. SO much prettier. It looks great.  Now I am going to make dinner!

Close up of the back splash and granite!

Indian Dinner

We went to Prachi and Rahul's home for dinner tonight! Yummy! It was very fun to watch the little boys play together. Lon is getting much better at sharing, and knowing how to play with little boys.  Reyansh is getting so big, he talks almost as much as Lon!

Lon brought this toy to play with. We hid it when it became a test of wills. Lon did not want to give it up and Reyansh was very pleased that Lon brought him a new toy to have forever.

Reyansh thought it was amazing that Lon could write words!  He kept telling Lon to write more! Even though Lon wrote: Dear Reyansh, you are crazy wild. Reyansh thought that was pretty cool, mainly since Lon wrote it!

We had a wonderful dinner. Aloo Gobi, a cauliflower and potato curry, and Mark's favorite, Rajma Masala.  Prachi tried to make it mild for me, but I still needed some yogurt. It was SO good.  I am going to try to make it at home. I am not sure mine will be as yummy.
After dinner Lon gave Reyansh a ride around on the tricycle. Lon would drive between bedroom station, and mommy station.

Reyansh kept trying to get Mark's glasses. Mark let him try them on.  He looks like an adorable little man.

Lon got to try them on too.

Sushi !

Today was Auntie Michele's turn for International Dinner! She decided we would roll sushi. I have always been scared about rolling sushi! Auntie Michele is a good teacher

She got two of Mark's favorite ingredients! Tuna and octopus

Michele showing us how it is done

Megan tried her hand at rolling.She did a good job!

My turn!

My first sushi rolls!  Mark said they looked good

Grace rolled her own ! And she did not want to share!

Yes, Lon was there. He had no interest in sushi.  Eating or rolling. He played with Brian and Kayla. Brian would run in and grab a sushi and run out. He did sit down and eat his California roll, but was soon back to running and playing.

We knew Lon would not eat sushi. We made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He went and got it when he was hungry and ate it all. And his cookies that he packed.
Some day he might try sushi.

Uncle Chong really really loves his cone rolls!
We had fun,  I learned alot.  Now we can make sushi at home! :)

McDonald's Night

Thursday night was McDonald's night! It was a fund raiser to Juanita El. So, of course, we went!

Lon and some of his classmates! We had Tigers after we had dinner, so one of the boys was in uniform

Lon wanted to play a little longer, but we really had to get going to make it to Den on time

I did ask Lon if he wanted to go meet Ronald, and he said no, he seemed a little creepy to him.
It was fun. I had a salad!

Painting Rhinos!

Today I was asked to help out at school. The school is  putting on a musical performance.  Lon class is divided into rhinos and monkeys.  Lon is a Rhino.  I thought he would have been a monkey!
This morning I went in to help them paint their masks.

The back of the paper plate is painted Rhino blue.  The WHOLE plate.  It was really fun

Once Lon was done with his mask and ears, he went to check out the monkey mask making section.

Lon cleaned up his own space, then helped wash the brushes.  He did it, not Mommy.

Singing part of the performance to us as a treat! Lon  was singing "It's SO hot!" He needs a  little bit more coaching in melodrama-- I think I can help with that

Getting better! Here he is singing about Tangos with Mangos.
I am looking forward to the performance, and yes, Grandmothers, we will be sending you the DVD of it!

Bubbles are Still Cool

Yesterday was a nice enough day that after Lon finished his homework he got out the bubble machines!

Bubbles everywhere!

Bubbles landing on his mouth is not fun!

The test is now complete. The bubble machines work, but we might need one or three more.

Sarah Turns 5!

Today was Sarah's 5th birthday party. At Jump Planet

Oh, Jump Planet, how I have missed you!
We really need to start going back when we have a chance.

Lon was playing with some other boys.

Okay, can I go back and jump now?

At the top of a slide

I pointed out to Lon that one little girl was feeling left out. Lon made me proud, he stepped up and played with her. Such a good kid!

Getting to the top.I was right behind them too. Lon was so happy I was jumping with him. There were only a couple other parents that jumped with the kids. Sometimes I get to be the cool mom. 

After a session of jumping it was time for fruit and cake! Lon was not interested in the strawberries or honeydew, just watermelon, thank you. I think he gets that from his Grandma!
It was very fun and I am glad we got to help Sarah celebrate turning 5.

The Juanita Friday Market is Back!

We love the Juanita Friday Market. This year it is back at the beach where it belongs!  This Friday was the first  for the year.

Lon loves the market too.

Our favorite places are back from last year. The trimmed wick, for wonderful soaps. (free samples!) and Pete's Perfect Toffee. It is perfect and I missed my toffee bar with cashews and cranberries! It was so good to get a bar!

Of course Lon had to go play in the park for a little while! He still likes the rock wall climber, but he would like more of a challenge.  Still more fun than stairs.

Slides are still fun.

After the friday market, Lon and I went to the school movie night. We saw Puss n' Boots.  They had pizza, popcorn and cotton candy. Lon had THREE slices of pizza.   He had a tons of fun.( I would post a photo of Lon with some of his friends, but the way one of the boys is holding his hand it does look like he is giving us all the bird. I know this is not intentional. But I can not crop it out  without making the picture look really weird)

Garage Sale Find

At our first garage sale stop on Saturday morning, we found a great item. Lon really really wanted it, but so did I!

Yep. R2D2.  The lady at the garage sale said she thought it still worked. Well, we are not so sure about it. It did not move around for a while. BUT as Lon played with him and talked to R2, he played Princess Leah's message, he played the Cantina music. He finally started moving around the floor. He shakes his head no when we ask him to do something.  I have found the instruction manual on line and I will get it printed out tomorrow.
That should help us to learn what this little guy can really do.

R2's lights flash and there are beeps. Lon loves him.  I am glad we got him!