BFFs

Our friends from Austin, Texas, that used to live in Chicago were in last weekend to visit.  In anticipation of Austen's friend, Gavin, visiting, Austen penned a card to his friend telling him he's his best friend in the whole world. Austen talks about best friends in his class but he always reserves the best friend in the whole world spot for Gavin even though they have been separated by hundreds of miles for over a year now.

They write old fashioned letters/send postcards; they Skype or FaceTime; and we visit each other (twice this year). It's nice to see that bond continue to grow. Childhood best friends are the best and those friendships, first friendships, can be strong and last forever. Gavin's mom and I talk about the boys being roommates in college at our alma mater, IU, but not sure that will happen now that Austen says he wants to go to Michigan (how does that happen when his dad is an Illinois grad and I went to Indiana?!).

At any rate, we had a great time. It was like old times when our families used to get together...and with other families the kids went to school with - it is a special group that no matter how many new friends we make in our new suburban town, I will never forget. This time, this place will always hold a special place in my heart.

Bowling

The kids love bowling. It's not a sport that I love  -- mostly because I'm not good at it.  But the kids have field trips throughout the year to bowl and birthday parties to attend that involve bowling. So one day, I thought we'd try out a fancy bowling alley in the suburbs.

This isn't your typical dive bowling alley with olds, smelly shoes.  No, this is a swanky, high tech bowling alley.  Take the price, for example, $30 for four people to bowl one game (or whatever they call it in bowling). Waitresses bringing you fine fare and drinks of your choice - alcoholic or nonalcoholic.  The lanes are all automated so you don't have to keep score (or for me, figure it out like the old days), but the best is that you can check to automate the bumpers (that just magically pop out of the gutters) for each individual player.  They also have this roller coaster type of contraption so the little kids can put the ball on it and then push it down. Genius!

I grew up on the East Coast where we had smaller balls to bowl with. I always wondered how little kids could bowl with these 6 and 7 pound balls.

Anyway, with bumpers and all Peyton won. Austen came in second then Tom and me. Neither of us are very good but hey, we didn't use the bumpers!

We had a lot of fun.  So much that we went back with some friends of Austen's. Peyton won that time too!

House Update

The house construction is finally moving along. Hopefully only six more weeks until we move in. Fingers crossed. Lots to do over the next six weeks that's for sure.  

Last weekend the first floor and basement were complete but the rooms on the first floor weren't framed out yet. Here are some photos from last weekend. 

Front of house - first floor.

Back of house. You're seeing a big deck on top of the garage that's located directly behind the house due to our deep lot and then the first floor (which almost looks like a second floor).

Here's the straight shot from our front door to the back from last weekend too.

From the back looking out the front door.

In one week, the first floor rooms have been framed, the second floor has been added and part of the roof/dormers have been put on.

Here is an updated view of the back from this weekend. 

And, here is the front from this weekend. Notice the one dormer - for those of you who don't know it's going to be a Georgian style home. Very traditional brick. I've liked that style since I was a little kid. Lucky for me, Tom liked it too!

Can't wait to see all of the progress from this week.  I won't be out there again for about two weeks from now so I'm sure it will look totally different. But slowly my excitement is building to actually have a house, more space and some peace and quiet. However, I'm sure I will be cursing my commute to work! 

Happy 4th of July!

It was a great week for the kids despite me having to work. They were off the entire week from school so Grandma took them at the beginning of the week and they had fun at a local water park, practicing their bike riding skills around the neighborhood, and going to see a movie.

We went to a parade on the 4th of July and also a family barbecue complete with  an inflatable castle for Austen and Peyton to jump around in which they loved (compliments of their aunt and uncle). Then it was back to the fireworks.

We rounded out the fun weekend at the Michigan beach where we saw more family and the kids were even able to go for a boat ride.

I think they had a fun week despite it being a staycation. Back to school tomorrow where they will enjoy a lot of field trips and water days since it's more like camp in the summer.

Hoping to post more on our house next week but there's been a lot of progress and hoping more so by the time I post again next week. Stay tuned.