new tile in the downstairs bath

The new tile in the bath was grouted yesterday, in the midst of getting our son and his family packed and on the road. The tile guy did a great job. The medicine cabinet goes back up tomorrow.

medicine cabinet goes back up tomorrow

The tile goes around the window, over to the tub.

blue, blue, blue...love it!

new tiles

The view out the bathroom window…the trees are beautiful.

the view from the bathroom window

Next Monday, the floor tiles will be installed. We’re making progress! ~~Rhonda

in honor of election day

DH make the eagle from the Great Seal of the United States. Ummm…riiiiight…. He didn’t add the extras…arrows, leaves, banners. You get just the basics with DH’s pancake art. ;-D Those other things are "dots," which DD always asks for.

in honor of election day

Now that you’re inspired…get out there and vote!

~~Rhonda 🙂

our babies are going home tomorrow

The twins have been angels this week. A dream to take care of. They’ll be heading home tomorrow, which is sad for us, but happy for them and their mommy and daddy.

Kix is our favorite snack

looks just like her daddy

~~Grandma

walking the yard with aunty

The twins took the wagon for a spin again this afternoon.

afternoon walk

It’s a beautiful afternoon.

around the front yard

The asters are covered with butterflies, bees and beetles.

buckeye butterfly

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The sugar maples are pretty this year.

maple leaves

The twins love to be outside.

And it was great to get out of the kitchen for a change! 🙂 ~~Rhonda

going to see great-grandma

DD took the girls for a ride in the wagon. They went to the nursing home to see Great-grandma. The twins *loved* riding in the wagon. We’ll have to go out again this afternoon. It’s a beautiful day and I’d like to get some fall pictures. I’ve spent the past four days in the kitchen. Thought we’d have the girls in the library, office, and kitchen with the rest of the house closed off. What was I thinking?? I can hardly keep up with both of them in ONE room!

Anyhoo…the wagon ride was a hit! Thanks, Laurie, for the loan of the wagon!!

wagon ride

fun!

I sat on the back steps in the sunshine as I waited from them to come back. I could hear them squealing and laughing from the parking lot next door.

late afternoon shadows

~~Rhonda 🙂

turn your back for 30 seconds…

She’s a fast one! I did a few dishes, turned around to check on the girls, and there was Panda Bear, helping herself to a powdered formula snack.

helping herself to a snack

~~Grandma :-}

fresh and clean

Bath, bottle, bed…in that order. And aren’t they sweet?

fresh and clean

~~Rhonda 🙂

niko

Niko feels right at home and wanders all over the house. This morning he found the window between the dining room and the kitchen. He sat there for a while watching us as we worked in the kitchen.

kitty in the window

He likes to be petted and he likes to groom you back by licking any patch of skin he can reach.

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~~Rhonda 🙂

new counters!

The new counters were installed in the downstairs bath and the laundry room today. They look beautiful! While the installers were working on the counters (took about five hours), I watched the twins in the kitchen. I worked on drying more parsley, among other things.

The counter tops are Caesarstone, a quartz composite. The color is “Pacific Reflections.” It’s a cobalt blue with silver specks in it. Very pretty! The pictures do not do them justice.

We kept the sinks in both the bathroom and the laundry room. The faucets will be replaced with brushed nickel, and the cabinet knobs will be the same style, but in brushed nickel. The tile floors for the three bathrooms will be installed next Monday and Tuesday. The woodwork in this bathroom will be glossy white. The wall behind the countertop will be covered in a small white glass tile with blue streaks through it. The tile will be installed this Friday.

bathroom vanity

The laundry room sink is pink. It will be reglazed in white. It’s sitting in the hole off-center because it isn’t hooked up.

ignore the pink sink

will reglaze the sink

In a few years, I hope to put the same counters in the kitchen. I love the way they look.

~~Rhonda 🙂

grandpa’s pancakes preferred by toddlers 2 to 0

This morning, the twins tried Grandpa’s famous pancakes for the first time. Yes! Complete approval and instant favorite!

yes, I like them!

grandpa's pancakes are great!

what's not to like about grandpa's pancakes?

yummy pancakes

I hear them stirring from their morning nap…will be time to get them up soon. They are being so good. They have a pretty regular schedule. Get up, eat, play, nap, get up, eat, play, nap, get up, eat, play, bottle, bed for the night. They fuss for about 20 seconds when put into bed and then they settle and go to sleep. Couldn’t ask for easier!

~~Grandma 🙂