Busy

This week has been long and full of things going on.  Since I am home all day every day, I have had the chance to get things crossed off my to-do list.  They are all things I can't do myself (obviously), but things that have been on the list for too long.

The backyard is nearly done...finally.  ALL of the pink-ish rock is gone, the ground has been leveled, the curbing is in and the sprinklers are nearly finished.  Miguel and his guys will lay the sod soon...and then we will have some plants and trees planted and new rock brought in.  I can't wait.  We've been here more than two years already.  I am so tired of looking at dirt.

I also hired someone to finish the pool fence.  After six months, I couldn't take it anymore.  I'm glad I did.  Some of the posts needed to be moved and a few pieces were added.  It turned into a DIY project from hell...and when finished it was a few hundred dollars more than the original quote from the fence company.  Oh well...live and learn, right?

Juan, the guy who painted the inside of our house two years ago, came back this week and made the outside of our house beautiful again.  He and his crew spent ALL day last Wednesday prepping the house...and then spent the next three days painting.  One of the very first things I wanted changed at this house was the exterior paint.  (This picture from before we moved in doesn't show it, but the original paint is pink...I hate pink.)

There was so much that needed to be done when we moved in, so we put off the paint...until now.  It just couldn't be put off any longer.  We've had the money set aside for months, but we finally got it crossed off the list.  

The house looks fantastic!  I am so pleased with Juan and how hard he worked to get the job done.  I took a picture with my cell phone when just the trim had been repainted...even that made the house look 10 times better.

Over the last few weeks, there have also been some projects going on inside the house, as well.  Richelle has been in charge of those projects...and I have no idea how to thank her.  She organized a group effort to move the office upstairs, so we could get the play room ready for Blip. So far it's still a work in progress, but everything is moved and mostly organized.  I am very anxious to get the play room painted and filled with Blip's new stuff.

Richelle also painted the nursery last weekend.  She enlisted Margene, Robyn and Becky to help, but she did the majority of the work herself...and all I could do was watch from a distance.  The room is now ready for Anna to come work her magic.  I think I am most anxious about the baby's nursery being completed.  The furniture is all here and the window coverings have been ordered...now we're just waiting.  I am super excited to see it all put together.

Not only have the last few weeks been busy, but this week I also got sick.  It started as sniffle.  I assumed it was allergies.  I didn't feel sick until after our appointment with the Cardiologist on Wednesday.  It's been downhill from there.  Now it's turned into a cough.  I have never felt this awful and not been able to take "real" medicine.  I am allowed to take plain old Claritin, but with out the "D" it really isn't that great...or maybe it never was allergies...

Now that I'm coughing, I'm allowed to take cough syrup.  That has helped immensely.  If I could breathe...that would be the best thing ever.  I hoped I wouldn't get sick while being pregnant, but that obviously wasn't in the cards.  Oh well...this too shall pass...and I can't wait.

I did make Mike take a 22 week photo of me (even though I feel like crap).  I wasn't very good at taking them every week, so I am trying to be better and do one at least every other week...that's about as often as I am presentable anyway.