From Reeeaalllly Mauve to Mountain Rustic

My cousin Michelle Rocks. Seriously. She's a machine. She arrived Monday around 2:00, and not 48 hours later, she left my ugly mauve countertop better than I could have dreamed. She doesn't just tile. She works the tile as though an artist. No flat edge was left straight without a good filing to continue with the rustic look of real slate. Her attention to detail was of utmost importance. And we get to reap the benefits of her artistic perfectionism :o)

Please note the before picture up top as she preps the counters for mortar. She endured mud in her hair and clothing for the sake of my counter. And the finished product is amazing. These pictures don't do it justice. And still to come...oil bronzed faucets, light fixtures and new paint on walls. This was just the beginning......

Thanks so much, Michelle!!!

....what the kids did during construction....

I forgot to put Jack down for a nap. He still found a way.

And the Walls Came 'A Tumbling Down....

Project #1 Complete. More to come in 3 weeks when new fireplace and stone arrive.

Project #2 Almost Complete. Counter pics coming. Stay tuned...........

Madness in the Treehouse

It's going to get real crazy here next week. Craaaaazy, I tell you!

It's time to make the Treehouse ours. It's time to start the demolition!!

Monday: Mr. Contractor is going to be here at 7:30am to tear down our wall between the kitchen and the living room. My cousin is coming (with her 2 sons) to tile the countertop in my 1/2 bath. I'll never have had so many people working at once to make my house pretty!

Tuesday: New Fridge arrives! And cousin will still be here laying tile in bathroom. Mr. Contractor may be coming back Tuesday too.

Wednesday: Cousin is finishing up tile work. Carpet people arrive to measure rooms for new carpet. Mr. Contractor may be coming this day as well.

Thursday: Garage Sale! Ok, the garage sale is at a friend's house, but I still have to have my stuff together, priced and to her house by Thursday. Still unsure how this is all going to happen, but everything always seems to work out.

Friday: Garage Sale Continued.

Dean and I have often dreamed about doing things to fix up our houses in the past. We have never actually realized any of those dreams. Next week we will begin to see some of these dreams become reality. It's very exciting! Please stay tuned as pics of demolition will be posted along pics of the new room as it takes shape. And let's not forget the new half bath either! My cousin is a master tiler and I'm so excited to show you the befores and afters of the half bath. Oh, I'll have so much to show you :o)

Memorial Day Weekend - 2008

Memorial Day Weekend started early in the Nienhouse this year. It began the Sunday prior with a visit from Oma (Dean's mom) and Aunt Deb (Dean's sister) and Grace (4 year old cousin, Jack's "twin"). Oma and Deb know what they are doing within the landscape world. I was not brought up in the world of landscape and therefore, have no clue what to do with my new yard. Oma and Deb graciously helped me figure out what is a weed, and what isn't. They helped edge, pot flowers, transplant plants that are in the wrong area of the yard, trim bushes and pull weeds. They were my outdoor lifesavers. They did not leave without giving me instructions on how to care for my new yard and details as to what still needed to be done. Thanks, you guys!!!

All that to say, we also had a great time with our little cousin, Grace. She is just as smart as she is cute. And we found out that in December, she's going to be a big sister!! This was very exciting news for our family. God never ceases handing out miracles.

Friday, May 23: My baby boy turned 8! Seriously, when did that happen?? Because we are such cool parents, we let the kids skip school on that Friday, and Dean took off work. We spent the morning doing a little lawn work, but then the afternoon was all Sam. We saw "Prince Caspian" in the theater, followed by a Bowling Party with 8 of his friends from school. The party was a huge hit. Gotta love NOT having the mess at home :o)

Saturday, Sunday, Monday: Spring has finally arrived here in the northwoods. OK, maybe it's been here a little longer than that, but not much. We had 3 gorgeous days filled with more landscaping work, bonfires, friends and family. We are experiencing our new yard for the first time and are excited for summer to truly begin. I'll have pictures up soon.

Another Milestone

As my children get older, the less frequent the milestones. But when a milestone is accomplished, it is so bittersweet. Elle was so excited to lose her first tooth. She talked non-stop about how I couldn't pull it out, but in the end, she was able to pull it out. She exhuberantly jabbered on and on about which friends have lost teeth and which ones haven't, the prospect of the coming toothfairy, and how surprised she was it didn't hurt.

I just smiled with her, the whole time thinking my baby girl is growing up way too fast. Way.

Lost and Found

Seven years ago, I lost something. This weekend, I found it again.

What is that, you ask?? It's the part of me I didn't know I missed. It's the part of me known as "Mrs. Nienhuis". It's the part of me that loves to have colleagues. It's the part of me that loves to be creative. It's the part of me that loves children. It's the teacher in me.

I am seeking my WI teacher's license, and to obtain that, I must complete 6 post-grad credits of anything pertaining to education from a state approved school. My friend, Beth, is also seeking her license renewal, so we made a girl's weekend out of a trip to Green Bay to attend a class called "Cultivating Creativity in your Classroom". We picked it because it required no homework, and sounded like fun. (OK, we wanted a blow-off class, I admit it)

Well, the class was easy and fun, but I didn't know I'd come away feeling like I did. It really made me realize how much I love to create fun ways to teach music to my students. I was forced to remember some of the creative lessons I used to teach, and it saddened me how difficult it was to think of what they were. It made me really really miss my teacher friends, and caused me to remember how much I loved being friends with fellow teachers and how fun we are to be around :o) Students would never guess how much fun teachers have together!

Now don't get me wrong. Going back to work freaks me out a little. When I taught last, I had a one year old. Now I have 3 children with many responsibilities and activities. Me teaching again creates a whole new crink in our little famliy cycle. But it is a part of me and it makes me feel like I am an adult again. You know the kind...one who thinks intellectually and makes money :o) A year ago, I would have told you I wasn't ready to go back to work. Today, I can tell you that I am getting more ready everyday. And I'm quite excited about it.