Our Nest

While working in the garage on Sunday I kept hearing something that sounded like feet in the gutter at the side of the garage.  I told Lance and he went to investigate.

Investivation required dismantling the new gutters. 

Inside we found a bird's nest. 

With 4 teal eggs. 

Which I happened to smash when I dumped them out of the gutter pipe.  Oops. 

Clean, Organize, Repeat

Clean, Organize, Repeat.

This seems to be the story of my life since we completed the house addition.  There were just so many things that got shoved into an open space while we were living under construction that were in desperate need of of organization and unfortuantely that required additional cleaning! 

I emptied out our master bedroom and closet and have them organized, cleaned and repainted.
I emptied Shelby's room and cleaned it and moved her into the old master bedroom.
I emptied the bathroom and linen closets, cleaned them, and organized them. 
Mom and I got the kitchen and pantry closets under control. 
Lance and I had emptied the old garage into a semi trailer, which in turn got emptied into the new garage.  Friday night we went to Menards to get some shelving units.  Saturday Lance started to organize his tools and the stuff in the garage.  On Sunday, I helped organize my side of the garage and my things.  Sunday evening was the first time that we were able to park all three vehicles (2 work cars and our truck) in the garage!  They have all been parked in their spots since!

We got done with the garage and Lance asked what our next big project was.  I said "the basement".  I have strarted on the basement but that project will take weeks!

Another Project

Have I lost my mind?  We started yet another project on Sunday evening.  Lance and Stanley moved the dresser and changing table from the nursery and took down the crib.  CRAZY since we are going to have a baby in July! 

Before 

Empty and baseboard trim removed. 

I started picking on the walls.  The original plaster and slat walls were cracking and peeling.  Lance's cousin Randy does plaster work.  We asked him if he would come skim the walls with a new coat of plaster to cover the cracks, holes and ugliness within the room. 

There were various spots that looked pretty rough. 

Meanwhile all the furniture and baseboard is sitting in the dining room. 

Randy finished today, 4/16, with his portion of the fix.  Now we just need to get it painted, baseboard re-installed and the furniture moved back in!

My deadline for finishing the project is June 1.  We should make it!

Kitchen Help

Jenna has really taken an interest in working in the kitchen.  I had decided to make some home-made lasagna over the weekend.  Jenna asked me if she could help, so I made one and she made the other one!

She took the project very serious! 

I appologize, I am not a foodie-blogger.  There is not a picture of all the ingredients in pretty bowls and no finished product photos either.  However, it tasted good and to me, that's all that matters!

When we got done making the double batch of lasagna, we made a double batch of cookies.  Shelby helped some with those, as did Jenna.

Playing in the Dirt

Lance's brother, Ivan, brought over some equipment to help Lance do some dirt work around the house.  The interior project is winding down, so now on to outside projects before the weather breaks and farming  begins. 

 Ivan dug out the two tree stumps in the new driveway. 

The girls watched Daddy haul the stump to the pile!

Then they worked on the slopes and grade for several envenings trying to get the major "landscaping" done.  Ivan told me "thou shalt leave no inch of Christa's front yard unturned."  I laughed when he said it, but he was serious there is very little grass left around here!

They filled in quite a bit of dirt next to the house, filled in around the wing walls for the basement, pulled up some old sidewalk, and worked on grading the land away from the walk-out basement so the water runs to the ditch instead of to the house. 

Thank you, Ivan and Angel for your help with our dirt work!

I haven't gotten great pictures of the outside since all the work is complete, because the equipment went back home just before the snow over spring break and then it started in raining.  Every time I think about taking outside pictures it is raining!

House Reveal - Pantry Project

 Back when we remodeled the house in 2005, we built the refrigerator in a whole and built wall around the chimney and added a pantry closet. 

I love my pantry! It is where I keep 99% of the non-parishable food products in my house.  However, it tends to be croweded and full of many non-food items too. 

Before

 Mom had told me she was willing to help me organize one weekend, so they came up the first full weekend in April.  My project was to completely empty the old pantry and the new pantry and organize them both.  This was no little task!  Lance and I emptied the old pantry on Monday, Mom and I emptied the new pantry on Friday night and Saturday morning we started putting things back together.  Part of the problem with the old pantry is it had a rodent visitor that made a mess that needed to be cleaned up.



After

 We got most everything that was going back in the old pantry then we started on the kitchen cabinets.  Every cabinet had the contents removed, shelves/drawers wiped down and contents organized.  We finished that project around 3pm.  Then we took everything that was to go to the new pantry and organized it.  I am happy to say that all my small appliances and baking dishes as well as excess food storage (gotta love Sam's Club Family Packs) got organized in the new pantry, which is located on the other side of the fridge from the first picture.

 I am thrilled to have everything clean and organized!  I have some open space, but that's okay.  I am slowly bringing some of my less used kitchen supplies up from the basement and giving them a home close to my kitchen!

Thanks Mom for all your help over the weekend!

Anniversaries

This month we have several anniversaries to celebrate! 

On the 3rd of April, 2011 we got our third niece, Miss Mattison Jean!  We hope you had a happy 2nd birthday Mattison!
 
On the 7th of April, 2005 we purchased our property in Clay City.  Eight years later, we have cleared trees to make more field, added on to the house, and made our house a HOME. 

On the 8th of April, 1978, Joann Gumbel married Robert Rentchler.  I am very glad they said "I do" Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

On the 10th of April, 2012, we purchased our Ford F150 truck. 12,xxx miles later, we are still happy with our purchase! 

On the 18th of April we will celebrate Stanley's 65th birthday.  Happy early Birthday Stanley!

Mattison's Party

Saturday afternoon we headed south to visit with the Rentchler Family for Easter.  We had a birthday party to celebrate Mattison's 2nd birthday.  Mattison's grandmas filled eggs and had an easter egg hunt for the girls.  They had lots of fun searching for the eggs.  This was the first egg hunt my kids had participated in, but no worries, they knew exactly what to do!

L-R:  Mattison, Shelby, Jenna, Ciara - the Rentchler cousins.

Mattison and her cake/cookies 

When Jenna walked into the Schenk house, she was glued to daddy's leg.  She didn't remember anyone from Matt's family and was being shy.  However Jenna quickly made friends with Poppy Jerry as he got down on the floor and played ball with the girls.

Shelby made up with Mamaw Linda and sat with her most of the time presents were being opened.

The kids enjoyed playing with the bean bag toss game that Poppy Bob and Mawmaw Jo got Mattison.

We hope you had a wonderful birthday Miss Mattison!

24 Weeks

I had a doctor's appointment to check in on Baby Brother on April Fool's Day.  It was a little strange though, because the doctor's office (entire OB/GYN group) moved across the hospital campus.  However, I found where I was supposed to go no problem.  Baby Brother checked out well!  Good strong heartbeat and a healthy momma, what more could one ask for? 

How far along: 24 weeks

Have you started to show yet: Yep!!
Total weight gain/loss: From my first appointment to today, I am +4.8 pounds.
Belly Button in or out? IN
Rings on/off: On, but snug today.  I am starting to have some swelling.  I figure it's due to salt from the weekend.

Size of Baby: About 12 inches and estimated at 16 ounces - The size of an ear of corn!
Weird Changes: the feeling of his hiccups
Sleep: The girls still keep me up more nights than being pregnant at this point.
Best moment this week: Daddy started feeling the baby move on Sunday!
Movement: high and low, not much between
Stretch marks? Nothing new yet
Food cravings: rice!
Food aversions: Fish, shrimp, and anything fishy smelling!
Gender prediction: The ultrasound revealed external genitalia
What I miss: sleeping on my belly / bladder capacity
What I am looking forward to: Jenna and Shelby feeling the baby kick
Name options:  right now, Baby Brother

Easter

We spent Easter with the Rentchler's, which just ended up being Mom and Dad, Lance, me, and the girls.  It was nice to have some quality family time together.  The girls did not want to hold still nor did they want to get their pictures taken.  So I appologize, the ones below are the best I got...

I hope you had a Happy Easter, too!