Hodgepodge

Chatters,

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Like Lauren said, it's interesting to see everyone's different perspective on the same event.

Things are moving along here with the Walker branch. We've seemed to attract a technology "cloud of doom" here at 2200 Peppers Ferry. First it took about two solid weeks to find out if we could get high speed internet here or not. Finally, after almost 3 weeks in the house we were able to hook up to the internet. About a week later my work laptop flashed the black screen of death and I was without a work computer for about two more weeks. Finally, I got my work computer back and then last week we had a power surge that hit our house during a lightning storm and took out our home computer and our modem. Thankfully our new TV was spared. We got a new modem but are using my laptop as the home computer for now. This is why I haven't posted in a while. For those computer geeks in the family who are wagging there fingers right now we have purchased super-duper surge protectors (and I would recommend the rest of you save yourself lots of money and get some good surge protectors.)

Carl's parents are down for the labor day holiday. Carl's dad helped him put in a new front door which turned out to be a really big project. The front door hasn't closed correctly since we moved in. It turns out there was some extensive damage to the frame and the wrong size door was used. It took Carl and his dad most of the day to get the frame fixed and the door hung. They still have a few things left to do.

I picked out colors for our living room and foyer. I'm very excited to paint and am planning on starting tomorrow. I feel like we are living in someone else's home. The former owner didn't have our same tastes in colors.

Grace continues to grow and surprise us every day. She is her very own little person now and makes no bones about letting everyone know it. She is nearly done with potty training (whew, who know it would take sooooooooo long) and is wearing real undies most of the time. She makes up her own stories and songs and Carl and I have found her quietly looking at books on her bed on several occassions. She still loves princess and picked out a sleeping beauty princess dress pattern for Halloween (I only hope I can actually sew it!) Grace also loves Thomas the Tank Engine and knows most of the Engines (which is A LOT) by name. Carl and I have a hard time knowing who is who but Grace quickly corrects us. She is an excellent listener and has picked up many words by listening to everyone around her. The other day at dinner Carl was telling Grace a silly story to which she very matter of factly looked Carl in the eye and said, "Daddy, that's impossible." She misses everyone and has said several times that she wants to go over to Nana and Pappa's or Aunt Nattie and Uncle Mike. She wanted to know today if Uncle Zach, Aunt Holly and Jordan could come to church with us. I hope we can make a trip up home later in the fall.

And now for the Hodgepodge part,

Mom, after reading dad's blogs about the weddings and messing up the wedding march twice, I wonder why you would want Dad to take you out Dancing?

Holly, Thanks for being so brave and posting your packing in process pics. Good-luck with all that and as a tip, don't count on the cat's helping very much.

Lauren, I'm glad the leg was double bagged.

Here are some recent pics. of Grace playing in pudding and play dough. Post soon! love, amber