Paint, Countertops and Flooring!

The painters worked for about a week and got everything painted!  They'll have to come back for touch ups, but we were really happy with how quickly they painted everything!  The flooring/countertop guys then got that all done last Thursday and Friday.

 

Layla wanted a blue room just like her old room.  We did a different shade of blue this time since we wanted to use the blue in other rooms, but she loves it!

 And I'm really happy with how Gibs' room turned out.

We walked to our house from Gavin's house on Friday while the countertop/backsplash/flooring guys were finishing up.

 I hadn't gotten a picture of Greta before in her room.  You can definitely tell by the kids' clothes that the temperature has suddenly gotten much colder!

 Harper looking stylish:)...

 I thought it was cute that all the kidswere looking out Layla's windows:).  Layla will be able to keep a good watch on things from her room:).

They also put our deck on last week.  Can't wait to screen this in so that we can eat ouside bug-free:). 

 The kitchen looks so different with floor, countertops and backsplash!  I'm so happy with how it turned out--looks just like it did in my head, phew! :)

 Laundry room...

 Back hall with the back bath on the left and the laundry room is to the right of the picture...

 Master bath...

 Kids' bath...

 

I'm so happy with how things are turning out (thankfully:-D).  It feels like we picked all of it out so long ago, I almost forgot what I chose:).  Baumann Builders seriously made it SO easy though with making our selections.  I would definitely recommend them!  You just go to their showroom to pick everything out and their interior decorator helps you choose everything.  Since we've decided to build, I've had so many people tell me that they could never build b/c it'd be way too many decisions and way too much work.  Baumann makes it easy!  And they didn't tell me to say that:). 

Siding will hopefully go on this week, then it will really look almost complete!  The siders apparently are really behind due to the cold/wet early spring we had so we'll pretty much getting siding on and move in shortly after:).  I'm sure our neighbors will appreciate no longer seeing our "green house" (as the kids call it). :)

Memorial Day Work

Joe skipped the parade yesterday to work on one of our retaining walls.  His dad and brother joined him in the afternoon which was greatly appreciated!

 

He picked up the railroad ties on Sunday and called his dad and brother to come help him unload them--they are heavy!!

 Heidi came with to see our house for the first time.  Gibs cracks me up in the background of this picture:).

 Don't mind Greta's purple and red combo:).  It was colder than I thought it was supposed to be yesterday and had this fleece in my car.  She enjoyed watching everyone outside.

 

 And wished she could join them:)...

 The kids thougth it'd be fun to eat there, so we had a "picnic lunch" there...

Looking outside through our dryer vent...

 Gramdpa hard at work with the chain saw...

 Watching the guys work while playing their games...

 They got about half done, but we left, so this was the last picture I took.  Those are stairs in the middle.  We really appreciated Vern and Steve's help, they even worked in the rain for awhile.  My dad was also there yesterday working on our bathroom backsplashes--we so appreciate his help too!

Memorial Day Parade

The kids and I went to Zeeland's Memorial Day parade this morning to honor those that have fought for our freedom.  This was our first time going to Zeeland's Parade (instead of Holland's), but we wanted to go to Zeeland's because Gavin was in it.  Next year Gibs and Layla will both be in it. 

 

Harper liked stealing Greta's snacks (actually it was her breakfast, the parade was at 9 so I let the kids sleep until 8:15--even Gibs has been sleeping past 8 lately, it's been nice!) and fed them breakfast at the parade)...

 Waving their flags for the veterans...

 Gavin's float...

 

 I love Greta's Cheerio smile:)..

Last Day of Preschool

Layla had a great last day of preschool--they got to walk to Captain Sundae to get ice cream!  When we got there today they got to pick out what kind of ice cream they wanted and so of course Layla said she wanted pink.  But I guess when they went there they were out of strawberry so she had to get chocolate/vanilla twist which she said was good too :-).  She had a great year with Mrs. Dykstra and Mrs. Genzink and is so excited to now officially be a Kindergartener!!

Layla on the first day of school...

 

 And at graduation...

 

 

 With her friends Ella (Sophia's little sister), Sophia and Jayden...

Errands with the G's

We only have one day left of running errands while Layla is in school.  It's worked well that it gets us out of the house on time in the morning and we normally have something we need to go do or get two days a week.  I knew I had taken some pics on my phoneof the kids while we're out to either post on Facebook or to send to Joe, so here they are:-).

 

This was from this week at Walmart.  Walmart rarely hands out samples, but was giving out little ice cream cones which of course Greta and Gibs both loved and both had nice white mouths by the end of our grocery trip:-).

 This was from this winter when I got them popcorn at Walmart and loved it of course:-).

 Enjoying free cookies at Meijer...

I don't know where Greta was this time...

A few weeks ago Greta sat in the "big kid" cart because Gibs really wanted to and they did have fun in it. 

 

Preschool Graduate!

Our first child has officially graduated from preschool!!  *sniff sniff*  Feels like we were just starting this whole school thing.  I will be happy for summer break so that I can just unpack and not worry about running her to school two days a week, but I am a little afraid she will be bored at home all the time and I will now have to get groceries and run errands with 3 kids instead of 2.  She's the easiest one being the oldest, yet for some reason, it just seems like a lot more work with 3 versus 2.  Anyway, I can't believe my big girl is almost a kindergartener!!  Next year she is doing Mandarin Kindergarten and she is very confused how she will learn Chinese.  I am not so sure either! :-)  But I have heard great things about immersion programs, so I am so excited for her to learn another language.  I hope that she will love it! 

 Sibling love:)...

 Gibs ALWAYS gives the goofiest looks in pictures...

 Layla and her friend, Sophia before the graduation ceramony...

 They sang a few songs upfront which was really cute...

 We had front row seats because we got there quite early.  Gavin had Young 5's graduation last night and they said how it was so busy that parents/grandparents were standing so we thought we should be early since there are way more preschoolers than young 5ers, but turns out, they do the preschool graduation for each class seperately, so there were pleanty of seats:-).

 "I am weak but HE is strong!"

 Mrs. Genzink giving Layla her certificate...they could choose if they wanted to give Mrs. Genzink a hug or a handshake and Layla chose a handshake.  I was surprised as she loves hugs!  I think she maybe just copied the person infront of her:-).

 Grandpa had to work late and ended up not being able to make it...

 And Gigi came down with a bad cough so she couldn't make it...