Santa Pancakes

Whenever we get a chance to relax and just hang around the house, I like to break out all the fixings for breakfast...pancakes, french toast, sausage, bacon, hash browns and anything else the kids or Chris can dream of to eat. This is usually a Sunday morning feast for us, but for Christmas Eve I am going to make this part of our tradition with Santa Pancakes. It is a really cute way to serve the pancakes and get the kids to eat their fruit too, even if right now the little ones don't eat the whip cream or the cherry nose. For me it is the fun of making the funny faces and getting to see my whole family around the table, this is the only time I don't get overwhelmed with the noise because everyone is chewing.

House Update

Chris has been hard at work getting the plumbing roughed in so I figured I would take this time to update everyone on the house progress. Please have patience with me it has been six months and I think the last time I posted a picture the house was still getting walls. Now I can tell you that all the walls are up and the interior walls are up too.

Chris is building the staircase to the basement with my brother Justin and so far they are still up and functional.

In the midst of all the construction, Chris decided to add a bit more cement to the drive way, which has been a blessing with all the snow we have been getting, but this didn't go without a hitch. The day the cement truck came out (the second one I believe) we had not one but two city inspectors come to the house; courtesy of our neighbor's phone call. One was to look at the cement going down for the driveway (our on going fight over the property line) and the second one was to look at the height of our house (I guess the neighbor thinks it is too high), but both left without a qualm and told us the project was looking good.

Here is a shot to the trusses going up with the help of Chris's former high school buddy he reconnected with on facebook (Yeah social networking). Mike M. came down with his father's lull and we were able to get them up easier than imagined.

Not only did the lull help with the trusses going up but with the transportation of the over hang, which looked like the wing to a small plane when Chris built them.

Here is a shot of Chris riding in the basket to get the final piece of the trusses in place, which finished off the look of Chris's vision to the house.

One of the last pictures are of the house getting the windows in place, which drastically reduced the wind coming into the living addition in the back. The front of the house is taking shape and now we are focusing on the interior and getting that going.

The last picture is where the house sits right now on December 24, 2010 @ 3:20 in the afternoon and instead of getting ready to go to my folks house to celebrate Christmas Eve I am updating the blog. I also hear we are in for another whopping snow storm in a week...bigger than the 17 inches we got before. OMG...where will we put that snow. That will be a very interesting post if and when the snow comes. To Be Continued....

We Are Back!!!!

I have internet officially back at home. This is the first post since that day so many months ago. It is hard to believe that it has been six months and so much has been done. I don't even know where to start. I guess with the current house situation would be the best...right now as I type Chris and Tim are wrestling with getting the wirzbo on in the front of the house. For the past few weeks we have had to let the water drip, but now with the temperatures really dropping Chris figured it was time to get the heat on.

The front of the house is entirely up and lovely with all the windows (not looking forward to actually cleaning them), but it is a fabulous site. Chris is working hard getting the plumbing ready and this project is steaming ahead. It is hard to believe that we have been in this addition for almost a year already.

A short recap of the last months goes kind of like this...

Disney World in August with the kids and my parents...a very long drive (5 days down, 4 days back) & very very very HOT, but the kids loved it.

September was the start of school for Jasmine (Middle School), Nick (1st grade), Jayna (preschool) and myself (grad. school) so that meant a lot of changes to the schedule for everyone. Most days are crazy but the schedule is good for everyone too. Jayna is excited that she gets to ride the school bus with Nick next year.

Side Note: somewhere in there Tough Tony broke his collar bone horsing around upstairs with his big sister Jayna.

Halloween was the typical chaos around here. Jasmine was a devil (along with her horse @ the Halloween fun show at Windy Ridge Ranch), Nick was a jail bird, Jayna was a lovely ladyBUG, and Tony was a puppy dog. This was the first year that Tony really got into the spirit of getting candy but his little legs got worn out really fast; good thing we had the wagon.

Now that the holidays are in full swing, it is hard to believe that 2010 is almost over and I got to blog only half of the year. Just also to let everyone know that the updated videos of the house project and other interesting videos can be found on our flip share site...

flipshare.com

user name: jessicacarvelli@yahoo.com

password: (contact me for info)

A Month Really?

It is hard to believe that I have been without a computer for a month already and for that this blog is behind and for that I want to apologize to all my readers for the fall behind. Yes to all the two readers I havce out there. lol

I have a computer full of pictures to upload and updates to tell and I am not sure when it will happen. I am hoping for sure by the end of August because I have to have the computer back for school.

So right now all we have to do to fill up our time (besides building the house) is watching the HOURS of Deadliest Catch we have on DVD. So here is a glimpse of what is up here at the Carvelli house.

1. The roof trusses are up and hopefully ready for shingles this weekend
2. Nick has his buttons and elastics on his teeth (underbite fix)
3. Disney or Bust in 35 days (I may not survive)
4. Waiting on job applications (not sure if I am ready for a job)
5. Kids are getting older!!!!!

Tony's Shoe Fetish

If Tony's antics haven't left you laughing on the floor yet well take a look at his latest stunts. He is MY boy!!!!! He loves shoes and not just anyone's shoes but Jayna's shoes. He is becoming quite a fashion bug and with his growing independents, he wants to be free like the kids when they fly outside to play. He has discovered that flip flops and sandals do the job but don't protect your feet as well as shoes. His vans do just fine but he has too much trouble with the Velcro.

Recently Jayna got "mud" boots with my parents and I was able to get Nick a pair from Target when they clearance them out. I guess Tony felt a bit left out so he went about it by himself to make his own "mud" boots, and bless his little heart pink is his color. Jayna has let her little brother use her snow boots for his own with the promise that she would get Kai Lan boots next year and a pink snowmobiling helmet too.

He is proud of his boots and that he can get them on ALL BY HIMSELF and argues now if we try to make him wear other shoes. I really don't care if he wears them because it makes him happy but I am not quite sure about Chris letting him wear them out in public.

Summer Fun Begins

Here is the first corn shuck of the year. The kids started off the summer festivities with the corn shuck and only then did I discover I was out of propane so inside it went. My friend Jessica came over with her son Isaac and it is amazing how the company changes my kids. It is almost like they never say other kids or it could be the thrill of not having to play with their siblings. Anyway it is nice to see Nick being kind to another human being.

Nick is already looking forward to picking strawberries and Jayna keeps asking when the water is going to be warm enough to go swimming at the beach. I think I am going to be busy busy busy.

Jasmine is staying busy as always with her horses and this is Lily that she got to ride once before getting her beloved Captain back. Summer also marks a break for Jasmine in her horse riding lessons. Most kids take the break when it is snowing out NOPE for Jasmine she takes the break to spend some time with the farmers, but I know she misses her horses.

Lasik

Okay by now you all know that Chris got Lasik, but what you don't know is that he really got them so he can snowmobile better. SO THERE CHRIS...the truth is out. That is the only reason I told him it was a selfish thing to do and that he did it on a whim (he told me after he made the appointment), but I got him back with these wonderful pictures of him at his worst.

Here are his sleepy glasses he got to wear to stop him from rubbing his eyes while sleeping...they lasted one night.

And here are the forever drops that he gets to put into his eyes, probably for the rest of his life.

I am not sure what he expected from the procedure and I knew that he was nervous before going in but after a few weeks I know that he is happy, but getting through the weekend was harder for him getting use to the adjustments his eyes would have to go through.

I wasn't sure how it would go and bit nervous for him because who really goes through elective surgery? It is your eyes now, okay I understand that thousands of people do it and it is all good but scary. Now I am left with a husband with BEAUTIFUL green eyes!!!! Can you see Chris's head swelling? Got to love him though and he is happy with his purchase. What is next for Chris to buy?

Second Floor

Here are just a few pictures to give you an idea of how high the second floor is going to be.

Now that the basement is actually a usable basement the overall height of the house seems to be really high. It is hard to believe that our bedroom is going to look out that high. We are going to be as tall as the pine trees that line our driveway. We will be dwarfing Barb's house next to us and towering over the street as well. Too bad this wasn't a lake shore cabin with the view of the lake but the view is still amazing at this height.

I wasn't able to get the spectacular view picture because I was too chicken to walk the floor trusses like Chris does, but once I got up the ladder and actually had to jump up to weasel myself on top of the trusses my courage left me. He makes it look so easy but once you are actually up there looking down WOW it is farther than I thought. So yes I chickened out and Chris is a stud.

Nick's Soccer

Back in the beginning of May, Nick had started soccer through the NESA program that Maplewood offered. I thought that he needed another way to burn off some of the energy that he had and since hockey had finished he need to keep himself busy. I am excited that he loves soccer. I think it helps that he gets to be crazy busy with the drills they do and the scrimmaging that he gets to do too.

Nick gets excited on soccer days and has started to ask when the days are going to be too. I think he likes to stay busy as well. Sitting around the house does get boring and playing in the dirt can only be so fun.

This has rubbed off on him in other ways as well. Now he is looking forward to hockey season again (he is becoming more competitive) and wants to do more swimming lessons as well this summer. I like to see him having fun and Nick is a kid that thrives on group sports and being around other kids. Not that anyone has to be reminded on how much Nick like to talk and share his thoughts with others.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

With the help of a few friends and family, Chris has been able to this show on a roll. Erik lent a helping hand getting the decking down for the first floor.

Not to be out done Todd got the framing off to a good start with the building of the first wall. The start of the framing was exciting to see the walls take form, but also to put things into perspective again. It is hard to believe just a few months ago we were cramming six people into that house.

The first floor walls came together when Justin and Doug (Justin's brother-in-law) came down and rescued me from lifting walls up. Not that I wasn't going to give it a shot, but Chris was a lot safer with Justin and Doug's help. The final pieces were lifted into place and the debate of the second floor was in full gear, and the project was grounded to a halt.

Looking at four walls now is really neat and getting ready for the second floor, no matter how it is, is nice to see. The overall experience for this phase of the project....hmmmm....I will leave it up to Chris to speculate on that one.

Oh I almost forgot our fifth kid...Ben-O...always finding his way into our projects and giving us a helping hand when needed. Thanks Ben.

More Building

I think I have said it before but I will say it again...Chris is lucky that his little bobcat can handle the abuse that he gives it. This time the poor little bobcat came through moving the floor trusses around. The video is too long for this site but I will have to remember to get it onto the flip shared site if you want to take a look at it. The house is coming together fast, but I don't think it is fast enough for Chris.

The month is flying by (or by the time I get this posted flew by) and the weather has been either hit or miss and the long awaited floor trusses have finally made their way into place for the front of the house, and more of the back breaking work continues. When will it end?

Cinco de Mayo

I got the best birthday gift EVER!!!! It was so big that it got stopped by the police at the border and escorted to the house. It is what every woman wants on their birthday. Can you tell by the picture what it is? I am still amazed by the gift that it has taken me this long to blog about it. Actually I have taken this long to blog about it because I am waiting for them to be placed in their proper spot...at the top of the new construction. Now aren't roof trusses what ever gal wants for their birthday?

The kids loved to watch the big truck come down the road with its escort of cars and Tony let out a few squeals of delight as their were unloaded too.

Thank you Chris.

Cute Pictures

Just a few cute pictures to show everyone....

These are of the two helping me make cupcakes. Jayna was on a war path one day just insisting that we make cupcakes and now I see why she wanted to do just that.

and Tony got into the act as well.

Emma loves to fetch, but doesn't quite like the idea of sharing her toys. She is a collector.

Horse Expo

I took advantage of the kids love of horses (minus Nick's thoughts) and took them to the Horse Expo at the fair grounds. I took all four of them (not as bad as it may seem) to see the different exhibits and then to the rodeo at the end of the weekend.

Jasmine and Jayna loved seeing all the different horses and seeing the horses walking the streets. We had to watch where we stepped but Tony's eyes got big too when they walked by. Each kid got a few dollars to spend on what they wanted and Jayna wanted the hat you see below. Jasmine got yet another stuff horse to added to her family at home and guess what Nick got? FOOD!!!

I was grateful that there were trailers also there for sale and that kept Nick's attention. Once the rodeo started the kids settled into their spots, but the introductions seem to drag on and on. Tony was getting restless and fortunately the girls in front of us thought he was more cute than annoying. The opening horse runs caught Tony's attention for sure and he sat back to see the horses run through their formations.

The wild horses really got Tony's eyes wide and for a few moments Nick was excited too. I wasn't worried about Jasmine or Jayna they were glued to their seats with excitement. There were the traditional wild horses, roping the calves, ladies barrel racing and finally the wild bulls. The kids did a wonderful job at sitting in their seats and eating their popcorn. The popcorn may have been a mistake when Tony and Jayna had a little pulling match between themselves and popcorn went flying through the air, but once again the girls in front of us thought it was funny/cute to get showered with popcorn especially when Tony was saying hi.

The highlight of the show for Tony was when the Dodge truck came out with the barrels for the ladies barrel racing. He was on the edge of his seat pointing at the truck as it drove around the rink. I think he understood the idea of the ladies racing because he gets to see that almost everyday on one of Jasmine's many horse movies. It was almost like he understood what was happening.

They ended the show with a demonstration of what a stage coach would be like with the horses except the stage coach was being pulled by six of the largest breed of horses. It takes 2 hours to get them ready for the show. They are bigger than the Clydesdale horses and stand at 19 hands tall (over 6 feet tall). The kids really liked that part too.

So all in all the adventure was a success and I look forward to going back to it next year with the kids. It is really nice that the fair grounds aren't that busy so I recommend going on the Sunday rather than the Saturday for the crowds.

Cementing Continues

If Chris and his dad hadn't seen enough cement when they laid the foundation for the addition, but now the foundation for the old house has to be improved a bit before we can move forward with this section of phase II. There seems to be some harrowing acrobatics in order to get the next few courses put together.


Safety is number one thing with this addition but I don't think OHSA would approve of some of their techniques to moving the 12" block to their allocated spots on the wall. If the picture taking didn't have to be done I am not sure if I would have watched Tim's juggling of the blocks. On the other hand it was quite impressive to see their balancing act and I had to be close just in case 911 was needed.

The kids really wanted to help out also and Nick with his work gloves on help Tim mix the cement for the block and Tony tried with all his might to move the wheel, but poor little guy couldn't even get it to lift up.

Once the gruelling block work was finished, Chris got to focus on his underground plumbing in the basement. We are hoping for the basement to become the kids play area so Chris is putting a bathroom down there (great another bathroom I get to clean!!) and getting the water set up for his shop too. Unearthing the bad pipes wasn't easy even with the jack hammer, but the last part of it Chris did it by hand (sledge hammer). YUCK!

The Twins!!!

On Saturday April 17th, Amelia came over to our house for Jayna's first official sleepover at the house. This was a very much anticipated day for Jayna. She has watched Jasmine for years now have her friends come and go from the house. It all came to a head a few weeks ago she was very disappointed when Jasmine had a friend sleep over and Nick went to Grandma Jan's for his lonely time, and she was left all alone once again at home. This particular day Chris had to work late and everyone was having fun but her, so she got it into her head that she wanted her friend Mia to come over and play with her. Unfortunately talking to a very distraught 3 year old is like talking to a wall. She couldn't understand that we had to make plans first and to talk to Mia's mom. So for the next week leading up to the sleep over, Jayna couldn't stop talking about how her "friend" Mia was coming over to play at her house.


The day finally came for her and it was like Christmas all over again and she had to wait for Mia to come over. It was a long wait but before she knew it Timi was pulling into our driveway with Mia in the car. Mia was a bit shy after waking up from her nap and I wasn't sure what to expect, but she was a trooper. We got her stuff in the house and Timi showed her around upstairs, and before you could say Boo they were off playing.

It didn't take long before they were jumping on the trampoline and swing on the playset. Every once in awhile, Nick would see if he could play with the girls and Jayna would tell him, "she and Mia were playing and to leave them alone". This was a very important line because for so long she was on the other end of this line when Jasmine had friends over or Nick was playing with his stuff. She felt so proud to finally say these words to her siblings.

The girls played wonderfully and I didn't hear a peep out of them unless they were hungry or thirsty. That night Chris had a co-worker and his family over to eat dinner too so the house was a bit crowded. The party lasted way longer than I thought and before long we had two sleepy girls on the couch and Chris had to carry two little girls up to bed. Jayna was out like a light and Mia was sleepy but had to ask who was going to pick her up in the morning. I told her her mommy was going to and before I could even leave the room she was out. That was around 11:30 at night for the girls.

The next day was more of the same; jumping, running, swinging, eating, and playing. Mia brought her Easter outfit over and Jayna wanted to be twins, they were adorable together. Before long Grandma Vicki came over to get Mia and this is what she found...two tuckered out girls. Jayna had a blast and still wonders when Mia can sleep over next.

When Mom Is Away

Just thought everyone would like a glimpse of what happens when mom is away. While I was at a bridal shower, the kids got an extra treat from who I am not sure. Whether or not Chris gave them approval, here are the pictures Jasmine snapped of the kids doing their thing. This is the first time Tony got an ice cream cone all to himself and he did pretty good. The only evidence left was a puddle of ice cream on the table with the bottom of the cone.

At least they were sitting in their high chairs at the table!!!

Como Zoo

This was Tony's first trip to the zoo that he actually got to enjoy it. Last year we attempted to go see the farm babies at the Minnesota Zoo but that was just plain crazy so this year we took advantage of it being nice out and being down two kids. The zoo was really empty when we got there right at opening so finding a parking spot was really easy. Some of the animals were still sleeping but we still made it through the exhibits. Tony and Jayna were really excited to see the monkeys and most of them were right by the glass so they got a really good view of them.




As we made our way through the zoo, the animals were taking a back seat for Tony. His true love was on the other side of the animals. Instead of looking at the big cats exhibit, Tony took advantage of the walk way and saw his big cat, the "bobcat" as it drove by with workers. It took some coaxing to get him to keep moving.

Jayna was a trooper and loved to push the stroller with or without Tony in it. It was really nice not to have to worry if she was going to take out anyone. Once it gets nice out, we will have to hit Como Town and the carousel but until then we will have to settle for the sleepy animals and "bobcats". Maybe our next trip will be to the "bobcat" dealership.