DIY in progress

This house (like so many) seems like a never-ending work in progress. Especially since us Kootjes moved in. 2005 has so far been marked by numerous different projects we have set out to finish in and around the house. For instance:

• we've bought and installed a dishwasher (happy happy happy!)
• the downstairs staircase has been painted apricot and dusty pink
• the DVD-player and VCR in our room had to be moved to a much higher spot because Lara was liking those buttons waaaaaaay too much. But that took a LOT of re-wiring and technical engineering on Sander's part
• new blinds had to be put up in Lara's closet. I mean room. The sun was making it difficult for her to fall asleep at night, and it woke her up too early in the mornings. We aim to keep her in bed and quiet for as long as possible .

These are just a handful of examples, I could keep going for awhile but that would just bore you guys. One BIG project we want to do this summer before the new baby comes is to clean out the garden shed. Marissa and Michael will be able to truly understand the significance of this job. That thing is filled with every possible piece of crap you could imagine to stuff into a shed, and we this year we must put an end to the MADNESS!! I'm confident we will prevail.

Because they're so good to us, and a big part of daily life for us, I thought I'd also share the news and a photo of mom and dad:

Dad: Dad is a big help in many ways. The biggest way is probably the way he has welcomed us into his house and has helped us sort out our finances. You can tell how much he genuinly enjoys having us around (most of the time at least, hehe). He, like Sander, works 3 days a week. So us girls usually have a man around the house, which is nice (most of the time at least! :) He also keeps busy helping a bunch of other people keep their finances in order. Once a social worker, always a social worker!

Dad, April '05

Mom: Mom is the best. She does such a good job at keeping the house clean and looking homey. She's an excellent cook and we often get spoiled (especially when she fixes her famous spare-ribs!). Her health seems to be pretty stable at the moment. It's just her sugar that needs to really be kept under control and she might be switching to insulin shots this year for that. She doesn't complain at all though. She's just happy modern medicine has ways to continue helping her feel better.
Mom and I are best friends and have lots of laughs together. It's fun sharing the housework and helping eachother whenever nescessary. She's a big help with Lara and I'll know she'll be an even bigger help when the next baby arrives in August.

Mom, April 27th '05

Next time I'll write about Opa and Oma so you can know more about how they're doing (prepare for some funny stories!).