Idaho

Idaho continues to deliver; it's been cool, we have had rain, sunshine, lots of playing and everyone is happy.

My big project this summer is helping Aunt Mel get ready for Frog and Toad. We have spent hours on choreography and boy, my brain and feet are RUSTY! For those of you not acquainted with the musical "A Year With Frog and Toad " , it is very fun with not only traditional musical theatre numbers but also ballroom and a lot of tap -  aughhhhhhhh! Melani is being very patient with me.

The worst was, after a day is hard dancing, Michael turned on Singing in the Rain and I wanted to just cry watching Gene Kelly and Donald O'Conner dance! Wowzer powzer those men could DANCE! Step after step after step, eek! I was a blow to my confidence, but we were back at it today and I am getting better. Our hope is we will be able to video tape the routines so the actors have a reference because when you are directing a show you can't teach and review over and over, so the kids have to work a lot at home. I hope they appreciate all our work! As it is, I don't have to go running, I get plenty of movement dancing for hours.

Monday the party really gets rolling as more cousins arrive! Hooray!

Hey guys, Sorry it has taken so long to get pictures up - here you go.

Eating area: Where the blue table is we want to build in a computer desk filling in the whole bay with room for 2 work stations.

 Kitchen with Grammy and Aunt Di.

 View from the kitchen into the family room.

 Family room. I would like to rip out the sheet rock shelving and do something with the fireplace as well. Behind the windows is the play room.

 These sheetrock things are doomed as well as is the huge TV that conveyed with the property - so silly.

 Front room that needs furniture so I can have visiting teachers.
Below: the view from the front door back to the kitchen.

 the stairs - more sheet rock shelves, curses. . .

 Nelson and Isaac's room - it won't remain purple forever. Nelson loves his big boy bed.

 Girls bathroom

 Diana and Emily's room

 Sarah and Nora's room

 Ryan's and my room with the beginnings of the Idaho packing.

 Our ridiculously huge bathroom and closet.

 Down stairs hall - doing laundry - always
below: hall half bath

 Harry Potter under the stairs storage

 Laundry room

boy bathroom in the 5th bedroom downstairs. That room is the official dumping grounds right now but will eventually be guest and sewing - just looking for a double bed, dresser and table.

 Front

 Pool out back - still working on an iron fence.

 Backyard - navel orange tree - oh yea!

 Side yard with garden box and lemon tree.

There you have it folks! We are really loving roooooom and someday I will deal with the painting I would love to do, but right now I'm going to pack for Idaho and when we get back get the kids settled in school and then maybe I'll be ready to start splashing paint around a bit.

we did it!

If you have known the Chases for a while you know we are #1. not fast decision makers #2. a big family #3 have been looking for a new house FOREVER. We finally moved in and are really loving the new place. We love having a kitchen where I can have more than one helper. We love having only 2 kids in a bedroom. We LOVE walk-in closets plus a pantry, linen closet, a Harry Potter space under the stairs and cupboards in the laundry room (the way to a woman's heart is STORAGE). We really, really love having a pool - nuf said.

On a more serious note, I am so grateful and feel so blessed to be in a bigger space. I am already seeing some good growth in the kids as they have a little more room to be their own person not just part of a pulsing mass of humanity. I is also easier to have them help with household duties because it all doesn't have to be done at the same time before anything else can go on because there is nowhere to go.

I will get some pictures soon.