I’ve been a little busy recently. This past week Rich and Grace both had Spring break. Normally we would have made it a week of fun with family outings and lots of relaxing. This year though there were other plans. We redid our floors. And by we I mean Rich. 
He started bright and early Monday morning as I was getting myself and the kids together to be gone ALL DAY. He ripped up the carpet and pulled up every single staple as well. It was a long day for him and for me. I thankfully was able to spend time with Sue and kids in the morning. Right after lunch we went to my in-law’s house and stayed there until it was bed time. The next morning, the kids and I were out of the house bright and early again. Here’s a picture of the girls with the carpet and staple free floor.
So I was off to my in-law’s house again. Only I didn’t show up until after lunch time. For the life of me (haha… I think that’s something my Gramma says) I can’t remember where we were in the morning. Oh well. But we were there for nap time and dinner. I once again came home with the kids late at night. I think it was well past their bed time this day. Here’s what I came home to that night.
This is the beastly sanding machine that Rich had to use to get the floors looking like the above.
Rich said that using the sander was super difficult. Super is my word… not his. He said that it weighed about 40 – 50 pounds and that it wanted to go in every direction. So the guy had to use pretty much every muscle in his body for the entire day to get the floor sanded. Crazy, huh?
Wednesday morning I went to Kate’s house. That was fun I really was trying to find something different and fun to do with the kids. There’s only so much to do in a house that isn’t your own, and movie watching was getting old quickly! We hung out with Kate and Sue all morning and ended up going to Wendy’s by the Home Depot to meet Rich for lunch. He was returning the sander and had to get the stain/sealer and polyurethane. After lunch (which was good – yet difficult to handle with two little girls who were very tired and a little grumpy from being out so much) the girls and I once again went back to my in-law’s. We stopped home quickly though so that I could get a change of clothing for us all because we were spening the night. Sigh. Rich’s parent’s were away in New Jersey for the night so there was extra space which was nice, and I didn’t feel like I was intruding or messing up their schedule. I mean, there’s only so much of Jessica that they can handle I’m sure 
I made corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and carrots for our little family and for Rich’s brother’s and soon to be sister in-law. It was fun to actually have something to do that took a good amount of time. Rich came and joined us around 6:30…. here are pictures of what he did during the day.
Rich was thinking that he’d go back home after eating dinner with us all to put on the first coat of the polyurethane. Um, yeah, not the best idea. He was so tired that I was nervous he’d fall asleep at the weel on the way there! So around 9pm I ventured back to our house and put on the first coat. It felt good to have a small hand in redoing our floor. I was utterly exhausted by the time I was done though. I went back to my in-law’s and fell asleep quickly. Rich left very early the next morning for breakfast with a friend and then to do the 2nd coat. I went to Frances’s house for the day which was nice. We were there ALL day. The kids had a blast and I seriously enjoyed being with grown ups. The help with the girls was nice too. Rich came and picked up the girls around 5:00 to head on over to kinship and I took Noah with me to Phoenixville for a friend’s birthday party. It was a fun and late night for me. So good to have a break from the girls! I didn’t get home until after midnight… and when I walked in, the floor was done! I was crazily happy!!! It looks fantastic and I’m just so pround of my husband! Friday we were able to stay home which felt great. Rich worked hard getting the molding nailed in and I did my best to keep the kiddos out of the way as well as doing some painting in the dining room. Saturday we worked hard painting. I was able to go out by myself in the morning. I went shopping and had a great time. I didn’t buy much… a couple shirts and then some plants from produce junction, but it felt so good to have that time to myself. That night Rich went out to play poker with some people from church (haha… that probably sounds so odd to some). He deserved and needed the time out as well. While he was gone I finished painting the dining room and put back the furniture. Actually I think that was Friday night… when he went out and I finished up the painting. Saturday we spent the afternoon cleaning off the furniture and putting it all back together. Rich hooked the cable and internet back up and voila! We had our improved living quarters back. Here’s a couple final shots. I took the first one to show the painting and floor in the dining room. The second is to show the floor leading in to the living room… it’s not a great shot of the room, but that’s ok because it’s the floor I wanted. Anyway, here’s the fruit of a long and hard but worthwhile week!
Yes, I know they are sideways. I forgot to rotate them and don’t feel like taking the time right now to fix it. But you still get the idea.
So that’s how we Andrews’ spent Spring Break of ‘09!
1 Comment
April 15, 2009 at 4:37 pm
looks awesome!