DIY Roots

Today, we go back to the roots of this blog.  They barely seem real these days.  The painting, the floor refinishing, the landscaping and all the other things we did at our old brick house seem like years ago.  I suppose we purchased it in 2009 so this fall it will be eight years since we moved in there.  Wow.  Since then, DIY projects and Allan's daily doings have transitioned into a lot of kid related tedium.  But, today is your lucky day...

In our cul de sac there are no city street lights.  Each house has a little lamp post in front of it.  Ours recently quit lighting up at night when it was timed to so we assumed the bulb burned out.  When Justin went to change it the whole bulb was shattered and he discovered the inside of the fixture and the wires were not in great shape either.  Who knows how the bulb ended up broken.  We had a vicious wind event when we were gone in Montana which was also happening in Montana and in Minnesota and all across the plains that day.  It ripped siding off our neighbor's house and it must have jostled our lamp enough to break the bulb. I cant imagine how else this would have happened.  Justin decided replace the whole fixture and he repainted the pole too.

Look at that...lamp posts...making 90's era split levels seem "old-timey" since...well...1997 in this case.  Notice Milo frolicking beside the house!

The weather has turned springy these last few days.  The kids have been loving it.  Milo has taken an interest in basketball as much as a one year old can.  By interest, I mean that he says "ba-balllll" when he sees it on TV and when he sees our toy hoop in the garage. 

We lowered it down just for him!  The other two prefer it at its highest setting which also makes it prone to tipping over in the slightest breeze. 

I remember Ben's "ball" phase.  Most one year olds go through it.  I had to go back to that album.  He's almost exactly the same age as Milo in these pictures.  They are very much alike. 

That was the ball that floated in to the street and ended up flattened by a car.  My fault...ooops...

I love looking at old pictures...this is such typical "baby Ben" behavior!