Break

Was so relieved to have finals completed.  Got home from the last two on Wednesday and had to rest.  Slept 4 hours!  Super tired.  Was happy to see the final grades for Sys Path and Rad II on Thursday:  C and B, respectively.

Not worrying right now about how my financial aid will pan out for this next term as the house is foremost on our minds.  We have been working as hard and long as we can, in spite of the rain Friday night, Saturday, and this morning.  Wednesday, Jon tore off the aluminum siding.  Since, we've been working on prepping the siding with primer, we got the blow-in cellulose insulation put into the walls and Jon and our neighbor Doug have been putting up 1" fomular board (more insulation!).  It will be so much quieter once the work is done.

Jon and I have been discussing paint colors for the house.  I would like a medium to darker blue color with a charcoal gray trim.  The windows' trim is painted white and we will paint our front door white, too.  Our door is at:  http://www.pella.com/doors/explore-door-styles/features-and-options.aspx?PCode=SEDGFUL&PType=door#/exteriorpanelfinish/  Our windows have both the top and bottom panes with the 9-light prairie grilles:  http://www.pella.com/windows/explore-window-styles/features-and-options.aspx?PCode=ASDHW&StyleID=3&PType=window#/hardware/  These are the same we already put in our dining room renovation over a year ago and they are beautiful.  I'm so excited to see the house coming together and really looking forward to lower heating bills this winter.  Our old windows are horribly drafty, so the new windows & insulation will really make a big difference to us.

I've been really tired from all the physical labor of blowing in the insulation and doing whatever little jobs Jon delegates to me, plus keeping up with feeding everyone, laundry (to keep us in paint/work clothes), and cleaning up the messes that are created in the house from the work outside.  Pieces of plaster and plaster dust are all along the walls where there has been nailing and pounding going on.  I love Jon's shopvac.  What a useful tool!  It really sucks!  :)  Big chunks of stuff, too!

Last night, we took time out from our reno to spend time having dinner with our friends Paul and Sharon.  Sharon made a fabulous vegetarian dinner for us.  Was great to catch up with them a bit.  We also planned an overnight trip to Galena, IL, in November and are really looking forward to showing them the wonderful town.  Will be fun to hang with them there.

Time to get lunch and clean up Lani's room afterward (with that awesome shopvac!).