In just 7 days the Tutwiler house was completed. It's amazing a project of this scale can be completed in such a small amount of time. We let Madison, Jensen, and Ashton spend the day with PaPa and G to experience this exciting event. They were even lucky enough to have a few little surprises throughout the day.
Paige just happened to be finishing up her filming at Irvine's house on their way past. Their house was her project in Chapman.
Our family friend, Beth, lives in the duplex next to the Tutwiler's new house. While PaPa, G, and the girls were at Beth's, she was able to get them VIP passes and front row "seats" to watch them, "Move that Bus!" Paul DiMeo even paid them a quick visit. Thanks Beth!
This week has sure left us with a ton of awesome memories. The best of those has been to see so many people working together to reach a common goal. I don't think our family will ever forget the week Extreme Makeover came to Chapman. We can't wait for January!
The girls and I happened to be in the right place at the right time several times today to see the stars of Extreme Makeover. Paige was just finishing filming in Pat and Diana Irvine's house as we were walking by, so Whitney was able to snap this photo of Madison with Paige.
We were just leaving the Sweet's house headed toward the Extreme Makeover house when we spotted Michael Moloney finishing up a photo. Jensen was brave enough to ask for a picture with him. He was on his way to a meeting, but was nice enough to pause for four young fans!
We happened to be standing right where Paul DiMeo started filming an interview with Mr. and Mrs. Kirkbride and Mr. and Mrs. Owens. After the interview, Paul DiMeo stayed for a few minutes to take a few photos with fans.
The family will return in just two days. I can't believe on Tuesday this was just a grass covered vacant lot. Today we watched as workers landscaped and laid sod.
Brandi, Kassi, and I headed over to Chapman last night to check out the progress. In two days it went from a grass covered lot to this!
We took a little walk down to the tennis courts and park area. A group of Kansas State engineering students were working on the design they had created for the park. Since Brandi and I were wearing our K-State coats, one of the students felt comfortable enough to approach us and strike up a conversation. With the approaching rain, they needed tarps to cover the stone path they were ready to start laying. We knocked on Gobber's door across the street. They were able to come through with a few tarps, and the work continued!
Our walk continued down Marshall street and back up 7th where we met a nice friendly security guard who travels with Extreme Makeover. Kassi decided to put her reading skills to work. "E..D..Security...What does that stand for?" she asked. He paused for a moment and said, "Uh..Ed, that's my name. And you're even the dark headed one of the bunch!"
Kassi and Ed the security guard, head of E.D. security!
Kassi, Brandi, Renae, and I all volunteered to work. We were disappointed when we got our "thanks, but no thanks" email. We really would have done a great job! It sounds like they had more volunteers sign up than they needed. I guess that's a good problem to have.
This year our Trick or Treating started a little later than usual. We went to Salina right after school to watch our niece, Courtney, play at the state volleyball tournament. After watching only one match, we headed out with our friends, the Willeys and the Walters, for a fun filled evening on the town.
We had quite the drama today as Ashton realized her tooth just might be loose enough to actually come out! One minute she was ready and excited to yank it out, and the next minute tears were streaming from her baby blues. She received lots of advice from teachers and friends at school like eating apples, gum, marshmallows, and corn on the cob. Of course, some friends shared tales of pliers and string. No wonder there were a few tears shed! Neither Mom or Dad got the honors of pulling the first tooth for Ashton. Big sister Madison was the lucky winner. Once the job was complete, it was hard to wipe that gappy grin off her face!
The Tooth Fairy will not be welcome however at our house tonight. Ashton has been waiting for months for this momentous occasion to happen at school so she can take the tooth to the office and share the moment with Mrs. Elliott. We have been given strict instructions to hide the tooth so the Tooth Fairy will not be able to find it tonight.
Brian volunteered his carpentry skills Saturday to help my brother Rob with the porch on his house in Chapman. Work has been slow but steady. He originally hoped to move back in the first of September, but now hopes to be in by the first of the year.
I'm still amazed by the number of volunteers who keep coming to help. These ladies just stopped by Saturday morning from a church in the Kansas City area asking if they could help with anything. They painted part of Rob's garage, (which was built in four days by about 16 volunteers from another church). Another part of this KC group built almost an entire fence for one of Rob's neighbors who had moved across the block. They are all so thankful for the help!
Make a Smilebox scrapbook
Just got back from our food swap. Now all these ingredients are just a faded memory and our freezer is stocked for another month! This food swap has really turned out to be a sweet deal for our family. I prepared seven recipes of cavatini and froze them a couple of days ago. Tonight, I met with my group and exchanged dishes. I came home with six different meals I can pull out of my freezer to feed my family next month. Initially preparing the meals to freeze is a little overwhelming, but the convenience of being able to pull a meal out of the freezer is well worth it. Less cooking leaves time for more interesting blogging!!!
