Driveway is done, check. Nursery is not.

The title says it all.  Our new, "safe for the twins and me" driveway is in and out goes a bunch of our savings...ouch.  (Who knew concrete was kinda pricey?)  But, what has to be done, has to be done.  And I am thankful I now have a place to maneuver a double stroller, two car seats/carriers, and whatnot.  No, Nate did not handle this job himself.   This project was outsourced.  

That is Nate's woodworking shop, by the way.  He took the "garage" and the "efficiency apartment" (and I use those terms very loosely) and turned them into a workshop.  We have plans to fix it up, too.  But, that is for a much later date...like, much, much later.  

And we still have a mess in the nursery.  Most of this is kitchen stuff.  But, we are getting closer to having this room ready for new trim and paint.  One step at a time I have to remind myself.  

Thacker's birthday!

James Thacker Harris finally made his arrival last week, and he and family are doing great.  Madelyn,  like Serenity and Leahbeth, and all my "mom" friends are pros at this whole having babies.  They make it looks so easy.  Maddy went in at like 5:30 in the morning and had that baby just a few hours later.  Easy.  (Well, she might not say "easy.") Isn't he adorable?  I have said it before: I have the best models of good mommas all around me.  Surely I can't mess it up too much?  And Eleanor and Griffin have all these playmates waiting on them. 

        

Sweet big brother!  

Almost there....the kitchen, that is

We are so close to having this kitchen in full functioning mode: countertops are in, cabinets are hung, lights are installed, appliances are up and going, and the backsplash is in progress.  There are, of course, a ton of little things that have to be done: painting touch ups all over the place, hardware on the doors and drawers, windows over sink need to be replaced... but at least the doors and drawers are here.  So my favorite element thus far is the fabulous farmhouse sink from Ikea that looks like it cost a crap ton more than it actually cost (actual cost was like 130 bucks, I think).   I also LOVE the countertops, and of coure the fact that every drawer and cabinet was built by Nate with a specific purpose is pretty incredible, too.  Nate and I both already love our new kitchen and think it reflects our style: funky and functional.  Can you even believe Nate has done all this pretty much on his own?  Wait till you guys see his "prep" area once it is finished (that is the butcher block area).  And he still has two big pieces to build that will go on either side of the door: one as a pantry and the other a utility, storage area.  They will not be painted white but will be stained a dark mahogany to create some contrast.  Okay, enough details...I've bored myself.

I am great; the twins are growing every day, literally.  Griffin and Eleanor are moving around like crazy; I got feet and elbows and hands knocking me in just about every spot of my big ole belly.  I'll get Nate or Leahbeth to take an updated profile pic this weekend so ya'll can see how much I've grown.  It's crazy.  And like three months to go...hopefully!

Now for kitchen pics:

Modern light fixtures also from Ikea.

Nate's prep area.  (I suppose I'll be using this area, too.  But this is his vision.  His knives will hang on the wall, and we will also keep our compost pail and coffe pot on this butcher block.)

These cabinets will have doors.  The one with the built-in shelves is the custom built spice rack.  More pics to come when Nate finishes this piece.  It's been a booger bear.    

My farmhouse sink.  

Nate really wanted a TV in the kitchen, so I reluctantly agreed with the promise it would never take the place of Saturday morning NPR while making breakfast.  The side of this piece will be either chalkboard or bulletin board.  I can't decide.  

2011 resolution- hold onto sanity.

2011- the year our twins will be born.  What a surreal thing to say.  The babies are moving around a lot; finally, I can feel them.  I realize now I could feel them awhile ago, but just did not know what it was I was feeling.  As their birthday gets closer, Nate and I are working hard to prepare.  We registered, which was hilarious.  I mean, we did NOT know what the heck we were doing.  Leahbeth had to go back with me and kind of fill in the missing items.  It looks like way more than we will ever need.  But we will have two at once, so it may be better to be prepared.   Oh, and we decided on their names:  Griffin Lee (Griffin) & Eleanor Miner (Ellie, we think or Eillie Miner or maybe just Eleanor- that may have to come once we really meet her).  All are family names, and they feel just right.

This is my lovely profile at 19 weeks, I think.

Nate wanted his 19 week profile pic taken...I just love how he tries to push out a belly (he has none).

This is my profile today...21 weeks.  Two babies in there, ya'll.  What?  

This is the future nursery....we are making progress.  Lots of crap went to Salvation Army this weekend.  

Lots to be done to this room.  

The kitchen is coming along.  We have just been waiting for the countertops to be installed, which will happen THIS WEDNESDAY!  woohoo.  Fingers crossed, the kitchen will be pretty much done by the end of January.   I am dying to have a real kitchen...I just cannot make it much longer on microwave and toaster oven meals.  Here are a few updated pictures.

This is our cookbook library that is really the base of the little breakfast bar.  Clever, huh?

Nate is building the upper cabinets now, as well as painting all the trim and cabinets and doors.  These cabinets have to be painted and hung, but they are built.  By this weekend, I should be able to post pics with the new countertops.  I am so excited.