Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun

The sun was shining AND it was 47 degrees today! Emphasis on the AND because on Friday it was warm too, but super windy and cloudy, so it didn't feel nearly as good as today. I took the opportunity to rope Oma into watching the kids so I could helped Nate clean up in preparation for our insulation team, set to start on Monday! Insulation feels like a big step because after that comes drywall, and then finishes, like paint, tile, and trim. Crazy!

My job today was to clean out the spaces between the studs at the floor level and also above the window headers on all outside walls. I was surprised by how much old insulation, wasp nests and plaster was still hanging around. But the spring clean made me think back to August/September/October when we were hauling dumpsters full of this stuff. Today it was less than a shop-vac's worth. To celebrate this milestone, a tour from behind the lens of a Nikon:

The guest room. After Nate hauled the trim bundles out, I gave it the clean it deserved

This beast (cast iron tub) is currently on Craigslist, if you're in the market

The girls' room, soon to be purple and pink?

Our bedroom

Line up of doors. The front, back and basement doors were the only ones we replaced

We plan to put frosted or textured glass on this one and use it for the bathroom

Good thing this is our room, otherwise we might have to deal with some stargazing teenagers someday

Super happy with the new metal roof

My amazing GC

Can't wait to cuddle up by the new fireplace

The mailman told me today, "Compared to what it was, it's looking really good"

Coca-Cola (not pictured, but frequently consumed on the job site) and Nutty Bars will not be stocked come June

Approximately 40 minutes after finishing up the house for the day, we were cleaned up and ready to see Good Night Moon

Moving Along

Today is Peter's birthday. In some ways, the year has flown by, but mostly, when we reflect on all that has changed, it seems like Peter should be at least eight or nine by now. It's also hard to remember life before him, so I could be easily convinced that he's actually two or three today. However old he actually is, we love him so much and can't get over how sweet and happy he is.

I keep waiting to have some non-iPhone pictures of the house before I write an update, but I haven't had time to take photos when it's warm enough to remove my hands from my mittens. Yes, I'm whining about how cold it is here in Wisconsin. Last night I had a dream that I traveled to California for work, and really really wanted to stay. The temperature high is ten tomorrow, but I will cling to the hope that winter won't last forever. How did I get on this weather tangent? Oh right, the mittens...the photos...

Maybe if my mittens were like Lou's, my hands would stay warmer?

So without great photos, here is the update: all but three windows are in! The front door is in! The back door and door to the screen porch are in! And, drumroll....the roof is 99 percent done. I'm very thankful for the roofers and Nate, who have all braved hours of cold to keep the progress rolling.

These photos were taken last week

It takes a special person to be a roofer

And one more photo to wrap it up. These kids would totally agree to some daily "hop on pop" fun.