THE NEWTON'S

We were pretty busy this fall with all the school schedules and activities.  I was ever so grateful that Ashley is driving now and we were able to get a little car for her to drive around with.  Now I don't have to be her taxi driver for her demanding schedule- and I just taxi the other kids around. :) August started with a bang, and the schedule pretty much has been rolling since then:  Band Camp started, Rich was gone for a business trip.  Then Alyssa had her birthday- and we took a quick trip to Oklahoma to celebrate with friends: We were home for a couple of days and got some work done on our opening from the kitchen to the living room. Then had floors installed in the kitchen and laundry room. With Sunday off to breathe- we then moved everything into the kitchen on Monday while we had wood floors installed: I had to leave to go out of town for a funeral before they even finished it, but they got it done!   T...

It took a lot of work, and lots of sore hands and fingers from painting... but we finally got the last large project in the kitchen done. Here's a reminder of what the kitchen looked like when we started: We started tearing into the kitchen in May... and now 6 months later we are almost done... there are still some small projects (the pantry doors need handles, etc), but here's where we are now: As you walk into the kitchen from the outside door: The Butler's pantry (just past the fridge in the previous view) A look back to the door we started at:

I've posted a lot about the house, but we did have some fun this summer and fall... working from now- backwards.... :) Rich's parents - Lewis and Dianne were able to come out and spend a few days with us.  They asked if they could get a family picture (since I've neglected to get one made for years) so they could have a more recent picture of us. We decided Sunday after church was a good time.  Ashley was gone with band stuff almost the entire time they were here- and Sunday was the only day they got to really see her at all. Of course when the "big" camera comes out and I leave it on the counter- I always find some "gem's" on it from the girls. Even one of me... glamorous and all... I think I was either headed to take a nap, or waking up from one... :) I just liked this picture... While Lewis and Dianne were here- we were able to go watch Ashley's band perform at a regional competition. It's considerably larger t...

I was out of town again and got some pictures of a new project Rich had started.  I came back the next day to help with the rest of the project.  Those were the two individual wall ovens...   We pulled them out- and Rich ran a new larger electrical line and upgraded the breaker for a larger line.  Then reconfigured the cabinet for the new double oven.  The carpets got replaced, and I didn't get pictures- but we are enjoying all our flooring being done.  Now we are working on projects with the kitchen cabinets- adding trim to make them look nicer, and some crown molding to the kitchen.  And that gets us caught up...  Still lots to do- but we are getting there... 

Let's just say there is a lot of dust that gets kicked up with remodels.  Once the fireplace mantle was moved- we got someone in to patch the drywall from the wall removal- and texture all the walls from the repairs and in the kitchen where we took the wallpaper out.   They also painted the kitchen.   The very next day was installation day for our tile floors in the kitchen and laundry room.   Our temporary kitchen- And the new floors ❤️ We had a day to enjoy our new kitchen floors- and then everything got piled into the kitchen so they could install our new wood floors in the living/dining/foyer and a hallway of the first floor.   Leveling the floor with leveling cement-  After two days of fans going all day (and night) the cement was dry enough to install the wood.