i don't feel like it

this last week i've been working so hard trying to get the kitchen done. the 3 older kids are at my moms (they've been gone for 7 days today and they'll be back in 2 days). but right now i just don't feel like working on it so i've been checking out everyone's blogs and i thought i'd get a post or 2 in. i read 2 really motivating and inspirational posts today. one is from my aunt peggy who's on a mission for our church in peru and the other's from marta, who i don't know personally but love to read about on her blog. i'd love to do a post like either of these one day, but you'll have to settle for this one today.

without the kids it's been really weird. but good. i can't remember if i mentioned this in the hawaii post but being away from them has made me realize that i like being a mom and i'm glad that's what i spend my time doing. (that's a much easier thing to say when the kids are gone, but it's true.) i'm grateful for my kids and that i'm their mom.

this week we bought a baby backpack (how have we never owned one?) and we've gone hiking almost every day they've been gone, something we rarely do. i love being in the mountains here or really anywhere in nature. there's so many beautiful things to see and i always feel really grateful that we have such a beautiful earth. of course i took some pictures, but i just had my point and shoot so i didn't get as many as i would have liked (because it wouldn't focus on what i wanted it to.) i'll post the pics in a minute.

kitchen's almost done! this week we've painted the ceiling, had the lights in the ceiling put in, put in all the knobs and pulls, installed the stove, the microwave, and the fridge, moved 2 cabinets up so the fridge would actually fit, replaced the ropes in the windows and put the bottom sashes back in (the ones i took out at the very beginning of all of this.) all that's left to do is all the trim (there's quite a bit), build a new vent (i've never done this but i'm not too worried about it), finish painting the windows above the sink, and a little touch up paint and tile stuff. I'm so excited to get rid of all the mess that goes along with a kitchen remodel AND excited to eat some real food. i'm also excited for ice (i can hear it being made now) and the dishwasher, and so much cabinet space! hopefully we will be all moved in soon.

and then it's on to this project - which has been going on this whole summer too: the front and back yards. right now we have a new retaining wall on 2 sides of our back yard and a graded yard full of nice dirt. the front is also just dirt with some trenches dug for french drains (it was dead grass last week). we'll be putting in the french drains, the sprinklers, a fence, and some grass. it's going to be another big project and i'm SOOOOO excited to buy some beautiful plants! (now that we'll have sprinklers i'll be able to keep them alive.) here is the load of gravel being dumped.