Remember When?

I have been struggling to know if I should write in this blog or let it ride out.
Well Yesterday our little grandson, Luke cleared it all up for me. Mike and I had all 3 Flory boys over for the day and we took them over to Toys R Us. (Very sad that these toys store are closing)They hadn't been in one before.
I told them the story of how I would take their Daddy (Bryan) to Toys R Us on the last day of school every year and let him pick out something. Hence, the large GI Joe collection.

Owen with Papa

Owen wants the first thing he sees Trucks

Roger and Luke want legos

They all decide on something and we head on out.

Luke notices that I don't have anything. Papa got a lego set too.

"Meemaw, you should get a puzzle!" Ok, then...

Mike and Roger settle in on the legos and Luke and I start on a puzzle. Owen is watching Paw Patrol.
Luke is big on telling stories of  Remember When? Really the stuff he remembers.
I ask him if he remembers my big puzzle. 5000 pieces.
"No, can I see it?"
Then it dawns on me that I wrote about it right here in this blog. I get the laptop out and find the post. There is Luke sitting at the big puzzle trying to find a piece.
Now he wants to see other posts.
I show him the first time he and his brothers went to the creek - another thing we did yesterday.

Owen filled his pockets with rocks

I realize that this is my story. This is what is going to be left to my grandkids so they will have more things to talk about whenever they play "Remember When?".

So I am not going to care who is still reading this now.
I am going to document my life with my family here and give them some backup things to talk about.

**Funny Story to share
One that is embarrassing but SO FUNNY.
We got the kids ready for a visit to the creek - jacket, hats, old shoes. They are all set.
I can't locate my phone. Gotta take pictures!
They are all waiting out front for me.
"Mike can you call my phone? I can't find it."
He calls - "I still can't find it, come help!"
He comes in the house and calls AGAIN.
me - "It's over here - No, it sounds like it's over there"
Mike - "That's weird. It's sounds like it's moving."
Turns out it was moving. It was in my back pocket.
We are still laughing about it.

New Neighbors

 Day 1 -Breaking Ground

Day 3 -Footings poured

I'm having some mixed feeling about getting some new neighbors.

I'm excited to be having friendly people around. Only one of our neighbors now spend any time outdoors, and they are gone 6 months out of the year. The others around us don't even open their windows. We have been here going on 14 years and not a ONE opens their windows.
I always have my windows open when ever I can. I even prefer to sleep with the windows open.
I will feel more secure with neighbors close by that can hear me if case of an emergency.

Then again this new house will be blocking my breeze into the family room and my view to the creek. But it will also be cushioning the noise from the pump house.

I have never lived in a house with neighbors this close. Minus the apt. that Linda and I shared in an apt. building for one year all my neighbors have been a distance from my house. I guess I have to learn to pull my shades more often.

I have met the newbies  - Mike (I know another Mike. That makes 3 in the last 6 houses) and Kathy. They just retired and want to live in a country setting.
They bought the lot last year and just got around to building. He was around last summer to mow and we got to know him better. They are very excited to be moving here. I like that!
He promised me that he didn't want a house that would stick out from all the others and anyway Cathy is insisting on a small ranch with a small basement.
She is a gardener and I told her she can have some of my Hosta to get her started.
I was very sad to see them clear the small trees and bushes along the back. A lilac bush and a crabapple tree were among the casualties. They wanted the space for a garden and their grandchild.

Today it's been one week and they are pouring the foundation.
Cement trucks have claimed our dead end street.

It's kinda neat watching the process.
They have a construction beerier around the lot so dirt and debris is contained. The owner Mike actually sweeps the street when the workers leave everyday.

The house is progressing fast and they hope to move in sometime in April.
So like it or not here they come.

Let's Flip

Our friend Steve is coming home from NY in June.
He bought his retirement home here in Oct. when he was home for a visit. I was worried that it was too soon to buy. He had 8 months to search for a place, but he found this cute 2 bedroom and in true Steve fashion - he bought it.

Steve is a "get it bought" kind of guy. He needs something - He finds something - He likes something -  He buys it.
That weekend we got paint for the whole house - 5 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 hallways and all the cabinets. The place was carpeted and he wanted hardwood so he bought flooring too.
I like to paint, but I wasn't going to tackle his whole house (luckily he found a great kid that did a good job). But when they told us at Lumber Liquidators that it would be $4000 to lay the flooring I said "Wait a minute - Mike and I can lay the flooring." We did a little bit at Bryan's house so we had an idea what it took.
There was ho hurry - we had till June. Now I am thinking - maybe it was a good idea to buy the house now.

We started on the Master bedroom. We hired  Dylan and Logan to help haul in the boxes of wood and get the rooms prepped with quiet walk.

Logan giving me a hand

Dylan ripping up the kitchen tile

We were not breaking any speed records to get this done. Slow and steady we wanted it done right without breaking our backs.
Packages started to show up at our door.
Steve was on the internet.
 New sink. Some killer backsplash. Ceiling fans.
This place was going to be looking mighty good.
Then Steve calls and tells us he hired someone to redo the bathrooms. Good thing, the master bathroom was hideous. Not anymore.

His new walk in shower

Flooring went on hold - No toilets in the house.
In the mean time Mike put in the new kitchen sink and some light fixtures in the hallways. 
Mike and I decided to wait till after vacation to get back to the flooring.

Now I am really glad that he bought the house when he did.

Well we are back.
Spare bedroom is done. Dining room and Kitchen are about done.

Dining room and kitchen

 The next day. Kitchen complete!

Kitchen floor is done and stove is in

I am laying the floors while Mike is cutting in the closets and in the kitchen appliances.
The music is playing and we are really having a good time.
"Hey Mike - Are you having as much fun as I am?"
"Yeah, This is fun!"
"Maybe we should buy a house and flip it?"

Then I try to get up off the floor. Mike is groaning as he uncurls from under the counter tops.

Yeah - maybe NOT!

We are happy to help Steve with his new house her in Elgin. I am glad that we have the whole winter to work on it. We really are enjoying doing something for a special friend. Hopefully it will all be done and ready for him when he moves back.
I know he is excited to be coming home, but he is leaving a great house and a job that he is good at with some really great friends he has made there. Mike and I are glad to take at least a little pressure off of him as he goes thru this life changing time.

Aloha!

I always say to the grandkids to work hard and start saving now.
We got money because Mike worked hard at the same job (sometimes really wanting to quit) for 30 plus years. We have money because he trusted me with the finances and retirement planning.

If you know anything about me I do not spend money unless we have it to spend.
All that being said - Yes Mike and I took our (his) dream vacation to Hawaii.
Yes it was expensive and Yes I would recommend it to everybody who has a desire to go.
Mike has been talking about it forever. He knows I am not a good flyer so he didn't push.
I surprised him with this vacation. I had only two condition. one - direct flight. two - I was not going to spend 9 hrs on a plane sandwiched 11 seats across with strangers. We flew first class. Our flight attendant lived in South Elgin right down the street from us.

huge thumbs up. Loved the reclining seats

I booked the flight and the room and Mike was responsible for our itinerary.
I booked the trip thru Expedia. We upgraded our room to a suite when we got there. Great idea by me. 2 TV's and 2 bathrooms.
We hit the beach and Mike bought us leis.

These things are not made of orchids like you would think. Nope, plumarias.

I was very excited to wear mine and wore it the whole next day when we walked to the grocery store and sat thru a presentation so we could get our luau free. $200 free!

Turns out some people are sensitive to the oil from the flowers.

Hence our luau picture has only Mike wearing one. Yup - boob rash for me.

They asked if anyone was celebrating and our dinner table couple (a young cute friendly couple from Chicago) told them we were. We got up with 3 other couple and had a special dance.

These kids were so cute and sweaty

We found a great Hawaiian (Alika) at the activity desk who helped us though our weeks activities. We figured it easier to let someone else do the driving. Great Idea!!! Traffic there is horrible.

Our hike up Diamond Head was challenging, but I made it.

Mike squeezing thru a bunker 

I did not go that way I took the longer route around.

The big reason Mike wanted to go was to visit Pearl harbor and the USS Missouri so we signed up for the military tour that included both and a trip to the military cemetery.

The tour on the Missouri was emotional for me, I stood where they signed the peace treaty so My Dad could come home.

below deck sleeping quarters

All the tour guides (bus drivers) were wonderful. I learned so much in an air conditioned bus with someone else driving.

The weather was perfect so we decided to hang out at the resort on the weekend. Mainly because I had 7 blisters on my feet and they needed a break. The place was not crowded at all. Mike and I chose the pool over the ocean. We are not ones to sit around a pool for too long though.

I was very excited to visit this shop

Sunday night was my surprise. Mike booked us on a sunset dinner cruise. I did get to try poi. It wasn't as bad as people say.

toast to 32 years

We still had one day left so we hunted down our friendly activity director Alika and he got us on the island circle tour for Monday.

It made stop along the way.
Mike got to try a shrimp shack like the guys from Hawaii 5-0.

Mike got the garlic and I got the coconut

We stopped to watch the surfers on the North Shore (apparently a big deal). You couldn't help but notice the large population of homeless. Our bus driver told us that they are trying to build housing for them, but most don't want the help. Somethings are the same everywhere.

Drove thru the mountains to a temple.

Apparently if you ring the gong you drive away evil spirits.

so long evil spirits

 We made stops along the way for so many photo opts. Yes this place is beautiful.

Our last stop was on my wish list. I was hoping for a coffee or pineapple plantation. We drove through coffee farms but we stopped at a Dole pineapple farm. Turns out Hawaii doesn't export them anymore. The Dole planation we were at, is closed down and they just grow for the island. It is Soooo much sweeter than what we get here.

We got lucky and everything was perfect for us. The flight home was overnight and with a 4 hour time difference it took us a few days to get back into our Illinois routine.

Mike and I had a warm, fun, relaxing vacation to HAWAII.

There are so many more pictures to share so I posted them on my shutterfly account.

Luke is 5

His birthday is not until the 12th but Mike and I will be off on an adventure that weekend so we took a trip into the city to play with the kids and give Luke some birthday wishes and presents

.

I have been asking Mike to learn how to play cards - I don't know - every since we've been married. Not interested. Unless one of the grandkids ask him to play UNO. Him and Kaylyn would play for hours. When Roger asked him his face lit up and said yes.

My toes hurt just looking at Roger's feet

Luke is cheering for Roger

They played 30 games and Papa beat out Roger 16-14.
What a fun time.

Luke is fascinated with Dinosaurs, so I made that the theme of his presents.
I thought for sure he would get a kick out of the 3D dinosaur puzzle. He did, but The popup dinosaur book was the  hit with everyone. - Including me.

Happy 5th Birthday big (he does not like to be called little) man.

National Puzzle Day

Who knew they have a national holiday for this?

One of my favorite things to do...

They say there are more adults than kids into puzzle fixing. I'm just glad my grandkids are not two of them. We fix a lot of puzzles together. We are now up to 300-500 pieces.

Luke fixing one of Bryan's old puzzles

I'm OK!

I think it is so cute when the Flory boys are rough housing around and one takes a tumble and shouts I'm OK.

Well, this is a shout out just to say I'm OK.
I have been sharing my life stories here for 12 years now and I'm wondering if what I have to say is of any importance to anyone.
Anyway....
Things are pretty steady here at the Millikan household.
We have been busy laying flooring in Steve's new house. Lumber liquidators wanted $4000 to do it.  Mike and I are pretty handy so we offered. Steve is not moving back here till July so we have plenty of time. We got the 2 bedrooms and a hallway done and had to take a break till the guys installing the new bathrooms finish. Can't work without a working toilet.
Mike in the mean time has the new kitchen sink and light fixtures done. Working on Steve's house has been good for Mike. He is keeping busy and helping a friend at the same time.

We had a cold start to the new year and I got a quilt top done staying indoors.

It was a Christmas gift from Bryan and Mary - another kit. A miniature wall hanging that I'm gonna add a border too and use as a table cloth.

I finally got my longarm sewing machine back from the shop - I took it in for a tune up. I can't wait to get back into doing the quilting on my projects.

The weather has been warm and cold. One day Sharen and I are walking in the snow catching snowflakes on our tongues and eyelashes and the next day the snow is all gone and the sun is shining. I go from wanting to go sledding to going golfing.

I'm gonna get back to bragging about my grandkids and writing stupid stuff about me - I promise.