Too long between posts...

So many things to report on:

Finished Kitchen...almost.

Well, the kitchen renovation is almost complete.   We need to finalize a back splash design plan and then Andrew needs to find time to put it up. Hard to find time with the kids and me still working 1 in 5 weekends :(
Here are some (old, when it was just done) photos:

Family Vacation with Royal Caribbean

We had a wonderful family vacation with the Rolt side in November commemorating the 2nd anniversary of Andrew's dad's passing.  So much fun with the kids, they loved the children's pool/splash area but really, really loved the hot tub!  Andrew and I had a nice day in St. Martin where Andrew purchased a new wedding ring (this is ring number three for anyone that is counting:) )!  Some memorable moments included swimming with the gang on a beach we didn't want to go to in St.Thomas. Our kids loving and also hating kids club.
 

Some Islander cut my head off, while we enjoyed a St. Maarten tradition!

 

...and finally, what has become somewhat of another tradition with the Asbury's when we go to St. Maarten with them! lol

Goodbye to a loyal companion:

Echo Rolt 2006-2013.

We recieved a horrible call from my mom on Thursday night on our cruise.  We were in our room with the kids (having picked them up from kids club early after a phone call saying they wanted out).  Nancy (my mom) met Echo a the emergency vet clinic and had to make a decision to move forward with a surgery for bloat or to have Echo put down.  It was a nightmare decision for Andrew and I to make at any time, let alone in the middle of the carribean.  We will miss you Echo. You were our first child, the absence of your presence is felt everyday in our lives and hearts.

In January we had a wonderful celebration of Echo's life although none of Andrew's family could make it, it was wonderful to have Candace, Dave, Braeden, Sadie, Nancy and Drew there to commemorate the life of such a wonderful companion.

Desmond and Violet had a really hard time with losing Echo and we are just now at the end of February finding our lives settling back into routines without issue dropping Des off at school or multiple mentions of our loss of Echo. It is amazing the way the brain of a child works and how something can be at the forefront but because they are not aware of how to deal with it, they act out in other ways. It was a good exercise for our family to have the celebration of Echo's life, helped teach the children about loss and the mourning process.  It was also quite healing for our family to sit down and dedicate some time to remember our beloved Echo.

Funny story about Des:  Andrew, Des and Violet were sitting on the couch watching TV.  Des was pushing on his penis, pushing it down agressively.  Andrew asked him what he was doing and Des hiding his penis said "my penis is sticking up and it is not supposed to do that. I am pushing it down".  Andrew and I laughed so hard at the innocence of the statement.  So cute!

 

 

Christmas Time:

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year.  Christmas morning was spend at home with the kids opening gifts and enjoying cinnabons.  My parents arrived for breakfast and our traditional eggs benny was served.  Then that afternoon we went to Nancy and Drew's place for dinner.  After that we packed a bag and headed to Cambridge, stopped in at the Rolt family Christmas and then off to Betty's for boxing day.  Wonderful time with family, we missed A, Den, Madi and Parker!

Andrew is 40!

Well, Andrew turned 40 on February 16th!  Unfortunately I had to work the weekend of his birthday - no one would take my shift!- so we just had a small celebration with my family on Sunday night, we went to Kyprio's for greek style dinner!  Then on Family Day Monday we went to Betty's for a Rolt family celebration for both Andrew and Teresa. This past weekend, the 22nd, I threw a surprise party for Andrew and I think it worked!  It was so much fun, friends from all walks of our lives were there to celebrate with him.

Finally, our kids are absolutely in love with the movie Frozen.  We are constantly serenaded by both kids to the wonderful songs.

Kitchen install!!

So the kitchen is *FINALLY* being installed today and I got a quick glimpse of them during Marn's lunch hour and we love it! The counter is being measured tonight and the upper cabinets are going in tomorrow. The electrician is finishing his stuff on Monday to connect everything, and hopefully the counter and sink will be in on Tuesday/Wednesday? Here's a sneak peak, but the colour is a little off on these cellphone pics and they're of reduced quality. I'll get better pictures in later when it's done and maybe do up a post of the whole progression.

We can't wait until it's finished!!! We're SO DONE with chaos in the house!!

Teeth... again, again

So, my new crown is in, and has been for about 4 weeks now. I'm getting used to it more and more.  That might seem funny for someone who's never had "different teeth" in their mouth, but pretty much since I was a kid, I've had evolving front teeth in there.  From original short, to "capped", then broken, then capped again, to dentures, then crowns on the original teeth, back to dentures after those broke off not once but twice, and finally crowns again on implants x2.  Yah, that's a lot and it's been a bit pain in the ass my whole life.
So because of the bone damage (degradation over the years from dead teeth and damage), the implants/crowns could never be "perfect". I actually really, really liked them the first time before my wedding, but it wasn't to be...  So now I have a lisp.  yep.  Trying to "not give a shit" about it, but it really irks me, especially since all of the time, pain, and money involved to get me here. The other thing that irks me even more is that I don't love to look of it. I feel it's too long. It clangs on my bottom teeth when I talk and I'm always cognizant of it.
Perhaps I'm being overly picky, but I think I should be. They are/were not cheap. I think some of the problem is that the tooth beside the new crown is also very short making the crown seem that much longer.  Anyway, I *am* happy that they're in and hopefully done with for a long time.  I'm just not 100% thrilled with the results.  But 100% better than toothless....

All good

Met with the Dental Surgeon yesterday afternoon to check out the implant. Got an x-ray and came back good.  He did a torque test (to see if the implant moves or unscrews at all), not very fun, but didn't hurt too much and passed that - a little bit of gum tissue in the way, but not like the last tooth. So, next step is to get cast for a crown back at my regular dentist and off we go! I should try and call this week to set up an appointment.  I'm really looking forward to ditching this denture.....  =D

Toothy Assessment

Today I meet up with the dental surgeon for a (hopefully) final assessment of how the implant looks and how well it has taken.  Hopefully all good. I don't expect anything wrong with it. I haven't noticed anything "wrong" with it, and I haven't had any infections in it since it went in. Assuming that it's all good, I'll make an appointment with my dentist and get the permanent crown installed within the next month.  It would be great if I can get that installed before Florida in April.
SO looking forward to putting this behind me for now, and hopefully for good.  It's been such a LONG and EXPENSIVE process between both teeth.  Can you believe that the first one broke off almost exactly 4 years ago?  I was vacationing in BC visiting the Asbury's with Marn and Violet in March 2009.  Violet "broke" her first tooth on that trip too....

Anyway, if today is anything like the last time, I'm in for a very painful afternoon... (they told me it shouldn't have hurt, but the gums were falling back into the hole when they put the healing cap back on, pinching them)  :(  Trying not to think about it.

Kitchen Inspiration

Here's another/newer picture of the inspiration that we're going for.  Thinking 2-tone greys. dark below and light/white above... still mulling it over.

I sort of like the darker grey of the previous picture, but this one's really nice too.  We would also have hardwood instead of travertine tile like this pic.