Ava's happy dance.

Because blogger changed the way photos and video get placed into a blog, I haven't figured out how to post a video. So, here's a link to the video on our flickr site.

Blogger changed things mostly for the better--it's much easier to see how your blog post will look before posting it. But video, I don't know.

I shouldn't be blogging at work...

...especially on a Tuesday, but this is just too much. I had to share. Ava and Grandma Jones had a little fun with makeup yesterday.

A party is in the works!

We've moved in, final inspection will take place tomorrow morning and we're finally planning a housewarming party! Everyone whoever listened to us complain about the lot split and house building process is invited. Consider this party a thank you for letting us vent about it all. :) Click on the image above to see the full-size invitation.

So, final inspection means that we finally got the county to see things our way about the eave soffits. It took 3 months to convince them that we meet the intent of the code and putting up the soffits would only be a waste of time, resources, money and materials, just to meet the code requirements as they are currently written. It's a long story, and I'm done bitching about house building. Really, I am.

Here's our remaining house to-dos:
prime & paint main bath cabinet
arrange studio (get paper from Art & Ann's!)
hang orange room closet rods, shelves & curtains
finish master bath tile
glass door for master bath shower
paint pump house
pump cover
gravel walk around house
clean up chicken coop
carport
master bedroom window curtains (almost done!)
master bedroom door curtain
orange bedroom roman shade
clean up orange bedroom (currently holding many unpacked items)
find a dining room table
bar stools
plant oak tree (redwoods are in the ground, yay!)
learn to program thermostat
move piano
wire for sound
hang artwork in hallway (most of it has already been hung through the rest of the house, yay!)
stained glass in cabinet doors
permanent shelving in hall closet
repair dings in American Clay Plaster

A few things were removed from the list, and a couple were added. Please do not bring this list to the housewarming party to see what we're still behind on...  :)

It's been 2 months. Geez.

Yesterday I took part in my 14th consecutive Pastels on the Plaza. My sponsor was Nancy Diamond, Attorney at Law. I've never heard of her, but it gave me the opportunity to draw whatever I wanted. I searched through my iPhoto library of recent pictures, and found one of Jane's koi pond in Redmond, WA from our vacation in August. It only took about 3 hours, (I was going for simplicity, since Andy was watching Ava and he had other things to do) but I think it turned out rather well.