Sam does the Crossfit competition

Sam did the Crossfit St Louis competition on Sunday morning. It's amazing to see all those folks competing, they are so strong.....

Look at that great form!!!!!

Fantastic!!!!

Sam is so cool....

Construction update

The framers have really been moving quickly.  We got windows on Friday, they look great and they make the extension look fantastic.

This is the west wall, it's hard to get pictures of this side

There will be 3 windows on this side, they just have a hole there so they can get in and out

They knocked the hole through the upstairs on Saturday.  It took them for ever.  If that's anything to go by, our house is NEVER falling down!!!!  I got a change to go in and look at the framing.  It's going to be so cool when it's all done.
They are not coming back until Wednesday, when the shingles will arrive for the roof

Day 4 of construction

After only 4 days, we have the roof on, now just need the shingles.  I can't believe how fast they are working.  The kids are off school today so they will get a rude awakening when the contractors start!!!  They want to work on Saturday too, so they aren't wasting any time!!!!

Our January trip to MBG

We went to the Botanical Gardens with Arline on Saturday. It was not a typical January day, it was 75 and sunny.  They still have the citrus trees in the Linnean House, they are covered in fruit.

We found this in the Linnean House.  I asked Arline if she had heard about an exhibit this year, but she hadn't.  However, I looked at the website and they are getting ready for a new exhibit.  I'm pretty excited about it.

I really liked these ferns.  The sun was shining on them and they looked beautiful

This camellia was in full bloom.  I like they way the spent blooms are lying around the tree

The sea monster status looks great at any time of year

Got a pic of Ben

I took a picture of the Bell Tree since there's not much blooming this month

One of the trees that we take a picture of every month

The Gate House

Beautiful day in the Japanese Garden

Arline's tree in the Japanese Garden

Maggie and Ben xox

We saw this tall tree that's in the Children's Garden.  How have we not noticed it before?????

This white tree looks great amongst the others

Beautiful flowers in the climatron

Day 3 of construction

After just 3 days, the walls are up and the rook trusses are on.  This is looking through the window at the top of the stairs to the new bedroom

The west wall 

Back of the house

Construction restarts!!!!!

It has stopped raining (for now) so the contractors are back with a vengeance and letting nothing get in their way.  They took the roof off the extension on Monday

This is looking out of the window upstairs at the new subfloor for the bedroom

The dumpster is filling up very quickly!!!!

Day 2-one of the walls is up already, the subfloor is down 

View of the back.  They have found that the wall is 3 inches off level, so they may have to take the bricks off this back wall and start again if they don't think they can make it look right

There are ladders over the front and side of the house where they are getting ready to do the roof and eaves.  The neighbors must think we are NEVER going to stop!!!!

Ice storm in St Louis

We had a big ice storm in the forecast on Friday and so St Louis essentially completely closed down.  Ben and Maggie were off school anyway, but SLU closed for the day which was nice for me.  The storm never really came to much, but we did have freezing rain and it would have been dodgy driving to work.  It was amazing just how many businesses were closed.  I did get some cool pictures of the ice on the trees though

Did I say "construction begins"???!!!!!

Well, we thought we were off to a good start, but the contractors have only been here one day so far.  In addition to a big-ass dumpster (Ben's term), we also have a bunch of lumber and a portable toilet in our driveway.  Not much progress has been made though because it has rained all week and now we have an ice storm.  Typical Sylar luck.  The kids and I did venture into the family room on Wednesday to see what it looked like.  They have covered the whole floor with cardboard and taken the ceiling down, so there is not plywood being held up by these beams.
Note the wreath by the fireplace.  No idea where it came from, but I hope they don't think it's mine!!!!

Construction begins!!!!

The dumpster for our construction appeared at the end of our driveway on Friday.  Construction (or destruction) was supposed to start this week, but the "Sylar luck" made sure that the forecast is for rain all week

We did clear the back room out.  I took a couple of pictures to serve as "befores".  This is looking from the kitchen through to the family room and back again

This is looking down the hallway into the family room and back from the family room

Last picture of the family room as it was....

Everything is gone (most in the dining room now).  I was surprised that we had room for everything and it doesn't look too much like a used furniture store in our dining room!!!!