My cropping and alignment skills are none to be desired. Dang it anyway. I finally decided after a great battle with locked files and scattered pictures that I would just put up what I could open and find. The house on the outside is technically done and the inside is nearly done with putty and staining window trim for us to do. I understand now what people mean when they say that a home under construction is one of the most difficult things. We had little problems here and there but what old house doesn't resist a face lift. If I had only kept that attitude the whole time.;) Well it looks great and the difference of the temp inside versus outside is incredible. On hot days it stays so cool in here we are wearing sweatshirts. Ah! Autumns house (or the kids house once Brother can catch her) is coming along as well. It is now painted to match ours but that is a picture I can not unlock and will have to share another time. We are spending a lot of time in the yard with summer rolling to an end and Autumn is a great help planting grass (by the fist full), picking bad boys (dandelions) and feeding the birds (most of the seed ends up on the grass but they can find it). The kids and I walk every morning with some other mothers and their little ones. It's awesome!!! We joined another group of moms last week and we looked like a pack of crazies with all the strollers and chatter. It was a good time. On the days I only have one babe, it is night and day difference to only worry about one child. Those are the days that running errands and shooting around town for visits here and there are possible, or more possible. 
We have had a couple weeks of visitors and for some it was a first to meet Dana and our babies. Aunt Sharon and Uncle Mike were the first of the groups to arrive. We shared a yummo meal and great laughs and took some sweet pictures that I will post later. She is Daddy Marks oldest sister and I have not seen her in quite some time. The visit was like I saw her yesterday. I love it when that happens. Next came Papa Bruce. He is recovering from a punctured lung and seems to be mending great. He and I with the kids took a day to just drive the woods and have lunch on the other side. It was a beautiful drive with many potential hike sightings. Saturday we went to the Chokecherry festival, saw old friends, new friends, alpacas ( I think we should get one) and readied ourselves for the next group coming through on Sunday. Aunt Sandra, Uncle Roy, Grandma Meis and Uncle David pulled in mid-morning and we had a nice visit with coffee cake and coffee and the kiddos meeting their Great Grandma. She had not yet met Dana and it was so special to see them talk like old buddies. It was so comfortable to sit and chat like I have not missed many birthdays, weddings and reunions. I'm grateful they made the trip. After they all loaded up to make the final stretch of their trip to GreatFalls to see Mom and Dad we hustled and bustled to load the kids up and check out "What the Hay". By the time we got home we were all tired, dusty, and ready to just sit in the quiet yard and reflect on all that can happen in just a few days.  It has been a whirlwind and now it seems that we don't have anything big coming up and can just go with the flow.  I hope to get some pictures up of all our visitors but for today I am going to walk away from Blogger as it has kicked my mental butt.
Cheers friends and fam! Don't forget to check out Lalas blog www.divinesecretsoflala.blogspot.com

reading to me and Molly Moose while the babes sleep

Autumns house, a work in progress

some landscaping done and trim painted

the old dining room windows (floor was tiled/laminate before we moved up last year)

I demolished the bush in front and have slowly added some ground cover
old look of front door

bay window in

bay window going in, impressive!

new look for the front door courtesy Aunt Raquel and her crafty shopping!

and the front, pretty flowers and character will have to come next year