All because two people are still in love

It's been a while since I posted anything about our family. It feels like finishing the basement has consumed our lives this past month. Nothing extra ordinary happened today, in fact it was a calm Sunday. We stayed indoors all day because it's freezing outside and a blizzard of snow hit this afternoon.
Katie and Sharon already love playing in the basement...they go down there and run around. Here you see them in their dress-up taking turns being Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and then Ho ho (her dog). They enjoyed doing some coloring together. We also played some games. After a good dinner (that's for you mom) we made cookies which they loved of course;)

This is for you Aunty Valmai, you asked me to walk you through our basement to give an idea of what the whole thing looks like. So hopefully this helps... We'll start from the very end: the pantry.

The pantry

This is the second room and it's our guest bedroom...HINT HINT come visit anytime:)

This is a storage area under the stairs

This is our bathroom. We still have to put in the toilet and vanity.

This is the first bedroom leading from the hallway. It's just a small room...we're going to use it s a toy room;) AAA so nice to have toys in one spot. I'm sure they are just going to stay there perfectly all the time right:)

This is the hall way leading from our family room.

This is our FAMILY ROOM! The plan is to make it into a FUN FAMILY ROOM with a projector screen.

This is at the bottom of the stairs, it's a small walkway from the stairs to the family room (on the right is our unfinished laundry room;)

This is standing from the main part of our house about to enter the basement.

This might get to everyone too late but I only found out about it a few minutes ago and wanted to spread the news.
Here's a link to a coupon for $10 off the movie UP if you're interested. It expires tomorrow.
http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/up/couponoffer/
Hopefully it works I'm going to Target today:)

So my mom had a birthday last week Thursday and turned 54! Between having to work that day and then coming home and working late into the night so our basement was ready for the carpet guys (who didn't even show UP by the way) I neglected posting a blog about her.
So now it just seems like a lame attempt. Oh well I decided to do it anyways...
I can't really think of my mom without thinking friend. We're different but we share the same values in life. I think my mom taught all of us how to be good, hardworking, honest, loyal and faithful.
She taught me to be strong. My dad was enlisted into compulsory army service when they had three small children at home. He was gone for a month or more at a time for a two years. To make matters extra difficult they had to survive on a meager South African army income. I often think about her strength of character when I'm having a hard day or feeling sorry for myself and think "I can do it my mom did."
She is smart. I really think she could have made one of the best CPA around. She is brilliant with math and taught extra math for many years. This brings me to another reason I admire her...she has such a good heart. Her and my dad really compliment one another this way. She would teach extra math to many children and sometimes for free or at a very low cost.
She loves the gospel and learning all she can about it. She spends hours each week studying the scriptures and manuals for her weekly institute class which she loves. She loves going so much that we tease her for having a crush on the institute teacher. The truth is she loves learning. She has been a gospel doctrine teacher twice (this is a calling that terrifies me;)
She is loyal to the bone. She has always been a beautiful women and still is. She always tries to eat healthy and organic. She is also very generous. When Dan and I were struggling students she helped us out all the time. I can't tell you how much money her and my dad have spent on their children and grandchildren to make sure our needs are met.
Probably the thing I love the most about her and my sister Sam would agree: she is an AMAZING OUMA! My friends tell me all the time that they can't believe my mom actually wants to be around my children for two weeks at a time. She honestly loves her grandchildren and treats each of them like little princesses and now a prince. She is super protective of them too. That's why I really don't have a problem sending my daughters down there for a long time because I know they are in loving hands;)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM...we all are lucky to have you in our lives.

Again I should really wait until all of part IV is complete before I post BUT I got too excited!!! Here's our pergo wood floors already in and I'm lovin it;)

This was a fun part for me and not so much for DAN. Me and the girls spent a fun week in California with my family while Dan stayed home to work and paint.
This amazing husband of mine is one of the hardest workers I know. He pulled an all-nighter one night just making sure he got the wall color on:) By the way he worked like crazy so that I wouldn't have to breathe in paint fumes when I returned.
His hard work paid off because I LOVE IT! I love the color. The ceiling is ultra white and the walls are cottage white (which is a beige with a soft yellow undertone;) Dan still has to take the tape off the ceiling but here's Part III COMPLETE;)

So here's the other part of 2..DONE! The sheetrock, mudding and texturizing is done;)