The kids were still asleep at noon today  when I left the house to go get my hair done. When I returned two hours later, Paul had put all of them to work  in the yard. In his words he had “organized his work crew.” They were weeding, removing mulch and cleaning out flower beds. Surprisingly, they were fairly good natured about it. When they were finished, the yard looked great. I made them some lunch and all  five kids sat at the kitchen counter eating, talking and laughing. They were working together, cooperating and seeming to have a good time as well. They were taking pride in their home which pleased me immensely.

This put me in a nesting mood so I made some soup. Paul cleaned out the freezer last night and found a ham bone stashed inside and I hunted around in the back of the cupboard for some dried beans I knew were in there. I threw it all  in a pot of water and let it simmer all afternoon and the smells are still wafting through the house. Yum.

Later in the evening, I asked Sophia if she would like to make brownies with me and she replied, “How about we make Mud Puddle cake instead?”  Great suggestion since Mud Puddle cake is much less fattening and super easy to make. I used to make it all the time when my girls were small because you can mix all the ingredients in one pan and the kids can stir ’til their hearts are content. It’s dairy free too. For a recipe of my Muddle Puddle cake click on my Just Imaginate blog. (Scroll down the page, it’s the 5th recipe down.)

I better go check and see if it’s ready.

Maybe this can be attributed to the fact that the kids are older and it’s harder for older kids to accept a new parent and blend as a family. Or the fact that they did not get to know each other very long before the wedding may have had something to do with it. OR, it could be because THE COUPLE NEVER ACTUALLY LIVED TOGETHER. They never set up house together. Norman and Evert each kept separate residences and had sleep overs. That, in my opinion, is a recipe for disaster because it does not signify a true commitment. I don’t care if it worked for Woody and Mia (and we all know how that turned out), nothing says commitment quite like joint bank accounts and joint mortgage payments. I’ll never forget (although I have tried) those first few months of us all living together in a still-under-construction-house with no heat and in some rooms, no walls; our belongings still in boxes, snuggling up with blankets and popcorn on lawn chairs in the family room to watch a movie. Now those were the days. Although it was a struggle and an adjustment for the kids, Paul and I as their parents sent a very clear message to them that we were committed, this was their new home and we are a family.

The boys’ room was also not finished so they, like the real, rustic troupers they are, slept in the tent trailer in the back yard. For the first nine months (the human gestational period) we as a blended family not only had to get used to living with each other, we also had to adjust and adapt to living with several construction workers. The Lopez family ( I think there were nine of them.) practically lived with us. They came every day to frame the house, install the drywall and paint. Paul, acting as the general contractor not only oversaw all the construction, he also did a lot of the work himself. Since he had a business to run, he worked in the evenings and on weekends. The remodel is now  about 90% complete. The final phase is the outdoor kitchen, which Paul has always said he has wanted. The photo on the top is a fireplace/fountain that Paul designed and modeled after one we saw on vacation in a hotel in San Diego. The photo on the bottom is the kitchen itself. Paul just spent this past  weekend framing it. Eventually it will all be tiled. Our goal is to have it finished by  late September so we can have our annual couple birthday celebration. Paul’s birthday is Sept. 16th and mine is Oct. 21st.  We can’t wait to enjoy it. I’ll keep taking photos and keep you posted on the progress.