Weekend Update (Activity Level: High! Fun! Tiring!)

We have had a bit of out-of-the-ordinary activity over the past few days, and I thought I'd share some images from our week that capture just how much we've been doing. A burst of activity is fun and unusual, especially for me, a person who could very easily become a prisoner of her own beloved home and go crazy in a not-so-slowly way.

Naps are by no means unusual around here (also not unusual: Charlotte skipping her nap entirely to the detriment of her mother's sanity, an event that sometimes results in said insane mother forcing her very awake and vocal daughter to sit in her crib expressing her disdain at the injustices of life simply so Mom can get a single cotton-pickin' moment of peace), but the boys don't typically sleep side-by-side in our bed. I was very brave and also very foolhardy when I took this picture of them snoozing, wrapped up in their blankies.

The reason for such sweet slumber in an alternative location? We had our dormers redone, and the workers were making quite a bit of noise for a couple days.

Old dormer:

New dormer:

I told you we had a green roof.

Ta da!

Now if you're a quick-thinking, observant person, then you may be putting two-and-two together. The internal dialogue will go something like this: "Hmm. She said they were getting their dormers done, but didn't mention anything else about the rest of the siding. Also the old siding is obviously white, and the new siding is obviously not white. What in the heck does their house look like??"

That's right, folks! Our house now looks even more freakish than before! I'd love to show you a full shot, but that's not blog kosher, so you'll just need to use your active imaginations. We were forced to get the siding, flashing, insulation, and windows in the two dormers replaced because of big major scary leaking issues (think: water literally running down the walls of the living room in a typical rainstorm), but we couldn't afford to reside the entire house. It's a project that needs to be tackled soon; however, we need to save up for a while in order to do it.

Well, I couldn't do things simply and just have them replace the old white siding with new white siding. This is because nearly every house on our street is white, and I want our house to have a glimmer of curb appeal to set it apart. The green roof posed a challenge (it was done just a few years ago, but before we were the owners), but this "Soft Maple" siding color, a buttery yellow, complements the roof, gives our house some zing, and keeps with the traditional Cape Cod look. So yes, we have two lovely, perfect dormers in Soft Maple set against the rest of the house in dingy, 30+ year old white aluminum. Talk about curb appeal--more like Curb Horror and Double-Take. Ah, being a homeowner. Ah, paying only with cash.

Moving along. While this isn't at all unusual, it is picture worthy: Charlotte continues to be so cute, coquettish, and sweet that she makes angels weep.

I love her pointy chin (that's all me, folks!) and fuzzy hair. I'll blame the duck fluff hair on her father, mkay?

Finally, to wrap up our fabulously fun weekend, we participated in our church's 74th annual picnic, fondly referred to as "Greek Fest." Maybe I'm the only one who calls it that. It's possible. (Background: We are not Greek, but we are Orthodox. The only Orthodox church around here is Greek Orthodox, so we hang out with lots of fun Mediterranean people with testy Mediterranean temperaments and big, Christian hearts. It's fun for boring old Western Europeans from evangelical backgrounds like ourselves.) Greek Festival is a fixture in the community, a major outreach opportunity for our church, and its biggest fundraiser. It involves lots of food, a big raffle drawing, visiting with friends, and even some Bingo. You know, just for good measure.

So much meat.

So. Much. Meat.

Also. So many pastries. The ladies kept the baklava flowing.

And if it can be fried, then please do it, and I'll take seven.

Father Bill, our priest, was even able to give a couple tours of the church for anyone interested. Here's a little peek for you, too. It feels weird posting the interior of my church on the internet, like I'm breaching some Orthodox protocol.

If you're not used to icons, you should understand that this picture doesn't capture half of them. Welcome to Orthodoxy! It's very interactive and full-sensory.

Finally finally, in yesterday's post I alluded to the many books I have been receiving/finding lately, and I'd like to share about them here. (You're my captive (I like to think) audience! Mwahahahaha!) Book buying is also a not unusual (erm, that would make it "usual") activity around here, but the sheer volume of books jumping in my lap, so to speak, over the last few days has made me a little giddy. Besides the two I mentioned finding at garage sales in yesterday's post, I ordered and received two others from Amazon for an upcoming trip (The Host by Stephenie Meyer and Chalice by my favorite author ever, Robin McKinley). And then, to tip the book buying frenzy over the edge, my friend Filly, a true sister geek and Math Goddess Extraordinaire, sent me a copy of Imzadi, our shared favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation novel, which she just happened to find in a local bookstore. 

Here I am pictured with, as I related to Filly, my FOR REALZ reaction upon the delivery of her gift:

This picture captures photographic evidence of some key facts:

1) I really like Star Trek.

2) I really like this green chair, thus the reason I am sitting in it and enjoying my favorite ST: TNG novel.

3) I have snake lips.

4) I have, without even trying, a true hitchhiker's thumb. Gig 'em, Aggies, and all that.

One crucial, closing statement: All of these awesome books which have seemingly fallen from the sky, landing softly in my open, waiting arms? They are all used hardcover editions.

That, my friends, is enough to make me weep tears of commingled joy and gratitude.