odds and ends

Here's a few odds-and-ends updates to get us caught up.

 

It got hot quick!  And when my dad had come to test the freon before, he hadn't put any back in.  It's more of a process than you might imagine, and my Dad has all the necessary instruments.  It cost us about $80 I think for the the freon, and would have cost about four times that if we'd paid someone.  Friends in high places - thanks Pops

Mom and I took the girls to take pictures in the bluebonnets while the boys worked.  It didn't work out so well - it was so sunny!

 This seriously might be the best shot I got out of about 50...

 But this is definitely my favorite.  Greta all cutesy and Farah about to faceplant in the bluebonnets.

 Greta's become quite the chicken charmer.  Here she is with Chicken Nugget - the one she named.

 Farah fears nothing.  Even "Bossy the Hen".

I cleaned and spray painted the old vent - looks like new!

Chris is hooking up our new gas cooktop.

 He also did all the electrical work in the island in the subwall before the countertops went in.  He found a nice dark brown outlet to go on the front-side of our island.  It's a great spot to plug in our laptop to work (like right now).

Wiring and hooking up our oven.

Here's a glimpse of some of the electrical work and plumbing under the sink. I won't attempt to explain.  The plumber was going to come to finish it out once the sink went in but we didn't want to pay anymore$  and figured we (Chris) could do it on our own.  Which he did.  It took several hours but after awhile we had a functioning sink, dishwasher, and garbage disposal (I never knew how happy having running water in the kitchen could make me!)