YELLOW HOUSE IS DONE (well, almost)!

With the exception of a few minor details, Yellow House is virtually done. I know we've been showing you mostly outside shots, or shots of studded walls, now we would like to take you in the front door for a little tour of some of the features of Yellow House.

Thanks for keeping up with us via the blog, and we hope you have enjoyed the updates of all that has been going on.

Also, keep on scrolling below the Yellow House posts, as Charles has caught you up-to-date with other happenings going on (and included pictures of Becca!).

THE SOON-TO-BE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

I know it seems like a lot for one little boom box, but Dad and Biz designed this beginning phase of the entertainment center in the main living room. If you notice, the boom box only has one speaker, because the other is sitting on top of the upper cabinets in the kitchen. Yes, Yellow House is wired for sound!

The top of the cabinets is tiled and the TV and Stereo system will sit on top of the cabinet. We haven't decided yet how the upper shelves will look, whether they will be built-in and drywalled (Russ help!) or if we will just mount shelves on the wall around the TV. We'll just have to see.

The wall to the immediate left of the boom box used to be the entryway into the old living room, that is until Dad knocked the wall to the left down and we didn't need it anymore. When Charles closed in the entryway, this alcove was created. Bizzy felt it would make a great built-in entertainment center.

MASTER BEDROOM ALLOWS UNIQUE BED NOOK!

Bizzy took the footboard of her antique four-poster queen-size bed and placed it into the center nook of the bedroom bay (each of the main rooms of the old part of the house have this unique bay alcove) to give an idea of how this unique nook will be used. The bed will jut into the bedroom from the bay wall, allowing more space to be used in the main part of the bedroom for the antique cherry furniture.

During construction, the middle window was removed and the wall repaired to allow a solid wall above the bed. The door to the master bath is to the left of the mirror on the floor, which got installed above the vanity sink (see post below).

MASTER BATH SHINES!

We took the Master bathroom and installed kitchen cabinets to allow for more storage for linens, towels and necessities. We are still waiting for the plumber to finalize the sinks, faucets and toilets, which will hopefully occur after kitchen countertops go in.

WAITING FOR COUNTERTOPS!

With the exception of countertops and backsplash, the kitchen at Yellow House is nearly complete. A bar juts into the middle of the kitchen at the lower right hand of the picture, while the sink will be installed as part of the countertops just below the window. Of everything at Yellow House that was designed, Dad and Biz really put their talents to good use where the kitchen is concerned.

BECCA PRETENDS TO CALL AUNT LESLIE!

Becca shows off the new outfit she got from her Aunt Leslie on the stoop in front of Plymouth House as we were heading out for the Plymouth-Elkhart Memorial home game. Becca was so excited when the package came in she couldn't hardly wait to put the outfit on.

Here, she pretends to talk on the phone to her Aunt Leslie, thanking her for the outfit. She can be so funny when she talks on the phone.

Overheard recently while coming home from daycare:

"Hello, can I speak to Dr. Ratliff? She's my mommy."

"Un-huh. . . OK . . ." Phone slaps shut. "Oh, man!"

"What is it, Becca?" Daddy asks while driving.

"Mommy can't talk right now, she's in a meeting."

And, so goes the life of a precocious 4-year-old who's growing too fast for words, too quickly to keep up with, and too cool for school.

BECCA'S BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY!

Becca gets her face painted at the Rockies' home game versus Elkhart Memorial two fridays ago. With the win over Memorial the Rockies took an undefeated 5-0 streak into Homecoming last Friday night, defeating Wawasee 42-7 to stay unbeaten.

After the exciting game, Mommy, Daddy and Becca headed out to the lake one more time to visit with Grandma and Grandpa before they head to Arizona.

BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL 08 A BLAST!

As is the custom in Plymouth every Labor Day weekend, more than half a million people descend upon the Marshall County Blueberry Festival (Indiana is home to more than a hundred "festivals") and we love going. The fact that we can walk to the Blueberry Festival is not lost upon Mom or Dad, who usually end up carrying an exhausted Becca, who as this picture shows, loves the Kiddie Carnival!

This year, Mommy got smart and grabbed the umbrella stroller and we were able to push (barely!) Becca home after hours of fun at the festival. This was one of the few times we have been able to break away from the ongoing project at Yellow House and just let go.

JUST LET ME SLEEP!

Becca grabs 40 winks on the drive back from the lake to Plymouth. Mommy and Daddy had to stop at Lowe's, so Daddy had to stay in the car and monitor sleeping beauty. This was also the weekend we received more than 11 inches of rain. Most of Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan flooded, but not Plymouth! We had our turn last January and February

Right?

WOW! THAT'S COLD!

During the dog days of summer, Becca enjoys a swim in Barry and Crystal's pool during Ethan and Trevor's joint birthday party a couple of weeks ago. The weather had started to get cool, down into the low 70s during the day, and in the 40's at night. The water was a bit chilly, the pool about 4 feet deep, and Becca dove in, no problem!

Of course, the peels of joy were actually the howls of shock upon first entering the water (hehehehe!). Becca used just a floatie and has become, at 4, quite the fish. Her inspiration? "Waterhorse! Come save me!" Of course, we all know who "Waterhorse" is, don't we, Colton?

MEET US AT THE WELL!

Charles has been working on our church's design team to help create a third worship service. Our church, First United Methodist of Plymouth, added a second pastor, Matt Pickut. The church wanted to add a contemporary worship service, one that met the needs of members of our community who desired something different and unique.

This is our logo. The Well represents that one place in a community where people gathered. Jesus met the woman at the well, and declared that He is the water of life.

We made a commercial at our dress rehearsal in August and you're welcome to go visit it at our church's website at: http://www.meetmeatthewell.net/Media.htm If you watch closely, you'll see Becca for a split second.

We absolutely love the evening worship service, as we spend a lot of our time at the lake on the weekends and cannot quite make it to morning service (we usually get back to Plymouth in the afternoon in time for evening service). Charles digs the contemporary service and will be participating with the Drama team. Bizzy is aching for an open mike night to show what she can do (and we all know that she sings so well!). Becca bails after praise and worship to head upstairs for Kids Connection.

More news soon. Take care and God Bless!