Presenting: Casa McGary - First look

Welcome friends and family

Upstairs loft

Upstairs guest bedroom 1 

Master bathroom door and wallpaper (I did it myself so don't look too closely)

Master bath - jetted tub with chroma therapy lighting

Master bath - vanity

Master bathroom and closet 

Master shower with rain shower head and dual wall mount

Powder room
(really terrible wallpapering but I had to practice on something before doing the master...it's getting redone)

Hallway

Family pictures

Corner leading from hallway to great room

Great room mantle
(room still needs to be decorated and painted a different color) 

Basement hang out and kitchen
(not complete either but coming along)

Basement family room with brick arches
(also needs to be pained something other than white)

Exercise room (another unfinished space)

Another view

Steam room

Sauna

Backyard hill

Garden plateau

Outdoor hangout plateau

Water feature on hangout plateau

View from the edge of the property

Spa pool

Second waterfall and stream that comes down the side
of the house to the front where the pond is

Third waterfall and some of the pond
(Lousy shot but you get the idea..)

Come visit

Still to come: More master bedroom, entry, nursery, 3 bathrooms, 1 guest bedroom, 1 special room, craft room, office, kitchen and mudroom. And deck.

It's a work in progress!

Happy first birthday Lois!

Lois.
I want to keep her tiny forever but she won't have it.
Oh well.

Load down? OK.

1  Hair. It's weird and cute. Long in some places and short in others. She let's me do it up.
2  Teeth. There's 6 of them right now. The four up top are so far apart it makes her look like a cartoon.
3  Hands. Touching everything, exploring everywhere. So so soft and small. <3
4  Feet. Like marshmallows. Soft and squishy and hard to walk on.
5  Nose. Takes after her daddy. Thank goodness..! (No offense Mom and Dad)
6  Walking. So close but so wussy. Holding on to one finger is all she needs to start chasing down a ball.
7  Eating. Bananas, oatmeal, sweet potato, fish crackers, almond milk, blue berries, raspberries, celery.
8  Sleeping. Anything but peacefully. Wadding up blankets, laying in crib corners, sleeping in the swing.
9  Index finger. Always pointing, sticking to things, poking things.
10 Mouth. Tiny red lips that smack at the thought of food, that never gives kisses, that tries to say things.
11 Face. There are so many of them. Funny faces, sad faces, laughing faces, weird faces, somber faces.
12 Mood. Mostly happy and content but lately sad and irritated because of teething pain or tummy aches.
13 Movies. Megamind is her favorite, hands down. Strange but fun.
14 Laughter. When we're jumping on the bed or tossing her in the air or tickling her.
15 Talking. She tries. Da-da. Ta-da. Ba-bwa. Ma. Da-dwen. It's a guessing game, trying to figure it out.
16 Cuddling. For the first time she wants to cuddle. Lay her head on your shoulder. Bury her face in you.
17 Playing. Imitating sounds, building towers with blocks, pulling out the contents of a drawer.
18 Music. Singing along, dancing by wiggling around, nodding or shaking her head. Coldplay, oldies.
19 Yes/No. She says it. In her own way. In Swedish.
20 Hugs. Mostly me. Arms around my neck pulling hard. Sometimes daddy, sometimes cousins.

Happy birthday cutest, bestest, teeny tiny girl in the world. 
Mamma loves you so very much.

The Oregon coast

There's a very good reason Stephanie Mayer picked the northwest coast for her vampire world.
There's something about the air, the forests and even the moss that speaks of age and mystery. It's positively sparkling...

We took a trip out there as a way to celebrate Kimball's birthday, my birthday, our anniversary and Lois' birthday that all happen within the same 30 day window. I don't know how that worked out...

Oregon is beautiful. It looks a lot like Sweden except there's more moss. I love moss.
The beaches are long and wide with curious rock formations in the ocean close to shore. We drove from Portland to Tillamook and on to Pacific City, a small costal town with an awesome beach.
We fell in love and did as we always do when we visit a new place: hit up the local real estate office.
Best way to get to know an area you've never been to. I highly recommend it!
Other places that were fantastic too were Lincoln City and Cannon Beach. Early spring is the best time to go. Less people, good chance of good weather and low tides.

Scottish wedding recap

Last September we flew to Scotland to attend my brother's wedding. Aye, he married a Scottish lass.
It was the best wedding I've ever been to besides possibly my own...
Picture this: green rolling hills, fluffy sheep, mostly sunny (that's the best you can hope for really), bridesmaid dresses to die for, a barn for the reception, fake mustaches and Scottish folk dancing.
Oh yes, and some less than sober Scottish relatives with hilarious stories to tell.

Can it be beat? I dare not say.

But I must say that it was one of the happiest and proudest days of my life, to witness my brother step up to the plate and commit to a lovely woman for time and all eternity.