04.29.2008 Behind Door #1...A NEW CAR !!!!

 

Meet "Black Jack" the newest member of our family. He is a 2009 Toyota Camry.Ok so the big Bohemoth is going out to pasture. We have welcomed this new zippy little edition to our household. It will be plenty big enough for the family and get FABULOUS gas mileage. Hey, anyhting over 20 mpg is incredible! (As i currently only get 13mpg on average) Black would not have been my 1st choice, but there were some pretty good incentives through tomorrow and this is one of two 2009 models they had on the lot. The other one cost waaaay too much. Anyway, it's pretty nice, and the kids love it. Danielle says it's the best car ever!

 

Here is ME and my new car. Watch out Montana here I come!

04.28.2008 OMG It's SUNNY!

Just wanted to rejoice in this day! It is 75 degrees outside and sunny! Now i have to hurry and post this cuz the clouds will be rolling in soon and then 3 days of rain/clouds. But hallelujah it actually feels like SPRING in this God forsaken place.
hehehehehe.

04.24.2008 Roasting Marshmallows

This was the Awana goodbye party for the teenagers. They had hot dogs, chips, soda and the required Rosted Marshmallows. The kids really enjoyed roasting them! They especially liked it bcuz they got to use a really long stick!

04.18.2008 Women of Faith Conference

I had the AWESOME opportunity with my church to travel to Spokane for a conference.
It was my first WOF Conference and it was...did i say...AWESOME! We got to hear great guest speaker(s) like Patsy Clairmont (my favorite), Anita Renfroe (a close 2nd favorite!)...there are so many to mention. Patsy was "spunky" she's older but a tiny powerhouse! Hilarious and Heartfelt, she was great to listen to!

We also got the pleasure of seeing/hearing Anita Renfroe who is the awesome comedianne who does "Momsense" the You Tube sensation and see some of her new stuff (i even got her 2 DVD's!) Not a dull moment when she was onstage.

The WOF Praise and Worship team was awesome. They kept us on our feet, and I just love praise & worship music! Yeah.

Ok, so a highlight (for us small down folks) was to go to Red Lobster (30 miles away in Coeur d'Alene). Man do i wish i got out more!

There was of course SHOPPING (the benefits of getting there a day early and not being in a hurry on Sunday the day we traveled back)! I got some awesome bargains and am ready for summer to finally get here. Which is why, as you can imagine, i was a bit perturbed to come back to an inch of snow, and Monday to endure waking up to another couple of inches. Where is SPRING i ask????????????

04.13.2008 Everyday Construction-Lincoln Log Style!

Unlike some other projects, this is a finished job! Yeah to Bubba who just loves to play with Lincoln Logs (....yinkin yogs.....) and create, create, create! Just another fun day in Paradise!

04.12.2008 Now THAT is a STRAWBERRY!

We just LOVE Costco and the tangerine size strawberries we get. It's as close as we can get to California these days...California grown! A favorite pasttime at our house is eating strawberries and whipped cream. The kids just love it. Here is Danielle showing off her massive strawberry (...well after a bite or two)

Bubba shows off his style. Strawberries cut in small chunks in one bowl and whipped cream in the other. YUMMY.

04.09.2008 Awana Ends...for now!

Here is Bubba at awards night for Awana's. (Christian Children/Youth Group activity night held every Weds. night) He got a stencil of all the Awana characters and was quite excited.

Danielle got an award ribbon for completing her Skipper handbook during Awana's..no small feat. She had plenty of scrip memorization and activities to do at home and church to earn badges/jewels and complete the book. She was very excited and proud and sang her song Make my Actions Match my Passions with a cute little dance!

Erick attends the youth group teen meetings, and did not finish his book! He still attended nearly every week, i think he only missed like 3 times!! It runs from when school starts up to the end of March so that is a long time for all the children! What will we all do on Wednesday nights now? Hmmmm.

03.30.2008 Toilet Drama

No I am NOT a REDNECK. No, I do NOT believe ANYONE should be allowed to place toilets on decks, porches, patios. I do not believe they are planters, or items for decorative purposes. Apparently men dont share my view. I was forced to be mortified by having this lovely item placed on my back deck. The lovely contractor decided to place a LARGE BRIGHT BLUE TARP over it (as if that would detract from the fact there is a toilet under there..or somehow enhance it's beauty?!!! Well HA! Guess what, after a cold snap, and some snow it CRACKED! Lovely!

I was forced to make the 1 hr. drive to Missoula to get a new one. I just happened to get the one i had jokingly told my husband on a previous trip was perfect for our household! The Jacuzzi Flush toilet. I figured it could suck an elephant into next week thereby solving our need constantly for a plunger as a bathroom accessory. Ta Dah! The Jacuzzi Flush 5000. ( not the real name, but sounds cool eh?

Here is DeRell putting the finishing touches on the shower doors (reinstalling them) as you can see the tub is in. Looks ready to go right (except the green paint...painting was my job and thus not done yet).

Here is the installed toilet. Installed meaning ready for use. A task completed. Can you say Hallelujah?!!!
Now i shall briefly document the bathroom drama and we shall not speak of it again k?
After the 5 day project turned into 5 weeks (plus!) what seemed at the time like a completed room got the test drive done. I took a shower in my WONDERFUL new shower complete with lovely rain shower head and bench. It was HEAVEN. Then the children wanted to take a bath in the "Big Bathtub" as we affectionatley call it, and a good time was had by all. Mom decided to go downstairs for something...can't remember what...let out a brief scream and ran to let DeRell know that there was at least 1" of standing water! (Luckily on the bright Blue tarp that had been relocated from the upper deck to below the bathroom-in basement-to collect any mess in the construction /tub setting /hookup process) Praise God almost all the water was on the tarp, as we drug it out of the house some spilled onto carpet and we used shampooer to suck up any that spilled. Long story short, apparently the 5 fixed leaks included one they had no idea about. The tubes in the jacuzzi tub that carry the water through and shoot it at lighting speed were somehow cracked and the seal broken and spewing water under the tub..thus onto my basement ceiling. The reason they weren't detected earlier is then that water would travel along the top of the insulation and drip down where there was a break in the insulation rolls. This is why there were apparent leaks where there was no way for there to be a leak THERE. No one could get it. Mystery solved. I now have a big hole where the tub was once was and a big jacuzzi tub in the garage. Sore subject. Shower works. Toilet works. Construction never ends. THE END.