Friday, December 30, 2011

Movie Time

The kids were very good today and decided they wanted to go see a movie.  The conspired together.  They looked up the movie times, made me a snack and presented me with a free back rub and a well written note.  They asked politely if we could see a movie, they would even use their own money. (Christmas gifts of AMC Gift cards) 

So off we went to see The Chipmunks, Chipwrecked.

Even though we just had lunch the kids were excited to get their own snacks.  Sam got a small popcorn, soda, and candy.  Jason got the kids pack and I got a small popcorn and soda.  The list becomes important in a minute.  Sam had her purse and I needed to grad napkins and straws for the kids.  Sam set her popcorn down on the prep counter, for butter etc., so she could put her card and wallet away.  I wasn’t looking and she knocked he popcorn over.  She lost about half a bag.  Sad but not unrecoverable as I told her I would share mine.  We walked into a full theater and found three seats near the isle towards the top.  The stairs turn twice.  I stopped so the kids could get around and when I turned I was closer to the step then I thought.  I tripped and went down.  I lost my soda, mostly on my arms and pants, and ¾ of my popcorn.  In the process I smacked my head on the hand rail and my knee on the step.  I mentioned full theater right?  So we sat down quick and I told Sam our popcorn matched now.  The above mentioned list became much smaller causing me to reflect on the insane prices at the snack isle.

The movie was funny and an overall fun time.  I just ended up a bit soda soaked with a bump on my head.

I probably won’t get any notes for awhile.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Holy Crap!


I did not expect the first person to take a bath in our remodeled bathroom would be Abby.

When I came home today I was met with a surprise.  The entire house had a particular odor to it.  I was pretty sure what I was walking into when I went downstairs.  I was very, very wrong.  That was a smell I can honestly say I have not encountered since the stockyards in Clovis, NM.  Abby ate something that did not agree with her.  It passed today.  Her crate was covered from end to end.  My first problem was how to get her outside without spreading it all over the carpet.  The second was the crate itself.  The crates are large.  They will not fit through a door.  The tray is wider than a door.  So me and the little green machine went to work.  Halfway through cleaning the tray Sam came down and asked me “What was for dinner?”  That was not a good idea.  I told her and Jason to clean the living room and last I looked it was getting done.

Once the cage and floor was cleaned I still had the daunting task of cleaning Abby.  Our tub is in and the plumbing works.  There is no proper faucet and the handle is not installed, just the end of the valve.  There is a temporary spout in place for construction and eventual installation.  I took off the plastic, uncovered the drain and dropped Abby in the tub.  It is hard to wash a dog when you cannot use a hose attachment.  Just me and a cup.  She is clean now and my headache is starting to subside.  Tomorrow is a Lucky Puppy day and I am hoping the fresh air and lots of yard helps her stomach.

Off to eat dinner.  Yum. 

Goofing off

So while we work hard and slave away at our normal, safe, 8 hour (mostly), non-rocket attack having jobs this is what the folks overseas are doing!












Merry Christmas.

Monday, December 26, 2011

New Addition


So today is officially my day off.  I was sitting around not doing anything.  Jason was building with his Geomag kit; Sam was playing with her new stuff; I was relaxing with Gears of War 3 and evidentially Diane was being the over achiever and giving birth.

Welcome to our goofy family Ms. Jordyn Emily. 

Ta Da!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas

Christmas morning!

Lots of lights, very tired.  Many kids, still only count two, sounds like more.

Yeah, I need coffee.

Lots of coffee.

A little better.

Stockings.

More coffee.  Write down gifts for thank you notes.  Try to read list.  Lots of luck.  Why do I feel hung-over when I didn’t drink.  More coffee, starting to wake up. 

Heat breakfast; feed young ‘uns, yep just two of ‘em.

Ok, on to the good stuff. 

Present opening went well.  I made a list and the kids and I should be able to decipher enough of it to write thank you’s.  I still got the coolest gift.  I got a drill.  Good thing as my old one caught on fire.  I tried to mix mortar with it.  Small flames shot out of the side and it stopped working.  (In my defense it was 20 plus years old and the cord was frayed in the case.)  Either way I was going to go pick up a new one soon.  Now I do not have to.  I am sure the kids think their stuff is great too but no, mine is better.

Roger’s house was fun.  Rog and Shaun had a cook off.  Whose roast was better?  Roger’s from the Crockpot or Shawn’s from the oven.  We were supposed to choose.  Not a chance.  We all agreed that they were both very good and thank you for making dinner.  The only odd part was that I broke tradition.  Since 1999 in Phoenix we have had Chinese food on Christmas day.  This is the first year we didn’t.  Well I didn’t.  Christine may have.  I am guessing the chow hall has a myriad of items to choose from.

Except for Chris being in Afghanistan it was a good day.

Our Stockings

It was early but I got the timer to work.

My kids.

The dogs got presents too!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Twas the night before...

So on Friday I had the day off.  I did last minute grocery shopping.  I needed to make sure we had cookie ingredients and food so I could stay home over the weekend. 

I spent Friday afternoon painting the bathroom.  I got my first coat of primer on.  Covered the tub with plastic and taped the edged so I didn’t get paint on the tub.  So far so good.  I got a half gallon of paint on and I can still see green.  I will get a second coat on Saturday.

I made ham for dinner and even made creamy eggs for Christmas morning.  Jason told me he doesn’t like ham.  He doesn’t like bacon either.  I may need a paternity test.  The kids are very excited about the next day’s festivities.  We are even supposed to head out to Uncle roger’s at 4 for dinner.

Even my dogs like ham.  Jason could be an alien.




Monday, December 19, 2011

Absence...

Forgive my absence.  We really haven’t done much.  My house looks like a cardboard box factory.  Chris ordered many of our gifts from Amazon or other online retailers so I have many boxes all over.

This is the kids last week before winter break.  It is the same break that we used to call Christmas break before the PC freaks got a hold of it.  I am going to leave them at the YMCA for the weeks they have off.  I will take Fridays off to give the kids a break, and save me a buck or two.  Plus it gives me more time to spend slow leaking a bathroom remodel.  I am currently into the drywall mudding stage.  I am not really proficient at it so it is slow going.  I am also repairing the crude job I did when we removed the laundry chute.  It has always looked bad and now it should look slightly less bad.  Getting the walls smooth is not as easy as it should be.  I found a lot of spots that I gouged the walls or the screw gun jumped off the screw.  I am on my third coat of mud and I have gone through two sanding and washing of the walls.  Sanding is fun.  I have on goggles and a dust mask.  I look pretty silly but the dust is mostly contained in the bathroom so clean up has not been bad.

I need to prime and paint before tiles go up.  I don’t want to take a chance at getting paint on the tiles and if I get paint on the floor, who cares!  I will be tiling over it anyway.

I need to start wrapping now so I don’t end up running to CVS the night before Christmas the night looking for tape.

I have enough trouble figuring out Christmas Eve and Day.