Weekend Projects...

So, it was a big weekend at our place.  We had several projects to get done and we "hired" some help to get them all done!

My dad came down to help with the hard labor and engineering, mom came down to relax and enjoy watching/playing with the kids, my sister/her husband came to help with the planning/planting as well as the hard labor.  Plus my sister's kids came and had a great time playing with our kids.

First project was finishing up the garden and getting it planted.  Jennifer Wallman was our green thumb source and she helped Alisha get the garden planned out.  Then off to the store to buy the plants and seeds.

After the ladies got the veggies planted in the yard it was time to get it all fenced in to keep out the critters!!  15 steel posts, 1 wood post, 200 feet of chicken wire, sunburned arms/necks and 6 hours later it was finished...

Our own farmer's market

Complete with gate and walking path (not quite complete - next weekend's project!)

After completing the garden it was on to constructing the compost box.  We found some old fence posts and some spare wood and whipped us up a storage box for all the compost.  The front boards slide up and out when you are ready to use the compost that has been marinating in the box for 6 months or so.  Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!!!!

We need to name the box - any suggestions????

Our final project was to replace the steeper motors on our Suburban's instrument panel.  Our speedometer has been stuck on 130 mph for the last 6 months or so.  Yes, it has cost me 1 speeding ticket and 1 questioning with an officer in his cruiser that I was able to get out of another ticket.  "Do you know how fast you were going?"  "No sir, my speedometer stopped working."  "Oh, well, how long has it not been working?"  "Actually, it went crazy about 100 miles back.  Just kept going and didn't come back.  Shows 130 mph all the time."  "You are gonna have to get that fixed."  "Yes sir, as soon as we get someplace where we can."  "Alright then, I'm just going to give you a warning."  Hallelujah!!!!  Yes, it wasn't actually the complete truth but I couldn't afford another speeding ticket...so, it was worth staring down "the law"!

Anway, around 11pm on Saturday night we finally got around to tackling this project.  My brother replaced his steeper motors a couple months ago and said it was pretty easy.  Well, either we had a stubborn instrument panel or he's just a mechanical wizard.  It wasn't until around 12:30am that we got it all apart and were ready to remove the old motor off the speedometer gauge.  But wouldn't you know it, we forgot a piece to help remove the old motor!!  We worked on it and finally managed to get the old motor off the back of the speedometer and it was time to install the new one.  Our soldering equipment was giving us trouble but we ended up getting it put back on and installed.  Needless to say, our (ok, my) soldering skills wouldn't have passed a high school level electronics class but at least the motor stayed in one place!! 

So, we snapped the panel back together, took it out to the garage and wired it back in the dash.  I turned on the key and the speedometer jumped to 12 mph.  Dad says, uhhhhhh, that's not good.  Thought maybe it just needed a warmup or break-in period so we decided to take it down the road.  By the time we got to the end of the driveway it showed 60 mph.  We have a long driveway but it ain't that long!!!!  So, as you can see from the picture below we are still cruising at 130 mph sitting in the driveway.  Not sure if it was the primative installation or the motor we got was bad.  Either way, I've got another project to do next weekend!!!

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Papa and Binga also brought some garage sale finds!!!  They found a whole bunch of cowboy stuff for the kids - cowboy hats, holsters, and handcuffs.  Bryce will have lots of stuff to play with and the girls were having as much fun as he was dressing up as cowboys and cowgirls!

They also found a little mini motorcycle someone was throwing away.  Apparently all it needed was a battery and charger but someone didn't want to buy new ones so they were just throwing it away.  Papa would have none of that and picked it up.  Using his skills he got it fixed up and running.  As you can imagine it was a big hit and the girls got it figured out pretty quickly.  It took Bryce a good afternoon of practice and coaching but he managed to figure out how to get it going by himself and ride it pretty well.

His own motorcycle before he's 6 years old - yeah, his Dad is a little jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ***And no, he didn't crash it into the garage at the end - :) ***

Thanks so much for all the help from everyone - it was great to get so much done!!!

All that S...P...A...C...E

Guess who is as excited, if not more excited, than anyone in the family with all the space we have in our big yard...

THIS GUY!!!!!!!!

Moxley LOVES to run

And play Frisbee!!

Moxley is a notorious "bolter" and not nearly as well behaved as his sister Kenzley (Gabe and Anna Leavitt's Dog) and has already had a wild encounter with the cattle across the road as witnessed by Jenn Wallman.  Our young and adventurous canine discovered that cattle just love to run when they are chased!!!  He thought it was the greatest thing since the invention of the fire hydrant!!  That dog chased those cattle around for a good 30-45 minutes.  It was great fun for him but not good for the cattle and quite frustrating for his owners!  Nevertheless, we have been working with him for the last week or so and he actually can learn (yes, we had our doubts!!!!!!).  But, for the last 2 days we have taken him outside 3-4 times a day without a leash and he hasn't bolted off once!  He has gotten pretty good at listening to commands but still likes to test his boundaries every once in a while. 

But he mostly just wants to be around us when we go outside and loves to RUN with us.  He's a great companion and loves the kids!  What more could you ask for?

Gettin that Green Thumb....??? Let's Hope So!!!!!

So, it is gardening time!!  We've got the space all plotted out and tilled up.  I guess now we have to put something in the ground, right???  Well, hopefully we'll get a few pointers from Jenn Wallman on her next visit so we can have some fresh veggies to chow on in a couple months!!

Special thanks to Uncle Alan for bringing his tiller over and letting us use it to do a little "farming".  Oh, and for the pickup load of manure for fertilizer!!!!

Guess who is ALREADY a Month Old?!?!?!?!

Still cannot believe it has been a month since little Rhys was born!

  

                     1 Hour Old                                                             1 Month Old                               

Just had to throw this one in here  :)

Representing the Colors during the

National Championship Game!!!

Another Day in the Country

Just a couple quick photos of the day

Bryce saying Good Morning to Rhys

He loves his sister!!!!

Saying Goodnight to another

day in the Country

Easter

Dyeing Easter eggs

Easter egg hunt in our backyard

Rice krispies eggs with candies inside

WE MOVED!!!!

Sunset from the front porch the first night

Side picture of house

Back of the house

Shed in the back, the kids cleared out and are using as their clubhouse

View from the front door

Back porch

So we did it! We moved to Kansas.  Even after all the craziness of the last few weeks, none of us regret it and are thrilled to be here.  We had quite an adventure getting here and now after most of the kinks have been worked out it is great. I will post more pictures inside the house once it's finsihed more.

Park Day before we moved

The day the movers came, Anna and I took the kids to the park.  It was a beautiful day in Florida.



Rhys' first bath

Nana gave her the first bath

Home the first night

More on the baby

Both of my Florida sisters and mom were at the birth and were very supportive throughout the whole long weekend.  It was especially amazing to have Mia at the birth, who did great through the experience.

Aunite Staci

Auntie Anna

One of my favorite memories from her birth

WE HAD A BABY!!!!!!!

1 minute old
She weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and was 20 3/4 inches long

Bryce's first comments about her when she cries, "that baby scares me."
Later when I was holding her he asked "can we just pretend that she is a boy"

By now most everyone knows Rhys' birth story, so instead a quick update.  She is doing really well, and is sleeping about 3 hours at night.  She loves to eat and is already filling out and outgrowing her newborn clothes.  She likes being outside, and will look at anything with light.  All the kids are doing well with her and it seems like she has been with us this whole time.