Construction

The hole we dug into our concrete foundation inside for the bathroom. Took a diamond tipped blade, hard work and patience. This was actually day one. So we used a ward members help to frame the bathroom.  The foundation and walls took 3 days. One to cut into the foundation and do the plumbing. One to pour new gravel and cement, and another to frame the walls.

This is our first wall we did on our own. Not bad, but took us a full day to get two walls framed. I have learned a ton about all sorts of home improvement. We actually did a good job. This is the back wall of the new bedroom.

The other part of the house. These pictures are not fully in order, but this is actually pre day one - during the tear down phase.

Another view

Walls of our bathroom and a nice closet in front

This is roughly day 5 or 6 for the bathroom

Work is moving along with more long days. We worked 6 days a week about 12 hours a day on the basement. Then I would go upstairs and finish a project upstairs. With a construction guy helping from the ward, we got another two walls framed in one day, but 60 feet of wall and working around pipes. 

We started building phase day one on May 2nd. This is May 15th , give or take a day. As you can tell, framing is done, so is adding 4 new circuits, plumbing, and most of the insulation. You can get a hint of the drywalled, and mudded bedroom in back. Behind the two workers are the stairs down.

The bedroom

another shot.

Jayden so wants to help. He did what we did. That was bad and good. He was us screw in the outlets and wanted to do so too. We had to keep the breakers off until the covers came on just to make sure he didn't stick a screw driver in a live circuit and electrocute himself.

We sand, so he does too. Really cute. He also took my  power screwdriver and would put it up to the screws in the drywall and actually put it in the head of a screw. I was impressed with his motor skills.

He is so proud of himself and we are too, even if he got ignored a bit.

Our days of rest were so nice. Enjoying our new deck. It will be better when we get our grill. Found a used 3 burner Weber grill and tank for 75$

Eating his otter pop

Our wood floor pre and post sanding

Picture 2-sanding down: the floor all stained will come later. Did better than expected and looks great.  My three nights up until one am paid off. Tiffs sanding job was great as well and is 75% of the reason it turned out sooo good. She is great and patient during the construction project upstairs with not having a bathroom shower for a week- at least here, our apartment still had access to one.

The hole in the plywood we cut out due to the leaking toilet.
The new piece went back in great and we were able to get most of the damaged board out.

Our tub surround had a crack and to fix it we of course had to replace the whole thing. So here is our toilet also being repaired inside our tub.

Our work sink and old shower that was in the basement. The shower is now a bathroom. The sink will be replaced by a washer and dryer for now.

Jayden loved the tools. I should say loves. He wanted to do whatever we were doing.  You can see the insulation that was in the front wall. Unfortunately the work was poorly done with 3/4 inch boards and moldy-did I mention black mold? Fortunately it was just starting so we sprayed it and got it out with masks on. You can see the pipe cover which is gone now too.

Canada Adventures and Easter 2012

Behind the Falls!!
American Falls

Easter 2012

Jayden at the Butterfly Conservatory. He loved it there were butterflies flying all around him.

Brian with Pres. Obama at the wax museum.

Brian and Brittany Spears

Jayden had such a good time he went right to sleep. He slept while we ate lunch at a nice resturant. It was great.

Jayden rain gear!!

For those you do not see this cute face every day!!

I finally got around to uploading the pictures from my camera while Brian was at Priesthoodsession tonight because I did not want to do all the many other things I needed to do. Anyway I figured that a lot of you may be missing this cute boy. Here are so pictures of our latest adventures. As you can tell from the pictures he is very active.

This is our new bike trailer. When we got it, it was 80 degrees outside and since we got it home it has been raining so we have not got to use it yet. Jayden likes just pushing it around the house.

West Branch State Park evening stroll to see the sunset on the lake. It was a great trip.

Jayden insist on feeding himself everyday every meal. Lets just say we have a lot more laundry to do now, but he is pretty good at it.

Did I mention that Jayden is a nerd!! He loves it outside and loves getting dirty.

Catch Up

It has been a crazy couple of months!!

So much to catch up on.

Jayden is quite the piano player. We can not keep him away from the ones at church.

Jayden First Birthday : )

Brian and I made the cake.

Hiking with the Lamberts after the New Year in Utah

New Family picture

taken by Karen Lambert

Christmas Morning at the Bulkleys

Hiking at Bryce Canyon

Grandma Marilyn Grave at Christmas

Doing dishes with Grandma Marilyn after Thanksgiving.

Special time with grandma : )

October & November

It has been so long since I last posted. I started this blog because I thought I had all this free time and I would blog often. Life caught up with me and I truly do not have free time. Jayden has all of a sudden turned into a little boy (no longer a little baby). He is crawling really well now and is so fast. Earlier this month I went home to Utah for a funeral and he was around a bunch of big kids. I think that is what really got him moving. He used to just crawl around the house looking for me wanted to be where I am. Now he just wants to get into everything. Today I opened the fridge to get out the milk and before I could close it he was inside. It is fun to see him exploring and he still loves his mom, but he is getting so big and brave. It is fun when we have friends over to play. This week he had two play dates and he get so excited to be with other kids. He used to be kind of shy, but he is starting to get used to the kids and there moms. I enjoy it almost as much as he does. I get to sit and visit with other moms and not feel bad because I am not playing with Jayden, because he is busy playing with friends.

To catch you up on our latest pictures here are some from Halloween and the fall.

Week of Oct 7th

Jayden really likes cartoons

It has finally warmed up here. I am so excited it is in the 70s and will be 80 this weekend. We have be trying to take advantage of the warm weather while it last. We have been hiking and I have been running. Jayden and I have made a few friends and have had a few play dates, which are really nice for me.

Brian is off on his first scout camp out as the Scoutmaster and Jayden and I are left to dreaming of the camp fire. Brian and I have made a deal since he gets to go camping now without us. For every scout camp out he goes on he has to take Jayden and I on one and a half.

Jayden is getting really big, way to fast. He now is crawling, and standing on his own. He is starting to pull himself up on everything. He is definitely in the Cheerio phase. It is so cute, he has Cheerios at every meal. It is great because it will entertain while I get the rest of dinner ready. He is eating just about whatever we eat for dinner if it is soft enough. He loves pasta and it getting better at picking up the slippery noodles.