Taking a break

We spent the weekend camping up at Walupt Lake Washington. For the last few years we've been able to take off for the weekend with Jen, Craig, Alexis and Eric. (and a few more if folks can make it)
Other than the mosquitoes trying to eat us alive, we had a really fun time and it was great to get away from the project here at home. We played games, relaxed in the water, sat around the camp fire, and enjoyed the company of our friends.


The break was well deserved.
WARNING: project update to follow...
The rooms were textured on Wednesday by Gabe and Josh. On Thursday and Friday (before we took off) we got the walls all primed and ready for paint. This evening when we got back from a quick visit with my brother-in-law and Sawyer who are in town for the weekend, we put the first coat of paint on the office and started to paint the laundry room. I say started because we decided we didn't like the color. It's just an off white, but it has a pink hue to it, and we don't like it. So, Gabe is off to pick another shade of off-white. You wouldn't think it would be too difficult to pick out a "white" color but they have like 100 of them to choose from!

Well, I'm officially back to work tomorrow. I don't really know what I was thinking, but I also start a 3 credit class at University of Portland tomorrow. It's going to be a busy fall.
-h

Big Setback...

It's 4:35 on Friday and my husband is suppose to be home.
But he's not...he's still at work.
He's already been at work 5 1/2 extra hours today and there's no sign that he'll be home any time soon.
Plus, to make things worse, he'll be working tomorrow too. Probably most of the day.
He says "the good news is, I probably won't have to work Sunday too!" Is that really suppose to be good news?

Why am I taking the time to vent this?
Because we still have major work to do on our house and he's spending the weekend at work.
Maybe this is hitting me hard today because I've been working on taping the drywall seams and covering screws today in my house that is....86 degrees. I've already soaked through a shirt and I'm done for today. I'm frustrated! I'm hungry! I'm hot!
-h

Insulation & Drywall

Insulation?----Done

Drywall?----Almost done
Gabe's had some much needed help with drywall this week. His friend Ross came over Saturday and put in at least 7 hours helping Gabe pick up the drywall and install the ceiling. It was a good thing Gabe had his help because when I tried to help on Sunday, that didn't last long. I'm just not strong enough...

Gabe's also been working hard this week in the evening when he gets home. On Tuesday his friend Josh came over after dinner to help. I am very thankful for the extra helping hands because I'm not any help on this part of the project. Plus, the times I've tried to help Gabe end up with frustration and short words spoken. I don't think doing projects like this together is very good for our marriage.
This picture says it all:

This is Gabe wishing I'd never asked him to start this project.
He also wishes he would have said "no".

Just to show you the chaos this project is causing to our house hold. Here's what my laundry room looks like...

This isn't even the worst room. You should see the dinning room, spare bedroom and garage. That's where we have everything from the office and laundry room stored right now. Wish us luck. I really want to be painting finished walls this weekend...Monday at the latest. I am back to work next week going to meetings for the committee I'm a member of. So there goes my painting time. Oh, well. It will get done...right? (can you read the doubt in that?)
-h

Let there be light!

Gabe has been working hard in the evenings this week. By no means is he an experienced electrician and so all this rewiring takes him a little more time than he wants it to. So far he hasn't shocked himself or burnt the house down, I'd say he's doing a great job!
This is the most current state of our project in the back room. It's coming along slowly and we'll be working hard this weekend to put up the drywall when Gabe's done with the electrical. I can't wait for this project to be finished. But we're not even half way done!





And this is Gabe's helper. At least Jupiter thinks he's been a big help. Actually, he just gets in the way. Last week his favorite past time was to play in the insulation. This week Gabe's been shutting him out of the backroom and Jupiter doesn't like that very well. He misses his Gabe and will wait right outside the door until his Gabe is done. It's pretty cute.

Home Improvement

Is still in process.
Since moving into our house almost 3 years ago, a remodel of our backroom has been needed. Our house was built in the 30's and the backroom was added at some point after that. We think it might have even been a porch at some point perhaps. Well, between poor construction (no drywall, only wood panels, cardboard for insulation, poor electrical wiring with no overhead lighting) and bad water damage from a leaky roof, we've been wanting to make some updates.
Here's some pictures to show you where we started from and why we've been wanting to remodel.



Well, the demolition is done and Gabe started on some rewiring and electrical work yesterday. We have about 20 bags of insulation in our back yard to get rid of and I'm spending today removing nails and staples from the ceiling. Here's some photos from the demolition process.



I'm getting very concerned this project won't be done in the last 3 weeks of my summer vacation and we only have 2 weekends! I'm feeling a little stressed!
-h

Just Married

Alexis & Eric

August 1, 2008

Congratulations to our friends Alexis and Eric. They were married yesterday and we wish them all the best now, and for the many years to come. Fortunately, the rain stopped in the afternoon...just in time for the ceremony and celebration.
I love weddings! They always get me all sentimental and remind me how happy I am being married to Gabe. Plus, they're also just so dang fun!
We were so glad to share this wonderful day with our friends.
-h

painting the bathroom red

But it wasn't intentional.
Why am I such a klutz?
I was cleaning the bathroom yesterday, my least favorite chore, and my true clumsy nature once again reared its ugly head. As I wiped off the dust that had collected on the shelf above the toilet, I knocked my brand new bottle of RED fingernail polish off the shelf. The bottle hit the tile floor and shattered. Sending red fingernail polish all over the bathroom and my pants. I had to stand there a moment in complete and utter shock. Luckily, since I was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom, I had some towels close at hand. The red stain came of the tile pretty easily, with the help of some fingernail polish remover. It was the grout that I couldn't repair. So, I figured I'd better call Gabe at work and fess up to the disaster I created in the bathroom. I broke down in tears at my clumsiness and stupidity while he tried to assure me it would be ok. The worst case would be taking the grout out and putting new grout back in. But we just remodeled the bathroom last summer, I was really angry about that possible option. Especially since we're making very slow progress on our current remodel project as it is.
Being the hero that he his, Gabe brought home some acetone from work and had the grout looking as good as new in the time it took me to get dinner started. Once again Gabe comes to the rescue and cleans up one of my amazing messes. What would I do without him?