These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Last weekend the Hubsand and I got a surprise weekend away in Tahoe without the tot! Auntie Rena and Grampa teamed up to give us a weekend out of town. So we hotfooted it over to Lake Tahoe to revisit our youth. And by that I mean we went mountain biking. Together. Whee! We hit up Stanford Rocks and my former back yard ride Hole in the Ground. The biking was awesome, the camping was lovely, and we ran into tons of great folks from the old days. (Especially nice when I broke my chain and realized I'd forgotten the chain tool!) As a matter of fact, the whole thing was so great, I spent the next week wondering why the heck I'm not still living there. But then again, Yosemite is pretty dang awesome too...

So the point of this story is that while Mom and Pop were out of town Tank Boy got to go to Merced with his Auntie and see "Despicable Me" in 3D. He really loved the glasses, and they're flattering on him, no?


And speaking of awesome Yosemite, the YosGirlz did Cathedral Peak this last Friday. My camera these days is a bit bulky, so it did not come out at any awkward times during the climb (almost all of it) but I did get in a few snappies. There is a ginormous ledge before the last pitch of the climb, so Publina graciously got a shot of Vicki and I getting the gear organized.


We were a group of five total, but split into two groups for the actual climbing. From the top you could see three alpine lakes, Bud, Cathedral and one more. Here's two of our party chillin' (literally, it was chilly!) partway down the hike off the back side, with Bud Lake in the background.


From the same spot looking the other way you could see Eichorn and Cathedral Lake as well.


I have no pics of the actual climbing, but it was so lovely. There are innumerable ways to go, most of them fairly mellow. I got to pick what looked fun and then head off! The classic chimney pitch in the middle was a highlight of the day, a tiny bit exciting, but ultimately doable and very well protected. So. Much. Fun.

That evening we had a campsite reserved in Tuolomne Meadows and the Hubsand and Tank Tot got to join us. Being high elevation, its pretty cold at night and in the morning. But there's no need to freeze when you can wear what amounts to a sleeping bag around camp.


We rounded out this weekend with Saturday at Tenaya Lake, reading books and dipping gingerly into the water. (Oddly enough the water was warmer than the air, but the breeze was so brisk that swimming was kept to a bare minimum!) It was achingly beautiful, and the perfect family time counter point to the previous day's Girlz activities. And you'll never guess what we did on Sunday... actually got the towel racks up in the guest bathroom! Photos soon!

So Frackin' Wholesome!

At one of Tank Boy's potluck preschool classes we planted sunflower seeds, and much to our surprise they actually sprouted!

We haven't had the best of luck once seeds get past the sprout stage, so I decided it would be best to snap some photographic proof while the snapping was good... And yes, I have named them Sunny and Share (get it get it? Sonny n Cher?), 'cause who wouldn't!? (Note: Share is the one missing her two bottom ribs...)

For Mother's Day weekend, I got what all girls want, shelves on which to organize our crafty crap!

Previously this closet was a teetering pile of storage bins that had recently given me quite a thump on the noggin during implement retrieval. The Hubsand was tired of worrying for my life when I went to craft, and took it upon himself to find a structural solution. I'm pretty stoked, all my goodies at arms reach, with no threat to life or limb!

In fact the craft room was so organized that I had to take a few minutes and craft some knitting stitch markers just for myself...
Ooo, pretty pretty beads...

With last week's video of superball madness, I couldn't figure out how to squeeze this in, but aside from running up and down the stairs a half million times, Tank Boy also went on his first REAL mountain bike ride as well.

He did end up "over the bars" once, but hopped right back on and finished the ride with a wee fat lip! I couldn't be more proud!

That's all I got, so we'll be moving on...bye!

Hey Shel, I Think I'm a Housewife...

Thanks to my dad, I did finally locate the camera, and now will proceed to update you with pictures that are perhaps a month old! Long live the internet for the up-to-date... uh... updates!

Here is Tank Boy competing in his first official ski race! He was a bit unclear on the concept, but I'm super proud regardless! (Blue flags, we're trying to go around the blue flags!)

Here he is after the race, super happy and snuggly!

And here he is about four minutes later, completely konked out (for almost 2 hours!) in the noisiest restaurant/hallway imaginable!


Now moving on to slightly more recent events, The Tank has rediscovered the joy of interlocking blocks. I know I'm his mom, but this thing was cool!


And as far as the house goes, we haven't completed any of those pesky little remaining tasks (towel racks, we don't need no stinkin' towel racks!) but we did gather up all the remaining (live) houseplants and style ourselves a little atrium. It is a wee slice of heaven indoors...


May the sun shine into your garden a little this week as well!

For Those Of You On The East Coast...

...who are totally buried in snow, here's what is happening around our house.

Inside:

and out.

We Are Here!

The title of this entry is a quote the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who, and yes, we read a lot of Seuss here. Yopp!

So despite the fact that we have not been audible to any but the keenest of ears, we have been here working away on our building! I don't know if y'all remember, but Casa Remodel had never been completely painted. For 20 or 30 years, it has sat, with paint on the siding only as far as the former owner could reach...



Finally that situation has been rectified, due to a hard working dude named Mark and his paint sprayer!


What do you think of the "Iced Mocha" and "Colonial Red"? I personally want to eat it!

So we haven't quite finished the trim paint on the front of the house, but I still think it is a huge improvement!



We also had the interior door thresholds installed, the baseboard and door trim finished, and I finally got the toe kicks done on the kitchen cabinets and the rest of the cabinet side panels on! Up next: bathroom towel racks and a toilet paper holder!

The Trials and Tribulations of Pergo!

First of all my little digi might be on its last legs, as one in four pictures now looks like this...


Second, I have a poll for y'all! This is the one and only spot where the pergo flooring will go the same direction on either side of a door.


Should I cut it nonetheless and install the wooden threshold, or just run it through the door smooth? Assume that neither is intrinsically more work than the other... I am no professional, so I'll just ask other random nonprofessionals their opinion!

Progress!

This weekend was rather fruitful here at Casa Remodel. I finally got the Pergo flooring going! Here's Tank Boy doing the "Halfway Done Red Underpants Boogie."



Then we quick cleaned up, hopped in the car and unfortunately found the battery completely dead. The Hub performed the quickest jump ever (innuendo aside) and we were on the road in 3.5 minutes flat! See, we were in a bit of a rush to get up to Groveland to go to their Movies in the Park night. They were showing the Tale of Despereaux, which none of us had seen yet. The town is about an hour away, so we were trying to head out early to explore and hang out a bit before the movie. The best laid plans...

Now that Tank Boy is a Big Boy and Wearing Big Boy Underpants (see above) we travel with this everywhere we go. Forty minutes from our destination the warning call went out. We were not going to make it to any civilized facilities. So we deployed the on hand facilities on the side of the road. Unfortunately sometimes Tank likes to take his time. A half an hour later The Hub was off in the woods digging a cat hole to deposit Tank Boy's... um... deposit.

So at this point it was already past the Tankster's bedtime, and we were neither fed, nor at our destination. Which made me a bit antsy. But as luck would have it, we pulled up into the parking lot and made our way to the cool grassy expanse of the park just as the announcements were starting. And it was the best evening ever! Tank Boy had so much fun snuggling on the blanket, eating hot dogs and popcorn, and occasionally even watching the movie! Amazing starry skies, perfect temperature, and the world's cutest animated mouse! I can't recommend the Toddler trip to the movies in the park any more highly, despite the 11 pm bedtime!

Then Sunday, it was back to the old miter saw...

I Like Brown and Leafy Shapes

For those of you on the absolute edge of your seats about our home remodel (Hi Dad!) here is the equivalent of three thousand words! The fancy schmancy loo...

The mostly complete right half of the kitchen...

And the "one cabinet short" left half...


Actually since we took the pictures we got the cabinet handles on and finished that last left hand cabinet, still need touch up paint and the wood thingies on the sides of the upper cabinets. But amazingly enough we are cooking, cleaning, and eating in our kitchen! Wahoo!

And on a totally unrelated note I got a lovely henna (temporary, Dad) tattoo on my arm at our monthly women's gathering. The artiste did such a lovely job, I thought it should be saved for posterity.


Hope y'all had a lovely Father's day, I need to go scrub the Father's day camping grud off!

Just Keep Swimming...

So some of y'all have been kind enough to inquire as to the status of the house remodel. Try to bear in mind that the place will look much better without the thin veneer of power- and hand tools, and also those pesky dangling fixture-less electrical wires. First the heart of the house, the kitchen/dining space, with double doors onto the "courtyard"...
Could be nice soon, huh?

Then the wee guest room that will soon house my favorite sibling and family...
Tiny, but nice!

Then a quick glimpse at the loo...

Supposedly the tile artist will have this whipped into jaw dropping shape in two short weeks! (Watch the knees while on that imaginary potty, the door will definitely clip them if someone comes barging in!

And still in the works (perhaps in time for 90 degree weather?) The Hubsand's wool cabled sweater! Remember when I surveyed y'all as to the fate of this handknit? Well, much like the Million Dollar Man ("We can rebuild him - we have the technology!) it has been restructured for the betterment of mankind. AKA, made bigger and knit in the round (front and back at the same time).


Even Tankster agrees, "It's wool, but it sure isn't itchy!"


Now all we gotta do is keep on keeping on!

Tank Boy Time

We are still here, in a mad rush to get the house finished for the family visit that happens in two weeks, ack! I have a million and one things going on between now and then too, aside from a date with a 2 ton stack of Pergo...

In the mean time:
Jackson somehow whacked his front right tooth and broke it up above the gum line, and it has turned a lovely shade of grey. I tried to take a pic, but as you can see below, the gray does not translate.

So Tankster had his first visit to the dentist! He did great, ah'ed and grinned so the doc could get a good look. Our local doc wants us to see a pediatric doc to possibly do a pediatric root canal-ish. But then again, it isn't showing signs of swelling or infection, so it might be nothing... Keep yer fingers crossed for the nothing!

Jackson has had a myriad of kiddo get togethers. A couple of Friday's ago we went to preschool and I volunteered to set up the craft activity. We read the book The Rainbow Fish and made Rainbow Fish costumes.

If I do say so myself the kids are a-freakin-dorable.

Then we went to a bunch of birthday parties, which was pretty much seventh heaven for Tank. He got to play with a different set of toys at each house! And the goodie bags! And the candy! Eeeek! One family tried to take it easy on the candy prizes (thank gosh!) so they were heavy on balloon favors. But they got these odd balloons that I think were supposed to be "tye dyed" but really ended up looking sort of medical, and birth related...


We also were lucky enough to find a conjoined pair in our goodies, that really look rather unmentionable. So of course I had to mention them...


Anybody free to come out this weekend and lay pergo, install baseboard, build kitchen cabinets, do some patch painting, storage space diving or perhaps even a little light landscaping? We'll provide a room and the boards, ha ha ha!

All We Are Is Just A 'Nother Brick In The...

Remember way back here when the walls just started coming down in our new house. Well, as of yesterday we now have this!

And this!

And the craft room is now this!

Note the crazy structural elements like a cinder block wall, poured concrete foundation and slab floors. Look out civilization, here we come!

OMG She's Back! ALREADY!

Hey, remember way back to my last post when I said I had three stitches due to a skin biopsy? I was wrong. When I finally got up the guts to change my bandage the next day, I found not three, not four, but FIVE stitches under there! So here for your squeaming pleasure, my stitches:



P.S. No news back from the mole lab, so I'm hoping that means there's nothing to worry about!

We are finally settling into this odd living situation, and I've gotten around to finishing some knitting and taking the documentary photos!

Crazy California Forest Fire Socks, started during the Great Fire Evacuation 2008:


A Foliage (from knitty.com) hat for a friend that isn't quite this mintily obnoxious, I swear!


And, hey, I think they are putting a back wall on the house today! Yay!

Oh. Hey Look. There's People Out There!

Yes! We are alive!

We are living awkwardly in our wee demi-house in our lovely little new community. And the big news is: as of three days ago we officially have a foundation under the house! The metal sheeting is bolted on, the concrete is poured. We're still a little short on walls, subfloors, etc. But we are on our way to having a house!

The work commute has been great so far, I have a half an hour to go each way, but I've carpooled (aka mooched rides) almost every day. I get to play hockey at our little Rinky Dink once or twice a week. I even played with the BIG BOYS last Tuesday. And I only took out ONE of my own teammates with a phenomenal yardsale crash. Yay me!

Our tot is amazing. One side effect of the cramped awkward living is a higher than average rate of Mommy-Daddy-Serious-Talks. Whenever Tankster hears the tension getting too high, he comes up to the offender and says "Take a big breaf Mommy." Amazingly sweet.

I had a wee skin biopsy yesterday. Just to be on the safe side. So now I have three little stitches in my belly. And a nifty mini mole package off in a lab somewhere. Did you know they call that "surgery"? I had no idea. I got up, packed up two metric tons of laundry, made it to the Big City and had "surgery" yesterday all before I normally would have gotten out of my pajamas. Productive is my middle name.

Oh, and hey! How 'bout that president! The NPR station that we listen to seemed to be throwing a radio party this weekend, and Tankster and I couldn't help but sing along with that nifty "Barack Obama" song... And try as I may I cannot find it online. So make up some little Barack ditty, hum along, and every now and then take a deep breaf.

Hit 'Em Right Where It Hurts

Hey there kiddos. It has been a short aeon since I last wrote. Like election day. Sorry 'bout that. See right now we are living in two half houses. And let me tell you, in this case, two halves do not make a whole. Midweek we're at the house with the internet connection, but then its midweek, with all the contingent work, early rising, hot plate cooking, and day care shuffling. Weekends we are at the house with the clothes washer and full sized bed, but alas no internets.

So far the park service has given us the verbal approval to continue with the "new old" house construction (that super extravagant plan to install that crazy foundation and all) but we can't actually start until some computer account thingy is set up. As we watch the weather move in to winter... We did replace the back door on the new/old house. It was actually a half rotted interior door, used as an exterior door for some 30 odd years. (Dude, they must have been some really odd years!) The carpeting and tiling are finished in our two usable rooms, one staircase, and one short hallway, and we even have nice toasty heat pumps. (I kid you not, they really work!) But at this point we still don't have a living room, a kitchen, or anywhere for our dog to sleep other than in the middle of the chilly tile hallway floor.

And we sold the Ranch. For a $45,000 loss. And that hurts. It is a beautiful, beautiful place, and I am sad to see it go for such an undervalued price. We have until the 15th of January to vacate the premises. Excuse me while I go mope for a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving though. And rest comfortably in the knowledge that I have made it through another year, and now reside at 38 years of age!

Hallways, Hungarians, and Halloween

So my Dad's visit came to an end last Sunday. Tank boy still can't stop talking about taking Grampa to the airport to go on the big airplane. But the true icing on the cake of Dad's visit was the gorgeous flooring we got installed last Friday and Saturday. So the master bedroom has gone from this...


to this...


Furniture gets moved in this weekend! Whoo hoo! (Mind you this is only for two bedrooms and one bathroom, the rest of the house is still completely uninhabitable. Seriously. Like no back walls, and no subfloor. Yeah, really.

Anywhoo, to accomplish this there was much cleaning, taping, and painting by my tireless dad (even the stinky dog pee subfloor got painted!). And then a day and a half Pergo push by Pops and I. To start we had to carry all of this...


Up these...


Good thing they build us Hungarians hardy! So wish us luck in setting up a temporary kitchen in the hallway and making due at the new place for a few days next week! (We even have hot water now!)

Looking forward to tonight, I was getting Tank in the mood for some costume wearing...


He bids y'all a Happy Halloween!