Bedroom's Before

Maggie's Mess

Douglas and Curtis Mess

Jacob's Mess

More Basement Work

Food Storage Area

Food Storage area other side of room

General Junk shelves

72 Hour kits lined up and ready! Yeah!

More Junk just in nicer containers :) Next we are working on a closet for the basement. That is the fun this evening...oh yeah after we move the freezer...have to do that before we build the closet or we won't be able to move the freezer.

More Project Pictures

Here are some "after" Pictures. Looks much better. The last picture is the pump that takes all the basement water that comes through and gets it out of there. Now our next project is to make a family room down there...also food storage area...bathroom and possible closet and desk area...oh yeah the challange is...all for free :) Cause we be broke after this!

Basement Project Pictures

The process of waterproofing the basement. What a mess! Very loud too...lots of jack hammering around the foundation walls for a drain...They also dug up the outside and waterproofed the walls.

Spirit Week

This week is spirit week at Southeast. Mon was crazy sock day, Tues. Hat Day, WEd. Sports Day, Thurs. Backwards day and finally Fri. wear maroon and gold day.

Tomorrow Steve and I are going on a temple trip to Columbus. It will be the first time we have been to the temple since we have been here. I am excited about going but we are leaving at 5:15 am. Not too thrilled with that...as this week has been really hard for me to get sleep and Sat is usually the only day I have to sleep a little longer than 6 am. At least we are taking a bus and I can hopefully sleep some on the way there...yeah in a dress and with my hair done. I am sure I will be soooo comfy. We are staying for two sessions and we haven't done that before. We usually only stay for one session. I was really crossing my fingers when they were announcing more temples to be built. I was hoping for a temple in Kirtland! That would only be a half an hour away. I guess I will have to wait. Columbus is about 2 1/2 hours like Palmyra temple was...It makes for an all day trip and it makes it impossible to go on a weekday when the kids are in school to leave and be back in time. It would be sooo great to get the kids on the bus...go to the temple and be back before they got home from school. What a great escape that would be for me! I know I know...this post is all about ME ME ME! Ok I will try to get over it today!

Love ya

Good Morning!

I really don't have much to write about today or this week. It seems like I am just muddling through! I guess some excitement on Sat. Douglas won his first soccer game and Jacob also won his football game! It was so nice not to have someone pouting all afternoon!

Sunday was nice. General Conference...which I usually dread! Sorry just being honest. Not because of what general conference is or what I learn there...Its because I have little children! Hard to pay attention and keep everyone quiet. This year was SO NICE! Everyone is a bit older...Curtis fell asleep but before that he was being very good. No one crawled on my lap and no one was fighting it was AMAZING. I acutally heard all the talks! What A Concept! To be honest...I got so figety...I volunteered to take a fussy baby and walk in the back. Maybe it wasn't the kids after all? :)

Yesterday...I have no idea what I accomplished...NOTHING I guess would be the answer. Just some groceries. Today I am trying to decide between doing more grape juice, the laundry, or forgetting everything else and try to paint the bathroom which has been particularly driving me CRAZY this last few months.

I'll let you know what I decide...I am out of ice cream so the couch today is probably not an option!

Love ya!

Thrift Store Jackpot!

We did very well at the thrift store yesterday. We really didn't spend hardly any money on "back to school" clothes this year. Jacob needed some new stuff but everyone else was ok until cooler weather. We got out Maggie's warm clothes and she has grown out of everything. Curtis is also wearing size 7 pants that are about 4 inches too long but fit him in the waist. He is THICK! Dougie has been in the same size for a long time...although his pants are getting too short...

We went to the goodwill store and did very well. ( I think) Curtis got 3 shirts and 1 pair of pants. Boys clothes seem harder to find... We bought Doug this shirt in the picture not because he really needed another shirt but because we knew he would love it! He did. It was $2. Maggie made out as always...5 sweaters, 1 dress, 1 skirt, and 1 pair of jeans. I also found a jumper dress for $5 from Blair. Looks brand new. Grand total spent $30.

I was very excited! We still have to get new sneakers for Jacob and Curtis...but they want alot for shoes...even at the walmart and payless. I think the cheapest pair for Curt were $15 and the cheapest pair for Jacob were $25. So we will just keep looking. It isn't urgent yet. :)

Just Hanging out Today...

Steve has been playing with the dehydrator...having fun drying herbs and fruit. I used my craftiness (Ha Ha) to put the corn on the door. Last but not least...my buffet...children and husbands have some sort of issue with clear horizontal surfaces...as soon as it is cleaned off everyone puts stuff back on top. Now I am sure they haven't set anything there in a while...why do I know? Because when you put something on it before something else fell off. I know it isn't that bad and yes I did clear it off again this morning...

First Day All Alone...

Look what I did today. Yes It is lame but I feel better. I found the top of the buffett and the top of the desk! I also stenciled Families are Forever in the dining room. I have been hemming and hawing about it for months....so I just did it! Who cares what other people think...I am sure I will get some "comments" from family...who by the way have to live with me FOREVER! Haa Haa! So who has the last laugh anyway!

Hoppy Toad Has Grown!

Remember the little hoppy toad from a few post ago...I wonder if this is him...grown up? He was sitting on the walk way when I took the dog out. Jacob went to get the camera and take the dog into the house...he got the camera...and the dog not wanting to miss anything and seeing the opportunity to run...snuck out of the open door. So then we spent 20 min or so chasing a black dog in the dark. Let's just say it wasn't very fun! The dog is really beginning to scare me. She loves to run and she is very very fast. Also she won't come and won't listen. She will do as she is told if she knows you have control over her but if she realizes she is "free" forget it! I am afraid she is going to get hit by a car or just run so far away so fast we won't be able to find her. Gotta find a solution soon.

More Grape Juice...

Sorry somehow pictures of pears got in there too. Here is the finished product...so far we have gone about 1/4 to 1/2 way through the grapes...we have 47 quarts done. So hopefully we can survive the winter eating green beans, berries, salsa and grape juice. :) I guess you gotta start somewhere! There is something very satisfying having all your jars lined up on the shelf.

How much does our 100% organic natural grape juice cost?

Grapes...free (thanks Dad Rohal)

10 cents of sugar per quart

17 cents a lid

Jars...free

Grand total 27 cents per quart...

A search of our local grocery store price for "100%" grape juice from concentrate...$4.30 for 64 oz.

Therefore...we save...$3.76 for every 2 quarts of our 100% organic natural not from concentrate homemade yummy grape juice.

Factors not considered...electric, capital outlay for grape juice manufacturing equipment $65, and labor of two very unskilled workers, transportation costs include... bringing the jars up from the basement and the grapes in from the backyard.

Sister Ray the Genius!!!

Thank you Thank you Thank you Sister Ray!!! She suggested getting a steam juicer for doing the grape juice. It is soooo easy...I was dreading doing all that boiling and then letting it drain and refrigerate for 24 hours then reheating with sugar and then ....what a wonderful suggestion. You just stick the grapes in the top...and steam and then when it is done the juice comes out and you put them in hot jars and yahoo you have canned grape juice! Love it! We can't wait to juice other stuff and to do applesauce etc. Lots of ideas in the book. You're So Smart Sister Ray!

Braces!

Here are the upper braces. He was excited yesterday...not so excited this morning. His mouth is killing him...I am worried he won't make it through school today. He couldn't eat breakfast this morning, if that is any indication of how sore his mouth is today.

By the way...(as Curtis would say) My day off alone today....gone...Steve is home sick from work, and I bet Jacob calls me for more pain medicine sometime today...Yeah they still need me! Maybe next week I get the day alone...

Julie

Finishing Salsa!

Finally Finished...I think we might have started our canning too ambitiously! It took most of the day to get this far. I am sure we aren't the most efficent workers yet...still figuring out timing and what needs to be done next...we broke two jars but no other problems. Need to get a magnetic lid lifter. I think that would be worth the money. Hopefully Saturday will be grape juice. The grapes are ripe and they smell soooo good on the vine. We have to pick them and get them started. I think that will be easier than trying to make salsa and can in one day.

Salsa Time!!!

Preview of the Week...

Well...first some updates...Jacob's Lyme test was negative. Yippee. The spot went away...basically the day after we took him to the doctor...isn't that the way it happens? Now on to the preview...Steve and I are going to be canning tomatoes today...I am not sure in what form..salsa or sauce...or just tomatoes...we will see what Steve wants to do. Also today we need to pick grapes. We have tons and are hopefully going to get them started to can grape juice, hopefully later in the week.

Tomorrow is the big day for Jacob...BRACES! He is getting his upper braces tomorrow and then next month they will put on the lower braces and jaw thingy...Yes...I am pretty sure the orthodontist called it a jaw "thingy" ok maybe not...but that is what I remember. :)

Also this week ushers in the first time I will actually be alone...Curtis has been going to school now on M/W and every time I have had something outside the house to do or someone has been home...on Wed though...Nothing Planned! Steve is working days! I better make a plan!

Well that is about all the excitement that will happen this week...hopefully. I will try and take pictures along the way. I hope you are all having a great day! Talk to you soon!

Julie

Pictures of Douglas

Here is Douglas on Talk Like a Pirate Day....He said "ARGGGG" a lot! Also some pictures of his soccer game on Sat. He did well...I need to work on my picture taking...soccer is much more quick moving than football!

IKE STRIKE

Hurricane Ike...well I think it wasn't technically a hurricane anymore but it traveled through NE Ohio. It knocked down lots of branches and this really big part of the tree. Luckily it didn't hit the new roof we had put on the front porch ...which was redone when the other tree fell on it last Jan..I think...We were out of power for a few hours but that wasn't too bad...most other people around here are still out of power.

Pears

Here is Steve's first attempt at canning...hope he doesn't posion us all. :) Just kidding dear!

Update on Jacob...

Sorry, no pictures today. Yesterday was quite a day! First a trip to the "new" orthodontist. For a 2nd opinion and the fact that the first guy is no longer on our "list" of approved orthodontists for our insurance...geez. Then the trip to the doctors office for a look at that bite on his shoulder.

Let's start with the orthodontist...I guess good news. One the first guy, wanted to do a herbst ? appliance for Jacob's jaw for one year, and then braces for probably 2 years. He wanted $5,750...I think. I kind of swooned and went numb...but I think that is what he said...Oh and also ... "How would you like to pay for that today?" was also mentioned... and he doesn't accept payments. He wants the cash upfront please...even for the braces which he won't even get put on for a year. Excuse me?

Well...thank goodness we are procrasinators :) Cause the guy isn't on our list anymore! We had to go to another guy. His is much more "reasonable" I guess. I think I figured out it was about $800 cheaper and they accept monthly payments without interest...and they can do both the jaw work and the braces at the same time...and they can start in two weeks. Jacob is getting self concious about his teeth over lapping in the front...and the Doctor said after he gets the braces on his teeth, they will move probably within two weeks...they will be straight...but with the braces on and of course they will have to stay on quite a while...a few years. But they won't overlap anymore. Jacob was sold. Can 11 year olds work part time jobs? Just checking...:)

Now on to the doctor. Well of course the stupid spot faded quite a bit Sunday night! Luckily I took that picture and printed it out so I could show the doctor...who I think thought I was a nut! He tried to give me the ole...its probably nothing...and it probably is nothing....but I have waited 45 minutes past my appointment...and I don't think he was thrilled with my momma bear routine. He said...well lyme usually has a bullseye rash...so it isn't that...and I chimed in with ... about 80% of the time it turns into a bullseye rash... then he said something about the tick would need to be fully engourged blah blah blah...this is on a boy who is basically clueless about what is going on with his body. It totally could have been there all day. Then the well its not very common...and then Steve chimed in ...well my neighbor a few years back died of Lyme disease. And we had tons of ticks this spring and summer. Steve even sprayed for them....You know it was bad! So finally he decided it wouldn't hurt to draw blood and check for Lyme. Geez. Ya think?

So that was my Monday. Did anyone else have fun like I did?

Need Help with Jacob...

Need Mom opinions...This showed up on Monday...it has a little dot in the middle which appears to be a bite of some kind...I have been looking up lyme disease and tick bites...? Also spider bites...of course most on the internet are sooo disgusting and gross. Do you think this is a trip to the doctor bite? I am worried about lyme disease the most...it hasn't gotten any bigger and it hasn't really changed at all. Help! Oh yeah Brother Z feel free to chime in about this bite...I didn't mean to exclude Dad's help too... :)

Curtis' First Day of Preschool

Here is Curt Man on the first day of preschool. He rides the bus and he was excited about that. He said the bus is Really Bumpy and goes Really Fast! Of course no seat belts either. What fun!
When he got home I asked him how his day went...he said, " I don't want to talk about it now...I'm really tired and thirsty." So I guess it was a good day...sounds like they kept him busy.