I Miss Internet!

I have pictures to share with you but I don't have access to the Internet except here at the public library. We are settled into the house in Union. It is a big house with loots of room. We are only using a couple of the rooms. No sense unpacking a lot of things to fill up space just to be on the move again in a month or so. Progress is being made on the shop despite the weather. We made it through the blizzard and have had a nice warm up. Too warm, in fact, because it gets really sloppy in the mud out there. We had help lined up and a cement truck came. Part of it got poured and then he got stuck. The next day we had help lined up again but he wouldn't come out so the floor is on hold. Siding is up on one side. The roof is done. Framing inside is started. Windows are in. It is looking good. I am looking forward to Christmas Eve Day! I don't have to work. Morgan will get here from Twin Falls and we will make cookies. I didn't get into my seven totes of Christmas decorations or my three totes of village. I miss all my cute stuff. I did a pared down version of decorating this year. I used a few things left over from my sale and a few things I picked up at thrift stores. My tree is decorated with only Christmas cards from many years past. I had them with my craft stuff so it was easy to get to. I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Here we go again....

We are so thankful we finally sold our house this past October. We had various back-up plans for where we would live while we get a house built. The sale went through so late in the year we aren't able to get the house until next summer. We knew all along we would be building a shop first. The plan was to get the shop built and live in it until we had a house. Little did we know building a shop is no easy task if you are not a builder. Do we hire it out or ask for help from friends and family who do have the experience? We got some bids from several contractors and decided to go with the friends and family route. My Dad has the experience and the equipment and he was willing to take charge. He got here in October from his job in New Mexico. Since then a lot has been done but a little at a time with whatever help we can scrounge up. It is no where near ready for living in. Our temporary home here was only until winter hit. This week winter hit hard. We have been cold and drifted in out here in the country so it is time to move out. We are moving to Union to live in mom and dad's abandoned house for a little while.

Work will continue on the shop as the weather allows.

Brrrr!

Beautiful but cold.
Look at all this snow that fell the other night. I wasn't quite ready for it yet. I do love a snowy December and a white christmas though. We need to get moved out of here before we are trapped for the winter so moving day comes again. This also slows down the construction.
Some dedicated souls did get the roof finished yesterday and today in the freezing temps.

BARN RAISING

Welcome to Lexy and Eric's reception. We tried to turn a church gym into a barn.

Morgan saw this idea from Martha Stewart. She made 1500 tissue flower petals to create these flowers that attach to a sting of lights. They were gorgeous when added to some tree branches Gareld cemented in pots for me. We had three trees like this.

Out here at the Hibbert's, Kathy let me borrow several things from the barn. I got milk cans, a barn door, the wheel, wooden boxes, 2 qt canning jars, and other odds and ends to help create the "barn" Lexy was going for. She always thought it would be fun to have a reception in a barn so we did what we could to give her that feeling.

Wedding Cake! Yellow cupcakes with cream cheese filling and chocolate frosting. The top is a New York Cheese Cake. The bride and groom kept that for themselves as is tradition. Darn! Morgan makes delicious cheesecakes.

Morgan was in charge of the cake. Lexy wanted cupcakes. Morgan saw this really pretty idea using dried pineapple slices as flowers. We borrowed a meat slicer so we could get them thin and even and dried some in the oven, some in the dehydrator, some with sugar water, some without so we had many variations in color. It was beautiful.

I had this idea for a fence to separate the eating area from the rest of the room. Just to give a little definition to the space. We have no shortage of barn boards so it was easy to do. It turned out really cute. There are strips of burlap down each row of tables. The flowers were in canning jars and various other glass vases. I had pictures from the day before at the temple framed and on the tables, too. Lexy wanted paper lanterns overhead so Gareld, Grandpa Tony and Uncle Cam were in charge of stringing the fishing line. It was a huge family endeavour. Thanks for all the help Eli, Riley, Max, Zoey, McKinna, Morgan, Theresa, Cam, Suci, Stephanie, Gareld, Sandra, Grandma Maur, Grandpa Tony, and the Lougee family who put on a delicious dinner.

Alexa and Eric

They did it! Today my niece was sealed for time and all eternity. It was a great day.

JOURNEY

I haven't shared my birthday present yet so here it is. On October 27 we headed to La Grande to go to dinner and a movie. We had gift certificates from Jeremy (to Ten Depot) and Morgan (to the Granada) so what better way to celebrate a birthday. We pulled into the dealership to look and ended up buying a car. A year and a half ago we almost had ourselves talked into this car but we knew it wasn't the right time and we resisted. This time we got it. This black one wasn't on the lot. They had to go across state to get it. I was planning on going to Portland for the weekend to the antique show. Jeremy was going to Jackson Hole for a job fair. His car broke down so he had to take my Neon. Luckily this one got here on Friday morning and I took off on my trip. I got to break it in all weekend. I think it was a week before Gareld even got to drive it. It is a nice car. I love it. I really love satellite radio! Now this weekend we are doing a big car swap. Jeremy gets his car back from the shop, Morgan gets the Neon, Lexy and Eric get Morgan's car and I am happy in my shiny, black, Dodge Journey.

A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS

The roof started going up today. Half it it got done. It looks really nice. Max spent his day spreading out gravel inside so it is closer to being ready for concrete.
Gareld said it finally looks like a shop. I wanted it to have some shape other than a big box so we went with this design so it looked like a cross between a barn and a shop. The doors will make it cute too. I am having doors with cross bars on each of the lean-to sides. The roof is light gray. The sides will be white and there will be a dark gray section all around the bottom.

Lunch break around the camp fire. Gotta keep warm somehow. Today was family day. Dad was there, brother-in-law Jeff, nephew Max, and my niece Lexy's fiance Eric. They are getting married next Friday. Welcome to the family now get to work! Thank-you everyone!!!

UPDATED UPDATE

Today, with more good help (Jeremy brought along another friend), one side of the shop got it's roof rafters. Running out of good weather days and now daylight savings time kicks in but they keep at it every chance they get.

UPDATE

It's been awhile since I mentioned anything about the property progress. Dad has been working out there most days by himself until Gareld gets there after work. They stay until dark, which comes way too early to get very far. Trenches have been dug from the well to the shop and from the electrical box to the shop. Wiring, phone lines and pipe are in the ground. The electrical installation has to be inspected and then it will be buried making room for cement trucks to back in and pour the floor. This week weather has been beautiful but it looks like there is a change on the way. We have been worried about getting far enough to get moved out of this temporary home. Looks like we can be out by December 1st. The next three weekends are busy with Lexy's shower, marriage, reception, antique/craft show, thanksgiving and day after thanksgiving big event sale at work. I work best under pressure. I am a procrastinator. Everything will be fine.

FALL PHOTOS

I took the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway drive on the way home this time. I always want to go that way but Gareld had a bad experience in 90 mile an hour winds up at Crown Point one trip so it's hard to convince him it will be fun. It was especially beautiful this time of year. In New York we drove out towards Vermont to see the pretty fall colors and they were pretty but this section of Oregon has it's own special fall beauty.

Horsetail Falls. There are several waterfalls you can get up close and personal with.

Here's a neat old bridge along Historic Highway 30.

Rasmussen Pumpkin Patch in Hood River. I like to go here and load up the car with apples, pumpkins, gourds and squash. It's a family business and the inspiration for my own pumpkin patch out on the property. It has been fun taking friends and family here over the years.

I don't know why I like these gourds so much but I am drawn to them.

Love the colors and textures of fall fruits and veggies.

Brandon and Monica have some big old trees in their yard. Lot's and lot's of leaves.

This is a fun place to visit a little ways out in the country outside of Watertown, NY.

Fresh squeezed apple cider samples and fresh made donuts, too.

Isn't this inviting. The gates into the cemetery have big concrete urns on top of these pillars.

There are some awesome cemeteries back east. Many old stones with a lot of character. This one in La Fargeville was beautiful in the fall colors. Last year when we were there in September I took several photos thinking they would be good for Halloween decorating.

All Hallow's Eve

I hated to move on from "cutie pa tutie". Everytime I look at that little face it makes me smile. I am heading out of town so I wanted to get my halloween greeting out there. I am going to the antique show in Portland. I go every year. This is my birthday trip. (Actually last year I didn't go in October because I was in DISNEYLAND!!) I like the fall show ...they have lot's of holiday items. I will be adding to my collection of vintage halloween. Real old postcards like this one will go for a very high price. Halloween postcards are the rarest and most sought after. The cheapest you can find is for $18.00 but they easily go between $50-$90. I can get by with the reproductions myself. They are just as fun to look at. I'm sure I will find something.

CUTIE PA TUTIE

Oh my goodness! I love this little guy. Those eyes, that little mouth. He is adorable. I miss him already of course and plan to go back in March to get another dose of his sweetness. It was so fun just to hold him and walk with him and rock him to sleep. Monica called me the baby whisperer. It was so fun to bond with my newest little "Bonders". (Monica that is another nickname we had for Brandon that I just remembered.)

Wyatt was blessed by his Grandpa and is wearing the same little outfit Brandon wore for his blessing day.

His mama bought him the cutest little outfit. He has tiny jeans that are just darling.

It's October, it's Fall, it's Halloween so we had to visit a pumpkin patch. As you can see Wyatt was really impressed.

TAKING SHAPE

The trusses were delivered this week.

We had a good crew of six guys. One down....

T Jeremy and Gareld in silhouette.

And there you have it, the beginnings of a shop.

WIRED

Look at me back on line! Since last Sunday a lot has happened. We signed papers on Tuesday! It's done officially. Now we have to really get going on the shop. Gareld is off this week and he and my dad are working on it everyday. We then take a much anticipated trip to New York to see baby Wyatt. We can't wait to meet him. We already love him. Funny how you can see him in pictures and know he's your grandbaby and be in love with the little man.
Back here at the property Gareld has been stringing electrical and phone wire through the pipes. Everyday a little closer to where we need to be.

68389

Is the mail here yet? The time honored question, and now we can be asking it at our new address. We put in a mailbox today. I dug a hole in the ground and Gareld built a box to corral the concrete. He pounded stakes in and poured the cement around them. The legs of this cute stand (thanks to Morgan..it was hers) are bolted in the cement, too. It should be pretty solid. I guess we will find out when the first snow plow passes by. Oh wait, I don't even know if they plow gravel roads. Kerns Loop here we come.

HOME SWEET TEMPORARY HOME

I've been moving in today...does it look like I added my touch? This is where we will be living until the shop is ready to move into. It's called the yellow house or the chicken coop by the Hibbert Family. They are so kind to let us stay here for a little while. It's out on Hunter Road.
We finally got word that we are signing papers on Tuesday morning at 9:00. The buyers are signing Monday afternoon. They have been here working on the shed out back. The appraisal stated that the shed had to be painted. The kid buying it is a painter so he is doing it. We will move in completely monday. Finally!!

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

We're going to need electricity soon. There is a lot of preparation to complete before OTE comes out to do their part. Besides digging a ditch through "rocky bottom" Gareld had to lay the pipe and cover it with dirt. May sound easy but finding just "dirt" took some doing. This week he put in the box. We are getting closer.

We don't have enough rocks on the place already so we had 4 truckloads hauled in. The property is a bit hilly so Gareld is filling in the shop floor before the concrete is poured...something about not wanting a slope in the floor? :)

CIVILIZED CRITTERS?

What are these two up to? Jeremy and a friend walked the game trail and found the camera.

Caught some blackberry pickers! We know who you are...we're glad you got some berries.

AUTUMN BEGINS

Fall is my favorite season of the year. I have always liked it. I suppose it started as a kid when I was waiting for my birthday to arrive...it's in October. I always liked school, too. School clothes shopping was a big event in a family with nine kids. Trying on all the new clothes for just the right "first day" outfit was wonderful. I love the holidays and they start off in the fall. Harvest time is beautiful. All the colors of browns, oranges, reds, creams, deep purples, greens and yellows. I enjoy decorating the house for harvest/thanksgiving. It's really the longest season I get to decorate since it can go from September clear up to Thanksgiving Day before I get to change it to Christmas. I have started collecting vintage Halloween decorations. I go the Portland Antique Expo show every October for my birthday. It's always the last weekend of the month and the vendors have a lot of Halloween to choose from so I started looking. Warm days and cool nights are welcome after a long hot summer (although this year we had no summer).
Oh, and I love candles, hot chocolate, flannel pajama pants, dried gourds, and apple cider. The list goes on. Let's just say I am happy autumn has arrived!

Backtracking...Sept.8th

Happy Birthday to our first child. Jeremy Wayne was born on

9-8-81. He was a big baby just like Wyatt. Jeremy was two weeks past my due date and that gave him time to reach 9lbs. 1 oz. I don't know how this happened but a kid of mine isn't a big fan of sweets! He doesn't like candy. I don't think I've seen him eat a cookie. Cake is not at the top of the list either. I made this "cake" out of sushi from Costco. I did buy a small red velvet cake also and he liked that. He said it was his favorite. I didn't even know he had a favorite. Also on the 8th we got several photos of another bear at the property. This time we moved the camera down behind the old house right in the middle of all the plum trees. There's also an abundance of apple trees and blackberries. He's been past here several times. I call him Bubba. I don't want to meet him in person so when I was picking blackberries I made sure I was making lots of noise! With my computer down for five days I wasn't able to post on the 8th and then Wyatt trumped everything as soon as it was connected again. I'm all caught up now.

WYATT BOND

He's here! My sweet little grandbaby. He was due today but was born yesterday and a good thing too since he was already 9 lbs. 2 oz. My dang computer has been off for five days and we finally got service today so I have been catching up. There are more pictures of him on facebook. I was able to get a couple of him at work through a friends phone. Brandon e-mailed them to her phone so I could see him as soon as possible. He's healthy and happy. Love ya, Wyatt, Brandon and Monica....see you in October.