Sunday, November 30, 2014

Christmas Cookies



Jake made the strongest gingerbread houses ever.  The kids were so excited when they found them ready to decorate.  And, because of the George Strait song, Christmas Cookies, I made these sugar cookies which actually turned out very well.  I felt pretty good about my success.  Unfortunately, making the cookies wasn't exactly like the song said it would be.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Handy Manny

I came home from work to find him dismantling the basement.
I asked what was going on.
"I had a Red Bull and watched to episodes of Handy Manny."

We moved into our home last March.  Since then, Jake has been going 100 miles an hour with his own work, regular house/family stuff, and projects in the house and yard.

As my memory can recall, in the last nine months Jake has done the following (in addition to working up to 7 days a week, for more than 80 hours per week):


  • installed blinds in at least 10 windows
  • made screens for several windows
  • installed {joey-ish} coat closet hooks, after buying and painting them (and returning the ones I didn't like)
  • built a threshold into the mudroom to weatherize and protect us from bugs
  • completely removed a second kitchen and cleaned the space
  • completely removed tile from the aforementioned kitchen
  • removed bad cabinets from mudroom and turned it into a useful mudroom (which I made him move his office into)
  • move furniture 9,000 times while I tried to make up my mind of where it should go
  • hung a more than 20 curtains and removed some after I changed my mind
  • replaced to light fixtures that were really nice fixtures, in 1957
  • shorten hanging lights to a reasonable length
  • switched the fridge door to open on the more reasonable side
  • fixed all three toilets with good flushers, etc.
  • changed shower heads to something made in the last 40 years
  • set up the gadgets and electronics 100 times
  • changed the kitchen faucet
  • made sure the fireplaces, garage doors, and windows were all safe
  • built a huge ladder to get into the loft of the barn
  • hung the old cabinets (from the second kitchen) in the barn
  • tilled a garden and grew a million vegetables
  • pruned and sprayed the fruit trees
  • removed 3 tree/bushes
  • removed and burned 16 million branches and such
  • replaced plumbing parts in our jetted tub
  • decorated the house like a champion for Christmas
  • cut and painted a nativity scene for the yard
  • built a long bow mold thing
  • helped me refinish an old sideboard and bought {joey-ish} knobs for it
  • prepared to frame in a laundry room space
I get tired watching Jake go from project to project.  When he finally sits down with me, or we go to bed, his brain is thinking and thinking about projects.  He works and works to take care of us.  He likes to make things better and nicer and more {joey-ish} where possible.  And all the while, he keeps our laundry going, cooks, and does good things with the kids.  I'm grateful for a husband who does so much.  I hit a jackpot.

Monday, November 03, 2014

Abbi's #10

Abbi lost 4 teeth in less than two weeks!
One evening, she told me to hold out my hand and gave me this tooth.  Surprise!
For her birthday breakfast, Abbi chose a Cinnamelt from McDonalds. 
Abbi's #10 family birthday party.
Grandma Tracy at the family birthday party. 
For a birthday cake, she had fancy desserts for the Shirley Temple party.
The girls were wild and fun!
Marlie and Abbi.
Shirley Temples and "lady food" as Grandpa Hansen would call it.
The party girls took 7 million pictures on their phones.  That's right, their phones.