Our Long Weekend in Photos…..Memorial Weekend 2009

FRIDAY – the day full of errands and surprises!

The building inspector came over to inspect the doors and windows installed in our home.  The inspection went ok, but we got a few surprises when I asked a couple of questions about our upcoming remodeling of the basement.  The windows in the basement are not egress. So we will have to have another window put in on the side where we will be adding a new bedroom for Josh.  The other bedroom down there was grandfathered in, but we have to meet all codes on the new construction.    ARGH!!

I left a message for a friend of ours from church who is a contractor.  We definitely need his assistance after the inspector told us of all the things we needed to have done.  My one brother had said the heating would be enough on that side, but the inspector said no.   So I was a bit freaked out after the inspector left as we have WAY more work to do than we thought.  ARGH!!

IMG_0138 Then to add to the surprises of the day, our garage door broke!!  Yep it is stuck.    Gotta love a day of surprises. 

After all of our surprises, Josh and I decided to go run errands.  We went to Walmart and Sam’s Club.  We stopped at home and then I went to Aldi and Festival.  I also picked up a movie from redbox for family movie night.

Josh and Amy joined us for Family Movie Night.   We grilled out hotdogs. To have with our beans and had pasta salad while we watched the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop!.  It was a pretty funny movie.

While we were watching the movie, Andy, our friend from church returned our call and came over to discuss the basement remodel with us.   He pointed out a number of other things we didn’t know we needed to do.  He had some really good ideas.  We asked him to give us a estimate on completing the entire remodel job.   I hope we will be able to afford to have him just do the job, it would really be a huge weight off our shoulders!   We are leaning towards being broke, but experiencing less stress.  We will see.  Many things to think about and discuss for hubby and I. 

SATURDAY – Our day of work……

Josh was over on Saturday as well to work on the basement.   When he arrived, Hubby and I were just getting ready to leave to go to the bank, library and menards.   Josh , Amy, Steve and Tommy stayed at home and worked on cleaning out the basement.  

When hubby and I returned the basement was completely empty!!   So our afternoon was spent cleaning the floor.  We used vinegar and a electric scrubber to clean the floor.  This took the rest of the day!

IMG_0151

Tommy enjoyed the empty basement and roller bladed around and around the pole!   It is hard to believe we finally have it all cleaned out.   We ordered 6 pizzas for supper and enjoyed a picnic out on the porch.   We contemplated camping out in the tent, but decided it was too cold and that Sunday would be a better night to do that. 

We needed to get up for church on Sunday morning and didn’t want to be too tired.

SUNDAY – Our Day of work not related to the basement…….

We were up on time and attending church services.  This week was MN Teen Challenge Sunday.  A great rehab organization that shared their faith and testimonies with the congregation. 

After Church I spent most of my afternoon avoiding washing dishes!!   Josh and I went outside and split the hostas and worked in the shade garden while hubby mowed the lawn.     Uncle Steven and Tommy played catch with the football.  We all spent most of our day outside enjoying the nice weather!

IMG_0155 I finally did wash the dishes and then went outside to harvest the rhubarb.  I destroyed the plant!!  LOL!  Josh and I cut up alot of rhubarb.  I mixed up 6 pans of strawberry-rhubarb crumble and made strawberry-rhubarb=raspberry jam.

The aroma in the house was just yummy!!  We took a couple of the rhubarb crumble to the neighbors as well. 

This is was time to make supper!!   It is great having Josh around home more, but that always means I need to cook for extras!   While we were making supper Charlie came over.  We invited him to stay for supper as well so with Josh  and AMy we had 7 for supper.   Normal night at our house it seems!! I love looking around the table and see all these people enjoying my meals.   IMG_0156

I tried two new recipes at supper and both were a big success.   The first one was Cheddar Potato Strips – very good, but needed to cook longer than the recipe called for.   I also make Green Beans Almondine, which was also a hit!   Two new recipes to add to our online cookbook!

The rest of the evening was filled with bonfire and camping in the yard.  Here are some various pictures from the night!! 

IMG_0157

Tommy’s highlights of the day – football and tenting!!

 IMG_0160IMG_0165

Bonfire Fun…………..

IMG_0173 IMG_0177

Even Baby our puppy was enjoying her night outside….

IMG_0184

Mommy and Tommy by the fire…

IMG_0212

Our sleeping arrangements for the night……can you say……BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

More Later…..time for me to head to bed!!  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend with family and friends!!

Blessings,

Mother’s Day Weekend…….

The gift I desire every Mother’s Day is the assistance to get my garden ready for planting.   My wonderful hubby rented a tiller this morning and after 4 hours and some stump removal my garden plot is ready to go.  The plot is a bit larger this year, it is approximately 25″ x 20″.  

000_0111

Hubby and Steve getting the garden ready.

000_0112

The Mother’s Day Weekend Work Crew:   Josh, Amy, Steve and Hubby.   Everyone took their turn in tilling the garden, even Amy.   I enjoyed watching everyone from by the bonfire.  

000_0113

Tommy’s job for the day was to drive his truck into the swamp and fill it up with leaves.  Then he would drive back to the garden and Dad would till the leaves into the garden. 

000_0114

This is where I tend to spend most of my summer.  I can’t wait until it gets a bit warmer so I can spend the evenings out reading my book.   Josh and Amy surprised me last weekend and came over the put this all up for me.  They are soooo  good to me!  I truly appreciate them both very much. 

000_0115

After the everyone was done with the garden prep, we headed off to buy seedlings and garden seeds.   This year we have only decided to grow the things that we are good about freezing and get eaten the best.   This year we will be planting, Roma Tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, Brussels Sprouts, green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots, radishes, peppers and cucumbers.   I also will have a small herb garden up on the deck in planters.  This year I am planting, Cilantro, Parsley, and Sweet Basil.  

000_0116

Our garden plot awaiting planting……I have to work at church in the AM, but plan on planting in the afternoon.  I hope the weather cooperates.   Today my back is really hurting and I don’t feel up to planting.   Tomorrow is another day, right??

I hope that I am now back to blogging.  I started hanging out on facebook and not blogging.   I need to keep up my blogging as it is like a scrapbook for me.   Even though I haven’t been blogging I have been keeping up with all of you.   I have especially been praying for a lovely xanga friend who is struggle through chemo.  You and your family are often in my thoughts.    

I am on vacation this week due to having some medical tests completed on Wednesday so you should be seeing me posting a bit more.  

Blessings,

Jen C