Things I've Learned from my Children

It has been several months since I posted to my blog. Since I got a smart phone I seem to connect with my friends/family better on Facebook.

Lately I have been thinking of some fun things I have learned from my daughters: Jenny, Michelle & Laura.

Jenny taught me how to load my dishwasher. Yes, it sounds strange but it has made that task so much easier for me. She especially taught me how to load the wine glasses. Before that they were falling all over the place. I have a special guide that drops down that holds the stem in place.



Michelle taught me how to cut and copy text on my computer. I learned that control C will copy the text and control V will paste it. Before I learned how to do this I was manually typing it in. I knew there had to be an easier way and Michelle laughed at me as she showed me how to do it.



Laura taught me which attachment to use on my mixer and why. I had been using the whipping beater when I was making cookies. She explained to me that the whipping beater was more for whipping cream and I should be using the flat beater instead. Ever since my cookies have looked better.



I have to say that every time I load one of Gary's wine glasses, I think of Jenny. Every time I am planning coupon deals I think of Michelle. And, every time I make cookies or use my mixer I think of Laura. I do think of my wonderful daughters for other profound reasons, I will have to post them too someday!

Good bye Old Friend

For the past couple of years, our heating system has not been working well. We knew we needed a new one but we don't think about it during the summer. Our system was over 30 years old and only had a 10 year warranty. We knew we were on borrowed time.

With the basement work going on we decided it was the best time to put a new Gas Hydronic Heating System in. We have a home that was built in 1884 so the radiators look perfect in our home. They have always provided great heat.

Once we started removing walls we had great access to the old system. We scheduled in Sanitary Plumbing and Heating from Olympia to do the work.

They were able to remove the old black pipes hanging from the ceiling (about 15 inches) and replace them with Pex tubing. They were also able to install the Pex into the floor joists so they won't be visible anymore.

It took them 5 days to remove the old system and install the new one, but it was worth it. When we turned the system on we could hear the water filling all the tubes. Within minutes the radiators were warming up. The house was 52 degrees when we turned it on so we knew it would take a while.

Our new system is 90 to 95% efficient which is great compared to the old one, and it is very quiet. We will use it to heat the tile floors in the basement when we get them done.



There will be walls around the heating system to hide it later on.

I would like to add that the crew from Sanitary Plumbing and Heating were fabulous! They were very professional and a great group of guys to work with. Thanks You Larry, Steve, Aaron and Eual. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing work done.

So if you are cold and need a place to warm up, come on over.

Baked Potato Soup

Ever since Jenny took me to Red Robin and had me try their Baked Potato Soup, I have been on a mission to find the perfect recipe. Well, I combined a few and I think I made what Gary and I think is quite good.


One bowl of this is all you need to be full. I also made a sausage Tortellini Stew but I forgot to take a picture of it. We were too busy eating!

Labor of Love

No, I am not talking about childbirth! As many of you know, Gary inherited 2 tree farms from his dad when he died several years ago. Gary has been actively learning about trees, the kind of wood they produce, planting, thinning, management etc.

When we went down to help in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, we saw huge piles of trees that were going to be destroyed. To both of us it was an incredible waste to see perfectly good trees being sent away. But. that's what happens when the government is involved. All that was needed were some people and some wood mills that could take these trees and turn them into lumber to rebuild houses. Sounds quite simple doesn't it??

Well, Gary has a lumber mill and he has cut down many trees. (a lot of them in Louisiana) He cut down some on his property in Thurston County and he milled the wood. He cut it and set it out in our backyard to dry. Last summer he cut it to the size he needed and brought it down to Provo to use on our house there.

We realized a few weeks ago we had some gutter problems. We needed to put in the proper fascia and have new gutters installed. Gary went out to his waiting lumber pile and got all the wood he needed. I painted primer on the boards and Gary has been installing them.

Painted & ready to be cut to the right size and installed.

The fascia boards are cut specifically to fit against the angle of the house so the gutters will hang straight.

We still have plenty of wood to replace the trim around the windows but that will have to wait until next summer.

RAIN!!!

I thought it rained a lot in Chehalis, but it really rained here in Provo Thursday. Of course, it was while we were out running some errands.

.39 of an inch in 5 minutes
.66 of an inch in 10 minutes
.87 of an inch in 15 minutes

These rainfall amount broke previous records from 1945 and 1954.

Gary was dropping me off at a bookstore when the rain first hit. I just took a little more time shopping!

Friday we took advantage of the extra water in the Provo River and went on a raft trip. More on that later.

When the first number is a 7

Michelle and Derrick have trained Dayton so that he won't get up in the morning until "the first number is a 7" on his clock. If he has to go to the bathroom he has to do it himself. Once the first number is a 7 he can go and wake them up. Before he goes to bed at night they remind him and for the most part he is very good about it.

When staying at our house we try and keep the same rules. Dayton & Daphne sleep in a bedroom upstairs near Nana and grandpa while Michelle sleeps downstairs. Dayton and Daphne also have some chores at my house. Dayton helps me feed Carly and Daphne helps me feed Allie. They get such a thrill out of watching the dogs go crazy over their food.

One morning Dayton must have gotten up with Daphne a little early. Since the first number wasn't a 7, they snuck downstairs and the dogs followed. I heard some laughing and found this downstairs!!







Somehow the kids fed the dogs cat food instead of dog food, maybe it was easier to get open. Allie was not feeling so well that morning and she was a little heavier than normal. So, I now have the dog food and cat food labeled so Dayton knows which one to give them. I also try to be a little more aware of when the kids wake up in the morning.

Happy One Month Adelynn