Summer coming to an end

Fall is my very favorite season. Seems strange, since next comes Winter, which I really don't care much for, esp. as I have gotten older. The only saving grace, I don't HAVE to go anywhere. But, we aren't there yet. We are still in Summer, for a few more weeks. The kids are back in school.









Don's mother told me that she always knew that it was time to go to school when the Goldenrod was in bloom. Such a very gorgeous color of gold.

The Trumpet Vines are in bloom. They can be a nuisance, if let go, but when contained, so gorgeous.






Then the Resurrection Lily. What a surprise they are. About mid-Summer this beautiful lush green foilage comes up, just leaves. They last for a few weeks, then die off. They get mowed off. Then when you have forgotten all about them, these beautiful shoots flowers show up. I remember my surprise the first year they appeared. I have loved them, and looked forward to them every year, since.



And then the Butterflies, all the gorgeous different colors. What amazing creatures to go thru all the stages of their lives, to become one of the most beautiful forms of life.


We all think that Spring is when everything comes to life, but wow, what is going on around us at this time of year in Iowa, is nothing short of glorious. How can people not believe in a higher power when all of this is around us, free for the taking.

1st day of school

Today was the first day back to school for Teddy and Grace. Teddy has been really excited for the past couple of weeks. Just ready to see his friends and teachers. Grace's attitude has pretty much been, "NOT SO MUCH", about everything lately.
They both picked out their clothes yesterday, and were all set. OK, Teddy changed his mind this morning. But dang, he did look pretty stinking cute.


Grace just really looked so cute, and grown up in her new clothes.


Teddy just couldn't seem to keep from making faces with almost every picture, just think he was too excited to contain himself.

Both of them, and Haleigh said that school was "AWESOME!!!!!!!!" That sure was glad to hear, and I know that it is just the first day, but hey, it is a start.

I can't help but think about all of my little friends that are starting Kindergarten this year. Bless them, one and all. Time just seems to fly faster and faster, with each passing day. Does that make sense?

Life in 3-D

Yesterday was the last day of Summer vacation for Haleigh at our house, and next to the last for Teddy and Grace. They wanted to watch a movie, and picked out The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, 3-D.




So of course there were 3_D glasses, and then they wanted FreezerPops.
This has felt like a really long Summer. We did do lots of swimming in our 8 ft. pool. Decided to spend the $50. With gas prices, just made sense instead of driving 16 miles daily, to swim at Joan's. We did have some craft projects along the way, but mostly just played.

The kids are really into forts. Which means every day, the place is torn apart. I finally decided to give it up until tomorrow. The kids have sure done a whole bunch of growing up this Summer. Ten really seems much more grown up than nine. The kids went to two different church Bible day camps, and loved them both.

Teddy says he is really excited about starting 4th grade. Grace, not so much.

IT'S DONE

Don't know what I will be blogging about from now on, but by golly the building is done.




Ron left yesterday, and we wondered what was left, but he left his ladders, and some other things. Well, he came today, put in some more screws, packed up everything and was done. We did go back down to Menard's because of the white trim. Got the brown trim and came home and Don put it up.

Now, hopefully we can get concrete done before winter, and sealer around the inside. We are truly thrilled with our building, and highly recommend Ron. The man is so amazing, and it really has been fun to watch him work.

Something new

Just thought I would post something different. Aren't you tired of looking at my building. Yesterday I took the kids outside and had them blow some bubbles. School starts next week, so not too many more opportunities to go do much.


My friend Karla told me about this cool site http://www.picnik.com to edit your photos. Pretty cool. So I had to play.



As for the building, Ron got the third garage door up today. Menard's sent white door trim, instead of brown. Guess the same fool that sent white windows, sent the white trim. I guess he thinks Brown is spelled "WHITE". We are just going to go buy it at Lowe's, screw it, just not worth the effort. As near as we can figure we only have another day or two, and Ron will be done. The reason the doors are sitting up off the ground, that is how high the concrete will be.

Day 17 & 18

Well, it rained part of Tuesday, so Ron concentrated on the inside of the building. Lots of bracing and reinforcement work. Then he put in two of the garage doors, and did the structure part of one of them.

Today, he did the roof vent, across the top of the roof. He also spent a lot of the day, putting in millions of screws all around the building. He also did the wood structure for the east garage door. So, I think there is actually very little left.

Then we will have to concentrate on getting someone to do the concrete floor. We are hoping to get this done before winter. Then Don can work on the inside of the building all winter. I will get more pictures tomorrow of the progress, just too much craziness today.

Day 16

Well, now that we are getting so close, the big things are done, and it is the little time consuming things that are left. Yesterday Ron got most of the remaining soffit done. There is only about 1/2 of one side.


There are three, out of four corners on.



And most of the trim.
And Don also got our yard light back up on Sunday. Really nice to have that back on. Chester sure hated not having it on. It is darn dark out there, without it.

Day 15

We are getting close to the end with our building. Yesterday we got the soffit on the south end, and the whole south end enclosed.



Then Don and Ron, with his truck, pulled the old light pole out of the ground, and Don will mount it onto the front of the building. Funny how that made such a huge difference. Ron came down today and took his big old truck home, that sure helped clean things up, also. The buildings almost done, and the kids will be going back to school in a week and a half. Life is really looking great. Oh, should I say that?

And what will I blog about when the building is done, I will try and figure it out.

Day 14

The kids have had Bible Camp all week. They don't go today. I have loved it, since they have been gone from 9-2, M-TH. The kids liked the other one they went to. It was 5 days, 9-12. I have really enjoyed the break. Not much longer, 12 more days and BACK TO SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!

Ron got the last window installed. So wall wise this is all that is left. Of course I know he has to go back and put in a ton of screws for reinforcement. I'm sure at the end there will be lots of things that don't show. Just getting it all enclosed is so wonderful.
The walk-in door is done. Teddy loves this. Pretty funny, the big doors aren't in, but Teddy likes using this door. We took the keys and put them up so we wouldn't get locked out.

We have a roof, WooHoo! Both sides are done. Still need to put the vent down the middle, but by golly the roof is on. Might even pull the van in over the weekend. I think later today the kids are going out with buckets to pick up all the nails, screws and wood chunks. They are looking at lots more wood building projects.
This is what it looks like when you stand inside and look up. Oh yeah!!! We are so excited, there just isn't a whole lot left. Don just never believed it would happen. I think he is still pinching himself.

Day 13

It is really coming along, and the end is in site. Ron was here plenty early, again. The weather was so much cooler than it has been. By noon he had part of the west side of the roof on. Which involved cutting off the tall poles. Again, doing it alone.

Don also went to Menard's and got the window. This was only the 4th one. So the back of the building will be able to get done. In the afternoon, Ron cut the rest of the poles off, so he is ready to roof the west side. He finished the west side, except for two strips. He then finished the front of the building. So what's left?


Well, two strips of roofing on the west side, the soffit on the east side, trim on the north and south ends, and the garage doors. The concrete floor and electricity will have to wait for a while.

Hope everyone is enjoying the updates. I think I will do a scrapbook for Ron, when he is done. I have the pictures.

Day 12

First we had some excitement, and no pictures on Tuesday. I was going into town for a hair appointment, and I saw a Red Tailed Hawk, sitting next to a bush, on the ground, right next to the driveway. I stopped and got within 2 feet of it. It just sat there. You could tell that it's right wing was broken. I was in a hurry, but knew I would call the DNR when I got home. Nope, still no cell phone. Well, it was gone when I got home. The neighbor had seen it, gotten pictures, and called DNR, and they came and got it. Don said that there were several birds swooping at it, and pestering it. Just wish I could have gotten a picture of that. It was so gorgeous.


OK, are you bored yet? My calculations are that Ron has put in 72 man hours. He is usually here for 6 hours, daily. He drives an hour each way every day he comes down.


So now we have the front of the building, and man does it make a huge difference. It just looks so cool. Here is Don checking it out.

I think this give a better perspective on the size of this thing. Miss Haleigh is blowing bubbles.

The front 1/2-2/3 will be for the cars, then the back part is going to be one big room for whatever Don wants. Don't know what Ron will work on next, I suppose the soffit on the east side, and put in garage doors. Hopefully that stinking window will come in soon, so the back wall will be done. We are assuming that he uses and extra guy for the roof. We, (ok, Ron) are very close to being done, with this stage.

Day 11

Wow, another full, longer than normal day. It was also the hottest day so far. Really even thought that if he didn't show up, that was just fine.


Ron got both the east and west walls done. He did a lot of structure work again, plus did the complete soffit on the west side of the building.


Today he was here early, and so far has put the trim on for the garage doors. He was going to have another guy with him this week, but the man had a death in his family so not able to help out. I wonder how many trips have been up and down on that ladder. Another amazement to me.

It's coming along, days 9 & 10

Haven't posted for several days. I just have not been home long enough to do anything more than change clothes, eat, sleep and check emails.

Ron came all five days this week, which was great. Lots and lots of progress. What is sad, the humidity and heat this week has been so brutal. He puts in 6 hours here, since he has an hour of travel time, both ways. How he gets so much done, beats me.


So at the end of day 9, we have most of the back wall. It would have been done, but we have had a problem with Menards. The window was broken when it arrived, we called right away to get a new one. It came in, went to pick it up and deliver the broken one. They delivered a white one. Yeah, that was a fun trip home. Waited 8 days, Don calls, and it was in. I told Don to have them check it out, before we drove down. Sure enough, they sent white, again. The order says brown, but some dumbass can't read BROWN. So frustrating, but thank God he called and didn't run all the way down.

Ron got here bright and early on Friday morning. He dug the remaining four holes, and set those poles. Then set the last rafter. Then he framed in the garage doors. The two east doors are 9' wide and 7' tall. The west door is going to be 10'x10'.

The thing about construction is there is a lot of structural work that just doesn't look like much, tons of nailing, again, by hand. So in 10 days of actual work time, I'm still amazed. It was a nice week, with no missed time, am sure hoping for another.