To fuel the addiction....

Daddy showed Emmett a new way to get his 'cars' fix. Via You Tube - Demolition Derby. He loved it and couldn't get enough.

Everette's Big Night!

We had the pine wood derby tonight for cub scouts and he placed second for the tiger cubs. He also earned a few badges and several beads. He did very well with losing and didn't mind that his car wasn't as high tech or fancy as the others. He was very proud of his creation and had a lot of fun watching the others race their cars. For our first Pine Wood Derby I thought it went very well and we learned a little for next year. Some of the boys or should say parents got very technical. They oil their tires and tested which side ran fastest and etc. Our challenge this time was Emmett, he wanted all the cars and wasn't very happy that he couldn't have them.

These are a few of the boys from my pack. They earned their badges for a lot memorizing and participating. That is Diana standing in the back. She is our Den leader and a superwoman. I don't know how she juggles everyone and everything.
Everette with his trophy and Emmett with his car. Everette gave his car to his brother so he doesn't feel left out and he gets something too. I had to laugh at his shirt because that is how a lot of my school pictures look.
Everette's First race. He lost to the first place winner.

Garden 2009

Been awhile since I took my turn posting and I'm itching for spring after this long, extra cold winter. Starting the garden in February helps with the cabin fever. Got a 'few' peppers and tomatoes going.

After sitting in the window seat or sunny porch all day, they get moved to the wire rack over a vent to keep them warm overnite. The best soil temperature for germination is between 70-80 degrees, so ideally you'd want a heating pad or something to keep the temp constant. I'm sure they'd the come up as long as it doesnt get too cold, I guess this may help speed up the whole process.




Here's what we've got going, TOMATOES: Supersteak, Hillbilly Potato Leaf, Speckled Roman and Italian Heirloom. PEPPERS: Mucho Nacho Hybrid jalepenos, Heavy Cropper bell, Garden Sunshine bell and Kinkel Hatzog.

Hopefully we'll have a couple of these make it to the garden.

My Wild Child

I started the bath and walked to the door to say goodbye to Grammy and Papa Beach. I thought Emmett was behind me but when it was quiet, this is what we discovered.  You can hear in the background that they didn't make it out the door. I always tell people "You just never know what he will do."  This is what I mean.

Kitchen Floor tiled

The kitchen floor is now completely tiled, after a couple weeks of curing we'll be able to seal up the grout.

The Kitchen Floor Part 2, Phase 1

We'd had the plan since we moved in to tile the kitchen floor, but other priorities had pushed it back, until now...

One of the first things we did upon moving in was get the nasty carpet out of the kitchen.

We got a linoleum remnant at Menards as a stop gap until now, 2 years later, we're getting the linoleum out and the tile in.

Ev loves the destruction processes...


Leveling out a dip in the floor with some mortar...


After a couple of attempts at nipping and using the ceramic blade on the roto-zip, a trip was made to Menards for a tile wet saw, so much easier...


The construction manager doing her thing...


With the stove and frig shoved to one side, half the kitchen with tile set in its mortar base and left to dry overnight.


And now some grouting, after this is dry, it will be the same for side 2.

Snow has some to Iowa

Winter has officially come to Iowa. The boys LOVE it. They are both outdoor kids so this is just anew adventure for them.

Everette made 2 snowmen and then as soon as he was finished he stomped them down.

Emmett had a ball making tracks in the snow. He walked and crawled all over the yard.

A New Blog

I have started a new blog for Iowan's who are looking for the deals at our grocery stores and of course Walgreens. I am not going to get involved like a lot of the other blogs out there but I will try to post for the new ads. Mainly to help other people around here save a little.

www.tryingtosave.blogspot.com

I will add a link on this blog for future reference for people.

Halloween here again

I'm sure many of you have heard the mysterious tales that encircle me, every year when the cold winds begin blowing from the north, that strange season between the warm harvest days and that first pure and white snow, those ill winds bring something... tales of terror, riches found and then lost again, stormy seas and bone-chilling nights. I cant say why such strange happenings fall upon me but that evil wind brings them...

As you might well have guessed this season was no different. It must have been a fortnight ago when we began hearing rumors coming from the north, that a new terror was abroad, something that human eyes had never laid on til this year. I laughed, I did, when I first heard those tales, such a thing could not be true, save in dreams and from fireside stories late at night. A scourge on the land, a beast so fell that even the mere sight of it would cause a grown man to swoon. But yet not quite a beast, it was something more ancient, something they said that came before the days of men. So I laughed when I heard it, such a thing was unthinkable... til now. I have seen it and I shall never be the same again.

Laugh not at me. My hands tremble even now when my mind goes back again to the night before last. I tell this tale now for your very own sake, as it may save you from a horrible end.

Twas the night before Halloween and you already know that strange wind was blowing. There was something in that wind. A sound. A very strange sound. It seemed at first to be something I had heard before and yet something more, like a junebug buzzing round a lantern on a hot summer night. I heard this sound coming from afar as I was coming up from our small garden to our warm and cheerful house, its lights all aglow, as the last bits of sun faded from the sky. I paused when I heard it, craning my head to the heavens in curosity wondering what it might be. But that sound of curosity turned to a sound of horror when I realized it was the sound of wings bearing something quickly toward me. Fortunately for me, I still had sense enough to drop my basket and I lit out for the house like the devil himself was on my heels. As I pitched myself headlong thru the door crying out for mother to shut it tight behind me, I saw that fell creature from the corner of my eye, as it swept past the door and then on again for some other unfortunate soul that was not as wary or swift of foot as I. Even the mere glance of it, left me quaking on the floor, mother had to dash the pitcher of water in my face to bring me back to my senses.

It was a beast unlike any other, and yet something even older and more terrible, an insect, the size of which had never even been imagined in the most wildest dreams. Eyes as black as pitch and which would probably freeze cold any poor victim that dared to look into them and the pinchers... Pinchers that could cut a grow man clean in half like like scissors thru cloth.

A Stag Beetle, the size of which has not been seen since the dawn of time.


How, you ask, am I still here to tell this tale? Well, for some time we thought we were without hope. But lucky for us we have our mother around, she breathed one word. Gnome. Only a Gnome with its special power over all living creatures would be able to help us.

Now Gnomes are not often seen in these parts, but as luck would have it, mother had seen one whilst in the garden but the day before. A feisty little Gnome that ran from here to there laughing and giggling, making a joke of everything it found. We could only hope the Gnome would come upon that terrible beast before the beast came upon us.

And fortunately for us, that Gnome found that terror of a stag beetle. And fortunately for us the Gnome and the Stag Beetle became fast friends... well perhaps not friends, more partners in mischief. Surprised we were, mother and I to see these two odd creatures dancing gleefully over the hills and thru the valleys the next day. There was no blood falling from those terrible pinchers on the stag beetle only chocolate and caramel and the Gnome's beard and chest were stained with much of the same, but they did not seem to mind, in fact it seemed to increase their power. Of course, Gnomes are always full of life, only this one, more so. And mother and I have learned that gianormous stag beetles should not be feared unless they catch the scent of sugary treats.

Whither those two went, I cant say, no doubt up to some silly mischief. But I have an idea they may return again with that strange wind, time will tell.

How do they think of these things?

I was taking out the garbage and some of the extra bags fell out. He snatched them right up and came up with this. He was skating around the house. Who needs toys.

Its Hard to Find a Good Work Horse These Days

Qualifications:

• Needs to tolerate screaming in the ear
  
• Balancing unstable riders
• Doesn't buck when hair is pulled as riders begin to fall off
• Able to take as many laps around the house as riders request
• Understands command , "Again, Again"
  
• Requires little food and water since riders will either forget to feed you or eat it themselves

Emmett Turns 2

Today we had an very impromptu BBQ for Emmett's birthday (which is tomorrow). We just had a few of the Beach clan here to help celebrate. Emmett is very much into anything with wheels. Lately it has been big things so I made him an excavator cake. He got a lot of trucks and cars and trains for his birthday and he was happy as can be. He was trying to hold them all at once but would only frustrate himself.

Everette tried to explain to him that since it was his birthday he got to be king for the day "because that is just how we do here in this house." Emmett however didn't get this concept quite as well as Everette did this year. Everette did try very hard to help him be the "king" for the day though.

House Update

I thought I would send an quick update on our progress. A big thank you to my interior decorator Abby and Gretchen my over the phone furniture placement specialist. (my sisters) I really don't have a "eye" for decorating. I would add however that I made our TV stand.

Living Room Before:

After:

Coming soon..... The dining room.

A Side Note: Coupons

This is a very weird request but anyone who doesn't use or want their Sunday paper insert coupons I would love to take them. I can send envelopes and stamps to you if you want to mail them to me every week too. Also if you want to start your own coupon adventure, I can email you some of the blog site I use.

Saving $ for the family

As some of you may know, I have started searching through blogs for ideas on how to help the family save $. Most of the things/tips I find are how to get the best deals with my coupons. I have always been using coupons but now I am learning how to watch for sales and have been getting things for free or dirt cheap. It does take time to do the research, cut coupons and match-ups but for our family right now this has been worth it. Here is what I got today at Walgreens. All this for $14.93 plus a $5.00 coupon for my next visit.
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A lot can happen when you do laundry...

The response to my "oh my goodness!" was a little "uh oh" and a big grin.

What in world have I been doing you ask...

Well I made a bunk bed for the boys and hung Everette's beloved 'EXIT' sign in their room. I have also been learning from the 2 masters currently residing in the house. Soaking in all I can.
We found the Exit light at Lowes in a cart with all kinds of odds and ends stuff on clearance. He spotted that in the cart and you would have thought he just hit a jackpot. He was soooo excited. How could we pass it by. Everette asked for this for Christmas but they were so expensive. The check out guy looked at me and asked me what in the world was I going to do with a EXIT light that wouldn't probably work. When I explained he looked at me like I was the strangest person in the world. Oh well, I don't mind. It isn't the first time and won't be the last I am sure of that.
The beds were given to us by my sister Abby from her girls. (We LOVE hand-me-downs) They were stained pink and individual beds. I thought they were perfect because they had the rails and they will hold them in great. I don't have to worry about someone falling out of bed. I painted them brown (Everette picked out) and put them together. Yes they are safe, It held me bouncing just fine so I am sure it will hold a 40 pound first grader. I have to make a ladder yet.

What can a 71 year old can do in 2 1/2 weeks?

Well with his daughter trying to help and not get in the way too much this is what has gotten accomplished so far. Now don't look at the picture and critique yet, we are not finished yet. This is all just rough yet.

• 3 Ceilings hung (2 sprayed and painted)
• 2 Floors screwed down (no more squeaks)
  
• 1/2 a kitchen installed.

What can a 70 year old accomplish in 2 1/2 weeks?

Again, with that daughter in tow trying to not get in the way but learn from the master. Let me show you! We have been giving away so there was more than this. We are sharing with our suppliers of various things. Some of the things are from my garden too. We made jelly out of wild grapes, made applesauce, bread & butter pickles, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, yellow beans, pears, peaches, jalapenos, and tomatoes.

Picking, preparing and canning without a proper kitchen, What can I say.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Grandpa has had a little follower the last couple days. Whatever papa does, Emmett Does. Papa pretended he was choking at the dinner table and Emmet really got into the act. Also today, Grandma was laying on the couch and papa walked by and bounced her up and down. Not a minute later Emmet walks by and does the same thing to her.

Life in our house is a bit crazy but there is progress....

With my dad here to help we have made some real progress. New ceilings on the kitchen and dinging room. Hopefully the kitchen will be completely done sometime in the next few weeks. I have a lot to do yet so that is why I said hopefully. Here is somepictures of our progress.

Kitchen Ceiling

Dinging Room
Try not to be too shocked but how we have been living the last couple days. Kitchen and dining all in the living room.