Earning Money

Ev has been asking for a new game system this summer. We decided that this would be a good way to teach him a little about value of money. Will has decided to give him odd jobs to earn some money. One job is scraping the garage. While he was talking about earning his money and what he wanted to buy Emmett decided he wanted to earn money too. Not that he knows what money is really but if big brother wants it than so does he. So here are the boys doing their jobs to earn their money tonight.

Everette is scraping the garage.

Emmett is mowing the lawn.

Where we been?

Mackay Daniel Beach

Been awhile since the last post. Nothing much happening, just a new baby and a trip to Georgia and back.

Mackay Daniel Beach arrived on July 9th after Mama was induced. He hung in there tight til the day, even though a valiant effort was made to work him out sooner, but when does the Mama ever sit still, pretty much never... check out the pics here.

At week at home then off to Alabama to check out Rick and Jody's farm and then to Georgia for Papa and Gigi's 50th anniversary, a fun time for all.

Another Productive Weekend

We had a very productive weekend here at the Beach residence. Cabinet doors are painted and up. I cant tell you how much this has brightened up the kitchen.  Now I am excited to tile my backsplash and put my shelves up on the end of the cabinets. We have a few little things to do yet but this really seemed to add so much finish to our kitchen.  (we have to add the 2 fronts yet in front of the sink) The boys wanted to show it off like the 'Price is Right' models. 

This what happens when you leave a 2 year old outside while you are inside for a moment. Does it surprise anyone? Not me. Good thing was that they were dry.

Yep, all of them.

We also got to eat some of our lettuce out of the garden. It was so yummy.

Memorial Day work weekend

We went up to Greene and worked on replacing the center of the ceiling in one of the upstairs bedroom. We weren't sure what we were getting into when we started. Ok I need to stop saying we because I was not part of the tearing out part of this process. Will started early and thankfully found that there was some sort of backing under the plaster. It wasn't your typical lath and plaster thank goodness. That meant no insulation falling down all around him.  Jeff and Mary came to his rescue later that morning and turned his one man team into a 2/ sometimes 3 man team. Yeah Jeff and Mary. 

Tearing out the plaster!

This is my favorite picture!

 

After running for supplies, bracing up the ceiling in the hot attic then putting up new drywall, its time to mud. Mary is trying to mud screw holes for the first time. She did a fantastic Job.

Now left for another weekend will be to texture spray, prime and paint. Soon Grammy Beach will have a nice office/guest room.  

Emmett gets a new (to him) toy today!

Thank You Chad and Deckard for making somebody's day. Emmett has really been into watching the tractors in the fields lately and has to stop everything if the city tractor drives by. He has been riding it since daddy brought it home and even drug it inside for the night. It will be greatly loved.

 

Picking up legos Pregnant lady style.

I don't bend as well as I use to so I took the lazy way out to help Emmett pick up his legos. He thought he would try this way as well. Unfortunately he has daddy's short stubby toes and not mom's long toes. But you don't really think that would stop him though do you?

Easter 09

Weekend In Greene Iowa

This weekend we made a trip to Greene, Iowa to do some work for Ma and Pa Beach. 

We were able to play as well as work and so it turned to out to be a productive weekend on all accounts.

Friday morning Will, Uncle Bill and Ev got to sneak off and go fishing. They didn't catch anything but it is usually about just getting out for them. 

 

Saturday we worked on a bedroom upstairs. We were able to patch, sand and then texture spray the walls. On Saturday evening Grammy and I went out to Murder Mystery Dinner in New Hampton for Aunt Pat's Library fundraiser. We had a blast and Grammy won a prize for the most creative solution to the murder mystrey. 

On Sunday we painted walls and watched as the snow rolled in. The boys and Papa went out and enjoyed them selves. 

 

April Fools

**UPDATE: Ev's report. Well his trick didn't work on Ms. Monroe but it did on his classmates and all the other teachers in the school except for Mr. Big (I'm not sure who that is). He also said that his classmates kept touching his shirt but didn't believe him it was St. Patricks day. He had fun toay.

We were trying to figure out how to get Everette today since he has been talking about April Fools and with both of us so tired we found it hard to be creative. But.....
We got him.


He is so excited about April fools day that he wants to trick his teacher. Also he is wearing his St. Patricks day shirt to fool his friends. He is going to tell them it is St. Patricks day today.

Brotherly love.....

Everette loves his brother and is always trying to take care of him and show him love. Emmett eats it up. 

Everette making sure they are protected from the monsters on Scooby-Doo!

Everette made sure he was comfortable by bringing him pillows and blankets.

What can I get into today while mom is in the shower?

Cheese Gromitt.

He had to open the fridge and chew the wrapper open because it was a brand new block of unopened cheese. 

You gotta love this Devilish Grin I got when I asked him what he found. 

Helping Grammy

Emmett loved helping Grammy make her noodles when she was here. 

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.