IT'S FINISHED

The final product!

Let's Get Ready To Wrestle!

I can honestly say there was a point in my life where I thought manual labor was fun. But I must be getting old and tired, after an exhausting weekend of finishing the garage, I could barely function this morning. But it's done! Almost...we have some minor things. Some enhancement painting on the wall as well as a "Gym Logo". I've yet to be told exactly what they wanted, but I know there has been a request put in. But the hard part is over. For those of you who know us, Family, Close Friends, Neighbors....the beginning pictures don't even come close to representing the mess we started with. So accomplishing the garage seemed like an almost unimaginable task. 

To fill you guys in, it probably took us three weeks to actually start. I think every time we made it to the garage with the intentions of starting, the task seemed very overwhelming, and the tension mounted. Carlos and I don't really ever fight....ok an occasional heated debate. But for whatever reason, the garage brought out the best in us. ; )

Our first step was to insulate the top of the garage. That was a task and a half. And talk about a dirty job, covered from head to toe. I only participated for a day and a half on that job, that was enough. Then on to cleaning house. We've been in this house for awhile and have our fair share of unused and uneeded items. OK JUNK! The trash guys, are glad the cleaning is finished. It was a lengthy process. We were moving in  a slow steady pace with the garage, until we received our Friday call that the mats were coming today! It was a whirlwind weekend of spakling, sanding, painting. My D&D coffee we purchased to help me make it through Friday night's spakling session, ended up on the driveway (thanks to Champ) and in his stomach. Let me tell you coffee effects dogs the same way it does people. RUSH RUSH RUSH.....CRASH! But in the end its finished, looks great and I think Carlos is still in amazement that it actually came to fruition. 

ON TO THE KITCHEN! YEAH...More manual labor. ; ) Yes we are doing that labor ourselves, three estimates at 27,000+ each, pushed me right into liking manual labor once again. We'll keep you posted, labor begins this weekend, warranted that I can get the rest of the house under control first.

It Wasn't Me!

I really wish I could say I was quick enough to pull the phone out and take a picture in the middle of Lowe's, but I wasn't it. It was such a classic picture I don't think I will ever forget the look on his face. But when it initially happened, I wasn't thinking how much I would look back on this and find total humor. I was furious with what we saw standing in the middle of the paint isle.

Imagine Alex, standing with hands covered in white paint(not a little...a lot), a upside down gallon of paint with every ounce of paint that once was housed inside, covering Lowe's floor. As we approached he tried desperately to pick up the lid only covering him in more paint, as well as allowing him to step in the paint and track it everywhere.

The gentleman that worked there was very kind, and thanked us for not just leaving it and walking away. My response to him was that he could have followed the shoe prints to the culprit. Yes, Alex made his way to the bathroom shoeless to wash his hands, while I tackled the shoes in the woman's bathroom. I really think there should be a reality book you read before you even consider becoming a parent. Not that it would matter, because you know... "Those things will never happen to me!"

Why Is He Cujo?

There is only one reason that Champ occasionally seems as though he's possessed... Their names are Jacob and Alex.  Alex learned early on, to ignore the Dog. He would run to his room and didn't want anything to do with the dog (even though he begged for him). Although recently he has been doing his fair share as well. Jacob teases, chases, wrestles and whatever else he can think of and then wonders why the dog is out of control. So who really needs the training. We were gone most of the day Easter Sunday so we needed to help Champ expend some energy and in the process Jacob wanted to take pictures.




Alex has learned to tease also, with the electric fence. He knows Champ won't cross the line....need I say more. He better hope Champ doesn't get faster.



Maybe this will be the accessory to Champ's costume next Halloween.



I love tormenting the dog!





No privacy. Jacob found this to be the most hysterical thing to take a picture of. Why do they find these things so humorous. I just don't understand.

Coloring Eggs!

What would Easter be without coloring Easter Eggs. Every year on Good Friday we color Easter Eggs at Nan & Pop Pops. It's funny to watch what evolves during the creative process. This year Jacob decided that he was going to put the egg in every color and try and create the color of a "Turd"? Yes folks, this is what 10 & 11 year old boys love to talk about turds, farts, poop. It's almost as though we've gone back in time to when they were 5 and everything they found hysterical involved the word...POOP! Soon the turds will be gone and the it will be girls! YIKES! I'll stick with turds for now.

Also for those of you who have befriended me on Facebook, watch out for a mysterious instant message from me that says....I farted. Yes folks, I showed Jacob the Instant Message feature on facebook and he thinks it's funny to pretend he's me, telling family and friends that I just farted! Like I would ever do anything like that....Please! ; )

Alex taking count of his eggs.



Jacob concentrating on the creation of the "Turd Egg"



The first color....

After all the efforts of dipping in every color to get to the final product. He dropped it. He thought the cracks added some character.