Primary

A couple weeks ago, the first counselor in our Bishopric, who is now our Bishop, wanted to come visit us in our home. It was a crazy night and I knew everything had to fall in place in order for life to be nice and calm when he got here. True to form, we were doing well until Koper got his tooth knocked out. Seth arrived home shortly after the incident and fifteen minutes later, I was asked to be the new Primary President. I know my reaction was priceless as I less than gracefully exclaimed, "What?" I think I made the poor guy panic a little but I accepted the call. Over the past couple of weeks I've had to choose counselors from a ward I barely know. It has been an interesting process and I'm excited to get cracking. We were set apart today after the old Presidency and the kids did the Primary Program.

Weston officially crossed over to the Bear Den this past week. I was silently taking notes at the meeting trying to figure out who everyone is and what all the leaders do.

Our family has recently been introduced to Ticket to Ride. We love it!

Home Improvement - Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 3 - Carpet

 The carpet layers showed up Monday morning and by 4:00pm they were finished.  Yes, I can actually dig my toes into the new carpet.  That's what I told the guy I wanted when we bought it.

 We like the way he finished the stairs.

 You can see the vacuum tracks when Mom vacuumed it.

 It all works well with the new railing.

 It matches up well with the tile in the bathroom and the new wood flooring in the kitchen and dining room.

Chapter 4 - Furniture

 This is probably the biggest change.  Mom loves it.  The pillows came with it and add a splash of color.

Mom and I just finished putting this bookcase together out on the deck (it came all the way from China).  She had the idea to put it in the corner of the dining room and use it for the books we use the most (scriptures, Clive Cussler, Louis L'Amour, Etc.).

The painter cannot pre-paint the doors and trim until later in October so we are at a standstill for now.  We are excited about everything so far.  We just walk around with big smiles on our faces.  Love the smell too!  

Catch Up

Time to catch up a bit... enjoy!

Aimee and I on our date to an induction at school.  

(One of the few times I didn't have to wear a white shirt!)

Aimee was inducted into the Junior Thesibian Society at school.

Aimee's first time through the temple.  

She was baptized for a name she found- Dennis's Aunt Bert.

The start of Ty's Varsity Cross Country race a few weeks back.  

Lots of boys in a small space and I swear someone is going to get trampled one day.

Ty ran JV on Thursday and placed 3rd overall- Yes, he gets his speed from me!

We went camping this weekend- here is breakfast.

One good looking cook!

Kevin recognize the trail?  

No snow this time and Aimee and Ty are much bigger.

We made it up 143 steps again.

The weather was beautiful!

Colorado Surfin'

Someone was tired after a long hike.

Guess who had fun with dirt?

-Brant

 Nothing too exciting going on over this way, so here's a few pictures to appease the masses.

I've had an oil leak on my car for about 4 years, but I've never been able to find it. I finally figured out what it was and fixed it with this $5 piece I found on ebay. I would have had it fixed in 2 minutes, but I dropped the new piece down in the engine and it took me an extra 3 min to fish it out.

 We had dinner with Marlo, Jamieson, and fam tonight to celebrate their daughter Pearl's 1st bday.

 Kelly made a nice lemon pound cake, so we could celebrate my bday along with Pearl.

I found our scooter's long lost relative on the way to work the other day.

Lewiston Air Show

 First off, we got a call last Wednesday from the carpet store wanting to delay installation until this Monday due to some other commitments.  I grudgingly said "OK."  So, they should be here tomorrow to install the carpet.  We are getting a little tired of walking around barefoot on plywood.

We saw an advertisement in the paper about this Air Show at the Lewiston Airport on Saturday so we drove down.  It was a lot of fun.





 It started off with the singing of the National Anthem, a prayer, a salute to our service men, and the presentation of the colors by three skydivers.

 The two main attractions were this DC-3 and a P-51 Mustang.  The P-51 did a fly-by down the middle of the runway just after the presentation of the colors.  What an awesome sight and sound.  I told Mom I would hate to be in a fox-hole as one of those came at me full speed with guns blazing.  The DC-3's were the workhorses of WWII.  It was also one of the first commercial airliners.

 We got to do up inside and I wanted to sit in the pilot's seat but his gentleman wouldn't move out of the way and let me in.  I think he was reminiscing about old times.  You could go for a ride for the paltry sum of $325 each.  Mom and I passed on the opportunity,

 My favorite, naturally, is the P-51 Mustang.  I have seen this particular plane on TV several times on the PBS station.

 I didn't dare touch it because the guy in white coveralls was constantly wiping it down.

 I loved the sight and especially the sound of it.

 The nose art and kill record on the side of the cockpit.

 Remember the military jeep in Riggins that I always said I would like to own?  This is exactly what I wanted to do with it.  The machine gun would have been optional.

 This stunt plane loaded up with a "paying passenger" in the front seat and took off.  I was standing beside the guys wife and ask if it was her husband.  She said yes and he so excited he could hardly stand it.

 The DC-3 firing up.  Just like in the movies, it cranks and cranks, and then fires in a cloud of blue smoke.  It sounded just like the B-29's in Memphis Belle.

We bought another load of plants for the back "mounds".  This week I hope to get most of them in the ground.  I have 10 Japanese Forrest Grass plants coming on Thursday.  We also plan to plant a bunch of Daffodils and Tulips (not pictured).  We're keeping busy.  Have a good week.

Home Improvement - Chapter 2

 The contractor just finished the new railing (From the front door)

 (From the living room)

 (From the dining room)

(From the lining room again)  He does a fantastic job and everything is very precise and clean.  Thursday the carpet comes and then next week the new sofa.  Sorry, we're spending your inheritance.  Stay tuned for Chapter 3. 

Home Improvement Project

 Last Tuesday we called our contractor to see when he was going to start and he said he could start the next day (Wednesday).  So, we moved what we could and when he arrived we learned that he planned to remove all the carpet (although he is not the carpet layer) and then install the wood floor in the dining area, kitchen, and entry.  For the last few days we have been walking around on plywood flooring (watch those slivers).  This is the dining area minus the carpet.

 Here is the living room, minus the carpet, with all the furniture piled together.  The two pantry cupboards from the kitchen are out on the deck and the hall tree at the entry door is out on the front deck.

 The rail had to go.  I took this picture just for old times sake.  Where will we hang the stockings for Christmas?  On the new wood railing!!!  This one went to Habitat for Humanity.

 Here are all the boxes of flooring and moisture paper.

 This is all that was left.

 They started the job in the dining room.  They did an excellent job of floor preparation and then laying out the color variations and joint spacing.  The actual top layer of wood (it is "engineered" flooring) is 3/4" thick with only the top 1/4" the actual finished wood.  It is nailed to the plywood and is quite stable as compared to full thickness hardwood.  It is Hickory with a dark walnut finish.

 Notice the 45 degree bump out into the living room (an extra 15").  The contractor suggested it otherwise the chair on the west end of the table would always be "on and off" the edge of the flooring.  This will give wood flooring right up to the back of the couch.  We left all the baseboards off.  He will install white ones when he comes back to trim out all the windows in a month or so.

 Dining room furniture back in place.  Everything has felt pads on the bottom of the legs.

 The kitchen.  The wood goes all the way under the stove and refrigerator.  The contractor did all the moving and relocating of the appliances.

The entry way.  He finished today.  Did I say how much Mom and I love the wood, the color, the style, etc.?  The carpet is here in Moscow.  The contractor has to install the new oak railing and balusters first.  Hopefully later this week or early next week.  Then they can install the carpet.  Later in September, October, and November he will come back and trim out all the windows, install baseboards, and new white 6 panel pre-hung doors upstairs and down.  We love it, love it, love it!!!!!!!!!!!