Home Sweet Home

Another snowy weekend and Mike is hard at work in the small utility bathroom.  Today we went to town and bought all of our tiling materials.  Mike is really itching to try his hand at the tiling.  If he tiles like he does all his other remodeling, it will be so nice when he's done!  The small bathroom was supposed to be a winter project but we are about 6 weeks behind because Mike has been putting in so much time at work.  But it's really coming together now!  The drywall is up, the floor is in, the tub is in..  The plumbing and wiring are done, the shower light is installed..  Mike is really going to town.  He's come a long way since he totally gutted the room, including ripping up the floor.  But here it is now!  Almost ready for tile!

Hard to believe but we have been in our home for 9 years now.  We have an awesome house with so much character!  Our home was built in the early 50's and while it is a beautiful house, its starting to show it's need for updating and remodeling.  Someone once told us that when our house was first built, it was the showplace of Hartley! (Must have been that scandalous pink and black bathroom :-)   At one time, we had considered selling and moving because of our work commute but ultimately, we decided we would never find a place that suits us this well.  So, Mike went to work on the updating.

rose bushes!

We have torn out the old laundry room and made the garage into a three car garage and our favorite summer hangout watching traffic drive by. ( I know it sounds pathetic).  We tore off all the siding and rock and resided and put in all new windows.  We also put on a new roof.  For awhile the house was so torn up, people were asking us if we were tearing it down!  :-)

No more rose bushes  :-(

Notice ladder to get into house!!

Then after the outside of the house was completed and painted a gorgeous "Sun Dried Tomato" Mike went to work on the landscaping.  I helped a little more here.  I am good for something around here..  :-)  Mike put in a beautiful brick path in front of our house.

Rasmus on the brick path

So after 9 years that have absolutely flown by, the house is picking up our vibe plus keeping the character it has always had.  Mike does beautiful work and it's fun to watch how he pulls a project together.  And when he's done at the end of the day, boy does he crash!  But Dora doesn't mind..

Oh yeah!  One more thing...  It's Mike's birthday on Monday.  He will be the big 49!  Happy Birthday Mikey!

Great day to stay in the house...

It's a rainy, icy, chilly Sunday...  A great day to stay in the house and work on the blog.  But there's always lots of other fun things to do on a wintry day.  Laundry, remodeling,homework, dog grooming.  :-)  We were lucky enough to have Kasey come visit us this weekend.  We always love to have the girls here.  Kasey has been liking the indoor time to take care of lots of homework.  Even though right now is her Spring Break, it doesn't feel like Spring Break...  And the homework never seems to stop.

Apple is helping

Mike is enjoying the day because we just leave him alone and he keeps working on the utility bathroom.  It's really starting to shape up.  I think he's anxious to try his hand at tiling so he really has been putting the effort into the remodeling and getting to that point.  I'm not much help.  He's been talking about plumbing and wiring, and a lot of other foreign things...  I told him just tell me when he wants lunch and I'll take care of that. 

I'm occupying my time by doing a little hair cutting.  Dora was getting a might shaggy so I whipped out the clippers and there was white hair a flying!  :-) 

Dora pre haircut

Dora post haircut

Next on the list is a nice warm lunch of minestrone soup under the watchful eye of Dora.  It's Dora's job to make sure no one spills....

After lunch I'm sure Mike will keep working on the bathroom but the rest of us....  we are going to take a nap.  Have a great weekend! 

 

Demolition ends... Construction begins!

As many of you probably know, I've spent the last week in Rochester at the Mayo Clinic with my Mom and Dad while Dad had some medical work done.  I guess if we were going to pick a week to not go outside.....  at all.....  it was a good week.  It was cold!  I think Mom and I went outside twice the whole week. 
While I was in Rochester with the parents, Mike was busy, busy, busy at home.  The demolition of our small bathroom has drawn to a close and now the fun part!  The construction has begun.  Mike really worked hard on the bathroom this week..  (or so he tells me...  he may have had a party to celebrate my absence :-)  But he did send me a picture to prove his dedication to the small bathroom...  Here is how it's shaping up so far...

That looks a lot different than it did before.  There is a floor, shower, and walls now!  Woo Hoo!!  I've said it before but I'll repeat myself..  Mike's skill at remodeling truly impresses me.  He has a talent.  Most of the time he's rattling off what he's doing and what he's going to be doing and I have to admit, it's over my head...
Of course, while Mike was working hard, my mind was and usually is elsewhere.  I tried to keep the parents entertained with some dog stories and some pics of the new family member.  Yes, here's another pic of Little Oscar.  He's so cute!  The breeder says he should be with us at the end of February!

Oscar 6 wks old

It's a big world!

Well, we all know it's a big world out there.  Here's a picture the breeder sent to me today.  This is Oscar and his first day outside!  Just think, soon it will be spring and that grass will be green!  Oscar is 6 weeks old now and will be flying home late February so it's almost time for him to meet his new family!

Nothing like a big red ball!

New picture of Oscar at 5 weeks old.  There's nothing more fun than a big red ball!

Spring Fever!!

Well, it didn't really seem like we got much of a thaw in January but maybe in February?  The last couple of days have been beautiful!  It's been 20 to 30 degrees with very little wind.  Anytime there is no wind in Iowa, it's a great day for sure winter or summer.  All the animals seem to be showing their spring fever already.  The horses were out "jack-assing" around as Mike calls it.  And the dogs have been pretty wound up.  Everyone wants to be outside when it's like this.  It's a lot better than the -30 degrees with wind chill....  Then you can't push anyone outside.  But when it's nice, it's a different story.  Here's Rasmus yesterday while he was out enjoying the warm weather.  Mike was moving hay and the rest of us were out gallivanting around in the back yard.

Molly was enjoying the weather too but she doesn't like to get too far from the barn.  She's probably the more outgoing of the two mastiffs but she likes to be in the barn where the cats are....  always got to keep an eye on the cats.  They are tricky little devils and you can't let them get the upper hand...  :-)

Then we follow up the fun warm play day outside with a nice warm dinner of scrambled eggs and disgusting smelly canned dog food.  What could be better!  Life is wonderful.....

Of course everyone at our house doesn't enjoy the great outdoors.  Some of us are hopeless couch potatoes who just lie around being useless all day long probably watching Netflix.  But I guess someone has to do it. 

Apple and her blankee

Enjoy the warm couple of days.  It sounds like next week we are back to sub zero temps again.  All I have to say is that stupid ground hog better be right this year!  Only 4 more weeks of winter!  Later!