New Floor

In December we had to replace or garage door system. After six years of fixing broken springs, wheels, the button by the wall, etc, we had had it when the door quit opening or was opening spontaneously in the middle of the night. We replaced the wooden rotting door with a insulated energy efficient door and bought a whole new electronic door opening system. We even got a key pad entry.

Then in January we began contemplating replacing our kitchen floor. Well our sliding glass door finally rotted out this winter. Doug stuffed a towel in the crack and we had to walk the dog out the front door and around the side of the house so the dog could get in the back yard.

At this time we got our neighbor, a contractor, over to replace the door. He also priced out a new floor for us as well. Doug and I took the plunge and began a one month hunt for tile. I of course though we'd walk into the home improvement store tell them what we wanted and they would be able to show us the exact thing and off we'd go. Oh No!!

We search and search for the right tan tiles and texture. Doug and I had to compromise on this as I wanted more dramatic color variation and lots of texture. He wanted less of both. Of course price was a issue. We found one great tiles right away but it would blow our budget. I was so proud of myself that I was determined to stay within our allotted tile budget. So a month later we were still shopping.

I was also looking for a small solid colored tile to insert in the corners of the large tiles for visual interest. This proved to be incredibly difficulty. Finally at the first of the four shops we visited, we finally found tiles that would work.

It took a full week to redo the floor. We were out of the kitchen for a week. For two days we had no access to the area and couldn't go into the basement (where the oldest sleeps, bathes, recreates) or to the garage or the backyard for dog potty purposes. Well we didn't have access to the garage all week because the contractor supplies, stove, cabinets, etc were stored in the garage.

See what our home looked like.

This is Sunday night. Doug and I cleared out the refrigerator, china cabinet, table & chairs, baker's rack and all the items in the lower cabinets.

I forgot to mention that from early January till March 17th we had no baseboards, framing, or curtains around our sliding glass door. Our contractor planned on replacing those items after the new floor was put in.

Here is the refrigerator in the dining/computer room. To the right you can see the edge of the kitchen table. We took off the legs and leaned the table top against the book shelf.

That's all for now Day 2 - Day 7 coming up later.

Spring Break

I know it has been a long time since I've blogged. Things have been busy here; more than usual. For four of the five of us spring break was a quiet time at home. I didn't go into work once during spring break (Yea!!).

I did spend my time packing up our kitchen for our floor remodeling job. I also worked on Doug's 40th birthday album that our dog chewed up several years ago. I believe she did this five years ago. I just now have let it go so that I could redo the album. I'm into modern times. Although as I reflect on this statement I realize that that is not exactly true. I finished adding our wedding photos and although it seems like yesterday and forever at the same time; it has been 20 years.

Happy Pi Day

March 14 is Pi Day. Those who have high school geometry students may already know this. March 14th is Pi Day because of the 3-14 date being the first three numbers of Pi 3.14.... It is also Albert Einstein's birthday. My oldest mentioned this on the way to school on March 13th. They were celebrating Pi Day in his math class and could earn extra credit for making and wearing a Pi T-shirt and bringing Pi food (circular foods). We bought a large cookie and had a Pi symbol frosted onto the cookie.

The picture above is Doug and my suggested T-shirt for Pi Day. The oldest found the number Pi that starts out large and row by row the numbers get smaller, much like an eye chart. We ironed this on to his t-shirt.

Some Funnies About Me

I'm always telling stories about others. Here are some of mine. One of the many nice things at our school is that most of the teachers have an office in their classroom with a phone. I guess some of you need some background information about my position. I have a wonderfully crazy teaching assistant that I am so grateful to work with. We joke that we spend more time with each other than we do with our spouses.

One day our classroom phone was ringing and I was close to the office so I grabbed the phone. I answer, "Kindergarten room, Mrs. N. speaking". (Duh, I'm not Mrs. N. I'm Ms. Hatch)

As soon as the last sounds leave my mouth, I realize that I goofed. Ever the optimist, I'm thinking/praying that the person on the other end is a stranger and does not know that I'm not Mrs. N.

Well the other person at the end is strangely silent. I'm think that they realize Mrs. N's voice had changed and maybe they are thinking they called the wrong number. NOT!

After the pregnant pause, I finally hear this man say, "Really?!" It's my husband on the other end.

Of course I had to tell Mrs. N the story. One more thing for her to blackmail me with. Both our spouses said we spend too much time together.

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Second story:
During Lent I enjoy playing my Easter music. This is comprised of the Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar CDs. When I'm driving the van I like to play these CDs. Well every school morning the oldest drives us to school. He plays his CDs and pops mine out. Then when he get to his school, I take over the van pop out his CDs and either put mine back in or listen to the radio.

So after a particularly long day Doug and I headed out to the grocery store with our girl to do the family shopping. My feet were killing me and I was dog tired. I'm drooping and dragging as we wrap up shopping, pay, load the groceries in the van to go home. I'm the last to get in the van and shut the door. Doug has already started the van. I lean my head back against the headrest, snuggle into my coat, listening to the music coming from the car stereo and say "Wow this sounds like Jesus Christ Superstar." Now I'm thinking the radio station is playing this music.

Well the girl leans forward in her seat making eye contact with me and Doug turns his head and stares at me. They both say, "Yea?!" I'm like that great [meaning the radio station is playing this type of music]. They are still looking at me like I'm crazy and Doug finally says, "It should [sound like Jesus Christ Superstar] it's your CD.

So those are my stories for the month.

Mostly Quiet Here

Thankfully we haven't had anything new or exciting here to report. We go to school, take the girl to dance, she and the baby boy do circus, go to church, work, and repeat the cycle.

We did have a few weeks of illnesses. The baby boy missed a couple a days of school in January which is unheard of for him (really for any of the kids). He hasn't missed school in literally years. He ended up at the doctor's with a respiratory infection and had to have some prescription meds. One of his friends had walking pneumonia and of course my baby was convinced that he was misdiagnosed and had it too.

The girl had an ear infection and was able to be given meds. I was surprised because so many of my students are no longer being given antibiotics for ear infections. The doctors want to wait and see if it clears up or get worse. She hasn't had an ear infection since she had tubes put in her ears when she was a baby.

All five of us were sick in February with a bad cold. Again that is unheard of in our family. I can't remember a time when we have all been sick at the same time.

I continued with the cold until I got the fever to go with it and missed a day of school myself. Then this past week the girl got sick at school and had to come home.

We now have a few sniffles, occasional cough, and a bit of hoarse voices. But we are feeling much better. My neighbor blames the crazy weather we have had on the illnesses. He says if it wasn't for their trips to the doctors, they would have any fun (they are retired).

Six More Weeks of Winter!!!

Last Tuesday, the 29th, we saw very unusual weather. The day started with sunshine, then changed into cloudy rain, hail, more rain, sleet, and finally an inch of snow. Friday, the 1st, school was canceled due to poor road conditions. We got 9 inches of snow beginning around 4:00 p.m. thru 5:00 or 6:00 am. The wind was blowing and the state patrol was urging everyone to stay off the roads.

We spent the morning shoveling driveways. We shoveled ours and then we shovel our next door neighbor's. With 9 inches it was a tedious and exhausting job. Both boys helped us clear the neighbor's drive. I was sweating in my winter coat and returned to shed the coat for a sweatshirt. Sometimes I clear the sidewalk across the street that we take to get to church. Technically residents are responsible for the sidewalks in front of their house. Our neighbor across the street is older and when we aren't too worn out we try to get the sidewalk done. Luckily another neighbor with a snow blower cleared a path down the sidewalk.

The youngest son rested up and went Saturday to clear the drive of the man for whom he does yard work. This man had been out of town and was coming back Sat. evening.

We had clear roads and driveways until this evening when thunder, lightening, sleet, and snow arrived. This is our first thunder snow. It is a very strange sight to observe lightening as snow is falling. The whole sky has a blueish white glow. It's coloration reminds me of the way snow looks under the light of the moon.

For a moment the cable went out. Can you imagine how unhappy people here would be if the cable or electricity goes out during the Super Bowl? As long as there is cable I'm heading back to the game.

Car Wash Weather

Last Sunday the 27th, we had weather in the 50s. I wanted to get the van washed. It was covered with salt flakes and dirt from dirty snow. Everyone else in town had the same idea. Get a little warm weather and everyone is parked three or four cars deep at the car washes. I didn't have the time or patience to wait. I returned home and took matters into my own hands. Washing the van did become a little bit treacherous as the water on the concrete between the van and the car turned to ice. I did quite a bit of slipping and sliding as I tried to wash that side.