The Play Set

For a while now, I'd been scouting out some different play set kits to make one for the backyard. There were a lot to choose from, but each one had something about it I just didn't love. And not only that, but they were all really expensive. I started pricing out the materials compared to buying a kit and realized what I needed to do: take matters into my own hands! So what started out as a simple drawing, became my latest project! Logically, I brought Dad in to help me throw the thing together. And yes, of course we went to Home Depot!

Yeah, I'd say it turned out pretty awesome! Jeremy was super stoked for sure. Now he's got a steezy play set to play on as much as his little heart desires. What an awesome project!

The Marshmallow Squirter

Jeremy came to us one day saying he wanted to make a "marshmallow squirter" and we both just looked at each other wondering how we were going to handle this request... Well, Amber got on the computer and Google helped us find this:

Ok, cool. We knew what he wanted to make, now we just needed to find the parts to do it. Because we were out having Valentine's dinner, it was pretty late when we got home. We started getting the boys ready for bed and Jeremy remembered that we promised we would make the marshmallow squirter...

This is where Mom of the Year stepped in. Amber took him out to Home Depot at 8:30 p.m. while I got Ammon down to bed and she did it! Mad props to the guys at Home Depot, especially the one who chugged his Coke to test the bottle lid size. They totally found everything we needed.

Amber and Jeremy got home and we went to work. That little guy was so stoked! It turned out pretty steezy too...

Valentine's Day 2012

This year, Valentine's Day was really special. It wasn't for the gifts Amber and I got for each other, but because it was just great to be together as a family with our boys. Mom got us a gift card to The Cheesecake Factory (props to Mom because that place is AMAZING), so we went out on Monday night to celebrate. The meal was fantastic! Ammon was fussy, Jeremy was squirmy, my order came out wrong, we forgot Ammon's binky, but it was fantastic. We were together, we were a family. We did a little shopping after and then came home. I helped one of the Scouts with his Pinewood Derby car and Amber frantically ran to Home Depot to help Jeremy create a "Marshmallow Squirter" (post coming soon!). Yeah, that's our crazy life! But I love it.

By the time actual Valentine's Day day arrived, we were both really excited to give each other our gifts. We have the habit of buying things for each other early, teasing each other back and forth for weeks about what it is and how much the other will like it, and then when it finally comes time to give it... it's even better than expected (at least for me)! That's one thing I love about Amber, she always knows how to give me things I will absolutely love. And need. Like my new Utah Utes clock for my shop. It's perfect. For her, another time-themed gift: a new white watch that is SOOOOOO cute on her! (Seriously, she's adorable with it!)

Even Jeremy got into the V-Day spirit by making valentines for everyone. He designed them himself, cutting out the paper and gluing his cards together. He definitely made his mom and grandma proud! Amber helped him with the messages, writing exactly what he told her to. They were hilarious!

We had a great evening together just staying at home. We cleaned the house, played with the boys, and just enjoyed being together. That's what it's really all about, I think. I'm a pretty lucky guy, I'd say.

Kitchen Cabinets

I didn't know it until recently, but Amber really does not like our kitchen cabinets. They're okay looking, I suppose, but the real problem is the paint. It's old, it absorbs color, dirt, grime, and anything that isn't nailed down, and it's gummy. Seriously, I don't know what they used to paint these cabinets, but it's HORRIBLE.
So after we ripped off the deck, Amber shared her true feelings about the cabinets. We had a friend come over and price out how much it would be to replace the cabinets and he estimated it to be around $4,000... Yeah. That's about the time that we got creative.

One of Amber's clients had mentioned that they had redone their cabinets by adding trim to the doors. Since the cabinets were still structurally good, we decided refinishing them would be the way to go. We went to Home Depot, found a trim moulding that we liked, and spent 4 full days straight (minus Sunday) taking all the doors and drawers off, sanding, stripping, and refinishing the cabinet faces, and giving our kitchen a much-needed face lift. Most of my time was spent in the garage cutting trim and attaching it to the doors.

When it was all finished, we couldn't be more happy! For $150 we have redone our kitchen cabinets and they look new, fresh, and bright. It's amazing what a little paint, trim, and a TON of sanding can do. Great project!

Before:

After:

His First Tools

My dad is a genius. No, really. He is. When I was growing up, instead of just getting toys like most kids, my dad bought me tools for my birthday, Christmas, etc. I still got toys, don't get me wrong, but Dad was a man of foresight. Why just buy toys that will be grown out of, broken, or lost? Instead, he bought me something that I'd use the rest of my life. And better still, he didn't just buy me tools, he taught me how to use them!

Fast forward 15 years or so and I now have a garage/shop full of tools! To buy all of them at one time would be nearly impossible -- and expensive. But by buying a few at a time, over many years, I now have all the means necessary to provide for my family in a very special way. Dad always bought quality stuff too, the stuff that would last. And I'm so grateful for that example.

Now, the tradition continues with Jeremy. He already has plenty of toy tools he likes to play with, but we were at Home Depot the other night and he said he was ready to get "big boy" tools. He now has his own toolbox (that he can't wait to fill up!), a crescent wrench, and a couple of pairs of pliers. It isn't much, but it's a start. And he's only 3. But someday, his wife is going to be very pleasantly surprised, just like Amber was, the day she finds out she married a man who knows how to swing a hammer... and run a skill saw... and build her a home. Here's to you, Dad. I can't thank you enough.

The Teardrops Are Done!

A couple of years, countless trips to Home Depot, and a garage full of new tools later, the teardrops are finished! We finally finished Mom and Dad's trailer and we were able to have all 3 of us hook up our trailers and tow them around town. It was quite the sight to see 3 teardrops rolling through the neighborhood! What an awesome project this has been. It was a lot of work, but so worth it. Thanks to Dad, we had something to keep us occupied in the garage for a while, learned many new skills, and created 3 beautiful trailers. It's pretty cool that we've made different upgrades and improvements to the first trailer we built for Tim. And all 3, while similar, are as unique as we are to each other. And many special thanks to the girls for being patient with our noise, our mess, and our seclusion in the garage as we worked! I really hope we get the chance to do more in the future because it was so much fun. At the same time, it's nice to have a little break. Now it's time to enjoy them! Jackalope Bros., LEGIT!

Christmas Tree Hunting

Being December (at the time), we went out Christmas tree hunting. We heard there were some pretty cool things to see at the nursery across the freeway so that's where we started. While we didn't find a tree there, we did get to see some reindeer, take a hay ride, and see Santa Claus. Not sure that Jeremy liked the Santa part, but he loved the rest of it!



It's Dasher! ... Or it that Comet?



The approach...

And the fail.

Hay ride!

So after we were done at the nursery, we went over to the Home Depot. Not only a fabulous place to buy tools and "get your manliness on", but also a great place to buy Christmas trees! Amber found one she liked, we loaded it into the truck, and brought it home. We had a great time decorating it, especially Jeremy. Operation "Find a Tree": Success.