Fall "Time Out" for Family

With All that is going on in our lives it is important to take some moments to savor - so thanks to Bett and Loren we were able to head to Boyne Mountain for some R&R and fun, and to celebrate Clayton's Birthday.

Road Trip!...Yeah!

 The Colors were Peak!

 WE hit the Road with our wheels whenever it stopped raining...or we walked!

I did not get pictures of Clayton Mountain biking..as the camera did not go with him...he was back before the walkers...and did not get too lost!

Michelle - Noah - and Broden climbed the mountain...Judah encouraged Grandpa to take him too - but a few steps further and he wanted to be carried.  So he went back to the chariot and rode back to the Condo with Elizabeth and Nancy...as it started to rain again


Birthday Breakfast!

That is one big Pancake...He ate it all too!

 We had Birthday presents!

We picked apples on the way home

It was a great time for keeping life in balance

We Need new "win-der's" (windows)

I really did not plan to buy a project - but upon closer inspection - we deemed that some of the windows needed to be replaced.  ("We need new winders") is tag line from Jack's wholesale windows...be we did not go with them - we went with Menards and Jeld Wen - and Doug and Kens winder - insterlation.

For family and friends too distant to appreciate the work, I share it here with you

 Two down one to go in the primed master bed room

 Doug!    What!..Oh you"re taking a picture...I forgot to smile!

 can you find Ken in this picture

 Doug & Ken's motto  "If they do not fit - we make them fit!

Seriously - by the 1970's you would have thought a square window opening would have been the norm

We mean business!

 Oh please just let us sit here and read the ads and eat and watch you work!

Okay - we will strip wall paper!

We are enjoying the windows...they look so much better - even without the trim installed.  However

Our whole house is in disarray!

The office has mattresses and doors stacked against the wall

The spare bedroom has a box spring and other night stands in it

Our bedroom is just primed and no trim or furniture

the bath room is stripped of wall paper

The living room has widow trim with nails sticking out of it in front of our other dresser

The family room has a dresser  in it and flooring stacked to be put in the sun room.

Or course with new windows - no blinds are up - so if anyone is looking they can see us run from one end of the house to the other in all manner of dress or undress - looking for clothing and other accessories...and if we need to keep the lights out for obvious reasons - there is a good chance I will impale some portion of foot or toe on a nail from the wood work piled in front of the dresser as I search for socks or other things

But at least we are having fun

Judah's 2nd Birthday

With No one looking - Judah finds the licorice Grandma Nancy put on the package

 Even though he tasted the ends of all of it - he eventually shared his stash!

The gift from Adam and Sandra and Tahlia

 Ahhhh That looks cool

 It is so hard to open the card first - Broden was a great helper to help get things open

Judah says...Just sit on the gift - then Borden cant get to it!

 Olivia helps get to the boat!  Bath time will be great!

 ...And Wheels!

 And Trains

 Lots of them

 We can all play

 But this is my cupcake!

The only way to eat it....is face first!

Happy Birthday Judah!

The Boys

A few weeks ago - after Elizabeth was born - Nancy and I took Judah and Broden for a couple of days

As always the boys need to learn to bake something with Nancy

Broden is teaching Judah the fine art of pumpkin muffin mixin

No Problem for Judah!

The October Beach Report

For those of you not close enough to the beach - here is the report from Holland State Park

I remember talking to a park ranger one time...or him talking to me - saying the sand dunes are protected...you may not even get your car tire on them as it may cause damage to the dune...In fact when you camp here, you may not pitch your tent on the protected sand....so you have to pitch it on the pavement.....Now apparently the sand is endangering the cement of the pier so this dune is being moved.

So sooner or later even the DNR caves in to Pier pressure

This is the campground... totally vacant...I was sure Mark and Sally were here but I guess not

Elizabeth Lynn Bretschneider

Elizabeth Lynn Bretschneider came into this world 9-17-13 to Clayton and Michelle...and to us as well!

Nancy VS The Fireplaces!

We have not posted too many pictures of our remodel process because we have not done more than pull carpets and paint floors - Temporarily. Plus a lot of outside clean up.

We were also on hold with many forward moving projects due to furniture that does not fit or sit well - and the biggest challenge was

Color Consternation!  And then - what do you do with the dang fireplace color - Red bricks on one and brown bricks on the other! - and both visible to each other.  A little too much fireplace for the house - we admit...but we did not build it - so there ya are! 

One Fireplace cannot have a fire in it - as it does not have a clay flue liner...we will get a price on a gas insert for that one.  (That is actually a decision!) timing is another decision!

Since the brown one had massive chimney repair before we bought the house - if used it will probably house a real fire.

Nancy did her research - and found out that often - people that paint the bricks of wood burning fireplaces...are often surprised when the paint comes off  do the the heating of the bricks....

But Nancy persevered - researching and finding answers and below you can see her work

Fireplace One - in the Family Room 

The hilariously electric logs - real logs on an electric heater and blower unit

I am amazed it did not start on fire itself...wouldn't that be an ironic fire call.

 Paint it Nancy!

AHHH - Nice!

 Now What about this Brown Bertha - 

I almost expect Keebler Elves to bake cookies in it

Nancy found a trick online - called whitewashing - we looked at several pictures of it and liked the fact it does not hide the character of the brick - but it lightens up the color.   

We used the same paint color as we put on the paneling - but thinned it 1 part paint  3 parts water!

It was a sloppy job - but I was at work so no big deal!....I am sure I would have made it messier.  Good thing we pulled out the carpet before doing this!

 Here is the finished look...oops left the fan in the picture

Here is the overall look - with the new paint on the  paneled walls visible

Nancy did a fantastic job !