It looks like a Building

This past week Adam and I took a quick trip to Las Vegas, but not for a vacation or getaway, but to get our fingerprinting done and turn in our Nevada roofing license application. It was a there and back sort of thing. Phyllis was very kind to watch the kids for us as we knew they would not enjoy the trip one bit. On Friday Adam paid his workers to clean out and organize the shop. Heidi had come out to do some riding lessons for some girls and so Tyson and Addy hopped on for a return ride. I think was still taking a nap during all of this which he would be very upset to have missed it. After taking the pictures of the kids on Di, I came in the house and Susie asked me if I had seen Addy while I was out there. She did not know that Addy had found herself wedged in between the kids on a horse ride. On Saturday we spent the day once again working on the meat shop (The project that seems like it will never end :). Today was quite the day for progress on the project. We sheeted the walls and then continued on in placing the trusses. It was a team effort by Daniel, Ben, Adam, Mark, Zac, Susie, and myself as the wind started to pick up during that part. It really looks like a building now.

Loading Hay

This last week on Monday evening we unloaded the metal break that we hauled all the way from Oregon. I worked on sweeping and cleaning up the shop so that Adam could some how maneuver the piece of equipment into its designated spot, which there is not much option for. It was tricky to get it in through the shop door, but we were successful. On Saturday evening I watched my neighbor's boy while her and the rest of her family went to her graduation. We went out to the flat and helped in loading the bales of hay out of the field. I drove the truck while Josh and Jarom rolled the bales into a line so that it was easier for Ben and Daniel to load the bales on either side of the trailer to Adam and Jared who were stacking on the trailer. Tia kept an eye on Lincoln and Tate in the back of the truck and Tyson hung out on the trailer. I tried to snap some pictures of our load afterwards but it was too dark. On our second trip out to the field I made Tia drive since she had never done it before (neither had I), and we both had a great experience. It was funny because Tate was being such a busy body that while the guys were unloading the first load, Ben put Tate on these big bales that Wynn had there and he was stuck and couldn't go anywhere. We thought it was pretty funny.

Meat Shop Progress

This past week we went to the flat to help grind the meat and make hamburger from the cow they killed last week. It took all of the afternoon and evening to grind and package it all. Wynn and Phyllis gave us some to take home which was nice to build our meat supply up a little more, since we had a little left that my brother-in-law had given us. Thursday and Friday Adam was sick at home in bed. I worked all week to get my house ready for the pest control guy to come on Friday. It’s interesting how it takes me so long to get my house ready for him to come and then he comes and is in and out in 15 minutes and then it almost takes me another week to get my house back together. I always have a greater feeling of security from pests after it is all over. On Saturday we worked all day on the meat shop continuing to frame up the sides of the shop. The picture is proof of the status of it. Mark and Adam were there the whole time with a few family members showing up towards the end to install the west wall and finish up a few things. After that tiring task Adam and I headed over to St. George to attend a reception of the daughter of one of the architects that he does work for. It was nice to go do something with just the two of us even if it was to a reception that we only knew the father of the bride. Take what you can get.

Testing and Traveling

Monday and Tuesday Adam tested for his Arizona license for roofing and passed both the Trade and Business and Law, so we are happy about that. He put a lot of studying time in so it is well deserved. The little boys and I stayed with Sara Ann. On Tuesday we went and visited Adam’s sister Sara and saw their new home and then we met Adam over at his sister Monica’s house where we visited for a short time, saw her new little boy Joseph, and then headed home from there. The boys slept almost the whole way home which made the trip nice. We always like coming home to our own place. Adam took my 4-Runner and traveled to Dayton Nevada around 1 a.m. on Thursday and didn’t get home until around 4 a.m. on Friday and he tried to make it a one day trip too. He was trying to finish up some minor stuff on the Maverik roof there so the warranty could be issued, however the inspector was a little picky on everything so it made the day long. While Adam was gone I attempted to take my boys to the Scout Blue and Gold Banquet, which is always a challenge to take them anywhere public by myself. Friday evening we all went to one of the Hurricane Stake Centers to support a scout that was trying to raise money to go on a scouting trip by selling Navajo tacos for dinner. Stuart and Heidi invited us to go and since I didn’t feel up to preparing dinner and was trying to stay away while Adam got some office work done then it was appealing. After great strain of trying to decide to make a quick one day trip to San Diego and back for a friend’s wedding, we decided that it just wouldn’t work out. I was so exhausted from traveling earlier in the week that I just couldn’t bring myself to want to go because of that. I felt better once we decided to stay and we spent our Saturday helping to pour concrete for the Meat Shop. Yes, that part is finally done. It was a chilly day and Wynn and Phyllis were out of town so we all stayed outside the whole time since the house wasn't any warmer and it just isn't the same without them being there. About mid morning Mark said, "If my mom was here I know she would have food for us, but she's not so what should we order for lunch?" I volunteered to go try and find something to make, but admitted to not really wanting to since the house was cold. He headed to Albertos for mid morning food and then I went again in the afternoon. Tyson doesn’t quite grasp the concept what this shop is going to be for as he kept asking about moving the pigs onto the concrete slab. One of the twins came up to me and said, “MaRae, if we move the pigs there then what are we going to do with all the kids?” Apparently she was worried where all the little kids should go in the process of moving the pigs. I guess they will catch on to the real reason for the building soon enough. How many people does it take to watch the cement set up? Good question! Adam tried to work on his other truck while waiting for the concrete to set up some more and I snapped this picture of all three of my boys. It was a cute setting with them all in their element with the boys helping their dad or at least think they were.

Boots, Cows, and Haircuts

This past week I set a goal that was a little less demanding, so the fridge received some cleaning care on Friday. I could see that the week was coming to a close and made myself stay home and get it done and I'm glad I did. Adam and I went to the temple Saturday morning and had Kylie stay the night Friday so she could watch the kids while we were gone. On the way home from the temple I saw a closing sale of a long time St. George western wear place and had Adam drop me off there while he had to go retrieve some materials for a job. He met me in the store later when he was done and we picked out some boots for him, the boys, and myself. While getting loaded to head out to the flat for the rest of the day/evening I had Adam take a laundry basket full of food for the pigs. He asked me if I was moving out to the flat and I told him, "Where do you think all the space in the fridge came from?" I'm glad we have pigs to throw our old rotten food to. I feel like we are being frugal somehow.

Since more time is being spent with the cows at the farm then the increase need for boots for the boys has become more and more apparent as each time we come home from there they have their tennis shoes stiff, wet, and covered in maneur. I am tired of trying to clean them and have them decent for when we go somewhere other than by the cows and other animals. Since the pricing on these boots were great then I bought 3 pairs for Tyson (for different sizes down the road), 1 for Lincoln, 1 for Adam, and 1 for myself. It looks like I'll be taking the smallest of Tyson's pairs and exchanging it for a smaller pair for Lincoln as the ones he ended up with seem a little big and he walks around like a Ronald McDonald look alike (just the shoes :) By the end of the day Adam was very happy with us stopping to get the boots earlier, especially his, since he walked around in maneur, muck, water, and whatever else the rest of the afternoon/evening working on the corrals. Tyson stayed outside with his dad the whole day and didn't come in once to complain that his feet were wet and cold and it was easy for him to take the boots off when he did. One very noteable story is that last night after all the corral work was done and Wynn, Stuart, Adam and Josh were talking about their cows before they called it a day, Tyson yelled to them and said, "Hey, go close that gate!" They looked back and sure enough they had left the gate open. Wynn told us later that Tyson had saved him and Jared a lot of work during the night as he could just see all the cows getting out and wandering around and them having to round them up. Good Job Tyson! He gets the paying attention to detail from me obviously :) After Phyllis fed us dinner (yummy homemade rolls and cinnamon rolls included), Adam had to head back over to St. George to remove our dump trailer from the driveway of a job, so I tried my hand at giving both the boys haircuts and baths so that when he came back to pick us up the boys would be ready for bed. I gave Adam a haircut after we got home, so here's the pictures I couldn't resist taking this morning.