UPDATE!!

Here is the LATEST update on our house.  

• Our basement bedroom window is in, secure, and workable!
• The window well has been installed and looks beautiful
• Our basement is completely framed- Lance's uncle came over for 2 mornings and threw up all of the walls that we need.  He has been such a help and resource for us. 
• Flue pipe hole has been CUT - so when we under went our first inspection the inspector told us our water heater vent pipe was illegal (b/c we moved it).  Apparently there is a law as to how long the pipe can travel horizontally to the water heater.  We moved the water heaters to make room for our stairs and in doing so went from legal to illegal.  SO we had to drill a hole through the 10 inch cement wall in order to be legal again.  Lance spent a few hours with a drill making that happen.
• Stair Banister (upstairs)- the main landing poles and the bottom trim is nailed/screwed in place.  Next is to stain and then install the little poles that people sometimes get their heads stuck in. 

 We had such a fun week in California for Nicole's graduation.  Although we didn't see much of Nicole at the beginning of the week it was fun for the family to go to Universal Studios and as a whole get nauseated at Six Flags the following day.  We ended up leaving Six Flags a few hours early and Lance and I (who took nausea medicine) PASSED OUT asleep for the rest of the night until the following morning. 

Lance and his twin Matt Damon

Taft College, Taft California

Pup Pup

On Cinco de Mayo we celebrated 1 year of having Ellie as our puppy.  Despite her nac for getting into any medications laying around and tearing apart toilet paper, she's been a pretty good puppy.

she crosses her paws when we pray.

 When I was a little girl, I used to try to get my dogs to lay like a person and have their body straight under the covers and their head poking out.  Every dog I've ever had would fight me on it and always curl up into a little ball by my feet.  Last week Ellie laid in between Lance and I like a little person for the first and only time.  I'm smirking cuz I thought it was AWESOME!

Ellie LOVES Spring/Summer.  Thank heavens for sunny days when she can lay out and not be all cooped up in the house. 

one step two step

Yesterday and today have been filled with saw dust.  Lance's uncle and his contractor friend came over to build me a set of stairs.  After literally 9 hours of working (so fast!!) our stairs are completely squeak free and ready to use.  Lance was giddy with joy last night when 8 of the 11 stairs were complete and now I'm sure he'll be extremely happy when he comes home and actually gets to WALK down them!!! 

the initial cut.

my very big hole.

finished stairs!!

ahhhhh!!! yay!!

Thank you Chet and Will for making us a stairs!!!! WE LOVE THEM!!

Hay Hay May.

I LOVE spring.  When Lance and I first moved to Holladay (well I moved here one year ago this month and Lance joined me in July) I knew nothing about the suburbs of Salt Lake.  I thought the area was nothing special, but as the days got warmer and the mountain got greener I realized how much I enjoyed living in the east side.  I don't mean to sound posh in anyway, but I love living where dozens of people cycle and run past my house motivating me to get out and be fit.  I love the sunsets that I'm able to watch because of the higher elevation, and I love the different, cute houses (and mansions) - each one unique and adorable. 

This week I have spent the last FOUR, yes I said FOUR days in a row out running with little Ellie and once we returned we rested in the grass under our big tree's shade.  I love 70 degree weather sun shining and Ellie obviously loves it too. 

after our run,  literally will NOT move.

GRRR--- to GRRREAAATTTT!!!!

Pictures speak a thousand words- Here they are.

The very day my dad left on the bus back to Las Vegas, I decided to finish drywalling my shower.  He told me before he left to take off some knob by turning it to the left, so I did just that.  NOT.  I definitely took off the valve and attempted to fix it but the results ended in photograph one.  In addition, water flooding down into the basement, a screaming phone call, quick drive to home depot and a withdrawal of $100, and 7 hours of fixing something that I broke.

I laugh at it now, but last Thursday I thought my DIY perfection had his bottom and renovation realities was coming true.  Eventually I fixed all the plumbing on our shower.  Thank heavens for my new learn sodering skills- they saved us!

Here is my bathroom TODAY: 98% complete.

shower tiled grouted and finished- DIY masterpiece