The Brick Patio

This is Marty; I'm making my first post. I promised a few people I would post pictures of my brick patio project. It’s been a ton of work…most of the work was done after dark. I could never seem to find a full Saturday to work on it. I should have taken more pictures, that way you could appreciate the improvement it is to our back yard.

I started by cutting the sod out and digging down about 7 inches, and hauling it to the other end of the yard in hopes to create a garden some day. That was quite the chore; I’m just not the “Iron Man” I used to be. This office job has softened me right up. I framed in exactly where I wanted the edges of the patio to be and then started wheel barrowing 2 cubic yards of limestone base from the front yard to the construction zone, followed by 1 yard of torpedo sand…for final leveling purposes. Here you can see the limestone base.

Then the fun part began- placing the bricks. This really was the fun part, because I could see the final product come together. Fun that is until the piecing began; I had many bricks to cut and fit together. I finally bought a circular saw and I also bought a masonry blade to cut the bricks. It worked quite well, but was hard to hold the bricks without cutting my arm off. Half way through the project we got a massive rainstorm, which washed some of my sand out from under the bricks and flooded my work area. That required some repair before I could begin again. You can see the standing water here.

Well it’s done. I guess I don’t have a final picture of it, but we can take one and post that later. The project really was fun. I liked having Celie help me out. She always wants to help. Every day when I would get home from work she wanted to know if we were going to go “work on the brick patio”. She would pick up the bricks from the pile on the covered porch and waddle over to where I was kneeling to hand me the next one. They are really heavy for her; she would grunt, but never complain about the weight. She is such a hard worker.

Our back yard is coming together. We want to create a place in the yard that will accommodate small gatherings. This patio will really help. We enjoy having friends over to let the kids play and grill a few hamburgers and hotdogs; it’s cheap entertainment.

Happy Birthday Jack!

Today was Jack's 1st birthday. We are planning a birthday party on Saturday with our neighbors and school friends. Jack is the sweetest little guy in the world. He likes to put his head on mine to show affection - isn't that sweet. Although, sometimes it leaves a mark. Ouch! He really likes to hit Celie's face. He giggles like a school girl when he does it and he gets plenty of chances because Celie won't move. She takes the beating and most of the time she likes it! My strange desert flower she is. Anyway,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK

We love you little buddy!

Some things I love about . . .

J!

I love that he lets me hold him like a little baby cradled in my arms after a fun, silly bath.

I love it when he laughs while I chase him (both of us crawling).

I love that when Daddy and sister are working in the back yard he "talks" to them loudly through the window. "Ya ya da daa" repeated several times.

I love the way he looks at me right before he decides to rip up my precious ensigns.

I love how he eats his breakfast all gone even if it was on the floor a few hours later. :)

I love how he crawls up the indoor slide and goes down on his belly.

I love how he sticks out his tung when he concentrates on a toy ('Hmm, I wonder if this whole thing could fit in my mouth')

I love how he wiggles his bum while I hold him; letting me know he has a full diaper.

I love that he plays with his sister and loves to watch her while she runs around screaming.

C!

I love how she sticks her lips out and wrinkles her brow when talking about being disobedient.

I love that she yells out the ballet steps she's learned as she runs around the house; not doing the step that matches the name.

I love it when she holds me when I am crying and pats my back and tells me it will be ok.

I love that she enjoys catching frogs and "taking care of them"

I love it when she learns a new skill and she says "I am a good girl!" in her surprising voice.

I love it when she reminds me that she is not pushing, taking toys from, or picking up J.

I love that she will always make sure we read scriptures and say family prayers every night.

I love that her favorite movie is "The Restoration"; "I want to watch Joseph Smith".

I love how she follows Daddy around telling him she wants to work, she can help, she will help him make the brick patio. Like a little puppy.

I love my children!

The Scary Cup

C woke up at 3:00 a.m. this morning crying and shaking. She had a bad dream and she didn't go back to sleep until 5:00 a.m. Only because I let her sleep in our room. Which I don't usually allow. She kept on saying that the cup was going to get her. I laid down in bed with her and her eyes were wide open and she was shaking! Poor thing. I don't know why a cup would be scary, but I think that with all the Halloween stuff going on she is picking up on being scared. She started to scream when we were in Wal-mart because there was a monster that lifted his own head off his body. I can't believe they are selling that stuff! Anyway I took a video of her telling what happed in her dream. I guess I am a bad mom, but I think it is so funny that a cup was going to get her.

Here is a picture of what the scary cup looked like:

General Confrence

Conference gave me a surge of energy and motivation this time. I loved the talk by Julie B Beck. It gave me confidence and reminded me of the importance of our jobs as stay-at-home-mothers. "that is influence, that is power" was her theme. Every mother should listen to this.

Also, the talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks helped me remember that my time and choices are so important. "Some choices are good, but some are better". I hope I always choose the better or the best!

And the message from our latter day Prophet, President Gordan B. Hinckley, is wonderful and uplifting. The bearing of his testimony on Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ reconfirms my own testimony. I feel the spirit strongly when I hear him speak. I know he is the true latter day prophet.

C's favorite movie is "The Restoration". She loves to watch Joseph's younger brother get stuck in the mud because she once got stuck herself. Her favorite part is where Joseph's prayer was answered in the grove and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visited him with an answer. She always asks me to sing along with the choir during that part. I am so glad she prefers this movie over Scamper the penguin! Thanks again mom ;/

Photo Gallery Questions

Does anyone know of a good way to make a photo gallery available to view by invited guests only? I want to have my family view my pictures and choose to take the ones they want instead of me sending the pics to them individually. I don't want the whole bloggosphere to see it though. I would appreciate any advice! thanks!