Christmas Presents 2013

My sister Pat is great for finding stuff on Pinterest and then having me make it.  This is one project that I just loved and I think the kids loved.  Brought some Scrabble boards and put the kids on the board by family, hooking everyone together.  I got pictures of all the ones I did except Jacob's and I will get that picture shortly.

 

 

 

Did one for each of the married kids and made frames to go around the boards. 

Other Thanksgiving Activities

We had a big crowd in Idaho for Thanksgiving and to do temple work.  Pat had lots of fun things planned.

 Thanksgiving Dinner was outstanding. 

Cousins got a chance to play and visit.

Bowling in Burley.

Yep, Duck Dynasty even made an appearance.  We did some skeet shooting on day with an awesome skeet thrower that loaded up like 60 clay pigeoons and threw the clay pigeons all over the place.  We even did the golf ball shoot  like on Duck Dynasty. 

Nothing like being with family for the Holidays!!!

Special Thanksgiving Weekend

I have been busy the last several months with family history and gathering names.  It has been a long slow process.  I have had a ton of names on my computer from family history, but it was with the old PAF computer program.  I upgraded to Ancestral Quest and have all those names uploaded.  Then the test of linking and sincing with the church family history files so I could get names cleared to do temple work began.  That was a huge process, but finally figured that out.

When I got all my names cleared that I had ready, I had over 90 names that needed baptisms and temple work done.  I had given some names to Myka to do at Manti when we went for the pagent and I gave my sister Pat some names when she took the girls to New York and they did baptisms at the Manhattan Temple.

I still had 65 names to get done.  So we planned to get together over Thanksgiving weekend in Idaho, gather up the kiddlings and do a mass temple day.

We did about 65 baptisms and confirmations and about 20 initiatories at the Twin Falls Temple.  The only picture I got at the temple that day was of Mike, Cristal and Myka, but it was an awesome day and we got lots of family names done.

The door install has begun!!!

 

This past Saturday, spent a good part of the afternoon working on the doors for the entertainment center.  It all went really good until I got to the bottom four doors on the left side of the entertainment center. 

 

 

 

I think I made these doors too big.  These doors are two pairs of doors for each case or cabinet and when I measured the openeing, then added inches for the overlay, I added too much.  I tried everything to get the doors to fit.  I even chiseled out some wood on the face frame to allow for the doors to be a bit bigger.  Went and bought new hinges with a smaller overlay for the face frame and that did not work.  I may just have to build four more doors.

I finally moved on to the three doors above the four bottom doors and those installed just fine.  So I got 9 of 15 doors done.  Still need to try the two doors above the TV to see if they fit.  If not, I will have to rebuild 6 doors.  Having doors on the entertainment center totally changes the appearance.

New Job in Utah County

Well, we got the job with Utah County.  I work in the Personnel Office and I am an HR Analyst.  My primary responsibility will be recruiting and testing for the Sheriff's Office.  I will have those same responsibilities with a few other divisions within Utah County, but the big time burner will be the Sheriff's Office.  Over 400 employees with the Sheriff's Office.

There are about 10 people in the office, only one male.  So far the other employee's have been very helpful and so willing to share their knowledge and experience.  It has been very good and I have learned alot.

The drive is not bad.  I leave at 7:00 in the morning and get to the office about 7:45.  I have been the first one here every morning since I started, so the 8:00 start time is a big relaxed.  Going home is another story.  Traffic is usually very heavy and always a few accidents and traffic jams.  It usually takes about an hour in the evening.  It is a huge difference in time if I leave right at 5:00 or even a few minutes early versus 5:10.  The traffic is very heavy going home.

I will have to add regular updates to the Provo Tabernacle Temple as construction continues.  It will be fun to watch.

Update on Provo Temple

Had a second interview with Utah County last week.  The same day as the TV and carpet guy coming to the house?

More iron work on top than when I was there a few weeks ago.  Two huge cranes helping with the iron work on top of the temple.  Should be beautiful when it's finished.

Carpet finally tacked down.

Last Saturday we put the TV in the entertainment center and then made appointments to get the TV, surround sound and satelite hooked up.  Also made appointment to have a carpet man come in and retack and restretch the carpet in the family room.

The technician came in on Tuesday morning to hook up all the electronics.  He could only do the satelite and tv in the morning and had to come back later to do the surround sound.

We had the carpet guy scheduled in the afternoon, but cancelled him until we could get the surround sound hooked up because we had to pull up more carpet to run the wires.

Tuesday afternoon the tv technician came back and spent several hours hooking everything up.  Sure sounds good.

The carpet guy was rescheduled for Thursday.  He showed up and was not impressed with where the tv guy ran the wires.  He left alot of the wires right at the base of the EC and no place to put new tack strips.

He recommended we removed the base moulding, cut it down a bit to create a channel for the wires and reattach the base moulding.

Friday I took all the base moulding off, cut it down and tried to reapply it.  It never goes back on the way you want it to, so I made all new base mouldng and reattched it.

Carpet guys returned Saturday afternoon and reattached the carpet.  Stretched it in places and what a difference it makes to the room.  We cleaned and arranged furniture in the family room and I think the new TV is a keeper!!

The only thing left now is the doors.  Lots of doors.  15 of them.

Decided to do a bead on the outside of the doors, with mitred corners and a flat panel in the door.  This is what the bead looks like on the door.

Shelves at Mike's house

Last week spent some time with my sister Pat in Tooele at her son Mike's house.  We put some shelves in the laundry room.  Should have taken pictures before we started.

There was one and a half shelves in the laundry room and total confusion.  We tore out the old shelves, patched the walls, painted three of the walls and installed some nice, new shelves that can be adjusted and organized and make better use of the space.

We hung a coat rack for the kids coats so they can hang them up when they come in. 

The big test!! Does the TV fit in the case??

Whenever I build something, I have some anxiety that if something has to fit in it or does it have to fit into something, will it fit?

A few years ago, I made Cliff a bed for a big California King Mattress he just bought.  Near the end of the project, I could not sleep one night and tossed and turned that the bed, which was almost finished, was too small for the mattress.  I should have gotten up and looked at my measurements, but I did not.  I tossed and turned all night.

Well on Saturday, we decided to break out the 70 inch TV and put it in the case on the entertainment center.

Happy to say the TV fit in the case.  Woo hoo!!  Started working on the doors last Friday.  I figure I have about 15 doors to make.  Not too bad. 

BYU vs Wisconsin

My sister Jan got tickets for the BYU vs /Wisconsin game in Madison, Wisconsin.  Since I already had an airline ticket from a cancelled trip after Scott had his heart attack, I decided to go.  Left on Wednesday, November 6th and returned Monday, November 11th.

The atmosphere in the stadium was unbelievable.  81,000 fans and all very active and involved in the game.  The band was constantly doing something and the student section was very entertaining.

The BYU play calling was another story.  Very disappointing.  Seemed like every time they ran two plays right up the middle for no gain and then the quarterback got sacked trying to pass.  That happened so many times.

Our seats were in the north west corner of the stadium, close to the student section, but not in the student section.

  We met Jan's friends at a restaurant close to the stadium and visited with them for a while before the game.  Got our picture taken with Bucky the Badger too.

Had a great visit in Illinois with my sister!!  Love the sister time!!

Four more drawers in Entertainment Center

Got the four drawers for the left side of entertainment center finished and installed last week.  These cabinets will hold toys the grandchildren use when they come to visit.  The cases will have doors to hide all the treasures.

Also got the baseboards installed and a coat of oil on the baseboards.

Job interviews

Well, after doing about 32 job applications, I had two job interviews last week.

The first one was at Woodcraft.  That is kind of dangerous because I buy alot of tools and stuff at Woodcraft, but they were hiring, so I submitted an application.

It was a bit of a shock.  Only part time was available and the going rate was $8 an hour.  Not at all what I expected.

Then on Wednesday, I had an interview with Utah County Personnel Office as an HR Analyst.  That interview went very well.  They were going to narrow the field down and call people back in for a second interview.

While in Provo, I saw them lowering the center pillar or steeple on the Provo Tabernacle Temple.  Way cool!!

Two coats of oil on Entertainment Center

Been busy working on the Entertainment Center.  Have two coats of oil on it.  It has darkened up quite a bit from the raw wood.  It is looking good.

Have the four drawers built for the left side, bottom cases.  Those drawers are to hold toys for the grandkids. 

My electrician Roger was here on Saturday and finished the last two outlets for the entertainment center.  We had to move a light switch for the patio, which would have been behind the cases to hold the DVD's.  We moved that through the EC and put it on the wall of the entertainment center as you go out the sliding glass door.

The other outlet would have been right behind the opened corner shelves, but the last time Roger was here, we pulled the wire to the ceiling and when I cut a spot for them in the back of the top opened case for an outlet for the spot lights in the top four opened cases. 

Roger put the outlet in for the spot lights and the switch back on for the patio light.

I have the shelves built and the face frames on those.  They are getting oil on them out in the shop.  Saturday I made my own base boards and started working on the base boards.  One of the mills wanted $3.95 a foot for baseboard trim.  That was a bit much, so I made my own.

Idaho Falls weekend

We went to Idaho Falls for the Primary Program and caught a bunch of other stuff while there.  It was a busy weekend.

Thursday night, Myka had a choir concert with school. 

Myka with Natalie and Ashley - her partners in crime.  All beautiful young women and so talents!!

Mike had started to build a coat closet in the garage, but had not finished it yet.  I did some minor adjusting, closed it in and put a curtain on the door to keep the dust down.

It added a ton of storage for coats and back packs in the garage.

Then we did shelves in Myka's room to put her collection of stuffed anaimals up and off the floor.  Those turned out really good without covering her penguins.

The three younger kids have been taking Tae Kwon Do classes and have loved it.  We went to one of their classes.

                                                 Kyra doing the Tae Kwon Do stuff.

                                                                           Kenyon

                                                                               Myles

Ken also had a Scout Court of Honor.  He got his Tenderfoot Rank.  Ken loves scouting and is ready to do all the camps and hikes and everything that goes with Scouting.

It was also the Chili Cook Off Ward dinner and Trunk or Treating for Halloween.  It was a fun and busy weekend with the Idaho Falls grandkids.

Vernal to build shelves

Jacob and Becca moved in to their new house in Vernal and we went over to their place on Conference Weekend to build some shelves.  Did some shelves in the garage and hung bikes and kids toys up on the wall so cars can be parked in garage.  We also brought the snow blower over to their house.  They will need it.  Becca's parents gave them the snow blower when they moved to Virginia.

We also did a closet organizer in the  Master Bedroom closet.

 

Jacob and Becca's home is beautiful and it will be so nice for them to have some space and to allow the kids to play outside.

 

 

 

Family pictures.  I "borrowed" a family picture from Jacob and Becca's blog.  They recently had family pictures done and they are beautiful.  Davis is about 15 minutes and Bailey is about 3 years old.  Beautiful, beautiful family.  We had fun playing and working together This weekend.

Face frames are on, ready to start the oil

Well, not going to work these days means I spend alot of time in the shop, which is not all bad.

Got all the face frames on the cases and filling in all the nail holes, screw holes, and trying to make it smooth and pretty. 

Have shelves in all the cases that will get shelves and put the drawers in yesterday to see how it all looks.

The face frame on the cabinet where the drawers go was too wide, so the top drawer would not go in.  After a little attitude adjustment and changing the size of that face frame, all the drawers are installed and sliding good

Still need to do drawers for the bottom two left cabinets that will hold toys.  Those drawers will be really short, with out much in the way of sides.  Bought some more poplar for that today, so should be able to start on those soon.

The top three shelves on the left side, plus the end cabinet will all be opened, with no doors.  Have some small hockey puck sized lights to shine on the objects being displayed.  Don't want to put the lights in until the oil and on and the cabinets are "finished".  Drilled the holes and ran string where the wiring will go once the finish is on.

That was quite the adventure.  The outlet box and transformer will go in the top, left cabinet.  I drilled a hole through the top of the EC and thought I would put a nut on a string and push it through the hole.  I planned to use one of those long handles, with grippers to grab the nut and pull it to the hole in the top of each cabinet.

I put the long handle back to snag the nug and I heard "click".  The long handle had a magnet on the end, that I did not realize.  It snagged the nut and I could move it where ever I wanted to.  Made the job quite easy.

Picked up the custom made glass shelves today from the glass shop.  Those look really good.  The edges are beveled and the glass looks sharp.