Life as a home owner

Well we've experienced the life of the homeowner's curse. Once one thing breaks down, it all goes! Last week it got cold enough to turn on the furnace only to find out that it was no longer working. It worked great earlier this year when we needed it, but suddenly it doesn't work now. The furnace was ancient, as old as the house is and we were lucky it even got a green sticker. Well when they came to check out what the problem was and see if it was possible to fix, they walked in, took a look at it and said "we're not even bothering to check, that thing needs to go!" So while I was at the ScrapGirls convention, we got a new furnace installed, which was half the size of the first one.

This morning we were eating breakfast while Beau was in the shower wen I suddenly heard really loud strange electrical noises and zapping coming from our pantry where the furnace, water heater, washer and dryer are located. I rushed in and smelled something burnt and ran to tell Beau that something blew in the pantry. He asked if I could tell what it was, and before I could even make it back to check he starts hollering and getting as close to swearing as the guy gets. He suddenly was getting spewed dark, sooting, nasty, black burnt water in his shower. It went in his mouth, up his nose and he was covered in it.... hmmm good guess that it was the water heater. He had to turn of his hot water and hollor while he froze in the ice cold water trying to rinse that nasty burnt stuff out of his hair, body and mouth.

Soon he came to check it out since we weren't quite sure what had happened. To be safe since the water heater seemed to be gone, he went to turn the gas line off to it, and while turning the valve touched the dryer at the same time, giving him a good electrical shock. What in the world? Well we had no idea what was going on. There is no electrical wires or anything running to the water heater, and yet I was positive that what I had heard was electricity. How do you get a zap from a water heater that is not hooked up to anything electrical.

Well we closed the door, to keep everyone out till we could get someone out to fix it. He started getting on his bike to take off when I heard it again, only this time it was worse. I glanced in to now see water spraying from the pipes leading to the water heather, and the smell of burned materials was even stronger now. He rushed in to see water spraying, and since the house is so old there is not a turn off valve for the water to the water heater, so he had to run outside and turn off the water to the house.

So today we got to find out why we've been storing emergency water... not for natural disasters of any kind or famine. It's for times like this when you have a house full of kids 5 and under and no water anywhere in the house. You need things to wash your hands with after changing diapers, you need something to flush the toilet with and something to drink. You have no way to wash any type of dishes and clean up any messes. It's been a rather exciting day. Luckily we are leaving town for the weekend and can have water at the motel and a shower which I'm really wanting about now.

In the process of trying to get this whole problem fixed, the people we're going through called up to let us know that when the man fixed the furnace he also got zapped by electricity. Since that happened, there is some electrical problem which requires fixing before they will replace the water heater. They can't work on it because it's a danger zone. Yeah no kidding. (We knew this old house would need rewiring at some point, because we can't even run the microwave and the toaster at the same time without flipping the breaker.) So tomorrow an electrician is coming out with the furnace man to see if they can figure out something with the electrical problem, so they can get us some water again and a new water heater.

Poor Beau got quite the shower, was late for class this morning between the exciting happenings, didn't do so hot on his test, found out his lab wasn't working like it should (which was due), and now BYU is loosing the football game. As he words it "The perfect end to a perfect day."

(Really despite how awful all this homeowner stuff sounds it has really been a HUGE blessing with perfect timing.)

Another Day

Growing Up
Isaac is growing up and wanting to do what we do. He especially wants to be like his dad. He follows him around copying everything that he does. Now that we have moved into the category of home owners, we are now also included in the part of home repairman. Since we've moved in Beau has been fixing little things, setting things up and has his little partner following him around, carrying tools and trying to help.

He is definitely like his dad in interests. If he can put it together, fix it, or plug it in he is all over it. If a ball is involved he wants in on the action, he is such a boy and so much different than my girls who are all over dressing up and changing outfits 5 times a day. He is a breath of fresh air.

You've Come a Long Way
Savannah finished her season of dance class, and we have pictures, stories and videos to show off later. She has come a long way this year on overcoming her shyness. She still has a long way to go, but I'm proud of her for her improvement, she did a great job there at the end.

I still can't find my cable to download all our recent picture from my camera! It's driving me nuts, since I want to become a little more active on this blog than I have the last little while. Plus soon Caitlyn (our newest one) will be joining us in a few weeks, and that camera needs to be emptied for all those great shots.

Today
Today we got our washer / dryer hooked up and working. After a year of a dryer that took 3 rounds to dry, my handyman husband ripped the whole thing apart today, cleaned out all the vents, and now has me a dryer that dries in one load! Happiest Day of my life. I got 3 - 55 gallon bins emptied and put away, slowly the unpacking will end. Mirian had a fever in the 100's all day, poor girl. All she could do was lay around, sleep and ask mom to just sit by her. Hopefully she'll having a better day tomorrow.

Savannah was with me in the kitchen emptying boxes, and cleaning. Isaac and Mirian were taking naps while dad was working. She proudly told me that we were having a "mother-daughter date" because everyone else was gone and it was just me and her. I agreed and also hope to take her out to do something a little more fun than unpacking boxes. Hopefully tomorrow will bring more empty boxes and a camera cable.

My Little Garden

We have this very tiny little flower bed in the front of our apartment. It's not big at all... maybe 3ft x 15 fit if we're lucky. But I decided that I would actually try to grow something in it this year. Last year we moved in too late to try anything. I also thought I would try growing some plants in some pots as well. So here's what it looked liked right after it was planted, the starts of some tomatoes and the rest of the bed.


Well 3 months later.. I am proud to say that I actually have a little garden full of beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, squash and flowers... It has been so fun to see it grow and be able to enjoy a small piece of nature in these little apartments. There's a satisfaction too in being able to harvest something straight from the little seed to the finished produce. Here's a current picture taken about a week ago of the tomatoes and some of the flowers, and then another picture of my favorite foliage in the garden. If I could pick one that screams the personality of Shalae.... these would be it! :)