Project: New Carpet

Greg and I have been talking about getting new carpet for years, literally years.  When we moved into our home, we didn't have a lot of money for upgrades, so we went with the carpet budget we had and promised ourselves we would replace the low quality carpet in five years.  Umm...that was 14 years ago.  There was always a reason not to - no money at the time, too overwhelming to pick out carpet or move all the furniture.  Finally, it was time.
We looked at lot of little, tiny carpet samples and made the best decision we could from a 2-inch square piece of carpet.  I thought that was going to be the hard part.  No!  It's like moving to put in new carpet!  Lucky for us we have incredible neighbors who help us move the upstairs into the garage and then move it back when we were done.  Really incredible neighbors!  Thank you so much!
Once everything was moved, we decided to rip up some carpet and paint the baseboards and door moldings in the hall and family room.  They were so beat up from 14 years of kids.  Greg wanted to spray them, so that required a lot of taping (the baseboards and door moldings are a different color than the walls).  It took us four hours to tape everything off and six minutes to spray them.  Yup.  They look really great though.

Time for carpet.  Our installer was great and he worked quickly.  I hadn't anticipated what problems we would have with Coal.  She really liked our installer and wanted to play, so we had to attach her leash to the kitchen table and keep her in the kitchen for two-and-a-half days.  It was torture for all of us.
We had carpet installed first in the baby's room and the family room.  We moved our bed into the baby's room and slept in there for two days.  Kate spent the night in the family room.  That was an adventure.  Obviously, she didn't sleep well, but during the day, Coal had no problem making herself comfortable in Kate's bed.  Kate usually didn't like it, but a few times I caught them playing and reading books together. And, I did wash all her bedding on the sanitize cycle after that.

 We all thought it was quite funny though when Kate stomped off to pout in her bed (which happens about 8 millions times a day) and she only had to go a few steps to sit disgruntled in her bed and stare at us with a crusty face while we all tried not the laugh at her.  It doesn't quite have the same impact.  Luckily that only lasted one day before we moved her back into her room.
It took me all afternoon to shop vac up all the carpet pieces left over from the installation.  Once that was done, it looked so nice!  And like I said before, we have terrific neighbors who helped up move everything back in and re-assemble the furniture that had to be taken apart.
After enjoying our new carpet for about one day, we (okay, mostly me) decided that it would be so nice to have freshly painted doors to go with our new door moldings and new carpet.  I truly have the most incredible husband in the world.  When I brought it up, he stared at me for a second, took a deep breath and agreed to do it.  When our neighbor saw Greg painting the doors in the driveway she looked at me and said, "You know you are spoiled, right?"  I know, Greg is so, so, so good to me!

And, once you have new carpet, doors, molding and baseboards, you need new heater vent covers and door knobs (we still had brass knobs).  What a guy!  Greg has been replacing door knobs a few a night for the last week.  I promised him that we would be done after that.  Everything looks so nice and we are so happy with how everything turned out.
Old carpet:

New Carpet:

Master Bedroom Remodel

So, this project has been done for awhile (about 6 months), but I am now only getting around to blogging about it.  I realized I hadn't taken any pictures of our room before we redecorated and I wanted to snap and record some pictures of the after, just so we can remember.
Our master bedroom before was quite girly, lots of flowers, pastels.  Greg was patient with it, but I knew it wasn't his thing.  When we decided to redo it, I committed to more of a modern, minimal look, which is Greg's style.  We worked together to pick colors and styles.  I did most of the decorating and Greg did the building and painting. 
Greg built our bed and desk, and painted the walls, dresser and nightstands.  It was a big project for him.  He did such a great job and we are both so happy with how things turned out.  Next project:  the master bathroom.

 

 

 

Waiting

Life sometimes seems like a waiting game - you know, hurry up and wait.  Some things I am waiting for:

1.  to meet this baby.
2.  for Gavin to grow into his size 13.5 feet.
3.  for Coal to grow into her ears.
4.  for Kate to grow enough to get rid of her five-point harness car seat and use a booster seat.
5.  for Enoch to stop squealing.
6.  for Enoch to stop running away.
7. for Enoch to stop being so mischievous (I may be waiting a lot time for this one).
8.  for my house to be clean (again, a long time).
9.  for Gavin to get his driver's license (who knew I would be looking forward to this day, but Gavin driving himself to early morning band practice sounds heavenly right now).
10.  for my parents to get home from their mission (I am so thankful they are serving and we count our mission blessings in our family, but I do miss them).
11.  for my front yard to look somewhat decent.
12.  for my kids to stop whining about dinner.
13.  for Greg and I to go on an extended vacation (maybe for our 20 year anniversary - in three years).
14.  for my favorite jeans to fit again (I'm talking pre-Kate; maybe I should just get rid of them - they are taunting me from the closet).
15.  for life not to pass me by while I am waiting!

Isn't it great that life teaches us patience!

Scattered Thoughts on Gavin

1.  Greg and Gavin go to the temple the third Wednesday of every month and do baptisms for the dead.  They really enjoy this time together.  While things are a bit crazy at home, I'm glad they made this commitment and am happy to support them.  The last time they went, Gavin came home and told him he was baptized for a man with the best name ever, hands down.  The name?  Increase Billings.
2.  Gavin passed the Sacrament for the last time today as a Deacon.  Technically, it wasn't his turn to pass (they alternate weeks with the 2nd Deacons Quorum in our ward), but he did it for me.  I told him I was getting teary last week when I realized it was his last time, so he did it again for me!  I'm so grateful Gavin takes his Priesthood responsibilities seriously.  He is so respectful when passing the Sacrament and always makes sure his white shirt is pressed and his hair is combed.  He is very reverent.
He is also leaving his Scout troop.  He has served as the Senior Patrol Leader for the past year (he was voted in twice by his fellow Scouts) and has thoroughly enjoyed it.  He will miss Brother Besaw, the Scoutmaster, and all his friends, but is excited to become a Teacher.
3.  It is so rewarding as a parent to hear nice things about your child.  I received an email this week from Mr. Shelley, Gavin's science teacher (Gavin also TAs for Mr. Shelley).  It said:

Mr. and Mrs. Fowler,
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Gavin this year. He has been enormously helpful in working as my TA and I am glad to have someone I can trust completely in the stock room. Gavin even comes in to help out after school on Wednesdays as he waits for his music lessons. Gavin works very well with other students and is always cheerful and willing to help out. Thank you for your support of Gavin at Lehi Jr. I look forward to working with him for the rest of the year!
Mr. Shelley
Gavin's science teacher

Gavin, you are awesome!  Thanks for being so amazing!

Coal's New Room

When we brought Coal home, we knew we wanted to crate-train her.  In order to do that, we needed a crate.  We picked one up at Petsmart that said it was the size for a full grown Australian Shepherd.  It was plastic and ugly, but it was a crate. 
We put it in our bay window - and I hated it.  It was so big and bulky and in the way.  It became an extra shelf for the kitchen and constantly had things stacked on top of it.  I couldn't imagine it being there for the next 15 years. Sooo - Greg built her a new one (isn't he wonderful!).

We were able to return her old crate to Petsmart because of their amazing return policy.  I love the way her new crate looks.   It is out-of-the-way and blends in with the kitchen.  Perfect.  I think Greg did a great job on it.  It is quite handy, with a pillow bed for Coal and some shelves for her food, toys, towels, misc things.
And even though Gavin calls it her cage, Greg designed it so hopefully, one day, when she doesn't need to be locked in at night or for time-outs, we can take the front off and make it more of a hide-away instead of a room (cage).

The Joys of Being Pregnant

While sitting awake this morning at 3am, I was trying to think of good things about being pregnant - it's getting harder these days.  I am 3 1/2 weeks away from my due date and am trying to stay positive (although Greg might think differently).  Here's my sleep-deprived list of the joys of being pregnant:

1.  My hair is thick and curly.  I normally have baby fine hair, so when I am pregnant, I really enjoy my hair.  I try not to think about the handfuls of hair I lose after the baby is born.
2.  My skin is really clear.  With Kate it wasn't, but when the baby is a boy, my skin looks great.  Again, I try  not to think about how it looks after the baby is born (think teenage boy).
3.  My behind looks small, but only because it's competing with my huge belly.
4.  I don't gain weight.  I know this is unusual, but for me, I really don't gain weight.  I'm up 2 lbs this pregnancy so far.  I'm not sure why, but I think it has something to do with my hormones finally doing what they should when I'm expecting and the rest of the time they are completely out of control.  Don't hate me too much, I gain all my weight after the baby is born!
5.  I don't have to shave my legs as often, which is great when you get horrible razor burn every time you shave.
6.  My family is wonderful.  Greg and Gavin are extra helpful.  Gavin asks almost every night, "Mom, what can I do for you so you can go to bed?"  Greg just does what needs to be done - dishes, laundry, the kids bedtime routine, etc.  They are incredible.  Enoch and Kate love to feel the baby move and help where they can.

I try not to complain too much because I know being pregnant is worth it.  However, I am starting to count down the days, hoping that I don't go over my due date and having funny dreams about labor.  I'm getting excited and nervous about this new little guy and am hoping that everything goes well.  And then, the real fun begins.

Outside Water Bed

Our Spring Break was very quiet.  We did a few fun things, but for the most part we played with friends, played with each other and hung out.  We visited Grandma and Grandpa Jordan and went to the park with them and....we made an outdoor water bed.
My friend, Carrie, found this idea and emailed it to me.  It looked like so much fun.  I picked up the supplies at Home Depot and Gavin helped us put it together by duct taping plastic sheeting together.  We filled it with water and we were ready.

The kids really had a good time with it.  It was squishy, cool, refreshing, wiggly and something different than we had done before.  Enoch said it was like laying on Jello.  Plus, it held up better than I thought it would.  They laid on it, rolled on it, jumped on it, had a great time and we only had a few minor leaks.  Even Coal ran across it a few times and, amazingly, no holes.

The kids had a wonderful time.  And the best part is we only used half of the plastic sheeting, so we can make another water bed later this summer!

Grandpa's Dream

While at our weekly Sunday visit with Grandma and Grandpa Fowler, Grandpa Dee told us he had a dream about Enoch the night before.  It went something like this:
Enoch and Grandpa Dee were visiting an amusement park in Lehi.  It was still under construction and so they snuck onto the property at night.  Enoch found a ride where you sit in a big cage and push different buttons to program how the ride moves and how fast it moves.  Enoch just started pushing all the buttons and the ride went berserk.  Grandpa Dee was on the ground trying to figure out how to get Enoch out.  He finally found the control panel and started pushing buttons and pulling out wires hoping to get the ride to stop.  He realized that he needed to pull on the buttons, rather than pushing them.  The ride came to a stop, Enoch got out, and they hustled out of the park before someone could discover them or their little adventure.
I laughed so hard and then rolled my eyes at this dream.  The funniest part is - both of them would totally do this - it's not really that far-fetched of a dream.  Really, they would do this and not think twice about it.  Out of all his relatives (including his parents), Enoch is most like his Grandpa Dee.  They both are intelligent, curious, inventive, believe they can truly do or fix anything and have no problem bending or stretching the rules to get what they want.  They are two peas in a pod.  I wish I knew Dee when he was seven - maybe, in a way, I do.
As scary and frustrating as Enoch can be sometimes, I couldn't wish for a better genes for Enoch.  Grandpa Dee is one of the most amazing people I know.  He is so kind, accepting, loyal.  He serves his family constantly.  The only thing he puts before his family is Christ.  I feel blessed to be a part of his family and lucky to have a child who takes after him.

Easter Sunday

After doing all our 'fun' Easter things on Saturday, our Easter Sunday was quiet, peaceful and so nice.  Church was wonderful, the kids were great (except Enoch, who can't hold his sugar very well) and it was great to think of our Savior and his Atonement.
We had a nice lunch of ham, potatoes, fruit, rolls and peas.  Uncle Jarom came over and it was good to visit with him.
We weren't able to do pictures before church because Gavin gets to the church at 8:15 am to set up chairs and the other kids weren't ready by then.  We waited until after church (and Gavin doing fast offerings) to take pictures.  The kids were a bit ornery by then, so the picture didn't turn out great (think pouty Kate and Enoch refusing to wear a tie).  But, they did look cute for church.

Gavin is now only a few inches shorter than his dad.  Greg teases Gavin that his hair is going to take out one of his eyes.

Don't you love those seven-year-old smiles?

I made Kate's dress from a great Oliver + S pattern (sorry, Aunt Kaye, I really will put it in the mail soon).  It turned out too short, so I added some lace trim to the bottom.  And for someone who hates buttonholes, the back of this dress was a labor of love.

Kate decided she was done with pictures, but I love these candid shots of my boys.

 

Easter Saturday

Our Easter Saturday was great.  The weather cooperated, the egg hunts were filled with candy, we spent time with family and enjoyed the fun spring day.
Our weekend started bright and early on Saturday morning.  Our ward hosted a Sunrise Easter Devotional that started at 6:30am.  We arrived, ate a yummy breakfast and listened to a short message from the bishop as the sun came up.  I was a bit hesitant about the early time, because I didn't want the kids cranky for the rest of the day, but I'm so glad we went.  It was the perfect way to start our Easter celebration.
We came home, and guess what?  The Easter Bunny had visited our house!  The kids were very excited to see what was in their baskets.

 Gavin's basket was quite empty - some candy and money.  He asked the Easter Bunny for some money to buy a book for his Nook and also some to put toward Jamboree.
Enoch had a book, The Complete Encyclopedia Brown series, some candy and a metal detector.  He immediately opened his detector and started looking for things.  The wood floor kept beeping and he couldn't figure it out until he realized there are screws in the floor.

 Kate also received a book, The Big Red Book of Beginner Books by Dr. Suess, (we have the blue and green books in this series and the kids love them), some candy and a game/puzzle called Castle Logix.  She has had a lot of fun with it and everyone else has too.
Coal had some of her favorite doggie treats in her basket along with a bunny chew toy and a teething bone.

 On to the next party.  The Easter party at Uncle Bud's ranch is a time-honored tradition.  It has happened for at least 40 years (Greg can't ever remember not going to it), rain, shine, snow, wind - doesn't matter, it still takes place.  The weather was so nice this year - sunny and dry.  We've been there some years in snow or mud, and while still fun, it is so much more enjoyable when the weather is nice.
We roasted hot dogs, visited with family and played around the ranch.  Enoch loves exploring all the buildings (Uncle Bud has about ten old pioneer houses he has collected and put around the ranch) and playing on the hay and wood piles (we escaped with no slivers this year - amazing!).

Aside from exploring, they also have other fun activities - coloring eggs and horseback riding.  Kate was more excited to ride the horses than hunt for eggs.  Gavin isn't so much into horses, but Greg, Enoch and Kate love riding Sunny.

The egg hunt at the ranch is crazy - hundreds of eggs to find.  There is no limit, but everyone is so kind afterward to make sure the distribution is about equal.  Kate and Enoch had a great time and found a bunch of eggs.  Gavin is too old to hunt, but he did wait until the hunt was over and then found a few random eggs left.

 

We had a wonderful time at the ranch and are so glad we have this tradition every year.  However, our day wasn't over yet - on to the next party.

We went home and showered (we smelled like smoke), cleaned up a bit and got ready for the Randall party.  Dave, Michelle and Marcus came a few minutes early and Michelle and I went shopping for fabric.  Michelle is making the baby a car seat cover and it was fun to pick out some fabric.  When we got home, everyone was there and ready to start the party.

We ate pizza for dinner, although the kids were more than ready to start the Easter egg hunt.  Aunt Valerie entertained the kids in the front yard while the men hid the eggs in the back.  They did a great job - some easy, some hard.  

 

Every year, my mom puts money in the eggs and those are the ones that the kids want to find.  We decided to keep this traditions going even though Grandma and Grandpa weren't here.  This year there was a ten dollar egg that Uncle Jarom hid.  Gavin was convinced he was going to find it.  Poor Gavin - he only found two dollars, the least amount of any grandchild.  Who found the ten dollar bill?  Enoch!  He was so excited, but really Enoch could care less about money, so it was a bit ironic that he found it.

It was a great day!  We were so happy to spend it with family.  We went to bed that night exhausted, but it was worth it!

Coal's Operation

Do you see this adorable puppy?  SHE IS DRIVING ME NUTS!!!

Coal had her operation (spayed) this Thursday.  I've been dreading this since we got her.  She, of course, was clueless to what was happening, but I felt so bad for her.  I almost called it off, but we aren't in the market for more puppies, so I sucked it up and took her to the vet's office at 8am.
It was just the girls - me, Kate and Coal at the office.  Dr. Lamb checked out Coal and proclaimed her the picture of perfect doggie health.  Then it was time to say good-bye. Geesh - I am such a baby.  I was getting a bit teary when they took her from me.  Kate and I said good-bye.  Kate gave her a kiss on the head and I gave her a hug.  We made sure that the vet's assistant had Hippo to give to Coal when she came out of surgery.  Coal whimpered a bit when they took her away.  Kate and I left the office quite sad.
When we got home, Kate kept asking why Coal couldn't come home with us.  I told her we would pick her up after the boys got home from school.  When she realized that Coal would be gone most of the day, she burst into tears and it took me over an hour to calm her down.  She really does love her puppy.
I had my phone with me all morning (which is pretty unusual).  They promised to text me when Coal was out of surgery.  I finally got a text about 11:30 (Coal was the last surgery of the morning).  Everything went well and she was resting.  We could pick her up after 3:30pm.
We arrived at the vet's office as soon as we could.  They brought Coal out and Kate started getting teary again.  Coal was awake, but quite drowsy.  Gavin held her while the vet gave us some instructions.  I felt teary after hearing what my next two weeks would be like - no baths, no outside (except for potty breaks) to protect her stitches.  How were we going to do this?  Coal is such an outside dog.  She is outside more than inside - she loves playing outside.  I was quite concerned about how we were going to do this.
Okay, not very well.  We lasted about two days of being inside all the time.  Coal hated it - it was like she could hardly physically stand it.  She would sit by the door and whine.  She would jump up to the window and just bark and cry to go out.  I could tell she was really confused about not being able to go since she has always had unlimited access to the backyard.

How sad it that?  I'll tell what was not so sad.  Since Coal wasn't outside as much, she started having some accidents in the house.  I'm not sure why, but she would poop in the hall outside of Enoch's room, repeatedly.  Yep, not happy about that.  We put up the baby gate hoping to keep her upstairs and that did work.  But, we finally just cheated and let her outside - a lot.
Even though it has only been a few days, she is back outside.  Her stitches look great and she is feeling great.  She recovered quickly and is back to her normal, energetic self.  I am so relieved that she is doing well.  We were all worried about her.  We love her!