The Holidays Came and Went....

Thanksgiving:

So Thanksgiving was great. The Killebrew's decided to better accommodate more people we held our big Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. So Todd and I decided to make our own first big Thanksgiving dinner. We made it all... and when I say we I really mean Todd... I helped a little, a big fat turkey, all the sides and Todd's amazing home made pumpkin pie. After the dinner we went straight into decorating for Thanksgiving. Yup we were the first on the block. Or probably even the state. What was really weird was the weather hasn't realized it's fall yet and all of our roses were still full in bloom. So to see the contrast between the lights on the house and all the roses it was pretty neat. That only lasted a week then the weather clued in and it was time to trim things up.

Daddy had a little helper in the kitchen!

Christmas:

Christmas was great. Todd had the idea that we should do all homemade gift and I have to say even thought I gripped and complained about it ALOT it really was great. Todd made me a quilt ladder which I was really excited about. And I made Todd plush angry birds. Zac made daddy a tee shirt which they both enjoy. 

I think the hit was the rocking horse Zac got from mom and dad. Daddy made it and Mommy painted it. Zac LOVED opening all his present. He even got a little upset when I would open presents cause he needed to help me with min too.

The small one turned out better... it's all in the eyes.

4 Years Together.

Todd and I just celebrated our 4th anniversary. I love his so much! This year I really wanted to go to a murder mystary dinner. The theme was Billianaries Maskarade Cub. We were encouraged to wear anything "rich" and masks. Of course Todd and I had a blast getting all dressed up. Luky me the red dress Todd bought me for our first anniversary still fit. Now we just had to find something for Todd to wear. We went to a shop to reant a tux but this is not Utah and they are much more expensive and you cant rent one in three days. Oops. So we pressed our luck and went to GoodWill and hit the jack pot! We found a really nice black suite for 16 bucks and better yet it fit! We had such a great time at our dinner.

The day of our anniversary Momo and Papa were so sweet to take Zac for us so we could go to dinner and a movie. Being the our anniversay fell on a Thursday Todd was able to take Friday off. When Zac got home from his grandparents we all went to the zoo. It was Zac's fisrt time to go and he had a blast! I think the highlight was the Parrot Paradise we went in and feed the birds. Zac wanted to grab them. He was so excited when they landed on his stick.

Working for my parents.

I have gotten several of these types of calls and I just want to vent. I took over managing the TAS department of my parents business about two years ago. Knowing absolutely NOTHING about TAS (Texas Accessibility Standards) I had to learn and was directed what our policies and procedures are by my father who is also the owner of the business. Which makes me want to tell people I DIDN'T MAKE THIS CRAP UP ON MY OWN.

When people call me and go on and on about how "their company" operates by being billed and pay later well that is fanSTINKINtastic for you. However, I don't do work for which I am not payed for, and our company operated by being payed before you receive it's services.

What gets under my skin even more is when they want to go over my head to "fix" this "problem" they are having with our policy. Being the manager of the department going over my head would be to talk to the owner of the company Tom. I know this is bratty but whatever, it just makes me want to say.... "You can talk to Tom if you'd like but this is his policy not mine and by the way he is MY DAD so go ahead see who's side he's on".

I never actually say that... but man sometimes I want to.

Halloween!

Being the dork I am I decided we should go themed for Halloween. We did it last year and it was so much fun I decided to do it again, and again, and well at least till Zac is old enough to tell me I'm lame and wants to do his own thing. At the Martin family reunion this year Todd got a bunch of stuff from his youth that had been left at his parents house. In one of the bags we found a Blue M&M costume his mom had made him. It still fit giving us the idea that I should make one for Zac and me and there you go. Being the only girl in the group of course I was green. I wanted to make Zac the yellow one but couldn't find the right color in the right fabric so we settled and made him the red one. I think they turned out pretty good. What do you thing? 

This Summer....

Terribly sorry everyone. This summer was packed full of all kinds of things going on. You would think with all the incredibly hot weather we were having I would have found some inside time to update the blog, but truthfully it just slipped my mind. So here is a quick update on what we have been up to. 

June- Zac started walking (on his own, not holding onto everything) one week before his first birthday while staying with Momo and Papa Killebrew. We had a combined birthday party for Zac and his best bud Jack who are only 4 days apart. it was pirate themed and they had a great time. Kat went to girls camp and loved spending time with all the girls and really getting to know them. Todd spent the month counting down the days till our summer vacation in July. 

 

July- We spent almost two weeks on a road trip to the Martin family reunion in San Diego. We had thought about flying but realized we needed the excuse to stop in Meadview, AZ to see Grandpa Martin. Zac got to meet his Great Grandpa Martin for the first time and see where Great Grandma Martin rests. I would have to say Zac's favorite part of GGM's house was the scooter we would let him sit in our lap and drive him around the ramps. And carrying around all the picture frames he could reach giving each one kisses. He was a pretty good trooper most of the way from TX to San Diego but was sick and tired of the car by the way home. 

San Diego : We had a great time with all the family being together. We had several service days of getting Grandma CC and Papa Martin's house ready to be sold. Uncle Tom put together a scavenger hunt for the family at Balboa Park (which I still think we should have won ;)... it was a close call) And we spend a whole day at the beach. This was Zac's first time at the ocean or the beach and I think he tried to take home as much of it as he could by eating all the sand he could get his hands on. And to top it all off we spend a day at Disneyland. I have never been a huge fan of the parades but after watching Zac's eyes light up when the princesses blew him a kiss or the monkey waved at him I think I changed my mind. 

August - September- Back in Texas the heat really kicked in this year and we came one day shy of beating the record number of days in the 100 degrees. I know not that exciting but it helps to understand why we really didn't get out and do a whole lot. However Todd did start his application process for getting into grad school. And he was accepted! It is through an online program at Western Governors where he will be getting his MBA. He is able to start at the first of any month so he will begin in Feb. Other exciting news Johnathan and Jen welcomed their first little girl Charlotte Hayden. It seems to be the girl year on the Killebrew side with Carie Ann and Brent having their fifth and only girl Emily Kate in May. 

We are in October now and just getting ready for Halloween. Kat makes the costumes every year. This year however Todd had a M&M costume from when he was young that his mother made him so I am making M&M costumes for Zac and me. Todd is the blue, Kat will be green, and Zac will be red. I will post pics when they are all made.

So there you go I will post pics, sorry they are out of order.

Oh the Plumbing Problems...

It's no new news that we have had plumbing problems on and off, and on and off, and on... yeah you get it.

Anyway being the neighborly guy my husband is, when the city came one Saturday and started digging up our neighbors yard he went over to talk and ask what was going on.  Turns out when VERIZON came and laid the main line for the neighborhood they cut through the sewer pipes leading to the main lines and laid the cable right threw it.  Todd asked what the likelihood of that happening to our house as well and they assured him it was a pretty good bet.

In order for the city to fix it we had to get a plumber out to video the line to prove it was cut and they would fix it.  The city will give us $150 for the plumber's video but the total bill was $250. So now we have to go after VERIZON for the rest of the plumbing bill.  We are just so grateful that for ONCE this is not our fault or our problem to fix!

And we have fun pics of the broken pipe that got fixed for all of you to see!

Of course the pipe was exactly under the 5 foot of actual concrete we have, so the city had to tear it up and will replace it.

 

Yes the orange line is the VERIZON cable right through the sewer pipe they broke to put it there. 

 

Zac loved watching the trucks work.

 

He was so excited he had to get closer.

 

 He is such a boy!

The Joys of Homeownership.

SO last Saturday Todd was doing his husbandly duty and mowing the lawn. Then along came a rock that the mower decided to pick up and throw right through the spare bedroom window. We went to Home Depot and found thankfully they have a sheet of glass that is the right size for our window. So we get it home no problem but as Todd holds it up to the window and checks to see if everything is right the winds pick up slamming a corner of the sheet of glass into the house braking the window. AGAIN. Back to Home Depot we go again but by this time it will take too long for Todd to get the window in to he tapes up cardboard to the six inch gap of the old window and leaves it be till he has time later.

 During the week, the pipes in the house decided it's their turn, and they all back up. We know its just a simple clog and thankfully we already own a snake to take care of the problem. But our 25 ft snake just wouldn't cut it. So instead of fixing the window this Saturday Todd and his friend rent a 150 ft snake from Home Depot and work on getting the pipes cleaned out. It worked like it was suppose to and the boys are smelly, dirty, but proud accomplished men.

Mean while I'm wondering if all the projects around the house are ever going to be completely finished. Not to the fault of my wonderful husband who works every hard at taking care of all the problems around the house. More to the fault of the actual house. My house is going to keep Home Depot in business for as long as it stands.