Sunday, February 28, 2010

Posion Ivy

Beware of this nasty stuff!!!


We cleaned out our back yard (it was kind of over grown) and BRIAN GOT POISON IVY!!! He is so alergic that we have had to go to the doctors 3 times!!! He is on meds and has gotten shots... I didn't realize that the oils from it were so dangerous! I have cleaned, washed, and wiped down everything! I hope he gets better soon!

Habitat for Humanity


This past Saturday Brian and I had the chance to work on a habitat for humanity project. Our realtor is really involved in the community and sent us an email asking if we would like to come help out.. I think he figured Brian is a big guy and they could really use his man strength.


We read the list of items we needed to take... hammer, utility knife, screw driver, hard hat, gloves, tape measure, safety goggles, and a tool belt. Brian had ALL of the items for both of us except for one thing... no tool belts! We went to Lowe's and got tool belts. This shopping experience was pretty funny.... Brina picks up a couple of belts then decides he wants this rugged dark brown leather belt and he is done... (he looked way hot in it). Now, I am picking up every tool belt option holding them up to me, modeling them for Brian and asking lame questions like.. Does this look the cutest? Which one is the most feminine? (its a tool belt NO TOOL BELT IS FEMININE) Does this make you think of the tool time girl? Does this make you want to nail me? He thought I was funny, hey that's why we are married. He told me which one was the  "cutest" and I ended up getting the lightest color of suede that they had he said it was the best choice for me.


Once we had our belts we were ready to go...

Layered construction worker is clothes.. Check

Loaded tool belt... Check

Safety glasses...um sunglasses... Check

Big heavy boots.... Check


When we got there we went right to work. I was nailing and hammering for hours and wore my arms out. I guess at one point I was hammering a little too enthusiastically because I shook my hard hat off into the mud. I was really trying to be in the construction zone so I put my muddy hat back on and kept working... Brian was a machine and did about 10 times more work than me. He could hit the nails in with or or two hits and it took me about fifteen. I loved watching him hauling huge boards all by himself when it took 2 of the other guys to carry the same thing!


We had a great time made some friends and felt good about helping gout. We were able to complete the installation of all the roof trusses, hang OSB on the exterior walls of the home, install the OSB roof decking on both sides of the roof, and finished the day by securing the safety rails around roof. Not bad for a days work!


We were really tired at the end of the day but we can't wait to do it again. Hey, we might as well put our tool belts to good use!


I think I will stick to teaching!


Whitney's muddy boots!


Brian and Whitney


Brian ... note the tool belt!


The whole group! 


Team work!


Building walls!


Hammering!


Brian working hard!


Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Garage Improvements

Most of the people who read this are my teacher friends or my family so you all know how much teaching stuff can be acquired after a while. Well 7 years of teaching has made it so that I have quite a collection. Also, I am Gloria Hawley's daughter which means that I think every holiday is reason to go all out, decorate, and celebrate. Between holiday decorations and school boxes and moving our garage was being taken over. While I have been stocking up on holiday decor Brian stocks up on tools an man stuff. The combo was a little overwhelming. Brian decided he was going to fix the garage clutter problem and make it so we can park in it. He has been working to build shelves, well they are more like big lofts in the top of our garage, to store everything. He is so handy and I am so constructionally challenged! I am so proud of him and his shelves!!! They look great and hold a ton!


Snow

It snowed a few weeks ago (I have been meaning to post this for a while) and I was so excited to have a "snow day " at home with my lover boy!
It doesn't snow much in Charlotte so this tiny little bit of snow was a big deal I know it is nothing like what our friends and family up north got but we still had fun with it!


The snow made me miss Utah!