Friends

I was just thinking about friends just now. So many come and go throughout our lives. Some are brief and thought of only when we reminisce the past. Others we meet and, while they may move away, they are forever in our thoughts and in our hearts. Many I have that I may not see for a long time but when we do get together, its like we've never been apart. And then there are those friends who are with us for a lifetime. I am so grateful for the friends we have, for the way in which I can keep in touch through blogging, emails and parties. I am so blessed to have so many friends so close to us. To have so much support and help when we need it most. Sometimes I may take you for granted and I am sorry I haven't said "thank you" more often, so THANK YOU! You are amazing. You are appreciated. You are loved dearly by both Joe and myself. Whether through blogging or heavy lifting, I have felt your gift of friendship and I want you to know that you have blessed my life. And while I may not be so good at calling or stopping by, please know I am always thinking about you and sending out a prayer that all is well with you and your family. Love you...

Halloween Party!

(Click on the picture for a larger view.)

Everyone is invited! Please pass the word around! Note that costumes are encouraged, kids are welcome, come whenever you can for as long as you can, and bring a snack to share. Thanks!!!

Yard Pictures

Okay. So here is the front of our house. You can see where the "sidewalk" trenches start. There was another trench in the middle that I closed up on Day 1.


Here are the "sidewalk" trenches that run to the other end of the property, which butts up right against our neighbors driveway in the distance.


And this is our side yard. While the back may be totally tiny, the side of the house has plenty of room to run.


Here is the tiny back yard I was talking about. But I don't mind. It'll make for a quaint sitting area with lots of gardens and trees. I'm leaving the side yard open for play.


This one just goes to show how amazing my mom is at filling in the trenches! You wouldn't know there had been a trench here except for her litte foot prints.


And last but not least, just a fun little picture of a completed head. Kinda makes me feel like the "man on the moon" flag seeing as how installing a sprinkler system was just as obtainable to me as flying to the moon. "One small step for women, one giant leap for Deborahann." And all that jazz.

Happy Birthday Grandpa

It was my Grandpa Porter's birthday this week. I have no idea how old he is... only that he is not a day older than my first memory of him. Isn't that funny? It seems to me that people don't age. Gma Porter is still 58, my mother is still in her 40's and by golly there is no way I am more than 24! lol

Anyway, back to Grandpa. He is the most wonderful man I have known. He is soft spoken and has a dangerous sense of humor. Always ready with a joke and very fast on his feet. My favorite memories are of he and I sitting on the white couch (was it vinyl?) in his quaint TV room in San Diego, California. We didn't say much. We didn't need to. I just loved to sit with him and drink in the peace his presence provided. I needed his love and acceptance and he gave both freely. Still does. He was always more than just my Grandpa. He was my grandfather, my father, my confidant, my anchor during my turbulent years, my rock, and my friend. He was and is the man I can always trust... the man I can always turn to... the man I always had when no one else was there.

Dear Grandpapa,

How I love you! I hope you will always hold close the memories of you and I together. Our little chats and our endless cuddles. I hope you loved, as much as I did, the summers I came to stay searching for peace and quiet in the safe harbor of your presence. You saved me, Grandpa. You held me together as I struggled through life without a father. You taught me by example about love, faith, prayer, sacrifice, trust and family. You were the only one I have every felt safe with in the ocean. I know that sounds silly. But I am terrified of the ocean--more specifically the water and the sharks I just know are waiting to eat me. It was interesting, that day at the beach. The first time I had been in the water without feeling terror. The first time I knew I trusted you. And I have never stopped. I didn't know I could trust anyone but myself before that.

Thank you, also, my wonderful Grandpapa, for giving me a way to find happiness in marriage. I didn't think it was possible. Not for me anyway. Wasn't I destined to be single and alone? You promised there was someone special for me. That I was a good person. And now I have Joe! And you know what I have discovered? I ended up marrying a man just like you. And I am SO glad. Thanks for being you and, again, for loving the likes of me. I love you with all of my heart and soul and wish you the happiest of birthdays.

Love always,

Your Little Debbie

Yard: Day 3

Wow! My fingers are so cold I almost can't type! It is freezing out there! Despite the cold, it was a good end to day 3 in the yard. We completed the line from last night and then started and finished an additional night tonight. Joe was able to take a small break from his 24x7 work project (Zions is a cuss word in my house) to help us in the yard. He and Jesse dug the huge holes for the valve boxes while Jon and I ran lines. I think I'm gonna owe Jesse and Amber Lawson more than just a night on the town. Jesse for being the muscle behind the install and Amber for letting me steal Jesse so many nights (like all of them) this week. Thanks you guys!

Tomorrow I am hoping to dig the hole beneath the sidewalk and finish the front two lines. It would be an extra special bonus if I could get everything connected at the valve boxes and a test done. Here's to wishful thinking! I think I'm gonna go run my fingers under some warm water to help them thaw out. lol

P.S. I did take pictures this morning! Give me a sec and I'll have them online. :)

Yard: Day 2

Day two went well even though I only had 1 hour to actually work. I decided today to push sod delivery back one more week. I was assured it would be okay by a professional landscaper (and this one really IS a professional landscaper). I am glad I did. There is no way the complete system would be installed by Friday. We completed and half buried a second line tonight. I was excited about that. We also prepped two other lines for sprinkler heads. I'll just keep plugging along... and maybe, if I remember, I'll even take pictures!

Unspectacular Quirks

I was tagged by Erin.

Rules:
1. List the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers

Unspectacular Quirk #1. I clean when I am upset (or at someone else's house). Joe always knows when he has made me REALLY mad when I start cleaning the house. I think it is something to keep my hands occupied (rather than popping him upside the head). If I'm at your house and helping you clean, no worries. I like to do that! If you're at my house and I go into crazy cleaning frenzy, it is time to duck and cover.

Unspectacular Quirk #2. I hate doing my hair. Absolutely HATE it! That is why you always see me in pig tails (when short), a pony tail (mid-length) or braids (when long). I love it flat ironed and looking all pretty, but I just can't bring myself to spend the time when I could be sleeping!

Unspectacular Quirk #3. I like falling asleep to Fantasia or Fantasia 2000. I have a little portable DVD player sitting on my nightstand. Every night, after Joe tucks me in, he turns on my movie so I can fall asleep. I don't usually make it past the first number (unless I jump ahead before putting my head on my pillow), but I know when he turns it off!

Unspectacular Quirk #4. My brain never shuts off (which is probably why I developed Quirk #3). I can't not think about stuff. At night, in the morning, while I'm driving. My brain is constantly going 1 million miles per hour. This morning at 5am I was thinking about my sprinklers and the most efficient way I could install the remaining systems, which led me to thinking about installing a fence in the next few years, which led me to mentally move some of my sprinkler heads to accommodate for the future fence and perhaps a flower bed on the north side of the lawn. I almost had myself dressed and out the door to start digging when Joe told me to get back in bed. I couldn't fall back asleep because of my energizer-brain so instead I spent the next 2 hours contemplating sprinklers, work, life, kids, puppies, and more.

Unspectacular Quirk #5. I LOVE making charts & lists. Anything that I can make "pretty" in Word or Excel. Chore charts, gift charts, shopping lists, to-dos, birthday lists, "ways to improve myself," etc. Anything that can be stuffed into a chart or a list, I am there. Need a list or a chart or a spreadsheet? Call me! I would LOVE to help!

Unspectacular Quirk #6. I like to move. I would almost say I need to move. It used to be every year I'd get the itch, but since I married Joe he has stretched me to two. He's working at making it longer. But seriously, every few years I have this burning need to pack everything up and go somewhere new. So far it's just been different homes in Davis County. But I would seriously love to move outta state and even out of the country! I think I was a gypsy in a previous life!

I tag Marla Burns, Amy Lund, Daisy Reyes, Naomi Wolf, Brenda Smith, and Suzanne Smith. Maybe this will help Suzanne actually blog! hehe

Yard: Day 1

Holy crap! I left work early yesterday hoping to pound out the whole sprinkler installation thing and boy was I in for a rude awakening! I worked from about 4-730pm (when I couldn't see anymore) and completed one whole line (out of 7). Bless Jesse's heart! If he hadn't come to help me I think I would have gotten one head of one line done. Installing takes so much more time than I had anticipated. Everything looks quick on paper, but takes a heck of a lot more time in real life. I changed and ate by 8pm and was fast asleep (according to Joe) by 830. I couldn't keep my eyes open! I woke up at 5:15 this morning and stayed that way until I finally decided to shower at 7am. I contemplated heading back out to the yard (by light of the porch) but Joe forbade me. I really think I could have started digging the trench for the green line (aka flowerbeds). Oh well. Guess I'll have to wait for after work.

I have definitely learned a few things in my first day. One... if you are going to hire out the trenching, make sure your "landscaper" knows what they are doing. Two... even if you think they know what they are doing, take the time to mark your trench lines. That way there is no question as to where you want things. I didn't realize the horrible job they did trenching until it came to installing. The trenches are no where near my sprinkler heads so I am spending a whole lot of unnecessary time making extra trenches where I need them and backfilling the ones I don't need. I'm still farther ahead than where I would have been without hiring out the trenching, but I could be a lot farther if I had hired someone who knew what they were doing or if I had marked the trenches for them. Pero que va hacer? What can you do?

Anyway, this evening will be day 2. I am hoping to get the blue line run, valve boxes in place, and create a path under the sidewalk. At this rate I should be done by Christmas. lol. I really hope I can talk my boss into letting leave early on Thursday and Friday seeing as how I have sod coming on Friday and I can't afford to push it back any farther (due to weather). I guess there is a third lesson in this... don't wait until the last minute to install the sprinklers! I should have had the plans drawn up in early spring and all the trenching done during the summer. Install should have taken place in early September so we could have laid sod as planned the first Saturday in October. But shoulda, woulda, coulda.... I guess I just move forward with what I have to work with, right? If I make it through this week it will be a miracle!!!

Never Ending Yard

As I caught up on every one's blogs today I realized I am SUPER horrible at maintaining my own. Mostly I blame it on the lack of adorable kids. But it is probably more due to the fact that I live an entirely boring life. So I am SO glad I can live vicariously through your blogs! hehe. Besides being boring I have spent a lot of time planning and stressing over getting our yard ready for sod. The summer wasn't the friend I had hoped for with its too-hot-days and fun-filled nights. And early fall has zoomed past me. Now I'm into the second week of October and still trying to figure out how to install a sprinkling system. New things always stress me out because I feel like I should be able to get it right (which in my mind means perfect) the first time around. I had planned to get everything in the ground on Saturday so I could have a week of testing lines and raking dirt so all would be ready for sod next week. But no such luck. I swear someone hates me. I was up at 730 am prepping for every one's arrival when the drizzle started. It wasn't too long before my sweater was drenched and I had more mud on my shoes than in my shovel. Needless to say I am still waiting for my swamp to drain so I can install. My hope is for sun enough tomorrow that I can get things in and the ground closed up.

Even though my tears of frustration could equal our last storm, the whole process has been an interesting experience and I actually feel like I could do it again. Next time at least I'll have an inkling of what I should be doing and when. Anyway. Pictures will follow. I wish I would have snapped some when the weeds were waist high! Oh well : ) I'll grab some of the open ground and then next week after the sod is in. All in all, the never ending yard project (though a subject of much stress in our home) has been a fun and interesting learning experience.