Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Chadron State Football Game

Alex and I had been wanting to make it to one of Mark's games and it never worked out. We finally were able to go to the Homecoming game this year - which they won so it was even more exciting! We stopped and saw Andy, Libby and the kids in Ogallala on Friday night (and watched McCook defeat Ogallala) and then left for Chadron Saturday morning. It was a nice weekend of travel and football!
This is a picture of Mark that I stole off his facebook page. I didn't take my camera into the game so I didn't have any pictures to post of him. Not sure what game this picture is from.
This picture isn't very good because it was taken at night - but this is the hotel where we stayed in Chadron. This is an old Bed and Breakfast called The Olde Main Street Inn. If I remember correctly, the place was built in the 1890's. We chose to stay in this hotel because it was close to the resteraunt where we ate that evening.
These are in the lobby/bar when you first walk in. I just thought that the "barrel seats" were neat.
A piano in that hallway up to our room.
We stayed in the Mari Sandoz suite and this is the entrance into the room. To the left is the kitchen and a very small bathroom and to the right is the bedroom with a television.
This is Alex wearing Mari's hat that was made out of some sort of feathers.Self explanatory.
An old type writer that was in the bedroom. I thought it was neat.
The old stove in the kitchen.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Monday, October 13th

I had an eye appointment Monday morning and since it was Columbus Day and Alex had the day off I decided to take the whole day off as well. After my appointment I called my mom to see how work was going and she told me that Sarah and Joe had had their little one the night before. Alex and I finished up some errands we had to run while in McCook and then went to the hospital to see the Vrbas family.

Dad, Mom and lil Sawyer Jane! She is just so adorable! I told them I was going to bring big sis, Peytie, a present too (a big bag of candy) but I didn't think the 'rents would appreciate that! Sarah and Sawyer
I absolutely love this picture!! I just think it's a great picture of Sawyer. She looks so much like Joe and she has the prettiest hair ever!!!
I was able to hold her as well! I was excited to hold her but I was so nervous I would drop her on the "hand off"!! I mean seriously, she wasn't even 24 hours old yet - that is the youngest I have ever held a baby - No lie! It was nerve racking - but she was so well behaved! For a little while then I had to hand her back because I think I was making her cry! Anyway - Congrats to the Vrbas fam!!!


When we were finished at the hospital it was time to get to work. We moved a bull and two heifers to the farm in Danbury. Did I mention it rained all weekend, too?

Here Bob is pulling us out because we were stuck!!!

A present from Bob while he was pulling us out!Bob sliding around on the road after he pulled us out.
Washing the Dodge. Needless to say, we didn't go and get the rest of the heifers because it just wouldn't have worked!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

New Vehicle

Yes, it is true! I finally broke down and bought a new vehicle. I didn't actually break down like you might think - the 'ole Cav is still kicking! Anyway, on Saturday, October 11th I bought a 2003 GMC Envoy! I still have the 210,000 mile purple prize that you all know and love but I just won't be using that to travel any where outside of town! So, here is a picture of my newest purchase!
As soon as I bought the vehicle then it started to rain so here it is a little dirty from that!

Feed Rack

I am sure many of you were starting to worry that Alex and I haven't been spending time at the farm - but no worries - we have been! I looked through all the pictures that I have taken this past year and I could not find a before picture! I know that I have one but I obviously didn't save it to the computer. Alex wanted to build a feed rack on the west-ish (yes, that is a direction!) side of the pens at the farm. If I could have found a picture from before that would have been nice but here are some pictures as we (he) was working on it and then when the feed rack is almost complete.

Here is the work site.Alex cleaning out the holes.
Some more cleaning out. I actually did help this day. I believe I cleaned out one hole, possibly two, and then I was either bored or tired. Can't remember which - I just know I wasn't really of much help!

Here Alex is again working. I believe this day we came back and had to re-clean out the holes because it rained and had filled them in again. Yeah, I definitely did not help this day. I had already cleaned out one from the time before so I passed on helping this day!!
I did actually help him load up the railroad ties to be moved over to where the feed rack would be built. I guess I did help a little more than I thought! This is a picture after all the dirt work had been completed.
This is the feed rack. I only took a picture of the part that is actually complete. If it wouldn't have rained I am sure it would have been complete this past weekend - oh well I guess there's always next weekend! Farmer Al

Then we went to the Rocket after we left the farm and this Alex with Dan Haag. I think this is their way of hugging....

House Update

It had been a while since I had been over to Alex's house to take some pictures of the progress. You will recognize some of the pictures from a previous post but I wanted people to get a pretty good visual of what it was like before and now with some changes that have taken place. The house is coming a long, seems like it is taking a long time but when we sat down the other night and figured how long it has been since Alex closed on the place, it really hasn't been as long as we thought. Anyway, here are some updates.
This is the picture standing at the front door looking towards the kitchen.
Here is that same wall with the two entry ways made. The one on the left is the new entry way they (Bob and Alex) cut and on the right the entry way was shifted a couple feet to the right. The entry way on the left will lead into the kitchen where the bathroom door will be to the left. There will be a six foot wall between both entry ways that will be easier to see once the rest of the drywall is installed.
Here is the lovely green room!
Here it is blue. In this picture it looks a little more purple but it really is blue. Kathy also pulled up the carpet and will be working on the wood floor.
This is the only decent picture I could actually find to show the difference in the size of the main bathroom. This is before the wall was taken out and I was standing in the kitchen to take this picture. It is sort-of hard to see in this picture but if you look on the right side of the photo you can see a cupboard that is outside of the bathroom...

...and in this picture that same cupboard is inside the bathroom. Right now the new tub/shower is installed and the wood stuff on the floor for the linoleum or tile.
This is a picture of the door on the left that leads to the garage and the basement.
This is now the outline of where a little porch-like area will be when you come up the stairs and then on this side in the kitchen will be cupboards and counters.
This is looking down the stairs towards the basement and the garage.This is now the new "hallway" looking towards the basement and garage.
A picture of the bathroom in the Master bathroom.
This is the bathroom now. The walls are painted a light blue and then Alex will stain the "wayne's coating" (I have no idea how it is spelled or if that's even close - so the wood stuff) so that it matches his vanity and then I think he wants to add a thick trim around the top.
That's all for now but I will keep you updated as progress is made.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

LINDSEY --- KITTIES!!!!

On Friday I walked into the Haag residence to hear Kathy say - You are just in time! At first I didn't know what she was talking about and then she said - do you hear them? THEY HAD KITTIES! (Lindsey - this post is for you because I know you won't get a chance to see them while they are this young.) Apparently Bob herad them whining/crying (same difference) Thursday and then on Friday they were even worse so he grabbed them up because he figured the mom abandoned them. There are 5 of them - two that are white and light brown, two that are black, white and grey and then one that is just black and white. They are too cute!!! Anyway - so Alex and I fed them on Saturday and I already have my favorites picked out. That is also how I decide who gets to eat first - by if they are my favorite or not - not by who is crying the loudest!!! LOL Okay, so here are a couple pictures I took with my phone of the kitties on Friday.

Phone Photos

I was messing around with my phone the other day and I noticed that I had a couple photos of Ally on there that I haven't posted. The pictures were taken one weekend while everyone was in Indianola. We were outside grilling and Ally was out there playing so I snapped a couple photos.

Here I was able to snap a picture of Ally sticking out her tongue.

Smelling Grandma Kathy's flowers.

Then riding on the horse. At one point Uncle Alex was riding on the other one with her but of course no photo to prove it!!!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Alex's house

Alex bought a house in Indianola. He actually closed on it at the end of August and is going to do some work to it on the inside so we have been busy tearing stuff out and apart! He is going to completely re-do the kitchen and the main bathroom and then pull up the carpet through out the whole house and repaint. Alex took a week off and I took a couple days off to help and here are some pictures that I took. I will continue to update as new things are done. Here is Alex standing by the sold sign. He didn't want to have his picture taken at all.

Alex walking up to the front of his house.

Unlocking the house.


This is the living room/dining room as you first walk into the house. I think the plan is to pull up the carpet because there is wood floor beneath. This is a little "window" that goes inbetween the living room/dining room. The design plans have changed many times for the house but I think the last I knew that this would no longer exist. Either this area is going to be the new doorway or else they are just going to cover it up. This is standing at the other end of the living/dining room towards the front door.This is the very first room off to the left when you walk into the house. I think this room is going to be used as an office.This is the purple fairy room. This room will be painted and I think the carpet will be coming up also because there is wood floor underneath. I am not certain if he's going to go with the wood floors or if he will lay new carpet.The closet - not the best picture but both this room and the green room have nice closet spaces.This is the green room. Again, it will be painted and the carpet will come up and either he will lay new carpet or keep the wood floor underneath. Yes, the people that lived there before wrote on the walls.When Alex was telling me about the house and told me that in one of the rooms there was a marijuana leaf drawn on the wall and I couldn't believe it. I told my mom and her exact words were "Are you sure? Maybe it was a palm tree." Yeah, seriously! That Mama Cat sure is a hoot! Anyway, here's a picture of the artwork - it's definitley not a plam tree!Closet (hopefully you could figure that one out on your own but you never know!)This is the start of some demolition in the kitchen. The fridge and dishwasher use to be placed in this area and now the counter and cupboards will be on this side of the kitchen. Stay tuned for pictures as progress is made.There will be a new wall that comes from the door here, where the new counter and cupboards will be.

The kithen actually had a lot of room but the way that it was designed made it look little and closed up. This is the kitchen cupboards and counters without the stove. I think the way Alex has it planned now will open it up and make it look bigger.Some cupboards gone.Ha! Ha! Ha! This picture cracks me up - Alex posing for the camera while Bob is taking down a cupboard!Removing the counters next. Alex working on the sink and yes, that is Tinkerbell on his shirt!Everything removed!This was the wood underneath the counters and cupboards. The black stuff is, actually I don't know what to call it. There was tile glued to the wood floor and then the carpet glued to the tile. I think Alex is planning to go back in with tile - or something I don't know exactly I guess!I was all excited because I was hoping to tear out a wall or do something destructive. You see these tiles?There off to the left - yep, I removed all the tiles. I know, not very destructive but that's all I did. I think Alex may have been a little nervous to give me a sledgehammer or anything that could cause a lot of damage!! I tend not to pay attention very well at times!
Honestly I don't know what they are doing to the ceiling but this is Alex taking the drywall off the ceiling.
This is the hallway that leads back to the master bedroom and bathroom.
This is the main bathroom of the house. This is a picture of storage above the bathtub/shower that will be removed.
A picture of the bathtub and that stuff. I believe a new tub/shower will replace the old.
A window in the bathroom that I also believe will be removed. The window looks into the garage. The garage was an add-on and that's why the window is where it is.A big cupboard in the bathroom that has since been removed. The bathroom will be expanding into the kitchen a couple feet. I know it's more than a couple but I don't remember how much exactly. That will be nice since the main bathroom is a little small.
This is the closet in the kitchen, in the hallway on the way to the master room. Alex is going to put his washer and dryer here.
This is the master bedroom after the paneling has been taken off the walls.

A picture of the blue walls.
Alex scraping the padding from the carpet that was glued to the floor. In this room he is planning to lay new carpet.
Hanging the second piece of drywall.
All the drywall hung in the master bedroom.

The blue walls now primed.
The floor in the bedroom completely scraped.
The bathroom in the master bedroom. There was some sort of something where the wall is white but Alex tore that all off. Actually, the counter and the toilet were removed before I had a camera there so this room doesn't really have a "before" picture.Starting to prime the bathroom. Alex is going to put up wood where the old whatever stuff was glued to the wall - underneath the priming part.Priming completed.Alex taking out the floor that was bad underneath where the toilet sat.This is in the kitchen (the new wall will be to the left) and this takes you to the basement (on the left) and into the garage (on the right).Standing in the corner of the basement looking towards the door. In the attached, oversized two car garage. And the toilet that goes in the other bathroom!A little work bench in the garage and the toilet!The outside of the garage.The east side of the garage with the trailer where we are putting all the stuff we destroyed from the inside!A light in the backyard that I thought was neat. The carpet on the trailer is the carpet that was one time in the kitchen. YIKES!
The side door of the house. This actually leads into the kitchen. Of course there was a little bit of fun while working on this house. This is an inside joke!
Alex and Tinkerbell
When Hillery was off work she stopped by to see how things were going. I think she was trying to give Tinkerbell a drink in this photo.
We didn't want Alex to be the only cool one with Tinke (that's what we like to call her for short) on his shirt so we joined in on the fun. The purple fairy room is just the purple room now.