Memorial Day Decorations

Here are some of the memorial day decorations we made this year.

 The one with the big red rose is Grandma & Grandpa Brock's.  On some of the nests you have to look kinda close to see the bird.

This iron cross has vines and yellow flowers for Minnie & Carl Gustaf Uden.

Curly Willow with lilacs for Jack & Maxine Troutman.

Chec & Ruby Uden, John & Marie Brock, Auntie Ann,
Bud & Margaret Uden

Auntie Ann

 This one is Knux's

Lambert Uden

Bobbie Carlson

John & Myrtle Carlson

We are going to take them out on Saturday morning.

Love, Deb

My Babies - One Week Old

Hi All,

First, thanks Deb for posting some pics of my beautiful babies!  They are WONDERFUL.  We made a brave decision Friday night to bring them into the box in our bedroom to make sure everything was ok overnight...WE WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!!  Talk about a sleepless night!  Squeeking and squealing all night long.  The largest female, we call her Madonna kept getting stuck in the corner of the box and couldn't remember where the rest of the pack and the nipples were located.  I'd put her back in position and everything would be quiet for about 30 minutes and then she'd get mislocated again. 

It is absolutely incredible how fast they grow.  Here are some more pics from the weekend.

Eyes starting to open!

Little Boy!  (I think this is Sonny)

Note the color of the pads on the bottom of his feet.  When they were first born all of the soft tissue (pads of feet, noses and area around the nose was completely pink.  Now all is black (like Stripe and Blue's) except for a few parts of the pads of their feet.  I expect the rest to change soon.  It's interesting to watch them develop...look at that fat belly!

Little Girl.

The whole group after lunch (and giving Stripe a break)

PUPPIES!!!!

 Stripe on the left and Blue on the right... Proud parents of the Magnificent Seven!

Breakfast!

Aunt Deb  (because the Momma doesn't have time to Blog!)

Wood lot 5-19-11

New porch & driveway.

Deb

Ethan's Graduation 2011

 Ethan and proud mom.  It was a great day and I didn't cry and only minimal drugs.

 Mary and Ethan

Ethan, Eric, Alec and Trevor.  Best friends, they have had a hoot this year!

Deb

New Babies

Hi All,

I'm sure all of you know by now that my babies are finally here.  Here are some pics from last night's excitement.  Warning...if you can't handle the sight of a little blood, don't look past this point.  I've tried to limit the pics to only the cutest, but I'm afraid there is a little bit of UCK!

This is me with Mama and Daddy the day before the big day...

Stripe getting ready for the big production...

I love this picture.  Look at the little one in the center.  All stretched out to that "upper level" nipple, legs spread for maximum output.  Belly is still pretty big with two more babies to go...

The five girls...

The two boys....

Proud Daddy Blue with his two boys...

All seven babies with Mama the morning after.  Five girls (of course, they take after my side of the family!!!) and two boys.  Stripe is a wonderful Mama.  Very protective and attentive.  I AM IN LOVE!!!

Sink & faucet

 This is the vanity with stain, polyureythane, sink & faucet, 5-11-11.  Deb

Wood Lot 5-5-11

The Framing is going up and the electic is ran from the pole with one outlet (I personally would want more then that.

Deb

Urban Composting

I'm composting!  I've been wanting this compost apparatus for a while, and I finally broke down and got it. It's super cool!  There are a pound of warms in this sucker working hard to eat and digest all of our table scraps, paper trash and egg cartons too!  Basically how it works is right now I'm working with 1 tray (of which there are 4) and once this first tray is full I start working on the second tray and so on, the warms will naturally migrate up towards the new feeding ground and get to work composting.  When I'm ready to use the dirt from the first tray I move it to the top of the stack and within 24 hours all of the warms will have migrated down because 1.  thats where the freshest feeding ground is and 2.  when the tray is at the top it is too close to the light which they don't like.  So here it is, and some pics of the flowers I planted this afternoon.  The flowers don't look like much now, but I'm hoping they'll take off soon and spruce up the porch a bit.

First step was to shred up some paper and egg carton to lay a good foundation

the cloth sheet keeps the warms from getting through to the spout that is there to release any access moisture.  

then a layer of dirt to get things started

then i released the warms into their new home

all set and ready to compost!

the warms are feeding on some yummy cloth scraps, banana peels and coffee grounds!

new bathroom vanity for the game room and shop

This is the awesome vanity that will go in our new bathroom in the gameroom.  Debbie made it last weekend--and she let me carry the tools and get the wood down out of the haymow.  As you can see, it uses beadboard and the spindles left over from the stairway so it matches the bar that Tammy, Debbie, and Dad made a couple of years ago for the gameroom.  This piece uses an old dresser for the ends and the top.  The bowl on the top is just to signify that there will be a vessel sink: gray speckled marble.  The faucet is gooseneck with plus handles in an oiled bronze finish.  AND, (I know those of you who are still riveted by all this description will want to know this) the vanity looks even better now since I have put a coat of varnish on it!  You're all invited to come use the bathroom in the gameroom whenever Chaun gets it done!!

Love,

This picture shows the open door.  I've ordered a latch off ebay and some chemical to turn the bright brass to antique-looking.  Did I mention that you are all invited to come use my bathroom?   --kim

My 15 minutes!!!

Hi Everyone!  The Magazine is finally out!  Here is the digital version...

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/boutiquedesign_20110506/#/1/OnePage

The print version is being put on shelves now.  My work surprised me yesterday and told me that they are sending three of my coworkers (my closest friends from work) to the award ceremony to be my cheerleaders.  It's all a bit shocking because I was under the impression that they didn't know me, what would make me happy (much less care) or who if anyone I even like at work.  But I'm very happy to know that they cared enough and took the time to think about who the best people in my office would be to be my cohorts. 

I also finally found out who nominated me today.  It was a rep from a fabric company.  She stopped by today to say hello and to invite me out for dinner in celebration.  She also informed be that I will get a chance to compete in a textile design competition with her company.  I love textile design so this thrills me to the max!!!  I will smack this company with a textile design that will take the industry by storm and I will have a new sweet job in no time.  This is me dreaming :) 

Oh!  and their giving me a flip camera to document my experience in Vegas!  The pot just keeps getting sweeter.  All that complaining about never winning anything really does pay off!  

Love you guys,

Abi

I think she's grown since Friday's post!!

After cutting tummy hair to get ready for babies!!