More first weekend on the remodel/addition photos...

Scoopy-Bob is back on his trailer and the holes are dug and ready for footings...that was all going well until it started to rain like nothing else - or like Juneau...Thank goodness the rest of the weekend was beautiful and allowed us to get the tough work out of the way!

Digging out dirt from the footing area for a stim wall for the new set of stairs we are putting in...Don't I look tough!?!

As you can see Porter liked to help too! He jumped right on up to sit with me on the excavator - he didn't put on his best smile for the photo though...

I'm sledge hammering the cement into smaller chunks...Yes, I am wearing my pink Crocs...Probably not the best work shoes but they got the job done!

What a pile of cement! That isn't even all of it because we had the back of Earl's truck piled with cement as well...Earl guesstimated two and a half yards of cement - and he thought approximately 7000 lbs! Yikes!

The remodel/addition begins...

We started our remodel/addition this weekend...

Started it all off with an excavator (aka Scoopy-Bob) to help us break up the concrete out in our driveway and walkway, as well as, a small section in the garage. Also, we switched over to a bucket to help us scoop out our holes for the footings.

Earl bustin' up concrete with the excavator's jack-hammer

Brian keeping Earl on track...

The photos are kind of backwards this time...so you can see what the driveway looked like before we started all of this...

Happy excavator operator.

Excavator just after being unloaded from the trailer

On our drive last night...

There were nine elk in a field near Newman Lake...we were driving around looking mostly for deer and turkeys but ended up on our way home finding these elk

Prior to the elk we saw some deer but then saw these Tom Turkeys...they were strutting around and were just beautiful...maybe this year we'll get one...?

These Toms were HUGE!

We had an exciting drive last night!

Home from Kauai - Part I

We were in Kauai with the Dreisbach family from March 27 through March 31. We had a blast with the family and enjoyed the Kauai sunshine!

Self photo at the golf course

Earl and I at Spouting Horn Spouting Horn - the sound was so neat. There was a roar like sound that occured with each spout as the waves rolled in and out.

Home from Kauai - Part II

Earl was able to get a little golf in with Erik and his dad Brian

This is the view from the driving range - Amazing! Wiamea Canyon the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"

A Monk Seal that beached itself for a little sun. We were at Salt Pond Beach for about an hour and a half before we realized that it was there...we saw the cones and avoided the area but didn't really pay much attention until we left - thank goodness for zoom on the camera!

Brennecke Beach where we boogie boarded and did a little sunbathing.

Kauai was absolutely beautiful and we had a blast!

Thank you to Charlie and Brian - Mom and Dad for such a wonderful family experience!

Lots of love,

Earl and Dawn

Thinking about Hawaii

Changed the background for our Hawaii vacation with Earl's parents, brother, sister in-law, nephew and niece. Can't wait to see everyone, to all be together, and we can't wait to enjoy the island of Kuaui!

No photo...Just a yummy recipe!

I discovered a recipe for TACO SOUP! It is super yummy and is just basically a thin bean chili, here it is:

Taco Soup

3 cans of beans, drained (any three - I like pinto, black and kidney)

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes (I like the kind with green chile already mixed in)

1 can corn, drained

1 pkg of taco seasoning or 1/3 cup bulk taco seasoning (I have the big Costco container)

1 lb ground meat

1/2 medium-large onion

1 1/2 cup water

Brown meat with onion. Then add your tomatoes, beans, corn, water and seasoning...bring to boil and then simmer for five or more minutes. Makes a big pot but is REALLY good with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips!

Enjoy! I know that Earl and I really do!