My favorite Ninja's

I was looking in some stuff and I found this picture.  This is a picture of a Picture.  Anyway, my dad makes books for the grandchildren when they are 5 and this was a pic that was in their book.  That is all my kids.  So cute and so long ago.  Jack is the baby up in the left corner.  So it was at least 8 or 9 years ago.

A New Ice Maker

I should just add this to my other post about Summer Projects.  However, I have impressed myself more than usual this time...

We have been without an Ice maker for like 5 years.  It broke and I just assumed it was very expensive to fix and I would have to hire a plumber.  I thought I heard someone say that it was like 350 to fix theirs.  So we made ice in trays.  Kindo the old fashioned way...

So, Nick asks if we can get it fixed.  I thought sure.  I started looking it up and found that replacement ice makers are not that expensive...then I thought maybe I could install it.  So, I ordered one from Home Depot and waited about a week for delivery.  I watched about 10 Youtube videos and decided I could really do it.

The video said I needed Nut Driver to loosen these screws. I had to buy one of those. I didn't know what they were but good Lowe's had one.  5.00 for that part too.

Here is the replacement ice maker that I installed the silver bar.  

Here is my Youtube video So I could follow.  

The real necessary tools

This was behind the fridge..soo embarrassing.  But it is now cleaned up and shining.

This is the inside with the old out.  I couldn't see so I got a headlamp and turned it up so I could see. wow I am impressing myself so much.

And the best part?  It actually works now!!!  We have had about 5 batches of ice.  We threw them away since it says they will taste like stagnant water that was in the line.  Wow.  It was a total of 50.00!  Should have done it years ago.  However, I couldn't have figured it out back then.  

Tada!  New ice maker that works!

Here it is a few weeks later....still going strong and a FULL bin of ice!

Trek 2017

Nick and Abi went on Trek this year.  The Leader got special permission for Nick to go since the deadline to be 14 was September 1.  Nick's birthday is September 3.  Wow.  So nice.  Abi has been preparing for Trek for a long time as she was on the Trek Committee.  She made a video about how to pack for trek.

Then the day arrived.  We packed and bought all the necessary supplies.

Had to be at the church at 6:30.  Nick forgot his hat of course so I had to make a trip home to get it...You can't be on Trek without a hat.  Plus we had to make an emergency trip to Lee's (the local grocery store) to get it the night before because Andrew lost the other Trek hat at lake Powell.

I didn't get time to take an pic of Abi at home since she left early since she was on the committee

They got there and they had a short meeting to organize.  I stayed because I was waiting to get a pic of Abi.  She was sitting on the stand so I had to wait for the meeting to end.  It was actually a nice meeting.  The Stake President said there were about 10,000 hours or preparation by the couple in charge and probably about 10,000 hours or worry for them too.  

Abi is up on the right side at the Sacrament table...I was at the back

I love dropping them off.  It was fun dropping them off because driving over there, you would see people out  jogging and then lots of people in these long pants and long skirts.  At first you are like, what?  Who does that at 6:00 am.  Well, the first one I saw was the Stake President walking.  I didn't give him a ride since he needed to practice for Trek...  But it was cool to see all these people dressed up in pioneer costumes ready to Trek like our ancestors and hopefully get acquainted with God along the way.

This is After Trek.  It was so fun to pick them up.  FOUR buses pulled in to drop them off.  There were 220 people that attended trek.  That is a Ton.

That is Nick with the stripe suspenders...

They were super dirty and stinky.  There was plenty of hugging of the fellow trekkers.  Lots of high fives and 'good jobs'.  We went to Maverik after and saw a member of the Stake Presidency.  He high fived us all and said they were awesome.  So glad they could have such a good time.  Hopefully they got acquainted with God along the way like the real Pioneers did.

2009 Kia

so I bit the bullet again.  We got Abi a car to drive.  It is a 2009 Kia Spectra EX.  It is super cute and black.  After we picked it up, Abi and I celebrated at Menchies (a frozen yogurt place).  When Melanie and I would buy new cars, we went to Casa Melinda.  That has closed now, so we have to go to the next best thing and get frozen yogurt.

Andrew's Father's Day Craft

Since Andrew is a Primary teacher, on Father's day he needed a craft for the kids to take to their Fathers.  This was his Fathers day craft.

It is a regular envelope.  Cut the end off a bit then cut down the middle about 1/2 inch.  Fold down.  Make a tie out of scrap book paper or whatever.  Then glue it on and glue down the collar.  It makes a shirt and then you can put a candy bar or invitation in the envelope.  We obviously put a candy bar, because who doesn't want a candy bar!  They turned out cute. I didn't have a candy bar for the picture because there were not any left.   I saw Andrew leaving church for a farewell with the Reeses Peanut Butter cup in his pocket.

We bought an entire box of envelopes (72) because you can't buy less than a box.  Abi helped Andrew in Primary then went to Young Womens.  Their Young Women's lesson ended early, so Abi had them make a Father's day Shirt too.  We cut out extra ties so they could have variety and had enough left for the Young Women.   There were no candy bars left...imagine that!  But they were super cute and super easy.  What dad wouldn't love one of those especially if it had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in it?

Summer Projects

I am not teaching Summer school this year.  So I have lots of time to get my house in order.

My first project was to clean the family room.  Well, I did most of it.  I removed TWO huge bags of garbage or HUD as we like to call it.  That is totally embarrassing.  But so glad they are gone.  Cleaned the blinds, and the sliding door.  Cleaned the baseboards and the fireplace.  Still working on the bookcase.  But it is so much nicer with all that trash out.  My friend Rebecca would be so proud of me!

I also removed a bunch of boxes too.  

This is a lame one but I cleaned out the fridge.  One has to wonder how come it doesn't happen more often.  Okay well, I know why.  Also, I changed the light bulb.   How is that for handy.  It is a such a great experience to open it and see all the clean and see the light on.

I also fixed this light switch thing.  It had a short, and so I took it off and fixed it and put it back together.  Viola, a lamp that works. I didn't want to buy a new one!!

How is that for saving money and not adding to the landfill.


Another project I tackled today was cleaning out the pipes under the sink in my bathroom.  It was the worst project soo far.  Maybe the most fufilling because of how gross it was.

This was discusting.  I had black sludge in the pipes that I had to clean out.  I unhooked the P trap, and cleaned that, and I also removed and cleaned out the goose neck pipe that connects to the wall. Then, after I got it put back together (I was impressed I got it back correctly with no leaks so far), I poured baking soda down and let it sit for a while.  Then you add one cup of white vinegar and let it foam.  I have done this before and it came right up into the sink.  This time, however, it stayed down in the drain.  That means I cleaned out all the junk and the fizzing could go lower and clean out lower.  Home Depot will probably call me for a job.

Speaking about Home Depot, I also fixed my door handle on the shower door.  Jack opened the door and the handle just broke off.  I looked in all the stores and didn't have one.  So ordered one online.  6.00 for shipping.  Hate paying shipping.  Get it in the mail, and it does't fit.  dang.  So look for a bigger one, and look at Home Depot.com and they had one for $5.50 and no shipping if I picked it up.  Ordered it in the evening and it was there in the am.  I installed it in less than about 4 minutes and it works great.

Ward Organist

Abi has been called as the Ward Organist.  She has been practicing and learning how to play the organ.  She has had her friend Evan help her, because he is the ward organist in his ward.

Abi went over to practice today at the Church.   I also went over to practice the piano because I have been called as the Primary Pianist.

Update:  She did a great job in church today!  The organ was loud, which meant people sang the hymns.  She had a great tempo too.  A real professional!!

Here she is in action before the meeting started...

Fore Lakes

Jack and Nick are playing in a golf league at Bountiful Ridge this summer.  So we played golf today to refresh their memories of the rules and procedures of the game so they are ready.

We went to fore lakes.  It is one of my favorites.  It was 19.00 for all three of us. That is cheaper than a movie.  We decided to walk.  Well, I decided we would walk.  It was a beautiful night and we didn't even have a fight.  We did lose 3 balls in the water hazard.  The real bonus was that Andrew, Abi and William were home staining the deck.

Jack is in the red and Nick is in the blue

We decided to come home and have grilled cheese after golf instead of Texas Roadhouse....