Where Does the Time Go?

Sink Plumbing FINALLY held
Tub/Shower Mixer Out
Some Electrical Done
Molly's First Birthday Party
Molly's Birthday
OFD Christmas Party
Santa Arrives
Finish Our Stockings (after 41 years)

Bruce had to cut away more concete slab to get to the pipe.  After many attempts to get a weld to hold on the old pitted and corroded copper pipes, Bruce finally get the new pipes soldered to the old with no leaks...for these first five days!  And I pleased to say that he took my suggestion and it worked!   Since sanding and polishing the old pipe to get all the pits out didn't seem to be working...after 3 attempts, I suggested that he put solder on the old pipe first and then sand that down.  Figuring the solder would fill in all those minute pit holes and make a smooth welding surface.  And it worked! 

I had spent the day out shopping on my own when he finally got it welded.  But as he put it the house has it in for him.  When he was out in the garage emptying the water out of the shop vac a full can of exterior paint fell over and spilled all over the floor and everything else in its path.

Moving onto the tub/shower mixer - it too was corroded and no amount of effort was going to budge it.  It finally just cracked, so Bruce ended up hack sawing it off at the pipes and capping them off for now.

Of course there were problems with the electrical.  Many trips to Home Depot and Lowe's.  On one of our trips to Home Depot it took more than 30 minutes to find someone to help us.  They now have locks on most of their hanging items.  You have to find someone to help you get them unlocked.  And then it turns out the employees don't have keys, so they just cut the items off.  We told the check out gal about the problems and an assistant manager came over to find out the problem.  After we explained everything we told him they lost the sale of the sink and counter top cause we couldn't find any help.  He not only got someone to place the order for us but gave us a 10% discount.

During all this Molly had her first birthday party on Dec. 1st.  Lots of friends came to help her celebrate.  Alissa did an amazing job on every aspect of the party.  The decorations where wonderful.  She had made weather proof outdoor banners; fabric indoor banners; had taken all the month photos of Molly on the quilt she had made her and had them hanging on the entry wall.  Each labeled with the month.   Along with all that, she made a delicious chocolate cake, confetti cupcakes and a special no sugar applesauce cake just for Molly.  They put molly in her high chair and put her little cake on the tray.  She dug right in.  Of course the frosting was sweet but she liked the cake too.  She sat there looking at all these funny people staring at her.

On Wed. the 5th, Bruce and I went over to celebrate her actual birthday.   She is just so much fun to watch.  She's so curious about everything.  And now that she's walking there is no holding her back.

 

Yesterday we picked her up about 7:30 so Alissa to help with the OFD Christmas Party.   We feed her breakfast and played until nap time.  Then we dressed her up for the party and met Nick and Alissa at Station One.  The firefighters had rented a snow machine and had build a sled run from the practice tower across the parking lot.  All the kids rode those dish type sleds down the "hill".  Even Molly rode from the middle of the run to the bottom.  It was so much fun seeing all wives I had met at Alissa's shower that were pregnant too.  So many babies born within months of each other!

When Bruce & I were first married I had made "temporary" Christmas stockings out of pre- quilted fabric.  When Alissa was born 6 years later, I made a very fancy stocking for her out of felt and sequins, but never got around to making nice ones for us.  Two years ago when I was packing up our Christmas decorations, I threw out the stockings.  Figured that was the only way I was every going to make new ones.  Last year with coming down here for Molly's birth and then Christmas we never put up any decorations.  So this year I decided it was time.  I got Bruce's made when I was at PIQF with my friend Selma.  Last week I finally made one for me.  The embroidery isn't great, but they are so much better than what we had before.

 

Think that pretty well catches you up on what's going on.  This coming week will be more electrical and plumbing for Bruce.  I have another cold so right now don't feel much like doing anything.

Just realized I never posted this.  I was going to write one about Christmas, the guest bath progress and New Years before Bruce and I left for a New Year's Day drive, but that will have to be done later.  Happy Year Year's everyone.