November 2010

The front of the UL1 house

Work has slowed down to about normal finally. The long back-to-back days were wearing on me quite a bit. But with the colder weather and jobs completing, it is nice to be back to regular hours. We have a couple loose ends to tie up and a little job here and there to take care of, so I think we are settling in on a good winter of work. Nothing major on the horizon, but we are keeping our fingers crossed for the spring. This is a house I have been working on in Salt Lake City...yea that far away. We finished our part about a week ago, and I'm pretty happy to be done with it. It is an odd one, wouldn't you say?

This is the back "yard" of the house, we did the storefront and venting window.

We went up to the Waddoups' cabin with some friends and played in the snow...just before we got a bunch of snow. But there was a little for the kids to sled in and we pulled them with the 4-wheeler.

Creedance concocted this chair to watch Beauty and the Beast.


How does that pine cone taste, Topher???

My niece, Jessie, and Pearson. The oldest grand kid and almost youngest.

Thanksgiving was definitely enjoyable. My brother, Travis and his family came from southern California. We always love it when they come. Toph, Creedance & TJ relly love to play with cousins, and Jake and Sarah are close in age too. They couldn't stop talking about them coming for about a week before. We had a great dinner at mom & dad's and then visited and played board/card games. We also went to the Collectors' corner museum with them the day before. That was a neat little gem in Idaho Falls that I never knew was there. A large variety of collect ables. Kind of fun to see.

Topher was very excited for his first pocket knife.

Topher also turned 8 at the beginning of November, started Cub Scouts (a few months ago) and was baptized just after his birthday. I can't help but feel old, but I am really excited to see my son progressing and growing up. I know it will all seem to go by so fast, I hope that I can remember to slow down and savor having them my kids while I can. We saw a movie a week or so ago (admittedly quite dumb), that had a good line about raising kids "having kids is AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL...and then something wonderful...AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL...and then something wonderful." I need to forget the awful and only see the wonderful. This month had a lot of the wonderful.

TJ playing soccer this fall

Nearly all the grandkids that were at mom's (only short Logan in the picture), this is half of the grandkids.

Topher, Jake & Hunter. It is great that they have cousins close in age...so fun for them.

Life is crazy...so here are some recent photos

No I haven't vanished, I have simply been overwhelmed with work and all my projects that I never have time to photograph or post anything...OK so I never seem to photograph in the last 3 or 4 years, but time seems to be in short supply. Does anyone know where I could find 30 hour days?

Jess has been trying to get me to do a new family Portrait for a while now...here it is sans-touch-ups

Photos of Creedance usualy don't require touch-ups, she's just cute.

I apolagize for the cliche photo, Jess really likes it, and part of me likes it too.

Driving home from the Father & Son Campout was really pretty...and cold too.

Dispite the cold and the snow, the campout was fun

Work has been consuming a lot of my time, I have been arranging with architects, general contractors, and vendors for 3 jobs, 2 of which are quite large. I have also started working on the estimating and drafting of shop drawings. I am wishing that I studied construction management and learned auto cad drawing in college. But hey, I get to do it now and I got to study my passion in college instead. These jobs that have been coming up are now here, however I feel pulled in so many directions to get them taken care of. But it is nice to be doing the work, and putting the pieces together. I'll have to try to get photos and post them as they progress. What adds to some of the stress is that they are spread out geographically, Jackson, Rexburg, Sun Valley, and then little ones here and there in Idaho Falls.

TJ has grown out of that innocent stage when children don't know what your are 'suposed to do' in front of the camera. It is rare that I can get a photo of him like this, without a forced smile.

Our 4 happy kids.

I also will be taking the scouts to Scout Camp in just over a week. It is still cold here, so that should be interesting. I won't be able to stay the whole week, because of the workload, but I will take them up and then go back up at the end of the week to bring them home. I hope that they get along and work hard on their merit badges and advancement. It should be a good week, they are a good bunch of boys.

I was very greatful for the Bus when I woke up and saw this out the window!

Speaking of camping in the cold, 2 weeks ago was the father & son camp out. It was a lot of fun, it was quite rainy and windy heading up, but the bus did just fine. We were the first ones from our ward up there so we picked out a good spot for the bus, and got it set up and hung out in the bus as the rain came down for a while. The boys had fun exploring and playing with friends, and poking sticks in the fire. The bus was nice and cozy, especially in the morning when we woke up to 3 inches of snow. It was funny to have snow in the middle of May on a camp out...boy winter just won't let up!

Pearson

Pearson has been growing like a weed. He is starting to roll over and skoot around in circles. No crawling as of yet, but I don't think it is too far off. He is a happy baby, except for this last month as he has had an ear infection that we can't seem to kick. We are on another round of anti-biotics and hopefully this will clear it up. He is very smiley and loves to play. Night time is our struggle...ok so it is Jessica's struggle. I must admit that once I am out, I am out cold.

He looks like a thinner version of TJ at this age. I must say that the Waddoups genes are very dominate. I couldn't be happier.

Back to the Symes project.

So I have been neglectful of my photography and this blog lately, among other even more important matters. I seem to be so busy with work and my church calling that I am just so wound up with them and don't make the time for other things. I need to find better balance.

We did go to Shriner's with TJ to get his foot replaced. The socket still fits (for a little while anyway), but the foot itself was too short and the length overall was a little short. Eric (the Prostitist) put on a new foot that is the same shoe size as his right foot that makes the length perfect. It worked out really well. Eric is such a great guy, he works very well with TJ and plays with him while measuring and making his prosthetics. He is also very personable and always takes an interest in us and shares his interests with us. The people there at Shriner's Hospital are Fantastic!

TJ thinks it is so cool that Eric keeps his pencil behind his ear just like his daddy. Eric is so good about having the kids play with is stuff. They usually end up with his marker, measuring tape or whatever else he is working with. He is so great with kids!

TJ was so intent on watching and helping Eric work. I love how intense his expression is in this shot. It's hard to see here, but there is a difference of about 3cm in the length of his femur, but to this point we have not seen it affect his gait. It it gets too bad sometimes they recomend lengthening and shortening to equalize it. I doubt we will go that route. We met a guy at Hastings a month or so ago with the same condition and there was a big difference in the length of his femur, but he opted not to have the surgeries and he is happy with it as it is. Yes every situation is different, and we will find our answer when we cross that bridge.

All seems to be well

So the foot surgery went well. The most difficult part was figuring out the pain management meds. At first they made me very sick...more trouble than the pain. It healed up very well and I was back to work a couple days later...then off for a week and a half for Christmas.

Work has seemed to pick up again. At least getting ready for upcoming projects. Trying to get everything lined up so that when we are able to start we will have all the correct material and hardware. I am learning quite a bit about the project management end of contract glazing, rather than just the installation end of the business.

The kids are growing and growing. Pearson changes everyday. Topher loves school, Creedance is learning more and more and TJ is a fun challenge...no he really is fun. We are all excited for the warmer weather to come so we can camp again.