Merry Freakin' Winter

Outside the bank in Victor...it was fun...

OK so winter just won't let up! Yesterday was rainy with hail and quite cold. Luckily we spent most of the day working in the shop getting ready for a day working in Victor. Today we were working in Victor at the bank. I thought it would be cold with rain off and on...basicly kind of crappy. But instead we had snow...wet...blowing snow.

This job has been a bit of a pain. Some things have gone well, and others seem to drag on. Today we were working on trimming out with break-metal, which each piece is custom and a pain. So we didn't seem to make much headway.

An interesting thing about this job is that it is the same bank and basicly identical to the one I did in Jackson when I worked with Cherry Glass (Here's a link to that post in 2006). The design on this one bypasses problems that we faced on the one in Jackson...so that has been nice. Also the contractor has a lift for us to use on this one whereas the Jackson bank was all off of scaffolding.

I haven't abandoned the project

Copyright 2008 - Tyler Hopkins

I have not completly given up on photography. Just slowed down A LOT. As I said earlier, we have been very busy with the house and so that has been forefront on our minds.

Copyright 2008 - Tyler Hopkins

However last Sunday I had a nice break and was able to relax with Jess and the kids. While hanging out around the house, TJ was playing with his prosthetic and putting it on himself (without the liner) and waking with it...ok so he would step right out of it. He is also starting to walk just on his stump...it looks just a little odd when he walks that way.

Copyright 2008 - Tyler Hopkins

He really is very animated. In the morning I hear chairs and the bench scooting accross the floor, and I know he is getting up on the counter (more often than not he does this without his foot on yet). There is no stopping that little boy.

Copyright 2008 - Tyler Hopkins

Yesterday we went to the park and he still has a little difficulty walking on uneven ground. It throws him a little off ballance. So walking on grass and gravel will take a little practice. He will get it this summer when we go out camping.

Copyright 2008 - Tyler Hopkins

Long day...ok...Long week(s)

I was pretty proud of this (I have never done tile before), So I'm posting 2 photos...most likely with more to come.

I did this with photomerge...very rough.

If you couldn't tell, working on the house has been forefront on my mind. Lately the project on the house I have been busy with is tiling the master bath. I think I started about 3 or 4 weeks ago... at least... on the floor. That wasn't too tough, but once I got into working on the shower it was another story.

I think it turned out pretty good, it will be nice to get the grout and shower door done.

Making the slope to the drain, then the pvc pan (to make sure that my floor does not leak in case my grout does), another layer of cement to lay the tile on, and then finding tile that went with the floor tile that we had. We had a hard time deciding on how to lay it out. Once we had an idea and had the tile, it seemed like I could never get over to the house for a long enough time to get much done. I got the shower floor and some of the walls done last Friday, but then it just seemed to sit there with no progress. Today I wanted to get it out of the way, and so spent nearly all day there. I am happy to say that all the pieces are set and will be ready for grout in a day or two. I want it to set up really well, and then I need to clean out all the joints, grout, clean (again) and seal.

After that I can move on to something else in the house...like the laminate wood floor, window sills, doors and hardware, touch-up paint, trim, mirrors...Fun for me!

I really like the newel post and balusters we went with.

Our stairway railing got built this last week. We really like how it turned out. We still have some finish sanding to do on it and one more coat of lacquer. We have the window sills to do next, they will be of the same wood and finish. I am excited to see them done too. We had a guy in my ward install the railing...in fact our architect & electrician are in our ward too.

The counter tops also got completed this week. We had to get the sinks on site so the cutouts could be made. Our plumber gave us a sweet deal on this granite(ish) kitchen sink. It is a composite that looks and feels like granite. He sold it to us for the cost of a stainless steel sink. I think that we are able to do little things that are giving our house a distinct character and style. I hope it doesn't become too eclectic...I think that I have been able to maintain a consistent design.

Cabinets and counter tops are finished.

In some of the design Jess and I have made compromises. I let her get less expensive faucets throughout the house that still look nice (which saved us around $500), and she is letting me buy tile to finish the shower and tub deck. The wall tile we got for free doesn't really match the floor tile we put in. So I had a modest budget to buy something that compliments the floor better. So I have been working on getting the shower pan sloped and sealed, then I can start working in there again.

Shower floor ready for mortar and tile

I have got to say that this has been an adventure. I have never done much of what I am doing on this house. I have never laid tile and I think I did OK, I am however nervous about the wall tile. I am glad that we hired subcontractors for what we have. We would not be nearly as far along if we had tried to do a lot more ourselves. The hole was dug on December 12, 2007...we are almost at the four-month mark, and very close to done. Maybe by the end of the month we will be.

Moving along

So things on the house are really progressing. This weekend we started getting the bathroom tiled. We finished painting the bedrooms and only have a few touch-ups to do in them. We will wait on that for a while on that.

The cabinet guys and electricians were there really moving. The cabinets should be finished up in a day or two and the electrical won't be far behind.

We got the tile cut and set in place today, tomarrow I will morter it down. It has been very busy the past weeks.

Busy with house

Our kitchen with all the tape and texture done

So this week we have been very busy working on the house. After work I go over and work here and there, or go to Home Depot to get stuff to work on at the house. The drywall, tape and texture was finished early this week so we were getting ready for paint. I spent a lot of time masking off the windows, figuring out how we would have the shelves in the closets and pantry and doing what I could to move things along.

The front door waiting for paint

The siding also started this week. Most of the siding is done. They have the front of the house and garage left. It would be nice if the lake that is our driveway would go away, I bet these guys doing the siding are sick of wading in the mud by now. In a few weeks we should be ready for our garage floor, at least it is not as muddy as it is outside.

The location of our BBQ this summer...hopefully there will be grass and not mud!

Dad and I thought that we could start painting Friday night (paint a coat of primer), but we had to get part of the closet shelving done first. We worked on that last night, and finished that today. Then after cleaning up all the floors we were ready to spray the primer. We bought 15 (1 gal cans) for a killer price ($35...for all 15!) and unfortunately ran out before we could finish the laundry room or even start the garage. So we went back to Home Depot tonight to get 10 more gal. at the same price...they were all out of the stuff on sale, so we had to buy a 5 gal. bucket for the regular price ($80), bummer. So we will get that sprayed some day this week and then get the white sprayed and then roll the colors in the bedrooms. We should be all done painting just in time for the cabinets to go in. It is moving along very quickly....I just hope I will still have time to work on it in the next weeks (more than just on Saturday).

The house

Sunrise at our new house.

The last few weeks I have been working on the house quite a lot. after working my 8 hours at Jenkins Glass I go over to the house and work some more. I have gotten the house wrap done the exterior doors hung, and just about ready for the siding. The drywall has been going up this week, and we will be ready for paint by Monday. The cabinets are being built, and the tile is getting here on Monday too. Then I will have a lot of work to do inside. We are doing the paint, trim, hanging interior doors, and the tile...and most everything else inside and outside.

It has been making for long days, but we are getting closer.

The living room and into the kitchen. Drywall going up.

Our kitchen pantry.

Temple Dedication

Today was the Rexburg Temple dedication. Because we worked on the temple we were able to get tickets to the dedication. What was really great was that we were in the temple! There were so many people there! We were in the third of four dedicatory sessions. There were flat screen tv's and chairs in just about every imaginable corner of the temple for people to sit and watch the dedication in the Celestial room. Jessica and I were in the Baptistry, almost in the font. If I leaned my chair back I would have fallen down the steps into the font. There were even chairs set up in the Baptistry foyer.

It was a very spiritual experience. It is hard for me to put my feelings into words. It was amazing.

Raise the Roof!

Friday was a beautiful day. Our roofers must have thought so too. They got on our house and really got busy. The shingles were delivered on Thursday, and by Friday night nearly all the roof was done. Only half of the front was left to do, and that was finished Saturday. They sure did hit their window of opportunity because we woke up to snow.

It is really moving along

The back corner...I also installed the patio door on Friday night.

After putting in the patio door on Friday night, we headed up to Island Park. Saturday morning we slid down the hill, played in the powder with the kids and Star, and rode snow-machines. I went with Chris, Jake & Dave on the Lion Head Loop, and to Hebgen Lake. I took along the camera and got some cool images along the way. Hebgen Lake looked really cool, mostly because not too many people had been out that way, you could see one set of tracks out on the frozen lake...I don't think I would push my luck doing the same.

Campsite #21 Picnic Table, Hebgen Lake.

Cement and Windows

The house is coming along great! This week framing continued, rough-in of the plumbing started on the first floor, the basement floor was poured Friday, and Dad and I installed the windows on Saturday. We are really excited! We need to get our roofers and heating contractor started soon, then once the plumbing and electrical are done we can insulate it. I will have the doors hung in a week or two...as soon as we get them.

Looks great with windows doesn't it?

The back of the house. The funny little windows are in our closet and bathroom.

Our basement...with a floor, not just mud!

One month along

Jan 12, 2008--One month after the hole was dug.

Construction on the house has been going for one month now. It has really come a long way. December 12 the hole was dug and the foundation was poured. This last week a lot of framing has gone up. The outside of the house has really taken shape, as well as the interior walls (aside from the basement).

The muddy basement--each step makes your feet heavier.

I spent much of the week working on melting the ground of the basement and getting the water and sewer lines buried. Tonight Jessica's dad and brother helped me get the rest of the trenches filled in and mostly level. We hope to pour on Thursday or Friday. Our windows will be coming on Friday, so I will be installing them on Saturday morning.

Jess and the kids in our back yard--the kids want to keep the dirt mound there.

The plumber came back today and started roughing in the plumbing and even delivered the jetted tub and kids' shower/tub. In the next few weeks should see the plumbing and electrical get very far. Then the insulation and exterior...it sure is exciting!

House Progress

Backfilling the foundation

With everything else that is going on, our house is also progressing. We started about three or four weeks ago, and it is really progressing. The framers we got are great. They started on Christmas Eve...well, they intended to but the lumber wasn't delivered, so they started the day after Christmas. We had to get them a generator, and thankfully dad had a friend that loaned us his and my boss let us use a truck to haul the generator back and forth. They even worked New Years Eve and New Years Day.

Our new house...so far.

With the set backs we were still able to make some progress. As you can see, the walls are up. We should get the trusses done this week, and the roof sheeted. We have the basement windows installed (temporary, so that we can pour the floor through them.) I will be working on thawing out the basement so that we can pour the floor. I've also got the windows ordered and we should have them soon...needless to say, we are very excited.

Shriners

TJ can really get around now...he sometimes even asks to have his foot put on.

TJ is just about grown out of his first prosthetic. He got it back in August, and you know how kids grow. So Wednesday night we drove down and stayed at the Crystal Inn so the kids could swim in the pool. It was a lot of fun. We were letting them stay up a bit later to swim and get worn out with the hope that they would sleep in a bit...nope! TJ was up a lot of the night, then up at 5am, and Topher was up at 6! I was not a happy camper Thursday morning.

TJ loves this car at Shriners...even if it is just pushing his sister around.

We got to Shriner's early so that the kids could play in the cool big playroom before TJ's fitting. Then I took him in for his appointment. We thought he would be fine...but again our notions were wrong. He wanted his mom! So Jess and the kids came down to join us. He was much happier.

TJ thought it was funny to have his leg wrapped in plastic.

I've tot to say that the people who work at Shriners are really great with kids!

The prosthetic tech (I don't think this is his official title) wrapped his stump in plastic wrap then in fiberglass and he has to hold it while it sets up. Then he uses that to make a plastic sleeve to test the fit before he makes the actual prosthetic foot.

Eric making a fiberglass mold

Bla Bla Bla....anyway that was our trip...We will go back in a week or so to get the new one.

New Year Day Photos

On Tuesday, I went photographing with Andy Duncan, a friend from college. He showed me a great place southeast of Rexburg. We took my father-in-law's Saburban (and just about got stuck in the snow...FUN!) It was great to get out and make some images. I haven't seen Andy in a long time and it was great to catch up too. Check out his blog for his images from this trip...I think his are a bit better than mine. I feel that he is a more successful landscape photographer--Go, Andy, Go.

This is the shot we made from the roof of the Saburban

I think that maybe part of the reason I have gotten away from photographing is my lack of spending time with other photographers. I do get with Theo now and again, but I think that one may need several others in which they can work with to share ideas and thoughts with...to feed off each other. These last two little photo trips have been great...I need to go more often.

I thought it would be fun to take our dog, Star, out with us too. She had a blast! She ran and dug in the snow. I was quite suprised in how good she was too. I didn't have to chase her much, and when it was time to go she would get right into the car...we really lucked out with this dog.

The house we are building is really coming along. The walls are all framed and just about ready for the trusses. We should be pouring the basement floor next week (yea a little backward).

We also went down to Shriner's today to get TJ fitted for a new prosthetic. I'll get photos of that and the house posted soon. Things are just a bit crazy.

Return to Photography

I even got out my 4x5 for this trip...I hope there isn't any camera shake (fat chance) from the wind.

On Saturday, I went out photographing with Theo. It was a snowy, windy day...beautiful for photographing...ok so the wind wasn't so great, but it was fun to go out and photograph in the weather.

Theo has been wanting to photograph a dam on the southe side of Idaho Falls, so we explored around there, We couldn't get quite where we wanted to be to photograph the dam, we just need to wait for the river to freeze a little more solid.

We also drove out to New Sweenen school and shot a little. I have been there quite a bit. I really like the old playground toys there.

Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

We are really excited for Christmas! I have a week and a half off work (paid!) for the holiday! So I am trying to figure out what to do. I have a few things here and there to do through the week, but nothing big. I hope to make the time to finally get my website updated...but I am still struggeling with Go Live. I also want to get the brakes done on my Bus...that will take some ambition, the garage is cold this time of year. Then there are some windows I am doing for a friend (if they come in). And there are always the honey-do's and things that I want done that come up (honey-can-I-do's). One thing that I am pretty excited for is on Wednesday night I am taking my family to the Rexburg Temple. The open house starts Saturday, and they are having tours on Wednesday and Thursday for the sub contractors and their families. Maybe I can even get away and photograh for a few hours...give me a call.

We have a hole...and something in it!

This is the view from our back yard...atop a huge pile of dirt

Yep, it has begun. The hole was dug on Wednesday, the footings Thursday, and the basement walls (foundation) was poured today! Sometimes it seemed as if it would never happen, but now it is. We are working on getting bids from framers, electricians, plumbers and other trades. After the framing is up, we will be able to start doing some stuff ourselves, doors, windows, roof, siding....you get the idea. Needless to say, we are very excited.

Jessica and Dad talking with the excavator...they are right in front of what will be our front door.

After the walls set up, they will pour the basement floor...that is if the weather is warm enough...so we've got to pray for mid-30's. I hope that that can get poured next week and then have the holiday to cure...then the framers can do their thing.

Just after pouring the foundation. Jessica just outside the back door of the house.

Thoughts of Elvira

ROADTRIP! Driving down Hwy 93, Summer of '04

OK, before I get nasty comments about the busty 80's 'actress'...Elvira was the name of my '72 Bus! Yesterday, I was looking back through pictures on the computer and came across a bunch of photos of Elvira, the 72 bus.

Sure did take a nice picture

I do miss that one. I am happy with my new bus (I think her name will be Helga), and excited for her potential, but sometimes I get a bit discouraged by her appearance...she's a bit ugly...and I worry that it will be a long time before I can get er painted. I may have to resort to the ol rattle-cans to get by for the coming summer. It will be fun to take the kids camping in Helga like we did in Elvira.

Shouldn't need to take the tent anymore...it's part of the bus!