09/23/12 Ceiling fan blues

9/23/12

Andy and Katie installing the wall hangings in the hallyway

Well after 7 hours we have a ceiling fan installed in our office downstairs.  Holy Smokes was that a difficult project. I will give you a BRIEF explanation.  Our new house has 9 foot ceilings so to start off with the light was VERY high in the sky, ya know?!  And of course we didn't own a ladder.  So Dad got 3 kitchen chairs and could reach the light but not quite see what he was doing up there.  Plus it scared me to have him up there on teetering chairs.  So he gets up there and pulls out the old light to find out that it was installed with a plastic small piece that won't hold a ceiling fan.  It takes quite a bit of effort to remove the buggar.  We go over to Home Depot and buy an extender that should be a piece of cake to install.  Come home and it is WAY too big for the spot it goes in...like 2X too big.  So Dad has to improvise and take parts of it and make it work.  All but impossible.  AND it requires cutting up the ceiling.  Not cool.  And he can't quite see what he is doing.  At about 20 minutes to 10 p.m. (when Home Depot closes) we decide we need a ladder.  Go buy one and come home and finally it comes together at about 12:30 or 1 a.m.  Even after all that the fan has a little bobble to it.  Who knew that would be such a challenge?

And there are 4 more rooms that could need them.

We really hope the contractor didn't do the same thing in every room.  But we are really worried he did.  

Bryce

Dad was amazing and just kept plowing through it.  I am proud of him.  First of all there is no way I could have done the project at all.  But then when we had all those problems he just kept going.  

Today is the Brigham City temple dedication instead of regular church.  You must have a recommend to get in and it is at the stake center.  So I gotta get the kids up and going because you are supposed to be there by 8:30 in your seat for the 9 a.m. start.

Before our little ceiling fan project we had a pretty fun day.  Dallas went to homecoming and so he wanted to wash his car.  So at 9 a.m. he washed his car and I washed mine and then we both washed the mustang.  We made pancakes before that.  Afterward I made another batch of salsa (3rd batch this week...) and jalapeno jelly (never had it but I had a LOT of jalapenos so I'll let you know how it is ... I haven't tried it yet.  Kinda scared!  I had tons of onions so we tried to make onion rings and since the deep fry was out the girls wanted donuts.  Yup all kinds of goodies going on!  I like our new kitchen.  Plenty big for the girls to "help" but not be in the way!

Dallas said he really enjoyed homecoming.  They played volleyball and swam and went to Olive Garden and the dance with one other couple. He says he would get a bigger group next time.  (He had 2 other couples that flaked out on him).

Bryce asked Maddy to her homecoming (in a couple weeks) and she said yes but she recently gave him the whole...we aren't "Bryce and Maddy" anymore so he's been walking around in a funk.  I feel bad for the kid.  Last night Sara and Ciara (girls from school) were texting and flirting with him and he was pretty funny about it but right before bed he was bummed about Maddy again.  Ugh.  

Well I may write some more later but I really need to get everybody up and moving so I better run.  

I hope you had a great week.  I really enjoy reading your letters and hearing your success.  It makes me so happy!  

Love you lots! Mom.