You Can't Make This Stuff Up

….. Or,  I could name this post "Sewage at the Hodgman's - Part 6"

Last month our DD who is a high school volleyball coach in American Fork, Utah, came home and brought her entire volleyball team to play in a tourney in Santa Cruz. They also played against her alma matter high school's team and her old coach who is again coaching at LGHS.
They stayed at our home and so even though the pool wasn't finished and the outside space, not complete, there was room enough around the perimeter for everyone to sleep somewhere. The 3 chaperones each had a bedroom and Stephanie slept in our room as John and I were in and out of town the whole time they were here.

 A few of these mid-state girls had never seen the ocean. Steph made sure they all felt the cold NorCal currents.

 She didn't make me get into the frigid water - good thing since I gave her life, and like the hubby says. "I can take it away too."

 They did pretty well at the sand tournament and they had a great time too.

 The site seeing included the Oakland Temple which was built in the 60's, dedicated in 1964, and has a commanding presence in the city by the bay.

 Some of the Seniors with the coach in the center.

 Fun chaperones/drivers were game to go have fun too.

 Our friends around town provided swimming entertainment, 'cause we couldn't at our house. Thanks Knudsen's!

Stepha and her ex Coach Ripp at the top left.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.

The real story of the weekend was that the girls got to participate in a Hodgman Sewer Story.
The second night at our house everyone was taking showers after a sandy and sweaty day, when the laundry room toilet started overflowing. Steph and I started plunging and bucketing and we hollered at all the girls to get out of showers and turn all the water off. This particular bathroom has no shower or tub, just a sink and toilet, so I had no idea what was going on.
It was 10:15 PM and I called the city to have the water district man come out and check out the street connection to the house. If you read this often, you'll perhaps remember that we had a problem back in June with back up from the street sewer so I suspected this to be the problem again. It was not.  The roto rooter man was called and he said he could come first thing int he morning.
Meanwhile my DD and I were wet vacuuming crap off of the floor in the bathroom while standing in 1-2 inches of sewage in our bare feet and dumping it into the drain outside near the garden. A fun time was had by all.
Yikes - I have 18 girls and 3 chaperones at my house and no water. Oh … I have a Port-a-Potty in the front yard on the driveway.
"Okay girls, if you need to go during the night, you know what to do. Go through the open garage and use the port-a-potty." Such fun we are having on this little trip.
"And if you didn't get showered, come get into the car and we are headed down to Courtside (athletic club) to shower there before it closes in 15 minutes."
And may I add, "I am leaving at 5:30am tomorrow morning to attend a wedding in Portland."

It all ended up getting fixed while the girls were out and about the following day with or without me home.
It is always such fun around my house.

THE END

Dress-up Cape's

Way back in February I told my cute little 4 year old granddaughter that I'd make her a warm cape to go with her new dress-up dress that I made for her birthday. I have been very slow about getting this done, and she would never complain or even bug me about it, so I felt like a bit of a heel.
Finally, I sat myself down at the sewing machine and eeked it out. It really didn't take all that long, but I just had kept putting it off for one reason or another.
I ended up making it out of white minky fabric, which mimics a fur type of feeling and then I put a animal print ribbon around the whole thing, giving it a royal touch.

 So this is a childs version of a fur cloak.

 Very soft and princessy.

 The prince also tries it on, and will follow directions to put up the hood so we can see it. Good job.
 Meanwhile, I told the older Granddaughter that when I was done with her sisters, she would receive a different type of cape.

Fashioned after the ballet Cinderella's cape, I made one with a fun neckline.

It splays out into a fan shape and hopefully will stay up around her neck. Made from lightweight sequin fabric.

 Sparkley and fun I'd say. Time to play dress-up!

Portland Wedding Redoux

Steve and Christine

This could be my last trip to Portland for a wedding. We have been there the past 3 summers for 3 different weddings, and I am thinking my visits to this beautiful temple will be no longer.
This celebration was for my brother Tom's youngest son. Aren't they a handsome couple?

Thomas Scott

 Really cool bouquet

 Fun little surprise in the pink tulle under the gown which was simply beautiful.

 Here are some handsome lads. 

Steve, friend, Scott (bro), Sam (bro), Dane (cuz)

All the nieces and nephews

 My beautiful parents were feeling pretty well and thrilled for another 

temple wedding for their progeny.

 Grooms parents looking quite happy and attractive as well. 

Tracy and co. had prepared and served an amazing dinner

 the evening before the nuptials. She's such a good cook.

 The 3 Kelly girls - not quite sure why I look the oldest.

 Tom, Camille, Vicki, Kathy, Steve

All 5 of us siblings all granny'd up. How did that happen?

and who dressed me without earrings?

 Posing with my Daddy. If you've never been to Oregon on a nice day, 

you have missed out big time.

The original's without Tom

I hope we're as cute as Mom and Dad when we're 86

Not pictured is The Hubby. He was in Europe and so missed here in Oregon. I felt strange at an event like this without him, but the happy couple got married on a Thursday and so we did what we could. 

It was a lovely event. 

Thanks for the pictures Tom and Camille. I didn't have a camera and so I depended on them. 

Backyard Update - July

We saw much progress on the pool and everything else completely came together for a great looking yard by the end of the month.

This is a long post with lots of pictures for my extreme documentation. So here goes.

The fire pit is hooked up to gas and we put lava rock in up to the star fire. We decided to hold off on the glass toppers though, because it felt a little low and we wanted to put a stainless steel plate over the rock. We didn't want to lose the more costly glass into the bottom as it all settles.

But it's still nice to finally have a fire working. Check out the moon over the east side of the house.

The beautiful plants are delivered.

….and….. planted. WooHoo!!!!

The shadow of "The Kids". Our sculpture is under the east Ash tree now.

The plaster is in worse shape than they anticipated. (They couldn't figure this out 4 months ago?)

Sandblasting the pool

is a big mess.

Placing the last of the glass tiles onto the stairs and pool benches.

Looky here, there is some beautiful green!

The steel posts have been primed and now the trim pieces are welded on.

Lighting getting all figured out by Octavio.

Painting getting done. Seriously can you say "snowball". Let's just paint the whole house.

Welder is careful with the plants. The painters? Not so much.

Here is the pit with the glass in place. I'm not finding a night time picture of it, but it is quite beautiful.

All the white on this big arbor makes it look lighter and more outdoors. It feels really nice.

A nice team of Greg's painting the house.

Unwrapped the chaise lounger for Steph's volleyball team who came to visit.
(Story to follow)

The plaster is finally being applied to the pool.

The 7 plaster guys worked quickly and efficiently for about 3 hours, and were done.

Notice the sponge foot attachments they have on their shoes. Everything is going smoothly.

There is water coming into the pool. Yipee! I love a white pool. So clean. The blue is reflected and even though it hasn't been the style recently, I just think it looks beautiful.

 Now the hot tub gets filled. We have such good water pressure that the whole pool filled with 2 hoses in about 16 hours. I filled the hot tub in 1 hour with just one hose and that was all she wrote.
 Psych - not really, there's way more.

 How are these masons going to get the big mantle up onto the fireplace? Go to physics class and find out.

Now turn around and say cheese. These guys are so fun, especially when I can understand them.

 Make it all straight with some mortar thrown under it. This is not easy work.

 Living room.

There are some cool light in the trees and around the paths. Also, some accents and in the covered patio some old fashioned string lights. We are getting a Lutron system for managing them all figured out as well as a Sonos sound system for listening to almost any music or radio anywhere in the yard. A TV is in the outdoor covered patio and watching the Olympics around the pool is probably as decadent as it gets.

Main patio with some furniture thrown in. What lucky people live here.