Hostetlers

The Deck

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:23:00 +0000

Behold, our finished deck!

I wanted to show you a before picture, but I {yet again} forgot to take one before starting.

So here are a couple of really before pictures, as in over three years ago, pre-grass before.

I want to go over, start to finish, the whole deck building process.

So... *warning* this is going to be a very long post.

The first step was to check out every book that our library had on deck building.

I thumbed through all of them, read the half that looked like they had the best information, and then kept the best one for reference throughout the building process. {legally of course, apparently there's not a bunch of people chomping at the bit to read about decks, so I could re-check it out multiple times}

I then called my local municipality to check out if they required a permit.

They did.

So I got the low down on what I needed to do to get one.

Answer: turn in deck and site plans for review and pay a $100 fee.

The following are the {very simple} plans I turned in, with the building officials hand written notes that were on them when I got them back.

"Guardrail Required"

Uh, kind of knew that and thought that it was shown fairly clearly here....but I also can't fault the guy as I'm sure he can't really just assume anything as he deals with some home owners who don't know even the basics.

All of the notes on this page were actually very helpful.

And lastly, the following are two notes that were written on the back of the site plan I submitted, in addition to the building official's stamp showing that the plans had been "reviewed for code compliance" and the permit # I had been granted.

I did take his recommendation that I use 16" o.c. spacing rather than 24".

When I picked up my plans and permit, they explained to me that I would need to call for two inspections... one before we poured the footings, and the other when the deck was complete.

Overall, the permit process was helpful and reasonable.

{which was nice, because I've dealt with other municipalities where that is not the case}

Did I mention that this was all back in July? Just checking.

The first thing we did in the actual building process was to install the ledger board and flashing.

That gap is intentional, it is for the end joist.

The next step was to dig for the post footings.
We borrowed a tool from a friend that made this a whole lot easier, it looked like this:

The holes needed to be below our frost line, so they were about 45 inches deep.

It was important that they were dug in the correct spot, so we did a layout using stakes, line, and a measuring tape.
We called for an inspection and they passed.
We then mixed the concrete in a wheel barrow and filled 'em up, placing a J-bolt at the top to use with the post base.

We did a bulk order from Home Depot's pro desk and it all got delivered on a pallet...and then it took over our garage for a little bit.

Next up was installing the posts, beam, and joists.
Normally when I am talking about a project and I use the term "we", I am the one doing the bulk of the work.
But on this project "we" means mainly Curt. He did awesome.
I was able to do the design work, the ordering of materials, and directing the layout, but Curt did all of the cutting, lifting, attaching, etc. I should let him do these things more often...he's really handy.

Curt did all of this plus install the decking and posts before his Fall semester started...but then had to go MIA.
Thus entered my portion of the deck, which took forever since I have a {precious} baby {whom I love dearly} who doesn't really like giving me blocks of time in which to work on stuff like this.
But, I painted the exposed wood, installed the railing, balusters, post caps, and stair treads.

And then it sat until Curt got done with the semester so that we could finish the stair railings, which required two people.
We finished everything up December 24th.
Merry Christmas to us.

The grill actually fits fully into the alcove, but is currently hanging out as far as the bungee cords we tied around the base will let it due to some fierce winds.

Overall, even with buying some tools that we needed but that I didn't own yet (wheel barrow, hoe, circular saw {!}, water level, etc), and choosing a relatively expensive/maintenance free product (Trex handrails/postcaps, vinyl coated composite decking), we spent around $2400 (including the permit fee).
I am really, really happy with that because if we had hired it done it would have cost several times that.

So, what do you think?

Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:54:00 +0000

Christmas was lovely this year.

Our sacrament meeting (church service) was at 10:00am and was a musical program.

My favorite was "Joy to the World" sung by the choir, accompanied by two pianists and Curt on the organ, plus the congregation joining in for the last bit.

Rocked my socks.

Chills.

But before all that we did the usual Christmas morning gift unwrapping thing.

Only it wasn't normal at all...it was our baby's first Christmas.

Don't tell him, but we didn't buy him any presents...but don't despair, the grandparents had it covered.

He loved the wrapping paper :)

I used the self timer and tripod to document the event with a family picture.

I realize now that it probably would have been better to do this while we were, you know, dressed or something...but hey, something is better than nothing.

Curt got a new toy

{it's a kindle fire}

Des got several new toys

{and yet you see what is in his hands}

...construction tools and trucks...sounds like fun to me...

Curt was in charge of video, I covered the pictures.

I got a new toy too. A nifty lens for my camera. It has a big aperture.

Des and Curt with their electronic gadgets

I made cinnamon rolls....

...with cream cheese frosting...

...they were huge.

Speaking of huge, look at my baby's peepers.

It may look like he's awesome and is placing the final piece of this tower, but he is actually knocking it over.

Des got his two front teeth, just in time for Christmas.

They're still just poking through a little bit.

And I love that my new lens lets in so much fabulous light!

...all the better to inundate you with baby pictures, since I never took any before, right? {whoa, the sarcasm is getting a little thick here}

How was your Christmas?

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 01:09:00 +0000

all pictures and card designs by Ashley Pace {ashleypacephotography.blogspot.com}

(isn't she awesome?)

a few additions...

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:19:00 +0000

We've been on the lookout for a nativity recently.

We fell in love with one labeled "made in West Bank" in an Ann Arbor store called 10,000 Villages.

It's simple, all the pieces are attached, and the star turns to wind a music box which plays 'O little town of Bethlehem'.

We were invited to a graham cracker house decorating party at a friends.

This was my final product:

Curt was nice enough to watch the boy while I spent the time enveloped in attaching candy, but he did throw together one real quick after I was done.

I'm guessing he was cold, for he did a beach house theme.

Christmas Decorations 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:14:00 +0000

teeth, clapping, and some gibberish

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Desmond's first tooth broke through his gums last Thursday {bottom, right middle}.

If I had to guess I would bet a few more on the bottom will come in rapid succession.

He's started a little bit of clapping, and loves to make us clap.

He has a really long tongue.

He speaks really varied gibberish.

Talkative little fellow.

But my favorite is when he whispers to me, usually when just waking up.

Master Bedroom: Doily Art

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:44:00 +0000

So back in August I got to visit my Grandparents house in Phoenix.
I admire my grandma so much, she is seriously one of the best homemakers I know.
So, she crochets doilies, and they are serious works of art.
I told her that if she ever had an extra one on hand I would love to own one someday.
She took me to a treasure drawer and told me to have my pick.
**Oh.my.goodness.love**

I was a glutton and picked four.

They make such a gorgeous statement on my wall, and they are cherished all the more because of who created them.

To make it an impactful display, I bought four poster frames from Target, painted the hardboard backing black, and centered the doilies {attached with a small dab of hot glue}.

I think it is some awesome graphic art.

I've been working on finishing out other areas of our room.
I made some more canvas drapes {like in our guest bedroom and nursery} for both windows.
I also put up a section of bamboo blind above each {again, like in the nursery}.

I also bought two wall mounted lights from the Lakeside Collection. They were a steal and came in for under $50 for both, even with shipping.
{item # 915032015, looks like they might not be selling them anymore though, bummer}

It's a start...but I still have a ways to go in this room.
What do you think?

Lane's accident...back in September

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:31:00 +0000

So, this blog is kind of my journal, and I just remembered an incident that I didn't record that I would like to.

Way back in September, about a month before his wedding...the night of Kinsey's bridal shower to be exact...Lane got some boo boos.

You see, he was long boarding down a trail in Provo canyon without a helmet {you see where this is going, right?} and he crashed.

None of his friends saw the crash, they found him after.

He apparently looked OK besides some scratches, but then kept asking the same question over again.

{bless you Cam, for ignoring his protests and getting him medical help}

For he crashed so good that he doesn't remember how it happened, and doesn't remember a good portion of the ambulance ride to the hospital.

His list of injuries was kind of huge for how good he looked:

fractured skull {!!}
bruised lung which turned into collapsed lung, requiring a chest tube {!!}
internal ear stuff from the fracture {!}
broken collar bone
probable broken rib(s)
cuts and bruises

My dad called the next morning to let me know what happened.

I was just going on with a normal Carmen-Dad conversation even a few seconds after he told me, until my mind did one of those stutter things where you go "wait...what did you just say?".

Oh.my.sick.to.my.stomach.I'm.going.to.puke

*realization of the fragility of life*

Lane would say I'm being a little dramatic, but seriously, a crash with enough force to fracture a skull had the potential for worse.

{Thank you Mom, and Jann, and Dad, and Deborah (Kinsey's mom) for sending me status updates and pictures}

And so there's the story. He was in the hospital for something like 4 or 5 days. Followed by a long, long time of healing. He still had yellowish bruising of his whole upper chest/shoulder area when I came out for his wedding and was stiff enough that getting dressed was sometimes a challenge.

Thanksgiving Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:53:00 +0000

We had a lovely Michigan Thanksgiving this year.

Curt's brother was in town and we got together at a friend's home for one of the best meals I've ever had.

Friday was just a hang out day, and then {as my previous post mentioned} Saturday was game day.

{U of M beat Ohio State...Curt and Jeff went on the field}

Sunday Curt and I gave talks in church. Jeff got to watch the boy while that went on. He has the magic touch and got Des to sleep.

Afterwards Jeff started the trek back to Maryland. So glad that he could come to visit.

Game Day

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Curt's brother, Jeff, came to stay for Thanksgiving.

The two of them are currently out at the Michigan/Ohio State game.

Highlight of the trip for Jeff.

Happy Game Day

I am short

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:29:00 +0000

So, Desmond has joined the ranks of us who can stand up.

This has necessitated the permanent positioning of the crib side at its highest.

{Curt posted some cute videos on facebook showing this milestone}

Unfortunately, this is a time that my shortness causes some mayhem.

For you see, I would get the baby to sleep, attempt to put him in bed, and find that even with stretching my mightiest I could not get him on the mattress without letting him drop a couple inches...not so good for napping.

Enter: the not-so-pretty-but-oh-so-functional stepstool

It's from Target...$10

But more importantly, I can now put the baby in bed without disturbing his slumber.

"Mom...the camera is out, I'm confused, why is it not pointed at me?"

Misc Desmond

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:25:00 +0000

Des can now open and empty any cabinet that he comes across.

Unpacking from Florida

Pounding on Dad's head

Hi Mom

He can now also pull himself up on things, and has the bruises and scratches to prove it.

What are you doing?

He has always been able to pull the most incredible sad look, huge pouty lip and all.

Lane & Kinsey's Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:33:00 +0000

So it's a bit past a month later, but I still wanted to post about Lane and Kinsey's wedding on October 6th.

They got married in the Salt Lake Temple on a cold rainy morning.

But besides the rain, everything was perfect that day {at least all that I know of}

So beautiful, so happy.

The photographer shot just a couple pictures outside at the temple, and then we scurried our wet little behinds into the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to dry off and get a few more.

{Curt got me some hot cocoa, I love him}

There was a family luncheon at the Lion House afterwards {love their rolls}

The reception was held at Highland Gardens. I had never heard of it before, but it was a really neat place.

Lane, Kinsey, and 'the boyz'
Andrew, Jake, Chad, Cameron, Shaun, and Scott

The third wedding cake I've made this year {and ever}

I think I'm getting better, but this is likely the end of my cake career...I'm running out of unmarried siblings.

Ellie and Jex rocking out

Zan and Mia

Heading out for the evening.

Congratulations my little brother!

Holiday Decor

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:25:00 +0000

One thing that I really appreciate about Shauna is the way she decorates for each holiday.

She does it in a way that is classy and comfortable, and it's a tradition that I think her kids all identify with home.

Florida Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:11:00 +0000

We hadn't seen Curt's family in a little bit, so we planned a trek out to Florida.

We found that we could save a couple hundred bucks by flying into Orlando instead of West Palm Beach, so it was a double good thing when Grandpa and Grandma Hogie were amenable to picking us up and heading down for a long weekend visit (the first good thing being that we were able to see them).

Desmond got to meet his cousin Riley on this trip too. Alison and the baby were there when we got there and Jeff flew in for the weekend too (he's doing training in Baltimore for his new job).

I got my Pollo Tropical (an amazing {at least to me} fast food place that serves chicken, beans, and rice) fix while we were there...went twice.

We went to a carnival at the local elementary school on Friday. I love that Curt loves to wear the boy.

Saturday we went to the beach for a picnic.

The temperature was so great and there was a pleasant stiff breeze coming off of the water.

Oh, and speaking of the water, look at the beautiful color...so pretty.

There were photo ops a plenty.

The babies were tuckered out and both slept on the ride home.

Sunday was church and family pictures {we missed you Andrew}

Shauna's friend Lois took this picture of Des and titled it "future entertainer".

Needless to say, I love it.

We headed home on Tuesday after concluding a supremely enjoyable visit.

Desmond has been to Utah three times, to Phoenix, Chicago, and now Florida. He has been a really, really good traveler. But on the flight home we had 15-felt-like-an-eternity-minutes straight of crying, the wailing kind of crying. So I'm kind of glad that was the last trip we have planned for this year.

Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:18:00 +0000

This year we went to Florida for Halloween.

I'm down with the perfect temperatures, very different from the nigh unto freezing ones I'm used to.

I thought of many fun and adorable costumes for Des' first try at this, but then did not put forth the effort to do any of them. I tell myself that it was because it would have been a pain to figure out how to get anything complex down to Florida and that we wouldn't have had room anyways (we were traveling Delta, and I didn't want to pay baggage fees, so we only checked a car seat...expert light travelers I tell you). While all of that is true, it's mainly because I was lazy.

But, he made a mighty cute little Tigger the tiger.

Curt took him trick-or-treating down his parents street.

Des was happy the whole time...he had his fist securely tightened around a pen in one hand the entire time, but did actually use the other to pick treats out of bowls.

Halloween is not a holiday I have ever really liked (I hate the dark, don't like scary things, and generally am not given to having an excess of treats or crowds around), but I do like crafty fun and so I really enjoyed decorating this pumpkin with cream puffy paint and gold glitter glue.

I also liked Curt's little sister, Megan's, costume.

She was a donut, which I think is really original.

'ol blue eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

These big blue eyes just melt my heart.

I have my matchy matchy child, now we need to have one with Curt's neato hazel eyes.

Living Room: a little shot of green

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

My living room needed a little bit of...I don't know, something.

I've been thinking for a while of doing some little accent with moss, but didn't like the prices of moss at the craft stores.

But then I spotted a bag of the kind I wanted at Walmart for $2 {!}

Sold.

Little floral styrofoam balls to affix the moss to would have been a couple dollars more each.

Psshhhttt, whatever. I'm not paying that.

So I took some ads out of my recycle bin, crumpled them into different orb shapes that fit my vases, and hot glued the moss to them.

That's a price I can handle...$2 total and I still have over half the bag of moss left.

It's been raining here for a couple days straight.

I'm so thankful I get to stay in my cozy home with my cute baby all day.

The fall is turning beautiful...just look at the back property line (looking over at the empty lots next to us).

bath time is so much fun

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:42:00 +0000

My Lane is now Kinsey's Lane...

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:49:00 +0000

10-6-2011

It was icy cold rainy but beautiful nonetheless, for these two started their new life together.

Love them both.

I {heart} Goodwill...

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:26:00 +0000

...for where else could I get my very own Tigger for one dolla...

Look who learned how to army crawl this week...

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:32:00 +0000

And he's very pleased with himself.

Look out world, he's mobile.

{baby gate was promptly found on Amazon and is already here waiting to be installed}

front guest room: small update

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:08:00 +0000

So, I always have a mental list of projects I want to be doing in the house.

Usually it's really long.

Now is no exception: I need to start on putting stuff on the walls in the piano room, master bedroom, guest bedroom, and loft, do something with the stairwell, finish the deck {by the way, we started a deck}, organize the garage, finish the peg board organization of my tools in the laundry room, etc, etc.

Instead of working on any of those things though, I messed with pillows.

"What pillows?" might you ask...why, the pillows on the guest bed.

When I last gave an update on this room we were looking like this...

...and currently we look like this...

...hmmm, apparently I have made some other updates to the room since then too, but let's focus on the pillows right now because they are what is making me smile at the moment.

I took off the accent pillows that I had made specifically for this bed. I was feeling too much of a "matchy, matchy" vibe.

I added the silky, midnight blue pillows that used to be on our master bed and added a rose printed sham that I used in college.

...and I'm loving the variety...deeply satisfying...

This little guy is happy about it too.

Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:40:00 +0000

Last week Curt needed to go to Chicago for work, so Des and I tagged along.

Let's start with our hotel room.

It was great...look at the beautiful view...

...this building was my favorite to look at, the Trump International Hotel and Tower

Our room had good art in it, photographs from around the city.

...even the bathroom had a picture of the bean in it.

We ate a lot of good food and had fun walking around the city.

Yes, if you are wondering, the following is a Marilyn Monroe figure that is several times taller than a city bus.

This is a restaurant that we ate breakfast from every morning..very yummy, fluffy, fabulous french toast.

I love that the river plays such a large part of this city...a little smelly, but very picturesque.

love the details on so many of the buildings...so pretty.

...And then the huge park(s)...

Just lovely.

While Curt was at work the first day I went to the Field Museum. Totally awesome.

But lugging my hefty {cute} baby around all day for miles and miles did a number on my knee.

{Yes, I know, next time I will plan better and have the stroller}

I recovered, but it did inhibit my exploring for the rest of the trip.

Overall, Chicago was fun and I'm glad to have gone there and get a feel for it.

I'm married to an old(er) man...

noreply@blogger.com (Carmen) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:55:00 +0000

Curt just had the milestone birthday of turning 30.

I've mentioned before how our usual birthday protocol is really low key, we don't usually do gifts (well, we jokingly call any large purchase we already are making for the month{s} before and after 'birthday gifts'), we don't do parties, we don't even typically go out to dinner.

We do tell each other happy birthday, we do maybe make something special for dinner at home.

I like things this way...maybe it's because I feel so blessed as to have all I need and beyond built into our budget that it just feels good to not have to do occasions...but then again, maybe I'm just obstinate and backwards.

Definitely a possibility.

At any rate, this year I broke out of the usual protocol to show how significant turning 30 is.

I am not a party planner, but we had like 15 adults and their corresponding kids over for a get together.

It was pleasant mayhem.

The biggest thing I did out of the norm though, was this:

{uh, I accidentally bought trick candles...so sorry Curt...I thought they were just 'sparklers'}

*oops*

30 layers for 30 years.

so pretty to look at...

...and truth be told really fun to play with the food coloring to get just the shades I wanted...

...but so much work I doubt it will be done in my household again.

On another birthday related note, my Mom has impeccable timing.

This showed up right on the big day...

the inside reads "The more you have, the harder it is to breathe. Have a happy one! (Birthday, that is.)"

Struck me as funny, and has made me giggle every time I pass it.

Happy 30th my sweetheart.