Home Addition Day 2

May 12 ~ End of Day 1




Of course, as soon as the "big kids" got home from school they just had to "jump right in". The workers had left for the day so the kids decided they could take over.

We decided that this made a pretty good playpen for the Ryno. Throw in a couple of balls and trucks and he's good to go...for a little while at least.







Who could resist a game of "King of the Hill".










Day 2 started with much of the same...Brendan moping because he had to go to school instead of staying home to watch/help with the "real" work. And a jackhammer right outside my back door.






















But hey...this is better than t.v.!!!



We've found our new babysitter!










And Lance has a new job.










The first "dust" was laid inside the house with the making of this hole for the post that will hold up the beam for the inside wall.

Floor plan

Ok, so here's the plan...I couldn't get my scanner to work and the plans that were emailed to me were not able to load either so I finally just took a picture of it and uploaded it. Phooey!

Existing is the bottom master bedroom with master closet and bath to the right of it. Across the hallway with the stairs are the kids rooms. Front two are the existing rooms minus the hallway and new bath. New bath is as shown in detail next to the existing bath. It will make that room smaller but soooo worth it. Maybe I can get my bathroom back?

I was trying to upload my plan of the existing upstairs so you could get the idea of the addition, but it just wouldn't work. Sorry, that the quality is bad but you can get the idea. It's a pretty big job. With the front left room moving out (to the left) 3 ft or so to allow for the hallway, we have to cut into and extend the roof. The windows on both existing rooms have to be moved to the sides. Then there's the plumbing, electrical, structural issues, additional air conditioner...etc etc etc....but boy it will be nice when its done!

The kids have already called dibs on their rooms. Brendan wants the top left, Kristen top right, Mackenzie bottom right and my two lil' boys get the bottom left. I told them it was only on condition of behavior or I might just take over one of their rooms for myself. They were horrified...well I have to keep them on their toes somehow!

Let the dust fly!

Last fall we entertained the idea of adding onto the house. We currently have 3 bdrms 2 baths upstairs which includes the master and master bath. We do have a bedroom downstairs but it is so far away from us upstairs that I refuse to use it for the kids plus it was "supposed" to be my craft/guest room but we have our friend Ange living with us so it is hers. So that means that we have our 5 children crammed into 2 bdrms and sharing 1 bath, which means of course that they are always using our bathroom too. I talked to my dad about it and he immediately started drawing up rough plans for it. He had 3 ideas, one to just enlarge the existing two bedrooms, basically doubling their size or enlarge one, add one plus bath making 3 bdrms and 2 baths, or adding 2 more rooms and hallway making it 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. That was the one we decided on so we cleaned up the drawings and started talking to a contractor friend of ours.

But then we had to put everything on hold when Eric was laid off and our future here was uncertain. But with the new year and new job came the renewal of our plans. And so after a lot of work and going back and forth with the architect and engineers, the plans were submitted for permits last week and we received them yesterday.

Our wedding anniversary is also today, it was a wonderful present to be starting this today...after all the waiting.

DAY 1 ~ We have holes!

So here is a picture of the back side of the house where we will be extending about 14 ft. The two upstairs windows are the kids existing 2 bdrms. The added rooms will be supported by columns, creating a covered patio underneath.

Happy Anniversary! And for our present we get the wonderful sounds of a jackhammer out side my back door!

Breaking the concrete to make the holes for the columns.

Besides the use of the concrete cutter/skilsaw and jackhammer, these perfectly square and level

holes where made with only a pickax and shovel

Not quite deep enough but just right for a pint size kid. Boy it's going to be hard to keep the kids from playing with everything. They soooo want to help.

Brendan was NOT happy to be going to school today.

Ryne's First Haircut

Today we took Ryne down to our favorite barbershop and got his locks chopped.

I had been wanting to get it done for a while but had been outvoted by Ange and Eric...I guess they thought I would buzz it like I do the other boys.

I wasn't planning on doing that...I wanted to take him in for a good cut. So when I finally explained that, Eric said I could.


Here's our long haired boy before his cut.















Ready...Set...hey where's my sucker!


















There's the first cut.










As long as we keep a steady stream of suckers going in...we're good!

"But I'm still keeping my eye on you!"

























Aquariums are fun to watch too. Lance found Dori in this one.












Whew! All done! Wait...what happened to the suckers?!!!


I guess 4 suckers just wasn't enough!


What a handsome boy!





My hair may not be brushed, but I'm still cute!

I Hear A Ringing In My Ear!

Last Friday afternoon, Brendan comes up to me and tells me that Kristen has a bell stuck in her ear. SAY WHAT!!!!

Incredulously, I look in her ear and low and behold there was a tiny bell stuck down her ear. Of course this was Friday afternoon when I knew that many doctor's offices would soon be closing which would leave me very limited in where I could go if I couldn't get it out myself, not to mention I didn't exactly want to go to a doctor's office or Urgent Care with 5 children on a Friday afternoon either.
So I thought through my options...I remembered that I have some bent needle nose pliers that I use for jewelry that I thought might work, so I tried them first. Didn't work, only succeeded in pushing it a little farther in, so now along with the ringing it was starting to hurt too.

I thought to myself, "If only I could suck it out somehow." Ding ding, maybe the vacuum would work, since it was so little. Course the end of the nozzle was too big and I only sucked up her earlobes.

During this time I had the other kids running around getting ready and things together in case we had to go to a doctor's office or Urgent Care and have an extended stay there. So I sat on the stairs and just thought for a bit on how in the world I could get it out or even how the doctors, etc would...if only I had something sticky on the end of a little stick, but I didn't want to push it in any farther either. Then a huge light bulb went on over my head! The bell looked like the brass metal ones and I thought, A MAGNET might work. I have the kind that's at the end of an extension that I use for picking up my lids while canning, but I thought the end might be too big...but worth a try right? Course I NEVER know where it is because a certain young man in my house tends to take "cool" things like that and disappear with them. But he always knows where they are...what are the chances...so I called for him, "Brendan, where is that magnetic stick thing that I use when canning" "Oh yeah, I know where it is!", he says as he tears through the house looking...nope not in his desk....running to the garage...returns triumphantly...here's one Mom! Even better than the one I had in my mind it was one of Eric's tools, a screwdriver that extended with a little magnet on the end of a hex like tool. PERFECT!
Laid Kristen's head back on the table and put it down her ear, heard a light click and VOILA it was out! SOOO glad it was metal! Or as Brendan informed me, that it must have had iron or steel in it.
So we cancelled the emergency outing, but we had to go out anyway to take the girls to their dance class.

Everything back to normal.

Family Christmas Letter 2009

December 2009

Dear Friends & Family,

This year has been a very eventful year. There has been so much going on that it’s hard to know where to start so we’ll start with the youngest of our family…

Ryne is Superbaby this year, he has grown by leaps and pounds. He surpassed all of his siblings in growth spurts and weight gains. Went through clothes faster than we could change them out. Started crawling at 6 months and stepping by 9 and has been walking for the last month. He has now mastered climbing up and sliding down the stairs and is the wiggliest & strongest (more powerful than a locomotive) kid of them all when it comes to changing him. We just about have to hog tie him down in order to do it and often have to tag team him in order to finish it. But he’s the joy of our lives, laughs and giggles and has now learned to wave and clap much to everyone’s delight. I can’t believe my baby will be 1 this month…*sniff*J

Lance has also had numerous achievements this year. He is now potty trained and started a pre-school class this fall. He’s not technically old enough to go to the regular pre-school but has been enjoying the “Play n Art” class at the community center twice a week. His interests are centered on trains, planes and automobiles along with whatever Daddy is doing. He turned 3 in October and is technically out of the “not so terrible” two’s.

Mackenzie is 6 yrs. old. She has started piano this year and has enjoyed it immensely. We don’t even have to remind her to practice! She made the AB Honor roll her first semester of 1st grade and loves doing her homework and is still the first one up in the mornings and ready for school. Something “must” be wrong with this child. She also enjoys art and our refrigerator is covered with her masterpieces. I think I will soon need a bigger fridge!

At almost 9, Kristen is growing taller and skinnier every day it seems. I have to take in even the “slim” jeans. Thank goodness for those inside elastic bands or I’d never get all of her clothes taken in. She’d have to survive with safety pins. She loves to dance and sing and is also enjoying her piano lessons. She and Mackenzie have been taking a Dance Combo class at the community center and have learned many hip hop, tap, ballet and modern moves. She also made the AB Honor roll this semester but was disappointed that she didn’t get all A’s. Oh well, it will give her something to work towards next semester.

Brendan, our oldest is 10 and in 5th grade. It’s hard to imagine I’ll have a “middle schooler” next year. He still enjoys anything that has to do with transportation, science or space. He loves “facts” and pores over fact books and loves watching “Mythbusters, How they do it” shows and even the Discover channel. He has earned both brown belt levels this year in karate and hopes to be able to pass his black belt test in January or February. Brendan loves Cub Scouts and working on the many badges and activities. He is also taking piano and entertains us with “Chopstix” and “Heart and Soul” just a *few* too many times. As for grades, we’re just ecstatic that he *passed* all his classes.

As for Cindy, that’s me, this has been a busy year and I have been through the entire spectrum of emotions. The year started out frustrating with trying to get probate going on my mother’s estate, there were issues with the tenants, then there were issues with the house. Finally after a several months I was able to list my family home and after much heartache, I sold the house that had been in my family for 27 years. I miss my mother terribly, but I know that this will be but a short time without her and that I will be able to spend eternity with her. This year brought me much joy watching my children grow and learn and accomplish so many things. I decided to try my hand at making a piñata for Lance’s birthday. My mother used to make them for our birthdays when I was young and I thought it would be a neat tradition to continue. It actually looked pretty good and lasted a few rounds, I was shocked! It finally fell off the rope and the kids torn it apart. It was hard seeing all my hard work strewn about the yard but oh the memories! On a different note, I have also been experiencing a lot of anxiety, sadness and fear for my brother Mark who is currently serving in the Army National Guard and is stationed in Iraq, but along with those emotions comes pride. I am so incredibly proud of him and for his willingness to serve our great country and fight to protect our freedoms and those of others. May God bless our military and keep them safe.

Eric has been busy too, just on a different level. He has enjoyed 13 wonderful years at Caesars Palace and he is looking forward to his new position in Banquets at the Red Rock Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, where we know he will be kept busy. This last summer we bought a trampoline so that was his project for a few days. And of course he took the boat out as often as he could. Eric’s parents invited us up to Salt Lake City last May to attend a Dave Ramsey Live Seminar. Since then it has changed our lives financially. We are excited to say that in February, with the exception of our house, we will be “DEBT FREE”! Even with all this he has still found time to improve his golf swing, he keeps saying that he needs more practice and asks to go as often as he can. My thoughts on the subject...we won’t go there.

We hope this Christmas season finds all of you well and happy. We love you all and wish you the best for the New Year.

The Ball Family
Eric, Cindy, Brendan, Kristen, Mackenzie, Lance & Ryne

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Every year for Halloween we load everyone up and head up to our Church's parking lot for our annual "Trunk or Treat" and "Chilli cookoff".

We park our cars in a giant semi circle with the trunks facing inward and the kids go round and round till all the candy is gone. In the center are tables and chairs set up with all the Chilli and cornbread that folks have brought. There are awards for the best Chilli, cornbread, costumes and trunks. And we generally have a good time along with bringing home literally a TON of candy and goodies, due to the fact that we have 4 kids going around....next year I think I'll just bring a wheelbarrow!

Here's a few pics of the kids in their costumes...sorry I didn't take any more, just got too busy handing out treats or taking Lance around.



I'm not sure what Brendan thinks he can get out of this Jack 'O Lantern but he's prepared anyway!



















Kristen wanted to be "Pocahontas", but I wasn't willing to shell out $40 for a costume, so I found some "Indian" print fabric and fringe and made it myself...shocker I know...but it actually turned out pretty well, I think.












Ever the princess, Mackenzie wanted to be Ariel...the mermaid. Again, I wasn't about to pay the horrible prices, so found some scale like shimmery fabric and made the skirt...fin and all. The top was just from the dollar store and "voila"...a mermaid. I might just have to take another picture tomorrow...cause this one just doesn't do the skirt justice.




Lance received some Pirate costume stuff for his birthday and with a little coaching from Brendan on how a Pirate says,..."Aaaaargh", he was game. So thankful for that thoughtful gift cause I really had NO IDEA what he was going to be for Halloween....Thanks Melissa!








This is a special one.
And deserves a little explanation...when I was little, probably more like Lance's age I had a Tiger costume. I remember wearing it for a few years and how my mom painted the whiskers on my cheeks and made my nose like a cat. I LOVED that costume and was very sad when I grew out of it. I remember the last year that I wore it, it was so tight on me, everything was stretched to the point of almost breaking the seams and I had to walk very carefully to each door.
So needless to say when I saw this costume a few years ago in an after Halloween sale at something like 70% off making it only a few dollars I COULDN'T pass it up. I figured some child of mine would be able to wear it. Lots of fond memories.