Kids' Bathroom Part 5: It's USEABLE!!!

So the goal was to have it useable by the time company arrives.  Mission accomplished!!!



Casey and Jared admiring our beautiful new vanity!



Check out the faucet!!!  Jared isn't crazy about it.  We had a discussion about functionality versus looks, and I went for looks :)  Isn't it way cute?
Backing up this story a step:  I bought a functional, stainless steel faucet a while ago, and Jared asked me if this is the faucet I really want.  I was just trying to get that shopping part done.  So I shopped around more and found this awesome bamboo one!  I figured, since I'm going with a beach theme in this bathroom, THIS IS PERFECT!  I was actually really excited about it, unlike the way I felt about the boring, functional one.  So, way to go, Jared, for sending me back to the store!!!
And, way to go, honey, for putting our bathroom back to it's functionality!!



Here's another fun fact:  Jared wasn't planning on starting this bathroom so soon after our last one was done.  He says I just started pounding away at it before he was ready.  Way to go, me and, actually more high fives to Kyle!!!  Just think how pink it would be still, if I hadn't handed the hammer over to him!!

Gyros

Ah, I miss the Utah State Fair.  We used to go every summer with Jared's family.  The food there was a big part of the fun for them.  I love the gyros we enjoyed.  I've always thought it would be fun someday to try making some.  Tonight, I did it.  With a big help from Jace.  The preparation time is estimated at 3 hrs., 45 min.  That was about right.  I don't think I'll be making this every week.  But it was good.  I found lamb meat at Sam's club.  Here's the recipe:



Tzatziki Sauce:

16 ounces plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
Pinch kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
What?!  How in the world do I do that?!  So I gave Jace my paper towels filled with yogurt and asked him to figure it out.  He's a chip off the old block.  Here's what he came up with:

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint.  I used two bowls:  One with mint leaves, the other with fresh dill leaves.  They were both so yummy! Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Meat:


1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded

2 pounds ground lamb

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Here's the directions I want to try next time I make it.  But today, I just cooked on the skillet.  I used paper towels instead of the tea towels.  Them Greeks must have had a lot of tea towels!  I found my paper towels to work just as good :) 
 
Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

I think I'll make this again on a day I have a LOTTA time on my hands!!

Kids' Bathroom Part Four: Plumbing Completed!

Well, at least for the vanity. Who needs plumbing in their shower anyway?  (it's only 50 yrs. old)
I picked up our shower door this morning (yay!) I cannot wait to have the final touch on our bathroom done! Then we can totally move back in! It's been since Christmas!  Lance would say, "That's totally, like, in the day."


Today I sealed the grout and Jared finished this beautiful new drain.  Previously, he moved the copper piping over so it would fit into our vanity and the drawers don't any pipes.

Voila!  Jared's plumbing work completed.  Just need to drywall over that... Oh, and put a vanity in.



... and a toilet.

Our plan is to have this bathroom useable by the time Casey and Becca get here from Utah (Jared's brother and his wife) on Tuesday.  Think it'll happen?

The kids are so excited!  Kyle wanted to know if they are bringing their horses.  I had to tell him they wouldn't fit on the plane.

Part Three: Kid's Bathroom

Doctor by day; Tiler, Plumber, you-name-it, by night.



Hey, Hon!, Smile!  You're on camera!

 Here's the rest of the story:
Part One: Kids Bathroom
Part Two: Demo

Part Two: More Helping Hands... Still Demolishing

The beginning of the story starts at Part One: Demolition

I had to throw this one in from the last Demo Part One photo session cuz Kyle is so proud here!

 



Minus a vanity.  Lance worked all afternoon after Kindergartin in here.  He really got into it.

6 Handy Hands standing where the toilet used to be.

Clean up, Clean up... 

I think these guys and gal are really going to enjoy their bathroom THAT much more, knowing, and being a HUGE part of, all the work that this takes!

Kids Bathroom Part 1: Demolition

Give a boy a hammer and what have you got?  Demolition. 
Also Cami doing what she does best.

 Bidding farewell to the pink bathroom...

Solid White tile is very hard to keep clean in a children's bathroom, where mud gets tracked in several times a day here during the wet season.  Goodbye!

First hits

Kyle posing his strong muscles

Can't wait for the next steps!

Master Bath Remodel Part 3: Just One Shower Door Away from Done!

It's done!  Well, except for a shower door, but who needs those, anyway?

Two handymen.  Jace must be admiring the quality of his dad's work; or perhaps just missing the demolition days.



I'm still researching brushed bronze shower doors.  Home Depot and Lowe's only had one kind to choose from and it's $500!  I know there's a better deal out there somewhere.

But I'm not waiting.  Demo on the next bathroom begins Thursday!!  Jace can't wait!

For previous project pics click here: Part One: Master Bath Remodel

and Part 2

PS - Below is a pic for my memory's sake of the tile that used to be here.  I didn't ever get a real "before" picture.  Aren't we cute together?  I remember thinking what a romantic time we were having, working on our full house!

Christmas Day - this bathroom was a gift from our families.  Thank you, Mom, Dad, Granny and Grandad!

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

I was exhausted today and had to take a rest during Cami's naptime.  When I woke up, this is what I found.  Cami had changed out of her pullups, put real underwear on, and replaced her pants, only backwards.  She must have joined her brothers for the movie and given up on staying awake.

I Smell Trouble

 Don't try this at home.

Jace was seriously stuck.  I had to get a few snaps with my camera from all angles before pulling him out.  Luckily it was after bedtime for the younger 'uns and, except for Kyle, who always has a hard time staying in his bed and promised not to try this, no one saw. 
What was he doing?  He said something about seeing how far he could go.  If he tries this again, I'm going to grab his toes and pull!

NieNie

Stephanie is speaking to our Relief Society Stake tomorrow in Chesterfield!  I've read her blog before moving here, but come to find out, her mom lives here in St Louis!
Jace was lost in her blog for a while one night.  She is so inspiring.  She helps me to be grateful that I can do boring household chores.
Grab a box of tissues and click above if you haven't heard of her.  I can't wait!

Random Pics

Jace playing with the Panoramic setting on Family Night.

 The following pics are after church last Sunday.  Best time to catch them while they're still dressed up!  (Besides before church, which will seldom happen).

Being Lance :)

Cami's brothers love her, too.

Watch out, Kindergartners!



Dancin' Kyle

   

<>

 Accidently took these on the Panoramic setting without realizing it.

Peek-a-Boo!

Smilng, giggly sibs.  With an exception to Jace.  He wasn't feeling too giggly.  It was fast Sunday, after church, and we hadn't even gotten in the car yet!



All In It Together

Cami loves her brothers!

Today, Cami taught me, by example how to show Christlike love to our fellow men (or girls).  We were at Lance's baseball practice, and Kyle and Cami were sitting on a bleacher behind the fence, watching the girls (about 9 yrs.) practice softball.  The girl that was up to bat had already missed a couple of balls.  The ball was pitched again, and as she stood there, it hit her on the leg, hard.  She began to cry and when her dad joined her, she walked off the field to the bleachers.  Her dad said something about moving out of the way of the ball, and the poor girl was just devastated.  Cami asked me,
"Mom, can I give her a hug?
I wasn't sure what to say, and finally muttered, "No, sweetheart, we don't know her."
So Cami asked me if I would give her a hug, and by then I was feeling bad for telling Cami not to help someone feel better, as I have been trying to have the kids do at home with each other.
So I said, "Mmm, okay, you can give her a hug."
So she walked over to the crying girl, who's back was turned to us, and, after I asked the Dad and daughter if it would be alright, Cami reached out and hugged the girl's back.  Cami was smiling.
Then I looked over and saw Kyle slowly walking toward the girl, and he did the same thing, hugging the back of her.
They took turns hugging her again, before I refocused their attention on something else.
I hope I can take this lesson, taught by my daughter, and use it more in my daily life.  Perhaps I can make someone else's day, whether I know them personally or not, a little better just by one small action of Christlike love.  Because, after all, aren't we all in this together?