2010 Year in Review.... December

Oh the last month in review... amen!  I never thought it would take so much time to do these!  Altho I had almost forgot about some of the things we did around here till I started going thru all the photos.  Since there was not much I could do outside anymore I spent some of my time in December in the basement.  I wrapped majority of the long ducts with insulation.  The main project was to insulate the crawlspace that lies below the kitchen.  I wrapped the air ducts, made sure all the water lines were wrapped, and then put R13 insulation under the floor boards.  Was NOT a fun project but I can tell a difference in how the kitchen floor isn't as cold and the air coming from the furnace is definitely a lot warmer.

Ready for the crawl space

was not an easy job pulling the insulation in & over ducts, plumbing and wiring in those tight areas.

Ducts all nice and insulated....  I think I deserved one of those bottle after that hard work!  =)

The other project in the basement is to finish insulating the ceilings and then cover it with material.  I bought 400+ yrds of muslin to cover up the ceilings.  I just staple it up tight.  Not that my basement will EVER be 'finished' due to very low ceilings, but it will at least be more pleasing to the eye.  Still have a little more rewiring to get done before I can finish insulating the rest of the basement. 

2 strips of the muslin installed... a lot more to go!

Mo kept saying that a fireplace in this house would be awesome - which i totally agree but don't have the funds to afford to have one built with all that has to happen with chimney, etc...  and the vent-free gas ones still scare me from the gas one I had at my old house when I could totally smell gas after it being on a while.  So went online searching for something usable... and found the Duraflame electric fireplace/heater and it was on sale!  I bought one for Mo as part of her Christmas gift and got one for my mom as well since she has said all her life that if she could change one thing about their house it would be to have a fireplace.  She had NO CLUE what was in the big box for Christmas and she loved it.  Just got a thank you card from her the other day saying she couldn't live without it now - and she doesn't even turn the heater part on too often - just watching the flames warms her up.  She is too cute!  Here is a video of Mia and Alexander getting warmed up by the fireplace.  Best part I like is that its small and takes up even less space than the little table we had in the same spot.   Only issue was with it using 1400watts when heater is on full blast - we tripped the 15amp breaker a few times, so I ran a new breaker in the box to that outlet so it was the only thing on the line and wouldn't trip and turn off 1/2 the stuff on in the house. 

It sure got cold quick...  so the fireplace was nice to get the living room toasty to watch tv at night.  But when we did have to go out to take care of the cats & goats..  or get mail we had to layer up.  Here is Mo dressed up to go out to get the mail!

Mid Dec my friend Tripp invited me to go out with her & some friends to a bar that has a mechanical bull - count me in!!  We had a good time and the singer from my old band, Charity and our friend Heidi both met Tripp & I out at the bar too - hadn't seen them in probably a year!

Me & Tripp

Heidi, Charity & I

Me riding the bull

The was time to make sure Christmas cookies... and I will say Mo is a much better decorator than I am...  I'll stick to the baking... she can decorate!  Some of Mo's creations...

*Note - our goats wear collars so these are Piggy, Hammy & Arby cookies.

On the 20th I worked up at our Canton office.  I took the new camera to get some photos to use for marketing purposes as well I had to set up the new wireless network out in the new office building that was put in.  Here is a sampling of the equipment that my company deals with...

Vans with aerial lifts (Van-Tel 29s)

Digger Derrick

Condor unit - I think this one will have you up in the air 100'+
This is a big boy....

Later that night we had our work Christmas party but I had time in between so I went over to visit my best friend Heather to see the new home they JUST moved into.  The kids were having a good time - I just love them to death!  Heather let them jump on her bed and you can tell that there is pure happiness on those faces!! 

Evan & Ava

Later on to the 356th Fighter Group for our Canton office Christmas party.  Had a very nice dinner and we all got our company gifts (lovin the Versalift Hoodie!) The woman next to the guy in the purple shirt is my boss's wife, Courtney, and my boss Keith is then next to her.  They are the BEST!!!

The rest of the month was basically just traveling around for Christmas.  We spent part of it with my parents and celebrated my dad's 70th birthday on Christmas Eve.  Then we went to Mo's family the rest of the weekend.  We had a WONDERFUL Christmas and look forward to spending many many many more together!  Here are some photos from Christmas....

photos after mass... my dad was making us laugh!

My mom figuring out it was a fireplace... she LOVED it!

My dad trying out his new chainsaw safety chaps! 

Mo holding the present my dad gave her - his copy of Dave Brubeck Quartet on vinyl.
Mo loved it & couldn't believe how perfect condition it was still in.

Me being goofy wearing my dad's new safety helmet holding
my tree trimmer present.  My apple trees will be nice and trimmed now!

Mo & her sister holding their twin nieces.

Mo with her brother & sis-in-law and their adorable twins.

at Chucky Cheese with Mo's family.  Playing the family favorite - Slam a Winner.

Mo and her niece from CT

Mo's nephew sitting on Mo's dad's lap.

 

and that is about it folks... that was our 2010 in a nut shell!  Lookin forward to all that 2011 holds.