Starved for Attention

With Lindsey being pregnant and getting to go get stitches a few months ago, I think I felt a little jealous. Well, nothing a slice to the knee can't fix! Dad gathered a crew (Dale, Brian, me, and him) to put a metal roof on Grandpa's garage. The metal sheets were too long so I had the job to cut them shorter with shears and then hand them to Brian who was at the bottom of the roof and then he would screw in the bottom while Dad screwed in the top and the middle (he was on the top of the roof). Dale had not arrived from work yet. It was a GREAT system for about 30 minutes. As I was pulling off one sheet of metal to cut the next one, I slipped on a little lip in the grass and pulled the metal sheet right across the inside of my left knee. It hurt, but only like a paper cut would. Unfortunately, it was not like a paper cut. I saw the scratch and then was able to open up the side of my knee and see inside and as we all know Todd and insides of bodies don’t mix well. After a very brief feeling of light-headedness, I drove myself to urgent care, met Lindsey there, got 8 stitches, got a tetanus shot, and that was that.

The good news? I got some attention finally! =)
The bad news? I can't exercise for 10-12 days...8 weeks straight of motivation totally down the tubes!

This is a really close shot of it...you can see it's more deep than wide. That must be a needle the doctor stuck in to show the size of the wound. Oh no...whoops...I'm not sure how a fence hole picture got into this post!

We didn't really have a shot of it before the stitches since I was out on the job

Wounds are supposed to be gross! All mine looks like is a scratch with stitches in it!

All the attention I got just makes me look ultimately look like a wuss...seriously, a scratch with 8 stitches in it. I PROMISE it really did need stitches and I could really see inside past the skin! I'm not lying just for the attention!

Project Fence Phase 3 - Chainlink - The Final Phase

We bought our fence project materials over a month ago for Phase 3, but it's just been sitting in our garage because it has been so hot. The weather was cool for weeks and then when it returned to 90 degrees, we decided to start phase 3. Nice planning, eh? Might as well have started in August. Anyway, the ground was as hard as concrete. There was no way we could dig a 2 foot hole manually like we did for the wooden fences we put in. So, we rented a power hole digger. Help it did, but it was still a big time struggle to hit our mark. One our first day of work though, we were able to get all of the holes dug, 4 posts in, and the single gate attached - all before it got dark on a weeknight. Okay, so it wasn't all before it got dark, but that all did get done that day. -T

We still manually got in there though, baby! Just to clean out what the machine had done though basically.

We had to pull up some bricks from our sidewalk though!

This one actually ended up being the easiest hole to dig. Maybe because it's in the shade a lot?

24 inches...surronded by what feels like concrete...no lies.

I don't think gates are as effective without the rest of the fence...they're really just kind of in the way

It's going to be great though!

Birth Day Season

There's a lot of birthdays coming up in the family...and not just our first child's birthing day. Dad's kicked off the season. I believe this was our first one that we've hosted at our house...besides Lindsey or mine. -T

Isn't marble cake just the best?!

Let's play the, "What is everyone doing in this picture?" game!

Mom: Seems interested in how big Dad can actually open his mouth

Dad: Showing everyone how big he can actually open his mouth...or sneezing
Todd: Hey...I've been working out for 8 straight weeks...I've earned the right to flex whenever I want to

35ish Weeks - 5 Weeks til D-Day

I suppose the next time we see the baby it will be coming out of Lindsey. Well, I hope I'm conscious then. We had our last ultrasound. All was well...baby weighed in at 6 lbs 3 oz - 68th percentile for weight. -T

We're not really sure, maybe a hand over the eye, foot by the mouth? Or maybe an enormous snot bubble out the nose?

We're really not sure even more - maybe found a pod of peas to eat and has a horrible combover?

We're really not sure the most here - it looks tasty though and the combover isn't near as bad.

Bigger Growths

In the midst of moving rocks, we found out that our watermelon has continued to grow (see post: Growths)! -T

It doesn't look like it here...

...but it does here!

Rockin' the Back Yard Again

We continued with building rock paths. We bordered some new places like where next year's garden will be. We also redid some areas where the borders were messy. -T

We now have a pathway through the landscaping (done previously), a path behind our current garden (done previously), and now a path behind next year's garden (done on this day).

Next year's garden - access from in front, behind, and stepping stones (not really in place yet) for in between!

Rocks are cool (and really hurt when you get your finger smashed in between them)

I thought I would need Tommy John surgery at the end of the day (surprisingly my back was fine).

We like it!

Who Does She Remind You Of?

We de-iced the freezer. Does Lindsey remind you of anyone? -T

Any guesses?

How 'bout now?

If you guessed Goldie Hawn from Overboard you would be correct!
(If you guessed anything else you were wrong)

I swear...EVERYTHING we do, Lindsey takes a shot of me like this!

Does anyone else think this is out of control?

How about when it's a closer shot?

0 Fo' No Mo'!

Going to Reds games is always kind of special to Lindsey and me because that is how we spent our first date. On our first date, we had an hour and fifteen minute rain delay and lost to the Phillies. We then got married and attended a game with Dad and we had a thirty minute rain delay and lost to the Giants. In May, we were in St. Louis and it was sunny, but that was followed by a rain delay and a loss to the Cardinals. So...three games, three rain delays, three losses. We had houseguests for the week - Sharon and Adam - and decided to attend another Reds game. To say it was awesome is an understatement. We got to see, on a bright sunny evening, the Cuban Missile Aroldis Chapman who has a fastball that has hit 105mph. When he came in we were down 1-0. His entrance to the game changed the entire momentum of the game and we scored 6 runs the inning he entered to win 6-1. So, Lindsey and I witnessed our first win together and first game without a rain delay. -T

"Ladies and Gentlemen...if you would turn your attention to the playing field. Now pitching for the Reds...Aroldis Chapman!"

Cincinnati loves Aroldis!

So much excitement with every pitch

Finishing off the side!

Enjoying a lead

For a bonus - we were playing Milwaukee and Lindsey loves to watch Prince Fielder run

The four of us

Our first win!

It's official - our first win...and someone else's too (well yes, our baby, but no)!


Reds 6 Brewers 1 - 1st Place

Growths

When it came to tomatoes and beans we had good success this summer. As for other things, not so much. Some things, however, did show signs of life. -T

Cherry Tomatoes

We've only eaten 2, 1 for each of us, but hey, it was somethin' and tasted great!

Watermelon anyone?
The watermelon plant just grows all over!

Our garden with the new rock path behind.

Rockin' the Back Yard

We have a lot of unorganized rocks in our backyard. I like to organize things, sooo....

Unorganized + Like to Organized = Newly Organized

Lindsey, bless her heart, was very active in collecting rocks (no heavy lifting by pregnant people was included in this project). We have wanted to make rock paths through our landscaping in the back, so we did. -T

Okay...she always takes pictures of me like this, it's almost like she WANTS me to make "comments."

Lindsey's bucket - she did so great!

The path was built so we could walk behind our current garden.

Wide enough for wheelbarrel traffic...

...and simple pedestrian use.

It looks even better in the light...and with her in it.

Like it...

...even with a pile of compost next to it.

Adding to the Carolina Room - err, the Baby Room

Lindsey wanted shelves in the baby room. So, me being so handy, thought no problem! When reality struck, and it turned out I was just decent with numbers, I had to go with math over handiness. Unfortunately for me, the math, of where studs were and the length of shelves, etc., didn't add up so it created a problem. If I'm not handy, and I can't get the math of it figured out, well that just spells disaster. Fortunately, everything turned out okay! Woohoo! Oh, and stuffed animals are cool! -T

The prep work - done by the very talented Lindsey

She painted four of the shelf holders. Is that what they are called? That doesn't even seem right. "Shelf holders?" It seems like there is a correct name for them.

Either she has joined in the equal rights movement or she's done and is turning out the light.

Doing the math - unsuccessfully. Since when does my hair come to a point on the top?

5 plus 11 equals 15? I used to be good with numbers and stuff.

Okay everyone, you'll need to find a better place to sit.

If you feel yourself sliding because this isn't level, please just don't fall directly onto the baby. Oh, whaddya know...there's a black panther right there!

Future interior decorator anyone?