The New Backyard Patio

Final design

Holly has been wanting a backyard patio for a long time now. Since Poppa and Poppi moved in, we have been doing a lot of work in the backyard. Poppi put up some hummingbird feeders that work very very well. We also put up a windmill birdhouse, church birdhouse and cross that Poppi got from her brother who does a lot of woodwork. We started a garden and we put flowerbeds all along the back wall of the house. We got a nice patio table that seats 6 off of craigslist on the cheap. The only thing left to do was the patio.

Took us a bit, but we finally decided where to put it and what size. After pricing out various stones for the patio size we wanted, we had to go with the cheapest of stones. We like them though. After deciding on size and the stones, I started playing with

Patio supplies...check!

MS Paint to figure out a pattern so we know how many stones to buy of each color. Came up with a few designs before I had one we liked.

Technically we started work on the Thursday, April 21st. Holly was slowly digging out the grass from the patio area, along with some help from Poppi. On my way home from work, I stopped at Home Depot (the first of many stops this weekend) and picked up some lumber for the frame. To be honest...I had no clue what I was doing. I read Home Depots brochures on patio and looked at a few blogs and websites. One of Holly's main gripes with patios from the many homes shes worked at as a nanny was that the stones start to shift. So she was happy with the frame I wanted to make for the patio. I would've loved to use those big 6x6 railroad looking pieces of wood for the frame, but again, we had a tiny budget. Shopping for a 15'x11' foot patio, I bought a 2"x6"x16' board for the long edge along the house; two 2"x10"x12' for the sides; and two 2"x10"x8' for the other long edge (couldn't find a 2"x10"x16' for this side). Then just got some brackets and screws for the inside corners and the middle of the long edge I had to piece together.

Friday was the big day. Woke up to a great breakfast with the fam at Chick-Fil-A and then hit up Home Depot which was crazy busy! Long story short...it took 3 trips to get everything home: one trip for the 86 1'x1' silver stones, one trip for the 79 1'x1' terra cotta stones and one trip for all the sand and base. Spent almost half the day at Home Depot. The rest of the day was digging out the grass by the ladies and me digging a trench for the frame.

Saturday morning was a lot more physical. When Friday ended, I had the left edge dug out and the 2x10 in place. Most of the grass was cleared out. Saturday was a lot more of the work. Digging out the trench for the remaining 3 sides and cutting the boards to the right lengths. The trench was the worse. Using a pick axe to dig it out was murder on the back. Remember earlier when I said I didn't know what I was doing? The two boards for the long edge I had to piece together, I measured twice then cut. Unfortunately I measured it incorrectly. One more trip to Home Depot. Finally got everything cut out right, trenches dug, and Holly had the rest of the grass all dug out and transplanted to a bald area by the flowerbed underneath the kitchen window. My "man" skills kicked in and I eye-balled the frame...yup, a perfect rectangle! This was where we were at by the end of Saturday:

The glove now reminds me of the Laverne & Shirley intro

Genius!

Sunday is Easter. We didn't have any big family plans other than church. Church was awesome though. Austin Stone Community Church rented the Frank Erwin Center where the Longhorns play basketball. Holly and I volunteered to help with KidStuff and take care of some rowdy rowdy 3-4 year olds. We heard the podcast for the service later that week. Check it out for yourself, it is pretty amazing. We are sad though that we missed the choir of children from African (I think Uganda?) that worshiped there with us. Also missed an incredibly time of worship by all of our worship leaders. We were bummed later to find out all the recordings of the worship service failed, but I digress...

This is how we do it...

After church and lunch, we put the boys down to sleep then back to work. Needed to start leveling out the ground. That is when my "man" skills kicked in to overdrive. I went back to Home Depot and bought another long 2"x6"x12' board. This was my thought process. The stones are 1" thick. Everything I read recommended 1" of base sand. So need the ground to be 2" below the top of the frame. That is why I got that extra board. I cut a notch on both ends that was 2" up and on the other side cut a notch that was 1" up. So used the 2" notch to start leveling out the ground. Then started pouring out the sand. After a couple more trips to Home Depot, I had enough sand. Used the 1" notch on the board to start leveling out that sand. Then I pulled out a piece of plywood I've had in the garage and used that to place on the sand then jump up and down like mad to pack it, add more sand, pack it in, level it out, etc. The boys had a great time helping Holly and I jump up, jump up and get down. Jump! (Holly had to go in and start getting the boys ready for bed while I worked on the sand, but she came back to record me actin' a fool) By the time we were done Sunday, we were ready to place the stones.

One more day of work left

Fingers crossed!

I had to spend a vacation day so we could finish on Monday. Like eating, I'm a slow worker...a bit of a perfectionist when I get into something. Now the fun part, putting down the stones! It was also the scary part. Once again, I really don't know what I'm doing. I wasn't kidding before, I literally eye-balled the frame. I had I strong guess that the side board along the patio and the board along the edge were good. I measured the distance from the house to the long edge all along the board and I was hoping the house patio was square. That was the extent of what I did to make sure my patio was square. It wasn't until it was all said and done that I remembered when Uncle Mike came over to help build our foundation for the storage shed when I remember measuring the distance between cross corners to make sure it was square. Measuring is for suckers! Monday's work was so much easier. Just started laying out stones in the pattern we designed. When we got to the very last stone...it didn't fit! But we had left small gaps along the way, so we just started shortening all the gaps...still not quite fitting in...after I jumped on it a couple times, perfect fit!

Finally! Not to shabby

We have been making plenty use of the patio. If anyone wants to have a cookout, com'on over! Here is a photo album with more pics of the process. A lot of the process was also keeping the boys entertained while we worked...think that might have had something with this taking for days to complete.



For you young-ins, here is the intro to the Laverne & Shirley sitcom.

Walnut Creek Park: Bike Ride of Death

Walnut Creek Park is an amazing park here in Austin and not too far from us. Tons of amazing trails and a creek. You can see all sorts of animals like cardinals, hawks (don't know what kind specifically), squirrels, big ol' fat fence lizards. Running and mountain biking there is incredible...as long as you don't kill yourself.

Don't turn here

I rode at WCP on Monday, but I forgot my helmet and gloves. No gloves is okay at first, but then you start sweating like a politician in church and now your grip is not as good as it was before. The helmet thing, don't really need that anyways...as long as I stay upright. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have taken some of the more difficult trails, but it was fun. Only close call was when I decided to make a right turn that ended at a cliff overlooking the creek. That's what I get for listening to the cardinal that was sitting there telling me to make the turn. Don't listen to the cardinals if you go to WCP. On Tuesday I loaded up again for a ride, but forgot my helmet again and I had just told Holly I wouldn't ride without my helmet again. History dictates at least 2 weeks must pass before I go back on my word.

Wednesday I finally remembered my helmet and gloves. Amazing how I turned into a professional mountain biker once I put my helmet on. I rode up to the "BMX Trail" which has some great loops, mounds for some decent jumps and some big ups and downs. It also has a real BMX track that is usually filled with real BMXers running the track. Well, yesterday when I passed it...the track was empty. So now I'm a professional BMXer. I start running the track on my mountain bike, it was gnarly! I only wiped out a few times. Gotta make sure I'm going full speed next time so I can make it up the next jump.

Bike meets tree, knee meets bike

I'm out here on my lunch break and at the opposite end of where I parked so I got to book it back to where I came from. The problem is now I'm wiped out from the BMX trail and I also get lost every time I ride here. I sort of know where to go, but it is always hit and miss for me to get where I actually want to go. There are some power lines that are close to where I park, but you have to be pretty close to them to see them through all the trees. As I get closer to the neighborhood I parked in, I'm trying to ride fast and I'm now on a trail I've never been on. I get to this pretty steep downhill and halfway through, picking up speed, there are a lot of roots and they are making a sort of stairway downhill. I have to keep my speed up to get over the roots and just hit a step down as I try to slow and go over the handlebars. I'm going faster than I really wanted to and then the trail makes a left turn. The brakes are not working as fast as I needed them to and I slam into some trees! It was so much fun! The bike just sort of wedged in between some trees

It's a lot more steep than it looks!

and didn't really take any damage. I was thrust forward, but my right leg took the brunt of the impact on the front fork. That was my first real wipe out...it was totally rad.

This new (to me) trail finally takes me back to the neighborhood I was in, but I'm nowhere near where I parked. Had to pull out google maps and find my way back to the truck. Super fun lunch time. This is the map of my ride at WCP, the top/right corner is where the BMX track is. The left/middle/top is where I started. The bottom left loop is where I popped out in the wrong place and had to ride around the neighborhood looking for my truck.

No, It's A Moon

This evening after the boys shower they were playing in the game room. They played with momma and their puzzle box with shapes cut out and blocks to fit in each shape. Jordan picked up a crescent shaped block. Momma named it for them, "It's a crescent." Jordan kindly corrected her...

"It not a pwesent momma. It ah moon. It go in da sky!"

Photo Contest Update

Turns out one of Jeremy's photos was in this week's contest too. I did not get an email about it until yesterday. However, he got a lot of support yesterday! He was ranked #7312 yesterday and today is now #489. Thanks to all who have voted and shared the link. Keep it up this weekend!

Click HERE to vote for Jeremy: http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/837149

And don't forget to keep voting for Jordan too! Click HERE to vote for Jordan: http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/834136
Jordan went down from #776 on Tuesday to #1100+ on Wednesday. On Thursday he was ranked #924 and by Friday that was cut in half to #435. Today is currently ranked #235!

So keep those votes coming and share the links! Not sure when voting ends...think tomorrow might be the last day. So try voting again on Sunday if you can. Peace out...

Jordan's Photo Contest

Entered Jordan in a photo contest on parents.com and we need your help! Go vote and tweet, facebook, email and just totally spam all your friends and family until they block you!

VOTE HERE NOW! http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/834136

(P.S. It is a week long contest and you can vote once per day, but feel free to vote through different browsers, on different computers, phones, etc... every day this week)

Lesson Learned

It has been about a month since our last update. I've collected lots pictures and video. Had grand plans to update the world wide web with still and moving pictures of what we believe are the most precious kids in the world. Thought I might also update y'all on the killer stone patio we built Easter weekend. Instead I'm piecing together the single most horrific moment of our life.

We have been wanting to go down to Buda for their annual wiener dog races. The last few years Holly was pregnant and then the boys were too small. This year we finally thought we had it together and could have fun out there with the dogs...and we did, until we lost Jordan.

We got to Buda and hit the shuttle parking area. The boys (ok, Holly and I) were really excited to see the shuttles to the festival area were school buses. The boys, T-Bone and Jezebel all got their first ride in a school bus. FYI...they do not make school buses for 55 pound plus dogs. Slow ride through traffic to the park, but not long after we are finally there walking around. T-Bone and Jezebel got treats as soon as we walked in the door. They spit them out. They have never really been in to those healthy, all-natural, organic treats. We walked passed the first couple tents and the dogs wet their paws in some wading pools. The boys decided they'd like to get down and walk. Sure, no problem. We are in pretty wide aisle with boothes on both sides. We just walked down a few boothes when a man and his little girl approached us and asked if he could pet Jezebel and give her a treat. It was another organic buffalo jerky type treat, but that's besides the point. Turns out huskies are his "dream dog" and he starts asking us question about what it was like to raise her, especially in the heat of Texas.

Our lovely little baby girl is getting some attention and we are more than happy to answer the questions of the nice man with an eye for beauty. Holly and I both had a kid in our vision while we talked. After what was maybe a couple minutes, Holly asks, "where is Jordan?" Just another panicked question when she loses sight of one of the boys for 2 seconds. I look around, he is probably standing right behind her. I look around, still looking, and now the panic is creeping in. Finally Mike Tyson lands a haymaker, right on the jaw, Jordan is gone. I am freaking out, trying to hold back the fear, trying to formulate a plan, trying to not run through all the horrific possibilities in my head. All I can think is to rush to the entrance and make sure no one is trying to leave with him.

We are both shouting for Jordan as I make my way back towards the entrance. A festival worker/volunteer walks up to Holly and I walk back over. She tells Holly to stay put. I give T-Bone to Holly and she has both dogs now. I take Jeremy and start walking with the lady giving her all Jordan's details. She wants to call the cops and let the park know a kid is lost. She stops walking to use the phone and at this point I told her everything, so I tell her I'm heading for the entrance. As I'm walking away a couple tells me they saw a lady walking with a little boy and point the direction they went, right around a big tent. I walk to the corner of the tent and look around and don't see anything. I ask the couple to please come show me where the lady was headed, they just said "around the tent" and now I'm pissed that they would just come walk with me and see if they can find the lady they just saw walking by. And then...

"Frank!" Someone is calling my name and underneath the big tent is the one couple we came to see. Lori was there under the tent with Jordan and I think the lady was there too. I can't even remember anymore. If she was there, I didn't see her. I saw Lori and Jordan and then it was all Jordan. Looking back, Jordan walked away and he couldn't have been away from us for more than 3-5 minutes. He walked away, a lady saw him alone and confused. She must have asked him something about wanting to find "mommy" and "daddy" and he trusted her and took her hand. They walked passed the big tent Lori and Marcos were under and Lori thought she recognized Jordan. The lady and Jordan walked up right behind them and she heard the lady talking to paramedics about a lost little boy. That is when Lori jumped saying she knew the little boy, Jeremy or Jordan. To her credit, we can't always get their names straight either. With Jordan's long curly hair now, they are starting to look a lot alike too. Lori said she started talking to Jordan and tried to use familiar words he would recognize, like Jeremy, Jordan, T-Bone. She had just told Marcos to call me when they saw me and called me over.

It is difficult to really piece the time lapse together...it was one of those moments where people say the minutes felt like hours. In all, I'm guessing it close to 5 minutes that Jordan was away from us. All I remember was begging, over and over again, "please God." Holly had to try and keep it together while she just stayed in the area where we lost him. As soon as I picked up Jordan and I told Lori I had to go get Holly right away. Holly spotted me and the boys almost instantly as soon as I walked out of the tent towards her. She ran over and with every step her face melted more and more. She held Jordan and sobbed. People who had been helping were trying their best to not let us think we were idiots for losing our kid and talked about how they lost their kid in Wal-mart. Jordan finally needed to come back to daddy cause momma's suffocating hugs and sobs were freakin' him out a bit.

We've seen too much tragedy recently with some old friends losing their infant son to illness and other's discovering their healthy 7 year old boy suddenly lost his sight because of a brain tumor. Their tragedies helped me remember how blessed I was. Somehow, that started to fade as I walked around the park looking for my boy thinking I didn't hug him enough and I'd never see him again. I got another reminder this weekend not to take my family for granted (anyone else ever want to say "granite"). I pray I never have to experience that feeling again.

We were able to recover and semi-enjoy the rest of the day. It got better pretty quickly and Jordan had no idea anything messed up had just happened. We got to see Marcos and Lori's dog race. Oscar and Maya. Maya came up short in her race, but Oscar finished top 2 and advanced to the next round. In the next round Oscar got a great jump coming out of the gate, but swerved across a couple lanes and lost focus on the finish line for just a second. It was enough to keep him from advancing again. He did get featured on the http://welcometokyle.com/ homepage though. Way to go Oscar!