Projects on the Blikstad Casa in 2017 into the New Year~by Beth

One Sunday morning while we were still asleep our wire closet shelf and rod decided to fall.  Abigail and I had previously taken it out and cleaned it, but that loosened it and it ripped out of the wall.  Since it was not very useful anyway, we decided to just make a shelf from wood and hang a regular rod, plus added a couple of low shelves.  Our closet is much more organized.  We used a $2 gallon of mistint paint from Sherwin Williams, which just happened to match our quilt.  Here it is almost finished before installing the shelves which are on the left side.

 So, this is embarrassing.  Our garage gets so messy.  We had to come up with a better system to store our stuff.

 The shelves on the left were not practical and not well made.  So mister carpenter and kiddos designed and built the new wood shelving unit. So much more orderly.  Seven months later it is still, fairly well, organized.

Reorganized with new IKEA dishes

With outside organizing going on, I also tackled some indoor reorganizing, beginning with changing out the table in my kitchen to a higher, and better fitting square one.  Love it!  Late in the year we also added a cupboard of drawers over by the wall on the left for kitchen linens and small appliances.  I put my coffee maker on top and opened up space on another counter.

Our next bigger project was remodeling our boys/guest bathroom when Nathan, Hannah and their children, Katie, Zach, and Caleb came for Thanksgiving.  We rebuilt the vanity with oak from the Habitat for Humanity Restore, but we reused the doors from the previous vanity as they were oak as well.  We also reused the sink and counter, and the existing tall cupboard in there, but glued on it a veneer and painted it white, along with the vanity.  I purchased a new shower curtain and rugs.  We still need to retile the shower floor, step, and some of the lower rows.  But we hope to do it soon.

I reused a drawer, painted the front, and installed vinyl tiles inside

cupboard before installing doors.

I also made a box from foam and covered it with fabric.  I will include the step by step directions in a post of craft projects later.

Our next big project did not include building but a reorganization of 4 rooms in the house and a big closet during Christmas break.  We took the 2 boys out of the big room and put the 5 girls and their stuff in the big bedroom.  After taking a car load of stuff to thrift stores, we are a bit lighter here.  It took 4 days of moving to get everyone in their new places, and another 4 to hang pictures and shelves, and find places for a small amount of keepsakes.  Here are the finished photos.

David's little room

While Jon had some time off from work in January we fixed up the entry way outside the front door.  The ceiling had drywall that, after years of heat and humidity in the semi-tropics here, was sagging and needed to be replaced.  We demoed the drywall and replaced it with tongue-in-groove pine boards.  We added quarter round on the edges and painted 3 coats of our exterior paint, 2 coats before installing.  While Jon installed that, I sanded the peeling paint on the interior side of the front door and jamb, and primed it.  Two coats of paint later, and it looks so much better.  A week later I repainted the entry floor.  We only need to repaint the exterior of the door and replace the screen and the entry will be finished.

Stephen is a good helper.

I need a manicure

Catching up on 2017~by Beth

So, life is busy when you're busy, right?  Since it has been so long since having time to blog I can only give some highlights.  Here are some of the fun things we did last year. 

Just before leaving Florida, we were able to enjoy a local AAA game.

Vacation time started with our conference in Taccoa, Georgia the end of May.  I had the 5 youngest children with me.  Jon stayed home for work and other responsibilities.

Stephen crosses river in ALERT cadets

Stephen heading to his program by the lake

What a beautiful spot to have our conference

First day for their programs

Charity was a leader for PreEmbassy for Abigail's group

Emma sings in closing program 

Johanna sings in closing program after moving up to Commit

Our name as charter members at the Ark Encounter

The youngest 4 in front of the life size Ark

Display at the Ark Encounter showing possible ways to care for animals

Charity left us in Georgia to head to her STEP program in Texas for the month of June.  The remaining four children and I headed up to Ohio to visit my family, with stops at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY, and the Creation Museum on the Kentucky side of Cincinnati.

Display of possible ventilation

Creation Museum 

We had a mini reunion of sorts as my aunt and uncle from Arizona were in town.  We enjoyed a Memorial Day picnic with them and my siblings in town.  The pool is always a big hit with the children.  I don't have a photo, but we managed a walk up to Doc's Shake Shoppe too.

Emma, Abigail and Parker

6 of the 7 children, Ellen, Mark, Beth, Tim, Lisa, and Paul

Beth, Aunt Debra and Mom

 As we usually do, Mom and I went shopping.  One day, with all the kids in tow, we stopped for lunch and decided to share a milk shake.  I think this is the most people I have ever shared with.







The four children and I left for Texas to visit with our children and grand daughters who live there.  We made the trip in 3 segments, stopping right at 400 miles for fuel and bathroom breaks.  The kids were very accommodating.  I got to see Nathan's new office in his new building.  We also visited Splash Park, near their home.

Nathan in his office 

Splash Park with Stephen and Lydia

Audrey has a good time

After Charity finished her program she had a closing ceremony.

Charity and Katie

We stopped in Longview at LeTournea University and had a nice tour from our DIL's father.  We concluded our vacation by stopping at IKEA and had a great time.

At home for Independence day we went to a local parade and had a cookout later that day.  Fireworks at night completed the day.

We made a visit in August to the Perot Museum when I flew back to Dallas for the birth of Isabelle.  Emma stayed in Texas for the summer and then flew home with me.  Meanwhile, at home, Charity began our school year.

Emma and her nieces in front of the Perot Museum

New school year (minus Emma in Texas)

The really big news was the birth of our newest grand daughter born to Nathan and Hannah Blikstad in Texas.

In September Irma visited us.  This is our house with shutters up in preparation for the hurricane.  We fared well and had little damage.

Next post will be about projects that we accomplished during the Summer and Fall into the new year.