Done With the Duplex

The duplex we bought in March in finally finished and under contract. It looks like it should close on Monday or Tuesday (10th or 11th). This is really good and we feel really blessed! The market here has been pretty slow, but we priced it low to move it fast. Here are a few pics of the finished product. The pics above are all of the upstairs apartment. We posted what it looked like a little after Todd got started. You can view those by clicking on this link http://toddandjennylei.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html. Make sure you scroll all the way down there are more pics of the roof and stuff. We are still trying to decide what to do over the next few months. Todd is doing a few projects around our current house like a front yard and stuff. It should be interesting! We are thinking about getting something to fix and rent, since the market isn't really conducive to flipping right now! We'll keep you posted.

This is the bsmt kitchen. It really turned out cute. It is already rented and it was surprisingly easy. The buyers did all the work to get it rented and everything. It was pretty nice.

This is the bsmt bathroom. It is pretty stinking cute compared to when we bought it! Totally usable and not so nasty with the beadboard and everything! You have to walk through the shower to get to the toilet, but nothing cheap rent can't fix!

This was by far the most interesting part of the house. An old coal furnace that everything is still ran through! It just don't see these everyday! The duplex has gas and is getting central air, but they just still use the old ducts, etc.

Waterskiing with our Mechanic




This is our diesel mechanic and well yes, Todd has become quite good friends with him. So much so that we have gone waterskiing with them twice. Turns out he has waterskied a time or two and was pretty fun to watch on the wakeboard. He did a switch-a-roo and it was pretty cool!

The fun part about this is that his wife, Jackie, and I get along well too and she has the exact same due date as me! It has made for some pretty fun conversations! The water was pretty rough but luckily her and I got some of the best of the day! We kneeboarded together since I convinced her that the doctor would approve!

Unfortunately the water was so bad for most all of the day that we ended up floating around a lagoon/cove thing that we found. It was pretty fun though and it turned out one of the places was just a mudbog! It was a little startling, sinking down to your thighs in mud! Of course the guys were pretty macho about it and it was hilarious!

We also paddled around on the kneeboards and their daughter, Sydney, thought that was pretty fun!

When we finally decided to try some waterskiing again the water was much, much too choppy so we got out the tube and Ryan and Jackie rode around for awhile.

Unfortunately they got thrown off!

Sydney also got to ride but I never was sure whether or not she was happy about that!

Since Ryan had grown up around boats we let him drive for awhile and Todd and I tubed. It was pretty stinking fun, I was pretty certain I was going to get thrown any second! Thanks Ryan.

Signing off!

Perma-Belly

Well we don't really have any pictures to post as of recently. Todd has been working pretty diligently on the duplex trying to get it done before college starts around here. So no fun coming from our part of the world, but changes are rapidly happening nonetheless.

Jenny (we'll refer to her as me from now on in this post!) has been extremely tired and can't believe how much stuff I have let go by the wayside. Laundry piles up until we give in and put it away, dishes stay in the sink for days, and the bed didn't get made for 2 weeks!! Wow - this pregnancy stuff is for the birds I tell ya! I am thinking that Todd should take a turn next time!!!

But back to the reason for the post. I have a belly. It's definitely a belly. Now before these last couple of days I have joked about bellies. Like ya know, I have had one before in my life! But these bellies I've had, they were temporary. Like sometimes I'd wake up and first thing in the morning my belly would be completely flat. I always liked those times! But now (for the past few days) my belly is there every morning. In fact, since it showed up, it hasn't ever left. I finally expressed my concern to Todd and he ever so lovingly told me he didn't think it was going to get any better for a while! I was so sad at this realization.

Now some of you might be flabbergasted at my sadness - for carrying a baby is such a beautiful thing I'm sure. But this is reality, and I take my stand that if I could carry a baby with no belly I would definitely pick that option!! LOL - Hope you have a good day and enjoy the belly you currently have!

PS The picture above is NOT my belly

Waterskiing With the Welch's!

We went up to Twin Falls last week to tell the family about the good news, go waterskiing, get Jackie's old dining room table, and do some visiting. Luckily we were able to accomplish all of that!

Todd and Whit kneeboarded together.

And Jenny and Whit kneeboarded together.

Mark and Halee tubed together and it was pretty fun listening to Halee scream. Mark was able to get a little practice in "pushing his weight around" in order to keep to tube upright!




Jenny and Halee tried to kneeboard together, and trust us, we gave it as many different tries as we could figure but, alas, it was not meant to be!




Todd, of course, can't do anything unless he's doing it extreme! So tubing with Whit we had to perform some tricks! They had a good time and didn't get thrown off too much!

Mark finally got up on skis for the first time. It was pretty fun watching him, and as you can tell he is pretty proud of himself!

The other really funny part was Todd and Mark tubing together. Most of the time they were just trying to keep both of them on the tube. They quite enjoyed it and so did everyone laughing at them in the boat!

This is the first time we have been able to ski together. We haven't ever really let anyone else drive the boat and we haven't really had enough power before. But rest assured, Power can be Bought! Just ask us we'll tell you all about it!

Guess What?!




ETA: February 27, 2008

And just a little FYI, Baby's First Boat Ride at 7 Weeks- Doing Great!! Although realize by now I am almost 10 weeks along!

Michigan in July


We went to Michigan the other week. It was really fun to visit Robb and Amanda and Cole. We went to a baseball game. That was so fun as it was a beautiful day and the food was so good! It was a great time sitting outside watching the game and enjoying the day.

We also went on the lake fishing and watersking. Robb got up immediately and decided he had been missing out for a while now! Cole is pretty fun out on the lake as he was cheering everyone on!

Todd, of course, gets really excited when we start sking and just can't contain himself! All in all it was such a fun trip to visit and hang out with Robb and Amanda.

The Fourth of July

Well it might be a little late to post July 4th pics, but here there are anyway. I went to the parade with a few of the grandkids and Mom and Jana. Then we went back to Mom's with everyone and had lunch and played in the water.

It wasn't until we put the water on the tramp that Todd couldn't take it anymore and decided to play in the water for the rest of the afternoon. It was a real blast and as always the kids really enjoyed an adult playing with them! Todd is quickly taking status as the favorite uncle, and they often compare things they see like this: "As tall as Todd, or maybe even taller!"

Todd also decided that babies just ruin the fun and we quickly diverted that one for him!

You can tell from Kate's stance that she is trying to plead her case and get Todd to stop the jumping so she can get on. She does have that way about her that makes Todd give in pretty quick!

The the fun moved to a game involving Todd catching the kids and dunking them with his eyes closed. Again Todd becoming the favorite uncle!



Kate was so unbelievably cute I couldn't help but take a picture! No worries that the goggles were just for running through the water!

Washington for a Week


For those of you who might not know I went to Washington for about a week. Both of my grandmas live there and my mom and I went to do some cleaning out, yard saleing (setting up that is), and a birthday party.

Then Dad joined us and we also went to the Space Needle in Seattle and the Farmers Market. It was fun to see Seattle again, but really it just put a little bit of reality in me and just made me want to come home!

The Market was full of fun stuff though. All kinds of things like: fresh fish, fresh donuts, fresh flowers, and just about everything else you can think of!

There were some big bolts at the bottom of the Space Needle. We all decided that they were only decorations to make people feel better about going up! After seeing the picture and explaining what they looked like Todd decided that he thinks they are real, but we just aren't sure!

This is my Aunt Winnie and my Uncle Lee at the Yard Sale. They are about 84, have been married about 56 years and are 2 of the healthiest people I have ever met. It was nice to visit with them as my mother is very close to them and has been her whole life!

This is my Grandma Barbara. It was her Birthday that we went to and I was able to spend the night at her house before I flew home. It was nice to visit one on one and get to know her a little better.