DavesJunk.Com

My brother, Nathan recently obtained his daughter.  Her name is Kitara Alexis Blevins.  This is the first he has had and the first on my side of the family that has not been mine.  She is a doll.  She has proven to have great lung capacity and the keen ability to wrap her daddy around her finger.  I urge you to visit his site (www.NathanBlevins.com) or simply go HERE for the entry on her arrival.

Welcome to the world Kitara Alexis Blevins, we have been waiting for you. 

Yum Yum!

Well this post is very late, but I have been equally busy.  Recently Rory went on a school trip to the Knoxville Zoo.  Lucky for us she was able to take her family.  It was hot, smelly, and a good trip all in all.  It was extra fun in that Ben, Melanie, and the twins (Toby and Rachel) also were there.  Of course they are a part of Rory’s class so this was a given.  We all had fun and spent too much money.  No one can forget a $3.00 hot dog. 

This is how our trip began, following a bus in some heavy traffic.  My uncle craftily drove the bus.

Rory and RaeLynne sporting their matching lion shirts and double stroller.  You can see Toby and Rachel in their stroller behind them.

We saw some of the basic animals that a zoo trip requires.  As Rory watched the rhinos, she noted that it stunk here.

The many rides at the zoo.

There was also a living ride.

Rory, Toby, and Rachel did very well riding the camel.

And then some photo opps.

And then we found a monkey totally on the loose.  Someone had better get this guy.

I was struggling to find something to put on my blog this week, until I saw this picture on Failblog.org.  I really am curious what are selling here.

Well, it is getting nice and warm and I still have not gotten my truck fixed.  I have had to fix a starter on the Camaro (several times) and do multiple deeds but still have not got the truck fixed….sigh.  Anyway, Daniel called us up and said that he was taking a trip on the mountain, nothing too rough, and wanted to know if we wanted to go.  After a very short discussion about whether to go or not, we went.  We had a good time and saw just how different the terrain has changed in the past year.  We even stopped a little while for the kids to play in a good sized mud puddle before Daniel decided to disrupt the calm waters with his Durango.

The kids had a lot of fun throwing stuff in the puddle. 

They even discovered some tadpoles!!!!!

And now Daniel messes up the water.

Then we inspect the mud coverage of the Durango.  Not too bad for a leisurely trip.

It is a beautiful view from the top of the mountain.

Well this trip has inspired me even more to get my butt in gear to fixing my truck.  When I have it done I can begin to take rougher trips that will involve more vehicles.  In essence, I need other people to have around so we can pull each other out of holes we are ignorant enough to put ourselves in.  lol.  So hopefully my next muddin’ entry will be picturing my truck in all it’s rusty glory. 

Well, we had the second part of Easter with my family this past weekend.  We decided to combine it with the multiple birthdays that occur during the month of March and around that time.  It was quite the bash.  Everyone had fun, eggs were hidden and found, and food was eaten.  What more could you ask for?

Rory had to help her little sister open the presents.  But soon she was getting the system down pat.

She scored some really cool presents.

AND THEN THE EGG HUNTING BEGINS…

They scoured the yard for the elusive eggs.  Some were easy to find…

…and some were just out of reach.

What a bounty?!

Well the Power Wheels Jeep is getting a little cramped for Rory.  Becky and I have been talking about this for a little while now and knew that inevitably we would have to get her something else soon.  We came across a good deal and a mostly new Power Wheels Ford Mustang.  Now I am not much of a Ford guy, but I saw little comparison with this and an everyday Ford vehicle.  So we took it.

One good thing about this car as opposed to the Jeep is that this has permanent doors.  RaeLynne even gets to ride with her sister on some trips.  She really loves that.  Frankly, riding with Rory would scare the…well you know…out of me.  She misses trees by mere inches.  But, she has yet to hit anything.  So, que sera sera.

Not to let her new car look dusty.  Rory quickly (very quickly) cleans it off.

And then poses with it.

This thing has a faux radio that play songs, beeps a horn, lights for a tachometer, lights for a speedometer, makes engine noises, and startup noises.  Wow, I would like to have had one of these when I was growing up.

And they are off….

Addendum:

When we bought this car we had a little problem.  The wiring melted down to the battery.  Someone had lost the plug to it and rigged up a different one with the wrong battery and wrong size wire.  We had a similar experience with the Jeep.  My brother and I changed out the Power Wheels battery with a lawn mower batter and put in some appropriate sized wire with insulated terminals.  The thing runs like a top.  I use a 12 volt battery charger, like the ones for motorcycles, to keep it charged.  It lasts longer and is half the price of the Power Wheels battery.  The only problem was cramming it into the housing for the battery under the hood.  Power Wheels must have realized their error in allowing this much space (barely) and made it even smaller of an opening when it came to newer models.  Thus when I came upon modifying the Mustang in this manner, an alternative had to be found.  Hidden under the seat/trunk area is a plethora amount of room.  All that is housed in this area is two small motors for the wheels.  I rigged up a battery holder, re-routed the wires, and hooked it up.  VVRROOOOOMMM!!!  It has made the car more of a 50/50 weight distribution and gives it more traction in the rear.  It also gave Rory a trunk in under the hood.  That really seems wrong though.  If you would like to do you child’s Power Wheels like this, feel free to ask for help in the comment section below.

We decided one day that the ole’ pea gravel walkway was just not cutting it.  It washed out, gathered dirt, and allowed too many plants to come through.  After putting the figures together, we decided that this “cheaper than concrete” walk was going to cost us more than concrete in 6 years of maintaining.  The aggravation factor sent it over the realms of too costly to build.  Thus, we have invested in a concrete sidewalk.  Through some help from family and friends we formed it up, poured it, and got it done.  This task has proven to be more time intensive, expensive, and harder than previously expected.  The end result is worth it.  Next year I will not be hauling more pea gravel and having to spread it.  Hurray for that.

We squared up the landscaping timbers and leveled them.  We are going to use them as the forms for the walk.

Remember that using the landscaping timbers for the walk idea.  Well, that got flushed pretty fast.  Now we added new forms out of 2X6’s, leveled them, and laid down some plastic.

Ah, finally poured the concrete.  I just kept waiting for someone to fall in.  No luck.

Here we have edged it and skreeted it.  The surface is much better and it is looking more like a sidewalk now.

I ran a type of trowel to give divider lines for expansion.

It is starting to dry.

The girls get to put their hand prints in the drying concrete. 

And now it is done.  The kids have ridden scooters on it, ran on it, and yes fallen on it.  Thus I guess it has been broken in.  We also had to raise the landscaping timbers up to 3 high on the left in order to make it level out.  Then, “of course”, we had to get more mulch and raise up the plants.  There is a lot of work in just trying to get out of hauling pea gravel every year.

Well, this was a fantastic weekend for Easter.  Most of the Easters that I remember were always freezing.  I tell you, kids have it so much better than we did. 

Rory begins her scan for the elusive eggs while RaeLynne makes sure they have not dug into the ground.

And then the “scramble” begins…

And for the annual group shot…

And in the aftermath, the day’s endeavor’s take out it’s first victim…

Well, RaeLynne celebrated her first birthday this weekend.  It is a little premature, but close enough.  It was quite a good time with the birthday girl doing what is expected for her first birthday - digging into her first piece of cake, bare-handed.

First the pre-party fun.

And now, on to the party

PRESENT TIME!!!

I really think she had a good birthday party.  I had fun.  She has one more party to come for this year’s birthday.  More pix to come.