two coats of tape

The first coat of tape went on the walls on Monday, and the second coat was applied today. The Monday crew was quite entertaining: the guys were on stilts and listened to classical/opera music. This made them the classiest worker group we've had out at the house, by far! I half expected to look downstairs and find them painting a mural.

The crew also taped the garage, so the garage is now being heated (so the tape cures currently). Our builder brought over a diesel heater that certainly got the garage warm, but the exhaust smelled horrible and the heater had to be manually turned off and on. This meant a long restless night for Corey and I. It was kind of like having a newborn baby around - up every couple hours - but with a very ugly machine instead of a baby. Thankfully, our permanent propane heater was installed Wednesday, so heating the garage is much easier. I can't stress how great this timing was - the temps dropped during the day on Wednesday and haven't risen above -10°F since. It was -40°F windchill this morning. Heating that garage manually would have been quite a chore.


from left: Bison Booties studio, staircase, theater/family room


theater/family room

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The third coat of tape will be applied on Monday, with sanding mid-week and texturing after that. Then it's paint time!

Kya is getting very accustomed to having workers at the house. Today as I was putting her down for a nap, she told me that she couldn't sleep yet, that she hadn't said good night to the workers yet.

ready for tape

As of mid-day Saturday, all the sheetrock is in place (with the exception of the garage ... they are still working on that, as I type). It is duuuussss-teee in here. Corey and I just dusted and vacuumed the entire house but I think we'll need to do that again by tomorrow. I hope this is the worst of the dust mess. I can handle most of the other mess but sheetrock dust has it in for me.


A new panoramic view - this is the future home of the Bison Booties studio! So far I'm loving it - two closets in the back, and a little mini-doorway (right) under the staircase for Kya to play in.



The family/media room. The middle wall (with the three pink squares) is where the screen will be for the projector. Yay movie nights!

The tape guys will be here Monday, and texture later in the week.

rockin'

The basement and garage are being sheet-rocked! They guys started today and it sounds like they'll finish up tomorrow. Insulation happened yesterday (in the basement and garage). They insulated the entire ceiling and many of the walls. I am already thrilled with the results: I now have immediate hot water when I turn on the kitchen faucet (it used to take a few minutes before the water got warm since the water heater is in the opposite corner of the house).

Kya is loving the pink walls ... and I'm loving that they are being covered up so quickly.


the media room


from left: Bison Booties studio, stairs, media room, doorway to the guest room and bathroom

Oh the joys of insulation and sheetrock dust. on. everything.

ready for insulation

Basement update: we are ready for insulation, which starts tomorrow.

When has been done since the last update: electrical and lighting, plumbing, framing is completed,  theater wiring, sheetrock delivered. Oh and we now have a dumpster in our driveway.


(the odd-looking middle of the photo is plastic sheeting draped over the opening to the stairway)


Can you spot the two Kyas? (click to make larger). Kya thinks this photo is hilarious.

big sister!

We're all excited to announce that baby Hager #2 is due to arrive August 18, 2013!

framed

Basement update: framing is done, just a little detail work left. The HVAC ductwork is installed - yay for a warm basement! And the sheetrock has been delivered (not shown in the photos).




(the odd-looking middle of the photo is plastic sheeting draped over the opening to the stairway)

. . .

Next week will be very busy: electrical and plumbing Monday and Tuesday, home theater wiring on Tuesday or Wednesday, and insulation on Thursday.

. . .

With all the construction activity, Kya has changed her career path from doctor to builder. She is hilarious when the workers are here. She tells them (thankfully they can't hear her upstairs) to work faster. Sometimes Kya (and pink bear) even supervise from the top of the stairs.

boom boom!

Basement remodeling has officially started!
- all our basement storage (holiday decor, baby stuff, extra mattresses, etc) is organized and plastic-wrapped
- lumber was delivered last week
- framing started today

Here are a few 'before' panoramic photos:


from left: Bison Booties studio, stairs, family/media room (with wet bar, a.k.a. man cave), storage, bathroom (guest room on far right, not shown)


from left, standing in the family/media room: storage on left; bathroom, guest room (back center); game table in nook at bottom of stairs; stair wall far right. My sewing studio is not shown, but would be on the far right, on the other side of the stairs.


... and my hangout: the Bison Booties studio before, and after I moved everything out of it. All my sewing necessities are upstairs – I took over our guest room. The rest of the material and decor went into storage (plastic-wrapped in our basement).

. . .

Construction is on a very quick and optimistic schedule, they hope to have it taped and textured by the end of January (of course much needs to be done before then: plumbing, electrical, a/v, insulation, sheetrock, etc). I'll try to keep up with photo updates but phew this is going to be fast.

We're kind of encouraging flat out bribing our contractor with an all-you-can-drink St. Patrick's Day party ... if the basement is finished by then. I think he's up for the challenge. It will be exciting!

I'm so looking forward to having a proper guest room for our family and friends that come to visit (guests welcome!). And of course I am anxious to have heat and electricity in my sewing studio. It'll be so much fun to decorate too! Oh goodness, where to start?

Field Trip to the Livestock Auction

Kya and I found our new favorite 'field trip' spot: Kist Livestock Auction, in Mandan.

On Wednesday's they have all-day feeder cattle sales – so my Grandma, Mom, Kya and I spent yesterday morning there and had lunch in the Kist cafe (yes, they have a cafe in a livestock auction!). 

I am a little embarrassed to say this was my very first time at Kist – a long-time Mandan landmark, and important part of the local farming culture and economy. Also, my Great Grandma "Dolly" once worked here – at the Kist cafe. 

It was intimidating, yes. I know zilch about livestock – in fact, I had to google what a "feeder cow" was ... my mom assured me it was different from a "feeder fish."

We met a nice cattle rancher (actually he knows my grandma) and he explained the process to us. He was auctioning his cattle that day and said he was very nervous about how it would all turn out – he had a lot invested in them with feed, care, and transportation. The schedule was running late so he was anxiously waiting for them to come out. My mom asked how he'd know when his cattle come out and he said, "oh I'll recognize them, just like someone would recognize their children."

I learned so much in such a short amount of time.

The visit was incredibly interesting, and quite fun!


Inside the sales ring


Kya was fascinated (and fit right in, in her cowgirl attire). A new batch of cows would come in every few minutes and she would greet them with a wave, a "moo," and a smile.


Kya has a genuine interest in farming, and I'd like to encourage that (even if horses terrify me).


A fun 4-generation field trip!


Anyone need some happy hogs?


Lunch at the Kist diner was delicious and was definitely an authentic experience – smell of manure and all. Kya and I shared a pizza burger and bowl of knoephla soup, and our total was under $7. Great deal!
This is the same cafe that my Great Grandma "Dolly" once worked at.

. . .

A buffalo/bison auction will be held at Kist next month - I plan to attend that one - I think it will be quite exciting to see those large animals in the ring.

Holly Jolly

Our Christmas was nothing short of magical.

Lots of family time, lots of giggles from Kya, lots of delicious food, lots of special gifts, and of course ... lots of love. We are so blessed.


We started the Christmas festivities with a tour of the best Christmas light displays in Bismarck.


This outrageous display was a must-see, and a good place to get out of the car and walk through and see it closer up - especially fun with Kya and Grandpa Z.

. . .


On Christmas Eve we drove down to Linton to spend the day with the Hagers at Grandpa Andy's house.




Kya had so much fun playing with cousin Connor.


Adorable!




This photo cracks me up. Connor was such an enthusiastic "helper" that his dad had to reign him in a few times.



. . .

Christmas morning was spent at our house with the Zundels. Corey, Kya and I went to Mass and then returned home for more gift opening.


Santa brought Kya a hat, boots, and a pony!


a very happy cowgirl!


Santa also left Kya a note


Thanks to Corey for capturing this special moment. It was magical watching Kya on Christmas morning.


Grandma Katy made Kya a princess dress and gave Kya (her first) Barbie doll. Oh my, she is growing up to quickly!




I gave Kya a special 'Bison Booties helper' gift - a toddler sewing machine! This is a vintage toy I bought on eBay (they are not made any more).


Thanks to her new doctor set, Kya thinks she is our resident doc. Very entertaining!



. . .

We spent Christmas afternoon/evening with the Vander Vorsts at my uncle Bob's house in Mandan.




Bob's surprise gift for grandpa - a mounted deer


The Vander Vorsts


The Zundel/Hager folks

Go Bison!

Yesterday, Corey's alma mater, North Dakota State University, won the NCAA FCS National Championship football game – again (second year in a row)!
Corey was very excited to be there, to cheer on the Bison in Frisco, TX.

Thanks to Corey for taking these photos


Bison tailgating craziness


Meeting up with friends from home - Mike, Eric, Corey, Brady and Jerry


Corey with our good friend Andrea


Going into the game


The crowd (Corey said it was about 75% gold = Bison fans)


The Bison won 39-13! Corey had a great seat, second row behind the goal post.

. . .


Meanwhile, in Mandan, we were cheering on the Bison too!
(back: my aunt Ronda, grandpa Darwin, Kya, grandma Irene; front: my parents)


Kya and great grandma Rene


Oh and super fun - we spotted Corey on ESPN!