Monday, July 19, 2010

Cheetahs!

We finally made it to the Indianapolis Zoo to see the new cheetah exhibit.  The cheetahs were fascinating and I couldn't believe how skinny they are.  Must be all that running!  (Sorry, I know its a bad joke and I don't care.)

This is the second trip to the zoo since we have had our zoo pass and every time we go to the zoo it rains.  We went on Sunday and it was pretty humid when we got there.  It was also overcast but we thought the rain would hold off.  We were wrong.  About 10 minutes after we got through the gates it started to sprinkle and then pour.  Daulton went through the splash park and we figured there was no harm, we were already a little wet.  The rain started to let up and we decided to proceed to the cheetah exhibit. 

We were able to see the entire safari exhibit.  The boys were inside the penguin ride when it started to rain again.  As soon as the boys stepped out of the ride it started to downpour.  We tried to wait it out under some trees but after about 10 minutes we decided we had enough.  One more stop for Daulton at the splash park and we were back in the car.

Here are some pictures from our trip.

















Can you see the cheetah?

































Here kitty, kitty...

































The male cheetahs are kept separate from the female cheetahs in the pictures in the previous pictures.  They were much lazier than the female cheetahs.  Also, the three females are sisters and the two males are brothers.


















The Guinea baboons are another favorite of ours.  We could watch them interact with each other for hours, well maybe not hours, but they are pretty entertaining.


































The bat ear foxes are also new to the zoo and were so cute. 

































Even though we were drenched by the end, we had a great trip.  And hopefully one day we can go to the zoo without the rain!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

From Water Heater Woes to Laundry Room Wow!

Our water heater had started showing signs of failure about 2 weeks ago.  We found some water on the floor around the tank and began preparing ourselves to replace the water heater.  On a trip to Lowe's to check out water prices we came across the model we needed that had been marked down to $300 from $600.  It had a dent in the back but we were assured that it was cosmetic damage only and it did not affect the function or 12-year warranty.  Matt talked the salesperson down to $250 and it was ours.  The new water heater sat in the garage for a few days until the inevitable happened, the water heater finally died.  Actually, it leaked.  A lot.

We have always talked about redoing that room and this was the best time to do it.  Below is a picture of the laundry room before the remodel.  The offending water heater on the right and notice the shelves that can barely support their own weight but somehow have stayed on the wall.  (I bought this house 3 years ago in a short sale.  These shelves were everywhere!  I don't know how many we took down in the garage and I think the last offending shelf is in Daulton's closet which may be "our" next project.  I say "our" but I really mean Matt will do all the heavy lifting and any kind of work that might cause me to sweat.)















You can also see the old linoleum floors and lovely concrete slab underneath.  The water heater leaking definitely helped with the linoleum removal.  Or so I am told.  I should let it be known that Matt did all the work for this remodel and I provided moral support.

I did wash the walls and trim to prep them for paint.  However, this ended up with me being very crabby, hot, and tired.  Being hot and tired at the same time is a dangerous situation for me, actually its more dangerous for those around me.  Me being hot, tired, and hungry is known as The Trifecta and it never ends well.  I can usually handle having one of these symptoms.  Having two symptoms is cause for alarm.  Having three symptoms is a major problem and I strongly recommend a snack, air conditioning, and a nap in that order.














Out came the water heater, washer, dryer, crappy shelves, and linoleum floor.

Living without hot water can be done, but its not easy.  The guys showered outside (sorry neighbors! hope you enjoyed the show) and I went to my parents house to shower.  I know I could have toughened up and showered outside like the guys, but I just couldn't do it.  We also used a lot more disposable plates than we normally do.  But other than that, we survived.

In went new paint, new tile floor, and a new water heater.  Matt found the tile on clearance at Lowe's and the tile for the room cost less than $25.  Saving a ton of money on the new water heater and floor, yes please!

Below is a picture of our newly painted walls and new tile floor.  Major improvement from the gross linoleum and dingy white walls.















We don't have the new shelf yet but you can see the almost-final product is a major improvement over what it used to look like.  And the room feels and looks bigger.  And its nice to mark this off the long list of "things to do around the house".














Matt did a great job and deserves all the credit for this renovation.  It looks great and it is wonderful to have hot water again!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Chip Clip, Not Just For Chips Anymore

I was inspired by my friend Hanna's post about new uses for old things.  I admit I am not nearly as creative as Hanna but I do have a new use for a chip clip.  I have tried several different ways to secure the towel for Daulton, and nothing works as well as a chip clip. 

















Thanks Hanna for inspiring me to think outside the box!!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

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