Friday, we drove to Murray to pick up our new counter top, and needless to say, it wasn't ready. It was ready the day before, then it was damaged and had to be repaired. Please bear with me as this story has many layers...We were told before we left home the granite would be ready in 1 hour, so we headed north. Stopped and had a nice lunch before picking it up. When we got there it was not ready! They had only 10 minutes warning that we were coming, not the hour and a half they should have had. Big surprise. The sink was not set yet. As I walked through the shop I watched them place the pink sink holder stuff (i am sure that is the correct word) in. I also should mention I had a nightmare the night before that the sink fell out and broke in half. At this point the sink is hard to find, and I could not replace it! As you could guess I was totally freaked out about "giving it 10 min. to set" Really? A heavy under mount porcelain sink being held only by a few little dabs of pink sink holder stuff???? We were told to go to lunch (which we already had done), and come back in 10. I am anxious to see my new counter top, but it is upside down :( I could see the particle board and the bottom of my sink....I am freaked that there is not enough "pink stuff" holding the sink in. I know these are professionals, and i am the niece of the owner, and the cousin of the manager, but this did not keep them from damaging it before!!! OK, I know accidents happen, but.....I have waited too long to get this bathroom finished. I wanted it perfect! What would I do with an expensive polished under mount hole cut in a perfect 15" circle of charcoal mist granite. If the perfect 15" sink was broken? It might just take another 3 months to find another "perfect sink, faucet, and granite". Those who really know me know this is not an exaggeration! "please, just put in more "pink stuff" I never asked, I am not brave that way. It caused me a lot of stress the rest of the day. Sam kept telling me over and over, that these guys do this all the time...... Did my dream come true? Stay tuned...
We decided to drive and "find something to do". We drove up state street, turned down Williams Ave. to see Grandma and Grandpa Jaeger's old house. Then, headed back up state street where we found the beginning of the UTE parade. Parades and traffic can be a bit of a pain, so Sam quickly got out of there! (GO UTES!!!) Ash then asked if we could go to the president's house (the state capitol.) It looks a little like the WHITE house right? She is so cute!
That is the perfect thing to do while we wait! I have never been, that I remember, and it is free!
I love the front doors!
It seems someone has a sense of humor.
We called this the YODA marble.
After touring the capitol, we decided to go carefully pick up the counter top. As we drove down capitol hill, we noticed we were right in the middle of the U of U parade. Oh! Help us. This entire time I am worrying about the sink falling out and breaking, and Sam is stressed about being in the parade detour. All of this made for a joyous 40 minute-yes, it took 40 min to get to Murray from down town. While stuck in the traffic, I decide to call my cousin Dustin, to ask if the counter has been sealed. He tells me," It doesn't take long, just have them do it when you get there." OK! Again, I am not brave enough to ask for what I want, just like wanting more
pink stuff! I figure this allows more time for the "
pink stuff" to set. I will wait. After the fun car ride we arrived still married, and anxious to see our "master piece." I stay in the car with the
back door open, waiting for Sam to run in and have the sealant put on.
20 minutes later the worker found the sealant. All this time I didn't know what was going on. Too scared to see. I am imagining Sam in the shop trying to figure out how he is going to tell me that my sink is broken, then... Out he comes caring my counter top. It is still upside down and I cannot see it, but the sink is in place. Whew! The worker is a little hyper, running around sliding on ice! I am thinking it is a miracle my sink and granite made it at all in his hands. A bit of a bull in a china shop, I think. Very nice guy though! He ended up saving us later. He helps Sam place it in the back and, says he is going to get the back splash. At this point we have been sitting in the car with the back open for
25 minutes, waiting for all the pieces. He runs in and Sam follows......
10 minutes later, Sam comes out to tell me he'd DROPPED my back splash and needs to "fix it". Are you freaking kidding me! What a day.
10 minutes later, all pieces were in the back of the pilot and yes this was
45 minutes total with the back of the car open, with all twelve dome lights on.... You guessed it, the battery was dead! What more can go wrong? Hey! It is me, a lot more could go wrong. It took another
10 min to find jumper cables. I know Mom, I should have had them in my car. OOPS! The hyper worker flew around the corner in his car, and saved the already interesting day. The car started without any trouble! YEA! That is when Sam noticed we were almost out of gas! Again, are you freaking kidding me? We can't turn the car off now, it wont start unless it charges for a while! At this point I am laughing, so hard I almost peed myself! Sam is not entertained. He is so upset that 1- the cables weren't in the car 2- I had my cell phone plugged into the car charger (I still think it was all the dome lights;) 3- we didn't fill up before now. I am sure my stress had something to do with his sour mood also! We drove in silence, making it home on fumes and a prayer. Sam's mood lifted when he saw this.........
Don't you love it!!! We had a flood a "while" back, and were forced to remodel. This is the first partially completed project. Hey, I am human. Full time nurse, full time school, full time mom, most time wife. It takes a lot of time to do these things, RIGHT??? Okay, probably not this long. At this rate I might have the rest of the house done by 2010!
Now, I just need to find a way to tell Sam that the paint isn't "quite" right!
Wish me luck!
We went with mom and dad Blackham, my sweet niece Morgan, and my new "niece" Brinda and her fiance' Danny.
We are grateful to live close to so many beautiful temples. I loved that Ashlyn was able to experience the beauty. It is a little funny though...her fave room was the brides dressing room! What a girl:) Ashlyn looks forward to doing baptisms for the dead and getting married in the temple. She wants to build a house by the Draper temple so she can see it every day!(me too) She calls it her great Grandpa Archer's temple.
Dobie(aka D
"Smashlyn" rocking out while Chase plays Barracuda
Rang in the New Year with fireworks and great family! 
Christmas Eve cannot begin until Mom's Birthday is celebrated. That is the absolute RULE!
We go to mom's and dad's to celebrate mom being one year older. Give gifts( NO Christmas wrap-another RULE). Take birthday pictures...
Then off to bed with visions of sugar plums....... In our matching 
Dinner with my family on Wednesday... 
Sam helped Ash make her very own star. I love that he made this with her. Sam made a similar star when he was young. It still sits on top of his mom's tree. I love these traditions. I love that Ashlyn calls garland the tree's necklace. This is the most wonderful time of the year. I love seeing Christmas through my daughter's eyes.
