This spring, Patrick and I took on a new project. Right now, it's just called The Jeep, until she earns her rightful name. We picked her up back in April, a 1991 Jeep Wrangler YJ.
We've learned a lot about Jeeps since then, and Patrick is becoming a self-taught mechanic and learning bodywork. We knew it would need work, and wasn't going to be a jump-in-and-drive vehicle, it is 20 years old after all. Changing fluids gave us our first indicator that it was going to be a process to get it caught up on maintanance. The transmission fluid came out looking like chocolate milk, which for those less-mechanically inclined, is not good. This means that the Jeep had been submerged in water at some point and there was water in the transmission. The oil was black and obviously not recently changed. transfer case fluids and differential fluids were ok. Everything was changed, and Patrick started driving it for work. We found the air filter soaked in oil shortly after, changed it, again soaked. It has been one thing after another since that. We took the valve cover off and cleaned everything up in there then ordered new CCV's and hoses to see if there was some sort of vaccuum issue with the hoses causing some of the blow-by (tech term for oil in the air filter). Before they could arrive and be installed, Patrick got ready to leave from work one afternoon and there's a wonderful ticking sound in the clutch. Throwout bearing was the diagnosis this time, so he gets it home and parks it. THEN...
It's May, on the 25th to be precise, our area was hit by a pretty nasty storm. Softball sized hail, high winds, and a possible funnel cloud sighting less than a mile due east of us over the church. We happened to be grocery shopping that evening, so we were actually on our way home when it hit. The Jeep, the Cavy, and the truck were all hit with the hail, as well as the house. Insurance was/is our best friend right now. The car & truck were totaled by the hail damage. The Jeep took considerable damage. Our van, which we were in, got only a few dings from the smaller hail we were hit by on our way home. The car has since been sold, the truck, well, we're not worried about the damage on it other than replacing a windsheild.
With all of this, the Jeep has been parked, and dissassembled. Transmission was dropped. Clutch replaced. Fenders removed & replaced with a mod (modification another techy term.. lol), tube fenders. During the dissassmbled period, more issues were noticed and fixed, including worn motor mounts, crached exhaust manifold and worn tie rods. The body work isn't quite done yet, the tube fenders are tack welded. Floor pans are being replaced, a new hood is sitting in the basement waiting to be installed as well as a cowl scoop to be put on. It's a very long process with Patrick only having a couple of hours a night when he's lucky to work on it.
We've also had to deal with hail damage to the house. The roof, gutters, and front porch screens took a hit and are all being replaced under insurance. The roof has been completed, screens were taken to be repaired, and gutters have been measured.
So, that's where we are on the homefront.
We ended the school year and started the summer with church camp for Stephen, then Missy, then daycamp for Allie. They all had a great time and we are so blessed to have a church congregation that is so supportive of our youth & willing to send them to camps. Missy most of all grew in her spiritual walk this year at camp. Even a neighbor noticed the difference in her after camp.
Patrick had shut down starting in mid June, which overlapped with the kids camps and then the county fair. It was a rough couple of weeks, but we got through it with just a few grumpy days & a little 'avoidance' to try to keep the peace!
Fair went really well. The kids all did great on their projects. Stephen took a blue ribbon on each of his projects, drawing and construction toys. Missy did well with her first year of showing sheep, then took grand champion on her poultry poster which will be going to State Fair. She got reserve champ on her muffins for second year foods, white ribbon on her photography, and blue on her garden project. Both girls participated in dog obediance this year and did well. Lucky didn't behave as well as we'd have liked for Missy, but Allie & Rascal did great, even earning 'Most Improved' and taking Champion Cloverbud class.
The first of July found us hitting the road for a trip to the east coast to visit with my sister in law & her family in Virginia. We all had a great time and many memories were made that week. We spent time at the beach just around the corner from Katrina's house, the kids picked up lots of shells, and we toured Fort Monroe among other things. It was a nice, relaxing break from reality for us.
Now we're back home. Missing the beach.
Last week, our swingset bit the dust. It had a good life, we got it used & free and it held up to the kids & daycare for almost 3 years. It was a simple metal type and finally rusted enough and had enough abuse that it started to buckle. Last weekend we picked up a wooden playset off of craigslist for $40. After a cookout last night with 2 other families coming over (daycare families) the playset is assembled and the kids are having a blast with it. Probably the best $40 spent in quite some time.
So I guess that catches us up for the most part. Summer is now half over. We've had a busy, fun, blessed summer. Everyone is healthy and happy. Stephen will start his last year in elementary school this fall. It's hard to believe that he's one year away from Jr. High, it seems as just yesterday I met him & Patrick... he was a shy, quiet little just turned 4 year old. 7 years later, wow how things have changed for us all.
Missy is going into 5th grade. She has shot up this year & isn't much shorter than her mama, as you can see in the beach picture above. Just talking to her for a few minutes you can tell she's matured some over the summer also. She's currently spending a week with Grandma, and I'm sure she's being spoiled rotten & loving every minute of it.
Allie, well, she's Allie. Unique. Beautiful. Still sporting her own fashion, although today it's rather subdued and matches. 2nd grade is calling her name, and I know she's up for the challenge. She is a smart one, and I'm sure she'll go far.
Kendra. Little, onry Kendra. She starts preschool this fall in the 3's class. It will be good for her to have a break from mom, and just as good for mom to have a break from her. I love her dearly and she's a great kid, but she drives me crazy at times! You can definately tell she's the baby, she does get away with things the others never did, and I'm paying for that mistake. She's very strong willed, and persistant. I am looking forward to seeing how preschool helps her language development most of all. She has started talking a lot more in the last several months, and is understandable by more than just me & Patrick now..
Patrick and I are doing well also. Things are smoothing out from the crazy summer we had last year and his work shift change has definately been for the better. It's nice to have him home every evening and off work every weekend. It's so much easier to plan things without having to check the calendar to see if it's his weekend to work or not.
We still have more things we'd love to do before school begins, but most of it will be put on hold until fall such as the camping trips we'd like to do. Stephen is at boy scout camp down at Ransburg this week. The kids are taking their rounds going to Grandmas house for a week, Stephen and Allie go this Sunday. The following weekend will find us picking them up, getting Stephen to his Aunt & Uncle for a week, and the rest of us taking a short weekend trip to Detroit for a rib-cookoff with Kacey & her family.
