Disneyland - Labor Day

We went on a cool trip to Disneyland over Labor Day with Emily, Andrew and Belle. The primary intent was to complete our first half marathon. We started out with a few days in the park. My first trip, I know, at 26, your first trip to Disneyland? What can I say, I was a sheltered child, my pops had a phobia of Mickey.

Our first ride, Tower of Terror, pretty fun.

Sarah and I in California Adventure Park.

The view from California Screamin'.

Sarah has an enormous phobia of ferris wheels. I ain't gonna lie, this one made all of us a bit queasy.

Sarah enjoying a pre-race day cocktail.

Hypnotized by my martini!

A toast pre-half marathon!

Us with our medals! We finished!

Kitchen - Paint!

Sarah had a great suprise waiting for me after on of my bridge inspection trips. She painted the kitchen! That nasty robin egg blue had to go!

The old kitchen in all her glory.

Another view of the puke blue color.

Sarah's mom Belle showed up to lend a hand, much obliged.

Sarah workin' it with the new sage green color.

Summer Travels

It's been a pretty busy summer with a lot of traveling going on.

My favorite nephew! Hehe.

July 4th w/ Lance, Kelly, Kevin & Jenn. Good times.

At Skalkaho Falls!

Symphony in the park with the folks.

Frida nice and wet after a hike to Crow Creek Falls.

At Nate and Liz's wedding in Bozeman.

The folks rented a sweet spread outside of Ovando complete with a spring creek.

A robin w/a nest full o' babies.

Fishing with Pops and Kev on the NF Blackfoot.

At Morell Creek Falls with the family.

Second Bedroom and Entryway

So, in late May/early June, whilst I was refinishing the floors, Sarah was hard at work on the entryway and the second bedroom.

Sarah's getup for taking popcorn ceiling off the entryway ceiling.

Sarah hard at work on the second bedroom.

Original wallpaper in the second bedroom, pretty cool.

Second bedroom in all its glory!

Sarah workin' her charm on the walls.

Dining Room & Living Room Floors

Well, about time we got around to finishing the rest of our floors. We spent then end of May/early June refinishing the floors in the living and dining room. The floors in the living room were the same ol' douglas fir that we had in the rest of the rooms. The floors in the dining room were maple, something that I had not refinished yet. Unfortunately there were some areas (4 total) in both floors that were in rough shape or already had patches that had to be replaced. So, I had to track down some fir replacement boards. I also had some maple planed down and cut into strips for use as patching material.

The longest my hair has ever been!

The large patch that I installed in the living room.

Working on another living room patch.

The other living room patch.

View of the existing maple dining room floors.

View of the hallway maple floors with a new patch about to be installed.

The drum sander about ready to roll!

Using the beast (30lb) edge sander.

View of dining room floor post sanding.

View of living room post sanding.

View of hallway patch being installed.

Had to put on finish by hand on the maple floors.

Boston!

Well, as I had to go on a work sanctioned bridge inspection training seminar, I thought, what better place than Boston? So, I told the little lady about my plans and she was excited. Turned out she really liked Boston. So, she flew out with me to go on a mini vacation. It took me a while, but I found a very affordable (<$125) a night right in the Back Bay area! Pretty nuts!

Here's the flat. Buckingham Business Apartments. Very spacious spread.

We went on a historical tour and had a cool guide. This one's at Reveres grave.

Ok, is that just about the neatest house or what? Obese people need not apply.

For a town the size of Boston, not much in the way of breweries. Ol' Sam Adams kinda has a monopoly it would seem. We hit up Harpoon Brewery on a Monday thinking it would be slow. Wicked (as people out here like to say) busy with young twenty-somethings who were generally ignorant in the ways of beer. Not much going on with Harpoon, not very impressed.

A neat church in the middle of the downtown area.

Sarah's visit to the Art Museum yielded a ton of glass blowing exhibits. Pretty cool stuff.

Me schmarfing my face with a delicious cupcake.

All in all, a pretty cool trip! Weather was abysmal with drizzle/rain/drizzle/mist/downpour every day until the day I left on my way to the airport. I also went to a Red Sox game after Sarah departed. I snared a standing room only ticket for a princely sum of $25 bucks. Pretty good deal.

Prost!

Chicago

Well, obviously still backposting here. Went went on a cool trip to Chicago and met all of the in-laws (Sarah's side) in Chicago for a mini-vacation over Easter. I'll explain it pictorially, with some minor verbage.

The first thing we see in Chicago, a Montana tourism bus!!!

Yes, that's a look of fright in Sarah's eyes. On the dreaded Chicago Ferris Wheel!

At the Hopleaf in Chicago. Amazing beer selection!

The Green Mill. An epic blues/jazz bar.

The Chicago skyline from the aquarium.

Jellies!

Our first Chicago dogs!

Ol' Sue the T-Rex about to attack.

Me doing my best primate/early human.

The river & skyline.

Could be us, eh?

The view of us looking into the Noodle w/skyline in the background.

At Goose Island Brewery.

One of the haunted mansions from our Ghosts Tour, pretty neat.

A straight tequila, nope, double IPA night!

At the Cubs game, pretty chilly!

Me comforting Sarah on the skydeck.

Skyline from the womens bathroom at the Hancock building.