The Incredible Hulk

JANUARY 2008

DECEMBER 2008

We have been a bit delinquent on posting of the house improvements and happenings of the Schramms (Nate and Mary variety), I guess that shows how exciting and riveting our life has been of late. Nate has been working hard on the house, and I have been cheering him on (thankfully he does not have me wear the uniform). The painting of the house took a little while, but it now complete thanks to my dad braving the chilling temperatures of Colorado! We'll post more as they come. Merry Christmas!

Space Age Vegetables

I would like to share with everyone my latest find, a Romanesque Cauliflower. I have been on a quest to find this rare and not so delicate vegetable for quite some time now. I have eaten my way through orange cauliflower, purple cauliflower, broccoflower and now the Romanesque. So cheers to the little joys in life, of being surprised by a vegetable and having that vegetable be the highlight of my week!

Slumber party called off, temporarily.

With the ending of Summer and beginning of Fall, cooler days and even cooler nights have brought us to say "goodbye," for now, to the outdoor bed.   Many a night have been spent here over the last 4 months, some of the best sleep we've had.  So with reluctance we called a last sleep over with our beloved bed a few evenings ago.  The sky was clear and bright, the night air cool and calm, the only sound; elk bugling in the meadow at the foot of the hill. Their majestic trumpet calls serenaded until sleep overtook.  A most beautiful end to a season that will be missed.  Now Fall is in the air.  The smell of wood burning on crisp mornings, leaves changing from vibrant greens to golden yellows and fiery orange. Another season is on the way.  Another beautiful season to enjoy.  See you next summer outside bed.   

Of Wildlife and Home Additions

So I know our blog has been a bit uninteresting, but as one can tell by our photos, so has our life. Wildlife and house additions seem to be the most exciting elements at the moment! More (of both) to come, I'm sure.

Evergreen's Trashy Bull Elk Population

This picture begs the question...What was IN that trash can?

Everybody Poops!

So here is the one and only picture we took while we were in California. Go ahead laugh until you cry. I did. Check out the website and the gallery of their "happy customers". Happy Wednesday!

This Old House

Our first attempt on video, let us know what you think!

Photos, updates, crazy weather and such

So here are a few photos before we head out to Cali for a little graduation fun. The house is coming on nicely, lots of dry wall dust, mudding and plaster scraping. Nate and I spent a Saturday tearing out some dry wall and window casing to uncover insulation from the 1940's and newspapers from April 21st, 1946, almost 62 years old to the day! They were really cool to look through and see how different the world was back then. The classifieds were separated by Male/Female Help wanted and then specified ethnicity (White girl wanted, colored man wanted, Japanese girl looking for work, etc.), crazy, yeah? I got the wonderful task of putting new insulation in the wall, my pants still itch!

May 13, 2008, yesterday 75 degrees.........today 6 inches of snow.....Colorado; if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes.

Nate has spent the last week installing new lights and cabinets in our kitchen. I can't wait to put boxed of stuff away so you can all visit and stay in our spare room!

To all those in Colorado, goodbye for a little......to those in California we'll see you tomorrow!

Bada Ouray

Well we went ice climbing and these are pictures of us in the aforementioned activity. Yep. That is right gasp, gape and gawk. We are legit.

PS if you can rightly name the things we hold in our hands you win a prize.

On the left Nate and on your right, my right, Mary. Bam! Ice climbing, so skippy ding dang amazing!

Snow Much To Do, Snow Little Time!

~Vail Pass and Walter's Cabin~



We have been posting so much info on our home I thought it might be a fun change of pace to update on our lives, more specifically mine. I am currently working two jobs, one for the City of Denver Parks and Recreation (Outdoor Recreation) and the other as a server at a restaurant. I am considered a recreation instructor with the city and get to take kids skiing, snowshoeing and lead rope courses. I just completed my first guiding hut trip up on Vail Pass with a great group of people, such a beautiful area! There is a great hut system in Colorado and it might just be my new obsession..... the concept it great, pull in a sled with your gourmet spread for the weekend and reside in a warm, dry, well furnished abode! I think this may kick off a new interest in skiing as well (crazier things have happened!). Well in the meantime I am fully enjoying 18 inches of snow that fell last night as well at a trailer load of our wedding gifts and a piano that just arrived from Fresno, California! Thanks Mom and Dad! Love you!

I've got a sink that works

So it took some time (until 2 am) but the sink finally went in almost without a hitch. Just a side note: When installing a sink make sure to get connecting hoses aka risers that are as long as possible in order to not screw up your day or night by finding out that you are unable to make the last connection due to shortness. Moving on this thing is saaweet! it does your dishes and then puts them away see photos. So for now no more doing dishes in the tub. At least once per day we do go into the bathroom with a cup to get water just out of habit. Ciao! (the sink is Italian) that explains the chest hair and gold chains we found in the box. Eww gross. Since I am having a dialogue with myself I should go. Again, Ciao!

A Fine Time

The floor is in, at least on the main level. After much labor and many helpers our life and our house is starting to look a little more normal. Although we did just wash our dishes in the bath tub. Soon the kitchen gets the final touches, a counter, a sink and cabinets. Then ohhh then we might just get some sanity back.

TIMBER!

The tree in the deck and the tree behind the chimney came down.












Now our house can be insured and we got some good firewood out of it!

Light a Match

**********NEW*********** *************OLD***********

A little paint helps a lot, we are going to redo this bathroom and add a new one in about 6 to 8 months, but in the meantime I couldn't stand the old paint and decor it was a faux paint job gone bad...really bad.

***********NEW************










**********OLD*********


P.S. The toilet did come with a padded toilet seat, so if you are dying to give it a try, just knock.....or walk on in.....it's pretty pimpin'.

New Addition to the Schramm Fam

We have purchased a house, home, abode, 4 walls and roof. Yes, it is true we are growing up, we are putting down roots and settling, at least for a little while. Our house is in Evergreen, Colorado, a mountain town about 30 min outside of Denver. It is quite the "fixer upper" and we are excited to see how it turns out. Nate is doing almost all of the work, which is great practice and Mary is mostly stressing out about decisions having to be made and packing and unpacking to be done.


The house before the Schramminator gave it the smack down and Mary kicked down that stupid wall!

Under construction......

....still under construction....

... ain't she a beaut!

PS

Oh yeah and Happy New Year, Two thousand and Eight way to go!!!

Can I Make it up to you

The VanDers wedding at the Federal Reserve Bldg SF, CA

So for all the questions and comments about the actual picture that we were to post, well...it just didn't get done. Sadly as we took down the tree today, we both realized that we had not taken a picture so maybe just maybe we can make it up to you devoted family, friends, foreigners, and fans by posting this photo.