Tool Time

Every summer when Grandpa and Grandma Devereaux come to visit Joe usually has a whole list of projects for the guys to work on. They have a great time working together and I usually get some nice home improvements to boot!

Last year the major project was replacing three of the basement windows in our house. This year's major project was finishing up the window replacement by putting in three new windows on the back of the house. I was pretty excited about this project because my kitchen window was pretty cloudy and the new windows would be nicer to look through as well as being more energy-efficient.

Joe and Grandpa did a great job on the windows! They look terrific, and they managed to get them finished before we had all of our company over for the baby blessing.

Since we have an evaporative cooler, the new windows meant that the second project was making the cooler fit in the new window. But the Devereaux boys were not content with just making it work. They completely re-engineered the entire setup! Now all we have to do is put the panel they constructed (with a nice window on top to let light in) where the screen goes and wheel the cooler into place. They even arranged it so that I can even close my window without taking the cooler out! Talk about smart! (Come over to our house! I'll show it to you!)













The guys also worked on various other smaller projects. They put together a little wheelbarrow for Jacob that the Websters gave him for his birthday. He has been having a great time taking his sand toys from the porch out to the sandbox in his little wheelbarrow. It is so fun to watch him keep it balanced as he goes along.

The final project that the guys have been working on is fixing up Joe's old road bike so he can use it to commute to work. They ended up getting new tires, tubes, and rims for the bike. They were still working on it when I left for work this evening. Hopefully they can get it up and running so Joe can continue to save us money (and get in shape) by riding his bike to work. Way to go honey!

Joe and his dad make quite a team. When we go to Tucson for Christmas they work on projects there too! They seem to know how to do just about anything (cars, bikes, windows, sprinklers, you name it!). If Grandpa and Grandma Devereaux lived closer, I wonder if I would ever see my husband again! Of course I guess my consolation prize would probably be a completely remodeled house! :o)