My Pontiac Montana Prototype Project

Here's my shot at the family blog...lol!! About 6 months ago, I started a project with Addco Manufacturing out of North Carolina. They make aftermarket sway bars...aka: they make the car turn faster! :-) There was no other rear sway bar on the market for the GM Versatrak vehicles(all wheel drive). Basically, in a nut shell, a prototype bar was made from our factory bar that was sent to them. I also had to machine out the factory bushings for the larger sway bar...surprisingly, it is rather difficult to work with rubber.

Here's the before...see the little puny black bar that goes from side to side...that's the sway bar.
Here's the bushing that I had to modify.
You can see how much larger the sway bar is...and the van handles awesome now!!! Better than most cars!!
And here's the bushing I drilled out...came out awesome....just like factory!!

Life through the eyes of a child.....

Lately Alli has been getting herself into a LOT of trouble. Being able to open doors has brought many new challenges for us. The biggest one so far is keeping her out of our room and the office. Once in the office, she always manages to go straight to the digital camera. I never thought to check it, figuring she just couldn't turn it on. To my surprise today the red light on it WAS on when I removed it from her tightly clutched paw!! Most of the pics were blurry and deleted, but a few warranted sharing, and may win a few awards. Maybe she got daddy's photography genes???

Cakes!!

This past weekend we had cookouts at my house, and a co worker's. I decided to make a cake for each get together. Had the weather not breached the 90 degree mark, I think we may have been able to save the buttercream icing from melting, but it did start to slide off a little. I will master it soon though!! Anyways, this is a taste of what I will be doing once I get it all together!!

Lots of Random Stuff

I know kids will always do things that leave ya wondering, but snow boots?? At 7 am??? Yes we woke up to weird rustling noises in the house, and it was Alli snooping through the downstairs coat closet. I guess she found what she was looking for! Greg had another race last Sunday in Logansport. This time Alli wanted to get in on the fun too. When it came time to race, she was too cranky to ride, but at least she has a number!!
Tuesday I went to a baby shower for one of our neighbors. I made this fruit baby carriage out of a watermelon. Pretty cute huh?? It was completely full of fruit before the shower, but afterwards not so much, still cute nonetheless and worth sharing. I might add decorative fruit in with my cake business I am starting, what do ya think??

And "fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me". Always blurry because he's too darn fast to get on camera! And he borrowed this jersey, but I think he looks pretty darn hot in this color scheme as opposed to the norm! Yellow and red make him look MUCH faster!!

Skinny Jeans!

Well guys, I finally did it.... Got myself in my skinny jeans!! The ones I had before Garrett was a thought in anyone's mind..... The ones I paid a whole week of A&W pay for..... The ones they said would never crest the hips again....

Believe it or not, since after having Allison (yes, post delivery weight), I have actually lost somewhere near the 50 pound mark!! Yeah for me!!!
Also, there were some cute pics of Alli on the camera I couldn't leave out. She was wearing Garrett's conductor cap that she put on herself, and was carrying his light saber around.....

Also, she has learned how to open doors..... nothing is safe any longer.....

Clifty Falls Part 4

On the way out of the park, there was another lookout with a great view facing the Ohio River Valley..... That is actually a power plant on the Ohio River.....
This was after we left the park and were crossing the madison bridge heading into Milton KY for our DQ!!
You can see the power plant in the distance facing the opposite direction we were before....

Clifty Falls Part 3

Once we decided to go to DQ, the guys made a bee-line for the van. Look at Garrett go!!! She was working up a sweat, her curls were soaked. But she still kept standing there saying cheese......
We had to drive to lookout point, the walking trail got too rocky, so we took the alternative..... a paved road!
A view from Lookout Point.... the lighting doesn't really show the contrast, but there are rock formations in the trees.....
The family vehicle, all wheel drive and a bike rack, what more do you need to head to the gread outdoors??

Clifty Falls Part 2

Now it is Alli's turn to scale the 5000 stairs. Yes folks, it took some time, but she managed to get them all in on her own!!! Unfortunately, by the end of the trail, she needed a little coaxing to continue on......
Garrett was very enthusiastic about carrying the map. Yes ladies, he's starting early with being the man who has to know how to find everything, can't ask for directions, I'll do it myself..... oy...........
They were happy to see the playground, but even happier to find a bench!
My hubby...... Not a bad looker, huh?

Clifty Falls State Park Roadtrip

Today we took another road trip to a state park here in Indiana. This time we went to Clifty Falls. There are 4 major water falls there, the tallest which is over 80 feet. There are several hiking trails and large gulches and ravines. We were only able to view one fall, as the rest were of of advanced trails that we couldn't take the kids on, and one trail was even closed due to rockslides!!! We are definately going back for an adult hiking day, and I will be all over those rocks!!! After a long hike with the kids, we did manage some playground time and then crossed the Madison bridge into Kentucky for some DQ treats along the Ohio River front. All in all, it was a pretty good day.....


This was the entry area of the north (easier) trails..... We took this trail, but the trail that actually branced off to the falls was 'advanced'. Bummer for us, sorry kids, next time you're staying with Grandma!!!
Small unnamed fall. Again, would have more water flowing in a different season....
If you look at the bottom of this pic, the water is running off the edge of Little Clify Falls. The trail to the bottom of the gulch was closed. Grrrrr....
Garrett on one of the 5000 stairs we climbed!!!

Scenery From Clifty Falls State Park

Some of the scenery at the park we visited today was sooooo nice.....wanted to give it a post of its own......


A stream in the gulch.... Water running downhill.....
One of many caverns along the water.....
A view from a bridge....
Dried up mini-falls..... There is more water in the spring and fall than the summer.... during those seasons, this would be a falls area....

Trip to Turkey Run!!! Part 4

We decided to try the family pose one last time!!! Me and the kids on the bridge. (Yes I realize Alli is, uhm, a little clingy.)
These were the steps you had to take to get to the ravine the suspension bridge was in.....
Worn out on our way back out.......
Can't wait to get to the air conditioning!!! Thank goodness the van has DVD!!!

Trip to Turkey Run!!! Part 3

Once she let us finally put her down, Alli enjoyed her hike. The fam.....
Zoomed in, a little off center, but hey, what do you expect from a timed drop and pose before it flahes??
A very eager climber, he wanted to scale the rock behind him.... uhm, not this time!!
Garrett made daddy snap a pic of his "hardcore" boo-boo from tripping on a rock!