Merry Christmas from all of us

Decorating the House!

Today Laura and I put up the our tree. Here is my beautiful bride next to our very natural tree, we got a Lodgepole Pine.
No tree farm for us! We got a permit to go out into the woods and cut down a tree in a recently clear cut section of the forest. We help mother nature by thinning out the forest, and she helps us with a beautiful and natural tree.
Here is the house from outside for all of you who were wondering what it looks like. Our address is 3749 Lafayette St. Denver, CO 80205.

WE ARE IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!

I do not know if you can tell but I am excited that WE ARE IN OUR HOUSE!! It took a long time but everything looks great. I forgot to take a picture of the new colors on the outside so I will have to add that later.

Here are some before and afters

As you walk in the front door, you might notice that you can see the kitchen and there is not big mushroom.

Here is your view if turned around and looked from the back of the house to the front. I know what you are all thinking, we should have kept the kitchen the same.

These are the bedrooms upstairs. The before does not exist because this was the attic. The guest room is green and our room is the red-orange.

Laura's Contribution

My contribution will be some pictures of the wedding, hiking, and our wedding. SO MUCH FUN!!!

The House Tour

House Tour Part Two

What a summer!

Laura and I are back in Colorado and suddenly our world is turning upside down!  The times they are a changin'.  First, we got back to Coly and instantly school began--big change #1.  At school Laura (my wife) is now Laura Manker--big change #2.  Big change #3 is that we have a new roomie!  I never thought I'd get married, go on the honeymoon with my brother and my wife's parents, and then have a new roommate 2 months after our big day!  But Scott is easy to get along with and an interesting guy who we met through Zachis actually.  The last big change or rather non-change is that the house still is not finished.  We think it will be done by the middle of September (we're hoping).  That will be the most exciting time of our nascent life together.  

Some New Holes

A tornado came and ripped the front siding off.  NOT.  It was the demolition crew.

Here is the pic from the back.  This is what our new house is going to look like from the garage.  Our plan is to throw on a deck in the back and a balcony off the back gable.  We've got a mountain and city view!

Down to studs.

I know, this is where I should have put a picture of myself with my shirt off--I'm failing my Manker sense of humor by not doing it--oh well.

Demo three days in

Hi everyone, this is Laura. 

Well, this has been quite the process.  We are three days in and we have already filled the dumpster past capacity with much more to dump.  Almost all the lathe and plaster are gone and we have found several artifacts like, a business card for coal delivery BY WAGON (yeah 1800's), Coors cans that must be opened with a can opener and SIX WEAPONS.  You can definitely see the progression of the house.  First it was a wealthy family who could live in the suburbs of Denver and then at some point transitioned into West Side Story house where a fight could break out at any moment.  I promise it is back on the up and up.

Here is the remains of the sliding doors dividing the formal sitting room and the rest of the house.

I must stay thank you to our good friends Ghis, Burke, and Tiff for helping us destroy our beautiful house.  Ghis we love to refer to as the porch demolisher, he took off our front, back, and back room porch thing.

Here is the back porch as Ghis analyzes the best way to take it down.

He is going for it.

I think it's going to go.

And gone.

Here is Tiffany pulling up all the tack, I hated that job. and Burke blowing out any wall he could find.

Thanks again to all who helped.

And the Demo begins!

Laura made quick work of the bathroom.  She took out the mirror, the tub, all the wierd framing and the six layers of drywall.
I couldn't believe it when Laura suggested that we move the shower away from the window so that it could be used for more "natural light".  She's such a hippie.
Here is the beginning of the end for the mushroom.
This is the only part of the house so far that has had the wire mesh behind the concrete.  That is nasty stuff.  I'm pretty much a HOSS in this pic.

Say Hi Guapa..."Hi Guapa"

Welcome to the first pic. of our Rehearsal Dinner.  It will be fantastic.  There are some seriously sweet posters and memorabilia at this joint--and they're going to serve Ornery Amber.  What more could you ask for?  Zachis can vouch.
We were told by one of those Dog Whisperer types that if you want your dog to get along with a new person or dog you should speak encouragingly and be excited about "meeting" a new friend.  Something along the lines of "Guapa, say hi!".  Laura and I get it and try to do it.  We almost always say, "Say hi, Guapa".  The comma is typically ignored and instead we have run into a steady stream of people saying "HI GUAPA".  The dog loves it.
 

Victory Garden

This is the new object of our affection.  We'll have to transplant them again when we move but these are the chance happening pumpkins that came up when we planted using some half decomposed compost.  Laura and I are committed to seeing ourselves through tough times by gardening our way out--and hopefully canning plenty of goods for the winter.
Here are the rest of our new babies.  We've got tomatoes (two varieties) peppers, cilantro, basil, and rosemary.  We can't wait to sample the fruits of our labors!
Here is how Nan Mac spent the weekend.  She was such a trooper helping us with some more of the wedding plans.  She addressed every single invitation herself!  Thanks a ton!

Besides doing a lot for the wedding, we enjoyed an afternoon in Boulder, made Paella at Burke and Tiffs after checking some of their renovations, and had James and Kim over for a delicious Easter meal that Nancy prepared.  Our only regret was that Allison wasn't able to come.

Crazy weather and a hectic spring.

This is Laura on a recent blizzard day at Breckenridge.  This is the run that she destroyed her knee on.  What a day for snowboarding though!
The next day we planted our starter plants and garden!  We used some of our compost and soil from years past.  We're excited for the chance to finally put these babies in a real garden.
Three kids and counting!  We "broke" three ribbons and still have plenty of chances to get some more kids.  Who came up with that craziness anyway?  Thanks to all who joined us for a wonderful time in St. Louis, especially Parker and Steve (the next Carlos Santana?) and Lynn and Bruce, and of course David and Nancy.  Three cheers for all of you.

Nancy Pants and Bernie Mack!

YO!!

We've had a couple of visits back to back.  I am currently watching The Princess Bride with my future Mother IN LAW and my future Wife.  And last week my pops made the trip out here for his spring break.  We were and are honored by their visits.  

Wesley is discussing True Love with Buttercup-- "Do you think this happens everyday?"

Since we are a little bit tired we have decided not to go out tonight--instead we will cherish another viewing of one of our favorite movies.  BTW no six fingered men will be invited to OUR wedding.  I think the theme song/background music for the movie will be the background music for our wedding.  It's settled then.

Well, this weekend promises to be very exciting.  We're going to confirm the wedding site and show it off to Nan Mac and then on Sunday talk with a couple of other contractors about the house.  There is nothing I'd rather be doing than planning a wedding and remodeling a house at the same time!  oh, and teaching.  Oh and coaching soccer.  And dealing with the bank account that has been frauded.  Oh and playing in a couple of soccer leagues.  Oh and trying to sleep.  

A Typical Sunday

This is how Laura (and I) have been spending our weekends for several months.  We always take out our wedding binder and check our progress and figure out what's next.  One of my favorite recent activities was checking out invitations.  Woohoo!
While planning the wedding we often get hungry.  Our favorite recent quick meal is a Tortilla Espanola.  It dominates our taste buds.
Saturday we had a sweet relaxin' time at Keystone.  Here we have Sarah Richards and a Laura who has just tasted a lime.
Burke was in gay spirits as he had a lot of friends with him.

This is how you make a BED!

Laura taught me how to properly make a bed today, I thought it was quite ridiculous.  First we had to put on the fitted sheet--all normal.  I tried to put on the pillows, no go.  Then came the part when Laura asked me to grab the flat sheet and I messed EVERYTHING up.  I unfolded part of it as Laura began to yell at me;  "No, No, you have to keep it folded!" she shouted.  Silly me, I thought you needed to unfold a sheet to put it on!  Soon I found out how wrong and right I was as Laura ripped the sheet from my hand and unfolded it halfway.  She gently laid it on the bed and then said "there, you see how now it is perfect?".  I saw.  She unfolded it all the way to reveal an upside-down sheet on top of the fitted sheet.  I laughed and said "you messed up!", while she said she hadn't.  Indeed we left the sheet upside-down for some damn reason.  I tried to put on the pillows, no go.  Then came the first of three blankets laid in perfect smoothness and symmetry.  After each time I tried to put on the pillows, no go, no go, and finally I succeeded!  

Our New House--Unofficially

Start addressing our mail to 3749 Lafayette (in 8 months)!  Laura and I are ready to move into a real house.  We're all growed up now.
Here it is, our gem next to the Recreation center.  Really we'll have it looking like a gem in about 8 months.  We are in the process of buying it through the Good Neighbor Next Door Program.  We have to completely gut the interior and redo the outside but we're very excited.  We can't wait to begin working--let alone actually living in it.  Guapa is excited to go out in the morning without having to be leashed to one of us, and we are extremely excited about the prospect of growing a garden!  Booyah!

Bernie Rules Dominoes

Hi David, this is for you.  I have to write a quick disclaimer though...these are not exactly my rules, rather a synthesis between all the rules that I've ever heard for Dominoes---based on Ben Brady's rules.

1.  More or less Mexican Train Dominoes.  

2.  People start out selecting an appropriate number of dominoes...standard numbers apply.  The person who selects the double 12 begins.  If no one selects this tile, then each player draws one tile at a time until the double 12 is selected.  Drawing begins with the winner of the last round, in the case of the first round, it begins with the oldest player at the table. Subsequent rounds begin with the double 11 then the double 10 and on down to the double 0.  The game is over after the round with the double 0 is played.  

3.  The first player has the option to begin his/her own train and one other train, so 2 tiles max.  The other train that the first player has played can be called the Mexican train which anybody can ride.

4.  All other players can play on any train that is open as long as their train has been opened.  The opening of their own train can occur in two ways--either they have played on it or they couldn't play and another player has played on their train.  If that is the case they are open until they play a tile anywhere.

5.  After the first round, any player can open another Mexican Train. 

6.  Any player can play ONE tile on each OPEN train per turn including his or her own.  

7.  If a tile cannot be played (anywhere) then the player must draw a tile.  If that player still cannot play anywhere, the player's personal train is OPEN.

8.  The end of each round is determined by one of two happenings:  Either a player uses all of his or her tiles and goes out, or no one can play on any tile and all the drawing tiles are used.  When someone needs to draw a tile but cannot because they have been used, then the game is over and points are totaled.  At the end of the game (after the double 0 has been used to begin) then the person with the lowest number of total points is determined to be the winner.  

9.  When a player has one tile left he/she is to KNOCK on the table to announce that s/he is close to victory.  If the player still has not knocked before the next player lays a tile, any player can call "foul" and the player who should have knocked must pick up two tiles.  

10.  One other rule:  When one player plays a double, that double must be "satisfied".  This means that it cannot stand alone.  It must have a companion that shares its number.  The very next tile played after the double tile must be a satisfying companion.  If the person who plays the double has no companion, then play continues around the table until someone can play.  If subsequent players have no companion they are determined to be OPEN while the original layer of the double does not have to be OPEN since he/she has already played during his/her turn.  

Finally, Ben Brady or Kate or anyone else, if there are any major additions or subtractions please feel free to comment on the blog!  Of course these are entitled "Bernie's Rules" and my final approval must be given!

House Hunting!

Laura and I have been checking out houses lately.  We're interested in a Teacher Next Door house which means Fixer Upper!  This one seems to fit the mold!
Only a slightly outdated kitchen.  I could totally picture myself cooking there with a change of wall color--I'm thinking Pink.  This is one that we decided not to bid on.  Oh well, there's always Friday!

Mas! Give me MAS!

Again, we're in reverse!Yo!  Here is Nick overlooking the sun up Bowl at Vail.  BOOYAH!
NEW SKI OUTFIT!
My gangsta cousins were out for New Year's!
Another Cousin with a honey baby.
Here is how we spent our cruise mornings!  They were pure joy!  Laura would want me to tell you all that she did win the aggregate cruise game.  Damn!