Linda and I spent four days at the cabin this weekend working.  We got a lot done and just wanted to share the cabin progress with all of you.

1. We got the front bedroom textured, painted and a bed installed.  (We can now actually get some sleep at night while we are up here working)

2. We got the cement poured in the back bedroom (filled in the hole from when the water lines were put in for the bathroom.  This took about six hours of hard work, I’m getting to old for this LOL)

3. Put in the header for the back bedroom closet and framed it in for closet doors.

4. Linda and I have about 1/3 of the sheet rock done in the back bedroom.

5. Replaced the window in the back bedroom.

6. Put in the new window on the North end of the loft. (You can get a nice breeze through the loft now during the day to cool things off.

Here are pictures of what was done this weekend.

Because of the snow this year it was tough getting into the cabin.  We were not able to get in until June 25th, and the water running in the river is the highest anyone can remember (40+ years).  Art and Ray Maxwell and Earl Coombs came up and worked on shoring up the foundation for the front bedroom.  It turns out there was cement holding the post in place but the post had rotted out at ground level and the cabin was sinking…….  We jacket the front of the cabin up about 8 inches, which leveled the floor in the room.  A side effect was that we had to take out the window on the stair side of the room and reset the window.  We also got the upstairs loft window replaced.

Steve Coombs and Family and Earl Coombs were at the cabin working on July 2nd and got most of the insulation in and puttying done on the pine paneling.

Linda and Ray were up on July 9th and finished sheet rocking the front bedroom, and part of the loft. In the front bedroom all the taping is done and the first coat of mud is in place.  We also put in the attic vent.

Linda and I left Friday afternoon for the Cabin.  When we got there we had a suprise, Earl left a note last week saying he would be up Saturday. I started work on putting the rest of the insulation up in the front bedroom and Linda started burning the slash. Saturday morning Earl got to the cabin and we continued to work, Linda burning old slash wood, and Earl and I working on the things that need to be done to the cabin.  Earl worked on wiring , extending the septic pipe, and looking for and cutting the logs we need to make the rails for the loft this winter.

I completed the insulation and prep work for the front bedroom and it is now ready for sheet rock. We then started work on the paneling in the great room.

Got quite a bit done.

Here are some pictures of this weeks work.

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I went up to the cabin again this weekend to work.  I took a day off work and went up Friday Morning with Linda and two of the grandkids. Braxton and Michael.(Katie’s two kids).  I got quite a bit done.  I intalled the 6 foot window in the front bedroom, installed a wall at the top of the stairs in the loft on the left side, Finished the logs where the old door was taken out for the front bedroom. (Outside door), and started installing the wood paneling in the Great room.
I also had a great lunch Saturday (Thanks Diane, Earl, Ann, and Mom and Dad for letting me horn in on the monthly siblings get together.)

Here are the pictures of the progress:

Sorry but there are no pictures with this update.  I left my camera at home and didn’t think about it until I got half way up Provo Canyon.  But I do want to give the family an update on the state of the Cabin and what I got done up there this past weekend.

I went up Friday morning after picking up a rough nail gun to do the work I had planned for the weekend.  Last week I picked up the four windows that are left to be replaced at the cabin.  I only took up two of the windows this week because I was working alone, and I know me, if I had taken the 6 foot window that goes in the front bedroom, I would have tried to put it in myself. LOL.

I am working hard to get the front bedroom prepped for Sheet rock before winter sets in and stops the work till spring.  This weekend I replaced the small window in this room, did all the electrical wiring, and finished all the rough framing so that sheet rock can be put in.  Next weekend I plan on replacing the large window and finish insulation.  With that the room is ready to rock, paint and carpet!!!!!!

I also did the finish trim on the back of the bathroom door.  Which completes the work needed in the bathroom.

I also did the rough framing in the loft for sheet rock.  I analyzing the loft I thought it would be appropriate to put a wall at the top of the stairs on the left hand side at you go up the stairs, and talked it over with Earl and he agreed. (This is the side that has the double bed in it.)  Talking to my daughter she reminded me that when they were kids, the only place they could change cloths was in the far back corner of the loft.  This wall will allow some privacy for those who stay upstairs.  It will also look better from the great room because it will hide the area of the loft, from below,  which will have sheet rock on it.  The added benefit is that it will provide a third area for adults to sleep if three couples want to go up at the same time to the cabin.  This is a simple fix that will only require 10 to 12 2X4 studs and about an hour of work to rough frame it in.

I will take pictures this next weekend and get them posted.  (I know we gotta have the eye candy) 

Ray

I thought this might be the best way to get information and pictures out about the Coombs Family Cabin at Christmas Meadows.  With the Cabin being put into a trust for the family I have had renewed interest in helping get it into a condition where it can actually be used by the family and bless the lives of all of Olive and Arthur Coombs posterity.  With that in mind I have been working the past 3 weekends with Earl and other members of the family to finish up the work Earl started.

Let me just put in a plug here for anyone who wants to contribute time and labor to helping with getting the cabin finish.  We can always use help with getting the work done.  Many hands make the work go faster.

Here are pictures I took the first week we were up there cutting up all the trees.  We did about 3 cords of wood around the cabin and stacked it.

More Pictures from last week.

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As we come into this Holiday season, with the expectations of gifts, food, family and friends; I feel it important to write a little something about my feelings and events of the past year.

I know I don’t write on my blog nearly enough and I am sure not many will read this but, I felt it important to communicate my feelings about Christmas and family during this holiday season.

This has been an interesting year in the Maxwell family.  Linda and I have been very blessed through the past year with the blessing of better health and safety in our family.  All are well and we were blessed with two new additions to the family.  It seems that I am getting old in spite of my denials of said aging.  We now have 10 grandchildren, with the addition of Gabriel Griffee (Gabe), and Gwendolyn Olive Brierley Moss (Gwengamen) LOL.  I have come to the conclusion that it is not so bad getting older as long as you have sweat grandchildren to love and enjoy in your geriatric years.  It has been wonderful watching our grand kids grow and develop and we feel so blessed to have such wonderful children and their spouses who are raising them in the Gospel.

During this Christmas season I have put off the “grumpy old man”,  and have been trying to enjoy the spirit of Christmas and giving.   It is a wonderful time of the year, when we remember the Savior and his birth.  I look at my two new grandchildren this year with a since of wonder at the miracle of creation and the blessing your Father in Heaven has given us as his children to bring these sweet infants into this world and love and care for them.  As I have thought about this it has given me a greater understanding of the Love and joy that Mary and Joseph must have felt for their infant son.  It has also caused my to ponder the responsibility they knew that had for the Son of God and their need and desire to raise him to his full potential.

What a great responsibility we carry as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family to help set an example for these precious souls that our Father has given to our families.  We are so blessed to have our family so close.  Even Cedar City is not that far away, and we get many chances through the years to see our children and family.

I hope this finds all of you health and happy and enjoying the Christmas spirit of giving and service.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

Ray

Well it’s time again to surprise everyone with a blog.  The past few months have been fun and work.  We have worked on the basement and added another bedroom to the Maxwell Hotel.  We now have more rooms for guests. You know us, we aren’t happy unless we have a full (to overflowing house).  We have had Masha and her son Grant living with us for the past 6 months and I felt we needed to finish the room she was staying in.  It had cement walls (painted) and an old carpet from Mike Coombs home here in Utah.  So… while she was at Holly’s house recovering from knee surgery, Art and I finished the room.  It looks fantastic, even if I do say so myself.

I also have spent some time installing the wiring and setting up Mom and Dad’s (Gramma and Grampa Coombs) new 56 inch flat panel TV over their fireplace.  We finally got the DVR HD box set up last night but…. couldn’t get the HD stations to come in properly.  S0 a tech is coming out Saturday to fix the problem and also run a second Satellite cable so they can record and watch at the same time.  Their fire place is very nice and the TV above it looks great also.  LOL.

So I am including in this blog a new video on Why the Mormons build temples.  I thought it was great and was given the URL by the church to use on blogs etc.  So… here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/mormonmessages

I hope everyone is having a Happy New Years celibration this evening.  Linda and I are setting down here in St. George and Steve and Cary Kullick and Linda and I are planning on spending the evening watching all the episodes of Firefly and just relaxing at the house.  The twins are going out with the Katelin Moss and they are going down to the town festivities.

We went over to the Moss’s home on Saturday evening for a family dinner and enjoyed their company and hospitality.

We have had a great time down here and went to the Beatles Circus performance at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas Monday evening the Music and performance were great.

Yesterday we went to the Jacob Hamblin Home and Brigham Young homes in Santa Clara and St. George.  It’s been fun seeing some of the sites in St. George we have never taken the time to see before.

Good Looking Guys at the Jacob Hamblin home.

I always wanted to be on Brother Brighams back porch. 

We are having a great time here in St. George and though it is not quite shirt sleave weather, it is warmer than up north.

So two months, (sorry Will am I off your blog site yet?)

Well in two months I have watched BYU go from Ok to Bad.  Exciting Bowl game but I have mud on my face talking about them being put against an inferior team and then what do they do but lose!!! Whats with that.  I think I have figured “Turnover Hall” out.  He plays a great game as long as there is no stress or pressure to perform.  But as soon as the pressure is on he folds like a stack of cards.  (Ok maybe not quite that bad but he sure starts throwing some wild passes, over the head etc.  I think there is room for improvement on BYU’s team and look forward to see those improvements next year. 

It’s been fun with the snow and taking trips down the Cedar City to see chad and Katie, this past weekend.  When I got down their (we went to baby sit while they sang in the Mosiah with the Southren Utah State Collage Orchesta.  Well when we got there Katie said,”Why don’t you sing with us dad”.  Now I have been singing in the PG Community choir up until two years ago so I thought, OK.
I went to the dress rehersal Saturday morning for 3 hours and made two minor errors in all the songs that where sung.  In fact I joked with Chad and Katie that there were sections where I came in at the right time and the Bass section followed.  (I love singing solo’s) and yes I did come in in the right spot.  So needless to say, I did sing with the Sunday Night and Monday night performances of the Mosiah in Cedar City.  In fact I was probably one of the best perfomrances I have ever sung in.  It is so good that I am providing a link to download or listen to the postcast in this blog.

Chad and Katie did and excellent job with Chad singing in the small group that was up in the balcony for one of the numbers.  If you listen to the podcast at the end the director is talking and mentions this group.  They were great.

Handel’s Messiah

Note : push the play button when you get to the page.

Enjoy the Christmas Spirit