Hammer Up!

Monday we woke up around 8 and started playing and eating.  We had to get ready somewhat quickly because we were going to a storage unit auction.  Jenna, from last post, wanted to come along with us.  She and Richard are getting married soon, and they are looking for furniture for their apartment.  We swung by her apartment to pick her up.  Actually, it was Richard's apartment, but she was doing some pre-wedding deep cleaning.  He lives in Magnolia Ridge, out old apartment complex, so that was kind of cool to be back there.  It looks like they have better pool chairs now.  We picked her up around 9:30 and headed out to The Lock Box in west Longview on highway 80.  The number of storage units up for auction had dwindled a bit, as usual, but there were still like 11.  Katelyn held Emily and I had Haley.  Not much great stuff at this auction.  A lot of pretty full units with just junk piled on.  There was one unit that had a tarp over everything.  It was stacked high and right up to the front of the door but you couldn't tell what it was because you cant touch it or go in there.  Jenna thought it looked like china hutches.  Then Katelyn, who was one of the last people to check it out, saw a little opening at the bottom where the tarp was lifted a little.  She stooped down and looked up it to see a junky old TV sitting at the bottom so she knew it must just be light junk setting on top.  Well, people must have picked up on her smart move because like 10 other people who had already looked at it came up and got down on their hands and knees to peer through.  That unit still went for $500.  Haley had to pee once so I took her.  Both girls were pretty good the whole time.  Emily lost her paci, more on that later.  Haley loved to play with the dogs.  There are some people who usually come who are from some animal shelter or something and they bring dogs with them.  That is Haley's favorite part by far.  Neither us nor Jenna bought anything at this auction but Walt Cade, the auctioneer, told us they would be filming in Tyler on Tuesday at another storage place.  Jenna really wanted to go, but we weren't sure because it's kind of a long drive.  After the auction, we dropped off Jenna and headed home to put the girls down for a nap after giving them lunch.  I headed out to the airport to do an expense report while they were sleeping.  Neither kid slept very good.  We were planning to have the Freeman's over for dinner because Vance is away for a few days, but they cancelled so we headed to the gym instead.  Haley and Emily did pretty well at the gym.  Emily was crying the last 15 minutes they said because she was sleepy.  I don't think she has recovered from the loss of sleep from getting her tooth yet.  After the gym, the girls were still being OK so we headed to the dollar store to buy bread.  They didn't have any so we just came home.  After dinner we treated the girls to ice cream cones.  We had bought sugar cones at Kroger the other day so we just sat on the porch and ate them there.  Then we headed out to Sam's club and Walmart.  Haley did pretty well considering she didn't get a cookie at Walmart.  Then we came home and Skyped Huito and Huita and Sarah.  Haley was pretty much just trying to show off by the end.  She was singing the doxology and jumping on a chair.  I say trying because I don't know if it actually counts as showing off to do those things.  It was a lot of fun to see them all again.  Then we put the girls to bed.  Haley used her infant soothie paci because Emily graduated up to Haley's old one.

Tuesday morning oddly enough looked much like Monday morning.  We got up early and I went to the store to buy bread before the kids woke up.  Katelyn was making PBJs to take to Tyler to our second auction of the week.  Jenna talked us into it I guess.  I also ran by the bank to get some cash.  I got home and we showered and got the kids dressed and packed up to be ready by the time Jenna showed up at 9.  This time we were going to be more prepared.  We brought extra water because Haley had run out yesterday and complained about thirst for quite a while.  We brought more snacks and pacis too.  The drive to Tyler was uneventful and we found the place no problem.  That was the only easy part though.  There were tons of people there.  We saw the camera crew and some of the stars of the show.  We had to sign waivers to be on TV.  Even the babies had to do it.  I signed for Emily who was in the backpack and Katelyn signed for Haley.  They made us inside out our shirts or put tape over the names.  Mine said LeTourneau University Alumni and they made me tape over LETU so all it said was "Alumni".  Rather vague...  Today was super hot and this place had absolutely no shade.  I was sweating before we even started at 10 (actually it was like 10:30 because it took so long).  It really makes you realize how fake the show actually is.  The producer kept coming up to actors and telling them to walk out the door again and have the same conversation with the other star they just talked to.  Two of the guys who apparently hate each other made a big (read: loud) deal about flipping a quarter for $100 bills.  I guess that makes them seem like big shots.  Once we got started it still took a long time.  When the unit is initially opened, the camera crew gets one minute to just take a shot.  Then you can finally look in there, but there were a bunch of people so it took a long time.  Plus it was hot with no shade so the babies got restless quick.  Emily wore a hat so as not to get sunburned.  There were seven units today.  After everyone looked at the unit, the bidding would start as normal.  If it was a good unit, the stars would bid, not for show but because they really wanted it.  I guess they all own stores where they sell the junk they find.  That was all fine and dandy.  Then, if the stars had bid, we would do the shot over again.  The producer would tell us anyone can bid, just make sure the person who actually won it gets it in the end for the same amount they originally bid.  Its not totally fake, just trying to get a better shot and maybe making it more interesting with more bids spaced out in smaller increments sometimes.  Then a couple times they did what they call a "library bid" which is basically the producer points to you and you give him two signs of bidding and one of that you don't want it anymore which I learned basically everyone symbolizes by pretending to cut their neck off while they shake their head no.  We weren't in any of these because we were hiding in the shade with the girls.  Well, the third to the last unit, we saw a bunk bed in there. It was a pretty junky unit otherwise though.  Some of the stars were joking to each other about how junky everything in there was.  Katelyn and I decided we would pay up to $125 for it. I started the bidding at $25, then a kid next to us bid $35.  I knew this kid didn't really want it so I was gonna just let him take it for being a jerk and bidding me up, but then Katelyn (whose head was still cool) came in and won it for $45.  They are giving us a week to clean it out and we can even dump stuff there!  It was great!  Jenna helped us pack most of the stuff up in the van.  Basically, there was a bunk bed all taken apart, probably four boxes with clothes in it, a few toys, several games in a box, a nintendo 64 controller and game, a drumset for Xbox,   one set of plastic drawers with clothes in there, two old TVs, a box of basically trash, and the nastiest large teddy bear you ever saw sitting atop the nastiest twin mattress you ever saw.  We are so happy to have dumpster privileges at this place.  We figure we wanted the bed anyway, and would pay at least that much, so if we can make our money back in the clothes, which will hopefully happen, then we will get a free bed.  I will probably sand and re-stain it.  We can use it as a regular twin until baby number three comes some day and by then Haley should be old enough to sleep up top.  We ate lunch on the way home and put the girls to bed for a nap.  Katelyn sorted through that stuff and I mowed the lawn in preparation for Missio Dei here tomorrow.  Hopefully it won't be too hot.  Katelyn then went to the Mason's house where she is tutoring their daughter in math.  I stayed home and managed the babies as they woke up.  Then we got ready and I picked up Chloe to babysit while Katelyn and I went to Bible study.  The girls did well tonight.  They both ate, had baths, and went to bed without a fuss.  Thank goodness.

Haleyism: Haley prefers plain vanilla ice cream just like her father.

Emilyism: Emily kept trying to take her hat off at the storage war.  If she ever lost her paci or toy she was playing with, she would instantly go for her hat.

"Hammer Up" is what Walt Cade says as his call sign to start or end the whole auction event.  He's kind of a wierdo.

Haley is pinching Emily's arm I'm pretty sure.

Jenna took these pictures of some of the stars of the show...

This guy in the black shirt was the one who won the $100 coin toss

This is Walt Cade hisself in all his glory. Look out Chuck Norris! Just kidding, nobody tells Chuck Norris to look out.  Actually, the only reason the didn't use him to host the show is because Chuck Norris was once on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and was the first person to spin.  The next 29 minutes of the show consisted of everyone standing around awkwardly, waiting for the wheel to stop.

Haley trying on dollar store sunglasses

Haley pulling her weight

Haley had my phone during part of the auction