110 Weeks

I (Jenny) am hi-jacking my husband's blog (I don't think he'll mind).

110 Weeks. That is how long it has taken us to finish renovating our attic into our new master suite. (That's a little over 2 years for those of you who don't want to do the math.) We really only worked on Saturdays and a few additional days here and there, so it's not too bad if you think of it that way.

Here is a quick reminder of the nothingness that was before:

Of course I cannot go on without adding a huge THANK YOU! to the man in the red sweatshirt (Nate's dad). Without his help we could not have completed this project. Thank you for all the tools, the time, all the blood, sweat and occasional tears. (It's not an official workday unless blood is drawn, of course.)

Ok, on to the good stuff...

The STAIRWELL and SLEEPING AREA:

There used to be a chimney and a large beam going

through the middle of this area. Thank goodness we 

were able to get rid of both.

 

The BATHROOM:

8 hours, people!

That's how long it took to put up the tiles

just around the outside of the shower.

It's a good thing it turned out well. Gorgeous!

 

The CLOSET: 

This dresser was a $5 garage sale purchase that we

were able to refinish by painting and adding

the outside shell of wood. Again, gorgeous.

 

It feels a little unfair that the final product of all that work can be summed up into just seven photos.

It feels good to be sleeping upstairs.
It feels good to have a second bathroom in the house.
It feels good to have our Saturdays back again.

It feels good to be done.

Soccer Travels

Off for the weekend to see what the regional tournaments will have in store for these two teams.

Guys play their first game Friday afternoon, if they win, they advance to the finals.

Girls got a bye straight to the finals and play Saturday.

I'm either done with soccer on Saturday, or have 2 more weeks of it.

I'll know soon.

Trash Can Surprise

I noticed this morning when closing the garage door that one of the recently emptied trash cans that had been used for construction debris wasn't where I was used to seeing it.

I looked in the garage to see if maybe Jenny had moved it, but didn't see it there either.  I briefly looked around the yard to see if maybe the wind had blown it over night, but didn't find it in sight anywhere and decided to just drive to work.

A few seconds later, after turning the corner and driving on a different road, I spotted said trash can in someone's yard a couple of houses, yards, and trees away.

Welcome here fall.

I Want 4 Hours Back

I spent 4 hours today standing in the cold, wind, and rain watching two soccer games.

There were 18 goals scored in those two games.  The teams I was there for did not score any of them.

I want my 4 hours back.

My toes want their feeling back.

Really?

I took the opportunity today to teach slide tackling properly as the field was wet so it is easier to avoid injuries.

There were a couple of players on the team who had never slide tackled someone before.  I couldn't believe someone could be on a college soccer team and have never slide tackled before. 

I understand if its been a while, or if you've never been taught, or even if you play a position that doesn't require slide tackling so you've done it quite infrequently, but to never have done it before just seemed wrong.

I made sure to fix that by offering up my body as the guinea pig for them all to slide tackle into.  Made the day quite fun actually.

Snickers Salad

I had Snickers Salad three times this weekend.  I still have some in my fridge.  This makes me extremely happy.

I can't believe so many people haven't ever heard of or had Snickers salad and may soon take it as one of my duties to make sure the masses get to know how the most healthy food in the world for you (salad), can also be so delicious (by making the Snickers version).

Adding Snicker Doodles to the list (which don't contain Snickers candy bars), my favorite cookie and favorite salad both start with the same name.  That is awesome.

Monopoly Madness

Monopoly at McDonalds has hit a whole new level for me this year.  Outside of the fact that I eat there fairly consistenly while the game is being played, something new has begun.

There are at least 5 people that I can think of right now who also go to McDonalds, but do so with the plan of giving me the pieces.

One person even told me today that they wanted Wendy's more than McDonalds but couldn't pass up the opportunity to get me more pieces.

I never once asked anyone for pieces, but they keep piling up in my wallet and on the table in our living room, thanks both to my eating habits and my friends (and some family).

I'm Long Winded

Over the last couple of weeks I've spent two and a half hours or so lecturing on the first five books of the Bible.

Unfortunately (in my opinion), next week I have to start teaching books 6-8 (Joshua through Ruth).  I don't feel I've done anything more than scratch the surface with the first 5, and would love to spend many more hours talking about those.

I suppose I'm more long winded than even I had guessed, and I've known for a while that I'm long winded.

Good Substitutions

Got to make our favorite kind of substitution at the soccer games this evening.

We pulled a player because he had already scored a hat trick (3 goals) and wanted to give others an opportunity to score as well.

A 7-0 victory always feels nice, especially cause had we left the starters in, it could easily have gotten to 12 or so.

Go NCU.  Regional tourneys are just over a week away, soon my afternoons will be mine again.

Re-Organizing

As things have been getting moved upstairs (largely because Jenny has spent her Sunday and Monday making this happen) we notice how some things get put in the black holes of our house.

Jenny found a pair of earring she didn't even know she had.  These are the kinds of things that happen when you feel the need to sort and organize the second junk drawer.  Not the kitchen junk drawer we have, or our countertops which are mainly covered with junk, but the top drawer of a dresser that apparently got all sorts of useless things that weren't even memorable enough junk to go in our normal junk drawers.

Money On The Mind

With the buying a new car thing, and the fact that I'm meeting with our financial adivsor (and brother in-law) tomorrow (a friend wanted to be introduced), I've had money on the mind quite a bit the last couple of days.

Any nifty tricks any of you have used to start making financial matters more awesome? 


C.D. Ladders, envelope systems, super awesome budgetness.... what has worked well for you?

A Touch Behind

Started teaching my adult discipleship class at the church tonight.  The hope is to survey the entire Old Testament in 9 class sessions.  Started off fairly well tonight.  After getting the administrative stuff out of the way, and getting into the first few books of the Bible, I finally started to hit my stride and everyone was getting noticeably more excited and involved, and then we ran out of time.

Fortunately, next week there won't be so many administrative things that need to happen and we'll have roughly an extra half hour of teaching time.

We are slightly behind where I hoped to be, but still on a good pace to cover things well.

The Little Joys

Found simple things getting me really excited today.  It was fun to pick up the mini-fridge to bring into the office.  But then, I got to pick up the Escape Hybrid to take home.  Was intrigued by the things that weren't important enough for me to notice before buying, but made me smile when I found them while driving it around today.

1st:  I didn't know this particular model was equipped with the navigation system and the upgraded cd changer.

2nd:  I didn't know that they even put normal power outlets in cars.  This one has the traditional circle outlets (like cigarette lighter style), but also has one in the front that is permanently converted to a power outlet.  Means our converters can just stay with the Corolla.

The last little thing that made me happy was in playing a game of pictionary.  We were playing a version that has lots of options of ways you may be inhibited while drawing (draw with off hand, draw without picking up pencil, draw 2 items in the allotted time, draw with eyes closed, etc.) and it was my turn to draw for my team.  The thing I had to draw was:  Davy Crockett, and had to do so with my eyes closed.

My team actually getting this correct was one of the significant accomplishments of my day.  Sometimes it is just the little joys that make life better.

Weeeeee!!!

So last night I had gone and looked at the car on the lot, no pressure since they don't sell them on Sunday's in MN and it was 1:30 or so in the morning when I went.

I woke up this morning and was at the dealer by 10:00.  They had opened around 8:30.  When I drove in, I noticed that the car wasn't in its spot anymore.  I thought it was just my luck that they had sold it in the hour and half they had been opened. 

I parked anyway since I had made the trip and was going to see what else was on the lot, or ask a salesman if it had just been moved.  While walking around, I spotted it sitting in the sold section, just as a salesman approached me. 

I asked him if it had been sold and he said that a different salesperson's daughter was looking at it and thinking about buying it.  He knew she wanted it, had already sold her other car, but hadn't figured out all of her loan information yet, so he went into talk to the salesperson father about it.

That father said something along the lines of:  she didn't put any hold money down on it.  If you can sell it before she does, feel free to sell it.

So we went off for a test drive and ended up selling it.  Almost missed this opportunity, but glad to own a hybrid Escape now.

Not Too Much Trouble

Jenny is out of town for the week with work.  I'm guessing I'll rack up the McDonald's monopoly pieces because of this.

I've also set an alarm to get up early and go test drive a vehicle tomorrow.  After about 11 months since my Escape bit the dust, I think it is time to test drive something.  I'll let you know if it goes successfully.

More New Friends

3 weeks into the launch of the new Young Adults Ministry and we've had new visiting guests every week.  We also haven't gone any weeks without some of our first time visitors coming back the next week.

Things are going about as smoothly as planned and seem to be gaining more excitement as they continue.

I'm blessed to work with so many amazing volunteers who have taken large chunks of ownership to make awesome things happen.

Purchasing a Closet System

This makes me feel super old.  Spending that kind of money on a customizable closet system for a closet that you built yourself means you are old.

Young people don't do these kinds of things.

Warm-Up Injuries

I've played in a lot of soccer games.  Even gotten injured in some of them.  But I've never gotten injured during warm-ups. 

I saw a player on my team in college get injured goofing around in warm-ups, and today watched as a player injured himself when no one else was around him during warm-ups.  Kind of sad to have to call the trainer over during warm-ups for anything other than taping an ankle or putting on an ace bandage, but the necessity of a trained opinion and some ice wasn't what we wanted for our player.

Then got to watch as 3 more got hurt during the game, 1 of whom blacked out for a couple of seconds.

It wasn't the successful game we were hoping for, but the Chinese buffet made everyone feel a little better.

Personal Challenge

I decided today (almost as a joke) that I wanted to design a soccer drill for the team that would use all 80 of the cones that we had. 

Not a series of drills that had them all set up at the same time, but one drill that needed all of them.

They thought my joke would remain a joke, but while they were warming up and stretching I designed a special drill just for them.

Sometimes it is nice to accomplish my own personal challenges.

Funny Yellow People

Went and watched "Despicable Me" at the cheap theater tonight.  Well worth the price of admission.  Very fun and cute movie.  The little yellow people that work as Gru's minions are something I would like to have around my house someday.

Can any of you make that happen for me?

2 Down

2nd night of Terrace (our new Young Adults Ministry) is over now.  I was encouraged that we had more new people again tonight, as well as noticing that some of the new people from last week came back.

Hope we can keep this momentum going for a long time.

Now time to transition back to coach mode for a couple of days while awaiting pastor mode again on Sunday morning.

I actually should just get different hats to wear, that would be fun.