We had an absolutely amazing Thanksgiving! It wouldn't have been a holiday without a minor delay though. On Tuesday when I got in my car after school, the "service battery charging system" light came on. I headed to the Chevy dealership where the car had to be left overnight to be "examined". Johnny got to take me to work on Wednesday and while there the dealership called to let me know that our alternator was out and so was the battery. At this point I was becoming pretty anxious. We were wanting to leave town around 3 and it was noon already. After letting Johnny know, we decided to rent a car to head back to MO. The rain was pouring by now but when 2:00 rolled around Johnny picked me up and we headed to Enterprise. After a quick exchange of information he headed home to finish packing and I headed back to the dealership to get a few things out of the monte carlo. By 3:30, we were on the road. My luck with vehicles around the holidays has never been good: When I was in 8th grade, 2 days before Christmas, my mom and brother were hit by a drunk driver. Another year, 2 days before Christmas, I was at the Plaza in KC and my car just died. Last year, I was stuck at a jewelry store, when the Taurus decided it didn't want to move. (What an awful place to be stuck at right?!) So needless to say, I try to avoid driving around the holidays if at all possible. The car was picked up yesterday and they didn't charge us for the battery, so there is some good that came out of the situation I guess.
The experience taught me a couple things. First, throughout the day on Wednesday, I was extremely anxious. Anxious about whether or not we needed a rental car, if I needed to get a ride to pick our car up, if Johnny was going to be able to come get me, etc. etc. I was trying to make plans and getting upset when I couldn't or when it took 3 hours for the dealership to even look at the car. This lesson was to teach me to relax! There's only so much you can do and there's no need worrying about the unknown. So, just go with the flow. Second, there's always a positive to every situation. When this happened to the car, I told Johnny that it was terrible timing since we were getting ready to leave town. His reply was that it was great timing. It would have been terrible timing if we had been halfway to MO and the car just died. I definitely agreed! That would have been awful.
I really thought that our hectic Wednesday would have been a foresight to the Thanksgiving weekend, but it wasn't. We had a dinner on Thursday at noon with my dad's side of the family and 4:00 with Johnny's family so we were able to spend quite a bit of time with both families and not rush. We had dinner with my mom at Corner Cafe on Saturday (saved us some cooking time and clean-up!). On Friday we woke up to biscuits and gravy made by Virginia. Johnny was able to spend some with time at home with Amy and Virginia getting some house projects completed while I headed to get my hair done. Then later that night we went out with a bunch of friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. Saturday was just as relaxing while we had another great breakfast and laid around and watched MIZZOU beat kansas until it was time to head to dinner with my mom. We also went to see the movie Due Date, which was hysterical. Sunday morning we had breakfast with my dad then headed back to our home in IN. It was a great trip but it feels really good to come home too.
We began putting up our Christmas decorations last night and will finish them tonight. It's such a good feeling to have holiday decorations up....something about it just makes the house more cozy. My friend Samantha is coming to visit us this weekend and I can't wait! I haven't seen her since Johnny and I got married which is way too long! We plan to do some Christmas shopping while she is here. I'm sure some girly movies and wrapping gifts will be involved too---it has been way to long since we've been able to have hour long conversations on the couch without a phone being involved. Johnny has plans to buy a playstation 3 game and not move from the couch. :-)
Good news: Johnny's major project was APPROVED!! This is so exciting as he's been working on it for months now! Starting today, they will be sending out letters to contractors who bid the project and things can officially start rolling! This is one of the biggest projects Cargill has ever done and there are a lot of people that will be watching the progress. I'm so proud of him!!
Pictures of Christmas decor to come!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
We are FINISHED!!!!!
The new floors are finished and we are BEYOND relieved. It looks absolutely amazing and we are so pleased wth the result. It is so much better than our carpet. Although, I have to say that I am sweeping just about every day now. I'm amazed at what sat in our carpet! Gross!
Saturday we attended a going away party for Johnny's boss, Jon. (Side note: Johnny works with about 10 Johns on a daily basis, it can be quite confusing!) We met at a bowling alley in Evansville to get in our hummer limo! Then we drove to the adult beverage store before stopping to pick up Jon and his wife Kimi.....this was a complete surprise to Jon--and he was shocked beyond belief! The leadership team proceeded to give him their gift which was a snow blower. (Jon is moving to Minneapolis, MN and will surely get a lot of use out of it.) The inscription on the snow blower said "We are SNOW going to miss you"! After that (and only after giving their kids a tour of the sweet ride) we headed to dinner at Cavanaugh's. Cavanaugh's is a really nice restaurant in Evansville and it was actually where Johnny and I had our first official date. They have amazing food and the service is fantastic. Saturday night was no different and it was great to be in the company of great friends. After dinner and "cruising" town, we stopped at the bowling alley and played a few games before ending the night and heading home. The entire night was an absolute blast and we truly wish the best for Jon & Kim, but will also miss them tremendously!
Bo's allergies are getting more under control and we are so glad! I had to take him back to the specialist last week so they could show me how to give him his injections. Johnny wasn't able to come because of work, and to be honest I was completely terrified. I don't enjoy getting shots and was scared of actually having to give them, but, it really isn't that bad. He doesn't even really feel the needle, which makes it a much smoother process than if he were to flinch, squirm, etc. He hasn't been getting a whole lot of medicine at this point, but the doses increase with each injection, and we can already tell a difference. Thank goodness for relief!
No sweets is going ok.....last week was a rough week and needless to say, I failed. But, I'm back at it this week. The "Biggest Loser" competition is starting at the school where I work, amongst the faculty, and I've got my game face on and ready to lose the extra weight and horrible lifestyle for good!
Thankful list......here is the final installment of our thankful list! Enjoy!
17. Shoes & Clothing--There are so many people that go without in this category and here I sit in my name brand clothes that I don't really think twice about putting on. But, I am very thankful for the clothes and shoes that I have worked so hard for and get to wear every single day without ever having to think "I REALLY don't have anything to wear". (That is a common statement in my overloaded closet that Johnny just loves to give me a hard time about--as I'm sure the same thing happens with other couples as well.)
18. Mailboxes--This may seem silly, but I am very thankful that I don't have to make a trip to the post office every day to get our mail. I just walk down the drive and grab the wonderful junk mail that I so willingly throw in the trash. :-)
19. Medication--We don't really have to use a lot of medicine, but we are thankful for it when we do.
20. Weekends--We absolutely LOVE our weekends! Spending time alone doing whatever we feel like is so nice! For the year and a half that we dated, we felt like we were always trying to "cross things off our list" and now, we don't have to....and it is fantastic!
21. Books--I have recently started to read quite a bit and I really like it. I hated reading in high school, but it is so cool to get "lost" in a book. You just have to find the right author.
22. Restaurants--There are just some nights when we don't feel like doing anything at all, let alone make dinner, so to be able to have the opportunity to have someone make it for us is wonderful and we are so appreciative!
23. Manicures & Pedicures--This probably isn't on Johnny's list, but could probably be #1 on mine...haha....but seriously, I love getting my nails done. It makes me feel pampered and girly and what woman doesn't love that feeling!
24. Traveling--We want to see the world and are thankful that maybe that could be a reality one day. We are starting slowly but surely and hope to take a big trip to Alaska or the mediterranean next summer/fall to really kick it off. It is so awesome to be able to embrace another culture and lifestyle.
25. Life! Johnny and I couldn't be happier with how our lives have turned out. We are so thankful to have found each other and live in our happily ever after. We are truly so blessed and couldn't ask for anything more! Each day is a brand new gift and we are so thankful for it!
We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! We are off to KC this week to spend our holiday with our families and friends and can't wait to catch up with everyone!
Love you all!
Johnny & Rachele
Bo being a scaredy-cat and hiding behind me while Johnny uses the air gun....you would think that for such a big dog he'd be pretty brave....nope!
The very last piece! WAHOOOO!!!!
And, they're done!
Laying on our FINISHED floor...
The final product!
Our new entry way rug....found it on sale of course!
No caption necessary. :-)
Saturday we attended a going away party for Johnny's boss, Jon. (Side note: Johnny works with about 10 Johns on a daily basis, it can be quite confusing!) We met at a bowling alley in Evansville to get in our hummer limo! Then we drove to the adult beverage store before stopping to pick up Jon and his wife Kimi.....this was a complete surprise to Jon--and he was shocked beyond belief! The leadership team proceeded to give him their gift which was a snow blower. (Jon is moving to Minneapolis, MN and will surely get a lot of use out of it.) The inscription on the snow blower said "We are SNOW going to miss you"! After that (and only after giving their kids a tour of the sweet ride) we headed to dinner at Cavanaugh's. Cavanaugh's is a really nice restaurant in Evansville and it was actually where Johnny and I had our first official date. They have amazing food and the service is fantastic. Saturday night was no different and it was great to be in the company of great friends. After dinner and "cruising" town, we stopped at the bowling alley and played a few games before ending the night and heading home. The entire night was an absolute blast and we truly wish the best for Jon & Kim, but will also miss them tremendously!
Going to pick up Jon & Kim
Revealing the snow blower
The Leadership Team (L-R) Johnny, Dominique, Jon, Molly, Vee
The women (L-R) Molly, Me, Kim, Soni
In the limo opening another gift.
Soni waving out the window. What's cool is that I got a picture of the woman in the other vehicle waving back! It was hilarious!
The whole group (L-R) Vee, Soni, Dominique, Jason, Molly, Kim, Jon, Johnny, & I in front of our limo at Cavanaugh's.
Bowling-Trying to figure out the program to input our names....
Johnny showing Dominique how to play pool.
Bo's allergies are getting more under control and we are so glad! I had to take him back to the specialist last week so they could show me how to give him his injections. Johnny wasn't able to come because of work, and to be honest I was completely terrified. I don't enjoy getting shots and was scared of actually having to give them, but, it really isn't that bad. He doesn't even really feel the needle, which makes it a much smoother process than if he were to flinch, squirm, etc. He hasn't been getting a whole lot of medicine at this point, but the doses increase with each injection, and we can already tell a difference. Thank goodness for relief!
Bo in his usual spot.
No sweets is going ok.....last week was a rough week and needless to say, I failed. But, I'm back at it this week. The "Biggest Loser" competition is starting at the school where I work, amongst the faculty, and I've got my game face on and ready to lose the extra weight and horrible lifestyle for good!
Thankful list......here is the final installment of our thankful list! Enjoy!
17. Shoes & Clothing--There are so many people that go without in this category and here I sit in my name brand clothes that I don't really think twice about putting on. But, I am very thankful for the clothes and shoes that I have worked so hard for and get to wear every single day without ever having to think "I REALLY don't have anything to wear". (That is a common statement in my overloaded closet that Johnny just loves to give me a hard time about--as I'm sure the same thing happens with other couples as well.)
18. Mailboxes--This may seem silly, but I am very thankful that I don't have to make a trip to the post office every day to get our mail. I just walk down the drive and grab the wonderful junk mail that I so willingly throw in the trash. :-)
19. Medication--We don't really have to use a lot of medicine, but we are thankful for it when we do.
20. Weekends--We absolutely LOVE our weekends! Spending time alone doing whatever we feel like is so nice! For the year and a half that we dated, we felt like we were always trying to "cross things off our list" and now, we don't have to....and it is fantastic!
21. Books--I have recently started to read quite a bit and I really like it. I hated reading in high school, but it is so cool to get "lost" in a book. You just have to find the right author.
22. Restaurants--There are just some nights when we don't feel like doing anything at all, let alone make dinner, so to be able to have the opportunity to have someone make it for us is wonderful and we are so appreciative!
23. Manicures & Pedicures--This probably isn't on Johnny's list, but could probably be #1 on mine...haha....but seriously, I love getting my nails done. It makes me feel pampered and girly and what woman doesn't love that feeling!
24. Traveling--We want to see the world and are thankful that maybe that could be a reality one day. We are starting slowly but surely and hope to take a big trip to Alaska or the mediterranean next summer/fall to really kick it off. It is so awesome to be able to embrace another culture and lifestyle.
25. Life! Johnny and I couldn't be happier with how our lives have turned out. We are so thankful to have found each other and live in our happily ever after. We are truly so blessed and couldn't ask for anything more! Each day is a brand new gift and we are so thankful for it!
We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! We are off to KC this week to spend our holiday with our families and friends and can't wait to catch up with everyone!
Love you all!
Johnny & Rachele
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
No sweets sucks but we're still very thankful....
We've had a pretty eventful past couple of days. Our flooring is so close to being totally complete. All we have left is to nail in quarter round and we're done! It looks so fantastic and I'll have pictures up when it is totally complete. I know I say this all the time, but I truly have the most amazing husband. He has worked so hard on this floor. While I have helped out where I can, he really has done the majority of it--and it looks so great!
The no sweets "diet" continues.......it's not fun by any means, but I do feel really good about it and can sense a change in what I crave and want to eat--which is good! While I didn't lose any weight this past week (actually gained 2....grr....) I am still optimistic. I don't crave chocolate after every meal anymore and that's exactly what I was wanting to change. Now, I must admit that I did cheat just a tad......I had 3 desserts last week instead of 2. I'm not going to make any excuses because I made the choice to eat them. So, I told myself that for this week I only get 1. Well, I had that on Sunday and this morning I made my trip to Starbucks......not good! I always get a hot chocolate and I love their chocolate chip banana bread coffee cake....so I got one of those too. I'm doomed! haha.....not really, but I shouldn't have but i'm just going to take it as a learning experience and move on. I started back at the gym yesterday and am going to cut back on the amount of tea/pop that i'm drinking. Portion sizes are still under control, so caffiene is really the only thing left. Beginning next week, the high school I teach at is starting it's own "Biggest Loser". I am getting in on the action and hope to see even better results with some friendly competition. It will last through the entire year which will be really nice!
Saturday the 13th Johnny and I attended the 4-H Gala here in Evansville. Cargill is a huge 4-H supporter and this is their largest fundraiser, bringing in thousands of dollars. The night includes a live and silent auction, a live band, wine tasting, and dinner. Though we didn't come home with any auction goodies, we had a great time with Johnny's coworkers and can't wait for next year's event.
Finally, our thankful list:
11. Light--Our closet light went out last week and after spending a few days in the dark trying to find clothes, we realized how thankful we are for light. It is hard to imagine living life without being able to see in the dark. We just flip on the lights without really thinking about it. And for me, it's nice to not have to worry about lighting something on fire to see. :-)
12. Technology--We have come so far in technological advances, but I am most thankful for pictures and video as well as our phones and internet. We are able to communicate with family on a regular basis even though we are hours away. Having pictures and video are nice to look back and remember or see what something might have been like. For example, for me, I didn't really know Johnny's dad very well. But when we watched some of the Barrett home video's, I was able to actually see him. It's cheesy, but I felt like I did kinda know him through those videos. And it was also fun to see Johnny and his sister Amy as kids. I've just really learned to appreciate those things.
13. My students--Even though they might test my limits or tell me to shut up, I am so thankful for my students. They teach me more than I feel I could ever teach them. They are all so special in their own ways and I love to see them learn and catch on to something.
14. Air conditioning and heating--along with light, I am SO thankful to have air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. In the past few weeks, we've been pretty lucky to have great weather but yesterday started a cold trend and it was nice to be able to turn on the heat to stay warm.
15. Vehicles--We are very fortunate to have vehicles to take us where we need to be. Every morning I pass a bus stop and see the people waiting to catch the bus to take them where they need to go. It makes me think of how I take for granted the ability to just get in my car and go whenever I feel like it and not live off of a bus schedule or train schedule, etc.
16. Date Night--Johnny and I love date night. We are truly taking every opportunity we can to do whatever we feel like before kids, because after that happens the focus isn't on us anymore. We love going to dinner or to a movie or just sitting on our couch eating pizza and watching a DVD (or Everybody loves Raymond)......it's nice to just relax together and we are so thankful for the opportunity to be able to have a date night at least every week if not 2 or 3 times a week.
We're on the countdown to the end of the semester here at the high school.....only 21 school days till Christmas break. Although as a teacher, I always tell the kids that you only have 21 days left to raise your grade.....that usually gets a different response! :-)
Believe it or not, this was our very last piece of flooring to install....lol
Finally, the final piece is getting put in!!!
Bo doesn't really like the wood floors....he prefers the rug under our kitchen table. He is too funny.....he stood like this watching us for about 15 minutes.
Here is proof: I'm using the air nailer! (And I love it--it's really powerful and easy to use.)
And....the meiter saw!
The no sweets "diet" continues.......it's not fun by any means, but I do feel really good about it and can sense a change in what I crave and want to eat--which is good! While I didn't lose any weight this past week (actually gained 2....grr....) I am still optimistic. I don't crave chocolate after every meal anymore and that's exactly what I was wanting to change. Now, I must admit that I did cheat just a tad......I had 3 desserts last week instead of 2. I'm not going to make any excuses because I made the choice to eat them. So, I told myself that for this week I only get 1. Well, I had that on Sunday and this morning I made my trip to Starbucks......not good! I always get a hot chocolate and I love their chocolate chip banana bread coffee cake....so I got one of those too. I'm doomed! haha.....not really, but I shouldn't have but i'm just going to take it as a learning experience and move on. I started back at the gym yesterday and am going to cut back on the amount of tea/pop that i'm drinking. Portion sizes are still under control, so caffiene is really the only thing left. Beginning next week, the high school I teach at is starting it's own "Biggest Loser". I am getting in on the action and hope to see even better results with some friendly competition. It will last through the entire year which will be really nice!
Saturday the 13th Johnny and I attended the 4-H Gala here in Evansville. Cargill is a huge 4-H supporter and this is their largest fundraiser, bringing in thousands of dollars. The night includes a live and silent auction, a live band, wine tasting, and dinner. Though we didn't come home with any auction goodies, we had a great time with Johnny's coworkers and can't wait for next year's event.
Finally, our thankful list:
11. Light--Our closet light went out last week and after spending a few days in the dark trying to find clothes, we realized how thankful we are for light. It is hard to imagine living life without being able to see in the dark. We just flip on the lights without really thinking about it. And for me, it's nice to not have to worry about lighting something on fire to see. :-)
12. Technology--We have come so far in technological advances, but I am most thankful for pictures and video as well as our phones and internet. We are able to communicate with family on a regular basis even though we are hours away. Having pictures and video are nice to look back and remember or see what something might have been like. For example, for me, I didn't really know Johnny's dad very well. But when we watched some of the Barrett home video's, I was able to actually see him. It's cheesy, but I felt like I did kinda know him through those videos. And it was also fun to see Johnny and his sister Amy as kids. I've just really learned to appreciate those things.
13. My students--Even though they might test my limits or tell me to shut up, I am so thankful for my students. They teach me more than I feel I could ever teach them. They are all so special in their own ways and I love to see them learn and catch on to something.
14. Air conditioning and heating--along with light, I am SO thankful to have air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. In the past few weeks, we've been pretty lucky to have great weather but yesterday started a cold trend and it was nice to be able to turn on the heat to stay warm.
15. Vehicles--We are very fortunate to have vehicles to take us where we need to be. Every morning I pass a bus stop and see the people waiting to catch the bus to take them where they need to go. It makes me think of how I take for granted the ability to just get in my car and go whenever I feel like it and not live off of a bus schedule or train schedule, etc.
16. Date Night--Johnny and I love date night. We are truly taking every opportunity we can to do whatever we feel like before kids, because after that happens the focus isn't on us anymore. We love going to dinner or to a movie or just sitting on our couch eating pizza and watching a DVD (or Everybody loves Raymond)......it's nice to just relax together and we are so thankful for the opportunity to be able to have a date night at least every week if not 2 or 3 times a week.
We're on the countdown to the end of the semester here at the high school.....only 21 school days till Christmas break. Although as a teacher, I always tell the kids that you only have 21 days left to raise your grade.....that usually gets a different response! :-)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Jones Family Visits
It has been a full house in the Barrett home during the past 5 days. My mom, brother and sister in law came to visit us (as well as their dogs) and man, it was so fun! They arrived late on Friday night which forced all to head to bed pretty quickly. As they drove to Evansville, Johnny and I continued laying our flooring. On Saturday, the girls headed out for a day of shopping and the boys stayed home to continue laying the laminate floor. It was such a fun day! The boys really did a great job on the flooring and even almost finished it! Us girls came home with lots of bags containing great buys--which I later got huge buyer remorse over and will be taking back. When we got back, Amiee and I proceeded to make her holiday wreaths which turned out fantastic!
Brad and Amiee had to leave on Sunday after lunch but mom stayed through Wed. On Monday we made a trip to Lowe's and to our JCPenney Home Store to grab a few things we didn't get on Saturday. Tuesday, we met Johnny at the Cargill elevator in Mt. Vernon. Johnny gave us a tour of the plant and then we headed to lunch. It was really fun. Tuesday night after Johnny got off work, we went to dinner at the "Log Inn" restaurant. The restaurant is the oldest in IN and is famous for being a place where Abe Lincoln stopped and ate. It is a transformed old home that used to be a trading post. Log Inn seats about 500 guests and serves home cooked meals! My gosh, it was so good!! All 3 of us left via crawling out the door.
It was such a great time and we really hated to see them leave. It is pretty quiet around here now.
As for the floors, we're about 2 rows of boards, quarter round and threshold away from being completely finished. The stove, kitchen table, living room furniture, etc. are all back in their spots. WAHOOOO!!!! The only thing we are missing is the dishwasher. My friend Selena told me that God always has a plan and we are to follow it-even if we are unsure about where He is leading us. And that maybe His plan with our flooring is for us to appreciate it that much more. I do believe that she was exactly right. We are loving the floors and appreciating our home and "luxuries" more than ever! (The pictures cover a period of 3 days.)
I'm continuing to do very well with eating no sweets, despite the fact that they are EVERYWHERE. As we were shopping this weekend we came across 2 holiday open houses there were serving what looked like amazing goodies and even though I wanted nothing more than to chow down.....I didn't......at EITHER place! It was such a great, powerful feeling to say no. I have already had my 2 pieces of ice cream cake (which I substituted 1 piece for chocolate pie for at the Log Inn) this week, which will make it really hard for the rest of the week, but I can do it! As of Monday I have already lost 4 pounds. It makes it much easier to make the change when you see results. Now, I need to get back into my walking/running/elliptical routine which I have slacked on during the past week.
And finally, here's our thankful list for the 6-10th:
6. Good Weather- Lately, Evansville has had some amazing weather. It has been sunny and warm versus snow and ice. It is really nice to be able to drive without questioning if it is safe to or not.
7. Finished flooring-As I mentioned earlier, after living on plywood floors for about 4 weeks, we are so thankful for our flooring. We can actually walk around barefoot now if we want to.
8. Our home- We just love our home. We are very fortunate to have an extremely nice home and we really couldn't ask for more.
9. Music- Both of us have a love for music. Johnny is really talented at playing the drums, and I can play the violin some....but we both love to listen to it, especially live music. We're very appreciative of the talent to be able to sing or play. We're really thankful that we have some of our own musical talents as well as the ability to listen to others'.
10. Freedom- In the spirit of Veteran's Day, we are both extremely thankful for our freedom and are very appreciative of those that are fighting for us and have fought for us. We especially thank: Issac Jackson, Derek Fly, Aaron Belt, , Evan Young, Alex Herbel and Daniel Jennings.
I will be back to work on Friday, as the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation observes Veteran's Day tomorrow and I've had all week off to spend time with my mom. Will need to go to bed early these next few night to make sure I can still get out of bed at 5:30 on Friday morning. But, there's nothing bad about a 1 day work week!!
Sunday as we were hanging out, the dogs were too! Bobby is on the left (Brad & Amiee's dog) and Bo on the right.
L-R: Bobby, Sassy (my mom's dog) & Bo
Brad and Amiee had to leave on Sunday after lunch but mom stayed through Wed. On Monday we made a trip to Lowe's and to our JCPenney Home Store to grab a few things we didn't get on Saturday. Tuesday, we met Johnny at the Cargill elevator in Mt. Vernon. Johnny gave us a tour of the plant and then we headed to lunch. It was really fun. Tuesday night after Johnny got off work, we went to dinner at the "Log Inn" restaurant. The restaurant is the oldest in IN and is famous for being a place where Abe Lincoln stopped and ate. It is a transformed old home that used to be a trading post. Log Inn seats about 500 guests and serves home cooked meals! My gosh, it was so good!! All 3 of us left via crawling out the door.
Mom and I at the top of the elevator overlooking the Ohio River
Our tour guide :-)
Ground Pile....These are so cool. I hadn't ever seen one until Johnny showed them to me when we first started dating. This one is holding 1.3 million bushels of wheat.
Another view of the massive size of the ground pile.
We walked all of these stairs......ok, not up them...but still!
Mom in front of the ground pile standing about 30 feet above the ground.
It was such a great time and we really hated to see them leave. It is pretty quiet around here now.
As for the floors, we're about 2 rows of boards, quarter round and threshold away from being completely finished. The stove, kitchen table, living room furniture, etc. are all back in their spots. WAHOOOO!!!! The only thing we are missing is the dishwasher. My friend Selena told me that God always has a plan and we are to follow it-even if we are unsure about where He is leading us. And that maybe His plan with our flooring is for us to appreciate it that much more. I do believe that she was exactly right. We are loving the floors and appreciating our home and "luxuries" more than ever! (The pictures cover a period of 3 days.)
Now everyone knows who is really doing all the work!
Living Room almost complete
We have furniture!!!!
Brad & Johnny working the day away
Hallway...almost finished.
Moving on to the kitchen
I'm continuing to do very well with eating no sweets, despite the fact that they are EVERYWHERE. As we were shopping this weekend we came across 2 holiday open houses there were serving what looked like amazing goodies and even though I wanted nothing more than to chow down.....I didn't......at EITHER place! It was such a great, powerful feeling to say no. I have already had my 2 pieces of ice cream cake (which I substituted 1 piece for chocolate pie for at the Log Inn) this week, which will make it really hard for the rest of the week, but I can do it! As of Monday I have already lost 4 pounds. It makes it much easier to make the change when you see results. Now, I need to get back into my walking/running/elliptical routine which I have slacked on during the past week.
And finally, here's our thankful list for the 6-10th:
6. Good Weather- Lately, Evansville has had some amazing weather. It has been sunny and warm versus snow and ice. It is really nice to be able to drive without questioning if it is safe to or not.
7. Finished flooring-As I mentioned earlier, after living on plywood floors for about 4 weeks, we are so thankful for our flooring. We can actually walk around barefoot now if we want to.
8. Our home- We just love our home. We are very fortunate to have an extremely nice home and we really couldn't ask for more.
9. Music- Both of us have a love for music. Johnny is really talented at playing the drums, and I can play the violin some....but we both love to listen to it, especially live music. We're very appreciative of the talent to be able to sing or play. We're really thankful that we have some of our own musical talents as well as the ability to listen to others'.
10. Freedom- In the spirit of Veteran's Day, we are both extremely thankful for our freedom and are very appreciative of those that are fighting for us and have fought for us. We especially thank: Issac Jackson, Derek Fly, Aaron Belt, , Evan Young, Alex Herbel and Daniel Jennings.
I will be back to work on Friday, as the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation observes Veteran's Day tomorrow and I've had all week off to spend time with my mom. Will need to go to bed early these next few night to make sure I can still get out of bed at 5:30 on Friday morning. But, there's nothing bad about a 1 day work week!!
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