Pool Updates

The first step in getting the ball rolling on our pool update was draining the entire thing.  As the water level slowly lowered over the course of 12+ hours early last week, the serious need for new tile and plaster became even more apparent than it already had been.  

 

 

 

 Since we are leaving the brick (different stone would be fantastic, but not in the budget), we decided to stick with blue tile.  It looks good with the brick and I personally like the pop of color out back.

 The girls thought running around in the unfilled pool was super fun!

 In just a matter of days, everything was finished and water was going back in.

 It may be hard to see in the pictures, but in person the change is night and day.

 

 

 We decided to take out the fountain that was in the hot tub.  It's in our garage, so we can always reattach it, but we're liking the simpler look for now.

The finished product on top of the gorgeous weather this weekend has us wishing for pool season, and solidifies that the project was definitely worth every penny.  Now onto the landscaping behind the pool.  I have an idea and am in the process of collecting some estimates.  Here's hoping they're low!

When it Rains ...

That's right: it pours.  We've known for a while that our pool is overdue for new tile.  After the first of the year, we decided it was time to bite the bullet and shell out for the re-tile.  We definitely want it done before pool season starts so we aren't staring at an empty pool in the heat of the summer.  Since the process involves draining the entire pool, we decided to also go ahead and re-plaster, since that will need to be done within the next year or two anyway.  On Friday, just as we had finished collecting bids for this work, we came home to the sounds of a pool pump in serious distress.  So now, before we start the tile and plaster project in another week, the pump has to be replaced this week.  Then as Steve was coming home from his run today, he approached at just the right angle to see a spot in the roof where something (probably a squirrel) chewed through the wood to likely build himself a cozy home inside.  So now that goes on the list of things that need to be fixed immediately.  And I'm pretty sure I found at least four new ceiling cracks today ... not that I was counting.

Ugh.

Sometimes home ownership is so overrated.  If I thought we could find something, I'd consider selling and renting for a while.  However, with a handful of large corporations moving to our area, real estate is at a premium, and unless you can pay over-asking in cash, people are having a hard time beating out investors ... or just the many regular people looking for a home.  The other problem is that we really, really love our house.  It's not big or fancy or HGTV-approved, but it's comfortable and it's us.  Sort of like our kids, it is a labor of love (and money) every single day.

I realize that in the grand scheme of things, these problems are small.  We'll figure out the finances and get through these home-owner issues like we somehow always manage to do.  But sometimes watching the list of "want-to-do's" shrink in the shadows of the "have-to-do's" is so frustrating.  Here's hoping everything else stays in tact this week.

The Cys of Texas

You know we love our Cyclones, especially during basketball season, so we weren't going to pass up the opportunity to see them play at TCU this year.  Like last year, the DFW alumni group had a pre-game gathering at Cooper's BBQ complete with give-aways and cheers before we all headed to campus for the game.  We brought the girls along this year, and I'm so glad we did. They had a blast and we succeeded in further indoctrinating them in the Cyclone way.

 Coach Robinson came to Cooper's to visit for a bit before the game.  I hate to state the obvious, but - seriously - he is very tall.

 This was Coach's attempt at a group selfie.  We had 300+ in attendance at Cooper's (and even more at the game), so this picture barely scrapes the surface, but we made it in!

Game time!  The girls were great cheerleaders. Even though I intended to do so, I took no pictures of the actual game.  I guess I was too busy watching the Cyclones win!

 

 After the game, lucky Sara got to meet and have her picture taken with Georges Niang.

 I love fun family days like this.  Especially since we are many miles from Ames, it's so great to have the opportunity to hang out with people who make us feel at "home" and help us remember where our family really began.

Forever ONE!

Book Talk

At the tail end of 2015, I read The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty.  It's the story of the woman who chaperoned the young, wild, and beautiful Louise Brooks to NYC in the 1920s, where Louise planned to make a name for herself.  The women from small town Kansas have their own agendas for the journey, and although Louise's road to fame (and infamy) is an interesting one, it's the chaperone's story that makes this novel worth reading.  There are numerous historical references you'll recognize intertwined with the story of a woman who, after raising two sons and devoting herself to a good marriage, longs to really find herself.  If you're looking for a book to take with you on spring break, this would be a good one. 

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm taking part in this 2016 Reading Challenge:

The book I've been meaning to read (and which Steve conveniently bought me for Christmas) is the Pulitzer Prize winning All the Light We Cannot See. It came out in May 2014, and if you've been online or in a bookstore since, you've likely seen it everywhere.

This is a story about Marie-Laure, a young girl living with her father in Paris during WWII.  She goes blind at age six, but flourishes with the help of her devoted father.  When she is twelve, Nazis occupy Paris and they are forced to flee.  They connect with Marie-Laure's great uncle near the sea, carrying with them something of great value.  At the same time, an orphaned German teenager named Werner is recruited and trained by Hitler Youth because he shows great talent for building and fixing radios.  Werner is especially valuable in that he can lead Nazi soldiers to illegal radio broadcasts.  These stories collide when Werner finds himself with fellow soldiers in the same seaside town as Marie-Laure and her great uncle. 

Heavy.  Beautifully written.  Completely worth your time.

"Open your eyes, the Frenchman on the radio used to say, and see what you can with them before they close forever."

All The Light We Cannot See

week in review

We had a busy week back and work and school. Here are the highlights ...

We had a little rough patch, which included both girls suffering minor injuries.  On Tuesday, Emma fell at school and busted her lip.  No stitches needed, but it bled a lot.  I joke that she is going to need reconstructive lip surgery by age 10.  On Wednesday, Sara fell during recess and scratched up her face.  The nurse sent me this picture:

In better news, Sara lost her sixth tooth (third on top).  This one came out at school, which means she got to go to the nurse for a tooth necklace.  She has been waiting for this opportunity since starting kindergarten.  She was so excited!  Now she has a huge gap in the front of her mouth, which has made eating an interesting challenge.  The permanent teeth are already on their way in, and all signs point to braces in her future.

 Steve's birthday was on Friday.  The girls were most excited to dive into their lemon Nothing Bundt Cakes (everyone wanted candles on their cake).  Friday was a quiet and early night at home after a tiring week, so Saturday after Sara went to a birthday party, we went out for Mexican food, of course.

 Emma finally got to start swimming lessons after nearly a year of begging!  She was so excited and did a great job. 

 

 

I accepted the following reading challenge, which has been floating around social media.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.

This weekend resulted in two disappointing losses of games that should have been won (Cyclones bball vs. Baylor and of course the Vikings vs. Seattle).  Unrelated but on the upside, I went to the gym twice and Steve ran twice this weekend, and our bodies are thanking us.  Pool season is just around the corner, you know.  Now it's dark again and time to get ready for another week.  Hoping for a good one!

Off to a Great Start

Our 2016 is off to a great start!   For us, the winter break consisted of the perfect balance of time away and time at home, and with the different weather between TX and MN, the girls got the best of both worlds over the course of the two weeks.  In the photos below, you'll notice a theme: cozy clothes and semi-brushed hair.  We have done a lot of hanging around the past few days, but I promise we bathed.

We've spent lots of time riding new bikes.  Sara's bike is quite a bit bigger than her last one, and it has handle brakes, but she quickly acclimated.  Emma did, too, and we took a number of rides to the park and on the path behind our house.

 

 On New Year's Eve, we had a quiet family night at home.  We enjoyed a warm fire, some bowl football, and watching the ball drop (Eastern time).  Sara fell asleep promptly at 11:01 pm CST after counting down with Ryan Seacrest and the NYC crowd.  Steve and I made it to midnight, but not by much.

 NYE family party.

 We also celebrated by throwing poppers on the driveway.  Cheap fun at its best.

 On New Year's Day, our neighbor came over to show the girls her new Yorkie pup.  They quickly fell madly in love.

We also ate our Hoppin' John.  Did you?  Both girls tried the black-eyed peas.  Emma didn't like them, and Sara said they didn't taste like anything (which, on their own, is kind of true).  But since they bring the promise of good luck in the new year, both girls were willing participants in the taste-testing.

 We made a couple of Easy Bake Oven delicacies, which I thought were gross but the girls swore were the best desserts they'd ever eaten.

 Yesterday afternoon, Sara lost tooth #5!  It was her top right eye tooth, and I'm sure her remaining front tooth isn't far behind. 

 For the longest, Emma has wanted a Sofia the First bedspread.  We ordered one a while back, and she's been on a sticker chart to earn it.  She finally filled the chart today, and is tucked into her new bedding tonight.  Happy girl!

 During our NYE celebration the other night, we talked about resolutions.  Sara said she resolves to try new foods and get to the next level on an online math program they use at school.  Steve and I both said we are resolving to continue taking care of our bodies.  I'm a big fan of the new Weight Watchers commercial featuring Oprah, where she talks about not needing to hit a certain number or fit into a certain dress, but instead focusing on just making this the year of her "best body."  I like that approach and I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  I was able to get  in a lot of gym trips over the break, and plan to continue to stop there as often as possible.  I'll also continue to try to eat well (always allowing for splurges in moderation, of course) with the idea of making this the year of my best body.  I've made good progress in this direction over the past year, and numbers aside, I'll know it when I feel it.  Additionally, I liked the statement below that a friend posted on FB.  I think this is a resolution we should all adopt.  

I hope your 2016 is off to a fantastic start, as well.  Also hoping the Vikings can pull off a win tonight, though in focusing on best serving my body, I don't plan to stay awake to see the end of it!