Its about the floor... (part 1)

(photo at left is the last shot taken before I tear out the old linoleum tiling)

So J asked me to rearrange some of the things i was going to do on the basement this weekend. So moved to the front of the line is the new flooring. Going int this project we knew that the ceiling and the flooring would be the two bigger ticket items. We saved some on the ceiling, and instead we added it to a flooring that J and I really like. Needless to say, that laminate floor cost probably as much as what I've put into the basement (supply costs only).

We had an underlayment product names Delta-FL. Best way to describe it is large, rigid, bubble wrap in steroids.

In a project like this, its always fun to see what you'll find. We know that there was a gas appliance in the basement at some point. The old pipes was there. We suspect a stove or a cooktop, since there was a fan. We I discovered after I removed the flooring was that there was a 2nd kitchen in the basement. Or minimally a really fancy wet bar. (photo below to the right is the floor after the tile is removing, showing where the old kitchen was).

You can sorta make out a circle in the first rectangle. That's where (I'm pretty certain) an old drain was filled in with concrete. The white areas are thin layers of concrete or thin set. When the kitchen was taken out, the owners opted to put a 2nd layer of tile down, and to make the two layers level, they used the concrete.

more to come in part II...

In about 30 hours.....

Cami and Megan will head out on their long journey to to bring home the Terry family's little cutie Miles. On their journey, they will be meeting our little K and giving her lots of hugs and kisses for us (and finding out some really important burning questions like is she using the potty!). Today, I just wanted to ask all our friends in the blog-o-sphere to say a prayer for these two for their safe travels together, that the funds and donations they will be bringing with them will provide nourishment to the children in the orphanages and that what they experience in their time will enable them both to continue to make a difference in the lives of the children there. Also, for Megan especially, pray that she will be kept safe from the rats and other critters at the guest house :) God bless you both on your journey!

Why does it mean so much?

After 4.5 years of searching and one failed attempt at a tour guide detour, a wonderful woman on one of the Yahoo groups I belong to posted 10 photos of the Hospital National Retalhuleu. When I opened the photo album and saw the maternity ward, the tears started to flow. I can’t really put into words why it has always been so important to me to see where E1 took his first breath of air, and where his madre decided to make an adoption plan for him. I can’t help but wonder if the labor was difficult, if E1 came out crying and what he looked like all wrapped up in blankets with his little hospital bracelet around his ankle. There was something so HUGE that was gain by us that day in that room, our son was born and we would be a family in a few short months, but there was also something so HUGE that was lost and all the love in the world will not fill that empty space in my precious boy’s heart. Hopefully some day, I will see that room for myself…until then I will hold the picture near and dear.

Friends of the Congo

More to come, but below is a link to some interesting information regarding the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.

http://www.friendsofthecongo.org/historyofcongo/index.php

Really Cute Doll Recommendation!

I have searched up and down for a cute black doll for K and have been really dissapointed in the selection. I found a black baby doll at Target right after Christmas, but I was not overly excited about it. At the time, it seemed like the best black doll I could find (no slutty clothes at least!) within the terrible selection that was available. While I am not surprised, having read about many other mothers having the same problems with the poor selection of black dolls, I was over the moon excited when I went to Family Christian Store for a baptism gift and found an adorable black doll named Faith. The whole line of all the dolls and clothes was on 50% clearance, so I am a little dissapointed that it seems like they won't be carrying the dolls anymore, but the dolls and clothes were all a great deal. I love love love the fact that her hair is natural and not straightened like many of the black dolls out there and her skin is a beautiful mocha, and being at a Christian store, she wasn't wearing slutty Barbie clothes either. Yah for Family Christian Store!

Week 2: New Year,New You!

Its week two of the "New Year, New You!" at the fitness center. I"m wicked bored/tired of counting calories. What a major drag. I get the idea, yes I see what I'm eating or home much some foods add to the diet. I just need to get out and run more, to get back to burning more calories. That said. My "weigh in" last week was unusually high following the family get together (and Teds over eating) at the water park. and the "weigh in" for reasons I'm not yet sure, must be low this week. As there is a 6 pounds difference. That's to much for 1 week. Yeah yeah. Water weight. I get that. but for me..that is typically a 2lbs swing. Maybe I really really over ate last week, and was still "full of it". I'm sure J would shake her head yes....

On another note. It appears as if running in my 4th Chicago Marathon could be in doubt. A close friend is getting married on the 10th of October, so I do not yet have family clearance to run that race. We'll see how that goes, and if I can find an alternative.

Peace

Up!

Perhaps not as colorful as the animated movie, but also. The ceiling is up in the new basement. The only ceiling tiles left are the once I have to cut around the can lights. As you can tell J already has the color splotches on the walls. I have no doubt (really I don't) that she'll gonna match it all look sweeeet! Whats up next? I'll take a break while J paints the walls. Then I'll be back with all the trim work, the remaining ceiling tiles, and a pretty large sized list of loose ends.



On a different note. I've about finished week two of the 8 week "New Year, New You!" program at the fitness center at work. Counting calories is no fun. I don't need bean counters to tell me
my twizzlers and M&Ms add up. Ha! But at least its getting me (slowly) back into an exercise groove. Lastly, I wanna give a shout out to our friends presenting and attending a WWME encounter this weekend. May the Lord bless you all.

Peace

Crisp air for the tired soul

After barfing my guts out last weekend and struggling through the work week, tired and worn down, I was very much looking forward to our mini vacation (mini as in just over 1 day long) to the Grizzly Bear Water Park in Utica, Illinois with T's family. It was great to have some time for the boys to hang out with their cousins and we were excited to hear that plans are in the works for a "shores of Lake Michigan" weekend this summer. E2 came down with a terrible case of mommy-itis during the trip and I think I wrenched my shoulder carrying around his not so light self. Both boys had a great time in the water and personally, for me, I would choose this hotel/waterpark over the Wisconsin Dells indoor waterparks anyday. It was not packed to the brim and the rooms were all a reasonable distance from the indoor water adventure. The ones we have been to in the Dells I think have gotten too big to be enjoyable anymore. For small kids, this one was just perfect. I suppose older kids might need the variety of a larger park after awhile, but for me, I can honestly say, this is the first water park that I would not dread going back to. T says he would go back to the Kalahari at the Dells, but definitely liked it more during the off peak time that we went last time.

I have to admit that all weekend, I was thinking about a Sunday hike into the State park, eagles or not, I didn't care. I brought along all the gear I could think of to make sure rain, sleet or snow, we would be able to hike. What I forgot to consider was the status of "I might have had one too many the night before" papa and "I wore myself out earlier in the day at the waterpark" E1. Still, I lead the way to the Starved Rock Lodge and was undeterred by the 2 hour wait for lunch, opting instead to squish a family of 4 in about the space for 2 adults at the bar for hot dogs and french fries. We suited up and out on the terrace I went.....family in tow, looking more like they needed a nap and less like they needed some fresh air. We started down the hundreds of steps into the ravine, about 10 steps down E1 announces "I don't want to be on this hike anymore!" Trying to put the thought that I might have to carry him up those hundreds of stairs to the back of my mind, I try and encourage him telling him we are going to see the eagles, which is met with "I don't want to see the eagles!". Well, the positive mental attitude triumphed that day and not only did we see an eagle, but E1 decided he didn't want to go home quite yet and picked another path for us to walk. I started calling him my little Mighty Mite as he trucked up the hill with great determination. On the way home, I drove and peered around me at 3 snoring boys :)

Beach Vacation and Raffle

Check out this beach vacation and raffle over at our friends The Terry's blog to win a fantastic stay in Destin Florida and raise money for Haiti and the orphanages ! It's for a great cause and there are only a limited number of tickets available! http://terryhousehold.blogspot.com/2010/01/beach-vacation-raffle-benefitting-haiti.html

Primed up!

As the kiddo's spend part of the watching and re-watching UP!, I got the wet sanding on the basement done and the priming of the walls. So the walls are now officially done except for the wallpaper and/or paint that goes on that. J is working up ideas on that, but its not holding anything up. The next stage is the ceiling. Tomorrow I'm off to Home Depot or Menards and picking up the supplies for the ceiling. I'll only get a few ceiling tile samples, since the budget-style type we were looking at need to be ordered. So I need to get the tracking up on the ceiling that try out the samples, then we'll order the rest. We glanced at some flooring, but the choice of the flooring will need to happen quite soon. There has been some churn on the stairs. Originally I was to replace all the raisers and the steps. Now we're playing with the idea of using a less expensive carpet, and just having Menards of Home depot come to install carpet just on the stairs. We'll see. We have a bit of time on the choice.
Peace