Thursday, December 17, 2020

Covid and Following the Rules

By now you know there are no rules for Covid.  Ok, there are some rules, but they change every day depending on who you ask and what their opinion is.

Do this, don't do this! 

Whatever!!!

We have followed the rules and done what we were supposed to do-

  • Wear masks.  Not a fan, but we have worn them when we were supposed to.
  • Sanitize and wash hands.  Yep, all. the. time!
  • No large gatherings.  Nope, not one, including church since March which breaks my heart.
  • Don't eat out.  Check!  We have ordered in, done drive through, and eaten outside at a handful of places. 
  • Grocery pick up.  Another, yep. Walmart online and I have become great friends. 
  • Stay out of stores.  Except for a handful of time since March (Lowes and Home Depot with masks mostly)
  • Take your vitamins.  We do, all year round, regardless of Covid. Vitamins C and D are always a part of our lives, and zinc was added prior to getting sick.  Not to mention all the essential oils we diffuse and use.
  • Create your pod.  Did that too, only hanging out with a few sets of friends and our kids.

 And yes, we ALL have Covid.  Which we got from our kids.

Praise the Lord "mild" cases, but frankly, it has been a rough two weeks!

  • Two had mild "cold" symptoms.  Stuffiness and mild cough.
  • One has had mostly stuffiness and headaches.
  • One complained mostly if a sore throat.
  • One held on til the last and now has headaches, stuffiness, and exhaustion.
  • I am the one who got hit the hardest, go figure.  Temperature, aches, headache, stuffiness, and now loss of smell. 

Are we having fun yet?  And did I mention our oldest is getting married in 14 days? (Why yes, I am buying an outfit online since I can't shop, in case you were wondering!!! And yes I am quarantined until just two days prior to said wedding. ugh!!!)

Here's my takeaway on all this-

 

Do all the things you can do or feel like is right for your family to keep yourselves healthy, but know in the end you may still get sick.  

Covid is real and it is NOT fun!  While we are in the mild category, we have not had fun.  I cannot imagine being older or in poor health and having to deal with this.

People need to stop the shaming stuff.  I know the feeling out there is well, if you got sick you weren't careful enough.  Stop it!  Other than not seeing our kids, we were careful.  Hey, we wiped down groceries those first few months! ;)

2020 cannot end soon enough! 

Blessings,



Thursday, December 10, 2020

Before the Wrath Review

I love Bible history.  The older I get the more I love to study the mysteries of the Bible.  Some things are pretty straight forward and easy to understand.  But let's face it, some things are quite a mystery.

The end of times, for example.

Whether you believe in one timetable or another (pre-tribulation, post- tribulation, etc.) is not really important.  The important issue is the need for Christ's return.


In the new documentary, Before the Wrath, Bible scholars investigate and explore the parallels between a Galilean wedding timeline and the coming of Christ timeline. This one hour and twenty four minute film will get you thinking about many things, but the most important being that our preparation for His return is far more important than the actual date.  So contrary to our modern way of thinking, which desires to KNOW upcoming dates ahead of time, this film's creators try to show the listener how the Galileans would have understood the importance of the timeline of the return of Christ by comparing it to their culturally relevant weddings.

Examples of this would be drinking of wine by the bride and then the groom as also seen by Jesus and his disciples in the New Testament, the groom leaving to prepare a house for the bride and no one knowing when he would return except his father, and the bride preparing for his return while she waits.  Sound familiar?

Before the Wrath is narrated by Kevin Sorbo and features-

  • Jack Hibbs - Theologist and host of “Real Life” on SiriusXM 
  • Amir Tsarfati - Founder and President of Behold Israel 
  • Jan Markell - Founder of Olive Tree Ministries 
  • JD Farag - Theologist and Eschatologist
  • Scott McConnell - Exec. Director of Lifeway Research 
  • Jay McCarl - Ancient Middle Eastern Anthropologis
  • Lizette Dillinger - Qualitative Director of LifeWay Research

"Bible scholars continue to debate the timing of the Rapture, but why is such a mysterious event prophesied to happen in the first place? Is there a deeper understanding surrounding this occurrence that we've lost over the millennia that those living in the first-century clearly understood? Newly rediscovered ancient anthropological evidence from the time of Christ finally reveals unprecedented findings that could prove the upcoming Rapture is not only real to a skeptical world but sheds new light on how and why this event must take place. Regardless of your Tribulation Period views, "Before the Wrath" will captivate believers and non-believers alike; revealing new depths of theological understanding regarding what Jesus revealed to the ancient Galileans about the end of the world in ways you could never have imagined."


The discussion of prophecy in the Bible may divide people if we are not careful, but will pull us together if we remember the purpose of it is to remind us that "God is God!"  If you are interested in seeing this documentary, I have one code to give away to one of my readers.  Just leave me a comment and tell me how I can reach you and we will choose a random winner on Monday!


“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):

Many thanks to Ingenuity Films for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, from the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.


Monday, November 30, 2020

Mission Complete

 I wish I could find a picture of what was originally in this space before we pulled it out.  The previous owners has put down a concrete shower insert and then built a counter top around TWO plastic utility sinks.  The whole thing was then "finished off" by stapling a grass mat skirting around it.Yep, it was  attractive.  NOT!  And while it had water attached to it, the drain in the shower insert led to nothing except the carpet underneath.  It was crazy! 

When we bought the house we were not exactly sure what we would do to finish off the space, but we KNEW the current set up had to go.  After a lot of dreaming we decided to do a mini kitchen and eating/game area that can accommodate guests or a live in renter.

Knowing the work needed was beyond our skill level, we hired an awesome local company, The Guild Brothers, to do the project for us.  They have been patient with my crazy whims and changes, and we have been so pleased with their dedication and work!



Once the cabinets were set, Clarke did install the beadboard/ship-lap on the back himself.










Friday, November 27, 2020

The Man Space

I have a love hate relationship with garages.  On the one hand, they need to be functional and hold all the STUFF.  On the other hand, I want them to look lovely and like they came out of a magazine.

Guess which side of the coin my husband falls on?

Holding all the stuff.  And trust me when I say, he has All. The. Stuff!

But poor guy has been so busy helping me with inside projects that he had put off his stuff projects "til later."

Well later finally came, at least for one project he had been eager to do. (In my defense, it is hard to get too much work done in the garage and you live in Arizona.)

Pegboard!  Clarke is a tool guy and now that he has a bit more free time than the Air Force afforded him, he is starting to amass some pretty cool tools and gadgets.  Hence all the projects he has done for me.  While we hope to add a workshop for him at some point, the third bay of our garage will have to suffice for now.

 







A work in progress but we are slowly getting there!
 

He added the pegboard, did a bit of rearranging and is happily adding things as time will permit.  It's a work in progress, but at least it is finally in progress!  Ask me how many screws and nails and such we have sorted in the past three weeks!

Blessings,

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Hole in the Wall

Medicine cabinets- my husband loves them, I do not!  At all.  So we have had to learn to compromise in this area.  All of the existing ones in the house had to go regardless because of the gold trim.  Clarke replaced three of them with a border-less mirror.

I got to take one out though (well, Clarke took it out) and created a recessed shelf space instead in the downstairs guest bathroom. I am so pleased with the results! 










In-


And finished!  Well, still need something on that top shelf maybe, but for now I am calling it good! 

 

One more project off the list!  Winding down some before December so we can enjoy the quiet of the season.  Hope you are enjoying the holiday seasons as well!

Blessings,


Thursday, November 12, 2020

Shower and Shelves and Tile, Oh my!

It is starting to come together!  Time seems to have been at a stand still for days at a time, but we are finally seeing progress.  I am weary and thankful that the end is in sight.  My house is covered with tarps and dust and I am SO ready to have our space back.

The biggest progress made has been:

Shower install.  You may remember that we had a monstrous Jacuzzi tub in this space.  Out with the old...


In with the new!  Waiting still for the glass doors to come in, but then that will be DONE!  In that project, the title floor was put back in.  Eventually I would like to replace the tile with wood and replace the vanity countertop, but that is a project for another time.  I will be painting the walls a light grey, hopefully next week!

 



Shelves- My awesome hubby made these shelves for above the sink area in our kitchenette.  Yes, I did at least help stain them.  And supervise the hanging.  I am getting to be a good supervisor!  Just ask him, haha!





 

Kitchen tile backsplash.  While there is no stove top down here, we do have a sink and so we wanted to protect the wall from splashes.  I love how it turned out.  It just gives it a clean, finished look.  Floors finally went in and once the trim is in place again we can roll the fridge in.  It is currently in the middle of the room!

 



Lovely, huh?!
 

Kitchen floors- This is by far my favorite thing that happened!  I LOVE these floors and cannot wait to replace all of the remaining tile in the house with them.  Maybe spring?!

 

 



This week- trim back in place and clean up.  A lot of cleanup.

Almost there and just in time!  My mom is coming to visit in a few days!  Because of COVID restrictions we haven't seen her since last Christmas and she decided no more!!  Can't wait to have her here to celebrate Salem's birthday, her birthday, and Thanksgiving with us!

Blessings,

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Stay Awhile

If you have been following along with our home renovations, you may have already seen this bedroom, but with a blue bedspread and accents.  We have often had a blue guest room, and I have always loved the crisp blue and white contrast, hence me toting those things around for 10 years, at least.  

But this room is a large guest room off our downstairs living room of greys and neutrals, and it was just bugging me.  Instead of feeling warm and inviting, it felt stark to me. 

I shopped our house, which by the way is far harder to  do now that I have 34 Weeks of Cleaned for several years in a row, and came up with a new plan.

I had previously bought this bedspread (it has a fleecy bottom layer) for Salem back in Mesa.  Where the current highs have been in the 100s for the past few months.  What was I thinking?  He slept with it on his bed for about 3 days and them politely asked if there were other options.  

Luckily I kept it.

 

 

All it took was adding a few pillows and new matching lamp and I feel so much better about the space. 

 


 Found the perfect sign-



And done!  Well except for curtains, but I am waiting for the light grey linen material to restock so I can get busy sewing again!

 Who is up for a visit?

Blessings,

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Slow Going

I mean slow!  Actually, through the professional's eyes, lots of little steps have been done.  You have to do those things first, of course.  Through my eyes, it is a S-l-o-w process.  I am, indeed, not a professional!

But the two big things my non professional self knows are the drywall and painting are done, which means our new hall connecting the guest room and bath is in, minus the door...





Ready for the shower to be built!


and the cabinets and countertop are in!

Before prep

Fridge will go on the left once floors are in


Can't wait to take all that plastic down!  It's not helping with dust control anyway!

And I am ready to decorate!

OK, ready and able are two different things you know!  I am biting at the bit to pull things in but Clarke and common sense are making me wait.  Mostly Clarke!

There is going ot be about a week lull while we wait for the first step in the shower install to happen and then tile backsplash and tile floor will be completed.  Then about another week lull for the flooring to be complete in the kitchen.  

I do not like lulls!

In the meantime, I am hoping that Clarke and I will be able to install the floating shelves above the sink this weekend.  Fingers crossed.

And speaking of lulls, part of this project also included adding electric on the outside side of the kitchen wall so we could have a hot tub installed.  While we miss our pool, a hot tub was really the only feasible answer to our location and we were looking forward to having it the first of November.  That being said, it is delayed another 3-4 weeks.  Who knew COVID would delay hot tub production!?!

First world problems, but annoying none the less to this tired-of-waiting for EVERYTHING lady!  I feel for anyone who is currently building a home and starting from scratch.  Hats off to you!

Blessings,