Sweet Home Louisiana

For those of you who don't know, I spent most of my "growing up" years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  We moved to Louisiana during the summer before my 4th grade year.  My parents bought a house in a new neighborhood where we were the 7 house built.  This is where I met my best childhood friend, Camille.  I can't explain to you how great it is as a new kid to have at least one friend.  One of the next friends that I made was Holly.  We kinda had a strange meeting and I'm not sure I can actually tell you how it happened.  I know that we played softball together on my very first softball team ever and as it turns out, she and Camille were also friends.  Well, I tell you all this so that you will understand this picture.  This week I was able to eat dinner and hang out with some long lost friends but I know they will be friends for life.

Holly, Me, & Camille

This week, I was also able to hang out with some friends from college.  They moved to Baton Rouge almost 2 years ago after living in Houston by us for a brief time.  Jordan, Kristeen and I went to TJ ribs (my fav) and then hung out at their house....but I don't have any pictures from that.

On top of those two fun nights, I was able to hang out with my sister and her family. It was so great to see my sister and neices and nephews.  One of my neices recently turned 19!  Isn't that crazy!

Beau is my nephew and he is 8 years old.  Micah and I gave him my old laptop for his birthday.  I'm pretty sure I will be his favorite aunt for a while ;)  

My week also included lots of swimming which brought a great tan and a little sunburn.  The boys had a great time.  Madasin enjoyed it too but she really wanted to be free to swim on her own.

Louisiana and everyone in it will be greatly missed!

Are We Done Yet?!

*WARNING! This post may show dirty, disheveled, filthy pictures of tired people.

In the beginning of the moving process there are quite a few nastalgic moments when you think about leaving your home.  You look back on all the fun memories you have in your house.  All the times you had your friends over for dinner, family came to visit, and even just the simple times of laying on the couch watching tv with your hubby and your dog. And then it happens.  The cleaning, sorting, meetings with realtors, having to keep your house spot less at every moment, phone calls, appointments, etc. Then, more meetings, more phone calls, more cleaning, more fixing!

Thats where I am today with the more fixing section. Micah and I have started the process of getting the company to buy our house.  Part of that process is getting an inspection and then getting everything on that inspection list fixed.  The inspection came back with a nice list and an estimated total to fix everything at about $2500.  Now, I read this list and knew that most of it could be done by me and Micah.  If only Micah was still in the United States.  In comes Dad.  Let me just say, my Dad is pretty much the greatest Dad on earth.  I will also say that I thought this even before this weekend but I think this weekend is living proof.  Dad agreed to spend his Friday off work helping me "fix" my house.  He did everything from replacing gas lines in the attic to replacing siding on the top of our house.  Here was our work list:

- clean gutters
-replace rotting siding
- put an "anti-tip" device on our stove
-put back flow protector valves on the outside faucets
-change out a deadbolt key lock (dumb!)
-fix bathroom drain stoppers
- put fixtures on lights in the closets
- replace the gas line on our heating unit
-figure out why we had water spots, fix it, cover up the spots
-installing smoke detectors
- electrical things which an electrician will have to do

This list took us about a total of 14 hours over a 1.5 day period and $240 at Lowes.  What a saving! I find that I am actually a very handy person was able to do many of these things on my own while my dad worked on the more difficult items.   Here are a few pictures from our day. 

Dad working on the rotted siding

Me working on the deadbolt.  Watch out! I have a drill and I know how to use it!

I am working on rigging up a "anti-tip" device.  Dad is fixing some more rotted siding.  This picture doesn't really do it justice but he is actually on our roof in a tiny portion barely squeezed in.  I prayed the whole time he was up there!

By then end of these two days there was no nastalgia left in me.  I am just ready to be done with the house! Again, thanks to my Dad for helping out and saving us so much money!