4 months and counting

So Friday marked our 4 month mark until the wedding!  Yeah!!  So excited!  But also realizing there is still lots to plan and do.  So February is wedding planning month.  I'm kicking it in high gear and going to get some things done.  I feel like I should be more stressed about it, but I'm not.  It will be great whether I plan and plan and plan... or wait.  I'm just excited to be married to Ryan!  The celebration is just a bonus.

Church and Class

So Ryan and I are taking a new members class at Christ our King... we love it!  However this past week, I learned some very startling statistics.  See what you think.

A survey was done on 10,000 Protestant pastors.  They were asked 3 Yes or No questions...

1) Do you believe the Bible is the word of God?
2) Do you believe that Jesus' resurrection happened?
3) Do you believe that Jesus is man and God?

As I was hearing them all, I answers... yes, yes, and yes.  Easy questions - move on!  But wait... 75% of pastors answered no to them all.  What?  Are you kidding me?  If you break down that statistic, 25% of Missouri Lutheran pastors said no to the them and only 3% of Wisconsin Lutheran pastors said no to them all.  We then had an awesome discussion about this (way off track from our book, but it didn't matter).  Our pastor, Pastor Tom, actually called a few pastors up and did his own little survey because he didn't believe it.  And got about the same response.  One pastor even wanted him to come and preach at his church so his congregation could hear what amazing things he was saying.  When Pastor Tom said no... he then asked if he would come to his confirmation class... again Pastor Tom said no. 

Just makes me wonder.  I'm just glad that I know the answer to all these questions!  Thanks Mom and Dad for instilling this in me!

Channeling my Crafty-side

So this weekend, I decided to channel my inner craftiness... and let me tell you, I found it!  I even got Ryan involved (in the wood working portion of course).  After a successful trip to Joann's and several hours left, I got all my supplies to make all these cool things I had seen on Pinterest (my new addition). 

So I wrapped wine bottles with yarn - only after I cleaned the bottles, which isn't that bad.  If you bake the wine bottles at about 400 degrees for about 15 minutes and then use a razor blade, you can peel the label right off.  Any way, I degress.  Wine bottles wrapped in yarn.... my process 1) pick your yarn of course.  I bought the cheapest stuff from Joann's - for about $2.50 and I got a lot of yarn... more than I will ever use.  Then I got out my Tacky glue and using my finger (because I was too lazy to get something else to use) I put a ring of glue around the bottom of the bottle.  Then I put stripes of glue about 2 inches up and starts wrapping.  The hardest part is just getting it started, but once you're started, it's just a matter of wrapping it around and making sure you can't see the bottle behind.  I did 4 of them - will deifnitely do more as these are for wedding decorations.  (PS - the flowers on top of the wine bottles, I did not make).

Next up... tissue paper flowers!  So pretty and so easy... I just searched youtube for a video on how to do it and after a few of them they started looking awesome.  The bigger the sheet of tissue paper you start with, the more you need.  The smaller ones in the picture were 8 sheets.  The bigger ones need at least 10 or more.

Other project updates to come... wine bottles spray painted with chalkboard paint - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!  I am on a spray painting kick!  Cool pictures - that Ryan got to do some woodworking with.  And metal desk and filing cabinet makeover!

Big Day

Big day today... I'm interviewing for my boss's position - Marketing Manager.  Yikes!  Here's hoping for the best!

UPDATE:  Went well!  Should hopefully hear something next week.  Praying for the best!

New member class

So Ryan and I started New Member classess (also know as adult confirmation classes) today at Christ our King Lutheran church in Saline.  After the first time going there, I knew this was the church for us.  Great pastors, really friendly people, young congregation, and very meaningful messages.  Love it and Ryan did too. 

So after our first class, I realized how much I had forgotten since confirmation classes and attending St. Paul.  And it was really great to be learning with Ryan together.  We have 7 more classes and I think this will definitely help us build a solid Christian foundation together so when we have kids we can raise them together in the faith.

Snow... finally! And Christmas again

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  And even though it is January 14th... it was Christmas (for the Ewald side of the family).  And we finally got some snow.  I shouldn't have been surprised either because for whatever reason it always snows before I have the Ewald side family Christmas... and yup, today was the party so of course it snowed.  We got about 3 inches or so of fresh white powder!  And that meant it was time to fire up the quad and see how well she plows show.  Ryan drove out to the barn, all bundled up in his new carharts.. Thanks Mom!  And I waited until he drove up and then got bundled up to shovel the front walk. So nice outside, no wind.  Just nice refreshing winter.  And the Quad works great!!

I also got to do my first snow angel of the season... love doing snow angels.  However, I've never done a snow angel around Joey and he thought I was playing with him and kept jumping over me and grabbing my gloves, quite comical - so my snow angel doesn't look the best.

We also hosted our first party at the house - 16 people - which fit just perfect.  Lots of food and some good card playing - even though the women lost.  

Addiction

So I have a new addiction... and it's call Pinterest.  It's the crazy online "pinning" site where you can find anything and everything - fashion, recipes, crafts, DIY projects - you name it.  I just can't get enough of it and want to try everything, especially all the craft projects.  So cool!  This means fun ahead for Ryan - all my projects eventually involve him :-)

Bathroom Update

Well after a really early morning for me (had to teach at 6:00 am) - first morning class in over 2 weeks.  Ouch!  I forgot how early 4:55 am comes.  But I digress.
This is a bathroom update... and I'm happy to report that the new faucet is in place (a picture here probably would have been nice, but I was so excited I forgot to take one)!  And then I declared last night - a night to relax!  And it was much needed.  Let's just say I feel asleep again on the couch about 8:00 pm.  Tonight, we go back at it and I will be staining the toe kicks for the hutch and Ryan it going to hang the mirror and a few other hardware items in the bathroom.  Oh and maybe put the toilet seat on!  Please!

Operation Put the House Back Together

After another busy weekend, we are sooooo close to being completely finished.  We are having the Ewald Christmas at our house this Saturday so there is motivation to finish everything.  Really the only things left are so small finish work.

Weekend Wrap up:
Thursday night - finished sealing the tile!  Finally! 

Friday - We took the day off to give ourselves an extra day.  "Operation Put the House Back Together" had begun!  Ryan started by measuring for the trim in the closet, I started cleaning the tile and a little bit around the house, and then after making our list, we were off to Home Depot to get the supplies. While there we also get the towel bars, toilet paper holder and other bathroom hardware, a few paint samples for the kitchen (which I didn't like) and who knows what else. 

Also while out, we discovered the most awesome little deli that is only a few miles from the house - Bread Basket.  It should totally be featured on Man vs. Food for their enomous sandwiches - so yummy!!

Things completed

-Trim painted

-Stove back in place

-Closet doors hung

-Drywall work in the bathroom

Saturday - I started with painting the bathroom - a bright blue - looks awesome.  Ryan cut the trim and put that into place - all the closets done.  We put the frig back into the kitchen and get the water hooked back up.  (I love that water thing on the frig).  Mary stopped over aftter her shopping trip to AA and was the first person to see the finished tile job - and gave it the thumbs up.  More cleaning and organizing. 

Then around 2:00 pm, I decided that we should paint the kitchen... red!  Well roasted pepper to be exact and it turned out to the great choice! 

Sunday - a day of rest - yeah right!!  I went to church and Ryan started working on the bathroom.  Our goal was to get everything back in so that this week he could hook the new faucet up.  And mission accomplished.  All the trim and shoe molding is up.  The vanity back in place with the new countertop.  Toilet is set.  And the shower curtain is back up.  Go Team RAD!

A before and after of the kitchen

Before

After

Before

After

Yucky!

So... Ryan and I decided to take tomorrow off so we can finish up all the projects we started last week.  Thinking it would be a great day to maybe have someone come out and check the fireplace out (since it's not been working for like a month) - we decide we better check it.   So Ryan opens the doors and what does he find?  A big nasty, dead (thank goodness) black bird!  YUCKY!!!

Kitchen Tiling Project - Day 8

Woo hoo! Bathroom tiling project is done!!  Ryan finished sealing the floor tonight.  Next step - paint and then move the vanity and toilet back in.  Oh and put the door back on!  Can't wait for that!

More good news!  Half of the kitchen is finished too!  Ryan sealing the appliance side of the kitchen tonight and tomorrow we are moving the appliances back in.  So so so very happy for that.  The refrigerator in the hallway is driving me crazy because you can only open the door so far.  Also not having the dishwasher means that one half of the sink can't be used anymore because it floods the cabinet underneath.  And my stove... yeah!  I can actually start making dinner again!

Kitchen Tiling Project - day 7

Another step complete! Ryan finished grouting the kitchen! Woo hoo! Now we are one step closer to being finished. Hallelujah!! Progress is being made.

I finished the laundry and did some serious cleaning around the house. Progress but still a disaster. Once the kitchen gets put back together all will be good.

It's back to work tomorrow... Loved this time off. Good news it is a short one!

2011 in Review

A great year 2011 was and since I was inspired by Mary's post - I decided to write up my own.


January - not sure what I did in January - have no pictures - haha!


February - going to Japan for work

March - celebrating Mom's 60th birthday

April - Meeting the man of my dreams - my perfect match (and then introducing him to the family)

May - houseboat trip to Kentucky and my first time wakeboarding - loved it!  And meeting the Delaney family and the newest member - Colin (who was born the weekend we were there)

Ryan rocks

Our houseboat

Mad skills

Colin Delaney - born May 20th

June - Celebrating Ryan's birthday, golfing, taking Karle and Kahle boating, Rebekah and Steve's wedding

Happy Birthday Ryan - June 25

Boating with K & K on Ryan's malibu

Golfing in Saline

All dressed up for Beka & Steve's wedding

Dancing machines

July - Ewald family trip to Arcadia, looking at a house and putting an offer in on it

Square dancing

The Delaney men (minus Colin)

Chilling at Ian & Jen's pool

The house we fell in love with at first site

August - closing and moving into our new house and getting engaged (the happiest day ever)

SOLD!

The ring

September - trip to Crystal Mountain, Michigan football

Michigan vs. Notre Dame - first night game at the Big House

All bundled up - first ones on the course - best golf ever

Ryan - my golf coach (it's a practice swing - so no he didn't miss)

October - my birthday, farming with Mom and Dad, carving pumpkins, and planting our apple orchard

Sugar beet harvest

Ryan teaching me to shoot his Kimber (aka - a gun)

Our pumpkins

Planting our apple orchard

November - Buying my wedding dress, Thanksgiving memories (and that’s all I will say), meeting friends of the Delaney’s, home improvement projects

Master bedroom project

Fall fun

Weight room - painted and baseboarded

Delaney Family

December - first Christmas, celebrating  with our families, and tiling the kitchen and bathroom

Our first Christmas tree

Ewald Family

Our house all decorated

Our last tile

So excited for all the memories that 2012 will bring!