Bathroom Remodel

Whew, I feel a little funny posting my "before" pictures out there for the world to see....but, we're pleased and proud of the "after" and you wouldn't be able to see our progress or all of our hard work without seeing those crazy before's *laughs* And how appropriate that this post just happens to fall on the Three Year anniversary of our home purchase date! *grins*
So, a little background information....when we bought this house we bought the home and all the furniture which has been quite a blessing. The previous owners had a different style taste than us, but we could see the great structure of the home just hiding under a gigantic mass of electric metallic wild and funky wall paper!

I can't tell you how many months of work, blood sweat and tears have gone into removing that wall paper! Just ask Kenny, he's my workhorse! *winks* I don't know what I'd do without him! (probably still be living in that wild wallpaper world)

Anyway, here is the progression of our guest bathroom renovation!

Before, this is how it looked on the day of purchase....
(Navy blue and chrome-y silver wall paper, yellow-ish green tile, bathtub only and a lacy fabric drapery over the tub.)

Our first few steps of the remodel process involved taking down the drapery, removing ALL the wall paper and the old light fixture. My Dad helped a ton and removed the upper tile surrounding the bathtub and replaced the old sheet rock with concrete backer board. He also re-plumbed the bathtub faucets so that we could have a working shower and bathtub.
(sorry, this isn't a very good picture, but it's the shower surround with the new backer board) *winks*

Next we removed the old toilet and Kenny put in some hard time jack hammering and chipping up all the old ceramic tile on the floor.He really worked hard on this, using that jackhammer that is so heavy I could only use it for about 67 seconds *laughs*

The next step was to patch some holes in the sheet rock. This is where I get to show off my little tiny bit of expertise. They had the toilet paper holder all the way across the room on the opposite wall. You couldn't even reach it from the toilet, so we easily decided that had to change. Once it was removed there was just a crazy hole in the wall. So, I patched it and filled the joints and now you can't even tell it was there! (can you tell I'm feeling a little proud?)
After patching and sanding and smoothing several times we textured the walls and painted the bathroom a beautiful shade of blue.

Next step was installing our tile! Wow! Being novice tile layers we were feeling a little intimidated, but we forged ahead, read some books, watched some videos, measured twice (65 times) cut once and got started!

We decided to purchase a nice tile saw. It cost about $200, but turned out to be well worth it! If we had rented a tile saw it would have been $60 a day plus the purchase of a blade and we would have felt rushed and might have made some hasty cuts.
Kenny ran that saw like a pro from day one! I was so proud of him! He never broke a single tile or made one single wrong cut! Wow!!

So, I measured, he cut and we got the first day's tiling underway! WHAT an ADVENTURE! *laughs* You have to mix that thin set just right, and put it on the wall just the right thickness, check to make sure you're getting full coverage on the back of the tile and get each tile lined up and spaced correctly! Whoa! Well, here's our progress for day one *smiles*
One video we watched taught us a neat trick for making sure your tile is level. We measured and used a level and screwed a 1"x 2" into the back wall and applied our tiles resting on the board. See it there *grins* This way you are assured that all the tile is level! Wow!

Days two and three and four and five and six were spent doing much the same thing, me measuring, Kenny cutting tile and us applying it to the walls together until about midnight! Whew! We were getting pretty tired of tile by day six...
after the upper tiles were dry we could remove the 1"x2" and the lower tiles are taped to the ones above to hold them in place (still level, cool!)We kept on working and eventually got the walls all done! We were so excited once those first two floor tiles were in place, "the end is near"!
We kept working on the floor making sure these tiles were level to walk on and finally got it all finished!

Doesn't it look lovely with all that glamorous blue tape *laughs*

I have to admit, the only tile we ever broke was my fault. It was one of the last l-o-n-g evenings of tiling and I was using a rubber mallet to hammer the tile down level with the others. And, out of sheer frustration, I smashed it right in half! (Come on Karen, settle down!)

Our next step was grouting. We mixed it up just right and Kenny did all the hard work getting it worked into those little grooves.

The following evening Dad helped us install an exhaust fan and Kenny got the toilet all installed.
And then I installed the shower curtain and.....TA DA!!!! A whole new bathroom!
We are so proud!

It isn't completely finished....we still plan to re-do the woodwork, install a granite vanity top, add a mirror over the vanity and some baseboard molding....but it's coming along pretty well! *smiles*
Thanks for sharing in the adventure!

A kiss from God

I'm really enjoying the book that I've been reading recently. Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. It talks specifically about how women were specially created by God and the unique aspects of a woman's soul. Ways that we feel inadequate and that God loves us for exactly who we are.

One chapter in particular says "Every song you love, every memory you cherish, every moment that has moved you to holy tears has been given to you from the One who has been pursuing you from your first breath in order to win your heart. God's version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion.

This romancing is immensely personal. It will be as if it has been scripted for your heart. He knows what takes your breath away, knows what makes your heart beat faster."

Stasi talks about how her husband John was at the beach one day walking and praying when all of a sudden "a huge plume of water shot up into the sky and a massive humpback whale appeared right before him, a gift from God to his heart alone. A kiss from God". She was excited for John but a bit jealous and wanting kiss of her own.

The next day she went down to the beach and was praying and waiting and no whale. Disappointed she headed back towards the house and happened across a starfish, beautiful and orange. She knew at once it was God's gift to her. She rounded the bend and there before her were zillions of them! Purple, orange, blue, wow! She burst into joyful laughter, her heart exploding inside her. God didn't just love her. He LOOOOVED her! *grins*

I thought this story was so amazing. What special ways God shows that He loves us. Well, I've been praying for a kiss from God myself. Not questioning his love, or demanding a demonstration. He sent His son to die for me after all. Just wanting a special gift just for me.

Well, you know what!? I got it! Just yesterday, after a full day of work and a long night of tiling I walked out into the back yard and in one of our flowerpots amongst the weeds was a single bright purple petunia. A kiss from God!
I don't know where it came from!? I love the fact that I didn't plant it or urge it to grow and it came up from underneath and between crabgrass and weeds. A precious perfect purple petunia!

Wow! My heart jumped for joy, I said a prayer of thanks and immediately ran inside to tell Kenny all about it!

So, keep your eyes and your heart open. You never know when or where you'll get a kiss from God!

Garage Sale

Whew! Just looking at these pictures reminds me of all the hard work that went into this garage sale *grins* Kenny and I got started almost two weeks ahead of time getting the garage all cleaned out and getting price tags on EVERYTHING!
That is a bigger chore than it sounds like. We had a lot of large furniture pieces, but we also had a TON (I'm talking a million billion) of small things to price....that is where the work comes in. Cleaning them off, making them shiny, deciding on a price, sorting them out on tables, all that work!
But, we are so thankful, it turned out to be a GREAT sale and we made a lot of money which will come in so handy with our remodeling projects.
We had the garage sale on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and were up and moving by about 4:30 in the morning every day getting things set up and ready for business. Dad and Mom came over and met us by about 5:00am and Dad brought two huge canopies to block the sun (and a crazy rain downpour on Thursday *laughs*) and we all got to workout our leg and back muscles to the extreme carrying out recliner chairs, a couch, beds and dressers, whew!
I don't know what we would have done without Mom and Dad to help hold down the fort. And Kenny was such a trooper! I took off for work by nine everyday except Saturday, but he had to stay and haggle with the buyers *grins* I'm so thankful for this sweet man!
Here are some of our lovely blue dishes...
and Hummel figurines...
Honestly, we were just thankful to get some of this stuff cleared out of our house! And we owe a big Thank You from the bottom of our hearts to Mom and Dad for being our sale buddies for the week! We love you!!

Welcome to the World

Look who came to meet us this morning!! Griffin Presley Looper!
He was born at 8:24am weighing 8 lbs exactly and 21 inches long. Just a perfect bundle of joy!

Mom called me at about 8:00 in the morning to tell me that Lisa was headed in to have the baby. Then about twenty minutes later she called back and when I picked up the phone I could hear Griffin's sweet cries in the back ground and Mom saying "He's here!" *grins*

Lisa must have done some of the laboring at home because from the time they got to the parking lot to actual birth was NINETEEN minutes!!! Wow!

Look at this beautiful sister of mine! Can you believe she just gave birth!
Do you know what else? This was completely natural too....that means NO epidural! Wow! Isn't she amazing!? I am so very proud of her and couldn't be more excited to be an Aunt again! *smiles*

I got to go over at lunch today to see them again and just love on this sweet bundle of joy! Mmmmm I love that sweet baby smell!
Welcome to the world sweet Griffin! We love you!

Concrete Work

In all our efforts of house updating and remodeling, Kenny and I have been putting off one job that seemed pretty daunting. There is a spot in the back yard where the rocky patio meets up with a concrete patio and there is a triangular place in the middle where there is NO concrete. It is just dirt. Like this...

Besides it looking kind of odd, rain water runs off the roof, puddles in this spot and is making the concrete around it start to sink down. Eeeek!

So, this Saturday Dad happily agreed to come over and help us repair our concrete. We started early in the morning to keep things cool, set up Dad's huge canopy to keep the sun off and got to WORK!

Dad made some perfect straight cuts in the concrete for us to butt the newly poured concrete right up against, and Kenny set to work jack hammering away the extra concrete.
We (Dad & Kenny) eventually discovered that man power was stronger and faster than the jack hammer, so my hubby (Thor the god of thunder *winks*) sledge hammered with all his might and busted that stuff all up!
And so while the men did the heavy work I got to try my hand at the jack hammer...*laughs* I lasted all of about two minutes, whew, that thing is HEAVY!

After we got all the excess concrete out of the way we put some wire mesh down to reinforce the new concrete.

Then Dad and Kenny hefted bag after 80 pound bag of concrete into this awesome mixer of Dad's.

Talk about heavy! I couldn't even lift one of those bags and Dad and Kenny lifted over 45!!

Well, we mixed and we poured, mixed and poured, mixed and poured...

Made some plans...

Then Dad and Kenny ran a smooth level board over the surface to "screed" (my new word) off the surface and make it perfect.

Next we began the whole process over again to fill in another spot...

Whew, this was an ALL DAY project! We were so thankful Dad was willing to help us! We never could have done it without him.

And now voila! Our back patio is picture perfect! Yay!

Phillips 66

Today is my AMAZING Dad's birthday!! I hope he doesn't mind me telling his age, he looks like he's about 35 to me! *winks*
Ever since I was a little kid I used to think and daydream about the day my Dad would turn 66. You see, his last name is Phillips and I thought is was so amazing that someday he would be "Phillips 66"!

I had it all planned out in my mind, I'll be twenty seven by that time, and that's really old and totally an adult. I'll have loads of money by then! I'm going to buy him a 1957 Pontiac (his favorite car) for his birthday and he'll be able to get a free tank of gas from Phillips 66 because it's his special day!

Well, now that that day has rolled around twenty seven doesn't seem quite so grown up after all...*laughs*

Dad, I'm sorry I can't buy you a car yet, but I hope you know how much we all love you anyway!!!

I was trying to come up with the top adjectives to describe my Dad and I think I've got them figured out...

1. Selfless- Having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for oneself; putting other people's interests before one's own.

My Dad is constantly amazing me by his willingness and desire to do things for others. His family, his friends, his neighbors, his co-workers, he would do anything to help another person. He would give you the shirt off his back or the keys to his car. Not only is he willing to do this, but at any time, day or night, he's always ready to help!

2. Patient- Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness. Tolerant and understanding.

I can't think of a time in my life when my Dad has lost his patience! Seriously, I am wracking my brain and I can't think of one! I CAN think of a million times when he could have easily lost his patience, but didn't.

For example...

• while helping your second daughter with her car (selfless), banging your head so hard you see stars...
• having our boat motor sputter to death in the middle of the lake...and saying so kindly, "well shoot, I didn't mean for that to ruin our day"....I'm telling you, he's ALWAYS thinking of others!
• Waiting week after week, year after year for five girls to EVER be ready for church on time!
• Nearly chainsawing your thumb off while helping me (once again) trim my shrubs and shrugging off the pain with a smile and thanking me for a band aid.

3. Encouraging- Giving courage, confidence, or hope.

All I have to say here is not a single time goes by when I see my Dad that he doesn't say "I'm proud of you" and "I love you". Wow!

4. Funny- Causing laughter or amusement.

My Dad tells the best jokes, sometimes even when he's starting a serious story my sisters, Mom and I will all look at each other, have to stifle laughter and ask "is this a joke??"

5. Intelligent- Having a high degree of intelligence.

Dad is one of THE smartest people I know, but also the most humble. What a combo!

I could go on FOREVER because he's that great, but I think all of the above adjectives just add up to tell you that he is an amazing example of a Christian Dad.

Dad, thank you for loving The Lord the way that you do and for following Him so you can be an example and leader to us. We love you to the moon and back!!

Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day!!! This is one of my very favorite holidays! I love that it's hot and summer time, filled with memories of the July 4th parade, great food, family,fun and FIREWORKS! Plus we get to honor our country and all the brave men and women who have served to keep our country free! Thank you!
This year was no different except that I got to host the party at my house! Wow (feeling so very grown up) *grins* And we were planning a secret surprise baby shower for Lisa and a (little bit late) Father's Day celebration for Dad! whew!

We all woke up bright and early and Julie came over to finish up some last minute decorating at my house. Kenny was still in Kansas with his family getting to see his Grandmas and such, so Julie was my partner for the day! *winks* Thanks girlie!

We drove over to Mom and Dad's and all headed off for the parade. We really had a fun time. I love to hear those marching bands play and see the flag waving in the breeze. Lucky for us there was a breeze and a few clouds or it would have been HOT!
There were horses and old classic cars and lots of people throwing candy to the kiddo's. Bryce loved that! He had such a great time waving at the floats and saying "happy fourth of July"! Awww! Who wouldn't want to give that sweetie pie candy!?

After the parade finished up we all headed back to my house to get the party started! I'm glad to report that Lisa truly was surprised (yay!)
We jumped right in the pool first thing and you know what!?! A few rainy sprinkles started coming down!!? What in the world, in the middle of July in a drought and the one day I have people over to swim it rains!? Oh well, it was only a few drops and we had fun anyway *winks*
We spent the afternoon in and out of the pool and had some yummy good sandwiches and all sorts of treats! Then it was time for presents!
Dad got some great gifts, and Bryce was a helper with Lisa's gifts *grins*
This little outfit (above) is from Lori. Neil and Julie got her this awesome Nursing Necklace. It's made of extra sturdy materials for the baby to play with while nursing so they don't pull on Mommies clothes or earrings or hair *winks* Bryce is modeling it (below)
Kenny and I bought this cute "little brother" onesie when we were in Colorado. I can't wait to see Griffin in it!After the party we all decided to rest up for fireworks that night and you know what!? Boom! Crash!! Pow!! (no, that's not fireworks) it's THUNDER & LIGHTNING!! A H.U.G.E. thunderstorm broke loose and the fireworks had to be postponed *sniff, sniff*

Oh well, we had fun chatting the night away, and since the fireworks were delayed I would get to view them with my Hubby after all! Hooray!