I was out of town for much of the past weekend, which also happened to be the weekend before my birthday. This conveniently gave Justin the opportunity to not only go shopping for me, but to also produce some very large gifts in the house without my knowledge.
Present #1: 30 more feet of framing in the basement. And I didn't have to lift a finger! He completely framed the southern most walls that will house the ping-pong room, craft room and bathroom. While I was gallivanting around Colorado, he was sweating in the sawdust-ridden basement.
Present #2: A deep freezer! For those of you without a deep freezer let me just say this: it is a magical thing. As a kid, we had a super-size deep freezer in the basement. It was always filled with vegetables, pizzas, Popsicles and ice cream. Special sale at the grocery store on Breyers ice cream? No problem! Go ahead and buy five cartons- I now have somewhere to put them. Going to Sam's? Great! Let's stock up on frozen chicken!
Present #3: (Not quite as large as the others, but equally fantastic) A new digital camera! Not only is this camera far superior to my old 4.1 mega pixel Sony from 2005, it also has the capability to take HD video! We are going to have so many home movies of Kevin it's not even funny.
Present #4: Ice cream cake! This is where that deep freezer would have come in handy. (It's still in the box until the basement is done.) I do love me some ice cream cake. Especially on exponentially hot days like yesterday when the heat index is 110 degrees.
That husband of mine absolutely spoils me. And I love him all the more for it.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
One Limb Short
I admit it. I'm usually not a girlie girl. I rarely wear make-up, and I'd rather spend my mornings eating breakfast than doing my hair. (After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!) Over the past couple of weeks, I got an itch to change my look. I hadn't gotten a real hair cut (Great Clips doesn't count) since I did Locks of Love in April 2008. I was due.
While I wanted a new look and wanted it to be drastic enough for people to notice, I was reluctant to significantly cut my hair or dye it. These being the most obvious of possible changes, I was left with only one option: find a new way to style my hair. The problem? I am a wash-and-go kind of girl. I wake up before 5:30 every morning to be ready for work. To implement a new hair routine in the morning would cut down on my sleep.
Oh, the things we women will do to look good...
Sonja, my stylist, made me look awesome, plus she made it look easy to do. "See? It only took me an extra 15 minutes to blow dry your hair!" Yes, but how long is it going to take me to do the same thing? She said I would get the hang of it. It just took some practice. The first time I tried to replicate the bouncing, flowing curls, it took me an extra 45 minutes to get ready for work. The second time took me even longer. I don't think I'm very coordinated. To hold the blow dryer in one hand and the brush in the other and have them move together at the same angle at the same time- it's exhausting! I bet having a third arm would help out tremendously in this situation. Instead of putting down the blow dryer every time I got the brush stuck in my hair, I could just untangle it and proceed as usual. I could also use my third arm to hold up a mirror behind me so that I could see the spots I missed. It would be so handy! (literally) But alas, I only have two arms, so it looks like I'm just going to have to get the hang of it the old fashioned way: practice.
While I wanted a new look and wanted it to be drastic enough for people to notice, I was reluctant to significantly cut my hair or dye it. These being the most obvious of possible changes, I was left with only one option: find a new way to style my hair. The problem? I am a wash-and-go kind of girl. I wake up before 5:30 every morning to be ready for work. To implement a new hair routine in the morning would cut down on my sleep.
Oh, the things we women will do to look good...
Sonja, my stylist, made me look awesome, plus she made it look easy to do. "See? It only took me an extra 15 minutes to blow dry your hair!" Yes, but how long is it going to take me to do the same thing? She said I would get the hang of it. It just took some practice. The first time I tried to replicate the bouncing, flowing curls, it took me an extra 45 minutes to get ready for work. The second time took me even longer. I don't think I'm very coordinated. To hold the blow dryer in one hand and the brush in the other and have them move together at the same angle at the same time- it's exhausting! I bet having a third arm would help out tremendously in this situation. Instead of putting down the blow dryer every time I got the brush stuck in my hair, I could just untangle it and proceed as usual. I could also use my third arm to hold up a mirror behind me so that I could see the spots I missed. It would be so handy! (literally) But alas, I only have two arms, so it looks like I'm just going to have to get the hang of it the old fashioned way: practice.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
30 Feet of Wall
After completing the kitchen renovation last fall and seeing the transformation from 1980's to the 21st century, we got it into our heads to finish the basement. Currently, our basement is 1500 square feet of concrete. Mainly used as storage, the basement also houses my crafting area, workout area and a workbench for Justin. Because we didn't want the cost of an architect or contractor, the first step in finishing the basement was putting together a floor plan. (And after doing the kitchen by ourselves, we felt pretty confident in our remodeling capabilities.) Justin even put together a blog dedicated to tracking the basement progress. His blog hasn't been recently updated, so here's the latest news.
Wood has been delivered.
Nail gun has been purchased.
Thirty feet of framing has been erected along the longest wall.
Last night, we (meaning Justin) moved cables that were hanging down from the ceiling. Because we're planning to do a drywall ceiling on half of the basement, we need to make sure cable wiring won't get in the way.
The neatest part of the renovation is seeing it come together. Knowing that we are doing the hard work gives such a feeling of accomplishment. Obstacles are overcome. Problems are solved. And being our own contractors allow us to make changes as we go. Move a closet from one wall to another? No problem! A wet bar at the last minute? Sure!
We heard horror stories from family and friends about the duration of finishing a basement without contractors. Five years. Ten years. However, we have high hopes to get it done by Halloween, so we can hold another terrifyingly awesome party. That gives us five months to get everything done. Think we can do it? Stay tuned and find out!
Wood has been delivered.
Nail gun has been purchased.
Thirty feet of framing has been erected along the longest wall.
Last night, we (meaning Justin) moved cables that were hanging down from the ceiling. Because we're planning to do a drywall ceiling on half of the basement, we need to make sure cable wiring won't get in the way.
The neatest part of the renovation is seeing it come together. Knowing that we are doing the hard work gives such a feeling of accomplishment. Obstacles are overcome. Problems are solved. And being our own contractors allow us to make changes as we go. Move a closet from one wall to another? No problem! A wet bar at the last minute? Sure!
We heard horror stories from family and friends about the duration of finishing a basement without contractors. Five years. Ten years. However, we have high hopes to get it done by Halloween, so we can hold another terrifyingly awesome party. That gives us five months to get everything done. Think we can do it? Stay tuned and find out!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Kicking Around Memories
I've been reminiscing about my childhood a lot lately. This was sparked by going to Incredible Pizza with our friends, Tara and Andy. Generally accepted as a kid's place, Incredible Pizza has the appeal of a Chuck E Cheese: food, games and winning tickets for cheap prizes. (Ironically, we went to Incredible Pizza to celebrate Tara and Andy's engagement. Congratulations, you two!) While I am clearly not a child anymore, it certainly is fun to take a step back and remember what it was like to be a kid.
One of the things I really miss is hanging out with the neighborhood kids. We were a small group: me, my sister, Bridget, Jason, Brian and occasionally Jennifer or Scott. On warm summer nights, we would gather at Brian and Jason's house to play Kick the Can or Hide-and-Seek in the dark. To fully prepare for one of these outings, we really had to plan ahead. Clothing had to be dark, preferably black with no writing. Tennis shoes were required. And it was best to play when there was a partial moon (to provide adequate light, but not too much). Being the youngest (and a girl) I was always chosen last for teams. But I didn't mind. I was just happy to be included. When we tired of running around in the dark, we would retire inside to play cards or a multi-day-long game of Monopoly. This went one for a couple of years before we outgrew each other; Jess, Brian and Bridget went off to college, and the rest of us got wrapped up in our own lives.
Growing up is inevitable. But it’s also exciting and liberating. My favorite things about being an adult (in no particular order): eating ice cream whenever I want, having sick and vacation days at work, the choice to go to bed late and sleep in, independence, having multiple kinds of friends (which seem so much more concrete than those I had when I was a kid), and choosing where to live, work, play, sleep and pray. At the same time, a little piece of me misses those summer evenings with the neighborhood kids.
(Anyone up for a game of Kick the Can?)
One of the things I really miss is hanging out with the neighborhood kids. We were a small group: me, my sister, Bridget, Jason, Brian and occasionally Jennifer or Scott. On warm summer nights, we would gather at Brian and Jason's house to play Kick the Can or Hide-and-Seek in the dark. To fully prepare for one of these outings, we really had to plan ahead. Clothing had to be dark, preferably black with no writing. Tennis shoes were required. And it was best to play when there was a partial moon (to provide adequate light, but not too much). Being the youngest (and a girl) I was always chosen last for teams. But I didn't mind. I was just happy to be included. When we tired of running around in the dark, we would retire inside to play cards or a multi-day-long game of Monopoly. This went one for a couple of years before we outgrew each other; Jess, Brian and Bridget went off to college, and the rest of us got wrapped up in our own lives.
Growing up is inevitable. But it’s also exciting and liberating. My favorite things about being an adult (in no particular order): eating ice cream whenever I want, having sick and vacation days at work, the choice to go to bed late and sleep in, independence, having multiple kinds of friends (which seem so much more concrete than those I had when I was a kid), and choosing where to live, work, play, sleep and pray. At the same time, a little piece of me misses those summer evenings with the neighborhood kids.
(Anyone up for a game of Kick the Can?)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Blessed Again!
The Hawkins gene pool is prone to boys, it turns out. On May 8, God blessed my bother and sister-in-law with a healthy baby boy. Caden John was born a few weeks early, weighing in at 6 pounds 3 oz, and 19 inches long. What a cutie! Everything went well, and mom and baby are doing great!
Another little boy for me to spoil? You bet! I'm going to sound like a oldie when I say this, but my goodness: They grow up so fast! I believe you should get in there while they're young and spoil them, get it out of your system, so when they get older and get more expensive tastes, maybe you won't feel so obligated to buy that Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade for $353.00.
Wow.
Happy Birthday, Caden!
Another little boy for me to spoil? You bet! I'm going to sound like a oldie when I say this, but my goodness: They grow up so fast! I believe you should get in there while they're young and spoil them, get it out of your system, so when they get older and get more expensive tastes, maybe you won't feel so obligated to buy that Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade for $353.00.
Wow.
Happy Birthday, Caden!
Monday, May 4, 2009
GMAT Status: Complete
GMAT complete!
On Saturday, I completed a big hurdle in pursuing my MBA: the Graduate Management Admissions Test (aka, GMAT). I started studying in March, and I probably should have allotted more study time than just two months. It's a big test. And despite the seemingly over the top security measures, I managed to stay focused for the duration.
Despite my very average scores, I let out a huge sigh of relief when leaving the GMAT testing building. It's over! Now the more important step of putting together an application begins. Thankfully, I don't think this step will be a two month process.
On Saturday, I completed a big hurdle in pursuing my MBA: the Graduate Management Admissions Test (aka, GMAT). I started studying in March, and I probably should have allotted more study time than just two months. It's a big test. And despite the seemingly over the top security measures, I managed to stay focused for the duration.
Despite my very average scores, I let out a huge sigh of relief when leaving the GMAT testing building. It's over! Now the more important step of putting together an application begins. Thankfully, I don't think this step will be a two month process.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
My Hero
How many women can say their husband is their hero?
At least one: me!
Justin has been training for the marathon since October of last year. That's seven months of training! He was very strict with his running schedule, making sure he followed the official marathon training schedule. He somehow made time every Sunday for a long run (several hours, in some cases). Talk about discipline!
On Sunday, April 19, Justin ran in the Go! St. Louis marathon. It was terrible weather: rainy, cold, windy. He, along with 15,000 other participants, braved the wet weather anyway. I went along for moral support. Accompanying me were a bag filled with dry clothes, water, snacks and things to keep me busy during the run, the biggest umbrella I could find, and a camp chair. I was probably hauling an additional 30 pounds.
After a scary Metrolink ride, we arrived downtown in a mass of fellow runners. The ocean of people stretched for blocks in every direction, and the announcer soon called the runners to the starting line. Justin went to go stretch, and I took the opportunity to find a prime location to take pictures. Fortunately, the nasty weather kept many onlookers inside or under the shelter of nearby buildings. This allowed me to set up shop mere feet from the starting line.
"Go!"
And the runners were off! People streamed past the starting line for a good 15 minutes. The rain continued. I huddled under my giant umbrella. After all the participants had crossed the starting line, I met up with Justin's parents. Together we walked to the six mile mark to watch the runners pass by. Justin ran by, smiling and giving a thumbs up. Now it was time to wait. I knew it would probably be another two hours or so before he would be close to the finish line. The three of us wandered to the St. Louis Bread Company near the stadium to grab something to eat. (Their Cobblestones are fabulous.) After a leisurely snack, we packed up and walked back to where the race would be finishing. Already, almost 80 marathon runners had crossed the finish line! It wasn't even 10:00 a.m.! We wrestled our way to a good viewing spot close to the finish line. We waiting patiently, searching for a glimpse of a red baseball cap.
There! I saw him! It wasn't even half past 10:00 and there he was. I snapped a couple of action shots of him coming down the finish track. Final time, 3:19:57. Amazing!
He set his mind on something, and he did it. What a huge accomplishment to finish a marathon! My husband is my hero.
At least one: me!
Justin has been training for the marathon since October of last year. That's seven months of training! He was very strict with his running schedule, making sure he followed the official marathon training schedule. He somehow made time every Sunday for a long run (several hours, in some cases). Talk about discipline!
On Sunday, April 19, Justin ran in the Go! St. Louis marathon. It was terrible weather: rainy, cold, windy. He, along with 15,000 other participants, braved the wet weather anyway. I went along for moral support. Accompanying me were a bag filled with dry clothes, water, snacks and things to keep me busy during the run, the biggest umbrella I could find, and a camp chair. I was probably hauling an additional 30 pounds.
After a scary Metrolink ride, we arrived downtown in a mass of fellow runners. The ocean of people stretched for blocks in every direction, and the announcer soon called the runners to the starting line. Justin went to go stretch, and I took the opportunity to find a prime location to take pictures. Fortunately, the nasty weather kept many onlookers inside or under the shelter of nearby buildings. This allowed me to set up shop mere feet from the starting line.
"Go!"
And the runners were off! People streamed past the starting line for a good 15 minutes. The rain continued. I huddled under my giant umbrella. After all the participants had crossed the starting line, I met up with Justin's parents. Together we walked to the six mile mark to watch the runners pass by. Justin ran by, smiling and giving a thumbs up. Now it was time to wait. I knew it would probably be another two hours or so before he would be close to the finish line. The three of us wandered to the St. Louis Bread Company near the stadium to grab something to eat. (Their Cobblestones are fabulous.) After a leisurely snack, we packed up and walked back to where the race would be finishing. Already, almost 80 marathon runners had crossed the finish line! It wasn't even 10:00 a.m.! We wrestled our way to a good viewing spot close to the finish line. We waiting patiently, searching for a glimpse of a red baseball cap.
There! I saw him! It wasn't even half past 10:00 and there he was. I snapped a couple of action shots of him coming down the finish track. Final time, 3:19:57. Amazing!
He set his mind on something, and he did it. What a huge accomplishment to finish a marathon! My husband is my hero.
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