IT CONTINUES

I decided to do an accent colored wall. The same color as the island. 

I love the new light fixture. 

Since everything else was looking so good as the improvements continued, we decided to do the floors. 

I don’t love tile. 

It’s cold and hard to stand on for long periods of time. 

Ours also had many cracks. 

I’m totally in love with this color. 

It’s called Pelican Grey. 

Last Saturday we put the house together after all the painting was done, the lights were up and hardware installed on the cabinets and drawers. 

We knew we wouldn’t do anything on Sunday except go to church and enjoy a “day of rest”. 

However on Monday we tore things apart again to start ripping out the tiles. 

Matt came up from Utah to help. 

It’s always fantastic to have the help and muscle. 

I love how everything has turned out so far. 

The only thing left is the backsplash. 

It feels like it has been forever that the house has been torn apart, but it is really only been just over 2 weeks. 

We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

 

DEMO

 We have lived in this house for four years. 

There are things I didn’t like about the kitchen. Things I detested. 

The cabinets. 

They were oak then they ended up getting painted a yucky color and distressed. 

Ugh. 

And then they painted the trim black. The the window trim and door frames brown. 

Double ugh. 

So we are in the process of changing things up.  

This was the current color and cupboard handles.

Cupboard doors off.

Cabinet doors washed and sanded.

Taping and sanding.

First coat of primer.

After washing, sanding and washing again.

The island finally not black!

First coat of primer.

After the island was painted, I decided I didn't want white.

I went with a sage gray color. 

Starting to come together!

Another thing I didn't like about the kitchen was the brown trim around the doors and windows.

So that was next.

And while we are at it.....

Let's cover things back up and paint the ceiling.

It was looking dirty.

So we did

One thing has lead to another to another to another.

And while we are at it.....

Let's do new light fixtures and floors.

Oh mercy!

So the tile will come up.

No more brown trim!

And let's get rid of the ugly backsplash since we are in the middle of all of it!

The backsplash seemed to be put there as an afterthought.

Didn't match anything.

Tomorrow we hope to start painting the walls.

And to think that it was just going to be cabinets!

WHILE I RECOVER

 I’m just over 7 weeks post op. 

We took an opportunity to fly to Cancun with friends. Best decision ever. I can recover on the sandy beaches as well as the snowy weather. 

It is beautiful here. I have never been to Cancun. We are staying at the Hyatt Ziva an all inclusive resort. They spoil us rotten. 

Yesterday we toured ruins and swam in a cenote (underground River) our tour guide was named Helamen. It was a great day. 

It has been so fun to be pampered and rest!

Look. 

No snow. 

No we didn’t climb the steps. Not allowed anymore. 

We came back from dinner tonight to this little surprise. 

Beautiful orange flowers on a tree. 

Hi my sweetheart. 

Our tour guide Helaman. 

View from our room. 

More of the ruins. 

Tomorrow we go to a nearby island to snorkel or hang out on another beach. 

I sure hope the snow is melted when we get home. 

My Turn

 Christmas came and went. 

Very quietly, subdued. 

We traveled and saw the kids that were near enough. 

It was just quiet. 

Work remains busy with regular ER patients in addition to the Covid patients we are seeing so much of. 

But I won’t be there for the next 12 weeks. 

Because .....

It was my turn. 

The Vaccine

 On Tuesday I received the Covid vaccine. 

I had concerns. 

I did the research. 

Every shift I work I feel like I’m swimming in Covid virus. 

I have seen some incredibly sick people. 

Young and old. 

So I had the vaccine. In three weeks I will have the second dose. 

AND JUST LIKE THAT....

 And just like that it’s Christmas time. 

I don’t know how to describe this year. It’s has been a long slow slogging through it. 

Life has changed until it feels like normal.

Covid. Pandemic. Masks. Essential workers. Words and terms I hadn’t thought of last year are now spoken multiple times a day. 

My job in the ER didn’t stop. 

And unfortunately our county has been on the news for the hotspot of the nation. 

Nothing to brag about here. 

It’s been exhausting. 

But I am thankful for fabulous coworkers that make the day bearable. 

Thanksgiving came and went. 

We gathered. 

We questioned whether to or not. 

The only risky person was me and I had tested negative the week before. 

I vacillate between safety and sanity. 

Being so afraid of dying that you forget to live. 

So we gathered. 

So thankful for this photo of all of my grandkids. 

I know that these will be harder and harder as the years go by. 

Howie has recovered from all of his knee surgeries. 

Sheesh. 

What a year. 

And now we are in this beautiful Christmas season. 

We have been busy making candy and doing just a little decorating. 

Howie helped a ton this year. 

He made all four batches of caramel. 

I also made my mom’s cherry cordials.

They are so much work but so delicious. 

Dipped cinnamon Santa’s are my kids favorite. 

I call these triple nut. 

Cashews, macadamia and almonds in caramel. 

These will get dipped in chocolate. 

Cherry Cordials. 

Simple tree. 

The view outside my living room window looks like a post card. 

Often there will be a herd of deer in the field. 

I love it so much here and am so thankful that 4 years ago we made the move. 

And of course during this time I also remember four years ago during this time that Howie had his cardiac arrest and was saved by bystander CPR and early defibrillation. 

We spent a long 14 days in the hospital. That will go down as my favorite Christmas ever. 

In spite of the chaos this year has been I have seen blessings all around me. 

I look forward to the future. 

I look forward to celebrating the birth of the Savior of the World. 

Merry  Christmas.