Friday Favorites - 03.11.22 Lots of projects!!

 

Time again to join hosts Erika and Andrea, who are both wrapping up Spring Break 2022 today.  Spring Break for my college kiddos starts this afternoon. . .one is going to SC, one to FL, and another to TX. . .all in new-to-them locations with new friends -- I'm really excited for them!!  Our oldest is on Spring Break with his buddies that are still in college and they are wandering around the northeast with a vague itinerary of Philly, NYC, and DC.  They are all driving and with gas prices the way they are, that is going to take a hit out of their budgets :(

Tom and I are heading to Ohio today for a quick up-and-back trip -- my sister asked my husband to put up a handrail for my mom (it was her Christmas present to her) but the handrail that was ordered didn't work the first time so we're going to try again today.  Hopefully the rain/sleet/whatever miserable precipitation they are expecting holds off until this job is done.  The keypad on her garage door hasn't been working either so he'll take a look at that too.  

My niece is in her school production of 42nd Street and we have tickets to tonight's performance!!  I can't wait.  I love, love live theatre and even love it more when a loved one is performing in it.  This is her last high school stage hurrah -- she will be the last of the 6 Foster grandchildren to graduate.  Here is a picture of all of them at Christmas with the "Foster grandparents":

My FAVORITE people, for sure.

Three of these people are graduating this year -- one from HS, one with an associate's degree, and one with a bachelor's degree.  One is already graduated and working/adulting.  Time flies.  I can't resist:

Our littlest ones were only 2 years old here!

I'm really enjoying having a dedicated Bible Study to go to every day.  So many people have suggested The Bible Recap

I like that there is actual Bible reading for it (sometimes I have my app read it to me and/or flip-flop between different versions), the above devotional, AND a podcast.  I've been consistently finding time during the weekdays to do this -- weekends are still a challenge.  Routine is a FAVORITE.

Wednesday Amy put up this post called "What's Saving You Right Now?"  I really wanted to find time to do my own post on this, but I was busy "projecting" (more below) this week and didn't find the time.  I *will* circle back to it though.  Here is a short list -

1.  Tom - his support and love and tolerance of me

2.  Podcasts - with all my projects, I'm enjoying finding new podcasts to listen to and be inspired by

3.  Blogs - it's like having friends and socializing, even if it is one-sided :/

4.  Knowing my kids are all thriving in their lives and happy/stable/comfortable

5.  Projects - always having something to do is important to me.  I have several around-the-house jobs to complete, a project for an interview coming up, and a week with my best friend in Florida, helping her  get some stuff done around her rental properties and a house she's getting ready to put on the market.

6.  The Lord - always.  I truly don't know how people get through life -- the good and the bad -- without Him.  He is definitely sustaining me through this season of life that I am calling "wandering in the desert".  See all the goodness above that He has provided!

It really is a FAVORITE to list everything that is GOOD in my life

Project #1  

I started this on February 10th and just got everything put back this week.  We had some cold weather (I paint in the garage -- too cold), I took a trip to Kiawah, I changed the paint color once (it was a tad brighter at first), and then the drawer had to be filled and re-drilled for the new hardware.  But it's done and BEAUTIFUL in our space.  Mainly it holds our pharmacy and other random stuff that needs a "home".  My FAVORITE part of the job, of course, was the last bit -- organizing it all :)

Projects 2-4

Back in December I bought a hand-held steamer (not this one, but I'm linking it {I am not an affiliate blogger -- all links are just provided to be helpful to you} because it is better then the one I got) to clean/detail the new boat.  The weather was too cold the few days the boat sat here before going to storage so the steamer sat too.  I was first introduced to the power of steam by Sarah and her post here.  It led me down a rabbit trail, of course, and I bought through her affiliate links.  I got it out this week, watched this video, and was re-inspired!!

I cleaned the other side of my sink too but I didn't take a "before" because it was just too gross:

I have been struggling with the glass tile grout on my backsplash and have been unable to get it clean.  Look at it now!!

I snapped this picture on my way out the door the other day because it just made me so happy!!!!

Now this next project is a BIG one and I've only started but you are not going to believe the difference the steamer is already making in the look of our floors:

Before

After

Seriously, it is a game changer and a FAVORITE.  We moved into this house six years ago and although we've noticed the grout getting dirtier and dirtier, we just couldn't "fix" it.  I am amazed at how easy this is (although very time-consuming)

It must look really good or have been really bad because my 18-yr-old was home last night doing laundry, looked down, and he noticed the floor!!  Ha!!

I can't help it -- one more before/after:

The floors (tiles) have always been cleaned, it's just the grout that we haven't been able to figure out.  Once this is all done (I think it will take two more days -- still the second half of the kitchen, a hallway, laundry room, and 1/2 bath) we'll need to get it sealed.  Here's to progress and a big WIN this week!!

Our FAVORITE doggie got her stitches out yesterday.  As you may remember, she was jumped at a local dog park a couple of weeks ago which resulted in an injury that required surgery :(. She has done remarkably well got a clean bill of health yesterday!

 

I grabbed this from social media somewhere and I've really been reflecting on it.  I also just got done putting together a work sample for a company I am interviewing with and the topic was "interpersonal skills".  Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a big part of self-control and this falls in line with not only that, but maturity too to a degree.  In this fifth decade of my life, I realize more and more that I am NOT in control of most things, but I AM in control of my reactions to the situation.

Happy Weekend!!

Love,

Jenni