Porch Bed Swing

Last summer, I saw on a blog a picture of a porch bed swing.  I love to swing and read, and I knew this was something I would love.  I began talking about it with Kevin.  I even picked out the best place to put it - at our river house.  However, I went all summer and never got one. :( 

This past week Kevin surprised me by starting to build it at one of the local shops with a buddy of his.  I was so excited!  Here are a couple of pictures he sent me as he worked on it each night:

It just so happen that we had this mattress up in the attic at my parent's house.  It was one I used when I was in college and lived on campus.  (You know you have to have something on top of the mattress they provide to make it feel more like home and more comfortable.)

Once the bed was completed, we loaded it into my Expedition and took it to the river house.  I was surprised it fit in the vehicle, but it did with all but the front two seats down.  Once we got to the river, the challenge began of making sure that there was enough support from the porch to hold the swing up, drilling the holes where they needed to be, making sure the chains were even, and conquering the heat. 

Kevin working hard to make sure everything was perfect!

 Mission accomplished!

 I love my porch bed swing!  It fits perfectly and is the best place to curl up and read a book.  Now if I only had a place at my regular house to put one.  That may have to be on the list for a future home!

House Remodeling Take 2

As stated in earlier posts, I bought the house we live in before Kevin came back in the picture.  It was a foreclosure house and needed a lot of work.  My parents and I remodeled the house for over 6 months before I moved in.  Take a look at a couple of the major changes here.  Well, some things never got done that I wanted to do.  However, I knew that as a homeowner there would always be something to do.  Kevin and I finally decided to do a few of the big projects this spring.

Our first step was to get a new AC unit.  We knew last summer that the unit would not last another season.  We tolerated it as long as we could until it got too hot that we were getting on each others nerves (approximately mid-May with 80 degree temps).  Our good friend, John, from Warren's Comfort Service surprised us one day by installing the unit while we were both at work.  It was nice to come home to air conditioning.

Here is the new unit!

(I can't believe I don't have a picture of that side of the house from before, but I don't.)

As a plus, we got a new thermostat.  It is one that you can add your own pictures too.  I love having the slideshow going instead of seeing the boring thermostat screen.

Our second major adventure was to get new windows.  The windows became a huge problem when we weren't able to turn our air condition on during the period that we were waiting for our new one.  Our windows were painted shut, and we were only able to get one window up.  I was so excited to get some windows that we could actually open and that weren't so dirty as the ones before.

A picture of the windows before and after:

I can't wait for us to do some more things to the house.  One of the main things is landscaping!  Hopefully, that will come soon.  I always have something I want to do. :)

Craziness of Life

For some reason every time I get started doing good on posting on this blog, the craziness of life takes over.  Between grad school, teaching, and the duties of being a wife, I have gotten way behind on here.  I was doing well taking a picture a day, but I decided not to bore you with all those random pictures.  I will just post some that means the most to me.  Hopefully, this post will initiate me to do better in blogging in the future.

These pictures aren't in any particular order, but the capture what's been going on over the past few months.

 Bunco! - I play in a Bunco group that meets monthly to play.  We lost a dear friend and fellow player this past winter.  We decided to play in memory of her one night and donate all money for a scholarship for a person to attend the Adult Leadership Class in our town.  This was a program that she strongly supported. 

 D-NOW - Local churches participate in D-Now weekend during the month of February.  The Saturday afternoon activity was a game similar to Amazing Race.  My house was one of the stops.  Students had to pick between hands or toes.  In toes, one player had to peel a banana with his/her toes only.  In hands, one player had to learn Mary Had a Little Lamb on the piano.  This is a picture of me teaching Baker how to play the piano.  Baker is the son of one of my fellow teachers.

ADK - As stated in an earlier post, I joined the teacher sorority of ADK.  We had fun at one of our meetings learning all about ADK with a friendly game of Jeopardy.  As you can tell by the picture, there were lots of laughter at this meeting.

 The Brownsville Homecoming - I have the privilege of singing in the Brownsville Homecoming for the past few years.  This year it was held on my birthday.  I was delighted to share the stage with numerous friends but most of all a former classmate of mine, Kenneth.  Kenneth not only went to high school with me, but he also sang at the end of my wedding, "O, Happy Day!".  It was a joy to hear him and his friends sing this great melody again at the end of this program as well.

Becky Got Married! - One of my friends from college got married this summer.  I was not able to make it up to Iowa to see her get married, but I was able to attend a couple of her showers.  I am so grateful that God put people like her in my life!

 Flowers - Who doesn't like to receive flowers?  One of my students brought these flowers in for me on just a day that I needed them.  I was so honored that she thought of me.

 Cheer Clinic - I am a coach for our local high school football cheerleading team.  In March, we had our cheer clinic and tryouts.  With the rise in technology, girls videoed the dance and cheers to they could practice at home.  As you can see, almost all the girls had some way to get the information.

 Lights Out! - I go to school really early, between 6 and 6:30.  One day when I got into my room, the lights went out.  Lets just say that a school building that early with no lights is not a fun place to be by yourself.  I was thankful that they did not stay out for long.

 Flex Fitness - Hubby and I joined the local gym, Flex Fitness.  We were doing real good about getting up at 4AM to go work out.  I was very proud of my husband and his determination on the treadmill.  When farming season started back, the hubby slowly quit coming but I try to still make it up there at least a few times a week.

 Foot Problems - As if knee problems were not enough, I have now been diagnosed with not one, not two, not three, but four problems with my left foot.  This includes a heel spur, plantar fasciitis, disalignment with the bones, and a crack in one of the bones.  I am hoping with the right shoes, medications, and shots that it will clear up.

 The True Meaning of Easter - I was amazed when I read one of my student's journal entries on what Easter meant to him.  This absolutely made my day.  The student that wrote this has medical conditions and typically is not able to write very good sentences, but this did not stop him from writing about God.  I love the bottom where he drew a heart.  If only adults would have this much faith.

 Haywood County Schoolwide 5K - Haywood Elementary was well represented in the 5K this year.  This is a picture of all the teachers and assistants that participated in the 5K.  It is so great to work with this bunch of ladies.

Mother's Day - What an eventful Mother's Day! On our way home from Lambert's in Missouri, we got sideswiped by an 18-wheeler on a bridge. The trucker wouldn't pull over so dad followed the trucker for miles while talking to dispatch until a trooper caught up with us. We waited patiently for it all to be worked out. So thankful everyone was safe and only minor damage to the vehicle was done.

River - I love when it starts warming up outside, because that means it is river time.  We love going to our house up at the Tennessee River and spending the weekend.  There is nothing like riding your boat on the river, catching some rays, and reading a good book.

Farming - Kevin was busy working Memorial Day weekend so I decided to go ride with him that Sunday afternoon.  This is the view that we had for the day.
 

Weddings - Kevin was in a wedding for his good friend, Bradley.  The wedding took place outside by a lake, but there were a couple of cabins and such for the bride and groom to get ready.  We snapped this picture before the wedding started.

 

Sunday School - Kevin and I have tried to get active in our Sunday School class when time allows.  We were fortunate to be able to attend a cook-out hosted by Thomas and Kristin.  We are so thankful for this group of friends that God has allowed us to be a part of in Sunday School.  We are looking forward to many more memories being made in the future!

Well, I guess that's all of the pictures for now.  I think that pretty much catches us up on what has been happening since my last post in February.  We will have to see if I get better at this blogging. :)