Home Improvements: Laundry Room

There's no question our laundry room was an eyesore. The walls were nothing more than cold, unwelcoming slabs of cement. Insulation hung between the exposed pipes lining the ceiling and years of flooding and abuse made the old linoleum appear to crawl across the floor. This room was in rough shape. We decided to fix all that though, and even better, it was conveniently done while we were on vacation. Troy just wanted new flooring and for the room to be finished. I only wanted those things too plus a sink. Boys don't understand the desirability of a sink. :) And that's what we got!

A wall was built to encase the sink. Due to some space issues we couldn't get the tank and water softener to sit behind the wall, but that's ok. It came down to either everything behind the wall or a sink and you all know which one I picked. We replaced the linoleum with tile and installed three light fixtures: a three-prong light by the appliances, a light over the sink and a track light along the shelves.

Another wall was built to slightly mask the furnace and new shelves were built. Troy made this little gizmo to keep the dogs isolated by the shelves so people can still use the washer and dryer without being tackled. :) Lastly, we replaced the doors. Completion of this room has done wonders for the temperature downstairs too! Gee, I never thought I would be excited about a laundry room.

Jingle Bell 5K

How do you wrap up a day of skiing? With an evening 5K of course! Though my quads were already burning from racing Troy down the slopes, I took advantage of Troy's nap time by jetting down to SLC for a moonlit run. I have started plenty of races in the pre-dawn hours, but racing at night was a first. And I can see why these poorly lit runs aren't more common. Besides the fact the temperature dipped to 10 degrees, the drivers in this state are just awful! You would think someone would notice dozens of runners with flashing red lights clipped to their clothing, but apparently that's assuming too much. It was fun to take part in another race, but having to dodge distracted drivers that carelessly darted through crosswalks and stop signs is a tad too stressful for my taste. And what did I get after my slow 31 minute finish? A full blown cold. Sweet!

Home Improvements: Office

So our office has been done for awhile now, but me, being the lazy blogger, never got around to mentioning it. I wish I had a before picture. The walls were of course beige and the dingy carpet was stained and worn from years of use. Troy did the hard work of tearing up the carpet and replacing it with lament flooring. I did the fun part: painting and picking out furniture. :) The only furniture that stayed was Troy's chair from residency. We replaced the desk, changed the light fixture and consolidated all the books stored on Troy's rickety pre-residency bookcases onto one large, white bookcase (on the opposing wall). The loveseat was a must have for me; I like to lounge as I type and play my guitars.  Due to the size and shape of the room, it's hard to get a good photo, but at least the above pic gives an idea.

Giving Thanks

A belated happy Thanksgiving to all my dear readers. Though the holiday passed us by weeks ago, I still  haven't forgotten all my many blessing for which I am thankful:

*First of all, Troy. I know I mention him in every gratitude list, but he is, I feel, one of my greatest blessings. He such an incredibly kind man and every day I realize I love him more.

*My family. We had the chance to spend Thanksgiving with my parents this year and it was such a wonderful, laid back day.

*My jobs. Yes, I am thankful for all three of them. :) Things have been progressing rapidly over the past three months and have lead me to some new exciting endeavors. I will elaborate later.

*My testimony in the Gospel.

* Our health

This list could go on forever, but these are just a few gifts that I thank Heavenly Father for every day.