Loft completion pictures

The beds have made it to the boys room. They like them!

Each bed has a hook for their coat and a hook for their cape they got for Christmas.

All stuffed animals fit nicely on their top shelves.

The desk can either be folded up to make more room to play or can be put down to actually use. They each have a nice lap and chair to use at their desk.

This was definitely a fun and worthwhile project. Thanks to my sister in law I am now hooked on a new blog. I say hooked. Don't have lots of time or resources to be completely hooked but I hope to start a new project pretty soon. Perhaps not as extensive as the beds.

This Weekend

http://caorm.blogspot.com/2010/02/ga-event.html

No need to write the same blog twice.

Check out our camp blog above for my weekend happenings.

Standard vs Automatic

New Car is a standard. Old cars have ALL been automatic.

Recently I learned to drive a standard but still mostly drove an automatic. Today it was potentially icey outside so I drove my friend and her kiddos van to church. Normally we just all ride together but she drives. I drove though because I have been driving on the ice with not much of a problem.

We get to the bottom of her hill/driveway and I press the first pedal I can reach from the LEFT side. Because that's what you do when you're driving a standard. When you come to stop you have to press the first pedal to the left or the car dies.

Guess what pedal that is from the left side in an AUTOMATIC? Yes, it is the brake. Guess what my left foot thought it was? The clutch!

Result.

Everyone gets SLAMMED FORWARD!

Oops. My response. "Sorry, there's no clutch in this car."

Just about gave us all whiplash. Other than that driving a standard has been fine!

Fall of man

Two post in one evening. Lucy, I know don't fall out of your chair. You might hurt sweet Carson!

I have been doing lots of school this evening. Well, I say lots. It has felt like lots but it probably has not been lots just a normal amount. Beside the point.

The fall of man. Sin. That's what has been the topic. Isn't that just everyone's favorite topic?! SIN. Yes, whether you realize it or not you do sin. It's ugly. Very ugly. No matter how big or small they appear in your eyes they are all felt by God.

Whew... That'll make you feel like crap real quick, huh?

Well, feeling "guilty" is not a feeling I am trying to push on anyone. Considering the way we use the word guilt today and the ways the word guilt was used in scripture are completely different. That's another post for another day.

Here's a picture of the what the fall of man looks like in real life.

Currently, my life looks like this.

Brand spanking new amazing house!

Friends and family who love me dearly.

A job I enjoy (most of the time)

Finances to provide for my needs and most wants.

Ability to further my education in something I enjoy.

The list of goodness could keep going. Then I have days like yesterday.

All I could think about yesterday was wanting to be married. Nothing else would go through my mind other than that one thought of marriage and children. It ruined the day. My heart coveted after one simple thing God has not given me yet. DESPITE the incredible list of things God is providing. I chose to weep over one thing I don't have.

That folks in its rarest form is the fall of man.

Eve chose to eat of the fruit she was directly told not too. Why? Because she thought she knew better than God. She thought God was holding out on her. She saw it and it looked alright. She made her own choice apart from trusting in God to have her best interest in mind.

Eve did it then and we do it now. Doesn't make it right just makes it what it is. The fall of man. Praise God for His grace that draws us back every so lovingly. Despite our consistent frustration with what God is giving or better yet what God is not giving.

Today was a new day.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

Car shopping

Car shopping. Due to some mechanical issues with my current car I needed to get another one. I did not think this would be too difficult. A good friend of mine took me in as one of his kids to make sure I saw lots of different cars and didn't get taken advantage of. Over the past month I have driven a million cars. Okay, maybe not a million but a bunch!

The question you first hear when you go to a car lot...

What are you looking for!

*Please disregard if you find this analogy insensitive as it is not written with an insensitive spirit.

That question to me (What are you looking for?) is much like asking Stevie Wonder what's your favorite color? He's blind does he really have one?

I had absolutely, positively NOOOOOOOOO IDEA!!! What I was looking for.

I knew what I wanted.

1. Cheap (used or new)

2. carries lots of people and stuff

3. good APR

4. good gas mileage

5. good ground clearance

6. good ratings

7. warranty of some sort

Problem?

1. nothing is cheap.

2. in order to carry people and stuff you sacrifice MPG

3. APR's were all different

4. ground clearance again involves the mileage issue. higher off the ground worse the mileage.

5. ratings are subjective

6. warranties cost more money!

Stupid car shopping.

That's what I went to bed thinking almost nightly for a month.

Keep in mind it's WINTER!

WINTER = COLD

WINTER = RAIN/SLEET/SNOW

This is what I went car shopping in. The most comical was perhaps this past weekend where we did drive through car shopping. We would see a car. Go park next to it and wait until the salesman came out so I could simply ask questions while sitting in the car rather than standing in the cold asking questions.

I decided it was enough. Found one last Saturday I liked. Went today and drove it home. Pretty excited I have this task complete! Sure do hate to make big decisions like this but I do not want to vomit yet and I purchased the car around 3:30 this afternoon so this is a good sign. Immediate vomiting urges after major decisions are never good.

The look of my new car is not the purdiest car in the world. Makes me think of a little movie clip. I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog.

It's functional and meets most of my odd set of criteria. Good price. Good APR. Holds 4 adults pretty comfy. Lots cargo space. Good gas mileage.

Meet my new to me car 2007 HHR!

Craft time

About a month or so ago I had a couple of little boys very seriously tell me something on the way to church. "Miss Lindsey, we need a bunk bed for our room." Then we discussed it for a minute since they had one but they got tired of it. Plus it was falling apart. They decided they wanted another one. I said okay I would see what I could do.

I started looking on craigslist to see what I could find used. Then I had an idea.

What about a loft bed?

Turns out those are more costly than just a bunk bed.

Of course by this time I am convinced that these boys NEED loft beds.

How do you pay for something you can't completely afford?

You make it!

That's what I decided. Found a place online where I could order plans plus four post and bolts that would be needed for the project. Placed the order than I called for backup.

While building my house I learned to do a few things in the woodworking area but not near enough to accomplish this task alone.

It's been over a month now and the beds are still not completely complete! I am drawing close to what I called the, "I'm over it" phase. I got one of the beds stained tonight but will have to do a little more on it tomorrow. Plus I still have another whole bed to stain. Tomorrow I will let the boys see them for the first time. Can't wait to see their reactions. Hopefully they like them!

Enjoy the pictures below!

Desk and shelf

Desk goes up to allow more room for play!

Looks a little purple in the picture but is really blue!

Second bed still left to stain!