Electrocution and resulting new shower!

Here's the story: The shower in our home was put here by the previous owners. It was a tube shaped shower that had power to it to play the radio, different lighting options, and a phone could be hooked up. However, shortly after moving in the radio quit working. We had to continue to use the lights because the shower had a lid on it and would have been dark otherwise. So, in other words, a shower (with water, of course) had electricity! Dangerous idea.. right?

YES! Long story short, I was electrocuted and it HURT! My left side felt tingling and 'odd' for a couple of days. We called Perry Goodall (laid our woods floors) and he came over and gave us a quote to build a shower. So.... we have a new shower.. and we love it! We opted for a shower curtain and no door so I wouldn't stress over the grout/mildew situation!

Here is the process of getting the new shower!

This is the mess in the garage!

This is the horrible, disgusting, impossible to keep clean, tube, tomb like shower.. laying in all its glory in the garage!

Framing....Sealing... building the wall...

Tiling.. this was a long process... but we love it!

taped for painting....

ALMOST... final product... we still have to hang the tile bar... and do some more decorating.. but we are excited about having a 'normal' shower....

Took this picture using the mirror... I had the day off due to snow today and had the opportunity to get the wall painted and the curtains up.. yeah! We still have to hang the towel bar (Perry put in a sheet of plywood so the towel bar would stay stable!)...

Rudy is mad!

Rudy LOVES playing in the snow. He wants to go back out and this is him shooting me his dirty looks... can't take a picture of repetitive barking.. but you get the 'picture'! Cosmo is perfectly happy sleeping on the rug ( he is 12 years old and sleeps most of the time!).

Why we moved!

This is the view off our front porch. It is quiet and it is beautiful. Every season has a unique way of presenting itself here. Spring is my favorite but this is truly peaceful. It is a bummer living at the TOP of Hilltop Drive.. but is has more advantages than disadvantages.


The next two pictures were taken out of the window above the kitchen sink. It is beautiful. I truly love living here.... even if the shower electrocuted me (more to come in the blog on this subject).

Tagged

(1) Already linked to June
(2) The rules are below.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
1. I have a diet limeade addiction and am trying to break it (at least the morning run).
2. I am a huge Notre Dame fan!
3. I have a little yorkie named Rudy that is completely spoiled.
4. I spend most of my time at home in my pajamas.
5. I hate having my picture taken.
6. I have a terrible time sitting still.

(4) I have linked to all the blogs I know!
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

(1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Emmet

Elizabeth, James, and Emmet came over on Saturday. Emmet was his usual precious, fun self. I think he is very excited about our upcoming trip to San Antonio!

New baseball gear

Baseball season will be here before we know it! We are signed up and just waiting for try-outs in February. Utah has been working with a trainer and loves the hard work. We just bought him a new catcher's mask and have ordered the remainder of the catcher's gear.

Also, there are some pictures of Utah's new braces/appliances. We are stunned at the amount of metal in his mouth. The pictures aren't the best, but you get the picture!

Happy Anniversary

Tod surprised me tonight - totally surprised me - with a very generous and sweet 14th anniversary present...

Clue #1: The Helzberg Diamonds bag in the floor of our closet that I never noticed!

Clue #2: The Helzberg Diamond card on Tod's valet.

Clue #3: Never noticed the money missing! WOW!

This picture is not the best... they are BEAUTIFUL and the camera just didn't catch them well..

This weekend!

New mantle pictures... sorry for the glare!

Chef Tod! I get teased a lot at work and by friends because Tod does all the cooking. Well, look at this delicious blackened salmon, rice, squash, and zucchini dinner.. he is a terrific cook!

Tuesday, Alex, and Kristen at the Rogers High School Alumni game... aren't they adorable! They are college sophomores now... Tuesday and Alex at UCA and Kristen at U of A. It was just two years ago that we were watching them play.. time flies!

Bathroom makeover! I forgot to take the 'before' pictures! However, we got rid of a horrible, old cabinet over the toilet and replaced it with this tin art. We also added the tin art by the mirror. It turned out well and the art was 1/2 price at Hobby Lobby!

Utah has been working very hard and Tod bought him this baseball hitting 'thing' as a reward.. he uses it in the garage right now because it is so cold! Rudy was helping...

Sorry!

Tod, Utah, and I played Sorry! on Friday night. We were playing along and I was loosing (as usual) and Rudy (the cutest dog in the world) jumped from the couch onto the footstool with the game and splattered the pieces and cards all over the living room! We laughed until we couldn't stand it.. it was very cute and funny!

BTW - Tod won the second game!

You can stop time!

This is fun.. silly, thought provoking.. and fun!!

Einstein demonstrated that time is relative.... but the rabbit-hole goes much deeper.

http://www.grasshopper.com/mind-games/how-to-stop-time/

New Year's Resolutions

I decided to make new year's resolutions this year and read somewhere (?) that one of the keys of successful new year's resolutions is to share them with as many people as possible and to be very specific. So.. here they are.. and I would love to hear yours!

Happy New Year!
Cathy

1. Cook more.. feed Utah less Sonic meals! This means that we will only eat out once a week. Beverages are permitted any day of the week, though!

2. Continue working out 5X a week at Fuse with a trainer. The results being to reduce body fat (already at healthy level, woo hoo), go down one pant size, and increase overall health.

3. Let go when needed... this one is key to my mental and spiritual health (and stress level).

4. Reconnect with siblings. I am starting with a visit this week! I will take an action monthly to facilitate connecting on a more frequent basis.

5. Finish ESOL endorsement masters courses and create plan for 3 more graduate hours. My ultimate goal is a second master's degree or my national certification.

6. Relax one night a week.. no grading, no work out, not paying bills.. just relax... this one is lofty.. might have to make it one night every TWO weeks!

Tod is Santa?

A visit to Springfield!

We arrived in Springfield at Aunt Lizzy's and Uncle Jimmy's house around 11:30 due to a snafu in our directions (happens EVERY time). We visited with little Grace and spent some time catching up. Tuesday played paper dolls with Grace and Grace decided that Tuesday could be her friend (Utah, too). We went out for lunch at Chili's and then went to the Bass Pro Shop. We looked around and Utah spent some time looking at guns with his Uncle Jimmy. Tuesday and Grace rode the elevator. Elizabeth and I tried to identify the type of snakes in an habitat- odd choice for us! We look very forward to another visit! Utah said that he wants to go back soon, stay longer, and go to the farm! I am sure little Grace would love to show Tuesday the town with her Mammie and she might let Aunt Cathy tag along!

The turtles were awesome. They were huge compared to our last visit. They even had a leatherback (soft back) turtle. Grace made a wish.. still not sure how they keep the turtles from eating the coins!

Aunt Lizzy, Utah, and I spent some time in the knife shop, but Utah was unable to find a knife in his price range. There were some beautiful guns on display and one was $27,000 (more than BOTH our cars added together) made of turkish maple and a unique metal process.

Tuesday and Utah spent some time playing a shooting game..

New Year's Eve

Poppers and confetti everywhere!

Goofy boys! This is after pizza (dad's homemade) and cake (mom's homemade) and pop!The Julius Family New Year's Eve party continued with Utah. The girls used to have a New Year's Eve Party, too. Dad made homemade pizza, mom made homemade cake, and the kids played video games, watched a complete lunatic jump an entire football field, played slot cars, and goofed off till all hours of the night! At close to midnight, the boys did confetti poppers. We had a great time.. lots of laughing!

The ramp of the lunatic on our TV.. we were amazed that he would attempt such a jump and then he did it TWICE!!!!!