Madelyn's Dance Recital

 Madelyn and the 4 year old's Dance Recital

After we all went out to dinner

I had the pizza. Thankfully, I have half the pizza in leftovers for breakfast

The only other thing I did Saturday other than the dance recital and going to dinner. Was bike 10 miles and the gym. Then came home after and fed the cat and went to get ice cream with Steve. A nice Saturday! 

Today, is the gym, feed the cat two times today. Get the seed/dirt down on the lawn as it's supposed to rain at 5pm. Maybe do the Lowes returns and shoes. Text my client reminders for tomorrow's work day. 

The week mostly will be working, paying a few bills and seeing if we can go to the lake this weekend. All weather dependent. looks like Saturday - Monday will be okay. I was hoping to go up Friday, but it looks like rain right now. We will just leave super early Saturday morning and get all set up/mow the lawn before the kids arrive in the early afternoon. Monday is supposed to rain, but I think it will hold off until the evening, so we will pack up and get home by 5pm at the latest. 

It's a very full work schedule next week as long as there aren't any schedule changes/cancelations! I'm hoping I don't have any of those, but seems every week there are changes. Usually that is pushed to the following week, which is less busy anyway. I also have the cat to feed two time a day through Friday morning. That adds extra work too. I'll be doing more advertising after the holiday weekend as long as the weather looks good. 

We don't have any other camping plans till the 4th of July when we will be back at the lake. Might go up again if the weekend looks nice as we will have to mow for that weekend too. I will probably set up the back yard tent on the patio this year. That way it won't kill the grass, but it will be weirdly close to the house. It's the only spot in the yard other than if I were to put it on top of the old garden. lol... actually isn't a bad idea if only there was a deck out there to put it on top of! I love my back yard camping option for nights where it's warm and to extend the summer of being outdoors as much as possible. 

Saturday... all this rain!

 I looked ahead to the weather and we are going to get rain pretty much every day into the holiday/Memorial Day weekend. Ugh!!! Not loving that! Plus, temps are going to be only in the low 60's. Not idea for being outside 24/5! 

Friday Steve and I went on a bike ride across the Hastings bridge over to Wisconsin/Prescott. Stopped along the river at a new to us, bar/restaurant where we had a drink and a very late lunch. They only serve shrimp and pizza. Which we got both. I ordered just 2 of their very large shrimp to try. Delicious! They were only 2.50 each, min of 2. Very well seasoned! 

I will have to make this hard lemonade with vodka and fruit this summer! So refreshing! Maybe less alcohol or a mock-tail! 

Great views of the river

Riding across the bridge. 

After we came home and Logan needed a ride to Mpls to be dropped off at Dinky town to meet up with friends. 

Driving over the bridge. A great view of the river with the Mpls skyline. 

We got home around 10pm and then headed to bed. I was pretty tired from working with the new client and until 1pm and then going biking! 

I was planning on running errands yesterday night, but of course that didn't happen. 

I need dog food, paper towels, hand sanitizer, popcorn and we need more paint for the deck. Although, I'm not sure when we are going to finish the deck with all the rain in the forecast the next week plus! 

I'm going to Madelyn's dance recital today at 2pm and then out to dinner after. It's going to be a long day waiting for the performance to start. I'm not sure how many dances of other kids we have to go through? Reminds me of the days Kendra was dancing. 

I also start cat feeding tonight through Friday. It's easy and close to home. The hardest part is just remembering in the evening. 

I was planning on taking this Friday off, but now? Not so sure?? Since we most likely will be home and not going to the lake. No need to take the morning off! I'll probably just work for an hour. This way, my Wednesday won't be overly busy! 

I'd like to get more projects done over the weekend. We will have some dry/non rain time to get dirt and seed down. This would be a good time since we are going to get rain daily. Guess, that's the priority! Plus, cleaning the garage and getting the walls painted. Costs nothing to do these projects and gives us something todo and checks off the todo list around the house. 

I'm not sure what we will do if we stay home for the Memorial Day weekend? Probably more home projects. It won't be a 100% washout with rain, but enough of it and cooler temps. It kind of limits us on what to do! 

Finally Friday!

 The week is coming to an end. They sure do go fast and faster as we age! 

I did not use my time wisely Thursday! I did work in the morning till 11:30am and then I had a new client meeting at 4pm. In between and after, not much in the way of home projects or even being productive. I should have done a lot of things with my time. Instead I sat on the couch or in front of TV for hours. I did make myself some rice and cooked one of the strudels. Well, I supposed I might have needed the down time since I've been working non stop on painting the deck. 

Dieting also isn't going great! I started off eating protein/2 scrambled eggs, lunch was a salad but had a fe rolls and then left over spatial with cheese. Dinner rice and the strudel with ice cream. Well, there is always today to start again. 

One of my favorite salads! 

I should have eggs more often! 

I did go to the gym and lift weights for 30 minutes in the morning. Today, I'm skipping the gym. I have a new client this morning plus, a regular client at noon. Working will be enough for the morning. Maybe a bike ride in the afternoon? I also have those window screens still to wash. 

I did go to a 4pm meeting yesterday, so I did have to get off the couch, get dressed and fixed up a bit to go. I got the job, but it wasn't 100% right away since they didn't schedule a start date. I just made sure to text after thanking them for the meeting etc. and added some dates. Since one of my clients is sick and was scheduled Friday, I had an opening. Otherwise, next week is 100% full with the shorter week/taking off Friday. They did finally text and take me up on today's offer. YES!! I need the money! 

Plus, I start cat feeding Saturday night. Of course I won't be home till later that night I'm guessing 7 or 8pm? The cat is used to not getting fed till noon and again at night, so this works to my favor. I have my granddaughter's dance recital and then dinner after. I'll be leaving by 1:40pm tomorrow. It's going to be a long day of dance! 

We were planning on going boating since it's going to be 84*F, but I work today till 1pm and then will be gone most of Saturday. Maybe we'll go kayak and fish? I still need to run some errands. We are out of dog food and paper towels. My Costco membership also needs to be renewed. Ugh!That's $60 before I even purchase anything. 

No plans for Sunday, but we should do more home projects. I want to finish up the deck and maybe tar the driveway or at least get all the screens washed and window tracks cleaned out. We also could clean the garage and paint the walls. Lots more things to do if we "Want". It does feel good to check off some of our todo list around the house. 

Things come in 2's!

 We finished what we could on the deck. Once again, out of paint. To be fair, we only have the leg posts and the long ledger board left to paint. That will most likely take another gallon of paint with some left over for touch ups next year. I'm guessing this will be the weekend's project to finish! I'm ready to move on to getting our garage in order. 

Here's the finished top deck. Even our neighbor commented on the newly painted deck. Their deck is brown the color ours used to be, so not sure they are 100% on board with black, but I think they liked it. 

Just different, but it matches better with our house colors/roof. 

I'll probably skip putting the rug out there this year. I might change my mind, but for now it's good the way it is! The project cost is adding up a bit more then we planned, but still inexpensive fit it project, even if the paint is $45 per gallon and we are on bucket #2, going on #3 to finish it up. To save a bit, we used a Menards rebate and a return coupon. This next bucket is all on us, as we are out of rebates and returns. In all without any discounts the project costs were as follows

Rented sander $50 

Sandpaper 1 at $10

2 buckets of black paint $90, plus need one more $45

1 gallon of stain $40

Disposable brushes and trays $1.25 each (didn't need to purchase/ had)

roller -had and didn't need to purchase

Labor = free

Total = $235 (minus rebate/return money- $60 aprox) 

$175 total out of pocket cost. Nice!!! 

I started this on Saturday afternoon and we still have some left on Thursday. We only worked on it a few hours each day. Steve staining and doing some black touch ups, I did most of the black rails painting. Steve also sanded and I spent a few years scraping all the paint off the rails and deck boards before we were ready to paint. 

This was the before photos. 

I don't miss the brown as I always hated it. It was my idea to paint it black years ago. Glad I finally got to do it. 

Things come in 2's! 

We advertised just in 2 neighborhoods yesterday, less than an hour and I got 2 responses! An email, which I haven't had a return yet, and a call which I got the job and have a meeting today. My goal is to pick up 7 new clients and fill up Steve's work schedule. I'm hoping Steve gets a few calls too. He did have an entire kitchen remodel and a few other smaller project client meetings yesterday. The kitchen will be in the fall, so that's work to be scheduled out a bit. The smaller jobs he can fit in right away and we can keep advertising in the mean time. I'll do more this afternoon probably by myself as Steve is working, unless he finishes early? 

I also had 2 schedule changes this week. It just adds more work for next week, which is already shorter due to the holiday weekend and leaving on Friday to the lake. Plus, with the added work, I also will be cat feeding Saturday- Friday morning. Its going to be a busy week! Which is a good thing! I'll schedule the new work for after the holiday weekend when I'm less busy. Fingers crossed we both pick up more jobs!

Diving has been easy during the day. Not so great at night. Ugh! Ended up having a few candies/ sour gummies. Plus, had a few rolls and a croissant. Not the best choices as we are out of popcorn, my go to snack. 

Yesterday, I advertised, worked, painted, ran some errands and watched Survivor and Amazing race. 

Today, is more of the same, but the gym for a work out this morning, then work, advertising and ? 

A few years ago the sparrows made a mud nest around our front door. The birds are gone and the next is also, but it left behind a mud stain. We are trying to use peroxide to get it out of the stucco. We soaked a paper towel and had it against. We are going to try soaking the stucco in peroxide and see if that also helps. I bought a few scrub brushes to help get out the stain too. Maybe some good old dish dawn soap will work? 

My next home project is the garage/ cleaning it and painting the walls. (paint/ free have some) 

Tar the driveway ($25 per bucket) will need at least 2, Total $50. Plus, the squeegee $10. Labor free. I'm sure we are saving a few hundred by doing it ourselves. Plus Crack fix $25? So $75 total. 

Then we move on to mulch at some point this summer! 

I've also planted seeds. Still waiting for them to come up! I did get 2 new package of seeds from the kids. I sure hope those grow! I have one more package to plant! Maybe I'll get more and put them in the garden? 

 The stairs are done, well almost as they need some touch ups. This is the before photo, brown and a mess with brown paint peeling. 

After with the rails, and stairs painted black! 

They cleaned up nice! Amazing what a little paint will do. So far we are in 2 gallons and need one more to finish off the posts and save some for next years touch ups. We got by with one gallon of stain. Using a rebate and return money saved us on this project. Plus, using our own labor saved thousands. In all a cheap costing project with a big impact. 

I did all the down low touch ups. Now to get to the up high ones on the ladder. We also have all the leg posts to paint and the front board under the deck. We want all to match, which requires another gallon of paint! 

I also mowed the back yard since I mowed the front on Sunday. I was trying to do no mow May, in the backyard, but it was getting way too long. 

The next project is washing all the window screens and wiping out the window tracks. Which I can do today after all the painting touch ups are done. I'll also have to blow off the driveway again as we keep getting various tree droppings. First it was all the pedals from the crabapple and now it's the pedal stems and next it will be the maple tree seeds dropping. Always something on the driveway. It's been nice having the blower. It's quick, fun and easy to do on a regular basis. Plus, the blower is good at getting all the cotton seeds off the house and bugs. This will keep the house siding looking a lot cleaner. I need a blower extension to get up high! lol

Bills are due today. UGH! The mortgage will ben soooo nice to have paid off in only 2 more years. 2026! count down time. Also count down to paying for college as its Logan's last year. 11 more apartment payments and we are done. 

Today is working and errands this afternoon along with the other home projects. I should be advertising too. I'll put that on my todo list for an hour to make some progress. 

May the 14th be with you!!

 The deck is coming along! Steve stained the top deck boards, mushroom color which is more like a light gray. Guess I was thinking a brown/ gray. It still looks 100% better with the black rails. Looks and feels like a brand new deck! Amazing what a little paint and stain does! It's been fairly cheap to do, only the cost of paint which is under $100 right now. I think the paint was around $40 and stain $45? We most likely will have to purchase one more gallon of paint. We did use Menards rebate money and I think we might have another one to use up to bring the cost of the project down. So in all we might have only paid $40 out of pocket so far! 

The deck isn't finished! We still have the stairs to paint black and more outside rails along with the posts to paint. 

This is the before of the stairs. A mess!! Can't wait till it's all done! 

We have more home projects to finish:

Tar the driveway $50

Add mulch to back yard $100

Disposal of old stove (will get money from the metal $5? )

Power wash the back of the garage ($0)

Finish painting the deck ($40 need more paint/rebate money to keep cost down)

Tree cutting and more branch removal (branch removal aprox $30 @ $15 per load)

Seed/sod/dirt yard (front and back)

Mow back yard and trim ($0)

Paint garage walls and clean out ($0, have paint)

Wash window screens ($0)/ Wash window tracks inside

It's not too bad of a list and we don't need to do it all this weekend. Just a list to check off as we go along. Most can be done when we have time thought out the summer. 

I'm also still in the process of looking for a new rug for our front room and one chair and a small low table. We don't need that right away as I'm making do without. Its just something I'm looking for a great deal on and will buy when I find the right items. 

Today, I work for an hour this morning, We will go to the gym right away. I want to finish up the deck and maybe mow the back yard. Plus, go for an e-bike ride. 

I'll save the Costco errands for Thursday. We are out of a few items, but those can wait as I have to renew my Costco membership which is $60! Bummer! Or I suppose we could switch to Sam's for awhile to extend out paying for that. 

My day 1 of dieting when great! Ate around 1000 cal and got in some deck painting exercise. I was exhausted after working and painting. 

Just going to try getting in more protein and I guess eating less salty popcorn. Plus keeping calories around 1000 per day. Better late then never on the dieting! Wish I would have just kept off the weight or started again in November! Well, I didn't do that, so here we go again. I just have to stay on a protein diet forever. Can't keep gaining and having to lose it over and over again. 

High!

 That's right, took my blood pressure and its high! 144/97 ugh!! pulse 53. Time to do something about those numbers!! We have heart issues in our family! 

Here's what I'm doing! Day 1 weight loss! Getting more protein/Veggies and eating less. Also snacking on fiber/popcorn! Getting to the gym weights and doing cardio (bike/run/cr) daily!! I'll also be monitoring my blood pressure daily and taking an average of 2 or 3 readings. Logan also has high blood pressure! Time to get him doing cardio too! 

Mother's Day was super nice! I had all my kids for breakfast and grandson along with Steve's parents and brother for the morning breakfast out on the deck. 

Kendra made this amazing charcuterie cups. So pretty and what a great idea! She gave me a really nice gift card to get a facial. Celina, Don and Logan all got me a new rice cooker, which we needed! 

I gave all the mother's some purple pansies in pink tin cups with a bow. A cheap $2 dollar gift, but cute idea. I should have taken photos of the flowers Tins were 1.25 each at the dollar store, flowers for 4 were 3 dollars and the bow free since I reused what I had and also dirt free from our yard. 

Before everyone came over for breakfast, I mowed the front yard and blew off the driveway and sidewalk.  Plus, cleaned the house and helped a little with breakfast. After, I got to sit in the hammock for an hour before heading out to watch Celina and Don's soccer game. 

Logan and his 3 good friends have been hanging out together non stop. They are a really nice girls. I'm super happy with his friend choice! 

Took some photos off their snaps to add to my blog. 

After soccer, we went out with Celina to Hastings for a drink to celebrate her new job! 

Came home and had dinner with Logan's friends, leftover ribs, corn, potatoes and coleslaw. Delicious! 

Today, it's back to work. I have to work for a hour+ then I want to do some advertising right after for an hour. I have paint the deck on my to do list and then get in a bike ride/cardio at some point. Maybe get to the gym to for weigh lifting. 

To make myself accountable for dieting I'm posting what I eat and my workout. 

Am- Coffee with a touch of sweetness 50 cal

Noon- 

Eve

Snack - 

total ate:

Exercise: dumbbells, 1 min plank, clean 1 hour= 150 cal, stain deck 200? , cardio/bike 100/ 200? 

Total burned: 

We all tried to see the Northern lights, No luck!!Ugh!! 

Here's what I got instead of the lights