Rocking

I'm not sure how to title this one. It started out with me listening to Derek playing worship music downstairs (I was upstairs). So I thought to myself, "Self, you should go take pics of your hottie husband playing his guitar". So I ventured downstairs with my camera, trying to be inconspicuous. He saw me, but ignored my poking around with my camera. he didn't even ask questions when I hauled in a lamp and plugged it in for more light ('cause the room is just poorly lit for photography) or when his awkward, pregnant wife was getting all sorts of angles (huffing and puffing all the way). So I took a bunch of pics and laughed at the fact that he moved just as I was focussing. Here are a few shots I got



Oh, and what's this last one, you may ask? No, it's not the worst picture ever. I got an email about our baby today. At 18 weeks, he/she can hear noises, including my heartbeat. Derek handed me the headphones, and I thought to myself, " Self, the baby could probably hear trough the headphones" so I put those headphones up to my belly so this is actually a pic of our baby's first experience hearing his/her daddy rocking the guitar.

Le chocolat

Derek went to montreal a few weeks ago for a business trip. I have always wanted to go to Montreal and Quebec City. When I was very young (like very young) I apparently went to Quebec. As a kid, when my Dad would go on business trips to Queec, I would beg to go. I begged Derek to take me. I didn't go.

I requested in lieu of a trip over to Quebec, that Derek would bring me a bit of Quebec back (ok, it was more like "If you're not going to take me, at least bring me back something good) Oh my, did he deliver! He brought me 3 items from Juliette et Chocolat, a fancy chocolat restaurant in Montreal.

The first was a beautiful box of chocolates, tied with a red ribbon.

On opening the box, there was a velum layer sealed with a brand sticker. Beneath that was a box with little windows and a perfect little chocolate in each one.

They were painted or layered or garnished. There was one with a mango bottom, one with raspberry, a chocolate truffle, a vanilla caramel chocolate with sea salt. They were delicious. Derek also brought me 2 containers of hot chocolate. One milk, one dark chocolate. They are decadent! He also brought me some maple syrup in a fun metal can.


Thanks hon!

Kitchen

Here is my (mostly) finished kitchen:



(thanks for being patient Maureen)

Taylor Guitar Factory

We went to the Taylor Guitar Factory for a tour to see where Derek's new baby, the baritone acoustic came from. As a non-guitar player the tour was still very interesting. Seeing the craftsmanship and care that goes into each guitar was very impressive.

(This is a pile of Koa wood from Hawaii to be cut for guitars. There was a about 10 times the amount you see here)


(Necks-the wood before cutting)


(wood cut for backs)


(fronts cut and ready for inlays around the sound hole-the inlay pieces are all selected and put in by hand)



(Guitars ready to be lacquered)


(Necks with their ebony fingerboards-this is where I put my disclaimer that I really don't know what I'm talking about so these term may be incorrect)


(Bracing under the guitar top. This provides support and creates the tone)










(A colorful array of electric guitars)

Note to self

Note to self: Check the GPS settings before traveling.
Make sure your GPS is set to allow you to take major highways/routes. If not you will end up driving through the desert for 2 hours extra with miles and miles of this:

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas

I arrived in Las Vegas on Thursday night. After a long flight I felt like eating, so we went for an in-n-out burger...not the best idea, but oh well. With the busyness of the days that we were there, and the fact that you can't take pictures during the shows we went to, it was the 3rd day before I remembered to start taking photos. Day 1 and 2 consisted of shopping, touring around the hotels and going to Cirque du Soleil.

Cirque du Soleil...ahhh...what amazing performances. We went to see KA on Friday night and it was really good. The stage rotated side to side and up and down until, at one point, the stage was fully vertical and the artists were swinging from post to post that were sticking out of the stage. Day 2 saw us at 'O'. This is by far the best cirque du soleil show we have seen. With a stage that moves up and down, divers, water, acrobats, and clowns, it was truly amazing and I would recommend it as a 'must see' when in Vegas.

Day 3-I finally started taking pictures. We drove down to Hoover Dam. Now, it is supposed to be a 45-minute drive, and I'm not sure if it was just the day we went, but it took us a few hours to get there. There was a line-up for miles. Once we got to Hoover Dam though, it was amazing. It had started to rain so we walked briskly, taking a few pics and then hopped back in the truck for a much shorter drive back to Las Vegas.




We had decided to stay this day as an extra day, so we went to Penn and Teller that evening. We didn't really know what to expect, but the show was really great. From guessing which joke 3 people had chosen from random joke books to sawing a lady in half, twice, it was very entertaining. Afterwards, we checked out the Freemont Street Experience. With a giant overhead video screen coordinated to music, it was a fun place to be after dark.


(excuse the look on my face, I was happy to be there, but worried about the crazy lady holding my camera)
On Monday, we packed up (after a bit of shopping), took a picture in front of the Las Vegas sign and left for San Diego.

This weekend...

Derek is away for the weekend and I have a to do list that I will attempt to finish before he returns. Our countertops are coming tomorrow morning at 8:30 am (!!!) so I have to prep for that as well as a pharmacy presentation next week. I'm going to write everything down here so that I have to get it done. Will you hold me to it?

This weekend I must...

Patch the new drywall
Repair the wall for tile installation
Prime and Paint the new drywall
Remove the window trim
Wash the dishes
Clean off the countertops
Finish, fold and put away the mountain of laundry
Clean out the laundry room
Start and Finish researching for my presentation
Meet a friend for coffee (ok, so that's not really a "to do"item)

Do you find that your weekends turn into to-do lists? I hope yours is going well.

p.s. Update pics coming tomorrow after the countertop install!

Things, they are a-changin'

Oh, the delight of change! I love it that I am finally starting to get a glimpse of the finished kitchen! In an attempt to avoid frustration and anxiety about the fact that our kitchen is in total disarray and that all of the timelines have flown out the window, I haven't been getting to excited about renos lately, but I may have reached a turning point.

We ordered our countertop just over 2 weeks ago. Our trusty cabinet-maker, Clint was here last Tuesday to bring us the new lower cabinets and upper cabinets that I changed at the last minute-perhaps a bit crazy but a MUCH better use of space than the desk area that served only as a clutter catcher. After the delivery of the new white cabinet boxes, Derek commented that the cream interiors of our existing cabinets didn't look so nice and that we should paint the interiors white. I picked up a can of melamine paint and spent 2 evenings getting a bit high and stinking up the house, but the interiors look sooo much fresher!

Today our electrician, Brian, came to move electrical service around, wire for the oven, and run wire for new lights over the island. There is drywall dust all over the place and more holes in my walls, but it's progress! Friday, Clint will come to install lower cabinets and do some other picture-worthy stuff. Have you noticed how sometimes a tradesperson will come, work all day, and then there is nothing really picture worthy? It's all the prep that takes the time but results in a better finished kitchen. Our countertops are being installed on Monday morning, bright and early, so there is the potential that we will be done everything in 3 weeks!!!

Here are a few pics that I snapped tonight. Even though we have officially passed the 6 month mark (we started the reno craziness March 11), I have a feeling that it will feel like a drop in the bucket of time and I won't believe (or remember) all the work that has been done.

Mallory & Mat's Wedding

Here's a few pics from my cousin Mallory's wedding to her new hubby, Mat. Congrats!!