Week 1: New Mailbox

Week 1: New Mailbox

This week we decided that the leaning mailbox had to go. Week 1's project was wet n' wild, full of rain, holes filling in with water and mud, mud, mud, but we got it done and it looks great. I don't have a before picture, but lets just say that any improvement was going to be 100% better than what we had :) I will run down and take a pic when it stops raining.

Week 1 also brought us the annual planting of flowers. Each year I buy a little more and this year was no exception. I love having lots of color on the back patio and in the front. It just makes everything a little more cheery.

What did you do this weekend?

Week 2 Goal: Paint the Ugly Room (more on that later)

**Updated with Picture of finished mailbox.**

A Re-Introduction

We live in a small town. It is a great community. We moved here to start a family and honestly, it just might not be in the cards for us. While we haven't given up hope, we have really started to enjoy making our house a home; our home. This blog started out with Scrapbooking and rambling with no real purpose.

Today, Tyler asked what if we did one Home Improvement project/thing a week. I thought it was a great idea and all but ran to my Mac. So today, we start our 52 week challenge.

We have already done so much to this house to get it up to snuff, but there is so much more to do. Check back in weekly to see the Week's work and the results!

Spring Cleaning

It has been a busy, trying time in the Ru household. We have had a series of misfortunate happenings lately that have led to some serious work time. Let's run down the list from the last 2 weeks:

-Problem: Roof lost shingles
Fix: Tyler replace missing shingles Yay!

-Problem: Heater started to make noises
Fix: Had serviceman come out and Heater would not make said noise.... Result: $35 down the drain

-Problem: Fridge leaking water
Fix: Took everything out of Fridge and Freezer and dethawed frozen piping


So the good thing is that we have been able to fix or forget everything that has happened with little cost... but it has not been fun. It also brought on an onslaught of Spring Cleaning which is getting our House into great shape.

Hope Spring is finding you as well. Lots of motorcycle rides and the first peep of Tulips has given me the Spring Fever in a major way. Lots of love!

Spring Fever

As it turns cold again, I am so wishing and dreaming of Spring. For the first time ever, we are taking a proper Spring Break and I couldn't be more thrilled. I had surgery this past week that has had me off my feet for the past 5 days and I am getting through it by dreaming of sticking my toes in the sand.

Everything seems to be going well. School is truckin on.... ISATs are next week and then we will be primed and ready for Spring Break. Hope this finds you well!

Yay for February!

It has been quite an exciting week in the Ru Household :)

In town, our Radio station was having a "Words of Love" contest. You can win a HUGE spa package if you can identify the 5 songs in the 5-second clip montage (1 sec of each song). Well Monday night I was messing around on the Internets and I remembered the contest. I knew I was sure of 3 songs and I went on their site and figured out the other 2 clips. I wrote it all down and was ready to call in.

Tuesday morning came and sure enough, I was the first caller. Here were the songs:

Song 1 - Bon Jovi, "You Give LOVE A Bad Name"
Song 2 - The Cure, "Friday I'm In LOVE"
Song 3 - The Cardigans, "LOVEfool"
Song 4 - Soft Cell, "Tainted LOVE"
Song 5 - Leona Lewis, "Bleeding LOVE"

I had a slip up when I said Song 1 was "Shot Through the Heart" but they let me fix it and I was the big winner for the day. SO exciting. I didn't realize everything I had won, but knew it was BIG! Here is the prize package:

Valentine's Spa Day Package from Rod Sickler Salon & Spa that includes:

* A Myoxy Caviar Facial
* Eye Treatment
* Lip Treatment
* A 90-minute Radiant Rock and Swedish Massage combination
* A Spa Manicure & Pedicure
* Make-up Application & Lesson with LaBella Donna Cosmetics
* And a shampoo, blow-dry & style

I figured it out and it is close to $700 worth of spa treatments! I am so excited!!!

My Happy Place :)

A New Year

2008 is gone and I have to say that I am so happy to kick it to the curb. I have blogged more this year than ever and though it might not seem like it from this blog, I have been actively writing. My writing has been mostly about a condition I have been fighting for more than 22 months now... Infertility.

This year I have undergone dozens of procedures, hundreds of shots and pills, 2 surgeries and countless failures. We are still not expecting. We have shared this with our closest family and friends and as we bring in the new year, I felt the need to write about it here.

To say this year has sucked would be a huge understatement., but as hard as this journey has been, I have found who my closest friends and family are. They are wonderful and supportive and everything I have needed. Thank you.

This year we lost my maternal Grandpa. He had been sick for awhile now, but his death hit us all hard. This was in the middle of my last IVF cycle, which made things very hard to get through, but we did it. We made it through all of these setbacks together and stronger together.

Today in the first day of 2009, Tyler and I find ourselves married for 4 1/2 years and together for 13. We are closer than ever and finding ourselves turning to each other often through the hard times. We are looking forward to celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary with a sunny 2 week vacation and celebrating the good in our life. Though 2008 has brought us much sadness, I am happy for all that I have.

2009 is a new year and I have such hope for it and what will find us this year. I hope this finds you well and I wish you a Happy New year.