House Photos - Completed-ish

Ok, so what I've learned in this whole being a homeowner thing is that there's ALWAYS something to be done.  So when I say here's photos that are completed-ish...they're just that.

Oops October

Oops, I missed October.  But what I've come to know in my new found walk with Jesus Christ is that the past is, well, the past.  Let it go.  So, toot-a-loo October...it's NOVEMBER!

November is my favorite month of the year for a LOT of reasons:
1.) it's my birth month - that's right, birth month.  Meaning I get to celebrate every chance I get that I was brought into this world!

2.) it's FALL!  Finally boot and jacket weather - my favorite!  Since moving I've continuously found boxes of sweaters, boots and scarves that I forgot I owned.  It's like Christmas every time I open another Rubbermaid bin and find something "new".

3.) Thanksgiving - do I really need to go into detail here?  Turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, and SECONDS of all those please!  This year I'll get to host Thanksgiving in my new home with my mom, stepfather and loving boyfriend - I can't wait!

4.) Football - not just football, cause lets be honest it's been going on for two months now, but I'm talking serious, hardcore, in-your-face, we-want-it-bad ball games.  There's only 4 games left in the regular college football season and I'm so blessed to get to go to TWO of them!  Can't wait to cheer on the Tigers in Death Valley next weekend and when they stomp the 'coots on the 24th!

5.) Oysters - I understand that most people think that you can eat 'em in months that have "R" in them, but I just can't bring myself to eat oysters in September and October.  The water is too warm - yucky.  November is the perfect month for oysters, fire and cold beer!

6.) It's almost Christmas! I love Christmas, I love buying Christmas presents, I love wrapping Christmas presents and I love decorating for Christmas - I freaking LOVE Christmas!  This year I get to spend it with my boyfriend IN Maryland!!!  Come on white Christmas!

7.) Hunting - prime weather for hopefully my first shot at a deer.  My boyfriend has been SO awesome at scouting and prepping me for my first kill - hopefully it will happen this month! 

8.) FIRE.  I love a good fire...and this chilly weather makes me want to kick back around one and share stories and fellowship.

9.) Cold weather food - chili, soup, pot roast, and all the other deliciousness that comes out of a kitchen in the fall to warm your body!

10.) Smells - I love the smells of Fall - granted, with the cold I have now I can't smell ANYTHING.  BUT, when I can smell it's apples and cinnamon, pumpkin, and Christmas spice that's gonna be burning in this gal's house!

So for November, I'm just going to let it be my favorite month and not have a resolution - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Cheers Yall!

Saved September

Ok, so it's not a resolution I had when starting this "one resolution a month" thing at the begining of the year...but it's an important decision I made and need to share that.

On August 26th, 2012 I gave my life over to Jesus Christ and "met Him at the cross" in Salvation.  It was not planned, and totally shocked my parents and my boyfriend when I accepted Jesus Christ in front of my entire congregation at NewSpring Church.  When I say it was "not planned", I mean just that - I had no intention of salvation that specific day.  Our pastor asked those who wanted to be saved and give their lives over to Jesus to pray and then I nailed my name on a strip of paper to a cross at the head of the church...along with 1,269 other people all across South Carolina!

Since that day, I have been a completely different person.  I speak of myself as the "New Lindsey" on occasion and I'm really liking the new me!  The new me that is saved and committed to glorifying the name of Jesus Christ.

On September 16th, 2012 I publicly displayed my new relationship with Jesus by being baptized in front of my friends and family at NewSpring.  It was an experience like none other - but I have to be honest and say that I felt "numb" afterwards.  Though there were hundreds of people gathered around the baptism pools, I came out of the water and didn't "see" anyone.  It was my moment with Jesus - HE was there with me.

Also on September 16th, 2012 I became an Owner of NewSpring Church and have committed to serving Jesus thru greeting on Sundays.  I love serving and hope that my smile and warm wishes to all the people who enter and exit on Sundays allows them to enter and open their heart to Jesus.  

When I decided to move to Charleston and take a "leap of faith", I never intended on meeting my soulmate who in turn introduced me to Jesus Christ.  And for that, I am so thankful and blessed!
 

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

Home Photos

I haven't posted a lot of the photos from the process of the build...so here they are!

SOLD!

 

 

No siding...but I have a roof!

Most of the siding is up!

Siding is up!

Unfinished Kitchen

Stairs to 2nd Floor Unfinished

Mostly finished exterior

Kitchen with Walls

Master bath

Master bedroom

Exterior Done!

Cabinets in!

Counters in and kitchen floor done

Granite!!!

Master Closet almost done

Corner Kitchen Cabinet

Master Bath Fixtures

Master Bath Shower

Living and kitchen with flooring

Landscaping starts this week and the walk thru is Friday!!!

Ahhhh....August

Recap: Jewish July was hard...but I made it.  It's so hard NOT to spend money when you're building a friggin house!  I did well, though, and therefore I call Jewish July a success!

August...oh August.  You're finally here.  You're the gateway to fall and football and the first page of the next chapter of my life.

August, so far you're also the biggest pain in my butt.  I've had the most difficult weeks of work in August so far that have caused me so much stress and anxiety - anxiety that I thought I had under control.  Add building a house on top of 10+ hour work days and this white girl is TIRED!

So, my August resolution is very simple: just make it thru the dang month.  No catchy headline, just make it thru the dang month - without freaking out.

I've made it thru almost two weeks now and I've done pretty well.  My boyfriend, bless his heart, has been my rock and my ear every afternoon when I'm about to murder someone from work.  My mother and Stepfather have been there thru the entire building process for me and have had to take on some of my responsibilities while I cannot be present.  Mind you, my poor mother had hip surgery 8 weeks ago and back surgery last week.  She's an angel and a trooper!  I don't know what I would do with out her!  So, when I say "I" have made it thru two weeks, I mean my support team has helped me thru two weeks.  I couldn't do any of this without them!

Coming up in this crazy month...

5 days from now I'll be back in Charleston volunteering for Habitat for Humanity with my boyfriend.  I've always wanted to work on a Habitat project and give back and I'm so excited to get to do this!

11 days from now I'll be closing on my house.  I never in a million (28) years thought that I would ever own a house by myself.  I count my blessings everyday and am so very thankful for the gifts that God has given me.  This far into the process, I can only pray for him to guide me thru the rest of the month and bless those who have helped me along the way.

12 days from now I'll be moving into my new house.  This is the stuff that keeps me up at night: "how will we get the washer and dryer up the stairs" or "should I get Direct TV or Dish".  Seriously, I've been taking herbal sleeping meds to keep my brain from thinking and I think my body is getting used to them.  Great.

19 days from now I'll be moving out of Rock Hill and into my new home for good.  Reading what I just typed brought a huge smile to my face!

22 days from now I'll be starting to work from my home office with a team that I'm so proud to be a part of and look forward to what we can do with our talents.

So, yea, I've got a busy couple of weeks coming up.  I can make it - I know I can!  Gotta start looking for that light at the end of the tunnel and stop worrying about all the bumps along the way.

Cheers y'all!

Jewish July

See how Jewish I'm being...I waited until the 9th of July to even post this.

I'm a poor future home owner...and need to save money...thus, Jewish July.

Not even going to write anymore about it...just being Jewish.


Oh, and PS, I will never give up Jelly Belly's again.  Period.

Raise the Roof

Just an update on the house...it's unreal how fast this thing is going up!

Sold.

 

 

 

slab forms

time to pour the slab!

hola.

garage frame up on a tuesday...

...roof up 4 days later.

Pre-Drywall meeting is coming up soon...

Estimated Close date: August 24th...I think I need to start packing...

Cheers Y'all!

Jelly Belly June

Happy June 1st y'all!

First off, Military May was a success - not as much of a success as I had hoped, but a success none the less.  My Wounded Warrior Project page raised $75 thanks to my friends Molly, Erika, and Cobie!  I had hoped for a $500 donation by the end of May, but in my eyes, $75 is better than nothing at all.  I plan to keep the page open, so if you still wish to donate, please do!  Here's the link again: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/individual-fundraising/gratefulgal/

So it's June...time for a new resolution...

I was discussing my options for June yesterday with a co-worker and we came to the conclusion that there's really not many words that begin with "J" that you can correlate with June or a resolution for that matter.  Then I threw out the idea of not eating Jelly Belly's for the entire month...she laughed - but she had no idea how big of a challenge this would be for me.

About 3 years ago I had a roommate who was working on her Masters in Nutrition at the time.  She would come home in the evenings and very nonchalantly tell me how terrible the foods I was snacking on truly were.  I stopped eating them and started snacking on "better" foods thanks to her advice.  

One night we were watching the Bachelorette, drinking hot tea and making fun of the rediculousness of the people who were on TV to "find love".  My roommate walked out of the room and came back with a HUGE bag of Jelly Belly's (Variety Pack of course).  She offered me some (this obviously wasn't the first time I had them) and I hesitantly took a handful - was this a test?

NO, it wasn't a test - this girl freaking LOVED Jelly Belly's!  And you know what?...If a dietician can snack on them - then they must be alright!

Hi my name is Lindsey and for the past three years I've been addicted to Jelly Belly's.

Lets put it this way - you could call me the worst names in the world and follow up with a 5lb bag of Jelly Belly's and I would forget everything that you had just said.

I buy the big variety bags and dump them out into Tupperware bowls and pick out the ones I want to eat.  I know they sell them in bulk and you can get just the ones you like, but that's no fun!  I typically end up with a bunch of green and all the blacks - licorice, yuck.  Watermelon, Dr. Pepper and Tutti Fruity are devoured first, then Buttered Popcorn, Coconut and Oranges.  Yes, there's a method to my madness.

On a typical week, I would say I eat about 4-5 handfuls of Jelly Belly's...so yes, not eating them this month is actually going to be a challenge.

I sat down last night and looked at the 1/2 full bag that my loving boyfriend just bought me for a road trip (ironically to Bluffton for my old roommate's wedding) and realized...I have to eat all of these before tomorrow...

Jelly Belly-ache.

...I didn't make it thru them all - but you better believe I ate all the Watermelon, Dr. Pepper and Tutti Fruity ones!  There's still a 1/4 of them left...in which I will stuff in my face hole on July 1st.

So there it is, folks - no Jelly Belly June.  

Cheers y'all!