High Five for Friday

#1
Weekend Get Away!

Last weekend, we decided to cash in on a free hotel night for a get away with the kids.  We visited Wild Rumpus Bookstore, browsed Creative Kidstuff, explored Edinborough Park, swam at the hotel pool, ate junk food, relaxed, and swam some more:)  It was a lovely get away together.

Nora enjoying Edinborough Park

Cone head

#2
Basketball Reboot

We decided against Luke playing traveling basketball this January-March due to our impending move and trying to keep life more manageable.  But, this week we received an email from the coach asking if Luke could play in the final tournament of the season since they were going to be short players.  Luke jumped at the chance, attended a couple practices this week, and has three games tomorrow.  Even though the entire season did not work out, we are glad it works out for him to join the team for this tournament.  I always love a chance to watch one of my boys play basketball:)

#3
Date Night

I've been wanting to see the Race movie since I finished reading Jesse Owen's autobiography a couple weeks ago (which Luke also read recently).  I decided to invite Luke on a date to see it tonight.  It was a very good movie which sparked some good conversation and hopefully future learning and conversations with Luke.  Of course it didn't hurt that we finished the night off with some Culver's ice cream;)  Since we were having a date, Brent and Nora had one as well.  We talked about it today and Nora was very excited.  She didn't exactly know what a "date" was, so she kept asking Brent what was next and if the date was going to be over:)  They got dinner, picked out a new coloring book, had a treat a Caribou, and watch Frozen at home.  They had a great time too, even though Nora didn't understand why my and Luke's date lasted longer;)

#4
House Happenings

LOTS happened at the house again this week!  I'm losing track of what happened which week, but this week I know the following were installed:

• wood laminate floors 
• stair railing
• appliances 
• plumbing fixtures and toilets
• gutters
• stone on the fireplace
• water heater
• cabinet and door hardware
• counter tops

See, lots has happened!  We also made a couple of our final purchases: bathroom mirrors and a screen door for the front of the house.  We're getting SO close to move in that we find ourselves lingering at the house every time we visit...just wishing we could stay and settle in:)  

A few recent pics

Entry with railing

Mudroom built-in

Master bath

Kitchen

Living room downstairs

#5
Reading

(Warning, Jen's ramblings ahead...)

I've always loved to read, but I find myself on what I call "reading kicks" where I quickly jump from one book, to the next, to the next.... and I feel like I simply can't get enough time to read.  I've been on a reading kick for the past few months.  I'm finding myself sucked back into nonfiction books about the early 1900s and persecutions, prejudices, and life during that time frame.  (I'm sure this sounds SO interesting to the rest of you;))  Anyway, I finished reading One More River to Cross: The Stories of Twelve Black Americans and this wonderful quote stuck with me:

When such men as Dr. Bunche also become 'great heroes' in the eyes of millions of Americans, we will be approaching maturity as a nation.  Until the world's peace makers become our heroes, too, we will not have achieved that maturity.

This book, combined with the Jesse Owens autobiography and the Race movie, as well as currently reading Trapped in Hitler's Hell, all have me doing a lot of thinking about the inequality that still exists in our world today and my part in loving all people.  This Bible verse also stuck out to me this week:

Proverbs 20:10 ~ Differing weights and different measures--the Lord detests them both.

I realize the weights and measures are referring to fairness in the marketplace, but it also made me think of how we hold people to different standards and "measure" them differently as well.  This was a wonderful reminder that God sees all people, his children, equally, regardless of color, creed, sins, etc.

Another good read from this week and that coincides with this topic.