Family Fun and DIY Projects: A Weekend Recap

Saturday started off as an absolutely beautiful day even if it was a bit cold. After my morning prayer time I began working on the bar top and side accents for our basement remodel (it’s an eternal project..). I cut and stained all of the pieces needed. I hope to assemble everything later this week when I can’t work outside…due to rain…again…

While I waited on the stain to dry I decided to grab my chainsaw and have some “fun”. In front of our house is a stand of woods that we have been mowing and maintaining. It provides a nice spot of shade and a perfect place to read nap in a reclining chair or hammock. Unfortunately, many of the trees are Ash and have succumbed to the Emerald Ash Borer. It’s a cute bug but terribly destructive. I cut down three trees and have about 6 more to take out. I’m looking for suggestions/treatments for the many young Ash trees we have on the property.

Saturday ended with a family movie night. Nicole decided on Akeelah and the Bee. Still high on the excitement of watching Faizan Zaki win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, it was a good choice. I really enjoyed this movie and think it’s worth watching. It has some great themes about the power of making choices, friendship, and overcoming adversity. I must admit, I did tear up a little toward the end. Other than a few choice words, it’s a clean movie. My only hang-up was that I kept waiting for Lawrence Fishbourne’s character to offer Akeelah a choice between the red and blue pill. (IYKYK).

Sunday morning after we Mass we came home to eat and relax before heading to visit and pray the rosary with friends. After eating, Nicole and I played a few rounds of Five Crowns. A nice young man came to visit briefly. He was very brave too, standing beside the archery target. Either that or he knows that the season is many, many months away.

After the rosary with friends we came home and started burning all of the small branches from the trees that I had dropped. Becket wanted to get some pictures of the flames. He’s not as close as it appears in this photo. Have a great week, thanks for reading!