Monks Singing the Hallelujah Chorus

Click here for a funny video. make sure your speakers are turned on. This took some practice!

No Longer Puzzled

Karen and I finished the puzzle the family started when they were here over Thanksgiving. It was 1000 pieces "I Spy" puzzle that was a challenge down to the last 4 pieces! We aren't sure how many hours we spent on it, but we both worked on it several nights for a couple hours and quite a bit on Saturday.

Kuklenz Family Christmas 2009

Check out the pictures from the Kuklenz Family Christmas 2009! Click on on the link below!

Click here for the pics!

Siding Staining

Saturday, Karen and I both worked at North Memorial from 7:30am - 1pm as we prepare for next week's official launch of our new HR/Payroll/Benefits HRMS system. It was also the All-Church picnic later in the afternoon, which Karen, being the head of the Fellowship Team, is in charge of. I'm on the team by default. Before we were to leave for the picnic, she gave me the option of staying home and staining the front cedar siding instead of going to help with the picnic. It has needed it for a while it was on our fall 'to-do' list. "Seriously?" was my response. Based on where I'm at with a number of things church-related, this was a no-brainer. I stayed home! I started around 2:15pm and stopped at 7 (I was 2/3's done). It was actually really relaxing. I took my time, did a good job and really didn't have to think about whether employees life insurance premiums were going to calculate correctly and get sent to the plan administrator in a proper manor. It was kind of like a vacation!

Of course, the color of the stain we had put on before wasn't available anymore, so we (I) tried to get as close as I could using a 1 inch by 1 inch color swatch in the brochure. Instead of "Redwood", "New Redwood" looked close... Well, not really, but I actually like the color better. It's a little more brown and a little more red than what was on there before. I finished up today. Here are some pics.

Old color

New Color

Middle section was not done yet (it is now!)

TV Bump-Out

OK, OK. I'm getting complaints because there hasn't been an update for a while. Here ya go! These are pictures of the "bump out" that will house the TV in the basement. This will allow the TV to be flush with the wall (bump out) when it is installed. It's only bumped out part way down the wall because a bank of media cabinets will slide in underneath it that will float 6 inches above the floor. Right now, the TV is due to be installed on Nov. 14th, but the reality of us being ready for it by then is slipping away. Next step is call the electrician, but we are at the point of no return once we start that. Once they do the electrical rough in, we would have no electricity (lighting) in the space until the drywall is up, finished and painted. Only then, will they come do the final on the lights. That is not likely to all happen prior to the Kuklenz Christmas bash. More to come on that...

In Process...

Finished. Bracing was included to support the TV mount.

My New Favorite Cartoon

Plumbing Rough-In

Our plumber, Tony (you know you're a serious remodeler if you have "a plumber" and he knows the way to the house without giving him directions) was here the other day and did 4 hours of rough-in and moved the water meter from the living area to the storage room on the other side of the wall. Here are some pics!

Here is where the water meter used to be (in the living room)!

Here's the water meter in it's new home in the storeroom.

FIRE!

Fireside Hearth & Home came and finished installing the fireplace the other day. As you can see, we now have fire (and as a result, warmth!). We were told that at some point we'll have to run it for 10 hours straight to seal it up and get rid of the smell it is generating right now because it's new. It's not a good "new" smell either, like the inside of a new car. It's not pleasant! Judging from what little we've had it on, it will do a very good job of heating the space. Look closely and you can see the reflection of the camera in the window of the fireplace!

FIRE!!! (Almost)

The fireplace went in this morning! Here is the "framed and ready to go picture!"

Here is the "installed picture". Ain't she a beaut?

Sat-CHORE-Day

Saturday was beautiful here. 82 degrees, sunny, a nice breeze and very little humidity! We took advantage and spent the day outside. Here is a list of things we got done:

-Dustin washed and clayed the car (see how it sparkles???)

-Sawed off some dead limbs from the locust tree

-Scrubbed the garage floor

-Karen made homemade cinnamon rolls

-Vacuumed the downstairs after Karen's brother was done framing for the fireplace

All in all a VERY productive day!