House Projects
Maybe this is nesting? I don’t know. What I do know is that we had these things on our to do list for a loooong time & this is what happens when both of you are home for the summer not able to travel.
Read more: A House Blessing & Tour
Random House Cost:
- Little side table/stand for a living room chair from At Home: $25
- Planks & associated materials to make storage in the attic from Lowe’s: $213
- Large Tupperware to properly store stuff in attic from Target: $86
- Rugs for kitchen & hallway runner: $??? (haven’t purchased yet)
COST: ~$324+
Kitchen Renovation Cost:
- Cabinets, sink & countertop from Discount Cabinets: $10,395.00
- Put the plumbing behind the cabinets: $180 (done by a handyman friend)
- Reattaching sink, disposer, dishwasher plumbing: $200 (done by the same handyman friend)
- Talavera tile from Tierra y Fuego: $1,225.50 (this is the cost for the kitchen backsplash AND the fireplace with shipping)
- Moen MotionSense Wave Kitchen Faucet & Soap Dispenser: $330.63
- Random Kitchen & Pantry Organization/Decor Items: $118.90 (Target, Ross, Office Depot, & TJ Maxx) – some of this stuff was used in other rooms too like the guest bathroom, laundry, entryway, etc.
- Grout & tiling supplies: $??? **still unfinished as of 9.7.21
COST: ~$12,330+
Master Bedroom Cost:
- Armchair: $0 (Actual cost $300 but it was one of my parent’s baby gifts for us, so it did not cost us anything personally)
- Headboard: $120
- Pillow for Armchair: $20
COST: ~$140
Guest Bedroom Cost:
- Dresser: $80 (Facebook Marketplace + Will painted it white)
- Desk: $140 (Facebook Marketplace)
- Nightstand: $50 (Facebook Marketplace)
- Lamp & lampshade: $43 (At Home & Target)
- Desk organizer: $13 (& then I just put overflow desk stuff from our study)
- Desk chair: $97
- Bedskirt: $16 (we already had the comforter, pillows, and other accessories)
COST: ~$440
Laundry Room Cost:
- Paint & related materials: $40 (a friend lovingly painted this for us!)
- We used the old upper cabinets from the kitchen (spray painted white) in the laundry room for storage #upcycle: $0
- Dryer rack & bar: $70
COST: ~$110
TOTAL HOUSE PROJECTS COST: ~$13,324
Baby Projects
The nursery was our main house-related baby project (no surprise there), but there’s lots of other little things we got done that is baby related but then our little man surprised us and came 3 weeks early!
Read more: Journey through Pregnancy: Month 8
Nursery Costs:
- Dresser/changing table from Facebook Marketplace: $140
- Decor from Catholic Company: $65
- Shelves for books & decor from Amazon & Wayfair: $155
- Crib: $0 (FREE from a coworker)
- Curtains from At Home: $34
- Rocking chair: $0 (a gift from my mother in law)
- Baby random organization & storage: $67+16+144 (some of this went into general house organization too)
- Garbage can (& wipes storage): $0 (FREE because we used an old Simple Human garbage can #upcycle)
- Painting supplies: $100 (the painting itself was graciously done by 3 friends/coworkers)
TOTAL COST: ~$720
Professional Development – Jess
World History PLC
- In person
- 2-days for 6 hours of paid time to work with my World History team (PLC) to prep for next year
- hourly wage
Solution Tree 4-day PLC Conference
- In person at my school with all the schools working virtually with the company
- 4-day workshop
- $400
Rice University: Critical Historical Themes in Religion and Culture for Secondary Social Studies and ELA Educators
- all virtual
- Monday-Thursday 9:00am – 1:00pm (Friday is an optional day but I had other things going on)
- unpaid
Professional Development – Will
University of Florida: Summer Research Experience
- all virtual
- spread out among 3 weeks (the last week is when the baby was born but Will pre-warned them he might not be able to attend the last bit)
- $300
University of Florida: Summer Science Institute
- all virtual
- one-week research-based summer program
- $1,500 (+$500 as retro pay from completing a previous summer program)
College Board: AP Biology Reader
- all virtual
- a little over one week, Will picked the 4-5 hours/day option
- $868
Not related to our summer goals but here’s the goodies from the Catholic All Year Liturgical Living Subscription Box for Fall Ordinary time!
- Mother Teresa kitchen tea towel
- Virgin Mary birthday party supplies
- Crybaby tears candy for Our Lady of Seven Sorrows
- Tempura Recipe Card for the Ember Days
- Rosary Kit for Our Lady of the Rosary
- St. Michael the Archangel Devil Piñata
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux sacrifice beads for her “little way”
- Guardian Angel wooden prayer retablo
- Icon of the Virgin Mary for the Feast of St. Luke
- Papal Cream Cake recipe for the fest of St. Pope John Paul II the Great
- Eternal Rest pen, banner & candle for Hallowtide
- Family Patron Saints poster