Lesson 201: Ten Quick Thoughts (Week 11)

1. Going to attempt TQT again. My brain is mostly mush since this third one has come along, but perhaps I can get something out once a week, as long as there's minimal depth. Ha!

2. The rear differential on our 98' (2 wheel drive) 4-runner is broken. We're looking for a used part, because a new one costs a whopping $3000.

Do you have one?

3. "For many, including these authors, relationships can easily become conduits for personal satisfaction and self-centered happiness. While God does want us to find great joy in our friendships, he never states that as the end goal or primary motivation. Rather, he places his purpose for us at the center: becoming more like Christ!" - Tim Lane & Paul David Tripp

Excited to consider the purpose of relationships more deeply with a small group at Winthrop this semester with this book!

4. Using a 50% off coupon, I purchased super hip, typically pricey diapers this past week.

Polar bears and penguins, y'all.

When they arrived, I could not have been more excited to put one on Ford. What could be better than a little baby tushie in such a cute diaper?!?!

Ten minutes later, Ford pooped.

And it was then that I realized, polar bears or not, diapers serve one purpose. Period.

#dreamshattered

5. One year ago today, I was thinking about this ... 

6. I didn't watch the Super Bowl. I watched old episodes of Parenthood.

7. I also watched a bunch of Jimmy Fallon clips this week including this one. Emma Stone totally reminds me of my cousin, Maggie. Manning's ... anyone else think so?

8. Currently reading, The New Rules of Real Estate by Spencer Rascoff and Stan Humphries. These are the guys who started Zillow, and basically, they've used all the incredible amounts of data they've collected through their site to track real estate trends. It's super current, just came out in January.

I checked it out from the library, btw.

Issues they discuss include when it's better to rent or buy. How does a close Starbucks effect property values? Does it matter what numbers you choose to list your house for? What is the most valuable home renovation to tackle as far as resale is concerned?

We're signing a contract to start a renovation today, which means nothing to you, since I've shared virtually no information about our house.

Regardless, useful book.

9. Mark and I finally got going on a will yesterday. Six years and three kids into this thing. NBD.

10. Last weekend, we celebrated Hudson's 3rd birthday with a trip to the fire station and a "Fire and Rescue cake with trick blue icing and lots of Dusty Crophoppers and lots of other Fire and Rescue guys and candles for me to blow out and an Elsa and Anna cake for the girls and a Fire and Rescue cake for the boys. Yea, that's what we had."

Great party, but the whole affair sort of knocked me out for the week, so this weekend, we're laying low.

Here's the aforementioned cake. (Just one for both the boys and the girls.)

Unfortunately, the birthday boy refused to let go of his Dusty for the singing, so some other guy ended up on top.

Also, I have no idea what "trick blue" is, but we talk about it a whole lot in our house.