Powershares Series VIP Experience

For Christmas, Meezy bought me a pretty amazing present. He knows how much of a tennis fan I am (we've been to Wimbledon and the US Open), and how Roddick used to be one of my favorite players.  He found out that Roddick was joining the Powershares Series this year. We've been to one of those events in the past, when we got to see Agassi play in Vegas a couple years ago. This time around, Meezy offered to take me on a trip to watch Roddick play in another city. I looked over the schedule and determined that there really wasn't any place I was THAT interested in traveling to, especially since Jude would only be about 4 months old at the time. I told him I'd be fine with just going to the event in Dallas. He started to buy the match tickets and discovered they offered VIP experiences. Since we weren't going to be spending any money on travel, he figured he could upgrade my experience instead. When he told me about it, I was pretty shocked. The VIP package consisted of an hour-long group hitting session with Andy Roddick and Mark Philippoussis, a catered dinner and Q&A session with Roddick, Philippoussis, John McEnroe, and Jim Courier, and then courtside seats for the matches later that night.  The thought of being in the same room with Roddick, let alone exchanging shots with him on the tennis court, gave me butterflies. 

When we arrived for the event, I joined the other attendees on the tennis court, while Meezy watched and took pictures from the stands. Sure enough, out came Andy and Mark, and the fun began!  We all partnered up with another attendee and went through an hour of different hitting drills with the pros. There were only about ten people in the session, so we got a lot of playing time and interaction with the guys. I was nervous as hell, and admittedly too tentative in my hitting, but I got to participate in a lot of fun rallies. To say that I have had Andy Roddick and Mark Philippoussis serve to me is pretty crazy (I whiffed on one of Andy's!).  I exchanged groundstrokes and volleys with them, and snuck in a dropshot that caused a slight rift between them. It was awesome!

Checking myself out on the big screen

My opponents

Is this real life?

Can't believe I played tennis with these guys

After the hitting session, we got to introduce ourselves to the players and take some pictures. The session after mine was with Courier and McEnroe, so we got some interaction with them too. I got Courier's autograph on a tennis ball and the event provided us with a picture frame signed by all 4 of the pros.  

Pinch me

I like to pretend Andy and I were both playing it coy here

Posing with a tennis legend

We got a chance to get cleaned up and change after the hitting session, and then the dinner and Q&A began. There was a great buffet spread and an open bar. Each pro came in for an interview and then the floor was opened up for questions. It was so cool to have it in an intimate setting like this, because the guys were all relaxed, the questions were casual, and you really felt like they could connect with the audience. 

Shortly after the Q&A ended, the matches began! First up was McEnroe vs. Courier, then Roddick vs. Philippoussis, and then the final between McEnroe and Roddick. Our seats were courtside, even with the back baseline. It was crazy to be that close to the action. The guys were within a few feet of us, literally within arms length at times. The matches are so fun because the players interact with the fans, heckle each other, and sometimes randomly come over to the crowd during play. It's not unusual for a player to stop and sign an autograph for a fan between points. Roddick broke his racket during play and handed it to a spectator as a souvenir. McEnroe even ate some popcorn from a fan nearby us. It's just so laidback and entertaining.

Hello, eye contact

This experience was truly spectacular and definitely the best gift I have ever received! My hubby is amazing for always seeking out activities that he knows I'll enjoy and for making them happen. I'm still pinching myself for having had this opportunity and am so grateful for all the pictures and videos I have from that day. It's probably a once in a lifetime experience, but that isn't going to stop me from checking out the schedule next year to see who the players will be!! 

The Buzz Bike

For Meezy's birthday this year, he decided he wanted to book The Buzz Bike. He's done it one time previously, but I never had before. It's a 16-person trolley-like vehicle that operates by the riders pedaling, with a driver doing the steering and braking. There are six seats on each side, with five of them being pedaling seats. There's a bench on the back that seats three (who don't have to pedal), and then one person stands in the middle and acts as the bartender.  It's a mobile party, with a little bit of a workout!

Here's the driver going over the policies and talking about the route we'd be taking.

Since The Buzz Bike has its origins in The Netherlands, you know us Dutch girls had to represent!

Here we are, about to depart for the fun:

The Buzz Bike is BYOB, so we brought a large cooler full of refreshments and then pizza and snacks. You can also provide your own playlist, so we had a great soundtrack for our ride. I gave everyone a whistle, so they could whistle for my attention when they wanted something to eat or drink!  It also worked well to go along with the cheering when people we would pass would wave and gawk at us.

Ryan thought the pedaling was tough during this part!

What can I get you??

Sisters on the bench

Partway through, my friend Kristen switched with me and took over the bartending job:

After you pedal for a while, you park for about 20-30 minutes so that you can go into a bar for additional refreshments or for a bathroom break. You then get back on for a while before making another short stop.  That's where we posed for our classy picture and our silly picture!

The whole thing lasts for about two hours. I really thought it was a blast, and I think everyone else did too. My only complaint is that you can only fit 16 people on there!  I wish it had seats for many more, so that we could've invited lots more friends. I highly recommend it for a fun time out with a group!

Mailbox Remodel

The mailbox we had at our house when we moved in was cute at first. It had a unique look, and I could see how it worked with the style of our house. Other houses in our neighborhood had the same mailbox, so I didn't think much of it.

After a while, it became evident that the mailbox wasn't very useful, though. The back of it had a keyhole, but the previous owners didn't have a key to it. So, it wouldn't lock. If the mailperson dropped a lot of items into it, the weight of the mail could hit the back and cause it to slightly open on its own (since we couldn't lock it to keep it shut). Because of the flap on the front and the bad seal on the back, rain often got inside. During freezing weather, the back would get ice on it and freeze shut, so I would have to stick my arm through the flap on the front and punch the back, so that it would swing open. A couple weeks ago, a reimbursement check sat in there for a while on a rainy day, before I could get to it, and the check was ruined. We had to call the sender and ask for a replacement. How did the previous owners live with it like this for so long?!?

After the check got ruined, that was the last straw. Over time, many of our neighbors have gotten custom brick or stone mailboxes installed.  I saw one around the corner that I liked, so I approached the neighbor and asked them who they used for the construction. Even though it had been seven years since they bought it, they still had their original invoice. I called the company they used, and much to my surprise, their quote was exactly the same as it had been to my neighbor seven years ago!  That, and the fact that my neighbor's mailbox still looked great after that much time, motivated me to employ their services.

They came out and looked at the brick on our house and determined that they could still find that same style. We got to choose what top we wanted on the mailbox, and also if we wanted numbers and where they would go. The actual mailbox insert would come from us, so we purchased this one from Lowe's.  The first day, they removed the old mailbox and its base, and poured the foundation for the new one. (We used this opportunity to get the new mailbox installed directly over our curb-painted numbers. It had previously been off-center).

The second day, they finished all the construction. It looks awesome!  I was very impressed with their work and happy with the cost. It's SO much nicer to walk out to the mailbox now, knowing my mail is secure and dry in a locked box.

Project Costs:
Mailbox insert: $100
Brick Construction, stone top, numbers plaque: $1,200

Be the Match!

If you know me at all, then you know how much I urge people to join the marrow registry at bethematch.org. That simple first step of swabbing inside my mouth eventually led to a lifesaving bone marrow donation for a young boy with leukemia.  If you are already on the registry, bravo! You've done your part.  If you're not on the registry, what are you waiting for?  You could be someone's cure.

In addition to joining the registry, supporting Be the Match financially is also important. Donated funds go toward covering the cost of the donation procedures, helping transplant recipients with costs that their insurance doesn't cover, spreading the word about the registry and helping it to grow, and furthering life-saving research.  If you've got a few dollars to spare this month, please consider donating on behalf of myself or my team for the event in Dallas on March 7th.  With your help, we can save even more lives. I'm so proud to have recruited 30 people to be on my team this year! It should be an awesome day.

The First Few Days

Shortly after Jude was born, I went to a recovery room.  They brought him in for some skin to skin time, and I got to hold my baby boy for the first time.  Unfortunately, that only lasted for about 5 minutes. The nurses told me his breathing wasn't great and that they'd need to take him to get evaluated.  I was sad to let him go, but knew it must be urgent by the way they were talking. I told Meezy to stay with the baby and for the first time, I was alone. I started to cry.

When a nurse came back in the room, I asked her to get my mom, so that someone would be in there with me. Shortly thereafter, my sisters came back to see me as well. After a few minutes, Meezy stopped by and said they were taking Jude to NICU. My mom and sisters stepped into the hall so they could see him as he was transported there. Since I wasn't going to be able to spend crucial bonding time with Jude right after birth, the nurses gave me a cloth to hold next to my skin so that it would absorb my smell. They would later place it on and around Jude in his warmer, so that he could start learning my scent. While I was very sad to think about him not being able to know his mom, I was thankful for the opportunity for a small part of me to be with him.

After a while in recovery, it was time for me to go to my private room. On the way there, they wheeled my bed to NICU so I could see Jude. This is what I saw:

My poor, sweet boy had an IV, a feeding tube, and had to wear a CPAP mask.  He was also hooked up to an EKG and pulse ox monitor. At a time when I should've been cuddling him close and getting acquainted with all his features, I had to see him from a distance. I could barely even tell what he looked like. Once I went to my room, I wasn't able to see him in person for the rest of that day. I had to rely on pictures from family members who were able to visit him and updates from Meezy on his condition.

Because he was premature, the alveoli (tiny sacs in the lungs that inflate with air when we breathe) weren't working as well as they should.  His oxygen saturation level was dangerously low, so he needed intervention.  The CPAP mask was giving him pressurized oxygen in an attempt to get his alveoli to learn how to function. Because he couldn't breathe well, and therefore wouldn't be able to breast feed, the feeding tube and IV were necessary in order for him to stay hydrated and nourished. The first day was a rough one for me. I just wanted to hold my son and feel confident that he would be alright. The doctors assured me he just needed time, so I had to be patient.

On Day 2, the numbness from the epidural had worn off, so I was allowed to visit Jude in the NICU.

As Meezy rolled my wheelchair up to his bed, I started bawling. There's already so many emotions going on after birth, and having to see my son like that just compounded everything. After I settled down and was able to touch him, the nurse snapped this pic so we could capture the moment. It was not the situation I expected to be in on day 2 of my son's life, but I was so grateful for it, nonetheless.

Back in my room, I worked on pumping every few hours so that Jude would have breastmilk. Besides that, there wasn't much else I could do besides wait. Luckily, the NICU had an awesome setup where they pointed a camera at his bed so that I could login on my phone and check on him whenever I wanted to. I felt a little closer to him at those times, and I stared at that screen for hours on end.

Meezy divided his time between Jude and me, and I sent him home at night so he could at least get a few hours sleep in a comfortable bed. I could see his exhaustion and knew he needed a break from all the stress. If ever there was a time where he showed what an amazing husband and father he is, this was it. He was so strong and supportive and kept me from being a basket case.

On Day 3, when Meezy and I entered NICU for a visit, I was shocked to hear them ask, "Would you like to hold him?" I was so anxious and excited and couldn't believe the time had finally come.

His CPAP mask had been removed, but he still had the feeding tube and IV inserted. I was so happy to feel him against my chest and finally get a good look at him. He still wasn't digesting food as well as he needed to be, but we were making progress!

On Day 4, as Jude's other issues were improving, the doctors addressed his jaundice.  He underwent phototherapy treatment, which basically looked like he was in a tanning bed!

At this point, I had been discharged, so I took up residence in a private room around the corner from the NICU. What a wonderful option for parents! I was able to be just a few steps away from him, but could have privacy for taking short naps and pumping milk. I stayed there overnight while Meezy stayed at our house with Dutch.

Day 5 happened to be Thanksgiving, and since Jude was making great strides, I asked Meezy to bring me home from the hospital for a few hours.  We grabbed some food from Boston Market and had our own version of Thanksgiving at home. It was nice to have a few hours out of the hospital, away from the stress. By the end of that day, Jude had his feeding tube removed. What a relief!  We knew it wouldn't be long before he could get out of NICU and be transferred to the special care nursery.

Once Jude got his IV removed on Day 6, we knew the transfer was imminent. All of his vitals were great and he was digesting food. We made our way over to the special care nursery that afternoon. In this area, he and I would actually be staying in the same room and I would be solely responsible for his feeding.

He was still hooked up to an EKG, but that was it. Because of his prematurity, he had to undergo a car seat test. That involved him having to be strapped in for 90 minutes while his pulse ox was monitored. It felt like an eternity, but he passed with flying colors. That night I didn't get any sleep, because my baby boy was finally staying just a few steps away from me and I was so excited about being able to finally go home the next day.

On Day 7, Jude got the all-clear to be discharged. Meezy and Dutch came and picked us up and we finally got to be a complete family of 4. It was such a long, stressful, draining week, but it was over. We knew it wouldn't be an easy road at home with a newborn and a (nearly) 3 year old, but at least Jude was healthy now and we'd all be together.

Many thanks to all the wonderful NICU nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas. We couldn't have asked for better care for our sweet boy. We are forever grateful to you for keeping him safe.

 

The Sewer Line Disaster of 2014

I don't know what else to call our sewer line situation besides a disaster. It stressed me out for about six months this year and cost us a fortune.  I guess we'll start from the beginning...

Last November, we got 13 exterior piers installed to stabilize our foundation.  That cost us $4,485, but we negotiated the purchase of the house with that in mind, since we already knew it would be necessary.  So, no harm, no foul.  After the piers were installed, a plumbing company tested our freshwater and sewer lines and said that we passed, meaning we had no leaks.  This April, we decided to get some additional foundation work done, because we felt like a couple more exterior piers were needed and some interior work might be necessary. After evaluating our options, we decided not to do interior piers because of the disruption it would cause to our hardwood and tile flooring.  Still needing interior stabilization, though, we opted instead for mudjacking. This was a less invasive process, because they could just drill small holes in rooms with carpet, inject the leveling substance, and then lay the carpet back down when finished.  That cost us $4,980.  We hadn't factored that into our purchase negotiations, so it hurt a little bit.  (Little did we know that was only the beginning!)

Before a company does mudjacking, they require water tests to make sure there are no holes in your plumbing lines.  If there are, you run the risk of injecting the substance into your freshwater or sewer lines.  Since we had just passed those tests five months prior, I wasn't worried.  Much to my surprise, this plumber told us we failed the sewer test. WTH?  I figured it must be a small leak, maybe from just a crack, not a hole, so we scheduled a leak detection for the next day and crossed our fingers. Oh.My.Gawd.  That was the first in no fewer than six leak detection visits we had from four different plumbers over the next several months.  I wanted to pull my hair out because every plumber that came verified that we failed the test, but none of them could tell us why we were failing.  After spending nearly a thousand dollars on detection, with no conclusive results, we went ahead with the mudjacking because we figured if the leak(s) wasn't noticeable enough to be found, then it wouldn't be large enough to give us problems with that process.  It was possible the leak(s) was on the complete other side of the house from where we were doing the mudjacking, so it wouldn't have come into play anyway.  Either way, that process got completed, and we took a couple weeks' break from worrying about the plumbing.

After a little more time had passed, I decided we had to address the failing sewer test.  Our foundation warranty wouldn't go into effect until we showed a passing test, and I would have to disclose the existence of a sewer line leak if we ever put our house on the market.  Those were compelling enough reasons to press on.

The next option for figuring out where our leak(s) was, was to shoot high pressure water throughout our lines to try and clear up any scaling or debris that might be blocking the lines.  Most leak detection is done through running cameras through your lines and looking for problem areas, and if we have debris in the way, that can prevent conclusive results.  The potential con, though, is that if you have brittle lines, high pressure water can cause cracks or holes.  We felt pretty hopeless at this point, so we agreed to the procedure.  That was another $150.  After that was done, they ran cameras again and this time told us they had definitely identified three leaks.  But, there were still some areas that were hard to analyze, so they couldn't promise us all our problems would be solved by addressing those three.  They mentioned our best course of action was replacing ALL our sewer lines, and we quickly dismissed that.  We opted to address the known leaks.  Now, that's easier said than done, because the pipes needing repair/replacement were underneath our house.  They were all directly located under floors covered in hardwood or tile.  If the plumbers went straight down through our floors, we'd then be stuck with replacing thousands in flooring on top of the actual plumbing costs. That wasn't appealing to us. We asked for an alternative and they suggested tunneling from the outside. That was pricier on the plumbing side of things, but we felt it would still be cheaper overall than replacing flooring, and would also mean less disruption to our lives (because the work would be done outside/underneath our house).  The total cost for that? $7,965.  The access points were a tunnel in our garage and a tunnel underneath Dutch's bathroom (that would serve to reach two of the leaks).

 

Tunnel in garage

This is how much dirt came out for the garage tunnel

Dirt from Dutch's tunnel and some of the old pipe

After that work was completed and paid for, you can guess what happened next.  We STILL failed the sewer test. Can you even fathom what was going through my head at this point?  I felt like I was on a prank show.  I think I was in such a daze that I couldn't even muster tears. Instead of continuing to do more leak detection and more spot repairs, we decided we had had enough.  It was time for full sewer line replacement.

As you can imagine, this job would be a huge undertaking. Instead of replacing the lines as they were currently located, it made more sense to replace and reroute all the existing lines outside of the footprint of our house, meaning there would be no more sewer lines running underneath the full expanse of the square footage. Each of our 5 areas of plumbing would be tunneled underneath and then from there the lines would be turned outward to follow a path around the house to hook up to the main city line.  Every inch of it would be new PVC as opposed to 50-year old cast iron. To make a path for the new lines, lots and lots of trenching had to be done. So, 77 feet of tunneling, 201 feet of trenching, plumbing repairs and city permits added up to $15,355.  Wrap your head around that, and don't forget this is on top of every expense I've listed already.

All of this work took about 3 weeks.  For 2 of those weeks, we had to be flexible with which plumbing we used.  For instance, for a few days I wasn't allowed to do laundry or use my kitchen sink. For a few days, we weren't allowed to use our master bathroom or Dutch's bathroom.  We luckily only had one night of absolutely no plumbing use allowed, and for the rest of the time we just had to avoid some areas while still being able to use others.  Having contractors in and out of our house every day was frustrating, though, especially for two adults who typically work from home. The last week of the process was spent on backfilling, repairing the hole in the garage, and repairing our sprinkler lines. 

All in all, we got a brand new sewer line system serving our house, which is definitely a huge selling point. It's not often you can find a home built in the 60s that has all PVC lines instead of cast iron. It's also not common for all of your lines to not be underneath your house, which means any potential issues (way in the future!) can be more easily diagnosed, analyzed, and repaired. We also have a very clear map of where all our sewer lines and clean-outs are. A small part of this is benefiting us now, but the big return won't be seen until we sell down the road.

Some collateral damage from the repairs was the effect it had on our yard.  Not only did the trenches ruin our sod, but the massive piles of dirt that sat in our yard for weeks killed the grass underneath too. We aren't going to address re-sodding until next year, when we can see just how much came back and how much is a lost cause. We did manage to cover up a big portion in one of the yards with the installation of Dutch's new playset.  

I know my words aren't giving you an adequate feel for just how tremendous this project was, so here are some pictures and a video:

           

Looks similar to the one above, but now you can see the second pile in the background

Trench that heads out to the main city connection

Another portion of that trench

Trench portion in side yard that continues to front yard

    
This shows the disruption to our front yard:




Project Costs:
Initial foundation work: $4,485
Additional foundation work: $4,980
Leak detection: $1,000
Leak repairs: $7,965
Full replacement: $15,355
Emotional toll: $$$$$$$$