Our new(ish) toy

For a long time, we've been trying to figure out a good solution for storing all of our digital media. To simplify things, and for organization purposes we have been using one of our computers for most everything, and then those folders were accessible from other computers via the wireless home network. The problems with this set-up were these: the main computer is a desktop, so if we want to look at pictures or video, we would need to have two computers powered on, also, with the addition of an HD video camera, the 250GB drive would be filling up rather quickly. So, I began to research our options.

I decided that it was time for us to get a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. You see, the problem for me with a USB external hard drive is that it can only be connected to one computer, and if you want to access the drive from another computer, then you either have to move the USB hard drive, or turn on the other computer. As I did my research, I settled upon the Linksys NAS 200 device (pictured below).

There are many options out there, but this seemed to be the most versatile and cost effective way for me to up our home storage capacity. Some may argue that this is not a 'true' NAS device, but it suits our purposes well. For those who have a Linksys router, this box is the same dimensions as the WRT54G (what we have, although now I am strongly considering an 'N' network...), so they are stackable. The way this guy works is that it hooks up to your router via ethernet connection (RJ-45), and then you can access the hard drives from your home network (note - be sure to have good network security...check). As far as capacity? The sky is the limit! There is actually no built in capacity, you add your own hard drives. There is room for 2 regular EIDE hard drives, and two USB external hard drives (more with a USB hub). Currently, we only are using one of the two slots, and are using a new Western Digital 1 TB hard drive (yes, you read it right, Terabyte).

So, for the past few days/weeks we've been transferring things over to the new drive. We've had it for a few weeks now, but I've been so busy with school that I still haven't gotten everything transferred to it, or the configurations just right, but so far, I am very pleased with the new toy.

Dressers Redo: Part II

The intro to this project was here, explaining that I am redoing 4 dressers, a mirror frame, and a bookshelf to go in my house.

To get started I wiped everything down really good with a damp rag and then let it dry.

Remember this antique beauty, my favorite of finds?

Well, half of its little rolly wheel bottoms were broken, plus I didn't like the look of them...

...so, I popped them off...

...and put on some real dresser feet.


And remember its matching mirror frame?



Well, it had part of the top decorative piece knocked off...


...so I took one of my saws to the other side...

...you won't even notice once it's painted.



Then we sanded away, scuffing up all of the surfaces.

I didn't like most of the hardware (drawer pulls), so I took all of them off.
Since I am painting these instead of staining, I just filled the holes with spackle, waited for it to dry, and sanded it down.

And now, my friends, we are ready for primer.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Daddy's Birthday.
He actually was born very close to midnight in between the 20th and the 21st, so the doctors let my grandma pick which date was Dad's listed birthday.
(or something like that, someone correct me if I've got it wrong)

Look, there are actually two people (one of which being Dad) in Grandma and Grandpa's garden.
Holy cow...it is huge.

Such a studly little kid.
Dad says he actually took sandpaper to his face around kindergarten to try to take off the freckles. I'm glad he didn't succeed, I think they are darn cute.

Happy Birthday!
Don't work too hard today.
Love you!

Florida Trip: Melvin & Lauren Wedding

We went down to Florida for two reasons:
1) to attend the wedding of Lauren and Melvin, both of which have grown up with the Hostetler family.
2) to see the whole Hostetler clan all in one place for this year.

The wedding went great. It did rain, but everybody worked around it and had a good time anyways.

The bride and groom with a niece and nephews.

The Orlando Temple grounds...so pretty.
I ran into my aunt and uncle who were down from Jacksonville for a youth temple trip.
Pretty big coincidence that we were there on the same day at the same time.
Unfortunately I didn't take a picture.

Loved her dress, it has so many pretty details.

Lauren with her sister, Lisa, and her little boy.
She has #2 on the way.



Hostetler Boys

Group waiting outside the temple.

Lauren's sister Meghan.

The cake.
The reception was held at the Watson homestead down in Wellington.

Melvin got his own groom's cake styled after a hamburger, a nod to the Watson McDonald's businesses, one of which Melvin manages.


On the drive from Orlando down to Wellington we headed to the beach.
Fun...and good people watching.




After church on Sunday Melba was recruited to take Hostetler family pictures.


Katherine was wearing a *wow* red dress while everyone else was somewhat muted, so I made the pic black and white.


The brothers.


Ahhh, the classic pose.


We got to spend Monday with Andrew and Grandma and Grandpa Hoglund before we had to go to the airport.
We played a rousing game of Skip-bo, which Grandpa soundly beat us all at.
I love spending time with Curt's grandparents.


Overall the trip was a well needed break and now we are looking forward to our trip to Utah for Christmas.

Yard Update

So, our last yard update was about our grass.
This time I'm showing the progress made on filling in our planting beds.

At the beginning of the day two Saturdays ago the main planting bed started out like this.
(The dirt is very clay-ey in our yard so Curt was loosening the dirt...again. It's been a battle this summer)


Here is a smaller planting section.


I have this one co-worker, Ray, who has, along with his wonderful wife, has been giving us plants from their mature-and-wonderfully-overflowing-with-beautiful-vegetation yard all summer. They're the ones who gave us all the starts for our storage bins before we could plant.

Well, another co-worker noticed when he brought me in a batch of new green stuff and offered stuff out of her yard and out of a friend's yard.
You will not believe how much we got in one morning.
It was ridiculously cool.

So many awesome plants!
So Curt and I spent the first 1/2 of the day digging stuff up, and the second 1/2 putting stuff in.


And here's how it looks for now...

So the sum of what we have spent on our yard is still under $75.
We still have a ways to go...but we have made a huge change from the dirt pile it was 2 months ago.
I am so thankful for people who are willing to share.