I am so excited! After living "in the boonies" for 14 years I'm looking forward to living closer to civilization. Only a mile to the grocery store instead of 20+ miles!
Showing posts with label personal ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal ramblings. Show all posts
Monday, April 11, 2011
Closing in a Week!
I'm sorry I've been MIA but life has been a little crazy lately. I am closing on a new house in a week. So, no time for crafts as I've been busy packing for months (or at least it feels that way). Here's the new place:
I am so excited! After living "in the boonies" for 14 years I'm looking forward to living closer to civilization. Only a mile to the grocery store instead of 20+ miles!
I am so excited! After living "in the boonies" for 14 years I'm looking forward to living closer to civilization. Only a mile to the grocery store instead of 20+ miles!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
What I've been up to...
Just got back from a 12 day trip to Idaho. It was so nice to get away from the heat for a bit. Hard to believe that I needed a light blanket to sit outside in the evenings. It was about 5,000 ft elevation where I was most of the time. The second day we took the kids and the dogs and went to this lake. It was gorgeous. The water was a wee bit cold but the kids still went in and played.
Then we helped with a petting zoo for my cousin's scout troop and my oldest son rode on the scout float in the 4th of July parade. My youngest stayed with me and collected candy. I have NEVER seen a parade where they threw out that much candy. I bet my purse weighed 20 pounds (not kidding) AND he got a t-shirt that someone threw.
We spent one day at a hot spring where the kids (once again) got to swim. I was expecting something more like a rock hole with warm water flowing into it...but this was actually like a swimming pool. It just pulled it's water from a hot spring.
Then we went camping at about 7,000 ft elevation. Brrr. Only bad thing was the stupid mosquitos that were everywhere. I swear they were as big as flies! We were planning on staying for two nights but cut it short because they were SO bad.
Then the last two days I stayed with another cousin in Boise (a little warmer there) and we went to a couple quilt shops which was fun.
All in all I got to visit with 4 first cousins and their spouses, 3 first cousins once removed (and their spouses) and all the assorted children and animals that went along with them.
This is my favorite picture from the trip...because it was totally unscripted. I love it when they play nice with each other!
Now I'm back into the thick of things getting oldest DS ready for middle school, my youngest's birthday is this week, and I have to have everything ready for my MBA application by the 19th. All while working two jobs. Yikes! ;-P
Then we helped with a petting zoo for my cousin's scout troop and my oldest son rode on the scout float in the 4th of July parade. My youngest stayed with me and collected candy. I have NEVER seen a parade where they threw out that much candy. I bet my purse weighed 20 pounds (not kidding) AND he got a t-shirt that someone threw.
We spent one day at a hot spring where the kids (once again) got to swim. I was expecting something more like a rock hole with warm water flowing into it...but this was actually like a swimming pool. It just pulled it's water from a hot spring.
Then we went camping at about 7,000 ft elevation. Brrr. Only bad thing was the stupid mosquitos that were everywhere. I swear they were as big as flies! We were planning on staying for two nights but cut it short because they were SO bad.
Then the last two days I stayed with another cousin in Boise (a little warmer there) and we went to a couple quilt shops which was fun.
All in all I got to visit with 4 first cousins and their spouses, 3 first cousins once removed (and their spouses) and all the assorted children and animals that went along with them.
This is my favorite picture from the trip...because it was totally unscripted. I love it when they play nice with each other!
Now I'm back into the thick of things getting oldest DS ready for middle school, my youngest's birthday is this week, and I have to have everything ready for my MBA application by the 19th. All while working two jobs. Yikes! ;-P
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Pictures
Well, nothing has changed...but not my computer recognizes the camera's USB port. So I guess that means I will share pictures. LOL.
First off...this is my quilt top after this past weekend's quilting retreat. I'm not sure if it's done or not. I was going to add a border because the sides are still just a little shy of completly covering the boxspring and going down to where the wood is. And in this bed the boxspring sits all the way down to the bottom of the sidebar piece of wood. But this isn't the bed it's going to 'live on' longterm. So I may wait and audition it on the new bed once I get it and then decide about the border.
And next up is a better picture of the long nose snake I caught with my son's assistance. He was released back outside yesterday.
Today is the last day of school here. Yikes! I'm dreading the summer...and the kids are looking forward to it. I give them about 3 days before they are totally bickering amongst themselves. Too much of each other is not a good thing. LOL.
First off...this is my quilt top after this past weekend's quilting retreat. I'm not sure if it's done or not. I was going to add a border because the sides are still just a little shy of completly covering the boxspring and going down to where the wood is. And in this bed the boxspring sits all the way down to the bottom of the sidebar piece of wood. But this isn't the bed it's going to 'live on' longterm. So I may wait and audition it on the new bed once I get it and then decide about the border.
And next up is a better picture of the long nose snake I caught with my son's assistance. He was released back outside yesterday.
Today is the last day of school here. Yikes! I'm dreading the summer...and the kids are looking forward to it. I give them about 3 days before they are totally bickering amongst themselves. Too much of each other is not a good thing. LOL.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Misc Ramblings
First off, I wanted to share something I saw hanging on a bulletin board. My guess is that it's from a book but I couldn't tell you exactly where it came from. I just know I liked it and wanted to share it. LOL.
We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are,
when beneath every attitude is the want to be loved
and beneath every anger is a wound to be healed,
and beneath every sadness is the fear that there
will not be enough time.
When we hesitate in being direct,
we unknowingly slip something on, some
added layer of protection that keeps us from feeling the world,
and often that thin covering is the beginning of a loneliness which,
if not put down, diminishes our chances for joy.
It's like wearing gloves every time we touch something, and then,
forgetting we chose to put them on, we complain
that nothing feels quite real. In this way,
our challenge each day is not to get dressed to face
the world, but to unglove ourselves
so that the doorknob feels cold, and
the car handle feels wet, and the kiss good-bye feels like the lips of
another being, soft and unrepeatable.
-- Author Unknown
I still have a 'poem' from Jr. High days that talks about the masks we wear and when I saw this hanging on the bulletin board it made me think of the masks one.
Last night I was talking to a friend and they told me that in their lifetime I was one of the few people they've ever met who was true. That I didn't initiate drama, I didn't talk about other people and stir the pot amongst people, I kept any secrets told to me, I didn't backstab my friends, etc. I told her I try my best to be true.
And I was going to share new pics of the snake and the quilt...but my camera's USB port isn't being recognized for some reason. So I guess no pictures today. Sorry about that!
We waste so much energy trying to cover up who we are,
when beneath every attitude is the want to be loved
and beneath every anger is a wound to be healed,
and beneath every sadness is the fear that there
will not be enough time.
When we hesitate in being direct,
we unknowingly slip something on, some
added layer of protection that keeps us from feeling the world,
and often that thin covering is the beginning of a loneliness which,
if not put down, diminishes our chances for joy.
It's like wearing gloves every time we touch something, and then,
forgetting we chose to put them on, we complain
that nothing feels quite real. In this way,
our challenge each day is not to get dressed to face
the world, but to unglove ourselves
so that the doorknob feels cold, and
the car handle feels wet, and the kiss good-bye feels like the lips of
another being, soft and unrepeatable.
-- Author Unknown
I still have a 'poem' from Jr. High days that talks about the masks we wear and when I saw this hanging on the bulletin board it made me think of the masks one.
Last night I was talking to a friend and they told me that in their lifetime I was one of the few people they've ever met who was true. That I didn't initiate drama, I didn't talk about other people and stir the pot amongst people, I kept any secrets told to me, I didn't backstab my friends, etc. I told her I try my best to be true.
And I was going to share new pics of the snake and the quilt...but my camera's USB port isn't being recognized for some reason. So I guess no pictures today. Sorry about that!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Coolest Mom EVER Award
Today I got awarded the Coolest Mom Ever award by my youngest son. Why? Well, let me tell you...
I heard Chewey (our youngest dog) barking like crazy outside. He was UNDER the porch. My first thought was probably a scorpion (I'd heard that bark before with a scorpion). So I ask my son to see if he can look under there and see what the dog is barking at. Well, it's not a scorpion...but it's a snake. Great. I can't leave the snake there because of the dogs. I can't let my son get it (which he wants to) because I don't know what kind of snake it is. From a distance it looks like it's brown/black in color and could potentially be a rattler.
So I get the garbage can and the broom and I lay on my tummy and shimmy my fat butt under the porch. That in itself was not an easy feat! Military crawl through dirt/rocks under me and spider webs (probably black widows) above me. Thank goodness noone was videotaping that. LOL.
I get under there and then I could tell he wasn't a rattlesnake. He was red/black in color. I thought he was a king snake at the time but my brother informed me later that he is a long nose snake. He is curled way in the furthest corner under the bottom step. It took a bit of gentle handling him with the handle of the broom to get him moving (at first he coiled up to strike at it). Then he's moving towards me and I'm wondering how quickly I could shimmy out of there if it became necessary!
Luckily he went against the wall and I was able to shove the garbage can against the wall and he climbed into it. Then I handed the garbage can out to my youngest son.
Well, then, he wants to keep the snake to show to Dad. So we had to transfer the lizard that is in our smaller cage to an ice cream pail and then transfer the snake into the smaller cage. Where he is now contently buried in the wood chips.
I think DAD gets the chore of turning the snake loose! LOL.
I heard Chewey (our youngest dog) barking like crazy outside. He was UNDER the porch. My first thought was probably a scorpion (I'd heard that bark before with a scorpion). So I ask my son to see if he can look under there and see what the dog is barking at. Well, it's not a scorpion...but it's a snake. Great. I can't leave the snake there because of the dogs. I can't let my son get it (which he wants to) because I don't know what kind of snake it is. From a distance it looks like it's brown/black in color and could potentially be a rattler.
So I get the garbage can and the broom and I lay on my tummy and shimmy my fat butt under the porch. That in itself was not an easy feat! Military crawl through dirt/rocks under me and spider webs (probably black widows) above me. Thank goodness noone was videotaping that. LOL.
I get under there and then I could tell he wasn't a rattlesnake. He was red/black in color. I thought he was a king snake at the time but my brother informed me later that he is a long nose snake. He is curled way in the furthest corner under the bottom step. It took a bit of gentle handling him with the handle of the broom to get him moving (at first he coiled up to strike at it). Then he's moving towards me and I'm wondering how quickly I could shimmy out of there if it became necessary!
Luckily he went against the wall and I was able to shove the garbage can against the wall and he climbed into it. Then I handed the garbage can out to my youngest son.
Well, then, he wants to keep the snake to show to Dad. So we had to transfer the lizard that is in our smaller cage to an ice cream pail and then transfer the snake into the smaller cage. Where he is now contently buried in the wood chips.
I think DAD gets the chore of turning the snake loose! LOL.
Monday, April 26, 2010
I think I'll hang on to you!
I have a lot to share this week. I went on a bit of a cardmaking spree. And I have some other pics to share as well.
So first of all, let me share a card to get the ball rolling...
On the inside of the card it says: "I think I'll hold on to you".
This is a Stampendous Changito stamp...I think it came out around Father's Day time. I don't own it, but was lucky enough to have someone send me some images. It's SO cute! I colored it in using prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I love how the jeans look worn. To do that I only put color around the edges and blended towards the middle leaving the middle lighter. Here's a close up of the image.
On the personal front...I thought I'd show you what my Friday night was like. Take two boys, add a friend, two bedrooms across from each other, and MANY blankets/towels/etc later and this is what you get.
See the "firetruck"? It is the bridge between the two bedrooms. They can enter the 'fort' from either bedroom. The second bedroom has most of the fort in it.
And here you can see just a TINY bit of the corner of the firetruck and then the rest of the fort in the second bedroom:
It seems every weekend (and many weeknights) I end up with at least 1 if not 2 extra kids. Most the time I don't mind. But lately, I swear they are eating me out of house and home. Don't other people feed their kids? Or is it just that my food tastes so much better? The neighbor girl was telling my youngest son how lucky they were because I buy good food and I don't make them clean the house. I keep telling my kids they are spoiled but they don't believe me (of course).
Today I am off to the pet store to get baby crickets for the lizards the kids caught. Super mom to the rescue! LOL.
So first of all, let me share a card to get the ball rolling...
On the inside of the card it says: "I think I'll hold on to you".
This is a Stampendous Changito stamp...I think it came out around Father's Day time. I don't own it, but was lucky enough to have someone send me some images. It's SO cute! I colored it in using prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I love how the jeans look worn. To do that I only put color around the edges and blended towards the middle leaving the middle lighter. Here's a close up of the image.
On the personal front...I thought I'd show you what my Friday night was like. Take two boys, add a friend, two bedrooms across from each other, and MANY blankets/towels/etc later and this is what you get.
See the "firetruck"? It is the bridge between the two bedrooms. They can enter the 'fort' from either bedroom. The second bedroom has most of the fort in it.
And here you can see just a TINY bit of the corner of the firetruck and then the rest of the fort in the second bedroom:
It seems every weekend (and many weeknights) I end up with at least 1 if not 2 extra kids. Most the time I don't mind. But lately, I swear they are eating me out of house and home. Don't other people feed their kids? Or is it just that my food tastes so much better? The neighbor girl was telling my youngest son how lucky they were because I buy good food and I don't make them clean the house. I keep telling my kids they are spoiled but they don't believe me (of course).
Today I am off to the pet store to get baby crickets for the lizards the kids caught. Super mom to the rescue! LOL.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Retail Therapy
What does one do when they have excess cash from their tax refund? They enter into an agreement to do some RETAIL therapy! LOL.
I went and got new bathroom stuff (curtain and towels) for my bathroom. I like the blues/browns.
Very peaceful. Don't you think?
Now I wish I could convince the boys to use THEIR bathroom so I could have mine all to myself. But they like my bigger tub so I guess I am destined to share my bubblebath with 8 plastic hippos looking on. LOL.
I went and got new bathroom stuff (curtain and towels) for my bathroom. I like the blues/browns.
Very peaceful. Don't you think?
Now I wish I could convince the boys to use THEIR bathroom so I could have mine all to myself. But they like my bigger tub so I guess I am destined to share my bubblebath with 8 plastic hippos looking on. LOL.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wrong Baby
If you know me at all...you know I love country music. For the most part, I enjoy both the musicality and the lyrics. I grew up on the old stuff...Johnny Cash, etc. Once in a while a song comes along that speaks to me. The lyrics in particular. At different points in my life I've had a 'song' that went with that part of my life.
I recently heard this song (Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong) by Martina McBride. It spoke to me. It is probaby written more for the one who has been left in a relationship (not for the initiator) but when a relationship comes to an end both people go through the same grief emotions. And that is what this is about...feeling the hurt but moving on to better things.
Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong
Martina McBride
Wrong baby wrong baby wrong
It ain’t the end of the world
Don’t you worry pretty girl
Cause now that he’s gone baby gone baby gone
You got nothing to lose
Count the minutes if you want to
It won’t be long baby long baby long
‘Til you find somebody new
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby
Cry baby cry baby cry
Go on and let it all out
I ain’t leavin’ you now
And we can fly baby fly baby fly
Let’s share a bottle of wine
We can laugh about the good times
And you’ll know why baby why baby why
It’s gonna be alright
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby wrong
Oh you ain’t gone
baby wrong baby wrong
There’s nothing wrong with movin on
When you know he’s good and gone
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby wrong
You’re wrong baby wrong
Wrong baby wrong baby wrong
I recently heard this song (Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong) by Martina McBride. It spoke to me. It is probaby written more for the one who has been left in a relationship (not for the initiator) but when a relationship comes to an end both people go through the same grief emotions. And that is what this is about...feeling the hurt but moving on to better things.
Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong
Martina McBride
Wrong baby wrong baby wrong
It ain’t the end of the world
Don’t you worry pretty girl
Cause now that he’s gone baby gone baby gone
You got nothing to lose
Count the minutes if you want to
It won’t be long baby long baby long
‘Til you find somebody new
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby
Cry baby cry baby cry
Go on and let it all out
I ain’t leavin’ you now
And we can fly baby fly baby fly
Let’s share a bottle of wine
We can laugh about the good times
And you’ll know why baby why baby why
It’s gonna be alright
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby wrong
Oh you ain’t gone
baby wrong baby wrong
There’s nothing wrong with movin on
When you know he’s good and gone
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That’s what we all do
But if you think you’ll never move on you’re wrong baby wrong
You’re wrong baby wrong
Wrong baby wrong baby wrong
Friday, April 9, 2010
Whoo Hooo!
I am going to toot my own horn here. About 3 months ago I went to the doctor. She had tested my vitamin D levels and said I was deficient and to start taking a supplement. She also suggested I try to lose some weight (no big surprise at that suggestion! LOL!)
With everything going on in my personal life I didn't have the energy to try and do the full 'weight loss mode' thing. But I did decide to try and eat healthier. Cutting out most sweets and most soda (limiting it to my morning caffeine). I've also started walking and joined a gym.
So, yesterday was my follow up appointment. According to my home scale I'd lost 10 pounds. So I was happy when their scale actually said 16 pounds. She retested the vitamin D levels and they've dropped even further. So now she has me on a prescribed dose to try and get it up in the normal range. One of the effects of vitamin D deficiency is lack of energy and signs of depression. So hopefully once we get the levels up maybe I'll have more energy to go work out at the gym and lose more weight! :-)
With everything going on in my personal life I didn't have the energy to try and do the full 'weight loss mode' thing. But I did decide to try and eat healthier. Cutting out most sweets and most soda (limiting it to my morning caffeine). I've also started walking and joined a gym.
So, yesterday was my follow up appointment. According to my home scale I'd lost 10 pounds. So I was happy when their scale actually said 16 pounds. She retested the vitamin D levels and they've dropped even further. So now she has me on a prescribed dose to try and get it up in the normal range. One of the effects of vitamin D deficiency is lack of energy and signs of depression. So hopefully once we get the levels up maybe I'll have more energy to go work out at the gym and lose more weight! :-)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Apology and Guess What I Got???
First off, an apology. I'm sorry I'm not posting much in the way of creative stuff lately. I am going through some personal stuff that seems to have sucked all my mojo out.
Secondly, I am SO excited about my new find! I have wanted a cherry wood sleigh bedroom set forever. I have never owned a NEW bedroom set. So I started watching for a used sleigh bedroom set that I could afford. It took about six months but I found the set of my dreams in the town where my brother lives. And not only is it a cherry wood sleigh set, but it is a NEW cherry wood sleigh set. The grandfather bought it for the granddaughter and when it was delivered she didn't like the dark wood. So they sold it for about half the price of new but it's still in the boxes!
My brother picked it up for me and it's stored in his garage right now until we can manage the delivery (he lives a couple hours away).
Isn't it pretty????
There is also a mirror that goes with the shorter dresser. The only thing I wish it had that it doesn't...is a second nightstand. But I can live with that. :-)
Secondly, I am SO excited about my new find! I have wanted a cherry wood sleigh bedroom set forever. I have never owned a NEW bedroom set. So I started watching for a used sleigh bedroom set that I could afford. It took about six months but I found the set of my dreams in the town where my brother lives. And not only is it a cherry wood sleigh set, but it is a NEW cherry wood sleigh set. The grandfather bought it for the granddaughter and when it was delivered she didn't like the dark wood. So they sold it for about half the price of new but it's still in the boxes!
My brother picked it up for me and it's stored in his garage right now until we can manage the delivery (he lives a couple hours away).
Isn't it pretty????
There is also a mirror that goes with the shorter dresser. The only thing I wish it had that it doesn't...is a second nightstand. But I can live with that. :-)
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I Pray For You
Heard this song on the radio yesterday and it cracked me up. If I could figure out how to insert the youtube video here I would (any readers want to help me?). Otherwise, go check out the link. The song is called "I Pray For You".
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Massive Characters
I heard this quote on Criminal Minds yesterday and it is so true.
"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls. The most massive characters are seared with scars." Khalil Gibran
I have had both the torment and the blessing of losing two children. Torment because I lost them and it tore my heart apart...but blessing because in the process I met many other parents who have lost children and each of them are 'massive characters' and I am lucky to know them. I believe that I have also become a better/stronger/more compassionate person because of their deaths.
I do not believe 'everything happens for a reason' but I do believe we can use a bad experience to learn and grow.
"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls. The most massive characters are seared with scars." Khalil Gibran
I have had both the torment and the blessing of losing two children. Torment because I lost them and it tore my heart apart...but blessing because in the process I met many other parents who have lost children and each of them are 'massive characters' and I am lucky to know them. I believe that I have also become a better/stronger/more compassionate person because of their deaths.
I do not believe 'everything happens for a reason' but I do believe we can use a bad experience to learn and grow.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Watch Out!
I grew up with a Dad who was a WWII Ranger and three older brothers. I remember going out target practicing from the time I was probably 7 or 8. When I moved out on my own I got a firearm for protection. When I had kids I put the firearm away (locked up) and just didn't use it at all. So it's been at least 12 years since I've shot anything. So...today I decided it was time to take it out to the range. I had to have them go over how to load/shoot it again (it's been THAT long). They set me up and left me to practice.
When I finished the guy told me he couldn't believe it'd been 12 years since I'd shot. According to him it is a 'perishable' skill and you need to practice every so often to stay accurate. But of all the shots I fired...only a few fell outside the black circle and I got quite a few in the bullseye. Not bad for a short barreled revolver which isn't known for it's accuracy. He originally set the distance for me and I shot some at that distance (got one of the ones outside the black circle at the shorter distance) and then I moved the target further out and shot some at a longer distance and that's where I got the other few. I think there were either 3 or 4 total outside the black.
I've been wanting to do this for a few months but didn't have anyone to go to the range with and I hate going anywhere by myself for the first time. Plus I knew I was going to have to ask for help. I'm a total chicken when it comes to doing new things by myself. So I'm more proud of myself for just DOING it than the actual skill - but it's all good! :-)
Have you seen 'Yes Man' with Jim Carrey? It goes a little overboard (doesn't all of Jim Carrey's movies?) but I do like the premise. Say YES to life and all of it's opportunities.
Hopefully next week I'll get back to some crafting. Kids have been on spring break all week. Sorry!
When I finished the guy told me he couldn't believe it'd been 12 years since I'd shot. According to him it is a 'perishable' skill and you need to practice every so often to stay accurate. But of all the shots I fired...only a few fell outside the black circle and I got quite a few in the bullseye. Not bad for a short barreled revolver which isn't known for it's accuracy. He originally set the distance for me and I shot some at that distance (got one of the ones outside the black circle at the shorter distance) and then I moved the target further out and shot some at a longer distance and that's where I got the other few. I think there were either 3 or 4 total outside the black.
I've been wanting to do this for a few months but didn't have anyone to go to the range with and I hate going anywhere by myself for the first time. Plus I knew I was going to have to ask for help. I'm a total chicken when it comes to doing new things by myself. So I'm more proud of myself for just DOING it than the actual skill - but it's all good! :-)
Have you seen 'Yes Man' with Jim Carrey? It goes a little overboard (doesn't all of Jim Carrey's movies?) but I do like the premise. Say YES to life and all of it's opportunities.
Hopefully next week I'll get back to some crafting. Kids have been on spring break all week. Sorry!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Things to Do Before I Die
Ended up making chicken nuggets and tator tots for dinner. But not store bought nuggets (does that at least get me some brownie points?) It was either that or I could have made homemade pizza...but since we had pizza a couple nights ago I didn't want to do that again. Everything else I seemed to be missing at least one ingredient on OR I didn't have enough for everyone (the boys have a friend spending the night again). So nuggets and tator tots it became (and even then I didn't eat any because it was only enough for them). Gotta go grocery shopping tomorrow!
In the meantime...I started to make a list of things I want to do before I die. I actually started a scrapbook at some point with this general idea but I don't even know where it ended up. And I have accomplished a few things from the original scrapbook (ie...seeing a panda bear, learning to sew). But these are new. Enjoy!
Things To Do Before I Die:
Visit all of the states
Visit New Zealand or Austrailia
Lose weight and become healthier
Participate on a softball team again
Complete a full marathon (have already done a half)
Have 'artistic photo' taken (ie nekkid but tasteful)
Pay for a meal for an elderly person
Spend a day on the beach
Write a book
Build a savings cushion
Pay off all outstanding debt
Buy a house of my own
Put overdraft on checking account (done)
Start a savings account for kids' education
Learn to country dance
Learn to jitterbug
Take a cooking class
Make fortune cookies
Bake a perfect cheesecake
Fry perfect chicken
Learn to pitch a tent and camp
Get my MBA degree
Take belly dancing class
Take a cruise
Ride on a train (Durango?)
Try skiing again
Learn to snorkel
Take a hot air balloon ride
Make a donation quilt for someone in need
Become a regular volunteer
Learn to play guitar and/or piano
Learn to crochet
Grow roses (without killing them!)
Write a will
Prepay/plan funeral
Take a spontaneous road trip
Learn to say 'yes' (learn to not be afraid of trying new things)
Learn to say 'no' (learn it's ok to set boundries)
Become my own best friend
Go to a movie by myself
Learn to have positive self talk
Put change into someone else's meter when it's close to running out
Pay for the person behind me in the drive thru
Adopt a family for the holidays
Learn to ride a motorcycle (streetbike not a dirtbike)
See a psychic for a reading
Go on a first date post divorce
Establish an extended family of friends
Make enough of a difference to know I'll be missed
Get my CCW permit
Live in a real house (not a modular home)
Own new bedroom set/living room furniture (always buy used)
Own a car with less than 10,000 miles on it
Ok...I guess I'm back to decluttering and reading my new book. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
In the meantime...I started to make a list of things I want to do before I die. I actually started a scrapbook at some point with this general idea but I don't even know where it ended up. And I have accomplished a few things from the original scrapbook (ie...seeing a panda bear, learning to sew). But these are new. Enjoy!
Things To Do Before I Die:
Visit all of the states
Visit New Zealand or Austrailia
Lose weight and become healthier
Participate on a softball team again
Complete a full marathon (have already done a half)
Have 'artistic photo' taken (ie nekkid but tasteful)
Pay for a meal for an elderly person
Spend a day on the beach
Write a book
Build a savings cushion
Pay off all outstanding debt
Buy a house of my own
Put overdraft on checking account (done)
Start a savings account for kids' education
Learn to country dance
Learn to jitterbug
Take a cooking class
Make fortune cookies
Bake a perfect cheesecake
Fry perfect chicken
Learn to pitch a tent and camp
Get my MBA degree
Take belly dancing class
Take a cruise
Ride on a train (Durango?)
Try skiing again
Learn to snorkel
Take a hot air balloon ride
Make a donation quilt for someone in need
Become a regular volunteer
Learn to play guitar and/or piano
Learn to crochet
Grow roses (without killing them!)
Write a will
Prepay/plan funeral
Take a spontaneous road trip
Learn to say 'yes' (learn to not be afraid of trying new things)
Learn to say 'no' (learn it's ok to set boundries)
Become my own best friend
Go to a movie by myself
Learn to have positive self talk
Put change into someone else's meter when it's close to running out
Pay for the person behind me in the drive thru
Adopt a family for the holidays
Learn to ride a motorcycle (streetbike not a dirtbike)
See a psychic for a reading
Go on a first date post divorce
Establish an extended family of friends
Make enough of a difference to know I'll be missed
Get my CCW permit
Live in a real house (not a modular home)
Own new bedroom set/living room furniture (always buy used)
Own a car with less than 10,000 miles on it
Ok...I guess I'm back to decluttering and reading my new book. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Bleh...
I don't know what to do with myself today. I know what I SHOULD do (ie...fold laundry, vacuum, declutter, etc, etc) but I don't feel like doing that. I actually FEEL like cooking/baking but the fridge/freezer/pantry is starting to look a little barren. In particular there are no eggs or oil at all. So baking is definately out. I wanted to make some homemade bread or rolls...but those also require eggs. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day. Tonight I'll just have to make do with what I have and deal with the boredom.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Weekend Trip
I spent this past weekend in Strawberry, Arizona with family and friends. It was a great time. This is the 'cabin' we stayed in. I say 'cabin' because it was really a modular home with cabin siding. I was disappointed that it wasn't a true log cabin. But the patio and view were amazing. There was a little babbling brook right underneath the patio too.
On Saturday we went into a town called 'Pine' just a few miles down the road. There we found a quilt shop and visited some antique shops. The quilt shop was housed in an OLD log cabin. Very friendly people. Very cute shop. Of course I had to buy fabric!
On Sunday we did the 'tourist' thing on the way out of town. We stopped and saw what claims to be the oldest standing school in Arizona.
And then we stopped at a National Park. We had to go DOWN into this canyon to get to the park and by the time we reached bottom my brakes were literally SMOKING. Yikes! We pull in and it's a self pay station. It's $4.00 each and we have eight ones or a twenty. So we put eight ones in and call it good. Wouldn't you know they actually tracked us down for our $4 while we were there? It probably cost him $4 to drive down and find us! He had change for the $20 and we had no problem paying to get in. So we got caught and paid. :-)
The first thing we saw were a herd of javelina. They crossed the parking lot right in front of us. There was one baby and a teenager and then a few adults. This is one of the adults.
Next we walked DOWN what felt like a zillion uneven steps (some 6 inches deep some probably closer to 2 feet) to get to a little waterfall area. My knees were shaking by the time I made it down. By the time I made it back up I had decided it was a good thing I have life insurance! LOL.
Lastly we walked around a couple trails until we found what we'd really come looking for...the natural rock bridge.
It was a great weekend. But I am glad to be back home with my boys. And I slept like a baby in my own bed last night. Always good to be home.
On Saturday we went into a town called 'Pine' just a few miles down the road. There we found a quilt shop and visited some antique shops. The quilt shop was housed in an OLD log cabin. Very friendly people. Very cute shop. Of course I had to buy fabric!
On Sunday we did the 'tourist' thing on the way out of town. We stopped and saw what claims to be the oldest standing school in Arizona.
And then we stopped at a National Park. We had to go DOWN into this canyon to get to the park and by the time we reached bottom my brakes were literally SMOKING. Yikes! We pull in and it's a self pay station. It's $4.00 each and we have eight ones or a twenty. So we put eight ones in and call it good. Wouldn't you know they actually tracked us down for our $4 while we were there? It probably cost him $4 to drive down and find us! He had change for the $20 and we had no problem paying to get in. So we got caught and paid. :-)
The first thing we saw were a herd of javelina. They crossed the parking lot right in front of us. There was one baby and a teenager and then a few adults. This is one of the adults.
Next we walked DOWN what felt like a zillion uneven steps (some 6 inches deep some probably closer to 2 feet) to get to a little waterfall area. My knees were shaking by the time I made it down. By the time I made it back up I had decided it was a good thing I have life insurance! LOL.
Lastly we walked around a couple trails until we found what we'd really come looking for...the natural rock bridge.
It was a great weekend. But I am glad to be back home with my boys. And I slept like a baby in my own bed last night. Always good to be home.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Love This...
I was driving the other day and heard this song. It was by Matt Cannon (I think that's what they said). I've never heard the name before but love the lyrics and the idea behind them. We never know when something small that we say or do will make a HUGE impact on someone else. It might be as simple as calling to say 'hello'.
So Glad You Called
Today was gonna be the day
He´d already wrote the note
And parked that Chevrolet
At the end of that dead end road
Had his finger on the trigger
Just about to end everything
He was taking one last long breathe
When he heard his cell phone ring
And his best friend says man where've you been?
We´re headed down to the lake this weekend
You better not miss it ´cause buddy I swear
It won´t be the same if you ain't there
And i told that girl that you like so much
You were coming along and her eyes lit up
I better let you go man i really hope i didnt catch you in the middle of anything
He said you kinda did but i don´t mind at all
I´m so glad you called
In another town down the road
In the backseat of a car
Two 18 year olds had let a kiss go to far
He said how are we gonna have this child
When were both headed off to school?
He convinced her late one night there´s only one thing to do
She was scared to death in that waiting room
When the nurse asked how far along are you
She said 5 weeks and just about then her phone lit up
And his call came in
Saying baby i was wrong about everything
I´ve already bought you a diamond ring we´re gonna start a life
Would you be my wife
Boy or girl; pink or blue; yeah either way
All she could say as she felt those tear drops fall was
I´m so glad you called
If someone you know is weighing on your mind
And needs a friend on the other end of the line
Don´t hesitate what you say may seem so small
But who knows
They might be glad you called
So make the call
Yeah make that call
So Glad You Called
Today was gonna be the day
He´d already wrote the note
And parked that Chevrolet
At the end of that dead end road
Had his finger on the trigger
Just about to end everything
He was taking one last long breathe
When he heard his cell phone ring
And his best friend says man where've you been?
We´re headed down to the lake this weekend
You better not miss it ´cause buddy I swear
It won´t be the same if you ain't there
And i told that girl that you like so much
You were coming along and her eyes lit up
I better let you go man i really hope i didnt catch you in the middle of anything
He said you kinda did but i don´t mind at all
I´m so glad you called
In another town down the road
In the backseat of a car
Two 18 year olds had let a kiss go to far
He said how are we gonna have this child
When were both headed off to school?
He convinced her late one night there´s only one thing to do
She was scared to death in that waiting room
When the nurse asked how far along are you
She said 5 weeks and just about then her phone lit up
And his call came in
Saying baby i was wrong about everything
I´ve already bought you a diamond ring we´re gonna start a life
Would you be my wife
Boy or girl; pink or blue; yeah either way
All she could say as she felt those tear drops fall was
I´m so glad you called
If someone you know is weighing on your mind
And needs a friend on the other end of the line
Don´t hesitate what you say may seem so small
But who knows
They might be glad you called
So make the call
Yeah make that call
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Little of Everything
Today's posting will have quilting, cards, AND personal ramblings. A little bit of everything! :-)
First, the quilt. This is the quilt front that I made at my last quilt retreat. I decided I should probably have it quilted before the next retreat in March so I'll have something for 'Show and Tell'. So I laid it out and measured it (54x71 inches). I was hoping for a full size quilt and thought this was big enough. But now I'm thinking I may want to add a border or two. The pictures here are taken on my queen size bed and it ALMOST covers the top of the mattress but not quite and there is no overhang. So I'm thinking of adding a thin white border and then a thicker solid color border. And finishing it with white binding and backing. Thoughts???
A little closer so you can see the fabrics/colors:
Next I wanted to share a few cards I've received. The first two are birthday cards sent from my fellow Internet stampers...Darlene from TheStampersUnite yahoo group and Melanie from Splitcoaststampers. Thank you ladies! It was really hard to get a picture of Melanie's frog card. It has some great texture and glitter but in the picture it just looks like psycho frog. Sorry about that!
Next up is a card I received from VA for a swap on our ArizonaStampers yahoo group. She made an easel card. I've never made one and am going to have to try my hand at it. It's pretty cool! Thank you for sending me such a unique card!
And lastly...I thought I'd share what Dakota and his friend were up to this afternoon. This is what is in my kitchen right now...
This should explain why I will NOT be keeping the white quilt for myself! LOL. My quilts often end up on the floor or as part of a fort.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
First, the quilt. This is the quilt front that I made at my last quilt retreat. I decided I should probably have it quilted before the next retreat in March so I'll have something for 'Show and Tell'. So I laid it out and measured it (54x71 inches). I was hoping for a full size quilt and thought this was big enough. But now I'm thinking I may want to add a border or two. The pictures here are taken on my queen size bed and it ALMOST covers the top of the mattress but not quite and there is no overhang. So I'm thinking of adding a thin white border and then a thicker solid color border. And finishing it with white binding and backing. Thoughts???
A little closer so you can see the fabrics/colors:
Next I wanted to share a few cards I've received. The first two are birthday cards sent from my fellow Internet stampers...Darlene from TheStampersUnite yahoo group and Melanie from Splitcoaststampers. Thank you ladies! It was really hard to get a picture of Melanie's frog card. It has some great texture and glitter but in the picture it just looks like psycho frog. Sorry about that!
Next up is a card I received from VA for a swap on our ArizonaStampers yahoo group. She made an easel card. I've never made one and am going to have to try my hand at it. It's pretty cool! Thank you for sending me such a unique card!
And lastly...I thought I'd share what Dakota and his friend were up to this afternoon. This is what is in my kitchen right now...
This should explain why I will NOT be keeping the white quilt for myself! LOL. My quilts often end up on the floor or as part of a fort.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Friday, January 29, 2010
A Little Pick Up
Remember the card I posted yesterday? Well, I gave that card to my friend that gave me the stamp sets. She called me in the evening to say she liked the card so much that she ALMOST decided she should take that stamp set back! LOL.
This card is made with another set she gave me (maybe I should send this card off to someone else!) I found the set a little difficult to work with just because it's a relatively large stamp and I had a hard time picking a layout I liked. I'm still not sure I love what I came up with...but I can at least live with it.
This morning I took a nice long hot shower and discovered a surprise for me after I finished. Apparently my son wrote me a note on the mirror after he took his shower last night...
It says "I love you Mom". So, of course I wrote him a message back for him to find tonight. :-)
Have a great day all!
This card is made with another set she gave me (maybe I should send this card off to someone else!) I found the set a little difficult to work with just because it's a relatively large stamp and I had a hard time picking a layout I liked. I'm still not sure I love what I came up with...but I can at least live with it.
This morning I took a nice long hot shower and discovered a surprise for me after I finished. Apparently my son wrote me a note on the mirror after he took his shower last night...
It says "I love you Mom". So, of course I wrote him a message back for him to find tonight. :-)
Have a great day all!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A Thanks and a Dragon
My friend, Concetta, cleaned out her stash of stamps and gave me first dibs on the sets she no longer wanted. This card uses one of those sets. I like how it turned out!
And on a totally different note, I thought I'd share something I wrote. My oldest son had an assignment to write an argumentative essay about why he should get a pet dragon. I joked and said I should be able to write a rebuttal. He told his teacher and she said she'd like to see me write one. So...below is my essay...it was fun to write! Enjoy and have a great day!
--------------------
In our household the number of pets outnumber the number of humans. With the latest addition of a ‘robo’ hamster for Christmas I thought we were finally done with new pets. But yesterday my oldest son asked me for another. This pet request is SO unusual that I cringe at the thought of it. Mind you, I am not the typical queasy female when it comes to critters. I grew up with three brothers. I’m used to all things creepy and crawly. But I draw the line at this request. He wants a DRAGON! I love my animals and I can see some value in a dragon. And it would be cool to be the first family on the block to own the rare pet. However, there are several factors we need to consider here.
First, where would we house the dragon? Dragons are huge. It’s not like we can stuff him in the hamster cage or even the larger snake cage. I don’t think he’d even fit inside the house. And if he did fit in the house, I am NOT cleaning up dragon poo when he has accidents! So, I guess that leaves the outdoors. We do have two acres, but even if we added a fence he would just fly over it and escape. Currently, when our dogs escape the neighbors complain. Can you imagine if it was a dragon in their yard doing it’s business instead of a dog? We would be ostracized from the neighborhood!
Second, what about the lifespan of the dragon? Dragons live for a LONG time. If we got a dragon for a pet it’d outlive both myself and the kids. So who takes care of the dragon once we are gone? There are no guarantees that the next generation is going to want to keep a pet dragon.
Third, let’s look at some of the practical issues. Dragons eat a LOT. It costs me $20 a month to feed the five foot gopher snake little frozen rats. Can you imagine how much it’d cost me to feed a dragon? Then there is the whole ‘fire breathing’ thing. There are good practical uses for fire breathing. But what about accidental fire breathing? What if he coughs and sets the house on fire? And what if he gets sick? I don’t know of any vets that can care for a sick dragon. I’m sure we’d have to find a specialist to help care for him and that isn’t going to be covered under my current PPO healthplan!
So, I think I’m going to have to draw the line at the dragon. Three dogs, one hamster, one snake, and two boys is enough of a zoo already!
And on a totally different note, I thought I'd share something I wrote. My oldest son had an assignment to write an argumentative essay about why he should get a pet dragon. I joked and said I should be able to write a rebuttal. He told his teacher and she said she'd like to see me write one. So...below is my essay...it was fun to write! Enjoy and have a great day!
--------------------
In our household the number of pets outnumber the number of humans. With the latest addition of a ‘robo’ hamster for Christmas I thought we were finally done with new pets. But yesterday my oldest son asked me for another. This pet request is SO unusual that I cringe at the thought of it. Mind you, I am not the typical queasy female when it comes to critters. I grew up with three brothers. I’m used to all things creepy and crawly. But I draw the line at this request. He wants a DRAGON! I love my animals and I can see some value in a dragon. And it would be cool to be the first family on the block to own the rare pet. However, there are several factors we need to consider here.
First, where would we house the dragon? Dragons are huge. It’s not like we can stuff him in the hamster cage or even the larger snake cage. I don’t think he’d even fit inside the house. And if he did fit in the house, I am NOT cleaning up dragon poo when he has accidents! So, I guess that leaves the outdoors. We do have two acres, but even if we added a fence he would just fly over it and escape. Currently, when our dogs escape the neighbors complain. Can you imagine if it was a dragon in their yard doing it’s business instead of a dog? We would be ostracized from the neighborhood!
Second, what about the lifespan of the dragon? Dragons live for a LONG time. If we got a dragon for a pet it’d outlive both myself and the kids. So who takes care of the dragon once we are gone? There are no guarantees that the next generation is going to want to keep a pet dragon.
Third, let’s look at some of the practical issues. Dragons eat a LOT. It costs me $20 a month to feed the five foot gopher snake little frozen rats. Can you imagine how much it’d cost me to feed a dragon? Then there is the whole ‘fire breathing’ thing. There are good practical uses for fire breathing. But what about accidental fire breathing? What if he coughs and sets the house on fire? And what if he gets sick? I don’t know of any vets that can care for a sick dragon. I’m sure we’d have to find a specialist to help care for him and that isn’t going to be covered under my current PPO healthplan!
So, I think I’m going to have to draw the line at the dragon. Three dogs, one hamster, one snake, and two boys is enough of a zoo already!
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