Happy New Year!

Feeling a bit maudlin tonight, as I think back over this year - not a bad year, but not anything particularly great. I guess I'm having my midlife crisis or something. Anyway, I thought I would recap, just for myself...
January - nothing much, symphony concert with Fountains of Rome awesome oboe solo
February - quintet recital, my first faculty recital at NIC (Mozart, new gold jacket!), chamber concert Quiet City
March - Carousel with the big boys ($$$), Yakima for birthday parties, band concert, univ orch concert, symphony concert
April - Mozart concerto, quintet gig (last one), univ orchestra concert
May - symphony concert, opera (Hansel and Gretel), univ wind symph concert, student oboe recital
June - Seattle for christening, summer pops concert, band concert,P visits, to Tetons for C
July - two weeks of Sondheim musical "Putting it Together", Fireworks concert, bassoonist gets married, Jim's birthday
August - more summer pops, Onalaska, Long Beach, Cannon Beach, C visits
September - school starts!, opera Madama Butterfly, Grampa comes to put in floor
October - Grampa C visits, symphony concert, univ orch concert, D turns 6, Halloween (guard)
November - cousins come for late b-day party, to Gramas for T-day
December - symphony concert, univ orch concert, band concert, big bell thing (Wizards of Winter), Messiah, Wicked Wodka party, Grama and Grampa H come for Christmas

Seems like a lot of my life revolves around what I'm playing...Listening to the New Year's Eve concert on PBS of Swan Lake - big oboe piece, hopefully we are doing it next year!

sick sick sick

The last week of 2007 I am paying for my good health! I have not been out of the house since my parents left 3 days ago, but I'm hoping by tomorrow I will be able to party a bit (New Year's Eve and all that). Usually we celebrate with our friends on the east coast so we can go to bed early (9:05 is good). Would love to have some neighbors over but don't want to pass on the plague. So far we have watched a lot of dvds, and Victory at Sea on PBS. D was facinated, guess I'd rather he watched that than the Super Sugar Saquaches Go to Town, or whatever the awful cartoons are now.

Happy New Year!

Birthday party

Well, my nephew is now 9 years old - and we went over 200 miles to make sure of it. Actually I had planned an anniversary (7th!) surprise for Jim which I didn't mention because occasionally he reads the blog. But since we were going to Far-Off-Town, I thought we could dump D with my mom and dad at their hotel, and Jim and I could stay at the snazzy b&b with the fabulous chef. It was a great success, the rooms were lovely, the food was divine, and the no-kids hours were awesome! Fun fun fun. But now I'm ready for some serious Christmas activities with my mom and dad, who drove to our town to spend Christmas (yay!)

Jilliology?

Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology."

MOUTHOLOGY

Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. The Ceasar salad dressing at Casey's. But I will take Balsamic vinegar anytime.

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Maybe Arby's, Schlotsky's or Subway.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Wolf Lodge. But Outback is fun if I'm in that kinda mood.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 15-20%.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A. oatmeal, steak, chocolate of course.

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. pesto chicken

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. nothing, I like dry toast with eggs.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. don't have wallpaper

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 3


BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right handed

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. One small child (c-section)

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted?
A. same child. or furniture, moved a lot this weekend for party

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. no

BULL[CRAP]OLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. I think not.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. I actually went by Gillian during high school, soooo much cooler than Jill. But I am good with Jill now.

Q. what color looks good on you?
A. Red, but I usually wear blue or black.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Not that I remember, ask my mom.

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. I give blood...

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. I don't think so

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. Just a kiss would be ok

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. Not normally, but if I were starving and it was the only feasible way to feed my family I would. But I can't see that happening.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. Sure.

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. Probably, doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Can't imagine anyone would pay that kind of money to take nude pics of me!

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. How hot?!

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
A. No, unless circumstances were extreme (war, they were killing my family etc)

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?
A. Lint.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I didn't get it, but a few parts were funny

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Fake hardwood, and ancient orange shag carpet

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: Yes; what are spouses and kids! Uber-roomies.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
A: two, both coppery colored.

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. Didn't quite stop and got pulled over (warning, thank God)

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: self actualized

Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8
A: Top 8 what? Top 8

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last Friend you talked to?
A: Carolyn.

Q: Last person who called you?
A: Linda.

Q: Person you hugged?
A: my kiddo

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number?
A: 15

Q: Season?
A: Fall.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone?
A: my friend from dc

Q: Mood?
A. somewhat annoyed (what's new) as I have again cleaned the kitchen (dinner which I didn't even eat) and washed and folded everyone's clothes ALONE. grrr.

Q: Listening to?
A: Dave.

Q: Watching?
A. Dave n Oprah

Q: Worrying about?
A. What I will do for bells tomorrow (no idea what we're playing)

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Yoga

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Watch the little dude on Christmas morning.

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A. Dirty Dancing

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Not excessively, but I think more so than not.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Yes.

Anniversary

Wow, this is our 7th anniversary! And we are even still happy! At least I am. And I think Jim is as long as I don't talk about selling his precious baby cars. I just wish I could park somewhere in the 8 car garage (which is full).

Last night was our "wicked wodka" party - I think this was the 20th anniversary! Of course I have only been to 7 of them - but I think this was the funnest yet. Lots of people came, and Jim deepfried TWO turkeys. Apparently the 2nd one was a mistake, he was trying to do too much and it fell into the vat of boiling oil. But there was plenty of food, and various drinks...lots of different vodkas. I decided to try making Oprah's Favorite Pomegranite Martinis, and they turned out great! I also tried about 1/2 shot of double chocolate vodka - kinda weird tasting. That is all I had, but then we got out all the instruments. We have several trumpets, a piccolo trumpet, lots of penny whistles and fluty things, a clarinet, a french horn, various fake decorative horns that make noise (no valves) and a keyboard. Those are the things I let anyone play. Then friends had brought at sousaphone, an accordian and a serpent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_%28instrument%29
Fun fun fun, I will post pics of me playing the serpent later. It is great to play because you can actually play any pitch with any fingering (well, almost).

D was great with lots of kids to play with. They mostly just hung out in a large clump in the basement, with the bigger ones gabbing and littler ones building train tracks. A grand success all around, although it would be nice if the christmas elves came and cleaned everything up.

Today I had to get up early to play in church (see other blog) and tonight I have Messiah, but we went out for lunch with our neighbors after church. No better way to celebrate our anniversary.

Par-tay!!!

Tomorrow is the Wicked Wodka party, sort of a hybrid of something Jim started back in the day (20 years ago??!!!!) and now it is more of a calm thing, but don't stay too late. At some point (after the vodka) all the instruments (not the oboes of course) come out and a horrible noise is made, mostly by people who have never played before except at this party. Then they call the people who didn't show up and make noise. It is kind of funny, but maybe this year we can do something real? I have lots of actual musicians coming and easy carol books in every key!

But more to the point, I am cleaning! Those of you who know realize this is a huge undertaking. Jim has actually shut the roll=top desk (miracle) and the counters in the kitchen are mostly bare. Most of our friends haven't seen the kitchen with its new floor etc, and the new furniture downstairs. We won't be having the big screen tv out, but I'm sure he will show it to all the guys.

Other issue is the snow. We are supposed to get dumped on tonight, and I am worried about people getting here. I'm also worried about ME getting out and home for my rehearsal tomorrow! Getting down isn't so bad (although I've seen people go right off the mountain) but I will be taking my tall Sorrels just in case I have to walk back. That would be a big pain. And I doubt anyone would want to hike .6 mile straight up to come to our party. Will try not to stress about that.

Christmas tree!

We went to get the tree after the great bell choir extravaganza. Since the party is Saturday I figured we should wait as long as possible before getting it, especially since we didn't have any time to do it before that! Of course we always go out "on the land" to find a perfect tree...but we can't take ones that are out alone because we want them to grow; and we want a fir tree NOT one of the more abundant pines. Our neighbors always get a pine tree and they can put 10 pound ornaments on the limbs - but they have a vaulted ceiling. If we got a pine it would look like - well like this!

This is Ds tree, apparently we have watched Charlie Brown Christmas special too many times.

Snazzy party!!!

Thursday was Jim's Christmas party for work, which they held at the snazziest hotel in town. Probably wasted on a bunch of engineers, but I really enjoyed getting dressed up (in navy blue for a change!) and Jim looked very nice in his tux. Of course most of the other nerdy guys didn't dress up much, but that's ok. They had lovely food and drinks, and the big symphony (which I don't play in) has their Christmas Tree fancy raffle thing at this hotel every year, so we walked around and admired the trees (extremely elaborate, with things like African safaris that go with them).

After dinner they had prizes to give away (after the long speech about how great they are doing); and dancing. Last year for the first time ever Jim actually danced with me - and he said he would do it again this year (yay!). He even remembered to tell me I looked great! Perhaps he is coming down with something... But mostly I danced with the ladies from the table, they were a fun bunch and most of our men were pretty firmly planted in their chairs. The "fun committee" lady even offered one of the guys a $150 gift certificate to Home Depot if he would just get up and go out on the dance floor, but he wouldn't budge. Stubborn engineers.

Only badish thing was the dj, pretty bad music choices and so loud you really couldn't hear to talk - although as Jim pointed out you could go in the hall (very fancy big hall with tables and food and stuff) and talk there. It was fun to do a fancy thing, but now I'm set for the year (or longer!)

And even more....snow

Seems like a theme, we are getting lots of white stuff. Our big hill nearly got me tonight - I had to back all the way down (praying no one would come) and get another shot at it, was actually shocked that I got all the way to our place, because the first run seemed to be going as well as you could could hope. But here I am. Must go down again as tonight I have a concert - but Jim has dress rehearsal for band and so we will go together (make him drive!) It isn't exactly perfect because I have to wait around after he drops me off, but I'd rather do that than drive up the hill myself again!

Other thing, D is with the neighbors, who kindly (miraculously) offered to take him tonight while we rehearse/concert. Sadly, their place is another 1/2 mile up the steep hill, and they have 4wd (which we don't in the car)

_later_
Concert is over, hill is driven up (scary!!), child is home and in bed! And I have an appointment downtown at 7am. Should be great, can't wait to slide down the ice slick. Right now it is melting, but I bet it is going to freeze before morning. Anyway, I am lusting after Subaru Outbacks (4wd) and garage space (yes, all 8 garages are full of unusable cars). *sigh*

More snow...

I guess winter is really here now - we have about 4 inches and it is supposed to snow again tonight. Glad we got our Thanksgiving visiting out of the way before the roads got bad. We had a great time, but it involved a lot of traveling. Spent some time at my brother's house - they put in a little playhouse that I plan to live in if Jim buys another car (probably this is a joke). We stayed with my folks, then went south to Jim's farm (his dad is in Arizona now) and had fun with his brothers and families. We got to see the new pond and view at the farm, they had logged off part of the back acreage -looked really cool you could see the mountains, probably for about 10 years or so.

I've been decorating for Christmas, since my parents are coming I want it to look good! And we are having a party on the 15th, always the only reason the house is clean during this season. Next weekend is the insane concert schedule, but after that I'm hoping things slow down. I always seem to forget sending out cards and gifts actually takes time! I'm ready about Dec 24, but of course they are late then (my signature!)

Snow!

Last night it snowed! Only an inch maybe, but it is pretty out. Of course J is annoyed he procrastinated taking off the camper (must happen by Wednesday when we leave for Grama's!)

Yesterday was not a good day eating-wise. Or rather, it was a GREAT day, but I've been Weight Watching and my points were a bit high. Ok a lot high. But I did exercise too. My treadmill is on its last legs, actually answered an ad in Craigslist yesterday - someone has one they folded and it doesn't work anymore. J says he can probably fix it and it is only $5, I've been wanting a folding one. Guess I can always take it to the Goodwill!

D has been fighting a cold for days now, kept him home from school last week on Monday, and I hate to do it today because it is his "lunch with the teacher" day. He read 100 books and he gets to go out to the fast food restaurant of his choice alone with his teacher! I'm letting him sleep as long as possible so hopefully he will be better.

Poor baby

This was the weekend of everyone on my side of the family (15 people!) coming to celebrate D's Bday (belated). Fun fun fun. We went to the Childrens Museum on Saturday - great experience I will definately repeat. It was pouring rain so we couldn't do some of the fun stuff we had considered, but the kids had a good time just playing.

On Sunday the final group of people came just about the time I finished conducting the bell choir at church. I had to make a presentation at the worship committee after church, but fortunately everyone just made themselves at home and fixed lunch while I was gone. Yay! I got to come home and eat a prepared meal! My good friend drove 90 miles (each way) to come to the party, and we had presents and cake. Then we watched Narnia on the big screen -- Daddy's pride and joy. Most of the crew left that night, but brother C and clan stayed and we went on a fun hike on our property the next morning (rain had subsided). I think things went remarkably well, and I guess we'll be driving over to see them again next week for Thanksgiving (300 miles, but so nice to have everyone within driving distance!)

Visitors!!!

Yay, people are coming! Mom and Dad tonight sometime (although they will be in the hotel) and I guess Brother J and his brood (V and 3 kids) will get here VERY late so we will see them in the morning. Brother C is coming (with L and 3 kids) at an undisclosed time, but I expect everyone for the party on Sunday.

I'm supposed to have figured out things to do, but I just haven't been able to think. So we'll do the usual stuff I guess! Too bad there is no zoo (J's idea) but it is rainy anyway. I still have a weight watchers meeting today, then my neighbor and I are meeting for lunch before we go make meals at one of those "make 10 meals and freeze them" places - we go about every 2 months or so - it is great! But it is taking up my valuable time. I guess I would just clean the house more or something...oh well!

It is so foggy we look like an island - can't see the next ridge over or the valley. Kinda cool.

And another thing...

Today is the second time my husband has tried to light the entire mountain on fire by putting the ashes on the burn pile. Of course he goes off to work and FORTUNATLEY I have noticed, oh, look the burn pile is smoking. This time he thought it was ok because it was raining. But there is all this linolium on the pile so things stay dry under there, and ashes go into it and it catches on fire. So I put it out, and I wait to make sure...of course this wasn't on my incredibly tight schedule! But I thought I could still make it to the gym by 11 if I hurry, and 10 minutes down the road I realize it is 9:50, not 10:50. I looked at a clock that hadn't been reset yet (have I mentioned how much I love the radio-setting clocks?) So I wasted 20 minutes driving to nowhere. But now I will make reeds for 1/2 hour and go again.

Does the insanity ever end?

I keep thinking there will be a point for a breather, but apparently not! So I'll just write a bit for now.

Bells are making me crazy (other blog), I haven't practiced for days, the house is better than it was but I was so hoping it would look great for when my family came (we still have furniture to move, and there are two rocking chairs crammed in my bedroom because I have no where else to put them).

Today I have a stupid appointment with the trainer at the gym, she just wouldn't stop bugging me so I finally caved and now I can't believe I have to go. This trainer isn't working for me, I've had 4 sessions and she really annoyed me the last one. I have pre paid for 2 more, and I'd be happy just calling it even but apparently she won't. I actually like this lady as a person, she teaches the water aerobics class and is a great talker (it's a big gab session). But I've been going to kick-your-butt step aerobics lately, because I want to do more than visit and loll in the pool. Her training though is all weights, and I just am not able to come in for any more time at the gym. Should be an interesting session.

Tomorrow is the day Ds class goes to the museum (and of course I have to drive the giant truck with the camper still on!). I will probably have all 5 kindergardeners, seems unfair that I have the youngest and most kids. Also I am afraid to back up that camper, and I know parking is a bear downtown. What a mess. But all over by noon tomorrow!

Sorry I'm such a downer - hopefully better soon.

This week was weird, with Halloween and other party aftermath = on Tuesday our friend Ponytail B (male) turned 50. Yay! So he and P came over for dinner and a movie (Buckaroo Bonzai - weirdest movie ever) Of course Wednesday was Halloween and D was planning to be a Dinosaur. But when we got home to change he decided he wanted to be a hunter. Fine. But when I said he would have to wear a jacket (his is camoflage so it would have been "hunter-y") he threw a major fit. This went on for an hour (mostly in his room with me not in the vicinity). When J got home I said he had one chance to get something on or I was leaving to help S with the Trick or Treaters. He managed to get dressed, called himself a "guard" (for some reason "hunter" was no longer good, although he had the same clothes on, including the offending jacket) As soon as we got in the car, he was great.

We went to S's house, and the kids (A and L) were ready to go, A was a "phantom" which I think was really one of the junk traders from StarWars Ep. 4 (first one); and L was a bee - he is only two and soooo cute! It was quite cold and we thought we'd leave J to man the door (S's husband being at work) and we would take all the kids a short way, then come back and drop off L. We went up and down one block - probably 12-14 houses - and when we got back all the boys just started playing. Which was great with me! Fun fun fun. We are lucky D is no candy hound - I think Jim has had more of his candy than he has!

Next big event is next weekend, all the cousins on my side are coming (6 kids and 6 "grownups"). D is very excited about having a 2nd party. Whatever.

Par-tay!

What a week! All the new furniture and moving of old stuff with a big deadline of " THE KINDERGARDEN PARENTS"!!! Of course the kids wouldn't care if the party was in a barn (cool idea) but this was the first time I was meeting some of the parents, so I wanted to make the good first impression. *sigh*

So ALL kids were late. RATHER late. I knew our friends the M-As would be late, they had soccer etc. But kid #1 showed up about 45 minutes late (with dad and brother). great - they seem really nice and I was sorry mom couldn't come - she had to work. Jim and the dad hit it off and went out on the porch to gab while the boys all played in the bedroom.

Then Kid #2 showed up with sister, her mom just dropped them off. Do you find this odd? I can't believe she didn't at least call to let me know, but maybe this is standard protocol with older kid birthdays. I mean, I had NEVER met this woman or her husband (someone else picks up the kids at school). Whatever.

Kid #3 got there about an hour late, she came with little brother and mom. The kids all played in Ds room for a while (and the new bed etc was a huge success) Then they colored pumpkin gourds. I decided we HAD to do the scavenger hunt then, so I explained the rules and handed out sacks. They had to find a pine cone (I know, the ground is carpeted in them!), piece of mica (shiny rock), colorful leaf (harder here, but lots of bushes) and a stick with lichens. We were hiking back about a 1/4 mile down our property to a little creek and back. Along the way I had 4 checkpoints with prizes, glowsticks, candys, lanterns (all from the dollar store!). The weather was FABULOUS - clear blue blue skys and crisp air but not too cold - couldn't have asked for better~

THen back for presents, cake and ice cream. The drop-off girls were kind of a pain, wanting their candies exchanged for other ones, and special ice cream - like that yummy ice cream cake wasn't good enough. But only minor annoyances. People left about 2 hours after they came, perfect. Because it was my neighbor's birthday too, and we had invited them (3) for dinner and a movie on the big screen! But that was no stress at all compared - dinner was fun and we watched the new Pink Panther with Kevin Kline and Steve Martin, very funny.

Tonight Jim's friend is turning 50 so they are coming for dinner and a movie - seems that we are a popular destination now!

popcorn balls

Ok, I thought popcorn balls would be a great treat to bring for Ds birthday - wholesome natural food, right? Well, maybe there was a reason MY mom never did popcorn balls (that I remember!).

I got a recipe online, sugar sugar sugar! SO much for avoiding sugary food. But it said they wouldn't stick unless you used the real sugar jello, so I decided to just make it. Everything went ok until I spilled popcorn (pouring from the giant Costco bag I just dumped it everywhere!) seeds all over the floor. Of course this is happening RIGHT when the goop was ready - and it said you had to make the balls quickly. So I let Jim sweep up the corn and I thrust my hands into the hot popcorn/goop bowl - big mistake! Fortunately I didn't burn my hands much. So I got a big spoon which worked much better.

I am very worried about doing it quickly (as the recipe said!) and I start plopping out little "balls". Only they looked more like crumbling rock walls in ancient Ireland. This would have been a great history lesson, but of course I was panicking. Stupid balls. I try to mold them with my hands, but they stick to me - of course I have no grease or butter, but I sprayed Pam all over my hands (nasty feeling) repeatedly and that seemed to work. Turns out they have to cool down a bit before they will stay ina shape, and even then they fell apart, but it is gooey candy and the kids will love it.

Glad we did it, probably I wouldn't choose to do this again, but at least now I know what to expect!

insanity reigns

It seems the week is over and an new one beginning...I had such great plans! But we did get the "home theater" set up, Jim is all happy and we watched a couple of movies. It really is pretty cool, although still nothing I would ever buy on my own!

Ds bday is Friday, and I suppose I must decide about bringing treats to school. I seem to fantasize about making all these different wonderful treats! I am going insane trying to be a perfect mom. I also (perhaps foolishly) told him to invite his classmates (there are only 4) and their families to our house on Saturday for a party. Now that was really insane - our house does look BETTER, but it is not exactly BH&G. I'm trying not to get sucked into the cheap birthday party crap vortex, and buy a bunch of junk. I think I will get some little pumpkins for them to decorate with markers, and if the weather is good we can go on a hike down the back of our property. I am trying to think of how to have little prizes or something along the way, like markers on a trail?

In addition, I have to do all my music stuff, redo a poster for the Madrigal Singers, and oh yeah, I joined weight watchers! I am really trying to fit that in, because it seems important to not die of being a fat slob at 42. *sigh* The plan seems good, like you would be able to work it around what you eat if you plan carefully, but right now I just want them to give me a box of food and say, here's your food for the day!

stuff stuff stuff

Well, we are just going insane here on Mica Peak. No, the orange shag carpet is still here, but other things are changing.

When my dad was here we took two big loads of trash to the dump - one of which included the nasty couch in the basement. Jim had always envisioned a movie room in the basement with a projection tv and all that surround sound stuff. Well, we were in Costco the other day and one of their offerings was an 80" projection tv! I thought we were ok, because we had driven the convertible, but Jim is a master of loading, and we soon aquired a big tv. Actually a big screen and a little box, otherwise it would never have fit.

So the next day we go to Furniture Row, where we had seen a couch we really liked about a month ago but we wanted to look around more. Our neighbor said they were having a sale on, and we went into the "tent of values" out in the parking lot - and there was a couch just like we had picked! The only thing wrong was one of the pillows (attached) was understuffed, but we could either rip a seam and stuff it, or just plop a decorator pillow there - it is not noticable to look at. AND it came with a matching loveseat for the same price as a regular sofa alone. So we bought it. Yay. Here's what it looks like (ours is sage green) http://www.furniturerow.com/group_detail/brand/sofa_mart/id/497/

Of course Jim could hardly wait to hook everything up, and I was amazed at how fast he did it - we had movies last night! And his $20 sound stuff he'd been hording for years (in a pile under the table) worked great. So all you friends and reletives, come visit!

Kitchen pics

Yay, for those of you who have seen the sad little 70s kitchen, here it is in all its lovely glory. NO comments on the clutter on the counter, it is MUCH better than usual! I am very proud of how it turned out - we did the paint, cupboards (knobs, my favorite coppery knobs), ceiling fan, wainscoting, and floor. And it only took 3 years!

more grampa!

This week Jim's dad came to visit - he managed to mostly avoid the camera but we had a great time. No big remodeling stuff this week, but some great visiting time before he heads down to sunny Arizona for the winter.

Grampa visit

It is so fun having my dad here - Dan is excited to read to him instead of boring old mom and dad!

New Floor!!!

Yay - the floor is finally in, although we still have to do the edging. But I'm not complaining about that! Please ignore the piles on the counters - we have no storage in the kitchen right now. But I am so excited we just ran the first load of dishes though the new dishwasher.

Here is a pic of Jim squished in the dishwasher hole, I hope we never have to replace this sucker!

grampa!

This has already been a busy week as my dad is here! He is supposedly going to do everything on my "list" that Jim never has time for - already we have decided to focus on one thing. The kitchen floor is actually nearly done! And the dishwasher (NEW NEW NEW) was being plumbed in when I decided to come hide in the basement. I love my office space.

If we get time, we will get molding for the floor edges although I don't think we can get them painted and in before my dad goes home Friday. But progress is being made. And I am inspired to work on Ds room, get the antique double bed out and put in the bunk and desk set uncle Gene and aunt Alex gave us. Also I have a bookshelf and I want to get another rod (lower) for the closet. I may leave the rocking chair in there as it is nice for bedtime stories, and if there is room I might keep the art table (our old kitchen table) because he loves it. It would make a great fort too, with blankets over the edges.

The other thing I was hoping to get to (which I don't think we can) is the ancient couch in the basement (goodwill or dump)- move nasty upstairs couch down to basement, buy lovely NEW couch for upstairs. But it will happen sometime soon. For now I will go gaze upon my delightful fake wood floors.

weekend!

We all survived the field trip, and actually Jim ended up driving as he got the day off! That was great because we ended up going to 2 places with the kids (one was a screamer) and one place had a tiny parking lot which I would have hated trying to maneuver the big truck into.

Dad is coming on Monday - before then I am trying to get as much done as possible, so he can help with the stuff I really can't do alone (like move the big couch). And then Jim's dad is coming the next week (grampa central)!

And relief

Why do I work myself up all the time???? I am still annoyed that we have all these cars and none of them work, but Jim is annoyed about that too, and everything is working out for the Field trip tomorrow. Actually he is so good they told him to take tomorrow off!!! And so he will come too, and I'm going to let HIM drive the big ol truck. Yay. And I think it will be way more fun for D to have his daddy along for the trip to the concrete plant. Of course, I am going too, this is the best part of staying home!

My dad is coming for a "working" visit next week, have a HUGE list for him, and first is finishing the kitchen floor! I can't believe it is still not done, but soon we will have a beautiful wood (like) floor. The next week Jim's dad is coming - I don't know if we can convince him to do any work, but he is always fun to visit with (and he usually does help out with projects). He goes south for the winter so he'll be leaving at the end of October. We are planning to drive over to his place to pick up our 1/2 beef (Jim's brother raises beef) but he will already be gone by the time we get around to it I bet.

Crisis!

Argh - I am feeling overwhelmed again...I signed us up to drive for the school trip to Central PreMix (a concrete factory!) and it seems we have no appropriate car. HOW can this be, you ask - we have 16 (theoretically) working cars (and 3 parts cars)! But the sedan, which I would take, has such a cracked windshield it looks like a road map. Seriously. I would estimate at least 10 feet of cracks all over it. And while I drive it all the time, I don't think other mommies would want their babies in my nasty car. Also I understand you can get a hefty ticket for that. The really ironic thing is that Jim HAS a new windshield and edging for this car, it has been in the garage waiting for several YEARS.

So last week I asked Jim to take off the broken camper from our nice big truck, which would hold three kids too. He said it was a pain but he could do it. So I signed up, but now he has decided that is too hard and I'm a *^%@&$*( for even suggesting he use his precious time to take off the camper. Now, I would consider driving WITH the camper on, but I really can't back up with it on, and if I'm trying to park and I have all these 5 year olds in the car it could be ugly.

The car I usually drive is a Mercedes SL - which is a convertible and I *could* squish 2 kids in, I don't know how that would go over with the school. I have actually been thinking of renting a car (which would drive Jim wild). So I guess I'll drive over to Central Premix today and check out their parking lot. Maybe it is huge and I could drive the truck without backing up.

AND this is all on top of trying to meet with the bank - something came due and we HAVE to make a decision about it, of course they have been trying to meet with us for MONTHS and Jim is always too busy and he won't just let me take care of it. He does do a great job on the things he decides are important to him though! Currently the big project is stacking the wood.

More pics

Here is P on the deck with "girl kitty". We really need to find names for the cats. They are doing great though, and they sleep in the little cat house J made since D has allergies. When P and I were roomies (back in college) he had a cat like this.


My mom and P at my brother's house - we were all there celebrating my nephew's 3rd birthday!

Visiting

My friend has been here for 5 days now, and here are some pics of the most important things we did: first, Starbucks! We have made it a point to go every day. Mostly it is just fun to do stuff together - I dragged him to rehearsals and family gatherings, but today he is going back to Dubai (so far!). Hopefully he will be moving closer within a year or so. Can't wait!

Welcome!

I decided to make a special place for just friends and family so I can blather on about kids and family stuff without boring the double reed gang. Of course, DRs are welcome too!

Anyway, P is coming tomorrow - can't wait although I am going crazy trying to muck out the house - at least his room is mostly ready. But the rest of the house just looks how it looks! D is drawing like crazy, first thing when he gets up and more after school - they let him draw at school sometimes but only during "choice time" and actual drawing sections. But he has decided that school is pretty fun - I think he likes taking his lunch the best.