Christmas meme

It has been forever since I've posted to my "home" blog, so here is something fun. I plan to put our yearly letter (christmas letter implies it would be done before Christmas...) up soon, but not too soon! Stay tuned.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Duh! I actually bought eggnog as a special treat for J, and he informed me he hated eggnog (as do I). D said he would try it, took one sip and announced "well, it's family tradition! We all hate eggnog!"

2. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags, recycled cuz I'm cheap.

3. Real tree or artificial?
Real. Fake trees aren't trees. And preferrably the real tree from our property that we cut ourselves (even if it looks pretty Charlie-brown-y)


4. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both! Tastefully arranged of course.

5. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Lights first, then garlands, then ornaments. Then more lights (cuz it looks thin) and a few more garlands (to fill out here and there) and more ornaments. Usually at this point our poor little tree is sagging all over.

6. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Several. We like to insert action figures also. This year one of the kings is playing the Hallmark player piano ornament.

8. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Would love to mail, but my cheapness factor is making me balk. Of course, we haven't actually WRITTEN the card/letter thing yet, but I figure by the end of January is fine. And this year the plan is for electronic distribution.

9. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I love most food - don't really have a favorite. Do like J's deep fried turkey (was awesome this year).

10. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Huh. I guess a standout it the new bike year (6?) and just going to grama's in general most years. Also the Christmas in Hawaii.

11. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Don't really remember - but I do recall blowing that myth for a family friend and the mother having a cow! I was so embarrassed (probably 9-10 yo)

12. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes, but we're usually too busy.

13. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love snow, hate driving in Bad Snow/Ice. Like last year when we got 4 feet. FEET. Inches are fine, but feet not so good. It was beautiful though.

14. Have you ever recycled a gift?
Frequently! J says I'm his recycled gift.

15. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Here's one where you have the "good" answer and the "real" answer! I love playing Christmas gigs, and it isn't Christmas without at least one Messiah. I love the last gig being over and the sense of relief I get before I realize I've put off all the gift buying and now I have 2 days to do it all. I love getting the perfect present for someone - even better than getting the perfect present. I love the quiet moments when we can all relax and do puzzles or other mindless activities we never do the rest of the year.

16. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Something chocolate. Maybe SIL's homemade English toffee. TO DIE FOR.

17. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Decorating. Visiting. Eating. Music. I love it all.

18. What tops your tree?
Star.

19. Favorite Christmas Show?
Love Actually. Or Christmas Story. Or Scrooged

20. Saddest Christmas Song?
In the Bleak Midwinter

21. What is your favorite Christmas Holiday Song?
I love great (not cheesy) arrangements of many old hymns - am missing that aspect of being a church musician this year. The funnest thing I did with the bells was Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Wizards of Winter. Loved playing all the Mannheim Steamroller stuff this year - on their actual Christmas concert (with them!); Amahl and the Night Visitors has a great oboe part, and the Russian Christmas Music is fantastic. Even love the Nutcracker although it is overplayed.

Greenacres Next Top Model

Be amazed - I am now a PAID model! Ok, paid with coffee and lunch, but still...

My neighbor is teaching a drawing class, and she wanted a "movement" model (fully clothed of course). So I walked around the classroom while the students tried to sketch movement. It was quite interesting, and it was fun hanging out with my artsy neighbor!

Other than that, Mr. D is now EIGHT! Hard to believe how time has flown, his school pictures are today so I will post those when we get them. Right now he is into bugs, and he will not hesitate to tell you he is an expert. Jim is sure he will never have a girlfriend at this rate! I remind him that HE managed to land one (myself), and he continues to be a total nerd. Awwww.

J and V came with their 3 for a weekend earlier this month, and mom and dad are coming with C and his family in two weeks. This weekend is Halloween (D wants to be a bug/native American with African influences/bat winged creature) and after the festivities we are swooping over to Lake Chelan for an overnight with Grampa G and L. Should be fun, hope we avoid the snow!

1st day of 2nd grade!

So our boy is getting all grown up - 2nd grade today. He will have the same teachers as last year, still going to the wonderful little school in the valley. Here he is, solo and with daddy as they head off.

vacations!

In all the craziness it is suddenly time for vacation! Today was supposed to be the last day of swimming, but for some reason the pool was "unbalanced" and they canceled til tomorrow. So daddy will have to pick D up from the neighbors and take him (fun). Because tomorrow is the day K and I go to the Tetons! Girl weekend here we come. Of course the timing is terrible, because the next weekend is my family reunion at the beach (which should be delightful also) AND the audition which is right after I get back! So hopefully I won't be too awful to be around, and I'll get good practicing as well as good visiting in. I swear I don't plan the auditions to fall right after vacations, it just keeps happening that way.

new dog

I guess I haven't mentioned the fact that another dog has been left with us. It appears that he was dumped on our road (same as Donna 3 years ago) and he is the same age she was - around 8 months. Weird. Also strange is that they look like twins - black lab-like with white chest markings. So alike that the person who found the dog thought it was Donna and brought him up to our place!

Since Donna was there in the driveway, it was pretty obviously not her. Also the male factor, and the age were good clues. But the "finder person" was going to take him to the vet, where they only can hold lost pets for 3 days. She was willing to make posters to put around the neighborhood, and we agreed to keep the dog if/until the owner called. We also advertised on Craiglist, but no one called, so last week we took "Darwin" to the vet for the big snip-snip.

Darwin is not the smartest of dogs. The day after the vet experience he discovered a new species: porcupines! Both he and Donna had a face full of quills. Fun. A couple years ago we took our first dog to the vet for porcupine quills and it was $300! Since then we (mostly J) pull them out ourselves. The dogs aren't happy at the time, but they keep going back for more! And indeed, Darwin was quillful again the next day (yesterday). Hopefully he is getting a clue, but I'm not holding my breath.

ha!

Ok a month later and I'm at exactly the same place with the house! That is sad, and it will be my goal to muck out the living room by the end of July.

D is out of school now - next fall he starts 2nd grade! We have done one session of swimming lessons, I was not really thinking he would be into that, but he did great! He's kind of timid about new things, but armed with grama's goggles (thanx G!) he was a little tadpole. We are signed up for another 2 week session for the end of July. Last week he did a 1 hour a day drawing class - not as instructive as we had hoped for but he had fun and drew lots of obscure prehistoric insects (the new obsession).

We did have a crazy driving marathon for the 4th - went to J's old stomping ground (the farm) on Thursday night (after swimming lessons), Friday we drove on the the beach house and grampa joined us there. It was really great, we had a fun time and D tried oysters for the first time and loved them. Nasty. We went to the beach and D had a shovel - spent the whole time digging little nature displays (his words) and putting pieces of shells, sticks and one dead fish (very small) in them. When J found the dead fish D was so excited, and as we left he said "This is the best day of my life!" Awwww.

Of course then we headed back for the farm and fireworks with Uncle S (Boom-Boom). This is a neighborhood effort, usually held at another farm. The boyz really go crazy and the display rivals that of many towns. Also LOTS of fireworks - went on from kid stuff during dinner, big stuff starting about 10 til 12:30 in the morning!

The next morning we headed back home in HOT weather, fortunately we had missed most of the heat at the beach (only staying at the farm in the evening) but I was really grateful for the A/C in the car! Looking forward to getting some stuff done around the house (yeah right) and the Fireworks Concert coming right up (last Sunday of July).

rats in a maze

We are at the stage of "decorating" the house, and "landscaping" the yard. These are in quotes because I am trying to do this for no money! Additionally I am really trying NOT to buy additional furniture since we have SO MUCH STUFF! Of course this is a problem if you need a storage containment unit, so we may end up buying some things after all.

I'd really like a system for the DVDs, we have hundreds and they are in a motley assortment of racks. As you know I love the mission style and we have one closed mission style DVD case, would love to have more or build some that "go". If we build something it will just be open like a bookshelf. J is getting really frustrated that we aren't moving stuff into place, but he WON'T move furniture once it is situated, so I have one shot. And until we get the furniture up there and see how it fits I don't know where to put his stupid bookcase. This is the bc full of "decorative books. I hate "books for show", but if he wants them it's ok. Kind of like a painting I don't like, or the chair he doesn't want (what am I saying, he wants everything!)

The yard is insane - all kinda beat up from the earth moving. Our neighbor may help us since he is a master garden and will work for cheaper than a landscaper. The sort of plan is to get fill and top soil and smooth it all out with the tractor. Then put in the sprinkler system. Then plant or sod a lawn (this could be next year). I actually sprinkled grass seed over the lawn area (which is all rocky and lumpy) just so we wouldn't have a field of mud. We'll see what happens!

pix finally

Here are some pix of the house - now that the guys are all "done" it seems harder to get things in shape than I expected! The porch is great and while the lawn is a disaster, not much to do on the actual porch. I love it.

The "library" was Js old office and he hates having to walk 12 steps to his new area, I really like how this space is kind of restful and welcoming. You may not be able to tell that from a photo, but if you ever saw Js old office, restful and welcoming it was not. (sorry hon, just the way it is) His new space looks great.

The "pink room" is no longer pink. It is so hard to capture the space with my little camera, but this room looks great. I'd like to stay here! So get ready to come see us.

finally

Ok, I am so tired! I thought once the carpet was in the house would be "done" but apparently this is just the tip of the iceberg. Now we have to move all the stuff back! Way bigger chore than I anticipated. So - here are some shots with minimal furniture, but at least you get the idea!

This is the new dining room (old living room)


Jim's new office (possibly) - where the old dining room used to be off the kitchen - hoping his desk won't be as apparent here...


And the "library" Jim's old office - imagine more bookcases along the wall, but at least you can see the colors.

house update

Well, in the wreck of clutter that is our home right now (yes, I know it's hard to tell from the usual state of things!) I appear to have lost my camera. I'm sure it is somewhere not too far off, but no pics today.

Things are really starting to wrap up - we have all new carpet (complete with annoying seam, don't get me started on that), gutters, sealer on all the wood outside, and as a bonus K is putting in our swamp cooler that has been languishing on the back porch for two years. Yay! And except for the disappointment with the carpet people and the lack of resolution there, everything looks really good (just imagine there is a pic here). Hopefully I'll find the camera soon and you will all be amazed!

New stove!

Today it snowed again - not as much but I was worried about the stove guys crawling around on the roof. But they did fine and our beautiful new stove is all in! I had it painted honeygold brown; don't know if you will get the real color from the computer (depends how well your screen is calibrated, probably not great) but this should give you the idea. I think it looks great with the rocks, so you get two shots.

so tired

Double click on the picture to see it bigger (at least this worked for me!)


I am sort of sick of winter - today we woke up to 4 more inches of snow! It is April here people! Grrr. And I guess I'm wishing for a fun getaway - somewhere warm with room service. Of course J would hate that...The rock guys are pretty much done - still putting in mortar in places, but all the rocks are "up". The paint is mostly done in the new downstairs - still waiting on the stain which is all upstairs. I would post more pix but I'm having some computer issues right at the moment; mostly the usual "photo computer" is now Kasjakstan research central (guess who).

Argh!!!

So many decisions! New carpet, paint, tile, rocks. Cool. But, to put in new carpet, paint, tile and rocks one first has to remove all old items from the rooms (everywhere the orange carpet is, plus the pink room). Of course these rooms are crammed with junk, and Someone Who Shall Remain Nameless won't go through his stuff. There is a time issue. Kind of terrifying! Somehow it will all get done I'm sure, but right now I may be getting an ulcer.

more

Probably most of you won't even be able to "spot the differences" (like in those pictures for kids) between today's pics and the ones I posted yesterday - but I can tell! So here are some more.


First is from the deck looking through the french doors and out the big windows so you can kinda see the view...


Then downstairs below the big windows (with the old front door) - I just love how under the deck is turning out too.

And the front shot - the siding makes it look so much better; and hopefully the "rock man" is coming next week.

Its happening so fast!

So I almost don't want to post these because they are already out-of-date; but oh well. I'll take more tomorrow (maybe)! As near as I can tell (cuz my server doesn't let me lay out the photos very easily) the pics are: the front door from the porch, the front door from inside, the back door (which used to be the front door), under the deck (with the dog), and the front view.

Another pic

Another update on the addition...although right this moment we have about an inch of snow all over things. It didn't seem to enhance the look, so I just went with the pic I shot Friday. It is really cool that we can go up on the deck (easily) and I can envision the railings and stone around the columns - then I get all overwhelmed about decision-making. Seems like things are moving fast now!

Books

Wow, I see the picture I posted last week and realize we need to get an update up there! But that will wait until tomorrow, for now I have this somewhat disturbing list of books I haven't read too many of:

Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed.
Instructions:
Look at the list and color red those you have read.
Italicize the books you LOVE or if you can't put a note at the end.
I am adding those that I have partially read in bold.

1.Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

2nd floor

Promised picture! Notice my fabulous porch! It will go all the way down the front, then steps up to the (non-exsistant as yet) deck. Apparently our house is completely not square, and it seems they did not measure anything. The roof is 2 inches shorter on one side than the other - good thing they didn't get the prefabbed trusses! Also see how the entry is 4 feet out, so the new door will be in a different place. Anyone who has been to the house will appreciate being able to walk in and close the door before going up the steps!

porch!!

I am so excited because we can walk in the front door again; and it goes out to (part) of our new porch! It is turning out great (although I think we could have had narrow windows in the basement...but oh well). I will try to post some pics tomorrow, right now the two floors are framed with boards over the solid parts (so you can see all the windows/doors). Next I think is the roof.

pics!

I promised some pics so here they are: first just after they poured the footings last week:




and then today some of the framing - they are making a ton of progress (but it is supposed to snow tonight...)




and just because heres the king of the hill with the fabulous "new" snowblower.

Concrete

Today they poured the floor for the west wing! They did the footings last week, and this should be the last of the concrete work. Now it can snow (and apparently it will!) without bothering the project too much. Our contractor was going insane with the 5 feet of snow we had in Dec - it's still heaped up all around but the roads are all clear. Inside I haven't done as well, I have all these ideas for where to put the piles of stuff, but we don't have the space yet. Also it is time to decide on carpeting and rocks (for the fireplace and porch), and paint etc. So if you have any ideas let me know!