The Juicy Roost

On being awesome

2011-09-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

I was awesome today.
And yesterday.
And maybe even a couple days before that.

There. I said it.

If my self-praise rubs you the wrong way,
perhaps try substituting the word "productive"
from here on out.
That may read a smidge less arrogant.
But really, I WAS.
I was productive and awesome!

I posted a bit about my awesomeness on facebook yesterday
but was gently reminded that it was the Lord's Day.
Oops.
*delete post*
*hang head in shame*
Seems my awesomeness doesn't always know
when it's time to take a break
from being so awesome.

So.... ya wanna hear about it?
My recent bout of awesomeness?
Why don't I just type it up quick,
Recent Awesome Accomplishments
Resume Style.

completed Seasonal Wardrobe Change et closet cleaning for all four girlies
made applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling
canned applesauce, apple butter and pears
made meat pies
baked cookies
made delicious beer cheese soup
edited and ordered photos
had girls write letters
put letters and photos in the mail
made silhouettes for a friend
worked out at fitness center before picking girls up from school
catch that? (cross running and weight lifting off my list)
almost caught up on laundry
filled back of Suburban with donations
recovered two bulletin boards in girls' room
discovered fabulous grey, pink and yellow color scheme for master bedroom
hung photos and art in color scheme with hubby pronouncing it my "best work"
washed and french braided three heads Sunday night
found all girls' library books before library day
shaved legs
painted nails
filled out forms
removed make-up before bed

And this List of Awesomeness is
not even all-inclusive!
Wow.
Sure feels good.
Gettin stuff done.
At this rate, I may come to the very end of my
To-Do list
(has that ever happened?)
and have to take out an ad in the local paper:
Awesome for Hire.
Because I am.
Awesome.

Also, in case you still find

my shameless boastfulness

obnoxious.......

I promise to soon share with you

some things that are in no way

awesome.

About me.

And my house.

And maybe my abs.

Because I am not always so awesome.

But speaking of awesome,

Steve is threatening to start

The Sing-Off

without me!

Ben Folds.

Sara Barellies.

A cappella harmonies.

AWESOME.

Happy Annibersary......Happy Annibersary!

2011-09-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yup. 13 years ago we headed on over to
the Little Log Wedding Chapel of Gatlinburg, TN
to get ourselves hitched
with a ring from a quarter machine
and our recently married BFFs
as witnesses.

We were happy.
Relaxed.
No huge event to stress over.
Just us.
And my hardy mum.
And our love.
And the rest of our lives together.

Today I am home.
Still too sick to care for the babies in nursery.
So Steve is off
with four excited little helpers......
anxious to read and cuddle and build towers
with all the little ones at church.
I am so proud of my girlies:)

They brought us breakfast in bed this morning.
But I hadn't taken my thyroid pill.
And neither of us really like PB and cinnamon toast.
So they happily consumed the fruits of their labor
and went outside to play.
(the best gift possible;)

This morning I will make meat pie.
Just like Steve's grandma's.
And maybe some kind of apple dessert.
Steve will watch the Lions cream the Vikings
(because he has money riding on it.)
The kids will get along like angels
and clean their rooms.
(ha!)
I will shave my legs.
Steve will wear his cologne.

And we will continue to live happily ever after.

see photos of our big day in this post

Today.....

2011-09-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am sick. Burning cough of fire, tears streaming down my face SICK.

I am still not over the fact that this dumb cold kept me from Josie's field trip to Seed Savers Exchange and a fish hatchery on an absolutely perfect fall day. (Martha Stewart buys her seeds at SSE......only the best for Martha!)

I am feeling nostalgic......listening to Huffamoose, an amazing concert my insanely hot boyfriend took me to at the Blind Pig.....before we were married.......13 years ago tomorrow (the marriage part....not the concert).

I am hoping hubby wears a spritz of his very old Abercrombie cologne.....instantly transports me back to those crazy mad love days. *sigh*

I need to accept the fact that I cannot serve tacos to my family without the table looking like we have something against our plates. I mean, really, even Steve has to drop huge clumps of meat on my favorite freshly washed tablecloth!

I should be out picking pears with the rest of the family, but I'm really enjoying having the house to myself right now.

OK. I'll go out. Just to take a few pictures.......

Steve in a tree.

Teamwork.

The kids' favorite downed apple tree.

That still grows apples:)

Good for climbing, jumping, and possibly occasionally peeing in!

running over

2011-09-10T07:27:00.000-07:00

No. I haven't actually started running.
Though it IS on my To-Do list.
Toward the bottom-ish.

It is my cup that is running over.
I am having an exceptionally joy-filled morning.
We all slept in......
until the girls came and piled in our king-sized bed.
Except lil Gwen....
who woke up, got dressed
and immediately hiked thru the woods,
balancing across that long downed log
to their fort to retrieve
the backpack she had dug out of
someone's free garage sale box.
Wow.
If you only knew what that hike entailed...
I swear.
In my old age I have become
a balance-impaired scaredy cat.
When I crossed that log,
Addie had to come back and hold my hand!
Perhaps my hesitation is just intuition
that my bones are becoming brittle.
Ha! I sound like an old woman.
Add lifting weights to my to-do list.

Pears and apples are coming out of my ears.
I picked just the surface last night
under the light of the moon.
While Steve "practiced" boiling a huge turkey fryer
full of water
over an open fire
in preparation for next weekend's visitors
and some home brewing.

I am washing a load of adorable Baby Gap outfits
I couldn't resist from a garage sale yesterday.
A new with $34.50 tags
pink and frilly heirloom dress
for one dollar!?!
Yes, please.
As I was admiring my deals last night
the girls were begging us to get a foster kid
or adopt a baby.
We love the babies!

The air is cool and crisp.
My favorite.
Impossible not to be bubbling with joy
over all God's simple blessings
this delicious morning.

an update

2011-08-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Don't worry.
The tears have been replaced
with lots of check marks
on my to-do list.
Who knew a girl could accomplish so much?

Excuse me while I go finish
assembling the lasagna for
tonight's dinner.
And yes,
it is only 12:29 PM!

Have a wonderful day!
I know I will.

(The girls have adjusted just fine as well
.....to everything except the mandatory hot lunches)

all alone.

2011-08-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

I just dropped all four of my girlies off for their first day of school.
Sorry. No cute photos documenting this momentous day.
Couldn't find the camera:(
They were excited.
And a little nervous.
Wanted to know everything that would happen.
I didn't have all the answers.
But I guess that's a part of growing up.
Leaving the predictable routine of life at home
and heading out into uncertainty of the real world.

I know I am probably making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.

On the long drive to town I gave them all a little pep talk.

Be awesome.
Let your light shine.
Don't be shy.....
because Mimi says that shy people are really just selfish......
only thinking about themselves.
Look for someone ELSE who is nervous
and do your best to make THEM comfortable.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Don't be afraid of the bathrooms and pee your pants
like I did when I changed schools in the middle of first grade.
(they got a kick out of that.)
Have no part of gossip.
And don't necessarily believe everything they tell you.
(We are not Catholic).
Addie wondered if it was wrong to do the sign of the cross.
I think that is what "the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" thing is called......

I think I covered all the important stuff.
But I am wishing I could be there to hold their hands.......
Keep Gwen company in a crowd of strangers
so she doesn't feel alone.
Like I feel now.

This will be a good change.
I hope it will.
I know it will.
But for now, I am sad.
Tears streaming down my face....
Like seeing my little Addie struggle up the steep steps
onto a school bus of big strangers for her first day of Kindergarden.
Times 4.
They are all growing up at once.

Give me this day to be emotional.
And then on my next day off
I will conquer the world.

a little more summer

2011-08-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation, we have decided to put the girls in private school this year.
Big changes are ahead and my nest will soon be very empty,
at least during the day.
There are definite pros and cons
to both homeschooling and private school.
A con for private is that it starts mid-August.
So we are busy trying to cram some summer fun
into the next couple weeks.

Here are some pictures from this past week
along with lyrics to a Trace Atkins song
that gets me every time.

I’m lost in her there holdin’ that pink rod and reel
She’s doin’ almost everything but sittin’ still
Talkin’ ‘bout her ballet shoes and training wheels
And her kittens
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

I say, “Daddy loves you, baby” one more time
She says, “I know. I think I got a bite.”
And all this laughin’, cryin, smilin’ dyin’ here inside’s
What I call, livin’

And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She’s already pretty, like her mama is
Gonna drive the boys all crazy
Give her daddy fits
And I better do this every chance I get
‘Cause time is tickin’
(Yeah it is)

And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’

She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
Yeah, aww, she thinks we’re just fishin’
We ain’t only fishin’
(This ain’t about fishin’)

Addie wanted company on a little island,

so she carried Gwen thru the muck.

Ella slipped and fell....

leaving a big mud spot on her white shorts.

Josie tried to help me get a picture from behind....

....but Ella wanted nothing to do with such a photo.

Sure wish I knew how to arrange photos.

Anyone know of a good tutorial?

Barn Dance

2011-07-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

My wonderful friend and the girls' babysitter (still trying to think of a special name that describes what a blessing LaDeane has been to our family) invited us to her barn dance to celebrate her 30th wedding anniversary last night.

Decorating is not her "thing" so she agreed to let me add a few touches to their beautiful barn a few hours before the shindig started. Steve chauffeured me around the dirt roads Saturday morning, letting me out in the ditches to pick flowers in my mudboots and knees highs pulled up over my capris ensemble. I'm sure I was quite the sight. But one is not concerned with fashion when fighting her way through rodent/snake/insect infested foliage.

The party was a wonderful excuse to pull out evidence of my "textile obsession." All my vintage tablecloths and patchwork quilts covered the tables and hay bales. My old floral hankies were strung from authentic (as in straight from the bale) twine along the white brick walls.

My new $3 chalkboard was just the right size for the menu and my assorted 3s and 0s served as a reminder for the number of years Marvin and LaDeane were celebrating.

Josie was so excited to rock her new Goodwill cowboy hat.

Yeehaw!

Unfortunately we were unable to find any boots for the occasion.

The happy couple.

A late night potassium refuel after all the dancing.

Our first ever barn dance.

It was a good thing.

Steve and I humiliating ourselves

with an incredibly failed attempt

at some Garth Brooks karaoke.....

NOT a good thing.

my little corner of the world

2011-07-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

OK.

I'll admit it.

I am spoiled.

This morning's "breakfast" is a piece of pound cake

drizzled in my yummy raspberry sauce

with a dollup of Cool Whip.

Eaten in front of the computer

where I have been "pinning" like a crazy woman

while the girls "play" school.

Essentially, Addie is teaching Gwen to read.

Thank you Hooked on Phonics

(and Addie).

Pinterest.

It's my new latest obsession.

As Sabrina described it......

"a glorious time waster."

Exactly.

Made me want to "pin" a few of my own

favorite corners of my world.

A homonym flashcard from a set I found at a garage sale

set in a $12 frame I found in the basement of our local antique store.

Hard to see.....

SEW

Mary can sew well.

SOW

The farmer will sow his seed.

LOVE it because my friend with the book deals Mary

CAN sew well

and we are surrounded my farmers sowing their seeds.

Until I can decide what I want to do with this lovely huge frame

it will provide a spot of color on our otherwise drab walls.

On top of our piano....

neat old books,

a recently completed silhouette of one of the girls

and a HUGE map of Duluth.

Though not entirely functional

as it dims the light a tidge,

I used a bit of an old holy heirloom quilt

to top this super tall thrift store lamp.

Truly, my current favorite corner of the house.

Color = Happiness.

Occupational BERRapY

2011-07-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Addie is improving, her appetite and energy level both increasing.

She is still quite pale due to her low hemoglobin levels

and is quite bruised from all the poking and pulling

of last week's interventions.

But man, can that girl pick berries!

Her sisters have gotten bored with the hunting and gathering.

But Addie is loving it!

She rushes to tell me every time she finds a new great spot

or fills a bucket.

I love her enthusiasm.

And after being stuck in bed for two weeks
I am sure

it is quite therapeutic.

all in a [few] day's work

2011-07-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am still processing the events of the past couple weeks in which Addie's "kidney infection" turned out to be a very scary case of hemolytic uremic syndrome requiring an ambulance ride to Mayo, 2 platelet transfusions, one blood transfusion, and two sessions of dialysis over our 8 day stay in the hospital.

(detailed post to come)

I have spent the last couple of days trying to manage my "post-traumatic" stress by scraping all the nasty linoleum and residue from the top of my latest find. As usual, in my excitement to transform something crusty into something beautiful, I failed to take a 'before' photo. You will have to take my word that it required HOURS of hand-cramping scraping with a screwdriver and a few coats of my new favorite turquoise paint to get this result.

I spent $20 on the furniture and just over $10 on paint and am quite pleased with the outcome. Plenty of shoe storage and lots of display potential. Originally I planned to cover the top in red gingham oilcloth, but I'm fine with the rustic look for now.

I made sure that hubby the kill-joy didn't even have to help carry my finished product from the pole barn to the house. You should have seen my four girlies and me heaving it up the deck stairs. I was so proud of them:) To be expected, Steve still insists it wasn't worth the $20 I paid.
Sigh.

I must show you some comparables to defend my decision making.

Sundance West Country Sideboard $1595

Wisteria Stacked Sideboard $499

A $32 turquoise sideboard. It's a good thing.

July heat.

2011-07-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Can it really be July already?
Am I getting a smidge predictable with my intros?
Where has the time gone?
Where have I been the past two months?
Is summer really half over?

Maybe if I were to be more diligent in my blog writing I could spare you
the predictable laments over the passage of time
and cut to the chase.

As much as it saddens my heart,
it IS July.
And today's high is supposed to be 98!
NOT counting all the humidity!
Ew.

You can just see the heat and humidity in the air.

We now have another fruit bearing tree!

(It blossomed last year, but no fruit.)

Nothing makes me feel quite as rich as

pears on a tree.

Evidence of Steve's latest "hobby."

Today I am incredibly thankful that we splurged on that pool
that fits perfectly on our old silo slab.
Sweet relief!

Addie has been suspiciously absent from recent photos

as she is battling a kidney infection.

And possibly something else.

Poor kid hasn't been able to keep anything down since SUNDAY!

They put her on an IV yesterday and told us to come back today if she wasn't better.

So we are going in. again.

Praying for answers.......

more GweNIV translations

2011-05-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

I tried to convince Addie to try out for a community theater production of

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.

"Tried to convince" really means I bribed her with $100.

What can I say, I am an encourager.

I also tried to convince Steve to try out

(there are lots of male ~~parts~~ characters)

for the part of Pharoah, who sings like Elvis,

Steve's fave.

Gwen overheard me talking to him on the phone

as I told him the part had his "name all over it."

Once I had hung up, she asked,

"Does is say 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy'

or 'Steve, Steve, Steve'?"

Gwen: Mommy, what's your favorite color?

Me: Oh, it depends on the day.

Gwen: What day is today?

Me: Saturday.

Gwen: What is your favorite color on Saturday?

Gwen about to cut off lots of her thick beautiful hair.

I just couldn't keep up.

*Sigh*

My baby girl will be five this week:(

my new little pills

2011-05-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

I just discovered I have a hypothyroid. I will spare you the details, but the past couple of months I've had some pretty bizarre and unexplainable symptoms leading me to believe I had a blood clot in my leg, a brain tumor and/or I was about to have a stroke. This past week was the scariest, leading me to the ER where I was sure I was about to die and yet was unwilling to be admitted due to a high insurance deductible. I think that qualifies me as a "die hard penny pincher." Give me the choice of a gamble with extinction or $1500 out of pocket, I choose the crapshoot of death. Afraid and wanting to be in capable hands in the event that I did stroke out, I stayed in the ER waiting room with my poor scared girlies who had just been quizzed on emergency cell phone usage until Steve was able to pick me up and take me to an open Dr. appointment down the road.

Welp, after some testing that involved laying flat on my back with my naked "I nursed four babies" boobies hanging next to me (humiliation), peeing in a cup, and some blood work, the results were in. Phew! I am so relieved! At one point in the waiting room, one of the girls came over to hug me (I was in tears) and then another and then another and then another. It felt like a scene out of a tragic movie, and I was sure this was the last memory the girls would ever have of me. I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Then again, emotional instability can be a symptom of hypothyroidism.

There are many symptoms of a hypothyroid, making me confident that this little pill I now have to take every morning an hour before eating will change my life for the better. I thought I would share just a few of my expected results.

I will effortlessly drop 30 pounds.
I will remember to mail every bill and birthday/thank you card on time.
I will stay awake for romantic comedies and Steve's late night ramblings about Bin Laden's death conspiracies.
I will have a full head of thick shiny hair and will no longer need mousse or Drain-o.
I will have the focus and energy to design and implement a weekly menu plan.
I will have healthy regular bowel movements.
I will have the mental clarity and discipline to become a fabulous guitarist.
I will be a Fun Mommy.
I will have the energy to coach Addie's softball team and dig up all the grass clumps still in our garden plot.
I will catch up on laundry.
I will post weekly blog entries that fall under the "witty" and "charming" categories.
I will have the focus necessary to read and understand my camera manual.
I will become a skilled hip-hop dancer.

So, that's it. I have an answer. And a little pill that is about to rock my world:)

on deadlines

2011-05-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

I have always needed a deadline to be productive. Yes, I was the one who waited till the night before a term paper was due to pull an all-nighter. I need to know that company will be arriving in few hours before I manage to collect enough dust bunnies from the stairs to stuff a body pillow. And I need a friend to link to my blog calling it "witty" and "charming" before I can barely manage to pull myself out of my "much too long" Mother's Day nap stupor to post something non-whiney.

Witty and charming. Ready. Set. Go.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Okay. That is too much pressure. Even for me.

It is supposed to get into the 90s today! BLECK! I can already feel the humidity induced blemishes surfacing on my chin. On the other hand, I am absolutely giddy about the garden we have planned this year. I have seeds started both at home and at the nursing home where I work and my beans are already a foot tall! I have to say, I feel like a little kid when it comes to things growing out of the dirt. God is a fabulous magician, and even though I know the outcome of seed + dirt + sun + water, I still stand flabbergasted on the mornings the first little shoots have managed to poke their little heads above the soil. Amazing.

And that's it folks. An incredible failed attempt at "witty" and "charming." And now I'll post a picture of my dream gardens so you forget how lame my blog is.

A post totally unrelated to Resurrection Sunday

2011-04-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

It is Easter Sunday and I am still in my jammies. Home with a puking Gwen and, to be entirely honest, not too sad to be missing the day's festivities. Having picked up more hours at work, along with the home schooling (and bill paying, and laundry, and dishes etc.), I am feeling a smidge overwhelmed. I welcome this day to stay home and do nothing, even if it means emptying the occasional puke bucket. Though I DO hope she bounces back quickly.

Once again, behind on my blog writing, I find it difficult to know where to begin. Much has happened these past few weeks. Our beautiful old barn burned down. I am still mourning that loss and dreading all the clean-up that is involved, if we could only find more time. I plan to write a post all about our big old barn one of these days, to help me work through my grief.....if grief is an emotion one can experience over the loss of a building.

One of our cats just had kittens. On Addie's 10th birthday, no less. It is such a miracle! I am amazed that Twix, not quite a year old herself, is such an incredibly selfless mother, constantly nursing and cleaning and cuddling......and purring the entire time! I could learn a thing or two from Twix about being content in my mothering. But then again, Twix isn't dealing with dramatic girls unable or unwilling to find matching dress shoes for church, unwilling to comb their snarly hair before putting it in a ponytail, or disputes over wardrobes. Ah, to be a momma cat!

The girls searched and searched before finding Twix and her new kittens in a hollow log in the woods.
We have since moved them all to the warmth and safety of our basement.

Cheetoh, Dorito, Sprinkles, Neo(politan), and Frito

Now, to find me a Cadbury egg.....

Something about Mary

2011-03-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing friend named Mary. In my world, all people with the name of Mary are amazing.......sweet, generous, thoughtful, and just plain good. This Mary is no exception. She is an excellent listener, sparkling conversationalist, thoughtful and generous, (several of my all time favorite gifts were from her!) and she has the heart......oh, her heart.......what animal has a huge heart? The heart of an elephant?!? Hmmmmm. She is always giving.......her time and money......to her church, her charities, her friends, and the beggars on the streets of Vegas. By comparison, this girl's heart makes me feel like the Grinch who stole Christmas......at the beginning of the story! She is amazing!

Mary and her hubby Troy
last week in Vegas!

Another little something about Mary is that she is incredibly creative, crafty, artistic and disciplined. She may have snagged not one, but two book deals, is about to teach some crafty community education classes, and quite recently has started BLOGGING! Ever humble, when I mentioned that I would like to send all 5 of my readers in her direction, she begged me to leave out the part about the book deals and instead wanted me to tell you that she is DESPERATE to gain followers of her blog. So go! Check out my amazing friend Mary! She blogs frequently and get this......it is all useful, how-to info you can use yourself! Go! Follow! I am so proud to call this gal my friend!

I fall. I trip. I am hooked on phonics.

2011-03-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to spend the better part of last week vacationing with wonderful friends in Las Vegas. Without kids. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) I will spare you the details, but there was a big fall. Not even a second after this photo was taken. And there was tripping. I swear there was something sticky on the casino floors. And on some of the airport floors as well. Poor Steve. I fear I was a bit of an embarrassment. But now I am back at home in rural Iowa. Where I belong.

And our sweet little Ella just graduated to the 2nd grade Hooked on Phonics curriculum!

on not being fun

2011-02-26T19:50:00.000-08:00

Remember this post about Fun Daddy?
Welp, nothing has changed since I wrote it.
Steve is just as fun as ever.....
and I know the girls love him more than they love me.
At least in the way they understand the word love.
And I guess, if I have to be, I'm okay with that.
I know that everything would fall apart here
if it weren't for the rules and expectations and non-fun
that I bring to the table.
It's a classic case of good cop vs. bad cop.

Addie wrote a poem about my whole side of the family
for our get-together last weekend.
She just finished up verses about us,
her immediately family.
Notice, if you will, how FUN my whole family is......
and then there is me.....
who likes to have clean floors.
path.
etic.

Maybe I chose the wrong day to freak out about the peanut butter
and gatorade speckled chairs
that we JUST BROUGHT HOME
Tuesday night......after waiting months for them to be recovered.
I haven't even had a chance to scotchguard them yet.

Earlier this week Steve took Gwen to the high school basketball game.
Just the two of them.
He told me last night that they were running a bit late
so he had scooped her up in his arms and run with her into the building.
As he lowered her to the ground Gwen asked,
"Do you know who my favorite person in our family is, Daddy?"
Of course, it was him.
She then asked him who his favorite was.
She feels like she is Daddy's favorite.

You can be sure I am not about to throw out
our rules
or chores
or limits on TV and Wii playing.
I am not about to give them free access
to sugar
or chips
and paint supplies.

But maybe.....just maybe......
I should try harder.....
shake my booty a little harder.......
sing a little louder......
go down in the pitch dark basement with them when they ask,
pretending to care exactly HOW dark it really is........
to prove to myself
if not to them
that I AM FUN!!!

eating my words

2011-02-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Winter,

Looks like we have to say goodbye. 

I am not really sad about it,

but I will be excited to see you again...

when the time is right.

And if I start missing you before then,

I have these pictures

from one of your more attractive days

to remember you by.

~~So long,~~
~~Julie~~

munch. munch.

chew. chew.

swallow.

Winter is back with a vengeance.
But at least I got to experience
Jason and Becca's fabulous backyard ice rink
and my mom's
"way better than they used to make them back in the day"
ice skates.

Today, I am thankful that we are all alive.
Because 13 kids and a few adults on ice
with broomball and hockey sticks
and a puck
might be considered a pretty big gamble.
As is making the long drive home
during the biggest blizzard of the season.

Dear Winter,

2011-02-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Looks like we have to say goodbye.

I am not really sad about it,

but I will be excited to see you again...

when the time is right.

And if I start missing you before then,

I have these pictures

from one of your more attractive days

to remember you by.

So long,

Julie

Our day of love

2011-02-16T05:59:00.000-08:00

It started with a demonstration
on the use of a Bible concordance.
Of course love was the word of the day.
The girls looked up a few of the familiar verses
in their own Bibles.
They each picked a favorite
or one short enough to be age appropriate
and turned it into a poster.
I even let them use paint
because it was a holiday, after all.

We did some school.
It was warm.
The girls played outside,
if making beds on the deck and cuddling
with the kitties in the sunshine constitutes playing.
They stripped off all their winter clothes
and went searching in the basement
for their "summer" shoes...
crocs and sandals.
It wasn't THAT warm.

I spray painted some old frames
out in the melting snow drifts.
I made a pound cake
without the butter....
I discovered today
when I went to warm up my coffee in the microwave.
Hello, bowl of butter.

There was an inappropriate facebook comment from Steeb.
I was not surprised.
He likes to be inappropriate in public venues.

I helped Josie make red jello for our special dinner.
We didn't give it enough time to set
but it still made for a pretty topping
for our butterless pound cake.

We each cleaned one room
so Daddy would be proud
and we could relax during the evening's festivities.
Addie set the table.....
removing a leaf for a more intimate meal.
There were candles
a tablecloth
valentine napkins
pretty china
and our very last bottle of 75% off sparkling cider.

There were love notes at each place
from Mommy
and the girls decided to wear their girliest pink dresses,
the chiffon kind,
not the Gap kind that I prefer.
Hair was still sort of in French braids from church,
something I was quite proud of.

Steve grilled burgers and brats
because it was so warm,
making me very anxious for the real spring
and all that goes with it to arrive.
Afterwards, the girls wanted to recite their love verses.

It got quite silly
and turned into a dance party.
The inappropriate kind.
They are their father's daughters.

Next were games on the Wii.
Have I mentioned we love our Wii?
Ella and I sneaked off to my cozy bed to cuddle and read.
There was talk of possibly piercing her ears
and she asked if I remembered when she was "2 or 3"
when I would pick up her pink blankie with my toes
and throw it over my shoulder
before carrying her upstairs for her nap.
Of course I remembered.
It was yesterday.

Gwen and her Daddy and the chubby cheeks she has become quite proud of.

Gwen, in all her rambunctiousness,
found us in our hide-out
and crawled way down under the covers
ripping apart my bed.
She pulled of my socks to give me a foot massage
but ended up trying to pick the fuzz from between my toes.

The Wii games ended.
Daddy came to find us
but we were fake sleeping
like we always are when he comes to find us.
Ella stayed "sleeping" even as Daddy threatened
her belly with zerberts
again and again and again
he counted down
breathing right on her without actually zerberting.
It was torture to watch.
But she stayed there
still as a rock with a little smile peeking
from behind her strategically placed
sleeping hands.

And THEN,
I got a homemade Valentine!!!!
Admittedly, it had taken him several attempts
to correctly cut out a heart.
The scraps he left on the table were proof.
But it was homemade.
And he was so proud of himself.
Like a kindergardener bringing home
a special gift for his mommy.
I melted.

Counting my blessings this Valentine's Day!

I found an old $10 frame for some of my new letter press art!

"self indulgent ramblings of a hopelessly flawed wannabe"

2011-02-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

Remember when that used to be my blog sub-title?
I kinda miss it.
It was my license (a word I can NEVER spell correctly the first time) to ramble
on and on and on in my posts with no apologies because
hey, you were warned.

I think I'm gonna have to start using it again.

Starting now.

On baths: I just finished a glorious bath! After playing volleyball last night
certain muscles really needed a good hot soak.
And I can totally multi-task whilst drowning away my aches and pains.
Josie sits on our (freshly disinfected post-flu) toilet
and reads me her science and history lessons.
It's win-win.
But I remember, as a teenager, thinking that baths were the most disgusting thing ever!
How could a person get clean soaking in their own dirty water?!?
I thought.
On the rare occasion that I did take a bath,
I immediately followed it up with a shower to get clean from my bath.
CRAZY!
And I may have given my mom a hard time about her bath-taking.
I was such a loser.
Sorry, Mom!!!

On Jeannie's new and improved blog: How can you improve something that is already perfect? I love this gal's blog....especially a recent post about having THE talk with her son, but my favorite little extra is her playlist that immediately sets a positive mellow mood for my day....songs with beautiful harmonies.....you have to take a listen. And maybe crank your computer up real loud so you can hear it while you soak in the tub:)

Today, I would like to take part in Jeannie's blog "challenge," for lack of a better word, to post photos of the people I love. I am no photographer....though I DO dream of becoming one. Nothing special (the photos, that is) but these are my girlies who I get more and more proud of every day. They are sweet, silly, creative dolls who make me smile. Most days.

Gwen having a melt-down this morning because her booster seat was too cold.

These two STILL prefer to sleep in one twin bed together. I don't know how they do it.

These two like to crawl into our king sized bed for morning snuggles.
And that is a Gwen's new post-flu toothbrush which she slept with all night!
And notice the ponytail bands on Ella's wrist......
she is trying to be just like her mama:)

Addie, barely recovered from the flu bug herself, taking time to read to a puking Gwen.

Happy Weekend!!!!

a craft room

2011-02-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

I'm going to have my very own craft room! Sure, it will be in the basement, with the piles of dead asian beetles and the occasional dead mouse.....but my very own craft room!!!!

Steve picked up some cupboards for free and if we can ever track down the right sized masonry drill bit, those babies will be hanging on the wall chalk full of all my goodies.

As I am looking forward to this project, I am realizing how much "stuff" I have stashed in different places around the house......tubs of scrapbook paper over there, a shelf full of glitter letters and ribbons over here, a drawer full of ephemera over there...... I'm starting to understand why he has been the one pushing for this craft room all along;) It will be so great to have all my stuff in one place......maybe it will be just the extra kick I need to actually follow thru on creating the things that inspire me. Also, my new room will be right next to our washer and dryer......maybe he is thinking that if I spend more time near the laundry, his shirts won't get so wrinkled;)

Either way, I am happy. I will probably rock my mud boots down there......you know.....mouse reasons. But I will have a place to call my own! And decorate how I want! Three cheers for the possibilities!!!

I didn't take a BEFORE before picture. Just imagine a dark corner of a dark basement with boxes of Christmas decorations and the poor books that haven't found homes on shelves yet. Here is an almost before picture.......after finally hanging the cabinets and hauling down a big old "on loan 'cuz someone might want it back someday" desk. It may be the nicest piece of furniture we "own."

Stay tuned for after photos!

Today.....

2011-02-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

I am thankful to be among the living after a horrible bout with the stomach flu.
After losing 5 pounds to that nasty bug, I am eating waffles and Mountain Dew for breakfast. Oops. So much for that weight-loss jump start. But it tastes. so. good. Reminds me of my first meals eaten after giving birth. So hungry.
my house looks like this......

I almost broke down and cried after seeing the house like this, discovering that I have yet another sick kid, and then realizing I was out of Q-tips. It was the Q-tip that broke the proverbial camel's back. Have I mentioned how much I am addicted to Q-tips?
I am thankful that Gwen is almost tall enough to puke in the sink. Not as appropriate as the toilet, but way more so than all over her bed.
I will let Gwen believe that the words to the song she heard on the radio really were, "Take Me Home, Gwen Virginia...." She was so excited......I didn't have the heart to tell her......
I am letting the girls watch a recorded episode of Wipeout. Before we do school. Scratch that. Everyone else is getting a snow day. I am going to take another sick day.

Not sure if I told the one about our cat sneaking in the house and peeing all over our couch while we were gone over New Years? We have been short on seating ever since.....which is why there is no furniture in the picture of our living room and yet we have three chairs crowded into the TV room. What do people without TVs do to survive an almost all family episode of the stomach flu?

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-01-31T14:42:00.001-08:00

I finally broke down and spent my birthday money. Half the fun is knowing I have money in my pocket to spend however I choose.......100% guilt free. So I like to take my time deciding on just the right guilty pleasure. After perusing my favorite letter press shops on Etsy, I have decided on these.......

Note: I still haven't figured out how to make blog posts wider so as not to cut off my photos......HELP! In the meantime, if you want to see my delicious treats in full view you have to click on the picture.

.....for my kitchen.

And though I really can't stand biscuits and gravy [so NOT a breakfast food], Steve would die for his grandma to whip him up a batch. Such a fond memory of good times at her place up North.

And finally, this one will be perfect for one of my new photo walls. A reminder not to take each other for granted:)

You can be sure I will be making the long hike down the driveway to the mailbox each and every day until I receive my gifts.

Happy birthday to ME!!!

keeping on the sunny side......or at least the partly sunny side

2011-01-15T13:15:00.000-08:00

I've had a rough couple of days.....

nothing major, but there are times when I feel like a FULL+ time employee

with NO benefits.

I'm talking lots of overtime.

And I'm not referring to my paid job.

(I get reimbursed for that.)

I really struggle with finding balance.......

balance between work and homeschooling and housekeeping and cooking and dishes and laundry and bill paying and thank you writing and personal and professional development, etc.

About once a month (hmmm) I get into a funk and just feel like giving up.

Not giving up on this crazy wonderful life,

but maybe the dishes.

Yeah, I could give up the constant dish washing.

And the bills.

I just can't do it all.

I'm pretty sure I need an outlet.

And something other than decorating my big beautiful farmhouse

because I have a very opinionated husband

(whom I love dearly)

And I've decided that trying to decorate in a way that makes me happy

only brings about disappointment and frustration.

And so, in an attempt to pull myself out of my pathetic pity party,

I will post some pictures of things that bring me joy.

Because, really.......

Life is good!

My photo wall! After months of begging......

Thank you 3M photo strips!

Watching the girls expertly crack more than a dozen

of our own farm fresh eggs for a Saturday egg bake brunch.

My favorite jeans and a new pair of wool socks.

Brrrrr. Our house is freezing!

My birthday find from my favorite local consignment shop.

Ooooh, the possibilities!

What is left of my store bought birthday cake.

And the clementines aren't bad either:)

a month in review

2011-01-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

It's been a LONG time since a real post. Just so I can feel better about my long absence, let me catch you up quickly with a few photos of these past few weeks. Because I have high speed internet and I can:)

It has been a cold month with lots of time spend indoors. We busied ourselves making lots of journals to give as gifts.

And I finally got around to making those pretty paper chicks.....appropriate homemade ornaments for our first Christmas spent at the Juicy Roost. Even though we didn't get a tree:(

Josie celebrated her 8th birthday with a gorgeous kitty cake and kitty gifts. That girl loves her cats.

We enjoyed many meals by the the beautiful light of the garland and have made a good dent in my stash of 75% off sparkling cider.

Naps were taken in the comfy big chair my parents gave us.

We spent several days visiting my brother down in Arkansas with his amazing family.

Unfortunately, I was too busy cuddling my adorable nephew to remember to take any pictures:(

Hunting hats became a favorite wardrobe choice for Addie.......less hair combing involved.

And we finally broke down and got the family a Wii. We are not disappointed.

Christmas Day, among other days, we got stranded in the driveway. This is me passing time in the car with crazy kids as Steve attempted to rescue us.

The kids found a nice alternative to sledding.

We made a nice warm batch of homemade play-do. I think there is a good chance I enjoy kneading and molding it more than the kiddos. So therapeutic.

New Year's Eve Day we took advantage of a "window of opportunity," speeding between the freezing rain and blizzard conditions to make it back up to the Northland to spend much needed time with good old friends.

There was Wii dancing.

And a reindeer hunt.

A few rounds of my new favorite game.......telephone pictionary.

A kid performance for our dear recovering ex-pastor.

I am so thankful for all the amazing people in our lives!

There.

Caught up.

Unedited style.

an affinity for anatomy

2010-12-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

I have an affinity for anatomy. It probably started in high school when I took a first responder/EMT course and had to learn the 16 part answer to the question, "Follow the path of a red blood cell......" Then there were the hours I spent in my human gross anatomy lab, dissecting and identifying all the components of the brachial plexus before racing home to wash off all the formaldehyde stank. I feel it noteworthy to inform you that I just spelled formaldehyde correctly on my very first attempt. Because I'm cool like that.

Anyhoo. This morning I turned over my parental duties to our new Wii (because it is Christmas break) and lost myself in the abyss of a handmade marketplace. My birthday is coming up, you know.

Among many other delicious treats, I uncovered this.

(you'll have to go look at it cuz I apparently need to reformat my whole blog to get the picture to show up for you.)

And now that I've discovered these

I have Steve's blessing to begin beautifying our boring and barren walls. I can hardly garner my giddiness as I tell you, We now have an entire wall designated for fun photos of family and friends! And wouldn't this print be perfectly positioned among the pictures of people we love?

There has to be a p-word to use in place of love! Help me!

I have to ask...... there are many we hold near and dear to our hearts. Friends and family who are far away....... would they love this print as much as I do, affinity for anatomy aside? Would they be happy to hang a heartfelt reminder that though far away, they are in our hearts?

because I can't help myself

2010-12-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

Smitten

2010-12-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

I just discovered "The Sing-Off."

Wow.

My new fave.

And judge Ben Folds is dreamy.

Just sayin.

Happy Haul-idays from Chronicle Books!

2010-11-30T06:15:00.000-08:00

It's prolly no secret that I love pretty things. Especially pretty papery things like books and postcards and stationary and posters.......And honest and truly, I LOVE Chronicle Books! I first ordered some beautiful vintage soap label postcards to frame and hang in my bathroom several years ago. Then I realized they carried Cath Kidston. (The love affair is official.) And then I ordered more postcards for framing..... this time botanical prints for my summertime mantel. (You guys, postcards are such an affordable way to decorate!) I lurve them! Anyway, I've ordered several times from Chronicle Books and have only ever been thrilled with their products. Really, they carry INCREDIBLY CUTE stuff!

AND NOW.......They are having a $500 giveaway! I am just giddy with excitement over my small chance of winning, so here I am, listing the $500 worth of ~~books~~ pretty things that I would love to win and telling you all about the contest. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win the very same beautiful items WHEN I am drawn the lucky winner! (the power of positive thinking can't hurt, right?) Last day to participate is December 10th!

Happy Haul-idays to us!

julie's Wishlist

Wishlist items:

I wonder if they are going to pick a winner closest to the $500 mark,
cuz I'm only six cents off!

Good Luck!

Ella is 6?

2010-11-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

Ella celebrated her 6th birthday the day before Thanksgiving. Per her request we had waffles for breakfast, Taquitos for lunch and chicken "stuffed with spinach" for dinner. This year she wanted a Texas sheet cake (hello my double chin) making it the 2nd one I'd made (and consumed) in a week. I did have a little help.

Oh, my adorable little Ella. She is turning into such a sweet and smart young lady. So easy to please, she is in heaven to have alone time with me as she "fixes" my hair or reads me a story. Always quick with a hug or a kind word, she is also the ham of the family, though no outsider would know it.

I feel incredibly privileged to know the uninhibited, dramatic, and truly funny girl that Ella is at home. And man, can that girl sing! Until, of course, she knows someone is listening. My favorite is to eavesdrop as she belts out "Tomorrow" from Annie in the upstairs hallway where she has apparently discovered the great acoustics.

Aaaah, Ella, I am so proud of you!

And just look at my mom!

Isn't she stunning?

Everywhere I go people think she's my sister.

So either I'm looking older than my years

my mom's unmatched positive attitude

and exuberance for life

are the secret to youthful beauty.

Ella got just what she wanted.....

a cabbage patch doll

with curly red hair!

(thanks for doing my big city shopping, mom!)

thru my window

2010-11-28T19:17:00.001-08:00

I'm thinking about adding a new tag titled.....

things that make you go "hmmmmm."

Overheard

2010-11-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

The 4 and almost 6 year old have been asked to clean their room this morning.

The following has been OVERHEARD.

Da DA DUM!

Gwen...you HAVE to clean.....H. A. F. T. O.!!!!

OK Gwen, I'm gonna count to three and then you have to be cleaning.....1....2.......3........

silence.

OK, let's start that over again.

Gwen! Look you swaddled your baby!

.....and this says, "If you swaddle your baby then you have to clean your room

when you're done."

Gwen, if you don't clean then I'm not going to be on your team.

*sung* I'll clean my half of the room.......you clean your half of the room.....(etc)

I'm only gonna clean if YOU clean!

Well, I'm only gonna clean if YOU clean!

Well, I'm only gonna clean if Lula (a doll) cleans!

pause.......

And Lula is going to clean!

(But the doll doesn't start cleaning and on and on and on it goes.)

I missed a LOT of the interaction between the two and as usual it ended up with Ella begging me to give Gwen a different job. I've tried to explain to Ella that she needs to be an example by just digging in with what needs to get done, but nothing has changed. Until I give them separate jobs, they both just argue incessantly about the other one not cleaning.

Tell me that one day these girls will be best friends!?!?

a reason to smile so big my eyes disappear

2010-11-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

WE GOT HIGH SPEED INTERNET TODAY!

Finally! After almost 10 months of waiting......

Today is a good day.

There is a long line of girlies waiting their turn to play computer kid things . . .

pbs kids
starfall
webkins
agkidzone

.....so I have to make this quick.

One of the first pages I quickly loaded was this one because I remembered waiting painfully for pictures of her beautiful home to load. GOR. JUS! I am drooling all over my keyboard. So that's it. My time is up. High speed internet and access to photos of amazing homes. Can't wait to get my thrift on this weekend!

only an IKEA bag would be big enough

2010-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for that Ikea bag I had to buy in order to haul all my napkins and towels home a few months ago. It's the only bag big and strong enough to hold all the pears I picked this week! All of these are from just one of my trees......and all picked with my feet still on the ground!

Pears are my favorite and my best!

So just a little update:

I'm loving fall and.......

the cool weather that lets me break out my favorite puffy vest
the brown leaves crunching under our feet......and waking us up in the middle of the night when the possums and bucks venture under our bedroom window
the smell of the homemade applesauce simmering in the crock pot
the promise of a newly installed wood stove (the heating guy is coming out to give his expertise about the fire codes etc. in a few hours.) Hopefully Steve can start building the hearth this weekend!!!!!
perusing old issues of Cottage Living for decorating inspiration for the upcoming holiday season:) I think today I might cut apple slivers for some future tree ornaments.

(SIGH)

Have mentioned I love fall?

the monday morning that wasn't

2010-10-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

it is monday morning.
and i am loving it.
one of the things i love about home schooling
is the relaxed schedule of our day.
no waking kids up before the sun,
cramming breakfast down their throats
so they can run out and wait for the bus.
been there.
done that.

and no. i'm not one of those home school moms
who plans the day in 30 minute increments.
not. my. style.

no. i'm the home school mom
who sometimes writes an entire blog post in lowercase letters
and with inappropriate punctuation
just because she likes the way it looks
who occasionally sends the kids out to do their chores
and doesn't go looking for them until an hour or 2 later.

call it the charlotte mason method.

there are enough hours in most of our days

that if they get busy with some project
or fort building
i don't get my panties in a bunch.
their work will get done.

today has been one of those wonderful mornings.
the girls went out in daddy's camo to feed the animals
and check for eggs.
next thing i know they're all cuddling with the cats
and throwing dry leaves on last night's fire
in hopes of roasting some apples.
we hear the farmers
harvesting in the fields around our property.
the sun is shining.
there is a slight chill in the air.
the hens cluck happily
(now that Steve has taken care of all the unnecessary roosters)
and i am thinking that

i love my monday morning home school life.

5 dollars and 15 minutes

2010-10-08T06:29:00.003-07:00

Remember this cabinet I got for a steal a couple years back?

$25 if I would also take the shelf full of those vintage brass pulls

that we ended up using on our new entertainment dresser?

Remember how mad Steve was that I bought not one

but two pieces of furniture that day?

It was ugly.

But I know something great when I see it

and am learning to stand up to the Scrooge that is Steve.

(love ya babe!)

Well, that wrapping paper I used to line the glass doors got ripped awhile back

and I was ready for a change.....

something a little punchier to brighten up our drab walls.

So today, with a new role of wrapping paper from Target

and a little double sided tape (gotta love it!)

I gave my favorite piece of furniture a little makeover.

And now I think I need a piece of bright yellow furniture
to bring out the little yellow leaves in the paper......

trespassing

2010-09-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

So, yeah.

I forced the girls to trespass on some farmland today.

Just the edge of the land.

But apparently trespassing is a slippery slope to hell

because then they stole.

Five soybeans to be exact.

In our defense,

the sky was a beautiful "pewter."

Steve told me that's what color it was

because he thinks I am colorblind.

The fields were gold.

And I just happened to have my camera in the car.

I have always loved fall,

but fall in the country is even more magical.

swinging thru the trees....in his BVDs

2010-09-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

My younger brother and I used to call in
to the local oldies radio station regularly to request
Ray Steven's GUITARZAN.
Until, of course, we managed to record it

off the radio onto a cassette tape

to listen to on demand.

For some reason after watching the girls swing

from the willow branches in our yard

I just can't seem to get that song out of my head.

I love my _________ life.

2010-09-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

I stole this from Redbook, I think.

They ask all the celebs to fill in the blank when they're featured in the magazine.

Last night Steve built a fire in our new/used woodstove.

Outside.

He had to heat it up to cure the paint.

So we ate our chicken piccatta in front of the warm fire

on the cool fall night.

After dinner we peeled apples from our own apple trees

to throw in the crockpot for my next batch of applesauce.

Of course it became a competition

to see who could peel off the biggest piece of apple skin.

Steve won.

But I peeled more apples.

And then, after the kids had dispersed,

we pulled out what his co-workers had left

of his birthday [Texas Sheet] cake

which always tastes better the second day.

I love my Friday night life.