One Weekend Left

Just two days left until we all start back to school.  It's been relaxing, enjoyable, and beautiful.

Saturday - slept in and read books in bed.  I finished my third book this week.  I've started two more.  I wish I was a person that kept my Good Reads account current.  I never think I can write a review.  I should at least give the books I read a star rating.  I have a couple friends on Good Reads and I love reading their reviews.  I always want recommendations, but I'm not insightful enough to write a good review.

Terry and I went for a walk around the neighborhood.  I definitely need to start a new exercise and walking routine on Monday.  I was going to walk or workout all during spring break, but we ended up with just a couple walks.  I have more weight to lose and I'm sure more daily activity would speed things up.

I went to a bridal shower for one of the girls in the ward that use to be in YW when I worked with them.  She and a couple of her friends use to stay overnight in our bonus room.  It was fun to see her and her sister (who's first baby is due in two weeks).  They're both beautiful and all grown up.

I also attacked all the weeds on the side of the house, did the wash, changed sheets, and went grocery shopping.

Sunday - Fast Sunday.  It was a good testimony meeting. One woman shared that she has taken the word "discover" as her theme for the year.  I like that!  I want to use that in some way.  Right now she's trying to discover who she is. She said that one of Satan's tactics, that he uses against us, is getting us to change what we think about ourselves, and to change how we think our Heavenly Father sees us. She had been to a Time Out for Women and was working on discovering the truth of who she is, and how Heavenly Father sees her.  Good thoughts.

Another woman spoke on her testimony of family.  I liked that.  I think the family unit is one of our greatest blessings.  It's definitely one of mine.

A man mentioned that there are reasons for all things.  He was struck by a speaker last week that mentioned returning to church with her young daughter and sitting on the opposite end of a bench that was occupied by a man and his young son. Though she wasn't interested, the kids ended up playing and drawing pictures together during the meeting, and the couple ended up getting married and raising a nice family. There are no coincidences. The Lord is guiding all of us.

I struggling a little with Sunday School.  We have two different teachers that trade off.  One is excellent, the other is not even close to that.  Today we had a substitute and it was painful.

His Project

For years we've checked out the booth at the home show.  We've talked about it.  We wanted one, and all of a sudden, my husband that is handy, but really doesn't own much in the way of tools, decided to build a wall bed.  He checked out plans on the internet, ordered the hardware, had Home Depot cut the boards, and it's done!  It only took a couple weeks.  Most of that was prep work and final painting.  It's really pretty cool.  Now we have an exercise room / guest room.  It easily pulls down to a comfy queen size bed.  It will be ready for Ty's visit in a couple days.  Maybe now he'll stay here when he comes to visit instead of crashing at friends' houses.

I think I'll hang a bulletin board on this with some motivational pictures and an exercise schedule.  The room is really bigger than it looks.

Getting Better

Today I had more ambition.  I still didn't get dressed until after noon, but I went on an early brisk walk with Terry, attacked weeds outside, shampooed the living room carpets, and colored my hair before getting cleaned up.  That afternoon I made some phone calls, did the wash, finished crocheting the baby blanket, cleaned the bathroom, went shopping with coupons (which takes forever!) and read for a couple hours.  I feel so much better when I'm productive.  I just have to figure out how to do that more than every other day.

Projects at N. Lolo Pass Way

Finally....we got our hands on a key to Bry and Amee's house.  We loaded the car with tools, vacuums, ladders, paint, and cleaning supplies.  Amee met us each day, along with Isaac and sometimes Tanner.  (That kid's a good worker!)  Bry kept in touch by text, and lined-up all kinds of help that we needed to let in and hand checks to.  He also showed up after work with something for us eat. 

Tuesday - We cleared out what use to be a front flower bed and raked haystacks from the grass left on the ground after the realtor mowed.  This was the hardest work of the week.  It was hot and my hands ended up with blisters.  Inside we vacuumed carpets and baseboards, wiped down window ledges, and started cleaning kitchen cupboards.  Port of Subs for dinner

Wednesday - Terry did more yard work and made repairs to switches, shelves, and knobs.  I did a lot of painting and touch-up.  Brent came over to help with a minor disaster that occurred when we painted speaker covers to match the wall and all the holes were covered up.  We couldn't get the paint in a spray can to match, so finally we used diluted paint in a spray bottle, a dry brush to stipple with, and a lot of patience.  I think Brent went to four or five stores looking for supplies.  Papa Murphys for dinner.

Thursday -  More painting.  More cleaning.  The kitchen is finished!  Nothing else is done.  Fred Meyer chicken for dinner.

Friday - We had to take our car in and get ready for our vacation so this was a short day.  We left at 11:30.  The painting downstairs is done.  I tried a new technique so that paint wouldn't bleed under the tape.  I don't know how it turned out.  We left before it dried.  Terry got the garage swept.

We met two of their neighbors, two Molly Maids, the locksmith, two guys who cleaned the dryer vent, and a garage door repair man.  Next week while we're gone we'll miss the washer, dryer, and fridge deliverymen, the carpet cleaners, the sprinkler repair guy, and the Cross Town movers.  This house was not left move-in ready.

I don't know why I was so excited to do all of this, but I was.  If was fun every day.  Some nights I couldn't sleep very well because I was thinking of paint colors and decor ideas.  It worked out well that this all happened during summer vacation.  I'm so excited for this family to move into a clean and cute house. 


*Post to be continued when I get back from vacation and finish painting.

It's Always Something

I cleared this week so we can help Bry and Amee, but they didn't get the key to their house until after work today (Monday).  Did we get to kick back?  Of course not.  The toilet in the downstairs bathroom sprung a leak yesterday.  It became Terry's project.  He checked the internet, made two trips to Home Depot, and fixed it!  I'm so proud of him.

The hole.  The moved toilet. Terry muscling it back in place.

I've decided that it's a great blessing for Terry to live down the hill from Home Depot (and for me to live down the hill from JoAnns).

Quick Family Time

Bad grandparents.  I had in my mind that Hadley's birthday was the 16th.  Terry didn't have anything in his mind.  We didn't check until this morning, and it was Thursday!  I won't forget again.  Hadley's is the 12th; Hudson's is the 16th.  I'll forget someone else's, but not Hadley's.

We wanted to run her gift over to her, but the McClures were at Mike's work party all afternoon.  They thought they would be back at 6:30.  We decided to get together with Bry and Amee and the boys for something to eat, and check out the house that is almost theirs.  We wanted to talk with them about how we could help.  We met at Souper Salad which worked out well for the kids, the health conscience, and me, the dieter.

We then went to deliver the gift, but even though we were an hour and 1/2 late, the McClures were still partying.  We got caught in a big downpour, huddled under their porch.

We decided to go over and check-out Bry and Amee's list of house projects.  It's going to be nice having these two families in bordering subdivisions.  The kids will go to the same school, but they live in two different stakes.  They're all close, but not too close.

We finally got our belated gift over to Hadley, our pinkalicious girl.  She got an outfit with a pink shirt, and a Dora doll with pink pajamas on.  (We'll have to make her some clothes to wear during the day.)

It's great having so much family close.  We can squeeze in good times without any plans.

The House that Sold on Lolo Pass

We drove by to check out the house that Bry and Amee should close on next week.  Actually, we did more than drive by, we got out, went to the front door, walked all the way around, and looked in every window.  The people who moved out left a bunch of stuff.  I don't know if they're going to be back to collect some of it or not.  They had food in the pantry, canisters and a pitcher on the counter, some video games on a shelf unit, a lawn mower out back, planter pots on the porch, and a trashed patio set.  I hope they leave it all because even though the cushions on the patio furniture look like a big dog had his way with them, I think they could be sanitized, recovered, and the rest spray painted.  The pots in the front were pretty too.

I really don't want to be any kind of meddling step-mother-in-law, but I could just see all these projects that need to get done right away.  Amee is tied to Isaac, and Bry is at work all day.  If they close on Monday, Terry and I have four days before we leave on vacation.  I just want them to give us the keys.  Amee and Isaac could come over and help, and Bry could check in after work, but I want to help them clean, paint the pink room a better color for Isaac, cut the grass, weed the front garden, and get some kind of shelf system in the garage before the big move.  They might not let me, and they might not want me butting in, and I might not have the energy to even do half of it, but I have a vision - and a plan.  New houses are so exciting.

Summer Project Update

I started this summer posting several lists of things that I wanted to accomplish this summer.
Ten pounds lost
Ten books read
Ten sewing projects
Ten Pinterest projects
Ten Pinterest recipes
Ten home projects
Ten church projects
and more.

It's been a good motivator.  Each day I try to get something done.  I've been working a lot outside on the yard and painting.  That's about finished so I'll be moving on to indoor projects.  I'm pretty sure I could use a longer summer.
 
Lost 7 pounds
Read 2 books (I'm in the middle of 4 others)
Sewed 1 dress (Have fabric for 6 more projects)
Painted 6 chairs, 2 tables, a fence, 3 planters, and a plate shelf
Planted, weeded, dug, landscaped, laid pavers, added rock, built paths, added yard art

Purged and organized two file cabinets at school
Caught-up with the Sunday School reading
Crocheted 1/2 a baby blanket
Worked on family history
Printed my fan chart
And I've started blogging again!

Yeah - I'm going to need a longer summer.

The New Adventure of Old JoAnn

They've remodeled the JoAnns right up the street from me, and had a special promotion for 4 days.  On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I was at their door at 9:00 when they opened.  They gave $5 gift cards to the first 50 customers each day.  I also had a bunch of coupons and they had a bunch of sales.  I bought yarn, a planter box, thread, and two pieces of fabric. 

I made a dress with one piece.  It was fun being able to sew on Saturday.  It was my first time behind the sewing machine since last summer.  The dress was super easy, and the best part was it fit.  (I'll have to model and post pics later.)

My best deal was buying 2 1/3 yards of fabric ($19.99 a yard) and 2 skeins of bamboo yarn ($4.49 each) and spending $12.64!  It was extreme couponing - sort of.  I'm making a bed skirt out of the fabric and slippers out of the yarn.  It's been a fun adventure at the new JoAnns.

 

Back Yard Busy

     Next Saturday will be the last day of June and I'm going to post an update on how my summer project lists are coming.  It seems like I've been working real hard, but everything is taking longer than I think it should.  I've been focusing on the yard, but mostly painting.  I want to start on indoor projects by the time it gets hot, certainly before July 4th, but then again, everything is taking longer than I think it should.

(My first collage posted - Thanks Jana!)