Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Where in the World Have I Been?





I know.

It's been a long long time.


I have dreaded writing this post,
because I just done know where to start.


I've been gone.

I can't tell you where,
because then I'd have to shoot you.


Not really, I just like saying that sometimes.


Since this is a house blog right now,
I feel obligated to show you
that while we were gone 
to the other side of the world,
my husband found some projects
to work on.


He is not one to lounge around reading magazines,
eating delightful chocolates,
sleeping,
watching Christmas movies,
sleeping,
or sleeping.

Instead, 
he chose to look about for things
that needed fixing,
and set out to fix them.


Not always the easiest task
in a country where you don't know the language 
and you don't know where the nearest Home Depot is.

But not one easily deterred,
my husband managed to fix several things
on our world trip,
and enjoyed several trips to the
neighborhood hardware shop.

Alas, I have no pictures of this phenomenon,
because I was either
lounging,
eating delightful chocolates
sleeping
or watching Christmas movies,
or sleeping.


Here is hubs fixing the bathroom sink.





Here he is assisted by his faithful
plumber's assistant,
interpreter,
chauffeur,
question answerer,
and 
favorite 
son-in-law.

Notice how intently
he watches the master's 
every move?







Now. 
For the real reason we travelled 
to the ends of the earth.


This onesie says

"Someone in Kansas Loves Me"

It was a big hit!



Oh boy, Maya,
A new historical commentary
indie film!

You're gonna love this one!





I can't believe my 
mother-in-law
came all this way for Christmas
and all she got me
was new underwear!!!
And she didn't even get the 
bikini kind
like we told her too!

Lame.



Let's read your first
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" book...





It was a wonderful trip.
A trip I will never forget.

We saw many wonderful sights.
We ate wonderful food.
We got to hang with some of our favorite old friends.
We made some wonderful new friends.
But the best thing of all

was this.










I don't really feel ready to get back to the real world yet.
I just want to look at these pictures and remember 
how soft this little one's skin is.
I want to snuggle her close
and smell her sweet smell.

She's coming to see her Nana in a few months
and I will hold her close then,
Meantime,

there's a house waiting in the cedars,
waiting to be finished.

Then we will all be together again.
Lord willing.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

switching gears!


It is hard to imagine 
not being here every day
smelling the raw wood,
listening to the birds cooing,
the cows mooing,
the geese calling...





Except for chosing a color 
for the front door,

the exterior is finished.

Doesn't she look dreamy 
in this picture?





I must tell you now though,

the next pictures you will see
on this house building journey
will not involve
paint
or sawdust
or wiring
or heat ducts
or plumbing.

Today we take a little detour
on the journey,
and leave this house behind.

We are traveling
far and away...
and by God's grace
we will see our precious daughter
and precious son-in-law
and precious new grand-daughter
very soon now.


I am feeling a little weepy 
just thinking about it...
excuse me while I 
try to imagine what that gathering 
will be like!

There will be fresh baby smells,
fresh baby cooing,
and hopefully,
fresh baby sleeping...

hours and hours
of hanging out,
laughing,
walking,
and talking.

God willing.

Stay tuned for pictures...

many silly pictures!




Sunday, November 29, 2009

Pioneer Woman Book Signing - Kansas City




Hello girls!

I just want to say
that 
it was soooooo fun
to get to meet 

one of my favorite bloggers
and cookbook writers

Pioneer Woman,
aka Ree Drummond!

Here we are all giddy and excited to stand in line
and have her sign our cookbooks!

We were disappointed
to learn that the venue we chose to attend
would not be big enough for her to speak to all of us 
as a group.
I was really looking forward to that 
and just assumed that 
we would be getting in on that too,
but when we got there
we could see that the store was 
just not big enough.

I was also disappointed that
MM was not there,
and none of the kiddos.

They got to attend the signing
that Ree had going on that evening,
and it looks like they had lots of fun
passing out prizes and all.

sigh.

But hey.
We had fun anyway!






Kimberly insisted that I  have my picture taken
 by this glamourous
cowgirl wedding gown
just for grins.
Here I am grinning.
It looks like I am 
pinching the cowgirl's bum.
I dont know what I was doing....




Here are Lisa and Kimberly holding their
cookbooks.

We stood in line for quite a while,
visiting with some other friends who were there,
and taking pictures of each other 
standing in line with our cookbooks.

Then, 
suddenly,
it was almost our turn 
to meet
PW.

What should we say?
Are you sweating?
Should we say something profound?
You go first!
No You!

Lisa and Kimberly shoved me up 
ahead



Look there!
Somebody brought Ree treats!
Why didn't I bring treats???

I can't think of anything clever to say
like 
your husband is one hot cowboy!
or
will you come to my house?
or 
does MM have any single, younger brothers?
because I know this beautiful blonde girl...

ok, so I didn't say much
but I have to tell you





This young woman 
sure is sweet
and pretty.




And here she is yucking it up with Lisa
my sweet and pretty daughter-in-love.






And this one cracked up the most of all...

that beautiful blonde I was telling you about?

here she is 
trying to be nonchalant...

yeah, 
my mom got me this cookbook...

I don't even really read your blog,
but hey,
I'm always up
for a road trip 
to the city,
so yeah, 
nice meeting you!




Here we are with Heather and friends

One thing that impressed me 
about PW was...

she sure has good posture!

She looked so poised and lovely
through it all
and I am sure that her arm must have really been tired
by the end of it all!





Lisa brought along a picture of Kellie
just so that she could be in the thick of things
with us.

We would have loved to have her there with us!
Kellie don't hate us for the hair thing going on in that picture...
not sure what era that was from,
but we didn't show it to PW, so no worries.
She has some pretty good hair stories and pictures herself!




After the book signing,
we shopped our fool heads off
and enjoyed our little 
Girlie Day In the City!


We are looking forward to
our next Pioneer Woman Book Signing...

and let me just say


Marlboro Man Had Better Be There!!!


Well, you can all let out a 
collective sigh
of relief.

I am still here.


Even though there has been no
official documentation,
work has gone on.

I took these pictures 
sometime during the first week of November.

Then it happened.
I went to a Pioneer Woman book signing
in Kansas City,
took pictures
and lost my camera.


Or so I thought.
I tore up the car looking for it.
I called the book store and Cowboy Store and Jason's Deli.
Lisa tore up her car looking for it.
I prowled around the house looking for it.
In the craft room.
In the garage.
Back to the car.
In my purse.
In the trash.
On every shelf.

I finally let go of my dear camera
and the pictures of Pioneer Woman.
Sigh.

I prayed that the Lord would show me where 
that dang thing was hiding,
because I did not believe that I had lost it,
or even run over it in some parking lot.
I just knew it was out there somewhere,
waiting for me to find it.

My eyes got very tired from looking everywhere
for that stupid camera.
The kids convinced my hubby to order me a new one.
Mainly because I am about to travel abroad
to see my soon-to-be-born
little granddaughter.
And every Nana needs a camera
when a little girl is getting born.

 They were trying to be sneaky and secretive about getting me another one...
I don't know how the whole thing was going to happen before
the other side of the world,

but the good news is.....

the old camera has been found.

As we were putting down the back seats of my car,
so that Kimberly could take the old oak cabinet home with her,
she spied said camera 
tucked in a crack between
the back seat and the side of the car.

I looked there.
I promise I looked there.
The camera is gray and so is the leather interior, ok?
Cut me some slack here.

The only thing I can figure out is...
it is the Lord's will for me to have the new camera,
because He waited until it was ordered 
before He revealed the hiding old one.

Anyway,
now you can see how the guys built the 
forms for the driveway, sidewalk and patio.

Calm yourselves,
because now I get to show you
pictures of the

Pioneer Woman Book Signing

what fun!
stay tuned!











I can't wait to show you how things are looking 
now that the cedar trim is all up
and the windows are all trimmed out
and the concrete is dry.

We are so happy and thankful 
to have the outside
done.

I will try to get a few good shots before we leave
and hopefully
I wont lay my camera down in some obscure crack.

Maybe I should duct tape it to my wrist on the trip!
All I can say is...

arggh.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Even Giddier


I think I just made up a word.

Giddier.

The more I read it, the more
it doesn't feel like a real word.
Don't you hate it when that happens?

But I can't think of a better word,
so I'm sticking with it.

More stones are up,
and I am even giddier 
than I was before
and I was pretty 
giddy 
before.

Except for mortaring the pillars,
the stone layers are finished 
with the outside of the house.

In a few days
after the mortar is 
completely dry,
they will return and wash 
all the dust off the lovely stones.
I hope by then,
all of the cedar trim will be 
stained and up.

It will be a day of celebrating
and 
giddyness.








Tuesday, November 3, 2009

little side projects...



Yesterday 

in between watching the 
stone masons
working their magic,
and running errands,,
and running the vacuum,
and buying groceries
and taking pictures of the
stone masons
working their magic,


I thought I would take some pictures
of the things I got done last week.

It doesn't look like much,
but believe me

it was much.


I had to sand down all the little
bubbles
where one of my children, 
or maybe two of them
left their fountain drinks
on the top too long
and made the wood warp up
in ugly lumps.

But I prevailed 
and now the orange bumpy dresser
is now ready for her jewelry.

I will sand the edges and stain those areas today
and apply a poly coat
and go pick out some new jewelry for her
and then she will be ready for her new job.

I think she will serve as a game cabinet
and buffet for the table that will
be downstairs in the rec room.
I have a black bookshelf 
who is looking for a partner
in this part of the new house
and he is liking this new chick
a lot.

Wait til he sees her all dressed up!







Some of you may remember that
I have decided not to carpet
the craft room.

It will be mostly storage
with my little craft area in whatever space is left.

But I have a thing against ugly.
Gray basement floors can be ugly.
As you can see here.
This is ugly.
Who wants to craft in a room this ugly?
Not me.




What is the solution?

Here it is!

Warm, inviting, intriguing.
Well, maybe not warm, but there will be rugs!

I am so pleased with the results!






It is so dark in there, Im having trouble seeing
whether I got it all right,
but who really cares?

I love it.

Here's how it came about.

1. Hand rub the solid concrete stain with wadded up paper towels.
2. Rub it in well in small sections.
3. Let dry.
4. Repeat #1.
5. Repeat #2.
6. Repeat #6.
7. Rub with color #2, a translucent color
8. Let sit for a few minutes.
9. Dab the stain off with a paper towel that is pretty much saturated with the stain
( a dry paper towel might take off too much.)
dab out all the swirl marks, blending and dabbing til you get the look you like.
10. Spray with a 3rd color, also translucent.
11. Let this set for a few minutes while you go dab a new section.
12. Dab very very lightly at the spots you made with your cheap sprayer that leaves spots
instead of spray.
Don't even touch the floor, just flop your paper towel around, barely touching the floor,
you dont want to remove the spots, just soften them.
My paper towels were in shreds and once they start leaving little bits behind you have 
to start an new one.
13. where your sections overlap, dab to soften the edges, but you can use these areas to look
like shadows and darken them some more if you like this look.
14. Walk away, if you can even move at this point.
15. Check for places you might have missed and dab at them with the translucent stain
16. Let dry for several days.

I used Behr Concrete stain from Home Depot and have since watched some videos on U tube
to see how this is actually supposed to be done and gasp, this is nowhere near what they said to do.  First, all I did was sweep the dust off...no water was involved.
They refer to acid stain and I have not seen that any where around here, so we'll see how long this will last.  I am planning to seal it with whatever HD has on the shelf.

For an amateur gig, I think it looks fine and remember it's a storage room/craft room,
so I don't expect anyone to be going around with a magnifying glass to see if I did it right. 

Wear knee pads and gloves for this job...it's an old lady killer!

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures....

Monday, November 2, 2009

Giddy!




It has been a wonderful 
sunny
warm 
Monday 
in November.


We have a whole week 
of sunny, warm, wonderfulness
in the forecast.

To celebrate this 
phenomenon...

we decided to 
go ahead
and let the
stone crew
lay stone.

I am not 
going to make you 
wait.

Here it is.






Here's how it all went down.

I mean up.


One man finished off the edges 
of the Dryvit.

One man worked on the porch 
doing something,
I'm not sure what.

And One man layed stone 
starting on the two sides of
the garage.





Here they are 
busily working away.





Eventually 
they all worked with the stone
but this very talented man
started out with the stone.

He is a craftsman.
He is the Stone Whisperer.






Sometimes, 
he teaches the others
how to work with the stone
and helps them.

He also makes venison chili.





They finished the left side of the garage front,
and most of the right side.

Tomorrow 
who knows what wonders
they will achieve!

Will they do the pillars?
Will they move over to the area
around Jim's office window?

Will they eat homemade venison chili for lunch 
again?

Will they offer me some?

Stay tuned.
Tomorrow could be an interesting day.

Today sure was!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Trunk or Treat!




How about a break from it all?
How about a sunny, warm, mellow fall evening?
How about a hot dog?


What would a Baptist wing ding be
without food?

Make mine black, ok?
Ok Mike?

Just leave it on there
and let it get black ok?



   


The Three Amigos.

Trouble times three.

Cute times three.




Here's Lezlie looking all stern and serious.

And some cute fairy princess patiently 
waiting her turn.





Two cute chicks.

Look closely at the cute chick on the left.
Look her in the eye.
Click the picture for a 
close up.

Scary. 
Cute, scary chick.





Wittle Wyatt.
Little monkey.





I love it when people go all out.

Paula had lights and music
and little packets
filled with candy and
a gospel message,
and granny.






Charming Cheetah.







Sweet Thumbellina








Two Tutus







Now this being a church wing ding,
I was looking for some good clean fun,

not so much scary and creepy,

but this was both 

scary and creepy.






Here were the top 

go- all- out -for -it

prize winners

in my book, anyway.

My two nursery co-workers.




Darin (on the left) and Penny.






there are no more words.




Is it just me, 

or does Darin just have one sista?

Nice touch.

I'll leave it at that.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

big changes


Here is what is happening 
out at the ranch .

Stage one is being applied
to the areas that will be covered in

Dryvit.

It is a stucco like substance.

It has the paint color mixed into it.

It will be lovely.



stage one is on and next they will 
apply the "brown coat"

Last night when I drove in 
from a long day of
shopping,

I could see that they had
finished the brown coat,
but it was too dark to
get a good picture.

They are supposed to
work today 
putting on the 

finish coat.
It's Saturday,
so we will see.

In the meantime,


The Lady In Waiting...




is waiting.
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

About Me

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Welcome to my happy place. A place where I can share ideas, projects, and dreams. I am a nester, a crafter, a creator and a dreamer I hope you will find inspiration and encouragement for the journey you are on. I am a Jesus follower, wife, mother and nana. Blessed beyond measure, just trying to live my life gracefully and make a difference in my small world. Join me!