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Monday, April 8, 2013

Days are getting hairy...

It's a normal thing around here for there to be noise and commotion.  Our daughter Missy and our daughter-in-law Angel have started working and we're watching the kids.  With spring break last week, we had lots of kids around.  Kennedy was here for the week and Natalie was here most of the week.  And we watched kiddos too.  Yep.  This place is jumpin' most every day.  I don't think we have days off any more.  lol


Today we watched CJ and Melanie along with Haydn who wasn't feeling well.  He only had a headache so we didn't have to isolate him or anything.  Good thing!  With all the projects going on, that would have been difficult to do!


I've finished up the office/guest room for my sister complete with books I've set aside for her and a goodie basket.  I remembered the soap she needs to use too.  The only thing I can think of I haven't done was to grab juices and water for the frig.  And we need to clean and clear on top of the computer armoire.  It's a little...congested.  Ya.  That's much nicer than saying trashy! 


I was so tired tonight, and I'm working on keeping the frig cleared of excess stuff, I just warmed up the leftover veggies and Cliff went out and got some chicken.  The only veggies I have left now will be used the next two or three days.  In fact, if the weather happens to dip a little, I might make a potato, corn, carrot chowder.


Our basement stairs have bothered me since we moved into this house.  And lately I've felt they were down right dangerous.  Cliff started the big job over the weekend tearing off the junky carpet and scraping all the mountains of tape and glue the previous owners must have thought would fix them.  What a mess!  Today, he rebuilt the upoper section.  The top step went down way further than it should.  The drop was very high and it killed me to step down it.  They're much better now.  He painted them today and tomorrow will put the runner/treads on.  I wish we could put the red carpet we bought to use down there on.  I don't see it happening.  Maybe by summer.  He still has to paint the rest of the bottom part and lay the runner/treads there too.  So much better.  Then he can figure out how to put the railing on.  There is nothing sturdy to hook it to on the bottom section.  It's really needed though.


Next project for him will be to finish up putting back the gawdawful trim in the bathroom.  I need a thousand bucks to do what needs to be done up there so it'll have to wait.  We finally got the faucet problem solved so we can close it all up.  It really needs the walls gutted, the floors torn up and some of the places fixed where someone cut the joists.  (Is that how it's spelled??)  Oh boy.  We are always finding another place that was short cutted in the name of "fer show." 

~~~~~

This last weekend was so nice we were able to get the porch is ready to enjoy.  I decided on using the furniture we bought for it originally out there and use the stuff we had at camp on the back patio area.  Well it isn't a patio yet but when I win the lottery it will be!  lol 


The yard needs lots of work that may or may not get done.  We only have so much time and we have so very many projects.  The part of the yard I definitely want done is the area where the pool goes and the play area.  I wish I had a few hundred extra bucks for at least some rocks for the driveway and for mulch for the flower beds.  I'd like to be able to get the garden going too but who knows if that can get done.  We shall see. 


I did get the donation inventory finished up to take to the tax man tomorrow.  I loathe tax man day.  I'm just hoping to sleep tonight and not get too worked up.

~~~~~

We lost a beautiful family member Sunday.  Aunt Betsy Lingo, Cliff's mother's twin sister, passed away after suffering a heart attack.  She was such a loving caring woman.  When Cliff and I got together, she and Gramma Rickenbacher were so welcoming to me.  And through the years, she remained not just an aunt, but a friend.  She will be missed.  Almost 91.  Wow what a long and rich life she led.

~~~~~

Teenages and clean rooms are just something that doesn't mesh.  This weekend I told Kennedy it was a MUST that her room be done or I'd be going in and cleaning it out.  She listened and she and Natalie attacked that room hard!  I am so very proud of what they did.  It looks absolutely fantastic.



We won't talk about the way they decorated my diningroom with all the stuff that was being disposed of.  Ohhhh boy.  But after sorting through it, it wasn't so bad.  We have a sell pile and a donate pile.  Not much was trashed and some was given away.  Not bad, not bad.  I'm just so excited about how great it looks in there now!!

~~~~~

Easter went great here.  I had the weekend before doing eggs and things with the kiddos.  We did regular colored eggs and then did some cascarones.  Not everyone could come, but the kids who came seemed to have fun.  Missy brought her friend's daughters to join in the fun.  In the end, about six dozen eggs and probably three dozen confetti eggs got done. 



After we were done with that, Kennedy asked if we could make salt scrub.  I just happened to have bought a big bag of fine ground sea salt and a giant jug of olive oil so I said yes, of course!  When we were done, she and Natalie even did facials.


Cliff had to work on Easter.  And the night before.  The night before was also Rusty's bachelor party.  And Cait was on call.  Sooooo, it was up to me to get 'er done.


I got it all set up by myself, cooked all except the cheesy potatoes and scalloped potatoes and the adorable deviled eggs Darlene made.  We had a great meal with nearly everyone here.  We had ham, green bean casserole, corn, honey buttered carrots, salad with strawberries, three bean salad, a four layer spice cake, choose your topping cheesecake....and I don't remember what else! 
.

When everyone had left, Natalie and Kennedy helped bring all the food up from the basement. (I hesitate to call it that, it's a rec room area.  But it's a finished BASEMENT! lol)  They also swept the floor.  I did the rest of the clean up and I was POOPED!  And in pain, but it was soooo worth it!  I love having the family here. 

~~~~~


We recently got to take a wonderful little trip down to Amish country.  Rusty and Caitlin had bought us the two night stay at a very nice cabin area.  Donna's Premier Lodging in Berlin, OH if anyone wants a getaway destination. 


Our cabin was very nice.  The bedroom was in a loft, which with my knee proved a little tricky to get to.  We had a choice of cabins and this one looked perfect.  Next time, we'll do the one the kids said was better.  But I loved this one.  Huge bathroom with a shower and a jacuzzi tub that they furnished bubble bath for. The soap in the bathroom was also handmade. 


The kitchen had everything anyone would need.  In the frig were our chocolate covered cherries and the box of Coblenz chocolates.  That's a local candy maker.  In front of the fireplace was a beautiful soft, soft, soft blanket for us and two mugs with gormet hot chocolate packs.  We later got a second blanket and two of those drink cups with screw on lids and straws. 


It was set up on a hillside in a lightly wooded area.  Outside were rockers on a small patio with a grill.  To the side was a firepit.  We were told that there were MANY wild turkeys that would probably greet us in the morning.  It was so cold though, they never showed. 


We did a lot of exploring.  On our way down, we stopped at Shearer's outlet.  We loaded up on a couple months worth of chips and things.  With spring break, company coming, etc. it won't go to waste.  And after all the discounts we got them for a steal!


We also hit up several cheese outlets.  Mmmm oh the cheese.  I filled the two drawers in our extra frig with it all.  Couldn't help it.  It was all between 2.49 and 3.09 a pound.  Just couldn't pass it up.  We splurged on the meat sticks.  Can't pass them up though!  And of course there was the trail balogna.  Who can leave Amish country without cheese and trail balogna?


We enjoyed exploring the small little towns all around and clear to Columbus.  And we learned a lot.  I never realized that the Amish families lived in little groups.  Or so it seems.  I really should have sat down with someone and asked questions.  There was never one normal family sized home.  It was always a huge living area.  If the homes were normal sized, they were connected in some way.  Either by a big porch, a walkway, a hallway type thing, or some other way.  And seeing laundry on EVERY line.  Wow.  Awesome sights. 



We found several centenial homes and barns.  We ate at Der Dutchman.  We just had some good fun. 
 
~~~~~

Once it’s been said via social media or some other cyberspace outlet, it is out there forever.  Don’t say things you will probably regret. 

You are what you share. 
~~Charles Leadbeater
~~~~~
Emmi has started doing the cutest thing.  Emmi has been packing Papa’s lunch.  She makes him a "sandwich" with her little fake food and put it and her "milk" fake food in his lunchbox.  So cute. 
~~~~~
I found shoes for the wedding.  At first I settled on a pair of flats.  Quilty black back with a patten leather front with a little bow.  I have a brand new pair of black slippers when my feet can't take the shoes any longer.  And then Kennedy came with an AWEsome pair of comfortable shortie heals.  Comfort Plus.  I love them!  Went right out to Payless and got a pair along with a hair do-dad.  It's a lovely gold headband with a pretty flower.  And now the outfit is complete.  Well it will be when my new bras arrive.
~~~~~
Social networking
is about building people up
in your network,
NOT tearing them down.
~~Tasha Turner
~~~~~
A little FYI...

I LOVE....my husband, my kids, my grandkids, my brother and sister, my parents and grandparents in heaven but I won't be posting all the signs.  Who's with me?  :-) 
~~~~~

I don't have a clue when I'll be back.  The next few weeks is sure to be crazy making.  And after the wedding, I'm having my right knee replaced.  Yep, May 14th. 


Now I have edited this three times.  Every time all the paragraph spacing disappears.  Lets see what happens this time.  I triple spaced!!!  lol
Hugs and love,
~~Mama Sage