To blog or not to blog...

I have been wanting to blog more regularly for a while now.  I even have topics I would like to blog about!  (Well, I did...
                    but I didn't write them down...
                                                                so now i don't, really.)

I love my blog.  It is underloved, underused and underappreciated, but loyally it sits, waiting for me to jump on in and write something.

Thank you little blog!

I have no visions of grandeur.  I don't hope to become famous with my blogging skills.  (I don't even know if I HAVE any blogging skills...)

I just want to write.
          To get it off my chest.
                          To gain clarity.
                                         To understand what I'm thinking.
                                                         I want to share what I've learned, and what I'm passionate about.
                                         I want to celebrate the little things.
                          To find a way to be happy about the ouchy things.
           To be grateful for the beautiful things.
And to share that on my bloggy.

I will begin today.


I hope.

And one more thing:  I love my family.  I love my Father in Heaven.  I am thankful that I get to homeschool. I love my computer.  And I am in awe of all of my blessings.

That is all.

These are my favorite people.

I can write a new entry!

A-ha!  I have foiled you, Net Nanny!

She wouldn't let me on here last week, and I could NOT figure out what the deal was.    But today I am victorious!  And I didn't even have to get mad at her, and say mean words.  Phew....

I was so excited to write some great Celebration items on here.  Who can remember what they were?  Not I...

....so here are a few things we have been celebrating lately:

We "Mustache" you a question:  do you think Grampa will like his Birthday Present?

So....these lambies are almost full sized now.  But look how tiny they were 2 months ago!  Awwww....

Photo by Miss O.  Spring has Sprung at the new casa, and holy cow, cool things are popping up all over the yard!

This is our poor orphan kitty.  Shorty is smitten with her.  We named her Minnie because she looks a lot like her mommy.  (Come home soon, Callie!)

And I HAVE to put a picture on here of the Between the Rivers Gathering.  We had such a great time being the camp cooks, and learning lots and lots and lots.  We absolutely love the family feel of the Primitive Skills Gatherings. Everyone who attends is so generous with their knowledge.  It's like a smorgasbord.  Can't wait for Rabbitstick!


And, in other news...
Bandi is living up to her name....

 she has become very naughty.  I bought some very pretty flowers to put in my pots on the porch, and I keep finding them dug out and spread all over.  I have cleaned it up a few times, now.  and I just don't know what to do with her besides just keep her tied up so she can't reach.   Ugh....and she was such a nice puppy....

Agonizingly sloooow internet

So here is my February/March report (in my real world, I post much more frequently than once bimonthly.  But for you, here, in reality....this is all you get.)

Ya.  That's why I haven't posted lately.  This has taken me like 3 hours, because my internet keeps kicking me out. 

Phooey.

With the encouragement of a weenie dog, and a bunch of delicious purple grapes, 2 teenage boys, 2 10 year old boys, aaaaand Miss O, I have endured with much wandering, retries and eating lunch as I wait...

(nobody look...Miss O just dropped her lunch on the floor.  I'm sad to inform you that it didn't bounce.  It splatted.  How sanitary is that floor?)

Anyway:  Feb/Mar:  Fruitful months.  We did a few races.  Triumphantly.  We celebrated some birthdays, made some good memories, and most recently:  we went on an epic hike on Dirtbike Rider's home turf.  Check it out:

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Celebrations to kick off 2013

There is so much to celebrate, and we're only a week in!  I love it!  And I love having a place and an excuse to write all about what is going on in our world.  It helps me to feel gratitude and a sense of accomplishment.

My goals for 2013 are:

 to continue Celebrating! and sharing on this blog.

to do at least ONE of the "Big 5"* perfectly (as a family we chose one to work on.)

to have a happy attitude

and

to prepare myself in all the ways necessary for the future.

I guess I'll be able to see how well I did at the end of the year if I post regularly on this blog!

On to this week's celebrations:

Celebrating this handsome guy.  He makes my world go around.  It was his birthday on Monday, and it was wonderful to celebrate the Dirtbike Rider...may he have an amazing race season in 2013!  And may 36 be the year for magic to happen for him!  I think he is getting hotter every day...I just had to say that.

Celebrating the Dad by decorating a cake

Shorty was our head-decorator.  We made a yellow cake from scratch
then we made Cake Boss's Fudge Frosting.  Oh my yum.

Celebrating long awaited inside puppies.  This is Chassis (no top-secret blog name for her...she already underwent 2 changes of identity...we shall not confuse her further...)  She is a dappled dachsund, but in our home, she is more commonly referred to as our Weenie.  We like her quite a bit.

Celebrating neighbors.  Ours are real turkeys.  heehee.  We have a herd...a gaggle?  A School! of Turkeys who like to visit us often.  There are also a bunch of deer who gratefully accept our offering of hay.  The kids like to open the back door and yell "Hee-Hawww!" at them.  Honestly, that seems silly to me.

Celebrating creativity!  Shorty is making a doggy bed for Miss Chassis.  She loved it right away.
The best part is that it was all recycled stuff, so I saved a few bucks, and Shorty got to practice his sewing skills.



And last, but not least:  Look which wish came true on Dirtbike Rider's birthday!  Whoopee!  It's keeping the house toasty and warm, and I am so thankful.  Now if I could just keep Chassis from eating the bark off of the wood we bring in....

 *The Big 5 are a suggestion from our church that will help families grow closer, individuals grow stronger spiritually and I think they will just generally help things flow much better.  The Big 5, in case you wonder, are Personal Prayer, Personal Scripture Study, Family Prayer, Family Scripture Study, and Family Home Evening.  Today, we got 100%.  Onward Christian Soldiers!!!
 

Catching up...

So it got kinda hectic there for about a month and a half.  I didn't have much time (or patience) to post.  But today, a snowy, cold, lazy day, is THE day to catch up on all that has happened since our last post.  Well, it will be abridged.  But we hope you enjoy.  And we intend to continue to add more things to celebrate in days to come.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Yay!

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The ceiling moves into the 21st century

So, we've been working away at the house.  Our awesome wall fixer guy, Brett, has been especially hard at work.  I feel bad for his rotator cuffs.  Seriously.  My arms went to sleep watching him work. 

Before.

So this is what it started out looking like.  It was that pokey mudded ceiling, circa 1974 or something.  Kinda not my favorite if I had my choice.

Better.

Now, it is like this!  Yay, Brett!  You saved us from a life of popped helium balloons, and dusty little pokey things!

And check out what my Dirtbike Rider did!  He created a portal into a new world.  I knew he was pretty powerful, but sheesh.  (If you look at athe photo's in the first post on the house, you can see the long long living room with no door.  Now there is a door.  That door you can see through the NEW PORTAL OF INTERGALACTIC TRAVEL is the front door.  So, rather than having to walk down a loooong dark hallway: zoop!  Enter.)

Before: Water Damage in Shorty's room.

After: all better.



Look at these cute feetprints in the drywall dust.



My hard working princess.  It's wall washing day!  Yayyyy!



These are the kinds of pictures I get when I give the camera to Shorty.


That's our latest Update.  We are still working at it all.  This week, we pour concrete for a few things, including the front steps.  Wish us luck.  Mostly just that we can keep our heads on straight while we are in such a state of disarray!  Wahoo!  What a ride.  I'll be glad when we can settle into the house for the Holidays.

Happy Halloween to you and yours!

 
 

THIS is worth celebrating!

After an entire year of insanity, we have achieved home buying success.  Check out our awesome awesome awesome backyard.  Did I mention it is Awesome....?

The fun part about it is that NOW....comes the work.

Wait.  Is that the fun part?

Well, it makes for good family bonding time...and I KNOW my kids are enjoying the songs I have been making up for their listening pleasure.  I have to admit that they are brilliant.

 

 

This is the Living room Before.  Icky, dirty, filthy and gross.  But have no fear!!!!







We are attacking it with great fervor, and soon it will be quite lovely.  Here it is After....well, really not after.  But sort of...in transit.







We also have the joys of wallpaper removal.  Jealous yet?















 Luckily only 2 of the bedrooms had it.  And it's mostly finished.  We can hardly wait for the new paint.  It's going to be like a whole new world (hey, that reminds me of a song I can apply to our worktime tomorrow.)

So, here is the breakdown, so you will stay tuned.
We are getting NEW NEW NEW

windows
a new back door
a lovely roof repair
new potties
new showers
new bathroom vanities
new flooring throughout the main level
new lighting fixtures
a new hearth for our old woodstove
new paint for the kitchen cupboards (i'm saving that before/after shot for the day that it's done so you can OoOOh and Aahaaaah with me at that juncture.)

Oh!  I almost forgot my very most exciting thing:  we get a dishwasher!  It's almost been 5 years without one....I can hardly wait!!!!  (ok, my three manual dishwashers are who is excited.)
Also a new fridge and stove, cause...the stove was covered in grimy grimy grody grime.  And the fridge must have run away from all the nastiness, cause I never saw it.

So, I will try to keep this bloggy updated, if/when I get a chance to play on the computer at all over the next several weeks.  (seriously, keeping up one house while you are helping to renovate another one....not conducive to organization at all.)

Happy Happy Celebration Day to you!
Be sure to celebrate the small things.