No Drama Here

My new job is so very different than my previous, the amount of stress alone is a night and day difference. There are plenty of similarities since they are both banks and have similar policies and procedures. I am completely taking a backseat right now and just learning about the company and my co-workers. In simpler words, I'm keeping my mouth shut and my ears open. Lol.

Danny & Camille have received their progress reports, both are doing well. Camille's making As & one B and Danny is struggling a bit in 1st grade and the amount of homework vs. his academic abilities is reaching their limit. I've requested a new Individual Education Plan for him to be done since he will be judged by first grade standards instead of kindergarten.

Camille's favorite class is math even though she's taking dance and piano as well. She's doing well, study skills are what I'm focusing on with her. Danny is reading! WOOO HOOO!!! Granted it's still a struggle but I'm so proud of him and I'm glad we're finally breaking ground in this area. He wants to be lazy and guess at the words based on pictures but I make him sound it out. I also cover the pictures and isolate the word he's trying to read.

We're trucking along here, life has achieved a new balance with my new job and we're all very grateful. Everything is going well. Sort of boring but I'll take doing well and being boring over drama any day.

Their Tech-Savvy Daughter

My parents are not completely out of it, they are young...my mother is 51 and dad is 57. Ever since online banking and anything 'online' has been popular they have both not been interested in participating. They've been afraid of identity theft and other boogie-men like viruses, etc. I understand their stance although I tried to tell them that I had never experienced any problems.

Now, they are ready to join the technology bandwagon. I'm going to Verizon with my mom today to help her pick out her first smartphone. In the last couple of years, she has bought a Mac laptop, iPod and is pretty knowledgeable with those devices due to the computer training classes she took at the Mac Store.  I was very impressed when she made the decision to get a Mac book. But to highlight her charming ignorance of all these technological, she has no idea why there is a regular ABC channel on her cable and a ABCHD channel.

They have both asked me to help them become more technology-savvy and help them streamline their costs. My mom has a car that has SYNC which allows her to use her iPod in her car or cell phone and she's never used it. She wants a iPhone without knowing why, she just likes the idea of having a Mac product since she has the Mac Book and iPod. 

In one conversation, ahem long conversation, they asked about eReaders (Nook, Kindle), online banking, routers, firewalls, DVRs, cell phones vs. landlines, and it goes on. My head is spinning a little but I think it's great that they are ready to embrace what is available. My dad asked me to get him a phone when I take mom today- nothing fancy, no internet, just a phone. Mom wants everything, she loves how I can pull out my phone and do a quick internet search for something. It's neat that I'm able to help them with this...

Curious about Bats

Danny wanted to know what a vampire bat looked like and I told him to go find books on our shelves with b-a-t in the title. Smarty pants who has done nature study a billion times brings back the Petersen field guide on mammals and flips straight to the bat section. Of course, there is not a vampire bat listed. He then grabbed Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study and turned straight to the bat lesson, which was lucky but goodness he impressed me.

Thanks to our homeschooling time, we have a huge library of books on just about any subject and together Danny & I found, Outside and Inside Bats by Sandra Markle on our science shelf.

We spent about 45 minutes talking about bats and exploring the books.
Nature study is ingrained in him and I had one of those warm hearted moments when you know as a parent, you've done something right.


He is curious. He looks to books for answers. He wants to talk and ask questions. He can navigate a field guide.

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.  -Rachel Carson

We spent 3 hours watching two rabbits in our backyard a few days ago. Danny, who cannot sit still for very long, was patient and excited to watch them hop from area to area. He watched through binoculars and told Camille to be very quiet because rabbits ears are long, they can hear us. As I write this, I feel very blessed.

Our Tiled Kitchen

Our kitchen newly tiled! 

We're still working on faceplates and we have molding to still put up 

at the bar near the sink but all in all, we're 98% done! 

 I need a good camera...my phone camera is not the best. 

Mental note: add camera to Christmas list.

What I've learned while tiling our kitchen: Patience & communication is vital when tackling a project.

Things do NOT happen they way you THINK they will. DYI is very satisfying! Never underestimate what you can do. Michael and I are much more confident about tiling now- we have no qualms about tackling floors or bathrooms...at a later date.

Our dishwasher's motor went out and we had to replace the dishwasher (the cheap one that came with the house)- decibel ratings really matter when selecting a dishwasher. We've gone from a 60 dba to a 52 dba and we barely hear the dishwasher anymore. We also looked for a dishwasher that had 3 full water sprayers: top, middle and bottom.  This website really helped us learn what to look for: http://www.dishwasher-ratings.com/ge-dishwasher-reviews.html

Tile!

Under our yearly goals, tiling our kitchen back splash was one our most daunting tasks to do this year. We're almost done! Neither Michael or I have ever tiled before and after talking to the pros at Home Depot- we decided to tackle it head on. There is a new product for tile adhesive called SimpleMat and it's a peel and stick application making tiling super easy. After accounting for the total cost, we decided to do it the old-fashioned way with trowel & adhesive. We're going to grout today so I'll load up our final pictures after this post.

 

Without any tile, our kitchen. Granite countertops with cherry maple cabinets.

 

Behind the sink done, I didn't think to take pictures until we tackled the hardest part of the project. 

The light is reflecting, it's not as gold/yellow as it appears. More browns, deep golds and browns. 

Our tile from Lowe's website, see how different it looks? My picture shows more detail of the shine and color variations than the stock photo.

 

 

We spray painted our faceplates to match the tile. So economical! I originally bought the spray paint to paint a piece of moulding to fit in-between the tile and granite at the sink but this was a fabulous idea from Michael. Gold tone face plates are expensive! $14 per? Pa-cha, one can of spray paint- $6 and recycle faceplates, $0.

This is definitely a 2-3 day project, we'll have it done today but you won't be seeing us on Renovation Realities anytime soon. We have a small kitchen but it seem so much larger now with the tile. Optical illusion, I suppose but we're so happy with it!

I can't keep up.

I'm reading books faster than I can keep track! I only get on here about once a week and I'm reading about 2 books a week. I just finished A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriguez. Now I'm working on Black Out by Lisa Unger. I went to the library online and loaded a few ebooks, I have 21 days to read before they will disappear.

I met Carolyn Davidson, an author of historic Harlequin novels. I was in shock when she handed me one of her books that I forgot to ask her to sign it! We had been talking and she asked me if I read, "all the time" and she handed me the book. My mind filled with so many questions and then she was wishing me a good day and was gone. URGH! Hopefully I'll see her again and get her to sign it and maybe ask her a few questions.

The school is bleeding me dry, please send money for t-shirt, food for celebration, yearbooks, donations for PTA, etc. I think I might have over-committed myself, hopefully I did tear off all the fill out forms and left the information for myself. Gee, how many times next week did I say I would be at the school?

Camille is going to be touring the middle school she'll be attending next year. She's super excited. Danny is faux-excited that she'll be at another school. He seems excited that he'll be on his own but Momma bear can see that he's a cross between being jealous and afraid that she won't be around.

His birthday is next weekend. They are growing up! He'll be 7 years old and soon he'll be either too cool or too old to sit in my lap. I can't wait to hear his plan for the day. It's our tradition, the birthday person gets to choose what we'll be doing for the day, where we go, what we eat and what we do. We might have to put a dollar limit on the tradition soon, Camille is getting too smart for my own good.

What's Up

1. 6 mile bike ride with 4 kids (first and last).
2. Mother's Day Cook-Out with tons of family
3. Reading on Nook (love it!)
4. De-Cluttering (on going project)
5. Three (3) Family trips planned for summer
6. A dose of accountability
7. School is almost over...

Our Weekend

We spent Saturday kid-free with my parents, they graciously cooked us breakfast and then took us to their new camper. My dad is big about toys, he works very hard- always has but when it comes to relaxing, he works just as hard at it. My parents have had a pontoon boat for a while now and the place they store it has a dock, storage for boats and RV campsites. I hope I said that right.

It's amazing! Here's a picture of the inside...

We lounged outside, my dad showed Michael all the features and they talked about ways to make the cable connection better. My mom is on a home-improvement kick and they just tore down the paneling and wallpaper in their living room at home and put up new drywall- all the electronics and furniture to be replaced as well. Well Michael and Dad talked about electronics for an hour or so after we received the tour of the camper. Mom & I enjoyed listening to them, added our five cents worth in where we could and got some sun.

I told Michael I wanted to go Barnes & Noble to get the books on my reading list since BookMooch didn't have the titles available. He said he was tired after our day with my parents and just wanted to relax. Well, I decided to do a little more research about Kindle vs. Nook- I've been thinking about it for a while but felt I couldn't cross over to the ebook side. After reading the reviews (see New Reading List & Nook) - I had to see one in person. Michael, fabulous man he is, sighed and said, let's go.

Christmas 2010 was horrible for us. Michael and I celebrated with the kids only, we didn't do anything for each other because of the nasty custody battle my ex had started. We didn't spend too much, scared we'd need the money for hotels, traveling or whatever costs may arise when you're fighting a custody battle out of state. Our families helped us to get the 4 kids' Christmases and we were grateful. Between Michael and I, we were fine, we didn't need anything and the only thing we wanted was the kids to have a good time and enjoy Christmas.

We told each other that we'd surprise each other throughout the year with gifts (non-monetary and monetary). So far, we've gone to a concert, gotten our individual bicycles, he's gotten a mandoline that cuts tomatoes so thin (he's becoming quite the cook) and we've gotten a few things for the house inside and out. Nothing too crazy. He tried to convince me last year to get a Kindle or Nook. I wouldn't have anything to do with it- loyal to my books.

I did all the research, I asked the Barnes & Noble Nook expert questions to affirm what I had read in the reviews. Before I could blink, Michael told her that we'd get one and told me to pick out a cover for it. He got me the Nook Color, the kids' books feature was the final selling point for him. For me, it was the ease of use vs the Nook, I liked the way the pages looked, the touch screen, etc.

I read a LOT. I read while riding in the car, at lunch when I'm at work, I sit on our front or back porch and read to relax. I sit with Michael while he watches his techie shows and read- if I laugh or gasp, he pauses the tv and asks what's happening. He doesn't like to read but he reads through me- I share the stories I'm reading and he says that he loves it. He prefers comics or graphic novels, lol- I prefer the movies that come from the comics or graphic novels.

I still have about 1000 books on our home shelves, most of them are non-fiction for the kids. I don't keep many books for myself, I read a fiction book and I'm done with it. I only return to my very favorites. I have checked out the same book from the library before, unknowingly until I realize the story is familiar. About 10 pages in, I realize my mistake and get frustrated. I've never kept a reading journal of the books I've read outside of doing a book club. I think I'll make a tag in my LibraryThing library for books I've read. That way I can keep track and review them. I'll have to explore this idea more. I did see a Book Lover's Journal at Barnes & Noble but I would start it and not keep up with it.

I read Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks on my new Nook Color. It took a little getting adjusted to the viewing a screen instead of a page to read but I'm 100% happy. I love the weight of it and my cover makes it seem like a book.

I can even get online with a WiFi connection, which I can at home anywhere in the house. I love that I can share it with the kids, I can't wait to show them the animated children's books that I've read to them a million times on it. I am such a nerd!

What's the Matter?

It got home. That is all that matters. It does not matter that the bike was not on the bike rack the correct way. What's important is that it got home. Stop laughing honey. Sorry the bike didn't work out, love you.

Our Family Ride

Of course, taken precariously while riding my own bicycle. 4 Kids, 2 Adults- no one on the trail was safe. We rode down the left side of the path, thinking it would take us to the town park. No. If we had taken the right side of the path, we'd have come to the park, after about 1 hour and half of riding the trail and realizing we went the wrong way, we turned around. When we reached the place we began, the kids wanted to the do the other 3 miles to the park. Hannah was a trooper, she is the shortest with the smallest bike which means she has to pedal double the rest of us- she tired out but kept on pushing. She wanted to go to the park the most but without water (we drank it all)- we headed home instead and let them continue to ride on our street.

A week later

Training has been great, I'm learning the tools and methods I need(ed) desperately. I feel a change coming at work, a positive change. Being gone, living in a hotel room all week feels a little like summer camp. I'm home for the weekend and going back today- yesterday we took the kids on a 6 plus mile bike ride. It was great and relaxing to be outside in the sunshine.

Men's Legacy Schwinn

Michael had gotten me a bicycle from Sears Grand, received a huge discount because a screw was missing from the back fender platform. I rode it Friday evening and had to walk home with a broken bicycle just from riding around our neighborhood- the gears snapped and damaged the entire back tire. I dragged the bike home, loaded it on the bicycle rack and took it back to Sears for an immediate refund. Then I drove to Target to purchase the super-ugly purple paisley Schwinn that was a dream to ride but ugly to look at. I couldn't do it. I got a Men's bicycle instead, a simple Legacy Schwinn.

Nantucket Lightship Tapered basket

I added the Nantucket Bicycle basket ( I did get the exact one) and voila- my new bicycle! It's perfect for me. Not too girly, it feels great riding, especially cruising, perfect for keeping up with the kids. I cannot believe the 7 gear bicycle broke, I blame Michael- he said that he didn't trust the geared bicycles because they have always broken on him. I haven't had that problem, until now and it's because he jinxed me. Lol.

One more week of training and then back to normal life. I really don't want to leave again but I want the training. It's weird to come home, unpack and get into regular routine just to pack and leave again so shortly. I've never had a per Diem or had to worry about filling out an expense report but it's nice to be on a pseudo-vacation with other people in the same position. I've met many others in the same position as myself and  usually we wouldn't be able to spend the time amount of time we're able to. Right now, we're a group of 5 women with a few different add-ons from class as they feel like it. Regardless, every morning the five of us meet to get breakfast and coffee, then lunch and after class...dinner. I don't think I've gotten back to my hotel room before 9pm all week. We're already planning to get together when training is over, for a regular sanity night.

I'm the only one in the group of women who doesn't have marital problems, who actually wants to spend time with her husband. I break off from them to talk to the kids every night and wait until I retire for the night to call Michael to talk. It's different for me to be on this side, I've always been the one who loved being with other women and as far away from my (ex) husband as possible. I try not to talk about Michael or our relationship too much. Who wants to hear how wonderful he is or we are when you're dealing with your own problems? I've been there- hearing how wonderful someone else's relationship is while living in h-e-double hockey sticks. When I heard others talking about their happy relationships: One, I was happy for them. Two, I wondered how much was actually TRUE. Three, it made me depressed to think that their life was normal and my wasn't and there wasn't anything I could DO about it. So then I would just imagine that they are playing it up---making it better than what it actually was.

Back at home, our crepe myrtle is filling with green leaves and we'll have flowers soon.  Our strawberries are doing well and our gardening adventures are yielding beautiful results! The front porch is my new favorite place to be.

Gotta go pack. Again.

Sunday

Michael had a life-saving idea for me regarding work. Use a notebook, write everything down and stop driving yourself crazy by trying (and unsuccessfully) keeping everything in your head. This past week although I was Ms. Busy Bee running around accomplishing tasks that I will not be able to do in the next two weeks- was calm.

Situations arose, I wrote it down. I write down what I want to do before I get to work and I check it off as it gets accomplished. After the day is done, I write final notes about what happened, in case I didn't take the time to do it when it happened and do my list for the next day.

A sigh of relief. I feel so ON TOP of things. AND I have documentation of what I observed. I'm in charge of so many different things and managing six people is not easy. I call it 'my brain'. No, not Animaniac's Brain who is trying to take over the world but literally my brain on paper. Michael said I woke him up in the middle of the night asking him if he was the one who shut the vault and that I said some type of combination in my sleep. I had an issue at work where people were shutting the vault before doing the daily audit of items that had to be stored INSIDE the vault. So new rule, whoever shuts the vault is responsible for making sure ALL the daily items are audited. It was the night before the team meeting that I woke him up.

Michael went to his grandfather's house and raked up their pinestraw, brought it back and bordered the house with it. Very resourceful! It looks great. We're very happy this Spring with our landscaping although I would love to plant more, especially roses and sunflowers. It can wait, it gets expensive and it's a lot of hard work, especially pulling up sod. What is really stopping me is the fact I have to call the gas company, water company, etc to mark where their lines are so I don't damage anything.

We love sitting on our front porch now, listening to the fountain and talking. We've been out there many nights in the last week. I've been tempted to stretch out and read on the porch couch but I've got too much to do.

Michael took Camille to her dad's house Friday and picked up my two 84" bookcases that he's been keeping for me since I left ex in 2009. My books can now come OUT of boxes!!! Although I've donated many, I still have a lot and when I look in the boxes, it's like seeing old friends. Sorting through the books will be another day's project, today I have to prepare to leave for a week.

I'm in training 3 hours away from home for the next week, no internet (unless I pay $9.95/each 24 hours) and no TiVo. I'm going to the library today to get:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I'm currently reading Good Grief by Lolly Winston. I really enjoyed Happiness Sold Separately although like many books I feel the author rushed the ending. It seems authors decide at some point in the book that they need to wrap it up and start the ending. A slow build and WHAM- gotta end the story, leaving loose ends or not. I wanted to get Water for Elephants too but it's not available at this time. I hope the shelf copies of the other two titles will still be there when I get there today.

A hotel room to myself without internet (I was hoping to at least have Skype and Netflix streaming!) is sort of scary. I haven't even been away from Michael for a week the entire time I've known him. The kids go to their dads' and although I miss them like crazy- I'm used to it now. I told him that I would have to re-arrange the pillows to make a fake him in order to be able to sleep and that I wanted to take one of his t-shirts. He laughed and said he'd spray cologne for me but it's not the same. I wish I could take them all with me; Camille, Danny, Michael and Winston. They could explore the area while I was in the classroom and we could swim in the pool at night. I do plan on working out in the hotel gym and I'm relishing that thought!

The kids are loving riding their bikes and Michael and I haven't been able to join in due to the fact that we don't have working bikes ourselves. My bike works but the seat keeps moving on me, it's a 10+ year old NEXT ten speed that I got from Walmart. The seat is one thing but the bike hurts my back now. Yesterday, (without kids) Michael and I went to: Dick's Sporting Goods, Target, Walmart #1, Bicycle Shop #1, Bicycle Shop #2, Sears, Sports Authority, Kmart, Walmart #2, Walmart #3 and finally back to Target looking at bikes for ourselves. 10 DIFFERENT stores! We didn't buy a single bike either- Michael needs one too.

We have a 6 mile bike/walking trail less than 0.5 mile from our house and we want to take all 4 kids on a biking/picnic day next weekend. Hannah has shed her training wheels!!! Today I have to go to another Sears to see if they have my chosen bicycle in stock or if I have to order it. There is a difference in bikes, more than I knew- but after 10 stores- I figured it out. The handbars- the way they are angled, the angle of the bike seat to the pedals, and the overall length between your torso and the handlebars makes a big difference. We're in the market for cruisers which was a HUGE adjustment for me. I've only ever had mountain bikes and 10 speeds- never a single speed since I was 5 and I had the banana seat bicycle.

Michael finally broke down and ordered a Micargi bicycle from a California bike shop.

I can't just order from a bicycle shop, I had to try all the different bikes and narrow it down to the one I wanted. This is a Schwinn Windwood cruiser. The handbars make a HUGE difference to me and the seat is very nice. I saw this bike in our search adventure but it was BLAZING PINK. I also found another Schwinn that was SUPER comfortable but it had purple paisley stickers ALL over it, including its fenders. I cannot ride a paisley explosion bicycle. It's not me.

Here's the pink version of the same bicycle...

Nope, not happening. I'm too tomboy to ride this. It is very pink, neon pink bright- something about the paint Michael told me. It has flecks in it that make it neon in bright light. I'm adding a nice basket, a cup holder and maybe speakers if I can finagle the speaker to mount after I put the front basket on. A good one, a tight woven one. It might not be this exact one but this is the 'look' I want.

Eventually, we'll get a pet basket for Winston- probably sooner than later...

but not in pink...

Okay off to pack and do a little running around. Michael is fishing today with one of his brothers- the kids are back tonight and I have a little "me" time. Gotta get to it!

A Family Project

Our home after winter's ravage.

A few Christmas Cheer Azaleas, Indian Feather Pink Cloud (Gaura lindheimeri) that will outgrow the azaleas and fill in very nicely but can be controlled by pruning.

I guess the kids' flowers can't really be seen, they all chose an annual to plant. We also planted strawberries. I had to give the Azaleas and Pink Cloud room to grow, I'm sure it'll fill in soon. Our sky pencil has grown since last summer and our blueberry bush survived winter. It has flowers now, I hope it will yield blueberries again, my mom says I need another blueberry bush for it to cross pollinate.

Spring 2011

We need to poly-urethane the kids' stepping stones and add them still. Our natchez Crepe myrtle is doing well, I'm going to prune it a little. It will bloom in May/June and keep blooming through September. 

The kids rode their bikes and flew kites in the field next to our home. I think we all got sun today.

Okay, this is Sunday's update to the yard. I found a deal on a fountain, it was on sale and I got another 10% off because someone had purchased it and brought it back (why, no idea). I assessed it with a Home Depot employee, all the parts were there and we actually put it completely together before I left the store. He said I could bring it back if something was wrong with it as long as I kept my receipt. Sorry, I'm keeping it. A few bags of pond pebbles later and voila....

Spring 2011, final

I have the 'garden' front porch I've always wanted. It feels like a sanctuary! We can watch the kids outside riding their bikes, flying kites or just drawing on the sidewalk with chalk. Camille says we have the best curb appeal in the neighborhood now. Wait until the neighbor on the corner starts working out in his yard- I've never seen a man who works out in his yard every. single. day. doing something the way this man does.

I look at Saturday morning's picture of our barren front and can't believe how different it looks. Wait, yes, I can believe it- my arms and back is feeling all the difference.

Springing Forward

Sunday is probably the fastest day of the week. We have Caitlyn and Hannah with us this weekend and they go back home this afternoon. It seems every hour just flies by unlike Saturdays. Time sprang ahead one hour and the time seems even shorter.

It seems like just a few hours before bedtime tonight, a sense of what we should have done with our weekend hours, a momentary flash of regret before we spring into action. The kids are going outside to ride their bikes in the cool yet warm day. Michael's family will be calling to see where to meet for lunch so they can see the girls before they go home. Then shortly after, the girls will go with Michael on trek to take them home while Camille, Danny and I wrestle the house back into submission after a weekend of four kids running from bedroom to bedroom- playing imaginary games, real games, and trying to decide what movie or game to play every other 15 minutes or the endless peace-keeping mission Michael and I find ourselves in with confident and vocal children.

Tomorrow is Monday and my work week is going to be stressful. I'm going to training for two weeks, four hours away, starting the week after. This week at work is going to be filled with tons of pressure to get three weeks' worth of work done in two weeks' and I doubt anyone will stop needing something at the spur of the moment. I'm making my list today of what I need to accomplish for the week so I can knock it out as I go. I've never been to training that has taken me away from my daily work and home life like this training is going to. I keep telling myself it will seem like a vacation, nothing but sitting in a classroom during the day and spending my nights at a hotel with all resemblance of daily life gone.

I'm going to miss the kids terribly, although I will call every night and find out how their days went- we'll probably use Skype if I can get my webcam working again. I'm going to miss Michael and Winston and just our life, which is so sweet. Sitting here thinking about it coming up, it seems like it will be long tedious two weeks but I know once I get into it, it will fly and I will wonder why I didn't try to enjoy it more.

I'll be back on weekends, just gone Monday-Friday for two weeks and then I'll be back with the newly added pressure of, "oh, but you've been to training..." at work. I have to laugh. Yep, I went to training and I'm newly minted an expert now, see my gold star? Whatever.

I'm off to fill the house with music and sunshine and enjoy our Sunday...

The Art of Marriage

Today after another day in court, read about it at Trivium Academy, Michael and I stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch and I found a print for our home, The Art of Marriage. It is based on Wilfred A. Peterson's poem, albeit truncated.

"The Art Of Marriage"
by Wilferd A. Peterson (short, popular version) Compliments Of Erik & Beth Kent, Co-Publishers of NJWedding.com  A good marriage must be created.
In the art of marriage the little things are the big things... It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once each day. It is never going to sleep angry.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation and
demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner...
It is being the right partner.

The longer version of The Art of Marriage

It's perfect, for us and our bedroom. We bought a gecko in Mexico, colorful and bright and we've decided to make our bedroom the same to remind us of our cruise last year and to have a sense of happiness when we're in the room. The picture below is from our cabin, it's on the right next to the conch shells we collected in Honduras and a turtle carved of slate from the mountains of Belize.

What a perfect find for us, especially today.

Treasured Moment

The kids made stepping stones for the garden, their handprints with names and jewels designed their way. Here's some pictures of them creating them in January.

 

My favorite gift from Christmas, spending time with the kids, making a memory. We're going to polyurethane them so they can be in our walk up to the front door.

What Happened to You?

Morning of 3/7/2011

Her eye is healing well. It's hard to see her this way. Camille said EVERYone asked her at school today what happened, and she told them that she got into a fight with a basketball goal and the basketball goal won. Her eye is less swollen this evening and she's doing so well at cleaning the cut herself. Thank you for your well wishes and prayers.

Hi I'm Michael

Jessica said I had to post. I don't know what she wants me to post about. I was thinking I would just get on here and write a bunch of pause dots... what?...

I spent the week painting, cleaning and organizing our garage. Jessica said she wanted to be able to pull her car into it and she hasn't been able to since we moved here last April because the garage was our unseen storage unit.

Wait, I have to download Photobucket to my Droid to get the picture to upload. Jessica has been doing something else to get pictures on here. Last year we were able to upgrade at Verizon and I convinced her to get the Droids, I got the X and she got the Droid 2 with the slide keyboard. She loved her LG Env3 and kept fighting me that she didn't need a smartphone. I think she uses hers more than I use mine but we got them because I needed internet access for work email. The kids now use the Env3 as their phone. She doesn't like to admit it but she loves her phone.

This week was good, I got a lot done. I worked on our lawn mower- replaced the fuel line, blade, filter and cleaned out the engine. It runs like new, one pull and it roars to life. If I could get it to self-propel like it's supposed to...

Jess wanted to park her car, she complains whenever there is frost or ice on her car. "I wish I could have parked in the garage." So, I made her a spot and then when I tell her I don't know where I'm going to put my weight bench that is still at my mom's house, she says put it where the car would go. ARGH! Woman! She wants to put an elliptical machine in there too, when we bite the bullet and get her one. She wants a Schwinn but she won't buy it for herself. She has a hard time buying anything for herself.


I've been watching cooking shows to become better and Paula Deen has got it made. She's got the Kill Bill hattori-something knife to chop everything, the fridgerated drawer right at her station and she used a whole stick of butter mashed rutabaga. Oooh, this, oooh that. If you're a guy, you know where I'm going with this...the woman talks like she's... She's less annoying to me than the Neely's and the way they go on.

 Jess and I get to spend the weekend alone, Friday was horrible with Camille getting hurt. Saturday (yesterday) was my faux-bro's birthday. Our family adopted him in high school and he came to live with us. We had a family get together last night and after a couple hours of Dead Space 2 and Call of Duty Black Ops with the split screen- whadya expect when 5 guys get together, it was time to go. My younger bro and faux bro went out and we headed home. We were talking about games coming out and my cousin pulled out his GameInformer out and Jess started laughing when she saw the cover.

What's so funny? She said that we play the same game just we packaged with a few different elements, over and over again. We were playing Black Ops. She laughed and called us all a bunch of 'suckas'. (Jessica: Really, what is the difference between Call of Duty, Battlefield, HomeFront- it's all the same game just packaged a little differently!!!)

Until later...