sad day, glad day...

Today is my brother's birthday. William James, Billy, my older brother. There were seven of us, two girls and five boys. Billy was a genius. Seriously, he was wicked smart, and snarky too, a sense of humor that was just right on point. A few of my sons remind me of him so much. The older you get, the more intense your childhood memories, the more it seems just like yesterday that he was acting all nonchalant about his birthday cake. I've posted about it several times, but Billy took his own life, he shot himself. And yes, it was a few years back, and no, I haven't gotten over it. Suicide leaves the family in tatters, what didn't we see? What could we have done? He could have talked to me. I would have helped him.

But that sadness aside, today is a glad day too. Because, roadtrip!!!! I do love a nice seven hour journey, one that takes me to see my little Sammy, all grown up and a daddy now. Our little red minivan will be packed and ready to leave in just a few hours...Margaret and baby Wulf are going, and Evelyn, Suzanne, Camille, and me. Not only am I excited to see Sam and Grace and baby Grant, there is a pool and a hot tub at our hotel. Aaahhhh. And, we're staying three nights! And, we might go sightseeing in Washington, D.C. I LOVE it.

Just a side-note, I am a house-wife, not a stay at home mom, or SAHM. I am married to my house. If I don't pay it enough attention, it gets me back. This past week, I have been renovating a bathroom. I'm not one to drag on a project, I want results, and everything else suffers as I spend every minute I can working on what I want to get done. So the bathroom project ugh...you know, you just want to slap on the paint and see how pretty it is. But there is spackle and sand, washing the walls, and the trim! That took forever and a day! Oh, and the ceiling, too. Now I'm on to the counter tops. Remember the burgundy?


This is with a few coats of primer, then some pearl white, which didn't cover enough, so I primed again early this morning, then decided to rummage for a different paint, and found a little sample bottle of this Valspar satin gray. There's not much of it, so that adds some excitement: what if I run out?!!!


This is just the first coat of gray. The waiting-for-it-to-dry time is agony, I just want to be at the point where I can pour that Envirotex Lite on it, and leave the house. Seriously. With a lot of us gone this weekend, it's the perfect time to have these sinks out of commission, and if I don't get to it before I leave, there will be some rocky days with teenage girls next week.

And today has a few more things to accomplish, as in I have to pack. I have to help Camille pack. I have to go to the bank, pay a bill in town, and get air in the van tires. I am picking the high school girls up at a bit after two, so I have five hours to do all of this.

It seems like a lot of time, but ugh, I have no idea what I'm packing, and have to shower and wash my tangly hair. It does indeed have paint flecks in it.

And here's the best news, news that's both sad and glad.

My daughter Kathryn is ENGAGED. Can you believe it? That's why she's been taking trips to the west coast. She is marrying Adrian's brother, Darius. A spring wedding is being planned...and yes, I have been with her to try on wedding dresses already, and couldn't say anything because they didn't announce it until last night. The sad part of this gladness is that Darius lives in Oregon! He has a house and a job, so it's not like they can just move here! Wah! The United States is a very big country, and driving from New York to Oregon would take four whole days if you slept at night. 2,800 miles, 41 hours. So four ten hour days of driving, or obviously less days with more driving, but still. It's too far to drive. Not that I mind a little airplane trip now and then, but, Kathryn is my good friend, and not to see her on a day-to-day basis is a huge loss for me. With Joseph moved out and married, and Evelyn planning to move in to Margaret and Adrian's place for the winter (they live in a small city north of here, and can you say, "Lake Effect Snow"?) It'll save her the commute to work in the winter weather.

So anyway, I'm obviously happy for Kathryn and Darius, but oh my soul...

Today we have no small children here, as Lydia went home last evening. Soon Mali starts a new job with regular hours, no more 12 hour shifts, night shifts, weekends...Monday through Friday. So that means I'll have Lydia here Monday through Friday. I don't mind, because of course I LOVE the Lydster. She's so funny. She asks everyone all the time, "What are you doing?" She prefaces it with the person's name, and yesterday she asked me a hundred times, "Grandma, what are you doing?" She hops and skips and sings through the day, never quiet, and never still, except for the occasional time she gets into playing dollhouse, but she is usually still singing.

Ah well, never a dull moment. I'm looking forward to a somewhat relaxing weekend...:)

47 days until christmas?! and a trip to norway!!!

So much going on, then I find out that Christmas is coming in a mere 47 days! That might seem like a long way off to the younger ones, but when you start to get old like me, you know how time starts going by faster and faster.

16 kids, some husbands and wives and grand kids, lots of gifts! But, we do a secret Santa thing that's really fun. I've told the kids there won't be tons of gifts this year. The ones that still live at home (Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan (ha, poor Jon!), Charlotte Claire, and Camille) will get a pile, but Kap and Ev work, so what do I need to buy them? The ones who are on their own, I will get them a little something, and I already have gifts for the grand kids. I know their parents don't want them to get loads of stuff anyway. I want to keep it simple, simpler than in years past. I also reminded a few of them that the bedroom renovations are costly, and that is part of their gift. :)

I don't know about you, but I tend to think that a gallon of paint is cheap, then by the time you get the new roller covers and a new paint edger, and and and, it's like $80 bucks for two gallons of paint. Then you realize that you need to paint the ceiling too. I did the bathroom ceiling yesterday and let's just say that it's not my favorite, painting ceilings.

This morning, I made the mistake of sitting here in my chair after cleaning up and sweeping, now I need to move again, and get painting. I need to paint the walls, then do another coat of cabinet paint, then start on the counter top. I am so apprehensive, and I don't have a blow-torch, which is recommended for the Envirotex Lite. If anyone reading this has any experience using this top coat, please please please let me know! All tips and pointers are welcome!

Paul will be like, "I don't understand. Why do we need a blow-torch?"

Apparently it gets the bubbles out of the sealant/glossy top coat.

Anyway. I am hurrying to get it all done fast because that's how I am, I start a project, and want instant results. Plus, tomorrow we are leaving for a long weekend to Virginia/D.C. area to visit Sam, and it's the perfect time to cure that counter for a few days.

I can't go to the hardware store today, because yesterday Kathryn took the kids ice skating yesterday...

Kathryn, and Cam being silly...



Anyway, I was here watching little Anne, so I asked Kap to stop at Walmart after skating and get the ceiling paint and some half and half. Fast forward to this morning, and Kathryn is on a plane heading west to visit Aaron in Oregon, and oops, she still had my credit card. Evelyn drove her to the airport, and thankfully Kathryn discovered she had it when they were still in the van. But Evelyn drove straight to work, and alas, I have no card.

We celebrated Camille Anaya's 11th birthday just a wee bit last night, since she already had a party. Yesterday was here real birthday. We had a half price cake from the grocery store, but they said it was yummy.







This is Cam and Char from July when we rented that cabin for the weekend. Oh that sunkissed glow!


Sonja Kathleen lit the candles. Sonja is so funny. She is a delightful 16 year old, except for when she's being difficult ha.



Jonathan was hunting...isn't he huge for 14 years old?


This is my sweet daughter Mali (she's Lydia's mommy), with Lydia.


And the puppy with the kitty...I just love that they are friends.

And, I am going to Norway in March!!!! I am SO excited, going with three daughters: Emily, Abigail, and Mirielle, the girls who share a house together in town. They are so nice to bring their mama.

There's a lot of rambling on here today, and I am cozy and relaxed, but I know I have things to do, and Lydia will be awake any minute now...

running around and coming home...

Today, I stayed home. Yesterday, I did not stay home. I set off with Char and Cam to Hobby Lobby. We had a goal, and didn't want to be out shopping all day, so we only browsed and dawdled a teeny bit. Hobby Lobby is intense. Everything in the store seems to be 50% off, but it's still way too pricey. However, it's fun to look at. I did buy a warm fuzzy blanket for ten dollars, and only a small box of the Envirotex Lite I was looking for. I needed 32 ounces, there were only 8 ounce boxes, and I only had one coupon. So over to Joann Fabrics we went. In order to find a coupon, I had to download the app, and while I was trying to do that, I noticed that Samuel had called three times, so uh-oh, what was wrong? He called again while I was wondering, he had gotten in a fender-bender, but it was all straightened out. Someone pulled out and hit him in the college parking lot. Never a dull one, I tell you.

Jo-Ann's had the 32 ounce box, thirty dollars, but $12 off with my coupon. We look around in there a bit, but didn't buy any junk, ha.

Then to the grocery store quick, no coupons, just some chuck roast and butter and half and half and and and.

Home...I started right in on the painting!!!! The trim: it had to be primed, then painted with enamel. Sounds like a quick job, but oh so tedious! I painted right through dinner, Suzanne made Chinese noodles, chicken in orange sauce, and broccoli for the kids. I painted until after 9:30.

See the ugly oatmeal color chalk paint on the cabinets? They were oak before that.

Now with primer:




I painted for an hour this morning, gave the cabinets the first coat of nice paint (the Sherwin Williams stuff I used on the kitchen cabinets, still have some left). I also gave the door another coat. No more brown wood trim in the bathroom!

Then this afternoon while Anne napped, I painted the ceiling. I HATE painting ceilings. It hurts muscles I didn't know I had. It drips. It soaks in so fast, I have to keep dipping the roller, trying like heck not to drip on the newly painted door. But, it's done.

Now, I have to paint the walls, spray paint the counter, then...apply the Envirotex Lite...it's a thick shiny finish that needs a few days to set, hopefully making my ugly burgundy counters look like brand new gray stone ones.

We'll see. I love doing this stuff but it's hard to fit it in, and now it's dinner time, it's Camille's real birthday, Lydia is here, Anne went home...it's busy. Other things slip, I get ache-y, but here's some good news: I have lost five pounds since starting to get serious again a few weeks ago. And, I have only missed a few days exercising. It's been a wimpy sort of work-out, but still. Push-ups are improving!

Anyway, I'm keeping busy. Tonight I am going over to Emily's house for a gathering, even though it's Cam's birthday, since we celebrated the other day. Right now we're having roast and carrots, and baked potatoes (I LOVE my crockpot!)...and a birthday cake. None for me!!!

jumping in! diving! taking the plunge!

Have you ever bought supplies for a project, then never even started the project? me neither, ha.

Okay, I did. Grand plans. I remember a bumper sticker that said, "Whoever Dies With The Most Fabric Wins!"

Well, I HAVE the paint for the bathroom counters. Today, I'm going to Hobby Lobby to get the finish, the Envirotex.

The faucets are installed, thanks to my son-in-law Adrian, Margaret's husband. (He is amazing, he's the one who put our new metal roof on.) Those faucets rode around in the back of the minivan for weeks, because I was considering returning them, as they cost a bit too much. Then Adrian found out I had them, and kaboom, he installed them, and I am so glad I kept them.

Since I am going on a trip this weekend (Virginia to see Sam and Grace and baby Grant), and hopefully into D.C. for some sight-seeing!), I hope to get this project done so it can dry over the weekend...the kids left at home have plans and won't be here much, and can perhaps wash their hands in the kitchen or one of the other bathrooms, and maybe the kitty cats can please stay off the counter.

Anyway, I do have big plans, and most of the time, also small children. Today, it's just Charlotte Claire, Camille, and me. Jonathan went hunting with Paul, Kathryn and Evelyn went to work, the high school girls went got on that bus this morning (as opposed to yesterday when they were ALMOST ready, so I drove them).

But first, before he went out to the rainy woods with his bow, Paul took me on a special little date...


Honestly, I didn't feel like going out into the chilly rainy morning, yet in the midst of the grumbling attitude, I stopped short and realized how thankful I should be that I get to vote.

Anyway anyway, we are headed to Hobby Lobby. Lydia comes tomorrow, and Anne, so we won't get much done then, but today, we are free to roam about the country, and maybe even start some painting. I'll try to get better pics of the walls in that bathroom, I loved the color oh about five years ago. The bedroom renovation is in a process, as Jonathan is a busy kid, ice skating and playing hockey and Norwegian lessons, homeschool. He is in his new room, but his old room has a few hundred pounds of stuff left to be sorted. We are washing clothes and sorting what goes to the thrift store, what stays, and what can be given away. As the youngest boy, he inherited all of the Legos and Rescue Heroes, train sets and Tonka trucks, plus he has a collection of Hess trucks. What to keep? Where to put it all? ugh.

One of the girls was helping sort, and threw away some five cent deposit seltzer bottles. I said to please open the bags and take those out, and lo and behold, Jon found an x-box controller, which was NOT trash. oh dear.

Anyway. The early years, the middle years, the years where we had teenagers and small children and babies, all the years we've lived here, this particular bedroom has been in use, heavy use, and the carpet is just shot. My older kids had this creepy crawly machine when they were little, which you squirted these colored plastics into molds and made creatures, which was NOT supposed to be used in the bedroom...and markers, marker stains. It's just old and steaming and vacuuming won't help anymore, so it's getting torn up, thrown away, and the new laminate will be installed.

Little by little, we get things done.

I remember painting the kitchen years ago, when we had small children. The toddler woke from her nap, and I was finishing up...but not quickly enough! She put both hands in the paint pan...

Ah well...I have two animae-manga readers here, two girls who are doing some sort of marshal arts here in the living room. Time to go.

eleven years ago...

Baby Camille was born eleven years this Wednesday, the last of the babies for me, the caboose, the treasured one I didn't know we were actually getting, the baby I thought I had lost. We celebrated with her siblings yesterday, most of them.

Margaret made cupcakes and I helped her frost them...


I did not even taste.

We had pork chops, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, broccoli, and rolls.

She got some nice things, a pair of Levi's, two sweaters, a gift card, Monopoly Cheater's Edition!


(all the dog nose smudges showed up in this pic, so I washed windows today:))


With her friend Amanda.

This is why I like to shop with Sonja:


Suzanne is cute too!


Lowes Home Improvement, I should NOT go to that store. No sir, no how. I likes it too much. For example, we now have new bathroom sink faucets, they were on sale/clearance, but still too much, but oh dear, we needed them...? Ours were bad, corroding, they were cheapies, they leaked...I could have replaced them with more cheapies, but...these were just too cute!


(new faucet)


Those burgundy countertops though: all the rage back when we built the house.


I chalkpainted these cabinets a few years back with the color "oatmeal". What was I thinking? It looked better than the water-splashed oak, but... I am thinking to paint them white and replace the handles. And I bought paint for the countertop...just need the courage to jump in and do it. I also bought paint for the walls, and already have white enamel to do the trim and the door.
(see why I need to stay the heck out of Lowe's?)


But even without doing anything more, I love the new faucets. I wish I had taken "before" shots, the old ones didn't even match.


See the wood trim? Time for a change, some lightening up. And this is what I look like on a daily basis around the house. I did my little work-out, that's why my hair is so stylish.



Anyway...lots going on around here. Camille got a bookcase for her birthday, she is waiting for someone to help her put it together...ugh. Kathryn took them all ice skating today while I was here with Anne, now she has to go to work.

The high school girls are home, so I am going to talk to them...:)

well....

The leaves are pretty. The weather headlines here this morning: Soaking rain tapers to lighter showers today. Lovely, huh? But, at least it's not snow! And if this was January, it'd be a heatwave!

Jonathan is almost done with his flooring. He has had some help from Paul, and has talked to Adrian for help, and Ben came over and gave him some pointers (as in, rip it up, you did it wrong!). But he's working his way through and figuring it out.

Once he gets done and gets the trim back on, he'll start moving his stuff from his old room. Then we can begin the whole process on THAT room, so Sonja can move into it. I wanted this last room to be a guest room, but alas, Sonja K. gets it. She rooms with Evelyn and just wants her own room. I figure the years go so fast, before you know it, they'll all be moving out, and I'll have like six guest rooms, so if she wants it, she can have it.

I have spent far too much time researching flooring for the kitchen. It's a major expense, and I want to get the best I can afford so we don't have to replace it again. It has to stand up to doggies and lots of foot traffic (no shoes in the house though), and be waterproof. I've decided on waterproof luxury vinyl planking aka LVP. It comes in all qualities, for as low as $2 a square foot. When you get up to $3.50, ooooh it's nice. Thick and textured, lifetime guarantees, even rated for commercial use. Here's one I really like:


Since it's going to be a major job to:
Move the tables and stuff from the kitchen,
Rip out the ceramic tile,
Install the new floor,
I want to do it nicely, and with really good stuff. I mean, $500-ish for cheaper stuff, $800-ish for really nice stuff...it's worth it in the long run to get the nicer, I think. I also want to do the hallway, which currently sports the original blue carpeting that was oh-so posh when we built this place, and the foyer, which is tiled.

Anyway. The cat, Mr. Orange Guy, is being naughty. He is attacking Lydia's nice Belle dress, in between meowing loudly at the door to go out, so I get up to let him out, and of course! The dogs want to go out, too! Out they go, thumping down the stairs. I watch them out the window, they go to the bathroom, then stand at the end of the driveway deciding whether to go on a jaunt down the road, so I call them back in. They come quickly, because they know I give them a treat. But remember, it's been raining, so they have to come in and SIT DOWN so I can wipe them down before their treat. The naughty kitty came back in with them, and is...meowing at the door to go out again.

Anyway. Today I have to go out and about to get a few things for Emily, she's doing food for a Christmas concert practice at church. Lydia has spent two nights and is going home today, and we don't have Anne today. I need to do my exercise first, I've already cleaned up the house. I'm not saying my house is clean and spotless, just that I've done dishes and counters and sweeping this morning.

Off we go...

all of the sudden boom, it's november...

The train of life chugs faster and faster through the days as I get older and creaky. My mind can't seem to keep up with the calendar's swiftly changing dates.

Our Halloween was very nice, very pleasant. Ben and Ashley came over with their two little girls, Lydia was here, so they were cranking with excitement.



Little girls love being princesses.


Char, Suze, Kathryn, Cam...


Evelyn and Suzanne...


Some people really go all out for Halloween.



Jonathan was with his friends, trick or treating then to one of their houses for pizza. The girls all went to a church party, where they sang karaoke and had pizza. Paul and I were here with just little Lydia after our trip to town, trick or treating. We had chicken wings, and Lydia dumped out her candy and pawed through it, all by herself except for Grampa and me. I let her stay up until the other kids got home. It's a far cry from years ago, when six or ten or twelve kids would be dumping out their piles of candy to trade and compare. I always enjoyed that part. I'm glad I get to spend time with Lydia. Her mama had to work bright and early this fine morning...so she spent the night last night, Miss Lyd.


I didn't dress up this year, but I did take a selfie with chicken wing sauce on my face.


(This is my grandson Grant, who lives in Virginia...I'll be visiting him next week! Isn't he cute?!)

We didn't always participate in Halloween stuff. Our older kids missed out on Trick or Treating. But somewhere along the line, it seemed that it's what you make of it, and kids really like dressing up...AND, most people really like giving out candy. If they don't, they leave their outside lights off, and we leave them alone. It was just simply fun, and the weather was gorgeous...warm, and just a few sprinkles. Kathryn and Suzanne took Char and Cam around, I stayed with Ben and Ashley and Mali and the two little girls, plus Elise in the stroller. The little girls would get such a kick out of each piece of candy in their bucket, and wanted to eat it all as we walked down the sidewalks.

Anyway...today is rainy, and cozy, I've had one cup of coffee and now it's time to work out...blah.:)