Being late and forgetful in winter

Winter is NOT my favorite time of year. I absolutely detest being cold, and ice and snow are pretty alright, pretty slippery. A few weeks ago Andy lost control coming around an icy corner and did about 200 dollars worth of damage to the car. Luckily, he just hit a curb and not another car. Since then, we have had 60 degree days and it has been wonderful!



One of the memories I have from winters when we lived here before is when Andy was in kindergarten. School started at 8:20 and it only took 3 minutes to get there, so I would plan on leaving at 8:00. Plenty of time, right? As some of you may know, I am one of those compulsively late people. Not super late, just 5-10 minutes. Late enough that we always manage to arrive at church when they are singing the first song. It doesn't matter what time church starts either, currently we start at 10:00 am, Redmond was 11:00, and Yale was 10:30. So, leaving at 8:00 to take Andy to school always led to 8:05- 8:10. As soon as we stepped out the front door, I would remember that I forgot to start the car, which is a huge problem when your car is covered in 6 inches of ice and snow! I would start the car and frantically scrape and brush the windshield and windows. The car would of course still be freezing cold on the drive to school. For years I have giggled at this memory. Doesn't it always seem funny later?

It was funny that is until it happened again a few weeks ago. It was a morning that I was volunteering at the school and we were running late, of coarse, and when I say we, I mean me because Andy is always ready and waiting on me. He hasn't had single tardy all year (but the morning a few weeks ago would be an end to that!). I was rushing around and when I was finally ready, I opened the front door to a frozen, icy car. Yeah, the memory doesn't seem as funny anymore, but I refuse to take responsibility this time because Andy could have had the car warmed and ready to go instead of whining around waiting on me! It's all his fault! Maybe he won't be so forgetful next time!

Reviving an old project, But first...

First things first, Dale has a job to start on Monday and we are soooo thankful. It is the job he has really wanted since we first got out here. The job site is only 4 miles from our house. It should be long term. At least a year and maybe longer. Again I am so thankful!

Ok, here's what the post is really about:

About 2 years ago I started a new picture project. I had all of my pictures from 16 years of marriage in one huge tub and a few small boxes. Amber came over and helped me organize them chronologically. I had new albums to put them in and journal on the side. It is my new substitute for scrap booking. At the time Amber and I started, I got the pictures in up to the year 2005 and the beach party we had that summer. For various reasons that I won't bore you with here, I felt stuck and unable to proceed any further. In the time since then, I haven't even had my pictures made, I just left them on the computer. I felt it was useless to print them because I wasn't ready to put them in the albums. I have also cut back on taking pictures for fear that the computer will fail and I won't have them anyway.

As you can tell, the incomplete album project has haunted me for over 2 years, to no avail. I didn't get much journalling done when we started, just pictures in. On Monday one of the sisters here had a day of scrap booking at her house. I decided to take my picture journals instead so that I could get past my block. I got 1/2 of one album journalled and I already had over 2 done, but I have 7 photo albums full of pictures! It takes a long time, but not near as long as if I were scrap booking all of these photos. I also got past the beach party pictures!! (not journalling, just the pictures in that I wanted) Yippee! Now that was a huge step. It gave me the courage to get the pictures back out today and completely finished putting 2005 in the album, then sorted and organized all of 2006. Another huge accomplishment because I have a bizillion (I am no longer a homeschooling mom, I don't have to worry if bizillion is really a word or not hehe)2006 pictures. I am going to need more albums to put them in! Good thing I still have birthday money!

Here's Cody...and a nice boring post

Here is our beautiful new dog. I think his brown eyes are odd, they don't really match the rest of him. Speaking of colors though, that's a whole new subject, one I have been thinking about posting about. So here goes...

I feel like I have always had issues with colors. They stress me out when it comes to matching. The shades, tones, hues, blah, blah, blah... So I try to always play it safe and don,t mix colors to much. Boring? Yes, but stress free.

What sparked the idea for this post was Sky's comment on my last post about how the wall was apricot and not orange. Instantly my insecurities with color rose to the surface. I think to myself, "Is the wall apricot? It seems darker than apricot, maybe rust, but maybe it is apricot..." and so on. I decided over the years and after many of these stressful conversations with myself that for the most part I would reduce my color lingo to the basics: red, yellow, orange, blue, ect.

Another recent experience went as such. After church one day I overheard 2 sisters having a conversation. Sharon tells Kourtney that she loves her periwinkle blue sweater and that it is,in fact, one of her favorite colors. I am instantly confused because the sweater kourtney has on is purple. Kourtney responds that she loves it too, but can't believe that the tag on it in the store said,"purple." Okay at least I'm not alone in my dyslexia of colors.

One of my dear friends (love ya Gale) chose sea foam green and nectarine (or something that sounded as equally crazy) for her wedding colors. I have seen actual sea foam. It is whitish with brown scum. Not at all the color of the green in the wedding, which was beautiful. Where do they come up with these things?

Lighting doesn't help the situation at all either. In different rooms, things look different, and then there's the different lighting outside too! I have 3 colors of green in my room, not on purpose, but I get to the store and see something really cute and think that is definitely the color of my room, only to get it home and find that it is a different shade or hue or something. One item I actually scoped out for a month or so going back in the store a few times to look at it before purchasing it. At least Dale was with me too, so it doesn't have to be all my fault.

Oh well, I have now given you the lowdown on my extreme and comical color insecurities. Honestly in the last year or so I have decided all of this color stressing is over the top and if people don't like what I'm wearing or the colors of my house, they can deal with it. Unless you are my good friend, then you better let me know, I still need help!

pictures??

Just trying the picture thing again.

Are we having fun yet? And then some

Well obviously I am having issues with posting pictures, so we'll save that for another time. Sorry.

I do have some fun news though. We have a new dog, Cody. He is a black lab, austrailian sheperd mix. He is 3 years old, so he is already trained. He is a very good dog, having been a house dog all his life. He doesn't like it outside much which is fine with me, I would rather not have him out playing in the mud and then coming in. Andy is extatic. We all love Cody. Maybe someday I can post photos. He He.

And more pictures...

I am hoping these last 2 post are where everyone can view the pictures. As seen in the bottom picture, our house address is 229, the same as the house where I grew up.

Re-posting pictures

OK I am trying to post these pictures AGAIN. Hopefully all goes well this time. The last Picture is one of the livingroom. I am going to try to post more pictures very soon.

Finally! Here are some inside photos of our new house. We love it and are so thankful that God allowed us to get it. This top photo is of the kitchen and dining area. The unique tile wasn't one of my favorite aspects of the home, but it is growing on me.

In this next photo you can see the dining area fully and the arch above adds so much character!

This picture is taken from the kitchen so that you can see our orange wall. This was another thing I originally wanted to change, but after I got it decorated, I kind of like it.

This is the spare bedroom. I love the wood walls. It even has it's own stairway leading up to it with the same walls. Someday this will be the master bedroom.

And finally, this is our TINY, only bathroom.

Well now you've seen part of our new house. I hope to post again soon with the remaining rooms. I wouldn't want to bombard you with all of them at one time.