Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday 5/28/08 storage and vacuuming...
We need to take more boxes to storage and vacuum the living room.
Wednesday 5/28/08 my clothes...
We folded the laundry last weekend. Someone ended up with my clothes. I need to find them, I can't wear a skirt every day.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tuesday 5/27/08 new shoes, vacuuming and baby pictures
The girls needed new shoes. Maggie wanted high tops, the old fashioned kind like they wore when I was a kid, and Beth wanted regular tennis shoes.
They both found what they wanted. Today's high tops are stiff, they stay in one place when they are being put on, the old style ones don't. As soon as Maggie got the sides to stand up, the tongue would fall in. Watching her put on these shoes was like watching aerobics. She had a great time entertaining us.
William brought home a paper from school that said that he has enough credits to graduate. On the back it said to bring in some baby pictures. Instant panic. All of the pictures are in storage...he must have pictures, this is graduation...Its OK, I will go to storage to get some, I should take scissors to open the boxes and tape to close them up after I look through them...I think I know where a box of pictures is.
We vacuumed the dining room. It looks nice. We moved all of the furniture out and vacuumed behind it, then we moved it all back. We have a shelf with two sets of encyclopedias on them (if the kids mention that they have a project due on Monday, and it is Sunday night and the Internet is down...they can use the encyclopedias for their report.) We took all of the encyclopedias off and moved out the shelf to vacuum, then we put them all back. Between painting the room, and painting the chair-rail twice (the first color was to wild, it reminded me of a circus) and vacuuming, the encyclopedias have a lot of miles on them.
After we were done I realized that the kids baby books were still at the house. William has some pictures to take to school now.
They both found what they wanted. Today's high tops are stiff, they stay in one place when they are being put on, the old style ones don't. As soon as Maggie got the sides to stand up, the tongue would fall in. Watching her put on these shoes was like watching aerobics. She had a great time entertaining us.
William brought home a paper from school that said that he has enough credits to graduate. On the back it said to bring in some baby pictures. Instant panic. All of the pictures are in storage...he must have pictures, this is graduation...Its OK, I will go to storage to get some, I should take scissors to open the boxes and tape to close them up after I look through them...I think I know where a box of pictures is.
We vacuumed the dining room. It looks nice. We moved all of the furniture out and vacuumed behind it, then we moved it all back. We have a shelf with two sets of encyclopedias on them (if the kids mention that they have a project due on Monday, and it is Sunday night and the Internet is down...they can use the encyclopedias for their report.) We took all of the encyclopedias off and moved out the shelf to vacuum, then we put them all back. Between painting the room, and painting the chair-rail twice (the first color was to wild, it reminded me of a circus) and vacuuming, the encyclopedias have a lot of miles on them.
After we were done I realized that the kids baby books were still at the house. William has some pictures to take to school now.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday 5/26/08 grass seed has sprouted...
The grass seed has sprouted!!! I am so happy. I hope that the two areas in the front yard fill in fast. It does look odd to have those two areas of dirt in the yard. The realtor said to fix anything that would need to be explained, and these two spots would need an explanation.
Monday 5/26/08 ...grass seed, warm weather, William graduates
There is grass growing where I put the compost and grass seed. I am so happy. The yard looks so odd with the three areas of compost in the front yard. It will look more normal when there is grass.
I am so glad that it is warm out. Yesterday we had on shorts, t-shirts and no shoes. I wasn't cold, and I'm usually cold. I love being able to go outside without needing to put on all of those extra layers of clothes.
William graduates in about two weeks. He is almost done with his on-line college class. Before he picks a college, he wants to get the computer program onto his computer and see if he can do the programming from his class on his computer. We are having a problem downloading it to his tower because his computer is not capable of hooking up to the Internet, After William sees if he can program, then he will either pick a college or decide to take more classes on-line. I think that the earliest that he can start school is the Fall. So with all of this free time, I would love to see him take a few more classes from home. I will need to wait and see what he decides.
I am so glad that it is warm out. Yesterday we had on shorts, t-shirts and no shoes. I wasn't cold, and I'm usually cold. I love being able to go outside without needing to put on all of those extra layers of clothes.
William graduates in about two weeks. He is almost done with his on-line college class. Before he picks a college, he wants to get the computer program onto his computer and see if he can do the programming from his class on his computer. We are having a problem downloading it to his tower because his computer is not capable of hooking up to the Internet, After William sees if he can program, then he will either pick a college or decide to take more classes on-line. I think that the earliest that he can start school is the Fall. So with all of this free time, I would love to see him take a few more classes from home. I will need to wait and see what he decides.
Monday 5/26/08 washing the exterior of the house...
I want to wash the exterior of the front of the house today.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tuesday 5/20/08 laundry folding table...
We really need to move, we have put the folding table into storage. It is really inconvenient not to have it. I like to do laundry, and having a place to fold it, or keep the folded clothes until I get a chance to hand them out to the kids, was really nice. Now, when the laundry is done, it must be folded and put away right away.
If we get a house with a big enough laundry area I would like to get a basket for each person, and put their clean clothes in the basket.
If we get a house with a big enough laundry area I would like to get a basket for each person, and put their clean clothes in the basket.
Tuesday 5/20/08 field trips...
Beth went on a field trip yesterday to the zoo. She had a great time. She had a lot to say about what kinds of food the kids bought (all of the kids shared the foods), and what the lunches were, but she never said anything about any of the animals. The ate all day, and had a really good time.
Today Beth's class went to the baseball game. Beth bought nacho chips and cheese. She never mentioned the game. She had fun. They don't usually have field trips back-to-back like this.
Today Beth's class went to the baseball game. Beth bought nacho chips and cheese. She never mentioned the game. She had fun. They don't usually have field trips back-to-back like this.
Tuesday 5/20/08 yard work...
Today the kids and I went out and did some yard work. William cut the grass, and Maggie and Beth clipped around some of the edges. We didn't get all of the edges clipped, but the yard looks so much better. I watered the new grass seed. It hasn't sprouted yet. The seed that was planted last week hasn't sprouted yet either. We need some dirt and more seed. I hate to do a job twice, but I do like to finish a job.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Monday 5/19/08 grass seed...
I bought some grass seed today. It is for the spot where the big tree in the front yard was cut down. I took a lot of the wood chips from that area to the back yard and put them in the garden. The wood chips had been so high, that if the dirt and grass seed was put over them, it wouldn't look like a flat yard. Today I put some of the mulch on that spot and then put on the grass seed. I am hoping that the grass seed will grow in the mulch.
I had put some mulch and grass seed in another area last week, and have been watering it each day. Today is the first time that I have looked closely at it. The seed hasn't sprouted yet, but the mulch looked compacted. I took the rake and separated it a bit. Can grass seed grow through mulch? If it can't, I can buy some dirt and start again, there will just be mulch under the dirt. I was hoping to avoid the expense, since there was so much mulch in the back yard.
I had put some mulch and grass seed in another area last week, and have been watering it each day. Today is the first time that I have looked closely at it. The seed hasn't sprouted yet, but the mulch looked compacted. I took the rake and separated it a bit. Can grass seed grow through mulch? If it can't, I can buy some dirt and start again, there will just be mulch under the dirt. I was hoping to avoid the expense, since there was so much mulch in the back yard.
Monday 5/19/08 crocheting blankets for the kids...
I would like to crochet a bed-sized blanket for each of the kids. I was thinking of blue for William, red for Maggie and pink for Beth. When I asked William what he thought, he didn't look pleased. He asked if he had to take it to college. I said no, it could be left at home, would he like the color blue? He wanted to think about it. A few days later I mentioned the blanket again, William said that he did want to take it to college and he wanted a lot of colors that didn't match. Then, when people came into his dorm room it would startle them.
I asked Maggie if she would like a red blanket for her bed (red is her favorite color). She said that she would like a bright yellow, bright red and bright blue one. Just like the small one that I had made for her doll.
Third, I asked Beth if she wanted a pink blanket. Beth said that she needed to think about the colors and she would get back to me.
I wanted to start on William's blanket first, since he is leaving first, so...Beth has a while to decide on her colors.
I asked Maggie if she would like a red blanket for her bed (red is her favorite color). She said that she would like a bright yellow, bright red and bright blue one. Just like the small one that I had made for her doll.
Third, I asked Beth if she wanted a pink blanket. Beth said that she needed to think about the colors and she would get back to me.
I wanted to start on William's blanket first, since he is leaving first, so...Beth has a while to decide on her colors.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sunday 5/18/08 Exercising...
I have started to exercise again. I went to the Goodwill store to find a smaller computer table. I couldn't find one in the front of the store where the furniture is, but when I looked in the back of the store, I saw the tops of lamps. When I went back there, there wasn't any other furniture in the lamp area. Next to the lamps there were videos. I started looking for videos for the kids, but there were a few exercise videos that looked fun. The more I looked, the more exercise videos I found. Five exercise videos went home with me and a few movies for the kids. The tapes were mostly $2.00 each.
I had seen a few exercise infomercials that said to loose weight a person needed to do different types of exercise every day. I am guessing that this is to keep the body from falling into a routine. Each day...ok, not each day, but when I do exercise...I go to the next tape. I am only exercising for about five minutes, but I feel that it is better than not exercising at all.
Today was the ''Balanced Workout'', next time is ''Yoga'', then ''Qigong'', then ''Crunch Fat Buster Plus''...etc...
I don't re-wind each tape each day. The tape is left where it is when I am done exercising, and when it gets back to the top of the pile, I will start up where I left off. This does mean that when I am far enough into each tape, I will not be using the warm-up section, so I will need to do some stretching on my own before I start each tape.
It has been very interesting to work on seven different styles of exercising all at once.
I had seen a few exercise infomercials that said to loose weight a person needed to do different types of exercise every day. I am guessing that this is to keep the body from falling into a routine. Each day...ok, not each day, but when I do exercise...I go to the next tape. I am only exercising for about five minutes, but I feel that it is better than not exercising at all.
Today was the ''Balanced Workout'', next time is ''Yoga'', then ''Qigong'', then ''Crunch Fat Buster Plus''...etc...
I don't re-wind each tape each day. The tape is left where it is when I am done exercising, and when it gets back to the top of the pile, I will start up where I left off. This does mean that when I am far enough into each tape, I will not be using the warm-up section, so I will need to do some stretching on my own before I start each tape.
It has been very interesting to work on seven different styles of exercising all at once.
Sunday 5/18/08 Fireman's Museum and moving...
We would like to go to the Fireman's Museum before we move. We live right by it and it wouldn't make sense to move to the other side of town and then to come back here to the museum to see it. Then, when we move we can see the sights that are over there.
We are excited about moving, but tired of packing and painting. It is nice that the kids are older and can share in the excitement.
We are excited about moving, but tired of packing and painting. It is nice that the kids are older and can share in the excitement.
Sunday 5/18/08 Next year...
Next year we will have one child in college and two in Junior High school.
Sunday 5/18/08 Boxes for packing...
There should be enough empty boxes in the basement for us to pack the rest of the house.
Sunday 5/18/08 Choosing a college...
William has decided to go to a bigger college, but he has not decided which one yet.
Sunday 5/18/08 Magic Eraser...
I need to take the Magic Eraser around the house and get any scuff marks off of the walls.
Sunday 5/18/08 Beth lost a tooth...
Beth lost a tooth last week. She has eight more baby teeth to loose.
Sunday 5/18/08 Compost...
The compost pile has turned from grass and leaves to compost. I have been putting it around the plants.
Sunday 5/18/08 Listing the house, then more packing...
After the house is listed we can begin packing the things that we don't use that are in the cupboards.
Sunday 5/18/08 Mulch...
The mulch is in the garage, ready to be put around the house the day before the house is listed. It will be good to get it out of the garage.
Sunday 5/18/08 Lawn mower...
We have a lawn mower that doesn't have a motor. When the wheels turn, the blades turn. The blades need sharpened. Before the house is listed I will go out with my clippers and cut all of the grass that didn't get cut.
Sunday 5/18/08 Ceiling...
The continuing saga of my ceiling...It had three spots on it from the previous owners. I painted over it with white paint...the spots showed through. Last night I put a base coat on it and re-painted it. I think that the spots are gone. I will keep you updated.
Sunday 5/18/08 Clothes and lunches...
I need to lay out my clothes for next week and make my sandwiches, (the sandwiches are kept in the freezer).
Sunday 5/18/08 Basement...
We cleaned out the basement yesterday. We took a lot of boxes to storage.
Sunday 5/18/08 Cactus...
I have a cactus. It is in the basement in the winter and goes back outside in the summer.
Sunday 5/18/08 Transforming T-shirts...
Maggie and Beth got books for Christmas about transforming t-shirts. They cut one t-shirt apart and sew it back together another way. Maggie is having a good time doing this. We are still looking for a hobby that Beth enjoys.
Sunday 5/18/08 Year three of the Waltons...
We got year three of the Walton's. John-Boy is in college and all of his friends at school are calling him John.
Sunday 5/18/08 New grass...
It rained last night. This will be good for the new grass seed that was planted last week.
Sunday 5/18/08 extra furniture to storage...
We took more of our ''extra furniture'' to storage yesterday, like book shelves and extra tables.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thursday 5/15/08 Weekend plans...
We do not have any colleges to visit this weekend. We may pack some. I find that I don't enjoy packing as much as I enjoy getting the yard ready. I do love being outside...and the kids would rather be outside too.
Thursday 5/15/08 making cookies...
We made cookies today. We melted chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler (the bottom pan has water, and the top pan has the chips in it. This way the chips aren't directly on the heat.) Then we poured the chocolate over Chinese noodles, the crunchy ones. We put spoon fulls of the mixture on a cookie sheet to cool, and they taste great. The kids love to lick the spoon.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wednesday 5/14/08 best friends and puppies...
We went outside after school. Beth got to see her best friend that happens to live across the street. The neighbors next door were outside with their new little puppy. We will miss all of the friends that we have made in this neighborhood.
Wednesday 5/14/08 college tours...
I tried to sign up for more college tours today. Now that the schools are out for the summer, it will be a lot more difficult. We have a tour set up for the end of June and one in July. The third school that I called doesn't give tours on weekends again until fall. I will keep trying, William does want a guide. I offered to take the kids and we could look at the buildings, but he said that he wouldn't get as much out of it without the guide. I agree with him, but I really don't want to wait until fall.
Wednesday 5/14/08 packing boxes...
We moved some of the packed boxes out of Maggie's room. Maggie and I also packed a few more boxes today. It is time to move. We have so little left to do. If we list the house now, and it sells, we could be moved at the beginning of summer vacation.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Tuesday 5/13/08 Beth looses a tooth...
Beth lost a tooth today. She has nine more baby teeth to loose. She is really happy that it is gone, it was bothering her when she ate.
Monday, May 12, 2008
5/12/08 painting the ceiling...
I had three spots on the ceiling in one room. There was no leak, just three spots. I am trying to sell the house...so I painted the room. I didn't use primer. If I had, that would be the end of the story. The spots were still there...the ceiling did look nice...but the spots were still there. So, I painted the spots a few more times...no luck, the spots still shown through. Now the texture in those spots is gone, because so much paint has evened them out. Next, I put primer on the spots and re-painted it. The spots were gone, but it is easy to see that something has been done to that area. I don't like to give up, so I went the the home improvement store and got something to add texture. It goes on blue, and when it dries, I can paint over it. That seems OK, except the original texture is rough looking, and this is smooth. I didn't realize this until it was on. Also, It didn't turn completely white, and I now have a ceiling of rough texture and three spots of blue smooth texture, that is painted over with white paint. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Thursday 5/8/08 growing out bangs and reading...
Beth is growing out her bangs. She started growing them out last month. Now they look a little too long, but are not in her eyes yet. She really wants her hair to be all one length.
Maggie is finishing up reading "Harry Potter'', the seventh book. She has really enjoyed the books and the movies.
Maggie is finishing up reading "Harry Potter'', the seventh book. She has really enjoyed the books and the movies.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Wednesday 5/7/08 cap and gown...loose teeth...summer homework
William brought home his cap and gown for graduation. I managed to see them and not cry.
Beth has two teeth that are loose. She still has 10 baby teeth. When they are gone, she will need braces. Maggie has almost finished her summer homework. She is concerned that she won't have any homework for the summer. I promised to buy more before school lets out. I will need to hide it so that she doesn't do all of it this month. She is a well rounded person, but Maggie likes to be doing many things...she makes sock dolls, and takes her t-shirts and re-sews them into new styles (the directions are in a book that she received for Christmas) and she plays with the kids in the neighborhood. She is very busy.
Beth has two teeth that are loose. She still has 10 baby teeth. When they are gone, she will need braces. Maggie has almost finished her summer homework. She is concerned that she won't have any homework for the summer. I promised to buy more before school lets out. I will need to hide it so that she doesn't do all of it this month. She is a well rounded person, but Maggie likes to be doing many things...she makes sock dolls, and takes her t-shirts and re-sews them into new styles (the directions are in a book that she received for Christmas) and she plays with the kids in the neighborhood. She is very busy.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday 4/30/08 playing outside...
Maggie and Beth have spring fever. They are wound up and are ready to play outside all of the time. In the winter, sometimes they don't want to go out, but now they want to be outside all of the time. They like to play with their friends, or play baseball. Sometimes they bounce the basketball to each other.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday 4/29/08 the neighbors are moving too...kids in the neighborhood...and Williams first program...
My neighbors that we share a drive with are moving too. He was transferred north, too far to commute. They will move as soon as school is over. I am hoping to move first, but since the house isn't listed yet, moving first becomes less possible each day.
The girls and I went outside after dinner. They love to play with the neighbors. There are twelve kids in this neighborhood. William wrote his first program today. He looked so pleased.
The girls and I went outside after dinner. They love to play with the neighbors. There are twelve kids in this neighborhood. William wrote his first program today. He looked so pleased.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday 4/28/08 painting...
Almost all of the painting is done now. The front porch still needs finished. It is raining now. If it stops raining tonight, then I can finish the painting on Wednesday. The kids will be glad to get back outside tomorrow. I would like to list the house this week, but the paint will not be dry that fast.The kids keep talking about the colors that they want to paint their new rooms and how they want them set up.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday 4/27/08 college visit
We visited the college on Saturday. All that I knew was that it had a football team and that it was a large college. I did want William to see a large college, but I wasn't sure of how much education he would get there. It ended up being a worthwhile trip. The college has a lot of things for the students, like co-ops and internships and research starting the sophomore year. At the first school, William knew right away that it was too small for him. He looked more at home on this campus. The tour had other families in it, and William tried to stay close enough to the tour guide to hear about the school. When we left he read all of the paperwork in the welcome package. He said that he would like to go to a larger school, but he does want to see some medium sized colleges too.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Thursday 4/28/08 Shopping for summer clothes and visiting a large college...
The kids and I went shopping tonight and bought the kids their summer outfits. We needed to get there before the stores get out their winter clothes. I wish that the stores would keep their clothes for each season out longer. I never can remember when they change to the next season. Or...maybe if they could leave out the summer clothes all summer, then If the kids grow late in the year, I could get them replacement clothes.
We are going to see another college on Saturday. The last trip was to a small college. This one is a large college. Then we will go to some medium ones...until William picks a school. I hope that this trip goes well. They said to get there early to find a parking place.
We are going to see another college on Saturday. The last trip was to a small college. This one is a large college. Then we will go to some medium ones...until William picks a school. I hope that this trip goes well. They said to get there early to find a parking place.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday 4/23/08 painting the front porch...
I started to paint the front porch today. I was going to trim the front bushes back so that I can finish painting the stairs, but somehow I forgot and took the paint outside instead.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Tuesday 4/21/08 spring plants, moving the gas meter...
I have a lot of plants sprouting up all over the yard. I plant a lot of perennials. It is always so refreshing to see them start to sprout as soon as the weather gets a little warmer. I do get some annuals for the two front flower pots.I like blue and purple flowers.
My yard isn't too ripped up from the moving of the gas meter this winter. I need to get a little dirt to fill in a few low spots, and some grass seed. Then the yard will look like new.
My yard isn't too ripped up from the moving of the gas meter this winter. I need to get a little dirt to fill in a few low spots, and some grass seed. Then the yard will look like new.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Monday 4/21/08 Dentist appt, orthodontist, visiting a college...and moving
The kids went to the dentist on Saturday. They needed check-ups. Maggie and Beth need braces. I will make an appt at the orthodontist to get that started. The kids didn't have any cavities. They said that we should be brushing for three minutes, and the girls are old enough to floss each day now.
We will be going to another college on Saturday. We are very excited about all this traveling.
We are almost ready to put the house up for sale. I need to paint the front steps...as soon as it stops raining... and pack a few things in the basement. The kids are excited to move. We still need to pack their things.
We will be going to another college on Saturday. We are very excited about all this traveling.
We are almost ready to put the house up for sale. I need to paint the front steps...as soon as it stops raining... and pack a few things in the basement. The kids are excited to move. We still need to pack their things.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Wednesday 4/16/08 Programming class on-line...
William had his first programming class on-line tonight. It went great!!! I could hear him say ''I knew that...'' as he read the work. The class has the reading on-line and then a quiz. I guess the actual programming will start later. He looked so happy. The next chapter will be released on Friday.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Monday 4/14/08 Visiting colleges and looking at toys...
We toured the college on Saturday. We ended up getting there about two hours early, so we went to the store and looked at all of the toys. It is always good to see ahead what they want for Christmas. The college was too small for William...but he was very polite on the tour. In two weeks we will go to a very large college. Our appointment is at 9:00 am, so we will probably need to stay in a hotel the night before.
Friday, April 11, 2008
4/11/08 Visiting a college...
We are going to visit our first college tomorrow. We are all so excited. I hope that the weather is nice, it will make the trip so much more pleasant. William starts his programming class on-line next week. We were to download Visual C++ 2005, but I could only find Visual C++ 2008. I hope that it will still work. William can e-mail the teacher and get help.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Wednesday 2/8/08 programming class at the Community College...
William is going to take a programming class at the Community College through continuing education. With continuing education he can go straight to the class and skip the pre-requisites. He still is planning to go to college, but he wanted a programming class first so that he felt like he knew something about programming before he went to college.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tuesday 3/25/08 Easter eggs, moving, storage unit...
We colored Easter eggs a couple of days ago. It was fun. William didn't want to help so he was on the computer in the same room. We found an Easter egg coloring set that had dies, sponges and Q-tips to color eggs with, and a wax crayon and stickers. We ended up with one puddle of die on the table, no eggs dropping on the floor and we only broke two egg shells while coloring them. When the girls get too old, I will really miss this.
We are almost ready to move. The house is painted...on the inside...and we have taken a lot of boxes to storage. This past weekend William helped me take two book shelves to the garage and two tables to storage...the book shelves wouldn't fit in the storage unit. The living room looks a lot bigger now.
We are almost ready to move. The house is painted...on the inside...and we have taken a lot of boxes to storage. This past weekend William helped me take two book shelves to the garage and two tables to storage...the book shelves wouldn't fit in the storage unit. The living room looks a lot bigger now.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday 12/31/07 Happy New Year!!!...
Hello! Happy New Year!!! I am sorry that I haven't written in a while, I needed to stop and concentrate on Christmas. I hope that you have had a good 2007 and will have a wonderful 2008.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Tuesday 12/11/07 Christmas cards...
I am filling out the Christmas cards tonight. I had cards that were bought earlier in the year, but at the last minute, I misplaced them. I really didn't want to re-buy something that I already had, so I put off re-buying them. Finally, they never turned up, and I am just starting to address the cards. I really like to mail the cards about a week after Thanksgiving.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Monday 12/10/07 Pictures and snow...
We got our family pictures in the mail last week. They look good. We had wanted a picture of all of us before William went away to college. It is a relief that the picture is done.
We had our first winter storm last weekend. There was snow and ice and rain. It was messy. I ended up staying home.
There is a small amount of painting that needs done on the house. William's shelves for his closet need done and the heater in the bathroom needs some rust-o-lium. Maybe this week would be a good time to do it. Then I could quit thinking about painting.
We had our first winter storm last weekend. There was snow and ice and rain. It was messy. I ended up staying home.
There is a small amount of painting that needs done on the house. William's shelves for his closet need done and the heater in the bathroom needs some rust-o-lium. Maybe this week would be a good time to do it. Then I could quit thinking about painting.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Monday 12/03/07 Planning to decorate...
We decided to put up the Christmas decorations next Saturday. We had wanted to put them up sooner, but we wanted to make sure that we had enough time to put them up. We had thought about putting them up on a Friday night, but thought that if we started in the morning when we weren't tired and had a full day open, it would feel fun and not rushed.
We have an artificial tree. We also have a lot of decorations. We started out with some decorations. Each year the kids make some at school, and each year we make ornaments as a family, and a few years ago when my grandmother passed away, we got some of her decorations.
I like to take down a few pictures off of the wall and cover the picture with wrapping paper and put a bow on it. When we hang it back up, It looks like there is a present on the wall.
We have an artificial tree. We also have a lot of decorations. We started out with some decorations. Each year the kids make some at school, and each year we make ornaments as a family, and a few years ago when my grandmother passed away, we got some of her decorations.
I like to take down a few pictures off of the wall and cover the picture with wrapping paper and put a bow on it. When we hang it back up, It looks like there is a present on the wall.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Sunday 12/2/07 my favorite plants...
There are a few plants around the yard that I really care about. There are some hastas from my grandparent's farm and also some rhubarb that came from the farm. There are the snow drop bulbs, the hastas from the neighbors down the street and the strawberries from my mom. If we move in the spring when the ground is still frozen, these plants won't be able to come with us.
A few months ago I bought some flower pots. Saturday I took some of each of these plants and put them into the pots and put them into the garage. Now I can quit worrying about moving without them.
I have two more plants that I care a lot about, my great-grandparents roses. I have brought seven cuttings of both of them in the house to root. All of great-grandpas sprouted. None of great-grandmas have. There is only one of great grandmas rose bushes outside, I didn't want to put it into the garage, for fear that it would die. The cuttings are still alive, maybe they will sprout.
A few months ago I bought some flower pots. Saturday I took some of each of these plants and put them into the pots and put them into the garage. Now I can quit worrying about moving without them.
I have two more plants that I care a lot about, my great-grandparents roses. I have brought seven cuttings of both of them in the house to root. All of great-grandpas sprouted. None of great-grandmas have. There is only one of great grandmas rose bushes outside, I didn't want to put it into the garage, for fear that it would die. The cuttings are still alive, maybe they will sprout.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Friday 11/30/07 The fridge quit working...
Our refrigator quit working last night. Its never a good time to buy a major appliance. I went to the store today to get a used fridge. They will deliver it tomrrow morning at about 11:00 am.
This sounds so simple...fridge quits...bought new one...new one (new-to-me) gets delivered tomorrow before lunch. In reality, we still have four hungery people at home who are ready to eat dinner, and who will want breakfast in the morning. I didn't think that this would be a problem, we have food in the cupboard. Everything needed milk to cook it. We ended up having macronni and cheese, from a box so that the cheese was in a pouch in the box, canned fruit, canned vegetable, and baked beans. For breakfast we have some instant oatmeal. The kids still like it without milk. I need to get some foods that only require water or that are already ready, like canned spagetti. Something that we could just heat up. Also...do the stores sell powdered milk in packets that make one gallon of milk at a time? How long would the powdered milk keep for in the pouches? We need to have a few ''easy to prepare'' foods for emergencies.
This sounds so simple...fridge quits...bought new one...new one (new-to-me) gets delivered tomorrow before lunch. In reality, we still have four hungery people at home who are ready to eat dinner, and who will want breakfast in the morning. I didn't think that this would be a problem, we have food in the cupboard. Everything needed milk to cook it. We ended up having macronni and cheese, from a box so that the cheese was in a pouch in the box, canned fruit, canned vegetable, and baked beans. For breakfast we have some instant oatmeal. The kids still like it without milk. I need to get some foods that only require water or that are already ready, like canned spagetti. Something that we could just heat up. Also...do the stores sell powdered milk in packets that make one gallon of milk at a time? How long would the powdered milk keep for in the pouches? We need to have a few ''easy to prepare'' foods for emergencies.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Thursday 11/29/07 The tree in front of our house...
The tree in front of our house was cut down this last summer. The city had to take it down before they fixed a broken pipe in the street. They were concearned that the roots would be cut when the street was worked on and the tree would fall. The city came back yesterday and ground up the stump. The did a really nice job. I have to say that they have really done an excellent job with our tree and street. I wonder if they will come back next summer and plant a new tree?
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wednesday 11/28/07 Decorating the church...
We decorated the church for Christmas tonight. It was fun. We helped decorate two trees and sang Christmas songs. There were twenty to forty people decorating. The first tree had a long...white...veil type (see through) piece of material that we draped around the tree first. Next we put on green plastic leaves and big bows. It looked very elegent. The second tree, in another room, had some ornament art work from the kids Sunday School class.. After the ornaments were up we took strips of paper and stapled them into a chain to put on the tree. We had about ten kids and three staplers. We were at a round table so we ended up having the kids staple one link to their chain and pass the stapler to the left. When we all had to go the kids stapled their individual chains together to make a long chain. We made a lot of memories tonight.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Monday 11/26/07 ''The Waltons''...
We needed a television series on DVD to watch at home. I wanted something that I had watched as a kid, so that the content would be ok for my kids. I first thought of "Little House on the Prarie" but there were so few boys on the show. Their brother came in years after the show started. The series that we chose needed to have boys and men so that William would be interested in it too. I also liked "My three Sons", but I can't find it on DVD or VHS. It has all men and one of the boys, is young, one is just starting to date, and one is..I don't know maybe high school. I remember watching it as a child and thinking that the oldest son was really old.
My third choice was "The Waltons". It had lots of boys and men, good values and a lot going on in each episode. My kids love it. William tries not to show that he likes it. Now and then when the show is on William will be walking through the room and he will stop to watch it before he realizes it, he is enjoying the show. We have now watched years one and two.
I didn't realize it when I bought the set that John-Boy is the same age as William. They are both finishing high school.
My third choice was "The Waltons". It had lots of boys and men, good values and a lot going on in each episode. My kids love it. William tries not to show that he likes it. Now and then when the show is on William will be walking through the room and he will stop to watch it before he realizes it, he is enjoying the show. We have now watched years one and two.
I didn't realize it when I bought the set that John-Boy is the same age as William. They are both finishing high school.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday 11/23/07 Holidays and shopping...
The kids have almost finished the Thanksgiving left-overs. We will be back to non-holiday foods tomorrow. That's OK. It was fun. We may put the tree up on Sunday. I had wanted to start filling out my Christmas cards, putting on their addresses one night, signing them another...but now I can't find them. I saw the cards last week, I must have moved them. William wanted to go to the bookstore at the mall today, and Beth had money from her birthday to spend. I don't go to the mall very often. I enjoy buying groceries, I just don't enjoy shopping at the mall.
While we were there we saw two little girls on a ride. It was a roller coaster ride. The kids sit in the seat and the view on the screen is what you would see if you were riding on a coaster. It was a ride for little kids. The girls were about three of four years old. Their parents were standing close by. As the screen changed from going up hill to down hill the seat where the girls sat moved so that the riders feel like they are moving on the ride. The little girls were so excited, hanging onto the handle and cheering. I remember when I was young and everything that happened was so exciting.
Beth bought dolly clothes with her money.
We played outside today. I raked up the dead leaves from the hasta plants and only found three of the kids toys under them. The mums have started to bloom. It is so exciting to have some color in the yard.
While we were there we saw two little girls on a ride. It was a roller coaster ride. The kids sit in the seat and the view on the screen is what you would see if you were riding on a coaster. It was a ride for little kids. The girls were about three of four years old. Their parents were standing close by. As the screen changed from going up hill to down hill the seat where the girls sat moved so that the riders feel like they are moving on the ride. The little girls were so excited, hanging onto the handle and cheering. I remember when I was young and everything that happened was so exciting.
Beth bought dolly clothes with her money.
We played outside today. I raked up the dead leaves from the hasta plants and only found three of the kids toys under them. The mums have started to bloom. It is so exciting to have some color in the yard.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thursday 11/22/07 Thanksgiving...
We celebrated Thanksgiving today. First the kids helped me to clean he house up. We vacuumed and put the odds and ends away. Then we made the meal. William finished the deviled eggs. Maggie mashed the potatoes. Beth stirred everything. Every year I say to myself that we should learn to make stuffing from scratch...and every year we don't do it.
We wrote what we were thankful for on the muslin cloth...I put it on the buffet so that we wouldn't spill on it. We all wrote ''friends and family'' on the cloth. I will put it away for next year tomorrow when it has dried. I need to put a note on next years calender where I am putting it, so that I can find it.
We wrote what we were thankful for on the muslin cloth...I put it on the buffet so that we wouldn't spill on it. We all wrote ''friends and family'' on the cloth. I will put it away for next year tomorrow when it has dried. I need to put a note on next years calender where I am putting it, so that I can find it.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Wednesday 11/21/07 Thanksgiving preparations...
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
We started getting ready for Thanksgiving tonight. We have a tradition of all four of us pealing the potatoes together. We started it years ago. The first year the kids weren't able to peal many potatoes, but they wanted to try. The next year they were excited to be able to try again. We all sat around the table and the kids all talked about how difficult pealing the potatoes was last year, and how much easier it was this year. Now the kids are old enough to help make another dish for the meal. It is nice to get to teach them to cook and they feel good at the meal that they contributed to helping make it.
Tonight William started the deviled eggs. He cooked and shelled them. The kids are very excited about having a whole day dedicated to eating.
We are starting a new tradition this year. I heard about this from a friend at church...They got a piece of muslin cloth and some cloth pens. Before the Thanksgiving meal they took turns writing on the cloth what they were thankful for, their name and the date. Then the next year they do this again on the same cloth. They said that it is nice to see what each person writes, how the hand writing of the children changes from year to year, and if a relative passes away it is nice to have what they wrote with them at the holiday. It is like having a part of their deceased relative with them. We are going to start this tradition this year.
We started getting ready for Thanksgiving tonight. We have a tradition of all four of us pealing the potatoes together. We started it years ago. The first year the kids weren't able to peal many potatoes, but they wanted to try. The next year they were excited to be able to try again. We all sat around the table and the kids all talked about how difficult pealing the potatoes was last year, and how much easier it was this year. Now the kids are old enough to help make another dish for the meal. It is nice to get to teach them to cook and they feel good at the meal that they contributed to helping make it.
Tonight William started the deviled eggs. He cooked and shelled them. The kids are very excited about having a whole day dedicated to eating.
We are starting a new tradition this year. I heard about this from a friend at church...They got a piece of muslin cloth and some cloth pens. Before the Thanksgiving meal they took turns writing on the cloth what they were thankful for, their name and the date. Then the next year they do this again on the same cloth. They said that it is nice to see what each person writes, how the hand writing of the children changes from year to year, and if a relative passes away it is nice to have what they wrote with them at the holiday. It is like having a part of their deceased relative with them. We are going to start this tradition this year.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Monday 11/14/07 Thanksgiving...
I like all of the holidays. It bothers me that Thanksgiving is now being pushed aside. The kids are now old enough to like all of the Thanksgiving foods. When they were young they wouldn't eat mashed potatoes or turkey. Now they like it. Years ago I told the kids that we won't start decorating for Christmas until all of the Thanksgiving leftovers have been eaten...not the left-over turkey that I froze, just what was in the refrigerator. It gives us a chance to think about this thankful holiday for a day or two.
This morning in the car Maggie asked ''What if we finish all of the left-overs at lunch on Friday, could we put the tree up that same day?'' The kids are really anxious for Christmas to get here this year. I wonder how fast they will eat the left overs? I need to explain to the kids again that my goal is not to have the left-overs eaten quickly, but to enjoy Thanksgiving. We will see how it goes.
This morning in the car Maggie asked ''What if we finish all of the left-overs at lunch on Friday, could we put the tree up that same day?'' The kids are really anxious for Christmas to get here this year. I wonder how fast they will eat the left overs? I need to explain to the kids again that my goal is not to have the left-overs eaten quickly, but to enjoy Thanksgiving. We will see how it goes.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Monday 11/12/07 Dying blue jeans...
Beth asked me the other day if it was possible to dye her jeans pink. I said that I didn't have any idea. She wanted her jeans to match her shirt. We have never dyed anything before. I said that we could get some dye and see if it was possible.
On Saturday we went to the Salvation Army store and bought Beth a pair of jeans for $4.99. Then we went to the Dollar Store and bought a container with a lid that was big enough to dye jeans in. Neither of these stores sold dye...so we went to a third store. This store had dye, but no pink dye. They had ''faded white", brown, black, yellow and purple. Beth chose purple. We came home and dyed the jeans. They are drying right now. The inside tag and the inside of the pockets are purple. We think that the jeans are purple, but we can't tell if they are purple, or if it is just wishfull thinking on our part. Beth was so excited to do this, I hope that they turn out.
On Saturday we went to the Salvation Army store and bought Beth a pair of jeans for $4.99. Then we went to the Dollar Store and bought a container with a lid that was big enough to dye jeans in. Neither of these stores sold dye...so we went to a third store. This store had dye, but no pink dye. They had ''faded white", brown, black, yellow and purple. Beth chose purple. We came home and dyed the jeans. They are drying right now. The inside tag and the inside of the pockets are purple. We think that the jeans are purple, but we can't tell if they are purple, or if it is just wishfull thinking on our part. Beth was so excited to do this, I hope that they turn out.
Monday 11/12/07 William and College...
William has always wanted to go to college. A few years ago I was saying that he should go to the community college. It has smaller class sizes and might be a good place to start. He said ''no'' he wants to go to the local four year college. I finally started to agree with him that he was ready for larger class sizes.
The other day William mentioned that we were almost out of toothpaste. I went to show him again which cupboard the toothpaste was kept in but he said ''no'' he would be leaving to go away to college soon and he really didn't need to know where anything was kept. I said ''away'' to college? He has now decided that he would prefer to go away to college. I have always told the kids that anything is possible, as long as you work hard for it. I hadn't thought that they were listining to me.
We were all talking a few days later and William mentioned that he would be gone in about six months. He said that after he finishes high school he will be filling out his college paperwork and leaving. I have never seen so much enthusium in him. (Where did my little boy who wanted to stay at home go?) I tried to explain that most freshmen classes started in the fall quarter and he may be with us all summer. He is so excited about college, which is cool, and he does truely believe that he can start college the day after he graduates from high school. I do wish that he wanted to go to a local college, and live with us. We will miss him so much, but I don't want to take away any of his excitement and drive.
The other day William mentioned that we were almost out of toothpaste. I went to show him again which cupboard the toothpaste was kept in but he said ''no'' he would be leaving to go away to college soon and he really didn't need to know where anything was kept. I said ''away'' to college? He has now decided that he would prefer to go away to college. I have always told the kids that anything is possible, as long as you work hard for it. I hadn't thought that they were listining to me.
We were all talking a few days later and William mentioned that he would be gone in about six months. He said that after he finishes high school he will be filling out his college paperwork and leaving. I have never seen so much enthusium in him. (Where did my little boy who wanted to stay at home go?) I tried to explain that most freshmen classes started in the fall quarter and he may be with us all summer. He is so excited about college, which is cool, and he does truely believe that he can start college the day after he graduates from high school. I do wish that he wanted to go to a local college, and live with us. We will miss him so much, but I don't want to take away any of his excitement and drive.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Friday 11/9/07 Hobbies for me...
There are some hobbies that I would like to have if I had some free time. Here are a few of them:
I would like to buy a sewing machine that embroiders cute pictures on jeans, like hearts or birds. I could buy jeans at garage sales cheaply and put the designs on them. They could be re-sold at my garage sale for more money. I think that the sewing machine could be programmed by someone else and I would just need to put the correct thread into it. The problem is that the machine will probably cost a lot, and I would have to sell a lot of jeans just to break even.
My second idea is making sock dolls. I got a book on making these, and have made one. It took about one evening. The doll is about six inches tall, and really cute. Then I decided to move and didn't have time to do any more. When I am at the store there are so many cute sox that it is hard to say ''move first then get more sox''.
I would like to buy a sewing machine that embroiders cute pictures on jeans, like hearts or birds. I could buy jeans at garage sales cheaply and put the designs on them. They could be re-sold at my garage sale for more money. I think that the sewing machine could be programmed by someone else and I would just need to put the correct thread into it. The problem is that the machine will probably cost a lot, and I would have to sell a lot of jeans just to break even.
My second idea is making sock dolls. I got a book on making these, and have made one. It took about one evening. The doll is about six inches tall, and really cute. Then I decided to move and didn't have time to do any more. When I am at the store there are so many cute sox that it is hard to say ''move first then get more sox''.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Thursday 11/8/07 Rock Tumblers...
Maggie turned twelve this year. She collects rocks with the neighbor boy. Her birthday present was a rock tumbler. It looked like a nice, low maintence gift. It came with a small base that has a small motor in it and a container with a lid to put the rocks in. There were also three kinds of grit to put in to make the rocks progressively smoother. We had a tererible time getting the container to seal closed. The directions said to put a small ammount of vegetable oil between the container and the lid to get a good seal. It kept leaking. After about ten tries we got it sealed. The problem is that the container sits on it's side in the base as it spins. After we got it sealed we put it in the dining room by the frogs. We needed an open spot by an electrical outlet. When it was turned on it was the loudest thing in the house. We couldn't talk on the phone or hear the TV, and I am sure that the frogs didn't like the noise. We moved it to the living room. That was on Friday night. When we went outside we turned it on...and back off when we came in. It is now in the kitchen, away from the frogs, the phone and the TV. Maggie really likes the gift and is glad that we found a place for it.
Wednesday 11/07/07 Zoo...
We went to the Zoo over the summer. We havn't gone in ta few years. It was fun to go back again. The reason that we went is because the Zoo had a butterfly exibit. We wanted to see what that was like, all of those graceful, fragile creatures flying around us. When we got there the exibit was a room that was warm with a lot of flowers and plants in it. They also had some bowls with sponges in them. In the bowls was a red liquid. I asked the Zoo person that was in the room what the liquid was. She said that it was red Gatoraid. It attracks the butterflies. We went late in the summer, so there weren't a huge number of butterflies, but there were a lot. Some did fly onto us. Whe we left there we went and saw the fish and the monkey exibits. It takes us a long time to go through each area, so we don't see many exibits.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Tuesday 11/06/07 Postcards...
The kid's don't bring home any homework. At their school they have study hall the last class of the day. Their school set this up so that they can do their homework at school where the teachers can help them if they need it. My kids do need help with hand writing...I used to have them keep a journal. Most nights after school, while I am making dinner, they write a few sentences. I have them put the date on it also. They can write about their day, or their favorite toy...or anything. Any writing is good. It all helps their handwriting. The journal was only fun for the kids for a while.
Now I have them send postcards to their cousins. A postcard only needs about two sentences. This made the kids happy, Their cousins have started writing back.
It is cheaper to send a postcard then to send a letter. The stamps are cheaper. Also...the Post Office only requires that the postcard be the correct size, not have any folds in it, and be sturdy. It doesn't make any difference to the Post Office if you make or but the post card. I bought one post card to get the correct size. Then I took some cereal boxes and began tracing and cutting them out. I did need to draw the line on the postcard and tell the kids to only write on the left side of it. If they cross the line there isn't enough room for the address.
They like writing fewer sentences and also getting mail from their cousins. I'm glad that if they make a mistake and want to throw it away to start over, it's ok because it was free.
Now I have them send postcards to their cousins. A postcard only needs about two sentences. This made the kids happy, Their cousins have started writing back.
It is cheaper to send a postcard then to send a letter. The stamps are cheaper. Also...the Post Office only requires that the postcard be the correct size, not have any folds in it, and be sturdy. It doesn't make any difference to the Post Office if you make or but the post card. I bought one post card to get the correct size. Then I took some cereal boxes and began tracing and cutting them out. I did need to draw the line on the postcard and tell the kids to only write on the left side of it. If they cross the line there isn't enough room for the address.
They like writing fewer sentences and also getting mail from their cousins. I'm glad that if they make a mistake and want to throw it away to start over, it's ok because it was free.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Monday 11/05/07 Winter Jackets...
About a month ago I started looking for winter jackets for the kids. William has not grown in the last two years and his jacket is still in great shape, so he didn't need a new one. Maggie and Beth still fit last years jacket, but the jackets will be outgrown before winter is over.
I started going to the re-sale shops last month...I knew that it was too early, but ''the early bird catches the worm''. I was hoping to find jackets their size. It didn't happen. We need jackets with attached hoods. Not hats that snap on or zip on, but are part of the jacket, permanently sewn on. The kids always end up loosing their hats and on cold days the kids don't have their ''jacket hat'' to go over their separate hat. So...I kept looking at the shops for jackets in the correct size, with connecting hats and non-frilly for Maggie and frilly for Beth. These types of jackets never came in.
We finally went out last Friday to other stores to look for jackets. Before we left we had William try on his gloves to see how big they were so that I could get him gloves that were large enough. I explained to the girls that we needed to find jackets with connecting hats. Off we went. At store one...the only jacket that we found that the girls like was not on sale and was out of my price range. At store two, we found a jacket for Maggie. She was wearing a thin fall shirt, so we couldn't tell if the jacket would fit in the winter over sweaters. She tried on two sweaters and then put the jacket on to check the size. It fit. We also got her a hat and gloves. At the third store...ok, I was tired now. I don't like to shop and was willing to change my mind on the ''connecting hat'' idea just to let us go home...Beth couldn't find a jacket. She said that none of the ones that she liked had connecting hats. I wanted to tell her that I had changed my mind, but they had listened to my directions so I didn't want to say anything. At the fourth store, Beth found a jacket. She also tried on two sweaters with it. .
They can still wear last years jackets for a while, but I feel better now that I know that they are all set for the whole winter. We can look at boots another day.
I started going to the re-sale shops last month...I knew that it was too early, but ''the early bird catches the worm''. I was hoping to find jackets their size. It didn't happen. We need jackets with attached hoods. Not hats that snap on or zip on, but are part of the jacket, permanently sewn on. The kids always end up loosing their hats and on cold days the kids don't have their ''jacket hat'' to go over their separate hat. So...I kept looking at the shops for jackets in the correct size, with connecting hats and non-frilly for Maggie and frilly for Beth. These types of jackets never came in.
We finally went out last Friday to other stores to look for jackets. Before we left we had William try on his gloves to see how big they were so that I could get him gloves that were large enough. I explained to the girls that we needed to find jackets with connecting hats. Off we went. At store one...the only jacket that we found that the girls like was not on sale and was out of my price range. At store two, we found a jacket for Maggie. She was wearing a thin fall shirt, so we couldn't tell if the jacket would fit in the winter over sweaters. She tried on two sweaters and then put the jacket on to check the size. It fit. We also got her a hat and gloves. At the third store...ok, I was tired now. I don't like to shop and was willing to change my mind on the ''connecting hat'' idea just to let us go home...Beth couldn't find a jacket. She said that none of the ones that she liked had connecting hats. I wanted to tell her that I had changed my mind, but they had listened to my directions so I didn't want to say anything. At the fourth store, Beth found a jacket. She also tried on two sweaters with it. .
They can still wear last years jackets for a while, but I feel better now that I know that they are all set for the whole winter. We can look at boots another day.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Friday 11/02/07 One more ''getting ready for Halloween'' story...
We bought pumpkins. It took a while to find ones that had a smooth side. We usually carve the pumpkins on the kitchen floor. The mess ends up on the floor any way, so we might as well start there. First, we put down newspaper. I keep a bag of old newspapers in the basement, but because everything was moved to paint the basement walls, we couldn't find them. We put down un-opened garbage bags instead.
William wanted us to get him a pumpkin, but he didn't want to carve it. The girls drew faces on their pumpkins with a pen, and then I cut the faces out. They had a great time stirring the bowl of seeds. Maggie did a cat and Beth did a princess. I bought candy that same day. The kids wanted ''kid'' candy, so I bought candy that adults wouldn't eat. We don't have any Hershey's with Almonds or M & M's.
William wanted us to get him a pumpkin, but he didn't want to carve it. The girls drew faces on their pumpkins with a pen, and then I cut the faces out. They had a great time stirring the bowl of seeds. Maggie did a cat and Beth did a princess. I bought candy that same day. The kids wanted ''kid'' candy, so I bought candy that adults wouldn't eat. We don't have any Hershey's with Almonds or M & M's.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday 11/01/07 Mulch...
I have been buying mulch now and then to put in the yard just before the house is listed. If the bags of mulch at the store are broken, a lot of times the stores will sell them for half price. The stores will put the broken bag into another bag so that the mulch won't spill out into the customers car. I get the same ammount of mulch for half the price.
I was buying whatever mulch bags were broken. The problem is that I wound up with red mulch between mine and my neighbors garage, black mulch along the house and brown mulch in the front yard. The yard did look better than it did before the mulch, but it still looked bad. The next time that I went to the store I looked at all of the kinds of mulch. More of them were black then any other color. So now I only buy black or or very dark mulch.
The origional multi-color mulch has faded. We are now ready to add more mulch to the yard.I have an assortment of mulches that I have bought over the months, all dark colors. Between the garages I have schreded bark. Along the house and in the front yard there are what looks like bigger chuncks of bark. The yard looks better now that it is all one color.
I did get two yellow mums for the front yard. They were so pretty in the store. They have been planted on each side of the front steps. About two days after they were planted all of the blooms started to turn brown. I began to pinch the blooms off. I don't want the plant's energy to go into dying blooms. After about a week, all of the blooms had turned brown and were pinched off. Underneath are the new blooms that arn't ready to open. I planted these two flowers about a month ago.I don't know if it is too late for the new blooms. The leaves still look healthy. Maybe they will wait and bloom next year.
I was buying whatever mulch bags were broken. The problem is that I wound up with red mulch between mine and my neighbors garage, black mulch along the house and brown mulch in the front yard. The yard did look better than it did before the mulch, but it still looked bad. The next time that I went to the store I looked at all of the kinds of mulch. More of them were black then any other color. So now I only buy black or or very dark mulch.
The origional multi-color mulch has faded. We are now ready to add more mulch to the yard.I have an assortment of mulches that I have bought over the months, all dark colors. Between the garages I have schreded bark. Along the house and in the front yard there are what looks like bigger chuncks of bark. The yard looks better now that it is all one color.
I did get two yellow mums for the front yard. They were so pretty in the store. They have been planted on each side of the front steps. About two days after they were planted all of the blooms started to turn brown. I began to pinch the blooms off. I don't want the plant's energy to go into dying blooms. After about a week, all of the blooms had turned brown and were pinched off. Underneath are the new blooms that arn't ready to open. I planted these two flowers about a month ago.I don't know if it is too late for the new blooms. The leaves still look healthy. Maybe they will wait and bloom next year.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday 10/31/07 Halloween...
The kids went trick-or-treating tonight. William said that he didn't want to go and he didn't want to share their candy. He wasn't upset...he just wasn't interested.
When it was time to go trick-or-treating I asked William if he wanted to go with us, just up and down our street. I knew that he had already said ''no'' but I wanted to make sure that he felt welcome. He said ''yes''. I was so suprised. He put his shoes and jacket right on and went outside. There were four houses on our street with lights on. After we went to those houses, he said that he wanted to go along...just to watch...and maybe he could bring a bag. Horray!!! I am always so glad when William chooses to go with us. He ran into the house to get a bag.
It is so different now that he is eighteen years old. He needs and can handle some time alone...but we miss him. We have always been a close family, and it is odd...different...strange...not to have him with us.
Our record for candy is five, gallon size, ziplock bags. This year we only got four. But four is still a lot of candy.
When it was time to go trick-or-treating I asked William if he wanted to go with us, just up and down our street. I knew that he had already said ''no'' but I wanted to make sure that he felt welcome. He said ''yes''. I was so suprised. He put his shoes and jacket right on and went outside. There were four houses on our street with lights on. After we went to those houses, he said that he wanted to go along...just to watch...and maybe he could bring a bag. Horray!!! I am always so glad when William chooses to go with us. He ran into the house to get a bag.
It is so different now that he is eighteen years old. He needs and can handle some time alone...but we miss him. We have always been a close family, and it is odd...different...strange...not to have him with us.
Our record for candy is five, gallon size, ziplock bags. This year we only got four. But four is still a lot of candy.
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