The girls got hamsters this weekend. They are NOT REAL! (My favorite kind of pet.) Emma spent some of her Birthday money and Ellie spent some of her allowance. We found them at Cracker Barrel. Ellie had been asking if we could get a puppy. I said, ABSOLUTELY NOT! Then she said, what about a hamster or a gold fish. Ugh... I have enough to take care of. When we found those I thought, hmmm, no feeding, no watering, no cleaning cages, no cleaning up accidents, no vet bills, no figuring out what to do with them when we go out of town, and best of all, no telling my kids their disposable pets died... Sure, why not! They are really cute and the girls have been having a ball. Ellie's was only $7.00 and it came with a ball that the hamster can roll around in. Emma's was $10.00 and it came with a hamster wheel. You can put the wheel in the stand and it can be stationary or you can take it off the stand and it can roll around the house. You can also take them out of the wheel or ball and let them crawl around the house. I need to remember Cracker Barrel when Birthdays and Christmas rolls around.
Ellie named her hamster Buddy and Emma named hers Harry the Hamster. This morning the girls played out on the deck with their furry little friends. The deck's still not finished, but at least it's dry.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
I can make decisions for other people pretty easily, but when it comes to making them for me, forget it, I second guess myself way too much. I think I'm too close to it. I ended up choosing a neutral color solid stain for the deck. It's called crossroads. I had a difficult time choosing a color. Originally I was gonna stain it like a hardwood floor color, but we had a dark stain on our deck before and it made our great room look too dark. Also, some of those stains look too orangy against the red brick. I decided to go with a solid stain instead of paint because paint will chip. The solid stain is supposed to last a lot longer. The problem is that it only comes in flat and it's not even a normal flat, it's almost chalky. For the most part, I like this color, it's just that when the sun hits it at different times of the day it changes colors (looks kind of peachy to me, yuk). The other thing that bugs me is that the soffits are white because the trim on the rest of my house is white. It's such a sharp contrast. I'd rather them be the same color as the rest of the deck so they don't stand out. But if I stain the soffits the same as the deck, the outside of the house won't look right because the rest of the soffits and gutters are white. Also, I'd get into a lot of maintenance with painting gutters and downspouts. Oh, and this is the second color already. The first one I chose was a transparent stain. The painter did one post and then came and got me and said, ya may want to see this before I paint the whole thing. I couldn't even see the color it was so transparent. After I asked him where he even painted the color, I asked him to do a second coat. It didn't make a difference. It looked NOTHING like the stain on the chart. We ended up eating the cost of that paint, but at least he hadn't done all the work yet.
So... this color we have on there now, Keith likes it. Also I had two different neighbors come over separately. They both have good taste, so I wanted to get their opinions. They both liked it and said I should leave it. Drew said, when I put the furniture out there and decorate it, I'm gonna love it. Hmmmm? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions... I have to make the final decision by Monday. Any thoughts? Anyone?
So... this color we have on there now, Keith likes it. Also I had two different neighbors come over separately. They both have good taste, so I wanted to get their opinions. They both liked it and said I should leave it. Drew said, when I put the furniture out there and decorate it, I'm gonna love it. Hmmmm? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions... I have to make the final decision by Monday. Any thoughts? Anyone?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Covered Deck
The deck is all done in pine and is ready to be stained. They'll paint the trim on the outside to match the trim on the house, but all of the inside will be stained baja beige. Gosh, I'm nervous about the color. It's hard to look at a tiny rectangle of color and picture the whole deck stained in it. I like the finishing touches Tim added. After it's stained tomorrow, he'll finish up the steps and then add gutters and the fan. We're getting pretty excited!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Drew's home!!!
Part of being a teenager is trying things on and seeing how they fit, otherwise how do you know what's really you? Sometimes the process of figuring out what you do want is figuring out what you don't want. After living in Blairsville for a month, Drew figured out that wasn't the place for him.
Keith and I and the girls are thrilled to have him back!!! I know it's a parent's goal to raise their kids to be independent. But do they all need to become independent at once? Is it right for them to just rip our hearts out and all up and leave at the same time? Ok, this is not about me, this is not about me...
I know the day will come for him to fly the coup too, but for now, we'll just savor this time.
Keith and I and the girls are thrilled to have him back!!! I know it's a parent's goal to raise their kids to be independent. But do they all need to become independent at once? Is it right for them to just rip our hearts out and all up and leave at the same time? Ok, this is not about me, this is not about me...
I know the day will come for him to fly the coup too, but for now, we'll just savor this time.
Nick moved to Tennessee
Nick left for Tennessee this morning. Boo hoo hoo! He will be sorely missed. Elizabeth is riding with him and then coming back on the greyhound bus. When she gets back she'll be moving in with her grandmother. At least she won't be too far away.
When I was driving Emma to school this morning she was being very negative. It started with... my tag is itchy, then I'm hot,then these tennis shoes make my feet sweaty, then I'm cold. I said, Emma, let's don't talk about all the things we don't like, let's talk about all the things we like... I'll go first. I said, "I'm so thankful that we get to ride to school in a car and don't have to walk all this looooooong way." Then she turned hers into a prayer and said (kind of pouty), "Thank you God that we get to ride to school." I said, "No, you say something different, that was mine." Then she said, "God, please watch over Nick when he's out of town, I love him soooo much God." Hmmm, was she really hot and then cold? Did her tag really itch her and her tennis shoes really make her feet sweat? Or was there something else that was bothering her and the only way she could express her uneasiness was to complain about being uncomfortable physically. It's funny how we often grumble and complain about many things when they aren't really the issue. Sometimes it takes us taking time out to pray to get to the heart of the matter and deal with what's really gnawing at us.
Nick and Elizabeth have become part of the family. God knew exactly what we all needed. I remember when we adopted the girls; our first thought was to help someone in need. We thought, there's someone in need and we have been given plenty, let's share. God always seems to turn the tables on us and show us it was us who needed them.
When I was driving Emma to school this morning she was being very negative. It started with... my tag is itchy, then I'm hot,then these tennis shoes make my feet sweaty, then I'm cold. I said, Emma, let's don't talk about all the things we don't like, let's talk about all the things we like... I'll go first. I said, "I'm so thankful that we get to ride to school in a car and don't have to walk all this looooooong way." Then she turned hers into a prayer and said (kind of pouty), "Thank you God that we get to ride to school." I said, "No, you say something different, that was mine." Then she said, "God, please watch over Nick when he's out of town, I love him soooo much God." Hmmm, was she really hot and then cold? Did her tag really itch her and her tennis shoes really make her feet sweat? Or was there something else that was bothering her and the only way she could express her uneasiness was to complain about being uncomfortable physically. It's funny how we often grumble and complain about many things when they aren't really the issue. Sometimes it takes us taking time out to pray to get to the heart of the matter and deal with what's really gnawing at us.
Nick and Elizabeth have become part of the family. God knew exactly what we all needed. I remember when we adopted the girls; our first thought was to help someone in need. We thought, there's someone in need and we have been given plenty, let's share. God always seems to turn the tables on us and show us it was us who needed them.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Boys came home for a short weekend
This weekend Alex came home to pick up a few things that he forgot. He loves MGC so far. He started classes Tuesday and has already written a paper. He likes his meal plan. He says the food is great! He's already made lots of friends and says there's plenty to do on campus. He works out, plays pool, swims, plays soccer, hangs out in the student center...
Drew also came home this weekend. He needed some work done on his car. He was in an accident last week. His car hydroplaned. Thankfully no one was hurt. I guess it was a good weekend to come home. Nick and Elizabeth will be leaving next Tuesday or Wednesday so everyone gets one final goodbye this weekend. Casey and Steven also came by tonight. It's a Saturday night and we've got 6 college kids at home watching "Elf" and eating dinner around the table. (actually Casey couldn't eat, he's still recovering from tonsilitus.
The girls love it when the brothers are around! It's been rainy several days in a row, so today I took them to rent some movies and spend some of their allowance. They bought pokemon cards that came with a poster and a coin. So of coarse they rented pokemon movies too. Keith and I get so tickled when we listen to them talk pokemon. It sounds so geeky. It's like a different language. Then they insisted on hanging the poster upstairs in the bonus room. I said, the guys will never go for that. I was sure the boys would back me, but NOOOOO, everyone voted to hang the pokemon posters up there.
Drew also came home this weekend. He needed some work done on his car. He was in an accident last week. His car hydroplaned. Thankfully no one was hurt. I guess it was a good weekend to come home. Nick and Elizabeth will be leaving next Tuesday or Wednesday so everyone gets one final goodbye this weekend. Casey and Steven also came by tonight. It's a Saturday night and we've got 6 college kids at home watching "Elf" and eating dinner around the table. (actually Casey couldn't eat, he's still recovering from tonsilitus.
The girls love it when the brothers are around! It's been rainy several days in a row, so today I took them to rent some movies and spend some of their allowance. They bought pokemon cards that came with a poster and a coin. So of coarse they rented pokemon movies too. Keith and I get so tickled when we listen to them talk pokemon. It sounds so geeky. It's like a different language. Then they insisted on hanging the poster upstairs in the bonus room. I said, the guys will never go for that. I was sure the boys would back me, but NOOOOO, everyone voted to hang the pokemon posters up there.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Update on the deck
Tim Wright, the guy building our deck, and his 2 sons just finished the bead board ceiling and the steps. We've had a few rainy days, so their work is taking a little longer than expected. We're in no hurry though. My main concern is that it's done well. We're really pleased so far. They have been so great to work with. Tim had to cut into our roof and gutters. Our roof line was really tricky, but he has made the point where the roof of the deck meet our roofline look like it was originally made that way! Anthony, the guy that Tim is hiring to paint and stain, came by today to give Tim an estimate on his work. I guess there's not much left to do. Tim thinks the building portion will be done by the end of the week. The gutters for the roof, the rails for the steps, and the trim work is all that's left. Then Anthony can come and paint and stain the rest.
I'm so impressed with people that can create something out of nothing. Keith and I watch "Holmes on Homes" on HGTV sometimes when we flip the channels at night. That's one HGTV show that Keith doesn't mind watching because it's not just about decorating; it's about a guy, Mike Holmes, that comes in when contractors have really screwed up a job and 'Mike makes it right.' We just sit there and go... "Wow, that's amazing!" Our good friends', the Grimm's, build. Keith and I have always been so impressed with what they do. They are truly visionaries and make an incredible team. Jenny has a sense of style and can envision what a house can become. Tim is humble and listens to his wife and trusts her judgement. He also can envision things and then create what's in their minds. That's just amazing to me! Tim and Jenny unfortunately would never build for me. They know me too well. When I hire someone I say, I want this... but I only want to spend this...
I'm so impressed with people that can create something out of nothing. Keith and I watch "Holmes on Homes" on HGTV sometimes when we flip the channels at night. That's one HGTV show that Keith doesn't mind watching because it's not just about decorating; it's about a guy, Mike Holmes, that comes in when contractors have really screwed up a job and 'Mike makes it right.' We just sit there and go... "Wow, that's amazing!" Our good friends', the Grimm's, build. Keith and I have always been so impressed with what they do. They are truly visionaries and make an incredible team. Jenny has a sense of style and can envision what a house can become. Tim is humble and listens to his wife and trusts her judgement. He also can envision things and then create what's in their minds. That's just amazing to me! Tim and Jenny unfortunately would never build for me. They know me too well. When I hire someone I say, I want this... but I only want to spend this...
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Busy Weekend!
On Saturday my dear friend Kathy got married in Birmingham, AL. It was a happy/sad occasion. Of coarse happy because she was marrying the man she loves. But sad because her mom, dad, and grandma couldn't be there to celebrate with her. Her mother and grandmother are both in hospice. Her eldest son Judson gave her away. Kathy looked absolutely beautiful!!!
On Sunday, we helped Alex move to Middle Georgia. His dorm is soooo sweeeet! I can't believe how big it is and how nice it is. He's got a double room, but no room mate... yet. There's actually a possibility that he could have a room all to himself! We had lunch together when we got there, then headed to the campus police station to get his campus ID card and parking decal. We turned in his work study application (so he could get a job on campus), but he doesn't qualify. It's on a "need" basis. So he'll have to try to get a job off campus. That will be a little difficult because Middle GA College is literally in the middle of nowhere! So we got his room all set up and then drove around and put in some applications. It was a race, because the other kids that got turned down for the work study program were also trying to apply for the handful of jobs in town. Then we made a Walmart run and got him some last minute things. Finally, we went to dinner together and took him back at his room. Alex was able to meet the guys in the room next door. They seem pretty nice. Actually he had already met one of them at orientation a few weeks ago, so that was kind of neat. Besides that he doesn't know a soul. Before we left, the brother of one of the guys next door came in to say hi. Then asked me who I was. I said, "Alex's mom." He said, "Oh I thought you were his sister." (mmhhhmm, I still got it... hee hee.) After he left, Keith said, "Hey, what about me? Do I look like the grandfather or something???"
Anyway, Alex walked Keith and I to our car and we hugged him goodbye. As started to leave, we watched Alex walk back to his dorm and it began to rain. We didn't get too far down the road when I broke down into tears. It came out of nowhere. I tried to blame it on the jalapeno juice from my sandwich. Keith didn't buy it. I guess it's been building up. This past November, Tyler got married, then a month ago, Drew moved to North GA, and now today, Alex moved to Middle GA. That's a lot of change in one family in less than a year. Keith tried to comfort me and said, "Honey, this is a good thing. This is our goal, to raise our children to be independent. They can't all live with us forever." I know that in my head, but my heart is still hurting. I know he felt it too. It was a pretty long quiet ride home in the rain.
Nick and Elizabeth just walked in the door. Quick, dry my tears. Too late... They are both so sweet! I just love them. They asked how I was doing. (Everyone in this family knows I don't do well with goodbyes.) And they'll both be leaving next week. Boo hoo. The house is emptying out. It will take a little time to get used to this... I know in time I'll be OK and begin to enjoy the extra time I have with Keith and the girls. But today, as Emma says, "I just need to cry and get my sad out."
On Sunday, we helped Alex move to Middle Georgia. His dorm is soooo sweeeet! I can't believe how big it is and how nice it is. He's got a double room, but no room mate... yet. There's actually a possibility that he could have a room all to himself! We had lunch together when we got there, then headed to the campus police station to get his campus ID card and parking decal. We turned in his work study application (so he could get a job on campus), but he doesn't qualify. It's on a "need" basis. So he'll have to try to get a job off campus. That will be a little difficult because Middle GA College is literally in the middle of nowhere! So we got his room all set up and then drove around and put in some applications. It was a race, because the other kids that got turned down for the work study program were also trying to apply for the handful of jobs in town. Then we made a Walmart run and got him some last minute things. Finally, we went to dinner together and took him back at his room. Alex was able to meet the guys in the room next door. They seem pretty nice. Actually he had already met one of them at orientation a few weeks ago, so that was kind of neat. Besides that he doesn't know a soul. Before we left, the brother of one of the guys next door came in to say hi. Then asked me who I was. I said, "Alex's mom." He said, "Oh I thought you were his sister." (mmhhhmm, I still got it... hee hee.) After he left, Keith said, "Hey, what about me? Do I look like the grandfather or something???"
Anyway, Alex walked Keith and I to our car and we hugged him goodbye. As started to leave, we watched Alex walk back to his dorm and it began to rain. We didn't get too far down the road when I broke down into tears. It came out of nowhere. I tried to blame it on the jalapeno juice from my sandwich. Keith didn't buy it. I guess it's been building up. This past November, Tyler got married, then a month ago, Drew moved to North GA, and now today, Alex moved to Middle GA. That's a lot of change in one family in less than a year. Keith tried to comfort me and said, "Honey, this is a good thing. This is our goal, to raise our children to be independent. They can't all live with us forever." I know that in my head, but my heart is still hurting. I know he felt it too. It was a pretty long quiet ride home in the rain.
Nick and Elizabeth just walked in the door. Quick, dry my tears. Too late... They are both so sweet! I just love them. They asked how I was doing. (Everyone in this family knows I don't do well with goodbyes.) And they'll both be leaving next week. Boo hoo. The house is emptying out. It will take a little time to get used to this... I know in time I'll be OK and begin to enjoy the extra time I have with Keith and the girls. But today, as Emma says, "I just need to cry and get my sad out."
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Covered Deck
We talked to our builder guy about the steps. He's gonna dig out some of the yard and put a retaining wall up and redo the steps. I asked him if he wouldn't mind enclosing the steps since he was gonna redo them anyway??? (My motto is: always ask, they can always say no, but they might say yes.) He said yes! Yippee!!! He also put the roof on today and it doesn't even look like an add-on. It matches perfectly, just like we discussed. I'm so pleased with this guy's work! My neighbor is already gonna hire him to do hers! It pays to do things well!
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