More January Random

There is no school today, the teachers have a work day without students.  Last Monday was a holiday so I am enjoying having another Monday at home. The best part of not working on a Monday is the Sunday evening before, just chillin'. 

Just a random post today. I am still on my declutter, get organized and pare down the junk January kick.  I filled the back of the Jeep last week and brought a load of things to the thrift store. I have cleaned the laundry/work room.  I could get rid of more craft stuff, but just wasn't ready. I cleaned out the cabinets above the washer and dryer, wiped down all flat surfaces and mopped.

I sewed a new liner for our dirty clothes basket.  Remember, I am not a seamstress. I'm just a gal sewing seams with stress.  I am pretty proud of the fact that there are no open seams, my arrows are lined up and I didn't lose my salvation.

 All for dirty laundry.

 I refreshed my ribbon bar.

 Romans 12:12 is my Bible verse, I mutter it to myself a lot. I found it online and actually ordered it, hung it up and embellished it with faux greenery. We have lived in the Stone House for 17 years and there are bare walls.  I am not good at wall decor.

 For four years I left Christmas up on the wall at the top of the landing.  It was all I had. That has been fixed too.

 Some days I get more checked off the To Do list than others.   I do have a job, regular housework and a life.  Some days I pick one drawer and clean it out. On Saturday I just could not face the attic so I went through my pajamas.  It's baby steps.

The eat less, move more should progress at this point as Hubby and I have now finished the Costco package of Almond Roca. Yep, we did it! Ugh.

I am walking and I am looking through all of the exercise videos on Netflix.  No, not actually doing them yet but I am checking them out.

Which leads to my other goal of watching more television.  I started Longmire last night and I think I am going to enjoy it.  Any other suggestions?

It's not all work here, on Friday evening Hubby and I enjoyed a strawberry basil martini, appetizers for dinner and spun some Bobby Darin tunes. Good times in the sitting room at the Stone House.
NOTE: Blogspot and videos are not friends so this is just a snapshot.

In my last post I touched on the government shut down which resulted in me deactivating my face book account.  We are getting a break until February 15th, but I am not quite ready to return to FB.  I had enough stupid comments in real life.  It's better if I hibernate right now.

  

Enjoy your week!

Random Catch Up Today

On Saturday my family gathered at Greenwood Cemetery to remember my Aunt Shirley .  It was so good to see family and remember my aunt. 

After wards some of us went out for lunch.  My sweet Mom misses her sisters.

A Decor Project

Some of my readers remember that earlier this summer I was looking for old books with blue or green covers.  The local thrift store had their half price sale in August and I finished my project using a lot of 12 and 1/2 cent books.  I felt like it looked a bit dark so I bought a lamp for a dollar and installed it behind.  It gives off some pretty back light and makes the gold on the bindings pop.  Thank you to everyone that left books on my doorstep.  I loved the wood rounds that I had in the unused fireplace but I also knew that spiders were camping behind the wood and it was time for a change.

Of course, now Hubby want to read the book on the bottom.

Trailer Restoration

Oh Ava Jean! Hubby and I got home from camping and we felt a bit overwhelmed by Ava so we listed her on Craigslist.  We felt as though we should maybe step back from so many projects.

Hubby was working so I took care of the ad. Please, please, please, for pete's sake, the next time I want to place an ad on Craigslist remind me NOT to do it. If I ever want to sell something, please  remind me to put it at the end of the driveway with a free sign or bring it to Goodwill or something. Actually, anything but Craigslist.  

Oh, I've bought things on Craigslist but selling is different.

When I put in the ad that the trailer needs a total restoration and needs to be rewired, I am not kidding.  You cannot buy it and live in it tomorrow if it is a gutted trailer.

I had so many emails, calls, offers of hundreds of dollars more than the asking price if they could just come right now with cash in hand, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Long story short, though it may be too late for that as I have rambled on here.  We are keeping Ava Jean and plan to restore her. I still love her and my design for her.  Hubby is still good with restoring her, we were just temporarily overwhelmed.  The three days she was listed on Craigslist are three days of my life that I will never get back.

Pioneer Woman and Kassie

Kassie and I have our tickets to meet Ree Drummond in Seattle. I think Kassie is Ree's mini me.  A gorgeous red head moves from the city to the country because she is in love with a rancher/farmer.  Yep, same song, second verse.  This trip to meet Ree is just the beginning because Kassie and I are going to Oklahoma to The Mercantile someday.

Oh Bo, I love you. Yes, the ring did end up in his mouth. It was retrieved and I hope Max doesn't try that trick again.

I love this picture, it was just after Max got the ring back.

Back to School

School starts for me tomorrow. Or not. Since I substitute teach I have no idea what day will be my first day.  I bought some new back to school clothes and my bag is loaded.

I'm ready!

That's all for now, and honestly, that's enough.  Enjoy your day!

Easter, What I'm Reading and some Random

First, an Easter recap because I want to remember this Easter.  It just felt extra special to me.

Our church gives us an opportunity to share a white lily, azalea or an orchid in memory of family or friends. Our church is full of flowers and it's a blessing to remember the hope we have in Christ.

We sang Up From the Grave He Arose, In Christ Alone and other favorite Easter songs. At the end of the service our church invites anyone that knows the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah to sing in the choir. 

After Church we went to dinner at Jeff and Kathi's place at Birch Bay. And then it was time for the Easter Egg hunt.  Uncle Jeff laid out the rules.  Yes, those are some big kids hunting for eggs.

 The Grandmas watched from a great vantage point.

 Washington beaches are rocky!

It was sunny, which was an Easter miracle, and Mt. Baker was gorgeous.

This week I've been substitute teaching.  I'm still having fun.  I love the actual teaching and the kiddos. Yesterday I had a kindergarten class and at one point a para educator came in and told me she was putting me on a prayer chain. Not just any prayer chain but her mother-in-law's heavy duty Southern Baptist prayer chain!  I needed it.  It was a really cute, energetic group of kiddos!

Yesterday, Hubby had a day off and I came home to dinner. Yes, those are some delicious beef ribs, roasted asparagus and whipped cauliflower.  He's figuring out that if I have kindergarten I may be a little tired when I get home.

 I did a lot of reading in Maui and I've kept it up since I got home. Hubby had some shift work so I filled my evenings with some good books.  The Nearness of You is a quick and enjoyable read.

I am reading Eliza Waite and enjoying it. The author is local.

As Good as Gone is my next read.

Max is coming home this weekend.  He's a groomsman for his college roommate's wedding.

Won't Max be surprised?  There is food in our fridge!  His last two visits happened while we were in Las Vegas and Maui and the cupboards were bare.  Mama's in Maui, get your own groceries!

Bo is coming too so I am dog proofing the house today. And I'm starting to clean the patio because eventually Spring and even Summer are going to show up in Washington.

Have a fantastic weekend!