We Like Old Junk

You all may have thought we were trailer trash before but now it's official. Several years ago Hubby showed me a travel trailer over at his folk's farm. He told me he thought we could fix it up. Well, we've been a little busy, got side tracked and what not but the time has come for this little teeny project. We are the proud recipients of a 1957 aloha travel trailer.
It has potential.
Probably the potential to push us both right over the edge but here goes nothin'.

Yes, we plan on replacing the formica.
The stove and oven need a little work.
This is where our bed will be. Can you see it?
If you look behind the extra windows you'll notice the cutest ice box evah!
I have high hopes of restoring that screen door.
Some parts can be saved and some areas need to be gutted.
Today I went with Holly to the *Tin Can Tourist Rally. I got some groovy ideas. Now I just have to decide if I want to go vintage, luxury, kitchy, with a theme, practical or do whatever I want to. And what colors? Flooring, fabrics and formica, oh my!
What do you think?

*Later I'll give you a peek at what I saw at the rally. Vintage travel trailers are not for the faint of heart. But the end results are very, very. very cool.

Oh, I'm just so excited. Could you remind me when I am tired of the process of restoring about how excited I am today.

Thanks-

A First

Caleb and Emilyn came over last night. After dinner,where my guys told E. to back off the meatballs-for crying out loud, I made plenty, had leftovers. I guess Max and Sam just LoVe to tease Miss E., the little sister they never had. Anyway, after dinner...we went for a ride to get some ice cream for dessert.

This was a first for Caleb and Emilyn, they had never ridden in a convertible, on the road. Not sure what that means, maybe Fair or Disneyland rides are considered off road. A good time was had by all.


Sometimes it is the little things in Life.

This afternoon, tomorrow morning and Monday I am at Sole Obsession. Now that the kids have all their new Fall clothes I think it is time for mama. Come in and I'll fix you up with something stylish. Hubby is working doubles all weekend, so I may as well work too.
I do have a little fun planned though.
Enjoy the sunshine this weekend-could be the last of summer...

Family Reunion

We had a family reunion at Silver Lake Park Labor Day weekend. This was with my Dad's brothers and his sister's families.
The leaves were turning and it was so beautiful up in the hills.




We did a lot of catching up.


We had a home tour. Uncle Darryl had to get his spot cleaned up because we were coming his way. Some stayed in the day lodge, some in motor homes or trailers and cabins. Fortunately no one stayed in a tent as we did have some rain.

The Vander Haaks and their spouses.

My Dad, Rich, Uncle Ed, Aunt Nelda, Uncle John and Uncle Darryl. Really they were happy to be together, they just don't smile BiG for pics.

My sisters, myself, my Mom and Hana, who jumped in unannounced.

Every reunion need some little kids! We had an abundance of high school kids. I was thankful they came.

Whoa kiddos! You may have a bar but Kathi will hand them to you. They made some mud and were a bit dirty.

Risk. The game of world domination. Hours and hours were spent taking over the world. The guys had their own cabin, nice idea.

We had craft night for the girls and made mini albums out of lunch bags. Now we just have to print some of the pictures we took over the weekend and glue them in. It was fun to see all of the creative ideas, everyone's book turned out different and cute.


Every once in a while it hits that Sam is leaving in two weeks for Fort Sill. Here it is hitting Uncle Bill.

On Monday morning Fred made the 'fat boy breakfast' and Bill made the lattes. Our guys jump in and help. Saturday night Jeff grilled flank steak and made stuffed mushrooms, Fred chopped up some fresh salsa for an appetizer, Bill was our barista all weekend. It makes it more fun for everyone when everyone jumps in and gets busy.

Now I am unpacking and doing a lot, no make that a mountain of laundry. Fun times!

Gathering Sympathy-NOT!

Remember "Mr. I better never miss a meal Max"? If not, let me refresh your memory with this.

He came home from football practice last night and instantly started in on a rant. Apparently, the varsity football team has dinner together before games, Max (well, actually Hubby and I) paid the fee and it is a done deal.

Tonight Max may not play varsity because he is short one practice so Coach Robb tells(or tries to tell him) that he needs to practice with the JV team tonight and so no dinner for him.

Max has a fit! This won't work. I(his chief cook) will not be home tonight, he thought he could eat with the team, now he may not get dinner!

He not only ranted at home but to the football coaches. {Insert embarrassment here}

The kid has no shame.

I think Robb was surprised.

Um, don't mess with Max's meals, man, you have NO idea.

This morning at boot camp Robb told me about it, uhm yea, I knew about it. I actually started hearing about it as Max walked in the door last night.

Robb assured the other coaches that Max won't starve. He told them to read my blog and see that I do cook- A LOT!

So Robb thought Max could grab some leftovers tonight. Yes, that should work as I made a pork roast, red potatoes and gravy, carrots and a banana cream pie for dinner last night.

Max is still ranting this morning as he shovels in leftover tater tot casserole for breakfast.

Inbetween bites he tells me we need bigger plates.


He gained 30 pounds of muscle since the first day of school last year.

Could we have a moment of silence for my grocery budget and sanity?

Thank you-

It's Mine

The last two summers I have not always had a car. I bike to the museum, the library, to get milk. I love my bike but sometimes I want to go to the Bay or the mall and that's a bit far for me.

Last Fall we bought the Element and I thought, "yes, I have wheels!"

Then in May, Max got his driver's license and took over the van.

The '54 is getting some work done by my Dad so it wasn't available this summer.

Hubby has to get to work.

I was once again left to my own two feet or my bike.

Max is going to buy a car and return our van.

Sam has his own car. He leaves soon and is selling his CRX,

Dan lives in MI and uses his bike and the bus.

But I just have a feeling one of the guys will come home next summer or at Christmas and then I will be stranded again.

Today I took matters into my own hands and bought myself a car. She is nothing fancy but so far she runs.

I wrote a check(thanks honey), gave first right of refusal to the previous owner if I decide to sell her and one pie. Blueberry.



See you later-

Local Sting Operation

It began on Sunday as we were getting ready to go to church, we were, of course, all in the bathroom, our only bathroom. Hmmmmm or should I say buzzzzzzzzz, there seemed to be several hornets/wasps/bees/yellow jackets in the bathroom. Suddenly there were more than several, there were a lot of them. More like a swarm. Hubby went to buy spray instead of going to church. We felt we had control of the situation.
Not so.
On Monday we determined that they were coming in from the light/fan. We blocked their entrance from outside. More spray, more killing.
This morning I killed, showered, killed, brushed my teeth, killed, dried my hair, killed, put on mascara, killed...you get the idea.
Today at 4:00 p.m. we admitted defeat and called Biobug. The last two days when I come home from work I kill 100-150 bees (let's just call them bees even though I think they are hornets). That is a lot of bees. We spray, swat and vacuum and they just keep coming.

Not really in the habit of sharing pics of our toilet bowl but I want you to feel like you're here. I want you to feel my pain.

Biobug is very busy and they won't be here until late afternoon on Wednesday.
BEE AfRaId.
Oh, and remember how clean my bathroom was on Saturday? Well now it has bee guts and parts everywhere! Grrrrrr...