"Home is not where you live, but where they understand you." - Christian Morganstern

I am a simple girl. I live in a small house and I like it. I am thankful for what I have, a fantastic family, good friends and my stuff. Ya, I like my stuff. My fiesta ware is the tops. I like my little knickknacks, my books, you know my "stuff."

Another thing. Almost all of our furniture has been aquired as hand-me-downs. And that is okay. I like our furniture for now. One day my dream is new stuff in the living room. Well, maybe not "new" but not what we have, however, for now, it is fine.

All I ask of my used furniture is to work. Such as when I want a shirt out of the bottom drawer of my (hand-me-down) dresser all I ask is for said drawer to open. And if it doesn't open after a few minutes of fighting I might a) bang around loudly early in the morning to let Troy know I am pissed at my dresser, b) swear, c) cry, d) all of the above. Depends on the day.

After a few (consecutive) mornings of being woke up by my banging/swearing/crying/all of the above (after all I have had this problem for YEARS) Troy said, "Why don't we get you a new dresser?" After some discussion and me saying no a hundred times because of the lack of resources (read: money) we decided to start looking. Troy browsed online to show me he could find something in a reasonable price range. Then he mentioned the new/used/discount furniture store across town behind Safeway. I said there was no store there. I should know. I go to Safeway - a LOT. Um...FYI there is a store there. Who knew? Troy maybe, but I think only he knew, it was hidden from the rest of us.

So, we go. We shop. We find great dressers out of our price range (and some couches and chairs too...must start saving money - I hate saving money!). Then, in the back, under a pile of rolled carpets we find the perfect dresser. We paid our hard earned dollars then left, without dresser as we drive a car that won't fit a dresser.... And if you think, 'great they went and got a big truck and picked up the dresser' you would be correct. If you think it was easy...hahaha!!! When we got there Troy realized he didn't have the key to the lock on the back. He asked the guy at the store for a hacksaw - they had one, did NOT work.

Listen, this is an OLD, diesel, pain in the ass to drive much less back and forth across town, truck to drive. So I think, 'I will call Cheryl.' She will come get us to get the key which is at the museum. And she did. Thank you Cheryl. She takes us to the museum. Troy goes in to get the key(s) - he has a LOT of keys - not sure which one of hundreds it could be...Troy had left his car in front of the museum so our thought is that we would take our car and Cheryl could go on her merry way. WRONG! Neither of us brought keys to our car. We are on a roll. As Cheryl is pulling away I am waving her down to stop (she hadn't actually GONE anywhere just pulled out of the parking spot) and she, LAUGHING, drove us back to the furniture store. Once again, thank you Cheryl. From there Troy tried all the keys, none worked, so ended up cutting the lock off with bolt cutters (which he grabbed in case NONE of the hundreds of keys worked). By the way we had great conversations in Cheryl's pimp-mobile (mini-van) that cannot be shared with you here...

In conclusion (as this feels like an essay) the dresser is home. It is in the bedroom. The drawers ALL open and shut ALL the time.

Lessons learned: make sure husband has keys to locks before actually leaving the house, better yet get him combination locks; keep friends on speed dial; always take car keys even if you aren't driving a car (go figure); there is a furniture store behind Safeway; and said furniture store ROCKS!

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exists, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy." - editorial by Charles Dana in the New York Sun, 1897, responding to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon

The tree is up and decorated. At least for now. I could still add some ornaments here and there you never know. Feels good to have that complete.

When the Santa lamp gets plugged in it really feels like Christmas. I LOVE him. He is by far one of my top three favorite decorations. He brings back all those childhood memories, those excited childhood feelings. Do you have anything that just makes it feel like Christmas? 
I have my Christmas/winter books out. I love to sit in the glow of the tree (and the Santa lamp of course) with a cup of tea or cocoa and a stack of beautiful picture books. It is even better when I can convince the boy to sit with me - doesn't usually take much convincing...he still loves to listen to stories and enjoy the illustrations. I love it.

Enjoy!

monday monday...

I love a rainy Monday in autumn! LOVE IT! After a nice, relaxing trip to Gig Harbor this weekend I am ready to be back and tackle this week. I have laundry to do (surprise, surprise) and some general cleaning/tidying to do. Normally I would dread having to do the "cleaning thing" but on a rainy Monday I am ready. Ready.

So, after a cup (or two) of coffee and a little blog cruising I will be immersing (well...immersing my be a strong word...but it sure sounds good) myself in home stuff (and, quite possibly, I may also find an hour to sit on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and a book!).

My major goals for today are: laundry, making a big pot (a week's worth) of pumpkin oatmeal (YUM), and making some nut cakes for the fridge so Archer can enjoy some this week before school. If I get these three things accomplished I will feel awesome...and if I do more - yay me!

Happy Monday!

friday.

This "week in my life" project is really fun. Even when I don't take the pictures I mean to take just slowing down and really thinking about the little things has been such a blessing this week.

Today was all about home. I put on my iTunes play list (an eclectic assortment of music) and cleaned away...with the aid of coffee of course. I'm getting the house in order. Cleaning. Purging. Organizing. Enjoying. Troy and I seem to do our "spring cleaning" in the fall/winter months - saves the spring for enjoying the rain and sunshine...My first cup of coffee for the day. Checking emails, facebook, twittering, and cruising blogs before the real work starts.
There has been a lot of change in my daily life this (school) year. I'm not teaching this year. I am doing academic testing for special education referrals and a little subbing along with my cemetery work and volunteering at the museum. The thing is I don't have a set daily schedule and I like that, however on days that I'm not "working" I can get a little restless. And then on the days I do work I can feel a little out of control. One of the tools I implement, mostly for myself, is a week calendar. I love it. I write down my jobs then fill in "to-dos" on other days. I used this kind of calendar for the family when I was working/going to school - it helped with knowing who was where and when. Anyway I am adjusting to my new "schedule" fairly well and enjoying the flexibility.

Another cup of coffee. Look at the pretty cream swirls. One of the main reasons I like cream. No, just kidding...I like just a tad bit of flavor. Loving right now: Coffee-Mate Italian Sweet Cream - not too sweet.

Our sweet Spazzy Jazzy all cuddled up. She is such a relaxed cat. We love her because we can scoop her up and cuddle her, carry her around, do all those things that little kids like to do with cats but usually can't. She would be a perfect little kid cat. Since we are like little kids in this house she is perfect for us. She loves to be "tucked in" when she is sleeping and usually doesn't mind if we wake her from a sound sleep to play a little. Such a good sport.
Really, tell me that isn't adorable. She woke up to play a bit with Troy, stretched out long enough for several pictures then curled back up and cuddled back in.

FYI...

the most satisfying way to battle fruit flies is with a vacuum cleaner. Oh the joy of sucking up those pesky beasts (yes, I know they are small but they are beasts in my eyes!). I love to see one or two flying around thinking whatever it is they think (probably "hey...there is the crazy lady. Watch me make her lose her mind." or something like that) and BAM suck 'em up! What a wonderful feeling.

Anyway. That is is for tonight!

It has been one week since my last post. Hmmm...Sounds like a confession. What is my penance? Anyway...I do not like the excuse "busy." When someone says "I'm too busy" or "I was too busy" I think it is a cop out. Just say "other things were more important" or "I don't want to." I think "busy" is a term people use to make an excuse when they don't want to give a real reason...a good reason. Believe me, I know what busy is. However, everything I do is a choice and sometimes my choices are based on how busy I am, but my excuse isn't busyness - no my excuse is choices. Anyway...this is deep-rooted in me, this pet peeve about busy being an excuse. Let's move on...

So, I am going to say that I had other things occupying my time. Not even important things. Really. I spent A LOT of time on the computer - doing nothing. Reading blogs, hanging on Facebook, playing games. I read. I hung out with family and friends. I actually wasn't busy. Just enjoying a bit of R&R.

Now here I am. A week out and feeling a bit off. No sure where to start.

How about with my parents. They have moved. To Marysville. It is a little over an hour drive from our house - a big difference from 15 -20 minutes. Alex, DeAnne, Archer and I went down to visit and see their new home for the first time. It is smaller than the house they left in Bellingham, where Alex and DeAnne will continue to live. However, it is cute and I think the perfect size (I am not a big house person).

Happy new home owners. (If you enlarge the photo you may be able to see the "ghosts" in the door.)

Mom & Dad @ the new house.

Alex evidently thought I was the paparazzi.

Cuddling at Grandma & Grandpa's house.

Cuddlin'

I find it interesting when people move to see their "old" stuff in a new surrounding. My parent's *stuff* is all from their house (which leaves Alex & De w/ little, but they are young they don't need much) and it looks completely different. When I go down this weekend I will try to take some pictures and find some of the old house. Just a little interesting thought.

Coming this week: DeAnne (a before and after pictorial), first day of school excitement (or second or third day...we'll see), Lynde 500 (early next week) and a little bit more of {this and that}.

Kitchen window view.

I was over at Shelly's blog and she had recently participated in a meme (wow Shelly!). So, she posed the question of what is outside your kitchen window. Well, let me tell you what is outside of my kitchen window is NOT pretty.

We aren't really gardeners over here. Sure I like a nice plant and LOVE to see others gardens and am very drawn to flowers, but the actual gardening thing? Not so much. I really, really tried. Just ask my husband. When we lived in an apartment and had a 20 foot patch of dirt I did wonderfully - moved to a house with a yard and flower beds all around...things went to heck.

I went to take a picture out of my actual kitchen window (there is quite a big window actually) but couldn't due to the fact that a) it is dirty (very) and b) there is a flag light-thing hanging in front of the window from so many years ago I can't even remember. Every once in awhile in the summer I plug it in to make myself not feel bad for never taking it down

In this picture is the trees that separate us from our neighbors, some boards that I am sure Troy is thinking he will make something out of and part of the twig sculpture that use to be in the park downtown. The sculpture looked great downtown (especially in the snow) and looked nice when Troy first moved it here, but now it just looks like a pile of twigs! Anyone need firewood?
Outside of our eating area is the patio. Right now the patio doesn't look nice and houses this (see below). This is an old buggy that Troy thinks he is going to refurbish. I like our patio. It is a nice size and by mid-June I have is all jazzed up for summer! The patio gets decorated with linens and flowers and candles - looks pretty nice and is a nice place to escape to especially when it is hot since it only gets sun for a few hours a day in summer. If only all those needles would keep them selves on the trees!
This is the actual view of the kitchen window. Looks sad doesn't it? I think I will finally take down the flag lights...Can a window box be put here? We have siding, so I don't know how that would work. Troy took all of the patio furniture and since we have NO room in the garage piled it against the back of the house - looks homey huh? GAG! (notice the wagon wheels in the picture?)
Well that's it. Now that I posted these I feel like I need to make a real effort to jazz the whole back up and show you again! This looks pitiful! Give me until June then ask to see it again...

Hey Shelly, maybe I can help you blog and you can help me make my back yard not look like a pile of $%@&! Happy day!

I lived here.

As I was driving through Bellingham today I happened to pass my parent's house. It seems that no matter where I am going I can get to my destination by going by their house.

I love this home. This is my home even though I don't here anymore. I moved in the summer before 7th grade and it has been home ever since. From sleeping in the dining room, to Alex and DeAnne being born, to washing dishes in the bathtub (for quite a long time I recall) - this place is love. This place is home.

**Edited: My parents, along with my little (younger, not shorter) sister and the cat, still live there. My parents plan on moving in the next year or so, but will keep the house because they will be back!

True.

When I went out with Lorinda over the weekend I picked up this vinyl transfer at the scrapbook store. I love it. I love living in a small house. I am not saying that living in a small house is always easy (it isn't - especially with 2 guys, 1 bird, and 3 cats), but I wouldn't have it any other way - at least not right now. When we do eventually move we will probably move into a bigger house (pretty much anything will be bigger than this...well I am sure there are smaller houses - just not by much!).

Anyway. I really love this saying. I put it on the wall next to the front door.

Home Sweet Home

We are home. I have a TON of laundry to do. We are glad to see our house is standing and all cats are accounted for (thank you Cheryl!).

I will be back to post some pics later tonight or tomorrow.

Until then...

In Reflection.

We have been home for five days and have barely had time to think about our trip. We all enjoyed ourselves and we were all ready to get back home.

It is an amazing experience to travel to our nation's capitol. Where all the *stuff* happens. It was interesting watching the news with Archer the other night and he said "Hey, we were there" (in reference to the Capitol building). I think now, even more than when we were there, is when the real learning happens. This is when it all starts to connect, to come together. Reflection, remembering, connecting - that is learning, that is how this experience (the trip) will affect him for his whole life. Fabulous isn't it?

Air & Space MuseumSteering a plane. Harder than it looks evidently.
Loving this picture...My guys.
The fountain at the National Gallery. I loved this when I was back there (14 years old).
GamesWorkshop. 'Nuf said.
at the George Mason Memorial.
Monkeying around at the National Zoo. Go to the website. It has quite a bit of information for parents, kids, and teachers.

Home Sweet Home

We have arrived in Lynden. After a day of travel we arrived home at 2:00 this afternoon. The cats were happy to see us - in that 'we're really mad at you, but will let you pet us' kind of way.

It was nice to pull into our driveway and just be home.

More to come later.

Almost home...

We are at the hotel, packing up for an early morning departure. No photos tonight. I will post some that as of yet have not been seen sometime when we get home. We are looking forward to getting in to Bellingham around 1:30 p.m. (pacific time) and heading home to our kitties, our beds, our lives. We are ready. We came, we saw, we walked and walked; now we are ready to be home...back to reality. As Dorothy said, "There is no place like home." (We did get to see Dorothy's red shoes and the Scarecrow today - while the American History Museum is closed til next year they had a small exhibit at the Flight Museum).

More on our adventures later. See you at home! :)