Um Is It Spring Or Is It Just A Tease?

Hi everyone! Rumor has it that there are parts of this wonderful continent that have bragging rights to actually seeing Spring in March! People are getting a chance to rake their lawns & get their gardens ready at least a month a head of normal. I must say I hate you all. Ha!!

Where I live it was an extremely mild winter and I certainly wont complain....much!  We hardly had any snow and only a couple real cold snaps. And even those were short enough I could bundle up with my dogs and and hide by my wood burning stove and wait it out.

My Niece & Nephew Discovering The Mud Puddle 

But now this is just not fair and is ridiculous! Balmy mid 20c weather out East and here we had snow storms and received 4" of snow! Arghhhh! I neeeeed Spring!!! I need to play in my gardens and plant stuff and sit on my deck and get some color on my face. I look in the mirror and I'm sure Casper the ghost has more color then I do!!

I hear the chickadees chirping in the trees, and we found a lady bug on one of our windows yesterday. I have my trays of seeds started in my living room. (and sorry kids...no wacky tabacky in there for you!). All I'm missing is the heat and sunshine and SPRING!!!

And for all you folks out East...do you think its really safe to start your gardening? Or is Mother Nature waiting to pull a fast one on you?

Oh I get so excited this time of year...the new plants...new containers...new ideas for out side! And our season is so short I have to cram as much as I can into it. I guess thats why we all get so crazy once the snow finally lets go of our yards and we finally catch a glimpse of those first green shoots peeking through the warm dirt.

So Mother Nature, even though you have been really kind to most of us this past winter, I for one am more then ready to to get my shovel and rake out...paint brush and stain for my deck ( I need to finish that project from last year...yikes!) I want to have supper on my deck, sit around my fire pit and get sun burns while sitting with my Bestie drinkin our slushies! (Yup...another summer goal my friend!!!)

So Happy Spring to everyone! Here's hoping you all have a great mud puddle to enjoy!

My Niece in her puddle =)

ORGANIZE!!!

Hi everyone! Happy belated Pi day to all of you who celebrate it....to the rest of you who have no idea of what I am talking about, its ok, it just means you have a normal house hold with out geeks, Ha! Also want to say Welcome back home Bestie!!! I missed ya!!

This one is for you Alex! ;-)

                                           






 So it must be Spring because for some really really weird reason I have been bitten by the organize bug. I know...its supposed to be the cleaning bug, and be rest assured...along with the organize bug, the cleaning bug is right behind.

For instance, I shared with you all how I had a few unwanted visitors staying in my house. (which I believe we have gotten a hold of!! woohoo!) Well, I started going on a cleaning binge after that, well, because, hey....I found mouse poop in my kitchen!! So   I scrubbed and cleaned and moved things around (this bothers the men in my house hold very much FYI) and then as I moved the microwave to clean under it I hit a mother load of mouse poop. Welll...now the microwave is going.

So within a week, I sold the microwave, scrubbed entire kitchen, bought new microwave, cleaned livingroom, sold dining room set, replaced with a fabulous new one we actually sit at and spend time as a family. And as I clear out a room I see new possibilities for the next one...hmmm...sell this piece, move these pieces, clean this up, throw this out, finish this project up...organize my important papers! (this I started last night! fancy binder and everything!!) Phewwww!!!

So I'm hoping to get lots of this inside stuff organized before it gets really nice outside because I have big plans for outside this summer. I have a deck I need to finish staining, I have some new gardens beds to be built as soon as the snow melts so I can get my herb and veggies growing, I need to get my yard cleaned up and my flower gardens tidied up....and....and...and...

Geez what is wrong with me?? Why am I sitting here? I have a huge list to burn through!! See you this Fall! ( oh...after I get the kids off to school...and the gardens cleaned up...and the patios all tidied up for winter...and...and....)

HeeHee!! Enjoy your day and I hope you have warm Spring sunshine shining through your windows and not too many chores to get done!

Where Does It All Go?

Good afternoon everyone! Hope you are enjoying an afternoon break with a warm cup of something yummy. I also want to wish my Mom a super happy, slightly belated, 65th B'day!! WooHoo!!She is officially a sexy senior and counting down the days til she can retire. Wish I was there to help count down and celebrate Mom!! I Love You!!

  I am sort of finding the closer I get to needing my infusion for my R/A next week, the later my day is starting and the less I have been getting done. So I apologize for not blogging lately, but I'm backkkkkkkkkk and here we go! heehee!!

I can not believe it is already MARCH!! Holy Moly!!! When did that happen?? It barely seems like we were putting Christmas decorations away. And this past solid week we have had snow and it looks more like Christmas out there then it did at the holiday itself.I wish I had taken a before and after picture of the house. The amount of snow out there is crazy. Ugh! And my 8yr old nephew from out east gleefully told me it as 16c over there. Grrrr.

Oh well...summer shall be here soon enough! I even ordered seeds yesterday, been lingering in the gardening sections in the stores, mentally planning new garden layouts, out door  projects, summer escapes...sigh! Melt snow!!! MELT!!

These last few months seem to have been rather expensive months also. It almost seems like every time one of the boys walks in he has a sheet from school asking for money for some trip or camp. My youngest alone has a ski trip ($300) Spring Break trip with Cadets($200) needs a deposit for summer camp ($200) and I just saw his glasses last night...YIKES...the middle one needed glasses($300), some fancy calculator($125), football registration ($300), and thankfully he works so he pays for a lot of the extras like his clothing.

 My husband looks at me after every paycheck and says "where did it all go??"I always feel so bad because he does works so very hard and he makes a good wage, it just these things just are so incredibly expensive and the schools hand out these forms and expect all the kids to participate. I felt horrible telling my youngest he couldn't go skiing. Thankfully there were 3 of them not going to we are not the only rotten parents in the class.

I look back to my childhood and some of these kinds of opportunities were offered to us but I don't remember that the majority of the school went on the trips. And travelling out of country?Ha!! Not a chance! Our family didn't have the money and it didn't bother me. That was just the way it was.

 I was chatting with my mom the other day and she said to me that she had to wait til she was in her 60's before she got to travel, why should I feel bad if my kids don't get to travel before I do? Why do we, as parents, feel compelled to sign up for everything their little hearts desire? Why do we need to get bank loans just so little Johnny can run around in some fancy pair of cleats and fancy sports wear (in our house, Under Armour is the only thing they will wear!) and you know the following year they will have out grown it all and you will have to buy it all again.

I'm fortunate as my boys are finally working and buying their own special stuff and not growing so much any more. Its still hard to say no or I'm not sure to an anxious kid who desperately wants to do these exciting opportunities. Argh! if only I had that money tree those kids seem to think we have...

Have a great afternoon!! I think I hear a nap calling me....

I Miss My Bestie!!

Hi everyone!! No I'm not dead...just feeling a wee bit over whelmed. Life seems to rush by sometimes and I feel like I am in the exhaust fumes right now and have no idea where my days have gone. But I have grabbed my tea and plan on enjoying a few moments with my friends.

So a quick update on my unwanted guests! After my cleaning and searching we seemed to have found their 'door way' into the house. So we jammed it full of poison (YES poison, all you environmentalists can comment later, and then come scrub cupboards after your comments!!) and sealed it up. Laid a few traps in front of the hole, snapped a few unfortunate victims (sorry dudes...really I am) and FYI boys...mom REALLY didn't need to see the bodies! and we seem to be rodent free. Yeah us!!

On Friday I was playing away on my computer as I am known to do,when I heard we were expecting a huge snow storm. Not a big deal  in Feb. usually but we have had such an incredible winter and it honestly was starting to feel like Spring. In fact a couple days earlier my son and I drove by one of the ranches near us and I saw a baby calf in the field which is my 'official' sign of Spring. So snowstorm seemed unreal to us.in fact I believe our last one was in Nov! )

It was to start late Friday afternoon....nothing....Friday evening...nothing...my Bestie and I thought haha!! Maybe it will miss us. Which would be great because they were leaving for vacation on Sunday. So off to bed we all went with nary a flake in sight

 

 Well Saturday morning I looked out my window....HOLY CRAP! That was a serious amount of snow. Now before all you Easteners start telling me how you get ten feet of snow in an afternoon yadda yadda...I am just saying we went from NONE all winter to almost as high as the windows on my F-150 once the guys finished shoveling. And that took almost all weekend because it came down Foomp! over night then didn't let up til Sunday.

So my Bestie and her family shoveled a bit that Saturday, finished packing their shorts and bathing suits, and drove off early Sunday morning before the winter sun had poked over the horizon. She left me the key to her house to feed and love the kitties, but I think in all fairness if she left me behind in all this cold and snow I should do something evil to the house like bring over some of my unwanted guests.(Insert evil laugh!!)


But seriously..I hope she and her family are having a carefree wonderful time frolicking on the beach drinking fancy drinks in coconuts and pineapples. And I hope she's having one for me!! And while I bet she looks like this dancing on the beach I will continue to try and keep myself entertained until she comes back!! I miss ya Bestie!!!

Uninvited Guests

Happy lazy Sunday to everyone. Hope you are enjoying each others company and not rushing around to much. Yesterday my hubby and I did our errands and  today we are both still being lazy in bed watching crappy weekend t.v. and dozing. Ahhh Sunday!

So recently we have discovered we might have a small problem in our house. At least we hope its a small problem. Its happened every once in a while over the years....we go into the pantry in the basement and discover we have a little unwanted visitor. So out come the traps..within a day or so, SNAP...and we are mouse free again.

This winter however, we seem to be having a little bit of a larger issue. We caught one...but then about a week later the kids heard the tell tale scurrying sounds in the pantry area again. We thought, no way....but sure enough, my 16 year old trapped that mouse in a full box of Wagon Wheels (not cool!! stupid mouse!)

Being the bleeding heart that I am, the boy gave me the box, that I brought out side to the end of my drive way in front of my neighbor's house and gently shook the mouse out. Well...the damn thing leapt out of the box, dashed past my dog, under my truck,  straight up my drive way and back into the house. My son stood on the deck looking at me with a look of disbelief while I giggled like an idiot. How the heck could that thing have figured out where the house was that fast?? He didn't even pause to look around to get his bearings!! Do mice to reconnaissance at night in case they get caught in the Wagon Wheel box?

Since then we have been catching about a mouse a week for last few weeks. Its GROSS!!! I am not happy. We only find them in the same spot, can't figure out how they are getting in, but the house is sure getting clean!! All the containers are are either Rubber Maid or stuff is put in plastic containers. Last night I totally cleaned and rearranged my kitchen. I'm gonna win!! No stupid little mouse is going to win!

My problem is I have 3 teenage boys...who eat food..every where...and don't always clean it up. Its mousey heaven in that basement! And their rooms are not much better. Open bags of chips, old lunches, open wrappers from yogurts or puddings. Its fiesta time for the mice!

But my super hubby and I are fighting back! I am turning into Nagging Mom!! And hubby has pulled out the super arsenal...Rat Poison! (Super Hero Music insert here!) So I will keep you up to date on the little fiasco.

Enjoy your long weekend everyone! I am hoping to see no cute little mouse squished into a trap or scampering across my basement floor.

Happy Heart Day

Just a quick Happy Valentin'e Day to all my friends.

 I would be remiss to not at least drop a quick note a wish a little love and romance out to everyone! Some loving gazes, tender touches...maybe chocolate strawberries and champagne.

Sit under the stars, maybe a walk in the moon light, holding hands.

The world disappears for the few hours, just you and your significant other, 

enjoying this special day. 

Aww...who am I kidding?? Enjoy the guilt chocolate ladies, and the flowers if he remembers!! Heehee!!

Thanks Hallmark!

And guys, I actually do feel for you. Its a rough day!

And singles...don't take this day so seriously....buy the chocolate and send your self a card and sign it

"From Some One Who Love You Very Much!!"

Ok...Enough being silly! As you can tell I do not take Valentine's Day too seriously. But I am grateful I do have not 1 but 4 very special Valentine's in my life.

And I am taking this moment right now to wish them a very happy Valentine's Day!

I Love You All VERY Much!!

Projects...The Never Ending Evils

Good morning to everyone! First I must apologize to you all...I have been neglecting my blog! I seem to be arguing with my body on how much we are able to handle a day. Unfortunately my body seems to have way more control over my then I care to admit and its been winning a few more times then I like, but this morning I am a head so I am taking advantage of the moment and enjoying my time with you all!So quick!! Grab that warm mug and pull up that chair and lets enjoy this moment.

So, confession time today. Guys and gals...myself included...how many of you have a hidden box , closet, covered desk or other spot full of well intentioned unfinished projects? The reason I ask is because I spent the weekend tidying up my bedroom and cleaning up my spots of almost finished knitting projects.

Then I went in my hallway and there was a bunch of baskets of unfinished crafts, and beside those were well intentioned scrap books. (Really!! I am going to make that scrap book of our Disneyland trip one day!!)  I have buckets of stamps and card making supplies, acrylic paints, brushes and and and I think you all get the idea.

I know I am forever after my husband to finish off those last few detail on our renovation projects all over the house like baseboards (which I have heard from many guys are over rated) but after looking over these little projects I thought to myself...wow...I procrastinate as much as he does. Shhh don't tell him that! He will never let me live that down!! Ha!!

And it got me to thinking...why do we do that? We all start out so excited! A brand new project. We get our information. Our supplies and maybe some wisdom from a few people who have done it before. If its a bigger project, we invest in a book or a class and then we jump right in. Oh the fun!! I love buying new yarn! Figuring out the pattern and what I want to see happen. I have several bags of 'one mitt attempts'. They aren't failures per say, because I know for the next one how I want to adjust them...I just kind of lose steam and say I will get back to it in a wee bit or right after this next project.

So after going through all of my stuff the other day, I came up with a few ideas on how to deal with all these projects laying all over. I figure this is not teaching my children anything about responsibility. They must look at all this stuff and think," well, it doesn't matter what you start because you never have to finish it!" This is not something I want them to think is true. So I figure I will do the most mature thing I can think of....

I am just going to get rid of it all. I am going to find a big giant pit, bring my guys and have them blow it all up!! BOOM!

I figure with the amount of stuff I have accumulated over the years I do not stand a chance of ever catching up. I know...some of you are shaking your heads and saying I am missing out on that wonderful feeling of accomplishment you feel when you have worked super hard at something and you see it through to the end. And you are absolutely right!! There is nothing more satisfying then holding that finished quilt in your hands, or soaking in that finished bathroom, or enjoying that first Bar B Q on that brand new deck. 

But, at the end of the day, I know myself, my husband and my kids. We will always have half finished projects laying around. Some will actually get done! Most wont...but let me tell you...the day we blow up those unfinished projects will be the coolest day EVER!! And for those of you who know my family well, you know right after we blow those projects up, my hubby and I will relax curled up on a white couch just like this one while he strums away on his guitar and sings songs to me.....Ya right...he will be at the hard ware store looking for the next new project!!

Here's to all the unfinished projects out there!! To all of you who finish projects...you are a curious breed....you amaze me!! Come to my house and I will keep you busy for a while!! Enjoy your afternoons everyone! Chat soon!