Well, the old kitchen is out! The paint is up on the walls and we are super excited about getting the kitchen cabinets today! Hopefully we'll get the kitchen cabinets and floor done this week so we can actually MOVE IN. At least that's my hope.....or else I'm gonna get desperate and start lighting candles on the front porch step....LOL
This has been a really long drawn out process. Mostly because with renovation, it never goes as planned. Something is always taking forever. So as it is we are about 2 weeks behind. But what's two weeks in the grand scheme of things right? *wink*
If only I could get a job and help pay for all this..../sigh
Oct 19, 2009
Oct 10, 2009
Floors!
We pulled up the carpet in our new house and found hardwood floors. As excited as we were they were in BAD shape....
And this is the end result below! I am so proud of him!!
So some MAJOR hard work from Joe....
And this is the end result below! I am so proud of him!!
The camera lens has some water drops on it so you'll have to look past that and the reflection of the window in the middle of the floor...LOL But they are beautiful. Pictures don't do them justice!
Random pics...
Gammaw with Jaclyn & Abby at the fair
Daddy & Jaclyn at the fair
Me holding Jaclyn and Mason. She's full of kisses for her baby brother! :)
Oct 8, 2009
Reality
Someone told me recently that if Joe and I didn't fight or whatever then either one or both of us was seriously repressing something or "reality hasn't hit yet". Hmmm. I have thought long and hard about this.
Why must reality be a negative? According to this person, if reality had hit our marriage then it would have had a negative effect. But I see it as quite the opposite. I see that reality has definitely effected us. Except that it isn't a negative but a positive.
Is this how our society views love, marriage...commitment? Something that is only good until reality hits? Then when reality hits it gets hard? Why must we be people that insist on reading marriage books and listening to "experts"? If we spent half the time with our spouse listening to them instead of to some stranger, I think life would be easier.
Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I don't believe in marriage help books or people, it's just that I truly believe that if you have 2 people that are willing to work at something, does it truly take someone else to help pull you together?
For us, it's easy to talk. Even if there is a problem, talking it out has never been an issue. Simply because we are 2 people who value each other, respect each other and most definitely doesn't want to be the cause of pain in the other. It's easier for me to talk to Joe about stuff than for me to go read a book on marriage.
I do feel that there are occasions when an outside point of view can help bring perspective on a problems. But I more strongly feel that if the 2 people would just desire to bring only good will on the other, lives would be easier.
It's much harder, I think when you have a spouse with a narcissistic attitude (when they view all of their relationships as being centered around them, parents, children, co-workers, church...). When this happens they will inevitably have that "teacher" tone, not exactly viewing you as equal, but as someone they possibly "saved" and can now teach and train. Sad, but happens all the time.
Reality is what is real. In my life, there are a lot of realities. In regards to my husband and family - they are positive. A negative? That I miss my older 3 kiddo's like crazy. As I am sure my ex misses Abby. A reality. Aside from that - my reality is that I have the chance to be a better wife this time around. To treat my husband the way I should. To be his help-mate, lover and friend.
And I married someone who truly loves me. He shows it everyday in his actions and his words. But anyone can say it, huh? I guess the true test is can they consistently display it? I get that now and even more I am blessed to be able to give it.
I hope that people can realize that reality doesn't always have to be a negative and that marriage doesn't always have to be so hard. ~
Why must reality be a negative? According to this person, if reality had hit our marriage then it would have had a negative effect. But I see it as quite the opposite. I see that reality has definitely effected us. Except that it isn't a negative but a positive.
Is this how our society views love, marriage...commitment? Something that is only good until reality hits? Then when reality hits it gets hard? Why must we be people that insist on reading marriage books and listening to "experts"? If we spent half the time with our spouse listening to them instead of to some stranger, I think life would be easier.
Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I don't believe in marriage help books or people, it's just that I truly believe that if you have 2 people that are willing to work at something, does it truly take someone else to help pull you together?
For us, it's easy to talk. Even if there is a problem, talking it out has never been an issue. Simply because we are 2 people who value each other, respect each other and most definitely doesn't want to be the cause of pain in the other. It's easier for me to talk to Joe about stuff than for me to go read a book on marriage.
I do feel that there are occasions when an outside point of view can help bring perspective on a problems. But I more strongly feel that if the 2 people would just desire to bring only good will on the other, lives would be easier.
It's much harder, I think when you have a spouse with a narcissistic attitude (when they view all of their relationships as being centered around them, parents, children, co-workers, church...). When this happens they will inevitably have that "teacher" tone, not exactly viewing you as equal, but as someone they possibly "saved" and can now teach and train. Sad, but happens all the time.
Reality is what is real. In my life, there are a lot of realities. In regards to my husband and family - they are positive. A negative? That I miss my older 3 kiddo's like crazy. As I am sure my ex misses Abby. A reality. Aside from that - my reality is that I have the chance to be a better wife this time around. To treat my husband the way I should. To be his help-mate, lover and friend.
And I married someone who truly loves me. He shows it everyday in his actions and his words. But anyone can say it, huh? I guess the true test is can they consistently display it? I get that now and even more I am blessed to be able to give it.
I hope that people can realize that reality doesn't always have to be a negative and that marriage doesn't always have to be so hard. ~
Oct 7, 2009
It's that time of year....
Out with the old, in with the new. It's fall cleaning time again. Why does it seem like I just cleaned out dresser drawers and closets? Yet here it is, time to replace the winter clothes in the attic with the summer clothes. Time to pull out my bread pans as this is the time of year I love to bake. There is nothing like walking into a warm kitchen with the lingering smell of pumpkin bread or apple pies or rising yeast rolls....the list goes on. Yum. :)
My favorite would have to be the constant orange spice tea that is being made from scratch. The smell of cinnamon and cloves bursting throughout the house. To me that just screams "fall is here"!!! *laughing*
Here is my famous apple pie recipe. It's absolutely no fail. Easy as...well...pie. *grin*
(the secret to the crust is that you will be using both shortening AND butter. Why, you ask? Because this way you'll achieve the crumbly AND the flaky.)
The Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Leave the butter out until it is VERY soft - but not anywhere close to melted. In a large bowl mix your flour, salt and sugar. Then cut in your butter shortening and ice water. The trick here is to not overwork your dough. Cut it in gently while using swift strokes. For into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and stick in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
The Pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup water
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
Melt the butter in a small pan on the stove. Then stir in the flour until it looks like a paste. Then add white sugar, brown sugar and water. When it comes to a boil, reduce temp and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Peel and cut your apples into a large bowl. Take you cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle over apples. Gently stir. Make sure you resist the temptation to add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the sauce on the stove. Seriously. What you'll end up with is an ugly dark pie. It'll be good but it won't look it. LOL
Roll out your dough to about 1/8 thickness (or however you like it). Place on bottom of pie plate. Fill with apples (using the "mound" method). Once full, very slowly and very gently, pour mixture from stove over apples.
Roll out top crust and place over pie. Make slits on top of crust. Using leftover dough to make cut out flowers or whatnots is a cute way to top it off. My kids have always loved the way I do that.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
Make sure you have a completely pre-heated oven before sticking this in.
pre-heat to 425 and bake for 15 minutes. Then REDUCE to 350 and continue to bake for about 40 minutes.
Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. (also important step to not overlook...LOL)
ENJOY!!!
:)
My favorite would have to be the constant orange spice tea that is being made from scratch. The smell of cinnamon and cloves bursting throughout the house. To me that just screams "fall is here"!!! *laughing*
Here is my famous apple pie recipe. It's absolutely no fail. Easy as...well...pie. *grin*
(the secret to the crust is that you will be using both shortening AND butter. Why, you ask? Because this way you'll achieve the crumbly AND the flaky.)
The Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons shortening
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Leave the butter out until it is VERY soft - but not anywhere close to melted. In a large bowl mix your flour, salt and sugar. Then cut in your butter shortening and ice water. The trick here is to not overwork your dough. Cut it in gently while using swift strokes. For into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and stick in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
The Pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup water
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
Melt the butter in a small pan on the stove. Then stir in the flour until it looks like a paste. Then add white sugar, brown sugar and water. When it comes to a boil, reduce temp and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Peel and cut your apples into a large bowl. Take you cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle over apples. Gently stir. Make sure you resist the temptation to add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the sauce on the stove. Seriously. What you'll end up with is an ugly dark pie. It'll be good but it won't look it. LOL
Roll out your dough to about 1/8 thickness (or however you like it). Place on bottom of pie plate. Fill with apples (using the "mound" method). Once full, very slowly and very gently, pour mixture from stove over apples.
Roll out top crust and place over pie. Make slits on top of crust. Using leftover dough to make cut out flowers or whatnots is a cute way to top it off. My kids have always loved the way I do that.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
Make sure you have a completely pre-heated oven before sticking this in.
pre-heat to 425 and bake for 15 minutes. Then REDUCE to 350 and continue to bake for about 40 minutes.
Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. (also important step to not overlook...LOL)
ENJOY!!!
:)
Oct 3, 2009
Simply Mine
My ex husband married my sister. (this wasn't a recent event, they've been married for over a year) Yep. Anyway it happened and it has changed so many things. Put a lot of tension where it wouldn't have otherwise been. Of course, if you ask some, they'll say "it's only tense because some make it tense".
Really that isn't true. There are times that people and their circumstances just make people uneasy. My sister and my ex being married certainly would have that effect on one hand. Like I have that effect on his family (or so it seems).
Some would think that it's an odd thing to happen. I've heard all the jokes about my kids being their own cousins and how my daughters Dad is her sisters Uncle. Yeah yeah yeah.
I also think that those two were meant to be married long long ago. They are a MUCH better fit than he and I were. We got 4 awesome things out of that marriage and that's it. And for those 4 kiddo's, I'm grateful.
I don't dwell on it. The way I see it, it isn't my story anymore. I cut that part of the book off and began a new chapter.
Sisters? Yes. Not that it really matters, we spent years apart, she and I. I had babies and never heard from her. Maybe there is a reason we've never been close. God knows every chapter of our lives long before it ever happens. Who knows.
It is, however, my kids story. How they feel about certain things, their relationships with family etc...all part of their story. Not mine. So how I "feel" about something or someone doesn't matter. I love each of those kids enough to allow them to have those relationships without my opinion weighing them down. Now, when it comes to right or wrong, that's a different story. It's my responsibility as their Momma to guide and teach them. But even that has to be done without bias. Or you run the terrible risk of creating more difficult issues that will encumber them later on in life.
And of course, it all comes down to this;
What you say to a child, what you do, how you act etc. are all things that child will remember. That is the most important thing to me. When a child is yelled at or embarrassed or lied to or someone talks bad about a parent (either parent) those are ALL things that will bury itself inside that child's memory and stay forever.
So that child grows up. And with it, stays it's memories. Don't be a negative part to that. The negative can not be undone. I have lots of happy memories with one of my Aunts. But there are also a couple of times that she said something that I have remembered, all these years later. And it hurt.
Children have this innate ability to deeply love. Even when you don't. So there are people my kids love that I do not. I do, though, deeply love my kids - therefore completely supporting their love for those people.
Because that's what grown-ups do.
So yes, my ex and my sister are married. And as difficult and complicated as that has been at times, it is what it is.
And my life now is too. I cherish where I am. Leaving the past where it belongs.
Like an old favorite book, worn, torn and tired pages with a soft and fragile spine, I will still continue on my story.....because it is simply mine.
Really that isn't true. There are times that people and their circumstances just make people uneasy. My sister and my ex being married certainly would have that effect on one hand. Like I have that effect on his family (or so it seems).
Some would think that it's an odd thing to happen. I've heard all the jokes about my kids being their own cousins and how my daughters Dad is her sisters Uncle. Yeah yeah yeah.
I also think that those two were meant to be married long long ago. They are a MUCH better fit than he and I were. We got 4 awesome things out of that marriage and that's it. And for those 4 kiddo's, I'm grateful.
I don't dwell on it. The way I see it, it isn't my story anymore. I cut that part of the book off and began a new chapter.
Sisters? Yes. Not that it really matters, we spent years apart, she and I. I had babies and never heard from her. Maybe there is a reason we've never been close. God knows every chapter of our lives long before it ever happens. Who knows.
It is, however, my kids story. How they feel about certain things, their relationships with family etc...all part of their story. Not mine. So how I "feel" about something or someone doesn't matter. I love each of those kids enough to allow them to have those relationships without my opinion weighing them down. Now, when it comes to right or wrong, that's a different story. It's my responsibility as their Momma to guide and teach them. But even that has to be done without bias. Or you run the terrible risk of creating more difficult issues that will encumber them later on in life.
And of course, it all comes down to this;
What you say to a child, what you do, how you act etc. are all things that child will remember. That is the most important thing to me. When a child is yelled at or embarrassed or lied to or someone talks bad about a parent (either parent) those are ALL things that will bury itself inside that child's memory and stay forever.
So that child grows up. And with it, stays it's memories. Don't be a negative part to that. The negative can not be undone. I have lots of happy memories with one of my Aunts. But there are also a couple of times that she said something that I have remembered, all these years later. And it hurt.
Children have this innate ability to deeply love. Even when you don't. So there are people my kids love that I do not. I do, though, deeply love my kids - therefore completely supporting their love for those people.
Because that's what grown-ups do.
So yes, my ex and my sister are married. And as difficult and complicated as that has been at times, it is what it is.
And my life now is too. I cherish where I am. Leaving the past where it belongs.
Like an old favorite book, worn, torn and tired pages with a soft and fragile spine, I will still continue on my story.....because it is simply mine.
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