My Restoration

Juicing Day Numbers 2 and 3

2011-10-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I did NOT write on the second day, but it was not for lack of energy. I had said in the previous post that on the days when I work, was going to be the true test of the energy I would receive from juicing. Well......Not only did I have the energy to get through my 5 hour class of 2 year olds, but maintained the energy level. I even, had enough energy, that when I picked up my kiddos from school, I didn't do the usual of fold laundry and watch Dr Phil till time to fix dinner just to get enough of a burst of energy to get through the rest of the evening. No, I came home, took the dog out, and cleaned out my kitchen.

I sort of laughed at myself thinking about how I was acting and wondering when the great crash was going to come.

Today, was another day of energy. We had our classroom Halloween party at school today. I had to dress up (pippi longstalking) and entertain the kids as well as their families. It was a fury of crafts, trick or treating, painting pumpkins, pumpkin bowling and stories about 5 little pumpkins.

It really was a great school day.

I did however visit our local health food store on the way home and was schooled on all things juicing. Did not realize how very important it is to juice with ORGANIC fruits and vegetables. I understand about the idea of no pesticides and how its always good to eat clean, but the idea of taking a pesticide filled and covered cucumber and drinking it, well, there are no words. The pesticides are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. That absolutely scared the tar out of me. I was also given a number of recipes for some good green juices. I am very excited to try them.

Here are a couple of them, and I will post more.

Green Lemonadeorganic,

1 Green Apple

3 Handfuls of Spinach

6-8 Kale leaves

1/2 Cucumber

4 Celery Stalks

1/2 Lemon

Mean Green

1 bulk of Kale

4 stalks of Celery

1 Cucumber

2 Granny Smith Apples

1/2 Lemon

thumb sized ginger root

I am very excited to try these variations. I learned today that Lemon really aids in detox and that if you are Diabetic (as I am) then you should only juice with a Granny Smith Apple. I have been Diabetic for 21 years, and have never heard this before. It is said that Granny Smith Apples do not have as much sugar in them as the others apples do. Makes total sense when you have had many apples and taste the sweet and tart difference of them. I also learned that the combo of fresh spinach mixed with about 5 strawberries, an apple and about 5 carrots makes for a really yummy drink.

I think tomorrow I will try an Apple-Beet-Carrot recipe.

1 Apple

2Beets (I think I will try just 1)

3 Large Carrots

1 piece of Ginger

bunch of Kale or Spinach

Happy Juicing:)

2011-10-24T18:34:00.001-07:00

Juicing Day 2:

So this morning I woke up with excitement to try out a new juice. For my kiddos, I prepared a glass o carrot, orange and apple juice. Oranges and carrots help to build up the immune systems, and we are in a storm of everyone at school and church sick with something. We as a family have made the choice for the past couple of years to vaccinate for the flu, but instead double up on vitamin D3 , a good multi, good hand washing and lots of vitamin c. I feel like I could make this juicing for them in the mornings to sip on the way to school. They were a little hesitant to try it, after seeing the carrots being juiced in it. Surprise!!!! THEY LOVED IT!!!

I was so excited and inspired to let them help me pick out somethings to juice for my morning glass. They chose and orange, an apple, fresh cranberries and about 5 carrots and one more veggie, that really made it fantastic and refreshing.....a cucumber. The combination of cranberry and cucumber was quite surprising to me how great it really was. I started thinking about the numerous benefits of just went in that glass.

Here is MY list....I am sure that there are many more veggies and fruits to juice that have more benefits than I can even imagine, but after 2 hours of looking up all these fruits and veggies to juice this is what I came up with. Please, if you have any recipes or more great info on the benefits, do share.

Apples - acne, cholesterol, obesity

Asparagus - eczema, acne, impotence

Beets - liver cleaner, PMS, cancer

Berries - bladder, infections, high blood pressure, fatigue, colds, sore throat

Broccoli - vitamin A, K, and C - antioxidants

Cabbage - cancer, diabetes, weight loss, ulcers

Carrots - immune system, skin, lungs, intestines

Celery - kidneys, Vitamin E,C,A and B Complex

Cherries - anti aging, headaches, arthritis and gout

Cranberries - urinary tract

Cucumber - liver, dry skin, sunburn, healthy hair and nails

Ginger - stomach and blood sugar levels

Grapes - kidneys, liver, muscle spasms, teeth and hot flashes

Lemons - Vitamin C , cancer

Kale - Vitamin A and C, Calcium and good source of Iron

Oranges - Vitamin C, cold symptoms, immune system builder

Papayas - colon, Vitamin A,B,C flavonoids and digestion

Parsley - blood cleansers, digestion, kidneys and bad breath

Pears - Vitamin C, B2, E and Potassium

Pineapple - wounds, bruises, arthritis, gout, sinuses, varicose veins, hemorrhoids

Spinach - heart disease, acne, colon, arthritis, constipation

String Beans - blood clotting, colon, diabetes

Tomatoes - liver, PMS, yeast infections, prostate, obesity

Watermelon - cholesterol, blood pressure, weight loss, prostate

Zucchinis - liver

All my info is from various places on the grand ol' Internet. I did find this tidbit of info from a great website called lovelymom.com

It has alot of great information about juicing specifically for kids and some recipes I sure will try soon. Here is a snippet of what she says are the basic benefits of juicing....

The body quickly absorbs large amounts of nutrients from juice than from
solid foods because the process of digestion necessary when you eat whole foods
is bypassed Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables play a vital role in
converting food into body tissue and energy Enzymes help to increase
metabolism Juicing ensures a sufficient amount of phytochemicals to help
fight diseaseAntioxidants are immune enhancing properties concentrated in
juice.The concentration of antioxidants in fresh juice will also combat the
damaging effects of free radicals on the skin and contribute to a glowing
complexion.

Ok, now that I have shared all that great info, I still look over all this info and get excited about what combos I can make and what will be the benefits.

I must admit, that though I had a great juice experience this morning, and ran after, (great start to the day) then, well my husband called this afternoon and took me out for greasy, fried, sodium filled Chinese food for lunch. I was NOT able to turn his invitation down. Since that moment I have made not so great choices with my food. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. I do however have to work, so I am curious how my energy level will stay while teaching 10 - 2 year olds. That will be the true test.

We shall see!!!

2011-10-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

Juicing day 1:
So Saturday I went to a little garage sale down the street and as I bummed around I saw tables and tables full of junk. As I was just about to leave, I noticed a little piece of equipment.....that little appliance that I have researched and desired????? There she was, all covered in dirt and grime and sitting among tools covered in cobwebs, my juicer. I was so excited and to make it even better, only for $2. I searched through my purse to find two dollars, whether in change or cash, I was going to buy this. I quickly paid the man and grabbed my juicer before he could realize what he was selling.
I went home, cleaned and scrubbed my sweet find and swiftly darted off to the computer to look up all things juicing. I found a million reasons why and all the benefits of why juicing is such a great idea. I am not in poor health by any means, but I am however struggling with some health issues such as Type 1 Diabetes and low Thyroid. I struggle with extreme fatigue and lethargy as well as hormonal issues. There are several little other health things that have found there way to me, but I am determined to fight like hell to keep them at bay.
As I read about the benefits, I thought, "Why have I not done this before and what else can I prevent in the future". Not only were the recipes for different ailments like, bladder, liver, immune boosting, but.....ANTI AGING!!! Oh man I cant wait to try that one too. After cleaning out my new little gift to myself, I cleaned off whatever veggie and fruit I had on hand to try. I cleaned a beet, an apple, a piece of Ginger, and about 4 carrots. I was so excited to see the beautiful juice colors pour out of the machine and into my beautiful glass before me. I took a small sip and them a bigger one. It really was not all that bad. I could for sure taste the earth of the beet, but the aftertaste was very sweet and quite enjoyable.
My goal for juicing and keep this journal is to really see the affects that juicing will have on my body and mind and appearance. I know that I will never be a size 2. I have stretch marks from my two beautiful children, I have hips, I have flaws, but I want to be as healthy as possible with the body and the life that God has blessed me with. My body is the temple of God, and so It is time I start treating myself as such. I don't want to medicate instantly, but rather look to other alternatives for treatment and maybe ward off any other sicknesses and ailments. I want to be around for my beautiful family for a long time and I want to feel and look my best as much as I can. So, here we go......
To sum it all up for now, I have come up with a large list of veggies and fruits and all the specific ailments that they are capable of treating. I will post those at a later date. As I play with and prepare new recipes, I will keep you posted for sure. Tomorrow, orange, carrot and apple juice breakfast before my morning run.

LEARNING TO BREATHE

2010-09-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are, almost a full 3 weeks into homeschool year. We have already had so many things go on, that I wonder why it is called "Home" school for us, we never seem to be home. We spend our mornings and afternoons in full learning mode that by the time that school is over with for the day our brains are exhausted and hurt. I crave nap time after a full morning of math!! Being that yesterday was Labor day, we were able to take a needed break and just relax. We shut off the phone, and our brains and just enjoyed being together, fishing, swimming, building sand castles and laying in the lake. We found (at the suggestion of a great friend) this fantastic place nearby. It is only a short 45 min drive from our home and it's called "MoonShine Beach". I have lived here for many years, yet have never been there nor heard of it before. Yesterday as I sat in the lake, just relaxing (and getting very burned), I realized I wasn't stressing about the house, the car, the bills, the kids and our future, and I for sure was not stressing about what to have for dinner. There were moments when my thoughts drifted away from the day and I would begin to think about the many task for the next day but then I would correct myself and say we don't have a stress filled day ahead of us. We don't have to worry whether all the homework is done before piling it all back into our bags and cramming everything in them. I didn't have to worry whether I had packed their lunch and made sure all papers were signed and ready to go. I so enjoyed my day yesterday and can not wait to go back and rest some more.

It really was a much needed break from the first few weeks of school and all the adjustments that were made. Last week, I had moments when I felt like I was failing my son and keeping him hindered. I felt like I wasn't giving him all that I could give him or all that he needed. I had great moments of head in hands and wanting to give up. I had a good friend, who also homeschools, give me the best advice ever. She said that who better to teach your child then you. It is my job as his mother to teach him and that I am not failing him, but giving him more than I could even think up.

I know that someday's there will be doubt, but I do know deep down that this is the plan and the path that God has set for us. I am excited to teach him and see what happens next. I am exciting to take field trips to the zoo, pumpkin patch and apple orchard. I am excited to see what ideas he thinks up for science class and am very excited to see were his imagination goes with each new day.

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. Albert Einstein

Summer of Fun

2010-08-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

 Life is never what I expect and sometimes really what I want, but it is what it is and it is exactly what I need. 

New Adventures

2010-08-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

I had not posted in awhile, so I wanted to post some recent pics of the house. I finally was able to finish the painting of the kitchen and dining room. I am very delighted in the outcome of the walls. I truly am inspired to create when I am in the kitchen. Though we have not yet finish, we are getting there. We have decided to place wainscoting on the bottom half of the walls in the dining room. I think it will really give off a rustic ,vintage look to it. We still are planning for new flooring, but we can not find or decide on anything. I have realized that shopping for home decor/flooring/wall coverings........it is a true test on a marriage!!! LOL These are not the best pictures, as all I have is my phone for now, but......

Not only have we taken on the project of fixing and renovating the home, but have embarked on a new journey.......Homeschool!!

I have never been more scared and excited all rolled into one. We have finished our first week, and I feel pretty confident that this will get better and better with each passing day. Our son is attending a homeschool/shared school. He attends there twice a week and then three days a week he is home for me to teach. We are using the Abeka curriculum and so far so good. I have to say I am very impressed with my critical thinking skills as well as coming up with some great tools for learning. Yesterday was one of our best days so far. We start each day at 7am, getting dressed eating together and getting ready to start the day. Around 7:45, we begin with pledges and bible class as well as a time to just pray for the day and get started on the right foot. (It really does make a HUGE difference). Yesterday, we did math class and was very impressed by how quickly Camden picks up on numbers. I am trying to teach him to memorize the tables and no finger and toe counting, and he really is getting it. We added and subtracted with dominos and pennies and did multiplication with dimes and nickles. By the time science class came around we were tired and ready to be done. We talked about how God created us perfectly and how everything in our bodies is so perfect in form. It reminds me of
Pslams 139: 13-16
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body,
and you knit me together in my mothers womb.
Thanks you for making me so wonderfully complex!
It is amazing to think about.
Your workmanship is marvelous - and how well I know it.
You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion!
You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe.
Every day was recorded in your book.

Anyway, we did some science projects and went over all that we needed to discuss. There is nothing like seeing your child get excited about learning and education. When they want to keep going and not stop..... Made me realize I am doing the right thing for my kids. It was a tough decision, one not taken lightly. Yes, It would have been easier to take him someplace and have someone else teach my son for the next 10 years, but who else is better to teach and love and know my son then me???
There was a moment this morning, when the house was quiet, Camden was doing his work at the table and Brenna was doing some art. The windows were open and the wind was calmly blowing in. I was sitting in the sunlight and looking at my beautiful life. It just feels right. I can't help but be thankful that my children have the opportunity to learn in an encouraging, quiet, peaceful environment. I think about haw last year Camden was one of 300 kids, 25 in his class alone and the noise would make anyone go insane. Thankfully we are in a new place of our lives. I know that we will have good days and bad days, and some days I will just want to throw in the towel and give up, but I have to hold on to what I know is right for my family and trust that God will see us through that situation and moment.

Thinking Out of the Box...My box!!

2010-07-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Now that I have finished painting the kitchen cabinets and the trim, it has come to the time to pick a paint color. I keep going back and forth with all the variety of colors. There are so many reds, greens, blues, browns......too many colors to choose from. I am realizing that each color brings about different emotions and and feelings. I can't seem to make any sort of decisions as well as not being able to stick to one job at a time. I did however do some gardening....which by the way has really taken off and exploded with beautiful colors, fruits and veggies. I did a little landscaping and transplanting. The yard is starting to look pretty nice. I am anxious to see what comes next spring.

Anyhoo, back to the color situation, It really has become a situation for me and alot of anxiety stricken moments as I make my way up to the paint counter at our local wal-mart. I just can not commit. So, I started doing some research on colors. (Yes, I know I am a nerd with issues) So, apparently Red means: It is the color of fire and blood. It is associated with war and energy and desire. It enhances human metabolism and increases blood pressure. Ok, lets be honest, it really sound exciting!!! I need a little of all that red brings. LOL Green: I guess green symbolizes harmony, freshness, growth and FERTILITY????? As much as I love having babies and being a mom, I don't need help with that. I guess it also aides in digestion and improves your vision. Browns:Well, Brown means solid and reliable. That pretty much sums up brown!! I want to know how they came up with all this info. I would have loved to have been apart of a study like this. I would have made a great "lab rat". It all really seems ridiculous, but in reality, think of the feelings you have when you walk into a restaurant and the walls are painted a neutral color and the feeling you have when you enter a restaurant with bright bold colors and decorations that demand your attention. I think there might be something to all this color science. After all that research, I wiped the sweat off my brow and began to really think about my "vision" for the kitchen. RED!! RED, RED, RED, RED!!! That seems to be the only color that excites me and gives me a desire to cook up and create beautiful and flavorful dishes. I feel as though it might awaken something in me with my love for food and the dishes I will create. I have not even painted my walls, and yet I am stimulated and ready to go. Good sign right??? Blood pressure rising already!!!! So, all that being said, white trim, white cabinets, RED walls!!!!! Pics to come!!!

Before and After

2010-06-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

I have been so overwhelmed with all that life has thrown into my lap. I finally....yes finally finished the kitchen cabinets. I must say, it really has a refreshed and clean and new look and feeling to it. I can't help but take a step back and pause when I walk into the kitchen in the morning for my cup of coffee.

My mind is quickly set on all the next things I have to do. It really is unending. The next step of the kitchen process will be to take down the wallpaper, paint the walls, trim and door. Putting in new flooring hopefully next month and then of course the little things like making curtains and painting the bar stools to keep with the the decor. Of course then I am on a mission to find all the little decor items. I am on the hunt for cool looking plates to display on the wall. I have gone to a few different antique/ flea markets, just have not been able to find the ones that really get my attention. I have great plans in my head for these plates, just a matter of starting and going for it. I am realizing that I have a really difficult time making final decisions. I really do break out in a sweat and then heaven forbid if I actually do buy something, then I spend the rest of the night with buyers remorse. Lord I need help with the little things in life. I have so much to do with this house. I see that it is not a matter of I have to get it done because the house is selling soon to I have to because the house isn't livable, it is a matter of me trying my hardest to make this house MY home. I am still struggling some days to make sure that my decisions for paint colors and things, are the the decisions and thoughts of my parents. What would my Dad say???? What is Mom going to think of it???? Now, I have to say what do I want and what do I like and be satisfied with that.
I have taken some time to see family that have come in from out of town. In the middle of all the craziness that is my everyday life, there has been some laughter as well.

My life has always and most likely will always be like a roller coaster. Up and Down and All around!

2010-05-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

I must stop and breathe

take a moment

I must take it all in

I must slow down

I must close my eyes and feel everything around me

It (life) all goes by so fast, too fast

If I could just lie back for a moment

I'd watch the clouds take shape

and then re-shape

If I could just not move and listen to myself breathe

in and out

in and out

Listen to the sound of the trees

Listen the world around me

Only

if I could just slow down!

ALL IN WHITE

2010-05-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

It has been such a crazy couple of weeks here. It seems as though I don't actually get to sit down till after the kids are in bed, but that is only to fold laundry. We have had a lot of rain and cloudy weather so at least the pollen is getting all washed away. My work schedule seems to have increased overnight, not to mention baseball practice, soccer practice, soccer and baseball games, homework, end of school year activities,birthday parties, and that is only to name a few. So, that being said I am finally able to sit for a moment and collect my thoughts.

We decided to get started on the kitchen. I guess I didn't realize (or avoided) the fact that this was going to be and is a very intense and overwhelming project. To say BIG does not even cut it. Here we are over a week later and all, yes all my kitchen things are still sitting on the counters, floors and table. We started the process by removing everything, sanding it all down and then priming. The sanding was such a disgusting part of this. We had sawdust covering everyone and everything. I have learned several things during the early stages of this project.....#1 Always open a window or wear a mask when you are in a small space and using oil-based primer!!!!! I swear I saw pink elephants a few times dance around the house. #2 Make sure you Always wear another mask when sanding or you WILL breathe in every bit of dust that flies around. And #3 Make sure you wear gloves and keep your hair up in a ponytail when using primer. IT DOES NOT WASH OFF!!!!!

These are very important lessons to have learned! I must say that there is something very invigorating about that first brush stroke. It's like having to mark on the first page of a new notebook... just because. We have worked late into the night to finally be finished with the priming and ready to start with the painting. I do hope it turns out nice. We get to go tomorrow to purchase the new handles and hinges. More than anything, I hope my mom really loves the changes we are making in the home. Every time I begin to paint I can hear my dad behind me saying, "Why in the world would you want to paint over Oak?" Well dad, hope you like the changes too. :)

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France

Gardening Day

2010-04-17T15:03:00.001-07:00

A Prayer in Spring

Robert Frost (1915)

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fullfil.

Sunny Days part two

2010-04-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Sunny Days

2010-04-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

I have taken a little break from the house and from work and taken some long needed time to myself. Though I have enjoyed not having a time schedule to meet every minute, and my babies little voices around me, I am so very glad to be back in my life and the house I now call home. Now that warmer weather is here, we have begun the hated suburbs wars of who can keep their lawns trim and greener and nicer. We have a long way to go, but have many plans in store. Will be starting my gardening this week. I am planning on having a beautiful vegetable garden. I love to make homemade salsa, so I am excited to make new salsa recipes and having family and friends over to try my creations. Our local farmers market opened this weekend, so I will be doing some shopping next weekend for some plants as well as other homemade items.

My plans are to plant tomatoes, garlic, onions, lettuce, spinach, purple cabbage, bell and other peppers as well as all the needed herbs in my veggie garden. I also have great plans to plant some strawberries, blackberries and grapes. We will also begin.....or should I say my husband will begin the tedious process of power washing and re-staining and sealing our large deck and the kids playground equipment to match. I have hopes of creating these great spaces in each corner of the yard. One for the kids with lots of area to run and the other in a separate corner for a beautiful tree and a fire pit and maybe some log seating for, of course....s'mores nights. The Cherry Blossom tree and the phlox bloomed yesterday. Smells AMAZING!!! The kids enjoyed chalking and climbing the tree in the front. We have had beautiful weather this weekend. Each warm day makes me so excited to fire up the grill, invite people over, taking long walks after dinner and staying up late on the deck , drinking margaritas, with the just the moon to be our light. Oh how I love summer nights

With all my mind can see and all that I can dream up on a daily basis, one thing is for sure, the love that is in the home, the love that has been in this home and the love that will continue is stronger than ever before. As I have said before, each wall of this house has a story, but now I am finding out that with each change of this house, will come new stories. I am excited to see all the changes and hope to make this house even more beautiful from the inside out.

Easter

2010-04-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today the kids and I decided to dye Easter eggs. We will be having some family over to celebrate Easter and the real meaning as well as spend time together and show off the new /old house. The kids are excited about getting to have an Easter egg hunt in the new backyard. Unfortunately, not everyone will be here, but I guess in spirit. Holidays are not as wonderful and magical as I once thought they were. My father enjoyed every holiday.....or I guess I should say,he loved the food taht came with every holiday! LOL
You would find yourself getting excited right along with him and as dinner was being placed on the table, you didn't have to ask him twice to come and sit. We would all sit and gorge on the food until we couldn't breathe. I know that my childhood was not all magic and laughter and joy, but I DO have wonderful memories and to me, in my thoughts, those were happy times for me.
I would give anything to sit at the table with both my parents and both my siblings again and just talk and laugh and listen to each other as we share a meal together.
Anyway, back to the eggs....
It is always exciting to see the vibrant colors that are created and trying to think up beautiful ideas for each individual egg. Of course, you want yours to stand out! They really did turn out so beautiful. I wish I could bottle up the look on theri faces when they pull out the first egg from the bright green or blue or red. So, we now have dyed fingertips and lots of memories that we created today.

“Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.”

Richard L Evans Quotes

We are Moved!!

2010-03-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

So much has gone on since my last post. We finally are now officially moved into the house. I am forever amazed how much stuff we have accumulated in just 3 years worth of time. Boxes upon boxes of memories. I realized that there are so many thing that I value so very much that may just look like a simple piece of paper to someone else. I truly value every moment and memory of my life. So, we packed up a billion boxes and loaded up the moving truck. Of course the kids were so excited and begged to sit in the truck. I must admit, there was a moment that morning that was exciting and refreshing to me as well.

Once we got in to the house and got all the furniture and boxes stacked on top of everything, it was time to settle down. Yeah right! Now comes the process of organizing and putting away and getting rid of. We did make our first home transformation purchase. I am really quite excited about it. We bought the primer to start on kitchen and trim in the dining room. I am so very ready to get started. I am reminded though, every time I walk into the dining room and kitchen how much work there is, and that oops, I still have to take down that purple wallpaper. YUCK! I did however decide to make roman shades out of old mini blinds. I found this great blog on here with easy step by step directions. I think for my first time, they turned out pretty nice!

That first night in the house, I really was nervous about. There are alot of memories of my fathers last moments in the room which my husband and I now sleep in. There are moments in ever nook and cranny that my husband will never be able to understand that I carry on my own. As I thought about the difficulty of trying to make their house my own, I began to think about how it must have felt for my mom to be on the outside of her home. That made me really take a step back and realize that I am not the only one struggling with this change. As I laid my pictures around the house and set beds up, there was the most amazing peace throughout it all. I know this will be hard some days and some days the excitement is overwhelming. I am ready to change it and get started. My dad would be proud. We did finally get to spend some time outdoors with the beautiful weather while on Spring Break. The kids and I went on a nature hike , and ice cream to top it off. Then......back to work.

So, now that my computer is back up and running and we are officially moved in, hang on.......here we go!!

One Day at a Time

2010-03-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

The day started with the beautiful sunshine returning and the ice quickly melting away. The news says that tomorrow will be a high of 69! I am so excited. Once again, had my list of things to do, but only able to get a few of them done. I have decided that I want to go with very neutral tones and colors and can't wait to get started.
The first item on one of my many list, is the kitchen and dining room. I have to do only one room at a time or I will become too overwhelmed and throw my hands up in despair.

We have decided to paint all the trim white and cabinets throughout the house. Right now they are the typical brown wood that you see in every house. I love the look of the white trim and cabinetry up against beautiful colors of the wall and flooring. I have never nor has my husband ever done anything like this before. I have spent several hours worth of research to find out the best way to get started. First thing though.....get rid of the ugly wallpaper. I have NEVER yes NEVER been a fan of wallpaper. I will also be taking on the task of making homemade curtains and roman shades as well as some little decorative touches that I see in my head. They always look great in my head. LOL I found a great Blog today with great step by step instructions on how to make these great roman shades out of old mini blinds and material. I can't wait to get started.
So, with all these things running around in my head, I needed and my kids needed me to take a break. So, we went back to our current home and took a long break for the rest of the afternoon. We thought it would be fun to make Flubber and watch the "Flubber" movie. Me and the kids had so much fun making the flubber and it really was so cool to see it all come together. Let me know if you want the recipe. It was so simple. Right now, the kids are watching the movie and playing with the Flubber they made. I have nothing profound and deep to say about today,It really was just a productive day and just simply beautiful outside. Tomorrow is a new day, with new ideas and twist and turns.

Spring??

2010-03-21T14:56:00.001-07:00

So, last night as I tried to calm myself down and go to sleep, I went over and over the list of things to do in my head. My plan was to move as many of our things and boxes as I could from the old house to our new house, (my parents house), still not quite sure what to call it! Anyway, this morning when I woke up, there was about 2 inches of ice covering everything. Of course this caught me off guard and threw a wrench into every plan that I had for the day.
The crazy thing about it is that just two days ago, we were wearing shorts and flip flops. WELCOME TO MISSOURI!! We packed up the van with many little boxes and headed down the road to the new/old house. It really was a beautiful drive this morning. Hardly anyone was out and you could hear the branches cracking with ice. Every tree looked like glass and some so heavy with ice, bowed and bent towards the ground.When I pulled onto the street, I saw that the beautiful cherry blossom tree that hangs over the driveway looked so beautiful I had to stop and take some pictures. The tree on the side of house had ice balls on the tip of every branch. So we unpacked the van and opened a few boxes. I turned on some Joni Mitchell and tried my best to add my touches into these new surroundings. My pictures on the wall, my little touches on the mantle. It does seem quite strange to have my things in the house.
As I was organizing the hall closet, I came across an old book of my fathers poems. It was high on the shelf and covered in dust. I read through a few of them and realized how talented my father really was. I wish I would have listened more to his stories and songs and told him while he was alive how talented I thought he was. I guess I didn't appreciate him as much when he was here as I do now that he is gone. Lesson learned! Tell those around me what I really feel and express without fear my love and thanks for them and their many talents.

The Journey Begins

2010-03-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have decided after many nights thinking to restore and fix up my parents old house. It is a great house in a great neighborhood, yet really needs to be updated. This home has so many memories in it. Not all good, and not all bad. My father passed away in this house 2 years ago and now my mother has decided it is time to move on and get a place of her own. While I think it is good for her and great for my family to move into, it is met with a little bit of hesitation.
Every corner of that home and every scratch has a memory or a thought attached to it. There was alot of laughter in that house and sometimes alot of fear for my dad. Those walls have seen and heard so many things and if they could talk, hours of stories some good and some not so good would be told. None the less, they are our families stories and are cherished by myself. I feel as though my fathers spirit lives on in every room. There is a deep and long scratch down the hallway. For most, it would be one to fix right away, for me.... It is where my father first tried to ride his power wheel chair down the hall and got out of control. There is paint splatters in the guest room that will be my son's room. To him it is messy and needs to be fixed, to me it is the night that my sister and I decided to re-do the room and got carried away with the painting and dancing at the same time. Memories of me my brother, playing music and singing and recording songs together. No matter what went on, music always seem to fill every part of that house, and still does!
I am not sure where to start this journey, or what room to start fixing, but I do know that it is time. I have a feeling that in the midst of all the painting and tearing up and knocking down cleaning, that I will learn many lessons and maybe in the process be able to let go of somethings and memories that are attached to that home. I hope as well to just begin to really enjoy where I am and what I have and the life that I am so blessed to live. So, that being said......... My Journey begins.

The Beginning

2010-03-20T18:25:00.000-07:00