Still Not Happy

The second bid came in to fix Joe's Great Adventure (with my drywall) and the insurance wants a third one now. I guess they're just not getting how much of an adventure he had. Michael met with an adjuster last night, and Michael really felt like the guy knew something about drywall, so that helps. But Michael doesn't see us getting in before Dec 1. grrrr... I had a "Mom's night out" planned for the new house with my homeschool group and I want it in my new house. I really just want a house!! Anyway, keep my chin up, right? okay...

Malarie is leaving the bakery and today is my last day with her. She's actually in the deli today, but we still tend to see each other a lot. Not too long ago, there was a mouse loose in the grocery store, so someone had set traps here and there, and she made it clear that she really didn't want to see one in a trap. So for our last day together, I had to go get a fuzzy little cat toy mouse to set in a trap as a good-bye present for her. I think she'll like it.

I have two cakes for the weekend, so I should get going on them. God Bless!

Chilly Morning

Well, it's one of those mornings. We had Cubbies last night, so my brain's pretty much mush. I just got done with my morning sudoku and found myself scrolling up and down looking for where in the scope of things the 4 might appear. The boys were being wild in the bedroom and riling up their sister so I sent them outside. It's only about 40 degrees out there, if that. They came back in looking for breakfast, but I wasn't ready for that so I sent them back out.

I can't believe how my mom wakes up. Hits the ground running. Has laundry going, whipping her house in order after being gone for two days, and is getting ready to go mow. It takes a second cup of coffee just to watch.

More bad news on the house. The first bid came in on fixing Joe's Great Adventure and it was high enough that the insurance company wants a second bid. This adds another couple weeks to the delay. I decided a couple days ago to start getting doors painted. I'm not very happy with the red. It doesn't really cover very well, and it bubbles. We're planning to sand it down and repaint and see what happens. I only got a quart and was wondering when I could run up to Home Depot to get more when I decided to just find my paint chip and get Paul at True Value to match it. I left the store with something very orange and the thought that Paul was not the Super Handy Man I had once thought. But I painted a stir stick and by the next morning it was a great match. We already figured that with it being a second coat, it didn't have to be a perfect match, just one I liked, but I now have great hopes that I'll love it. The blue doors painted up very nicely. That one had great coverage, but the fuzzies from the rollers were showing. So Paul sent me home with a whoop-de-doo roller that won't leave fuzz. I'm thinking that a sanding and one more coat is all the blue doors will need. We shall see.

Now my grandpa's coming up with a fish that needs a photo. They are apparently having camera problems and cannot preserve their great moment. I wonder what the sitting fee for a 40# flathead might be... Oh, well, at least he's bringing it here and I don't have to go chase the bugger down for a photo I don't want... ok, well, some in the house may want it, but don't expect to find him here!!

Trains, trains

Well, I was supposed to take the boys out to see the trains last night, but Mallory and Michael thought they had to go, too. So we all went, but arrived just as everyone had gone out for dinner. One guy, Dan, had stayed and really had a great time showing the kids all kinds of things they couldn't have seen if everyone had been there. It really worked out well. It was dark when everyone got back, so the photos are poor at best. My greatest new photographer, Matthew, took most of these. We really had a great time and the kids want to talk Grandpa into going again after church.

This was my friend, Malarie's big wedding cake weekend. It was so beautiful. She is so talented with cakes. I was really jealous of this one. It had staircases and a fountain and lots of orbitals. All my brides ever want is flat stacks. Someday!! My next one is another flat stack, but the groom's cake is Michigan Stadium, so that should be fun! But anyway, Malarie's cake was just fantastic. She had blue icing ribbons all around it and matched blue water for the fountain. She brought pictures in to show me. Her topper really made me nervous. One of the heaviest and unbalanced ever. I sure hope it stayed up. She had good plans on how to stabilize it, I'm just not sure that it could work. Sure hope so!

Keep your chin up!

I am repeating this to myself over and over again. The drywaller really really really messed up the entire house. The first problem is that we hired this guy not because he had the lowest bid, which he didn't, but because he could start the soonest. Impatient little Michelle. He hired another guy who actually hired another guy. So I guess this is actually sub-contracting woes. Anyway, we asked for smooth walls. Everyone told me they would be more expensive and take longer. No problem, it's what I really want. Now the guy doing the work said he'd actually charge more for the textured walls because they take more product. Hmmmm... Carrie, if you're reading this to Marty, you better stop here. It gets worse. So we could still see the roughed up paper between the lines of mud, but the middle contractor said to put the primer down and that would lay it down. Ok, on went the primer. No go. So he came over to give it a look and I knocked it down a little with a sanding block and he says, "Oh, yeah, that'll work. Sand it all and put the gloss on." That took a little time and Michael had to re-prime the sprayer several times in the process. So I was trying to stay ahead sanding while he sprayed on the gloss, and then as the sun went down, we could still see the lines of mud and checkerboard pattern between stripes of mud, and now we could see bubbles in the mud, round prints from the sander and even a few screws. Ok, almost all of them. So we had that second contractor come out to look at it and he's still thinking that sanding and painting is going to fix it. We went home and decided to call the guy we actually hired and planned to meet the next morning. In the meantime, the second guy called and yelled at us for painting, mind you it was his idea that we paint. He also said that smooth walls were a 5 coat job and we only paid him for 3. Michael calmly (almost) reminded him that we didn't hire him at all. We hired the other guy to give us smooth walls and he should be more careful how he bids, however, not our problem.
So then, the guy we hired had some guys come down from Omaha to check it out. They walked through the whole place and just kept saying, "Wow." I didn't take that as being a good thing. They were really hinting at the options that at this point included more texture than smooth, but everytime they did, I could just feel my eyes well up. I had already asked Michael if he was aware of what my greatest fear at this point was. He asked, "That we won't get in before Christmas?" More tears. No, I'm just afraid that there's no way to get smooth walls now. So anyway, he stressed to the guys that we are aware that perfect is not possible anymore, but that texture of any kind just isn't an option for me. Michael had to leave for work at that point, and these guys apparently know how to treat women, because the subject never came up again. They did want to show me a knock-down technique, because it's all the rage in the $2M houses, but it just didn't get me. I'll take it if I have to, but I've had smooth, glossy ceilings once and I really loved them. Just keep praying!

Happy Happy Birthday

So much has happened since that early morning post. The sun was not quite up yet when I took off to deliver the cake, so I must not have noticed the puddles in the driveway. I took off like I always do, and thought about the dirt road going east and remembered a very sunny Saturday. What I forgot is that we were expecting some weather last night, and it apparently arrived. I didn't get very far when I remembered the storm and tried to get stopped. I backed out a little way, then had to park and walk. I was all dressed for church in my short capris and a short sleeved top. I had gone out with wet hair because I like having the extra drying time. I hadn't taken my sandals, though. I knew I could do this one more errand in my favorite Crocs and it was such a good thing that I did. It was less than a mile walk, but it was so cold in that outfit and the wet hair just made my ears even colder. I got home and Dad and Michael came and got me out. Michael was really nice about it, but when I got back from delivering the cake Dad had to ask how the road was coming from the other way. Michael cleaned up my Crocs and Mom found some warm clothes and we still made it to first service. I was really shocked.
After church, the folks took us out for dinner. It was my favorite Chinese place and it was sooo good. Not so much the boys, though. They reminded me why I don't get out much!
When we got home, I went downstairs to check my charges. The geckos were fine, but the turtle was missing. I had everyone down there looking everywhere with flashlights. I was just thinking of how many people had offered to watch these guys, and they picked me. ugh. It really didn't take long before Mallory found him in a pile of wood chips still around from last winter. We got him in the water and watched as he coughed out who knows what all. What a journey he had made. Not sure how he made the fall. That was a long fall for a little guy... especially one that needs to land right side up.
So then Michael and I got ready to go put primer on the drywall. Some friends were meeting us there with a paint sprayer. We were really excited about this. Sure enough, we got all the drywall covered in about 5 hours. We can only imagine how long that could have taken. Wow. So tomorrow we're spraying all the ceilings, closets and the pantry with the white. Oh, yes, and the courtyard. That's what Mom's calling the little hallway to the bedrooms. It's really not a hallway. It's a round about that has all three bedroom doors, a closet, a door up and a door down. So she's just started calling it that and it will probably stick!
We just got home from this and I'm completely exhausted and can't think of anything clever, but wanted to get this posted so you could all rest assured that I had a really wonderful birthday!!

Outdone by my 9 year old!

Can you believe this?? Mallory baked and decorated my birthday cake, with only a little help from Grandma. She told Grandma exactly how Mom bakes them, then later selected her colors, changed tips, and decorated it all up!! What a sweetie. We opened presents last night because Grandpa didn't think Morgan could keep a secret until today!

Well, I have to deliver someone else's cake now, but I'll post more after they take me to dinner today! Sounds like the rest of the day will be painting, yes painting!!! We're putting the primer on all the drywall this afternoon, and hopefully get some ceilings and closets white!! Finally, a home is looking possible!!

Why we do it

I just added another link to this blog called "Raising Small Souls." This was amazing, thank you so much, Rachael. Not everyone can or wishes to homeschool, and I really do understand that. Believe me, I do!! It's not always the joy one might think to bound out of bed and think, "Oh, wow, I'm in charge of my kids' education today!!!" Ok, well most of us think about it long before that morning, but it's still a heavy thought some days. But anyway, for those who can and choose to homeschool, this is all about the goal: fine tuning it to the kid. It's all about the kid. A lot of teachers get it and are able to apply it to their classrooms as well, and most parents know all too well that it takes different motives to actually move each child. Just wanted to share this with you. We can all apply it in some way.

God Bless you abundantly!!

Peaceful Weekend

Michael and the kids went camping yesterday, so I've been enjoying some time to myself. I went to an AWANA leader's house to update some records and look at the 17 scrapbooks she's completed this summer!!! Then made my way to the homeschool planning meeting, which is always so much more fun than it sounds. As we say, "The moms getting together to misuse grammar and laugh about it!!" We had a great time sharing our struggles and joys, and encouraging each other to trudge on! We have several interesting field trips and presentations planned for the upcoming year.
The campers recently returned to clean their catch and clean up themselves! They caught a nice sized channel cat and a very nice sized blue cat. Mom got a lesson in telling catfish apart. Another thing we discussed last night. Why do moms always speak in 3rd person? "Mommy's going to go to the bathroom now, so stay right there and finish your math." I'm sure it makes it hard to tell when I'm talking about me or my mom. I'm never consistent with calling her Mom or Grandma, either. But anyway, the peace has ended and I need to make Kool-aid and get some other things ready for them to leave again! And it's a bakery day so I need to get ready for that, too!

Visitors

These are some folks that needed a home for a couple weeks. First is Minn, a painted turtle. Max, the one stuck to the side of the tank in the bottom right, is the guy who cleans up after him. Talk about the cure being worse than the disease... no, he's a cutie in his own way. The other tank houses Frodo and Sam, a pair of geckos. These guys are just amazing. Matthew and I are just getting nothing done because we're just downstairs all the time playing with the new kids. Minn eats hotdogs. Now that really surprised me, but he's been living on them for a year and a half now, so who am I to question that? Our instructions say that he eats a good sized chunk every day. Then, if he's taking pot shots at Max, we should give him another chunk. Apparently, Max does fine on what Minn leaves behind. The boys were quite impressed by the skull in the bottom of the tank. They probably think Max cleaned that up himself for a trophy. Frodo and Sam came in with a few crickets and now have those all cleaned up. I feel bad because they can't have our crickets. Dad just sprayed around here and we're afraid that's how poor Edward lost his fight. He was a tiny painted turtle that we had for about 3 months. He mostly ate flies, but we'd toss him a June bug or something now and then. Then one day he just stopped eating and died a few days later. So we're getting all of these guys' food from Earl May. The geckos also came with some mealie worms. I was having fun hand feeding them the worms and then Matthew wanted to try. I told him that they'd probably catch his finger, but it didn't hurt and they let go fast. Well, of course that's not what happens when they get a soft, tender little Matthew finger. Sam hung on pretty well. OOOPS!! I could tell it stung because his eyes welled up quite a bit. We found a pair of tweezers and moved on to Plan B!!! Sam ate quite a few, but Frodo didn't eat any. Morgan thought we better call their parents to find out for sure what to do. Diane said that was quite normal and they'd eat when they're hungry and they can pretty much eat all they want. So anyway, we feel better and later did get Frodo to eat a couple worms. I'll have to head to Earl May pretty soon to get some non-bug sprayed crickets.
The final photo is Bugger Man wondering what happened to his role in the family! Ah, nothing replaces a fuzzy face!!!

Huge Loss

However expected some may have seen his death, it was still so huge to me. Steve Irwin added such life and passion to the Animal World that I know he will live on in our imaginations. He took me to exotic places I could never go and showed me fascinating animals I'd never see. And it wasn't the same as seeing them sleeping or pacing in a zoo. He showed off their defenses and their agility and just portrayed a love and excitement of them that truly sparked the love of animals I already had. He may have been the show off that many accused him of being, but his charisma made it clear to me that it was genuine. Many said that Steve was the very same person on and off the camera. I suppose that's what I want to believe and will anyway. I'm glad he packed so much life into his few years so we will have plenty to remember him. I'm sure the DVDs will be pouring out now. He will be missed and his family will need our prayers.

All for just $49.95

But wait!! There's more...

No, really... this is a project Mallory and I were working on this winter, then pretty much had to put aside to start work on the house. It's just some photo note cards scrapped and embellished with some of my favorite new fibres and other fabulous finds... thanks, Carrie!!

We're actually making two of these since I'm blessed with two mothers-in-law. One is coming in to the airport as we speak, so I got hers finished up. And well, I'm pretty sure the other one reads this, too, so it's going to be finished in the next couple of weeks, now, isn't it?? heehee... I was just waiting for another tin box for the other set. It's in and now I just have to paint and embellish that one. I made all the cards at the same time and hope to get back to it if I can ever get another crop together! My life is so out of control, but it will get better. Don't get me wrong... I still want it full, but I'd like to find a place to put my stuff that doesn't drive my mother crazy!! It's so much better to drive my hubby crazy!!

Well, Mom and I are on our way to the Blue House with a load for the pit. Yes, the kids went with Michael to the airport, so we are hauling much stuff off for good!! Must go!!

This is it!

Oh, I was so happy with this one. I hope the bride is, too. She wasn't there when Mallory and I set it up. The gal that was there with us seemed to think it was okay! She was more impressed with how well Mallory knew what she was doing. I'm really not too sure I could do any of this without Mallory. She is such a huge help with these. Mal was even surprised with how fast it went up. I do like the ones that have pedestals. A lot of brides want them stacked straight onto each other. Then you have to double board everything and be ready to finish all the borders and remove the finger indentations from putting it together. This was so much faster!

Mallory also had a lot of fun helping with the fondant rope on this one. She would keep the fondant soft and warm and then roll it out thin when I was ready. We never did find a horseshoe cutter, so I took a tulip from a Walmart set and bent it into a horseshoe. I even looked online to get the right shape, but when I saw all the gal's other stuff at the reception hall, I think mine look more like the game horseshoes than the ones she had everywhere. It's a cute little western reception with washbuckets of flowers with bandanas tied around the buckets. There are also bandanas around the cake table and lots of other places. It's really cute. Hope the rain gives her a break when she needs it! It was pretty wet when we were setting up!

Meanwhile...

Well, the cake's done, just gathering up stuff to load in the car to go set it up. Thought I'd go see what the menfolk were doing and found Matthew cleaning out from underneath the mower. I'm pretty sure it's just to buy himself a chance to drive it again. He's really anxious to mow the lawn, and you know, who wouldn't be, but anyway, we're trying to ease him in to this position. The only hard part is that he's the one who knows all he needs to know about things, so it's usually pretty hard to teach him anything. Mallory's been taking her time, gathering advice, driving it slowly around the yard. Not Matthew. Have to figure out exactly how fast this can go, what kind of a mountain it can clear and what you can run over without stopping. Sounds a lot like the way he learned to walk, climb out of his crib, ride a bike... not sure why I thought this would be any different, but was hoping for some patience and wisdom. Guess I'm still waiting for that in myself, too!!

So far...

Well, I have 2 tiers of the wedding cake done, and all the flowers. Will finish the other 2 tiers in the morning. My back and neck are done for today. I hope this gal likes the cake. It's always hard to get in someone's head and make sure you're getting her what she wants! It's a really nice looking western wedding cake, so I'm pretty sure it's what she's thinking. I'll post one of the finished cake tomorrow, but this is the big bottom tier. The other one is a birthday cake that was lots of fun! Corn and piggies for a nice old farmer. At least I hope he's nice. He could be a grouchy old bugger for all I know, but the part of his family I know is really great, so I'm just going to assume he's great, too. The piggies were fun and Mom said the corn came out better than the last one I tried. Everyone called them dandelions, so these must be a little better. Ok, a little TV and bed. Have to make this cake stand up tall tomorrow!

Oh, and hey, look Belva!! I got the time stamp fixed!! No more 4 am postings unless I'm really up at 4 am posting!!

Crazy, crazy

Seems to be a way of life for me!! I'm taking a break from the wedding cake. Waiting for the frosting to set so I can do the next step. The kids are outside and Mom's sewing some alterations in the sewing room... reminding me of how caught up she is! Meanwhile, my alterations hang there, in the way, I still have all night to go on this cake, then to clean out the car to set it up tomorrow. Then get ready for a visit from my mother-in-law and get all my registration manuals and what-not ready for the AWANA kickoff on Wednesday... and oh, yes, we're supposed to start painting the house on Monday. I'm hoping there's one more thing I can add to the weekend, because everyone hates for a 3 day weekend to be boring!!

Well, I'm sure the frosting is ready... Hope to have a picture to post soon!!