The Payne Chatelaine

Organizing!

2011-10-29T11:31:00.000-05:00

I've been busy with organizing, organizing and more organizing! I think about it all day and dream about it at night. I guess this is what happens when you start your own business. Since this blog is still receiving daily hits, I thought I'd update you on how my business is going.

Lasting Order launched in June and I've officially surpassed 100 hands-on client hours (not counting consultations). Considering I've got to do 1500 hours to become a Certified Professional Organizer, I've got a long road ahead!! The business started with a boom - much faster than I anticipated... but there have been some slow weeks also. Things are picking back up, so I'm a happy lady. :)

I love hands-on organizing. I love the feeling that I get when I've helped someone experience freedom from clutter. It's addictive. I want to help as many people as possible! One realization that I've come to is that most regular folks think they cannot afford a professional organizer. I think that they can't NOT afford one - so many people are letting their lives go to waste with unfulfilled good intentions. Their minds and homes are filled with so much clutter that nothing is being accomplished. You only have one life! Don't waste it!

In order to introduce my services to more people, I've partnered with a company called Clever Container. It's the first DSA (Direct Sales Association) company to exclusively offer organizing products. Hostesses invite me to do a free organizing workshop in their home, which allows me to show people how I work and explain what a PO does. This should be a great way to reach the regular folks like you & me - and show them how much I can help them! Even if they choose not to use my organizing services, I've helped them get more organized with the workshop information and awesome products for every area of their home & life. My biz and Clever Container are very complimentary - a perfect match!

Anyway, I love that I can be so personal on this blog, because the biz blog has to be so business-like! :) Sometimes I need to express my feelings too. lol

There is something so wonderful about knowing that you are doing exactly what God has called you to do. It definitely is not easy. There are many difficult decisions and so many paths I could take. But, knowing that God has ordained my steps and won't leave me stranded makes it all worthwhile. I'm certainly not getting rich, but I feel like I'm living the American dream!

New Business Blog

2011-05-26T19:19:00.001-05:00

I have a dream. I have had a dream for many {about 6} years. I've piddled around with my dream - reading, researching and practicing... but I think I'm finally ready to act on it. I dream of being a Professional Organizer. I'm soft launching my business and working toward growing it into a "real" business. :)

Check out my professional website/blog: www.lastingorder.net

Please let me know what you think!

Blog? What blog?

2011-04-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

I haven't forgotten that I have a blog, but blogging has not been of the utmost importance lately. At this point, I have so many things I could blog about that it would take too long to "catch up" so I'm not going to even try. I may continue to post now & again or maybe I won't... I'll see ya when I see ya. :)

How I spent my weekend...

2011-01-16T22:15:00.000-06:00

Goodbye ugly wallpaper borders...

Since we moved June 2009, I've been painting and re-doing each room as I have the time, money & energy. Silly me... I've been itching to finish the final 2 rooms so badly that I spent the rest of my Christmas money on the boys' bathroom. Seriously... the BOYS bathroom - which I never go into. Both the boys' bath and the kitchen had these ugly grandma-ish borders that just HAD to come down. Since I was fixing the boys bath and had my steamer handy, I decided to just remove the kitchen border also.

I'm not sure what got into me!

Here's the kitchen before & after border removal...

I picked the kitchen color and think that I've found what I want to hang on the biggest empty wall... but that will have to wait until I come into some more cash since I just spent it all on the boys bathroom.

Goodbye ugly grandma mirror doors on the bathroom cabinet...

Before & after...
BEFORE: boring cream colored walls, grandma flowered border mixed with rubber ducks and baby photos
AFTER: forest green paint with a camping/outdoor theme

VERY appropriate sign for the boys' bathroom... :)

I'm pretty happy with how the bathroom turned out. Once the paint dries thoroughly, I've got to move the shower curtain up. (and I need to return the light switch cover too - I bought a one switch cover instead of two. oops!) I'm picking photos from our family outdoor adventures to go into the collage frames to finish off the look. So exciting!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T00:03:00.000-06:00

Reflections on 2010

2010-12-31T00:01:00.003-06:00

Wow. I cannot believe the year is almost over and I have yet to reach my goal of "catching up" on my blog. This has been a very introverted year for me... probably why my blog has been so neglected. I struggled with writing our annual Christmas letter this year. In so many ways, 2010 was really crappy. It would make for a really depressing country song. lol How can you write an upbeat Christmas letter, yet be honest about life at the same time? I hope I achieved my goal... if you received our letter, you'll have to let me know!

When I re-read some of my latest posts (from Oct/Nov), I can hardly recognize myself. This is a good thing. A VERY good thing. I have been pain-free for what seems like forever now (truly since mid-November). My medications are working properly and I've had no side effects (other than being illness prone). The details of the joint pain have faded from my memory, but the impact of the disease on my whole self (mental, physical, spiritual) has not. I am enjoying my less hectic life. It was forced upon me, but I embrace it. My commitments are few. My energy is still not 100%, but I am learning balance and how to live life without overdoing it.

I feel as if I'm in a very weird place in life. We've lived in this locale for 2 1/2 years now (can't believe it has been that long!), which is half as long as we lived in the Dallas area. Our relationships are nowhere as deep or meaningful here. We are still struggling to "fit in". We have had a lot of upheaval with our church home this past year and are searching once again for the path God wants to lead us on and the "home" to embrace.

Disconnect is the word that I most associate with right now. I've been disconnected from a church home/family, disconnected from volunteering in organizations that I care about, disconnected from others in many ways. Part of me is very happy with the depth of relationship that occurs between myself and my immediate family when we are disconnected, but the rest of me longs for the intimacy of relationships with others. I'm hoping 2011 will be a year of connection. My desire is to put down deep roots here to provide stability for my children... but right now, my instinct is to run away or flee back to our comfort zones - either closer to family or back to Dallas. To a place where people know me and love me for who I am. Once in a while, I see the glimmer of a potential friendship and that tides me over for awhile. I'm pretty sure it is called hope. Life has bogged me down. I hope that 2011 will unbog me. Only through God's grace. I certainly don't deserve it.

Crazy days Update

2010-11-02T07:21:00.000-05:00

First of all, I want to start with this... an update on Matt Chandler. I don't recall if I've mentioned him on the blog or not. He is a pastor where I used to live and his daughter attended the preschool where I worked. So, I have a slight personal connection to the family and have been following his story very closely. You can read his story via the link below. I have been awed and inspired by the way he has handled suffering. In the beginning, I spent many days praying that if I were put in that situation that I would handle it with as much grace and faith as Matt has. I have experienced a fair amount of suffering this year (nothing in comparison to brain cancer) and I feel like still I have a lot to learn about grace and faith. I hope this inspires you...

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/11/01/one-year-later-an-interview-with-matt-chandler/

Secondly, my mother-in-law did have a brain aneurysm and brain surgery to fix it. The surgeon said that if she did not have surgery, within days the aneurysm would have blown and she would have died. She is alive and well and went home from the hospital on Halloween (Merely 2 weeks and 2 days after her surgery) - PRAISE GOD! She had absolutely NO symptoms of stroke and no complications - PRAISE GOD! Please continue to pray that she would recover quickly. Her main issue (aside from a nasty scar) is that she was virtually immobile for two whole weeks, so she is very weak and tired. Things could have been SO much worse and we are so grateful.

How is it going with Rheumatoid Arthritis? Better. I have now started all three of my medications and have had no side effects so far - PRAISE GOD! My daily symptoms have been reduced - my joints are working better, though I'm physically exhausted a lot. At least one of the drugs is an immune suppressant and I came down with a pretty nasty cold this weekend. I have started doing a lot of research on RA and treatments, especially non-medicinal - just to see what is out there. I've decided that sometimes ignorance is bliss and that research is very depressing. I've found message boards of "support", but all I find there are people who list every symptom that is bothering them that day and the difficulties they are having. I know how miserable it is to suffer with chronic pain, but I don't want to spend all day reading about other people's pain too. There is a tough balance between getting the support you need and detailing your troubles to others.

I'm amazed at how life can be strolling along... flowing smoothly... and in one instant or one day - things change. For Matt Chandler, that one day was last Thanksgiving. For my mother-in-law, that one day was October 13. For me, that one day was May 23. It catches you by surprise. You weren't expecting this. But, God has a plan. He is not surprised. He knows when your day is. You may even have several days. He is the same God before that day, during that day and after that day.

Crazy days

2010-10-14T16:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went back to the Rheumatologist. I definitely have Rheumatoid Arthritis... and so begins an aggressive treatment plan. The medicine I'll be taking can also be used in cancer treatments - it is that potent. The side effect risks are high and who knows how my body will react to it. It is immune-suppressing, so I had to get a flu shot and pneumonia shot and I'll have to stay away from sick people this winter. They also took 4 vials of blood (again) and did both hand and chest x-rays to have a baseline to compare to later. I will start on three medicines - one will be eased into as another is eased out of. The third is to combat the effects of the other two. I'll be taking two different supplements as well. I feel happy that we finally are progressing and will be treating this icky disease, but I'm also frustrated with the fact that I'll likely battle this the rest of my life. There is no cure. Only treatment. I just keep reminding myself that God is bigger than any disease and that I need to rely on Him for strength when I feel that I have none left.

Right after the boys went to bed last night and the moment I finished telling Tommie all about my doctor's appointment, the phone rang. It was my father-in-law (Tommie's dad). Linda (Tommie's mom) was taken to the ER yesterday afternoon where they discovered a brain aneurysm. (That news certainly made my problems look small.) They flew her via helicopter to a big city hospital and had a neurosurgeon standing by. Last night, they put a catheter into her brain to drain the blood/fluids that were pressuring her brain. That offered some relief, but not enough. Today, they are doing an angiogram to determine the next step and to see whether brain surgery will be required. She is in the neuro ICU and is stable, but serious. The results of the angiogram will tell us how severe this is and whether we need to head up there right away or not. It is kinda scary, but we know that she is in God's hands. As my father-in-law said this afternoon, if it's her time to go, at least we know where she'll be - with our Heavenly Father. I pray that the outcome is quick and positive. Hopefully, they are able to stop the flow and that she recovers in a few days with no lasting problems.

Crazy couple of days... I'm so grateful that God is in control, not me. Somehow, I don't think that I would do a very good job. :)

Thoughts about RA, life and God

2010-10-11T18:32:00.000-05:00

Do I have Rheumatoid Arthritis? 50% of people with Palindromic Rheumatism will get RA. Well, I'm not positive yet. My blood work came back indicative of RA, but I haven't gone back to the Rheumatologist yet to hear what exactly that means and what we're going to do about it. In the meantime, my joints have gotten progressively worse.
Different joints on different days, but flares have been overlapping. Most mornings, it is difficult to walk - my feet feel like platypus feet, painful to step on and won't fit into shoes very well. Some days I have a body part that just won't work right all day. Do you know how difficult it is to function without shoulders, hips or hands? This was my view this morning. As you can see, at least 3 of my fingers are extremely swollen (and painful). I am unable to make a fist with either hand today, which makes things like pouring coffee, washing my hair, driving, holding a pen, typing... difficult. I push through.
Life goes on with or without me. I refuse to allow joint pain to win.

Typing is very painful today, but also therapeutic. I don't talk about this much to anyone, so it's nice to get this off of my chest. This is probably one of those blog posts that I would rather no one read, but I feel like saying it anyway.

I struggle not with why did this happen or does God love me... but I struggle with a) how can we fix this quickly because I refuse to live the rest of my life with progressively worse pain and b) how can God use this for His glory.
I feel as if I'm letting everyone around me down.
I have held independence, reliability and activity as pillars in my life. Those pillars are being broken. I'm forced to renig on commitments. I'm forced to ask for help and become dependent on others. I'm forced to slow down. And. I. Don't. Like. It.
I'm struggling with how to fully rely on God and not feel guilty that I cannot keep up with the Amy that still lives inside this broken body. The Amy that everyone else still sees and doesn't understand that there is a difference. I'm frustrated.
I have complete faith that God can heal me. The question is: will He? I know many people that believe you can and will be healed if you have enough faith. I also know faithful Christians that have struggled and died. The only thing I know is that my God loves me, He wants the best for me and He is capable of healing me. My job is to praise Him. I'm praying for self-discipline to spend time with Him daily and not worry about others' expectations of me, because right now I don't have it. When I die, those people won't be there - it will be me and Him. Did I love Him? Did I praise Him? Did I serve Him? Do I know Him? Healed or not won't matter then.

October 9 - Day 278 of 365

2010-10-09T19:14:00.002-05:00

My parents visited this weekend! They took us out for a fancy dinner for our birthdays. Everyone cooperated for the photos... with a little resistance! I threatened to take pics of the food all night, if they didn't pose. :)

Fall Festival

2010-10-09T19:05:00.001-05:00

The local Fall Festival is the biggest event of the year. We took my Mom & Dad with us, so they could have the true local experience. Saturday's weather was beautiful, but unseasonably warm. We enjoyed everything from pronto pups to monte cristos to fried twinkies! The main attraction at the festival is the food, then the rides. It certainly wasn't the kiddie karaoke - yikes!

October 8 - Day 277 of 365

2010-10-08T19:09:00.001-05:00

Why do I have a random photo of an oversized cat and a group of pre-K students, you ask?

I am the oversized cat. Cool Cat is a tool to teach kids about fire safety & prevention. Just another fun part of my job...

September 20 - Day 259 of 365

2010-09-20T19:40:00.002-05:00

30 Day Baking Day

My friend, Jennifer, and I do 30 Day cooking together a few times per year. This time, we decided to bake instead! We made cobblers, pumpkin rolls, banana bread, soup, breakfast muffins, pumpkin bread, etc. It was a LOT of work, but it's so fun to have all of our fall baking done. Now... if Mother Nature would only recognize this season as FALL and cool off!

This is fresh apple cobbler filling...

September 19 - Day 258 of 365

2010-09-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

The rest of our day trip was spent at Audubon State Park (named after John James Audubon - artist & nature lover). We have been to this park before, but never inside the nature center/museum. One of our quests was to have a park ranger sign our book and take a photo. Once we did that, he told us to go through the museum for free, because it was about to close. It was so neat... with a bird viewing room and a tower room. Beautiful park!

September 18 - Day 257 of 365

2010-09-18T20:25:00.001-05:00

Actually, I'm cheating... back-dating the blog. I really have no photos from the 18th, but we had a big family outing on the 19th that is going to take two posts. :)

I've been so lax on blogging that you probably don't know that we are participating in the Family Adventure Quest through Kentucky State Parks this year. We opted to do several weekend/day trips in lieu of a "real" vacation this year. Partly to save money and partly because it is difficult to get away for a whole week!

With the FAQ, we paid $15 to register our team and received a backpack, water bottle and booklet of 25 quests. If we complete all 25 quests, we will receive an $85 gift card to KY State Parks. Pretty awesome! The quests take you to many of the 52 KY State Parks... some can be answered with a little online research and others require a photo of your team for proof.

We live pretty close to Kentucky, so our day trips are sometimes only an hour away... but some weekend trips are 4-5 hours away. We've taken 3 day trips so far and one weekend trip. We're camping in October for fall break also. For this weekend's quest, we visited the Jefferson Davis Memorial. It was a lot of fun, but my one regret is that we should have waited until the trees had turned fall colors first. Ah, well...

The memorial is 350 feet high (as compared to the Washington Monument that is 550 feet high).

In this part of Kentucky, we saw many Amish buggies. Can you spot the buggy in the pic below? Do you see what else is on the corner?

I'm a Yankee through & through, so it was interesting to see so many rebel flags in the museum and gift shop. I still see the rebel flag as a symbol for racism... but that's a story for another day.

On our way back home, we passed through this town...

And saw some tobacco fields...

September 17 - Day 256 of 365

2010-09-17T19:39:00.001-05:00

We love Max!

September 16 - Day 255 of 365

2010-09-16T19:35:00.002-05:00

The not very cheer-leader...

This little cutie cheers for Truman's team. Sometimes she's not very cheerful. Ironic, isn't it?

September 15 - Day 254 of 365

2010-09-15T19:33:00.002-05:00

Harrison is in love with his teacher this year (which is an answer to prayer!). He keeps making and/or bringing gifts to her. I think it's so sweet!! He even wrapped his gift in a gift bag with tissue... *awww*

September 14 - Day 253 of 365

2010-09-14T17:12:00.001-05:00

Harvest Time in Southern IN

Finally a name

2010-09-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

I finally got in to see the Rheumatologist today after a 7 week wait. My original appointment was at the end of October (a 3 month wait!), so I'm very grateful they had a cancellation and got me in today. I haven't said much about my current physical ails on my blog, because I've been feeling very out of sorts and was undiagnosed... no need to alert the world to listen to me whine about my aches & pains. :)

In a nutshell, I got bit by a bug (type unknown) on May 23rd and immediately started having joint pain (along with tiredness). The joint pain is a daily thing in my fingers/toes with occasional "flares" in other joints of a more serious nature. I've "donated" quite a bit of blood to the cause and had no definitive answers. At this point, both the doctor and Rheumatologist agree that the bug bite & joint pain are unrelated, though it is strange that they occurred at the same time. Anyway, they are testing for Lyme disease (again) just to rule it out for good and also doing some other tests. Unless something major turns up from this round of testing, the Rheum. has diagnosed me with:

Palindromic Rheumatism

I'm relieved to have a name for it (aka - I'm not crazy!)... but I'm still believing that God can and will completely heal me. Most important to me right now is that PR does not develop into Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

Right now, I'm supposed to keep managing the pain with Advil (as I have been doing for the past 4 months) and keep a log. When I return to the Rheum., she will determine whether I should take further meds. The blood tests should show her whether I am one of the 40% who may develop RA. There is one medication that can help prevent people with PR from getting RA.

September 13 - Day 252 of 365

2010-09-13T17:17:00.012-05:00

God and Me class for Cub Scouts

Truman is taking a class to earn his religious knot. I'm assisting his teacher with the class. It has been very fun to teach the boys about God and see what answers a group of 6-8 year old boys come up with! I'm honored to help teach the leaders of tomorrow.

September 11 - Day 250 of 365

2010-09-11T13:49:00.001-05:00

First flag football game of the season!

Go Bengals!

September 6 - Day 245 of 365

2010-09-10T17:44:00.003-05:00

On Labor Day, we ate at Monical's Pizza right before leaving to head home. Oh, Monical's... how I love thee! The original Monical's is in Tolono, IL (and closed on Labor Day, just in case you were wondering). We ended up eating at one in Champaign. Their pizza is thin & yummy and a family pleaser includes a large pizza, pitcher of pop and salad. The Sweet & Tart salad dressing is perfect for a salad or on the pizza itself. I have wonderful memories of going to Monical's after every Friday night football game during high school. Good times! I always try to eat there when I'm in town. Ask anyone from central IL and I would bet they love Monical's!

September 10 - Day 249 of 365

2010-09-10T17:44:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to me (1 day late)! We celebrated by going out to our favorite Mexican restaurant, then home for ice cream cake & presents. The boys wrote sweet love notes to me and Tommie got me the perfect present! Life is good...

September 5 - Day 244 of 365

2010-09-10T14:11:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, we had a Majeres family gathering.

Lots of sports, ride-on toys, chatting, eating and S'mores! I love my family!

September 4 - Day 243 of 365

2010-09-10T14:05:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure that I will be able to keep up with Project 365, however I will post a photo per day whenever possible. :) Last weekend, we visited our families in IL and my in-laws gave me a fantastic new camera. We went to Argyle Lake State Park in the afternoon and tried it out. Pretty awesome, if you ask me! Thanks, Mom & Dad Payne!!

Neglected

2010-09-10T12:16:00.000-05:00

Dear Blog:

There have been many reasons why I have neglected you over the past few months.

I was busy in April/May and got out of the habit of updating you.
I didn't think anyone was reading you (I have been corrected about this!).
I have had a rough time with my health since May and did not want to use you as a platform for complaints.
I was cheating on you. I started a 2nd blog for my business and was planning to leave you forever. I have since gotten a different job, so my business plans are on hold. I hope you will forgive me and take me back.

For all of the lame excuses I can think of, I am sorry. I make no promises about the frequency of which I will visit you... but I promise not to banish you from my life completely (yet!). lol You have been there for me through thick and thin and I enjoy your company. Thank you for not leaving me.

Love,

Amy

(This post is starting to make me think of a comparison between a blog & God... but we'll save the deep thoughts for another day!)

September 8 - Day 247 of 365

2010-09-08T17:50:00.001-05:00

We had my first big event for my new job today. The event involved local restaurants and some fun local entertainment. This was one of my favorite entertainers... a 7 piece Dixieland band!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2010-04-28T15:22:00.000-05:00

Today, I made homemade laundry detergent for the 1st time. I've thought about it in the past, but wondered if it was worth all of the effort. After my recent trip to the laundromat with 16 loads of laundry the other day, I'm trying to find ways to cut back on our budget (including the laundry) AND find ways for the kids to help do their own laundry. I've read that homemade detergent compared to regular is about 1/15th the cost! That makes it worth a try in my book!

The most difficult part of the recipe is grating the soap. I grated the Ivory soap bars with my Pampered chef cheese grater thingee. It doesn't work very well on cheese & wasn't wonderful with soap either, but at least I didn't end up with any bloody knuckles. I tried the blender and found it to be completely worthless. I used the tiny holed grater insert, so the shavings mixed well without being blended. I'm thinking a food processor is in my future, because I could use it a lot with 30 Day cooking also.

Here's the recipe I tried today:

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #9
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated) - I used Ivory because I had it on hand.

* Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
* Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

I'll let you know how it turns out! It certainly *smells* clean. :)

Lots of normal days...

2010-04-25T15:54:00.001-05:00

One thing I have discovered in doing Project 365 is that I have an overabundance of "normal" days. A day where there is nothing exciting to note... a day simply filled with routines & scheduled activities or an absence thereof. I am attempting to document the "ordinary", because someday life may not be so ordinary. I love this quote...

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."

Mary Jean Iron

March 31 - Day 89 of 365

2010-03-31T21:08:00.001-05:00

Our church is two doors down from Hooters. Great location for the people we are trying to reach!

March 30 - Day 88 of 365

2010-03-30T21:04:00.003-05:00

Happy 9th Birthday, Harrison!!
Harrison is not a big fan of cake, so we had Klondike bars for his birthday. :)

9 years ago today, my unborn son's life was spared by having an emergency C-section. I would have let them cut off any part of my body to allow my baby to live. I love you, Harrison, with all of my heart. You are a special boy and God has plans for your life. I love your sense of humor and your sweet personality!

March 29 - Day 87 of 365

2010-03-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

Beautiful sunset...

March 28 - Day 86 of 365

2010-03-28T21:01:00.000-05:00

My parents gave Harrison his birthday present a few days early -- hockey skates!

March 27 - Day 85 of 365

2010-03-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

My parents came to visit for the weekend. I saw a new recipe on my friend's Facebook page... and thought I'd test it out on my parents. Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot begin to describe how YUMMY this was!! For the recipe, visit the Pioneer Woman's blog. I'm not a good cook, but this was super easy.

March 26 - Day 84 of 365

2010-03-26T20:43:00.000-05:00

Today, I filled in at the Y in the Youth Activity Center. I got paid to play games with kids all day!

March 25 - Day 83 of 365

2010-03-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

Harrison began the celebration of his 9th birthday by inviting his friend, Noah, to come over to play. I surprised him by taking him to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" at the theater. We capped off the evening with pizza, cream soda out of glass bottles and strawberry cheesecake!

March 24 - Day 82 of 365

2010-03-24T21:06:00.000-05:00

We went to the park today with friends. Spring weather is finally here!

March 23 - Day 81 of 365

2010-03-23T20:43:00.000-05:00

Last night, Franklin spent the night with his good friend, Daryd. They stayed up until 2:30 a.m. and woke up again at 7:00 a.m. Fortunately, Franklin wasn't too crabby today!

March 22 - Day 80 of 365

2010-03-22T20:41:00.000-05:00

My boys got a little too excited about the TGIFridays Potato Skin chips at Sam's Club today.

March 21 - Day 79 of 365

2010-03-21T20:41:00.000-05:00

Our old neighbor had an emergency with her daughter, so she dropped off her 2nd grade son to spend the afternoon/evening with us while they went to the ER. Ethan had a great time playing with the boys!

March 20 - Day 78 of 365

2010-03-20T20:40:00.001-05:00

We started another home improvement project today. This project reminds me of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" - a children's book. We had a cracked toilet seat and have had troubles with
the toilet leaking since we moved in. We decided that if we were going to replace the toilet, we might as well tile the floor. In order to tile the floor, we removed the baseboards. While they're off, I might as well paint them. While I'm painting trim, I might as well cut & paint the chair rail for the dining room project (you can see the DR paint best here). Thankfully we stopped right there before the project got any bigger!

March 19 - Day 77 of 365

2010-03-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

I took Max to Franklin's school for a presentation. Franklin had to teach his class something. He wanted to teach them how to train a dog, so he got special permission for Max to visit the school. Several of the kids took turns trying to get Max to do tricks. It was so fun to watch Franklin give his presentation. Max was perfectly behaved!

March 18 - Day 76 of 365

2010-03-18T20:38:00.003-05:00

A local diner offers free ice cream rewards for good report cards. We took the boys there to celebrate good grades!

March 14, 15, 16, 17 - Days 72-75 of 365

2010-03-17T20:18:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure exactly what happened here... I guess I got busy & forgot to take pictures for a couple of days! We had work, a pack meeting, swim lessons, another round of strep throat for Harrison and a round for Franklin too. Nothing too exciting...

March 13 - Day 72 of 365

2010-03-13T20:56:00.002-06:00

The boys had the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby today. All three boys' cars ran well. Harrison won a ribbon for "Most Decals" on his car. Franklin won 1st place in the Webelos division and 3rd place overall. Great job, boys!!

March 12 - Day 71 of 365

2010-03-12T20:55:00.001-06:00

Harrison had his last hockey class tonight. He loved it so much that we're going to sign him up to play in a league this spring. He received a trophy and a car decal with a hockey player and his name on it.

March 11 - Day 70 of 365

2010-03-11T20:38:00.001-06:00

Preparing for the pinewood derby. Base coats of spray paint...

March 10 - Day 69 of 365

2010-03-10T20:53:00.000-06:00

Three of the facilitators for our Strengthening Families class. Tonight was our last class. All five of us really enjoyed the class and learned a lot!

March 9 - Day 68 of 365

2010-03-09T20:36:00.001-06:00

When we moved from Texas to Indiana, I had to leave my bamboo plant behind. I had purchased it with birthday money from IKEA and nurtured that plant. I have a black thumb, so I was amazed at how well my little bamboo plant had done. I have missed that plant, so when I went to Dallas last weekend, I visited IKEA to purchase another one and brought it back on the plane!

March 8 - Day 67 of 365

2010-03-08T20:52:00.000-06:00

Harrison had a den meeting at a leader's home. A local paramedic visited with an ambulance. The boys really enjoyed learning about safety.

March 7 - Day 66 of 365

2010-03-07T20:49:00.005-06:00

Rachel & Jeanne - two of my best buddies from Dallas. I ate way too much yummy southern food & had way too much fun this weekend. This has to be my best Christmas present ever!

March 6 - Day 65 of 365

2010-03-06T20:48:00.000-06:00

When I was in Dallas, I visited the LEGO store for my boys. They would *love* this place.
I spent a lot of time this weekend with old friends. It was wonderful to reconnect with people that I care so much about.

March 5 - Day 64 of 365

2010-03-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

One word: DALLAS!!!

March 4 - Day 63 of 365

2010-03-04T20:36:00.000-06:00

This evening, Truman had a den meeting. One of the dads was telling the boys about the globe, so they could earn their geography belt loops. He was pointing out the continents, oceans, hemispheres, etc. He asked the boys what the blue line around the middle is. Truman piped up:

"That's the line of scrimmage!"

That's my football-lovin' boy! :)

March 3 - Day 62 of 365

2010-03-03T20:35:00.001-06:00

The boys decided to wear costumes to our Family class this evening. Yesterday was Dr. Seuss' birthday, so I guess they were in a costume mode.

March 2 - Day 61 of 365

2010-03-02T21:12:00.001-06:00

I forgot to take a picture today... so in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, I'll post a pic of me in a Dr. Seuss costume from last Halloween.

March 1 - Day 60 of 365

2010-03-01T20:34:00.004-06:00

It seemed funny to get all $1 bills from the bank for the boys' allowances!

Feb 28 - Day 59 of 365

2010-02-28T20:31:00.001-06:00

(click to enlarge)

We had a little Fear Factor competition while eating at the Asian Super Buffet for lunch today. Baby octopus was the delicacy and Harrison won the Bravery Award! He ate two tentacles for a prize of 1 extra dessert! Franklin (pictured) chose not to use his fork again after this pic was taken!

Feb 27 - Day 58 of 365

2010-02-27T22:16:00.000-06:00

My in-laws came to visit today. Within 5 minutes of their arrival, this was the scene. Max is not allowed on the furniture, but Poppy was in grandpa-must-spoil-the-kids-and-granddog mode, so I allowed it! *just this once*

Feb 26 - Day 57 of 365

2010-02-26T22:12:00.010-06:00

Today, I (and Tommie & the boys) spent the day cleaning and preparing for my in-laws to visit.
My house is never cleaner than when company is on its way. I love my Dyson vacuum cleaner. (and not just because it's purple...)

Feb 25 - Day 56 of 365

2010-02-25T12:57:00.000-06:00

It's the simple things in life that make me happy. I *adore* my blue flower pens. I have handcrafted many flower pens, but the blue ones have become my "trademark" writing utensil.

Feb 24 - Day 55 of 365

2010-02-24T22:10:00.000-06:00

We had some warmer weather this week. Slightly warmer. All of the snow has melted from my yard. I'm SO READY for spring. *SO* ready. The only remaining snow is in dirty mountains in parking lots... eeew! Please spring, come soon!

Feb 23 - Day 54 of 365

2010-02-23T22:07:00.000-06:00

I AM SOMEBODY! ha, ha I guess I'm in a movie quote mood this week. Today, I recieved my official membership card. The card that allows me to purchase cheese balls in mass quantity. I love Sam's Club and I'm a proud new member!

Feb 22 - Day 53 of 365

2010-02-22T08:30:00.001-06:00

I have a love for VW bugs. I have always wanted one (even before they came out with the New Beetle). For my 16th birthday, my parents' friends gave me a "VW Starter Kit" which was a hubcap on a ribbon. That hubcap proudly resided in my room for many, many years. If it matched my decor, it would probably still be there! ha, ha I have a small collection of VW bug models. They are displayed on a book shelf in our "library".

One day, she will be mine!

Feb 21 - Day 52 of 365

2010-02-21T18:38:00.003-06:00

We had a gorgeous day today, after many weeks of very cold, snowy winter weather. The high was somewhere around 50 degrees, so all of the neighbor boys were outside playing. They spent quite a bit of time in the fort, playing Nerf wars and jumping on the trampoline. We know it won't last... so we enjoyed it today while we had it!!

Feb 20 - Day 51 of 365

2010-02-20T20:23:00.002-06:00

For the past week, we've spent a lot of time doing this. Cuddling up on the couch, watching the Olympics.

We *love* the Olympics!

Feb 19 - Day 50 of 365

2010-02-19T22:16:00.001-06:00

Our Cub Scout Pack held its annual Blue & Gold Banquet this evening. The Blue & Gold is when 2nd year Webelos Scouts (5th graders) cross over to Boy Scouts. It is held in February, because each February marks the anniversary of Scouting. 2010 marks the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts! Each of the dens do a skit or song, the visiting Boy Scout Troops do skits & songs and there are ceremonies for Super Webelos and Crossing Over. It's the most formal occasion of the year for the scouts and a lot of fun. This year marked the official start to my new "job" in scouting - Committee Chair. Wish me luck!

Feb 18 - Day 49 of 365

2010-02-18T18:50:00.000-06:00

This Kleenex box represents how miserable my day was. Two days ago, I felt like my muscles were kinda sore (for no reason), but didn't put two and two together. Yesterday, I felt it coming on... slowly throughout the day. By mid-afternoon, my nose was dripping and by evening a headache had started. Today, I had to work early in the morning, but my boss came in early to allow me to go home. I spent a lot of time sleeping and popping Zycam. I went through what seemed like 300 Kleenexes! Not a fun day.

Feb 17 - Day 48 of 365

2010-02-17T18:05:00.001-06:00

The boys were a little OVERDUE for haircuts!!

We remedied that this afternoon.

Feb 16 - Day 47 of 365

2010-02-16T18:02:00.001-06:00

Snow Day: Day 2 = Monopoly: Day 2!
Layne came back over this morning and we finished our game (which ended up being about 7 hours total!). In the end, Layne and I battled it out for the championship... and I won. Not bragging... just stating the facts! ;)

Feb 15 - Day 46 of 365

2010-02-15T13:28:00.001-06:00

My neighbor, Layne, came over with her dog (Walker) and her baby girl to play Monopoly on this Snow Day! We all have cabin fever and are tired of the snow, so we thought a board game would help pass the time! Max and Walker ran around in circles for hours while Layne & I slowly choked out the competition. By the end of the afternoon, we were down to three players - Franklin, Layne and I. After 4 hours, we packed it all up and will finish our game tomorrow.

Feb 14 - Day 45 of 365

2010-02-14T21:54:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Feb 13 - Day 44 of 365

2010-02-13T21:43:00.001-06:00

Tommie & I went on a hot date for Valentine's Day! We dropped the kids off at the YMCA for Parent's Night Out (with my staff discount, this was cheaper than hiring a sitter to come to our house!). They got to eat pizza, play in the gym, bounce house, video games, board games and have a wonderful time. We went to see "Book of Eli" at the theater, then shared an appetizer at Applebee's (we ate too much popcorn!) before picking the kids up again. It was so nice to have time to spend together. We've been together for 13 1/2 years and married 12 and I still enjoy time spent with Tommie! :) The waitress took this pic of us and the screen on my camera is broken, so we didn't know it was blurry until we got home! Oh well..

Feb 12 - Day 43 of 365

2010-02-12T16:35:00.000-06:00

I was a room mom for Harrison's Valentine's Day class party. We played games, made Gum Guy Cupids and ate brownie sundaes. The kids all had a great time and were high on sugar just in time to go home! lol

Feb 11 - Day 42 of 365

2010-02-11T21:06:00.000-06:00

There's a group of moms that I get together with almost every Thursday. It's not always the same moms, but a general word-of-mouth whomever can make it type of playgroup. Thankfully, I'm allowed to come, because I've got the boy I babysit with me! :) I do miss the days of preschoolers and playgroups!! We call our informal group "Fun Thursday". Here are some of the moms...

Feb 10 - Day 41 of 365

2010-02-10T21:15:00.001-06:00

Harrison has been coughing a lot and complaining of a headache. He has struggled some with asthma, so I wanted to have his breathing checked by the doctor. Yesterday, the boys were all home for a snow day, but the roads weren't bad... so I took him to the doctor. She tested him for strep throat (even though he had no fever and wasn't complaining of a sore throat) and guess what? The quick test was positive. Not. what. I. expected.

So... for 2010, our medical insurance prices went way up... especially prescription prices. We do not often have prescriptions and have no daily meds in our family. Our prescription insurance was going up to almost $19 per WEEK! (from $5). Yikes! Our medical insurance went up by about $9 per week also. We felt that we could easily pay out of pocket and save money. However, our insurance requires you to have prescription insurance with your medical. So, we took the cheapest one that ONLY covers mail order (completely worthless to us)... but cheap!

When Harrison was a baby, he had hives after taking amoxicillin and has been labeled with a penicillin allergy ever since. So, his antibiotics are the expensive kind. Really expensive. At Wal-Mart, his antibiotic was going to cost me $140 - YIKES! All of the penicillin based antibiotics are $4. Yep. FOUR dollars. So, the mean momma that I am... I called the doctor to see if we could try penicillin again. Because I'm cheap. So, we got him some amoxicillin with the promise that I would closely watch him and have benadryl on hand in case of an allergic reaction and be ready to run out to buy the $140 medicine if needed. We started the amox this morning. And...

drum roll please...

he is fine! Thank you, Jesus, that we are not stuck paying for expensive medication for the rest of his ever-loving life!!

Feb 9 - Day 40 of 365

2010-02-09T20:16:00.000-06:00

This is how I spend my early mornings at the Y... folding towels! :) (among other things...) This morning, we had a lot of snow (schools were canceled), so I had plenty of time to catch up on towels. There are stacks behind each of those stacks. Do I mind that folding laundry is part of my job a the Y? Nope! Not at all. At least I get *paid* to do it at the Y... at home I do it for free! ha, ha

Feb 8 - Day 39 of 365

2010-02-08T19:14:00.000-06:00

This morning, there was the most amazing pink streak/cloud in the sky as the sun was rising. It was very difficult to get a photo of it through the sliding door (it was too darn cold to go outside!), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try. I'm always amazed by the sunrise... I find it even more beautiful than a sunset because it is refreshing to know that the day has just begun and everything is new.

...this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

Feb 7 - Day 38 of 365

2010-02-07T21:59:00.000-06:00

SUPERBOWL!!

Colts vs. Saints

Now that we live in Indiana, it was pretty much expected that we cheer for the Colts... since the Cowboys were not in the Superbowl, we did cheer for the Colts. Unfortunately, the Saints pulled off the victory. There are a lot of sad Hoosiers today. In our house, we love football - especially the Superbowl - and we love watching all of the new commercials and we love to eat yummy snacks... so we had a great family evening together!

Feb 6 - Day 37 of 365

2010-02-06T21:59:00.000-06:00

Family Game Night: Kid Cranium - Spongebob Edition! :)

Feb 5 - Day 36 of 365

2010-02-05T23:09:00.002-06:00

We went to professional hockey game (very low-level professionals!) with Truman's den. The game started over an hour late, because the "Blizzards" were caught in a snowstorm trying to get to the rink... Ironic, huh? We had several families who had never been to a hockey game and everyone had fun.

Feb 4 - Day 35 of 365

2010-02-04T23:08:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAX!!
Today was Max's 2nd birthday. On this day that we celebrated him, we also were missing his twin sister Lucky. We didn't have any big parties or anything, but he did get a lot of attention and a new bone!

Feb 3 - Day 34 of 365

2010-02-03T17:04:00.000-06:00

My canvas arrived!! Canvas People is offering one free 8x10 canvas to every household (you pay only shipping). Thanks for the tip, Randi!

This is my beautiful grandma with my beautiful mom!

Feb 2 - Day 33 of 365

2010-02-02T16:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Groundhog Day!

Harrison & Truman went to the dentist for their 6 month cleanings.

Feb 1 - Day 32 of 365

2010-02-01T14:17:00.000-06:00

[Now that January is over, the day tally is going to be a lot harder to keep track of! :)]

I got my "baby fix" this morning by babysitting my neighbor's little girl.

She'll be 8 weeks old tomorrow... SO CUTE!!

Jan 31 - Day 31 of 365

2010-01-31T14:05:00.001-06:00

Cherry Coke Zero... my drink of choice!

Jan 30 - Day 30 of 365

2010-01-30T14:03:00.000-06:00

SNOW DAY!!!

Jan 29 - Day 29 of 365

2010-01-29T22:56:00.000-06:00

My 2nd attempt at making cake balls... Truman helped me out! YUM!! We made calzones for dinner, ate cake balls for dessert and played Kid Cranium for a fun family night!

Jan 28 - Day 28 of 365

2010-01-28T19:56:00.001-06:00

Franklin began learning how to play the recorder at school this week. Today, he performed his very first song for us. He is picking up recorder skills quickly.

Jan 27 - Day 27 of 365

2010-01-27T22:38:00.001-06:00

We have a very small front living room. It hosts the computer desk, a couple of bookshelves and two overstuffed chairs. I like to refer to it as the library, since it's the perfect place to cozy up and read a book.

Some of you may not know, but we have always been rabbit ear people. Antenna. You know... the absence of cable, dish or satellite TV. I know. Some people these days *still* do not have modern TV. We have paid for cable about 3 months of our entire marriage (12 years). One or two apartments that we lived in offered free cable, so we did have it for a couple of years. Cable is just one of those monthly bills that we can do without. Sure, I miss TLC and HGTV and all of the awesome kid channels. However, most of the time, we really don't miss it. In this day & age, we've been able to watch quite a few shows for free on the internet or by checking TV series out from the library. We are typically a season behind, but we can watch our TV almost commercial free. But, I digress...

For Christmas, Tommie received new speakers for his computer with the intent to drastically improve the sound quality when we watch TV or movies on his computer. Tonight began the next season of LOST on "real" TV. We started watching LOST last summer on DVD and are hooked. We are one season behind, so we sat down this evening in our cozy library with our new surround sound speakers to watch the beginning of our new season on our (15 inch) "TV".

Jan 26 - Day 26 of 365

2010-01-26T14:24:00.000-06:00

Max missed us while we were gone this weekend. He enjoyed spending the weekend with his pal, Walker. However, he's thrilled to be back home... getting spoiled by everyone in the family... including Ashton (the boy I babysit!). Who doesn't love a good tummy rub?

Where have I been?

2010-01-26T13:45:00.001-06:00

*note: all new 365 posts have been backdated*

I have fallen a bit behind on my 365 posts. Last Tuesday evening, we received the news that Tommie's grandpa passed away. He had been battling bone cancer since late August of last year. He was placed in a nursing home two days before Thanksgiving because he was no longer able to care for himself at home, so we knew the time would be short. At Christmas when we visited him, we knew it would be the last time we would spend time with him. Even when we know that time is short and that death is imminent, it still takes us by surprise. You know the day is coming when you will get a phone call, but the call itself is still like a punch to the gut. No matter how prepared you are, it still hurts.

(Thanksgiving 2009)

Last weekend, I was scheduled to go to Dallas for a fun weekend visit. On Wednesday, I spent the whole day canceling those plans and making new plans to travel to Illinois for the funeral instead. We are grateful that we live close enough that attending the funeral was an option. We spent the next several days preparing to travel and working out the details. Our plan was to travel on Saturday morning (the funeral was Sunday) and return home on Monday. Somehow, we had a miscommunication with Tommie's parents and they thought we were coming on Friday. So, on Friday afternoon at 3:40, we made the decision to travel that night. Tommie came home from work right away and we packed up in a flurry and left town by 6 p.m. We arrived at his parents' house at 12:30 a.m. on Saturday. Saturday, we spent the day with Tommie's parents and his brother's family.

Sunday, we had brunch with Tommie's parents and headed out of town (1 hour drive) for the services. A visitation was held from 1-3, with a graveside service at 3. Grandpa Barker chose to be cremated, so the visitation was truly that - a chance to visit with long-lost friends and family that we'd never met. I "borrowed" my father-in-law's *beautiful* camera (Nikon D90) and took almost 200 photos that day. After the graveside service, we all had a meal together at the Senior Center (where we usually have our family gatherings).

I know that Grandpa Barker will always hold a special place in our hearts and that he will be greatly missed. He was the last surviving grandpa for both Tommie & I. Since I've been in the family for 13 years and lived much closer to Grandpa Barker than I ever did to my own grandfathers, he was truly like a grandpa to me too. I truly hope that my boys will remember spending time with him too.

(Labor Day 2008)

Tommie has always talked about going golfing with his grandpa. One of my favorite memories is when we had a family gathering at his house and we were playing spoons. I'm pretty sure something got broken that day, but Grandpa took it all in stride. He never said a whole lot at gatherings (probably couldn't get a word in edgewise), but I know he was so proud of his grandson.

(Christmas 2007)

We'll miss you, Grandpa!

Jan 25 - Day 25 of 365

2010-01-25T21:15:00.000-06:00

On our way home from IL, we stopped at a Maid-Rite to eat lunch. I've eaten maid rite sandwiches, but never eaten at a Maid Rite diner. They had old fashioned booths and decor, along with oldies music playing.

Jan 24 - Day 24 of 365

2010-01-24T20:08:00.000-06:00

Today was the funeral for Tommie's grandpa Barker. It seems that family photos only get taken at weddings and funerals. I couldn't just pick one photo for today, so I've included several family shots...

Grandma Barker (center) and her kids [L to R]:

Marla (2nd oldest), Karen (3rd oldest), Alan (youngest) and Linda (oldest - my mother-in-law)

[L to R] Jo & Rick (Tommie's brother & sis-in-law), Linda & Lyle (my in-laws), me & Tommie

Our family...

Jan 23 - Day 23 of 365

2010-01-23T14:02:00.000-06:00

We spent all of Saturday at Tommie's parents' house. They have always had cats, but usually we don't see the cats, because they spend the whole time hiding from us. In August, they got a new kitten named Dusty. Dusty is the friendliest, sweetest cat. The boys had so much fun playing with her - her favorite toys are tiny stuffed mice and a string.

Jan 22 - Day 22 of 365

2010-01-22T19:02:00.000-06:00

This number. This glorious number is the *time* that I woke up this morning. I set my alarm clock for 3:37 AM. On purpose. Wow. I started my first early morning shift at the front desk at the Y Tuesday morning. (I'll be working it two days per week.) I worked it this morning just for training purposes (3 days this week). My shift is from 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. What is wonderful about that is that Tommie can get the boys onto the bus and no childcare is required. What is also wonderful is that I'm done working for the day by the time some people get out of bed and I've still got the rest of the day to get things done (like babysit... and nap). What is not wonderful about this shift is this:

Jan 21 - Day 21 of 365

2010-01-21T22:52:00.000-06:00

Thursday, Truman's Cub Scout den (of which I am the leader) took a tour of a local TV station. It was very interesting to go behind the scenes. We were featured on the weather segment and the meteorologist even "interviewed" us on the air! The boys were very interested and well-behaved.

Jan 20 - Day 20 of 365

2010-01-20T13:47:00.001-06:00

Sadly, I have no photo from Wednesday. The whole day was spent canceling and rescheduling travel plans (see this post).

Jan 19 - Day 19 of 365

2010-01-19T22:56:00.001-06:00

This evening, our Cub Scout Pack held the annual Cake Bake. The boys bake & decorate cakes, which are then auctioned off to raise money for the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center. This year, we raised over $2,800!