Hairdressing DIY style

Window dressing

Playing in the park

So essentially Don started school last Wednesday and as of today he is officially two weeks ahead of schedule in his class. He has been scoring 100% on all his assignments and tests. WOOHOO! We have slowly begun to decorate for Christmas (writing stuff on windows, ha) Hoping to get the other decorations up this weekend but we will see how everyone is feeling. Also on the knee front for Don, he went in for his six week checkup and he isn't anywhere near where he should be as far as healing so the doctor decided to get him into physical therapy.  They don't often do therapy after this kind of surgery but his case hasn't been typical from the very beginning. So next week that begins. The kids are doing well with school and the older two began going to the junior/senior high youth group and have really been enjoying themselves. It also gives Don and I some time with Ty and Brock which has been a lot of fun for all of us. Ty, Cale, and Morgan also decided to participate in the Christmas program this year and were immediately recruited for Mary, Joseph, and a sheperd. There are no speaking parts but they are all nervous but also very excited. I will make sure to charge my flip camera so you guys can see how cute they were. I do think it's weird that brother and sister are playing Mary and Joseph but they are the oldest kids in the program so thats the way it goes. I have been enjoying sewing a lot, seems to be my stress release lately =) I do however think that one can have too many cloth grocery bags and I have well exceeded that amount, oh well we are green here I guess, lol. Signing off for today. Sorry for the spacing between posts but this should hopefully make up for some of that =)

Update

So it's been so patiently brought to my attention that I haven't posted in a week =) With Thanksgiving and all the other things going on around here the blog kind of went to the backburner.  We smoked a turkey on Thanksgiving, did a little Black Friday shopping (socks for the whole family, and fabric for jammie pants) Saturday was a stay home, do nothing but craft and relax kind of day and Sunday we headed out to see the movie "Wreck It Ralph" we loved it, so cute and funny for the kids. Don received his computer and curriculum for his new school so that began today. Unfortunately the computer is taking forever to get it updated and the software is proving challenging to install on it. Hoping to get through to someone at the school soon so we can embark on this new journey. I am on Don's previous computer and haven't figured out how to add pictures thru it so will try and do that from our old desktop in the next day or so.

Morgan's new bed, obviously unmade but she has so much more room now.

Setting up our smoking tent. Making jerky and smoking our turkey later this week.

Isn't he fancy with his rain gear heading up to fix the leaking roof.

Making our very first batch of ginger ale.

A few picture updates

The weekend flew by to say the least. Don and I spent an afternoon in Corvallis doing an old fashioned apple cider press. Sunday we slept in, headaches are a beast some days. Cale and I went fishing, no luck but fun none the less then home to pasteurize our apple cider and relax. This week we are making deer jerky along wih smoking our turkey. Hoping for Don and the boys to get in a little bird hunting also. Can't wait for five full days off this week woohoo!

Cool old bus we saw, converted to biodiesel. Could live in that I think

The weekend flew by to say the least. Don and I spent an afternoon in Corvallis doing an old fashioned apple cider press. Sunday we slept in, headaches are a beast some days. Cale and I went fishing, no luck but fun none the less then home to pasteurize our apple cider and relax. This week we are making deer jerky along wih smoking our turkey. Hoping for Don and the boys to get in a little bird hunting also. Can't wait for five full days off this week woohoo!

Man alive, my camera and I need to communicate a little better. It has forgotten to yell at me thus reminding me to use it, lol. Thursday Don took the big adventure of taking three of the kids to Eugene to do a little shopping. Brock got $50 for his birthday and has been chomping at the bit to spend it. I was so thankful that I didn't have to do it. Brock is so indecisive it's crazy so two hours later Brock finally found what he wanted...TWO HOURS. Ugh, need to put a memo out there to please not send my kids money, let us know what you want us to buy and we'll do it, PLEASE!!! Nothing super mind boggling, went and picked up a loft bed from my friend Greta. Miss her. The bed was finally installed in Morgan's room last night, looks great and I will get some pictures taken to post sometime today. Wow, my life is thrilling isn't it? Oh and we are making deer jerky this week, woohoo!

Had a great appt with Don's orthopedic surgeon yesterday and he doesn't need to see him again for three weeks woohoo. Looks like finally after three drainings and finally a cortizone shot we are on the road to real recovery. I had the chance this weekend to appreciate yet another chore that Don does around here. GUTTERS I had the joy because didn't think climbing a ladder was a very good idea for hubster. I have a picture of Don using our burn barrel yesterday with shorts and boots on that I am using as blackmail so yet another post with more pictures but if he is a turd it will magically show up on here, lol.

Weekend

It was a long and relaxing weekend. We spent a good amount of Saturday burning leaves in our backyard. It was a little tough with wet leaves but still enjoyable. We definetly wished for a larger piece of property in which to do it on but also thankful for what we have now =) Sunday was another burn day and Monday I had a little quilting club in which we made placemats. I learned some interesting techniques, can't say that those mats will ever adorn my table (they pick the fabric) but got to hang out with some fun ladies and learn a ton. Oh and the Value Village half off sale, score!!! Boys are set for nice button up shirts for the winter! I am lame and haven't been taking pictures but I'm updating on here none the less. I am also not missing Facebook as much. I might just continue this for longer as it seems to help me focus more on what is really important like crafting, lol.

Trying to think what I did yesterday...only had daycare kids half the day so just relaxed and enjoyed the rare treat of time for just our family during the day during the week.  Feeling the prayers of others as I still grapple with some recent events. Thank you people =)  Can't even share the crafts or projects I am working on knowing that some read my blog so will share a huge post after Christmas =)

Thursday

So I made the boys camoflauge pants for Halloween. Ty was a sniper and Brock was a hunter. Cale wasn't anything to do with it but you know how it is if you make one for one you have to do it for all. Anyhoo, they have decided they want to wear them out bird hunting which will begin in short order as Don's knee is healing (haha) bird season is long so there's time. Wow I am random this morning. I decided they needed to have something hunter orange on those darn pants so I sewed a pocket on their leg and embroidered a neon orange deer head on it. Those darn boys wore them to church last night and are currently wearing them again today. I am hoping to get them in the laundry before they walk away by themselves.

New day

Here is an new post including some pictures of a little shoot we did this past weekend. The lighting turned out oddly so we are going to try it again but hey it's pictures right? Also, on a side note I am beginning to realize how very impersonal social media is. Can you tell if someone is being sarcastic or mean? Funny or harsh? Do you put the grace into a conversation online to read into it knowing a person as you should and not think hey they are being mean but hey I know this person and maybe they are joking, maybe I should privately ask them instead of taking things personally?

Ty

Cale

Morgan

Brock

I should clarify that the issues that I am having have to do with outside of the house not the people I live with =)
Amazing what a day without facebook, unexpected texts and a little perspective will do for a persons soul. I might actually post some pictures and a positive post tomorrow lol.

Man

If I thought Sunday was bad I had no idea what I walked into yesterday. Woke up feeling alright and made the decision to indefinitely suspend my facebook account to give myself some space and perspective then a text from someone that hurt me deeply. Since this is a public forum I am not going to share the details besides the fact that it seems so easy for others to walk out of my life (dad, friends, etc.) so it leaves me wondering what my worth is. I know after a sleepless night last night that I have worth because I am a child of God but it doesn't make my heart hurt any less. Thanks Mom for "listening" yesterday =). Really and truly praying that my Tuesday is a much better and less crappy day. Hey at least its the last day of political ads and phone calls right?

Worn out

I can pretty much guarantee nobody reads my blog anymore so I am going to journal for myself today. I am worn out, stressed out, strung out, lonely, down, frustrated, over so very over this stress. I have no idea how to handle it, no one to turn to, feeling alone and like no one gives a damn. THE END

Needless to say with much stress, a sprained ankle and a possible torn something in his knee (hubby that is) my blogging and picture taking priority has gone by the wayside. So here are a few updates in pictures and I will try hahahahaha attempt to keep this blog updated from now on.

Waiting in the emergency room

Brock and the water "canon"

Gotta love that flower pen

Blueberry Meadows

Yes Brock found many "jackpots:"

Photographic proof that Ty actually picked this year, lol

Thursday

Rearranged the toy area today, and am very happy with the additional room for all the kiddos to play in. Don is out working on his latest project. We now have 1970 and 1973 Volkwagon Beetles that are in the midst of being rejuvenated, they need motor, and body work but we are so excited for the project, it's a whole family thing as hopefully the kids will be able to drive them someday.

Kiddos playing the the newly rearranged play area

Don working on one of the motors for our bugs

The 1970 Bug

The 1973

Picture failure

I went all day Wednesday not taking a single picture, I did however get the walls in the house washed which I am embarassed to admit I haven't done it several, several years. I woke up this morning to slightly spaghettish arms but so happy to see those gleaming, walls. Yep that's about the extent of excitement for our day. I know the crazy interesting life I live is so glamorous isn't it?

Tuesday Swim Day

We went to the river because the indoor pool didn't have open swim. I posted a video Mom so you could see Ty swimming, so much different from when you were here for Cale's birthday, huh?