December highlights:
Dec. 1: Officially am back home with 150 boxes containing everything we own that fits in a box. Begin unpacking process. :-\
Dec. 17: Complete project at work that has been 18 months in the process.
Dec. 18: Day 1 of a 17 day stretch of vacation...I mean unpacking. I mean Christmas shopping and wrapping and cooking. :-/
Dec. 24: Eldest 3 children arrive! House is full again! Move those unpacked boxes out of the way!
Dec. 25: Celebrate very important birthday with family. Oh, yeah - celebrate my birthday as well. :-)
Dec. 26: Celebrate wonderful husband's birthday with family!!
Dec. 29: 4th born child passes drivers license road test! :-X
Dec. 30: Drive eldest 3 children to Madison so they can visit with friends and prep for the coming semester.
Dec. 31: Celebrate a quiet, peaceful New Year at home. Asleep by 9 PM.
Jan. 2: All children return; full house again!
Jan. 4: Back to life...deliver 1 to school, 1 + friend to airport, one to bus depot bound for Madison, 1 to coffee shop for afternoon.
I'm lovin' it!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Friday, November 26, 2010
HOME AGAIN!
FINALLY! We are not all the way moved in yet...ok so there is no furniture, no towels or kitchen items, only a few clothing items...but our Christmas tree is up, the cats are back home, and I have been sleeping there for two nights now (on a sleeping bag on the floor). Don't care. It feels like home and I LIKE IT.
Everything is freshly cleaned and painted, new carpet is installed, and the bathrooms are ALMOST done. I have almost everything I need. All that's left is for Jim, Beth, Woody and Bunny to come home, and for us to introduce our new kitten to her new home! Ok, and then unpack 100 or so boxes of stuff that is right now located in a POD on our driveway. We'll get there.
This did make for a most wonderful Thanksgiving! Beth made a vegetarian dinner - green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberries and home made pecan pie! Yes, Jim and I did ruin the vegetarian theme by putting turkey gravy on the mashed potatoes :-) A good time was had by all, and it was nice to spend a peaceful and thankful day together.
And today, we met Molly, Jamie and Molly's 'friend' Brandon for lunch at Trucadero's in Milwaukee. Haven't seen Molly since vacation in August, haven't seen Jamie since her birthday in September, and have never seen Brandon before. So that was like icing on the cake, and just made the whole week more memorable.
Now I know why it's called "Thanksgiving!"
Everything is freshly cleaned and painted, new carpet is installed, and the bathrooms are ALMOST done. I have almost everything I need. All that's left is for Jim, Beth, Woody and Bunny to come home, and for us to introduce our new kitten to her new home! Ok, and then unpack 100 or so boxes of stuff that is right now located in a POD on our driveway. We'll get there.
This did make for a most wonderful Thanksgiving! Beth made a vegetarian dinner - green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberries and home made pecan pie! Yes, Jim and I did ruin the vegetarian theme by putting turkey gravy on the mashed potatoes :-) A good time was had by all, and it was nice to spend a peaceful and thankful day together.
And today, we met Molly, Jamie and Molly's 'friend' Brandon for lunch at Trucadero's in Milwaukee. Haven't seen Molly since vacation in August, haven't seen Jamie since her birthday in September, and have never seen Brandon before. So that was like icing on the cake, and just made the whole week more memorable.
Now I know why it's called "Thanksgiving!"
Saturday, November 6, 2010
On Limping to the Finish Line
Almost there! ALMOST THERE!
In a few weeks we should be moving back into our home! It has taken twice as long as originally thought. That's how things go sometimes...the best laid plans, as they say. We are all excited and cannot wait to get back to our home. I can feel the adrenaline as I start to plan for what tasks and activities need to take place to accomplish this task. I feel as though part of my life has been "on hold" since we had to move out.
I'm grateful, however, SO GRATEFUL, that we had a beautiful home in Grafton to live in while our Cedarburg home was repaired. It has been nice to live here, but there is no place like home.
There is an enormous amount of work ahead of us. We literally have to go through every single item we own and determine what to do with it. Put everything away. Arrange furniture. Hang artwork.
I can't wait! Mostly, it feels great to see that finish line just ahead.
In a few weeks we should be moving back into our home! It has taken twice as long as originally thought. That's how things go sometimes...the best laid plans, as they say. We are all excited and cannot wait to get back to our home. I can feel the adrenaline as I start to plan for what tasks and activities need to take place to accomplish this task. I feel as though part of my life has been "on hold" since we had to move out.
I'm grateful, however, SO GRATEFUL, that we had a beautiful home in Grafton to live in while our Cedarburg home was repaired. It has been nice to live here, but there is no place like home.
There is an enormous amount of work ahead of us. We literally have to go through every single item we own and determine what to do with it. Put everything away. Arrange furniture. Hang artwork.
I can't wait! Mostly, it feels great to see that finish line just ahead.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
10/10/10
Since numbers are my life, is it any wonder I make special note of a date like this?
Hope you have a memorable 10/10/10.
Hope you have a memorable 10/10/10.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Welcome Henry Steven Conley!!
Very proud to announce and welcome a brand new member of the family - Henry Steven Conley - born to my husband's nephew Matthew and his wonderful wife Jessica on 9/18/10. Big brother Holden will have a new playmate! Great Grandma Barb and Grandpa Steve I know are smiling down from Heaven.
We love you Matt, Jess, Holden and Henry, and cannot wait to smother baby Henry with kisses. Sorry Henry, but Great Grandma Barb would have wanted it that way!
Very proud to announce and welcome a brand new member of the family - Henry Steven Conley - born to my husband's nephew Matthew and his wonderful wife Jessica on 9/18/10. Big brother Holden will have a new playmate! Great Grandma Barb and Grandpa Steve I know are smiling down from Heaven.
We love you Matt, Jess, Holden and Henry, and cannot wait to smother baby Henry with kisses. Sorry Henry, but Great Grandma Barb would have wanted it that way!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Working through it
There are times in my life, I have discovered through experience, when things are unpleasant. Can be due to a miriad of factors, some more serious than others: health, financial, social, emotional, family, spiritual - the list may be endless. I also know from experience that how I deal with or react to these times is part of what not only reflects, but actually makes up the fabric of my character.
And despite the fact that I know all that, there are times when I'm weary and don't want to deal with the unpleasantness. I just simply want it to go away. I want to pull the covers up over my head and ignore what is going on around me. I want the world - my world - to be back in balance. I don't want to have to work through it, figure it out, or whatever.
*sigh*
Then, I realize that there is no easy way through these times. I have to work through it. But when I do, I come out on the other side a little bit smarter and a little bit more experienced. And in all likelihood, the fabric of my character is woven just a bit stronger.
Just wanted to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.
And despite the fact that I know all that, there are times when I'm weary and don't want to deal with the unpleasantness. I just simply want it to go away. I want to pull the covers up over my head and ignore what is going on around me. I want the world - my world - to be back in balance. I don't want to have to work through it, figure it out, or whatever.
*sigh*
Then, I realize that there is no easy way through these times. I have to work through it. But when I do, I come out on the other side a little bit smarter and a little bit more experienced. And in all likelihood, the fabric of my character is woven just a bit stronger.
Just wanted to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How Sweet It Is!
I am so excited! I have TWO wonderful things to blog about this month! And each of them is very important to me, although in very different ways.
First I want to talk about being in love. Later this month, my husband and I are celebrating 18 years of marriage. There is SO much I could say here about this, but I will keep it to the basics...He has taught me SO much about what love and partnership really are, and I cannot express how grateful I am to have him in my life. For anyone reading this, my wish for you is that you too may be blessed to share your life and your love with a soul mate. It feels like it is truly one of God's greatest gifts to us mere mortals. I love you, JR.
The second thing is on renewing old friendships. Thanks to the Internet (thank you Al Gore :-) ), I was strolling around cyberspace and 'bumped into' a very dear friend who I had not had contact with for ... *ahem* ... let's just say many years.
I can't even explain what it was like. Like finding your absolutely lifelong favorite book. I felt instantly warm inside and was overcome with memories that just floated over me. If I were a psychologist, I would have analyzed what brain chemicals were being released at that very moment so I could replicate it and make a fortune. But I'm an Accountant, so I just luxuriated in the moment (Accountants are prone to do this). I am looking forward to reconnecting and catching up, AND building new memories. I love you too, DC.
So, I am very excited in how September is shaping up. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STILL A LONG WAY FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE BACK INTO OUR HOME BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DAMAGE! Nope. I am not going to let those feelings interfere with my euphoria. Wish I had been a psychologist.
First I want to talk about being in love. Later this month, my husband and I are celebrating 18 years of marriage. There is SO much I could say here about this, but I will keep it to the basics...He has taught me SO much about what love and partnership really are, and I cannot express how grateful I am to have him in my life. For anyone reading this, my wish for you is that you too may be blessed to share your life and your love with a soul mate. It feels like it is truly one of God's greatest gifts to us mere mortals. I love you, JR.
The second thing is on renewing old friendships. Thanks to the Internet (thank you Al Gore :-) ), I was strolling around cyberspace and 'bumped into' a very dear friend who I had not had contact with for ... *ahem* ... let's just say many years.
I can't even explain what it was like. Like finding your absolutely lifelong favorite book. I felt instantly warm inside and was overcome with memories that just floated over me. If I were a psychologist, I would have analyzed what brain chemicals were being released at that very moment so I could replicate it and make a fortune. But I'm an Accountant, so I just luxuriated in the moment (Accountants are prone to do this). I am looking forward to reconnecting and catching up, AND building new memories. I love you too, DC.
So, I am very excited in how September is shaping up. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STILL A LONG WAY FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE BACK INTO OUR HOME BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DAMAGE! Nope. I am not going to let those feelings interfere with my euphoria. Wish I had been a psychologist.
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