Happy February

No -- this isn't the blog re-do I was talking about. It's just some temporary happiness.

I love when February rolls around and I can enjoy colors I'm not normally around. So, Happy Love Month. I'm gettin' my pink on!

Friday

Hello Friday.

I'm doing some quick picking up around the house ... then I gotta skeedaddle the second Kyle gets on the bus. I have to go to work early for four hours of management/leadership training. Four. Hours.

This is part two. We did part one a month or two ago. Also four hours. The guy who does the training is pretty good. But does it stick?

Anyhooooo....it's Friday and I told have to get up super early for a Jack basketball game, because he's going to a day long baseball camp. Yeah! It totally messes with me to have to get up early on a Saturday. We still have afternoon basketball ... but that's much easier to endure.

And Ryan and I have a date night planned! Yeeeeeee! I think he wants to see Slumdog Millionaire ... I'd be happy to see ANYTHING.

We're planning to go all out for the Super Bowl. I love watching football. I can watch ANY teams. And it will be fun to put together a big counter full of food and just graze all afternoon while watching the game.

Good weekend ahead!

Birthdays & Beyond

Crazy birthday season is now wrapping up. Nick kicks it off with a pre-Christmas birthday on the 22nd of December ... then there's Christmas ... then Kyle on Jan 10 and Jack on Jan 17 and my dad in the middle there on Jan 12 .... and Ryan's birthday was yesterday. Whoo!

I got Ryan a Garmin GPS thingy for the car. He got lost on our first date. He's a bit directionally challenged ... so it's a perfect gift, and fun. Now he has "another woman" telling him what to do all the time. (The voice in the GPS - come on, follow me here.)

Ryan and I are still going to go on a birthday date this weekend, and it's been a LONG time since we've had a date night. It will be a nice relaxing getaway.

So ... I'm going back and forth on whether to start a big house project ... or agree to MOVE. Which is less costly? Or makes more sense. Yes, the house we're in now seems to be shrinking around us .. but I think I can make it work for a little while longer. But I need some change.
I really want to paint our living room ... but can't do it myself because of the gigantic vaulted ceilings. I also want to put new cabinets and appliances in the kitchen .. and I want to paint our bathroom and put in a new sink/vanity. How's that for big projects?

I think it's the 2 year itch. Back when I was chasing dreams and bopping from TV station to TV station climbing ladders .. we'd move just about every two years. And once we stopped moving, I'd still get the "2 year itch." I can usually satisfy it with some "change"....new furniture ... some paint .. something fresh and new. But the change I need now is bigger. And much more expensive!

I'd love to launch into these projects and have them done before summer - because nothin' keeps me inside in the summer! I move my projects outside. (Oh yes, we WILL be extending our deck this spring!!!)

So:
--Paint living room w/high walls
--Redo kitchen cabinets appliances
--Redo Master Bath
--Extend deck

Or move?

Ok - another variable. Attachment to the house. I totally understand the concept of "sweat equity" now. Plus - this is our first home .. and it was a long time coming and a really big deal when we finally got it. So, yeah, it's got some great sentimental value. And Ryan and Co. built the fence in the back .. and the jungle gym stuff ... (I INSIST it comes with us when it moves because "daddy" built it, Ryan rolls his eyes.) Anyway, you get the idea. It's not something I can "save" and stick in a scrapbook. So, there's more to moving than just the fear the darn house won't sell.

How's that for a random blog? Well, I'm back and will try to blog more often. Oh - -and as part of all that change I'm "itchin' " for ... I'm totally gonna overhaul this blog .. it needs a new look.

Aaaahh....creative projects!

All RIGHT Already

Maricar's been pestering me to blog.  It's not enough that I wrote a big ol' long thing in my Facebook .... nooooo .... I have to blog too.  

Let's see .. things I love right now:  

1.  Guitar Hero.  I seriously can NOT stop playing it.  When I first tried it, I tried it on Jack's DS and thought it was stupid.  (read; too hard)  Then we got it on Wii - and it was still hard, but I finally figured it out ... and it really does feel like you are jamming.  The only thing - I feel a LITTLE bad that I'm rockin' out to Beastie Boys and they're yelling something about "in the back skeezin' a whore" and "autograph pictures of classy hoes."  I try hard not to sing along when the boys are around.  

2.  Fires in the fireplace.  The smell, the warmth, the crackle....

3.  Sweat pants. No bra.

4.  Sunday and we AINT. GOIN'. NO WHERE.  My apologies to God, we're missing church A-GAIN...but He knows me ... and knows not being in church doesn't mean we're not connected.  But yes, we'll get in the habit again.  Probably when those 9am Saturday basketball games go away.  

5.  I am seriously loving that Nick is no longer in a car seat with the buckling and annoying stuff.  He's been approved to move up into booster.  Which means, soon, all three will be buckling themselves in.  LOVE THAT.  I hate all the rigamarole with car seats.   I think it's another one of the many signs you are done having children - excited about milestones like this.  I also love that he's now in a clean seat.  Give that a week.

6.  I love that February is almost here ... and spring will be just around the corner.  Whoot Whoot!

7.  I love that all my scrapbook stuff is now organized and in one place .. now I just need to GET. TO. IT.  Maybe today.   Hell, I might already be on track to do it, if I had not stopped to BLOG.

HA.

8.  I'm thankful for friends to nag me to blog.

MIA

Yeah, yeah, I'm not responding to emails ... updating my blog ... I'm boring/rude. Blah blah.

I'll get back on the wagon soon. But not this week.

I plan to revamp this blog once I DO get back in the swing of things. Hang in there.