In a nutshell....

I've got a lot of things I want to get done today, and sitting at the computer is not going to help me get them done!  My last post was Feb 14 though, so I don't want to fall into a non-blogging rut again!  So, just a quick one....This is what's been going on....in a nutshell....

...had to take Tommy dog to the vet this week.  She has a heart murmur and slight congestive heart failure.  With some treatments and meds for the rest of her life, she should be fine. 
---  Went to an auction and got some free window frames...
***  I've been eating too much candy...
===  Been exercising to Just Dance Kids on the Wii (not enough)...
+++  Got a new stove and microwave, thanks to our friends from up North...
$$$  Made a little extra money taking some pictures at work for their website...
!!!  Did some research on some adoption agencies...
&&&  Found the one that was NOT for us, still looking for the one that IS...
(((  Bill painted his new (old) boat and it looks 1,000 times better!
)))  Enjoyed the awesome weather we had a couple weeks ago, ready for spring!!!
@@@  Found a new craft for Grace and I to try making...
***  Working on turning my skin into the color of a tanned Goddess.  Hey, if the skin fits!!!  Right?!  No?!  Wellllll, hmph.
???  Delivered the pictures of the wedding I did, and the bride loved them.  Whew.
<<<  Called the electric company so we can start some demolition in the next few weeks...
>>>  I'm starting to think 100 sit ups a day doesn't cancel out things like the Snickers peanut butter I just ate (which was so not worth it, by the way)...

~~~There you have it, in a nutshell!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!       

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yeah, yeah, it's just another Hallmark holiday....so what?! My facebook has been flooded with so many people who talk about how they don't need a holiday to tell their s/o that they love them.....blah blah. I know every day of the year how old I am, but I still celebrate my birthday. Every day I appreciate my dad and how much he means to me, but I still celebrate Father's Day for him. Just enjoy today, give someone an extra hug, a kiss, a card. You will make their day, guaranteed! Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Bill is working and won't be home until 730 and he worked all weekend, so we're not doing anything special. I'm still not sure what to fix for supper....I should probably get on that! Whatever you're doing tonight, take an extra minute to let your valentine (whoever it may be) know how special they are to you!

10 reasons I love my Valentine:
1. He puts up with a lot of attitude from me.
2. He's really tall and can do things like change the light bulbs and reach things on high shelves at Wal Mart.
3. He finally shaved his beard/cut his hair.
4. He is an awesome carpenter/builder (TV stand/bookcase).
5. When I am out of soda he will go to Hucks and get me one, even though I say I don't really want one....because he knows I really do.
6. He gives awesome backrubs.
7. He works very hard for our little family.
8. He is a great cook.
9. He loves me unconditionally...of this, I am certain. He tells me every single day, regardless of my attitude mentioned in #1.
10. He shares his little Valentine below with me!

#142!

My wonderful husband has done it again! Another hand crafted piece of furniture, just like I wanted! Below is a picture of the TV/Entertainment stand that Bill has been working on to match the shelves he made last year.....now I just wait for end tables. Hope I'm not waiting another year! But now I understand why this stuff is so expensive a the country store....geesh! I am very thankful to have a husband that is so talented and is willing to make all of this for me.

I took some pictures at a VERY small wedding last weekend and am hoping to edit those over the next few days. I always said I would never do weddings, which I still will not do on my own, but this was an exception. My good friend Kelly asked for a big favor and I'd do just about anything for her! I will post some pics after I get some edited....

Grace has done well on her mid term report from school.....all A's EXCEPT in reading...a B! This kills me since I am a reading fanatic! When I go over the tests that she misses some on, she misses the silliest questions that she should not miss. She says it's because she hates the story because they are boring (which is somewhat understandable, they are pretty stupid sometimes). Bill had a pretty big talk with her about reading and how you will not always like it but you still have to do it. We talked to her about not just reading the story, but putting yourself there and visualizing it. After that talk, she has been reading like a fool! She woke up early this morning and instead of wanting to turn on the tv (which we don't do in the mornings anyway) she laid in bed and read a few chapters in a book! I am so happy, I may not have lost her yet!!

Like I said, here are a couple of pics of the tv stand and one of the bookcase from last year. And no, I was not watching a Nasa program on tv....not that there's anything wrong with that!

Since I'm at 140 posts, I asked my facebook friends for some help with ideas for 10 more posts to get me to 150.  I got one.  Thanks, guys.  BUT, that one had some good ideas.  Though I'm not sure that I will write about all of them, they will give me a start.  One of my good friend Angie's suggestions was "moving to different houses".  I'm not sure exactly what she meant, so we'll just start at the beginning and go from there!

I don't really remember a lot of the early moving days.  My parents divorced when I was 5ish I think and unfortunately we lived with her and visited my dad on the weekends.  We lived in a few different places with her, and finally for a few years lived in the same place in Thompsonville.  I hated living with her and her boyfriend.  Everything about it.  But, that's a different story.  I would cry and cry to go live with my dad.  I can't imagine now how he felt knowing how we lived.  But, when I was somewhere around 12, I finally got to go live with him because I could stay on my own after school until he got home.  What a change.  There weren't a dozen people crammed in a filthy trailer.....it was clean and there was peace and quiet. 

The next year, we moved to West Frankfort.  My dad's business was here, I assume that's the main reason why we moved.  I hated to leave, but was excited about a bigger school and meeting new friends.  Eventually, Amy and Raymond soon followed and moved in with us.  Everything was fine until....he married this money loving rhymes with witch  lady named Lori.  She was ok in the beginning, she had to put on a show I'm sure of it.  She had a little boy that moved in with us and over time, jealousy sat in with me.  I hated it.  Her true colors came out, and to this day I will swear that she told lies about things I had said/done just to get me in trouble.  Yet again, that's a different story, and it's in the past. 

Since I never had a reliable, caring mother my Aunt Patty filled that void as much as she could.  She was who I ran to when I had issues and she was my saving grace.  I moved in with her and my Uncle and cousins when I was a Sr. in high school.  It was like deja vu all over again, leaving my friends just months before graduation, but something had to be done.  So, I moved to Sesser and started a new school all over again. 

I lived with Aunt Patty and Uncle Jerome until I met my future husband and I eventually moved in with him.  We moved a few times and finally bought a house in WF.  We both worked here and my family was here.  I loved the house, but it never felt like home to me.  Ultimately, we divorced and I moved out.  For the first time in my life, I lived a.l.o.n.e.  It was terrible.  Right after a divorce is awkward anyway, because your mutual friends don't know who to talk to so it was very lonely.  I thought I would love it, but I was bored.  All of the time. 

I found love again and moved in with Bill....all the way in Waltonville.  This was more in the sticks that living in Thompsonville!  I finished school at Rend Lake and we bought a house in WF, where we are still today.  I have packed and unpacked more boxes that I care to remember, but it really doesn't seem like that much to me now.  I'm not done, I know we won't stay here forever.  We both want to live in the semi-country and someday we will.  Moving sucks.  Living on my own sucked.  But, somehow it all worked out and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Well, there's 141....what's next?!