Rearranging the furniture.....

We rearranged our living room this week. Not my favorite activity but it had to be done. The old arrangement was NOT working.

We have a small living room and it is set up in a very challenging way. It has 4 doorways, 2 walls of picture windows, 1 wall of built in bookcases and a wall of woodstove . It makes for LOTS and LOTS of thought on what to put where. We had a pretty good handle on it before. Nice "flow", looked good, fairly symmetrical and room to move around. Then we got the THE PIANO.

Now, the piano is a fabulous thing but we really have no room for it. So when we first got it we put it in front of the window where the couch had been. That so did not work. No flow, no room to move around, felt very cramped and since the couch was in front of the bookshelves, you couldn't get to anything. And everyone kept stubbing their toes on the bricks around the woodstove. Something had to change. So we bit the bullet and moved everything.

The one thing we knew was that we wanted the couch back where it was. We did that first. Then we shoved everything else around until it "stuck". We (and by we I mean he) moved the piano twice . It is one heavy piano. We moved it under the other window which meant we had to move the TV, all my houseplants and the homeschool supplies. The homeschool supply bureau went in the corner by the door which is where the gun cabinet was. That went into our bedroom. My husband says he feels better having his guns closer anyway . All the plants went on the bureau. The TV went on the small plant table in front of the book shelves. The chairs got shoved in the available spaces.

It is soooo much better. Good flow, nice symmetry, room to move around. And nobody has stubbed a single toe since we did it. The one thing I really don't like is where the TV is. The room would be so much nicer without it. I wish we had the guts to get rid of it altogether. We don't have actual 'television' we just watch videos and DVDs but it would be so nice not have it at all. But, alas, we are just not quite 'there' yet. I'm not sure if we ever will be.

In the mean time though, our living room is much more livable.

Blessings.

Getaways & Girly Stuff

Prepare to be a jealous.

As I recently admitted, I am 4 months pregnant. I am also 40. And despite my best intentions & efforts, I have already gained 18 lbs.

So I have been feeling old, fat & frumpy. And my clothes have not been helping. In fact, they have been making it worse. Some actual attractive maternity clothes were in order. But there is literally only 1 store within a 100 miles that carries maternity clothes. And they carry maybe 4 different outfits at best. Time for a road trip. My fabulous husband, knowing I have been feeling less than stellar, decided to make a weekend out of it. He decided we would go to "the city" and stay in a nice hotel and I could get my hair "fluffed", my nails done and go shopping. Wow. What makes this especially special is I don't normally do any of those things. I might get my hair cut twice a year (b-day & anniversary) I haven't had a manicure since the 90's, I have never had a pedicure and I rarely shop for anything other than groceries. So this was a really big deal.

We parcelled out the older children to family & just had the Little Man with us. We went to an actual MALL (something else we don't have within 100 miles & something I just do not do) & we had fun. My husband bought me some  ridiculously high priced lotion at Bath & Bodyworks ( had never been in one) & mmmmmm it smells so good. I got my hair trimmed & blown dry. I got my first ever pedicure. That was a surreal experience. Not only was it just weird & different (although very fun) it was done by a MAN . I almost didn't go thru with it because of that but I am so glad I did. And he was very nice & even painted flowers on my toes.

Then we shopped. Only 2 stores actually carried maternity clothes so we hit them. Old Navy had some cute stuff but Penney's looked like they stole the costumes from the Sonny & Cher show. The best store was the Motherhood outlet. They had great stuff & a super nice sales lady. Pretty much everyone we came in contact with was really friendly & helpful. And most of what I bought was on clearance! Woo Hoo! And of course after I bought all those pretty clothes I HAD to get some new shoes to replace my dirty thongs (flip flops for some of you ). They would be the sparkly ones in the toe pic. And to top off the shopping my husband bought me a 1/2 lb of my favorite See's candy (bordeaux) Mmmmmmm. Heaven.

Here is a pic of my haul:

That  night I got to dress up in one of my pretty new dresses with my manicure & pedicure & my new shoes and freshly styled hair and we went out to dinner with friends. It was so much fun.

I know it is shallow but that weekend was so good for me. And some pretty clothes can do so much for your self esteem. I doubt if I will be doing any of that again soon but I did really enjoy myself. And I owe it all to my fabulous husband. I mean how many men come up with a day like that for their wives? On their own? And then, take a toddler & hang out in the mall waiting for her to be fluffed & painted? And PAY for it all? With a smile on their face? I love my man

Blessings.

Totebags, best friends & pastor's wives

I have to show you the adorable totebag my pastor's wife made for my daughter:

Have you ever seen anything so cute? Their granddaughter and my daughter are best buddies. Unfortunately, Miss E doesn't live here anymore. But she comes to visit several times a year and we always try to get them together as much as possible. In the picture here they are getting ready for a trail ride on Marty and Reno. My pastor accompanied them on the infamous Kitty. Kitty is infamous because she has a habit of getting into accidents. A few years back, while working cows, Kitty managed to fall on Pastor D and rough him up pretty good. A year or so after that she managed to flip herself over backwards on a trail ride . My pastor was able to step clear of that one but his poor wife was holding the reins and when they pulled thru, they wrenched her finger hard. She still has a crooked finger to this day. So Kitty is actually a very nice mare but it sure is fun to tease my pastor about her .

So back to the totebag: my PW (pastor's wife ) snapped this pic before they left for the ride and then she turned it into that fabulous totebag. She surprised my daughter with it last week at Bible study. Now admit it. You are totally jealous. You want my PW for your own. Well, you can't have her!! She's mine! All mine! Well, okay, I do have to share her with the congregation but still..... She's mine and I am sooo thankful.

Blessings.

Skinny babies or fat babies?

Which were yours?

I was reading on another blog about a mommy who is worried about her toddler. It seems he is very small and of course she is concerned. Poor momma!

My daughter was tiny. She never ate, all she did was drink milk . I nursed her until she was 2 & then she went to whole cows milk. Sometimes you could tempt her with french fries or fruit snacks, but not often. She was always strong and full of energy but Oh! did I worry. She weighed 20 lbs for 2 years! No joke. She was still in a toddler car seat at 5. She was in kindergarten before she finally outgrew her size 2Ts . At about 4 1/2 she actually started to eat and to grow. She is still not very big. She is almost 9 and weighs 45 lbs!

By contrast, I went to see a friend yesterday, she has a 6 month old boy who is HUGE. He is easily as long as my 2 year old and probably outweighs him! You should have seen the thighs on this little guy! I couldn't keep my hands off him. Poor thing was trying to sleep and I kept squeezing those thighs . Oh, he was soooo cute. Made me want a fat baby!

But the contrast between him and my babies really made me think: Isn't God amazing? The different ways he has put us all together? And he knew those differences before we were ever born. How cool is that?

Psalm 139:13&14

You wove me in my mother's womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

Blessings.

Another one bites the dust

I love where I live. I really do. It is an incredibly beautiful area with abundant wild life. But one thing that really gets me, is so many of the farmers and ranchers here just don't care about the past.

This area is rich with homesteads dating from the late 1800's. They also opened it to homesteading to the returning GI's after World War II and many of the barns and homes here date back to the 40's. But that does not garner them any respect. They are torn down, burned down or left to fall down. Replaced by ugly, utilitarian pole barns.

Another came down recently. A really fabulous old barn, set way back from the road. It had sustained some roofing damage this last winter and I had been watching, hoping to see it repaired. They started to build a pole barn next  to it and I got worried. Yesterday we drove by and it is gone. Nothing left to show a half century or more of history. Nothing to show the blood, sweat and tears that went into a building like that. Just gone.

I totally understand financial constraints. I understand needing usable, modern buildings. I don't understand a complete and utter disregard for living history. And the funny part? The part that makes me almost laugh through my tears? In the city and large urban areas, people pay big money for old wood. Most of these barns have hand hewn beams and beautiful, heavy planking. Many people pay good money for these woods to use in building new homes. They will re-purpose these beautiful woods into paneling or flooring or ceiling beams. Supplying people with this wood is a booming business. These short sighted men, seeing only that they want/need a new haybarn and the old one is in the way doze it down and light on fire a highly desirable resource. They burn what they could sell. They deprive themselves of an easy profit just as they deny future generations a tangible link to our history. If it wasn't so sad it would be funny.

I know some of you must think I'm going a little over the top but what happens when it is all gone? When we are reduced to showing our children faded photographs instead of letting them see and touch and explore? All of my life I have wished for, hoped for, prayed for a farm with a beautiful old barn. Even more than I want a beautiful old farm house, I would just love an old barn. They store your hay and belongings. Shelter your animals. Provide a place for children to hide and climb and swing from a rope tied to the ceiling beam. They provide fabulous photo ops. And the more of them I see demolished the less chance there is that I might have one someday. I just wish others saw the potential in the past that I see.

Blessings.

Best Friend

Today is my best friends birthday. She is 40 today. Wow, is she old . We have been friends since we were 7. That makes 33 years. That is a long time.

I don't see her much anymore. In fact I haven't seen her in over 2 years now. And we've only talked once or twice in that time. But I know she is there and she knows I am here. And when we do get together, it is as though no time has passed.

We really don't have that much in common anymore. She is a globe trotting, single woman, on the pharmecueticals fast track. She has been all over this country and to Europe. She hops a plane like I hop into my suburban.

I am a stay-at-home mom with 4 kids and one on the way (ahem  ) living in the sticks of southern Oregon. I have only to been to (or thru) 5 states and never out of the country. It would take some serious alcohol to GET me on a plane these days.

But when she comes here, we revert back to stupid childhood nicknames. Lame high school stories. Past adventures. And she gets to relive her small town childhood. She milks the goat, plays in the garden, we shop at Goodwill and she worms her way into the hearts of my children just as she did into mine.

I know some woman have friends there husbands don't like. I can't imagine that. My husband enjoys her visits almost more than I do. They talk science and politics  while I try not to look bored and steer the conversation to something else.

She is my best friend. I love her. And I miss her. And if she reads this: COME SEE US. It's been far too long. Happy Birthday JD. And many more.

Blessings.

Homesteads

Today we all went with Daddy to deliver the molasses tank  but it was without incident. We did see 4 or 5 of the ugliest dogs we have ever seen. They were so ugly they were cute.

Driving out there we passed several old homesteads. There are dozens of homesteads out here. Unfortunately, most of them are falling to ruin. I guess the farmers and ranchers here just can't see the value. It breaks my heart. Cabins and houses, big and little barns, well houses, chicken coops, out buildings, some of these places have them all and year after year they fall down a little more. I wish I had a way of saving them but I don't. At least not physically.

I have decided to try and save them on film. I don't have a very good camera or a tele-photo lens (I hope to rectify that soon) but I can still try.

Today I was able to take pictures of 2 homesteads. My husband is so patient and kind, he pulled over and let me get out and trespass  to take these.

This first one is in Bly. Check out the cool diamond window. Don't you just itch to fix it up?

 

 

This next one is outside of Beatty. I was too late for the small barn but check out this house

I wish I could have gotten closer.

There is a fabulous homestead on our way to church. I really want to get pictures of it. Maybe on Sunday.

Blessings.