17:366 Nail designs

Carus's nails got designs tonight.  We have a dark blue base with two different sparkles, one pink polka dot, one red swirl, and one light blue diagonal with two dots.  I think the swirl was the hardest to do.

16:366

Snow day #2.



Apparently I spoke too soon.  It snowed off and on all day, and while it was snowing it stuck. It just melted soon after it stopped so there still isn't much on the ground.  I bet the roads are going to be icy by morning.

Poor Carus won't get a snow day from school because she's online, but Adam most likely will and he can help her do her school work if so.






















Since it was a holiday Carus spent some time outside and built another snowman.

This one was much bigger than yesterday, coming in at about 2-1/2 feet.

The forecast says we're to get more snow for the next two days...

15:366 SNOW!

I've been a little sad that we have had such a mild winter.  It hasn't been that cold.  So I was very excited to see snow in our forecast, and even more excited to wake to snow this morning.

The snow didn't last long, even with a couple more flurries falling, but it was pretty while it was here.  Though I would like some more so I could go sledding with the kids.  We have some good hills around here that would be great for sledding down.  But I don't think we'll get anymore this year; or if we do, not enough to go sledding.

We did play a little in the snow.

The kids scraped the walls and fences for snow and made little snowmen.

Carus and her snowman.


Close-up of Carus's snowman. He's in a snowball fight.


Adam and his snowman.


Close-up of Adam's snowman.


14:366 - Leia enjoyed the snow too.  She ran around chasing the falling snow, and catching the snowballs I was tossing her. She had so much fun.


Video of Leia trying to catch the falling snow. Or click here

14:366 Canning Day

A coworker/friend came out and together we made spaghetti sauce and canned it.  We did three batches, which yeilded 26 quarts, 6 pints, one 9x13 lasagna and one 11x13 lasagna.  We started chopping vegetables at 9 am and the last batch went in the pressure cooker at 5 pm. I am pooped.

Recipe in next post.



And then Robert, Adam, and Timmy played scrabble.

Timmy was pretty tough to beat.

13:366 Timmy Haz Box

Timmy haz box

I brought this box home from my last Costco trip and it was claimed by Timmy quickly after.  Carus has since added a blanket for the baby Timmy, and he really loves his box.  He eats and goes back to his box.  He greets people when they come home, and he goes back to his box.

Such a silly Timmy kitty.

12:366

Sleepy Simba

11:366

Simba and I enjoyed the sunrise this morning.

10:366

Hummingbird in neighbors tree.

I know he doesn't really look like a hummingbird, but he is.  I wasn't able to snap a photo of him when he was flitting and flying around so had to wait for him to land.  Just lucky I was to keep track of him long enough.

9:366

My new car

2006 Chevy Trailblazer, dark gray (which kinda looks dark blue in the dealership parking lot and black in my driveway...by night I mean. In the morning it should be dark gray)

I didn't get a moon roof, and am currently a little bitter about it.  Once I get to drive it longer than the 5 minute test drive I'll probably like it a lot more than I currently do (Robert drove home and will be taking it to work tomorrow to do the mechanic check/DEQ thing sooo).  It drove nicely. Adam fits in the backseat. It's newer. It has less miles. It's pretty (well it was at night).  Maybe it's just new car jitters...

I liked it before we started the paperwork to buy it...and then I came down off the new car buy high and was like - where's my moon roof bitches?

*I like moon roofs even though they're not all that useful and in Robert's opinion unpractical in Oregon where it rains too much to actually get to enjoy the dang thing. But I still like them! Trailblazers don't generally come with a moon roof, and we've been looking.  Found a gold one but um, EW!!!! And I can't do an aftermarket install cause it's not as good and there's a pretty good chance it'll leak and blah blah blah  Robert is so getting me a convertible one day.

Anyways - ask me in a week.

Moon roof = sunroof BTW (Sunroofs technically don't open.  The things I learn from my husband. GAH!)

8:366

If I expect Adam to take my book recommendations seriously, I have to take his recommendations seriously.  He has been trying to get me to read this series for awhile, and I needed something new to read, so I grabbed it.

It is good! I'm about halfway through, and I'm enjoying it.  I'm glad he has the first 5 books already, and I'll probably help him get the other 5 (I think there is 10 total).

7:366

An almost good-bye.

We've decided to sell my Jeep and get me a used new-to-me vehicle.  We need more leg room in the back seat. And by we, I mean my little boy who won't stop growing!  He's only 13 and already 5'8". So yeah, it might be more comfortable for him (not to mention a bit safer) if he wasn't practically eating his knees every time he had to ride in the backseat.

 Anyways, today we went down to a dealership in NE Portland (an 1-1/2 hour drive, BTW) because a salesman said he was going to buy it for what we were asking....and then we got there and he offered half.  &*#@(*@!#$@!!! 

Meh. I haven't found what I want yet so maybe it's better that I'm not stuck without wheels quite yet. And I get to keep my Jeep a little longer. I'm really going to miss it.

6:366

Someone has been teaching my stove swear words.

Alternative to todays 366.  I think it was good.  (Chili)

2:365

Playing chess with Adam.  I'm in check.

I did eventually lose. But he had to take every other one of my pieces to checkmate my king.

I was doing well until Robert came over and started commentary and "helping" me.

I would've lost anyways.  I'm not that good. I can never remember what moves bishops and rooks can make.  And Adam is pretty good.

Still fun to play with him though.

Final 365s of 2011

360/365 - Wilbur kitty


361/365 - Carus on her birthday party day.  We did a crafting and sleepover party.  There was t-shirt painting, cake ball dipping, finger nail painting, movie watching and a sleepover. Except there wasn't much sleeping.


362/365 -I got these as a Christmas gift, and I've already read through them. I absorbed them.  They were really good, and I'm excited for the movie.


363/365 - New Years Eve games - Scrabble

For the past few years we've been playing games with the kids to ring in the New Year's.


Okay, those should have been numbered 362, 363, 364, and 365 but I still can't figure out where I messed up on my numbering. I've gone over the photos a couple times, and I have found some dating issues, but I haven't found 365 numbing issues... So I'm going to just ignore it and start over.  Yup, I am going to do 365 again, and I have a few challenges for myself too.  Obviously, one is to make sure I get it numbered correctly...

Other plans

I have a plan - to catch up on my 7days commenting tonight. Or at least make a dent in it, I'm woefully behind.

After work this afternoon, I was going to curl up with my book (Kindle) and read for a little bit before getting up and getting things done.  I didn't have anything that "needed" to be done or anything, just felt like I had to do something.

The book had other ideas though. I couldn't put it down - 4 hours later I finished the book. The Hunger Games, by the way, and it was good. Really good.  I hope the movie lives up to the book.

Carus was uninspired to do a shot today and has decided - "I started late, and Imma finish early."


359/365 and 7 days, day 7

Dishes

I didn't want to tag along on Carus's birthday post so I'm making another post - 3 in one day... well kinda, it's almost midnight.


358/365 - 7days6 - Finally! The last of the Christmas dinner dishes.  After the initial wash, dry, and put away of the crystal dishes right after dinner; one load through the dishwasher yesterday; and another load today this is what I have left. All the hand wash dishes plus a few that didn't fit.

Christmas day wrap up

Carus 7days5 "My favorite gift."


We were very lucky to find this piano on Craigslist for a really good deal.  At first we were looking at console upright pianos, but those that weren't gone by the time we called about them and close enough to us (under 50 miles) that we could consider getting them here, were too expensive, and those that were in our price range were too far away.  Then there was the question of how we'll get it here, how we'll move it at both ends cause they are heavy and we just about gave up.  Robert found this one and went to look at it as like a last hope and it worked out great.  The bench corner was chewed on a little by their dog, but we recovered it no problem and you could never tell.  

357/365 - 7days5 Sitting down to Christmas dinner.

But before all that, there was the rest of the day.  I didn't get a lot of photos, but that's okay.  It was a great day.  We didn't get up super early, took our time eating breakfast and opening presents.  After presents I put the roast in the oven and went to lay down for a nap.  I was to work the swing shift and since I never sleep well Christmas Eve I was tired.  I didn't get much of a nap though, just a few winks.  Robert played with his new miter saw and Carus was playing with her new piano which don't work well with napping.

Soon I gave up trying to sleep and came out to finish dinner.  I did all the prep work for dinner on Christmas Eve so I didn't have to do much work - just pop things in the oven and cut up fresh vegetables for a veggie tray.  After dinner and clean up we opened gifts from the in-laws (that's them at the table with us) and mingled for a bit before I started working.  Work went well, not too busy - just enough to keep me occupied.  I've heard a lot that it sucks that I had to work on Christmas, and yes it does - but it doesn't.  The hospital is open all the time so it only makes sense that we are too.  We all (my coworkers and I) alternate holidays.  I've had a few Christmas's off so it makes sense that I do one, and now I'll get a few off before I have another go.

Now back to the beginning of the day for more photos.

Opening their first gifts.


 They like their new Minecraft shirts. Adam got a periodic table of Minecraft elements.


Carus's Minecraft shirt, Run Away.


Oooh, a gift card.  (Isn't he a goof?)


To: Carus
From: Awesome Man (AKA Adam)


Awesome Man did good with his gift, she liked it...


...Justin Bieber movie and JB teddy bear.


Adam's chess board.  This gift Adam sorta knew he was getting because Fed Ex sucks. They delivered the package and left it sitting on the front porch and didn't ring the bell or knock. I was working in direct sight of the door, and the dogs go nutso anytime anyone comes near the door, so I know they didn't knock.  And then Adam came home from school and found the box. It had a description of the board on the box. I went with the "it's Christmas time, everyone recycle boxes like crazy" lie but I don't think he believed me.  He still likes his board so YAY...


Carus reading her new Secret Agent Josephine Colors book. (She has two more books out for kids, usually younger kids than my kids, but Carus liked the book just the same.  SAJ is a brilliant, fun illustrator and writer. Her blog is full of other great stuff too.  The books are also available for Ipad, Iphone or Kindle.)


Table set for dinner.


That's it folks!

Hope your Christmas was good.

Happy Christmas Eve!

And it is now 12:03 - Christmas morning so MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Eve was busy busy busy so I didn't get around to uploading these pictures earlier.

Up-side-down Carus.


Today we cleaned the house, then took the dogs to the dog park and wore them out. Afterwards, I got started on dinner prep for tomorrow and picked up Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner tonight.  About 3:30 I ran away for a bit to the barn with my friend/neighbor who has horses, to muck out stalls and bring in horses.  Horses and barn musty/hay smells calm me and put me at peace. I'd love to have my own horse (or two) but don't have the time or money (mostly money) right now.  Some day I will.  Some day I'll have my own little farm or ranch. For now, I'll invite myself along to do horse-y chores any chance I get.

357/365 - Feeding a peppermint to a horse.  I did not know horses could eat peppermints.  This is one of those chalky-like peppermints that are chew-able so the horse can chew it and it doesn't hurt their teeth, nor get stuck in their teeth.  Sorry the photo is blurry, but it's a bit hard to get a picture and feed the peppermint while keeping my fingers.  This horse (Starlett) has been described as a peppermint whore and she was a little overzealous in the grabbing of the peppermint..


Well, I'm off to bed so Christmas morning can come faster - I'M SO EXCITED!

Eve of Christmas Eve

Except now it's after midnight so it's Christmas Eve.

Let's just pretend that I have a few more minutes or hours before I have to go to bed and it's not Christmas Eve.  I have quite a lot to do tomorrow today tomorrow and need to go to bed soon.

356/365 - 7 Days, day 3
Leia chasing her tail.

I was trying to get the reflection of her jumping, but it didn't work so well.  I put on my shoes to go grocery shopping and she thought it meant I was taking her for a walk or to the dog park and got excited and started jumping.  She was getting as high as my shoulder.  She stopped jumping when I pulled the camera out - but gladly chased her tail for a few minutes.


Carus 7 Days, day 3 - "Before and after I took a bite."


On another note - I remembered another pet peeve!

Grocery shopping with Robert.  It's like he is in this competition to see how fast he can get out of there with the least amount of groceries we need.

Ooh oh oh - and the fact that he likes to play "let's stuff all the groceries in one bag" and smushes my bananas and bread!!

CHOCOLATE DAY!

Today is a theme day for 7 days and the theme is CHOCOLATE!

SCORE!


355/365 - Making CHOCOLATE chip cookies on my lunch break.  I was going to just use the reflection in the bowl, but then the bowl wasn't as reflective as I thought it was.

I mixed in the last cup of flour by hand under the suggestion I found via Pinterest that the reason my CCC were coming out so flat because the dough was getting over mixed.  These ones weren't perfect, but they were much better than they've been in the past - so PROGRESS!



Carus helped with making the cookies, and when I pulled out the camera and explained it was 7days and the theme was chocolate, she asked if she could jump in a little late. I told her it was probably okay, then helped her set up the camera and timer and she pushed the shutter button and went back to cookie-ing the cookie sheet.