Neat little side note for today - on this day in history, January 11, 1935, Amerlia Earhart flew across the Pacific Ocean. Now, that is a common (daily!) occurrance in our day and age, but back in the day, it was a huge accomplishment!
Today, we are taking a detour in our history lessons - instead of 300 - 200 BC, where we are with the younger kids, and the early 1800s with the older two high school kids, we're doing a lesson on Amerlia Earhart! I found a neat little lesson on her on InstructorWeb.com here. There are mapping pages available just for this month from Bright Ideas Press here and notebooking pages here.
Maybe I have a little bit of an extra interest in Amellia Earhart because my grandmother-in-law was a W.A.S.P. during WWII - she's one of the neatest ladies I've known - she is in her 90s now and is still peppy and feisty! :) Most women I've known that are "peppy" or "feisty" have rounded the corner to become feminists... thankfully, grandma has not - she just wanted to fly, and that was a way she could fly *and* be helpful! She's never sought attention for her service (really, she downplays what she did) and says that she "just wanted to fly". How neat is that?
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Progress... stairway refinishing so far...
So, working on the stairs... the old, nasty carpet has got to go, but the project is bigger than I first anticipated (surprised? no... determined? you betcha!)
For once, I actually remembered to take a BEFORE shot before doing anything at all! :)
This is part way through taking the carpet off - man was it dirty under that carpet!! between my vacuum and my broom, I just about filled a trash bag with all the junk and gunk and old padding and scraped off glue stuff when it was all said and done!!
And this is the progression... top couple of stairs are stripped and sanded - next couple of stairs are stripped but not yet sanded - and the bottom couple of stairs need a bit more work before they are stripped and ready for sanding -
They are now sanded and ready for painting - of course I forgot to take a picture when it was all done, but little man was NEEDING his mama, so I put away the work stuff and cleaned up so he could get his nursey! :)
Bottom set of stairs still need stripping - hoping to get to that this weekend... and my husband and I finally picked out the paint colors we want to use, so once both sets of stairs are stripped and ready, we can start the job of painting! I'm so looking forward to having it all done!
In the meanwhile, I'm also finishing up painting the hallway, the entryway walls, and getting ready to get the last of the border wallpaper up in those areas - not so sure the paper will go up in the entryway, since the ceiling is so high and I don't have the equipment to get that high without using a big stick! ha! So, I might just content myself with painting that part and not putting up paper there...
I don't regret undertaking any of these projects for a moment, but I will be quite honest and say that I TOTALLY underestimated the amount of work I was getting myself in to!! (and it's taking longer than I had hoped for it to - but when it's all done, I'm going to absolutely love it, so it will be worth all the time and effort! :) My husband is already loving the difference, and that's really encouraging, too! :)
For once, I actually remembered to take a BEFORE shot before doing anything at all! :)
This is part way through taking the carpet off - man was it dirty under that carpet!! between my vacuum and my broom, I just about filled a trash bag with all the junk and gunk and old padding and scraped off glue stuff when it was all said and done!!
And this is the progression... top couple of stairs are stripped and sanded - next couple of stairs are stripped but not yet sanded - and the bottom couple of stairs need a bit more work before they are stripped and ready for sanding -
They are now sanded and ready for painting - of course I forgot to take a picture when it was all done, but little man was NEEDING his mama, so I put away the work stuff and cleaned up so he could get his nursey! :)
Bottom set of stairs still need stripping - hoping to get to that this weekend... and my husband and I finally picked out the paint colors we want to use, so once both sets of stairs are stripped and ready, we can start the job of painting! I'm so looking forward to having it all done!
In the meanwhile, I'm also finishing up painting the hallway, the entryway walls, and getting ready to get the last of the border wallpaper up in those areas - not so sure the paper will go up in the entryway, since the ceiling is so high and I don't have the equipment to get that high without using a big stick! ha! So, I might just content myself with painting that part and not putting up paper there...
I don't regret undertaking any of these projects for a moment, but I will be quite honest and say that I TOTALLY underestimated the amount of work I was getting myself in to!! (and it's taking longer than I had hoped for it to - but when it's all done, I'm going to absolutely love it, so it will be worth all the time and effort! :) My husband is already loving the difference, and that's really encouraging, too! :)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Quotable quotes
I was looking for a specific quote the other day - we saw a sign at Hobby Lobby some time back but did not have the budget to purchase said sign at the time... when we went back later with the intention (and funds) to purchase it, we could not find it... anyway, in looking for it, I came across this one - good food for thought! :)
"Those who look for the good in others will naturally bring out the good in themselves."
Something to ponder today. :)
on other notes, if you know the quote I'm looking for, I'd love it if you would forward it to me!
It goes along the idea that children are love you can touch, or love personified or something like that... my husband recalls it more specifically, along the lines of "Children are love in physical form" or something similar to that... we were wanting to get or make a wood "antiqued" sign with that on it for the living room...
"Those who look for the good in others will naturally bring out the good in themselves."
Something to ponder today. :)
on other notes, if you know the quote I'm looking for, I'd love it if you would forward it to me!
It goes along the idea that children are love you can touch, or love personified or something like that... my husband recalls it more specifically, along the lines of "Children are love in physical form" or something similar to that... we were wanting to get or make a wood "antiqued" sign with that on it for the living room...
Thursday, January 3, 2013
knock knock!
Conversation between my just turned 2 year old Hannah and just turned 4 year old Benjamin:
Ben: Knock knock, Hannah!
Hannah: Knock knock, Ben!
Ben: No... knock, knock, Hannah!
Hannah: Knock, Ben...
Ben: No, you say "who's there?"
Hannah: Me!
**happy, smiley sighs** I love my kids!
Ben: Knock knock, Hannah!
Hannah: Knock knock, Ben!
Ben: No... knock, knock, Hannah!
Hannah: Knock, Ben...
Ben: No, you say "who's there?"
Hannah: Me!
**happy, smiley sighs** I love my kids!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Out with that old... carpet?!?!???
Yup - redecorating time is here!!
This is about the time that we *would* be moving into a new (to us) house on another base... but we aren't moving! (yeah!!!!!!!!!!!) We have our own home now, with plans to retire here when TJ's military service is all done, and I can paint, paper, decorate, put up nails, or do pretty much whatever (provided my husband approves and we can afford! TJ isn't picky and likes what I do with the decor, and has been great about helping pick out paint colors and even wallpaper border! He's so great about that, he doesn't even think I'm silly for doing it.. but he is thankful that I haven't asked him to move the bookshelves (again) in some time! *grin*
Last month's project was painting... the kitchen is done, the living room is done... upstairs hallway still needs doing, as does the entry way... but I need to buy more paint to finish the job, and that has to wait until next payday ;)
Last week's project was putting up wallpaper border in the kitchen and living room - I got some on a great deal... and then learned *why*! the "pre-pasted" paper wouldn't stick (oh, the frustrations and stress!! thankfully my dear sweet husband helped me see reason and I didn't throw the paper out, assuming it was ruined... instead he took me to the hardware store for wallpaper paste - good man, and good thought!! that did the trick!) paper is up and looks so nice!
This week's project... or maybe it will be this MONTH's project... is the stairs! Dirty, stained, and in some places worn right through carpet... yuck! We've talked about replacing it for almost as long as we have lived here, but when we got an estimate to get it done, we knew that is simply NOT in the budget! Well, we decided to rip out the old and clean it up real good and paint the stairs :) We have a split level entry, thankfully!! I stripped off the carpet and spent a good (intense!) FOUR hours scraping the old padding, glue, and gunk off, as well as pulling out the carpet tacks and staples, and then finally sanding the now bare upper set of stairs... yes, I'm taking before, during, and after pictures! I'll share them when I get it finished :) anyway, my hands are all sorts of sore from doing the top set, so I'm waiting a day or so before tackling the lower set. We also still need to pick out paint for them... debating on if we'll do a two tone on the stairs or if we'll do a single color - not sure yet! We just might play around with that before we decide. ;) Either way, you'll see the finished product when I post pictures :) Still, I was beyond amazed at how much dirt and junk was trapped under the carpet that I did rip out - eeeeewwwww!!!!!!
Next up, we'll see... we need to replace our water heater (praying it holds out until we get our tax return! we've had it go out a few times, so we're very much looking forward to changing that gas/ propane thing to an electric one! -- with the eventual hope to get solar panels so that we can utilitze our lovely natural sun out here in Big Sky Country!! but that will probably be a while in coming... those solar panels and installation are PRICEY. We also have projects planned for the barn and the chicken shed, but those have to wait until spring at least anyway - so for now, the focus is on the inside of the house! :)
Pictures coming soon....
This is about the time that we *would* be moving into a new (to us) house on another base... but we aren't moving! (yeah!!!!!!!!!!!) We have our own home now, with plans to retire here when TJ's military service is all done, and I can paint, paper, decorate, put up nails, or do pretty much whatever (provided my husband approves and we can afford! TJ isn't picky and likes what I do with the decor, and has been great about helping pick out paint colors and even wallpaper border! He's so great about that, he doesn't even think I'm silly for doing it.. but he is thankful that I haven't asked him to move the bookshelves (again) in some time! *grin*
Last month's project was painting... the kitchen is done, the living room is done... upstairs hallway still needs doing, as does the entry way... but I need to buy more paint to finish the job, and that has to wait until next payday ;)
Last week's project was putting up wallpaper border in the kitchen and living room - I got some on a great deal... and then learned *why*! the "pre-pasted" paper wouldn't stick (oh, the frustrations and stress!! thankfully my dear sweet husband helped me see reason and I didn't throw the paper out, assuming it was ruined... instead he took me to the hardware store for wallpaper paste - good man, and good thought!! that did the trick!) paper is up and looks so nice!
This week's project... or maybe it will be this MONTH's project... is the stairs! Dirty, stained, and in some places worn right through carpet... yuck! We've talked about replacing it for almost as long as we have lived here, but when we got an estimate to get it done, we knew that is simply NOT in the budget! Well, we decided to rip out the old and clean it up real good and paint the stairs :) We have a split level entry, thankfully!! I stripped off the carpet and spent a good (intense!) FOUR hours scraping the old padding, glue, and gunk off, as well as pulling out the carpet tacks and staples, and then finally sanding the now bare upper set of stairs... yes, I'm taking before, during, and after pictures! I'll share them when I get it finished :) anyway, my hands are all sorts of sore from doing the top set, so I'm waiting a day or so before tackling the lower set. We also still need to pick out paint for them... debating on if we'll do a two tone on the stairs or if we'll do a single color - not sure yet! We just might play around with that before we decide. ;) Either way, you'll see the finished product when I post pictures :) Still, I was beyond amazed at how much dirt and junk was trapped under the carpet that I did rip out - eeeeewwwww!!!!!!
Next up, we'll see... we need to replace our water heater (praying it holds out until we get our tax return! we've had it go out a few times, so we're very much looking forward to changing that gas/ propane thing to an electric one! -- with the eventual hope to get solar panels so that we can utilitze our lovely natural sun out here in Big Sky Country!! but that will probably be a while in coming... those solar panels and installation are PRICEY. We also have projects planned for the barn and the chicken shed, but those have to wait until spring at least anyway - so for now, the focus is on the inside of the house! :)
Pictures coming soon....
Happy new year, welcome 2013!!
So it's a new year (again?!?? how did that happen already??) and the "thing to do" is to make resolutions...
so, if I were to make the resolutions I would like to keep, my list would include
- always be positive
- never say anything I shouldn't
- lose 20 pounds
- exercise 5 times a week
- budget better this year
and well, yeah... those aren't going to happen... and even if I did lose 20 pounds, I'd likely gain half of it back just in time to make a new resolution to lose weight NEXT new year!
So... instead of resolving, I'm going to goal set! (same thing, but less incriminating if I don't accomplish them!)
- first and foremost, to read to my children from the scriptures daily... we use to be so good about it, and somehow just got busy... having 9 kids is not an excuse to go slack on raising them in the Lord... this month we are focusing on the book of Proverbs, with the goal of reading one chapter each day (preferably at breakfast time)
- second, and right along with the first, to complete a read-through-the-Bible in a year again! TJ and I did this for 2012 and it was a great reminder of many parts of scripture that I had forgotten... not to mention it helped break in the Bible my dear sweet husband gave me last year, since my previous one wore out and much of the spine is coming out of the glue and the cover is pretty worn... but I've had it a long time, and it's been through many phases of life with me - my new one is large print for my aging eyes (ha!) and much easier for me to read :) still my much preferred King James version, but with the added bonus of being more visible :) even when nursing my little one and not able to hold the book in my hands while reading :) last year (2012) we did a chronological read-through - this year we are doing a cover to cover read-through :)
- third, which probably goes hand in hand with the first two, is to be more patient... I've been working on this, and on making sure my priorities are more in line with what they should be (despite tangents and projects and redecorating kicks!) and have been doing better... but there's still room to improve, and it's my goal to continue working toward that end this year :)
- fourth, what kind of new year's goals would it be without adding in weight loss?? I have more than enough extra pounds for a mom of nine, though I do hear people comment "you look great for having so many kids!!" but that leads me to wonder, what do they expect a mom of many to look like, after all?? so, my more realistic goal is to lose 10 pounds... more if I can keep it off... ultimately, I could stand to lose 20 and not be very thin (my husband doesn't care for very thin, and honestly, I'm not sure I could keep that kind of figure... I stopped running long ago, and my aging joints just aren't up for that kind of stress these days... I'm getting older and I'm feeling it!
- next, yes, exercise... yeah, I get some exercise cleaning the barn, the chicken shed, and keeping up with kids and house and home! But it isn't usually the type that helps cardio health, so I'm hoping to get in exercise at least once or twice a week... but being realistic with my life and responsibilities, I doubt I could do more than that without dropping something else that truly does need doing!
- finances... what would a new year goal or resolution list be without something about finances?? for 2013, my goal is to be a better steward, to budget better, spend more wisely, and not give in to those un-necessary whimsical purchases that are forgotten in a day or a week! I'm usually fairly good about that, but I could do better!
- finally, to be more forgiving, more loving, more kind to those around me... most especially family, but also those outside of the family - people can say and/ or do hurtful things, and it's easy to become offended or upset when people pass unfair judgements or whatever... what isn't as easy, but is better to do, is to forgive them and treat them with the caring and kindness that we would have liked them to extend to us. We are different - we stand out - we are called to be different... it's a good thing, if it's done in obedience and not in legalism or for show... strangers or passing acquaintences just don't understand that sometimes, and their comments can be hurtful - those people need forgiveness more than they need our defensiveness. :) Most of the time I can take it like water off of a duck's back - but sometimes comments rub the wrong way, like those who see a large family and assume there is some sort of perversion going on, or that the large family *must* be on welfare or whatever, when in fact the husband and wife are very much in love with one another and love having many children... and while we will certainly never be rich (and don't want to be either, for that matter!), we also aren't on welfare... but that's a sensitive point that really shouldn't be - so I need to work on that ;)
- and well, most finally, to continue to not have a reality show! ha! the thing about large families and reality shows just doesn't make sense to me... I haven't seen one (and really have no desire to see one - I certainly do not miss having tv channels in our home, it's been more than a decade, and we really prefer it this way! *grin*) but I also don't understand why anyone would want camera crews and people constantly in their home, losing their privacy and what not, all so that they can show the world how they live... no thanks - I'd much rather maintain our mostly quiet lifestyle :) (for the record, I'm not knocking anyone who does have other opinions on this, and I've heard great things about the Duggars and did read an exerpt of an interview by Michelly Duggar about why they do what they do - I respect her reasoning that she shared, but it is so not me! ;) I don't even like to have my picture taken! ha! :) (and well, that would be on my husband's wish-list for me for the year... to not dislike that so much... but he has gotten some snapshots of me doing stuff, so that my picture is also in the family scrapbooks, lol...
There are other goals too, but they are more thoughts on the loose than set goals... my brain runs too much on a rabbit trail to write them all down! :)
Happy new year, and wishing you all the best in keeping your goals for this new year! :)
so, if I were to make the resolutions I would like to keep, my list would include
- always be positive
- never say anything I shouldn't
- lose 20 pounds
- exercise 5 times a week
- budget better this year
and well, yeah... those aren't going to happen... and even if I did lose 20 pounds, I'd likely gain half of it back just in time to make a new resolution to lose weight NEXT new year!
So... instead of resolving, I'm going to goal set! (same thing, but less incriminating if I don't accomplish them!)
- first and foremost, to read to my children from the scriptures daily... we use to be so good about it, and somehow just got busy... having 9 kids is not an excuse to go slack on raising them in the Lord... this month we are focusing on the book of Proverbs, with the goal of reading one chapter each day (preferably at breakfast time)
- second, and right along with the first, to complete a read-through-the-Bible in a year again! TJ and I did this for 2012 and it was a great reminder of many parts of scripture that I had forgotten... not to mention it helped break in the Bible my dear sweet husband gave me last year, since my previous one wore out and much of the spine is coming out of the glue and the cover is pretty worn... but I've had it a long time, and it's been through many phases of life with me - my new one is large print for my aging eyes (ha!) and much easier for me to read :) still my much preferred King James version, but with the added bonus of being more visible :) even when nursing my little one and not able to hold the book in my hands while reading :) last year (2012) we did a chronological read-through - this year we are doing a cover to cover read-through :)
- third, which probably goes hand in hand with the first two, is to be more patient... I've been working on this, and on making sure my priorities are more in line with what they should be (despite tangents and projects and redecorating kicks!) and have been doing better... but there's still room to improve, and it's my goal to continue working toward that end this year :)
- fourth, what kind of new year's goals would it be without adding in weight loss?? I have more than enough extra pounds for a mom of nine, though I do hear people comment "you look great for having so many kids!!" but that leads me to wonder, what do they expect a mom of many to look like, after all?? so, my more realistic goal is to lose 10 pounds... more if I can keep it off... ultimately, I could stand to lose 20 and not be very thin (my husband doesn't care for very thin, and honestly, I'm not sure I could keep that kind of figure... I stopped running long ago, and my aging joints just aren't up for that kind of stress these days... I'm getting older and I'm feeling it!
- next, yes, exercise... yeah, I get some exercise cleaning the barn, the chicken shed, and keeping up with kids and house and home! But it isn't usually the type that helps cardio health, so I'm hoping to get in exercise at least once or twice a week... but being realistic with my life and responsibilities, I doubt I could do more than that without dropping something else that truly does need doing!
- finances... what would a new year goal or resolution list be without something about finances?? for 2013, my goal is to be a better steward, to budget better, spend more wisely, and not give in to those un-necessary whimsical purchases that are forgotten in a day or a week! I'm usually fairly good about that, but I could do better!
- finally, to be more forgiving, more loving, more kind to those around me... most especially family, but also those outside of the family - people can say and/ or do hurtful things, and it's easy to become offended or upset when people pass unfair judgements or whatever... what isn't as easy, but is better to do, is to forgive them and treat them with the caring and kindness that we would have liked them to extend to us. We are different - we stand out - we are called to be different... it's a good thing, if it's done in obedience and not in legalism or for show... strangers or passing acquaintences just don't understand that sometimes, and their comments can be hurtful - those people need forgiveness more than they need our defensiveness. :) Most of the time I can take it like water off of a duck's back - but sometimes comments rub the wrong way, like those who see a large family and assume there is some sort of perversion going on, or that the large family *must* be on welfare or whatever, when in fact the husband and wife are very much in love with one another and love having many children... and while we will certainly never be rich (and don't want to be either, for that matter!), we also aren't on welfare... but that's a sensitive point that really shouldn't be - so I need to work on that ;)
- and well, most finally, to continue to not have a reality show! ha! the thing about large families and reality shows just doesn't make sense to me... I haven't seen one (and really have no desire to see one - I certainly do not miss having tv channels in our home, it's been more than a decade, and we really prefer it this way! *grin*) but I also don't understand why anyone would want camera crews and people constantly in their home, losing their privacy and what not, all so that they can show the world how they live... no thanks - I'd much rather maintain our mostly quiet lifestyle :) (for the record, I'm not knocking anyone who does have other opinions on this, and I've heard great things about the Duggars and did read an exerpt of an interview by Michelly Duggar about why they do what they do - I respect her reasoning that she shared, but it is so not me! ;) I don't even like to have my picture taken! ha! :) (and well, that would be on my husband's wish-list for me for the year... to not dislike that so much... but he has gotten some snapshots of me doing stuff, so that my picture is also in the family scrapbooks, lol...
There are other goals too, but they are more thoughts on the loose than set goals... my brain runs too much on a rabbit trail to write them all down! :)
Happy new year, and wishing you all the best in keeping your goals for this new year! :)
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