~three, zero, two, zero....~

because chuck's in huston on business

and i was bored with nothing to do(yeah right! volleyball game tonight. then grocery shopping)

i decided to do this.

it was kind of fun. my son actually help draw the numbers.

 since i sucked at it!

i did the painting.

very cute idea i thought and it didn't take all that much time.

~on happiness~

I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be "happy." I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter and to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.

                                                                                    - Leo C. Rosten

i heart fall....

~changing and falling of leaves from the trees

~colorful

~cooler mornings and evenings

~warm vanilla lattes

~pumpkin spice everything (scones from starbucks are a must to try this fall. love them)

~holiday plans being made or dreamed up

~cozy warm nights spent on the couch in your favorite blanket, with your favorite movie, with your favorite people

~fall is my favorite time of year.~

~guilty~

"yes mom, i'm on back of the couch again!"

 

~tonight in a high school gym......~

we learned of a young lady who lost her life in the 1999 shooting at columbine high school. her sister was there to tell her story and what an amazing young lady she was. today they talk with schools all over the world about rachel's challenge. i was encouraged. my kids were encouraged. here is one of the many quotes shared tonight that i loved and that really meant something to me.

"Don't let your character change color with the environment. Find out who you are and let it stay its true color"

                                                                            -Rachel Scott

are we? are you? changing with the environment or are you staying your true color. when everything around us seems to change with the environment, we should stay true to our beliefs. our true color.

~homecoming....freshman year.....~

if you're not sure by now brooke is mine on the far left.

this was her first dance at the new school with new friends.

i think it went well for her (as much as she will tell me anyway.)

she's already talking about the next dance. :)

brooke again left top also during homecoming week.

i think they rock the boys jerseys

she's fitting in the new school just fine

(well as fine as a teenage girl can)

they all seem to have issues from time to time.

~pretty soon~

pretty soon i'm going to start selling ATHOME AMERICA.

i figured since i'm trying to work only part time to be more available for my kids,

i'd try this on the side for some extra fun.

you can pretty much make your own schedule which is something i'm needing.

i'm having an Open House in my home on Sept. 30th (a friday night) at 7:00 p.m.

or 6:00 p.m for you mountain timers.

if you are interested in coming and have not yet been sent an invite, let me know.

it should be fun.

i hopefully will have my website up soon where you can go online and order from that if you'd rather.

~progress~

well we are getting closer to having a fenced in back yard. it's been kind of a pain in the bottom not having one for otis. see here anyway they have started and we are beginning to see progress. as of this afternoon here is what we have.....

ignore the fact that we really, really, need to get some more grass seed down.

and we have a nice corner space in the back on the opposite side of the fence due to new laws in this town??

i've been thinking of some ways to created something magical out of that space. for instants a mean flower bed with lots of solar lights...(at least that seems to be the only idea i can come up with as of now.)

the other side. not as much done, but still seeing the beginning of something.

~freshman color war.....homecoming week!~

brooke & britnee

yesterday at school the freshman had to dress up in green for a color war with the other grade levels. brooke and her friend britnee went looking like the picture above. they also could go without shoes which the girls were pretty excited about. i'd be excited too. i'd rather be shoeless some days.....

brooke with some scary guy named "i'm that dude"

she has started playing volleyball games so i will post some pictures of that later.

brady starts his first football game thursday and i will post them later as well.

well school is underway and going fast as usual.



9/11

Today as I watch tv and looked around at all the flags hanging throughout our town, I can honestly say i'm proud to be an American! Thinking of all the people who have lost loved ones on this day 10 years ago!

We have not forgotten!

~our two and a 1/2 baths~

 i've already shared with you our 1/2 bath across from the laundry room here. it still being the only room that is newly painted and not white. it is great having a third bathroom since we currently have two teenagers and it never fails......THEY ALWAYS NEED TO GO WHEN WE ARE IN THERE. so we feel more then spoiled right now having a third toilet in the house!

 speaking of spoiled. chuck and i have never had a master bath in our room until now. it's great. again we are so enjoying this space. it feels like forever since i've been able to pee alone.  (i know TMI) but seriously if you have kids you know that these moments do not come often. we currently have no blinds or curtains picked out yet for this room (actually for any of the bathrooms) so you'll have to excuse the pillow-case-hand-made-ones in the photo.

this here is the upstairs bathroom in between the kids rooms. Hallelujah!

we'll let them fight over it.

they picked out the shower curtain at target(and the other supplies)

we really need some art work in here though or some photography to hang up.

i'm currently training them how to keep "their" bathroom clean.

i'll let you know how that works out!

so there you have our two and a 1/2 baths!

we are making progress...

~bargain chairs~

thanks to a good friend named kerri (who knows how to shop bargain. something i'm bad at) i was able to get 5 stools for our new home for 50.00. which i think is a good deal since you can't find one chair in stores for under $50 and i have 5 for that cost. i'm learning things from her. like it's OK to buy used. and sometimes used is even better than new. better on the wallet for sure.

so here are my bargain chairs up to our counter in the kitchen. (which still has white walls and may for a long time) 4 chairs actually fit better at the counter, so i found another use for the extra chair purchased.......

:) at least for now.....

~part time=more time~

 i'm hoping since the move and since i picked up a part time job, i'll have more time for kids and their sports and more time for ME. i know as a mom that sometime sounds selfish that i want more "me time" but seriously i feel like i lost myself long ago and i am struggling to find my way back.  i often ask myself "who am i?" and "where did i go?", when i look at myself in the mirror. i've spend so much of my time on my family, (which my family has been a blessing and i love spending my time with them, don't get me wrong)
i lost myself somewhere in between. and even though i posted pictures on healthy weight and how to burn calories i'm meaning this to be so much more then weight. it's about BODY and SPIRIT.  i find when i walk or when i work out my mind is more clearer than ever! so i believe the two go hand in hand. i feel less stress and less short with my loved ones. (and since my hysterectomy, being short with people is something i'm struggling with)

any who, i thought this burn 100 calories right now poster was excellent to get you up and moving and clearing that stressed out mind. i figured it was worth sharing.

found here.

~the other dogs....~

 pretty soon we will have a fence. a privacy fence.

we are on a corner lot and have been worried about otis taking off

or getting hit.

plus we have other neighbor dogs that enjoy coming over into our yard to do their business.

i've been patient with them. with their owner.

but i am so ready for that to stop.

we have a alley behind us too

so that is another reason a privacy fence would be nice

otis has been patiently waiting as well

so he does not have to be tied up every time he has to use the restroom

  and he has been very, very patient with the other two dogs that use his backyard!



~the 1/2 bath....



i think i've mentioned before that everything in our new house is white. I MEAN EVERYTHING.

well, not now. i started small. with our 1/2 bath. it's blue. or blueberry muffin to be exact.

i'm not sure if it was the color that caught my attention or the name. i mean how can you go wrong with blueberry muffin.ex specially when it's all over the wall and everyone is OK with that.

before...

after....

another of before...

and after....

we still need some blinds or curtains for the window and maybe even some more decorations.

but for now i made do with what i had laying around. and it seems to work. for us.

~an interesting quote~

He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away. ~Raymond Hull

~quote~

"to many takers---not enough givers"

belfast, irish cab driver

P.S. today's my last day!!!!!!!



~september brings changes~

"any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." arnold bennett

today is september and tomorrow my last day. it's bittersweet. but mainly sweet. i'm thinking about a part-time job in north platte so i can spend more time attending my kids sports games, activities, and just being there for them.  hope it works out with me just having a part time job. i will miss my job and the people because

• i have made amazing friendships over the years with some of them
• they know me and get me when i'm playing around or being serious
• they have been so supportive when life happens....like here.
• they trust me and believe in me.
• i hear them say they are going to miss me and i know they mean it.
• we've shared major giggles....like cross-my-legs-pant-wetting-giggles.
• they have been there to help me when i need help. as well as me there for them.

change is hard and exciting all at the same time. we moved about a month ago but i still have felt ogallala as home since i'm here 5 days a week working. but now that my work is changing and i have no reason to come here daily (other then visit old friends from time to time) i still have felt a connection here. but after tomorrow i feel this will change. it saddens me, but i believe i am ready!