What will change

 

Den 12 Crossover - Arrow of Light

I'm washing Hubby's Cub Scout leader shirt for the last time.  He asked me to "mothball it", meaning clean it and put it up forever.  So many things we have been involved in for the kids have changed over the years,  but it becomes poignant when it involves your youngest child.

No more den meetings at my house with busy Wednesday nights getting dinner served and cleaned up, the flags out, the water buffalo filled, the patio cleared off, Bubbie dressed, the scout box and other supplies out. No more "base camp" at the start of the next school year. No more pack meetings, either, where I sit and socialize with the other moms. We can tear down the play scape and re-landscape the back yard, and get rid of these folding camp style chairs that are falling apart from years of use. I will sew the last two patches on Bubbie's brag vest and mothball that, too.  I will sew The Arrow of Light patch on his Boy Scout uniform.  I will print up the photos from the last few meetings and add them to his scout photo album.  And Hubby and I will sigh to ourselves that we did right by the boys, giving them a firm foundation with scouting and readying them for school and life.

In the front yard...

 Photo #2 - Moon Rising over Rustown!

...this is what the moon looks like through the oak tree.  I guess I could have waited a couple of nights til it was fuller; I  still might.  Then, I'll just add another on to this post.  A moon can be full, just like a life. Right?  Even tho it's not the moon that's changing the scene, but the Sun and Earth.  OK, I know I'm not a rocket scientist!  I just like pausing outside of my front door in the evenings, noticing such things..

Le Menu de Olde Man's Birthday

Sunday is Hubby's birthday; he will finally be as old (or young) as me! Here's what's on the menu:

La Vida Dolce coffee and cinnamon sugar monkey bread

Mom goes to work

Lunch is "yoyo" - you're on your own

Mom gets off early (hopefully)

Monterrey Jack cheese with chilies

and sliced pears on pita crisps

dark brown ale

Lemon-Thyme pan crusted thick cut pork chops

Baked garnet sweet potatoes with butter

Caesar salad - rolls

Caramel pie with whipped cream

couch

a happy daddy/hubby

I have to say that he's earned this one, with all the hustle and bustle lately of getting his third (and last) Cub Scout den ready for crossover, which is tonight.  It will be a fitting end to this week and a great start to the next.  And maybe, he'll be so tired, and full, he won't be feeling sad that the baby is in Boy Scouts...Oh, and we bought him some new boots and are filling his card with Lotto tickets!  

 Good Luck and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Hubby!

Thrifting and splurging

Today I had a good time at Thrift Town, rolling the aisles, listening to retro 80's muzak, wasting all kinds of time.  But, I did happen upon these items;  a Hawaiian shirt for my hubby, a long sleeve veerry soft tee for me from Eddie Bauer in my favorite color, a nut grinder (for those blasted pecans! and I have a shortbread recipe for them I'm going to make), and this cute candy dish. It says "Noble Excellence" on the back which probably translates to "made in China".  I spent a whopping $5.37.  Whoo-hoo!  Then I went and blew some bucks on hubby's birthday gift - more on that later!  I also decided to make this pic my first of 100 photos:

Melissa's Rose - Photo #1

When we went to my sister's house on Christmas Eve this was blooming next to her deck.  In December.  I think it's a sign.  You know - stop and smell the roses, or some such.  A reminder.  While you are busy with your life, unexpected beauty may be right in front of you.  While you are busy doing errands, chores and housework, pause.  Even when, especially when, your life is full to the brim.

                                            

What's in my make-up bag (drawer)?

There's a cute site called Chic Critigue that's doing a give-a-way with this topic.

Inquiring minds want to know...

However, moms with cluttered minds who barely have time to rake a brush through their un-kempt hair as they dash out to pick up their kids from school know that the best make-up involves sunglasses, a headband, and slouching down real low in the driver's seat til their kid gets to the car.  But here is what I use when I can spend a few minutes sprucing up:

Maybelline Great Lash mascara in Brownish Black.

Revlon Powder Blush in Berry Rich - looks nice with olive skin tones

Covergirl Outlast Smoothwear eyeliner in a dark brown

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Make-up in Light Medium

 That's it.

I like the au naturel look most of the time.

I am against coloring my silver. I only spend money on my hair with conditioners and such.  And I LOVE fragrance - scented lotions, soaps, sprays. The way you look every day is a direct reflection on how you feel, so you do you!

100 Photos

I want to start a 100 photos project this week.

100 photos during the year that help me learn to take and process my pictures into works of photographic art. I'm not sure what theme it should take.  Still mulling that over.  Maybe something about "filling your life to the brim";  the title of a sermon Hubby and I attended before we had kids, and full-to-the-brim lives!

(If we had only known, right?)  I'm sure that by the time I get to 99 I will know a thing or two more than I do now about taking photos.  and I  think that even with my simple  camera I can create some nice images.  

We'll see...

ONIF. Oh no, it's Friday!

Which means I have until 2:30 or so to get all my chores finished up and the house ready for the onslaught of the weekend; Bubbie doing instrument try-outs at school and Pinewood Derby first thing tomorrow, Scout to camping tonight.  Must get all the laundry up so Scout can pack.  Wash the cooler out, pack up the food.   Get clean dishes up and dirty dishes washed.
Pay bills on-line. Sweep and mop.

(how did all these leaves end up in the house?!)

Got to get sheets changed, bathrooms cleaned. Dinner planned.

Rustown Art

Now - let's move on to the wants list:

Want to watch a movie during lunch time.

Seems like a simple(?) trade-off - maybe I better get started.

Lunch with my girl

It was a little too quiet today at my house so,

The Girl came home to have lunch with mama.

OK, not really.  she's having lunch with whomever she is texting.

And in between bites, she is socializing.

(But, to be fair, this was after she told me about an awful movie they had to watch in English class.)

me:   "Honey, can you let me take your picture?

You look so pretty today.

I love that your eyeshadow matches your shirt."

her:   "No, I shall ignore you now, but at least I will

put the phone down for 10 seconds.

Then I shall announce to you that I work til closing tonight,

grab my Sonic uniform, and hit the door.

As I pull out of the driveway I shall treat you to my loud boom-boom muzak."

Ahhhh....quiet at my house....not to be over rated.

Nuts to you. And me.

Today I am going to abandon decor plans and focus on getting these jobs done that I have been putting off.  Why did I agree to buy 5 lbs. of slightly cracked pecans?

I must have been nuts. No one but me has been cracking them and I've had these suckers since right before Christmas. So it goes without saying, I guess, that we had nut-less stuff to eat over the holidays, except for the few I bought already shelled.

Sigh.

I will give myself an hour to finish up this job. then the rest of them will go into the freezer.  I am over pecans!  Yes, they remind me of the holidays and Winter but I am ready for both to be over!

From blah to brown...

Or, not brown - "Gaucho".

(but at least its no longer green!)

The room seems darker, but that can be resolved with lighting, and this area has big windows.  It's not like we hang out in this room, but that might change once the new comfy furniture gets all settled in.  I like it.  It's calming. Natural. 

Happy 20th Birthday

I've always liked this picture of my oldest.  It was taken in Kindergarten at Cook Elem.

He had a rough time at there*, but this picture shows a warmth and sincerity in his eyes, a sweet face, a little boy who is trying hard to do what is asked of him.

This is a boy who was was kissed often, with a smile that was offered readily. He was a boy who was cherished and loved.  And he still is... even if he's a big 20 year old!  We have high hopes for you and are proud of what a good kid you turned out to be, and we love you very much!

*He says he doesn't remember it being rough - sweet!

Green around the gills

That's what this color of green reminds me of...it's a little sickly.  It used to be so pretty in here - I forget the name of it, but it's a Martha Stewart color and the darker version of it is under the chair rails.  However, with the new furniture colors and curtains it's just not right. The light in here makes it look mint green.  
Not pretty.

Also, I hate the arrangement of junk on the shelf.  Way too much stuff.  Plus, we now have little to no blue in these rooms, so that lampshade has got to go. My plan is to paint the walls of the living room nook a sandy color. I think it will look good with the furniture and a couple of things I want to leave on the shelf.  All of the family portraits cannot stay. Nor the Bundles of silk flowers in Hard Rock Cafe drink glasses.
Nor that wrought iron thingy on the wall.

I do have a fair amount of crystal stuff that,  if I place strategically, might look nice.  Ever notice how one change to a room seems to spawn about a dozen others?

Old Faithful

This is one of the few times you will ever see or hear me actually saying something nice about the van.  Because, really...it gets 13 miles a gallon. And drives like a school bus.

Except for times like these when I  absolutely have to have it to move something.  This orange couch?  9 ft. long.  (If it hadn't fit in the van I was tempted to saw it in half.)  The upholsterers charge $100 to pick it up and take it to the shop...I'm thinking that's a little much.  I have this van.  I have Firstborn.  I could take the seats out, hoist the sofa up in there, drive carefully, and buy him lunch.  So I did! 

Now we wait for the fabric to come in...

Living room chairs are done!

Before

...and after!

Firstborn and I picked up the 'new' chairs today and WOW!

What a difference new fabric made!

Of course, this means the couch looks even shabbier, but not for long, as I have plans to drop it off at the same place this week. They were threadbare in places and quite dirty.  And the tapestry fabric was out of step with the times. The new fabric is softer and more neutral so we won't have to match the couch exactly; and it will coordinate beautifully with the cushions.  The couch is going to be a cinnamon color; very pretty! Tomorrow I will make a couple of throw pillows and take them a couple more yards of fabric to make arm rest covers when I drop off the couch. 

New week, same old us

Rustown Art

So this is the week the grind really settles in, full bore.

(Is is too soon to look forward to Spring Break?) Bubbie has a science project to work on, Scout has to get back to practicing his horn, The Girl and I will fill out the FAFSA and a scholarship app for the credit union.  Eventually I will start the walking program up again. Eventually I will get the chairs back from the upholsterers, then work on the couch. Eventually I will start the grout staining in the kitchen.  The new washer and dryer purchased.  The wallpaper stripped in the bathrooms. So many projects to do and it's so hard to start.  But we all have a lot going on... time to put that new motto into play, I guess!

Cannary Motto

At first I wanted to call this my motto.

Then it occurred to me that it could apply to the rest of my family members.

So maybe I should call it the "Cannary Family Motto".

Maybe if we all relax and and keep moving in the right direction, 2010 will be a successful year.  Not that it wouldn't have been anyway.

But maybe we'll just save ourselves a little sanity.

And actually have fun in the process of moving through the year.

A good day to cook (and eat!)

It is ridiculously cold and windy outside and I am homebound, by choice, for the day.  What better way to spend it than by working my way thru my new cookbook. 

So far I have made the meatloaf, which was wonderful with bacon and a sweet ketchup-y sauce on top; Olive Cheese bread which was very rich and incredibly good, served with homemade potato soup; Oatmeal Crispies cookies full of chocolate chips and pecans;  and for lunch today we are having Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich made with onions, lots of butter, and cubed steak.  I also plan on fixing Prune Cake and the pan fried pork chops for dinner.  I don't mind being "stuck at home" as long as I can cook up something great!

Move over, Joe, I'm comin' in!

To the hamster cage, that is. Where I will do the same thing there that I do all day long.  Run around in circles, trying to get things done, while making some sort of headway on the other, more fun projects that I would like to be doing!  The "have to do's" are starting to outnumber the "want to do's", in other words.   The kids do help, but I can hardly send them out into the world to grocery shop.  Or run to the scout shop for Dad.  Or go to the post office. Get the car oil changed. Take the deposit to the bank. Pay the bills on-line. And I do not want them ironing.   And really, I have to handle the meal making, the laundry loading, the general grunge.  It's not that my standards are high,  there's just many of us.  And I always think, "Well, there's tomorrow".  And sometimes it gets done, and sometimes put off. 
But always, I am running... 

Pine flowers

I really love pine cones.They are so like flowers and look really neat nestled among the china in the dining room or on the mantle.  It's a nice homage to winter without being too Christmas-y.  The tree we cut in Elgin this year had many of  these 'babies".  They even still smell like the tree itself and sniffing them reminds me

of the great Christmas we had!