It's A Briggs Life

Pumpkin Enchiladas

2011-10-18T20:05:00.000-06:00

I originally found this recipe on Cacique USA's website, one of Aaron Sanchez's recipes. In his recipe he used butternut squash, so I figured I could use canned pumpkin since I was on a pumpkin the first time I made it. The enchilada sauce is now the standard sauce in our house, stopping after the salt, for the sauce.
Sauce:
2 oz butter
5 T flour
2 c beef broth
4 T chili pwdr
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 c Crema Mexicana

Filling;
10 oz chorizo (pork or beef) ground beef can be used
1 can pumpkin puree

doz corn tortillas
1/2 pkg (5oz) Queso Quesadilla or monterey jack shredded

To make the sauce: melt butter in saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook for 2 min. on medium heat, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the broth. Add remaining ingredients, except Crema Mexicana. Bring to a slight boil and remove from heat and let cool slightly and add Crema.

Cook chorizo according to pkg instructions and drain well. Add pumpkin puree to the chorizo.

Lightly coat bottom of a baking dish with the sauce, the assemble the enchiladas, spread sauce on tortilla, add filling and cheese, roll and place in dish. When all are assembled, spread remaining sauce over enchiladas, sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is browned.
Enjoy

Mmm Queso.

2011-09-18T18:40:00.000-06:00

I printed a coupon the other day for Velveeta's new Queso Blanco. Well we love queso in the Briggs house. So a white queso sounded yummy. I went against my coupon policy of using a coupon on regular price. Since it was bought at WalMart I figure I'm okay.
Started with sauteing onions and garlic in a little butter. I chose butter, because sometimes I feel like olive oil flavor comes thru to much. Anyway, can I just say that the smell of cooking onions and garlic is heavenly. Love that. Anyway wanted to cook sausage in it, however on the quick trip to the freezer I could not find sausage right off, so I went with ground pork. Added additional garlic and onion seasoning since I was using ground pork and not some mild or hot sausage. Now one of the things I use alot for seasoning for Mexican flavor is taco seasoning. It already has most of what I want. For this I did add extra cummin and chili powder. I made a roux and added some Mexican creme to it, added that to the pork mixture and added white cheddar, monterey jack, and the queso blanco. (I also added some of my bottled salsa.) I realize some people don't like fake cheese, personally I think that's hooey. Velveeta makes any cheese sauce very, very creamy.

Back to the Queso Blanco. Total success even with ground pork and not sausage. It was a meal all by its lonesome. I cannot wait to try it with sausage. MMMMMMMMMM

A MUST HAVE, Your very own Elf!

2011-08-25T21:22:00.003-06:00

Last year I joined the wwww.100daystochristmas.com community. An amazing website that helps you plan for not just Christmas but Halloween and Thanksgiving. It is really amazing, and simple. Countdown to Christmas takes you thru the Fall Holidays and Christmas, with a daily task that prepares you and allows you to do all that you want, accomplish what you want and ENJOY! Can you imagine? Well this year it is even better, the creator of 100daystochristmas and listplanit.com (that is a whole other post, hmmm I will have to think about that) anyway, she; Jennifer Tankersley has created an ebook that is interactive with her sites. I had the wonderful opportunity to review her e-book. First let me tell you, you MUST check it out.

"A Daily Dose of Inspiration & Motivation for a Meaningful Holiday Season Based on previous years here at 100 Days to Christmas,this eBook is a journey that begins on September 16,and leads you step-by-step and day-by-day toward a peaceful and meaningful holiday season."

Now, let me tell you why this is brilliant.
The ebook is like having Jennifer, aka your own ELF, with you, giving you a little nudge in the right direction. The breakdown is an assignment 6 days of the week and then my favorite part is the Weekly Workshop, which is a chance to catch up on something you want to do, or maybe one of the daily countdown tasks. That weekly workshop I love, and if you didn't get a task done, you can get back on the countdown track. Seriously, it's like having your very own Elf. She has thought of EVERYTHING, this doesn't just get you ready for Christmas, but Halloween, Thanksgiving, even a reminder for voting. All of it. It really is brilliant. Most of us love Christmas, and want it just so. We want the Holidays to have meaning, we want our children to have memories that are meaningful, or carry on Family Traditions, or create our own. However, life happens, we don't get this done, or we forget until the last minute and then its hustle rush and panic. Why do we do that to ourselves? The daily tasks are broken down to make getting things done into a step by step process that do not require the entire day to do. Even better right? Like I said, your own Elf. Who would not love to have an elf to assist you. You can and the price is one fast food lunch, and trust me on this, you will enjoy it more, not to mention 0 calories. $4.99 will put it on your Kindle, Nook or PDF for your computer. Then sit back and realize that getting ready for the Holidays can be simple and you can enjoy it also!
Finally, thank you Jennifer for the chance to review your ebook. You are amazing. Also, thank you for creating 100daystochristmas, last year was so much easier than past years. I enjoyed the Holidays more and the preparation was enjoyable. Can you imagine? Yes I can, and I am excited for this year!
www.100daystochristmas.com/100-days-to-christmas-2011-ebook/

I think I missed something.....

2011-08-25T20:14:00.000-06:00

I believe its called Summer. What happened? I mean I know its been hot, so its been summer, but I have done NOTHING. Okay that is not right, I have not done anything I have wanted to do or get done. This is what I have been doing, building fence. Almost every weekend, and if we are not building fence, we are trying to get stuff caught up around the house. Then when we don't go build fence, the sewer line breaks. Oh that was so much fun. However, I am married to Superman and he fixed it for a less than $150 bucks! Seriously! He is amazing! Then the next weekend comes, and building fence it is. 100 acres of land to fence. UGH.

The next generation learning the ins and outs of running a post pounder on a tractor!
So forgive me and give me a little time to get caught up!

Money Money Money

2011-05-11T10:02:00.000-06:00

Okay, I like thousands of others out there am hooked on TLC's Extreme Couponing, I mean come on, we all want to save money.
I remember years ago, reading about people that did this and thought, its not possible for me. For awhile my grocery store (WINCO) did not accept online coupons, so I never used them. A few years ago that changed, so I would sort thru the online coupons for stuff that I bought on a typical basis and printed those. Once and a while I would use a coupon from a magazine or such. I did not subscribe to the paper, still don't.
However, after watching this EC, I gotta admit looks intriguing. Now, I do not want to be an exteme couponer. I do no want 50 bottles of mustard on the shelf or 93 bags of croutons, or even 150 nighttime sleepaids. However, if I can save 30% I would be thrilled. Not that we have an outrageous grocery budget anyway, but if I can save some money, sure. Well I starting blog stalking, and then signing up on coupon websites, etc. A couple fav's; The Krazy Coupon Lady, she is the one who dumpster dived with her son and pregnant friend, while looking quite stylish!!
I also like Jessica Hacker, Fabulously Frugal, she was another TLC EC, from Idaho. We Use Coupons, Mr. Coupon has some videos on there, that are pretty informative. Finally A Thrifty Mom. Most of these sights do the legwork for you, other than the prices are not always the same, especially Target. However, they let you know what coupons from the papers and online sources are and the deals to be had. Now, this means alot of coupons, which starts to get a bit overwhelming, then while reading KCL's book, "Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey" (love the title!) she mentions, still throwing away about 50% of them or sending them in for the troops, cuz they can use expired coupons, cool. Anyway, that made me feel a bit better.
I will admit to frustration and yes this does take time, lots of it. But you will not find me at the store at midnight to get a deal. I'm just not the type, although I will get up at 4 am to go shopping on Black Friday. Priorities people!
I will also admit to having scored a few deals, bodywash for 4cents a bottle, free bodywash, and free deodorant. Very cheap razors, shaving cream and exrta blades. Again, I will also admit to frustration, anger and alot of what the $*%&(#* am I doing! However, I think with time this may abate. Although, the checkers are making comments about how the number of couponers has increased dramatically because of TLC's Extreme Couponing. Some stores are evening limiting items or rewards and the like. Walgreens seems to be the spot for alot of the frustration. Why, the really do get some amazing deals, plus the register rewards are good.
So after a month of this, my opinion? Coupons can save you money, but they also can change your eating habits, come on, how many of these people bought those oriental noodles? Have you looked at the ingredients and the nutrition facts, check those out. Really, besides Halloween how many candy bars do you need at one time? Dog treats, when you do not own a dog????
Buying diapers in advance, so someday when you have a kid, you will be prepared?
I am watching the grocery flyers more, to see who has the deals. Fred's this week has Tillamook 2lb bricks of cheese for $3.99 a pound, with a coupon for a dollar off $2.99 a pound. Even at my ever faithful cheap WINCO, they do not have that price. I have a pantry and have a decent supply of staples, there is room for improvement. So I am working on that, and boy would I love some cheap toilet paper!

Taxes or Death

2011-03-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

There is some saying that nothing is life is certain but death and taxes. Not encouraging is it.
Well that is what I've been doing, is taxes, since its that time of year. Can I tell you a secret? You have to keep this quiet, but I have a brother who is a very capable CPA, but do I let him do my taxes, no, I do them. I like pain. This is another one of those things that I am stubborn about, I can do them myself. With lots of phone calls and e-mails between us. He just laughs at me and gives me the answer I need.
There are things that occur no matter what, and this is one.
So I spend weeks, working on it, put it away for a few days, go back to it. Then when I am done, I put it away again, come back in a couple of days and review it all over again and then set it down AGAIN. After a day or so, I return to it and finally hit send! Then I do the happy dance, it is done!!!
Now i can take the time to get back to projects. Another happy dance!!

Buyers remorse

2011-02-10T14:07:00.003-07:00

Okay throughout my life, there have been a few times when I have had buyers remorse. My Kirby vacuum is the biggest. I know, I know, they are great vacuums, but I really don't want to have a work out when I vacumm. That thing is HEAVY. Not only that, put everytime I get the stupid thing out, all I think of is dollar signs, okay, dollar bills going up in smoke is probably a more fitting description. So currently the thing sits in storage and I use a Dyson, which by the way, I LOVE. So easy, no bags, lightweight and moves around furniture so smooth. Also it was a third the cost of the stupid Kirby. I had some remorse when we bought our latest house, but I got over that, that was because it was a foreclosure and we put a couple grand into the thing before we even signed papers for it. Plus the payment. It was an adjustment. I know I have twice the house, twice the land, but still it was an adjustment, but We love the house.
Anyway, on to the real reason for this post. My cellular service is with Verizon, and my phone is currently a Blackberry Storm (fist version) and I LOVE IT. Until the last few months when the "uncaught exception" errors are so frequent that my phone spends more time rebooting, than I use it to call. Since October I have been looking at new smart phones, the hubs has a droid. Its a nice phone, just not nice to me, EVERYTIME I touch the thing, something goes wrong, not to mention, it is soooo sensitive that he butt dials me and others, all the time. He is getting better. So in my search I have looked at something besides a droid. My Dream, is that Blackberry comes ups with a droid/iphone version of their own. But alas, BB seems to have ignored Verizon, they have come out with new phones but not for Verizon. Well since the iphone has FINALLY come to Verizon, I thought, well maybe that is what I am going to do. So I started looking at the iphone, and asking friends, family, my boss, what they think. Its mixed, get a droid, get a iphone. I repeat, BLACKBERRY you could save me, and you watch in like 6 months they probably will come out with something. I just cannot continue to live with this phone the way it is. Even the Verizon people are no help, even BB support.
Verizon announced the iphone was coming and I signed up for the info, and since I was ready for an upgrade, I would get early pickings. However, the first time, I DID NOT get up a 1am and order one, and by 7 the next morning, you couldn't. Well the next online chance would be the 9th, again at 1am, oh wait, not 1am, but 1:01 AM. I set the alarm. It scared the freaking #$%& out of me. I shut it off and thought, nevermind, who needs this. Rolled over, well the hubby gets up, not feeling well. So I figure, well I'm awake now, so grab the laptop and log on. Not really paying attention, CUZ its freaking the middle of the night, and I like my sleep. I clicked on the first box, added a case and checked out. Saw the e-mail to confirm, shut the laptop off and went back to sleep. Two hours later I wake up thinking, you did not order the 32gb did you. YEP you did, so you spent an extra 100. Great. Okay deal with it in the morning.
I have talked with Verizon, I can change, cancel if I want to. I do not even have the phone yet, and I'm in remorse. WHY?
1- Learning a new phone, is like learning a new computer program in chinese. I no like.
2- COST
3- Learning a new phone, is like learning a new computer program in chinese. I no like.
Yes, I know I am repeating myself.
4- What if Blackberry does come out with my dream storm????
I will wait for the stupid phone to arrive and then see.
My hubby called to tell me I could just go to the Verizon store and get it. No thank you I will wallow in my buyers remorse for a bit longer, thank you. Stubborn.

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-05T21:35:00.002-07:00

Here we are the start of a new year. At the beginning of a new year we reflect on the past year and ponder the new year.
Reflections are good, its good to review and recollect. We had a good year. Every year is a good year, to recollect the year as good is my choice. Despite hospital stays for Caitlin; appendicitis, and Chris; horse accident,it was a good year. We are healthy despite the previous mentions. We are enjoying our life. Our life is good. This year Chris and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage. Wow, and it has been great. Caitlin will be eleven years old. She is a blessing that we are so very grateful that she is our daughter.
We accomplished a few projects in the house, but time was against us with getting everyone healed up. Anyway, this year my hope is to accomplish a lot more.
I have some furniture that needs to be refurnished, rooms to paint and style. Rooms that need to be organized.
I will start small. I have a small red nightstand that needs to be sanded and painted. I look forward to the new year, the new possibilities. Let's see how the turn out.

Where have I been.......

2011-01-05T21:30:00.002-07:00

Here, seriously I have. My intentions where good. Really.
My thought is, I will do that tonight. Then tonight comes and goes and its another tonight.
My shopping weekend was so great. We shopped, we made truffles and toffee. We laughed, we talked and we shopped. It really was great. I have two great women as my best friends! I am very lucky.

Retail Therapy, an emotional experience

2010-11-16T11:12:00.002-07:00

Okay this Thursday, I leave for Utah for a weekend with two amazing women. We attend craft fairs, shop at stores like World Market, Taipan Trading, rarely do we step foot into a clothing store. Coldwater Creek in Jackson, Wyo, being the exception. Although this weekend we are going to a pajama outlet. Sounds very fun. This years weekend is at Wendy's house and Wendy is single, so for Carrie and I this is pure heaven. No children needing/wanting/demanding/acting out to get attention and no hubby feeling neglected and wanting to run away from the antics when good friends get together. We are also making chocolates this weekend, YUM YUM YUM. We will stay up late talking/laughing for hours on end. During the day its nothing but shopping!
After the weekend, I come home exhausted but rejuvinated by my weekend with friends!
Better than a spa any day!

Black Friday

2010-11-08T12:52:00.004-07:00

Okay since I'm looking at a couple of inches of snow outside and it has not stopped, I'm most definitely getting in the Christmas mood. I mean I listened to Christmas music this morning, Straight No Chaser, love those guys! Also this weekend I was doing a little online shopping/price checking on some things and checking out gottadeal to see who's ads they had up for Black Friday. I noticed that some stores are doing online deals earlier. This has started to be a trend in the last few years online and in store, get you in sooner and spend more money. Does not necessarily mean the earlier sales are the better deal, although last year I did buy some things at Shopko a few weeks before Black Friday, that where on sale for BF, but the sale earlier was better. You never know. Most stores will let you take the items back or show the receipt the morning of BF and get the difference back in credit.
Years ago, I used to sign up for a ladies black friday email, who lived in Utah who literally spent Thanksgiving day going over the ads and comparing to her price book, created by her. She then would let you know what things where really good deals, what was a steal and what was not to be in a rush for. She no longer does this. Now I know the prices on the big ticket items I'm after for Christmas, so when I do go over the ads, I know if they are a steal, deal or no big deal. Now, there are always things being on sale that I was not thinking of, which gottadeal usually has some reference to if its a good price or not. Honestly it pays to know your prices, or otherwise it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday. From what I have been reading, from news, articles, columns, blogs etc. Very few deals going on now are the best deals, which is fine, I hate to think I might have spent more than I needed to, which I can honestly say, is very very rare for me. I love to shop, but I love a great deal and I love to not overspend! Anyway, just some thoughts on Black Friday. Now back to some Christmas tunes, and wondering if its going to stop snowing.

Sunday Evening

2010-11-07T18:28:00.002-07:00

Sunday evening is not my favorite. It reminds me that my weekend is over and in the morning it is back to work. We had some really great weather for November in Idaho. Upper sixties on Saturday, and low sixties today. NICE. It also comes to an end tonight, next week I think the high is mid forties.
We thought we would get an estimate to have someone come install the outdoor lights on the house, since we have a pretty steep pitch. Besides the house is two stories. Anyway so far we have only got one estimate and can I just say, HOLY COW that is a lot of money. So not happening. File that under "good to know" nothing will be done, but good to know. I did not get any fall bulbs planted, which means next week I get to do the planting in cold weather. My fault.
Thanksgiving is coming up pretty quick, which means Black Friday! Looking forward to that. Only a week and a half until the girls shopping weekend. YES!
Still so much to get done before winter hits, have not had much time for projects. Will need to try and fit one in here. I have a couple of old doors that I have plans for. Fun.

It's in the air

2010-10-26T14:27:00.003-06:00

I can feel it, and not just because its only 34 degrees outside with 20mph winds. Winter is coming, which means CHRISTMAS! Yeah, I'm like a 5yr old when it comes to Christmas, the excitment, can't sleep at night, is it here, is it here kind of excitment and not for presents, okay yes I like presents, but really what gets to me is the feeling. I've peeked at a few catalogs, okay fine, they are dogeared and marked, and I've checked online to see if it really speaks to me. Christmas is my holiday and not just evidenced by the numerous totes that could fill a storage unit but instead take up just about one side of the garage, but by my obsession with all things Christmas. I love to shop, I love to decorate, I love to bake, I love to eat, I love to just sit late in the evening staring at my Christmas tree in all its glory with some Christmas music in the background, like maybe Donny Osmond singing Mary Did you Know? Or Straight, No Chaser singing just about anything, or Amy Grant, or okay the list is long, the cd's are numerous, but the music is important, the peace and contenment that I find at the time is worth more than any gift. That's what I love about Christmas. Now it's only 60 days away, which is hardly anytime at all, but I will not decorate before Thanksgiving, except to get the light up outside. I'm strict with the no decorating, each Holiday deserves its own time. I do not listen to music yet, although when I'm driving to Utah to my girlfriends for the annual shopping weekend, I do listen to it then, this is usually the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I give in then. After Thanksgiving, its like Santa's workshop comes alive.
Truly I blame the weather for getting me going.

Catch Up

2010-10-20T19:34:00.002-06:00

WOW! It's been awhile. Lots of "Life" has been happening. First the freezing and canning continued. Did get peach and raspberry freezer jam made. Even made a small batch of raspberry/huckleberry jam. Huckleberries were like gold this year. The peach jam was made late at night with the help of this little German lady known as my mother. Thanks MOM!!
I made another small batch of salsa, this time just a bit hotter. I also made 2 1/2 pints of pepper and onion relish, like H & D's. Not bad, just a bit spicier than the original and not as spicy as the hot & spicy. Happy medium. I have to admit its been kind of fun. Also during the peach freezer jam, my Mom made a batch of her spaghetti sauce for the freezer. That is my husband's favorite gift for Christmas from my Mom.
More updates, State Fair, 4-H, no placement ribbon for Caitlin, she was disappointed but she and the hubs won goldfish at one of the games at the fair, and 4-H was forgotten.
School has started and we have parent-teacher conference tomorrow night. Her weekly updates look good, and the grades are pretty good, except for Language arts, that one is a B-. We have some work ahead.
My husbands stepfather went into the hospital (ICU actually) for an aorta aneurysm. It had not ruptured, thank heavens. However, they are getting a second opinion from a specialist in Utah. Basically should he have surgery to put a mesh casing along the vein to keep it from bursting. The surgery is extremely high risk. Not doing anything but treating with medicine could mean he could be going along and it bursts and the likelihood of survival is very slim. Not encouraging. Lots of prayers.
With that, are fall plans will be adjusted. My hubby will be stopping at his Mom's to feed their cows and the rest of the critters, then come home to do ours. Then during calving season, ugh, that will make for some very long days and nights, but we do what needs to be done. I worry for the hubs, hoping he will be healed completely from the horse episode to handle all of that. Too many unknowns right now.
This is part of life, trials and struggles come and we deal. Just as the joys that come our way, its a package deal, the good with the bad.
I stand behind my thinking of boring is good!
Now for what is on my plate next. Lots of projects, furniture, small projects, fabric. The list is endless but I'm very excited.

Life

2010-08-19T13:07:00.002-06:00

Busy August and its barely half over. But being barely half over means school starts for Caitlin the 1st of September. Yesterday I got her registered for 5th grade. This will be her first full year at Southfork, hope its better than last year. Moving into a new school mid-year was really hard for her. Let's hope this year is good. I was disappointed with the registration, it was very chaotic. JE did such a better job, I'm sure this year was no different. Anyway its done, and she is ready for the first day, kinda. We have to put in for a deviation on transportation, since we are both at work, she will go to Grandma & Granpa Henman's after school. For the most part that works well. She needs to try harder to get her homework done, instead of go watch t.v. I think we are done with the school shopping other than a couple pairs of shoes. She thinks she can wear my shoes, "they fit" just because there is another inch or two of space does not mean anything. Sorry, but I do not share shoes. I'm funny that way.
Last weekend I made and bottled 24 pints of salsa, whew that was one long day. But I'm glad to have it done. I have not "canned" anything for years. I mostly freeze, but this was good. I think I will freeze some corn this weekend, we love corn, and I am not a big fan of canned corn. I don't think too many packages, mostly still on the cob, a few packages of cut corn also. Looking forward to getting some peaches and raspberries, so I can make some more freezer jam.
Tuesday I had to go into my dentist, back molar causing me pain. They had done some temp work on it, with thoughts of root cannel next. However the tooth was in bad shape when they did the temp work, it was even worse when I went it. It's just slowly deteriorated, so since its in the back and the root canal would help but just for awhile til the tooth completely came out, I went for the yank it out now. Which they did. So now I'm hurting. Yesterday was a liquid diet, gag protein shakes. Today is a soft foods diet, pretty close on the gag, with lots of Motrin for the pain. If I could have I would have stayed home yesterday and today. This is just miserable, but short handed in the office, so I work. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.
We need to get our camper ready for labor day weekend, that's a chore. Not a trip, just taking it up to the farm for the labor day weekend campout with Chris's family. No biggie, but do need to have the camper ready. Perhaps this weekend along with everything else that keeps getting put off. YUCK. Need more hours, days, weekends.
Oh well, its life and I love mine.

Just the Everyday

2010-08-10T15:10:00.003-06:00

We got all the school supply shopping done. We had to run into Wal-Mart one Saturday and I had the list, so we started and finished and came in under budget. I mean we only have one child so it really is not a huge thing for school supplies. We also pick up extras, the price is always the best, then the extras get stored in a school tote for use as needed. Works well for us. Caitlin has been going thru her closet very slowly. What still fits, what is worn out, and what she does not wear, never liked gets put in a pile. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't sell them on e-bay. Is the pay-off worth the effort as opposed to just giving to someone you know needs the clothes. Still thinking on it right now. Have done some online shopping for school clothes, love online shopping, always find a coupon, so those packages should start showing up. I am much more restrained this year than in the past. Probably tired of all the stuff that gets put in the give-away pile.
I have been purchasing produce thru Bountiful Baskets for quite a few months, one of the many benefits that I am realizing is even if I know we are not going to get something eaten right away, I can do something with it. I have made numerous batches of freezer jam, but small quantities, like just a few pints. Do you know how nice that is, to just do a small batch, instead of flats of fruit. This weekend I'm getting tomatoes, 25lbs. Not a small batch, but oh well. Going to do the majority in salsa, a very small amount in Pepper & Onion relish. All will be canned. Long time since I've done that. That ought to be an interesting day.
Today, Caitlin is at Lava Hot Springs swimming with the cousins. She loves when she gets to go with my brothers family. She gets the fun and chaos of a large family. She should be dog tired tonight. Glad she gets to spend the time with them.
We really have not done much fun stuff this summer. Sometimes that is just the way it goes. We finished 4-H horse, not on a great note. She showed in halter with her horse, then was practicing on the track and her horse freaked and ran off with her on, she held on, but it scared the daylights out of her and not in any mood to do anymore. Chris said no that was it. Not worth an accident. She did get a blue ribbon on her Idaho History project, her rag rug. So it goes now to the state fair, which she is really excited about. I also got a couple of ribbons for my pictures, one blue and one white. Kind of fun to do. My nephew Quinn got two blue ribbons for his art. Pretty cool.
Have not finished any projects in the house, which frustrates me greatly. My motivation never seems to make in the door when I get home after work. Need to work on that. Have been playing with my Cricut machine. Fun stuff. I see lots of vinyl words on my walls in the future.
School registration is the 18th of this month. Caitlin is not at all excited. I hope its a good year for her, last year was a struggle, with transferring not quite mid-year.
Well that is the everyday and yes it is our everyday. Its a good everyday, and I am content with that.

July

2010-07-27T10:37:00.002-06:00

Wow July is almost over. Sometimes I wonder what happens, cuz I really don't remember much.
A good part of July was taken over by Chris's horse and rider going their seperate ways adventure. Couple days in the hospital, and then being home. Chris is the world's worst patient, always has been. I learned this early on in our marriage, we had been married 6 months and he had to have his appendix out, so a week long stay. It was awful, he hates hospital food, I can agree on that, but if that is all then go hungry or get over it. Or in Chris's case order Domino's Pizza and the Doc decides you are healthy enough and go home. Anyway, this time, because of the injury he couldn't get around well, still looks like an 80 year old walking. 4-6 weeks for the injury to heal. He went back to work after a week and a half. Has physical therapy 3 times a week. Fun stuff. Caitlin is a couple weeks away from the fair, she is entering her Idaho History project from school which was a rag rug that she made with the help of my Mom. She won Best Project at school! She also is in Horse 4-h so has her horse to enter.
School supply lists are out, although school does not begin until Sept. 1st. I love school shopping. Its so much fun. Since we only have one child its not to hard financially to cover. Now as Caitlin has gotten older, she is sharing her opinion on clothes, and Target is no longer good enough. Now it's the mall and those stores. Now Old Navy is fine, but Aeropostle gets pricey. So that is limited, plus as expected her opinion differs from mine. So I don't quite enjoy the clothes shopping as much. Also we have not been as successful in teaching her the value of a dollar, so price does not quite register. I think this year we will do a budget for her, and that is the amount that is spent and see how she does. Maybe that way she will see how her dollar goes further in different stores. I remember my parents doing the same thing when I got around her age, I think one year I got two pants and 3 shirts, cuz of what I wanted, the rest was make due. We shall see. Somedays I really think uniforms would be a good thing.
Well on to August, lets see how that goes!

Shopping

2010-06-17T14:50:00.002-06:00

Okay, I love shopping. I mean I truly love to shop. Now the only thing I hate about shopping is the inevitable returns. This week I had two returns. Tennis shoes and a baby outfit. Its so annoying to me to have to return something, I mean I do better than that, but alas I did not. The shoes for my daughter fit right now and she has no room. I took them back, they did not have her size, so do I wait or buy an alternate. I went with the alternate. $20 bucks more, 15 minutes in line, and showing I.D., what is up with that. Anyway, then I bought a summer outfit for my niece's daughter. Needed a size up on that which puts into the 24mos, or 2T size. Now when my daughter was that size I never really got the 24mos or 2T size. Did not see much difference. Anyway, got that exchanged also. I really do not enjoy returning things, I mean it could almost turn me off of shopping. No probably not.
Looking forward to dinner tonight, my hubby is making "his" spaghetti, we have a couple of different versions, tonight is his. Love it when he cooks! Really love it when he makes spaghetti. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Time goes by

2010-06-08T09:59:00.004-06:00

Wow, time has passed since I was here last. I never realized how much time one child in school can take. I do not want to think about more than one, and since I have only one, I do not have to. Idaho History project took up alot of time. Caitlin made a rag rug with the help of Oma. She won "Best Homemade Project" and was very excited about it. She can also enter her project into the county fair, which she is going to do. School is now out and we made it. Now her time is spent playing. I want that life. She is taking Horse 4-H and seems to be enjoying that. One of the neighbor girls is also in it, but she is a year ahead, same age, which is hard for Caitlin, you know only child needs to be able to do everything and at the same level.
All of our cows have calved. Yeah. Seem to be all doing well.
Right now we are working on Caitlin's party this weekend. She turns 10 on the 15th. So we are having a party, and who knows if its going to be rainy or not. So we make double plans. We are having a Luau, on a very small scale. Hawaiian Pizza is as close to Hawaiian food as we are getting. Thinking of also having some carnival games. Working on that today. That would work best for outside, but who knows.
Today is nice weather, no rain, YIPPEE! Looking forward to the weekend.

Spring is Over

2010-04-06T10:55:00.002-06:00

Woke up this morning to over 7 inches of very heavy wet snow, and the wind blowing. It's April 6th and the conditions where so bad they called off school for the county. It took me 45 minutes to get to work for a drive that is normally 20 minutes. Fun stuff, I want a snow day!
What fun the weather in Idaho is.
Its depressing actually, I think I need a vacation. I think I might work on that.

A bit of spring

2010-03-17T13:08:00.002-06:00

Okay I got a bit of spring today, but not because of the weather, although it is nice outside, but I think we are back to rain/snow mix Friday.
My bit of spring came in the form of starting seeds. I love flowers, and gardens, and since I get to start fresh at the new place, I thought I would start my seeds indoors for a good start. Not that this is a new thing, by any means, it just gets me excited for the possibilities out there. The vegetables I started are Tomatoes of course, eggplant, pumpkin, watermelon, and sweet peppers. Most of the flowers can be direct sowed, so only a few I started indoors, like; Nasturtiums, Delphiniums and Hollyhocks. Today I'm just soaking the seeds to jumpstart their germination. Tomorrow or the next day I will plant them in seed starter trays and in a couple of months, when we have the hopefull last frost of spring, they will be planted outside.
Not all my flowers will come from seeds, I will still hit the garden centers.

I want spring

2010-03-12T14:57:00.002-07:00

First off let me say that I love winter, love snow, lots of it. However once March hits I want it gone. I start thinking gardens and flower beds. So of cours since it is March, I'm ready. We have had some days, that toy with me, make me think okay its getting closer, then it usually snows the next day, just to remind me, that I am not in control.
The house we have now, has lots of beds, but since we bought it in late November, I do not know if there are many flowers. We did see the house in late summer just briefly, but there was only one flower in bloom.
I think the beds have good bones, so I get to add the color, which works well. We have so much pruning to do, not looking forward to that. I mean LOTS. All the beds have curbing so its even better. There is no garden though, so plotting where that will be, I'm thinking several raised beds in the back not to far from the patio door. Then off to the side, a bed for corn and such big space needs. I really enjoy laying out the plans for new beds. Now if the snow would just melt!

Surviving my child's hospital stay

2010-02-25T12:44:00.004-07:00

Always in the back of my head there has been that little thought/panic of what will happen the first time Cait stays overnight in the hospital. What will I do. Well, we found out this week. Last Thursday night, Caitlin had a fever, that Tylenol did not help, but by morning all gone. Friday and Saturday she was fine. Sunday she woke up with a stomach ache. She ate a little breakfast, not much then said she was so full her stomach hurt. So we figured here we go, stomach flu coming on. So she worshipped the porcelain god numerous times, and the usual 7-UP, Gingerale, Coke or Peppermint Tea did not help at all. Lots of pain, tired, slight fever. So we did a little research online, and came up with appendicitis, but she had so few of the symptons that we thought, maybe not, let's wait. So Monday morning we woke up and decided to keep Caitlin home. She said the pain was less, but still curled up on the coach. She also said the pain in her stomach was now lower. We decided, that's enough off to Community Care. The Doc took blood, which considering she had not eaten for 24hrs and drank very little was not a fun thing. The took a urine sample, her temp was normal. He said, I think she might have appendicitis, but she is having less pain, which is the opposite, and was hungry. But he thought we should take her up to the hospital for a CT scan to be sure. So we decided Rexburg would be the quicker ER to get into for the scan. They had to put an IV in, which was awful, they had her arms wrapped in warm blankets to increase blood flow. Finally they got it in after one failed attempt. So hard to watch your little girl cry and you cannot make it better.
They put the stuff into the IV and then we had to wait for two hours before they could take the scan, and she could not eat or drink anything. Miserable time. Chris gave Cait a blessing with my nephew Riley. Finally we had the scan done and the Doc saw the results right away and yep her appendix was big fat and juicy, ready to burst, if it had not already and it needed to come out right away. So shortly after they where rolling her into surgery. I have a very brave little girl! One of the worst parts was the nurse going over the living will crap, that had me in panic mode. I could not think of that. I thought I would loose it, but cannot do that in front of your child. So we waited in the waiting room by the day surgery suites for her to come out. It took the doc 15 minutes to complete the surgery, regular surgery, not scope, that would have taken longer. Anyway the appendix had not burst thank goodness, but needed to come out. Then they came and got us cuz she was having a hard time in the recovery. She had no clue what was going on, still foggy and crying her eyes out, hyperventilating. That about killed me, trying to calm her, and she still fuzzy and not knowing what was happening. Finally after 20 minutes we got her calmed and could go back to the room. She slept a little. Chris's mom came to see her. Brought her flowers and a teddy bear. So she stayed for a while and visited, my folks would come the next day and my mom has been staying with us since she is out the whole week. She finally could have a liguid diet. Which she said was great, thought the beef broth was so good, tells you how hungry she was.
Chris left to go home at ten and I stayed. Not much sleep, when they check every 1 and a half. But she was doing so much better. What a tired little girl. We finally got to bring her home late Tuesday afternoon. She had been doing so good. Still in some pain, but no fever, no sickness. Me, I'm so tired, and hope that I do not go thru that again anytime soon, so much stress and worry. So hard to see her in the hospital bed, but she is so brave and did so good. She has been working on her schoolwork so she is not behind. I think she is starting to get a little stir crazy from being inside. This is good, it means she is doing very well. I'm very glad it is over and all is well. Hate sleeping in hospital rooms. Hate the food, but the nurses get an A+, so awesome! Kept Caitlin in videos, and DVD's, jello, milkshakes!

Bountiful Baskets

2010-02-18T13:35:00.005-07:00

Well purchased my first basket from
Bountifulbaskets.org, a food coop in AZ, UT, ID, and Washington State.
It's primarily produce, but a great deal.
You go to there website and sign in and make a donation ($15 for the bountiful basket) and choose the pick up location you want. This is all done during the time period stated on the website. For Idaho it's Monday at noon I think and goes for about 36hrs, although very few locations last that long. Since each location has a certain number of baskets.
I picked up my basket on Saturday at the location specified. Interesting process; you get in line, they take your name, point you in the direction for your purchases and you go fill your basket, bags, or boxes (I use the reusable grocery bags since those are always in my car) most used a laundry basket. For the fifteen plus 1.50 handling charge that pays to keep the website running and ccard charge fees, my basket included the following;
1 pineapple
1 honeydew melon
3 pomelo (large grapefruit, sweeter though)
box of strawberries
8 ears of corn
7 bananas
3 baby cucumbers
6 small yams
8 apples
2 squash
3 tomatoes
1 bag of spinach
A great deal! Now for me and my family we would not need to do this every week, but every other week, probably. They also offer an ethnic food pack with varies every week, I bought that also for $7, it included;
2 onions
1 elephant garlic
2 baskets of mushrooms
1 bundle of parsley
bunches of basil, rosemary, etc.
I think this week it was oriental.
They also offer a 20lb fruit box that changes, right now its citrus. Then they offer some bread to.
Check it out www.bountifulbaskets.org !! But remember they do sell out. Give it a try once. The value is really good.
PLUS if there is not an area right near you, get enough people interested and they will try and add a location.
Now you will not know what each week brings, it changes, but it is fun to see what you are going to get. I noticed quite a few people that I had seen at the pickup at the grocery store later. Smart, you find out what you have then go grocery shopping to make it work for you or look up some recipes first then do your shopping.
Now, my typical grocery shopping does not include buying lots of produce, which in it self is not a good thing. For some reason I feel compelled to make sure we use everything up that we got in our basket, although I admit to passing on the yams.
Also I have eaten more fruit this week than typically I do. So thats a good thing, now with this co-op you need to volunteer now and then since thats a co-op, run by volunteers. But it's a little more than an hour on a Saturday every once and a while.
Also, you only have a brief window to pick up, and if you don't pick up its passed on to the local firehouse. No refunds.

Getting Caught Up

2010-02-08T10:37:00.003-07:00

Wow, didn't realize it was almost a month ago that I posted...in my head I posted some really grest post, thought provoking, however it appears non of that happened. I'm sure its actually a computer glitch. Like my fingers failed to type on the computer, see a glitch....!
Well today is Monday and I'm working on my menu's for the week. I have menu planned for a long time, but I go thru phases of now and then. Since its a new year I'm trying to do better. Its so much easier cooking dinner when its planned. When I get home its just getting it fixed or Chris fixing it. I have a written list of the most common meals we eat, about 20. Makes it easier to plan. Now there are times when I look at that list and I think yuck. So I go thru cookbooks, these are the reliable cookbooks not the fancy ones, that you know you will never cook from, or search websites, again reliable. Online, I search thru Taste of Home, CD kitchens and foodtv or course, I also use websites from Kraft, Pillsbury etc. Now Taste of Home is so realible, you know they are tried and true. I also have a few of their cookbooks. I have also gone to a couple of their cooking classes which I really like. There is lots of promoting of brands and things, but you get a good bag with lots of samples, a magazine, etc. All the recipes they make are pretty quick. They have their schedules online well worth the cost of admission.
Online I check the reviews written for the recipes and the numbers of reviews.
So on my menu planning I try to add a new recipe every other week, if it's liked then its added to the meal list. I also have been trying to use my crockpot more.
I'm looking at a food coop for fruits and vegetables. I'll let you know how that goes.
The other thing we have been working on is the indoor house projects. Tried some paint samples on the wall, will live with them a week or so and then decide. I know that once the weather gets nice, there are too many outdoor project that need to be tackled. So I need to work on the indoors now.
Oh and Way To Go Saints!!!

Good Friends

2010-01-18T14:01:00.002-07:00

I have two best friends that are the greatest. They came up Sunday from Utah for lunch and a visit and to see the new house. See every November we get together and have a girls weekend. Craft fairs, shopping etc. We stay up late and visit, catching up with eachother. We rotate locations/homes each year. Now this has been going on for well over 20 years. This last November I missed it, because we where moving into the new house. I was very disappointed to say the least, even with buying a new home. Anyway they wanted to see the house and bring the Christmas gifts and get a visit in. So I made tortilla soup which is the standard dinner for one of the nights when we get together.
So after the grand tour of the house we sat down for lunch and visited and visited. I cannot tell you how great it is to have friends like this. They are the greatest. I wish it would have been a visit for the whole weekend, but its a nice substitute for missing the whole thing. Its funny to me how well we get along when we are so different from eachother. Its wonderful. I love these women and they truly are my best friends. Looking forward to our next lunch and visit.

Resolutions and snow

2010-01-14T11:36:00.002-07:00

Its the middle of January and I have not made ANY resolutions. I've decided to not. To just continue on with short term goals and long term goals. Resolutions just seem so here today and gone tomorrow, kindof like snow. Its beautiful when its happening, then it gets a bit messy when the heat comes on and then its gone.
Anyway, seems like we have been busy, but at what? Work, putting away the Christmas stuff, and getting the last of the storage unit stuff. Need to unpack boxes, now.
Its interesting to me that I want all my pictures, shelves, etc up on walls, but am in no hurry. Partially need to remove the old nails still in the walls from the previous owners, and patch and paint. Luckily the old owners left all the paint behind. Now some rooms need to be repainted. In the past, January has been the month that I want to redecorate, rearrange, but the thought of paint right now, makes me slightly ill and queasy. I want to repaint the half bath. Chris likes it the way it is. But there are holes from the old towel rack and toilet paper holder, I cannot seem to find that paint and glaze. So we will see what happens.
This weekend my girlfriends from Utah are coming up since I missed the annual shopping weekend in November. Anyway they want to see the house. Cannot wait to see them and visit. So looking forward to it. Make a big batch of Tortilla Soup, some crab dip and we are set! I think I will also make a german chocolate roll cake.
Good friends and good food. Great combination!

New Year, New Decade

2010-01-04T11:13:00.002-07:00

I got an e-mail from one of my best friends this morning and she said Happy New Year and Happy New Decade...wow, that got me thinking.
Cait will be 10 this year. We will celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. We will both turn 45. Where has the time gone...
Our first five years of marriage where spent in Salt Lake City. Lots of growth in our relationship, even though we where best friends before we even started dating, and became High School sweethearts.
Looking back I can say, we have never truly had any hard times in our relationship. Despite, unemployment, infertility and the rest of life, we have always talked and been there to support. Its not something difficult, its just marriage. It's also the greatest. Add to that adopting Cait and its darn near perfect. We may not be, but it sure feels like our life is.
We are really enjoying our new house. We had family over for Christmas eve, which on my side is the big event, German tradition on my Mom's side since she is German. Anyway we had a great dinner, chaos of present opening and lots of fun. Love it.
Christmas morn, was just Chris, Cait and I. My folks slept in. Lots more fun. In the afternoon we went over to Chris's Mom's and had dinner, did presents. Works out great for us. Lots of time to spend with extended family and just our little fam as well.
New Years was awesome, we just stayed around the house, enjoying the nearly foot of new snow. Sledding and watching movies, football and playing Wii. Lots of new games at Christmas.
Did not want to come back to work.
Looking forward to 2010 and all it has in store.

Moved

2009-12-01T11:09:00.003-07:00

Well we are moved in, still have stuff in the storage unit to get this month.
Have adjusted to the new space quite easily. Enjoy the extra space and room. We have had the kitchen counters measured and the new ones will be put in the middle of December. After Christmas we will redo the cabinets! Right now the priority is getting the fencing done so we can get the critters into place! We got the tree put up, and we will decorate this week.
Getting Caitlin transferred to the new school. Getting all the address changes in place. Fun stuff like that.
Don't think we will get the house fully decorated for Christmas, but we will get alot done.! Couple neighbors stopped by, both couples from the Teton Valley area. One was Chris's sisters buddy in school. Interesting. The other she was my drill team adviser in High School.
The house is a good fit for us!

FINALLY

2009-11-20T14:16:00.002-07:00

After many delays, we FINALLY closed on the new house yesterday!!!!!!
So this weekend is for moving, since the guy that bought our house wants to move in.
Busy busy weekend!
I'm already tired.

The ups and downs of buying a home

2009-11-12T10:29:00.002-07:00

just keep coming. We are hoping to close next week, if we can get everything resolved. Buying a foreclosure is so much fun. The loan underwriter is having fits over the mold. Now we live in Southeast Idaho. We are a dry climate, our growing season in short, we still get a hard frost in June and starting in September. Yes we get hot but we do not have high humidity. So the dreaded black mold does not grow here, it cannot survive. However are lender is scared of mold, so we had to find a mold specialist that can test for mold to show that it is just the everyday "leaf" mold. First of all, remember mold is all around us, its everywhere. Its also necessary for the breakdown of plants, etc. Anyway we finally found someone who could test it, or at least take samples, to send to a testing lab in Utah. So now we wait for the results, which we already know, but the lender has to have a lab tell them. This of course means a delay as we had hoped to close today but that will not be happening. Hopefully early next week.
So much fun.

One down, One to go

2009-11-03T14:49:00.002-07:00

Okay, we closed on our existing house. It is no longer ours, we are renters in it.
We are supposed to close on our new home on the 12th of November, my Mom's birthday.
Before that can happen we have to have a roof inspection by a certified roofer. Well in little ole Idaho we just started having Contractors licensed a few years back. We have not even moved on to specialties yet. So a contractors license will have to do.
That is supposed to be done today or tomorrow. We also have to go over to the house tonight and do some mold removal. The joy of buying a foreclosure, the bank does NOTHING. Then after we do this we will have an inspector come in and verify if its been done correctly. More fun. Just open up the checkbook and the money flows like water.
Then there is the daily event of sending more documents to our lender for our loan. I swear every day they come up with something else. Thank heavens for the electronic age and the internet. Easy to access just about everything and then e-mail it. If we had to do it in paper copies, a few trees would have died.
So much fun. Although I do believe we are getting closer to actually accomplishing this. I really hope so.
Just another day in the life and what a life!

Moving forward...literally

2009-10-26T14:59:00.002-06:00

Okay, we got the appraisal on our home and it came in above the contract price. YEAH.
We had the inspection on the new house, nothing major, lots of minor. Delayed maintenance. Polite for neglect. Some expense to do it all, but okay.
We close on our little house a week from today and then we get to rent the house for a week or two. We have been cleaning out our garage better known as storage. We have almost filled up the storage unit, and have a big pile that goes to garbage, we took a load of stuff to the Deseret Industries. This week we are packing up more of the house stuff, the stuff we can get by without for a few weeks.
It's funny that when Chris and I are talking and he says this house, he means the new house, he has already mentally moved in. When I say this house, I mean the one we are living in. I have somewhat mentally moved in, but I moved in mentally to a couple of others and had to move out, so I'm trying to contain. Although, I am working on paint colors, what goes where, that kind of stuff.
So much to do, finding new internet provider, cable doesn't go over there, so looking at dish service, that kind of stuff. Trying to figure it all out.
Very tired.

The continuing saga of buying and selling a house

2009-10-20T13:52:00.002-06:00

Okay where are we?
Me, I'm in Idaho, I do know that for sure.
On our current house, we had the inspection done, no problems. That is great.
The appraisal on our current house is being done today. If the value they give is lower than the sale price, we have a problem. That could derail the entire thing. Which if it comes down to that, I'm okay. Disappointed but okay.
On the house we want, we are waiting on the signed contract from Fannie Mae, once we have that it goes to our lender and they get going on the loan.
Tomorrow we have the inspection on the new house. This will tell us all the minor problems we know about already and any major issues that might derail the deal. Again, disappointed, but okay.
I'm tired of being stressed 24/7 over this. Its not doing me any good, and I've had enough!! One way or the other I want it done soon. Hopefully all works out and we are in a new house before Thanksgiving.
Lots of back and forth, this is where the Realtor makes their commision. Keeping everything on track.

Ping Pong

2009-10-11T17:22:00.004-06:00

Do you remember the Atari game of pong........................
That square went back and forth so ssssslllllooooowwwww.
You would hit it and then you watched it go across the screen really slow, then your opponent would hit it back, and we thought this was fun.
Well we are playing a game of pong in the making an offer on the foreclosure house. We made an offer and then a day later we hear from the bank. Then we review the offer and counter. Then we wait again.......this time they responded 10 to 5 on Friday evening. So nothing until next week. So we went back and forth between us, and trying to decide what price. We finally decided on a price a bit higher than we wanted but we want this done. Hopefully this last counter offer will be accepted. The house has been showing alot so I do not want to get involved in a bidding war. However tomorrow, Monday is a Holiday, so I really do not think we will hear from them until Tuesday. I'm going crazy wondering and waiting. We really are hoping this last offer is the one. No matter what we still have to get packed and ready to move out. That part is sad. This house has been so good to us. I love it and really will be sad to leave. Next phase, but still sad to say goodbye.
Hopefully my next post will be great news. I don't want to move on to the next plan, but whatever happens, happens. I am much better at accepting what is to be, than Chris, he wants it the way he wants it and does not bend easily.
So anyway the game of pong continues.

PANIC

2009-10-06T15:36:00.002-06:00

Well we have a contract on our house, with a closing date of the 30th of October, which means I will probably be homeless on Halloween.
We have a couple options, I think we will make an offer on a house tomorrow. Not our first choice since that one has already sold. But a good choice. Its a foreclosure, so who knows if its a lemon or not. The inspection should tell us some.
We have an inspection on ours within the next 10 days, hope that goes good.
So we will need to rent for a month or so until we can get in a house. What fun.
Not alot of places that accept, horses, dogs, and cats, hopefully the cows are still up to the farm then, all depends on the weather.
I'm stressed. Like beyond padded walls. Way past chocolate and coca cola making me feel better, not that I'm going to stop that, but its just not quite doing it.
Chris is so easy going, one of the many things I love about him, but it is just not fair. I'm ready to pull my hair out and he is like, no big deal.
It's just another part of life. The constant roller coaster ride that we all know.
We are just at the steep drop............................................

House and stuff

2009-09-24T13:19:00.003-06:00

The house is pretty much our life. We replaced the roof last weekend. Okay, I did not participate, I fed people. Chris had the old roof scraped off by Saturday morning, that was a mess. I kept dusting and dusting just to dust some more. But we have a new roof. We had two showings during the roof work.
So far no offers yet.
We have not had any showings this week. Makes me somewhat concerned. I hate this whole process. Just waiting.
We have the big cattle roundup this weekend. Nice to get away. Even if it is more work, although the work is fun, its riding 4 wheelers. Time to bring the cows down off the forest range right. We have a group of about 25 people, the majority are on horseback, we ride up and down the roads looking for signs of cows.
I look forward to it. It is part of fall. Something to look forward to. The trees have started to change so its really pretty and I ALWAYS have my camera with me.
Like I said, its nice to leave the house. Removes me from the constant thinking of we need to sell the house. Although right now, there isn't alot of options, the house we wanted did get an offer on it and it was accepted. We have even toyed with building. WHO knows! I certaintly do not.

Showings

2009-09-15T11:54:00.002-06:00

We are having consistent showings of the house, but so far no offer, yet. I have to put the yet, someone will love my house as much as I do.
I'm not as freaked by the showings now. I stay pretty calm, still get a bit uncomfortable about the thought of people roaming thru my house. Still weird.
The first time home buyer credit, which is what category our house falls in to, expires the end of November. So an offer would need to be accepted before then. That at least offers some hope also. Who wouldn't want eight grand for just buying a house. I would, however I already own a house so I do not qualify.
The house we are interested in is still on the market, we had a bit of a panic over the weekend, an offer was supposed to be coming in on it, but it fell thru on Monday.
If that house sells, then we have really really slim pickings and may have to look into another county. Not to thrilled about that, but do what we have to.
You never find the perfect house. You find close to perfect, even if you build it will not be perfect, you have to make sacrifices for certain things. Location may be our sacrifice.
When we bought our house some 18 years ago, it was hideous, ugly ugly red, brown orange shag carpet in the living room. Brick red and brown linoleum. Orange carpet in one bedroom, pink in another and baby blue in the master, and all filthy. I mean you could see dirty footprints in them. The kitchen had nasty brown cabinets, with plastic drawers. But it had two acres, good area, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and it was in our price range. We saw past all of that, knew we would have to repaint the entire house which we did. I mean the owners painted around their furniture, there was an outline of the headboard, the dresser, everything, it was so hilarious. I wish I would have taken a picture. Anyway, we could see it for what it could become. Its the same today. I am amazed by how many people, think that they get perfect, including first time home buyers. I think that is true in so many things, everything has to be just perfect. Instead of the best of our abilities.
Anyway, this entire process to date has been very interesting. Very. I've learned that I hate getting up at the crack of dawn and cleaning for an hour or more to make sure everything is in its place, polished, shined, cleaned, dusted, straightened and vacuumed within an inch of its life. Sure I like the clean, just not the stepford clean. My in-law/outlaws came over and had numerous comments about isn't this so nice, why would you want to move. WHY, 1 bathroom people. Think stomach flu. I know of what I speak of. Also, a little more than an acre for 10 cows, 1 bull, 2 horses, 1 burro, 3 dogs and two cats that have the run of the outside. Need a little more acreage. Need a little more house space. The house we want is way more house space than we really need but it works, and it has the acreage AND is within the budget.
Tomorrow the house is showing in the evening, so a good time to go out to eat. This weekend we are replacing the roof. Needs it. Not setting foot on the roof, not happening. I'll play gopher. The MEN can do the roof.
I'll get pizza!

I remember

2009-09-11T14:58:00.002-06:00

Today is Sept. 11th. I remember that day. Chris was driving me to work, and we where talking about the first plane crashing and listening to the radio. After I got to work, it was nothing but online for all of us. Just watching everything we could. My one boss was in Sarasota Florida at the time, at a jobsite. He was stuck there for a few extra days. President Bush was in Sarasota at the time. I still remember the video of him in the classroom being told quietly in front of the kids, and him remaining totally in control and still focused on the children. I remember calling family friends who had kids in NYC and asking them about their kids, everyone was okay.
I still see the images in my mind.
That night Chris and I talked about what we would do, if there was no way to make phone contact with eachother. Get Cait, and make it home.
We still talk about what we would do if some huge emergency came up, Get Cait and get home.
I have not forgotten. I just wish the patriotism afterwards still remained.

Home showing

2009-09-04T12:02:00.002-06:00

Okay our house has officially had its first potential buyer showing.
First thoughts, I am not cut out for this. I was sick to my stomach all of yesterday afternoon, the thought of someone going thru my house and everything in it and forming an opinion. Very unsettling for me. The house felt strange when I got home.
This house selling is hard on my nerves.
Supposedley, the potential buyer is going to come thru the house again next week with her boyfriend to look at it again. Likes the house, a bit overwhelmed by our yard. I like trees...........alot!
So we wait and continue on as we have been.
Hopefully it will not take long, I will have a stomach ulcer if it goes on and on.
I had no idea I would have this type of reaction. The anxiety is unreal to me. Chris has no problems, and this is the man that suffers from panic attacks now and then. What is wrong with this picture?
Anyway, this is our life for the time being.

It's For Sale

2009-08-28T10:26:00.001-06:00

FINALLY our house is for sale.
Yippee skippee.
It feels so good to see that sign out front!.
the link................
http://www.cometoseidaho.com/show_listing.php?mls_number=162201

For Sale.......finally

2009-08-26T11:59:00.004-06:00

Well we FINALLY got it on the market. We still have work to do. The major stuff is done but we still have some outdoor stuff to do. Some little touch ups in the house.
Chris and I were sitting in the living room last night looking around and thinking how bare the house seemed. It is so lean in furnishings and pictures and the likes, plus no personal pictures other than some of my landscapes.
On Thursday our Realtor will bring the agents from her office thru to view. Kind of scary actually. I mean people come in and roam thru your house and comment about it.
I love my little house. We have outgrown it, but its been ours!
So now we just live life like a stepford wife. Vacumn b4 walking out the door, everything, placed, picked up, straightened and shined. yuck. Hopefully the outcome will be what we are hoping.

First Day of School

2009-08-21T11:42:00.002-06:00

Thursday the 21st was the first day of school for Cait. 4th Grade! I cannot believe it. I don't leave for work until after she gets on the bus, I'm late for work, but I work for some great people. So I get to watch her. We took pictures outside, talked and you could see the anxiety. I think she was more nervous this year than any other.
Alot of her friends are not in the same class, so that has stressed her. So she will hopefully make new friends. Its so hard to watch your child struggle with anything, no matter how small it may seem. The constant urge to protect and shelter to not let anything hurt them, but you cannot go to school with them. So when she comes home and tells you that her best friend is mad at her for being friends with someone else (who is in her class) it's frustrating, and girls can really be petty. She seemed okay though. Time will tell. She has a new teacher, I'm old cuz her teacher looks like a high school teachers aide. I believe that new teachers are a good thing. They have lots of ideas and ambition, and love to teach. Now nothing against Teachers who have been doing this a long time, but sometimes, they do the minimum and seem to have given up on all the fun and creative learning ideas, to just make sure the state standards are met. I will not go into the State or Federal standards, because that just fires me up and I start getting angry. Anyway, there are some Teachers who have been doing this a long time and still strive to be creative and fun, which is awesome, but a Teaching certificate is not based on your creativity. New Teachers are like the new car, everything is shiny and smells good and no problems ahead. I like that. They are as excited as the kids, which is awesome. We have a great elementary school, still big, but some great people. The principal is so dedicated to these kids its amazing. The kids adore him, if they see him outside of school they still go running up to him like he is Santa. My frustrations are the size of our school. Its BETTER than it has since the newest new school opened. Down from a student population of 1042 to 637. Thats good, but the class size for the 4th and 5th grades are still on the high side. We are still in the top five for size in our state. Last year we had the number 1 spot, something we are glad to give up.
The first day is fun with all the new stuff, hopefully it will last.

Home (or Evil Abode) stretch

2009-08-19T10:02:00.002-06:00

The Realtor will be here later in the week for the photos. Still doing stuff, but stuff that will not show up on photos...
I'm tired of painting, organizing, repair, and the likes. School starts tomorrow and all I can think about is I want a vacation. I don't want to think about the house. I just want to buy the one I want and get on with it. Although, if we do buy a house the reality is that it too will need to be painted, at least to colors I can live with, wallpaper taken down, and the worse part....fences to build! YUCK. I still want a vacation.
Cait set up a roadside stand yesterday...........she sold rocks and apples!! She made a dollar. After her first sale, she closed up the stand. Too funny.
We took the camper in for a few little repairs so it will hopefully be ready for the Labor Day camping weekend. First time out with the camper this year...so sad.
Maybe this weekend we will take a little break and go play at Rigby Lake. Although I think Chris wants to go golfing since it is his birthday. Maybe both. Maybe I can sleep thru the golf part.....
and so life continues..............................

Countdown.....

2009-08-14T15:49:00.002-06:00

Okay, we told the realtor that this evil abode would be done this weekend.
Can we do it? I don't know, I'm tired of staying up late painting, cuz its too hot to paint when I get home, the paint is just sticky. We have replaced the vanity and the floor in the bathroom and re-painted it. So just doing the finishing touches in there. The 3rd bedroom we have painted the walls, just need to do the trim and then set it up. Caitlin's is done other than the window trim needs painted, oh and some kind of window treatment, nothing big, just a little something.
Still need to do some work outside, clean everything up, replace some flowers, add a couple of shrubs.
Then its staging time. So busy weekend ahead.
Not looking forward to it. Just want it over.

PTO and mice

2009-08-06T11:52:00.003-06:00

Okay I turned down the PTO Newsletter Editor. I enjoyed parts of it last school year, but not all of it. Pressure to get after everyone for their columns. Updating ads, not to mention creating some of the ads. Sometimes it was very time consuming and always on a deadline.
With trying to sell the house, I just felt I would not give it 100%, which I would feel bad. I already feel guilty for saying no. Ah the guilt we Moms feel. Chris has no such qualms. I have a buddy who works at her kids school and she loves that. Sometimes I think that would be fun, schedule the same, summers off, but she does it for a little extra money to go towards their remodel not as a second income. (C, I'm talking about you-yes I'm jealous) Cannot believe school starts in two weeks.
Chris is actually the one who is going to get Cait registered today. Chris is very involved which I think is so totally amazing and hot! Should be interesting, not to mention I wonder how many phone calls I will receive. But I could not get it done, with the other commitments of today. So glad that I have a Super Hubby, who will do these things. I'm willing to bet my one brother would not do it, he would expect his wife to take care of those things, my other brother would do it in a heartbeat. Interesting the diff between the two.
Anyway its cool.
Yesterday we had a mouse in the house!!! EEEK. Tried to find our older cat to bring her in, of course she was out prowling. So we brought in KitKat, she is just a couple years old, anyway, she failed the task.
Last night, Miss Kitty (Nephews and niece named her) showed up so we brought her in. She disappeared in our bedroom for hours, so hopefully its gone. However large quatities of De-Con have been put out in containers that mice can get to, but not cats. Yuck, I hate mice. The joys of living in the country. Hate mouse traps, I just throw the entire thing away, I'm not taking the mouse out and using it again. GROSS.
Did school clothes shopping online. Not that much, she has plenty of clothes, PLENTY! I admit to that. Online is so nice. I search for coupons or offers for the sites I want and just about everytime I can find something, free shipping, 25% off, $30 dollars off, plus I get mailers alot to. Makes it such a great deal. Not to mention, I'm done in minutes. I hate the mall, besides a couple of my fav stores are not here, so I would have to go to SLC, which is not a bad thing, just no time right now. Besides I'm thinking if we do get the house we want, we will be taking a trip to IKEA, World Market and Taipan Trading, that will probably require a U-haul to bring it all back. That could be one very fun and expensive trip. We cannot get away from IKEA cheaply. Not that I mind, my wallet might mind, but it will recover.

August

2009-08-04T11:18:00.002-06:00

Okay, it seems that I have misplaced July, if you find it, please send it to me!
School registration is this week and school starts on the 20th of this month.
I received a phone call yesterday from the new PTO secretary wanting to know if I would do the school newsletter again this year.......I honestly could not give an answer right away. I just do not know. Do I want to take that on again. I love being a part of Cait's school, but that one is a once a month thing that takes up some time. Still thinking on it.
Back to school supplies have been bought. Need to go thru her closet and see what still fits, etc. and fill in. Love the school supplies, such fun. Cait will be in the 4th grade, when did that happen. Scary. It is still so much fun, challenging to the max, but watching her grow is so amazing. Although the squeals for the Jonas brothers is enough to make me want to medicate!
The evil abode, is getting closer to being ready, I hope by late next week it will be on the market. Some things we can continue to work on when its on the market.
I really do not want to do this again anytime soon. But I also do not want to sort thru 18 years of stuff either. Find a happy medium. Have found a house we want, hope it stays on the market.

Life continued....

2009-07-22T12:01:00.000-06:00

Well I went back to TJ Max to see if they had more white organic cotton sheets, no go, they had them in blue. I am so loving the white.
In Target last week and saw they had the school supply lists for the different schools out, so picked up Cait's list and picked just about all of it up. Finished at Office Max. I love back to school supplies, the pencils, the boxes of crayons, the new tablets, all that stuff. Always get extras, one, the prices are really great, two, need to replace throughout the year and third, give some to the Teacher for extras. School starts the 20th of August. Less than a month away and we have not gone camping, gone to Bear Lake, none. House. The evil abode.
We will take a quick ride up in the forest this weekend to see if the Huckleberries are on.
Used some space bags to store some clothes, and such. Interesting. Boxes seem easier, not really worried about the space since it is going into storage.
Still making progress with the house. Getting closer, thank heavens, it really is getting old.
Hopefully there will still be time to get some camping in.

White Linen Indulgence

2009-07-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

In the process of getting our house ready, I thought I would change the linens for our bedroom. I have always gone with darker colors, I'm drawn to the chocolates, the deep reds. Anyway with the sheets, I usually get dark red, or a great chocolate brown. I was in TJ Max, one of my favorites shopping places. Awesome deals for excellent prices. THE ONLY PLACE I BUY PURSES. Back to the point, I was looking thru the sheet selection and I saw alot of crisp white sheets, and those just remind me of hotels and luxury. So I thought why not for my bed, its crisp and clean. I bought a set of organic cotton sheets for $29. I LOVE organic cotton, so soft, feels so good. Anyway, washed them up, hung them on the clothesline to dry, my summer dryer, and then made the bed. I am in heaven. First the look of white with a red pillow for accent and a tan blanket folded down on the bed, it looks amazing in my bedroom. The walls are painted a melted milk chocolate brown, Red accent headboard. But the best part is the feel of the sheets not to mention the fresh line dryed smell. MMMMM
Heaven. I think I may be a convert to solid white sheets only from now on.
LOVE IT.

July already....

2009-07-09T10:02:00.000-06:00

Wow, June is gone, the 4th of July is over, so fast.
STILL do not have the house ready. No surprise there. Had great visit with my brother and SIL and fam while they where here. Brief, but good. Miss them already.
Also got to see my niece and her little girl, even if it was at 11 at night. Need to get to Utah for a visit and shopping spree. Maybe August for back to school shopping.
We did have to get the cows out to pasture, then up on the forest, need to keep the wolves and bears fed.
Horses moved also.
Working on the house, much closer, sometimes I wonder if we are stalling on purpose, maybe this is not what we should do at this time, kind of thing. But making progress none the less.
Sorting thru so many clothes its ridiculous, I mean seriously, bags of clothes to DI.
Then what did I do last week, yup bought 3 more shirts for me. So much stuff for 3 people.
Kindof nice to get thru it and get rid of stuff, move on, perhaps literally?
FYI, if you love IKEA you must check out www.ikeahacker.blogspot.com it is so cool, what people have done with IKEA stuff. Really fun. Check it out.

Stupid house

2009-06-16T09:50:00.000-06:00

Thats the way I feel. Stupid house, tired of it. Have not got much done, too many things happening on the weekends. Birthday party to plan, invitations to make. Yes when you have only one child, you spoil, try and deny it. Yes I make the invitations, I enjoy it.
Family in town, have to go visit and play. Worth every moment!
Other obligations, named cows, fence to repair, need more pasture, so much moisture the pasture is just a mudbog. Need to get them moved in the next few days.
Middle of June and have not had a dry day yet.
So today I have a list, small and manageable, of things I want done in the house.
First the last of the clothes needs to be sorted, winter things put away, and some of the summer stuff packed away also, so the closets are not loaded.
Kitchen painted due to the remodel.
Linen closet cleaned out. That one is scary.
Nothing too much.
We had Cait's party yesterday. Local game place, lots of fun, the kids had fun, but I am glad it is over. Alway worry that someone will not have a good time, but I think we did okay.
Cait has a party to go to for one of her friends tonight. Chris I think is going to go fix fence, so I have the evening alone to work on projects. Should be nice.
Wish everything was done and I could just sit back and watch a movie. Oh well another time.
The focus is the house. Keep telling myself that.

STILL getting the house ready

2009-05-27T12:37:00.000-06:00

It's never ending. In 18 years of living in our current home, we have accumulated more stuff/crap than I can believe. Its everywhere!! If I didn't hate garage sales so much I would have one, but the local Deseret Industries thrift store is making out like a bandit!!
I just cannot believe how much stuff. We took a couple of loads of stuff to the storage unit over the Holiday weekend, mostly furniture. We had to take our new club chair. It really is too big for the room. Chris is sooooo sad. We put in a much smalled chair but it is looks like a kids chair in the room, so rearranging some more.
My frustration level is really high currently. Some days I just think forget about it, it is not worth it. But its going to have to happen some time, so we will attempt it now.
So everynight we pack more and every night I feel like we have made a bigger mess.
The fun just keeps on going!

Getting the house ready for market

2009-05-19T15:35:00.000-06:00

Oh my heck, what a pain this is. I'm tired of cleaning things out, packing stuff, hauling it off to the storage unit. Trying to really keep the bare minimum. Which is really difficult, how to live and keep our stuff to the bare minimum. So we took our dining room table out of the dining room the hutch will go also. We have a small gathering table to put in its place. Its much smaller in size and scale, should work really well.
More furniture has to go, along with stuff. 18 years in one house and you accumulate alot of stuff/crap. Boxes and tubs, for storage, stuff for the Deseret Industries Thrift Store and stuff to just go straight into the garbage.
Also some projects to finish to have the house ready to show. Should have done this during the winter, we need to have it on the market now, for the Spring Fever buy a house itch.
What a process!!!

Emotions

2009-05-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

Okay so the newer house with 5 acres is out. NO WATER RIGHTS. Which makes 5 acres a dustbowl.
We are still progressing with getting ours ready for sale. We may have to expand to Bonneville County instead of just Jefferson County and see what is out there.
I will admit to being sad about the newer house. The house was perfect, but not the land. So now I have to try and not compare everything to it. I did find a 2 yr old house on 10 acres with an unfinished basement, but it's 70k out of our range!!! In a perfect world, once ours is on the market and we get a perfect offer, that one will drop in price by 70k.........Now let's deal with reality!
I've picked out the paint color to paint the inside of most of the rooms, to mellow my strong colors. We will replace the bathroom vanity this weekend, along with the floor.
At least this way my house projects are on the fast trak!!

For sale

2009-05-11T09:26:00.000-06:00

So we are getting our house ready to put on the market. Cleaning out closets, clutter and such. We will get a storage unit to put everything in including some furniture so everything will look open and so much room.
We have to paint alot of the the rooms inside. I like color alot. I like strong colors alot. So we going somewhat more neutral.
Putting our dining room and hutch in storage, putting in a pub style table with a very small console table in the dining room instead. Then we will see if we put the island in or leave it out.
So much work.
We did look at a house last weekend, I've been looking at in online alot! HOWEVER, the reason we started this journey was more space, more land with water rights. Not a long of land just a min. of 5 acres or more. In the are we want, there are TWO choices, and both are at opposite ends of the choice bar. One is heavier on the land with water rights, but lots of work and extra money to do the work on the house. The other is heavy on the just move into the house and enjoy, but less land with no water, although supposedly there are supposed to be rights or a way. So we are looking into the "way".
Now I will tell you I am emotional about both. They say to never get emotional about buying a house, but I really don't know how you don't, if your emotions are not involved why would you buy?
Anyway the one house happens to be across the street, the same age as our house about 35 years old, but with a basement. However it really needs work, it has a wood stove which has to go and a gas fireplace put in its place, lots of drywall, insulation, paint, new carpeting, tearing down one very ugly rock wall, etc. etc.
It has a small kitchen and a small dining room. The only way to make those bigger is to build out. Without the kitchen build out, its a min. of 10 grand. With the whole thing about 50k. Will the house be worth it? Can I sell it later on for that price?
With all of that it would still only have 2 bathrooms. Now the land and water are no issues, 12 acres with water rights, stay in the same area.
Other house has only 5 acres with the water issues, these issues may literally take it off the table. The house is excellent. Small bedrooms, master is good sized, medium size kitchen and dining. Nice basement, like I said ready to move in and relax! But the water must be figured out or off the list it goes.
Alot of work.
Stay tuned.

Moving.......

2009-05-05T14:21:00.000-06:00

Well we have been toying with the thought of selling our house and buying something a little bigger with more than 5 acres. Have not made this decision for sure yet, we have looked at what was out there to see if what we are looking for exists and in our price range.
There are a few. But do I want to have to work on another house??? Or just move in and enjoy..................
First I need to sell my house, before that I need to get it ready to sell. YUCK.
What to do, what to do.

Happenings

2009-04-24T12:48:00.000-06:00

Last night we went to see Jeff Dunham's Spark of Insanity Tour. We went with another couple and had plans to eat dinner before hand. Its all planned, we will go to our favorite Mexican place in Poky that we have been eating at for over 25 years. Since its in Poky, we only get there about 6-7 times a year, and its been a few months since our last visit, end of January. So we pull in and there are no cars, and I'm thinking wait a minute its not Sunday, nor is it September so they should be open.
They are not, a big sign is in the window, out of business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Close to 30 years The Pilot House has been in business and now its gone, no more Ricks Pizza. I cannot believe it. I took a picture and sent it to my brother and his family in Germany, their reaction will be the same, shock and such disappointment.
Back to our plans, so we had to come up with a plan b and make it quick cuz we needed to be at Holt Arena (the mini dome) by 7. So we thought okay Buddy's Italian, but the line was out the door. Now we have like 20 minutes, so McDonalds here we come. Such a letdown, not to mention just icky.
We did make it in time and laughed for hours. My jaw aches from laughing so hard. If you have a chance to see Jeff Dunham in concert or watch him on Comedy Central do it!
Peanut is my favorite dude!!
Even with the great entertainment, I cannot get over the Pilot House closing. Not just awesome food, that in itself will be missed greatly, but the fun we had going with family, laughing and joking, catching up. It was a meeting place to gather with family. I'm glad we went in January, but to think we will not go there anymore.
So sad.
Farewell Pilot House and Ricks Pizza, you will be missed!

Reality or limited view

2009-04-20T13:47:00.000-06:00

Okay the other day I was online checking out the news, usual suspects after the local news are MSNBC, Foxnews and MSN, well I believe it was MSN and one of the things that caught my eye was Celebrities and the "humongous" purses or totes and the latest looks for less, for those who have to have the same thing. Anyway in this article it talked about a couple of bags that retail for 1500k and how you can get a similar look but for much less. Do you know what they consider much less, 600-800 dollars???
I get that this is half the cost but does the average shopper pay that kind of money for a purse???? Do you pay the equivalent of a new car payment for a purse? Is that today's reality? I don't see it. I mean tell me about a really good quality leather purse for $50, and I might get serious, but the color and the leather have got to be ideal. I mean really good soft but not paper thin leather. That will hold up for years. I have bought some trendy purses, but never over $30, not for a trendy color. Then I have paid $60-$70 for a really good leather purse in black or brown that I have had for years and continue to use during the winter. I go bright colors generally in the Spring Summertime. So am I just sheltered and my friends and family think the same, but the average person is different. Are there more people out there with incomes who can afford to spend that kind of change on purses? Or is it just another, wanna be like the current celeb of the moment? Is that what it is, people will blindly toss that kind of money away to have a purse like such and such. I just find it very interesting what is considered getting a great deal on a purse for $600 is a deal in these times. Perhaps that is why we are in these times.
It's like when they show an outfit and how you to can have this trendy outfit but for much less. $400 for a cardigan, $120 for jeans, holy cow, I must be sheltered cuz that is so far out of what I would spend its unreal.
When did we shift to those kinds of numbers as being acceptable?
The other day while watching the local news they gave the numbers for middle income in my state, according to the numbers we are middle middle income. Yet I still think these numbers are way out there.
Perhaps we need to adjust our thinking in terms of acceptable numbers.
Something to ponder upon.

Life happens

2009-03-12T10:57:00.000-06:00

Okay so the pieces of furniture we bought where delivered last night. Now the living room is full of furniture. Chris and his buddy where working on installing the mantel. I decided to fix myself a sandwich. Then did a stupid, fully acknowledge the stupid, it even went thru my head prior to the stupid and sliced my pinky finger. Holy crap it hurt, not to mention bled horribly. So I stick it under the cold water, all the time expressing myself colorfully, and Chris comes in and looks at it and says okay that needs stitches. So off to the local urgent emergency care. Took me right in, examined it, deadened it, cleaned it and stitched it up. No feeling in the upper part of my pinky, should come back slowly. Got a tetnus shot for my efforts, stopped for some take out. Came back home and did not rearrange the furniture.
As always, when you think you know whats going on, life happens and sends you in another direction. Oh well minor detour.

Re-arrange furniture

2009-03-10T19:26:00.000-06:00

So tomorrow we get our new pieces of furniture, now we based our purchases on the new layout, so we get to see how well everything fits and works. This should mean additional adjustments, always interesting. Also tomorrow, we are having a mantle put in. Its big, bigger than I was thinking, I was thinking more of a faux mantle, not a real mantle. Meaning it sticks our from the wall more than I thought. Its really nice, the color is a different brown, but I think it will work fine. Cannot wait to see it all come together. There is some frustration, I want it a certain way, and until I get it that way I have frustration. Exciting......and challenging.
After the foundation is done, then comes the really enjoyable part, putting the accents in. Its like adding the jewelry to your outfit, makes it all POP!
Now for the weather, I know that people call Chicago the windy city, but really come to Idaho, southeast Idaho is unbelievably windy. I hate the wind. Really hate the wind. Despise the wind. It is so cold. The stockwaterer is freezing from the wind, FROM THE WIND! Like frozen for and inch.
Even talk of no school tomorrow due to the cold. I doubt it. The wind chill would have to be 35 below, I do not see that for tomorrow. Its cold, but we would need to be single digits with gusting winds over 20 mph. I'll let you know.
We will see.

Furniture

2009-03-08T19:39:00.000-06:00

Okay we decided that we needed a new chair in the living room/family room. Our house is small, less than 1200 sq ft. So the living room is the family room. Anyway, we have a sofa and a recliner. We decided to get a club chair or chair and a half with a ottoman. So Saturday we went looking. In my mind I am thinking about 800 bucks should probably do it. I was wrong, wrong wrong. The first store we went to was Interior Accents in IF. Its a really nice furniture store, smaller but fabulous pieces. Anyway we found a gorgeous club chair, that has the combination leather and fabric. So nice, 1600 bucks. Then we wandered around looking at others and I found a sofa table, not looking for one, but found one that is so neat. Then we found like a side table that we could use for under the TV (wall mounted) and put the cable and dvd players on. Anyway for all of it 2778 buckeroos. So we had her write everything down and we went on to other stores. NOTHING came close. So while we ate lunch we called her and did a little negotiating and got everything for less the 2300. Now I am having a little buyers remorse, I want the furniture I just think, we kindof went overboard a bit. Yes they are all quality pieces that will last, just kind of a shock to me. We have never really spent alot on furniture. A few hundred here and there, 800 for the coach. Worldmarket find. Love it. Never big purchases, I guess this is big for me, maybe not so for some of you, but for us it is. Anyway, it will all be delivered on Wednesday. CANNOT WAIT!
BTW when I got home Friday night, Chris told me that one of the cows calved and the calf died. Chris was pretty upset. She gave no signs that she was ready so perhaps something was wrong. Its frustrating though. I mean a dead calf is like losing 500-600 dollars. Hopefully we will have better luck with the others.

Books

2009-03-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever emotionally reacted to reading a book? Of course, that is the purpose of reading, to take you into the writers imagination. So, a reaction is expected, sadness, joy, concern, fear, all of that right.
Well last night after finishing a book that is a series, a delightful, charming series with some fabulous recipes. Anyway this series is a "cozy mystery" series, so there is always a mystery to solve by the main character and her co-horts, most also are romance. Well in this series there has been a "lovers triangle" you know two men vying for the main characters attention. This has been going on for quite a few of the books. Well in this book, the author made one of the men somewhat of a bad guy. After finishing the book, I literally went into a funk, I was depressed, why do this. I was tired of the triangle aspect, and this appears to do that. Until the next book I really do not know but, it really bothered me. Why? That is what I cannot quite pin down. Its so weird. My husband thinks I'm too involved in reading, if it upsets me. Anyway it just struck me as out of my norm. Perhaps the reason for the mood is that she has one of her characters do something that I disagree with and am disappointed in his behavior, perhaps that is it. I'm disappointed not in a funk, just let down. Oh well, its just a character in a book, so better to be disappointed in a fictionary character than a friend, or loved one. Should be interesting to see what happens in the next book?? Which is the point is it not? So successful writing!
Anyway, now to move on with life. New carpet being put in the living room tomorrow. Yeah. Boo for tonight to have to clear out the room. Fun.

Cold and cough

2009-03-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

First off, 3rd grade most definitely kicked our butt!! We should have helped more on her science project. I get a little panicky about doing too much and not letting her do the work. This time we should have helped more. #$&*&$ frustrating. Need to find the balance.
She struggled the whole week with a cold just like me, she would fall asleep at 5:30 and get up at 7 in the morning. So tired. Both of us just miserable with sinus and cough. Still sick this week but slowly getting over it. I hate colds. Two visits to the doc, multiple antibiotics to try, this latest one seems to be working, other than its hard on my stomach. Hopefully she feels better in the morning. I'm still struggling with it.
Chris had it but not as long, of course. Why is that? He never seems to get as sick. I take vitamins, supplements, Chris does not. Never fails. Oh well, such as it is. I think I just get run down. Take on too much. Or take on too much stress, perhaps. Perhaps, its not dealing with stress as well. Need to leave work at work. Put more time into relaxing. We did have a wonderful weekend a bit back. We stayed in a local hotel with a pool, swam, ordered pizza and watched movies. It was so much fun. I really would like to take a weekend shopping in Utah. Just a few stores, Taipan Trading, World Market, and IKEA, but man, after those 3, I can seriously drop some coin. So cannot do it too often. Maybe in April.
This weekend we are looking for a club chair and ottoman to replace the recliner.
That should be fun.
Enjoy.

2009-02-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Time gets away from me all the time. Usually when life happens in unexpected ways. February has been that way.
We had an excellent visit with my brother and his wife, and their two youngest boys. Only get to see them once or twice a year, sometimes not even that. Military....that explains it.
Love visiting with them. Wish they lived near, not in another country. Oh well.
We had a great time watching the superbowl together, at my other brothers house. Good time, great rivalry within the family, making it that much more fun watching the game. However the after party was the pits, it was spent at the emergency room with my parents, after they got in a car crash. My Mom got the worst of it. A couple broken ribs, couple cracked ones, lacerated liver, and whiplash. She stayed in the hospital for a few days. Dad got to go home that night (actually it was early morning). Chris and I stayed until they got her into her room, 3ish or something. So difficult when your parents age, mine are in their seventies. It's tough when somewhere along the line the child becomes the parent to their own parents. Dad is doing okay. Mom is having a harder time, taking longer to heal, tries to do to much and then add another day of just resting.
That would be enough to make February yuck. However, not this time, Chris gets blood work back that needs further investigation. So he had a liver biopsy, the good news is that he has fatty liver, which considering the other alternatives, is a good thing. Some diet changes and possibly medicine will hopefully resolve this. He also is having some kidney issues, which we are waiting on what that is. Should have the results shortly. Hope for the best, but deal with the rest. Now I have a cold. Its just never ending. Waiting for a new month. March will be better.
Cait has a science project this Friday, (3rd grade-not to scientific) however its not working like it says. Simple project, large container, put in one cup water mixed with two drops red food coloring. Then add eight more cups of water until clear (this is what the instructions say) well it will not be clear, just slightly pink. So we have to work with the results given.
Terrible when 3rd grade kicks your butt.
Fun stuff.
Cait gets her head gear next week, she has an underbite. Today we go in and get the metal spacers on her teeth, then they take the measurements and send them off to have the gear made. Then in about 3 months she will get braces on her top four teeth. She will have the headgear for about 9 months. Then when she is a teenager she will have full on braces.
Ka-ching!!!!! Couple grand just for the headgear. More fun stuff. More life happenings!
Been working on getting the taxes done. I realize I have a brother who is an excellent CPA and is more than willing to do the taxes, yet for some reason I feel I must do them myself, me and TurboTax that is. I really like TurboTax. Getting a refund, so thats good. We have had a couple of years of paying and that is so not my kind of thing. We made adjustments and for the last 5 years have not had to pay. Need to try and finish those tonight after piano lessons.
Finished the Elementary PTO newsletter and sent that off to the printer. One more thing to check off.
We should start calving in the next few weeks. We have 9 cows, Cait has one cow. Always enjoy the calving. Not the stress, but the newborn calves are so cool. It really is amazing to see one being born. Hopefully we don't have any losses. I'll post pictures after they are cleaned up!
Well thats enough of the life and times!!!!!
Come on March!

Halfway thru January

2009-01-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, Christmas is over and pretty much packed up. One lone tote, for the last things you find, that you have been looking at for weeks, not recognize as Christmas. You know how that goes, you look up one day and go, wait thats Christmas stuff, shouldn't that be put away. Oh well, happens every year. So I guess it could be called tradition. Besides at this time of year, I've been shopping the clearance sales, so things have to be put away for Christmas. I have the neighbors gifts, co-workers gifts, etc. already. That is a great feeling. I can pick up something really fun and CHEAP, but no one realizes how little money I spent. I like a bargain!!! I am done with that also. Now its just packing up and putting away, and then adding the new things for the house that we got for Christmas or on clearance after. FUN. I enjoy that.
We still need to finish our kitchen remodel. All the difficult stuff is done, now its the detail stuff. Why that is taking so long I really don't know. I want it done, but the backsplash, and the final touchup painting. So strange that it is not getting done, it annoys me, but still does not motivate me. Maybe now that the Holiday are over, I'll focus again.
The New Year also brings out the notion of all the stuff I want to accomplish this year. Too many projects that did not get done last year already start the list. Maybe the list needs to be banned, and just accomplish what comes up. That might be a better approach.
Then add to that, Cait's grades are bad. 3rd grade shouldn't have bad grades. 3rd grade should still be A's. We have a chatter, socialite, flitterbug. So now she has to buckle down and get serious and her social activities have to be curtailed. 3rd grade should not be this way. It's not like she cannot do the work, she just wont focus and do it right away, then she has to rush to finish and doesn't even read the directions! So frustrating to get her to understand that homework alone will not do it. Then she argues that she knows what the Teacher wants. Too much of my personality coming thru. SCARY. Trying to figure out the best way to move forward.
Love my life. Never the norm of what I think will happen.
I do love my life. Love it. My husband is awesome, and works so hard for us. He is struggling with some health issues and really hates making changes. I agree I have a problem with that also. We both need to work on changes, eating and exercising. Don't we all. My daughter is a blessing like you would not believe. She is so amazing and so strong willed that it scares the daylights out of me. We live in a beautiful area, little house on 2 tiny acres. It's tiny acreage cuz there are 10 cows, 4 horses, 1 burro, 3 dogs and 2 cats sharing the place.
Anyway life is good. Frustrating, trying, but so good. Just trying to enjoy.

Countdown to shopping

2008-11-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

In less than 48hours I will be laughing my head off with my friends. That's is what happens when we get together, we enjoy eachothers company. Its not even the shopping, although we do well with that, its about spending time and gabbing. We talk and talk. We go to our favorite places, see what is new, look at what we wish we could buy, or would like to if we had the space.
Mostly we buy Christmas decor stuff, ornaments that kind of stuff. Rarely do we buy clothing. In the words of my husband, its STUFF. Stuff we cannot live without or do not want to live with out. Things we enjoy. Each item that I have bought I can recall what we where talking about when we found this or that. MEMORIES!!!
I love this weekend, it is so great. So good for the SOUL.

2008-11-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Every November for quite a few years a couple girlfriens and I get together for a girls weekend. We shop! Not much clothes shopping, mostly home decor, Christmas decor stuff. Originally we always shopped in Idaho, the Bonneville Craft Fair, started it all. Now we rotate homes every year. This year we are back to my place in Idaho and Bonneville. First we are shopping in Jackson on Friday. That begins the fun.
We are different in so many ways, but so similar in what counts. The weekend is one of the best parts of the year. Its a weekend to rejuvinate as a Mom, Wife etc. We have so much fun. Taunting eachother into buying what we think we cannot live without. We eat fabulous food and laugh till we cry or pee our pants.
Girls weekends are a must. We are thinking about making it twice a year. Some of the thoughts are that one of the years we take a trip.
I so look forward to the weekend, this year we have a few new stores to check out in Idaho Falls, so that adds to the fun. Also, its been a couple years since we shopped here. That alone makes it fun!!!
I cannot wait for next weekend.
So get together with your gal pals and enjoy the friendships.

Wednesdays

2008-10-15T16:04:00.000-06:00

So glad its Wednesday. Why, Mondays are just crap, plain and simple, no need to pretty it up. Tuesdays, you just try and clean up from Monday, so by Wednesday you start to feel like you are starting to gain some control....I said some, not all, I'm not into make believe, at least not too much.
Then there are the weeks that everyday seems like crap. Those seem to be much more frequent of late. Work sometimes seem to take over all aspects, and its hard to seperate work from the rest of your life. Somedays is so frustrating that it moves me to tears. I'm a shrew some days, most it seems. Having a hard time finding the balance that I usually have. At least a 40/60 split. Its more 25/75. I want to run away, but to where, and from what. I want to run home, and then the house closes in. Too many projects that are not getting done and who knows when I will get them done. Last night was one of them, when everything seemed to much, fix dinner, not hungry for any of it. Throw a load of laundry in, never get ahead of that. Feels like the commercial with the big ball of laundry coming at the family, except in my case it doesn't stop, just piles on top! Yep thats my life right now. So how to find the balance?
It needs to start at home. Leave work at work. That is hard. The frustration stays with me. Need to leave it also.
Then find peace at home again.
Get the house in order.
Start throwing things away, get rid of stuff.
So tonight I will spend 1 hour on that.

Another newsletter, cattle roundup, life

2008-10-06T15:35:00.000-06:00

This PTO newsletter thing at first thought seemed to be not a huge project every month. I now know better, but oh well, live and learn. Not that I would stop, but I'm learning that things need to happen in a process and on a time frame. Not to mention DEADLINES need to be met. Which means I need to enforce them, but how. How to enforce getting the content from the school when that is the main content. The newspaper that has donated the printing and paper has their own deadlines also. So I'm trying to meet all, while "bugging" everyone to meet my deadlines. What fun. I enjoy putting the newsletter together, its getting it to me that frustrates me. This newsletter for the first time has ads, which ads another dimension. Its good for the PTO because it makes the newsletter a money maker instead of a cost, which is what you want in the PTO. So getting all the ads in and making room is another aspect. We also add the school lunch menu to the newsletter because not everyone has access to the internet to access the school web page. Hard to imagine not having the internet. When did that happen? You know the frustration when your provider has trouble and you don't have access. Scary isn't it. I send the file to the newspaper/printing place that prints it for us for free, but its not a priority for them, so if there are any problems, its a couple of days before they get back to me. Such frustration.

Then adding to that its the first of October which means it is time for the roundup. Yes a roundup. My husbands family has range rights on the National Forest to range their cattle. Which means the first of October they need to come off. Its fun in its own way, looking for 160 cows on about 80,000 acres of forest, not the fun part, but the ride thru beautiful country. We also have a great lunch and a fun visit with family, and friends who come to help. It takes up a weekend but does not end there. The next weekends are also taken up to find the stragglers, and there are always stragglers, and they tend to be our few cows. We only have ten and are still missing 7, not great odds. We will go up again this weekend in hopes of finding them. It is very enjoyable to spend the weekend, staying in the travel trailer, enjoying nature, looking for the critters. Even if it rains and we only go out a couple of times, its so relaxing, we watch series on dvd, like Monk and Psych. Make chocolate chip cookies, eat so good. Cait goes and plays with the neighbors of the "camp site-where we park the trailers for the season" their girls are her age, they ride horses, 4-wheelers, play house. Then she rides with us too.
Then we come home and go back to work. Yuck.
Life goes on, its what we do and how we do it that matters.
I think the scooter is going to get parked for the winter, its so cold in the morning. Can't handle the cold that way. Takes me hours at work to warm up and a cup of hot cocoa.
Fall has arrived. I love the colors, the cooler temps, sweaters and jackets, especially suede jackets!! Took some awesome pictures this weekend of the colors, even with the rain and the mist.
Trying to accomplish it all.
Later

School, shopping and newsletters.

2008-09-17T11:21:00.000-06:00

Okay so school is full at it. Homework and all. Not too much homework, yet. The usual math, and reading with some spelling words to work on. I honestly do not know how parents with more than one child in school do it. On most things I do not know how parents with more than one child accomplish anything. We both work, so when we get home its homework, dinner, an activity like a bike or scooter ride. Nothing big, no time. Bed time 7:30pm. I know a little early, but where she no longer naps, she gets too tired still. Anyway, not much time in the evenings for much of anything but the basics.
We watch Jon & Kate Plus 8 and I do not know how on this earth they accomplish what they do. I am so amazed. I love that show!!!
I guess you adjust to the number of kids you have.
We did some school has already started school shopping, and some Christmas shopping at Park City and the outlets there. Alot of fun, a really great weekend. I shopped most of the time, Chris and Cait swam in the pool. Shopped a little, but swam alot. My niece and her husband (college students) came up had lunch with us, did a little shopping. Always fun to see them. My best buddy came shopping to. Carrie is so much fun, much more fun to shop with than my husband! Always fun to spend time with her!!
The next day we hit IKEA, LOVE IKEA. So much fun, that is one of the few places my husband enjoys shopping at. Cait loves the kids area to play for an hour. By then we are usually thru shopping and its time to pick up the big stuff. Can't seem to get out of IKEA without some bigstuff! So much fun.
We stayed an extra day to see my nephew when he flew in from Germany before he goes on his mission.
Great weekend, expensive weekend, but so great!
The next weekend we went to a working horse show (ranch horse show) in Preston Idaho. Very interesting. Another fun weekend, not nearly as expensive. Thank heavens, just a trip to the cheese factory, and the kitchen store.
Looking forward to a weekend at home. Lots of projects at home to finish.
Also need to get working on the PTO newsletter. That takes up some time. I'm enjoying it, despite the frustration, but I enjoy being creative. This year the newsletter will include advertising from local businesses, its been very successful, but getting everything to fit is a struggle. This way the newsletter will be a money maker for the PTO instead of a cost. That as Martha says is a very good thing!
Fall is in the air, crisp mornings and warm afternoons. The leaves are changing, I love the colors of fall. Ready for pumpkins and all.

2008-08-27T15:42:00.000-06:00

So school has started. What a disaster the bus thing is. The first morning of school, 7 buses pass our house. Country road.
The busdriver had called the night b4 and said she would pick up at about 7:53am. Well Cait was soooooooooooooo excited for the 1st day. 3rd grader, still thinks school is fun. So we had both got up early, Chris already gone to work. We were ready by 7:15, so getting the backpack ready, and finishing combing hair. Getting my purse together, planner, etc. At 7:30 Caitlin says theres my bus, and I look out the window and a bus is pulling up in front of our house, so Caitlin goes flying out the door as the bus honks. So I get ready to leave for work and am waiting in the driveway on my scooter when another bus pulls up and picks up the neighbor kid from across the street. I look at the bus and it has a monster truck picture on its side. That was the bus Caitlin was supposed to get on...........................Okay the heart is pounding hard now. I call Chris tell him what happened. He gets ahold of the school and they say she is supposed to ride the monster truck not the other one, but all buses come to the elementary school. He verifies she is in her class, and I start breathing again. But why did the other bus stop at our house?
The other bus comes earlier so I would not have to be late for work every day for the next 9 months. The next day it stops, and I ask and she says, she has our house listed as a stop. So Cait catches the earlier bus for now, who knows what will happen next. I have watched buses skip a house with the kids standing there and pick up at the next house. Pick up kids on this side, but the kids across the street catch another bus. I think they are way messed up this year.
What drama.
I think I am only going to be able to ride my scooter to work thru September if I am lucky. The temps in the morning are cold. I'm close to wearing long johns. But then its 80 during the day. I shall wait and see. The scooter is so fun. I enjoy the drive to and from work. Love the gas savings also. I think my boss jinxed me this morning by calling me crash. He said that everyone that rides on two wheels knows its not if but when they crash. Really excited now.
Looking forward to the 3 day weekend. YIPPEE.

Summer is almost over...

2008-08-12T13:53:00.000-06:00

Coming on the middle of August and Cait starts school in a little over a week. Where did it go.....
We did go to Bear Lake with the trailer. Stayed at a great rv park, Ideal Beach, private entrance onto the lake. Less crowded wonderful area, their own rentals. So great. We had so much fun.
Would like to own property there, too much $$$$$. New favorite place, though.

Went to our 25th high school reunion (same class-high school sweethearts). I really did not want to go, I mean really did not want to go. Chris "convinced" me to go. So we went. IT was good to go. We only had 52 in our senior class, and had 12 that came to the reunion. Small group but good to visit and catch up with. Somehow I relapsed and had a lapse of brain function and volunteered to do the 30th along with Chris. I know, major brain malfunction!!! So in about 4 years I'll start to panic. Will need to figure out a way to find everyone.
So why is it high school reunions create such emotions in us??
Is it the coming to face with our high school side. Just like the movie "The Breakfast Club" we are "in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions, But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, an athlete, and a basket case, a princess and a criminal." Does that bring it back in those terms? Do we suddenly feel like a high school kid and not in a youthful way?
Part of it is for me. Part of it is the usual, I have extra weight that I'm carrying around.
In all honesty, we really did not have clicks, we all where friends, we got along, now there where a few that did choose to click themselves! At least that is what my view was. Yes some where more popular, some more athletic, some more brainy, and some more shy, but we got along. A really fun class. So why the reluctance in going? Probably the weight issue the most. Stupid I know, but true. Also some insecurities still left over from high school. Such is life.
I did enjoy it, my husband did and yes I even agreed that he was right and that it was good that we went. Other than the part about being in charge of the 30th. Now I did ask him before volunteering. So when he groans about it, I can tell him he should have said no!

Getting Started

2008-06-25T09:47:00.000-06:00

First time. Like ya cannot tell that. Oh well, one must start somewhere and this is my somewhere.
Intro;
Briggs fam dam is me, my hubby, Chris and daughter, the Princess Caitlin. Yes she is a princess, she is also a monkey, climbs all over, bouncing around and just plain monkeying around. Since she is an only you could say spoiled, I say probably, but then after 14yrs waiting for her arrival, its a given. Perhaps not smart but its a given.
We also have 10 cows,, 1 bull, yes moo. 2 horses, 1 poa, 1 donkey or burro, 3 dogs all labs(including one silver-registered as a brown) 2 cats that do not like each other in the least. One is a kitten that showed up on our doorstep on our daughters birthday last year, like we could get rid of that one-KitCat. The other is Miss Kitty, the very typical humans are lower than cats, cat. Although suddenly she has become this I want attention and in your face cat. During winter she usually is allowed in the house during the night. However, when she starting thinking she could sleep on our bed she is no longer in the house. For years she has come in the house and found a nice quiet corner and slept, places like closets etc. But when she started the lay on your chest thing, it was over for indoor. Although she will come in during the day and sleep in the chair.
We used to have two goats, they were fun. Ate the weeds. Now our neighbors have them. They no longer eat weeds, they are spoiled.
The cows are on pasture for the summer. We are not running them on the forest range this year, thank heavens. Much easier. Not cheaper but easier and less worry. No bears and wolves to worry about at least not as much. Hopefully it will work out and the pasture will not dry out, burn up, etc.
Tonight is last night for baseball. Its machine pitch and I don't like it. The kids went from t-ball to machine pitch, there should have been a coach pitch before the machine. But tonight is the last night so oh well. Glad for that actually.
Making plans for the 4th of July. Lots a famdamly in town, lunch for about 35 on the 5th. Having bbq and mexican. Doesn't that seem like the ideal combo, okay not really but that should cover all tastes, and for the non picky - nice buffet! Not cooking it all, not hardly any of it. Since the kitchen remodel is on hold until the countertops are put in, its call the local bbq place, Bubbas and order chicken and brisket and some sides. Then a friends aunt is making a couple of trays of enchiladas for us (she has one of those busses that she parks and sells mexican food). So with some fruit salad and green salad, chips, chips and salsa, I think we have it covered. Always worried about not having enough food. Working on the dessert this week. Made Apple Pie cake last night. Going to put it in cups with cinnamon graham crackers on the bottom, the the cake, then some carmel sauce and whipped cream. Also making a Root Beer float cake, so will bring both those to work tomorrow for a tasting.
Well that's a good intro.
Later.