That Is So Awesome!

That's what the trick-or-treaters are saying when they leave our house cuz they got little cans of Jones Soda in Candy Corn, Lemon Drop Dead, Gruesome Grape or Strawberry Screamer, plus the usual chocolate, etc. I love it!

New Favorite

I'm in love! I found Alicia's photos on Etsy awhile ago, forgot about them (oops), then found them again and all I can say is WOW! I am in awe and can't wait to get some - I'm still deciding - there are so many I love.

Anyway, here's the link to her website:

Alicia Bock

to her Etsy shop:

Alicia Bock Etsy

and blog:

Alica Bock Blog

Etsy

If you've never been, go NOW!

http://www.etsy.com/index.php

What an awesome way to support artists and the handcrafted arts. I have so may favorites right now. I bought some soap today and I think I will be purchasing this:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7481892

Probably one for me and one for A. for Christmas.

And I think I'll be getting this for A. for Christmas as well, without the pearls though:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7663006

Some of my favorite 'stores':

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5317715

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5259281

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5085436

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=13988

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5027177

I am going to try to do a fair amount of my Christmas shopping from here - unique gifts and so easy!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's my favorite holiday! I love Halloween!


Here's some cute trick-or-treaters - they went to thenursing homes today dressed up like this:

The Tin Man

Dorothy

My iPod is Seriously Lacking

... in songs by Genesis. That is all.

New Favorite Songs

James Blunt 1973

Daughtry Over You

Maroon 5 Wake Up Call

Santana Into the Night

Sara Bareilles Love Song

Vanessa Carlton Nolita Fairytale

Timbaland The Way I Are

Here's the Plan

Sticking with the color in the kitchen

Painting the back entryway with brick red floors, a yellow that is 1-2 shades lighter than the kitchen and white trim and then I think I'll do wood Roman shades

Bathroom - originally I was thinking white and that's probably what I'll wind up doing, but I am thinking of olive green - since the BR is right off the kitchen, I think the olive green would complement the yellow

BTW, the look I am going for is 'Italian Villa' and the reason that I am going for that look is that the people who lived here before us put in new countertops in a terra cotta color - it wouldn't have been my first choice for color, but I think that the Italian Villa look will be nice

I found some dishes at WalMart that match the look I'm going for and I think that I may just get a whole set

hmmmm...I think that's it!

What I'm Loving Now

1. The look of a cleaned up yard - not that it's done, but it's getting there
2. Hiring someone to finish my painting jobs - I'm not sure I like the color I painted the kitchen, so I'm going into town tomorrow to find something else, then Monday the painter arrives and he will do the kitchen, the bathroom AND the back entryway - YAY!
3. GORGEOUS fall weather - bright blue skies (finally!) and gold leaves - it doesn't get any better!
4. The weekend
5. Sleeping in
6. The World Web Cam I have on my google - I've spent way too much time watching it tonight!
7. James Blunt's 1973
8. Dreaming of next year's vacation - notice the word dreaming, cuz with all these home improvements, I don't think I'm going anywhere!
9. HALLOWEEN!

I Hurt Everywhere...and other stuff

...cuz we spent the day outside cutting down a huge row of extremly overgrown evergreens. We've been crazy this past week - cutting down many of our overgrown trees and shrubs. I hate to kill living things and I especially hated to kill these shrubs, because despite being horendously overgrown without any way to fix them, they do provide a great place for the birds to live. So, we won't see any cardinals in there this winter. We do plan to re-plant in the spring. We chose to cut them this fall so that the birds would have time to find new places to live before it gets too cold and so that no nests get destroyed in the spring. I already have ideas for spring!

In addition, we have had several people come give us estimates on work we want done outside - ripping out the horrible railroad tie flower beds (why, oh why would someone use these???), building a deck, pouring concrete for a BBQ area, new landscaping, puting up faux stone on the house once the flower beds are out (cuz the lovely people who sided the house only sided it down to the level of the flower beds and as the soil has eroded, there is beautiful pink and yellow foam insulation showing - why not just do things the right way the first time? I don't understand...) - and all of this to be done before the end of May next year for A.'s graduation! I always thought people were CRAZY for completely re-doing their homes just for a high school graduation, but I UNDERSTAND now! It's the way a woman can get get her husband to DO SOMETHING around the house - use the children as an excuse to get it done! A bit shady? You betcha! But if that's what it takes to get it done, then that's what I'm gonna do!

It's October

...and here I sit on another cloudy Sunday afternoon! The kitchen still isn't done, but it's got some decorations up and the knick knacks from up above the cabinets have been packed. I plan on finishing the painting on Friday - I am taking next Friday off cuz I. will be here, I believe, for the MEA break, and that's a good excuse for a day off. I really only have some trim work to do and approximately 20 square feet to do - really not much at all - and I'll feel so much better once it's done. I don't know why I've been procrastinating so much (well, yah, I do - I'm lazy!) Then I think we'll get a flat screen TV and hang that and we need to get the island made - I may hire someone to do it so it gets done. The island shouldn't be too bad - we are buying some unfinished oak cabinets and will make a base to attach casters to, add some trim, stain and poly it, then add the countertop I special ordered. Really, it shouldn't be too bad to do, but laziness and procrastination reign in this household. Oh well.

Speaking of days off, my plan for work has been to take one day off per week because I work so many hours each day running to 2 buildings. It hasn't really worked that way - each day I 'take off' I wind up going in to do an eval or something. I'm kinda tired of it. I love having a job and am so grateful to have a job, but I get tired of always having to be there. Oh well, again!