Hibernation

Hello all - Yep, I'm still here.  Sorry I sorta "fell off the wagon" with blogging - you know how animals go into hibernation when it's really cold?  Well, that the only thing I can use to describe me the last couple of weeks.  It seemed that instead of being all "gun ho" and getting organized and everything like everyone else in creation all I wanted to do was sit and be lazy chill.  So, that's what I did.  That is until a couple of weeks ago.  I finally decided it was time to get up and get some stuff done!

I guess it all started when Dan decided that he needed some help painting the pergola.  We had gone to Lowe's and bought a paint sprayer, as he thought that trying to paint it by hand would be too much.  So, with paint sprayer in hand and the patio cleared of all the furniture, he started.  Now, while it is true that it sped the process along, the waste of paint was tremendous.  Can we say over spray!?!  Anyway, he wanted me to move the drop cloth from area to area while he used the sprayer just so we didn't have a gray painted floor or gray plants all around (although some of the leaves of some of the plants are now gray).

 Covered the bird bath so we didn't have to worry about messing it up with paint.

 Grill and outdoor "side table" covered with plastic.

 This is a good shot of all the paint over spray.  Waste, waste, waste!  And at over $40 a gallon, not a budget friendly way to paint.

However, we used all the paint we had - we had to buy two more gallons.  It is starting to look pretty good and we are excited to get it finished.

Dan has since gotten it all done, except for a little bit of hand brush work.  He did finally admit that the sprayer was not the best option and went old school with a roller and extended handle.  It might have taken him two days to finish it up this way, but at least we didn't paint everything else in sight.

When I wasn't helping Dan outside I decided it was time to get some work done in the house.  So, while doing some early spring cleaning (or late January/winter cleaning) I did some rearranging of items, rearranged the bookshelves in the family room, and even did a little Valentine's day decorating.

 Living Room -  I haven't moved any furniture (the way the room is laid out this is the best room arrangement) so I just make little changes with the accessories.

I moved the wooden goose from the side table to the coffee table and added a heart shaped dish that I've had forever (I found it again stashed in my nightstand).  With a little Valentine's candy and it's good to go.

  I found these flowers on Amazon last month and loved the soft pastel colors of the flowers.  I knew that I wanted to put them in a square glass vase and I just happened to find this vase at the Twice Nice Furniture store here in the Village (it's a resale shop of things that are donated and it's where all our donations go).  A little moss around the sides, and I might need to fluff the flowers a little but I think it gives a hint of spring.

A little better shot of the heart shaped dish.  Don't you just love it when you find things that you have that you can use instead of having to buy things?


I also decided to group my crocks and jugs together instead of having them spread out all over the house.  The perfect spot was under the entry way table.

When we went to the little resale shop I also found this smaller square vase.

I thought it would be perfect as a candle holder and why not add some Valentine candy.  Quick and cute.

Then for the shelves and mantle.  I was just tired of the same ole, same ole.  So, I decided to shake things up a bit.  I started gathering stuff from around the house and just moved some things around and viola newly decorated shelves.

A new look for no cost.

This past Tuesday I had a check up on my thyroid down in Gainesville and I thought Dan and I could do some shopping while there (it's the closest Home Goods store and I had never been in the Hobby Lobby there).  So, after my glowing check-up - no change to the growths on my thyroid and no need for biopsy at this time, just another check up next year - Dan and I headed to Hobby Lobby, as it was the closest to the doctor's office.  I purchased a few spring flower at 50% off and a new basket for an arrangement on the front door.  When leaving the store I received a call from one of my mom's neighbors telling me mom had fallen and had messed up her arm pretty badly.  I explained I was in Gainesville and Judy said she would stay with mom until the doctor' released her.  Dan and I made a quick trip to Bass Pro shop, since we were already headed that way, to pickup some wax melts that we had wanted for a long time and then headed directly home (sorry Home Goods, maybe next time).

When we got home we stopped at mom's house, but no one was there.  I went across the street to the neighbor's house, thinking that she may have kept mom at her house until we could get home, but was told by her husband that Judy had taken mom to the hospital in Live Oak to have her head and shoulder x-rayed since our clinic doesn't have that capability.  I called Judy to see if she wanted me to come and relieve her, and she said no they should be home soon as they were just waiting for the results of the x-rays.  About half an hour later I received a call that they were home, so I headed back down to mom's house.  She did not have any broken bones, just a good knot on her head (no concussion), some bruises, and a pretty good cut down the entire length of her left arm.  The cut is not deep and didn't require stitches - just steri-strips - but she will be sore for a couple of weeks.  She is very lucky that she didn't break anything and it is something that we will have to continue to watch.  Her sense of balance is getting worse, but this is the first time she has fallen since we moved here three years ago.  She doesn't know why she fell - she was in the middle of her living room so she didn't trip on anything.  She said she tripped on her own two feet - and at this point who knows.  I will be going to a class that is being taught by Elder Care on being the caregiver to someone with Alzheimer's.  I just want to make sure I know how to make it as easy on mom as I can (as well as Dan and I).  It's a six week course taught at our local library and I am hopeful that it will give us good information.

Wednesday was my normal shift at the store (just a few lookers) and I had plenty of time to finish the bookkeeping for the month of January.

Thursday I finally decided that I needed to stop putting off the cleaning out of drawers and cabinets.  I had been putting off cleaning and organizing the drawers and cabinets in the kitchen for months, but I went in and in thirty minutes it was all done!  (Why do we put off things for so long when it really doesn't take that long to do????)

Next, it was time to start getting everything ready to send to our tax accountant.  I'm still missing a couple of pieces of information, but that should come in next week and I have everything else ready to go.  I hope to get it mailed off to her by the end of the week and then keep our fingers crossed that we won't owe that much!

While I was getting the tax stuff together I decided to get the file cabinet cleaned out and organized too.  Once again, a job that I had put off for months was completed in just a couple of hours.

Dan and I are ready for the Super Bowl - we aren't going to a party, just the two of us here with a pizza and some chips and dip.  Nothing big or fancy.  I really don't have a "dog in this race" and I really don't care who wins - I'll probably cheer for the Eagles but it won't hurt my feeling if the Patriots win.  (I know that my son-in-law will be happy if the Pats take the win, but we shall see.)

Speaking of my son-in-law - a couple of weeks ago his family had a family reunion in Texas and, for the first time, my daughter, sil, and two grand babies went.  They spent five days in Texas (Wednesday through Monday) with a trip to Waco and Magnolia Market thrown in one day.  

 

Melissa said the girls had an awesome time playing on the grounds.  They didn't get a cupcake as the line was wrapped around the building twice and she didn't buy anything in the store either (how can you not buy SOMETHING????  I know I couldn't - LOL!) She tired to Skype with me, but we weren't home and I didn't have my phone with me when she called - darn!  Then they had the reunion at the rodeo in Ft. Worth over the weekend. The babies got cowboy hats and they were so cute! I think they had a good time and it was good for them to get away for a little trip.

Well, this has turned into a small book - sorry for the length.  Hopefully, now that I am not in hibernation any longer I will get back to posting regularly.

Have a great weekend!

AWOL!

I can't believe that it has almost been a month since I last posted!

  I really don't have an excuse,

 other than I just haven't taken the time to sit down and write.

Sorry!

Let's see if I can catch you up on the goings on around here.

We still are not keeping Ady full time yet, but

we have kept her a couple of times

for 1/2 a day while Melissa

had meetings that wasn't appropriate for her to take the 

baby with her.

Melissa had to take her in for another

weight check the first of February

and the doctor wasn't happy with her 

lack of weight gain.

This time he told us that we needed to 

supplement Melissa's breast feeding

with formula and then bring her

back in a couple of weeks to check her

weight again.

Last Friday, Melissa took her back

and this time she was FINALLY over

9 pounds!  Yeah!

So, it looks like we might have found the

secret recipe.

Here's a couple of pictures of the sweet

little one.

Ady is a happy baby and as cute as a button!

Big sister Lorelai is growing like crazy!

She is talking more and more everyday

and makes us laugh

at all her antics.

She is a BIG help when doing laundry - 

she will load all the clothes in the washer by herself

and then put the clean clothes in the dryer.

All I have to do is add the detergent/dryer sheet and

turn on the machines on.

I haven't taught her how to fold/hang clothes yet,

but I'm sure that won't be too far in the future!!

LOL!!

A couple of weeks ago I went to see

Saving Mr. Banks at one of the theaters

up in Sebring.  Yes, I went by myself since Dan

has difficulty understanding the dialogue with

all the background noise.  I really enjoyed the movie

and plan on going to see something at least

once a month.  Next on the list - Monument Men.

(Maybe this weekend?)

Valentine's Day the kids surprised us with a nice card

and some sweet gifts "from" the girls - Dan got some

candy and I received a gift card to the movies.

I made a special breakfast for Dan and Lorelai

Heart pancakes for Lorelai and I "tried" to make

Dan a "moose" pancake.

It didn't turn out exactly like I wanted, 

but Dan seemed to enjoy it.

I fixed Lorelai some Heart shaped pancakes, 

that I forgot to take a picture of, but

I did get a picture of what was left.

She seemed to enjoy her lunch

Don't you love her "bib"?

Anyone have a guess what it is??

Valentine's night Dan and I enjoyed a nice

dinner for two on the

back porch

and then a nice fire in the fire pit.

It was the first time we used the fire pit

even though we bought it three years

ago - right after buying the house

on Lime Road and getting off the road.

We are still working on doing little

"tweaking" projects here in the house -

I'll share them in a future post.

Lots of organizing and 

purging!

The beginning of this week we were able to take a

trip up to Dowling Park since the kids had to go down

south for Justin's grandfather's funeral.  We went up on

Sunday and came home on Wednesday.

It was great fun seeing all our dear friends there

and we even took a little side trip to

Honey Lake Plantation.

There were many lovely buildings at the plantation.

This is the main building where we had a fabulous lunch.

This is the building where they serve Sunday brunch.

It has a much larger dining room than where

we ate Tuesday.

These are "apartments" that you can rent

or where people stay when they

come to the Plantation for a "hunting expedition".

Really roughing it, huh?

Three of our wonderful friends that went with us.

One of the other buildings that is at the Plantation

is this beautiful church.

The church is located right on the lake and is a beautiful

venue for many weddings

as well as Sunday services.

Beautiful woodwork throughout the entire church.

Can you imagine walking down the aisle and standing in

front of this beautiful setting?

One of the things that make this church so 

pretty are the gorgeous stained glass windows.

Here are some pictures of just a few

of them.

These windows were from an old church in Madison, Florida 

that was being torn down.  

The plantation was able to save them and

installed them in their church to preserve them.

There was one other thing at the church that I thought

was really beautiful, beside the view, the wonderful woodwork, and the incredible windows.

This beautiful bronze sculpture is

located in front of the 

church.

So, that is how we have spent this week.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures

and I'll talk to you soon!

Hugs!

Carol