Belvidere

I finally looked at all the pictures from the family get together last weekend. Got a few good shots, but man oh boy do I need to get a new camera. It's on my list of shit to do this coming week. (Blah, I hate buying stuff)

So here they are, the pics of the fam in Belivdere Vt. The cabin in the mountains with no  internet or cell signal, no TV, no news, no other people. Just hanging out with all the goobs, swimming and hiking, finding salamanders and fossil, and spent some good time with the old man before he headed back to PA. And so what if a little almost got swept down the river or if our tents were washed away in a flash flood. Nothing we can't handle. It was quite and beautiful and a hell of a lot cooler then back in the city. It's a little magical kingdom. No better place to be. 

-C

-C

Sunday Happy

First off. Happy Mothers Day to all you mommas out there. Have the most best and fanatical day.

How's your week been? It flew by for me. There was just a lot of running around which always makes me feel less accomplished then I want to be although I did accomplish a lot. We are always getting stuff done.  The week contained a lot of firsts of warm weather season. The mr got his first haircut/ear hair trim. We went on our first fishing/me sitting and playing with rocks excursion. Did the first lawn mow. Had our first BBQ. Ate the first rhubarb. Spring time is here and summer is just rolling it's way on in. Hopefully not to fast though because I really enjoying the not to hot weather that's been going on. It keeps me not cranky. 

You know what else makes me cranky? Lost vacuum attachments. I swear I have spent way too much freaking time looking high and low for the head that I use to vacuum the floor. I don't know what could have possible happened to it and it is driving me crazy. And it's really hindering my life because I vacuum around the house at least once a day (cat hair and dirt just seem to pile up) and that missing head is the one that I use. Now I am forced to use the  thin attachment head which make vacuuming take way to long and I am getting so frustrated and I just needed you to know that. Also if you have seen me in the past week and I seem like I might be in a bad mood, I was most likely thinking about the vacuum head. 

Friday was the BBQ. We had the whole family over for a  "just because . And we probably won't see each other on Mothers day thing" and it went good. Everyone got along, the littles dug large hole in the lawn looking for diamonds and ran the scooters all over the neighborhood, the mr toasted (burnt) marshmallow with his flame thrower, and I ran around making sure no one was eating meat anywhere other then the designated meat areas. At the end of the night when my house was thoughtfully trashed and when everyone went home, the mr and I walked the left over hotdogs to the woods and threw them to the animals. I wonder if it squirrels eat hotdogs.?.

Spent Saturday slowly vacuuming the mess with the skinny attachment. Gurrrrr. 

What is in store for today. Oh, I  don't know, most likely hanging out in the garden , maybe a bike ride, definitely either finding the vacuum attachment (although after the house clean yesterday, I am pretty sure it is lot forever) or buying a new one, and returning the giant stack of library books that are just about overdue. Maybe I'll bike to the library and get a new book and  then some coffee and go sit by the lake and read. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. 

A bit of internet for the reading.

-it was Venus and not a UFO that we were seeing from our bedroom window. May guide to the bright planets

-This is pretty awesome. Every New House Built In California Will Soon Have Solar Power

-Strange Things Are Afoot: Bill And Ted Set To Return As Dad Rockers Don't screw this up because no, the would be bad for us all.

-I guess graham crackers keep all your sexual desires at bay...Or not. The Curious History of Graham Crackers and Corn Flakes

-Is There a Difference Between Pizza Sauce and Pasta Sauce? Oh there is. 

-From Collards To Maple Syrup, How Your Identity Impacts The Food You Like. Interesting how the mind and stomach work.

-If I were Monica, I would be pretty pissed off too. Monica Lewinsky: What We All Can Learn from My Disinvitation Debacle

-This Eclectic Community Transformed a Desert into a Fantastical Forest

-I didn't know it was a thing, but I am glad it is. I like running and dislike litter. So I decided to try a fitness trend called plogging.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

What time is it really? Do you play that game when it's Daylight Savings? For the past week I have been walking around saying it's 4, but it really it's going to be 5 in a few days. So yeah, a little confusing because I can do that to things. But these year I have been proactive about the change and going to bed a little earlier ever night  (we spent an evening laying in bed, cause we couldn't fall asleep so early, looking up obscure meanings of words and things about birds. Did you know that a bunch of flamingos is called a flamboyance? Sometimes I hate the internet, but sometime, sometimes it is full of magic.) and waking up a little earlier (me, not the mr) And even better, we officially lost our hour yesterday, like I set the clocks forward when I woke up(the mr was confused all day but mostly went along with it). I wanted to get it out of the way so that today can be normal and I can stop thinking about the clock. Look at me, I am so smart, or maybe just really weird, but whateva, I am one (hour) up on everyone. 

The week had been pretty full and fun.. There was and has been lots of snow falling and melting and falling again. I have loved it all because warm snow days are like the best. On one of those nice days we took the littles and Barb and climbed a little mountain. (You know when you walk to the top of a mountain and see a snow penis? No,well its pretty freaking fantastic, especially when you have two littles with you. There was no shortage of wiener jokes for the rest of the day) The mr made Coco a sweet ass toddler bed and now he is sleeping in his own bed like a toddler boss. We found the last remaining light fixture needed for the bathroom and put that it, and now the house is completely done, except for wanting to start all over again. (we need to find a new shitty house to fix).  I got a bunch of chores done, cleaned a bunch more, and every day getting a little more pumped about spring and outside and all the things I need to do outside once the ground thaws. I can't wait to play in the dirt!.

Then a couple days ago the mr took me on a driving adventure that ended up at an outdoor church in the middle of nowhere to pick up some free church pews. And to see all the geese flying home. But church pews, yeah that was interesting. I didn't really want them, but the mr was all about them and has some ideas for them. (cutting in half and sanding)  SO we loaded up the truck and drove an hour with large cross incrusted pews sticking out of the. truck bed. (The things we end up doing.) As for the pews, they are cool, but I really don't think I need a church pew in the house, way to clunky and it just doesn't seem right. 

As I said before, we lost our hour yesterday so the day was a little wonky. Ate lunch at 1 but dinner at 5 but it was really 12 and really 6 but went to bed at 8 and his clock said 4 but mine said 5,  but who's 5 were we talking about. Yeah, it was confusing but we got through it, mostly because we didn't have anything time sensitive going on. During the day the mr and I each ended up with a little. The boys went and did some wood shop stuff and us loadies stayed here and went over her play lines and  baked cookies. Or I baked cookies and the girl watched baking shows and ate cookie dough. And then I washed my hair, ate dinner and went to bed. 

So today.. my brain is good but my body is still adjusting to time so I already know that I am going to need a nap today, hell, I might even just go back to bed for a little while (no, I probably won't) Then I am going to strip the sheets and blanket and I am going to make the bed with the spring sheets and blankets because time change means it is basically spring which means I should probably get out my shorts and mud boots and get on it. But that is all after the nap, and the million cups of coffee I will be drinking today. But spring guys!!!! 

Interesting internet that interested me. 

-Are you a fan or do you hate the time changing? One Hundred Years Later, the Madness of Daylight Saving Time Endures

-For a Brief, Brief Moment Ketchup Was Green. I just had a conversation with the littles about the colored ketchup.. they didn't believe me. 

-We are getting closer and starting to prepare... are you?  Companion Vegetable and Herb Planting in Raised Rows

-The Joyful Dancing Boys of Instagram. Amazing. These little dudes remind me of my nephew Jackson when he was a little... The kids could dance like no other..and then cry whe he messed up. SO cute. 

-I always wondered why the hell you can't recycle the cartons and try to avoid them as much as possible. I hate not being able to recycle, it makes me mad.  In The Recycling World, Why Are Some Cartons Such A Problem?

-LEGO Goes Green With Sustainable Bricks Made From Sugar. So can you eat them?

-I could see us needing this pretty soon because living in a van.... This Solar Energy System Is Perfect For #VanLife

-How cool would it be to see wild flamingos, they are so pretty. Florida's Long-Lost Wild Flamingos Were Hiding In Plain Sight

-More fantastic terms for groups or flock of birds. 

 -These shoes... I really want these shoes. 

And pictures from the week. 

Enjoy that day!

-C

Sunday Happy

I woke up this morning with a very vvid recollection of the dream I was having. In it I was the inventor of a thing called The Fire Stick, which essentially was a fishing pole with fire on the end that you stick in water( know, it makes no sense ) and it somehow propels you around. In the dream, I was using my Fire Stick to cruise down a river on a makeshift raft because I was fleeing something and I needed to leave by water.  Thats it, but I know in my dream I was damn proud of my Fire Stick. Dream me is very strange and scares me a little. 

The mr and I have no big projects going on right now so he is doing a bunch of side work and I am doing little things around the house plus trying to get through the taxes (I am procarsinationg so hard) I am getting a touch of cabin/spring cleaning fever and am starting to think about running away or  repainting all the walls... which is crazy because  it hasn't been more then a year since I last painted. So I guess that leaves running away. Ha.  What I really need to do is build a shit ton of shelves and reorganize the closets, but that takes measuring and buying wood and power tools and the mr so it will have to wait. ( I have to sweet talk him into having a shelf making day with me.. I would do it alone, but it will be much easier and nicer if he helps) And the running away part, well we are working on that part too. 

Other then my crazy, the week has been pretty good. The mr got me another new power tool (I am returning the scroll saw in favor of band saw) The back porch has unofficially turned into a wood carving studio. And not just for me, the mr is really into wood carving right now too. We even braved negative temperatures to walk around on the beach to find cool pieces of drift wood to make spoons out of. (he gets pretty jazzed about stuff and there is not stopping him) Before that freezing  cold returned there was a day where we were able to walk the wold without jackets and that was the day we took Shannon out for a walk. That lady just got a new hip and already she is walking better then I can. Maybe I will get myself a new hip too. Or new knees. I could be unstoppable. 

 Qui came over for a vegan banana bread baking how to, which got me thinking that  I should start teaching vegan baking.  Then Barb came over for chili and a dance party party, and  then we had the little over for a sleep over and all around house trashing. I don't know how they do it, but those littles  make the biggest mess out of nothing. And they are sticky and gross and even surface needs to be wipes after they leave. 

We did treat ourselves to a little culture and went to the Shelburne Museum to check out the Sweet Tooth art exhibit. It was cool, but not exactly what I was expecting.  It was only a small room with a handful of pieces and I wanted more, and bigger and more, like the giant ring pops. Those were cool. I want a room full of giant candy, but no candy wrappers. The wrappers freak me out. But the next exhibit I am really interested in seeing too. It's a puppet exhibit and that's got be be some kind of fantastic. 

Are you super bowling today? Yesterday the mr and I ran into the grocery store and it was packed with people, with shopping carts all full of chips and beer and garbage food. It was kind of crazy. We figured it was all for the football game. Then we started to blame everything that was annoying on the football game. It's nice to have a reason for it all.  This football game day thing always makes me feel like it is a holiday that I am not celebrating and I am ok with that.

So no football here today, just keeping it easy, maybe getting out into some woods at some point then maybe some reading or Netflixing some Grace and Franky.  Keeping it low on this non holiday day. People be crazy and I want to stay away from them. Plus I have the Fire Stick to think about. Haha.

Stuff from the internet that I read this week. 

-The 'IKEA Effect' — And Getting Kids To Eat Their Veggies. Eat what you make and be proud of it, veggies and all. 

-Things we should all know. Why Dogs Have Floppy Ears: An Animated Tale

-It’s Reportedly Becoming ‘Normal’ to See Whole Foods Employees Cry at Work. I think I cried a little when I worked at Heathy Living. 

-I have had a conversation with the littles  about what shape carrot tastes better (when they are cut into chips) Does Chopping Change Your Vegetables? 

-Interesting planned, one that I think humans should leave alone. It's enough to destroy one plant, lets stay away from the others.  Pictures of Mars

-The Many Questions We Have About These Cookbook Covers. When I saw this, all I could think was douche bags. If anyone came up behind me while I was chopping anything, well there might be a unintentional stabbing. 

-I don't know if I ever will do this, but I really like the idea. HOW TO MAKE A LARGE SCALE (PATCHWORK) DIY RUG

-This is no Why Procrastination is Good for You

-What to Do When You Worry Yourself Awake.  Do your worrying during the day. 

-Axe-Throwing Bars: Why Mixing Weapons And Beer Is Surprisingly Good Business. But is it? Got to keep the hipsters happy. I guess it is kind of like really big darts, which I could totally get behind, but there is some real potential for some crazy shit to happen. 

Pictures from the week. 

Have a good weekend.

-C

Sunday Happy

Its December again, and again I find my self being shocked at the fact. But Christmas yeh! I am into it this year, with lots of decorations and xmas music, and baking, and all the fun things that the holiday brings. The one thing that is really getting my goat though is the absence of snow. Where the heck is all the snow! It's been way to warm out and that in itself is diving me crazy so I am just gonna wait, hope for the best, and again fantasize about living in Alaska. (the mr would never have it) 

Not a lot happened this week. Looked at some land, cleaned up the yard some more, but It feels like we have spent more time dealing with people over phone calls and tons of paper work then anything. Shit that needed to be done and did, but now I am starting to think about and dread tax season....It's going to mother f-ing suck. So I am trying  not to think too much about it yet, especially with this new tax plan shit. I mean, what the hell does this mean? I am so confused already.. Blah, stupid taxes.. Other then that, Barb came over for an afternoon of picture taking for her senior picture, which was really funny. I have never experienced senior pictures before (I didn't get mine done) and before our photo shoot, I googled senior photos and what the? Why does everyone want to hug a tree or sit on a railroad track? I wasn't really into that look, but if that was what she wanted (it wasn't what she wanted) We did do a little tree hugging, tall grass squatting, (no rail road tracks though), but in the end I got a good Barb one, one without tree hugging or anything to cheesy, just a big ass smile. A real picture and I love it and hope she loves it too.  Then after that we had tacos with Miley and Judah and went for a small Christmas light drive. We sure d know how to have some good times. 

We got out Christmas tree!!! A drive to the ranger station to get our tag then a drive into the mountains for the hunt. We parked, got out of a car and within 5 minutes found a really good looking tree. Way to easy, we hiked around for an hour, checked out a sweet beaver damn, and got all sorts of scratched up before we went back to the tree we first saw.It really was a nice looking tree. The mr cut it down, threw it on the car, and off we went. Now the tree is in it's stand, covered in lights, and last night we did our traditional popcorn stringing while watching Elf.  I dehydrated some orange and apple slice to hang and dug out the box of ornaments. I told the littles that they could help decorate so I am eating until they come over to finish which is fine with me because honestly I don't mind a very minimally decorated tree. And it's less shit for the cat to kick off. 

Today is little So's birthday! 5 years old already. Her party is tonight and I made the cake but I need to finish frosting and decorating it this afternoon. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting covered in chocolate chips and chocolate sprinkles with one pink sprinkle on top. The girl knows what  she wants. Other then that, I think I need to spend a little time  getting  myself organized , get my secret Santa present ordered, figure out what to do for the mr, and start planning for the mr's birthday next weekend. And take a nap. What is a Sunday without a nap?

Internet from the week.

-Tonights the night. Dance By The Light Of The 2017 Supermoon: The How And When It was super bright last night too

-The Hardest Bakery Possible': Reinventing The Meaning Of 'Whole Grain 100% whole grain everything. 

-Its that time of year when we need melted chocolate fast. How To Perfectly Melt Chocolate in the Microwave

-This Modern Home has a Climbable, Ladder-less Bookshelf. I would love a book shelf I could climb all over. That just sounds all sorts of fantastic.

-This had better be excellent, but I am sure it will be. Making it. 

-Being a Vegan With Ham-Loving In-laws Is Harder Than It Sounds. Just worry about yourself, not what I am eating.

-These are so amazing. I can't believe they are not photos. Towering Hyperrealistic Cactus Paintings by Lee Kwang-ho

-This is what Miley was looking up when she was suppose to be picking out Christmas music. Shittens Disposable Mitten-shaped Moist Wipes That is my niece. 

-How To Make A Basic Geometric Himmeli Ornament.  These will look good on he tree (spray painted gold of course) . 

-Twitter really doesn't like the White House Christmas decorations. Because they are scary. 

Pictures from the week

Have a great day!

-C