Sunday Happy

Hey there friends. I hope you are all enjoying yourself a fantastic long weekend full of food, family, friends, or whatever you do that makes you happy. I know I am trying. 

We have had a busy week. It kicked off with my family Thanksgiving on Sunday. 24 people, a turkey gravy accident on my couch ( I almost flipped out but kept my cool), and a mess that took most of the next day to clean. But it was great, everyone was happy, Lillian brought me flowers,  the food (I made it all beside the turkey my mom brought over already cooked and cut up) was on point, and even though everyone forgot to bring drinks, we ended up with 4 pies and survived on a few beers and seltzer water.

After spending nearly all the next day cleaning (ok, maybe it was only a few hours) the mr and I decided we needed to get out of town so we took a drive to see the snow. All was great until the road froze and we almost skidded of the interstate. We ended up driving 5 mph for like a half hour just to get off. But that was ok, what wasn't ok was  after we got home, the mr had to run to fix a toliet. He jumped into the truck and I got a call 15 minutes later. While he was driving, the  truck died in the middle of the road. Long story short, we now have AAA and owe my brother in law a big ass thank you cake. 

We had the littles sleep over on Wednesday so that they could make birthday presents for their mother. Her (as in Erin) Birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year so instead of doing dinner and cake, we had a moring cinnamon star birthday breakfast. The littles spent the night making paintings of a squirrel and and glittery octopus (I have glitter everywhere!!) and helping me bake. After the mess was contained, we curled up to popcorn and The Mighty Ducks 3. (then there was popcorn all over with the glitter) On Thanksgiving morning/Erin's birthday, we listen to all the Christmas music, sang happy birthday, Paul ate half the star, Barb drank all the coffee, and we tried to make the baby walk for cookies. We know how to have us some good times. 

As usual went the the mr's family for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving at their house is the big family holiday so everyone (usually) comes home for it. This year everyone did and it was great for all of us to be together. I didn't bring anything for the actual meal, but  I brought over a cinnamon star for breakfast the next day, which I am glad because there was so much food already.(Qui and Joanie went all out) so I was more helpful just washing all the dishes. We ate, we laughed, they drank. I left. I love that family so much, but alas I am an old lady and get very tired early. We left before things got to crazy as I am sure that they did. All in all, another successful Thanksgiving.

Friday was spent with a social hangover and cleaning the house again (the glitter never stops). We managed a good walk on the beach to get some air and nature then it was onto the Christmas decorations!! The mr spent a good chunk of the day being  amazing and wiring an outlet outside so we can hang up the Christmas lights. which brings me to the Christmas lights... It's been rough and we (or I) still don't know what to do. It's because of the LED's. I hate them, or very much dislike them. I much prefer the incandescent lights because they are prettier to me. But we need new lights and we really should buy LED, but they are ugly, or most of them are anyway. So The mr and I have bought 5 different colors and brands of LED's and are currently trying out  sets on the house. We have some colored ones up now and  they are ok but I am not sure and might just go white but aaaahhh. I am driving the mr crazy, driving myself crazy, but I want to actually like the lights on my house. I guess I'll figure it out. 

Besides getting the dang Christmas lights up, I am not sure whats gong down today. Probably going to listen to Sufjan, Hanson, and Charlie Brown Christmas albums all on repeat. Maybe make a few loaves of bread, start my knitting projects, finish reading my book, and just enjoy not having to deal with a house full of people who spill turkey gravy on everything. 

Internet links from the past week.

-Adult Siblings Can Make Our Lives Healthier And Happier This had better be true because I spend a lot of my time with my adult siblings. (love you guys)

-What your Christmas lights will do to your electricity bill. This is part of my problem with the lights. Because I really do like the incandescent so much more.. So annoying, Why can't the led look better? 

-Sufjan Christmas has been on all week, but so has this album. So good.   First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Greatest Gift'

-Don’t Force Young Girls to Hug Their Relatives, the Girl Scouts Say Finally! It drives me crazy when parents make their kids hug people. If a kid doesn't want to hug  you, respect that. 

-Ah, Prince, so beautiful you were. Dig, If You Will, Some Never-Before-Seen Pictures Of Prince In 'A Private View'

-Idaho Dims The Lights For One Of The Best Night Skies Anywhere I think camping in Idaho just made my list of things to do. 

-Terrifying is right, I am allergic to yellow jackets . This 'Granddaddy of Hornet's Nests Is Terrifying, But Not All Bad

-Good Vegan, Bad Vegan. This was a good article. I know a few vegetarians and vegans that eat shit and  they think they are healthy because they don't eat meat and those people that think a meal isn't a meal without meat. 

-The Sweet Rewards of Bitter Food

-Quirky Cartoon Toys and Vases Carved from Wood by Yen Jui-Lin. I love these and want them for myself

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Did you get any snow? I was hopping for snow, but got none and am a little disappointed. Call me crazy, but I am just ready for a good dumping, maybe even snowed in for a day or two. Humm, probably not happening for a while, but a dusting would be nice, no?

This past week Shannon turned one year older. We had dinner and cake and Jackson wrote her a rap that made all of us cry. Then the littles came over for a dinner/orchestra rehearsal and we got the baby to walk around the kitchen again. The only time he seems to walk is for Oreo cookies... He might be on to something here. I made what seems like a shit ton of bread products to feed the people who stop by for lunch. I found pine cones and turned them into a wall hanging, had a great time catching up with Joanie, and have continued my watching of Stranger Things 2 (taking my time with this season) I was very social this week and give myself 3 stars for not running away to a hole in the ground. 

Then the basement, The mr and I spent a very long day removing buckets and buckets of heavy ass dirt from down below. We were in respirators which sucked because they suck wearing and we both have this chest congestion so it was just sucky, but we needed them with the amount of dust and dirt we were dealing with. The truck was full by the end and we now have a shoveled out, swept, and vacuumed over and over, clean and empty (we got rid of allll the stuff and tools) basement. That was one long day of shit shoveling. But it's over and never again. And it was all in preparation for the washer and dryer that was to be delivered Thursday. 

We waited a full day for he washer and dryer to be delivered and it didn't show. We were not happy put the mr dealt with it. We waited another 1/2 day for the washer and dryer and it still didn't show. And oh boy were we about to flip but the mr dealt with it and yesterday, right at 8ish in the morning, we finally got our washer and dryer!!!!!!!!!! And it is as amazing as I had remembered. Big metal tubs that will do all my washing and drying needs, right here in my house. I am so excited.  The mr spent the day running water and power and hooking it all up and ever since then, laundry on loop. Clean cloths whenever I want. I guess I have no excuses now.  

The family is all coming over in just a few short hours for the annual Sunday before Thanksgiving, Family Thanksgiving I think we are up to 25 people.. Some are little so they take up less space, but it's those half sized people that tend to make the biggest mess.  The house is going to be full by afternoon and I am not going to lie, I am a little stressed out. I think it's because of the turkey. This is  a meat free house but Mom is bring a cooked turkey (no way in hell is a turkey being cooked in my oven) and I just have this anxiety that there is going to be meat everywhere, I know I am over reacting but I can't help my feelings. But other then that it will be great. I am doing all the veggie sides, making some bread and maybe some cookies? I don't know. My mom bought like 4 pies and I might just skip the cookies because we probably  don't need them. So yeah, a full house of all the crazy people and a few extra to bare witness. I got the coloring supplies, grabbing the board games, and trying to set up a long as table to seat everyone at all at once. I hope people don't mind sitting on mud buckets.  Wish me luck.

Internet findings from the week

-A Wrinkle in Time. Another one of my favorite books turned movie, but this one, I am so excited about. . Mindy and Oprah...It has got to be great.

-Instagram Crowds May Be Ruining Nature Be more aware people!

-Life goal (or next year goal) Find land and build and A frame cabin. How to Build an A-Frame. Should be simple right? 

Sign me up, although I don't make a lot os scrapes, I tend to eat it all. This Kickstarter Converts Kitchen Scraps Into Cooking Fuel

-11 Stress Experts on Surviving the Constant Anxiety That Is 2017. Hoping the 2018 isn't quite so nuts.

-The Bra Ladies of New York. Looking for that "Goldylocks" of bras would drive me crazy. 

-Potty humor, but seriously, don't drop butt in toilet. . Toilet Signs Are Mysterious And Mirth-Inducing

-I think the week of Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start decorating. Science Makes the Case For Putting Up Holiday Decorations Early

-Where Does That Rumbling in Your Tummy Really Come From?. I just thought it was my stomach yelling at me to eat (or nat eat) 

-A great way to use up some trash. Giant Exhibition of Animal Assemblages Built with Trash

Pictures from the week. 

Sunday Happy

How has your week been? Besides being sad and stressed about all the crazy shit that it going on in the world, (what the fuck world, what the fuck?) my week has been pretty good. Got the snow tires on the car, picked up the first winter farm share which was all sorts of fantastic, and broke my favorite ceramic knife cutting into a frozen hunk of spinach.(it wasn't all great)  Miley and Judah reminded us that all you need is a hill and the know how on how to roll down it to have fun and we bought a washer and dryer!!! I almost forgot about that because  they haven't been deceived yet. I can't freaking wait because the laundry situation is getting pretty freaking ridiculous. Just a few more days (Thursday will be a magical laundry day).And best of all, the downstairs bathroom is finally done! (besides a little touch up paint and a light fixture and mirror, but that is all easy peasy) Now there really isn't any big house projects left which is kind of unbelievable and fantastic and I am just so glad that we don't have to live with the air compressor in the middle of the dinning room anymore. And now that there is not any more big projects, maybe I can actually start to arrange rooms and furniture and hang more art and do all the things people do when they first move into a house.

 We were lucky to get out for a hike earlier this week before the deep freeze set in. But really, I am kind of loving the cold weather, maybe not the inch of frost that took 15 minutes to scrap from my car, but just the way the world is feeling. Most people hate November, but me, I really like it. I don't even mind it getting dark earlier. Honestly, I like being outside in the cold, its  refreshing. Plus with it being so cold, I can catch up a little on the TV. I finally watched Stranger Things and whoa. I  know I am late to the game, but forgive me, I haven't been watching much tv lately. Anyway, So GOOD! So good in fact that I watched the entire series last week. And now I have all of season 2 to watch, but I think I might take my time with it, savor the goodness. OR watch it all today, we will see what happens. 

I made the cinnamon star bread that was on my list of things that I wanted to do, and it came out oh so lovely. I am really appreciating the kitchen right now since this time last year we still didn't have a kitchen here. All I want to do now is bake, I just need people to come over to eat the stuff. (I had Megan and So come over to help eat at  the bread this time). While they were here So found my hoard of butternut squash in the pantry and spent the afternoon playing house with all her squash babies. She did the same thing that next day while I was babysitting. That little, she has the best imagination. She was telling me all about how she is going to have babies when she grows up and how babies are made. I guess all I have to do is let my stomach get really really big and then one day a baby will POP right out of my stomach. Good to know right. 

That was the week and for todayI think that this afternoon I am going to try to clean the back porch, hang some pine cones and the new fern prints the mr and I found at the thrift store, and maybe brush my hair. I am also starting to think about Thanksgiving and birthdays and all the holiday stuff.I got to get on it before it all gets on me. 

The internet that I looked at this week

-We all know we feel like crap when we don't sleep. This just proves it further. All the more reason to get your shuteye. Sleepless Night Leaves Some Brain Cells As Sluggish As You Feel

- Polar Winter Winter Flavors!! The tart cherry lime and cranberry cider are the best. 

-Sometime that plans you make seem better when made then when it's come time to actually pursue those plans. Why Canceling Plans Is So Satisfying

-Take A Look at the World's Coolest Library So many books!

-What Would It Look Like If Vermont Seceded?

 -THE 2018 FARM BILL COULD ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR FARMER'S MARKETS. This would be really bad, really really bad. 

-Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health Yeah, no shit.

-The house might be done, but I need to start thinking about building a green house out back. 6 Proven Strategies for Year-Round Harvests

-Do Prepackaged Salad Greens Lose Their Nutrients?. As long as you are eating them and not letting them go to waste, it's better then nothing.

Pictures from the week.

Have a great week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Did any of you get a chance to see any of the meteor shower yesterday morning? I did. I woke up at 430, shook the mr awake only for him to fall back asleep, grabbed a blanket and went out to the back yard. (our yard is pitch black at night)  I spent a good forty five minutes with my head tilted up just watching.  I saw a least a dozen if not more meteorites  and wow, it was pretty amazing. I think that from now on I need to start my day with watching the stars, it centered me in a very real way and gave me all sorts of feelings. Just me and the sky. I like the sound of that.

We had a few littles all week long. Miley, Judah, and the baby, Coco. Everyday after school we picked them all up, came home and did the homework, ate all the peanut butter and cinnamon apples and carrots, kept trying to spell dick out of the nick refrigerator magnets, then played in the trees.  One of the days while I was inside getting dinner together, the mr and the two bigger littles were out back in th e giant cedar tree cutting down branches to get ready for the tree house that they are going to build. (No one asked me to help OR whether I thought cutting any of my tree was ok, but you know) So littles all week, Sunday through Friday. But that was just that. We also had a planned birthday party lunch here for Barb and her friends. Chill, bread, ice cream cake, and tandem bike riding. A bunch of 18 year old ladies and their very fancy high heeled shoes. The mr was a little scared and stayed out back playing with his tools while I got to feel like an old lady trying to decipher the language of the cool kids. (I think I did ok) Then that night we took the littles to Barbs field hockey game and watched them play a game that I have to grasp for. All I know was that even though they didn't win, they still played pretty good. That was her actual birthday.The next day the littles didn't have school so we woke them up,  I made the best pancakes ever, grabbed Barb again, and headed to the pumpkin patch. This year the pumpkins at the farm got flooded early in the season so no pumpkin day for this year (so sad) We were left to find a replacement farm to tide us over. We found a cute little farm stand with a good selection of pumpkins (no hay rides) where we each picked out our carving pumpkins for next weeks Hocus Pocus watching and pumpkin carving party . I forgot how difficult is is to pick a pumpkin. You have to consider the size, stem, color, and over all feel. But which one is best? Life decisions right there. We got the pumpkins, feed the littles, and sent them back home to their mother. Wiped out and reeling, we spent the rest of the day running around feeding Megan's cat, cleaning up the house, and restocking the fridge ( the kids ate all the food) 

On the work front, I didn't get much done, It was hard starting any projects because we only could work mornings due to  the children infestation. We did get all the tile for the bathroom which is nice and stacked in a pile on the front porch. No it's not on the floor or the walls where it is suppose to be, but at least we got it so there is that. The mr was out most days (until the littles came over) doing work for a few other people. I got to spend a day one the phone trying to figure out how I had a almost $1800 phone bill then only to figure out after a very frustrating day  that I accidentally paid one of the mortgages to the phone company and that they owed me money. That set me off and I spent another day trying to get my money back so I could actually pay the mortgage (once a place has your money, they do not want to give it back) I also had an eye appointment one morning were I had my eye dilated and was freaking blind for like four hours and was told I am suppose to wear glasses all the time, which I figured, but dang. And now I need to shop for glasses for the eyes on my face and I don't like things on my face and I don't like shopping so suck. But I am going to do it because being able to see better will be kinda nice I think, but I'll let you know.  

Then last night another party. Barb had her birthday party at my house on her birthday, but I guess my mom was feeling extra special toward her youngest of nine  now being an adult and threw her a surprise party. All her family and friends at the old man Eagles Club with a DJ, tons of food and a cash bar (for the adults) Barb though she was on her way to go out to dinner (which she was really excited about) and how she ended up going into the VFW without knowing something was up I have yet to ask, but she was surprised, and happy, and it was all really cute. I got to dance my dance moves (the mr took a video and now has material for blackmail) and got to play ballon chase with all the littles that were there, and snack on the broccoli that no one else was eating. It was all a lot of fun and then I came home and assed  the f out. 

That was one heck of a week. 

Today, oh today is all about the river. The mr and I are packing up food and coffee, a blanket, me a book, him his fishing pole, and off we are going. A calm and quite day outside, away from people is exactly what we need. I love my family but I need a day away from them all. 

Interneting from the week

-Why We Should Be Cooking Like Our Grandmas From scratch and all. 

-It's not gonna happen this year, but a definite for next. KNIT OR TREAT: HOW TO MAKE A (SUPER EASY) GIANT KNIT PUMPKIN FOR HALLOWEEN

-The 36 Questions That Lead to Love Do you believe that answering theses equations brings love? I don't know, but some of the  questions are a little whoa. 

-Sleep Scientist Warns Against Walking Through Life 'In An Underslept State' Heed the warning...get your shut eye!

-This is happening and it's kind of crazy. Should College Professors Give 'Tech Breaks' In Class?

I have used youtube to learn a few things, like knitting and I think that is actually it, but still. But at least young adults are trying to figure out how to do things for themselves, even if it means watching youtube. Without YouTube Videos, Young Adults Now Lack Even Basic Life Skills

-Want to Escape to the Wilderness? This Job Comes With a Colorado CabinTwo years living in the woods, sign me up!

-These Are The 6 Types of Minimalists. Which One Are You?  I am  a sustainable- thrifty minimalist.

-His Dark Materials are without a doubt one of my top two favorite books (I know its a trilogy, but I count them as one) And now a new trilogy!!! The first book came out this week and I am picking up my copy this week. With ‘La Belle Sauvage,’ Philip Pullman Begins a New Trilogy

-BEST OF: COLORFULLY PARISIAN.I love the floors.

Lots of kiddo pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

The leaves are finally changing, the weather is finally kind of cooling off, and I am finally getting a chance to wear a few of my fall sweaters that I pilled out a month ago and have basically neglected because it has been way to freaking warm out.  (and there is still some people that think global warmer is fake) Worst part is I have been holding off on pumpkin picking just because it hasn't felt right. I need a cool overcast day for it to work for me. Be cool, be dreary, I need a pumpkin!

This week didn't exactly turn out as it was suppose to. It started out strong with knocking out doctors appointments, having dinner and doing laundry at Shannon's, the mr even halfway cleaned out one of the barns. But when it came to getting any work done on the house, not so much. We were suppose to start tiling the bathroom but lucky us, the tile that we have and thought we were going to use, well we don't have enough if it. And  it's no where to be found so we had to go back to figuring  out what to use for tile. We figured it out but now we need to buy it  and blah blah blah. Long story shore, the bathroom is still not done and I really miss having two toilets in the house.(especially when the little are over) The upside of this week was that we ended up spending a good amount of time hiking and doing things outside. I even started peeing outside (haha, mot really but I have thought about it)

Yesterday the  mr and tried our hands at bird watching. There was an article in the paper about snow geese and how there is this spot out in Addison that thousands of these  geese come and rest on their journey south. We decided that it is time we harness our inner bird watchers and made the journey to that field. And bummer, no geese in sight. We spent a good long hour waiting, then did a little hiking through some woods (got scared away by hunters)  in search od the geese, but no real luck. We did get to see a handful flying around in circles, but unlike all of the other seasoned birdwatchers we saw (we saw a lot) we did not have binoculars. That was a good lesson for next time, and yes, there will be a next time. I think it might be my calling in life. Watching birds. Sounds so simple and so good.  

Today I hope to get some major things done, mainly birthday present making and cleaning out the freezer for the birthday cake  Barbs turning 18 this week!!! and (of course she wants an ice cream cake... I don't know what I am going to do with all the frozen tomatoes) Also probably going to make another loaf of squash bread because the littles are coming over for dinner and I want to stink up the house all nice and good.And coffee. So much. I spent all week only drinking one cup a day (acid reflux flare up) so i need to catch upon my caffeine intake.  

Internet reading from the week.

-Amazon Will Now Deliver a Tiny House Directly to Your Door. What won't they deliver is the question. 

- We are all family, despite race or tribe Why Race Is Not a Thing, According to Genetics

-Wild animals are not pets. Wolf Puppies Are Adorable. Then Comes the Call of the Wild.

- Swedish Death Cleaning Sounds a little disturbing but is actually something I think more people should do.

-People Can’t Get Over Food Network’s Ridiculous ‘Brilliant Peanut Butter Hack’ Its kinda ridiculous but has potential for greatness. (I can see cookie cutter peanut butter shapes for cakes and shit)

-Working to Disarm Women’s Anti-Aging Demon We all get old... Why does everyone try to hide it? 

-Of course food is medicine. SEAMUS MULLEN MAKES THE CASE FOR FOOD AS MEDICINE

-The Centuries-Old Strategy That Turbocharged My Productivity. Paper, pencil, make a list. It's what I do every day.

-Are you a Morton or Diamond Crystal ? I am a Dimond gal. The Kosher Salt Question

-An Optical Illusion Tile System Designed by Casa Ceramica I couldn't stop looking at it. There is no flat plane.

Weekly pictures.

Bye

-C