Check it out....

I had a free shipping coupon....

couldn't let it go to waste!

So I order the below two things!

Happy Halloween to me!

clock

stars

Oh The Things You Can Store...

Lots of progress was made at the Frederick household today! Exciting stuff....like kitchen cabinets! Can you believe it?
Come along, I'll give you a tour....

The blank space is where my stove goes. I LOVE my pendant lights!

Desk by the patio door. It will be so handy!

Spice rack....holder of many odd shaped kitchen musts.

My pride and joy....the top is for my favorite splurge....the WARMING DRAWER! You put things in there to keep them warm while you finish cooking. You can set it on crisp for a dry warmth or moist for a wet warmth. The bottom is two pull outs for all of my stone ware and then a space on the right for some big appliance!

Three rotating trash cans for recycling and sorting.
Chandelier above dining room table.
Emma's bathroom...the medicine cabinet is hung low enough for her to see in it now and then we'll have to raise it later.
I'm thinking this weekend I need to pick out closet organizers. Another daunting task but exciting. I also have a date with a 24 foot log and a power sander. YAY me.

Vance has all the laminate floor layed except Colby's bathroom. He has done a really good job.

Happy Halloween everyone....

False Alarm

My little student is not moving until Christmas break. Apparently, his father thought that a new house and new school would be too much of a change and so they are going to do it in steps. So, I get another two months with him.
Strangely, my order for the book got cancelled b/c it was out of stock. So, I did not have to pay overnight charges and I'll have time to find it at a store.
Thanks for thinking about me last night!

How Do You Know....

I don't agree with all of these, but a few of them ring true and a lot of them are funny!
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TEACHER?
by Jeff Foxworthy
1. You can hear 25 voices behind you and know exactly which one belongs to the child out of line.
2. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.
3. You walk into a store and hear the words "It's Ms/Mr. _________" and know you have been spotted.
4. You can eat a multi-course meal in under twenty-five minutes.
5. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and prep period.
6. You start saving other people's trash, because mos t likely, you can use that toilet paper tube or plastic butter tub for something in the classroom.
7. You believe the teachers' lounge should be equipped with a margarita machine.
8. You want to slap the next person who says "Must be nice to work 7 to 3 and have summers off."
9. You believe choco late is a food group.
10. You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
11. You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says "Boy, the kids sure are mellow today."
12. You believe in aerial spraying of Ritalin.
13. You think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.
14. You are secretly addicted to hand sanitizer and finally,
15. You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his or her parents.
Amen to the last one!!
How do you know you are a dedicated teacher?
You go on a mad ordering frenzy to get a loved student THAT one book they must have before they move....
What has a teacher done for you?

Happy Birthday

In all my emotional wreckage I ignored my poor blog's 200th post. This is 202. Happy Birthday dear post...

Crazy

I ordered the book off of Amazon and paid overnight shipping fees. Crazy? That's for me to decide. I like to call it....DEDICATED!

Emotional Wreck

O.K. Guys...another one of my students are leaving. He is my loud little firecracker. You all know who I am talking about. He talkes all the time and about when you are ready to strangle him, he gives you a grin, smile, or laugh that just melts your heart. I am heartbroken. Why do I let myself get so attached? I've taught him for two years and love him like my own. His mom lost custody of him and he's going to live with his dad. His dad is a really nice guy, it's just not his mom. If anyone is at Hastings or wouldn't mind stopping I would be eternally grateful. There is a book called A Kiss Goodbye by Audrey Penn. I always give it to a student that is moving away, but used up my last copy this week. I don't think I can order it b/c his last day is Friday. I NEED that book to give to my little munchkin. Please let me know and I will give you money, mileage, etc.
I'm sorry if this post doesn't make any sense...
I think I need prayers more than him:)

UPDATE: Hastings does not have that book...not sure what my plan is now.

Background

O.K. I have something really embarrassing to tell you guys. I read most of your blogs at work...on my break of course, and most of the sides will not show up b/c my screen is really small. Sooooo....Erin changed her background and I thought it was just the coloring. So, then I changed mine. Here's the problem, I changed mine to the same one as hers and just now noticed it b/c I checked her blog at home and could see the WHOLE thing! Erin, I'm so sorry I'm a copy cat and an idiot! I will promptly changed mine to something else. That will teach me to think I know what I'm doing! Why didn't someone say, "Hey, you idiot! Quit copying!"?....

The Results

We are exhausted, but I will try to update you.

We got almost everything painted tonight. I have to get more brown for the stairway walls and loft. I decided to go with the same brown that is in Emma's room. It looks really good. I took pictures, but they are terrible quality, b/c my battery was almost dead and the lens cover was dirty.

Anyway, here they are..

I painted the dormer walls the same color as the stairway wall. The rest of the walls are gray, it's just hard to see.

Emma's chandelier lit up!
Emma's laminate floor in her bathroom.

My ceiling fan....I love it!

Our ceiling fans in the living room. They make me happy! They look awesome and huge! They are 68 inches across! We haven't had them on yet, I hope they don't rock the whole house:)

Thanks to Bree, Erin, Amee, Corin, and Lauren for helping paint. Lauren you are an excellent trimmer and Corin you now have a special bond with my hallway/stairway! Bree you are a great friend...thanks!

Also a shout out to my mom who loved, fed, bathed, and cuddled my kids! Thank you!
As you say your prayers tonight, pray for a special, little girl who I have grown to love! She's 6 years old and I taught her for two years. She has three younger brothers whom her mom is raising, but her mom will not raise her. Her great-great grandmother who took on the duty is dying and there is no one in the family that will take her in. I know God has a plan for her, but I hope it's not a tough one. I am crying as I type this, b/c I love her so much and I don't want to see her little spirit crushed. God, please keep her safe and let her feel loved.

O.K...obviously I need to go to bed.

Good night!

WOW!

What a difference a day can make! They are hanging ceiling fans, light fixtures and installing light switches. Vance spent the evening wiring outlets and I painted the stripes in Emma's bathroom. We carried over all the vanities for the bathrooms and have plans to install the laminate flooring tomorrow night. Actually, Vance is...with Jared's help.
I'm painting the living room/dining room/kitchen tomorrow. Also the stairways and hallway. Then the painting will be finished! That was pretty uncomplicated. I appreciate everyone in advance for the help.
My mom is watching my kids and I am grateful. They will get an evening of undivided attention. They were extra good tonight, but it's always easier when you don't have to stop and get this or that. Also, painting the stairways could get sticky...for me let alone my little one's hands. She's going to do supper/homework/baths...YAY for me!
Our stairway railing is finished. As soon as the painting is done, it can be delivered and installed. That will be awesome. No more worrying about Braylon falling off of the loft!
O.K...thanks everyone for helping. When you guys build...I will be there!

Our adopted child....

Our adopted son, Bronson, went with us to celebrate my mom's birthday. When I told my kids to hug my mom and tell her Happy Birthday, he went over too! Anyway, on the way to Ottumwa, the boys ASSURED me that they would NEVER get married or kiss girls! Check it out...

p.s. for those of you reading this that do not know me, Bronson is not really adopted. he is the neighbor boy we find standing on the side of the road sometimes. we feel sorry for him and let him tag along!

The Short Bus

You all know about the short bus right? The old standing joke is the short bus is for the slow people. I know it's not nice, but that's how it goes. So, if you rode the short bus to school....you get the picture.
Where am I going with this you ask?
I painted the squares on my bedroom wall and Colby said it looked like a brown bus with blue windows.
A short brown bus...
Get it?
HA HA...
I do love them though. Now I'm on the hunt for something cool to hang in the middle of them. Ideas?

Colby's room with the stripe. Boy was I worried for a minute about his colors, but the turned out really nicely.

The chandelier...it's gorgeous! They even sent white gloves to wear when handling it! Vance put them on...and Vance has small hands, and they barely fit him. He said they were either made for a woman or a Chinese man! It took 3 hours, but it's worth it.

Tonight, I'm going to paint the stripe in Emma's bathroom, and then I don't know what.

See ya later!

Painting party...

The painting went great. Vance got up early this morning and painted the ceilings in the mud room, 1/2 bath, and Emma's room/dormer. Helpers started showing up at 8:30 and kept rolling in all day. We got along very well and I am very pleased with the outcome.

Chocolate Sparkles....yummy!

Master bathroom and my mom.

Master Bedroom with Heather and Bree.

Finished master bedroom.

Don't you love the recessed part that I painted brown. It's my favorite.

Emma's room. We also hung her chandelier this evening. That was quite the feat! Whew...glad I only bought one!

Mud room and lovey.

Phil aka...the master trimmer!

Helper Cindy in the 1/2 bath.

I seemed to miss getting a picture of Sara, I'm sure she'll be heartbroken! Thanks for all of your help guys!

P.S. Erin and Amee...it's the thought that counts:) I'll see you guys this week!

Let me tell YOU something....

READY TO COOK...this phrase would lead you to believe that you can just pop it into the oven, right? WRONG! It means first...let me tell you...you have to do something totally disgusting!
Before I go into details, remember...I'm a farm girl.
I've pulled lambs.
Yep, as in insert hand into the...Yeah...you know where, and pull out lamb.
I've dealt with maggots...I know gross! Now you see how strong stomached I am!
I made sausage 8 1/2 months pregnant.
I've cleaned up vomit, snot, and poop.
Tonight I had to put MY hand into a turkey! EWWWW...
Jenn is cooking it for my lunch tomorrow and mom dropped the roaster off at her house and she was just going to pop that puppy into the oven. Well, mom reminded her that you have to clean out the turkey. "What, Clean Out What?" So, me being the kind-hearted sister, I go and get the roaster so my preggo sis doesn't have to stick her hand into my turkey. So a word to the wise...
When the package says...and I quote READY TO COOK and it also has on the package....GIBLETS INCLUDED. You HAVE to REACH INSIDE and take out the giblets. Do you know where to reach? YEP...and there is no lamb inside! Also, what do you think the neck looks like? EXACTLY! All curled up like that. GROSS!!!
THAT'S ALL FOLKS....

Do You...

Shop at Aldi's? I used to and sometimes still do. I feel like a LOT of their stuff is cheaper. Why do I ask? Another blog I read put up a cost comparision of the stuff she buys there vs. Wal-Mart. Check it out @ Rocks In My Dryer...

I Am Excited...

to paint tomorrow! You should see the colors! They are awesome! We get to paint the mudroom/half bath and all three bedrooms and their bathrooms. I am most excited about my bedroom and Emma's bedroom. The colors are just what I envisioned. I am not that cracked up about Colby's colors, but I know that they'll look good with his comforter and carpet. I knew they would kind of look like poop on the walls, but I'm hoping that the carpet, comforter, assessories will even all of that out!
Sooo....thanks in advanced to...
Bree...who has already helped me decide what rooms to paint what
Cindy
Heather
Amee
Erin
Mike
Mom
Lovey
and Jenn...for watchin my kids and bringing out lunch!
I am very grateful and can't wait to see what it all looks like!

It's a Go....somewhat

Looks like we will paint some of the rooms this weekend. I'm totally excited! Vance said the house looks different already b/c of the primer. It really changed things. I can't wait to see how the rooms come together, or don't...maybe I'm not such a hot paint picker outer!
Emma update: still running a temp and not eating. No more vomitting. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

God Has a Funny Way...

of giving me what I need. Usually not the way I thought it would go, but he does provide. I was fretting about when I would clean my house and get my weekly laundry done. I know I'm going to be really busy this weekend and I would probably not get it done until LATE Sunday evening. So what does God do...gives me a puking child so I have to go home and do my laundry:) How do you like them apples?

Meet....

Simon Sweet Runt

That's his full, given name by his mommy, Emma. She loves him and is taking really good care of him. The first thing she does every morning, is talk her brother into going downstairs and getting him. Then her and Colby play with him until it's time to go. After school, Colby and I stop to get him and take him to the farm. Emma gets him dog food and soaks it in water and feeds him. She packs him everywhere she goes and is currently teaching him to stay, go, and shake. She is very cute with him. He is a good natured and calm puppy...which was not a trait you could say about Simpson. As soon as she goes to bed at night, he starts whining and crying looking for her. It's too cute....

I. AM. EXHAUSTED!

We worked our tails off tonight. As soon as I got to the house, I started sweeping and sweeping and sweeping. Vance wrapped our log and sanded and I....swept. Then I started vacuuming out all the rooms...the outlets, light switches, and along all the edges. I finished all the first floor and have the basement all swept and didn't get to Emma's room. Hopefully, our hard work will help Kelly and the guys. They are running a little behind and are not sure we can paint this weekend. He's hoping to prime and texture tomorrow and then that will leave Friday to paint the ceilings and closets. I hope he at least gets some rooms finished so we can get a start. I don't have any obnoxious ambitious notions like getting the whole house painted this weekend, just most of it:) No really, I will be happy with whatever happens. It's all part of the plan.

Below are pictures of a fraction of the paint I bought this week. So, if it's a GO, we will definitely have enough to keep up busy!

My paint samples, glass tile sample for the kitchen, and carpet samples. Miss organization....