That's just crazy talk!

In the last year I have painted the following: 1 kitchen and then re-painted the same kitchen, 2 dining rooms, 2 living rooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 bedroom, 2 stairways and 1 stairway re-painted again, and 2 hallways (only one of these rooms being small). Ufdah! So, let’s add one more room to the list - Saturday I spent the majority of my day painting my office. I’ve had the paint for probably about 6 months and I’m finally putting it on the walls! I finished it on Sunday, got it cleaned and mostly organized, and also had Phil put in my new desk! By new I mean a desk that Phil built – not one we bought. The only thing I’m missing is a couch and a nice warm blanket! All I can say is that I don’t want anything to do with another can of paint until it’s time to paint Baby K’s room (and no I’m not pregnant).

I’ve been in a “get shit done” mode for the last few weeks and it has really been paying off. I’m exhausted because there has been little relaxation involved, but things are getting done and are making me feel less stressed about everything going on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still very stressed out and I don’t see how everything can get done before the end of summer & before the wedding – but the more I check off my list the easier it gets.

This weekend started off with painting the dining room at the farm. I’m kind of jealous because it turned out really good and I love love love the color! After I finished painting I did a little bit of weeding and planning with the garden. I’m excited to really get started on it! While I was there, Justen and Ashley were cleaning up the farm (getting rid of scrap metal, trimming around the trees, etc). Apparently he has big plans for the farm before the wedding. He wants to turn the office into a bathroom, take down a few trees and he wants to tear down two buildings and bury them. Hopefully he can get that all done before September! After spending half the day at the farm I went home and spent a few hours cleaning the house and cutting out fabric flowers for the wedding.

Saturday I spent the majority of the day cleaning/organizing and running the dogs to and from the groomer. I took a little break when Phil got home from work and then we left to go to Josh & Loin’s house for a bonfire for Joshua’s birthday. It was a good time! It felt good to get out and have a few drinks with my friends. :-)

The next day Phil and I slowly woke up (since we were up til 3 a.m. the night before) and finished the underground fence for the dog. We got it all done and went to grab the collar to test it out to make sure everything was working before completely burring the wire and we couldn’t find the collar. Cool…. Phil misplaces EVERYTHING and now it’s lost. :-( So, we can’t start training Winston quite yet but it’s done. If we can’t find the collar Phil gets to buy a new one. After that we decided we needed a break so we went out for dinner at Chipotle (my favorite!), then had a little desert at Mc D’s and then went to see the Hangover II. The movie was funny, however, it was an exact replica of the first one so it was obvious what was going to happen.

Then Monday came (the last day of vaca!!) and we spent the day running errands. I bought my first tree for our yard!!! I’m overly excited about it. It’s just a tree… but it’s our first tree in our new house! It’s so cute! So after running errands we got home, planted our new tree and Phil started power washing the front of our house/deck while I cleaned and did laundry. All-in-all - very busy weekend.

Over the next few days Phil and I have plans to finish power washing the front of the house, clean/organize the garage, seed/fertilize our yard and take on the big job of shoveling up all the pebble rock from the front walk-way and put it in the back of the house where the deck is going and then re-do the entire front walk-way. Ugh… now that is going to be quite a large job and will take a few days… not looking forward to the work but it will be nice once it’s done.

That is all.

I have a lot on my mind lately and I thought I would get some things off my chest. My dad has taken over the largest part of my thinking lately. I still miss him tremendously and it seems to be getting harder lately. Maybe because it is almost fall and this is when the harvesting/hunting season begins? Hunting was one of my dad’s favorite things to do. Every year he would have a new story to tell and every time he told it, it would get more dramatic and change just a bit! Haha. The last story I remember was about him driving a wild boar over with his pickup! I think I heard that story 6 or 7 times. Each time I would say, “Dad, you’ve already told me that story.” He would then laugh and keep telling me.

Things with Justen seem to be getting easier. He seems to be in good spirits lately and is excited for harvesting and hunting. Chris, however, is another story. He has been nothing but trouble lately. Threats, manipulation, guilt, anger… I was hoping that today was the day it would get easier on me but it sounds like it might be a few more weeks.

On to more positive news… I’m done with day 5 of the 30 day shred. It doesn’t sound like much, I know, but it is getting easier. When I first started I could barely finish some of the moves. Now I have more endurance and the moves that I struggled with are getting easier. I have noticed that I have more energy lately too so that’s a plus. I measured myself before I started and I will measure myself after the 30 days are up. Hopefully I will have lost a few inches! If not, then at least I got more in shape and have more energy. I just need to stick with it! Which I don’t think that will be too hard since it is kind of fun (kind of).

Last night I started and finished painting room number 2! I painted the small half bath and it is a very small room but a room none the less! I love it! It is a nice bright yellow! All I have to do to finish it is take the tape off the walls and hang the pictures and other crap back up. The house is starting to feel more like home. I’m trying not to worry about the renting/not closing part. I find that now that we are living in the house, I’m worrying about it less. I should probably worry more since we might lose it and need somewhere to live all of a sudden but I have high hopes that it will all work out in the end. Something needs to work out this year for me and dammit, I hope this is it!

After Phil’s grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary/family reunion we met more of the neighbors. We were just sitting at home with Phil’s cousin and his girlfriend enjoying a beer and the neighbors came knocking on the door and told us to come on over because they were having a party. So we did! It was pretty fun and they seem like a fun group. It was easy to talk to everyone and get to know them since they were all pretty drunk. And I also must say that I’m proud of our friend Jimmy P. The neighbors were having karaoke and Jimmy P worked up the nerve to go up himself. He’s actually not too shabby! Johnny Cash suits him well. :-)

I hate what shirt I am wearing today. Hate, hate, hate! The only reason I keep it around is because I need variety in my wardrobe. But every stinkin time I wear it I wish I hadn’t. So I might as well give it away. It may look like I’ve got a lot of clothes but I really don’t. Most of them I don’t wear. Some are too big, some are too small and some are just worn out. Soon it will be getting colder out and I will need to pull out my fall/winter clothes. This to me is exciting since I get to go through my clothes and get rid of stuff!

Things to come in the next few months:

- This weekend we are going to the “great Minnesota get-together” (the MN State Fair). Hopefully it is not too hot out! I’m excited to eat all the yummy food! Let’s see, there will be foot long hotdogs, French fries, gyros, cheese curds, ice cream, cotton candy, etc… I better fast the day before so I can stuff all this food in my belly! Yum Yum! :)

- Next weekend is my office’s summer outing. Every summer/fall we do something fun. Last year we went on a train ride and had dinner on the train. This year we are going on a comedy cruise. I’m super excited! I’ve never been on a big boat like that and I’ve never seen a comedy show.

- Then the next weekend is a poker tournament for my pregnant friend Jewells and then a baby shower the next day for her as well. The poker tournament is for collecting diapers and you get money if you win.

- The next weekend is another baby shower for Jewells. My favorite shows also start that weekend!! (Dexter and Desperate Housewives) I miss Dexter sooo much! I can’t wait until it starts up again.

After those few busy weekends I will hopefully not have too much going on and then before I know it, it will be my birthday!! I know, I’ve got 2 more months but I’m really excited for this year’s birthday. I will be turning the big 25! Then a few weeks later Phil will be 30! :-)

That’s about all I’ve got for now. Sorry for blabbing on forever.