Our weather has been very summer like and that means I've been outside gardening rather than inside blogging. I do want to take some time to jot down a few notes on what's been going on in my life recently. With my memory, I have to make a point to journal or I will forget.
Mother's Day ~ We spent the day in Kenosha visiting with DMIL. We browsed some interesting antique stores, walked along the lakefront and enjoy a late lunch/early supper at Kaisers. My boys gave me a Lady Antebellum CD and a stability ball. I'm really enjoying both gifts.
The following weekend, DH & I met DMIL at ElkHorn,WI for a morning of antique flea marketing. We found an old soda pop bottle crate for the boys' coke bottle collection. We thought it was cool because it has Kenosha painted on the side. Kenosha is where my husband's family originated from. Most of the other antiques were over priced, but it was still fun to enjoy a stroll in the sun looking at interesting items.
Later that week, my parents arrived for an extended weekend visit through Memorial Day. (Photo is of my dad and DS13.) For our anniversary they gave us a new de-humidifier for our basement. I didn't think our basement was that humid, but the machine is pulling out over a gallon of water every 12 hours. I've been using the water for the garden. We could hook up a hose and drain the appliance, but I like giving the garden the free water.
The garden is coming along nicely. I have planted the following this year: Roma tomatoes, Grape tomatoes, swiss chard, spinach, beets, sugar snap peas, garlic, potatoes, popcorn, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, Italian broccoli, sugar baby watermelon, french cantaloupe, and a honey dew melon. I've run out of room for the carrots and more popcorn, but my boss and my neighbor have offered me garden space if I want to use it. Another neighbor shared with me both garlic chives and regular chives. I planted them near the garlic. The garden is keeping me very busy.
My tooth is healing. I had a crown put on. The drilling and sensitivity has really upset my nerves. Dealing with increased grass pollen this year is also not helping me feel any better. It is slowly healing and getting better. I'm now only taking Advil every 12 hours instead of every 6. It has really slowed me down though. I'm looking forward to feeling better soon.
While my parents were here, we had several cookouts and meals with extended family. They also took us out to lunch. Its going to be a challenge to get back on track eating more healthy.
I also need to punch up my exercise routine because the Dirty Girl Run is a little over one month away. My sisters and I are getting excited, but I will admit, I'm starting to get a little nervous. I know I can hike a 5K no problem, but honestly, I've never done so covered in mud. I mentioned to my sister I may just bring a change of dry socks in a zip lock baggie to change into after the first mud hole obstacle and she said if I do that, she will push me back in. LOL! My son will probably shoot video, so I'll be sure to share that.
Speaking of the boys, they are doing great. DS16 has been working on several filming projects, some for fun, some for business. DS13 is learning more and more about bike repair. He's been riding quite a bit and of course, things wear down or break, so he's been learning how to make repairs on his own to save money. I suggested to him if the police officer plan doesn't work out, he could always end up running a bike repair shop. He's still planning on being a police officer.
I've been inspired to begin an Artist journal - not an art journal. An Artist journal has of course art in it, but it also can become a personal journal, noting details of daily life. I've always hated the way I draw and I think I just need to stop thinking that way and start drawing. I will improve over time or learn to love my unique style.
I really have to take the time to stop and journal more frequently. I really can't remember things very well, certainly not dates, so keeping notes really helps me.
Its very difficult for me not to miss him terribly today. The calendar date reminds me, we belong together. Our celebration will have to wait for a day/night we don't have to work.
26 years ago today, he picked me up for our first date. I waited for him outside, playing catch with my older brother. I think my brother wanted him to know, I had an older brother. :)
I was a senior in high school and weeks earlier I had decided I was not going to stress over having a boyfriend anymore. I was just going to make friends and have fun with my life. God had other plans for me.
I first saw him years earlier at school, but I always thought he was an upperclassman. At my large high school, you rarely mixed with anyone not in your year. Plus, why would someone so cool want to get to know me?
My senior year rolled around and he was still attending my high school! I figured out he was in the class behind mine. I also discovered my friend worked with him at McDonald's!!
I wrote him a note, "There is something about you," and left it at that. (I was inspired by a song at the time.) He wrote back asking for my phone number.
7 years later, I marry him, on the anniversary of our first date. That was 19 years ago.
It doesn't feel like we've been together 26 years, married for 19. Simultaneously it feels like a quick 26 years, yet also eternal, like time didn't exist until May 8, 1986. I can't explain it. My love for him is eternal and I think this is why it feels timeless.
We had our growing together pains. I imagine most young adults who stay together go through this. Who you are at 17 is not who you are at 18, and every year you age after that. Just when we'd feel pretty solid, a bump in the road would make us jump. Thankfully, we've always landed together. We're at the point now, having jumped so many bumps, that our kangaroo marriage legs are pretty strong.
I can't feel I had a life before he was brought to me. He woke up my soul, and I found what life was really about, love. He is my Soul One, and I don't want to ever be parted from him.
Friday we left for Oshkosh, leaving the roofers to make noise without us. We picked up DH from work and headed off on our road trip.
Oshkosh, is not our favorite city. Years ago the Wisconsin Parent's Association held their yearly homeschooling conference in Stevens Point, WI. We love Stevens Point and miss it. Oshkosh just doesn't hold the same appeal for us. Its become our family's inside joke, reasons we don't like Oshkosh. Here's this year's list;
1. Road construction - There is always road construction in Oshkosh. They've put in the most dangerous roundabouts ever.
2. Five inches of rain within 24 hours created major flooding the day before we arrived. It also left the town smelling of backed up sewage.
3. Bug swarm - Oshkosh does have a free, cute little lakeside park and zoo but we couldn't leave the car. I'm not sure what kind of bugs they were, but they looked like mosquitoes on steroids.
4. The near deadly Jimmy Johns delivery driver - The conference takes place on the UW Oshkosh campus. As we walked through the parking lot, we were nearly mowed down by a Jimmy Johns delivery man going 90 mph. Yeah, they're freaky fast alright.
We hosted 3 family friendly workshops. Friday night we hosted Apples To Apples for over 40 people. The room they put us in this year was too small for so many people. Saturday morning was Letterboxing, another popular workshop. To save gas, we did not travel to Oshkosh ahead of time to find hiding places. We spent Friday afternoon setting up hiding spots. I think it all worked out. We had several families report back to us that they had a great time. Saturday afternoon we hosted an Artist Trading Card workshop. That went well too, although it seemed to go by too quickly. Many of the kids didn't want to stop creating art cards.
We came home road trip weary but we overall, had a great time. We've volunteered for WPA by hosting workshops at the conference since 2006. WPA has worked very hard to maintain homeschooling freedoms in Wisconsin. Its our way of saying thanks for protecting our family's lifestyle.
Its difficult enough for me to choose paint colors. Choosing a roof color is daunting because unless a tornado rips it off, I won't be changing it for over 30 years!
Our house is a light yellow cream color. I personally like living in a yellow house because it reminds me of a Blind Melon song that also reminds me about homeschooling with my boys. Click Here to hear the song. My husband likes that we live in a yellow house because its his favorite color. We most likely will always keep the house yellow if we upgrade the siding.
Our existing roof is very worn. It was a light brown, reddish color I think, but its so worn its difficult to tell.
At one point I thought a blue roof would be fun, kind of Swedish actually. My husband liked the idea of a green roof with the yellow siding. There are other yellow houses in the neighborhood with green roofs that don't look so hot. I worried about how a colored roof would hold up. Eventually that dye in the shingle will fade from the elements.
I know I didn't want black, but I didn't want to go too light either. A black roof would get too hot in the summer and since snow covers our roof in the winter, it wouldn't help during that season either. Light roofs don't look too attractive to me though.
We decided to try and stay in the gray family, but you wouldn't believe how many different shades of gray there are! We've gone back and forth for weeks now, but I think we've finally found our roof color.
I present to you..... Georgetown Gray. When I look at it closely, I can pick up shades of slate and sage.
I hope it works out, but I suppose until its up there on the roof, we really won't know. There are no other houses in the neighborhood with this roof as far as we can tell, so we're taking a risk, but then again, I like having something different than everyone else. Our subdivision is very cookie cutter.
This is not a photo of my house of course, (I wish!) This is the photo from the shingle manufacturer's website.
Someday I would love to add stone detail to the front of our house. All of the newer homes built in the cornfield next to us have a certain percentage of brick or stone along with siding. If we add this detail, it could help our home blend between the two developments.
I'll be sure to take a photo after the roof is on and you can tell me what you think.
Our weather has been very summer like and that means I've been outside gardening rather than inside blogging. I do want to take some time to jot down a few notes on what's been going on in my life recently. With my memory, I have to make a point to journal or I will forget. 
