Today's Status

Today is the day of the big move! Due to the rain in the past few weeks, the fence guys got behind on their work, so I don't have a fence yet. They'll be out first thing tomorrow morning though, and will be completely done Wednesday, so hopefully they'll at least start at the dry lot at the back of the barn so that Har doesn't have to spend the whole day inside tomorrow. Yesterday my BFF came up and helped put up the planking for the back stall walls and the side walls. It was a project, but we took our time and got it done. The original plan was to get all 3 sides done, but I would have settled for half - none the less, we kicked ass and finished.

Today we're moving the horse here, which is sure to be a stressful event for all involved, including the four legged type. It's so awesome to watch this all unfold - and to see all the hard work pay off that this is actually happening!

Now just for the darn fence people to get here!

A Barn!

It's hard to believe that just Wednesday, there was nothing here. By 2pm today, this is part of my property. Amazing. The barn is done, now I have another boat load of work in front of me getting ready for move in day on Monday. All the wood is here to build 2 sides of my stalls (the sides that don't have metal grates or doors) and I'll be getting going on that after the wedding this weekend. Shouldn't take real long, really, it's just nailing planks to the walls, right?

So if there's anyone out there dying to nail planks to walls, let me know. I'm working Sunday and Monday if needed (hint hint).

What The Heck Is This Thing?

I was cleaning up my pasture area this afternoon, slowly patrolling the yard with the John Deere in low gear, when I rolled past this thing. It was the only one that I saw in the whole yard, and I'd really like to know what the heck it is.

I thought of just trying a bite to determine if it was good to eat, poisonous, psychadellic, or otherwise, but figured that probably wasn't the best idea. For now, I'm going to leave it rooted. I'll dig it up soon if someone doesn't make claim to it as some rare delicacy - so if you want it or know what it might be, let me know.

More Progress

Aside from the progress in my life, things are progressing on the home front as well. The barn is finally delivered and I'm just waiting on Morton Buildings to get out here and get this thing put up! I am so excited, and the kids are bouncing off the walls to see how it all works. Funny how what exists now (basically a big pile of stuff) will turn into an entire building. I can't wait to have horses here, to let the kids experience what it's like to have the ability to ride whenever they want, run in the pasture, and all the other stuff I remember so fondly growing up... just no riding bareback, facing backwards, at full speed through the field with only a halter at best, please ;)

Guess symbolically, this means something too. Right now I have all the pieces to make something great. They don't look like much to the casual onlooker, mostly just a pile of stuff, can't even really tell what it's supposed to be just by looking. But to me these pieces are much more. They represent a dream, and when they are all put into some kind of logical order, some kind of sense, they'll be the foundation for good things to come. It's going to take work, a little help from some friends, and a lot of determination to make it great, but great it will be. I'm sure during the process, there will be a miscut board, a broken nail, perhaps a smashed finger or couple of bruises, but in all, the minor bumps in the road will be worth it.

It might even rain. The workers might call off. Progress might skip a day here and there, but this thing will be complete in the end. It might take longer than I hope, there might be more roadblocks than I anticipate, but if we just keep building, the work will eventually be done. Then I can sit on the porch, enjoy a cold one, kick my feet back, and smile as my life unfolds in front of me...

A Day In History

I realize I really haven't said a lot publically about my divorce and the situation I have been involved in since I filed. Today, the final decree went to the courthouse for approval. It's been a very rocky, very turbulent, very ODD journey to say the least. Those of you who know me best know the details - and I'm not going to hash them out here.

I guess the purpose of this post is that today, finally, I feel like I'm taking a step forward. After 10 years I'm leaving a jaded past behind me. 10 years of my life that are filled with memories ranging from fabulous to downright the worst ever. 10 years that blessed me with two of the greatest kids I could ever ask for. 10 years in which I have learned so, so much.

It's time to get on with things. Explore the relationships I've made with new people, and embrace the ones that I've kept. I've learned in this process who the true friends are in my life, and who I know I can depend on. I know that I've been trash-talked to just about everyone I can be trash-talked to - and I owe a big "thanks" to those of you who have had the honor, guts, and integrity to ask me before passing judgement.

I guess as I go through just about every emotion today that has hit me throughout this process; pride, truth, success, failure, hurt, anger, hopelesness, lost, happy, relieved... and so many many more... that those of you who care, those of you I know I can depend on, wish me a little peace, finally.

New Stuff Is Cool | Bodybugg

Even though I don't have a ton of weight to lose, I just can't bring myself to do Weight Watchers again. I just don't have the desire, and the thought of it is unpleasant, and thats definitely no way to start...

So during my most recent visit to my uber-cool friend, Wendy, I was introduced to her Bodybugg, that little widget thing that they were (are?) using on the Biggest Loser... click on the photo to see more about it.

Actually, she told me about this thing months ago, and I researched it a bit then but couldn't quite bring myself to drop the coin for it. So when we went to Dayton, she was telling me about her and her husband's AMAZING success with the system, and how easy (and accurate) it is to use. She showed me the online program, and the relative ease in which one enters their calories/foods intake. I looked at her little graph on the website and it showed a "better than goal" decline. She swore by it, so I figured I'd give it a run. I just got the whole thing hooked up and running last night so today will be my first full day on it. This morning, I actually measured my coffee creamer, which I didn't love, but I'll get used to coffee flavored coffee I suppose.

I'll keep updating to let you all know how this goes... right now I need to get showered and ready for work. Hope everyone has a great day!

Off This Week

My friend Jen is training to do Census work this week. She isn't around to watch Jade this week and I have a squajillion things to do, and I have some time at work that I need to compensate for. I figured it'd be a good week to chill out at home. I got the grass cut again yesterday (that's checked off the list!) so basically, it's just playing catch up with some of my photo stuff, as May REALLY marks the beginning of a busy 3 months with that for me. I'm also trying to get an album FTP'd - and the darn computer keeps timing out, which is neither here nor there, other than the fact that I have 43 MB of info to send in what's turning out to be 0.5 MB bits... *sigh.

Well anyway, we're getting an early start off to the grocery store, and a list of other places today :)

Earth Day

Let's take today to live a little cleaner, and make at least one "green" effort as we pass through our day. Think of the little things you can do, and carry those thoughts with you! If we all made one "green" change, then made that a habit and did it every day, think what a difference we could make!

An Outing.

Today I'm gonna break out the horse trailer, get Harley tacked up, and go for a trail ride with Dorothy. We're going to try one of the local parks here that has horse trails, additionally, it'll be Vincent's first experience with riding on back and not complaining!

I'll post back to let you know how it goes! Yay!

Sadie...

Please pray for this angel, the daughter of an acquaintance of mine and a friend of a good friend. Faryl and Nick, it was great to see you a few weeks ago, and please know that my deepest thoughts are of you and your family. Your story makes us all take a step back, and appreciate the blessings we have in our lives every day...

Work Pays Off!

This is the view from my front porch of my project from yesterday, and what is soon to be my new outdoor riding arena! We've been on the John Deere for several days non stop, bush hogging, grading, picking up stumps and logs and junk...

The property is starting to shape up, and I'm quickly realizing just how SANDY the soil is out here! There's actually a section on the south side of my lot that I am having a hard time getting the tractor through, it's almost like trying to grade the Dunes State Park or something. Good thing is, it's where the prospective barn is going to go, so that'll be good for drainage and everything else that goes along with horses and barns...

I'm really excited to get this project kicked off, because when May, June, and July hit, it's going to be wedding extraordinaire. Today we're having the Schnicks over for corned beef and cabbage... which I cook every year but didn't get around to on actual St.Patrick's day. Therefore, we're having a delayed celebration and are gonna let the kids play and stuff. I imagine Lee and I will get into the wine, at least a little :)

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! Stand by for some B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L weather next week! Yay! So stoked for spring!!!

Saturday Morning

I love lazy Saturdays. I have a few picture orders to organize and get done, an album to edit, but essentially nothing else to do today! I made the kids some french toast this morning with that yummy "Texas Toast" bread that you can't always find, we laid around a little, I'm cleaning in bits and pieces, and other than that, we're chillin! It's little Lauren's birthday party today, so we'll head to Valpo later to celebrate with them... yay!

Anyway. I think I'm gonna get busy checking my internets, sipping my coffee, and enjoying this relaxing day!

SUN!

We (I) have been waiting patiently around here for some gosh darn sunshine, and this morning it's here! I think I'm officially feeling the winter blahs so the weather today is a welcome break from the gray. Not only that but in my yearly mini celebration whereupon I hit "e-file taxes now" on my Turbo Tax program, I was boldly informed by the same that my taxes are not e-fileable. I guess it's worth it though to qualify for that homebuyer credit. Crap.

In other news, I think there needs to be a committee somewhere to tell the people who schedule the superbowl that a 5:30 kick off time is going to hurt viewership. Not only do some people have to work the next day - which is fine if you're NOT going to a party, or if you're not going to enjoy/celebrate... but a lot of us have these things called kids? Yeah, and their schools don't consider the day after the big game a holiday. Therefore, parties that would otherwise assemble will not. Not only that, but it'll be right about the middle to the early end of the game when it's time for supper (away from the tv), snack (away from the tv), bath (away from the tv), and other bedtime ritual stuff (away from the tv). And who likes to watch a DVR'd football game! Good thing the commercials are entertaining...

Well that's my mini rant for the day. Time to prepare my LAST wedding album from last season and start my planning for fast all the approaching weddings this year!

I finally got off my lazy butt...

Well, I think I'm *mostly* done getting the house together, finally. Yesterday I replaced my hideous plastic faucets in the bathrooms with ones I could tolerate. I've been working on photo stuff all weekend, but took some time to snap a couple of shots of the ol' casa in the midst of my busyness. Sorry about the poor quality. I reserve my best work for my customers :)

Here's a teaser, more can be seen on my facebook page!

 

 

 

 

Another Week Another Dollar

My friends from Dayton made a somewhat planned, somewhat surprise visit the the new crib this past weekend. Wendy called me up one day during the week and asked what I was doing on MLK weekend. I had remembered thinking that I didn't have anything to do on MLK weekend so I advised her accordingly. Little did I realize that MLK weekend was in a couple days! It all worked out, though, and it was a great visit, as always. We decided to meet halfway in Indianapolis for the day with the kids on Saturday. Figured we could indulge in a little "no so cheap" entertainment at the Children's Museum before journeying home.

We killed that... and the kids got throughly worn out. Of course, mine don't sleep in the car EVER so instead of sleeping away their exhaustion they just decided to fight the whole way home instead. Oh well. I'm used to that. By the way... where did these kids come from that won't sleep in the car? I don't get it.

We got home, had a super pizza, let the kids play, put the kids down (thank god) and then enjoyed a little adult conversation and adult beverage. They brought along their new baby, too, and it was great to see the youngest Young. So cute, and I've never seen such a non-crying baby.

We had a good visit and filled the weekend with fun stuff for all. Hope everyone else had a good weekend too!