Konnichiwa Okinawa!

So I'm finally getting around to blogging about our arrival here in Okinawa. I wish I could say that I took a bunch of pictures while traveling here but I cannot.  I can say that our trip involved lugging tons of checked bagged, carry-on luggage and an almost two-year-old child from our hotel at 6:00 a.m. to the airport in St. Louis, Missouri.  Of course, we arrived super early as recommended and breezed right through check-in despite traveling on military orders and security despite having a crazy child in tow.  We then waited forever for our flight to Chicago.  Finally, we boarded the plane and traveled the very short trip to Chicago.  Wonderful.  Of course not!

We get to Chicago and of course, I should know better than to be confident about how this is all going because from my experience, flights out of O'Hare always have a short layover and you have to run all the way across the airport with little time to even use the restroom and practically want to kill yourself for bringing so many carry-on bags. But thankfully, we made it in time to get on the plane to Tokyo.  Unfortunately though, we had to walk past these lovely business class seats that allow the passenger to lay down and sleep during the flight and on to the cramped, crunched together economy seats available for us to sit in.  Technically, they aren't any different than any other flight I have ever taken but having never flown 12+ hours at a stretch, I couldn't imagine doing it in these seats.  My husband has however done this before multiple times and lived to tell so I figured I could suck it up and do it.  For once, I'm cursing the government for not spending more money!

Frankly, it went well.  Our daughter napped a couple of times and only cried a bit.  She did kick the seat in front of her a few times but we did our best to control that and no one complained although the lady sitting there did jokingly offer me a Xanax for our little darling before the flight took off.  Being a responsible parent and an RN, I declined. Anyway, we did our best to entertain ourselves by watching the movies offered on the plane (Dinner for Schmucks was a waste of time) and watching Mad Men on the iPad.  I made sure to walk around to avoid blood clots and yelled at my husband to do so also.  We had a couple of really nice flight attendants who were very helpful with keeping our daughter happy throughout the flight.

Finally, we arrived in Tokyo at Narita Airport.  We had a three hour layover at that airport but most of the time was spent collecting our luggage, going through Immigration and Customs and then checking in with the airline taking us to Okinawa.  This is where I really started to notice the difference between the US and Japan.  Everyone at the airport is friendly and helpful.  The level of customer service is amazing considering I am used to encountering people that would rather do anything but help a customer.  Long story short, we finally did get on the plane and our daughter had a meltdown.  It was too good to be true to think we could travel that far without it happening.  Thanks to the iPad, I threw on a Mickey Mouse video and entertained her for a few minutes before my husband, child and I zonked out and slept through the whole three hour flight.  I remember taking off and landing and that is it.  When I woke up, I was holding my daughter who was awake and holding a cute little book and airplane given to her by the flight attendants.  Of course, the book is in Japanese and it was then that it hit me that we are now in a new country with absolutely no clue about how to read or speak the language.  I was starting to get a bit nervous.

We finally did collect our luggage and met my husband's sponsor (although we really didn't meet him, we knew him from a few years ago when he and my husband were stationed together) and he drove us from the airport to our temporary living quarters.  Even though I was dead tired, I spent the whole ride looking out the window at the signs mostly in Japanese with a few English words thrown in there to give me a clue.  Mostly I saw restaurants, casinos, car dealerships and hotels.  I have to admit I was excited but still nervous and almost dreading this new experience all at the same time.  But the dread didn't last long and by the next morning, dog tired from the time change and confused about when to sleep, I met our new adventure with nothing but acceptance and anticipation of what is to come.

Baby Having Fun

Since I have been busy with moving and will continue to be busy for the next few weeks, I'm trying to catch up on some blogging I have wanted to do.  It is already the end of October and I have pictures from months ago to share. 

During Labor Day weekend we took a trip to the St. Louis Zoo.  Last time we tried to visit the zoo with the little one, she was sick and ended up in the hospital.  But all was well and we had a great time.  The above picture is our daughter coming through a tree trunk tunnel at the zoo.  True to St. Louis, it was hot and humid!!!!  Despite that, she was loving it. 

We did meet up with our friends and their kids. Here is a picture of our daughter and their son, Matthew.  They are best buddies!  It is going to be very sad when we move and they no longer get to see each other.

And how could I leave out this picture???  We went to Wo Zha Wa Days in Wisconsin Dells.  This is a craft/flea market/parade event that lasts three days.  We went on Friday to the flea market and walked around to all of the little shops.  My husband bought our daughter a lollipop in one of the candy stores.  It is one of those things I would have wanted when I was a child and my parents would never have given me. Of course, she made a huge mess with it and didn't eat even half of it but she liked it and was happy.



Vintage View: Part Two

We have arrived on the beautiful island of Okinawa, Japan but until I have some photos to share I thought I would hold off on blogging about it. Until then, more vintage treasures from my kitchen...

I love vintage glasses.  Obviously.  I have quite a few (some not pictured) and actually use these to drink out of everyday.  While I would love to have everything vintage and sit unused and perfect, I cannot.  We use most stuff so everyday wear and tear occurs.  In fact, breakage happens too which is why my husband doesn't use these very often.  He also doesn't like that they are so small.  Because we live in 2010, we have been brainwashed into thinking everything needs to be supersized and while most of these fit only an 8 ounce serving of milk, it just isn't enough for my husband.  I will mention that while packing, I did give away my remaining collection of the two on the right.  I used to have tons of these (regular size and juice glasses) that my husband kindly bought me at the St. Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Church annual rummage (yes, I said rummage) sale for $2.00.  We lived across from that church for a few years in Belleville, Illinois and it was a great sale each year.  We started out with a big box full.  Over the years, many of the larger glasses broke and I now only have a few of those and a ton of juice glasses remaining.  So, in the effort to pare down, I donated those to the local thrift shop.  The rest of them came from my mom or I purchased them at thrift shops.

These are another favorite of mine.  My pink and black metal canisters.  These are pink, not copper colored. They are worn as in some of the black paint labeling them as "flour, sugar, coffee and tea" has flaked off and a couple of the tops are missing some of the paint around the knob but they are still very nice.  I do use these for my flour, granulated sugar and powdered sugar. I had someone come to my house once and get all excited when they saw these because his grandma had the same set. Again, my mom gave me these.  My mom is quite the thrifter and she finds really great vintage stuff for me.

Here are a couple of my fish chalkware on the kitchen wall.  I have another set of pink, white and black ones that I bought to match the pink tile bathroom in our last house but I didn't have them up anywhere in our current house so I didn't photograph them.  I picked these up very cheaply at a thrift shop and hung them up quickly on some nails already present when we moved in.  I didn't really intend for them to stay there but they have.

Also featured is a vintage cookie jar my mom gave me for Christmas one year.  It has different colored circles scattered around the base.  This is my favorite side.  And another gift from my mom, a plaid metal lunchbox that is in great shape.  It has the original label on the inside too.  And last but not least, some vintage Pyrex refrigerator dishes. More Pyrex to come...

It has finally arrived...well almost

Tomorrow, bright and early, we have to be at the airport for our flight to Japan. It has been a whirlwind few weeks and the time has come for final goodbyes and last minute preparation. Today has been tiring and emotionally draining. Maybe I will post once more before we leave.

Are You Ready for Some Football???

I am! Lambeau Field, here I come! I will update later with the winning Packer score...stay tuned!

ETA: The Packers did win but it was close and a crazy game! Final score was Packers 28, Lions 26. The last time I saw a Packer game at Lambeau, it was something like 10 below zero. This time it was, according to the screen at the game, 55 degrees but incredibly sunny with few clouds so it was hot! I forgot the sd card for the camera at the game (sorry husband!)so I only have cell phone pics. If I ever connect my phone to the computer, I will post a couple. It was fun and something we won't do for the next few years.

Vintage View: Part One

Because we are moving to a significantly smaller house, I packed my vintage kitchen (and other) wares away to be stored at my parents' house while I am gone. I'm also worried they could be damaged in transport and are not easily replaced so I want them in a safe place while we live it up in Okinawa.  Prior to packing, I took some photos.  I will use the next few posts to highlight some of the stuff that I love.  Be warned that not all things are fabulous and not all are that old or are worth anything but they are things I love and will want to look at again during the next few years.  Here are a few:

Mikasa Mediterrania and Duplex bowls, dinner plates, salad plates, serving bowl, and coffee cups with their matching plates in the Petals design. I also packed up the matching cream and sugar containers too. I have an extra cream container but don't care because I love it.  I didn't photograph the whole set because I have a lot of it. 

My mom and I found this set in a thrift shop in Friendship, Wisconsin.  It was in a box labeled everything for $20.  I had to have it.  My mom bought it for me and I didn't even have a house or apartment yet.  I have had this now for about 10 or 11 years.  I still love it.  My husband has to suffer through it but he will manage.  He has for 9 years and will for many more. I have picked up a couple of matching pieces on ebay but most people want a fortune so that doesn't happen very often. I honestly do not know what year this is from and I really don't care.  It is gorgeous and I plan on using it for years to come.

Our House is Empty!

After a long and exhausting week sorting through our house and resorting daily after each group of movers came, packed and went, our house is totally empty and clean. We also fired our old, useless realtor and hired a new, highly motivated one. I have hopes it might actually sell or at least rent in the next month. Now it is just three weeks of visiting Wisconsin, traveling and saying our goodbyes at Ft. Wood. Then, Okinawa here we come!

1950 Singer 201-2...

I have a beautiful 1950 Singer model 201-2 sewing machine. I owned it for almost 5 years and didn't know. I did know that I had some sewing machine stuck in a cabinet. It was a small sewing cabinet that I bought at a thrift shop in Belleville, Illinois to use as an entry way table in our last house. For some reason, I seem to remember the lady at the thrift shop telling me the machine didn't work. At the time it was not a big deal. I was just interested in the table. I already had a sewing machine that I used (a Kenmore that my mom bought for me a couple of years earlier) so I just forgot about the machine.

Fast forward five years. I have a renewed interest in all things sewing since I have been sewing clothes for my daughter. But we are moving and trying to purge things from our house. At the time, we had a television stuck on the table and after much begging, I finally get my husband to move the t.v. so I can get the machine out to sell or be donated. What I find instead is a beautiful shiny black Singer sewing machine. It is in great shape. It even has all of the presser feet that were sold with it and the original manual, bobbins and screwdrivers. The only thing not present was the power cord. I quickly purchased one on the Internet and in a few days I was able to try it out. I did oil it first because who knows the last time that happened. And then I tried it....it sewed like a dream. Beautiful straight, even stitches. I did have someone give the machine a once over and he rewired the pedal which is hardwired to the machine and not attached to the power cord. Anyway, I am leaving the machine with my mom while I'm in Japan because I would hate for my $5 machine (yes, I only paid $5! Remember, I only bought it for the table) to be lost or ruined in the move. I certainly couldn't replace it for the small amount I put into it. I left my Baby Lock machine at home and have been sewing on it since I arrived at my parents' house. It really is a great machine and I'm glad it found its way to me!

ETA: My mom sent me these pictures she took of me sewing some pajamas for my daughter on my machine.  Don't mind my horrible posture and the poor lighting.

Living the Life...

After a long but fun 12 hour shift at work last night, I rode 8 hours in the car to Wisconsin. I'm now lying on my parents' couch watching the Packer game. I'm happy. Enough said.

iPad Love!!!

My husband is seriously awesome...most of the time. Just kidding! Well, he was better than awesome this week when he bought me an early anniversary present, an iPad! And I'm loving it! It is the perfect thing for me. I usually use my Droid for quick web surfing, reading ebooks, listening to podcasts, etc. I can also use it to watch movies and videos as needed but the screen is obviously small. With my Droid soon to be useless to me overseas, I'm super excited to have the iPad. Especially for all of our upcoming travels and such. Big thanks to my husband! Forget the traditional anniversary gifts, he seems to like Apple products. A few years ago, I got a Nano which I still have and love and use although not as much as I used to because of my Droid and the fact that I rarely exercise anymore (although that is going to change soon). It is the pretty light blue that they no longer make and that fact alone ensures I will keep it forever. Thanks again to my wonderful husband!

Oh yeah, just have to mention only TWO more days of work and then I can go to Wisconsin and visit my family! Finally! Now I just have to finish cleaning the house and shampoo the carpets. Not looking forward to any of this but it is moving us closer to Japan!

Three More Nights of Work!

Can you tell I'm excited?????? Last night was a good night at work. But I cannot wait to be done and go home to see my family. Next week, hurry up already so I can be DONE!

Orders for Japan Have Arrived!!!

We finally have our official orders for Japan! We are very excited to be moving to Japan. What we are not that excited about is moving! In the next week, I have to basically go through everything in the house and decide if it 1) goes to Japan, 2) goes to storage, or 3) goes to my parents' house. Seems simple, right? Of course not!

Goes to Japan has two subcategories: do the items go in a) our unaccompanied baggage or b) our household goods? Unaccompanied means that it should come sooner and includes things like pots and pans and my husband's uniforms and things we will need to get going once we get there. That doesn't mean it will be waiting for us when we get there. It just means it should come within a couple of weeks or so of us arriving on Okinawa. Household goods (large furniture, etc.) come sometime after that. I hope this goes fairly smooth. We already purged our house of unneeded items through our very successful garage sale. {Sidenote: Being from Wisconsin, I really call it a rummage sale but only to myself and family. People in Missouri look at me funny if I say "rummage." Seriously!?! People who say things like, "plum full" and "y'all" think "rummage" is a weird word. Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....}

Packing up things for my parents' house will be easy. Basically all of my breakable vintage kitchenware will go there. All of my cute Pyrex and pink kitchen stuff I have found throughout the years rummaging (I said it) and thrifting and don't trust anyone to move or put in storage will be going there. It will be safe in my parents' basement. Thank you, Mom and Dad!

Either way you slice it, this is all going to suck. But it does mean that we now know what day we are flying out and that I can spend a lot more time at my parents' house than previously projected. Hopefully we will still be on speaking terms when I leave the country. Unfortunately, this means we will be around to attend the Air Force Ball. This morning, I tried on the last formal I wore before getting pregnant and it fits and the shoes are still in my closet so I would consider myself good to go. Now if that just didn't require me showing up...

Baboo Free!

What's a baboo??? It's a word my daughter made up. It refers to this...



Or as we usually see it around here, this...



Last Monday, Miss A went to the dentist for her first checkup. No issues with her teeth but dentist said it would be a great idea to start weaning her off her pacifier. I wasn't too excited about it because she seems to rely on it quite a bit and I did too when I was a kid but eventually grew out of it (as in you don't see me with one now). But we thought it wouldn't hurt to try and it has been surprisingly painless. Not painfree but painless. It has been a week since she has been using one and is still asking about it but hasn't had any tantrums or anything over it so I think we are baboo free! Congrats to all of us, especially our baby!

One More Weekend Done...

I worked Friday and Saturday nights. It wasn't bad, I have certainly had worse nights at work and my friend Jane was there so I talked to her quite a bit. She wasn't feeling good though so it made for a rough night for her. She helped me with an IV and we had a talk about why I have so much trouble with starting them sometimes (probably because it happens very rarely) but I'm going to use some of her tips in the next few weeks and I will be successful. Sometimes I really get on a roll and get almost every one I try and other times, I can't hit the broad side of a barn. But I will get better. Realistically though, I only have three more weekends of work and stick a fork in me, I'm DONE! Six more work days to go!!!

We are not leaving for Japan until October but I'm going home to stay with my parents for a few weeks so they can hang with my daughter and get in some bonding time since they don't see her very often. That is the only reason I wish I lived in Wisconsin. I like moving around a bit and seeing new places but I wish my daughter saw my mom and dad more. We Skype but it just isn't the same thing. So we will go and enjoy our time. I already have some plans to do somethings while I'm there.

I will probably be going to the annual Warrens Cranberry Festival. For some reason, the past few years that I have gone, I wonder why I bother but this is the last time for a few years so I'm going to do it. It is a festival celebrating the cranberry farming and community around Warrens. Wisconsin is huge for producing cranberries. I have gone to this since I was a little kid when my mom used to sell crafts and it has a kind of nostalgic feeling for me when I go. I basically use it as an excuse to shove fried cheese curds in my face and buy stuff I don't need.

I think I also want to go on an Upper Dells Boat Tour. This is another nostalgic thing. I grew up by the Dells and worked there during my summers in high school. I should hate the place but I actually love going there. Probably because it is so full of cheesy souvenir shops which I love to look in and wonder what the people who designs these things were thinking. And there is a lot of natural beauty. Wisconsin is full of it. If you love the outdoors, you will love Wisconsin.

There is definitely more I will be doing but I haven't the time to list everything. I will blog about my adventures while I'm there. I will be taking my sewing machine and fabric with me and hopefully doing some crafting with my mom while I'm there.

Home Ec Projects...

So far I have made a double-sided potholder...



A cute pincushion from fabric scraps...


An ironing board cover for my little board I use in my craft room...


And some cloth napkins so we can be more environmentally friendly in our house. They are double-sided with plain black fabric on the back. I am making 9 total and I still have quite a few to go before I finish them all.


I feel like I'm getting practice thinking out of the box with my sewing projects. I usually just make the same things and I'm actually learning how to make pretty, useful things other than clothes for our child. I'm also using up some scrap fabric with some of these little projects that might otherwise just sit around and rot. And as I always say, when you get rid of that old fabric, you make more room for new fabric!!!

I also have to say that even though we have a lot of beginners (well duh, it is a beginning sewing class), I am really impressed by the cute stuff people are posting in the Flickr group. Everyone is really taking a project and making it their own and doing a great job!

Make that two projects down...

Finished this today too. I'm sure she will grow out of it in another day or so!

Seriously, can you tell my kid lives in short/shirt combos? I need to work on more dresses and shirts that are not exactly the same only different fabric. I have lots in mind and I just need to sit down, figure out what fabric to make what and do it. Here is a list of things I want to make...

Oliver and S Popover Sundress
Oliver and S Ruffled Halter
Everyday Chaos Apron Top
Sugar Bee Craft Edition Shirred Pillowcase Dress
Not a dress but UCreate Bucket Hat

There are more, especially here at Think Liz.

I just need the time and inclination and cooperation from my little one to get it all done. I love sewing, especially sewing things for my daughter. My mom used to sew clothes for me when I was a kid and I'm sure I didn't appreciate them then but I certainly do now. Lots of love goes into handmade stuff. I like to think that someday my daughter will want to be a crafter too.

Another project down, many to go...

I started making this outfit for my daughter in June. JUNE! I'm finally done with it. The shirt is another pattern from here. My feelings about it? Honestly, I don't really like it anymore. I was in love with this Amy Butler Love fabric when I bought it a few months ago but now, meh. It's okay. Bright and a bit crazy, yes. I think I was in "here comes summer mode" when I got it. Thankfully, it is hot as heck here until October and then we will be in Okinawa where it is perma-summer all year round.

On second though, I think I will like it more when I actually see my daughter wear it but I'm kind of wondering what I was thinking. No big deal. She will only fit into it for another couple of months and then it can be given to my friend for her daughter. I have to admit I loved the pattern when I bought the book but I should have read it closer. It required you to handstitch quite a bit. I'm not all that great at handstitching except for embroidery and with my daughter running around making messes, I don't have that kind of time. So I figured out a way to sew the bias binding on my machine and it came out okay. Not perfect but it will do. The great thing about my friend who I give hand-me-downs to is that she doesn't sew and doesn't have a clue when I make a mistake or take shortcuts.

ETA: After seeing the look on my husband's face when he saw this outfit, I doubt my child will be wearing this very much. I did take the bow off and it is a little more tolerable but I'm still not in love with it. I still have some of the fabric left, mostly the blue fabric so I will probably make a pillowcase type dress or something out of it.

Today's Sewing Project

Okay, not really today. I started this on Sunday morning, quit to focus on other things and picked it back up Monday morning and finished it by 11:00 am. I photographed it later on Monday while my darling Miss A was sleeping. So instead of cute child modeling her new hat, Kai Lan will have to do. It is just as well. I know I will have to fight the child to keep it on her head. It will get dirty from her throwing it on the ground. Good thing it is reversible. The yellow inside fabric is something I had left over from years ago. I'm not really in love with it but might as well use it and make room for more fabric in my ever growing stash.



The pattern came from the book, Making Children's Clothes by Emma Hardy. I like a lot of the projects in this book but some of the patterns need a bit of editing. But I'm not a beginning sewer so I can figure out what to do without having it layed out for me. I have made a couple of other projects from the book. I would share but one of the dresses I made two months ago is now too short for my child who grows like a weed so why bother?

Despite being a somewhat experienced sewer, I am taking on online sewing class. It is called Home Ec and it has lots of cute projects. Realistically, I am only going to gain a couple new techniques but it seems like a lot of fun and a way to practice sewing other than making clothes for my child. Registration is only open for a few more hours so check it out!!!

First Day Back at Work...

...since being diagnosed with mono! I hadn't been to work since July 9 and I only worked four hours and then was sent home due to overstaffing. The next day I had to call in because I took my daughter to the ER and she spent a night in the hospital. Thankfully, we are all well now and work can resume for a few weeks. I have already put my notice in that I am quitting. Well, I told them a long time ago that I was leaving but I finally narrowed it down to a specific day so Sept 11 is the last day I can work.

Anyway, I was kind of thinking how it was nice to go back to work and see everyone and be productive. And then reality set in and I remembered why I like work but despise it at the same time. I was BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! First off, everyone was having emergencies right and left and I didn't get to finish my assessments and passing meds until later than usual. And I had three people who were in a lot of pain so that sucked up a lot of my time passing out meds. Things did finally calm down a bit but I was tired when my shift was over. The next night was so boring and not busy that I was almost wishing I had more to do! Sometimes that is just how it goes. But it was a good work weekend so I won't really complain.

Here is where I will complain. We had some realtors coming to look at our house this am between 9 and noon. House is fairly decent but still needs a good touch up (vacuum, dust, windows cleaned, bathrooms cleaned and dishes done). I just had no energy when I woke up yesterday to do any of this. So I did a bit, hubby cleaned up the garage (after much prodding) and I woke up early this am to finish all of this. I do finally get everything done by 9:15. I call the realty office to see if they can give me a heads up when they are coming because I have to get the dogs and baby out of the house. They act like I'm a pain and can I just wait until the realtors arrive to leave??? Um, no. Have you ever seen a grown women try to wrangle two little excitable dogs and a crazy toddler out of the house and into a car with minimal difficulty? Not in this house. I wonder why it always seems like such a problem for them to call me a few minutes before they show the house. But I'm a nurse and not a realtor so what do I know?????

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have been too busy lately. Today is doctor and dentist appointment for myself. I have been at the doctor at least once for the past three weeks for suspected strep throat and then a mono diagnosis and then for checkups. Yesterday was doctor appointment for my daughter and then our least favorite thing, vaccinations (for her and me!). I got the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination and she got the dreaded tetanus and some others and was irritable the rest of the day which was not good because we traveled the fun two hours to St. Louis to see my husband's cousin and her family who are visiting from Wisconsin.

While we were there, we went to City Museum in lovely downtown St. Louis. My husband and I have been there before but that was years ago before we were married (2000??) so it has changed a lot. It really isn't toddler friendly because of the tunnels and mish mash of crazy stairs and slides and things my wild one would love to try to hurt herself on. So we had to guide her carefully through the museum. There is a toddler area but she was cranky from the vaccinations so that didn't go over well and she even hated going on the small slide which is unusual for her. My favorite was the Museum of Mirth, Mystery and Mayhem. It is an eclectic mix of all of the crazy stuff I love. It even had a photo booth which I begged my husband to do. The pics of course are my favorite black and white and none turned out all that great. But I cannot resist a photo booth. They are a rare find nowadays and I absolutely have to stop and use it. I don't mean the new ones at the mall where they take your pics and put them on stickers or you get to write your name on the pic but a real life vintage booth. You know it is old when it says "Featuring the new flash technology!" Despite crankypants, it was a great day!

Hello Kitty Love!

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2010/07/hello-kitty-mini.html

Check out this awesome Hello Kitty Mini Quilt done by crazy mom quilts. I absolutely love it! Since we are moving to Japan, I am hoping I can get my hands on some HK fabric without spending a ton of dough. We shall see...

I am also psyched about possibly visiting Harmonyland when we are there. Who wouldn't want to go to a Hello Kitty theme park? Probably my husband but I have already told him that we are going.

Sell This House!!!! Just a rant...

We are moving to Japan in October. So we are attempting to sell our house right now. We have been for more than a month. I think it has been looked at 3 or 4 times. It is a nice house but we are in such a horrible market right now, I think we are going to have to rent it after we move. That won't be the worst thing in the world. The worst thing is trying to keep this house clean. How does anyone keep a house spotlessly clean with a toddler and two dogs???? Impossible, I say. I'm sure someone else is able to do it but not me. Of course, I'm a natural slob so that doesn't help but even with a lot of effort, it isn't working. So each time (haha, not that often obviously) someone calls to look at it, it is a mad dash to clean everything up and get out of the house. I guess I just have to live with it until someone buys this thing or we run out of time and have to rent it.

45 Day Challenge

Hubby and I are in a race to see who can lose more weight in 45 days. I think he will win because he is ultra competitive and I'm not. He is also has some basic form of physical fitness where I do not. He has to run for work and I don't so odds aren't looking so good for me so far. But I will not be deterred. I have needed to lose weight for years and just have not found the motivation. Hopefully these next 45 days will show that I have what it takes...

First Post...

Very strange. I thought I had a lot to say when I decided to start a blog but now don't have the first clue what to write. Since this is my first post, it will be very short. I'm just setting up my blog and I'm going to link in blogs that I follow. I really do not have any clue what direction this blog is going to take but I will try to stick with it. Hopefully, I will have something to look back on in a year and remember that this wasn't such a bad time for our family.