Knights of Columbus Event

On Saturday the Commander had a Knights of Columbus Event to attend in Hampton. There were meetings for him all day, and then a Dinner Dance that evening, and more meetings for him the next morning. He drove up with a fellow Knight that Saturday morning, and I drove up later that afternoon to attend the Dinner Dance with him and stay overnight at the Hotel.

Here I am trying to get a Picture of my Outfit for wardrobe_remix :

BRown and Black floral Print Dress- Dressbarn( bought it when I bought the other one for the Wedding)

Black opaque tights( not sure ..had them a while)

Shoes- Brown Patent Leather-Steve Madden ABSOLUTELY LOVE!!-NEW TJ maxx

Tried to snap a Pic of the Two of us at the Dinner:

These never turn out quite right...LOL

Ike and Tina?

Overall it was a pretty fun night. I even got the Commander to dance once or twice. Actually he 'owed' me, as he ended up volunteering me to drive our Priest to church back at Home, early the next morning, when I had planned on sleeping in and having a leisurely morning at the Hotel while he attended his meetings.

Our Priest is 88 years old and broke his leg almost two years ago...he is not supposed to drive, as he doesn't have complete use of his leg anymore( not to mention he just isn't as alert these days and falls asleep easily). I guess he drove himself to this event, and was planning on driving himself back home that night after the Dinner. There's just no way we could allow him to do that. It's at least a 1 hour drive and like I said he's really not supposed to be driving. We have a system set up, thru our church, to have different people drive him around to the places he needs to be. So the Commander convinced him to stay overnight at the Hotel with us, and I drove him straight to church the next morning.

We had a nice Breakfast before leaving and it was a pleasant Drive back. He decided to say the Rosary while we drove.( I didn't think I was THAT bad of a driver..LOL) Like I mentioned earlier though, he has this habit of falling alseep easily and at any moment. So, he's saying the Rosary, and every so often he would nod off for a few minutes, then he'd wake up and just pick right up where he left off. It was kindof Cute. At one point he woke up said about two lines of the Hail Mary and nodded off again..LOL. Needless to say he managed to get thru the whole Rosary just as we drove up to the Chapel.

Not Quite an "After"

Here we have the progress so far on our Downstairs Bath. The tape has been pulled and a New Shower curtain has been put up. We still need to put the Mirror back up over the sink, and the Medicine Cabinet and Towel racks need to be rehung. I plan to get some new towels and floormat. I like how clean and simple it looks now though. I don't plan on bringing much of anything else back in.

What I Wore

Off to Lunch with Brandon for his Birthday....we went to Geisha a new Japanese Steak House in Town......Nate came along too

Black Cowl Neck/Side Tie top..bought last year....

Jeans- Levi's Signature...two or three years old...

Ribbon Trim Flats---Target..bought this fall

Rhinestone Sparrow Pin- Walmart bought a few months ago

24 Years Ago.......

I gave birth to my first child....my son Brandon......I can't believe he's so old!! He's making ME old!!! LOL

What I Wore

My closet is FULL of clothes....clothes I rarely wear...some I never wear...like most people I only wear maybe 20% of my clothes and shoes.....most of mine are collecting dust....yet I still buy more....lately I've been becoming a bit of a frump....living in stretchy sweats and baggy sweaters....and all those cute clothes just sit there in my closet unworn.....so I'm challenging myself to start wearing them and break out of this rut....it's wear them or get rid of them....so here's what I wore this weekend......

I wore this to the Wedding on Saturday...this is actually a new dress I bought for the Wedding...I got it at DressBarn....the shoes I bought this fall at Kohls..they are Simply Vera...by Vera Wang



I wore this to Church on Sunday....ribbed turlteneck bought last year at Wal-Mart...houndstooth skirt bought for Christmas at Target( I wore it with a bright Green Turtle for Christmas Mass)..shoes the same Simply Vera from SaturdayToday:New top bought at Wal-Mart ....Levi's Signature Jeans two or three years old...( wear these ALL the time..I have two or three pair)...shoes...new from Walmart....black suede mary janes

Bathroom #2

Again I forgot to take before pics......this bathroom also had peeling wallpaper...My son stripped it this weekend and DH painted yesterday.....we bought a softer creamier color....it's not very much of a difference from the WHITE but it seems to look a lot better...IMO...I still need to pull off the tape..and then DH can hang the mirror and medicine chest back up....I bought a new shower curtian for the room and later will buy some matching towels and a rug..I want to try to keep the room simple and uncluttered.....

Busy Day

Had a Realtor come by today ....just to do a walkthru...and give us an idea of what we should work on and so that he can give us an assessment as to how much he can sell it for....lovely Dh made the appointment yesterday afternoon THEN called me to let me know...so I had less than 24 hours to get the house ready...needless to say I was less than pleased...considering we also have a Wedding to attend today..and I had a lot of stuff I needed to do for that. The walkthru went well...and we are all spiffyed up for the Wedding. It should be really nice....it's an elderly couple we know from the neighborhood. Actually w don't know her very well. But the Groom is a dear friend of ours. He lost his wife a couple of years ago. Then he met this wonderful woman and they are getting married today. They are having a new house built so that they can start fresh...We'll miss him when he moves...but his daughter is buying his house so he'll still be connected thru her. He was quite the catch...all the little old ladies came a calling after his wife died. I know that kind of sound crass, maybe, but ...he's a really good man...and was a wonderful husband to her. I think other women saw that. He was also VERY lonely after she died...they were VERY close. They say that those who were in really good marriages do tend to marry quickly afterward. They miss being in a close, commited relationship. And if you're elderly and just lost your spouse..you know how finite your time here really is...so no reason to dilly dally IYKWIM?

Day 3.....

of the New Year! It's hard to believe we are already 3 days into the New Year. I don't know...it all feels different this year...or should I say it really 'doesn't" feel different. It doesn't feel like it's 2008 already. I've jumped into the whole declutter reorganize the house plan. I have a ton of bags of STUFF to donate tomorrow.

Dh painted the masterbath this weekend. I don't like it. He used a stark white which just doesn't match AT ALL. Everything else in that room was "Ivory" and now looks really beige, and looks weird with the WHITE of the walls. I need to come up with a way to make it all look tied together. I'm thinking of maybe going with some creamy beigy towels..and some bright white rugs? then maybe I can find a couple of 'art' pieces in beigy tones to hang on the walls to break up some of the BRIGHT WHITE? I don't know? I've told him we really shouldn't continue with that WHITE thruout the house....that we should use some creamy ivories or something instead. I just hope he listens. We've stripped the wallpaper off the downstairs bath and he wants to paint this weekend

We are actually thinking of replacing the counters and sinks. But we'll still need to stick with the beigy ivory color to match all the tilework and floor.

Let It Snow

it actually snowed today! Now granted it was just very VERY light flurries and nothing stuck...but it WAS snow...woohoo....I'm usually not a big fan of 'snow" but I don't mind some snow ....it really doesn't feel like winter without ANY....as long as I have a nice warm home to hibernate in ...and don't 'have' to go out in it....it's 'ok'......I'm going to have to get used to it though....I think there will be a LOT of snow in my future..LOL

2008 Goals

As soon as I decided to get rid of a blog...I've decided to start a new one...LOL.... a Daily Photo Blog....there wont be much writing or journaling, mainly just pictures....one a day for a year?

A Daily Glimpse

so we've got start new daily photo blog...check
simply and enjoy life to the fullest....check

another goal I have is to be less negative....be more optimistic and see the good in things instead of the bad...

A New Year.....

brings new changes.....one such change is that I am closing down my other blog. I just feel it's too much to keep track of....and most of it can be logged here....I have a few things that I do want to concentrate on in the new year...but I also want to Keep Things Simple ....and not overtax myself...We have enough going on in our lives right now...and really the main thing I want for this year is to be Happy...and to enjoy it...and so THAT is what I'm going to be concentrating on....living life to the fullest...and figuring out what that means for ME and our Family....I get myself torn in so many different directions...I read many different types of Blogs....I read Frugal Blogs and think yes...that is the life I want....pinching pennies and learning to do without....I read Extravagent Blogs and think no THAT is the life I want...shoes shoes shoes...LOL....I read Crafty Blogs and want to emmulate them...Martha Stewart wannabe......or Christian blogs and think yes that is what I want to be like..making homemade bread and having a perfectly organized home.....fact is I'm a little of each...and need to find a way to mesh that all together....



another change is .......voila ..................








I got my hair cut for New Years Eve.....I took this just as we were getting ready to leave....if you scroll back a few posts you can see how long my hair had gotten ...it was quite long...all the way down my back....I hadn't cut it since before DH went to sea back in Oct. of 2006...over a year.......it was just really starting to get on my nerves....I couldn't DO much with it...it kept getting caught and was starting to look a little ragged...I've been wanting to cut it for the last few months but then would chicken out....so I finally bit the bullet and just walked into the salon yesterday and got it done....I LOVE it! ....it feels so light and bouncy now.....it's still on the long side but not irritating....and it looks sooo much healthier....

Here's Brad and I at the New Years Party we went to last night...we had a REALLY good time....I felt BEAUTIFUL with my new Hair..and my fancy shiny top!...it's very rare that I feel that good about myself...but last night I did......here are more pics from the night....











<---------Karaoke...this went on for a while.......





someone's having a goooooood time...LOL--->

And so it begins........

and so the quest to get our home in 'sale' able order begins.....DH has stripped the wall paper from he bathroom walls....and I spent a good part of the morning taping it all up....so he can paint it...we are now thinking to buy some land up in Wisconsin and build our own home....this should be fun....NOT......LOL.......I foresee many arguements about exactly how to build and what to build in our future..although...we do seem to be in agreement on the layout of the house we want....

Isn't She Just the Cutest Thing???

Christmas Updates

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas....ours was nice....we went to Mass on Christmas Eve...Our whole family except for Brandon our Oldest is in the Choir...we are lucky to get Brnadon to come to church with us on Special Days........so we all sang except for Nate who just plays flute...we had a little program

before Mass which turned out really well....we got a LOT of compliments..

Then afterwards we went over to our good friends the V's for a Christmas Eve party.....Brad was adamant that we weren't going to stay very long...he didn't want to be there 'all

night" ...well..................they had Karaoke....and I had to DRAG him out of there at 12:30.......I still had a few gifts to wrap and stockings to stuff......needless to say I was up until about 3:00am......

we got up around 7:00am to do gifts.....and then off the Church for Christmas Day Mass....it was just Brad and I and the girls for choir...

and then came home to make my Christmas Dinner...

.I decided not to go overboard this year....it just gets to b e too much....and you can't eat it all anyway....so we had

Ham

Mashed Potatoes

Candied Yams

Corn

and

Tortiere( meat pie)

I had bought two pies for dessert Pumpkin and Pecan...and I made a batch of Peanut Butter Kiss cookies and two loaves of Pumkin Bread

Merry Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and there is still so much that needs to be done.....I need to finish wrapping gifts....make some pumkin bread to take to a Christmas Eve party after church tonight...we have Mass at 7:00pm and then a nice couple from our church has invited a bunch of us to come over afterwards to celebrate all night....for dinner tonight we'll have Tortiere....it's a traditional French dish that my family used to make every Christmas..it's basically a "meat" pie....I make it with ground hamburg, mixed with mashed potatoes and lots sage, thyme and cloves..and finally trying to get these ornaments finished in time for tonight...I've had the crochet done for a while but they need to be stiffened...I used to be able to use spray starch for that part but I've sprayed and sprayed and sprayed them with EXTRA strength starch even...and they just aren't stiffening....so I've mixed some glue with water and saturated them...hopfully they will dry by this evening....if not I'll have to take a blow dryer to them...sooo how are you spending your day and night?

From Russia with Love....

Got another Surprise package yesterday!!

I'm not sure if I ever blogged about the Young Russian girl we took in a few years ago? Her name was Olga....and she had come over to the states on some kind of Work Exchange program? Basically they are brought over and provided with a job and supposedly a place to stay.... this girl was told she'd be working in Customer Servie for a Major Corporation( aka...cashier at Burger King in a Podunk NC town) her and three other girls were given a room in a supposed 'Bed and Breakfast" but it was more like just renting a bedroom in a house....they were then taken in by a co-worker at the Burger King and offered a room for a small fee( which was a no-no..since the co-worker lived in Military Housing and that is not allowed in Military Housing) Eventually two of the girls decided to go to Atlanta as Southern Chesapeake was not their idea of Hip , Happening American life...then the third girl arranged to go home a month early....the last girl was then told by the co-worker ( on a Wednesday) that she could no longer stay there and needed to be out by Friday! Yikes! ...in the meantime My son Nate had Befriended these girls early on on their stay....and so he came to us and asked if she could come stay with us......it was the best decision we ever made..and I wish I had known of her situation earlier as I'd have invited her to stay then and not ever charged her....having her here for that one Month was a great experience for us all and we grew to love her as one of our own in the short month that she was with us...her excitement at being in America and learning American customs was endearing...we treated her as one fo the family...a valued guest..and she was surprised at that..( I guess the other family didn't treat her well) Most evenings after she came home from work we would make tea and we would sit at the kitchen table and just talk for hours..she would tell me about her life in Russia and ask me tons of questions about American culture...Anyway ...we have kept in touch spordically thru the last few years since she went back home...she even called back in April...when she heard of the Va Tech shootings...as she knew one of my daughters attended there....it was soo good to talk to her...and she was soooo excited to be talking to me...it was cute...LOL......

soooo yesterday a package came out of the blue from Russia....oh how exciting...you had to be here....I nearly did somersaults...LOL....my girls thought I was NUTS...LOL...I think it's the most exciting gift of the year!! so here's is all she sent....

These are small little leather boxes ...they had jewelry in them....necklaces and earings....I kept one set for myself and let the girls each have the other set...one took the earings and the other the necklace...

These are Russian Cigarettes....she sent them for Nate who used to smoke....he recently quit...Halleluia!! I hope this doesn't tempt him to start again...he took a few packages with him last night to 'give' to friends...they are kinda cool looking though....with the Russian packaging and all....

The 'water" bottle as she called it....is for Brad....I think this will go well with all of his Navy memorabilia.....LOL

And Most importantly Authentic Russian Vodka......last time she tried to send us some it didn't quite make it....LOL....I guess it slipped thru customs this time..LOL

also seen in the picture above..are two colorful boxes filled with Russian Chocolates and Candies....a set of Postcards showing Russian landmarks...a package of Russian playing cards...the Jewelry that came in the cute leather boxes...two little adress booklets....and a really pretty Shawl... because although I live in a 'southern state" it is raining sometimes and a shawl is necessary :)

WWCS!!!

I've been so bad about this whole Coffee Swap thing...not updating my blog and participating in the contest posts......I recieved a package though.....from my WWCS Pal.....look at all the loot she sent....WOW ....Thank YOU sooo much to the bestest Pal in the world!!!

Merry Christmas!

Here is Our Christmas Picture for this year....it took a while to get it as Rachel decided to go to SC( boyfriend) for a while before coming home for Winter Break.....

And one of Britt with Josh....Britt did NOT want to take these pics as it was late and she was 'tired' and wanted to go to bed...but it was the first chance I had to get a picture with all four of my kids.....LOL

Gone Missing Again

Sorry......I keep falling behind in my blogging.....there's been so much going on this winter.....and I ahve quite a few updates to make....where to start...well Britt performed as Shulie In her school's production of School House Rock , Jr. It was such an awesome show....and she really did a good job....she was so cute up there....unfortunately we weren't allowed to tape or take pictures during the show...but I have this one picture of her dressed up as Shulie with her boyfriend Josh ( as Tom)

I flew my mom up to attend the performance....we actually flew her in a few weeks earlier so she could spend Thanksgiving with us as well...Thanksgiving was really nice...my Mom was with us..Rachel was home from College....and Josh had dinner with us as well...as his father was Deployed and his mother was in Tennesee with his Grandfather who is very ill...My Mother was here for 3 weeks which is the main reason I've been MIA...I really couldn't get online much with her here.....I will be flying her back in May so that she can see Britt's performance in The Sound of Music.....as MARIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!! She got the part of Maria....she is sooooooo excited....although looking at her script it is quite daunting.....pages on pages of songs and dialogue..LOL.....it's going to be AWESOME!! I am soooo proud of her......

In other news...it looks like we've made the decision to move up to Wisonsin! We've already had a realtor in....we plan to put our house on the market in April...Brad is already starting to make it 'sale' worthy....the white paint has been bought...I told him he better be SURE if he's painting my colorful walls white.....because once that white paint goes up I'm moving!! Whether it's to a house in WI or just another house here....we've been looking online and already have found a few homes we LOVE.....it's all so exciting!!! We figure if we sell our home here we could afford to buy a simlar home up there but with way more land....and still have money left over....Brad could retire/ retire....and not have to work again...we should be able to live off his Military Retirement if we don't have a mortgage to pay for....I'm not sure I can handle having him underfoot 24/7...but I really would like him to have the freedom to only 'work' if and when he wants...or just not 'work' if he wants...