Take My Stuff

Hey all of you Locals--I'm having a garage sale.

Doesn't that sound like a fun way to spend Labor Day weekend!

Friday, September 4, 9-2

Saturday, September 5, 8-2

Here's a little preview:

• Daybed
• Twin mattress
• Trundle
• Full Mattress
• Small Desk
• Collectible Doll House
• Miniature furniture kits
• China (16 place-setting)
• Framed Art
• Crystal bowls
• Teacups
• Holiday Decor
• Books
• Booster Seat
• Baby Gates
• Doll Dresser
• Bed Spreads
• Curtains
• Small Electrics
• Lamps
• CD Racks
• Beanie Babies
• Puzzles and Games
• Fluorescent Light
• Creative Memories
• Scooter
• Laptop Bag
• Rugs
• Stereo Speakers
• Hiking Packs
• Computer mouse and keyboard
• Sprint Cell Phones
• School-age misc.
• Boys size 14
• Girls size 16
• Fabric Remnants
• Tons of Miscellaneous!

Update on 112 Things

Update since I made this list 7 months ago. Hey, I'm doing better than I thought!


1. Take a camera/photography class.2. Take tennis lessons. 3. Catch up on my scrapbooks. 4. Lose 7 pounds. 5. Learn how to make pierogi from my Grandma Hattie. 6. Paint dining room table and chairs. 7. Recover dining room chairs. 8. Make a bag out of a t-shirt. 9. Go dancing with Kevin. 10. Start planning a trip to England. 11. Move to a smaller house. 12. Write poetry. 13. Sew buttons on my red coat. 14. Learn how to use my photo software. 15. Get all of our home videos onto DVD. 16. Repaint the living room. 17. Repaint the dining room. 18. Get a reliable vehicle. 19. Take a refresher ballroom dance class. 20. Stop drinking pop. 21. Host a home Bible study. 22. Take a writing class. 23. Get my varicose veins removed. 24. Go to a wine-tasting class. 25. Spend Christmas with just the four in our family. 26. Get a new mattress. 27. Say more positive words than negative ones. 28. Call Pampered Chef about my cracked (for no reason) stone. 29. Go to a fondue party (invite me!). 30. Have a reunion with my high school girl friends. 31. Get a new mailbox. 32. Go on a family vacation. 33. Get another piercing. 34. Learn Pilates. 35. Be unselfish with my time. 36. Act in a play. 37. Remake Nikki's mother's bracelet. 38. Get better at rollerblading. 39. Go downhill skiing. 40. Wear a swimsuit unashamedly. 41. Say I'm sorry more. 42. Start studying French. 43. Love like Jesus, a lot. 44. Dance in church. 45. Go on a weekend trip with Mackenzie. 46. Help rescue someone. 47. Read A Midsummer's Night Dream 48. Go to England. 49. Go on several weekend trips with Kevin. 50. Sit and do nothing sometimes. 51. Find a new friend. 52. Let my hair go gray (just kidding). 53. Rest one day a week. 54. Send regular letters to the kids we sponsor. 55. See Kevin learn to play guitar. 56. Reconnect with my college roommate. 57. Stop drinking coffee daily. 58. Eat more fruits and vegetables. 59. Give grace to people. 60. Give a really generous gift. 61. Read Anna Karenina 62. Throw a graduation party for Kevin. 63. Make a plate to match the one I made at Color Me Mine. 64. Get my sofas cleaned by a professional. 65. Take a class on web-design. 66. Rubberstamp more cards. 67. Go to bed earlier. 68. Get rid of my teacup collection. 69. Get a new bread machine (ours broke). 70. Host a backyard Bible club for kids. 71. Change cell-phone company. 72. Buy Isaak a keytar (Isaak wrote this one in while I was out of the room). 73. Try one new recipe a month. 74. Grocery shop only once a week. 75. Get back to learning Latin with the kids. 76. Get sunglasses. 77. Type up our movie collection, which isn't big. 78. Type up our game collection. 79. Greet Kevin when he comes home from work. 80. Throw out Rubbermaid that's missing lids. 81. Buy less at Christmas. 82. Send Easter cards. 83. Figure out what I'm going to do when my kids graduate from high school. 84. Take better care of my skin. 85. Go to a hermitage again. 86. Drink more water. 87. Look through all of the photo albums as a family night. 88. Pray as a family each night before bed. 89. Give more hugs. 90. Learn to text. 91. Brag on Jesus. 92. Ask people questions about themselves more. 93. Have weekly dates with my husband. 94. Start a game club. 95. Get more bookshelves. 96. Meditate on Scripture. 97. Forgive. 98. Take naps. 99. Listen. 100. Put the kids in charge of a meal each week. 101. Make a bag out of placemats. 102. Put myself in other people's shoes. 103. Pray for my enemies. 104. Smile at strangers. 105. Throw away old Christmas cards. 106. Get the piano tuned. 107. Go on monthly dates with Mackenzie and Isaak. 108. Let people know what I appreciate about them. 109. Surprise someone. 110. Start writing a memoir. 111. Keep my underwear and sock drawer organized. 112. Pray as easily as I breathe.

Show Me Your Glory

I was painting the other day and had my Ipod on shuffle--that's hundreds of random songs on shuffle. Third Day's song "Show Me Your Glory" played and then the very next song to play was the live version of the same song from a different album. I thought, "Hmm. Better pay attention."

Here are the words:

I caught a glimpse of Your splendor
In the corner of my eye
The most beautiful thing I've ever seen
And it was like a flash of lightning
Reflected off the sky
And I know I'll never be the same

Show me Your glory
Send down Your presence
I want to see Your face
Show me Your glory
Majesty shines about You
I can't on without You, Lord

When I climb down the mountain
And get back to my life
I won't settle for ordinary things
I'm gonna follow You forever
And for all of my days
I won't rest 'til I see You again

Show me Your glory
Show me Your glory
I can't live without You

First of all, the passion that they sing with--whenever Third Day sings, I sense the Spirit of God. The words to many of their songs are often very simple, but there's something.

In this song: I caught a glimpse of your splendor in the corner of my eye--that's all we can handle from God--a glimpse in the corner of the eye! And he says I'll never be the same. And once you've seen that or really experienced the majesty of God, the bigness, the awesomeness, you will never be the same, you will say, I can't go on without you, Lord!

What also really struck me is that he says, When I climb down the mountain (come down from this high of meeting with you) I won't settle for ordinary things and I won't rest 'til I see you again. Again. You don't say that unless you've met God. When someone says they can't rest until they see God again--that's the truth. It fills me with emotion. Show Me Your Glory is a love song. There are a lot of great songs out there about God or about what we need from God, but not a lot of love songs.

I think I love Third Day best because so many of their songs remind me, kindle my love for God my Father, my Rescuer. I love their honesty.

More Shelf Makeovers

See the cabinet on the left. I got it a rummage sale fourteen years ago for $25. It's been used for a lot of different things over the years. First, I stored the kids baby clothes in it. Later I used it for storing Creative Memories supplies for my business. For the last six years it's been a storage cabinet for videos and DVDs.

This month I bought two cans of black flat spray painted and went to town. I didn't prime it--just sprayed. And voilà--in less than an hour it had a new look. And I had flecks of spray paint all over my body. By the way, I didn't wear a face mask when I spray painted my hanging shelf, and for about two weeks I had a crazy cough and felt strange in my chest. I think that stuff is pretty dangerous, even using it outside.

I like it!

Here's a another shelf I bought fourteen years ago at an estate auction for $10. I used no-sand on it, primed it and then spray painted it black. After that I painted it (with a brush) dark red so that the black shows through and then sprayed it with shellac. The thing remained sticky for days!

I don't love it, but I'm too worn out to care. It was either put it on the wall or throw it away.

Recipe for the Non-Gourmet: Chicken & Broccoli Braid

Chicken & Broccoli Braid from the cookbook The Pampered Chef Main Dishes

Here's a recipe I don't make that often. I'm not sure why because it's delicious and only slightly putzy to make, with twisting the dough to braid.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded ( 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 tsp. dried dill weed
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 packages (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tbl. slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix up the chicken, broccoli, red pepper, and garlic.
2. Mix in the cheese. Add mayo, dill, and salt.
3. Unroll 1 package of crescent dough; don't separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of rectangle stone/whatever you're cooking it on. Repeat with remaining package of dough. Roll dough with a pizza roller to seal perforations. On longest side of baking stone, cut dough into strips 1 1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep with a knife. (There will be 6 inches in the center for filling).
4. Spread filling evenly over middle of dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid.
5. Brush egg white over dough using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cut and serve!

Game Review: Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is a favorite at our house. Here's the description from BoardGameGeek:

With elegantly simple gameplay, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn. Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.

"The rules are simple enough to write on a train ticket – each turn you either draw more cards, claim a route, or get additional Destination Tickets," says Ticket to Ride author, Alan R. Moon. "The tension comes from being forced to balance greed – adding more cards to your hand, and fear – losing a critical route to a competitor."

Ticket to Ride continues in the tradition of Days of Wonder's big format board games featuring high-quality illustrations and components including: an oversize board map of North America, 225 custom-molded train cars, 144 illustrated cards, and wooden scoring markers.
Since its introduction and numerous subsequent awards, Ticket to Ride has become the BoardGameGeek epitome of a "gateway game" -- simple enough to be taught in a few minutes, and with enough action and tension to keep new players involved and in the game for the duration.

My Take: Why do I like this game? I think because it's simple and goal-oriented. You have very specific goals--to get the colors of cards to lay down your trains to complete the routes you have on the cards in your hand. Simple. The tension--a bit too much for me sometimes--racing to get a route before someone else does and the frustration when I can't get the color cards I need! One of the drawbacks to this game is that players are so engaged with their cards and routes that they don't engage with each other--it's a very focused game in that way.

I love playing Ticket to Ride Online because the computer shuffles and deals the cards, and it goes so fast! I can play with people all over the world, which is cool, too. Kevin and I have even played it online while in the same house together! Sounds stupid, doesn't it? But we each get on a computer, don't have to set up the game--quick and fun! We can also play when he's out of town for work, and he takes the laptop. We can chat/instant message on the board-game screen, too. You can choose to make a game private, which is nice.

Any questions? Let me know!

Metal Tree Branch

It may look bizarre, but I like it! I got this metal tree branch at The Mouse. When I brought it home, Kevin said, "Well, I trust you." I think Mackenzie said, "That's kind of weird." Isaak asked last night (after a week of it being on the wall), "What's with the tree branch?"

It's unique. And I've decided that I'm not going to worry whether other people have the same taste as me. Isn't it nice to surround ourselves with things and people we enjoy?

The branch came with little hooks, so that I can hang things from it.
Some ideas I have so far:

• ornaments at Christmas
• little notes of thanks at Thanksgiving
• a sock drier

O.K. I really don't have many ideas. I welcome your suggestions, ideas, and unique possibilities!

Sewing Curtains vs. Hemming Pants

Well, I shrunk my curtains in the process of redecorating and cleaning my kitchen. I learned a lesson the hard way: always pre-shrink your fabric before sewing. So, the awnings I had made for my windows had to go. Here are some pictures of the old look of my kitchen and the kicker, which I think this is a very bad sign: I MISS IT! I miss my warm yellow walls!

Here are some pictures of the new awnings. The colors are very cute--more versatile than the last fabric.

The green paint is pretty, but not so warm.

I think yellow is my new favorite paint color. This week I'm planning to paint the upstairs spare bedroom yellow, nice and warm. It's called Warm Welcome!

And as for hemming pants--Kevin had to get new pants for work--government-issue, ugly things. After procrastinating all week, I finally hemmed them today. It only took a 1/2 hour, and it was pretty easy. Hemming vs. curtains. I'm starting to think I really don't enjoy sewing much--I just love finished projects

I was terrified I was going to ruin his pants. After cutting off 8 inches and hemming them, I started to panic. I thought, "His legs can't be this short!" But his legs actually are really short, and they turned out great!

ARTigras and the Bird as Bard

This morning, Mackenzie, Clare and I headed downtown for Rochester's ARTigras. We were hoping to hear some music and maybe see a ballroom dance presentation. Hmmm. Well . . . we got downtown and realized that there was also a city marathon going on. We paid for special-event parking (when we could have just parked for free in the ramp), and then headed for the ballroom dance event. It wasn't exactly what we were expecting. (Clearing throat, here)--there were three couples ballroom dancing in their street clothes and they had all-of-two observers. I guess the city of Rochester wasn't informed about ARTigras. We decided to head back to ARTists village in the park behind the Civic Center. There were about 30 tents/booths set up with local artists selling jewelry, pottery, paintings, all kinds of hand-crafted items. But there weren't a whole lot of shoppers.

I feel sorry for artists. They spend hours and energy creating, but in the long run, often I think it's the act of creating the art is the reward, and unfortunately not many will appreciate the finished product. I felt bad skipping past booths. Perhaps out of pity, I made a purchase at a jewelry booth, a gift for Kevin's mom for her birthday.

One happy discovery we made was the goose outside of the public library. Bird as Bard, Shakespeare themed. Apparently the Rochester Arts Council is sponsoring The Goose is Loose. Since Rochester is famous for its overabundant population of geese, they're having a fun contest. Artists have painted the statues of geese and we can go see all of them and then pay to vote for our favorite online. Well, I don't have to see any more. My favorite is the Bird as Bard! Up in Brainerd where my sister lives they did this last year with Paul Bunyan's ox, Babe. Pretty cool.

I love to feel like I'm part of a community--go to the parades, the festivals, local theatre, all that kind of thing. But it seems like in a city as big as Rochester, we have too many choices. And so people, including me, don't show up for a lot of things. That's kind of sad isn't it? When we lived in Dayton when Kevin was in the Air Force, we spent five years there acting like tourists--we went to EVERYTHING, and that was a lot of fun! Maybe we need to pretend we're tourists here at home.

Next Friday night is the last night of the summer for The Movie at the Barn. They're playing The King and I. Maybe we'll go. Hey, maybe we can all go! Bring your lawn chairs and popcorn!


Kenzie, Clare, and I did have a very nice morning out with gorgeous weather and a pleasant time visiting with the locals and seeing the passion they have for the arts. Bummer--I just realized we missed the storyteller at the amphitheatre this afternoon!

The Geekiest Woman

A few months ago our friend John said to me, "You're the geekiest woman I know." I think he meant it as a compliment. And I took it as one.

Partly he said it because I had just gotten an iPhone, and I love techy stuff--learning how to use gadgets. But I think he was adding that to my obsession with board games. And not just any ordinary American party board games--but lesser known games played by "gamers." The kind designed and created by Europeans, usually.

It's a bit embarrassing, in a way. I just want to play games! Is it a form of escape? At least it's social, unlike my obsession with reading books.

I installed the app for BoardGameGeek on my iPhone today and catalogued all of our games on it. And it was so satisfying! Not only that, any time we play a game that we own, I can push a button and record that we played it. Aaaaand, I can keep my game wish-list on it! I think this is fun?!

I just found out about a gamers' convention that's taking place in Rochester the last weekend of September. And I really want to go! But I have this fear that I'm going to walk into this room of guys who are all . . . I don't know . . . collectors of comic books and painters of miniature gaming pieces. And they'll look at me and think, "What are YOU doing here?" And I'm afraid I'll be crushed in my favorite games--Agricola, Carcassonne, and Ticket to Ride! But there's the other part of me that says, "That's where I belong." Wanna go with me?

Oh no--I'm supposed to be hemming Kevin's uniform pants and I'm procrastinating! I'd rather play a game! I'm a geeky woman. But don't let anyone know. Shh. It's a secret.

Bargain Makeovers

One of the many excuses that has kept me from blogging this summer includes repainting and giving our main floor a makeover. A few of my projects involved some very fun bargain pieces from Savers!

This little drawer shelf looked pretty homely in the knick-knack area at Savers. In fact, I noticed it for $8 and said, "No way." But after going to The Mouse the next day and seeing similar items for $40 and more--I ran back to Savers.
I have stashes of paint, so this project was super-inexpensive. I just rubbed a bit of candle wax along the edges first. After the paint dried I took some sandpaper and rubbed at the edges. The wax gave way and voila--a distressed look!

Another bargain at Savers for $7! Once again, pretty homely.

This time I puchased some flat-black spray paint, but did the wax trick again. Unfortunately I finished it with some shellac, which gave it a shiny look. Boo! Hoo! I had to repaint it. I purchased the cute little knobs from Hobby Lobby at 50% off and the overall project only cost about $18! And the plates I wanted to use on that wall fit perfectly on the shelf, which actually had the crevice for plates!

Bella

Today has been a good day. A fine day. Nothing spectacular. Nothing "wow." It's that I've felt moments today, lived. I went outside to get the mail and I realized that the sun shines. It feels so good. I felt--I noticed--my legs moving. I cut an apple and ate it slowly, just noticing the sound and the taste. Yet, so much of my life, nearly every moment is lost to me. I'm so busy planning the next thing, the next errand, the next week, the next meal, the next, the next.

Today at the book mobile I picked up a movie I'd never heard of before called Bella. I watched it while walking on the treadmill this afternoon. There was something about this movie that just fit so perfectly with my day. There was nothing really very unique about the characters, nothing poetic in their speech--just ordinary people experiencing pain and real life conflict with others. And it was quietly beautiful. I think we watch so many movies with exaggerated drama and bizarre or violent behavior that it's quite unusual to step into a story where humans LOVE other humans. Real life pain and conflict and forgiveness and love make the best stories.

God is after me right now in a new way. It's been this way all week. In the moments where I've been able to take a look, rest my weary mind, and look out and not in, that I've felt overwhelmed by how much I've been missing for a long time, years even. I think this is what REST feels like.

And then I get scared of what I know is coming--the running around, taking the kids to their sports and their lessons and starting school at home. I so desperately want rest--in my mind. In my body. I know it's possible even with day-t0-day routines, but I'm just not good at cultivating it. And I also know it's what I need to really live. Because what I've been doing isn't living. It's been more like surviving.

The Land of Seuss!

Last night I saw the dress rehearsal of Seussical, and it was AWESOME! I've never really been a Dr. Seuss fan (gasp!), but this show is so fun. I felt like I'd stepped into one of the books. Check it out--Seussical.

Seussical

Play Synopsis:
In cooperation with the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc. through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature. Come join The Cat in the Hat, Horton, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie LaBird, and some of your other favorite Seuss characters in the Jungle of Nool. Fanciful costumes and a delightful musical score make this a wonderful show for the entire family.

Performance Details:
July 23, 7pm ,July 24, 7pm , July 25, 2pm and 7pm
Ticket prices $12 adult, $7 student

Performances at Century High School

For tickets call (507) 216-6431 or E-Mail.

Click for More Information

Hey Everyone! Mackenzie, Isaak, and Susi are in Seussical this coming weekend! I know that the prices may seem a bit steep for your family--if you want to come and you just can't justify the money (or you would come, but won't because of the money), please give me a call and we'll work a deal. We want you there no matter what! And we definitely want your children to experience Seussical--they'll love it!

Writer's Pile-Up

I don't think I have writer's block. I think it's called writer's pile-up. I have thought overload. And sometimes when that happens I can't choose what to focus on. And that's part of the reason I've been gone. There are other reasons, too.

1. Could I bore you? Yes, I think I could. If I wrote about all the activities that have occupied my time in the past two weeks. Like researching home school curricula for next year, working with my kids' theatre/acting group, dentist appointments, uploading hundreds of pictures to Sam's Club for a photo album for Susi, attending graduation open houses, and such.
2. I've been scrapbooking. Definition of SCRAPBOOKING: verb. Standing (or sitting) for hours cutting up pictures, arranging them on a page with colorful papers ten different ways before sticking them on, trying to come up with something memorable, witty, or somewhat accurate to write that somehow conveys the importance of such photo-memories like Easter-egg coloring for the 100th year-in-a-row. And after finishing a page that includes 4 pictures (out of a pile of 317) that took 68 minutes to complete, you may step back to admire it or simply think, "That's ugly." What I've accomplished in this area in a week: 120 pages of pictures all journaled. And a sore back.
3. Reading books. I just finished two books for just me: Jewel and Persuasion. I'm reading Run to discuss with my book club. I'm reading The Battlefield of the Mind to discuss with three friends (we've been conversing by leaving comments on each other's blogs for about a year and decided to have conversations "in real life"). I'm reading Murder at Hazelmoor by Agatha Christie to my family each night before bed, and by-the-by, it's one of the least enjoyable Christie books I've ever read. Thinking about writing book reviews, but not.
4. I've been watching MASH episodes from Netflix with my family. It's a great opportunity to point out what marital infidelity looks like.
5. Talking for hours about moving to a different house in town. Kevin is waiting for me to say yes.
6. Praying.

Note: All sentence fragments were deliberate.

American Idol Winner 2009

It's over. Kris Allen is the winner of American Idol!

Well, here's the truth. I voted for Kris.

I think Adam is amazing, and he deserved to win, too. But of course, it comes down to preference. I know I'll buy Kris's album.

There is no doubt that Adam will make and sell his music. He has a career in music now.

When it comes to American Idol, just as in "real life," we like the Story--the story of the individual. And we like the idea of the "underdog" coming out on top. The fact that Adam seemed to be such a natural performer, that it seemed like American Idol was simply one step in his inevitable career, made it easier to perceive all the other contestants as underdogs, including Kris. We love that when Kris was announced winner, he looked shocked, almost embarrassed. We like it that he says, "Adam deserved this." We like a surprising journey. Perhaps that's why (with both of them being incredibly talented) Kris won.

Or maybe it's that America really does prefer the "guy next door" over "guy-liner"?