Choices

I'm going to bring up the kitchen again. I'm very tired of talking about it, but it is still a work in progress. I have had to make so many choices that my brain hurts! Lowe's is coming Jan. 6 to rip out Diamond-damaged cabinets and install replacements, and to finish all the little details that were left undone. This is supposed to be the last time. After this, it's all on Conrad. We still have to choose flooring (we've moved on from lovely cork to durable tile), backsplash (I am seriously leaning toward white subway tile--simple) and we need some sort of light for over the kitchen island. Also, when we planned this kitchen, we did not plan for a spot for our trash can! So it is in the way, against my John Boos kitchen work island that I must sell, because it's too big and in the middle of the kitchen. I love it and we constantly use it, so felt very ambivalent about putting it on Craigslist, and was partly relieved when the people that contacted me never showed up (typical Craislist!).

How To Stay Warm In Florida

The day-after-Christmas was a big cleanup day here at home and finding places for brand new gifts. A lot of people take advantage of sales, but that has never interested me since I don't need anything and don't like crowds. The day also became very windy and cold. My husband is always hot and I'm always cold, so we play a sort of tug o' war with the thermostat. For Christmas he bought me leg warmers and a foot heating pad for the bed. I put flannel sheets on the bed. My bedroom was Christmas Storing, Staging and Wrapping Area, so my happiest accomplishment was clearing off the treadmill. It feels great to get back on it and walk off some Christmas leftovers, and as this cold weather has continued, I've also discovered that when I'm chilly, a walk on the treadmill warms me right up--without touching the thermostat.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate

Peanut butter and chocolate is a scary-delicious combination. I rarely combine them because I don't want to test my willpower. Christmas was an exception. I mean, if there's ever an occasion for treats you shouldn't eat, Christmas is it! Thankfully, my son made Buckeyes recently and followed the recipe diligently, but they were so soft and gooey that they looked like mini cow pies. They must have tasted terrific though, because they disappeared. I thought the problem must have been our peanut butter, which is natural organic and very runny. I found a Smart Balance chunky peanut butter and decided to see how that worked. I couldn't find a recipe I was totally happy with--other recipes ask for a lot of powdered sugar and butter and omit the graham cracker, but I prefer the texture with it. So I used 2 cups peanut butter, 1 cup graham cracker crumbs and 2 cups powdered sugar. I had to mix it in my food processor because it got very stiff. Then I made small balls and put them in a wax paper-lined container and refrigerated them for an hour, then I dipped them in melted chocolate chips and put them back in the refrigerator. WOW! I highly recommend these! And if you're afraid of eating too many, this recipe can be cut in half:)

Go Truffles!

A few people think vegetarians are weird and bizarre hippies, but I was just raised that way. The thought of eating a dead animal turns my stomach, so I don't. I like to eat organic and am usually vegan, but I try not to stress about food. I've seen a lot of people become fanatical about food, and I refuse to do that. Just trying to keep it in perspective. Life is for living.

My wonderful husband (who is an omnivore like a bear) gave me truffle oil for Christmas. Tonight I made eggplant parmesan and had my first truffle taste. It smelled rather different and strong, almost musky or smokey, so I wasn't sure if I would like it or not. My 12 year old son had never been brave enough to try eggplant, but his truffle curiosity made him throw caution to the wind. We all agree. The verdict is: divine!

I'm Dreaming of a Warm Christmas

Christmas morning, it was still dark, but I woke up and flew out of bed almost at the same moment so I could get fill up the eight stockings before Jake got up. He came out about half an hour later, and we all opened our stockings (including the dog). We packed up the other four boys' stockings to take to them. We opened our gifts under the tree, and finally got ready for church.

Church was such a blessing! Everyone was dressed beautifully and was so friendly and loving. A couple of friends gave me gifts! There was a lot of beautiful music, and I was in the audience and able to just sit with the family, relax, and enjoy. I usually like to saunter out of church, talking and hugging friends as I slowly wind my way through the crowd; but Conrad rushed and nagged me until I finally got into the car. Then we rushed home and scrambled to get all the presents and food packed.

We all converged on my parents for Christmas lunch. My family is vegetarian, so I spent Christmas Eve happily puttering about the kitchen, and we contributed green bean casserole (reheated so the fried onions would get nice and crunchy), yellow squash casserole (Conrad suddenly loves squash), pumpkin cranberry bread, dill bread, sugar cookies, buckeyes and supplies for our family's favorite hot spicy fruit drink, wassail. My mom bought a vegetarian roast and made mashed potatoes and gravy, toasted french bread, a corn dish, and lots of pies! Wow, we were all stuffed. Our boys were going on to another meal--Brandon and Brent were going to their dad's for supper and Juddy and Josh were going home for supper (made by Juddy's girlfriend Annie) with Annie's mom and aunt.

Today---the day-after Christmas---we did a ton of laundry and I cleaned up. We are enjoying our Christmas gifts. I have to send one back. For the first time ever, Jacob and I made homemade pretzels. They were a lot of fun and delicious!

Christmas Anticipation!

This past week was the beginning of the end of 2010...last homeschool co-op for the year (fun Christmas party, by the way!), last homeschool park day (perfect sunshiny warm weather for our annual gingerbread house decorating!), last piano lesson with a student whom I've had for six years (sniff, sniff!), and last rehearsal before our church choir's Christmas cantata, which was performed at Titusville and Cocoa churches. They did an awesome job for a little choir! God was with us. We are participating in a friend's Christmas program for Parrish Hospital on Monday, and Conrad and Jacob have band rehearsal in the afternoon and performance that night. I'm so excited! Conrad's first performance since he took up trombone in August! Jacob will be first trumpet. His trumpet teacher has brought him a long ways!

For my family, Christmas is not about the gifts...although we do like to give and to receive...I just love being together with my wonderful family, whatever the excuse.

Winter in Florida

I can't believe 2010 is almost over. This year just flew by. There is snow up north and frost here in Florida. Our heat hasn't stopped all morning.

Today I am officially middle aged. I don't feel different, but I am glad I don't have to look at myself. Aside from the getting older part, I feel so loved on my birthday. We had a party with my parents and the boys Sunday night. My mom made one of my favorites, taco salad, and my parents gave me a sweet card and gifts. Josh's card was so touching. Brandon and Brent gave me candles that smell so good I want to eat them. I also got a 2011 calendar, which I needed. I've already scribbled all over it.

Conrad saved his gift to me for my actual birthday, and I couldn't wait to open it. He gave me a laptop! I'm getting used to it. I'll appreciate not having to wait for someone to get off the computer! The hard part has been trying to figure out my passwords (uh oh!).

Jacob doesn't feel well today; surprisingly, it's not allergies. I think he has the stomach flu, poor thing, so no school today.

The month of November was hectic and rewarding. I had a piano recital, and although nine people could not attend, it was a lot of fun and I'm glad we did it, even if we were a small group. The kids were awesome! The following weekend my son's violin teacher had a recital. I was accompanying a student, so I was nervous, but it turned out to be enjoyable. One of Jacob's friends, also my piano student, was in the recital. He surprised and impressed me by playing his cello so well! Afterward, we went to eat with them and played at the park until dark. Brandon and Brent's dad showed up with his family and they went to Olive Garden together. Brent's performance was AMAZING! He chose a tough piece and blew me---all of us---away! Wow! My wonderful parents came to both my recital and Brent's. They are so supportive and I really appreciate them.

Brandon and Brent are taking final exams this week, so I'm praying continually for them. They just rented an apartment across from their college so they won't have that long drive every day. They lived with my parents this semester. It was nice knowing my parents could ask the boys for help if they needed it. Brent quit violin lessons, which is so sad. I guess he's been taking lessons for about 9 years now and wants to focus on college. When I quit piano lessons, I stayed motivated and challenged by playing for church and the choir, and I hope Brent finds something that motivates him and keeps him playing.

I need to get ready for Christmas! I hope to get the tree up today. We have a few performances this month through our church, band, a friend's program for a local hospital, and our homeschool group.

We went to Cracker Christmas. I enjoy walking around outside under the huge moss laden oak trees in the beautiful brisk, sunshiny weather. I love to browse the homemade crafts and eat fresh hot salty-sweet kettle corn. We wandered around the pioneer area where blacksmiths were heating iron until it was red hot, and hammering it into shapes, like tools and potracks. People dressed like pioneers from 1800's were making soap and rope. Jacob chewed sugar cane while we watched them make cane syrup.

Our church had a Christmas party. The food was delicious, and the brilliant planner had a huge slide outside for the kids so the adults could stay inside and talk where it was quiet and warm. There were so many friends I wanted to talk to that I ran out of time.

October

The fall weather has been a big surprise! We Floridians are soaking it up, turning off the air conditioning and letting the breezes flow through the house, and spending as much time outside in the sunny coolness as we can.

I'm trying to plan a piano recital. It's a big hassle trying to get everyone together on one date and then I have to get a location. Conrad said, "Why don't you just have one at 12:00 at the co-op?" That's our Thursday homeschool classes we're involved in, and I teach 7 homeschoolers that day. Add Jake and my other homeschool students, and we would have quite a crowd. The only down side is it would eliminate all the regular school kids, so I think I will continue to plan a regular recital, and keep a co-op recital in mind for Christmas and spring.

I think we're adjusting to homeschooling with the addition of Jacob's homework for his three co-op classes along with band music and trumpet lessons. He gets very stressed and is in puberty. Poor kid.

The kitchen is still a work in progress, but it is completely functional. Lowe's came over Friday and made a list of things they have to order and install. We're waiting for them to be done before Conrad installs tile backsplash and tile floor. I was surprised that I wasn't thrilled to have my kitchen installed, but I just felt numb. It took a day alone at home, cleaning up the REST of the house, for me to start feeling happy about it, and it's been a growing feeling of peace and appreciation as I've started to use it.

Getting Back To Normal

Counters were put in this week! I was looking forward to having a kitchen sink. Who knew it would turn out to be 3 days' work for poor Conrad. The new faucet was defective; when the counter installers pushed the dishwasher back, they disconnected a hose; our old disposal didn't work and had to be replaced, and there was leakage from the pipes. Let's just say water gushed from every imaginable spot. Conrad worked on it Tues. and Wed., which was his birthday. He finally took a break for supper, and the 4 older boys came home so the whole family was together for Chinese takeout birthday dinner. It was really nice. The sink still leaks a little occasionally, but it's usable. The new sink is so deep that I feel like I'm reaching into a hole!

I spent a lot of time sorting through things, getting rid massive amounts of stuff, putting things away and cleaning drywall dust off everything. It's slow progress, but even baby steps toward cleanliness and order lift my spirits! I don't know what to do with Conrad's clutter, and there's a lot of it.

Jacob's schooling has been hectic! By the time I can relax in the evening, I'm exhausted. He is doing a lot of great things though. He is loving his dad's marine science homeschool high school co-op class. Conrad spends many hours preparing and trying to make it as interesting and hands-on as possible. They had a field trip Friday at the river. I missed out on the sunshine, fresh air and chatting with my friends, because I knew I needed a day at home alone, cleaning up, more. "I'm a strange person," I thought to myself.

It's the end of "CMT Awareness Week". I had grand plans to post a CMT fact on Facebook every day, but after posting twice, couldn't think of anything else to say! Unbelievable. I'm actually not that comfortable talking about it either. Anyway, if all 200 of my friends actually read what I posted, then they know more now than they did before. Small comfort. My CMT is affecting me personally with my right foot drop and hands, especially my right hand. My hands are becoming paralyzed and it's really hard to play the piano if I have to reach up to the black notes with paralyzed fingers! That is a little depressing. Stairs have been hard for me for years, and it seems like everything Jacob goes to require me to pull myself up stairs! I look at them with fear and trepidation, sigh, and switch all my stuff to my left side and pull up the rail with my right. It's slow and embarrassing, especially if I'm in a group of friends (which is almost always). I feel bad for whoever is trapped behind me too.

I'm happy with my life. I enjoy it thoroughly and am blessed with a loving family.

Kitchen Lights & Floors

Conrad removed the dusty, ugly 1980's chandelier that was reminiscent of a wagon wheel, but with less charm, and replaced it with these cool track lights. He worked really hard getting them up and they are gorgeous, but the result is a dark kitchen! We are so disappointed. I hope there is a way to make them work without having to take it all down and replace it with another chandelier. I don't know if our ceilings are so high that the light isn't reaching all the way down. I wonder if we need to reposition the lights, or the bulbs can be replaced with something brighter, or if we add more lights to the track that will give me the bright kitchen I want.

We went shopping for cork floors. Based on reviews, I like US Floors, but they only sell through dealers. Their cork was about $9/s.f. Very expensive. We found cork at Lumber Liquidators for about $3/s.f., but the sample they gave us was so soft that I could tear it and dent it with my fingernails. That's not going to work for me. I'm so sad to have to reconsider my dream of cushy cork floors, but need something durable. I guess Conrad can put the same tile in the kitchen that he's putting by the front and back doors, and I can buy squishy foam rugs for all the standing I do in front of the stove and sink.

What A Beautiful Kitchen!

Even though we only did school one day, it was such a busy week that by Saturday I was utterly exhausted and stayed home from church. Friday, I took Jacob and his friend to Kennedy Space Center. It was a lot of fun hanging out with friends, but it was so hot outside! I drank a lot of water but still got dehydrated. I had a migraine at one point and was quietly panicking because my vision blacked out, but it passed, thank God. I went grocery shopping on my way home, so was pretty tired after my long, hot day. I put a frozen pizza in the oven for the boys' supper. Conrad spent his morning guiding the person measuring our kitchen for counters, then he went for a long afternoon motorcycle ride and ate supper at a buffet place. When I got home, I saw a drawn line on the concrete to represent our counter for the bar. It was so small and disappointing, not what I had been envisioning all these months from the drawing. Conrad contacted the company to change the measurements and make the bar bigger, so hopefully that won't be an issue. If it is, I don't really care. I just want this remodel over and don't have much fight left anymore, lol.

I don't know if my CMT is responsible for how weak and tired I've been feeling, or if it's kitchen related stress. I try not to focus on CMT and just engage in life as much as possible, but feeling paralyzed definitely gets in the way!

I occasionally remember to take care of myself, and felt much better after getting half my hair chopped off last week, and I have an eye appointment this week.

This weekend at home was just what I needed. Our kitchen cabinets were installed over two days (there is still some minor work to do--toe kick, trim work, "skinning" the ends), so I felt peace and happiness after getting the rest of our house back in order and cleaning drywall dust off of everything. Our house doesn't feel so much like a construction zone anymore. I can't wait to take photos, because our ugly bare space has been turned into a warm, cozy kitchen. There's still quite a lot to do though. I'm waiting for Conrad to take down the plastic hanging down from the ceiling that is so annoying and ugly. He wants to spray additional popcorn onto the ceiling and he says it's time consuming and has toxic fumes. Conrad has to install the floor (but is waiting for the toe kicks to be installed), tile backsplash, put in track lighting, hook up the dishwasher and and our new faucet (once the counter and sink are in). Then I'll take pictures!

I love my Boos block kitchen island, and for now it is the only counter we have. It makes our kitchen a little crowded, but I'm not ready to get rid of it yet, so I'm trying to find out a new use for it. I'm also trying to figure out what to do with an antique table from Conrad's family, a red antique shelf from my family, the pot rack, and my huge bulletin board that used to be my message center and hold my calendar. My Goodwill stash keeps growing.

Half A Kitchen!

Half of our kitchen is in! I'd like to say we have fewer boxes, but as soon as the install crew emptied them, Jacob was running boxes to his room with plans for a fort running through his mind. He didn't get much school work done.

Conrad and I are so impressed with the Lowe's installation crew! They were very careful and thorough. They worked hard for an entire day, and are coming back Wed. to install the other half, then the granite people can measure and template the countertop. I am dreading living without a kitchen sink for clean up. The undermount sink is coming with the new counter. I am second guessing our counter choice--both color and material--but I'm trying to put my doubts out of my mind. We really agonized over this decision.

Lowe's has been so supportive of giving us the kitchen that we expected. I love the cabinets and we can't stop staring at the formerly empty hole now cozy and full. But we are not impressed with the company, Diamond. The color discrepancy between the sample and actual cabinets was so disappointing. The night we ordered, our Lowe's kitchen rep called Diamond, and they assured her that the cabinets would be "exactly like the sample." We were also told our re-order of black cabinet was a rush order, but that smaller order took longer than our initial order! Another issue is Diamond's use of particle board instead of plywood. It's true, the cabinets are "all wood" boxes stapled together, but everything else is particle board covered in thin colored paper. We picked out knobs and matching drawer pulls, but there aren't any drawer pulls; lots of knobs though! And the screws Diamond sent with the knobs are too long, so the crew drilled holes for knobs, but we don't actually have any knobs on the cabinets. For months we had a big empty hole where our kitchen was supposed to be, boxes crowding our house and all our kitchen supplies spread throughout the house. Mess everywhere, impossible to clean. Three months without a kitchen because of Diamond. It's been stressful. Looking at the kitchen and seeing cabinets, being able to put things away and clear away the disorder in our home has been a wonderful relief.

I expected our kitchen would be done before school started, but my new goal is that it will be done in time for Conrad's birthday (Sept. 22)and the holidays so we can have parties!

I'm Starting To Get Excited!

Our black kitchen cabinets were delivered last Friday, Aug. 27th! We started this project in June, and it's September, but we're moving forward again.

Lowe's wanted to install the kitchen this Thursday and Friday, but sadly we are teaching classes on Thursdays, so we scheduled for Sept. 14. Miraculously, the installer called back yesterday and said he might come over Thurs. after Conrad's class is over, but definitely would start this Friday at the latest, and finish up the following Wednesday. I am so thrilled and grateful! These boxes take up so much space that I can't wait for them to be where they belong--the kitchen! I look forward to filling the cabinets with dishes, pots, pans, silverware and other kitchen stuff that is spread throughout the rest of the house. I am so excited about my house getting back into order. I'll be able to breathe again. I'll be able to clean again! I'm reminding myself that installing the cabinets is only Step 1 (albeit a huge step in the right direction!). Then we have to be measured for countertops and wait for those. Conrad will be installing lights, backsplash, kitchen hood and vent, and the flooring, which we still have to choose and buy.

Jacob and I homeschooled Jacob's Algebra all last year and the beginning of this year, but I never liked it as much as Saxon, so I switched back. We started the Saxon Algebra 1/2, which has a lot of review of 5th and 6th grade math. I feel relieved to be back to the familiar Saxon. Homeschool is going great. Band started. Jacob's still playing trumpet and Conrad started trombone! My husband's such a cool guy.

We had our first "Homeschool Exchange" park day on Merritt Island last Friday. It was great! Weather was beautiful! So many field trips planned!

Our brand new "co-op" starts this week. These are the classes I referred to earlier. I have 6 new piano students! I'm going to be busy! Conrad will be teaching marine science. Jacob will take his dad's class as well as writing and photography. I hope it's fun. We are off to a busy, fun school year!

Who Needs A Kitchen Anyway?

Conrad ripped up the flooring in the kitchen yesterday, so now it's down to bare concrete. We are again debating...this time over whether to install floors before or after the cabinets are installed. I've googled that question, and apparently it's a personal opinion because I read pros and cons for both. We're concerned about putting our expensive new cabinets directly onto an area of the concrete that he discovered was damp under the laminate. We would really love cork flooring, so I'm reading up on that too. Tile is great, but we spend so much time standing at the sink and stove, and drop dishes all the time, so I'm leaning toward the more forgiving, squishy qualities of cork. Beautiful too. It's not as indestructible as tile, but tile chips and scratches anyway.

The older boys moved out last week and are living over the river with my parents. They have a big light, roomy space and hope that helps them study. They started working on their Bachelor's at a new college this week. It's nice they're around in the evenings to help their grandparents, and I think so far my parents enjoy their company. I wonder if our prolonged kitchen remodel had anything to do with them moving out?

We had a week of homeschool in our house mess, and once I cleared off half the dining room table so we could lay out the books, we were able to tune out our surroundings and concentrate on schoolwork. Piano lessons have continued as normal. We have a path to the piano and a path to the couch in the family room, and there haven't been any injuries or complaints from piano students and families, even those with little ones.

Jacob's friend is staying here a few days, so we're taking vacation already! It's been fun, and I thanked Conrad again for giving me this beautiful life where I could take the boys to the pool at 10 a.m. I thoroughly enjoy my "job" of homeschooling Jacob, but even my "job" of teaching piano is a joy, and many students are Jacob's friends, so they become weekly playdates (wait--he's 12 and says that word should not be used anymore). Okay, I mean they hang out.

Kitchen...School...

We started homeschool Monday. The table was full of kitchen stuff, but I needed some space for school. I was able to clear enough room for Jacob and I to work there. It was hard starting school with the kitchen still torn up and mess all over the house, but we're adjusting and today was a peaceful and productive day.

I am so excited, because Conrad ordered the countertop and bought a stove today! We have gotten a thorough education on countertops. Choosing a material and color was agonizing for me! So many wonderful choices! Besides that, we heard such horror stories about installation that we decided to find someone that uses a CNC machine to install our granite countertops. We were most impressed with a company in Orlando, and they gave us the best prices too. I asked Conrad to check out Appliance Direct, and he found a stainless steel stove and a black stove that he liked. He asked me which I preferred, and I told him I didn't care, so he got the black stove. The counters were $2,000 less than we found at Lowe's (and they had a limited selection), and our stove was $800 less than the stove we picked out at Lowe's. I feel like we spent so much of our budget on cabinets that I don't want to spend much more. It is so easy to spend thousands and thousands more than you plan on spending! We considered beautiful hammered copper stove hoods and a copper apron farmhouse sink, but I decided not to be so extravagant. We still need to choose lighting, backplashes, and flooring, and of course I'm drawn to all the most expensive options! Except for the countertop, it's been a lot of fun.

Granite or Quartz Countertop?

We drove to Orlando stone yards to look at quartz countertops, but we really couldn't see much because the big slabs are turned in to protect them from damage. That was disappointing. Everywhere we go, the stone companies seem annoyed by quartz and insist that it really isn't more durable than granite, and that everything I've read on the internet is put out by the quartz companies to sell their product. I'm so confused. I think granite is beautiful, and I can find it a lot cheaper than quartz. How do I know what is true?

Later that day...

Conrad called me and said that after examining our chocolate brown Diamond cabinets (and probably talking with the manufacturer), Lowe's agreed to order our cabinets in black at no extra charge to us. The kitchen project is moving forward again! I am so relieved. I may get a working kitchen yet this year!

I've also decided to start considering granite countertops. My friends with granite love it; my friends with quartz love it. So we'll see what we end up with. It will be a surprise (to me).

Kitchen Saga Continues

Since the Diamond "chocolate brown" cabinets were lighter than the sample (one also had a chip right on the front), Lowe's picked them up this morning. I don't know where we go from here. "Someone" from Lowe's is going to look at them and decide whether the sample and our cabinets match. I guess Lowe's isn't happy about taking them back, but in my opinion, it's all on the cabinet company. If we knew then what we know now, we would never have ordered Diamond. "All wood upgrade" means all the end panels are still particle board. Conrad is disgusted that the cabinets are stapled together. Our house is in chaos for who knows how much longer, and I'm teaching piano lessons everyday and we're starting homeschool soon. We're eating on the couch and I guess we'll be doing school on the couch too, since our table is holding kitchen items. I am somewhere between angry and depressed. The families that come for piano lessons are also getting a lesson in kitchen remodels.

Kitchen Remodel

The Lowes installer came over yesterday to look at the kitchen and check each box to make sure our order was complete. We love our cabinets (Whiskey Black Maple) and the glass pattern. But when he opened the box of "chocolate brown" my heart sank. They looked like a dark stain. Pretty--I actually have a couple pieces of furniture that color-- but not what I wanted, which was black. I was so disappointed. Conrad saw that, although we paid for the all-wood upgrade, the end panels are particle board! Their catalog states the upgrade is all-wood. He called the Diamond company and they weren't helpful. They simply don't make end panels in wood. Conrad was livid and ready to send it all back. Those end panels will be next to our dishwasher! Our Lowes rep promised to come over that evening to resolve this right away. She brought the samples with her, and we could see that our chocolate brown cabinet looked much different than the sample, although the cabinet company had assured us that the cabinets and sample are the same color. She promised to take all the chocolate cabinets back and re-order them in black, rush order. She also said that the installer would make our end panels out of wood, because Diamond would not (I still think that is bizarre). Conrad and I were both happy. She really went above and beyond to make us happy, and completely restored my faith in her.

Anniversary and Kitchen

Today is Thursday, so we're far enough into the week for me to safely say, "This week has been so much better than last week"! I feel normal now that I'm on Benadryl. I thought I caught Jacob's cold too, but after a couple Advil yesterday, felt great.

Monday, Jacob was fooling around with a friend and broke his front tooth. I was very upset. Tuesday, our dentist did a beautiful job repairing it. You'd never know, and Jacob looks like Jacob again.

Yesterday, Wednesday, was our 14th anniversary on the 14th! About 30 boxes of kitchen cabinets were delivered and now tower in our family room. Conrad said, "Happy anniversary!" The installer is taking a look at the kitchen next week, and will schedule installation after that.

We still haven't ordered counters. The numbers from Lowes just don't add up. I don't trust them anymore, because the prices keep going up, and they can't explain why. For instance, I wanted a couple of black cabinets. When we were ready to order, Lowes showed us a chocolate door. I had to prove to them from the manufacturer's book that they really do sell actual black cabinets. After hunting around, the black door was found. Oh, guess what? The black costs more than the brown. That makes no sense to me, black paint versus brown paint, but I went with the cheaper brown. Whatever. Not happy. I repeatedly asked for a turned leg (or two) for under the bar, and after ordering the cabinets, I got home and called to verify if it was ordered in black. Not only was it not ordered in black, but a fluted instead of turned leg was ordered. Wrong leg, wrong color. Of course the leg I wanted was $80 more, making it well over $300 for one leg. I decided to find the leg and paint myself and save $200. It was apparently too late to change the leg order (even though over the next two week I got subsequent e-mails from the company stating that they were starting work on our cabinets). Lowes are supposed to give us a refund. I'm curious to see if that happens, or if I have to pay some sort of restocking fee. We ordered the cabinets without getting a line item pricing, and I'm kicking myself for being so stupid. Lowes does pricing "points" instead of actual figures. I feel like we overpaid and trust is gone. Onto the countertop.

Here at home, Conrad has made great progress in the kitchen. Last week was all about the electricals and moving the phone. Now he's down to sanding where he puttied the new sheetrock together, and painting (although it will all eventually be covered by cabinets and backsplash).

For our anniversary, we had dinner at our favorite restaurant, Thai Paradise, while the boys gorged themselves on takeout pizza. Thai Paradise spoils me for every other restaurant. I got my usual, spicy green curry, and Conrad decided to branch out and try the spicy drunken noodles. He was thoughtful and ordered vegetarian so I could try some. It was delicious! It tasted like teriyaki. When he got the bill, Conrad said, "You're a cheap date!" I was being funny and responded, "And I'm easy too." But Conrad with his hearing problem said, "What?" I said it a little louder (but not really funny anymore), and he said "What?" so I yelled, "I SAID I'M EASY!" and then realized everyone heard me. So much for being funny. I'm going to start carrying pen and paper to communicate with him.

July 2010

Conrad is currently happy in his retirement because he's wrapped up in a project--renovating the kitchen. It seems complicated to me, because we're not just replacing the cabinets--that would be easy. He's changing everything about the kitchen. There's a lot of details to consider. He's moving the stove to a different wall, so he had to consider the proper outlet for that; he's moving the vent, all the light switches, putting in new overhead lights, under cabinet lights, outlets, moving the phone and dishwasher. He's been sawing and hacking away at the cabinets and walls every day (except Sabbath). We had short cabinets attached to drywall boxes, and he removed the boxes so our taller cabinets will fit, and had to sheetrock the areas. After covering our house with drywall dust mixed with whoknowswhat, he hung plastic all around the kitchen, which helped a lot. He's been removing the popcorn ceiling. I am allergic to something and developed a head to toe rash, then swelling, and all my joints ache. I finally got smart and took Benadryl and feel much better--still have fat sausage feet, so it hurts to walk-- but it was quite a miserable week stuck at home! I am impressed with Conrad's energy and organization. He has been so methodical! I feel useless and am looking forward to being able to use the kitchen again. The whole house is a mess, because everything that was in the kitchen is spread everywhere. Our cabinets are being delivered on our 14th anniversary, and we don't know where we're going to put them. After the kitchen cabinets are put in, Conrad will be putting in a tile backsplash and cork flooring. We still haven't ordered countertop. The counter I like is quartz and is $70/sf. I'm now considering cheaper countertop, because we've spent so much on cabinets, new appliances, lights, and haven't bought backsplash or floor. The prices at Lowes are outrageous.

Conrad has been taking Jacob and some friends to band camp every morning. It's been a wonderful opportunity for Jacob! I teach piano lessons during band camp on Monday and Tuesday, and I was going to take them Wednesday, but was too miserable to do much of anything because of this annoying allergy. I was just a useless, swollen, achy, painful lump. I look forward to a better week!

A Quiet Sunday

I got up before 7 a.m. and was so excited about picking Jacob up from camp. I woke Conrad up and we were on our way when I got a call that a friend will bring him home, so we turned around and came home. On our way home, we passed a gas station and saw a woman and man in a camper, and it looked just like my sister and her husband. We turned around and drove over to them and honked and waved...but it wasn't them. We hurried and drove home, red-faced.

My camera started taking red, streaky pictures. I changed the batteries and bought a new memory card, and it would take one or two good pictures, and then was back to the streaky, blurry photos. I was ready to throw it away and was searching for a new camera, when I impulsively decided to Google the problem. Among all the advice to "toss the camera" was one person who suggested contacting Canon. I did that, and they were aware of a malfunctioning part that caused this problem, and offered to fix it for free. They even sent me a shipping label. I got an e-mail from them that it's been fixed and is on its way back to me. Wow! Canon really stood behind their product and gained one loyal customer! I have my camera back and it's like new.

My husband is so multi-talented. A few days ago he gave my long hair a trim and did a really good job! I need him to help me dye it again. He's pretty genius at lightening my hair. Conrad is currently making Sunday morning breakfast. He's a good cook too.

I've been pondering Jacob's homeschool in the fall, and I think for the first time in 13 years I don't need to buy anything! He is going to be so super busy with classes and extra-curriculars that I need to be careful to not overload him. There are just so many great opportunities where we live! He'll be going to homeschool classes offered at one church on Tuesdays, another church on Thursdays (I'll be teaching piano and Conrad is teaching marine science), and yet another church for band on Mondays. Churches are very homeschool friendly. We'll continue meeting with the Homeschool Exchange at the park every other Friday. I'm going to have to be careful with our time management, to ensure that I have time to teach Jacob math and piano, and that he has time to practice his instruments and do his schoolwork!

Sabbath!

When God wrote the 10 Commandments and said, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," it was one of the greatest blessings He could have given me! This has been quite a beautiful, busy, productive week, but I'm happy to "rest" from it.

We sent Jacob off to camp with his friend and we bought him a trumpet. Conrad's younger brother Jan had a heart attack, but was able to call 9-1-1 and get to the hospital. He had an angioplasty and a stent put in, and will have another put in in two weeks. I praise God our beloved Jan is doing well. We continued planning our kitchen--it's all more complicated and time consuming than I thought! I think we will actually order everything on our fourth and final meeting with the designer at Lowe's. The whole family went to Orlando for my nephew's high school graduation this week in my dad's new handicap van, which enables him to scooter in and scooter back out on a ramp. My 5 foot nothing mom has been lifting my dad, so the van is wonderful. I am so proud of Nathan for graduating. He is dyslexic and worked really hard.

After church today, we're all having dinner together at my parents. Haystacks. That's the Adventist name for taco salad (don't ask me why!). My sister Margy and her husband and little girl are coming over from Zephyrhills, which is near Tampa on the west or Gulf coast of Florida. It's a special occasion--Margy's birthday! I'm never happier than when I'm together with my family. I'm sorry Jacob isn't here. I hope Margy's little one isn't too disappointed. She and Jacob love to chase each other around.

Jacob called from Camp Kulaqua last night. He didn't feel well, and was homesick. Conrad and I are picking him up Sunday morning. It's about 2-1/2 hours north of us.

Happy Sabbath!

Rolling Along Like A Freight Train

SURPRISE! Conrad and Jacob were gone only a week before they came home from the Appalachian trail. Conrad's hips hurt so badly that he decided not to continue. They hope to return in the fall with lighter packs. I'm glad they had that experience, even if it was brief. Now Jacob knows exactly what to expect from the trail. He found it was a lot of work, but he loved it. Conrad's brother, Jan, and sister-in-law, Lynn, who live in the Atlanta area, dropped them off and picked them up again (a lot of driving for them!). Conrad and Jacob had a great little visit with them. They had a fun day on Lake Lanier on Uncle Jan's boat.

I was so relieved they were safe, and it was good to have them home. However, I hadn't expected them to be here all summer, so hadn't planned any summer activities or camps for Jacob. I'm a slow thinker, so it took some time for my brain to adjust to them being home. I was thrilled that Jacob came home early enough to participate in his band's final concert, and our homeschool group's final yearbook party.

After 13 years of nagging and begging, Formica countertops cracking and swelling, cabinet doors repeatedly falling off, stove only half alive, Conrad decided to start on our kitchen remodel since he's home for the summer after all, so we are in the planning stage of that right now. The whole kitchen will be different, rearranged and walls torn down, so it's going to be a lot of work. Conrad's doing most of the work himself, but I can see this is going to take all summer. I sincerely hope it's completed before school starts! I can't wait until it's all done and I can use my new kitchen--but I try not to think about it, because I'm not a patient person.

This week we took a tour of the facility that will make our quartz countertop. After my piano lesson this morning, we're meeting with the Lowe's designer for the third (hopefully final) time. A Lowe's kitchen installer measured our kitchen and she had to make changes. I hope we order today, because she said it takes 4 weeks to get the cabinets in!

Jacob and I went blueberry and strawberry picking with our friends. I have so much respect for field workers! It was a beautiful day with a cool breeze, but I was still covered in sweat. I loved it, it so much fun. I can't wait for next year! Those strawberries started wilting pretty quickly, so I made a big blueberry/strawberry coffee cake.

This week, Jacob was invited to Camp Kulaqua in north Florida with our pastor and his wife. They are camp pastor and nurse. Jacob hung out with their son. He called once, and was having a terrific time swimming in the deep and scary springs.

Jacob's band teacher sent me a craigslist used trumpet suggestion, and that was the catalyst for my research of trumpets. Once I felt knowledgeable, it was time for Jacob to start blowing. We went to the Horn Section in Melbourne, and he tried a used Besson for $500, Bach Strad and Getzen Eterna, among others. The expensive trumpets sounded very piercing to me, but Jacob said he didn't notice a big difference in how easy or hard they were to play. I was surprised. I really thought he'd fall in love with a trumpet and we'd walk out of there with a huge payment plan. I was also relieved because I realized that at his current level, any decent beginner trumpet is just right for him, for now. I thought it would be a good idea for him to take trumpet lessons, and planned on continuing to rent, but when I got home, I started looking on ebay, and got excited about some trumpets on there. Just before Jacob went to camp, I got in a bidding war and was surprised to win a 1970 silver Getzen Capri. Utterly shocked, to be more accurate. I shocked Conrad and Jacob too. Considering Jacob's lack of enthusiasm at the music shop, I was surprised that he seemed very excited to have his very own trumpet. Conrad had to do some catch-up research, to be sure I didn't overpay. I was really happy that I had sold Jacob's outgrown clothes on ebay, and used that money to pay for the trumpet. UPS delivered the trumpet last night, and everyone enjoyed blowing on it. It sounded pretty bad, but hopefully will sound better when Jacob blows on it! It is 40 years old, and I expected it to look a lot uglier than it does. It's beautiful! We'll see how it sounds when Jacob gets back.

There are free golf and band camps next month. Next week we plan on putting Jacob back into swimming with his favorite coach, Coach Mike. Trumpet lessons start next week. I have to pick something and commit to it, because Jacob can't do everything.

Our church is having VBS on June 21, and we're going to that. I love VBS! It's so much fun!

We've been to the beach, Sea World and Busch Gardens. I'm still teaching piano (but my, isn't everyone relaxed! Including me!). I'm practicing my choir CHRISTMAS cantata like mad--it's HARD!-- and thankful I have the summer to practice it, because this coming school year looks so busy. I've found that the summer is flying by, and I am hanging on, having fun, and recharging my batteries.

Spring's Over...Already??

Summer is here...for me at least! My hubby and youngest are hiking the Appalachian Trail for the summer. They've been so excited! I get to watch their progress through SPOT GPS. http://www.findmespot.com/ It's pretty cool, and nice to have a connection. It's very touching that everyone is concerned that I'm bored and lonely without them. People have been calling me out of concern. It is nice to feel so loved, but I'm still teaching piano lessons and have two kids at home (even if they are in college), and my parents live nearby. I'm taking this opportunity to de-clutter. We have very little storage, and every closet is over stuffed. I am taking pictures and selling things on ebay. I put some things on craigslist, but no one's buying, so I guess I'll put it all on ebay. I do this every summer. I hope to clear off the back porch, but it's mostly my husband's big heavy stuff, such as the huge fish tank and huge tile cutter, so I'll work up to it. It would make me happy to use the porch again.

It's Allergy Season!

I have wrapped up our school year early! It's only April, and we got Jacob's California Achievement Test results back (he did awesome!) and my friend evaluated him. I need a copy of her Florida's teacher's certificate before I can mail the evaluation to the county school board. I hope I don't forget to send it! I also have to create a Jacob yearbook page for our homeschool group. We make homemade yearbooks every year, and they're just precious.

My computer crashed, and my wonderful husband has been working hard to find our pictures that were on the old hard drive. If worst comes to worst, I'll create a yearbook scrapbook page with photo prints, and take it to a color copier. I did that in 2008 when my computer crashed. 2008 was even worse because I was also creating homemade graduation invitations for Brent, and had to go to my parents and use their computer to make them. It was a real hassle and very time consuming, but they turned out beautifully. Still, this kind of deja vu I could do without!

My digital camera started taking streaky red photos after I deleted pictures off the memory card, so we bought a new memory card and it seems to be okay. I'm so relieved I don't have to replace the camera! I know how to work this one.

Jacob turned 12 on April 13. We had a fun little family party (12 of us) at my parents house. One of Jacob's friends was able to celebrate with us, and they jumped on the trampoline, drove the golf cart and went swimming. The following weekend we had a small sleepover with two of Jacob's friends. The boys were noisy and energetic and didn't want to sleep, but they were good kids. They were respectful, obedient, and got along with each other. Conrad did a lot! He cooked supper and breakfast, took them for a long walk in the dark, and stayed up with them long after I conked out at 10:00. We took them to my parents for the trampoline, golf cart and pool. It was a lot of fun.

Jacob and Conrad are spending the summer hiking the Appalachian Trail. I have a hole in my heart when I think of how much I will miss them! We want to replace our old van with something newer. I hoped to find something that they could drive to Atlanta, but since Conrad doesn't seem interested enough to actually go look at anything, I guess it'll wait until they get back. They were supposed to leave Thursday, but Wednesday afternoon Jacob's allergies kicked off a severe asthma attack and we had to rush him to the emergency room. It was very scary, but we are grateful they weren't on the Appalachian Trail when it happened. They will be carrying meds and Conrad bought SPOT, which is a GPS locator with a 911 button. I will be tracking them every day.

Conrad suffered from allergies and asthma for several weeks, but is finally better. Even I'm taking Zyrtec because I've been so miserable the past couple of weeks. I feel so much better today that I think I'll do some treadmill. I'm a little stir crazy--bored and energetic. Here it is, absolutely gorgeous outside, but the more time we spend outside, the more miserable we are. I want to go swimming at my parents! I want to ride bikes! I want to go to the beach! Instead, I'm staying inside with Jacob today. I'm telling myself to be patient and enjoy my time with him.

Home School Is Winding Down

The balmy March breezes; Spring Break; Easter; homeschool book sales; standardized testing; evaluations; they all mean one thing: the school year will be over soon! Automatically I start thinking ahead to next year. Hmmm, what grade will he be in? What, that can't be right! But it's true. My baby will be in 7th grade. I wonder what I'm going to do with him? My mind starts to plan. We'll continue the Jacob's Algebra. We had a rocky start, but now he's doing really well with it (we both are). He definitely needs to continue handwriting because it's not good. He'll start Learning Language Arts Through Literature (LLATL). It didn't work for us in his younger years, but I loved it when his brothers were in 7th grade and up. Daddy is going to teach science. He'll read a variety of books; whatever interests him. That just leaves Bible (easy), history and fun electives (continue piano, band, art). Well, that was easy! 7th grade is just about planned already.

March Happenings

Now that it is March, the weather has become mild. I love being able to spend more time outdoors and feel the sun on my skin!

Conrad and the other parents took the Pathfinders to north Georgia to backpack on the Appalachian Trail. It was below freezing, and the bus driver, Steve Wolcott, one of the kids, and Conrad got very sick. Jacob was devastated that he couldn't go. He was all packed, but developed a fever of over 104 and had terrible asthma. I was so glad he got sick at home rather than on the trail! The good news is that they all survived.

We went to Sea World shortly after a trainer there was killed by one of the killer whales. That was so shocking and tragic. When the older boys were younger, we used to go to Sea World all the time, up until Jacob turned 3 and needed a pass. I took Jacob for free one last time before his birthday. The older boys were not interested in Sea World anymore, and I was too busy running them around to social engagements and classes, and was teaching piano students every afternoon. I didn't bother getting tickets, because I didn't have time to go. It is almost 9 years later, but I was glad to fulfill my promise to Jacob and take him back. Conrad, Jacob and I had so much fun. It wasn't crowded and the weather was perfect.

Last week, Steve Wolcott (with the blessing of the chaperone/teacher, Richard Knapp, and the camp) invited Jacob along with our church school to Camp Kulaqua for their Outdoor Education, so he was gone from Tues. to Fri. We scrambled to get the paperwork, get it notorized and get him packed. Jacob said he wanted everything to be last-minute from now on, because that way he doesn't get sick. It was hard not to hear from him and I missed him. Conrad and I planned on having a fun date-day on Wed., but it poured down rain all day and we didn't go anywhere. I was so happy to pick up Jacob Friday afternoon. He had such a rich experience! He loved Pastor Barry and learned all about beekeeping from Chappie McChesney. Now he is intensely interested in bees and wants to become a beekeeper. I'll have to find someone local who would be willing to mentor him.

That evening after picking up Jacob, I went to church to practice with the choir. They sang a beautiful song at the memorial of our friend Lillian Santana, who had passed away in her sleep the previous Sabbath morning after a long battle with cancer. The church was packed. It was very hard to get through the service. We had been such good friends, and her young son Tyler had been my piano student for several years. We didn't get the "desserts only" message, and Conrad made a huge amount of his famous hot macaroni for the reception. I don't think anyone minded.

Conrad spent a lot of time researching garage doors and getting quotes, and we finally had our garage door replaced. The house looks much more cared for!

Jacob's little parakeet died Sunday. When Jacob took it out to play Sabbath afternoon, he noticed it was subdued. He noticed its beak was really long, so he got his dad up from his nap and Conrad trimmed it. It did start eating and drinking, but I'm guessing it was too late. When Conrad and I got home from our church meeting yesterday, it was on the bottom of the cage. The other parakeet seems lonely but Jacob doesn't want another bird right now. I don't blame him. It's so sad when pets die.

We went to the beach on Sabbath afternoon, for the first time in months. It was just a perfect, beautiful day. There was a wedding on the beach. I wore a jacket and the water was chilly, but Jacob couldn't stand being so close to the water without going in, so after our walk, he changed and swam in the waves for awhile.

Last weekend my sister, her husband and daughter came over from the Florida west coast and came with my parents to our church. I appreciated that I didn't have to play the piano and could sit in the pew with my family. My mom made a huge meal, but Conrad and Jacob had to eat it cold and run off to Pathfinders. I lingered quite awhile before heading to choir practice. I've been trying to play the Easter cantata through every day. Some areas are challenging.

I love this spring weather! Every morning, a bird sings outside my window and sounds so joyful and happy. It's a nice way to wake up.

A Florida Winter Friday

When I started this blog, my goal was to catalog our "homeschool", but I've come to the realization that, for me, this is impossible (in case you haven't noticed!). Like my religion or my private struggle with my CMT disability, our homeschool is a constant part of our lives that I cannot separate and pick out, because we are learning all the time! So this blog is honestly and realistically a catalog of our lives that includes homeschooling.

One of my friends has called this winter bi-polar, which is right on! Yesterday we had everything opened up and enjoyed sun-warmed breezes, and today is cloudy and cold again. Those states north of us are expecting snowstorms, yet again. What a winter!

Now that Conrad has retired, he is doing almost all of the running around. He drives Jacob everywhere and does the grocery shopping! I don't miss any of that. I have been able to teach more piano students and still homeschool Jacob, so my life is fulfilling. We are so blessed!

Brandon and Brent are taking calc 2, technical writing and physics at the community college this semester. It's amazing they were able to get into the same classes, so they can ride together, study together, and only bought one set of books. I'm very worried about college students that get out owing thousands and thousands, and are unable to find a job. Thank goodness for the Florida Bright Futures scholarship! We've been able to pay whatever it doesn't cover. Brandon's scholarship is over and he borrowed money from his dad (interest-free), which is preferable to a loan from the banks!

I've been looking for a new sofa. I debated long and hard and listened to the preferences of my family. Brent and Jacob begged me not to get leather--just as I had decided to. So my next choice was slipcovered, but wasn't able to find the size I wanted at a price I was comfortable with. Finally, I found one on sale! So I replaced our recliner sofa with a sectional, which will be delivered today. We've been without a sofa for a couple of weeks now, and piano student moms have been scrounging seating. I hope I love it, because I bought it online based on all the great reviews from others. I take reviews into account when I buy something, and I hope I agree with them, but I'll have to wait until after the sofa is delivered to know. It's a pretty big deal for me.

I enter into this day with my outline the same as every other--homeschool, clean/laundry/cook, teach piano. It's amazing how, although that is my routine, each day is varied and interesting for me.

Happy New Year 2010!

It is now Sat., Jan. 2, 2010 and a chilly, sunny day outside in Florida. Our long Christmas break is coming to an end and my January calendar is looking typically hectic. I'm looking forward to getting back to our routine of homeschool, activities and piano lessons, but the break was refreshing. All signs of Christmas have been packed away into the attic.

I don't know how it happened, but this was the least stressful December I remember. I think we did all the usual activities, but somehow I was relaxed throughout. It must have something to do with Conrad's new retirement and having time to help me shop, cook and decorate. Last Christmas I hurt my back and could hardly move, and this year I hurt it again (probably moving the furniture), but thankfully it wasn't too bad and I quickly recovered.

In December we went to Cracker Christmas, which is an outdoor craft festival and frontier demonstrations including making sugar syrup from sugar cane (Jacob always gets some sugar cane to eat), broom making, blacksmiths, basket weaving, rope making, spinning, quilting, lace making and wood carving. Conrad and Jacob love getting the homemade ice cream, and I look forward to the kettle corn. Conrad bought plenty this year to bring home and share. I had a birthday party at my parents'. Jacob had his band concert. He played the trumpet. His band played in Washington, D.C. for Christmas, but we didn't go. The older boys went to western N. Carolina to camp, and everyone up north--band and boys--got snowed in. It was quite exciting even from here, and I wish I had gone with the band and gotten snowed in too. My mom had Thanksgiving at her house and did all the cooking, but her allergy/lung/cough situation was bad then, and even worse by Christmas. She finally said she couldn't have it at her house, even if we brought all the food. Brandon said he was going to "kidnap" Grandma and Papa, and he did, so we had Christmas at our house. I liked it. Conrad and I had fun planning a menu and cooking. It was a good Christmas.