You won't BELIEVE it!

After months of home improvement projects, a few challenging mechanical dilemnas, and a perfecting of culinary skills - Scott is gearing up for the next venture (or adventure). He will be involved in equipment sales and must procure a dealer's license. As a first step, we registered the name of the sales company - quite catchy, don't you think??!!! Dad has ALWAYS wanted to buy/sell used cars so he is thrilled with this new idea, we're printing up business cards for him as we speak. Susie is quite a whiz on Photoshop, so she helped us with the logo. Toot toot, if you don't come see us today, we can't save you any money.

Lacking Cooperation . . .

Happy Thanksgiving from our nut house to yours. Sten has noticed that in vintage photos the men are seated with their womenfolk gathered 'round adoringly. He tried the "gathered round" but I'm not seeing the "adoring" part.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving, Maren decided a handshake was symbolic

Cheesy Pilgrim

Pilgrim with attitude

Plain ole Saturday

We began clearing out an old barn today in preparation for an amazing transformation. Scott's ultimate dream is to have a big shop near the house, but converting an existing barn will work just fine in the interim. However, we have several days of clean-up before any contruction can begin. It was a beautiful clear day today and we enjoyed the view of Mt. Jefferson with a fresh dusting of snow.

Sten's gonna love me for this pic! He was high on life, but wasn't in the mood for a picture apparently. His first rig is a Suzuki Sidekick that was given to him by a family friend(thanks, Dale). It has a few mechanical problems that Sten will fix and then he plans to sell it. His dream ride is a 1976 Ford Crew Cab pick-up and he has been scouring Craigslist for the perfect unit. I tell him it will be his dream until he hits the gas station a few times.

Susie Q is home again and plans to return for good - hooray. We have loved having her around and she is awesome help with the kids and any project that requires extra muscle.

A bonfire is a necessity during a clean-up

This beauty is going to be featured in a landscaping project someday. . .

I see Pilgrims

I love Thanksgiving and feel that it barely gets a nod between the mega-commercialized Halloween and Christmas seasons. I asked Maren's teacher if she would like me to help out with an art project or two before the Holiday. So, I went with my bag of tricks today and the Mayflower ship tucked under one arm.

Hmmm, I'll give you a hint - Indian Corn

This was my version of the Mayflower-I don't think that this is a sea-worthy vessel (or even bathtub worthy). Unfortunately, while I was wielding the jig saw and merrily sawing away - I cut one of the sails clean off. Scott was standing there and questioned my design as soon as I shut the saw down. I asked him to holler at me if I goofed again. Yeah - he had to holler just a few minutes later - nothing that a little wood glue and a "c" clamp wouldn't fix. Oops!

No Oink Oink, but an OUCH!

Well, we took our place in line today for the H1N1 vaccination. Mr. Johnson was the mastermind behind the serpentine line we stood in for nearly 3 hours. About 1 1/2 hours into our wait, I thought the finishing point was just beyond a set of doors. Turns out that just led to another long line - sort of reminded me of Disneyland - where they deceive you by "hiding" a portion of the waiting thrill seekers, or in this case, victims.

The kids were set to get the nasal application, but they ran out of it earlier in the evening, so we had no choice but a dreaded shot. Milah and Sten weren't thrilled with the idea, but endured it with a flinch. However, their little sister Maren sure made a scene! It took Sten and I to hold her arms and then when she reached up to start kicking, another nurse had to be called for back-up. Oh, there was a bit of screaming involved too - YIKES!! The worst part is that she has to get a "booster shot" in 4 weeks. I think that I'll let Scott take her for that one! Until then, we hope that all the waiting and hassle hasn't invited Sir Swine into our pig pen!

Lost Dog - Lost Dog!

November 11th began with big plans and they all came crashing to a halt when our precious pooch, Danner, turned up missing in the morning. Sten and Scott spent several hours scouring the country for the absent hound. Milah and I were diligent in our vigil at the house, our eyes filled with tears and our bodies racked with sobs. Maren gave us both a curious look and said that "it is very hard to make yourself cry." Just after Scott and I finished hanging our "lost dog" posters at a few local places, we received a call . . . Danner had been found!! He had not been the delicious treat of a hungry cougar or the victim of a gang of vicious coyotes(as I had feared). No, he had somehow been shut in the barn and could not get out. Hmmm, hadn't thought to look there.

Old Mother Hubbard now has all her children under her wing and she has a smile on her face - aaaah! Oh by the way, I don't think we'll tell Sherman about that reward money that we posted for the return of our Lab - it was reward enough for him to open the barn door to a wagging tail.

Off to Scrap we go . . .

This morning we donned our "Billy Bob" teeth and headed to sell our scrap metal. It was a first time experience for me but I soon learned that it is one of my husband's favorite things to do . . . he was positively giddy.

This huge grapple can just pick up an entire car in one squeeze and drop it in a pile -

Recognize any of these automobiles?

Collections

Well, I'm supposed to be cleaning and organizing the basement, but instead, I've added one more thing (the table), and found a few other things to sidetrack me.

A recent Craigslist purchase. I was quite smitten with this table, and, no - I will not be painting it.

Hmmm, what can I do with these? I think Scott saved these from a trip to the landfill a few years back and brought them home to his ecstatic wife. Oh, the possibilities . . .

I've been contemplating my pile of vintage skates and want to embellish them a bit before trying to peddle a few.

Happy Halloween, my Friends

These mannequin legs have a bit of history. I rescued them many years ago from a friend's junk pile and "planted" them in another friend's landscaping while they were gone for a few days. Since then they have resurfaced, modeling different attire.

Helping pass out candy at Grandma Patty's house.

One of the fruits of Scott's garden were several large pumpkins that we enjoyed carving the other day. Well, I don't know if I would use the word, "carving" exactly. Instead of intricate tools, we used a reciprocating saw - makes a jack-o-lantern in a jiffy. I didn't see this method featured in the Martha Stewart magazine - ahem.

Papa - Mr. Seed "getter-outer"

Use your knees, boys - use your knees

Let's see, his eyes will go about here . . .

Rednecks R Us

Last night, the High School held their annual car bash, bonfire, and exhaust competition. Sten was eager to enter the loudest rig that we have, and won 3rd place at 103dB. It was a chilly night, so we were glad for the fire. Small town culture, I guess (or lack of).

Maren-ism for the Day

Yesterday, Maren and I were on our way to town and she was chattering in the back seat. Somewhere along mile #8, she mentioned that "her mouth was tired of talking." I gently suggested that she "give it a rest." Aaaahhh, a little peace and quiet, along with a stifled snicker.

Newlywed Bliss

Once upon a time there lived a young bride with the man of her dreams. She went in search of the perfect fabric to make their floating abode feel like home. The above fabric is the one she chose and was thrilled with (imagine it?).

Flash forward twenty years, and the young bride has changed her tastes. (Oh, and she's 20 years older too, but that's a different story). So the middle aged mother of 3 (somehow it doesn't have the same romantic image), has decided that the new curtains will be made of the striped fabric, which just happens to be from a "Tommy Bahama" (impossible to resist) design line. The worst part of this fairy tale is that the old sea hag has to hand sew 182 little plastic tabs that fit into the tracks on the windows. It's a good thing she doesn't have arthritis in her fingers yet.

Our poor sailboat that we lived on for the first 4 1/2 years of our marriage has been sadly neglected for many years. Our lives were crazy busy and the boat just wasn't a priority. Sooo, last week, we decided to peek in on the boat and begin to clean her up. She's a mess, but not a complete loss. Our plan is to sell the boat, but first we have to get her updated and shining again.

Crazy Spuds

We have harvested our odd bunch of spuds and there is barely a normal looking one in the bunch. I'm not sure where they get those perfectly rounded potatos in the bags at the grocery store - they must put them through a strict modification program. Maybe our vegetables are indicitive of the mutants that live in this house . . .

Sten declined to participate in this activity

A Lesson in Culture

The girls went on a field trip to the Symphony today. This is Maren all dressed up in her exquisite fussiness to attend the event. Milah was photographed too, but we don't post pictures of girls with scowls on their faces:(

Season Finale

Since Milah is a soccer fanatic - we re-did her room in a soccer theme. Her team was undefeated this season. Sten informed her that the brand "Adidas" stands for, "All day I dream about soccer" so we need to write that on a wall - it seems rather fitting.

Attacked by Bandits

The kids didn't have school today and we found ourselves with a few extras around here. They decided to dress like bandits this evening among one of many activities. I still hear them up there rearranging the furniture (or so it sounds). I suppose they'll all whine when it's time to rise and shine as we have to be at the soccer field by 8:45.

Jade

Milah

Kylie

Pitiful Parenthood

Hmmm, just the other night Sten knew I was headed to the store and he texted me requesting an item. I was directed to the "shaving" section, and was instructed to purchase a certain razor. Ouch! I don't know if they've ever found a mother sitting on the floor in front of the razors with an empty tissue box in her lap, and a glazed look in her eyes. Once upon a time, when I held that gurgling little towhead in my arms, I never pictured this moment. I'm always grateful when I pass the diaper aisle that I don't have to shop there again, but razors??? It's just one step closer into adulthood and one step further from wiping his nose and sitting on my lap getting "cozy". Boo Hoo from pitiful me.

In other news - Maren came home with a paper full of sentences that she had written that said, "I will follow directions." When questioned a little further about this activity, she responded that "She forgot that she wasn't supposed to talk." I think this frequently "slips" her mind.