Sorry I've been a lousy blogger lately

I've been tired.  Working too much at work (10 hour days are killing me!), then they send homework home which is like reading a book and doing a book report on it (like highschool).  I babysit when I can.  I've been moving all my arts/crafts/sewing supplies from the upstairs to the basement. (Big chore!) I have helped my mom with a house "project" that is just going to require time.  I get a regular pop-in visitor at least twice a week who stays a minimum of one hour. (not always ideal) I have helped my husband load up a bunch of chopped, heavy, ice and snow covered wood.  To top all that off I fell down a flight of stairs a couple of days ago and luckily nothing is broken but I'm so darn sore! My back is screaming at me and sitting in this computer chair only compounds that pain. 

My blog is suffering, I know.  Please forgive me.  I'm too mentally fatigued to come up with anything and my body is aching to much to sit and type it all down.  I have not even been reading my usual fav's!!  Now that is TIRED!  So give me a week from today to get back on top of things and hopefully my blog will be something, someone, somewhere will want to read.

Quick Update:

• My art room is almost done!!!  I started moving stuff downstairs today so it won't be long  before I can share pics and maybe even MAKE SOME ART!!
•  It is STILL snowing in Missouri, USA                      

Expressions

Colton is beginning to smile and pout and play.  He is so much fun when he is NOT spitting up.  Valentine would not agree.  She tries to stay as far away from him as she can and if I'm sitting on the floor holding Colton or playing with him then she scooches up next to my leg and waits, hoping he will go home soon. 

Just a house

Yesterday we wasted much of our afternoon driving around looking at houses for sale.  Seems my step-brother will be moving back to MO and so we tried to aid in the search.  We found this charming little home for $108, 000.  It sits in a really old part of Independence called Golden Acres.  In fact, there is a home there that used to be the home of Harry S. Truman's lawyer and it is splendid! We know who lives there and they paid over $400,000 for that house.  One day I hope to go and photograph several of the homes in that area.  Maybe in the spring when the trees have leaves and the grass is green and the flowers are in bloom. 

This home needs a ton of work and that is just from viewing the outside.  The paint is peeling, the back steps are rotted away, the roof needs replaced and the driveway is sunken and needs built up.  But it has SO MUCH potential.  I wish I had the money to buy it and make it a project.  It would be so fun to finish it all up and see how pretty it could be once again.  And no telling how many cubby holes and secrets this house holds.  It is really old and just sits in a beautiful location to have been so forgotten.  Unfortunately it's condition is too poor for my brother to take on at this moment.  They need something "move in ready".  I just wanted to share it's quiet beauty, maybe you will see again sometime in the spring when I go to photograph the neighborhood. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

16 years ago this was my Valentine's Day present from my wonderful husband.  Best gift I have ever received, no question. 

Over the years Valentine has taught me a few things about life. 

1.  With life, there will be an occasional accident.
2.  It's okay to eat on the carpet.
3.  Always forgive.
4.  Sometimes your too excited to wipe your feet, even if they are muddy.
5.  Kisses do make you feel loved. Even if there is slobber involved.
6.  At times be willing to endure the things you dread, there is always a treat for you in the end.
7.  Exercise is more fun in pairs. 
8.  Food is a good thing always.
9.  You can grow old gracefully.
10.  Love each other with all your heart and all your soul because life is short and time is precious.

Visit Lisa at Tarnished and Tattered ~

Awesome give-a-way! 

Visit Tarnished and Tattered to enter!  She has an amazing blog, very crafty with great pics!

A recommended website

Check out StudioCalico. It's a really neat website.  I think it was designed for scrap bookers but has evolved into a"multi-crafting ideas" media site.  I especially like the tutorials.  My art room is ALMOST completely done and I'm hoping to move in either this weekend or next and I really have some things I want to get started on.  In the meantime I live vicariously through you so keep blogging and have a great weekend!

If you could choose a BEST day.

I was watching CBS Sunday Morning yesterday.  I try to catch it each Sunday before church.  I love the mix of news, politics, art, music and odd ball stuff they come up with it.  I think Charles Osgood is charming too.  They had a piece about a play called Old Town- click here if you would like to see it.  I have never seen the play but I guess at the end of the it a woman dies and gets to choose one day in her life to go back to and spend the day.  That thought intrigued me.  What if you could?  Which day would you choose?  I thought about it for a while and I don't know that I could pin point one day of my life.

Would I go back to my own childhood to a day that we spent swimming in the hot Kansas sun?  To a strip pit that we traveled to in the back of a pick up truck riding along side my Grandma watching her enjoy the ride at her old age as much as us kids did?  Or would it be another day where I spent exploring acres of land and catching baby catfish in our creek?  Would I choose a certain birthday?  Christmas? Would I pick a fun filled day with friends or a fun filled day with family or a day of both?  Would I want to be a silly teen again with all my goofy friends that would laugh at anything?  Would I want to go back to a time when it was just me and my little guy Cory and we seemed so content with one another just sitting down together to watch TV?  Or my wedding? The day my Grandson was born?  I think it would be tough to pick a best day of your life.  I have many, many great moments but a whole day? 

I also like to watch I Survived on the Biography channel on Sunday evenings.  Last night 2 of the people, after being faced with death and then realized that they were going to be okay said, that it was the best day (and emphasized  "best"), day of their life.  Then I thought, if your faced with no more little moments and then it's all given back to you for a second chance, then-yes, that would make for one best day.