I have no idea how many of you, my friends, are even checking in on my blog anymore. I'm sure most have given up on me. Well, I am back, and hope to be back regularly again. We are finally getting settled in our new house in MD. I still feel like it's a dream that we have moved. So far, it has been excellent! I can just see God's hand so clearly directing mine and Scott's lives. And, even before I met Scott, I was so positive and sure that it was God who was the One directing me, and to this day, I have no regrets or thoughts otherwise about that. He is so faithful!
I would love to post some pictures of our new house, and maybe one day I can figure it out. Until then, I will just have to tell you about it. Here we go. You walk into the front door and there is a nice living room. We bought new furniture for it, and it's my favorite spot. If you walk through the room, you go into the kitchen, and then into the big dining room. This room has our computer desk, futon, futon chair, two large recliners, armoire, and large dining room table. It's a recent addition to the house, and such a good one. That's the first floor. From the living room I talked about before, you can also (from the side of the room) go up or down. If you go up, you will find three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It's a cozy place, and I really like having all the main bedrooms together. If you go downstairs, you enter the Beaver room. It's a very large room that is now painted black and orange. We have our leather sectional down there and a beaver chair. There is a half bath and coat closet off that room. Also off that room is the guest room. It has french doors and probably was the office before we moved in. But it is serving as our guest room now. From the Beaver (OSU) room, you can go down another set of stairs. This leads you to either the laundry room or the school room. Both are more of my favorite spots.
That's our house. If you ever want to come and see it, you are welcome! We would love to have you over and to show you around Maryland a bit.
Well, if you stopped by my blog and read this, leave me a message. I'd love to hear from you. And if you have any ideas on what I should write about next, let me know. My creativity is pretty shot right now.
Love,
Amy
Monday, January 7, 2008
Monday, October 22, 2007
Moon Sand
So Max has been asking me for this stuff called Moon Sand. I didn't know what it was, but finally looked into it at Toys R Us the other day (a quick stop before Chuck E Cheese's). It looked kind of cool. It's like play dough, but it never dries out and doesn't stain, and supposedly molds and everything like play dough does. I figured it was worth a shot. So today, rather than letting the kids play on the computer, I suggested that they try out their new moon sand.
I took it out and let them play on the kitchen table. It was not at all like I had expected. My expectations were way too high. Here, this is crumbly blue stuff (just happens to be the color we bought) that just doesn't seem to stick together to form even a ball. I thought I must have it wrong, so I read the box. There were no instructions. I thought maybe if you add water it would help keep it together. No, the stuff repels water. It actually stays dry when you put it in water. It's weird.
So what we ended up with at the end of the moon sand session was a table (and floor) full of crumbs, just like a cookie. Therefore, I give Moon Sand a half a star out of four, if that. I was not pleased. Next time we're up in Salem, I will try and return the stuff. There's my tip for the day.
I took it out and let them play on the kitchen table. It was not at all like I had expected. My expectations were way too high. Here, this is crumbly blue stuff (just happens to be the color we bought) that just doesn't seem to stick together to form even a ball. I thought I must have it wrong, so I read the box. There were no instructions. I thought maybe if you add water it would help keep it together. No, the stuff repels water. It actually stays dry when you put it in water. It's weird.
So what we ended up with at the end of the moon sand session was a table (and floor) full of crumbs, just like a cookie. Therefore, I give Moon Sand a half a star out of four, if that. I was not pleased. Next time we're up in Salem, I will try and return the stuff. There's my tip for the day.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Wow- It's been too long
I have to apologize for not getting on the internet lately. It's not like me. I must be busy! I can say that I don't remember ever being this busy in my entire life. Packing a house and getting it ready to sell while taking care of five little ones and homeschooling is a crazy task. I also can gladly say that I enjoy it so much. I really do. Like I said before, I love to clean and organize. So this is thrilling. I love seeing the rewards of my labor.
I wish I had pictures of before and after. My house looks so different. It looks good. It's kind of the feel of going to a rental. I think that's what the realtors were looking for.
So here's where we are:
1. Monday (tomorrow) the carpet will be cleaned to look like new. Amazing!
2. The kids and I are going to Roseburg tomorrow to stay with Scott while he's on business (and while our carpet dries).
3. Scott and I will spend our 8th anniversary apart on Tuesday. Bummer.
4. Thursday the window cleaner is coming.
5. Friday our house is going on the market! Wow!
6. Oh, and Friday our landscaper will be making their 2nd appearance, and I can't tell you how pleased I was with them this past week. What they did in one trip was unbelievable. I guess that's their job!
7. Oct. 19-21 is our women's retreat. It will be nice to get away without the kids.
8. Oct. 27-31 Scott, the kids, and I are flying to MD. Scott will be interviewing while I am looking at houses. Pray for us! This trip is crucial to our move.
9. Sometime in Nov. (hopefully), my mom will fly out here. She, Scott, the kids, and I will be driving our van and a huge u-haul across the country. (We can't afford Mayflower- too bad.)
So, that's the run-down. A lot is happening. Do pray for us (I really meant that). I have been enjoying this process. I really believe that God is going to work out every detail. We've been praying along the way and doors keep opening. Therefore, we believe it's best to proceed. There's no reason not to. A lot still needs to fall into place. I can't wait to see how God works it all out.
That's all for now...back to cleaning. (Maybe tonight I'll be done before midnight, unlike last night.)
I wish I had pictures of before and after. My house looks so different. It looks good. It's kind of the feel of going to a rental. I think that's what the realtors were looking for.
So here's where we are:
1. Monday (tomorrow) the carpet will be cleaned to look like new. Amazing!
2. The kids and I are going to Roseburg tomorrow to stay with Scott while he's on business (and while our carpet dries).
3. Scott and I will spend our 8th anniversary apart on Tuesday. Bummer.
4. Thursday the window cleaner is coming.
5. Friday our house is going on the market! Wow!
6. Oh, and Friday our landscaper will be making their 2nd appearance, and I can't tell you how pleased I was with them this past week. What they did in one trip was unbelievable. I guess that's their job!
7. Oct. 19-21 is our women's retreat. It will be nice to get away without the kids.
8. Oct. 27-31 Scott, the kids, and I are flying to MD. Scott will be interviewing while I am looking at houses. Pray for us! This trip is crucial to our move.
9. Sometime in Nov. (hopefully), my mom will fly out here. She, Scott, the kids, and I will be driving our van and a huge u-haul across the country. (We can't afford Mayflower- too bad.)
So, that's the run-down. A lot is happening. Do pray for us (I really meant that). I have been enjoying this process. I really believe that God is going to work out every detail. We've been praying along the way and doors keep opening. Therefore, we believe it's best to proceed. There's no reason not to. A lot still needs to fall into place. I can't wait to see how God works it all out.
That's all for now...back to cleaning. (Maybe tonight I'll be done before midnight, unlike last night.)
Friday, September 21, 2007
Shoes will be the end of me
Two days ago I was headed down to the park with the kids. I was already running late (and it takes 25 minutes to get there), but then had the brilliant idea that since the weather is getting colder, I can pull out the new fall shoes I bought for the kids. So I got them, cut off the tags, got socks for everyone and proceeded to get everyone out the door. Well, I can tell you that the two most stressful times in my day are 1) Getting the kids bathed and dressed and 2) Getting the kids out the door. Car seats are bad enough, but having to actually put shoes and socks on five kids was just too much for me. It literally took me 15 minutes to get them on. When you're already running late, and extra few minutes is fine, but 15 is just not acceptable.
So what's the solution? Granted, two of the kids' shoes have to be tied, but the others just slip on. I guess I could have been more picky on the selection I chose, but I actually had it in the back of my mind that I would pick the easiest ones out there. I was deceived. The little pink camo. high tops that I bought for Paige looked easy, but are the worst. It has ties on it, but it also has zip ups on the sides. I wrongly assumed that once you tie them, you'll never have to re-tie them again. You can just zip them up. No, no. In order to get them over her foot, I have to untie them each time and start all over again.
By the time we got out the door, I was all sweaty, my freshly applied make-up was not so fresh anymore, and ended up at the park too late...to find no one there. We turned around and came home!
So what's the solution? Granted, two of the kids' shoes have to be tied, but the others just slip on. I guess I could have been more picky on the selection I chose, but I actually had it in the back of my mind that I would pick the easiest ones out there. I was deceived. The little pink camo. high tops that I bought for Paige looked easy, but are the worst. It has ties on it, but it also has zip ups on the sides. I wrongly assumed that once you tie them, you'll never have to re-tie them again. You can just zip them up. No, no. In order to get them over her foot, I have to untie them each time and start all over again.
By the time we got out the door, I was all sweaty, my freshly applied make-up was not so fresh anymore, and ended up at the park too late...to find no one there. We turned around and came home!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Cleaning, entertaining, and other random thoughts
I will try and make this quick and to the point. First of all, cleaning. As you know, I LOVE to clean. It is truly therapeutic for me. I love the finished results. So here are my thoughts on helpful or not so helpful cleaning tools. Anything with bleach is wonderful...especially for toilets. I love watching mildew "melt away" once it's sprayed with bleach. However, Scott has banned me from using it because our clothing bill went up. I am really bad about getting the bleach on me, as well as the toilet or sink. However, I bought some again because my family was sick and the thought of cleaning with bleach just excited me. I just finished cleaning my bathroom...and my black pants now have bleach spots on them. AAHHH!!!
One thing I thought I would try and liked at first, but now don't like, is the toilet wand. I am not sure the exact name, but it's basically a disposable attatchment that goes on the end of this wand. You clean the toilet and then throw it away. I tried it because my kids kept getting into the toilet brush and I just couldn't handle that anymore. But, I have found that my toilet bowl is never as clean as it used to be. Like I said, I just finished cleaning and it still looks dirty in spots. That is frustrating. I just figure that I will finish up using the ones I have and then when I move I will get all new toilet brushes...I can hardly wait. Oh, and the other thing I don't like about the wand is that it goes into the toilet water. Once you're done cleaning, the wand itself is wet and I always feel gross just throwing it on the floor...of course, there's no way I'm putting it in a drawer or something!
Just in case this one is not obvious to you, everyone in America needs to own a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Talk about miraculous cleaning! It cleans everything...from stainless steel to mildew in tiles to marker on the wall. If there's something you just can't seem to get clean, try this! For a couple bucks it's worth the shot! But, answer me this. I wasn't sure. Are the generic erasers just as good as the name brand? I haven't tried them yet.
Now on to the next subject. I came to a realization today. I have always been one to love to go out. I don't care if I have to cart all five kids with me. I want to be out of the house. Today I realized why. I am the person who loves to have fun. But when I am home, I am the cook, the maid, the butler...anything but fun for my kids. They want to play games, but I am busy doing things that need to get done (I'm not even talking about hobbies- just plain old laundry and dishes!). I cannot stand to be at home and sit and play when the house needs work. I just can't stand it. So I keep busy, but not having fun with the kids. So, in order to allow myself the freedom to have fun, we go out. Then I don't have things that need to be done. I can just relax and enjoy the kids. And once we get home, Daddy is the fun one and Mommy keeps on keeping on- trying to keep some order in this crazy house!
Random thoughts now...I wanted to add to my pizza blog after I posted it. I realized that I mainly talked to my Oregon friends in that one, but wanted to capture the attention of my Maryland friends. So here we go.
1. I forgot to write my all-time favorite pizza in the world. I mean this. SORRENTO's in Arbutus. This is, what, $5 for a jumbo and is the best ever! And, not only that, but you can get a coke in a foam cup with the best ice in the world too! (I have a crazy love for certain kinds of ice- round pellets are my favorite and then small chips.)
2. Dough Roller in Ocean City is just gross. It is over-priced and does not taste good.
3. Ledo's pizza, however, at OC is really great. I'm sure they are great in Severna Park and whereever else they are as well, but I haven't tried them a lot. I did get their Buffalo pizza at the beach and that was out of this world! Loved it!
Overall, I think I like a good, greasy pizza. Both Sorrento's and Ledo's have greasy pizza. MMM!
Riley's new thing is when you ask him where something is, he points wherever he chooses and says, "Right there." Oh I love him! He's trying to walk more all the time- about 7 steps just as I wrote that. I hope he gets it nailed down soon!
This one is getting too long, so I will end now. Bye!!!
One thing I thought I would try and liked at first, but now don't like, is the toilet wand. I am not sure the exact name, but it's basically a disposable attatchment that goes on the end of this wand. You clean the toilet and then throw it away. I tried it because my kids kept getting into the toilet brush and I just couldn't handle that anymore. But, I have found that my toilet bowl is never as clean as it used to be. Like I said, I just finished cleaning and it still looks dirty in spots. That is frustrating. I just figure that I will finish up using the ones I have and then when I move I will get all new toilet brushes...I can hardly wait. Oh, and the other thing I don't like about the wand is that it goes into the toilet water. Once you're done cleaning, the wand itself is wet and I always feel gross just throwing it on the floor...of course, there's no way I'm putting it in a drawer or something!
Just in case this one is not obvious to you, everyone in America needs to own a box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Talk about miraculous cleaning! It cleans everything...from stainless steel to mildew in tiles to marker on the wall. If there's something you just can't seem to get clean, try this! For a couple bucks it's worth the shot! But, answer me this. I wasn't sure. Are the generic erasers just as good as the name brand? I haven't tried them yet.
Now on to the next subject. I came to a realization today. I have always been one to love to go out. I don't care if I have to cart all five kids with me. I want to be out of the house. Today I realized why. I am the person who loves to have fun. But when I am home, I am the cook, the maid, the butler...anything but fun for my kids. They want to play games, but I am busy doing things that need to get done (I'm not even talking about hobbies- just plain old laundry and dishes!). I cannot stand to be at home and sit and play when the house needs work. I just can't stand it. So I keep busy, but not having fun with the kids. So, in order to allow myself the freedom to have fun, we go out. Then I don't have things that need to be done. I can just relax and enjoy the kids. And once we get home, Daddy is the fun one and Mommy keeps on keeping on- trying to keep some order in this crazy house!
Random thoughts now...I wanted to add to my pizza blog after I posted it. I realized that I mainly talked to my Oregon friends in that one, but wanted to capture the attention of my Maryland friends. So here we go.
1. I forgot to write my all-time favorite pizza in the world. I mean this. SORRENTO's in Arbutus. This is, what, $5 for a jumbo and is the best ever! And, not only that, but you can get a coke in a foam cup with the best ice in the world too! (I have a crazy love for certain kinds of ice- round pellets are my favorite and then small chips.)
2. Dough Roller in Ocean City is just gross. It is over-priced and does not taste good.
3. Ledo's pizza, however, at OC is really great. I'm sure they are great in Severna Park and whereever else they are as well, but I haven't tried them a lot. I did get their Buffalo pizza at the beach and that was out of this world! Loved it!
Overall, I think I like a good, greasy pizza. Both Sorrento's and Ledo's have greasy pizza. MMM!
Riley's new thing is when you ask him where something is, he points wherever he chooses and says, "Right there." Oh I love him! He's trying to walk more all the time- about 7 steps just as I wrote that. I hope he gets it nailed down soon!
This one is getting too long, so I will end now. Bye!!!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Oh, how convenient
So today I ran up to Salem to see what clothes I could find for my kids at Once Upon a Child. Usually, I find them a bit overpriced, but when I am searching for something specific, I try there first because they have the biggest selection. (I love second-hand stores, especially if they are inexpensive and have a large variety of items.)
Just before I got to the store I received a phone call on my cell phone. It was my sister-in-law, Kristy. I was talking to her as I unloaded my kids, got two of them (who were sleeping) in the stroller, and headed into the store. I was sure to lock my car door because I was in Salem (I usually don't). I did my shopping (found exactly what I was looking for by the way) and went out to the car...to find it locked and to find my keys no where in sight.
Bummer! I looked in every window all around the van but didn't locate them inside. My only guess was that I had thrown them in the diaper bag, which I did not take inside, and that's why I didn't spot them. So I called Scott and he agreed to make the drive to rescue me.
But, how convenient that Once Upon a Child is only a mile away from Chuck E. Cheese's! Ha! We had to cross Lancaster (Drive, Road, which is it?), which made me a tad nervous (only because I have almost hit pedestrians on that road a time or two), but I figured it would be a fun adventure. Sure enough, it was a fun walk. We enjoyed it (besides the loud transit and school buses whizzing by) and were so proud of ourselves once we reached our beloved destination. That was our story for today!
Oh, and the keys were in the diaper bag afterall.
Just before I got to the store I received a phone call on my cell phone. It was my sister-in-law, Kristy. I was talking to her as I unloaded my kids, got two of them (who were sleeping) in the stroller, and headed into the store. I was sure to lock my car door because I was in Salem (I usually don't). I did my shopping (found exactly what I was looking for by the way) and went out to the car...to find it locked and to find my keys no where in sight.
Bummer! I looked in every window all around the van but didn't locate them inside. My only guess was that I had thrown them in the diaper bag, which I did not take inside, and that's why I didn't spot them. So I called Scott and he agreed to make the drive to rescue me.
But, how convenient that Once Upon a Child is only a mile away from Chuck E. Cheese's! Ha! We had to cross Lancaster (Drive, Road, which is it?), which made me a tad nervous (only because I have almost hit pedestrians on that road a time or two), but I figured it would be a fun adventure. Sure enough, it was a fun walk. We enjoyed it (besides the loud transit and school buses whizzing by) and were so proud of ourselves once we reached our beloved destination. That was our story for today!
Oh, and the keys were in the diaper bag afterall.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Pizza...mmmmm
So for those of you who know me well, you know that pizza is my favorite food. I should clarify. Pizza is my favorite "every day" type food. I would much prefer a great steak or piece of halibut or something at a great restaurant, but if you're like me and have a large family, you just can't fine dine as much as you'd like. Therefore, I consider pizza my favorite food.
I thought I'd just jot a few favorites down. I'd love to hear your comments and ideas of new places my family can try. Oh, and I guess I'll also write some of my least favorites. I'd love to hear your comments on these as well.
Fav's:
1. Papa's CHEESE pizza- I'm talking just cheese. It is so great. It is pretty garlicy, so be prepared for that taste. I think it is wonderful. Their crust is just crispy enough and the all over flavor is just good.
2. Last night I had, for the first time, Papa Murphy's Mediterranean pizza. Again, the garlic is strong, but obviously I love garlic! It has spinach, sun dried tomatoes, chicken, feta cheese, and I'm sure more, but not even sure what. I didn't look at it so much. I just devoured my two slices and wished I wasn't full so I could eat more. The taste was out of this world.
3. Chuck E Cheese's- I know, I know, two out of three now have been "kids places." Yes, I go there often, and Chuck's has a special place in my heart. Perhaps if I can figure out how to get a picture on my blog, I will write a special post about Chuck's and put a picture of me holding my "Employee of the month" plaque on it! :) Anyway, Chuck's pizza can be really great- fresh out of the oven...with bacon (bits, not canadian) and onion. Love it!
4. Pizza Amore right here in Albany is such a great place. You go in, and the aroma of a "real pizza parlor" hits you. Oh, I love that! And the pizza tastes as good as it smells. (I admit I've only been there once, but I have a fond memory so far.)
5. Pizza Hut- Yes, plain old Pizza Hut. Scott and I love the meat lover's. You cannot go wrong with their pan pizza crust. Oh, it's an oldie but a goodie!
Don't like:
1. Pizza King in Albany. Their pizza is SO overpriced, probably because of the environment (kids play area and karaoke), and I did not care for it at all. There is nothing I hate more than leaving a restaurant disappointed in the food and knowing I just paid a year's worth of college education for it!
(OK, now that I think about it, Chuck's and Papa's Pizza are expensive too, but since it tastes so good it is worth it!)
2. Now this one is interesting. My mother-in-law just had their pizza and said it was one of her all time fav's. For us, we did not like it one bit. I think the name is Cirello's. It's on 9th St. in Corvallis next to (but across the street from) Rite Aid.
3. Galluci's in Lincoln City is really bad too. I have tried it numerous times and everytime I leave wishing I had not wasted my money.
4. Dominos is just as bad as the rest. It is not worth it, especially to pay extra for delivery! We avoid this one at all costs.
Indifferent choices:
1. Costco- it's fine. Not great, but not bad.
2. Little Caesars- sometimes it's good, but sometimes not. You can't depend on it, but for $5 it's sometimes worth it.
3. Homemade- honestly, can you ever make a homemade pizza that is better than your favorite restaurant pizza (especially if it costs the same!)? I am not sure about this option. I have not had much luck, even though I've tried a lot.
Well, for lack of time, I have to end this post. I'll look forward to reading your comments.
I thought I'd just jot a few favorites down. I'd love to hear your comments and ideas of new places my family can try. Oh, and I guess I'll also write some of my least favorites. I'd love to hear your comments on these as well.
Fav's:
1. Papa's CHEESE pizza- I'm talking just cheese. It is so great. It is pretty garlicy, so be prepared for that taste. I think it is wonderful. Their crust is just crispy enough and the all over flavor is just good.
2. Last night I had, for the first time, Papa Murphy's Mediterranean pizza. Again, the garlic is strong, but obviously I love garlic! It has spinach, sun dried tomatoes, chicken, feta cheese, and I'm sure more, but not even sure what. I didn't look at it so much. I just devoured my two slices and wished I wasn't full so I could eat more. The taste was out of this world.
3. Chuck E Cheese's- I know, I know, two out of three now have been "kids places." Yes, I go there often, and Chuck's has a special place in my heart. Perhaps if I can figure out how to get a picture on my blog, I will write a special post about Chuck's and put a picture of me holding my "Employee of the month" plaque on it! :) Anyway, Chuck's pizza can be really great- fresh out of the oven...with bacon (bits, not canadian) and onion. Love it!
4. Pizza Amore right here in Albany is such a great place. You go in, and the aroma of a "real pizza parlor" hits you. Oh, I love that! And the pizza tastes as good as it smells. (I admit I've only been there once, but I have a fond memory so far.)
5. Pizza Hut- Yes, plain old Pizza Hut. Scott and I love the meat lover's. You cannot go wrong with their pan pizza crust. Oh, it's an oldie but a goodie!
Don't like:
1. Pizza King in Albany. Their pizza is SO overpriced, probably because of the environment (kids play area and karaoke), and I did not care for it at all. There is nothing I hate more than leaving a restaurant disappointed in the food and knowing I just paid a year's worth of college education for it!
(OK, now that I think about it, Chuck's and Papa's Pizza are expensive too, but since it tastes so good it is worth it!)
2. Now this one is interesting. My mother-in-law just had their pizza and said it was one of her all time fav's. For us, we did not like it one bit. I think the name is Cirello's. It's on 9th St. in Corvallis next to (but across the street from) Rite Aid.
3. Galluci's in Lincoln City is really bad too. I have tried it numerous times and everytime I leave wishing I had not wasted my money.
4. Dominos is just as bad as the rest. It is not worth it, especially to pay extra for delivery! We avoid this one at all costs.
Indifferent choices:
1. Costco- it's fine. Not great, but not bad.
2. Little Caesars- sometimes it's good, but sometimes not. You can't depend on it, but for $5 it's sometimes worth it.
3. Homemade- honestly, can you ever make a homemade pizza that is better than your favorite restaurant pizza (especially if it costs the same!)? I am not sure about this option. I have not had much luck, even though I've tried a lot.
Well, for lack of time, I have to end this post. I'll look forward to reading your comments.
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