It has been an amazing, very full, summer, which is why I have not written anything in months. I haven't written much by hand, either. I remodeled my bathroom, worked on 3 sewing commissions (1 is ongoing, hopefully), joined a Waldorf co-op, joined a Naturopathic certificate co-op, took Asher to soccer and dance, signed him up for soccer in the Fall, hosted family, hosted a birthday party, and am in the thick of clearing my home of anything excess. I want to start our school year fresh, with only what we need and love in the house, so my mother is here (the lone remainder of our familial influx) to get everything cleared out by this weekend.
Speaking of the school year, I've been learning a lot about Waldorf and planning out our school day/months/goals. We've had a few 'practice runs', and I am almost ready for September 1st, when we are going to dive in. I am very excited, as are the boys (generally). I came across a great Waldorf materials giveaway at Cedar Ring Mama, and I am already coveting the majority of their catalog. For now I'm trying to budget, but I've got a running list now for when I've got a bit of wiggle room, especially those art supplies!
Now I need to get back to work; the summer is almost over, and I am looking forward to finishing this marathon of projects and settling into the new year.
happily,
nava
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
15 August, 2013
09 January, 2013
Certification frenzy
Today I received the book list for my doula course. The book had 10 titles that were required (5 set and 5 'my pick'), so within about 30 minutes I had reserved 36 of them at the library, purchased 6 online, and have the 2 I already own out and ready to read. I am clearly very, very, excited. I am also SET for reading material. At least, I will be soon.
Then I discovered, through the same organization, an herbalist certification course that I am going to go with! I feel really good about this course, and rather than just do the certificate I will do the Master Herbalist program. First I have to save up the money. If I can swing it then I think I really can get my certifications both as a doula and as a Master Herbalist this year.
I also tracked down LLL meetings locally, since I decided that as long as I am at it I will become a LLL Leader. I know I meet the requirements, just need to do the coursework. Also, attend meetings. I haven't gotten out much! This is something else I am looking forward to now.
Leaving my job has me nervous, but not as nervous as I was at first. I am leaving my current post at the end of the month. I have told my coworkers that what I am going to miss most is chatting with them. Otherwise, it is the right move for us. As long as I can keep things going financially, that is. I have faith. Just have to keep going. Life has become very exciting all of a sudden, and I am extremely happy about it.
happily,
-nava
Then I discovered, through the same organization, an herbalist certification course that I am going to go with! I feel really good about this course, and rather than just do the certificate I will do the Master Herbalist program. First I have to save up the money. If I can swing it then I think I really can get my certifications both as a doula and as a Master Herbalist this year.
I also tracked down LLL meetings locally, since I decided that as long as I am at it I will become a LLL Leader. I know I meet the requirements, just need to do the coursework. Also, attend meetings. I haven't gotten out much! This is something else I am looking forward to now.
Leaving my job has me nervous, but not as nervous as I was at first. I am leaving my current post at the end of the month. I have told my coworkers that what I am going to miss most is chatting with them. Otherwise, it is the right move for us. As long as I can keep things going financially, that is. I have faith. Just have to keep going. Life has become very exciting all of a sudden, and I am extremely happy about it.
happily,
-nava
24 September, 2012
30 for 30
I came up with 30 goals for my 30th year. I'm excited!
1. Catch up my boy's journals. I write each month in journals to each of my boys. There are a few entries that I have not yet put into Asher and Adin's books, and Malachi doesn't even have a journal yet, just a .doc.
2. Photo albums. This means get my pictures sorted, printed, and put into albums. This also includes the family photos we had done, as those need to be sent out to my family as well. A good goal would be my Grandma's birthday, which is in October. Some time. I should find out.
3. Homeschool! I plan to ROCK THIS.
4. Finish the home improvement projects. This is quite a list, but doable.
5. Pay off my credit cards. I currently have $2500 in credit card debt (Milt shares some of that, but $500 of it is all mine). I think I can do this by the end of the year.
6. Have a wardrobe I enjoy. I have fabric, I have patterns, I have skills, and I have a seriously tattered collection of clothes. This is a good time to throw out the tattered and stained and replace them with clothes that I love.
7. Celebrate all the holiday. By all I mean Jewish. If I did ALL the holidays I would be doing nothing but celebrating. Which is not a bad way to do things. I just don't have time for that.
8. Get fit. I have no idea how much I weigh, and I know I am not fat (but I am flabby; hey, I had a baby!) but I am weak, and I do not like that at all. I need to get my strength back!
9. Figure out my family's dietary needs and stick with them. Yum!
10. Grow some food all year. Our garden did pretty well this summer, despite major neglect. We got carrots and tomatoes, and watched kale and lettuce leaf up beautifully, and then watched it bolt beautifully. The popcorn is growing nicely, and our one surviving stalk of sweet corn is 2 feet high and has 2 cobs. Our artichoke plant is still alive, as are Malachi's quince and Adin's cherry (Asher's avocado lives inside). We have celery, rhubarb, peppers, and mystery squash, and a whole lot of leafy plants who are mysteries only because their name labels got washed off and I misplaced my garden chart. Fall plants will be going in soon, and we will work on the garden through the winter, but I plan to do some indoor gardening too. Fun!
11. Get my etsy shop moving. I have PLANS. So many plans. Just need to do them!
12. Make something every day. This may be hard, but I am going to count ANYTHING (even a paper airplane) as making, so I think I can keep this one going.
13. Take a photo every month of my boys. They are so cute.
14. Write letters.
15. Purge! We got rid of a lot over the summer, but there is still far too much stuff. Just random stuff! Ugh. Slow but steady. If I break it into manageable chunks (fill just one box, rather than tearing apart an entire room, and then getting rid of that box before the boys unpack it for me) then I think we can make some real progress. Also, using up my major stockpile of supplies, for homeschooling, gifts, and etsy, is going to be really great.
16. Continue my herbalism training. Even if I can't enroll in courses this year, I need to keep studying.
17. Improve my Japanese skills. Hai!
18. Really use my Spanish, and build on it.
19. Get some Hebrew learning in. I figure I can learn along with the boys on this one.
20. Complete 30 Pinterest projects. This is actually not going to be difficult. I already made a thai peanut sauce (amazing!) and an apple cake (so good!). So 28 to go.
21. Travel. Somewhere. Anywhere. Let's go!
22. Knit one garment
23. Crochet one garment
24. Send out cards. This means birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. I have lots of cards, just need to keep track of dates. While this goes along with writing to people, I feel that sending off a quick card should not take the place of a real letter.
25. Organize my recipes. I have a wonderful little recipe book that was an anniversary gift, and I never use it. I want to put my extra-special recipes in there, and all my other recipes (and recipes to try out) in a binder. Perhaps then I can let go of some of my cookbooks. Hahahaha. right.
26. Go outside every day. So far, so good.
27. Get dressed every day. While the going outside would seem to require that, this is the first step. Having 3 little guys and a home-based job make it REALLY easy to not get out of my pjs, but I also feel really gross when I spend all day in them. Oh, I also hereby give myself special 'pajama days', but these will be for the whole family and involve movies, hot chocolate, and general cozy together time. Also naps.
28. Repair and/or finish my quilts. I love my quilts, but some of them are looking pretty ragged, and I have a few in progress that I need to finish up.
29. Finish my dad's vests. This one has a deadline; I've been 'working' on these for 2 years now, and sending each one as a I finish. Well, there are only two left and they are almost completely done. I can get these done for his birthday in December, and then use the scraps to make vests for the younguns.
30. Go camping. I have wanted to go camping now for 5 years; it is time!
1. Catch up my boy's journals. I write each month in journals to each of my boys. There are a few entries that I have not yet put into Asher and Adin's books, and Malachi doesn't even have a journal yet, just a .doc.
2. Photo albums. This means get my pictures sorted, printed, and put into albums. This also includes the family photos we had done, as those need to be sent out to my family as well. A good goal would be my Grandma's birthday, which is in October. Some time. I should find out.
3. Homeschool! I plan to ROCK THIS.
4. Finish the home improvement projects. This is quite a list, but doable.
5. Pay off my credit cards. I currently have $2500 in credit card debt (Milt shares some of that, but $500 of it is all mine). I think I can do this by the end of the year.
6. Have a wardrobe I enjoy. I have fabric, I have patterns, I have skills, and I have a seriously tattered collection of clothes. This is a good time to throw out the tattered and stained and replace them with clothes that I love.
7. Celebrate all the holiday. By all I mean Jewish. If I did ALL the holidays I would be doing nothing but celebrating. Which is not a bad way to do things. I just don't have time for that.
8. Get fit. I have no idea how much I weigh, and I know I am not fat (but I am flabby; hey, I had a baby!) but I am weak, and I do not like that at all. I need to get my strength back!
9. Figure out my family's dietary needs and stick with them. Yum!
10. Grow some food all year. Our garden did pretty well this summer, despite major neglect. We got carrots and tomatoes, and watched kale and lettuce leaf up beautifully, and then watched it bolt beautifully. The popcorn is growing nicely, and our one surviving stalk of sweet corn is 2 feet high and has 2 cobs. Our artichoke plant is still alive, as are Malachi's quince and Adin's cherry (Asher's avocado lives inside). We have celery, rhubarb, peppers, and mystery squash, and a whole lot of leafy plants who are mysteries only because their name labels got washed off and I misplaced my garden chart. Fall plants will be going in soon, and we will work on the garden through the winter, but I plan to do some indoor gardening too. Fun!
11. Get my etsy shop moving. I have PLANS. So many plans. Just need to do them!
12. Make something every day. This may be hard, but I am going to count ANYTHING (even a paper airplane) as making, so I think I can keep this one going.
13. Take a photo every month of my boys. They are so cute.
14. Write letters.
15. Purge! We got rid of a lot over the summer, but there is still far too much stuff. Just random stuff! Ugh. Slow but steady. If I break it into manageable chunks (fill just one box, rather than tearing apart an entire room, and then getting rid of that box before the boys unpack it for me) then I think we can make some real progress. Also, using up my major stockpile of supplies, for homeschooling, gifts, and etsy, is going to be really great.
16. Continue my herbalism training. Even if I can't enroll in courses this year, I need to keep studying.
17. Improve my Japanese skills. Hai!
18. Really use my Spanish, and build on it.
19. Get some Hebrew learning in. I figure I can learn along with the boys on this one.
20. Complete 30 Pinterest projects. This is actually not going to be difficult. I already made a thai peanut sauce (amazing!) and an apple cake (so good!). So 28 to go.
21. Travel. Somewhere. Anywhere. Let's go!
22. Knit one garment
23. Crochet one garment
24. Send out cards. This means birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. I have lots of cards, just need to keep track of dates. While this goes along with writing to people, I feel that sending off a quick card should not take the place of a real letter.
25. Organize my recipes. I have a wonderful little recipe book that was an anniversary gift, and I never use it. I want to put my extra-special recipes in there, and all my other recipes (and recipes to try out) in a binder. Perhaps then I can let go of some of my cookbooks. Hahahaha. right.
26. Go outside every day. So far, so good.
27. Get dressed every day. While the going outside would seem to require that, this is the first step. Having 3 little guys and a home-based job make it REALLY easy to not get out of my pjs, but I also feel really gross when I spend all day in them. Oh, I also hereby give myself special 'pajama days', but these will be for the whole family and involve movies, hot chocolate, and general cozy together time. Also naps.
28. Repair and/or finish my quilts. I love my quilts, but some of them are looking pretty ragged, and I have a few in progress that I need to finish up.
29. Finish my dad's vests. This one has a deadline; I've been 'working' on these for 2 years now, and sending each one as a I finish. Well, there are only two left and they are almost completely done. I can get these done for his birthday in December, and then use the scraps to make vests for the younguns.
30. Go camping. I have wanted to go camping now for 5 years; it is time!
01 March, 2012
Hi March!
February has, thankfully flown by. We got ourselves a snow storm in honor of leap day, which was really fun (I say snow storm in that there was a storm, and there was snow, but it wasn't a blizzard or anything like that).
I am officially halfway through this pregnancy (although we expect to go to 42 weeks, so my halfway point is in another week), and I finally (I hope) have a midwife. I am delivering at a birth center and I get two midwives and their assistants, so whichever is on call that day comes to assist me and they switch off each prenatal appointment so I know each of them well. The first midwife I had I really connected with, and then found out that she would be moving on after April, so I was left with the other midwife who I really haven't connected to. I had an appointment to meet with another midwife, but that was cancelled last minute since she would only be available in August and I need one available July and August. Finally met with a new midwife this week and I really REALLY like her and her assistant, so I think we are set. My next appointment is with the one I feel lukewarm about, but I am going to give it one more meeting to see if we click or not before asking to meet with another.
I think I finished 29 projects, but between misplacing my camera and my computer dying and buying a new one and general disorganisation/malaise I haven't been documenting very well. This month I am focusing on sewing (tonight I will be mending, woo hoo!), so I'll be documenting that as well as my completed projects from last month. Pretty exciting!
In other news, translation work has picked up again, so I'm happy, since I have to pay for this shiny new computer somehow and we had to put new tires on the van and I need to start a fund in case we have a boy, for a brit, and I want to have a diaper service for at least the first few months, so more expenses, yes.
happily, -nava
I am officially halfway through this pregnancy (although we expect to go to 42 weeks, so my halfway point is in another week), and I finally (I hope) have a midwife. I am delivering at a birth center and I get two midwives and their assistants, so whichever is on call that day comes to assist me and they switch off each prenatal appointment so I know each of them well. The first midwife I had I really connected with, and then found out that she would be moving on after April, so I was left with the other midwife who I really haven't connected to. I had an appointment to meet with another midwife, but that was cancelled last minute since she would only be available in August and I need one available July and August. Finally met with a new midwife this week and I really REALLY like her and her assistant, so I think we are set. My next appointment is with the one I feel lukewarm about, but I am going to give it one more meeting to see if we click or not before asking to meet with another.
I think I finished 29 projects, but between misplacing my camera and my computer dying and buying a new one and general disorganisation/malaise I haven't been documenting very well. This month I am focusing on sewing (tonight I will be mending, woo hoo!), so I'll be documenting that as well as my completed projects from last month. Pretty exciting!
In other news, translation work has picked up again, so I'm happy, since I have to pay for this shiny new computer somehow and we had to put new tires on the van and I need to start a fund in case we have a boy, for a brit, and I want to have a diaper service for at least the first few months, so more expenses, yes.
happily, -nava
14 February, 2012
project 7: closet shelf relocation
The positioning of the shelf in closets has always bothered me; I feel it is an awkward height in that full-length garments cannot hang freely, while the shelf itself is too high to be really useful and that there is usually a lot of wasted head space in the top of the closet. So I decided to reposition the shelf in our closet. It's a quick job, really, once the clothes are taken off the rod and the boxes (or whatever) are taken from the shelf.
-I first removed the clothes rod, then loosened the screws holding the two rod holders into the board supports on either side, and then loosened the center hook/support (which supports the rod and the shelf).
-Then I used a hammer to knock the shelf loose from the shelf supports and took that out as well.
-Finally I pried the shelf supports (3 boards) out.
-I figured out where I wanted the shelf to be; in my case I made it even with the top of the closet opening, so there would still be room for the boxes I use for socks and such up there; then I hammered each support back into place, using a level to be sure everything matched up and wouldn't be crooked. At least, it wouldn't be crooked in relation to gravity; there is a good chance it is at least slightly crooked to the rest of the closet.
-Then I retightened the rod supports and put the rod back in. I had to do the rod before the shelf because the rod acted as a brace for the shelf supports; I think the walls are a little uneven and I wanted to be sure the shelf would reattach in the same way it had been positioned before, and I realised that if I put the shelf in first I would not be able to wedge the rod back in once the supports and shelf were fastened together.
-Then I placed the shelf back on top and hammered it back in to place. I repositioned the center hook; it was originally offset slightly, and I put it in the center of the closet. With two equally sized doors it seemed really silly to have the rod divided up unevenly.
I filled up the shelf with my boxes (I use the old version of these boxes to store socks and things; very handy) stacking them 2 high, which leaves a few inches of headspace, which is fine as it allows for easy maneuvering of the boxes. I rehung the clothes and voila, all set. Now I can install a shelf at the bottom, or a rail, for shoe storage, and our longer garments (winter coats, bathrobes) hang freely. I even have room for a hamper in there now.
It was a simple project, although I do wish I had waited until Milt was home, so he could have assisted me, as I wore myself out on that project. Completely worth the results though :)
happily, -nava
-I first removed the clothes rod, then loosened the screws holding the two rod holders into the board supports on either side, and then loosened the center hook/support (which supports the rod and the shelf).
-Then I used a hammer to knock the shelf loose from the shelf supports and took that out as well.
-Finally I pried the shelf supports (3 boards) out.
-I figured out where I wanted the shelf to be; in my case I made it even with the top of the closet opening, so there would still be room for the boxes I use for socks and such up there; then I hammered each support back into place, using a level to be sure everything matched up and wouldn't be crooked. At least, it wouldn't be crooked in relation to gravity; there is a good chance it is at least slightly crooked to the rest of the closet.
-Then I retightened the rod supports and put the rod back in. I had to do the rod before the shelf because the rod acted as a brace for the shelf supports; I think the walls are a little uneven and I wanted to be sure the shelf would reattach in the same way it had been positioned before, and I realised that if I put the shelf in first I would not be able to wedge the rod back in once the supports and shelf were fastened together.
-Then I placed the shelf back on top and hammered it back in to place. I repositioned the center hook; it was originally offset slightly, and I put it in the center of the closet. With two equally sized doors it seemed really silly to have the rod divided up unevenly.
I filled up the shelf with my boxes (I use the old version of these boxes to store socks and things; very handy) stacking them 2 high, which leaves a few inches of headspace, which is fine as it allows for easy maneuvering of the boxes. I rehung the clothes and voila, all set. Now I can install a shelf at the bottom, or a rail, for shoe storage, and our longer garments (winter coats, bathrobes) hang freely. I even have room for a hamper in there now.
It was a simple project, although I do wish I had waited until Milt was home, so he could have assisted me, as I wore myself out on that project. Completely worth the results though :)
happily, -nava
project 6: fruit trees
I have been waffling about getting fruit trees for some time now, and finally decided to just go for it. Adin has a pomegranate that may or may not be dead (I'm giving it one more spring, and then we'll see) so I had him choose his own tree; he selected an ultra-dwarf cherry. We also got a fig (for the baby) and an ultra-dwarf nectarine. Milt planted them in our backyard and so far they are doing ok. Of course, it's only been a few days, but we have high hopes for these little guys (and they are little). I want to get a few more varieties, and I am going to ask my parents for cuttings from their quince and plum trees as well. I also have some yucca cuttings waiting for me to figure out where to stick them as well. An orchard in the making! A short, heavily pruned orchard in a smallish yard, and it's going to be amazing.
happily, -nava
happily, -nava
project 5: build garden beds
Milt actually built the beds, and I am so happy (and thankful) that he did. We got 16'x8" decking boards at the hardware store and had them cut into 2 3' and 2 5' lengths. Then Milt got out the power drill and started assembling. It has taken a while, since the rechargeable batteries for the drill don't hold much of a charge, and it's been raining a lot now (after 1 week of gorgeous weather), but he has been working hard. Each one gets a 'floor' of cardboard and then 3 bags (6 cubic feet total) of soil; we've been doing a mix of 2 enriched + 1 potting soil for each. He is going to take the old boxes we built, combine 2 of them into 1 and use the 3rd frame for a low bed for potatoes, and we are planning to put in a greenhouse and a playhouse where those beds were. A month from now those beds are going to be FULL of plants!
happily, -nava
happily, -nava
project 4: start seeds
Well, my camera is still MIA (it did surface briefly during Shabbat, of course, and has vanished again) so I'll just do the posts now and update with pictures later. I don't like to edit/update posts, because then they show up multiple times in people's blog feeds, but oh well.
Project 4! I decided it was time to start some seeds, so I pulled out all the seeds I have and got to work. We bought 3 'windowsill greenhouse' kits from the hardware store; these came with individual soil pucks in a plastic tray with a clear tray to cover it and act as a greenhouse. I filled up all the pucks, then gathered the clear trays and every other usable piece of clear plastic (mostly containers from loose spinach) and filled those with newspaper seed pots. I made these out of one of our many phone books, wrapping two pages around a toilet paper tube, tucking in the end, then smashing the end flat to keep it mostly secure. Milt filled them with potting soil and they are going well. It's been a week now, and I filled up another spinach container with more phone book pots and repotted some of the seedlings that were getting crowded. It is too cold and unpredictable outside to even think of transplanting out there just yet; I even have a weather forecast that is predicting snow later this week. Crazy!
Here is what I planted:
Amaranth (I also plan to direct sow later in the spring)
Arugula (sprouted and all repotted)
Artichoke
Basil (2 varieties)
Beets (4 varieties)
Broccoli (sprouting)
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage (2 kinds; 1 European, 1 Chinese)
Cantaloupe
Carrots (assorted heirloom variety pack)
Cauliflower
Chamomile
Chard (planted today in the space vacated by the spinach)
Cilantro
Cress
Cucumbers (3 kinds inc. 1 gherkin)
Dill
Eggplant
Kale (2 kinds; both are sprouting, I repotted 2 of the seedlings)
Lettuce (2 mixed varieties of leaf lettuces, so about 8 kinds)
Lobelia (planted today in the space vacated by the arugula)
Oregano
Parsley
Peppers (5 bell, 2 habanero, 3 others)
Pumpkins (3 varieties)
Scallions
Spinach (3 kinds; 2 have sprouted, one was repotted for more room)
Squash (4 varieties)
Sunflowers (5 kinds; the edible variety has sprouted)
Tomatoes (12 varieties; I have a lot of plans for the tomatoes this year)
Watermelon (3 varieties)
I also have 3 kinds of potatoes, 1 asparagus, and 2 strawberries waiting to plant. I direct-sowed my old, shriveled garlic and onions outside; they may come up, they may not, we'll see. I have several kinds of poppies and 4 boxes of mixed flower seeds waiting to be sowed as well, and about 12 different types of bulbs waiting for the rain to stop so I can get them in the ground. So exciting!
happily, -nava
Project 4! I decided it was time to start some seeds, so I pulled out all the seeds I have and got to work. We bought 3 'windowsill greenhouse' kits from the hardware store; these came with individual soil pucks in a plastic tray with a clear tray to cover it and act as a greenhouse. I filled up all the pucks, then gathered the clear trays and every other usable piece of clear plastic (mostly containers from loose spinach) and filled those with newspaper seed pots. I made these out of one of our many phone books, wrapping two pages around a toilet paper tube, tucking in the end, then smashing the end flat to keep it mostly secure. Milt filled them with potting soil and they are going well. It's been a week now, and I filled up another spinach container with more phone book pots and repotted some of the seedlings that were getting crowded. It is too cold and unpredictable outside to even think of transplanting out there just yet; I even have a weather forecast that is predicting snow later this week. Crazy!
Here is what I planted:
Amaranth (I also plan to direct sow later in the spring)
Arugula (sprouted and all repotted)
Artichoke
Basil (2 varieties)
Beets (4 varieties)
Broccoli (sprouting)
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage (2 kinds; 1 European, 1 Chinese)
Cantaloupe
Carrots (assorted heirloom variety pack)
Cauliflower
Chamomile
Chard (planted today in the space vacated by the spinach)
Cilantro
Cress
Cucumbers (3 kinds inc. 1 gherkin)
Dill
Eggplant
Kale (2 kinds; both are sprouting, I repotted 2 of the seedlings)
Lettuce (2 mixed varieties of leaf lettuces, so about 8 kinds)
Lobelia (planted today in the space vacated by the arugula)
Oregano
Parsley
Peppers (5 bell, 2 habanero, 3 others)
Pumpkins (3 varieties)
Scallions
Spinach (3 kinds; 2 have sprouted, one was repotted for more room)
Squash (4 varieties)
Sunflowers (5 kinds; the edible variety has sprouted)
Tomatoes (12 varieties; I have a lot of plans for the tomatoes this year)
Watermelon (3 varieties)
I also have 3 kinds of potatoes, 1 asparagus, and 2 strawberries waiting to plant. I direct-sowed my old, shriveled garlic and onions outside; they may come up, they may not, we'll see. I have several kinds of poppies and 4 boxes of mixed flower seeds waiting to be sowed as well, and about 12 different types of bulbs waiting for the rain to stop so I can get them in the ground. So exciting!
happily, -nava
06 February, 2012
projects
The projects are still in full swing, it's just that I misplaced my camera. I think one of the boys snuck off with it, so they could take pictures, but no confessions yet so I will just keep looking. Here are the recently completed and in-progress projects:
1. Assembled a Havdalah set
2. Challah cover for Shabbat
3. Matzoh cover for Pesach
4. Started our seeds for the garden
5. Built a raised bed (We have supplies for several more, but our cordless drill needs a new battery; the 2 we have do not hold a charge for more than 10 minutes anymore, so it is slow going there). Also planted very old onions and garlic in that bed; we'll see if anything sprouts.
6. Sorted through my recycling (that's going to be one thrilling photograph)
7. Planning my wardrobe (this is preparing for March; I've decided to spend March not just making/mending/modifying, but building myself a cohesive wardrobe that I love. Most of my clothes are getting very worn out, so now is the time.)
There are others, I am sure, but I'll document them as I go. I've also been taking full advantage of the spring weather we've been having; full sun, windows open, clothes hanging outside to dry. It's been beautiful. Weather forecast predicts clouds starting tomorrow, but no rain until Saturday at the earliest. It's been wonderful.
-happily, nava
1. Assembled a Havdalah set
2. Challah cover for Shabbat
3. Matzoh cover for Pesach
4. Started our seeds for the garden
5. Built a raised bed (We have supplies for several more, but our cordless drill needs a new battery; the 2 we have do not hold a charge for more than 10 minutes anymore, so it is slow going there). Also planted very old onions and garlic in that bed; we'll see if anything sprouts.
6. Sorted through my recycling (that's going to be one thrilling photograph)
7. Planning my wardrobe (this is preparing for March; I've decided to spend March not just making/mending/modifying, but building myself a cohesive wardrobe that I love. Most of my clothes are getting very worn out, so now is the time.)
There are others, I am sure, but I'll document them as I go. I've also been taking full advantage of the spring weather we've been having; full sun, windows open, clothes hanging outside to dry. It's been beautiful. Weather forecast predicts clouds starting tomorrow, but no rain until Saturday at the earliest. It's been wonderful.
-happily, nava
03 February, 2012
project 3: redo owl bank
A few months ago Adin knocked his clothes dresser over on top of himself. Thankfully he was not hurt, at all (it landed on a rocking horse), but he did shatter an owl bank they had in the process. After about a month I glued the pieces back together and covered the whole thing with tissue paper and mod podge. Then it sat in the garage while I decided what to do with it. A few weeks ago I finally painted it, and it turned out like this.
I was not loving it. Then Milt came home and asked "why didn't you make it into a Totoro?" Genius. So I did.
Project 3: Completed! Project 4: In Progress
-happily, nava
I was not loving it. Then Milt came home and asked "why didn't you make it into a Totoro?" Genius. So I did.
Project 3: Completed! Project 4: In Progress
-happily, nava
02 February, 2012
project 2: update etsy
Updating my etsy shop may not seem like a big deal, but it is for me. First, I am continuing to hope that it will at least pay for itself at some point, Second, I had to rephotograph a few things and actually photograph a few other things, and Third I had to finish one item that has been waiting for finishing for, oh, a year. No, longer. So that is what I did.
I grabbed the neglected tutu and finished it up, then I had a live model photoshoot for all of the skirts (except the one adult sized one I have), then a few shots of the previously unphotographed skirts. I know I have another one somewhere in the garage, but for now I am not going to try to dig it out. It will get unearthed soon enough. I then took all the photographs, edited them, and voila, shop updated. I am debating relisting the patterns I have or my floral essences, but right now what I have up is enough. Here is one picture from the photoshoot:
In other news, we had more sunny skies and temps in the upper 40s/low 50s today, so windows open! Hanging clothes to dry! Boys playing in the backyard! Lots of Vitamin D absorption! It was wonderful :)
Project 2: completed! Projects 3 & 4: In Progress
-happily, nava
I grabbed the neglected tutu and finished it up, then I had a live model photoshoot for all of the skirts (except the one adult sized one I have), then a few shots of the previously unphotographed skirts. I know I have another one somewhere in the garage, but for now I am not going to try to dig it out. It will get unearthed soon enough. I then took all the photographs, edited them, and voila, shop updated. I am debating relisting the patterns I have or my floral essences, but right now what I have up is enough. Here is one picture from the photoshoot:
In other news, we had more sunny skies and temps in the upper 40s/low 50s today, so windows open! Hanging clothes to dry! Boys playing in the backyard! Lots of Vitamin D absorption! It was wonderful :)
Project 2: completed! Projects 3 & 4: In Progress
-happily, nava
01 February, 2012
project 1: secure pantry
The majority of the closets in this house, including the pantry (and excluding the under-stair area) have sliding doors. This wouldn't be a problem except that 1) the doors hang from a track and were not secured at the base, so the boys looooove to swing them in and out and push between them, freaking me out. 2) the track system/ wheels are bent or otherwise distorted to the point that the doors in the pantry and one closet will not stay on their tracks, which make things interesting. As in, loud, cumbersome, and dangerous. Also, we have been battling mice (and winning, slowly, but winning) and the doors as they are now leave a sizeable gap along the floor, which means that mice can get into my pantry. EEEWWWW. Granted, so far they can only get in to the floor area, where I don't have any food, but still. The mice needed to be excluded (I'm sure they disagree), the doors needed to be secured and, oh yes, the doors needed to be securable (as in, lockable) so that two little boys would stop serving themselves whatever they saw and then leaving it to rot on my kitchen table. Also in my living room, on the stairs, in their bedroom...etc. The madness had to stop.
So, I got some strips of wood, had them cut to size, went back and got the correct width when I found I had a 2" wide board instead of a 3" wide (grrr), and built a track system of my very own, based on the danish credenza my mother owns. So far, so good. The doors stick a little, as the bottom corners have been roughed up, but, the gaps are gone, the doors stay in the doorway, they are moveable, and they cannot be swung to the point that the Ikea safety latch can be popped open. Hooray! I am going to sand the doors a little and wax them and the tracks (and paint them), but those are tasks for another day. A day in which I have money and go to the hardware store. Here is the really awful picture, because I really didn't feel like trying to move our table out of the way in order to have a better angle. I did move it a little; usually the chair shown is right against the doors if someone is sitting there, so the chair at the other end is pinned against the back doors right now, but that's ok. You can see the remaining beadboard waiting to be installed on the left, which is also on my list, but I'm tired of sawing things so that's gonna wait a bit. I also have to get the trim for that. All of this is on my list.
Project 1: Complete! Projects 2 & 3 are in progress. Yay!
-happily, nava
So, I got some strips of wood, had them cut to size, went back and got the correct width when I found I had a 2" wide board instead of a 3" wide (grrr), and built a track system of my very own, based on the danish credenza my mother owns. So far, so good. The doors stick a little, as the bottom corners have been roughed up, but, the gaps are gone, the doors stay in the doorway, they are moveable, and they cannot be swung to the point that the Ikea safety latch can be popped open. Hooray! I am going to sand the doors a little and wax them and the tracks (and paint them), but those are tasks for another day. A day in which I have money and go to the hardware store. Here is the really awful picture, because I really didn't feel like trying to move our table out of the way in order to have a better angle. I did move it a little; usually the chair shown is right against the doors if someone is sitting there, so the chair at the other end is pinned against the back doors right now, but that's ok. You can see the remaining beadboard waiting to be installed on the left, which is also on my list, but I'm tired of sawing things so that's gonna wait a bit. I also have to get the trim for that. All of this is on my list.
Project 1: Complete! Projects 2 & 3 are in progress. Yay!
-happily, nava
February
My goal to get my house (ok, excluding the garage and laundry room, because those are PROJECTS) clean by the end of January is 90% complete. At first I was a little disappointed because I really wanted to start with a clean slate, however, I have my house back. It's clean, and the only messes are clean laundry to put away and dishes to wash. Amazing! The house feels so much better, the kids are happier, I'm happier, it's great. Today I'm going to finish up putting away things and get a couple projects done involving hanging doors (pantry and boy's closet) and possibly a couple other things, but we'll see.
We also got our state tax refund yesterday, which is wonderful, we can get caught up on all our overdue bills (lot of little bills and unexpected expenses that aren't terrible, but still frustrating on a budget as tight as ours). I read a lot of economic blogs, and several say that you shouldn't give the government a loan, that is, you shouldn't hand over that portion of your paycheck without thinking just to get it back come refund time. Thing is, we don't. We just make so little that even with all of our withholdings exemptions we still get refunded. Now, it isn't exorbitant; we aren't getting rich (clearly) off of "the gov'ment", but it is enough to get us back on track financially and rebuild our financial safety net, at least a little bit. The goal is to have a fully-funded emergency fund, but right now it's about all we can do to keep a little aside for emergencies and keep up on bills. We are slowly getting out of debt, and we have everything we need and more, so our financial life is pretty good, no real complaints here, and once we pay off all our bills it will be even better because I won't have that stress over 'how are we going to pay this one this month' anymore. My biggest relief this year is that once we get our federal refund I will be able to pay our midwife and other associated bills in full. Oh, that's going to be so great.
Other news, we finally got contacted about our case file to be foster parents. Apparently it got left behind somewhere and the local office jut received it (almost 4 months later). Thing is, now Milt is not so sure he wants to be a foster parent. Right now, I agree; baby on the way, getting our house in order, we need to focus on our family as we are right now. We're going to be discussing with the worker the process of completing our certification and then putting us 'on hold' for actually taking any children until the time is right. I hope he'll come back around, and I know we both care about these kids, but timing really is everything. Still, good to know our case is active and we weren't disqualified. :)
Alright, time to get some work done!
-happily, nava
We also got our state tax refund yesterday, which is wonderful, we can get caught up on all our overdue bills (lot of little bills and unexpected expenses that aren't terrible, but still frustrating on a budget as tight as ours). I read a lot of economic blogs, and several say that you shouldn't give the government a loan, that is, you shouldn't hand over that portion of your paycheck without thinking just to get it back come refund time. Thing is, we don't. We just make so little that even with all of our withholdings exemptions we still get refunded. Now, it isn't exorbitant; we aren't getting rich (clearly) off of "the gov'ment", but it is enough to get us back on track financially and rebuild our financial safety net, at least a little bit. The goal is to have a fully-funded emergency fund, but right now it's about all we can do to keep a little aside for emergencies and keep up on bills. We are slowly getting out of debt, and we have everything we need and more, so our financial life is pretty good, no real complaints here, and once we pay off all our bills it will be even better because I won't have that stress over 'how are we going to pay this one this month' anymore. My biggest relief this year is that once we get our federal refund I will be able to pay our midwife and other associated bills in full. Oh, that's going to be so great.
Other news, we finally got contacted about our case file to be foster parents. Apparently it got left behind somewhere and the local office jut received it (almost 4 months later). Thing is, now Milt is not so sure he wants to be a foster parent. Right now, I agree; baby on the way, getting our house in order, we need to focus on our family as we are right now. We're going to be discussing with the worker the process of completing our certification and then putting us 'on hold' for actually taking any children until the time is right. I hope he'll come back around, and I know we both care about these kids, but timing really is everything. Still, good to know our case is active and we weren't disqualified. :)
Alright, time to get some work done!
-happily, nava
29 January, 2012
Planning for the new month
I have decided that February will be themed 'Finish It February'. I am going to try to finish one project for each day. Some of these projects will be parts of other projects (for example, I cannot finish my entire kitchen in one day, but I can complete individual steps, such as recovering the counter, repositioning cabinets, or installing the backsplash, in one day). 29 projects should get me pretty far in completing the many, many unfinished projects I have here, and help in clearing out a lot of clutter, as unfinished work has a lot of associated clutter. So for this month, of which I have 3 days (counting today) my goal is to get the house CLEAN. That way I can really focus on working/crafting, without feeling guilty, overwhelmed, or blocked by the mess. It should work. Even if I get sick again I have plenty of handwork that needs finishing, so I am ready to go! One of my projects will be choosing a theme for March. Maybe Make It March (so I can participate in Me Made May, where I wear only items I have made/altered?). Now I need to get to work, the dishes, and laundry, and floors, and toys, are screaming for attention. Cacophonous!
-happily, nava
Oh, and I have new neighbors, a very nice couple with a 4-month-old boy. We had a great time meeting each other yesterday. Hooray!
-happily, nava
Oh, and I have new neighbors, a very nice couple with a 4-month-old boy. We had a great time meeting each other yesterday. Hooray!
09 January, 2012
January! Yay!
This past week was good, very productive. I'm getting my house back in order, slowly, but at least there is measurable progress now, rather than simply struggling to maintain a certain level of chaos. It's a nice change.
I had a Mother's Circle class on Sunday, and Wednesday evening the teacher called to remind me that I was in charge of snacks and to please bring challah and grape juice, since this class' focus was Shabbat. I had already received the ok to bring food from my kitchen, since it is kosher, and I remembered that we had been given a bag of flour in our Thanksgiving Gleaner's box. At the time I was at a loss as to what I was going to do with a bunch of wheat flour, but it was perfect; 13.5 cups of flour, so I fudged the recipe a little and made 3 loaves of challah. They came out beautifully, and everyone loved them. Cam ate one loaf himself, and we have a second one that is waiting to be devoured.
After the class we finally (3 weeks late) took the boys to the Children's Museum. Adin is cutting molars and so was strangely shy and clingy, but they both had a great time. They basically just played in the dig pit for a couple hours, and then a quick look through the Lego exhibit. It was crowded, and while it was not as crowded as I expected, it was still a little overwhelming for the guys so they were ready to leave when we were.
In other news, the replacement screen for my pixi finally arrived, except it isn't a replacement screen. It's a screen protector. I have been trying to fix this phone since August, and I am fed up. Thing is, I just don't have $100 to spend on a replacement. In a couple months I'm eligible for an upgrade anyway, so at this point I kind of don't see a reason to keep trying, except that I really like my phone and I have no idea how many texts and voicemails are on the thing.
In other other news, my job is going very well, I've had great reviews from customers and, aside from their being almost no work since the year began, it's been a really challenging and fun job so far.
In baby news, 12 weeks now! Only 6 months to go. Kiddo is the size of a fingerling potato. All my lab tests came back great, no signs of any sort of illness or deficiency, and baby had a STRONG heartbeat at my last checkup (10 weeks). Things are looking good! This is awesome!
happily, -nava
I had a Mother's Circle class on Sunday, and Wednesday evening the teacher called to remind me that I was in charge of snacks and to please bring challah and grape juice, since this class' focus was Shabbat. I had already received the ok to bring food from my kitchen, since it is kosher, and I remembered that we had been given a bag of flour in our Thanksgiving Gleaner's box. At the time I was at a loss as to what I was going to do with a bunch of wheat flour, but it was perfect; 13.5 cups of flour, so I fudged the recipe a little and made 3 loaves of challah. They came out beautifully, and everyone loved them. Cam ate one loaf himself, and we have a second one that is waiting to be devoured.
After the class we finally (3 weeks late) took the boys to the Children's Museum. Adin is cutting molars and so was strangely shy and clingy, but they both had a great time. They basically just played in the dig pit for a couple hours, and then a quick look through the Lego exhibit. It was crowded, and while it was not as crowded as I expected, it was still a little overwhelming for the guys so they were ready to leave when we were.
In other news, the replacement screen for my pixi finally arrived, except it isn't a replacement screen. It's a screen protector. I have been trying to fix this phone since August, and I am fed up. Thing is, I just don't have $100 to spend on a replacement. In a couple months I'm eligible for an upgrade anyway, so at this point I kind of don't see a reason to keep trying, except that I really like my phone and I have no idea how many texts and voicemails are on the thing.
In other other news, my job is going very well, I've had great reviews from customers and, aside from their being almost no work since the year began, it's been a really challenging and fun job so far.
In baby news, 12 weeks now! Only 6 months to go. Kiddo is the size of a fingerling potato. All my lab tests came back great, no signs of any sort of illness or deficiency, and baby had a STRONG heartbeat at my last checkup (10 weeks). Things are looking good! This is awesome!
happily, -nava
01 January, 2012
Plans plans plans
Woke up to the sun shining; while I love the rain, it was a good start to the year to have such a gorgeous day. Spent the day cleaning, fighting off nausea after taking all my vitamins at once, and drawing up a list of things I want to accomplish in 2012. I want to get to 18; so far I have 12. One thing on the list is to post once a week, so even if I don't keep up with my journaling I'll have some sort of outlet and record going. I'll post the list next week, so I already have a post planned. Yay! Another goal is to get OUT once a week, even if it is just to the library, but I do want to take the boys exploring the parks and museums and events around here. There were so many things I wanted to do last year, so this year I need to make it happen. Now I'm going to finish getting cleaned up and organised for tomorrow, when I will be starting up our learning activities again. I was planning to start today, but a clean slate is a much better goal for the first of the year. I think. :)
happily,
-nava
happily,
-nava
22 August, 2011
stumbling blindly
It's been an interesting 2 weeks. I don't even know how to get started, or where I'm going with this.
Main thing on my mind is that I don't know what to do, or what I am doing, or should be doing, and not because I lack direction or ideas; i have so much I want to do, right now, and so much I need to do, right now. SO I guess I'll just bullet-list this one. Maybe.
1. We owe money. Nothing new, we are pretty amerikun in that regard. Thing is, we are really really sick of struggling. It sucks. I have been trying to find a job, trying to find some way to make money to help with our bills which don't seem to be getting any better. We cut our power usage, SO much, which is awesome, but we are still paying hospital bills and now owe our awesome new doctor another $500 on top of that, plus credit cards and car and mortgage and blah blah blah so the only consistent income I have found is online surveys. I've made $40, which, yay, that's a credit card bill or somesuch, but not nearly enough. I went and interviewed with an amazing local designer for a seamstress position but she told me today that she hired someone else and my stomach dropped. It's hard to keep being positive, to keep on knowing that everything really will be fine when everything I try to do has not been working. I had a yard sale and made $2. yeah. my etsy shop has only made enough to cover the listing fees, if that. no one seems to want to buy anything I have to sell. We decided to sell our wedding rings, because they were really expensive and they don't match, so we would take a little of the sales money and buy a set from an independent artist that actually matches. Well, so far all I've had is people on ebay offering $450 (for a $2000 ring) and I am almost at the point that I may accept it. That's one medical bill, right there. We need to put in flooring, we need to replace the heater, we need to hire an electrician because our wiring is being weird, we need to pay for gas so the job that at least one of us can keep going to work and make money to pay all these bills. The truly, truly frustrating part in this is that I know I have talents and skills and I work really, really hard, and it doesn't make any difference right now. ugh.
2. My family is worried that I am depressed and my children are in an unhealthy environment. Which is frustrating. Yes, I am frustrated, yes I am struggling with a lot of things right now, but no I am not depressed, and yes I do actually know the difference. Also, no, my house is not a health hazard! holy crap! Talk about making someone feel inadequate though. Wow. Now I get to be paranoid that whatever caseworker we get for foster care feels the same way as the well-intentioned but apparently filth fixated family member who started this. Then what? If my only option in this life is to neglect my family in order to keep my home obsessively clean then I am opting out of this whole thing. We will live in the woods. Thanks. Plus now I wonder if all the times my friends made nice comments about my home they were actually thinking 'Oh My God what a hell-hole!'. Which is fun.
3. There is so much I want to do, and I. can't. even. start. Due to time+money+support. Which is difficult, so I am stepping back on a lot of projects right now. However, there are things I CAN do. I am going to keep going on my etsy shop. I am going to have a garage sale this weekend and try again. I am going to relist my rings, again, at a price that won't leave me feeling robbed. I am going to keep on playing with my kids and cuddling and drawing and enjoying my time with them. I am going to keep cleaning whenever I darn well feel like it, because I like things clean, and not because I am worried about other people's opinions. I am going to leave the explosion of stuff in my living room right where it is and take a nap, because I was blessed to spend the last 4 days at an amazing conference with amazing people and I am incredibly tired and really wound up with IDEAS. So basically, more of the same. but MORE.
happily,
-nava
Main thing on my mind is that I don't know what to do, or what I am doing, or should be doing, and not because I lack direction or ideas; i have so much I want to do, right now, and so much I need to do, right now. SO I guess I'll just bullet-list this one. Maybe.
1. We owe money. Nothing new, we are pretty amerikun in that regard. Thing is, we are really really sick of struggling. It sucks. I have been trying to find a job, trying to find some way to make money to help with our bills which don't seem to be getting any better. We cut our power usage, SO much, which is awesome, but we are still paying hospital bills and now owe our awesome new doctor another $500 on top of that, plus credit cards and car and mortgage and blah blah blah so the only consistent income I have found is online surveys. I've made $40, which, yay, that's a credit card bill or somesuch, but not nearly enough. I went and interviewed with an amazing local designer for a seamstress position but she told me today that she hired someone else and my stomach dropped. It's hard to keep being positive, to keep on knowing that everything really will be fine when everything I try to do has not been working. I had a yard sale and made $2. yeah. my etsy shop has only made enough to cover the listing fees, if that. no one seems to want to buy anything I have to sell. We decided to sell our wedding rings, because they were really expensive and they don't match, so we would take a little of the sales money and buy a set from an independent artist that actually matches. Well, so far all I've had is people on ebay offering $450 (for a $2000 ring) and I am almost at the point that I may accept it. That's one medical bill, right there. We need to put in flooring, we need to replace the heater, we need to hire an electrician because our wiring is being weird, we need to pay for gas so the job that at least one of us can keep going to work and make money to pay all these bills. The truly, truly frustrating part in this is that I know I have talents and skills and I work really, really hard, and it doesn't make any difference right now. ugh.
2. My family is worried that I am depressed and my children are in an unhealthy environment. Which is frustrating. Yes, I am frustrated, yes I am struggling with a lot of things right now, but no I am not depressed, and yes I do actually know the difference. Also, no, my house is not a health hazard! holy crap! Talk about making someone feel inadequate though. Wow. Now I get to be paranoid that whatever caseworker we get for foster care feels the same way as the well-intentioned but apparently filth fixated family member who started this. Then what? If my only option in this life is to neglect my family in order to keep my home obsessively clean then I am opting out of this whole thing. We will live in the woods. Thanks. Plus now I wonder if all the times my friends made nice comments about my home they were actually thinking 'Oh My God what a hell-hole!'. Which is fun.
3. There is so much I want to do, and I. can't. even. start. Due to time+money+support. Which is difficult, so I am stepping back on a lot of projects right now. However, there are things I CAN do. I am going to keep going on my etsy shop. I am going to have a garage sale this weekend and try again. I am going to relist my rings, again, at a price that won't leave me feeling robbed. I am going to keep on playing with my kids and cuddling and drawing and enjoying my time with them. I am going to keep cleaning whenever I darn well feel like it, because I like things clean, and not because I am worried about other people's opinions. I am going to leave the explosion of stuff in my living room right where it is and take a nap, because I was blessed to spend the last 4 days at an amazing conference with amazing people and I am incredibly tired and really wound up with IDEAS. So basically, more of the same. but MORE.
happily,
-nava
13 June, 2011
busy
It's been a busy few days around here. I got knocked flat with a myster illness + allergy combo, and finally was able to function again a couple days ago. We are pulling up carpet and rearranging bedrooms this week; so far one room is drying and waiting for furniture, then we repeat on the next room, and then the next. We went to the hardware store and got fencing and posts for my garden; I need to get that in today so the bunnies can roam free without eating my plants. I also need to get all my windowsill plants into the garden. I've decided to build windowsill boxes so I can grow things year round indoors, but that can wait a little. Now I need to take apart my bed, redrill holes to raise the sides so I can store stuff underneath, move it into the new room, reassemble and start on the next room.
Late Saturday our awesome friends drove up from Coos Bay en route to Ohio, and we were very glad the rooms were not torn up yet, but they will be coming back through on Sunday and I intend to have it all done by then.
whew!
happily, -nava
L
Late Saturday our awesome friends drove up from Coos Bay en route to Ohio, and we were very glad the rooms were not torn up yet, but they will be coming back through on Sunday and I intend to have it all done by then.
whew!
happily, -nava
L
01 March, 2011
direction
I've been in a bit of a mental muddle lately, I believe I lost my way for a bit, my focus. Thing is, I hadn't really acknowledged what my focus should be, what my overarching purpose seems to be, and so distraction added to distraction and soon I was wandering in daydreams. I got a wake-up call last night, well, actually a second one. The first was a reminder of what I am and what I should be doing, and really lifted my spirits, but it wasn't quite enough, evidently, since the second was a warning as to what would come about from spending my life in my head. 2am is as good a time as any for a reevaluation, and since I had no one physical to talk to I got to have a bit of a conversation with myself and the One Upstairs. So here I am, refocused and I am going to try to get to where I need to be. Another help was the (coincidental?) mention of another blog by a fellow I respect very much, so influences and directions are coming thick and fast. ( Sometimes I do need very very clear directions handed to me, clearly!) The point is I am going to stop compartmentalising, since I am very much a web-of-connections thinker, and I'm going to get back on track.my track. Hopefully I'll also be clearer in sharing this, since that is part of my 'track' as well.
obtuse? I often am, Things may get clearer, or not, but I needed to write this and get on with things.
happily,
-nava
obtuse? I often am, Things may get clearer, or not, but I needed to write this and get on with things.
happily,
-nava
01 January, 2011
Well hello, 2011. So nice to see you.
I am in Oregon. We are in Oregon. Finally. I flew up with the boys on Thursday; 7am flight out of San Jose. It was a great flight; quiet, short, early. No issues in security (no scan or pat-down), easy seating arrangement switch, happy child, sleeping toddler.
The UPack containers were filled in a marathon session by my Dad, with some assistance from myself and my sister. My Mom helped indoors, packing and organising. 3 containers full of STUFF, and still some got left behind. I am going to continue getting rid of things as I unpack up here. It's been fun, actually, the purging. Assisting in this is that I am setting up our kitchen as Kosher, so anything that didn't make the cut is GONE. It means I start over too, in acquiring some things, so I am trying to keep that controlled. I want to cut it all down, as far as we can. Packing all that was too much. Even after all the Ebay and half.com and garage sales and craigslist and freecycle, so much stuff.
Mom and I managed to condense my crafting supplies quite a bit. It doesn't all fit in the wardrobe, yet, but by summer that is my plan, and by the end of this year (Rosh Hoshanah) I want it all to fit without being precarious. :) One of the last things to make it in to the containers was my little sewing machine; my heavy-duty (to me, at least) machine I think got left behind. It may get sent up, it may not. Either way I want to give sewing lessons. I have enough supplies, after all, and we can definitely use the income! Going to finish posting things to Etsy too; perhaps today, a little 'New Year' treat.
I am looking forward to the enforced frugality we are heading in to; no tv, still sussing out internet, very minimal use of utilities. Which reminds me, we need to get utilities turned on in the house.
We sign Monday, finally, 11 days late, and are taking 'early' occupancy for $30 a day until the down payment clears. Cheaper than a hotel, yes, and we are relieved to finally be moving in. Finally finally finally.
Finally together, finally going home, finally starting again after a long pause.
Finally.
It's going to be a lovely year.
So here is my resolution: Go, enjoy. "We should all be all alive."
The UPack containers were filled in a marathon session by my Dad, with some assistance from myself and my sister. My Mom helped indoors, packing and organising. 3 containers full of STUFF, and still some got left behind. I am going to continue getting rid of things as I unpack up here. It's been fun, actually, the purging. Assisting in this is that I am setting up our kitchen as Kosher, so anything that didn't make the cut is GONE. It means I start over too, in acquiring some things, so I am trying to keep that controlled. I want to cut it all down, as far as we can. Packing all that was too much. Even after all the Ebay and half.com and garage sales and craigslist and freecycle, so much stuff.
Mom and I managed to condense my crafting supplies quite a bit. It doesn't all fit in the wardrobe, yet, but by summer that is my plan, and by the end of this year (Rosh Hoshanah) I want it all to fit without being precarious. :) One of the last things to make it in to the containers was my little sewing machine; my heavy-duty (to me, at least) machine I think got left behind. It may get sent up, it may not. Either way I want to give sewing lessons. I have enough supplies, after all, and we can definitely use the income! Going to finish posting things to Etsy too; perhaps today, a little 'New Year' treat.
I am looking forward to the enforced frugality we are heading in to; no tv, still sussing out internet, very minimal use of utilities. Which reminds me, we need to get utilities turned on in the house.
We sign Monday, finally, 11 days late, and are taking 'early' occupancy for $30 a day until the down payment clears. Cheaper than a hotel, yes, and we are relieved to finally be moving in. Finally finally finally.
Finally together, finally going home, finally starting again after a long pause.
Finally.
It's going to be a lovely year.
So here is my resolution: Go, enjoy. "We should all be all alive."
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