A few of My Favorite Things!

Lately I have been given or bought myself a few things that I now can't live without!

For Christmas, Scott bought me the Dyson ball for animals. I was a little disappointed at first,(all I was really wanting was a new watch, which would have been a lot cheaper) I mean really, how many vacuums do I really need? I already have a Kirby which I love and will not get rid of it due to the fact that it also has the shampooer. However, after using it some it works great for rugs and does a pretty good job on the carpet as well. The ball makes it very easy to go under things and i like that it also does bare floors....goodbye to the broom! My FAVORITE thing about it though is the fact that it's light weight and all the hoses and attachments are right there. Because of this I no longer dust with rags, I just put on the attachment and away I go! No more dust streaks and no more having to use several rags to do the job. It works amazing on mini blinds and because of the way the hose it attached it works great for sucking cobwebs off the ceilings and walls. This is a major problem in the living room where there seems to be a lot of never-ending cobwebs and dust due to the fireplace. It's an everyday job at best! Another reason I can't wait for spring to come!

My next favorite is a chemise I bought at Kohls one night while out with friends and it is the softest material I have ever felt. It is made of polyester and spandex and it's the next best thing to nothing! Recently I also found pants in the same material at Wal-Mart and picked up a couple pairs as well. They are the most comfortable thing to lounge or sleep in and will definitely have a collection soon!

My last favorite thing at the moment are homemade soups Scott and I received as gifts from one of our customers. They are so easy, you just add water, but actually taste like they were homemade. There are several different flavors. We had Garden Vegetable, Homemade Potato, and my favorite being Creamy Chicken Noodle! The past few weeks I have made these and sandwiches. It is so quick, I had less than 10 minutes in a meal! They can be purchased at Hearthside Country Store about a mile north of Sabetha. I will definitely be purchasing more of these for gifts and myself!

Tonight we have plans to go to Harrah's with friends then back to our home. We have celebrated many New Years with them, it is pretty much tradition!

Happy Birthday to my brother Jerod! Also wishing a Happy Birthday to my two favorite friends, Anda Arms, and Trisha Swogger!

Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy New Year!

Year in Review...Where did the time go?

Wow, it is hard to believe that 2008 is almost over! Not a lot of exciting things happened this year, but the time sure did fly! Winter seemed to last forever, especially after everyone had survived last years ice storm. We made our annual trip to KC to visit my cousin Scott in January. It just happened to fall on my birthday and little did I know the surprise they all had in store for me after returning from the restroom! I was somewhat embarrassed that I had a group of waiters and waitresses hovering around singing one of those awful Birthday songs with the largest piece of chocolate cake and ice cream that I didn't even get a piece of due to the fact I was so full from supper! We also went ice skating that night, which is a lot harder than it looks.

Spring finally came and we were all very grateful for that! My cousin Scott and his boys came for a weekend visit! We had a bar-b-q and my family all came up to join us. I transplanted most of my plants and flowers from the trailer court to the house and we got our front steps in! Nobody usually uses that door, but it was on the list of things to be done and looked kinda funny not having anything there. Scott got a new lawn mower come late spring early summer! I was so happy, I no longer have to mow. I enjoy mowing but it took me as long to push the front as he did to ride the back and the yard is very rough, so it was definitely a workout I was ready to give up! Brennan turned 8 on May 13th ! Scott also got a Honda CBR!

We spent a LOT of time running back and forth to Topeka this past summer. It was quite exhausting. Scott took his car down to Heartland Park a couple of times to race. Brennan loved this and I actually didn't mind. We also spend a lot of time down there at The Arms while Wade and Scott tinkered with his car. This was usually an every weekend trip and was glad when they were finished. There is nothing like sleapin in your own bed and just the comforts of your own home. I did get in some girl time shoppin with Anda and Trisha which made it all a little more bearable! Brennan played baseball this summer and took 4th place for the second year in a row! We also did a lot of late night bike riding with friends.

We bought M&L Auto building in late June. It connects with the truck wash building and had plans to move my shop over there. Things didn't go as planned and eviction was a little tougher than it should have been. A few months ago, we came to an agreement with the lady renting the building and hopefully it will be vacated soon. This was also my busiest year ever at work. Things are just finally slowing down as I am typing this. In August we had spent our first full year in our new home!


We celebrated Nathaniels 12th Birthday October 6, and then Riley had a Birthday on October 15th and is now 17, WOW!

Winter or soon to be came at a sad start. Scott's grandma passed away on November 13th at the age of 90. I also lost an old friend from school on November 29th at the age of 29. We had Thanksgiving in Holton and then traveled to Topeka to the Arm's Thanksgiving in the afternoon. The following Saturday we celebrated at my mom's with the Eisenbarth families! Christmas came all to soon. This was all a little frustrating due to the struggling economy. Washing trucks seems to be slow due to the high gas prices we were all paying earlier in the year. Hopefully since prices have fallen business will pick up once again. I am just Thankful we can make all our payments and pay our bills, everything else will just have to wait until business gets better.

I know I shouldn't wish my life away, but I am hoping that Winter flies by as fast as the rest of the year did! This is the most dreaded time of year at our house. Somehow I always manage to find something to occupy my time and am happy the boys have the basement to play in when they can't go outside!

We hope everyone has a Safe and Happy New Year and that 2009 will be a better year for everyone!

Look Out...the Next John Denver!

Today I went to work and lettered a truck. I also printed one of our family pictures on canvas and couldn't wait to get home and put it on the frame. I love it, it has been a few months since I have had the canvas, but wanted a new picture to use. I ran out of ink last week, and finally got it finished today! B had biddy-ball practice this morning for a few hours and seemed to enjoy it. This is the first year he could go out, so it is all new for him. The truck wash was really busy today! Lots of dirty trucks wanted washed partially due to the nice weather and dry roads. I am also happy to say that I am finally finished painting the trim around the pillars. I had started the job of painting them probably about a month ago and then changed my mind on the color and had never finished the task! Looks like one more coat and then I am making a long list of things I want to do, mostly painting, and eventually a few new furniture pieces, and hopefully come spring some landscaping! The video is of Brennan singing in my office while I was working. It was all too cute so I made him start over so I could tape him and he seemed a little camera shy. He is really wanting to go to the golden eagle casino and see the Marshal Tucker Band and Grand Funk Railroad. Every time the commercial comes on he is right in front of the TV, and then we had to listen to the songs on the computer over and over last night for about 30 minutes! Thanks partially to blogging, I seem to be taking more pictures! I took tons when the boys were little and seem to be slacking, usually only using the camera at family events. I can never have enough pictures, so hopefully I will get it out more often!

Scott's step dad went in for surgery today. We haven't heard anything yet, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers that things went well, and for a speedy recovery.

Also, Happy 15Th Birthday to Heather Wolfe!

Thunderstorms, Ice, and a Roadtrip to Paxico... O What A Day!

It started early Saturday morning, about 12:30 or so. Thunder, and lightning, and Lots of heavy rain. This was a little disturbing at first, going back to a little over a year ago, the terrible ice storm that left us lying in bed, listening to the cracking then falling of trees all around us, the flickering of everything electrical, and the panic when everything was silent except for the never-ending falling of limbs in the all to close distance.

In the back of my mind I knew we didn't have much to worry about yet, we had just moved into our new home, and we were lucky enough that the only trees we had were on the outside perimeter of our huge yard. Still, the fear and worry were very real and very present. Getting up that morning there was really nothing for us to do here, we set out to Hiawatha to get a warm meal, thanks to McDonald's, and stopped to get some groceries from the grocery store over there. We were originally on the hunt for some dry wood or starter logs, however Wal-Mart was closed and so the hunt continued. Luckily a farmer outside of town gave us enough dry wood to get us started and then the four of us started chopping, cutting, and splitting. The shop was also without electricity so for the next few days, we cleaned as much wood from the trailer court as possible. We ate sandwiches from a cooler I packed with snow and ice and left in the garage, and at night time I got in some good reading. I must say we were also very grateful for gameboys and a car charger that kept them running and the boys entertained. We did get electricity out at the shop sometime that Wednesday, and I remember how nice it finally was to have something warm to eat and we could finally watch a little tv. We tried to work that Thursday but the electricity went out again, and Finally late Friday night we had our power restored to the house. I was never so Thankful, as it was nice to finally be able to clean and take showers with a light on, or have internet and tv! The only real damage was a limb that had fallen through one of the trailers roof, and a large limb ripped the meter off the back of the rental house. And we Had SURVIVED!

It wasn't long after and the rain had stopped. It was a peaceful night of sleep!

Scott decided not to open up the shop that morning. Everything was covered with ice. It was nice to sleep in for once. We just hung around the house til after noon and then we set out for Topeka.

Ice covering the window

The roads were pretty well clean and we made good time. We went to the mall and ate lunch and got B a pair of basketball shoes for BiddyBall that starts Monday. We then drove around trying to find him a pair of coveralls and everyone was out except for one store but all they had left were way to small. This become somewhat of a mess, huge snow/ice pellets falling pretty good, cars sliding all over the road. Luckily it had all stopped by about 5, and we only saw 1 car that had actually wrecked and was in the ditch.

We then headed to Paxico. I have never been there, but our friends, Wade and Anda, whom are like second family to us, have just recently bought a house there, and we were excited to get to visit with them in their new home! It took them a little longer than us to get there, it was moving day, and the roads coming from Manhattan weren't near as good as they were coming from Topeka! We decided to go eat before we started unloading, so we headed into town. Again, I have never been to Paxico but it is definitely a small postcard town. I can't wait to get back and see it during the day! We ate at the Ramblin Rose Cafe, which was excellent. It has been a long time since I have had a cafe style hamburger and fries! If you are ever in Paxico, you have to try it! We visited for a while after filling our bellies and then it was back to work! It took less than an hour for us to unpack the truck so it was nice to get to chit chat a little more before leaving.

Ramblin Rose Cafe in Paxico

An antique shop across from the restaurant

Scott decided on our way back to town to try one last time for coveralls at Wal-Mart. I wasn't particularly fond of this idea since it was already midnight. We got a few things we needed(no coveralls) and headed home. The Tahoe was a mess, so we decided to stop at the shop and wash all the sand and salt off before going home. Finally, I pulled into the garage at almost 2. I was so happy to finally be home and it didn't take long for us all to hit the beds! It had been a long day.

Not much to do in 63 Degree weather

When I went outside this morning, I noticed most of the snow had melted! Finally, it was atleast warm enought to melt all the snow and ice that had covered pretty much everything for the past week. I hate the cold as does Scott, so it is nice to see a change! I washed off the driveway, it was covered with wood chips and shavings from Scott cutting wood. Talk about a mess, and everyone knows I HATE MESSES! My sister came by to drop off some things I had ordered, Thanks so much, it definately made a nice treat for lunch! We sat around and chatted until Nate left to go with his mom. Then B and I headed off to the truck wash to help wash trucks. Helping out there is not one of my favorite things to do either(i Hate the part where you get wet and this time of year there is always sand and dirt blown off the trucks which always seems to end up all over you), but with the warmer temps and nothing else to really do, I am thinking what a great way to get my exercise in for the day! Seemed to be a little slow, so we ran up town to run some errands and then home. Going to try to get in some house work and then who knows! Like I said there is nothing to do. It is sooo nice out but it is muddy, so I guess we are still stuck inside, ugh!

Merry Christmas!

I must admit Christmas isn't my favorite holiday. I hate large crowds, heavy traffic, and the task of trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on my list. However, I Love gift-giving and the suprise on my boys faces after opening their gifts! Sometimes it is the look of a good suprise and other times not so much! I enjoyed this more when the were younger, but as they grow older it becomes harder and harder to find something they will like and don't already have. They are not overly spoiled, we make them work for most everything they have but they still seem to have next to everything. My favorite part of Christmas would have to be the use of past traditions and the making of new ones. It also seems to be the time of year when I get to spend more time making gifts and buying new craft items. This year I attemped jewelry making and was actually successful at it!

Every Christmas Eve, we spend at my moms house. It seems we don't get down there as much as we should or would like to, but we have been there every year. It is the one holiday all of us kids are there together every year. Scott always gets his favorite gift...money! I love my gift, a digital picture frame! I have wanted one of these for quite a while now, but was one of the items on my list that was always just outside my price range to buy myself. Nate and Brennan both got 2 very cool Tony Hawk shirts and a Tony Hawk tech deck set.

Today we traveled to Holton to Scott's Aunt and Uncles for lunch. This has also been a tradition for the last few years or so.(since his grandma went into the rest home) They live out in the country and it is always peaceful. There is always plenty of good food, and the boys do a gift exchange with the few younger kids. They boys recieved a hotwheels race track and each a set of cars. They also got more tech decks! It is much appreciated that Don and Theresa open their home to us each holiday.

We did Christmas a little differant this year. Usually we open gifts before going to moms, and then open gifts from Santa after we get back home. Due to the issue of the boys getting older and "believing" a little differant, I let them open gifts Wednesday morning after Scott went to work. They got lots of cool hoodies and tees, and Nate got a bottle of cologne and B a tech deck set from their Grandma Marilynn and Grandpa Carl! They were both very happy!

Today also happens to be Scott's moms Birthday, so Happy Birthday Marilynn!