The Liberal.

I was pointing out to dad that maybe the famdamily could try drinking water at meals instead of gallons of milk in one sitting.

Apparently this makes me a liberal.

******

I took Brother2, O and Oli to Hotel Transylvania.  Oli was thrilled when I warned him there would be monsters, zombies and skeletons in the movie.

During the movie, there were some pesky 5th graderish kids making noise in front.  This is a pet peeve of mine.  So I snitched.  Which, ironically, is also a pet peeve of mine.

*******

We just found out that our house can be moved.  This week.  

AS IN . . this week.   

Boyd is a loyal helper for me but he's very distracted with the whole "moving a house" thing.   We loaded up a trailer and 2 trucks tonight and dropped it off at the Goss.  Thanks Boyd, Dad, Jim, Brother2, Sav, Jordan, Mom and Phyllis!  Only a few more truckloads to go.  :)

Is he really the happy elf he appears to be?

*******

Mom got a call from one of Brother2's teachers who went on and on about how great of a student he is for her.  Mom later found out that he had cashed in points/credits for that call to happen.  

I was sort of impressed.

********

I have started drinking real coffee.

I have no idea what is happening to me.

I might be a grown-up now.  Maybe a liberal.  Most definitely a snitch.

Football and Books and Snakes, oh my.

Work has begun on the window display at the Goss Opera House. The Facebook announcement has been sent out and postcards are being passed out. All of this means that I am now 100% committed.

Committed.

*********

The Hamlin Chargers lost last night to the Arlington Cardinals.

Let’s have a moment of silence.

(Silence)

It was a great game.

I may have wet my pants.

Just a little.

********

Book Club was last night. I adore these ladies who read books.
My favorite quote was "It is so cool that you have read so many books".
FINALLY. The heavens have parted and I have finally made it to the "cool" status.
Unfortunately, this event has happened 15 years later than I would have preferred.

*******

It was a rough morning yesterday. Not only did it snow but I realized my hair is extremely greasy and I did not leave enough time in my morning schedule to wash it (this is not that unusual). So I decided to turn a rough morning into a better morning by celebrating (the first snow fall - - not my lack of personal hygiene) by ordering my first peppermint mocha of the season. Mmmmm......much better. Not only is it delicious but it also serves for fattening me up for the winter winds that I will be enduring in the very near future.

********

I don't really have any house updates.  Its always the same but with boring details.  Boyd finds the details extremely interesting but I'm just waiting for a HOUSE to finally make it onto the premises.  I do not care about running piping, where to put the furnace or where the well will be situated.  Have I mentioned that we have a well to get our water from?  I'm envisioning me carrying buckets of water on my head while the 50+ mph winds whip at my thin home-sewn dress that I made out of curtains.  Boyd has been assuring me that I can just turn the faucet on and water will miraculously appear. 

We'll see.

********

I heard roosters (as in male pheasants for you "out of staters") the other night when I dropped by the property.  It was magical.  Boyd immediately mumbles something about hunting blah blah blah.  So I dubbed the FIRST RULE OF OUR NEW HOME: 

Our measly little 4.5 acres is OFFICIALLY a safe haven for animals.  Come one and come all.  No shooting allowed.  Snakes may be the exception.  I really hate snakes. 

This is only one of many similarities I share with Indiana Jones.

Problem Solvers.

My Aunt Karen and cousins (Sophie, Ian and Issaac) are visiting this weekend.  Sophie is 15 years old and Brother 2 thinks it is great if she is around.  

Overheard (Brother2 talking to Sophie):

"If you help me with my science fair project, I will teach you how to play basketball."

There may be hope for this kid yet . . . his problem solving skills are definitely improving.

*******

House update:

We have basement walls now.  Yeah!  

We also have 50 mph winds.

We have no tree belt.

Our problem solving skills suck.

*******

I'm tired.  I had to work today.  On a Friday.  A FRIDAY!  Oh, the agony.

Fridays should be free days.  Always.

Good night.

It's Official.

We own land.  Officially.  We also have a large hole on our new land.  Officially.

Boyd was saying we will be in our new place before Christmas. I gave a cheer and Brother2 gave a "rats".    Supposedly my dessert obsession has opened up a whole new world to him and he is afraid it will leave with me.  As a parting gift (for the whole 2 miles we will be moving away), I will leave him some frosting and a package of graham crackers.
It works in a pinch.

Boyd and a hole.

A large hole means large sand dunes.

Sister1, Mom, Brother2, G, O & myself all went to a Toby Mac concert in Fargo.  I wasn't prepared to enjoy it that much.  I have a slight aversion to concerts.  Whenever we went to concerts in the Cities it was because we just happened to be in downtown, just happened to bump into a scalper and just happened to like who was playing.  I think of it as destiny.  PLANNING to go to a concert is always tough for me . . . oh the agony of finding parking (and then paying for it)! the crush of people!  the noisy, overstimulated environment!  Stupid people "encoring" constantly and silly girls screaming in my ears
 (oh wait . . that was just Boyd at the Killers concert)

Mr. Mac  I love the guy in camo.  He represented Dakota well.

We even got Meet and Greet tickets (tickets were courtesy of Sister1's friend who is Toby's publicist.  Thanks Velvet!) for before the show.  For NORMAL people this is a big deal.  For WEIRDOS like myself it is a little overwhelming.  Am I supposed to make small talk? Compliment his choice in eyewear?  No clue.  

But the whole event was quite delightful.   

Even despite Mr. B.O. sitting next to me.

I wish I had a tigger sweatshirt (Note Mr. B.O. behind me)

In other news.  I have been crafting up a storm.  I. Just. Can't. Stop.

This is the state of the house right now.   

It is officially out of control.

Fickle Funk

I have been in a funk lately.  

I hate being faced with the reality that I am a fickle person.  

It goes against everything I stand for.  Blasted.

Moving on.

Here are some random updates in no particular order:

I stink at blogging.

We have still not closed on our lake property.  Winter is coming.  Please God.  Can you hear me?  Hello?  Heelloooo???

Oli turned 4.  We had a little party for him.  

Played hide-n-seek in the trees.  And speaking of hide-n-seek . . . such a terrible game for someone with anxiety.  We are teaching the children to hide from the adults and not come out when you call for them.   Breathe.  Breathe.

Because of said anxiety, I made the rule that all children had to hide with an adult.

I ruin birthday parties.

Coop and Oli.

Dinosaur Hooks! 

Brother2 finally got a closet.  I never thought about where he kept his clothes.  One day I asked and he pointed at a plastic bin.  This might be more of a second world problem.

I have started preparing for the holiday sale - - which means, I have started to panic about the holiday sale.

 

Boyd has been working weekends.  I find this highly annoying.

I am contemplating going back to school.  I am unsure of why.  

Apparently I prefer to stay in debt.   Take that Dave Ramsey.

I have been volunteering a little bit for the fourth grade class at Hamlin.  When asked what the difference is between the southern region and our region (midwest) one kid piped up with: “We shovel snow and they just play”.   Amen, little man.

Brother2 is doing a lot of fundraising for the 8^th grade D.C. trip.  I remind him thrice weekly that I did not get to go on this trip.   Imagine my 8^th grader delight when my mom informed me that instead of me going with my friends to our nation’s capital that I get to go with my famdamily?! Totally not bitter.

I AM enjoying living in the country though.  I go for many walks and I even have an entourage.  Typically all 3 dogs and all 3 cats trail after me.  It makes me feel special and never fails to make me smile.

This friend is Oreo.

The Wiper.

I finally got my driver's license changed to South Dakota.  I had been waiting for a really great hair day but after 6 months I just went ahead and did it anyway.  

I went right at 7:30 a.m. to the DMV.  It was just me.  Fabulous.  I give Mr. DMV all my paperwork and then I am told where to stand for the picture.

I stand where he asks and then BAM!  He snaps the picture.  No warning whatsoever.  

Me:  "I wasn't ready!"

He gives me "the look".

Listen Dude.  I am the ONLY person here.  I think you can give me another shot.  I have been living with my terrible Minnesota picture for YEARS because there is no way in HELL St. Paul DMV was going to let me have a re-do picture.

Gads.

Why is the DMV always so cranky?  And void of humor?

Let's just say the new SD picture isn't great but its better than MN.  

*sigh*

You should see my passport picture.  EMBARRASSING.  

I almost posted the passport picture on here and then thought . . . 

"Why am I doing this to myself?"  

When we got our passports in the mail, I was super excited and hurriedly ripped open the package.

Only to stare in complete horror. 

Boyd asked what is wrong.

I hand him the passport.

And . . . . he started LAUGHING HIS HEAD OFF.

At least he had the decency to not say "it isn't that bad".  

********

We had a lovely Labor Day weekend.  Candy and Kevin came to visit.  They were our friends/neighbors in Minnesota.  They have 3 boys.  2 of them are 1 year old twins.  Amazing.  My head was spinning with how they were able to change diapers so quickly.

Boyd and Kevin went fishing.  Candy and I went on walks.

Boyd also showed off all his toys to Mac (5 years old).

"When I grow up I want to be a paintball gun maker".    
Funny . . . so does Boyd.

It was low key and lovely.

*******

My facebook sabbatical did not last long.  The first week was actually kind of nice but then I started to feel out of the loop.  So.  I'm back on Facebook.  However.  If you bother me, you will be "hidden".
Consider yourself warned.

*********

I stopped by Sister1's house to pick up the boys for pizza in the park with Boyd.  

G and O are ready and in the car waiting.   

Oli informed me he isn't ready because he has to poop. 

Me:  Okay . . hurry up!

Oli:  Will you be my wiper?

*******

Fall is in the air.  Supposedly football is in the air too.  And politics.  UGH.
 Brother2 has been glued to the TV all night (for the football - - not the politics).

Why I am against hunting.

I know this picture is small but since I have amazing eyesight I will help you out:

  There is a fish, hiker, deer and pheasant pictured on the sign.

I'm curious as to when opening "hiker season" starts.