Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home...

I've been home now for a week since we went to Arizona to help our youngest daughter Ann and her husband Kim, with their fixer upper home project.

They were able to purchase this cute older home on some property, but they needed more room and some updating to this house.  Kim is a wonderful carpenter and builder and he has some wonderful ideas and plans.  He took the existing large attached garage and turned it into a family room and a laundry room.  He opened up the kitchen so it would flow into the family room, he added a large closet to the master bedroom, changed all the windows and made some changes to the other two bedrooms, like making the one into an office for Ann.  He then added a large new garage with an office for himself.  He made some lovely changes to the outside as well, like a beautiful bay window in the family room which will be a perfect spot for a Christmas tree.

He and Ann have been working hard on this home project, but it all takes time and time is one thing that they are running low on, so Mom and Dad went to help.

We were there for 13 days and we were able to give them an extra set of hands that helped them get a few more things done.  Ann's Dad and her husband were able to finish the garage and to get it all painted, plus install the 2 garage doors and hang some shelves.

Next we went into the inside of the home and the rest of the time we prepared the rooms for painting and then, that is what we did, we painted and painted and painted.

We ended up staying an extra day but we were able to finish the painting and hopefully we were able to give our kids some extra help and hopefully they can see some day light just around the corner.

We enjoyed our time with our children and enjoyed our visit with them too.  But,,, it's always good to be home.  I have a sign in my guest room that says "Home is where your Heart is" and isn't that what it's all about.  No matter where you are, home is best, and I do love my home...

Going to Arizona

I wrote this post Wednesday, May 22, the night before we left for Arizona, but I guess it just went into a draft instead of being published, so I thought I would just add this sentence to my post and then publish it....  so here it is.....

Our Daughter Ann is getting ready to move,  she and her husband have been busy fixing up a fixer upper.  They need some help with the fixing up, so again we will be going to Arizona to lend a hand.  I have my painting clothes all ready to go plus my vitamins.

I always enjoy the visiting with my daughters, we have fun, we talk, we share, we have projects and we go shopping, but we do find the time to do what is important and to take care of what is on the top of the list.

I always smile when we make the plans to go for these visits as our daughters always have a "to do list" for their Dad, and they usually tell their Dad to bring his work clothes.  I think he expects it but I think he enjoys it too.   

I know our daughter Marta always works side by side with her Dad when he is working on a project for her and I know she feels a little extra pride when she walks by the finish project that the two have worked on at her home.

I know Ann is anxious is have this home finished, or at least livable, it's hard being unsettled. Now Ann is a school teacher.  She teaches blind students and is a very good teacher, but being a teacher there is a lot of planning that goes along with the job.  They have been renting a home for the past 2 years, but renting is so much different then having your own home.  A place to put your things, a place to be settled, a place to call your own.

Tomorrow is Ann's last day of school, then summer vacation, but I'm afraid summer will really not be a vacation for her and her husband, for it will be a busy working summer vacation.  They need to be moved in by the end of June, ready or not.  

So Mom and Dad are leaving to morrow to give them a hand.  Isn't that what Moms and Dads do?

Just an Oil Change and Tire Rotation

It was Thursday afternoon and we were returning home after spending the morning at the Temple. 

My husband said to me on the way home that he thought he would take the car up town to Walmart and get the oil change and the tires rotated, as we would be leaving soon on our trip to Arizona to be with our daughter Ann and the car needed this maintenance.

I asked him why not take the car up there tomorrow as he had an doctors appointed at 11 in the morning and he could get it done after his appointment.  His answer was that it would take a couple of hours and he would rather do it this afternoon than spend most of Friday in town.  O.K. but please take me home first.

We arrived home, took our packages into the house, he changed his clothes, kissed me goodbye and same he would be back in a few hours.  I changed my clothes, put things away and went about doing some needed chores.

Time went by and then the telephone rang.  It was my Sweetheart.  Yes he was up at Walmart but things had not gone well.

You see, no one was around when he first arrived, he had to wait a while and by the time someone came to help him, more people had come for their oil change.. Finally the paper work was done and arrangements were made.  

A young man went to our car, got in, started it up, put it into gear to move it around into place, when all of a sudden there was a "BANG" yes, he ran into another car and our front bumper was now all out of shape and just hanging there.  

This simple task that was only going to take a couple of hours was now a major project.

I made a phone call to his brother to see if he could go to town and pick Kirk up (as I do not drive the truck) and then I just waited...

Finally my Sweetheart was home.  Tired but home.

Friday morning we went to town.  First to the Doctors, then to Walmart to see what needs to be done.  We then make arrangements for the car to be towed to a body shop, visit to the insurance company, and then to see about a rental car, which we will not be able to get until Monday.

Now Walmart was very good about this accident and said they will take care of all the expenses, but it took most of the day Friday to take care of things.  The body shop says the car should be fixed, hopefully by next weekend.

This all happened just because we needed to get an oil change and the tires rotated so we could make this trip to Arizona., and after all this, we still need the oil change and the tires rotated.

So, Where Have I Been???

A While ago my Son in law said to me "You haven't written in your blog for a long time, how come?"  I've thought about that for sometime and I guess my answer is that "Life Just Took Over."

So what has Life been like that has taken my time?

When I really look at it, it really hasn't been that much.  Yes I have a husband, a home and children and I'm busy with my interest but the fact of the mater is, I sometimes really do much of nothing.

Being retired gives me freedom to schedule and plan my days.  My children are all on their own with their own homes and families.  My husband is busy with the outside garden and yard work and I mainly take care of the home.  I have my interest and projects, but sometimes it just feels good to do something that is spur of the moment and unexpected.

We have taken some more cruises and have some more in the planning.  We have gone to Arizona a couple of times to help our daughter and her husband with their project of fixing up and remodeling their new home, which they hope to move into this summer.  We are planning another trip down there at the end of this month, to again give them a extra hand.  I try to keep in contact with my children, grandchildren, extended family and friends with the little extras that go along with being Mama, Grandma and friend.. I go to Church and attend the Temple each week,  belong to DUP and take the minutes, I go to my TOPS meeting and take care of the weight records.  I pay my bills, run the errands and make the phone calls.  I sew, knit, crochet and do counted cross stitch, which I always have some sort of project going.

So why haven't I written in this Blog of mine?

When I first started this project of writing, I thought it would be good to express my thoughts and feelings.  I use to write in a journal but that also went by the waste side, but a Blog I thought, would be something that maybe my children and grandchildren might read and learn somethings about their mother or grandmother that they never knew, after all, I am a person and because of me, they are here.....

Oh, Where have I been?  Not very far, just in the other room, but I'm putting you on my to do list, so I am back....