Christmas 2012

I am still trying to figure out where December went. Christmas just seemed to blow through town and now we have the new year just around the corner. Here is a look at some of the highlights from our Christmas season.

Frosting and decorating sugar cookies is a long standing tradition in our home during the Christmas season...

...as is decorating ginger bread houses. This year the girls houses did not make it to Christmas because of two separate bad dog events. 

The bad doggies still scored new beds in spite of their bad behavior. They love their beds but they are so big they don't fit in the same spot in our room where we had their old beds. ugh.

The girls could not wait until after church to open their presents so they got us all up and tore into the huge pile of presents.

Kevin gets one of these every year but I am not sure where he hangs it...hmmm

The girls thought they were being so sneaky to wrap an Ugg box up with nothing in it for their mother. They put the boots in a different box. 

Before Christmas I bought myself some festive earrings.

Kevin bought me better earrings for Christmas. They are inside a Benny Bear. They look small here but...

...They are much bigger and nicer than my old earrings. Thank you Kevin!

On a sadder note, I was deeply saddened by the horrible event in Connecticut on December 14th. In memory of each of the 26 innocent victims I put bells on the my Christmas tree.

The bells represent each new angel that God called home to heaven.

Thanksgiving 2012

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone without me collecting one single photo. Thanksgiving day is traditionally a very busy day for me with all the cooking and preparing for 15 minutes of face stuffing delight.

This year we had a great Thanksgiving! We had Crystal, Jayson, Jacob and Carson, Kimberly, Pat, Jordan and Torrin, Kevin's mom Becky and her caregiver Carly and her son Michael. I can't remember a better Thanksgiving. It could have been because of the fun traditional project I do with the grandkids to make a center piece for the table. Or maybe it was the shots of Fireball we had in the kitchen just before sitting down to dinner. Or was it the hilarious game of Catch Phrase we played later after the kids and grandkids all returned from dessert at Harwood's. I think it all combined to make a great day.

Here is the only picture I managed to get to remember the day. It is the beautiful center piece the grandkids helped me gather items from the property for and put together with the flowers Torrin got at the store.

Fall Project

I can't figure out why I always underestimate how much work my little home improvement projects will be. This weekend's project is to paint the bathroom. This is the second phase of the total bathroom overhaul. Phase one was the toilet and floor vinyl replacement. Phase two is paint the walls and replace the shower curtain, window curtain and mirror. Maybe replace the fan if I can get help from my reluctant assistant. Phase three will be replace the counter and sink and maybe refinish the cabinet.

So, you might think that painting the bathroom does not sound like that much of a challenge. Well, it is because I have to first sand down the outdated textured walls and ceiling. This is where I underestimated how long and difficult the project would be. The challenges include an unbelievable amount of dust, very slow process of sanding the bumps flat, and sanding overhead with the orbital sander. It gets heavy after about 5 seconds.

I was thinking I would create a marble look finish but changed my mind after I applied the white coat of paint and discovered how lumpy the surface still was. So I decided to go for the stucco look.

After I finished with the paint I put up a new mirror and towel rack. I had a picture frame which I plan to fill with pictures of Kim and the girls. Stay tuned for that painting project. Once all the walls were painted I could see what a horrible job I did matching the shower curtain to the paint. I had to return to the store for a new curtain. I really like the way it all turned out. Now I have to plan phase III, the counter and sink replacement and cabinet refinishing. Ugh.

10th Anniversary Party

It is amazing how time seems to just slip by while you are busily immersed in the activities that come together to make a great life. I can't believe that it has already been 10 years since I stood out in our back yard on the carefully manicured green that Kevin had so meticulously prepared for our wedding.

Ten years ago our family joined us as we committed our lives and love to each other.

Ten years later our family joined us as we celebrated our 10th year together, but things looked a little different.

Just to make things a little more interesting we decided to have a Halloween themed anniversary party. Kevin was Frankenstein and I was the Bride of Frankenstein. (the little sweet blond angel sneaking into the picture is Carson, our grandson)

Our friends and family came in costume, in most cases, to enjoy an evening of lots of wine and Kevin's home brew. It was tons of fun! Thank you to everyone who traveled great distances and put on ridiculous costumes to celebrate with us.

 The Remfert Super Family

 Angelita and Ashley

The Grandchildren, Jacob, Torrin, Jordan, Carson

 The cutest kitty

 This was actually a mink stole that my mother owed and WORE! Freaky.

I love my sisters.

Now that is one stylish witch!

Rarely seem photo of Batman flying.

Blazing Trails

For many, many, many years I have dreamed of blazing trails through the property. There has always been so much of the 7 acres that I have never seen or been able to access because of heavy underbrush and trees. Friday we finally stopped talking about it and hired a bulldozer operator to blaze some trails and move some dirt around! It is hard to fully realize all that was done from these photos but I did the best I could.

 First he started by the shop just clearing our the brush a little.

I wanted the junky trailer under all that brush to get pushed away but that was not possible for a couple reasons so it remains.

 This is that area a little less bushy.

Another view.

Next he got rid of an old stump that we had tried to burn out unsuccessfully. 

 Then he just started clearing out around tree groups.

 The dogs went crazy about the new trails!

 Trail where no man has gone before, well at least I haven't.

Trails connecting with other trails.

The Bulldozer guy let Jacob ride on the bulldozer. Jake was thrilled!

We took Crystal and Jayson's four wheeler out and tried out the new trails. It was very fun!

New Paint...Finally!

For the last several years Kevin and I have sat in the hot tub and talked about painting the house. I don't even know how long ago the house was painted yellow. I finally decided to do it. Picking a color was the hardest part. We drove around to different neighborhoods with color chips looking for just he right color. we finally found one we agreed on and went for it. We are very happy with the new green color. It compliments the environment nicely.

The shop was finished first

The house looks so different! 

You can see the green color better in this picture.

This is what it looked like before we repainted.