The Plumbing

What is worse than being tired, starting new routines, and the holidays all at once?? How about adding plumbing problems into that mix. Yep, we knew it was probably coming, but we just didn't know when exactly and how bad. Well, last week it happened. The plumbing went out in our master bathroom. No double sinks, no toilet, no shower. (So thankful we have an extra bathroom).

We started tearing into the problem last week, and then left for Thanksgiving. So this week we spent our evenings either under the house(not so much me, mostly Brandon), under the sink, grabbing parts, tools, towels, more tools and more towels. So thankful we have a washing machine and dryer. The problem ended up being huge, so the owner of the house asked us to call a plumber (thank goodness!) and I THINK the problem is fixed. Brandon is gone tonight, and I didn't feel the itch to crawl under the house and inspect things for myself. So for the time being I am continuing to use the other bathroom (bummer, it's on the other side of the house...) until further notice. I didn't take too many pictures (way to tired), but I did take a few.

I made it

I'm still alive!
Yep, I survived my first filling. And I stood up for myself, and only had the one filled. She was nice and did explain things more thoroughly for me. Very helpful.
I am now starting to put up some Christmas decorations- not as cute as Ali's... but it is a start. I am looking forward to making my wreath next weekend in Heppner. Those are always fun to have- real homemade wreaths.
On a different note, I am thinking that I want to slip cover the sofas in my formal living room in white. Besides the color I have chosen... does anyone have advice or ideas? Any past luck/no luck you think I should know about. I know Bed Bath and Beyond used to sell them, but I know they are expensive. Any other ideas???? The sofas we have now are not all of the same. Two of them match, and the third DOES NOT match anything. And I have a particular look I am slowly working towards. The white will help.
Well, this afternoon I am headed back up the mountain to do conferences.. and it will be a late night. My last one doesn't' finish up until 8:30, plus an hour drive home. yuck. Then tomorrow I will drive back up for another half day of conferences for kids I don't really know. =) Should be interesting! I am looking forward to it though. I know, I'm weird.

first filling

today is the day. the day I get my first filling. I have never had a cavity before, and when I went to this new dentist last week, they told me I had one for sure. Actually, they told me I have 8. But I am choosing not to believe them. How do you go from zero, to eight in six months when your nickname in school was 'the tooth brush freak'? Yes, I brush my teeth more often than most. Yes, I floss daily. Yes, I use ACT. So.... pray for me this morning- I am scared out of my mind about all of this, and I need to be strong enough to tell them that they can fill the one that I knew I had... but they are not filling all 8 until after I have a second opinion! agh!
Also, the woman I am replacing went to the hospital last night, 15 days early!!!! So I am starting full time. I have already been there all week, working with the kids. but now it is all me. I am doing conferences tonight (CRAZY!!) and all day tomorrow. It will be a good chance to meet the parents and establish myself as the new teacher. but it is still crazy.
that is all for now- sorry- still no pictures.

Seaside for the weekend

Brandon and I drove up to Seaside to stay with his parents for a couple of days. It was wonderful, we ate lots, shopped at cool stores, and had a nice visit. The only downfall was that I forgot my camera! Who does that? Who has a camera that they love to use, and leaves it at home? We spent our time:

• walking down on the promenade,
• walking on the beach with Duke,
• bicycling on one of those 6 person bikes,
• antiquing, and finding the best piece, but leaving it there, (bummer)
• climbing to the top of the Astoria Column,
• eating at great restaurants,
• watching a bit of TV,
• visiting,
• laughing, (and it felt good)
• seeing Fort Stevens,
• crabbing,
• walking,
• looking at the Maritime Museum through the windows (it was closed),
• and finding ourselves sad when we had to leave.

It was nice to leave town for a few days and visit with family. The drive up there was quite an experience all on it's own, and we were wishing Seaside was a bit closer to us. (Picture fog, rain, wind, a single cab pickup, a dog, Becky and all of her things, and Brandon). Glad to be back, looking forward to Thanksgiving in Eastern Oregon. sigh.

The new classroom

I spent two days this week working in my new classroom with the teacher who is leaving in a few weeks on maternity leave. It was so fun to meet the children, a few of the parents, and quite a few of the teachers. It was wonderful to interact with the kids and start to get back in the swing of teaching. It is amazing how easily I have slowed my pace since last June. The kids are so darling, both the kindergartners and the first graders. I know look at the second graders as if they are old! haha how funny is that?!

I will be back up there two days next week, to be with the kids and to continue to learn from the leaving teacher. I am so excited to be a 'kinder teacher' though that I can hardly stop looking for ideas, watching the current teacher, and digging through her files and observing the kids. It is overwhelming but wonderful. I sure have lots to learn though!

On another note (maybe connected, maybe not...) my headaches have returned. I have had a horrible headache for days now, and today was by far the worse. I have taken medicine, and have tried to lay low, but it isn't giving up on making me miserable. And, to top off a bad headache, I was at the dentist for two hours today! Nothing like moving and having to go to a new dentist after seeing the one I liked for 25 years. New x-rays, records, info sheets, etc. ugh-yuck!

did you know...

1. I don't eat much chocolate, even though I love it
2. I love gobbstoppers, nerds, rock candy and gummy worms
3. I love ice cream, when I was little I ate it every night because my mom WANTED me to
4. I still eat ice cream all the time
5. I listen to talk radio all the time
6. I am addicted to email
7. I love sending cards
8. I love receiving cards
9. I would rather give a gift than buy something for myself
10. I love snow
11. I hate to be cold
12. I am a messy organized person
13. I rarely sleep all night long
14. I like getting up early
15. I am often productive at night
16. I only recently started staying awake through any given movie
17. I LOVE getting my hair done
18. I have never had a pedicure
19. I've only had one manicure
20. I want to be involved in everything
21. I yearn to be in small town in a rural area again
22. I've driven a log truck
23. I've loaded a log truck
24. I've driven cattle trucks
25. I've never driven a wheat truck
26. I love wheat fields
27. I wanted to marry a rancher growing up
28. I didn't
29. I love who I married, and that he came from what I came from
30. I grew up with timber, wheat, and cows
31. I don't have many clothes
32. I enjoy taking clothes to the dry cleaners
33. I love rodeos
34. I cry when I'm happy
35. I often laugh when something really bad is happening
36. I'm super shy
37. I am a good cook
38. who knew?
39. I can finally bake good cookies, it took years
40. I miss my friends in Hermiston
41. I had a sticker collection when I was little
42. I still have it
43. I always wanted a house I could paint and decorate
44. now that I have one, I don't know what to do with it
45. my house is still undecorated, and only half painted
46. that makes me feel retarded
47. I am now a kindergarten teacher
48. and a first grade teacher
49. that excites me
50. I have three friends who are pregnant, and a little tiny teensy part of me wishes I was too
51. that scares me
52. birthdays are a BIG deal
53. I paint belts
54. I love when my friends wear theirs
55. I could spend hours in a book store
56. I love journals
57. I love pottery barn
58. I can't afford pottery barn
59. I love jeans
60. it is hard to find the right pair
61. when I find the right pair, I wear them out and then search for a new pair
62. I went to school to study art
63. I can't draw

1. There's more...
2. I wish I read more
3. I have a stack of books ready for me to read, they are still sitting there
4. I want to understand more about the Bible, read it and discuss it
5. I love my wedding ring, it's fun to put on and wear
6. I love looking at other rings
7. I have two holes pierced in each ear, and never wear earrings
8. I love jewlry, but don't wear it much
9. I do wear HUGE necklaces
10. and HUGE belts
11. I am a dork most of the time
12. I'm OCD, and my husband knows it
13. I love flossing my teeth
14. I tie my dental floss in a knot before throwing it away
15. I told you I was OCD
16. I am a tooth brush freak
17. a girlfriend nicknamed me that in junior high
18. it's true
19. I love AC/DC, and I've seen them in concert
20. I love to sing with the radio
21. I like the radio way more than cd's or my ipod
22. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the country count down on Sunday mornings
23. I love Oregon Field Guide on OPB
24. Steve Amen rocks
25. Target is probably my fave store
26. I wish I was better at photography
27. I want a cool art studio/ craft room, by cool I mean organized and pretty
28. I'm tired of starting all of these with I
29. I am totally coping my friend with this list
30. I really like my mother in laws pumpkin dessert
31. I could eat steak and potatoes every night, I did growing up- almost
32. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cows
33. My favorite smell is fresh cut grass
34. I have major allergies
35. burning candles is relaxing and luxirious
36. I know how to tool leather
37. I miss my Grandpa more than anything
38. I'd like to be a wedding planner
39. I would like to have a work pickup, you know, with a flatbed and tools
40. I would like to be able to afford really cute cowboy boots
41. I can't
42. I've only been to one dentist in my life, and I loved him, sad to leave
43. I've gone to the same eye doctor my entire life, sad to leave
44. I hoped my red Kitchenaid mixer would get used more often in this house, it does
45. I have red, green, and yellow plates
46. A pink stove, and oven
47. it's ugly
48. I want a HUGE dining room table so I can seat my entire family at once
49. I think I would like three children, two boys and one girl
50. Know God has the plan, not me

November

Spent a fun night last night with friends; trick or treating, eating pizza, and having fun. In our group there were baby mice, bat man, Belle, Nimo, a ninja and a grown up dressed like he probably did in high school, complete with mullet. It was so much fun!
Today I am leaving for Portland to get my hair trimmed (first time in almost a year! yikes!), colored (it's been 4 months!), and to do some Christmas shopping with my mom. This our annual trip, and I think my sister might join us for part of the time. Planning to be back partway through the weekend so I can spend some time with Brandon.
I do have photos of my classroom- will post those next week. Other than that, not too much is going on... just doing some planning for my new job! I am remembering how much time that takes.
Enjoy the weekend!