Pictures

I have finally uploaded photos from my phone and thought I'd post some.  Some of these are from the branding party (taken by Jenni) a month ago.  You can find more of Jenni's fabulous work (and see more of the branding photos) over at Applegreen Photography.

Yesterday the city workers were doing something with the water lines on our street.  They ended up opening up the hydrant across from our house and the kids had the most wonderful time trying to stay standing in that mad blast of water!  They finally gave up and played in the street.

That's me, on the top and there's Popeye on the bottom.  Mmmm, mmm - he's so hot.

There he is again.  And that's Princess Monkey Eyes on branding day.  I love her curls.

Popeye bought Princess Monkey Eyes and I new cowgirl hats for the branding.  I totally dig mine!

There's Grand Duchess with a light saber - she's growing so fast and wants to be a part of the action. The other pic is of Princess Monkey Eyes, her friend and Thor out at the ranch.  We were feeding the calf, Daffy, that day and the kids were chasing it and then it would turn around and chase them back.  It was so funny to watch!

I need to get a new camera.  Mr. Fantastic is having surgery in two weeks and I need to take pics of that process for him.  I should post more pics of the boys - but they just aren't as cute as the girls.  :)  Okay, that's not totally true - I just rarely take pictures of them.

Really quick...maybe

here's the latest.

We had major hail damage on the north side of our house and garage. Holes in the siding and a busted roof. Needless to say - the house STILL is not on the market.
Last week it was unbearably hot but Popeye and I got the siding removed and reinstalled in 100+ degree weather on the garage.  Looks good.  Tomorrow I'll let him remove the siding from the house while I paint the garage to match and install the trim.

Mr. Fantastic has his surgery scheduled for July 13th so we're counting down the days to when we'll start making the long, numerous trips to Omaha for all that is entailed in that.  Pre-operation appointments, operation and then turning the thing on.  After that we'll have to go quarterly for adjustments.  It's a 6 hour drive, one way.  So not fun.  I'm thinking a DVD player for the van will be a must-buy within the next few weeks.

I'm done working for the summer.  Oh how I miss some of my clients.  Some of them, not so much, but there are days when I long to make a difference in someone else's life.  I cleaned my house the other day.  Spent 3 hours on the main floor.  Oh how it sparkled and shined.  The kids stayed outside.  They played in the sprinklers. They came in to go potty.  They tracked grassy wetness across my shiny, clean floors.  I told them to turn around and pee outside. 
Needless to say, I think I need therapy - or a summer camp for the kids while the house is on the market.

Popeye's job "search" is going well.  The state trooper doing Popeye's background investigation is optimistic that he'll get the job.  That is, given he doesn't dig up some nasty dirt.  not happenin'.  So that aspect of our life is moving forward.  We're excited and nervous all at the same time.

Everyone else is fine.  It's allergy season so I am not even going to spell-check this or re-read it as my head is throbbing with sinus pressure.  I just took the last Zyrtec and Sudafed today - everything else in my medicine cabinet has expired.  Guess I need to go to the store tomorrow.  Lovely.  I hate asking for Sudafed - I feel like a criminal.  And when I'm all congested like this - I'm sure I look like a criminal, too.

Anyhow.  Popeye gave me a week off a couple of weeks ago.  It was heaven.  I went to my mom and dad's to stay.  Took my sewing machine, yarn, crochet hooks & money.  I read my scriptures each morning without interruption.  I sewed 8 skirts for the girls.  I crocheted one hat for Grand Duchess.  I watch movies galore.  I helped Mom prepare for a catering job that week.  I talked with her and laughed with her and we went to the movies and saw "Letters to Juliet" (which I recommend if you like clean, chick-flick flicks).  I visited with my uncle who came through.  I bought lots of fabric from Hobby Lobby.  I had a wonderful time!  Simply wonderful.
I came home refreshed and ready to be a mom and wife again.  I had been struggling with motherhood and wife-hood for a while.  Not a lot of people know that.  I went home on Thursday morning only to turn around Friday and go back with Popeye and the kids (Stake temple day was the next day).  I helped Mom with her job on Friday night and was hit on by a young man - the cousin of the groom.  He knew I was married with 5 kids and yet he still flirted with me.  While it was a serious ego booster (Who doesn't like to be hit on my an attractive young guy? - Young being the operative word, here) - I am glad I went home the night before to be with my family to help me realize that I really do love each of them.
And for the record, I'm sure it was the tummy-slimming cami and the fake eye-lashes that had him so entranced.

So I'm home.  We've been fishing and camping and having all sorts of "fun". The kids think I clean too much. I think they should clean up after themselves so that we wouldn't have to do so much cleaning.

And now my medicine is kicking in and I must meet my bed with welcome sighs of bliss.

Still Going Strong

Today is June 5, 2010.  Precisely 11 years ago (to the day, too) I married the man of my dreams.
Oh how I wish my scanner was working so I could scan in a couple of pictures from our earlier years. 

Our wedding was beautiful.  We were married in the Denver LDS Temple.  I had a gorgeous wedding dess and Popeye wore a white tux (I wasn't too keen on it, but hey - he had to have say over SOMETHING that day).  My eldest sister said we looked like Audrey Hepburn and Kurt Russell. (Insert picture here...)

We had a luncheon following the ceremony at a country club in Lonetree, CO.  The food was yummy.  The cake?  Not so much.  I'm not a fan of fondant, but that's okay.  It's not always about the cake.

After a brief rest (NOT!) we went to the church where the cultural hall was magically transformed into a tent-like atmosphere.  The food was delicious (even though we didn't get to eat a whole lot).  The cake - absolutely decadent!!!  Oh, I'm salivating now.

And the dancing.  There was lots of it and it was fun!

And we drove away on Popeye's harley.  Sweet.  Sunglasses, leather jackets and our wedding garb.  People were honking and waving as I had my arms wrapped around Popeye's waist.  It was a deliciously warm night. (Insert another picture of us on the harley here...)

And jumping forward 11 years, we're still in love.  Sometimes I don't like the man.  I mean, he can drive me bonkers.  But then he makes up for it - like the flowers on Mother's Day, showering the kids on Saturday night, letting me sleep in when he's going on little or no sleep.  he's an amazing husband and treats me like a queen.  In all 11 years of marriage he has never yelled at me.  Not once.  And the fights are more of the silent type - and they're pretty few, too.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being married.  It's been rough. But it's been good.  We have 5 beautiful, well-mannered (for the most part) children.  We have a home and we have each other.  We are happy.

So tonight I think I should find a sitter to come over so I can take my man on a date.  But maybe we'll just stay in, pop some popcorn and watch Nacho Libre. 

Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

2008 Christmas Photo Shoot - I was preggo with Grand Duchess

February 2009

March 2008 at The Stanley Hotel

I'm just thinking things here - stuff that I presented to Popeye earlier today - and it will probably jump around and be completely incoherent, but whatever. It's my post and that's that.


Here's my latest 'wondering'.  I feel like I'm having an identity crisis.
Yesterday The Royal Family & I headed to a friend's house for a "branding party".  Popeye bought us both boots and hats for the event.  We had a most wonderful time wrestling calves to the ground and pinning them while they got branded, vaccinated and castrated (only the boys, you know).  Anyway.  It was awesome.
That lifestyle is what my inner-most self yearns for.
But then I have this other lifestyle that I yearn for as well.  One that includes neighbors, a fenced yard, trick-or-treating from the front door and walking to school that's a block or two away.
I was looking at my front coat closet this afternoon and noticed something.  All of the shoes.
There's lots of them.  And (oops) a lot of them are mine.
I have my cowgirl boots (still with poo on the bottom that didn't give me blisters) sitting by the front door. 
I have my running shoes that I use for everyday living because of comfort and practicality. (Hey, it's easier to chase after a 3 year old running down the street in those rather than flip flops.)
There are the few pairs of flip flops and ballet flats that I wear when my feet need to breathe and see the sunshine for the few brief moments that I take the trash out or run out to the garage.
I also have my assortment of strappy-sexy sandals and my knee-high stripper boots.
What do they all mean?  Some make me feel attractive and desirable.  Some make me feel motivated.  Some laid back and lazy.  And now the boots - the cowgirl ones, not the stripper ones - make me feel strong and wanting to be outside working.
As I was looking at the shoes and thinking about what they 'mean', I started feeling lonely, confused, frustrated... whatever.  But it made me ask outloud, "Why can I not be happy with myself?  Why am I always trying to change myself to please others?" 
Ever since I can remember I've adapted myself to please others. To fit in. To be accepted.  In the teenage years it was all about the boys.  I had no problem getting dirty, holding snakes, playing football but I also had to be skinny, beautiful and have make up on.  (Hey, it's how I landed Popeye.) I look at pictures of myself when I was 16 and think, "How could I have had such a low self-image?  LOOK at those thighs!  I'd kill for those thighs right now."  But yet, I allowed outside influences to influence ME.
And those outside forces are still working.  Am I trying to be a cowgirl because of the friendships I've made?  Or am I using the friendship to help me develop my inner cowgirliness?  Should I buy my clothes at a certain store to get me into the 'In' crowd? If I get a certain calling will I finally be friends with 'her'?  If I bite my tongue and not say anything, will she like me more?  Why do I let other's opinions of me affect me so much? 
Popeye says that it's because I'm looking for another Milkmaid Supreme and just haven't found her yet. (Not that I'm wanting to replace Milmaid Supreme by any means.  I miss her terribly and wish we lived MUCH closer.)  But Popeye says that I'm yearning for that same relationship.  A completely trusting friendship where I don't have to question loyalties.  I see friendships being made around me and then watch them get torn apart because of deceit or selfishness.  And I watch other friendships that seem to progress and wait with baited breath for them to fall apart.  And when they don't, I'm envious because it wasn't ME that was the progressing one.
I think I'm destined to be a life-time long-distance friend.  I'm pretty good at those.  If I torque my long-distance friends then they can hang up the phone and mull it over until we talk again and all is forgiven.  But here.  Here in Small Townville I must see these friends weekly (sometimes daily) and I'm a lot to take sometimes.  The breaks aren't long enough before feelings can be mended.
Which leads me back to being a cowgirl.  Out in the country you don't have the neighbors right next door.  So seeing them everyday and offending everyday is scarce.  In the country you have chores that surpass the everday laundry, cooking, cleaning. There's cows to be fed, chickens to be fed, eggs to be gathered, gardens to be tended to, fences to be mended, horses to be watered, etc... 
Perhaps this is my answer.  Maybe the cowgirl boots should stay and the stripper boots get put into the back of the closet.  After all, nothing is sexier to a man than a woman who can pull her own weight (and then some) around the farm.

(And as a subnote - I'll be posting about the  branding as soon as I can get my pics uploaded to the computer.  SUPER time! Everyone should do it.)

Busy.

Popeye is leaving for a few days tomorrow.  He has some training for work that he needs to go to.  So I took the week off of my own work to stay home with the kids.  And we all know how I get while Popeye's away.

Today we primed the trim outside the house.  The rain finally let up enough to let us outside.  I hate climbing up ladders, so I had to wait for Popeye to be able to help me.  We got almost the whole house done this morning.  Now we just need a nice coat of white over that primer and the painting outside will be done!  YEAH!
Tonight I'll probably just clean up and get things ready for while he's gone. Hee hee hee.  I don't even think he knows what my plans are while he's gone.

Starting this past Saturday evening, we began potty training Thor.  Up until then he hasn't shown any interest at all, even with the bribe of candy (which he would swim with sharks if it meant a tasty treat).  But he was all for it!
So far so good.  A few accidents but he woke up dry this morning and I'm still feeling optimistic!  I'll continue with it through the week and hopefully he'll be like his big brother, Mr. Fantastic, and be completely trained by the end of the week!

It's been awhile since posting.  I really just wanted to let everyone know I'm still here.  And if you're wondering what I've been up to - check out my side bar and see all the '*DONE*' marks next to my projects.
Estimated date to put the house on the market - May 31.

And now that the cat's somewhat out of the bag (at least Popeye's boss knows), we're looking at switching law enforcement agencies.  So even though we've outgrown the house (hey, we moved into it and it was already outgrown), we'll probably be looking in another state for a house to buy.
So if you know anyone looking for a cute little house, I've got one.
I'll post pictures as soon as we're done with everything so you can see the improvements!

And on that note, time to make dinner and then get the boys to soccer so I can declutter a room or two.

Tuesday Tip!

I was cleaning today for The Party Animal.  I call her The Party Animal because she's this little bitty old lady who always thinks her house is messy.  It's not.  I joke with her that she needs to stop partying so much because I can barely get through my work in my allotted amount of time.

Anyway.  So I was at The Party Animal's house this morning, cleaning her kitchen.  She just bought a new canister of Comet.
I love the stuff.  It works great at getting the scratches out of sinks and tubs.  But today, the stuff came in handy on her formica countertop.  She spilled some coffee and wiped it up - but there was a nice brown ring left in it's place.  Now I know a lot of you drink coffee on a regular basis - so this tip will totally come in handy.  It will also come in handy for Kool-aid spills, berry juice and other such stain-y disasters.
Just sprinkle it on and take one of those green scotch-brite pads and get that stain out.  Then rinse with some water or 409 or whatever...
I am pretty sure that Soft Scrub will work just as well, also.  The jury's still out on which product I like better...  But they're both comparable.

So there you go.  A tip that you all probably have used a bazillion times, but that I just found a new use for today.

(Things are progressing with the house.  Tonight, as soon as the kids go to bed, I'll finish smoothing down the putty on the trim and then, perhaps tomorrow, start painting it.  I've also begun packing things up and lined up a storage unit that I'll start transferring them to tomorrow.  Thanks be to a new friend who just moved here - the movers just brought their stuff and she is graciously giving me a bunch of her UBER NICE moving boxes!  Can't beat that!  On that note - I hear bickering...  Time to go play referee.)

I love Indian Cuisine, but this is too much!

Last week I accepted a job from a local realtor to clean a 3 bedroom apartment.  Not a big deal, right?  I do move-outs all the time.  I went and inspected the property and told the realtor that I'd do the job for no less than $100 but that if it took me longer than 4 hours, I would charge $25/hr after that.
"No problem." Said He.

So today I got busy.  Got over there at 8 o'clock this morning and started moving out whatever the tenant had left behind.  Realtor wanted me to just throw it all away (no biggie since we're renting a dumpster from the landfill right now, I just brought it home).  That took a little bit of time, taking off window coverings and such. 
Now see, I guess I neglected to let you in on a secret.  The previous tenants were from India.  Thus cooking with heavy spices.  And they lived there for over 6 years.  You can only imagine the smell.

Over 20 heavy duty towels, 5 window towels, half a roll of paper towels, 2 garbage bags and FIVE and A HALF HOURS later, I start loading up the van.  Items being discarded include (but are not limited to): kitchen chairs, folding table, vacuum, those styrofoam egg-carton pad thingys, and various stinky window treatments. 

I spent 2 hours alone in a kitchen that is smaller than mine (I thought my kitchen was the smallest ever).  I used a whole bottle of INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH DEGREASER on that kitchen.  And I STILL didn't get all the grease off that range hood.  I wanted to pull out the fridge but it was stuck.  I didn't get behind the stove - I ran out of degreaser.  I washed the floor - twice.  The kitchen was nasty.

The bathroom.  Oh boy.  The buildup of calcium deposits and soap scum would make ANYONE scream!  The first thing I did when I got there was to treat that so when the time came for me to clean the bathroom it would be broken up a bit.  I used two bottles of lime away, half a pumice stone and a whole sheet of drywall screen on the tub, toilet and sink.  I took before and after pics, just in case.  (I wish I had taken before and after pics of the kitchen, but I didn't think about it at the time).  I spent an hour and half in the bathroom.  And it is smaller than mine.

Not only did I spend my time degreasing and de-calciumfying (word?), but I washed all the walls, got ALL the cobwebs, took out the screens and vacuumed them and washed all the windows (inside and out).

After including 15 minutes for trash retrieval/removal, the total charge came to be $143.75!!!
I should have upped my fee given the nastiness of the place.  I just didn't think it would take that long when I first said yes.  I thought it would be a piece of cake job. That I could get through everything quickly with a bit of elbow grease.  Never did I imagine that the build-up was 6 years worth of build-up.

So I proceeded over to Realtor's Office and handed the receptionist the invoice.  I explained that there would definitely need to be a paint job done, carpets cleaned and I advised that the wallpaper be removed from the kitchen because it is harboring the smell of curry and Indian spices.  She said, "Well, Realtor will have to go and inspect it, but he just stepped out.  I'll give you a call when you can come get your check."

WHAT?!?!?!  I am so raging, fuming mad.  No, I did NOT sign up for payment upon adequate inspection.  I want my money.  I just spent my regular day off cleaning up after some slob.  I'm doing the work that they (the tenant and realtor) didn't want to do.  And now I have to wait for payment?
So I called 2 hours later.  Realtor answers the phone and I asked him if he had gone up there yet to look at it. 
"I just got into town from Easter break." (Uh huh.  Either you're lying or Receptionist is lying because she said you had just stepped out....  whatever.) 
Me: "So, what time do you guys close up tonight?"
Him: "Around 5.  But I don't think I'll be able to get up there tonight to look at it. Can I do it first thing tomorrow morning?"
Me: "Well, I'm not very happy about it, but if that's the way it has to be.  I'll be working tomorrow morning, so I'll swing by when I'm done to get my check."

I am SO mad.  SO SO SO MAD.
And I smell like curry and other Indian spices.  And Popeye just started the dishwaasher so a shower is out of the question for a couple of hours.

Wanna see the pics?

Can you see the difference? I might add, the only altering of the photos were just the brightness.  The bathroom is poorly lit, so I brightened them up a bit so you can see them better.

And I've decided that I won't do a job for Realtor again.