amelia the amazing

 

Here is the infamous "Amelia Earheart"

flying without a plane!

Elizabeth's accent is perhaps the most interesting - since Amelia was from Kansas. 

how to lose a glove

Dining Room - under construction

F I N A L L Y
I cannot live with this carpet for one. more. day.

We were not supposed to rip up the carpet until summe - but Nate and I were so blah last night (weather, colds, nothing on tv, etc)  - that we needed to do something.  Gladly, our finest form of fun is home remodeling.  Well, 2nd form of fun. 

So, we dug in.   The carpet & pad only took about 15 minutes to remove, another 2 hours for the staples and nail strips and now for the clean up.
In between nail strip sections, we played 4 games of UNO with the kids, 3 levels of Sniper on XBox, 2 bags of popcorn, and 1 podcasts to drown out the noise.

COMPLETED:
carpet & pad removed 


STILL TO DO:
clean up floor
remove wall paper
hang curtains
take down hideous wall paper
paint above chair rail
paint below chair rail
floors refinished
new light fixture

EXCITING:
living everyday with my best friend and kids in our forever house

get off the xbox!

"Get off the xbox!"  

I hear Nate exclaim up the stairs.

The boys had been on the new Batman xbox game for about an hour.

 

Within a couple of minutes, Chance, Jake & Ripley come bounding down the stairs.

The fun (non electronic time) started with playdoh and then quickly moved to a puzzle that Nana had gotten Jake for Christmas.

 

What a gift - to share the evening chatting and laughing, instead of just the sounds from Batman and his rivals.  Its not that time playing electronics is bad, its just that some time not playing electronics is very good. 

grocery thursday

While in Krogers this morning (with reusable bags and coupon binder mind you)

I made a startling observation of my shopping habits....

I buy healthier food items when I go shopping in the morning.

Anytime before the hustle of traffic and emails - I am hopeful and full of energy.  I imagine that the grocery store food is there, simply for me to enjoy.  I linger in the produce area just enough time to touch as many oranges and celery stalks that it takes to make the restocking employee feel uncomfortable.   The organic section calls my name to tempt me to buy fun snacks for the kid that are still healthy.   In the day, right before I have to work or take care of other responsibilities, the cereal aisle reminds me of the amazing amount of choices that I have.  The time spent in the baking lane allures me with walnuts and flour and tubs of prepared icing. 

Maybe pre8am shopping isnt for everyone, but I see a startling difference in my post 6 pm shopping trips.   For those late shopping trips - There is longing for comfort food to soothe away the stress of a dissertation obligation, cheese to satisfy the palate of richness, and chips to encourage my appetite for a beer.  

As for me - I will choose the time when the birds are singing - inviting me into Krogers so that cashier #42 Tom is ok with coupons, reusable bags and the water that I still need to pay for that is half gone.

If you get into trouble....

 

If you get into trouble at the Allenger/Epling household -

you will always first loose your phone privileges.

You will then loose all electronics and trips to the mall.

 

But our speciality is a chore list that must be completed. 

This chore list is 2/3 punitive and 1/3 kinda funny.

 

 

 



Waiting for the sun to return

Another day, at home working to finish chapter 2 -

I am wondering where the sun has escaped to. 

Did it travel south to honor to retirees?

Did it travel to the north to celebrate with the polar bears?

Well - I am making a personal invitation right now.

Dear Sun, I have missed you. 

I understand that I have frequently taken you for granted, and even fussed at the heat.

But I take it all back - I will only be appreciative. 

I promise if only you will return soon.  

I am the house with the Yellow Ribbon tied around the front tree.

with love and optimism,

Mindy