Our Life On The Hill

Whoa...long absence!

I can't believe I've been gone this long!  Life got really busy and my computer was acting so slow while I tried to add photos and I just didn't take the time to blog.  I have SO much to catch up on.  I still have a few things I want to post from August, especially our photos from the annual Gladiolus Festival.  

In the fall we had our 15th wedding anniversary, Hadleigh turned 9, not to mention Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!  So many things for me to blog about and share.  

Here's one of my favorite Christmas photos.  I'll end here and hopefully very soon spend a few hours blogging.  

losing my mind

I have been forgetting things lately and one night it was really bad.  I'm either mentally overloaded, losing my mind, or my hypothyroidism is really messing with my memory.  

My first huge brain blunder:

It was the first week of September and I hadn't flipped my calendar over yet.  I came home from soccer practice on a Wednesday evening and I had a message from my endocrinologist's office.  I had an appt. the next day!  I totally forgot about it and I didn't get my labwork done.  There is no point in having the appointment if I don't have bloodwork results!  I was freaking out, but it was 8:30 at night so I couldn't call them until the morning.  I had to work on Thursday, because we had surgeries scheduled.  I got done at 1:30 and remembered that I was going to call the Dr.'s office in the morning to tell them I wouldn't make it.  I forgot to do that too and my appt. was at 1!  I was so mad at myself!  I've never missed a Dr. appointment before and being in the medical field, I know how frowned upon it is when someone is a no show! I called and apologized and explained my other blunders and the receptionist laughed and I think felt bad for me.  Either that, or she thinks I'm nuts!  lol  

My second brain blunder:

 Also on that Wednesday night, I had to start a load of laundry because Ashton needed his baseball uniform, that he just wore that night in a game, clean for another game on Thursday after school.  I threw the load in so I could just throw it in the dryer in the morning when I woke up and it would be dry and ready when he got on the bus.  I got up in the morning and went to grab the clothes to throw them in the dryer and they were already dry.  I grabbed another piece of clothing and it was also dry.  I then realized that I had loaded it, filled the soap dispenser, but forgot to hit start!!  

My third brain blunder:

On Wednesday morning while I was brushing Sawyer's teeth, I let him do his teeth on his own and then I go over them, his tooth fell out.   Before bed on Wednesday night, he put his tooth in his tooth box for the toothfairy.  Well, he woke up and said "the toothfairy didn't come!"  I about died!  I felt like a horrible mom.  I now know that it's easy to forget, especially when it's not your first child and not the first lost tooth, but I still felt like crap.  A bunch of my friend's said that they have also forgotten.  I quickly told him that the toothfairy must not have realized it was there because it was on his nightstand and not under his pillow.  We put it under his pillow on Thursday night and the toothfairy did show.  Whew!

I can't believe I did all of that in one night!  I think I need a mental break and soon!  Baseball is over and I'm really trying to let go of some of the boards and committees I've been on.  It's just too much.  The older the kids get, the crazier the schedules get.   

 

I had my rescheduled endocrinologist appointment for this past Monday.  I remembered to go for my bloodwork last week so my Dr. would have my results for my appointment.  I told Jerry on Sunday night to not let me forget my appointment. 

This is what I woke to find in the kitchen and living room:

I woke up on Wednesday morning to find these in the kitchen.  Jerry is so sweet! He bought them the night before and hid them in his tool shed until the morning.  

11

My firstborn is 11!  I just can't believe he was born 11 years ago. It's so weird that he's closer to 21 than he is to me giving birth to him.  I remember thinking how far away the double digits were when he was a baby, yet here we are already.  It went way faster than I ever could have imagined and way faster than I wanted it to go.  Why is that?  

He's such a good kid.  He's smart, sensitive, compassionate, creative, and I'm so glad I'm his mom.  

To celebrate on his 11th birthday, July 23rd, he picked what we would do.  We picked up my dad, he's still off of work from his cervical discectomy and fusion surgery, and we went to see Despicable Me.  It was really cute.  Later than night, we went to Monical's Pizza for dinner. 

Of course, Hadleigh and Sawyer had to get in on the action.

  

Hadleigh's newest Lil Webkinz, Taylor, had to have her picture taken as well. 

Ashton with my parents

Jerry with the other two kiddos

Sawyer with his new Ben 10 toy, Rath.

     

 The birthday boy and I

Hadleigh wanted in on it too

 

After dinner, we ran to Kroger to get some last minute things for Ashton's party.  When we came out of the store, we saw a beautiful double rainbow. 

On Saturday we had his soccer themed birthday party. 

I ordered his cake this year because I didn't have time to make one.

I did make cupcakes for him though.  He loves my frosting. 

    

cake time

Ashton's favorite part...presents!

        

On Monday, he had 2 friends over to celebrate.  We picked them up and went to see The Karate Kid movie.  My dad, Sawyer and I also went.  Hadleigh was at horse camp.  The movie was really cute.  We had pizza for dinner and they stayed the night.  

 I bought them each a Mexican pop for a treat.  

 

 

These two had to be part of the fun

     

  One last photo before I headed to bed

 

My latest project

You all know that I'm obsessed and in love with the vintage metal lawn and porch furniture.  I have quite a few and I'm so excited about starting their makeovers.  

I scored this vintage metal chair in the pie crust pattern and I was so thrilled!  I am a CVT (certified veterinary technician) and I just started working part time with a house call vet that moved to our town.  I went on a house call with her and the patient (dog)  was in this back shed.  I was thinking that I might spot something good in her shed and in the back of this dark and dingy garden shed, I spotted it!  I was so giddy!  We finished our work on her dog and I worked up the courage to ask her if she would be interested in selling the chair to me.  She said I could have it!!  I couldn't believe my luck!  I was ecstatic! 

I grabbed it and we fit it into the back of the vet's SUV.  

 

I started the stripping and sanding process.  Here are a couple of "progress" photos.

    

2009-2010 teacher scrapbooks

For the past two years, as head room mom, I've had to put together a scrapbook for the teacher.  It was something that our PTO put on and we did it for Teacher Appreciation week.  The PTO bought the binders and page protectors and we had to do the rest.  

I really enjoyed it, even though it was a lot of work.  I had to do 2 scrapbooks both years.  This year, our PTO didn't do it for teacher appreciation.  As the year was ending, I felt that I should still give my 3 teachers a book.  I knew I would regret it in the summer if I didn't make a scrapbook for each of them.  So, I sent 2 papers home to each child, there were 57 total between all 3 of their classes. It was very last minute, but I was so happy with how they turned out.   

Here is the book I did for Ashton's teacher. 

I had each child fill out these two papers

     

 In the back of the book, I put photos from different parties and events from the year. 

Hadleigh's teacher's scrapbook

 

Sawyer's teacher's scrapbook

      

   

       

I'm crushing hard

I'm in love with vintage metal porch and lawn furniture.  I love the different patterns, the looks of the furniture, and I love that each piece has so much history.  I want to know who the family was that enjoyed sitting on their porch on these chairs and gliders, sipping their lemonade and enjoying a sunny afternoon. 

Here is my new glider that my dad found on a front porch.  He went to the door and asked if the man wanted to sell it and he did.  

I would love to find out what the name of this pattern is.  I've searched the internet and can't find anything.  I found one site where they called it wagon wheel, but I don't think that's right.  It doesn't fit with the retro look and the leaves.  I found one on another site and it's named after the paint color that they had painted it.   I can't find any books on only vintage metal porch/lawn furniture.  If anyone knows of any, I would appreciate the info.  

Here is my basket weave rocker

My pinhole matching chairs

Now I just have to decide what colors I'll use on all of them.      

Playing catch up

I'm still here, I've just been SO busy.  Our computer was in the shop for a week.  Of course when it was ready, I was super busy with learning the ropes of being a team administer for Hadleigh's travel soccer team.  This past week I spent every day at my parent's house getting ready for a garage sale.  I'll be playing catch up this week for sure.  

Here is my new kitty...Digits. He's so cute and I can't wait to tell you about him and how he got his name.  (If you think you know, comment and let me know.  I think you can figure it out from this photo)

 

California trip ~~ Part 8 (Final)~~ Friday July 3

This was our last day.  We were sad to leave, but ready to get home.  We started getting everything together when we got up.  

This is where we stayed for a week

Wow, we sure had a ton of luggage!

On the plane

the limo ride home 

              

I'm currently drooling over....

The Marais or Tolix chair.  

I'm in LOVE with these chairs!  I first saw them in a Better Homes and Garden magazine months and months ago and searched and searched for info on them. I couldn't find anything because I didn't know what they were called until I found them again in another magazine the other day.  

 I want 6 or 8 of these for my kitchen.  I'm going to be on a mission to find some. 

Design Within Reach

I'm having trouble keeping images on here, so I'm going to put a few links so you can check them out.  I heart them!!

Desire To Inspire

Cumbersome

Sage Mommy

Halloween party

On Saturday October 24th, my aunt and uncle had their 2nd annual Halloween party.  Poor Sawyer had the flu, so he and Jerry stayed home.  

Ashton with Claire, Emerson, and Samuel on the infamous cart.  This rolling stool gets tons of use when kids are around it.  I have the cutest picture of Ashton playing on it with Hadleigh when she was a baby.  It was actually used in a national ad campaign for Cord Blood Registry back in 2002.  We have many memories of this stool.  

They hold this party in their really nice pole barn, because there is a lot of room and it's perfect for the kids to run around in.  My uncle has a collection of neons on the wall, and they look so pretty at night.

Hadleigh coloring and judging the moms coloring contest

Karen thought we should do a coloring contest.  Most of us haven't colored in a while, so we thought it would be fun.  Hadleigh and Paige were the judges.  Of course, they were a bit biased because I won 1st and Kim won 2nd.  I definitely didn't deserve first.  I'm not artistic like the others are.  lol  It was funny, because I probably should have come in 4th.  My girl was looking out for her mom.